Dear Good Samaritans,

I am excited to see you all for the many exciting things that are beginning on Sunday. I’m sure you have all noticed that many students have gone back to school or will be in the coming weeks. And, we, as a church, want to acknowledge that, we want to bless that, and mark this seasonal change.

This Sunday at both services (we are returning to two Sunday services again at 8am and 10:30am!) we will take a moment to bless the backpacks, messenger bags, etc. of all those of any age returning to school. However, this will be a blessing, not just for kids and youth, but for the whole family of God because learning and living are never reserved solely for school. Briefcases, bags, purses, calendars, and phones (which for many of us may be a combination of all these tools of work) are all indicators of our lives at work as well as our commitments to our communities and families.

Carolyn C. Brown, a Presbyterian educator, has stated well why such rituals are important for people of all ages. By incorporating our family and social lives with our church lives we are reminded that God and church are not “off to the side” or just something that is done on Sundays. Instead, it is a facet of life that imbues all the rest. God is with us at school, on the bus, in the office, meeting with friends, commuting in the car, and anywhere else we may find ourselves.

And so, as a group, we will bless all of the many and varied things that people have brought as a way of marking them for God as we begin a new season of learning and living.

I look forward to seeing you all,

Fr. Chris