Dog Days

    We have all heard of the term "dog days of summer." Do you have any idea where this came from? I imagined that it was because all the dogs ran around with their tongues hanging out! In reality, the name derives from the behavior of Sirius, the brightest star in the constellation Canis Major (the Big Dog!).  It is so bright that the ancient Romans believed that we got heat as well as light from this star. In the summer, Sirius rises and sets with the sun (for 20 days from late July until mid-August). They thought this was the reason for the extreme heat. That period became known as the "Dog Days of Summer”.

If you consult Webster, you find this definition:

1 : the period between early July and early September when the hot sultry weather of summer usually occurs in the northern hemisphere

2 : a period of stagnation or inactivity

    And it often feels that way here at church! Many people treat this as a period of stagnation and inactivity. Many will take a break from Worship with a resulting drop in their stewardship. Many take a break from Sunday school and the process of discipleship. Some will have their schedules broken up by vacations, traveling and visitors from out of town. I have to admit that this is my normal time for vacation and I enjoy the change of pace.

    The trouble is that some people's change of pace is      ^<i-more like a drop out from spiritual pursuit. Instead of finding different ways to serve God, they cease their activity altogether. Those people lose ground spiritually in these "Dog Days" and some never get back at all!

    Somehow, I don't think that this is what God had in mind when the seasons were created. God didn't plan for his people to take a break from relationship with him. God created the different seasons to keep us on our toes; to remind us that with the passage of time, we are supposed to grow and mature and find new ways to serve. Summer is a time to do something different.

    We have taken that to heart in our programming here. We do some summer only fellowship things like the Rafting Trip (Aug. 3-5) and the Church Picnic (Aug 19^th). We put on the special educational event of the year (VBS) and we have instituted a different CE curriculum for Sunday School. We are even experimenting with a Taize format for the 8:30 worship service. All of these events are opportunities to experience God in different and new ways.

     So, in these Dog Days of Summer, what will you do to make sure that this is not a period of spiritual stagnation? Is there a new experience or event that you can try before we settle down to the ebb and flow of our normal schedule? Let me encourage you to reach out to God in a new way and feel the excitement of God's work this summer.

Faithfully,   
Rick