Grace and peace to you!

Photo taken in Tanzania at the Iringa Diocese Office.

One of the things that I carry often is my backpack. It is a useful bag filled with pockets and compartments for all sorts of stuff. Though I usually have a water bottle, other contents can vary. Depending on where I’m going, it might have trail snacks, frisbee, a first aid kit, my portable watercolor materials, a Bible, or a communion kit.

I’m not alone in wearing a backpack. Children of all ages use them to schlep all sorts of things to work, school, and play.

Tonight (August 25) we will be gathering outdoors for the last of our summer Campfire Communion worships. The weather promises to be good so it will be a lovely evening. We will be blessing backpacks, so I invite you to bring yours. Together we will ask for God’s blessing as we go about our business over the course of the coming weeks. Whether we are heading back to school, work, shopping, or volunteering in our community, the pandemic lingers. Uncertainty continues to be par for the course. We could all use a little encouragement and strength.

When we share a blessing on something, we trust that God will be present with us as we use that item. Each person (all ages) that brings a backpack to the blessing will receive a small reminder of God’s continued love that goes with us no matter where our roads wander. I pray that it will also bring to our minds our common connection. By the grace of the Spirit we are joined in Christ. Even though we may not know exactly where we go, our lives are linked. At St. James, we are in community with each other and are never alone.

So bring your bag and prepare to share in the joy of worshiping together.

As always, I look forward to waving to you in worship - whether that is at a campfire (tonight, 6:30 p.m.), in a parking-lot (Sunday, 8:00 a.m.), in-person in the sanctuary (Sunday, 9:30 a.m.), or online (Sunday, 9:30 a.m.)

In Christ’s Light,

Pastor Walt