By Pr. John Hulden
There is a 35-year-old Minneapolis Area Synod tradition of Summer Youth Programs. More than a dozen congregations see summertime as a golden opportunity to reach out to children in the city. What a great ministry — touching hundreds of young lives. It’s also extra programming – everyday programming – that takes planning, volunteer recruitment, and, of course, coaxing and coaching high schoolers to be mentors and leaders.
How about you? What do you have added to your summer calendar? Vacation Bible School. Youth trips. Outdoor worship. Bible camp. Neighborhood festival/fair/parade. Finding coverage for vacation. Knowing an important meeting will have to wait because summer calendars don’t jive for you and your leaders.
Ah, Summer. A change of pace. Perhaps a vacation week or two.
BUT NOW WE ARE half way through summer. Yikes! It’s the middle of July!
Isn’t summer our annual prime time to catch up on this or that at church, extra reading, or writing?
Summertime is just a-whole-different-kind-of busy.
I still fool myself every darn spring (even after 30+ years of doing this pastor/church stuff): “Summer is coming! Summer will be slower, more laid back, so I’ll have more time.”
Right.
Granted, summertime in this northern climate is radically different from the school year and those blustery winter months. Nevertheless, every year I fail to realize that even though the workload of summer is different, summertime is just a-whole-different-kind-of busy.
So, … how are you doing this summer, really?
Here’s hoping you carve out some time: to read; to sleep; to write; to enjoy friends, family, or a little more of God’s amazing creation.
I’ll tell you what, though. One thing does not change for me in the summer: I have to finish this blog so I can get to my regularly scheduled peer group gathering! Yes!