Church Family Moment for Sunday, August 25, 2024

By Director of Spiritual Formation Rebecca Guzman

1. Today is our blessing of the backpacks! Many times, students and teachers set educational goals for the year, and those are great. I wonder if we might think about spiritual goals for the year. We’ve gotten off to a great start by packing backpacks for Smithfield Elementary to ensure every child has the supplies they need to start the year off well! What kinds of spiritual practices could we incorporate into our year? Could we start the day with a prayer? The blessing we are using is linked in the online Church Family Moment, which you can access with the QR Code.
2. Psalm 27, our scripture for today, provides a wonderful backdrop for the beginning of the school year! God is always with us and gives us courage. Read the CEB version here or listen to this dramatic video reading, maybe before you leave for school in the morning!
3. Make sure you get a “Live Into Hope” sticker to put somewhere you’ll see it this school year—water bottle, laptop, notebook. When you look at your sticker, remember that God is with you, and that you are loved beyond measure by God and by your church family. You are never alone, and in this you can find hope!
4. Journal, considering the following:
   1. What does it mean for God to always be with you?
   2. How does God make us courageous?
   3. What makes a person trustworthy?