A MESSAGE FROM REV. J.C. AUSTIN: Summer renewal
The beginning of August is always a little strange for me. Generally, when it comes around I am either on vacation or about to depart, as I am this year; I’ll be taking about two weeks of vacation starting on Monday, August 5.
The odd thing is, for my family and friends in the South, their summer is over! I’ve been watching them post photos of the first day of school this week, which seems hard to believe. I feel like summer is finally in full swing, while they’re already thinking about fall.
For us at First Pres, it’s a little of both of those realities. Summer is in full swing, and I’m grateful for the chance to get away for a couple of weeks of rest after this Sunday before the busyness of fall sets in. But we are also already thinking about fall, with our committees and ministry teams preparing to resume activities that took a break over the summer while developing new opportunities for education, community-building, and service for the fall!
One of those will be the launch of our new youth ministry initiative as part of Princeton Seminary’s Log College Project. Julia Pedroso and Sophia Pedroso, who both attended the “Design Lab” in Princeton at the end of June, will be speaking in worship this Sunday about both our initiative and their experience with the Log College Project so far.
So if you’re in town this Sunday, please make sure you’re in worship to hear what they have to say!In any case, I hope summer is treating you well and you are finding your own ways to be rested and renewed, even if travel or vacation isn’t possible for you right now. And I hope you’ll keep one eye on the things that are unfolding for our church life together, too!
Grace and peace,
J.C.