Yay, it’s time to reopen!! West Suffield Congregational Church starts our opening weekend the same way every year by participating in Suffield on the Green where we man the “bead booth”. Children, teenagers, and some grown-up children come and play. They sort through buckets of beads and make themselves bracelets and necklaces. I get the biggest kick out of the boys that make bracelets for their moms and girlfriends (they’re so careful to pick out just the right beads). I will get to meet all sorts of new people and pet a bunch of dogs to boot. SOTG has become one of my favorite events of the year, please stop by our booth to say hello.
The morning of the seventh we open for worship at our usual 10 a.m. Service. We will have a bounce house and goodies for the kids as well as a potluck so that we can sit down and catch up with each other after a busy summer away. There is such a feeling of homecoming on this Sunday, because our church is truly a place of community and deep relational ties. Church usually starts a few minutes late the first few weeks of service because everyone is in the pews catching up on what they’ve missed over the summer. I love that.
Finally, we have an exciting announcement at WSCC! We are starting a new children’s choir, and I am over the moon about it. There’s something about kids singing in worship that makes everyone’s day go a little better. One of my favorite church memories revolves around a song I taught the preschoolers in my last church. There was this adorable little girl named Charlotte, she was not yet three and she was very proud about having learned her ABCs. As the kids got up to sing. “God made the flowers“ Charlotte launched into what would have to be the loudest singing of her ABCs she had ever accomplished. She stood straight as a soldier and belted it out like a Broadway star. She sang every letter with gusto .The kids kept singing their song, Charlotte kept singing hers, and we all went home with giant smiles on our faces. It was so precious. I can’t wait to hear our own children, singing their best Church songs!
So, come for the fun, stay for the sharing, the relationships, the beauty and wisdom of the Scriptures, come for the laughter and the occasional tears, the inspiration and joy. It’s all part and parcel of life in our church. Welcome.
Blessings on your day, Denise.