A Message from Ellen
Dear Friends,
As June approaches, all of us are ready for some change. We anticipate the end of school and time to rest and re-create! We anticipate the freedom to gather with friends and family in ways that we will never take for granted again! We are ready for change! And we were amazed and excited to hear the new guidance issued by the Centers for Disease Control last week. I will say that while we are ready for change, when the pace of change is so rapid, I sometimes feel like I’m standing in the revolving tunnel in a fun house – trying to keep my balance and keep up!
Here at Forest Lake we are continuing to work to anticipate what we can do and how we can adapt our programs to meet your needs. This Summer, we will continue to worship at 10am on Sundays and to livestream that service. I expect that many of you will be travelling even more than usual. But remember that you can now join us for worship no matter where you are through the livestream!!!
There will be summer Sunday School for BOTH children and adults from 9-9:40am on June 6, 13, and 20. The children’s class will be in person only and will meet on the 1st floor education building. The adults will meet in the Parlor, both in person and online/hybrid. Nursery will be provided. The adult class, FLPConversations, will use a brief TED Talk to stimulate conversation about being a disciple of Christ. We can practice coming back together, while preserving a remote option for those who do not yet feel safe.
And, instead of a morning Vacation Bible School that is only planned for children, Ed Black and his team are working on exciting plans for a Disciple School for ALL ages that will happen August 1st – 4th from 5pm to 7pm. Each night we will gather to “Re-Center in God” with our faith family. Please mark your calendars now for those evenings!
Summer always brings travel opportunities for our youth, and Bill Wannamaker, our amazing Youth Director, will be taking Middle Schoolers to the Montreat Middle School Conference from July 13 to 17. All youth will go to the Bridge Mission in St. Simons, GA from July 26 to 31!
In addition, there will be an ice cream social, and who knows what else might happen! We are ready for that kind of change!!
The last kind of change I want you to notice is that summer also gives our staff time to be with their families and friends and to take time away for vacation. Without a full-time Director of Faith Formation on staff, and with Ed Black enrolled in Clinical Pastoral Education for the summer (see the article inside this newsletter), there may be days this summer when the church office is open on a more irregular schedule. So, if you need to meet with a church staff person, please consider calling or emailing ahead to ensure that they are in the office when you come. Everyone is ready for some change, and I pray that your summer is full of the kind of change that refreshes, renews, and recharges you. Please make sure that worship, service, study and fellowship are a part of your renewal!
