Rally Sunday!

Hi Folks,

I just wanted to write a reminder that Sunday is Rally Sunday!  Everyone is welcome back from summertime slow down!  Sunday School begins, as well as the unofficial church year.

Our culture has certainly shifted from the days where, of course, no question, we went to church on a Sunday morning.  The church was the center of the community; people belonged because it was the thing to do.  Stores were closed.  School and sport events were never scheduled on a Sunday morning.   That is no longer true.  With school, sports, and other activities now taking over Sunday mornings, people are drawn away.  And, if we happen to have a free Sunday morning, we are too tired and want to rest from the busyness of our lives.  So, not going to church becomes a habit, just as going to church once was.

Church is no longer the center of our communities.  It is just another option of many we have in our lives.  And, more and more, people are opting out.  Attendance in worship and Sunday School has dropped across the board in churches.  Faith communities are faced with dwindling resources.  Churches are closing at an alarming rate. 

We here at our beloved HCCUCC are facing the same thing.  Our future is not clear,.

And yet, when I look at the state of our country and our world, it seems the church is the only place where we do hear the Good News.  We need the Gospel now more than ever.  We are bombarded with negative words and images in the media.  Our children face so many choices, many of which are not healthy.  People are torn down constantly from messages of "You are not good enough."

The church, our church offers a respite from this horrible hub bub.  The message of the Gospel is one of extravagant welcome, of extravagant acceptance, of extravagant love.  Where else do we hear this message?  This is a message worth hearing and sharing, a message that helps us to face the negativity swirling around us.

God is alive and active in our world.  Sitting in a pew, singing those hymns, praying those prayers, hearing those words of scripture remind us of that.  Children learning those ancient stories of a powerful, loving God remind us of that.  And, being in the presence of people, imperfect, but, eternally loved, we can be empowered and equipped to live our lives with faith and hope.

So, please, make the church not just another option, but a priority for yourself and your children.  It really is the only place where we can just be.

"No matter who you are, or where you are on life's journey, you are welcome here."

Hope to see you on Sunday!

In Christ's love,

Rev. Lucille