May is an exciting, and somewhat busy month within the church and outside of the church. It is the end of the academic school year, end of Sunday School; Confirmation and Graduation happen this month; and great plans for summer adventures are finalized.
It is a time for conclusions and then new beginnings. Many people in our congregation are making the yearly transition from the structure of the school year into a less structured (but sometimes just as busy) summer.
Our priorities change in the summer. That happens with our faith as well. It is easy to equate graduation with confirmation. It is easy to believe that now that we are confirmed, our faith life is complete, no more education needed. It is easy to forget about faith formation in the summer because adult classes cease and worship decreases to one service per Sunday.
Rather than seeing faith formation as ceasing during summer or as no longer necessary, my hope is that it becomes an opportunity to experience faith in a new way. Maybe that is to eat together as a family more often. As you break bread together, it may be a time to renew your relationships with one another and with God through conversation. Maybe it is enjoying God’s creation while camping or hiking. Summer is a great time to begin new rituals and traditions with family, or continue old traditions. Maybe less time at church means more time serving in the community. Summer can be a good time to participate in service events. Maybe it is a time to be involved in family devotion, spending specific time studying a chapter of the Bible.
Luther said that the best faith formation happens in the home, not in church. Now that things are slowing down in the church, find an opportunity to see if Luther was right!
Blessings,
