Greetings Gayton Road,

 (I’m humbly filling in for Revy Debbie with this month’s newsletter introduction as she enjoys a much deserved time of rest and relaxation!)

 September has arrived, bringing with it a promise for new beginnings – as a new school year commences – and cooler temperatures.  Likewise, we anticipate new beginnings and refreshment from our God, who promises to make everything new, and who refreshes and restores our spirits.  We have certainly been busy this summer, sharing in God’s work – through VBS and Caritas, to name but a couple of this summer’s endeavors.  May we take the time to be still and accept the grace of God’s peace and restoration as we now look to enter an eventful fall.

 The highlight of my August was without a doubt having the opportunity to participate in D.D.’s Bears.  On August 15, I accompanied the youth as they walked the halls of St. Mary’s Hospital, handing out bears and sharing God’s love with the patients there.  I can’t count the number of times we were greeted with smiles and appreciative spirits. Some of the patients seemed quite happy just to have someone with whom they could talk and share stories.  Others were thankful to have the Church come to them, and we even had the opportunity to share a time of prayer with some residents.  It was a sacred experience, and I’m happy to have had the opportunity to share in this blessed tradition.

 Having enjoyed a time of rest during the first couple weeks of August, I feel relatively refreshed and ready to go. As the fall approaches, I look forward to continuing with the weekly Tuesday Bible studies and church school. Away from church, I anxiously look to begin the application process for continuing my graduate studies.  Turning new corners and entering the unknown can sometimes be a daunting task, so I am thankful as always to share in a community of believers in which is always found God’s steadfast love and peace, sustaining and encouraging us in our journeys.

 Shalom,
Jonathan