Thank you to our friend Reverend C. Davis Robinson who has been preaching most Sundays since my accident last September. I am grateful for the personal encouragement he gave me as well as his weekly messages. On June 27, his last Sunday with us for the summer, the gratefulness of the congregation was well evident. His faithfulness to his Lord and Savior has been a great blessing to us all. We wish him and his wife Barb a very pleasant summer.

This transition was perfectly placed as I will be returning to work 30 hours a week beginning in July. So from July on I will be preaching most Sundays. However, I will be on vacation from Wednesday, July 21 through Friday, July 30. I am spending a few days in DC and then flying to spend time with my friend Kay Huggins in New Mexico. She is retiring from the pastorate to spend 3 days a week with her granddaughter. I will be there for her last Sunday at the New Life Presbyterian Church. She tricked me into coming by e-mailing pictures of her swimming pool and her new granddaughter! I see this as a time of refreshment that will bring me back rested and ready to go.

This fall will be a new beginning in some ways. Our lives and the lives of others are always changing. We want to understand ourselves, what is happening in our community, and how God is present in our lives. This is important work that undergirds our sense of purpose and direction. The writer of the devotion d365.org sdkd dome good questions for us to ponder. 'How is God at work in and around you as one day gives way to another' especially when "things do not stay the same."

For me the great learning of this past year has been that whatever new limitations I face, I am no less valuable to God. I understand better how little I control my life. As the urge to try to control lessens, my anxieties have been reduced. My trust in God has increased.

In the coming years our congregation will be facing many challenges. Some of the most important work we do may be allowing change to flow around us and contemplating new ways to be the people of God. It would help a great deal if we begin getting together and exploring our ideas.

I will scheduling book discussions on The Shack, a novel by William P. Young that tells the story of a man overcoming anger after a tragedy in his family. I will also be restarting Bible studies. These discussions are opportunities to define ourselves and what kinds of contributions we are able to make for the common good. New insight may lead us to interact with a greater variety of people. We may be less programmatic and more interactive! Please pray for our inspiration, our continued dedication, and our continued trust in God's care and direction.

Pastor Myra