Each Summer, we take one month as a church to Sabbath from our typical rhythms of church life. We press pause on the sermon series we are doing and reorient our hearts and minds on the Lord through rest in Him. We build bearicades around our time by paring down our worship services, various ministries, meetings, and training opportunities to create space for our church family to remove beariers, get our bearings, and refocus on the Lord. Bear in mind that it isn’t about merely taking a break; it’s about trusting in the Lord. It’s about celebrating Him, who He is, and what He’s done. It is an opportunity to remind ourselves that He is in control. He is the one who makes life bearable. It is our greatest desire and greatest joy to submit to Him and His Lordship in our lives. Throughout the Scriptures, Christ reminds us that to follow Him will be akin to bearing our cross, but He also reminds us that, in Him, with the correct focus, with heart laid bear before Him, and our life centered on Him, this yoke will be easy and this burden bearly noticeable. In July, we trust the Lord at His Word, and we kick off our shoes and run bearfoot in His grace.

This month we will be asking for you to bear with us as we have a little fun during our sermons. I don’t want to be the bearer of bad news, but often biblical study can seem like more of a chore than a joy. No need to be embearassed, sometimes we might all feel this way. Our hope this month is to help make our study of the Scriptures more bearable, more than that, we hope that it will even be beary fun, exciting and fruitful.  

We've gathered some resources to support us as we try to be intentional about practicing Summer Sabbath.  Take a look at the different opportunities to engage prayer, activities, and time with God in, potentially, a new way.  Remember this is a practice, don't be afraid to try something new and rest in knowing the Lord loves when we come to him.