Well, it is August. I don’t like August. In my opinion, it is up there with May on the list of worst months of the year. It is all transition—going from the more laid back, catch your breath, travel, long dinners late into the night lifestyle… to getting children ready for school and dealing with the expense, meetings, and preparation necessary to get back in more predictable rhythms and structure. Here at St. Patrick, we are also gearing up. My calendar is so jammed, I mistakenly thought I was out of town for the Burger Bash (which I missed last year because I was on Sabbatical). I only realized it when I scheduled Teri’s birthday dinner for this Sunday and got a text from my daughter Bethan, asking me if I was skipping it! So, realizing I was not out of town after all, I quickly met with my group and started conditioning my Blackstone for some delicious Smash Burgers.
As we transition, we begin a new sermon series this Sunday called Saturate. During August, we will be preaching on various aspects of our vision for St. Patrick. Then, the week after Labor Day, we will unveil a new vision statement we have carefully crafted and vetted with staff, elders and key leaders. There is nothing really new here, just a guiding statement to steer us into the future.
This week we will talk about how God intends to spread his glory over the whole earth as the water covers the sea. That is how the prophet Habakkuk describes God’s intent. So, I look forward to discussing how we participate in this grand story and adventure of redemption we have been caught up in. I hope to see you Sunday, both at worship and at Burger Bash! Also, be sure to check your calendars, as various trainings for the Fall start this Sunday during the Sunday School hour and continue weekly throughout August.