A Message from Pastor Dianne

What are you looking ahead to?

The Summer season is about to end.  Vacationers will leave our communities to return to their occupations.  Some of us will miss the activity of summer and others will sigh in relief.  Beaches will allow parking and roads will be less crowded – we hope.

Church traditionally begins in the fall with a new intensity that acknowledges summer vacations have come to a close.  Some of you might be looking forward to Halloween or Thanksgiving or even Christmas!  Certainly the stores have brought out merchandise for all three! I have already received Advent suggestions. 

School begins and study for adults is just as important as for children. 

Four sessions from Monday, September 13, 2021 to Monday, October 4, 2021 on Faith After Doubt with the author Brian McCleran and our Bishop begins the season. 

Looking ahead to Advent I plan on using the study on Joseph that we mentioned last year: Faithful: Christmas Through the Eyes of Joseph  by Adam Hamilton. November 14, 21 December 5, 12 are Sunday evenings we can meet to prepare for the Birth of our Saviour.

Perhaps you are looking ahead to our Charge Conference???  Or family coming for the holidays.  Perhaps you are looking forward to improved health or resolved conflicts. 

As a nation we will remember the 20^th anniversary of 9/11 here at Harwich UMC with a weekend Art Exhibit on the theme and worship.

On November 11^th– our nation remembers the “eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month” of 1918 that signaled the end of World War I.  It was known as Armistice Day until Eisenhower officially changed the name of the holiday from Armistice Day to Veterans Day.  We pray for Veterans everywhere – especially for those returning home from service in Afghanistan and other foreign locations.

Ecclesiates said it : To Everything there is a Season!  Now is the season to invite people to be part of the discussion and the worship …. We will resume Zoom services so that we can see and hear our extended church family whenever we gather.

May you see the Lord in the faces of those you encounter and be moved to compassion and joy.