Summer Together: A Season for Growing in Grace
The days are longer, the pace feels a little lighter, and something in the air seems to invite us to slow down and take notice of the good things around us. Summer has arrived — and with it, a wonderful invitation for our congregation to draw closer together.
In the book of Acts, we read a picture of the early church that still stirs something in us today: "Every day they continued to meet together... they broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people" (Acts 2:46–47). That image — of people gathering, sharing meals, and simply being present with one another — feels especially fitting as we enter this season.
Summer has a way of opening doors that busier seasons keep closed. School schedules ease, evenings stretch out, and porches and parks become natural gathering places. These are gifts. As a United Methodist congregation, we believe that community isn't just a nice addition to faith — it's where faith is lived out, tested, deepened, and celebrated. We need one another, not just on Sunday mornings, but in the ordinary, unhurried moments of life.
This summer, we encourage every member of our church family to lean into those moments. Invite a neighbor to join you for worship. Linger a little longer after the service at Sip ‘N’ Chatter. Join the Sunday School class. Show up to the potluck even if all you can bring is a bag of chips and an open heart.
Our Methodist heritage calls us to a faith that is both personal and communal — a "social holiness," as John Wesley described it. We were not made to journey alone. And summer, with all its ease and warmth, may be the very best time to remember that.
So step outside. Open your home. Say yes to the invitation. The kingdom of God is often found right there — around a table, on a blanket in the park, in a conversation that goes longer than expected.
May this summer be one we remember not for where we went, but for who we were together.
—Pastor Kate
