Church attendance can be sporadic during the summer months. Our Office Manger Ashton Wells kept wanting (wisely) to print fewer bulletins and I (naively) kept assuming that attendance wouldn’t change that drastically and that perhaps we might even gain some visitors here and there.

The truth is that for many people summer is filled with many activities and challenges: House projects, vacations, medical appointments and procedures, managing extreme temperatures, hosting guests, school shopping, day trips, camping trips, hikes, camps, etc. And some people do these things in addition to a 40 plus hour work week! Church is not necessarily something people plan their summers around. In fact, just recently I was talking to a good friend about church. My friend’s daughter happened to be listening in and finally blurted out, “You mean some people actually go to church in the summer?!” This child had assumed there was such a thing as church summer vacation.

I often tell people that one of the greatest lessons during a recent summer sabbatical was remembering just how many things there are to do on a Sunday other than attending church! Pastors sometimes forget that I think.  (That being said, you can ask my husband just how annoying it is to travel with someone who has to fit visiting a church into EVERY vacation EVER.)

With all the summer coming and going (and this includes the coming and going of the pastor), churches/pastors can begin to feel disconnected. Perhaps that is why many churches, including Rainbow, often schedule a September church retreat. It’s a chance to gather in again, fellowship and reconnect. This year our church retreat will be at Rainbow September 20-21. Hope everyone can come.

Here are some other ways to gather back in as Rainbow Mennonite Church:

• A good way to catch up on what’s happening: Click on the Rainbow Facebook Page
• Consider writing a note to someone at church (maybe me?) telling them how you are doing, especially if you haven’t been to church for awhile.
• Listen to some of sermons from this summer by clicking here.  Contact Phil Rhoades if you want to view videos of past services.
• Review past bulletins by clicking here

Wishing everyone safe travels, comfortable temperatures, good health, and the good company of friends and family. Of course I’m also wishing for a full Sanctuary on Sunday and Sundays to come!