Friends, 

I am spending this week at Camp Hanover as their "Pastor in Residence". My primary job is to lead morning and evening devotionals as well as making time with each small group to have some bible study time.

It is hard to compete with the many adventurous offerings at camp like archery or canoeing or hiking...but I usually win groups over by offering to do bible study in the air conditioning! Nevertheless, bible studies with campers are an amazing time to really dig in to their questions about faith!

Just last night I talked well into the night with a group of middle school aged campers about God, creation, and the meaning of life. Their curiosity about God was so inspiring! 

I hope to share more with you all about camp in the days to come, but rest assured, the next generation of Christian followers is being formed right here, one sweaty day at a time! 

Peace

Caitlin Deyerle

Friends, 

I returned from vacation this week to hear rave reviews of this year's ice cream social! A big thanks to Marty and Dixie Kovacs and all of their helpers for organizing such a fun fellowship event. 

I am excited to see you all back in worship this Sunday! We will talk about Sabbath keeping and finding rest and refreshment in the midst of our busy lives. Until then, I will leave you with this quote from author MaryAnn McKibben Dana from her book "Sabbath in the Suburbs: A Family's Experiment with Holy Time." 

"'I don't have time.' It's a curious phrase. Do any of us have time? Is time something we possess? Is it a commodity, a thing to own? It may be more accurate to say that time has us. Time holds us in its dispassionate grip. Time has its way with us. We work. We age. Our children grow up and leave us, which I keep hearing happens much sooner than we think. Sabbath is the only tool in my arsenal for fighting back." 

Peace

Caitlin Deyerle

Friends, 

I hope you all are looking forward to the upcoming holiday weekend! We will be wishing many of you safe travels as you spend time with family and friends. I always like to take a special moment on the 4th of July to give thanks for the gift of freedom that allows us to gather for worship each week-- it is truly a blessing that many people around the world do not enjoy.

For those of you who will be worshiping here at Southminster on Sunday I am looking forward to continuing our summer series on God and Creation!

Peace

Caitlin Deyerle