Like most people who went to standard public school in the United States, this time of year feels more like the beginning of a new year than January. As Joe says in You’ve Got Mail on the topic of fall: “It makes me want to buy school supplies. I would send you a bouquet of newly sharpened pencils if I knew your name and address.”
And for us, it is a new year. Along with our children, youth, and teachers going back to school, we are winding up our summer and preparing for our new “church year,” which officially kicks off September 8. We have already been hard at work for some of the upcoming events. First, we have “Fed and Informed” on Sunday, August 25, after the worship service. Bring your favorite dish to share at our Church Potluck and hear what is in store over the next three months at Live Oak. You’ll also get the chance to browse different groups and teams in the church to see if there are any you are interested in being a part of.
Then we celebrate the end of summer with our “Homecoming/Water Communion” worship service on September 1. This is an annual tradition for UU churches. We each bring a small sample of water from our summer adventures, whether they are from a river we visited on vacation, the backyard spigot used to water our flowers, or even the water fountain from work. These are combined to symbolize how our individual journeys come together and influence our collective journey together.
On September 22, you are invited to a party after the service, as we celebrate 10 years of Live Oak and I doing ministry together – and what a 10 years it has been!
On October 13, we have the return of “Family Fun Day,” a rollicking good time that is perfect for bringing your friends to. And for those looking even further ahead, mark your calendar for Dec. 14, our annual Selfies with Santa Holiday Festival.
Intermixed with all of this are new faith development classes, worship services themed around our newly adopted UU values, Get Out the Vote efforts, and more. To quote musician Josh Ritter, “I’m getting ready to get down!”