Dear First Parish Church,

I pray you are all feeling refreshed, renewed and well-summered! It’s been such a joy to spend the summer with you all. There are so many highlights! Volunteering with a wonderful First Parish Church crew at the Red, White and Blue pancake breakfast. Welcoming the community to our church during the 4th of July Parade. The Music at Masconomo event (where 65 people participated in the Love Thy Neighbor contest, and 45 kids made sticker scenes). And, of course, the Festival by the Sea, which saw over a hundred people come through our doors at both the Fair and the church! I was able to meet lots and lots of community members through all of these events and First Parish really put our best foot forward to help to “share the love and light of God” with the wider community. Thank you so much to each of you for your contributions and participation. These events also gave me the nudge to create some updated church brochures and fliers which you’ll see around the church (feel free to share 🙂 .

Early Fall has always been one of my favorite seasons. Maybe it’s the bookworm in me, but I always loved going back to school. Fresh school supplies, a new lunch box and endless possibilities ahead – what could be more exciting? That’s how I’m feeling this year. Fresh school supplies (have you donated to Faith Formation’s School Supply Drive? Read on), a new water bottle (“Lord, help me remember to hydrate”), and endless possibilities ahead for our beautiful, vibrant, Spirit-filled faith community.

I am so excited for worship this Fall. We’ll be bringing back Family Sundays (all ages worship on the First Sunday of the month), and will take our first steps together along a scriptural trajectory that will begin with a Creation Celebration on Welcome Back Sunday (9/8) and lead into a sermon series about Abraham for the first half of the Fall. We have much to learn from this founder of the faith, and in a season of division (globally, nationally) I am excited for us to explore more about this figure who is recognized as the Father of three of the world’s major religions. Also coming up this Fall we’ll celebrate Jazz Sunday (9/29) and World Communion Sunday (10/6).

There’s been a lot of great work going on behind the scenes at First Parish this summer. The Faith Formation Committee has been meeting regularly and is excited to lead the congregation in a Soup and Conversation in October to talk more about our evolving vision for Faith Formation at FPC, and get your ideas about upcoming programming. The Deacons are revising the Deacon Handbook, which is generating a lot of great discussion and discernment. Council is starting to look at our church governance structure with an eye to sustainability, effectiveness and beating burn-out. First Parish Church – we are on the move!

NB: I’ve now been at First Parish Church for nearly eight months! If you’ve got feedback for me, or have just been looking for an excuse to sit down and chat, please consider this your invitation to email, call or stop by.

May your burdens be light in this shoulder season!

Blessings, Rev. Katherine