Celebrating our Congregation
What are we celebrating on Celebration Sunday? Because life tends to organize itself around school schedules (even for those of us without children or with grown children!), we recognize that at the beginning of September, a new school year has arrived, and with it, new opportunities to teach, learn, fellowship, and grow together.
This year in worship we took a moment to recognize our educators and learners – all of those who make learning possible, both inside the church and in our wider community. We presented them with gifts to remind them they are a blessing to us, and we offered a litany of blessing to offer them our love and prayers in words.
River Road Church is blessed with many, many educators, and they are a gift to us. We are also blessed to know so many who are pursuing education – from preschool to graduate school! The group that gathered with us in the Sanctuary for the litany of blessing was large and beautiful. We celebrate you, our educators and learners! You are God’s gift to our church and this community!
We also celebrated our summer full of adventure and ministry with a picnic and reports from participants in the Summer trips. We heard about PASSPORTkids!, Passport Youth, the Hands & Hearts family mission trip to Nickelsville, Vacation Bible School, Unidiversity, and Maine Mission Tour. We heard from both youth and adults at how these experiences shaped them. Thank you to all the adult volunteers who made these trips possible. We celebrate you! And thank you River Road Church family for supporting our children and youth to learn and serve. We celebrate this community that encourages thoughtful and loving faith.
Written by Libby Grammer & Kim Crowley
Click here to view all of the pictures from the Celebration Sunday picnic and presentation
Blessings for All of God’s Creatures
To celebrate the Feast of St. Francis, our youth blessed around 20 dogs, 2 hermit crabs, and the pictures of 2 cats. We remember St. Francis’ legacy in his care for creation, especially animals in October. Our youth learned what it means to give unpredictable blessings to unpredictable creatures. Thanks to Daniel Glaze for his help and guidance in planning the service.
Written by Kim Crowley
Originally published in the 2017 Winter Quarterly Explorer