It is good to see many of you back after a summer away. And it is good to see many new faces with us today. I am Pastor Tom. I hope you have had a meaningful and refreshing summer. Some of you have experienced just that. You had a tremendous vacation time or lots of time to relax and connect with family and friends. Some of you may have moved this summer. So you’ve gone through a significant change and wonder how things will turn out. Some experienced an ordinary summer or maybe experienced a very different summer than one you’ve experienced before.
Our family experienced a different kind of summer. We didn’t go away for vacation together as a family. Our oldest daughter was away all summer at Camp Caroline as a counselor. Our other kids were busy throughout Alberta on the farm or camp or mission’s trips. My wife went and served in the kitchen at camp. I had my time off at home where we did some projects around the house. Some days it was only our dog Romeo an me. We enjoyed many good conversations. So it was quite different from the normal busyness of our lives.
But whatever you & I have experienced this summer, we are now here. It is the first full weekend of September. School started and the schedule ramps up. People are more focused on the going forward and facing the realities of our lives. Sometimes we face some tough realities or difficult situations. Connecting to a church family is one way we can find others to walk with through the ups and downs of life.
Now there are 3 realities about our church family that I need you to know. First, we desperately need God. (Psalm 73:25-26) Without God we would not be here.
