Dear Beloved,

We are on the cusp of summer and fall, vacation and the return to work and school, and the end of sabbatical. Our Sundays are evermore the point of the cusp, and we hope our service this week will provide the space, means, and love necessary to return to God and our sacred work. We pray you come and worship with us this Communion Sunday.

Our service this week is inspired by some of Melissa Hines’ former students who were 9-11 years old. Melissa gave her students an assignment: to write about one thing they would do to make the world a better place to live. Our confession, sermon, and prayers will be centered on their responses, “Building a World our Children Envision.”

Melissa Hines is the liturgist and we will preach together. Pete Shungu will open the sacred space of poetry and present a word of “Hope.” Another new quartet, Elizabeth Fields, Rae King, Melissa Hines and I, will sing Sweet Honey on the Rock’s arrangement of Khalil Gibran’s “On Children.”

During the service, we will honor and commission teachers who are just beginning their year, and those who work with children.

Ian Tosh is our welcomer, and is also on the sound system. Cindy Stewart is our greeter, Rebecca Horne is our shepherd. Erin Iwanusa will teach our young ones.Chet Britt and Kelly Champion will provide nosh for coffee hour.

Looking ahead to next week, Molly will return to work from sabbatical this coming Tuesday! Please pray for Molly as she begins to enter our congregation again. Please pray for our community as we open space and turn our faces to behold and embrace her. Molly and our Sabbatical Team will preach next Sunday.

Please reminder to bring your puzzle pieces next Sunday.

Peace, dear ones, this beautiful weekend. You who are traveling, traveling mercies. Come home safely.

Love,
Laura Ruth

–
Rev. Laura Ruth Jarrett
Minister of Outreach
First Congregational Church of Somerville, UCC
An Open and Affirming Congregation
W. 10-9, Th. 2-8, F. 10-3, Su. 8:30-1