by Kathleen Simley, Communications Director
There’s been something different about this summer at First Lutheran.
Summer is usually a quieter season in the life of a congregation. People travel. Staff take vacations. Some ministries pause. Calendars open up a little.
But this summer hasn’t really felt quiet.
Instead, there has been an energy around First that has been hard to miss.
Maybe it was having one worship service on Sunday mornings and seeing the Sanctuary fuller as we gathered together. Maybe it was the conversations that lingered after worship as people caught up, welcomed someone new or simply enjoyed being together.
Maybe it was the music—bells, accordions, saxophones, string instruments, choirs of all ages and hymns sung with energized voices. Or our Youth Sundays, when young people stepped into worship in new ways.
And that energy extended well beyond Sunday mornings.
Photo directory sessions brought people through our doors on Saturdays and Sundays, including some faces we hadn’t seen in a while. Wild Women gathered. Seasoned Adults got off to a wonderful start. People enjoyed nature walks and a Night at the Saltdogs with a tailgate and baseball.
We also cared for our neighbors. Our Dana Village food drive collected hundreds of food items for families and individuals living just down the street. Nearly 200 people gathered for our Volunteer Appreciation Brunch to celebrate those whose time and gifts bring life to ministry at First.
Our children and youth experienced Vacation Bible School, Camp Carol Joy Holling and a high school accompaniment trip to Pittsburgh. And we welcomed new faces to our ministry team with Denise in the office and Pastor Ron as our visitation pastor.
None of these things alone tells the whole story. But together, they seem to point to something.
There is life here. And maybe, just maybe, God is up to something at First.
We can see it in the renewed sense of connection, participation and hope. People are showing up, lingering, serving, singing, learning, laughing, caring for one another and finding new ways to be part of this community.
And summer isn’t the end of this story.
A new learning year begins September 13. Confirmation and youth group will return. Adult Choir and Spirit Ringers resume rehearsals. Seasoned Adults will continue gathering. Justice in Action will invite members into a listening session. First Friday Jazz begins its 16th season. Gifts of Hope returns in December. Helping Hands and Stephen Ministers will continue caring for people in quiet but important ways.
We’ll also launch new things—a new website, a podcast and the ministry-wide adoption of our Vitality Initiative.
There is a lot ahead. But I hope we don’t measure the coming months simply by how full our calendar becomes.
What I hope we carry forward is the spirit we have experienced this summer—the willingness to show up, the joy of being together, the desire to know one another more deeply, the commitment to care for our neighbors and the recognition that every one of us has something to bring.
And carrying that energy forward doesn’t have to mean doing something big.
It might mean saying hello and introducing yourself to someone you haven’t met before. Instead of heading for the doors as soon as worship ends, stay a few minutes, grab a cup of coffee and some donut holes, and visit with someone.
Stop by Adult Forum or Faithful Conversations. Sing with a little more fervor during worship. Invite someone to come to worship with you—especially someone you haven’t seen in the pews for a while. Volunteer once in a while as a greeter, reader, communion assistant or usher.
If you bring children to Learning Hour, consider staying rather than simply dropping them off. Join a fellowship gathering, take part in adult learning or volunteer to help with our children and youth from time to time.
And carrying that energy forward can happen during the week, too—try a ministry you haven’t been part of before, volunteer when a need comes up, support one of our community partners, make a donation to a cause that matters or simply say “yes” when asked to help.
None of these things is complicated. But together, they are how we keep that sense of energy and connection growing. They are how we notice one another, make room for one another and help create a faith community where people feel known, welcomed and part of something bigger than themselves.
And when that happens, there is life here.
Something is stirring at First Lutheran. Perhaps what we are sensing is God at work among us—drawing us together, renewing our energy and inviting us into what comes next. Let’s carry that spirit with us into the fall and see where God leads us!
