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God’s Promises: This autumn, we continue learning alongside the youngest among us in Church School. We look at the early characters of the Hebrew scriptures and how God’s promises bring hope for the future, with guidelines on how to love God and love others in ways that bring life and hope to all.
On this first Sunday after Labor Day, we welcome everyone back from our summertime adventures and vacations. As the culture around us takes on its usual, often frenetic autumnal rhythm, we will center in this season on the ancient stories of our faith and how they compel and inspire us to live for today…and for the future.
We start this Sunday with the beloved and confounding story of Noah and the ark (Genesis 6-9): the affirmation of Noah’s faithfulness, the heartbrokenness of God, the gathering of all the living creatures, the devastation of the worldwide flood, and the promise of the rainbow. It’s a fantastic story, with parallels in Sumerian, Babylonian, Greek and Hindu cultures.
What does this tale mean for us today as we face the reality of environmental devastation? Amid political unrest at home and multiple wars abroad? How does it inspire us to dig into our faith, to discern what each of us is called to do in this moment in history?
On Sunday, we’ll get inside the ark a bit and poke around with these questions. We will hear from our wonderful choirs and celebrate with a big picnic on the front lawn, weather permitting. Come for the prayers, the music, the stories, the fellowship, for whatever you need. Bring a friend.
As always, it will be a celebratory re-gathering!
NOTE: if you can help out with set-up or serving at the picnic, please email gathering@upbrookline.org. We welcome extra hands and feet.
Also, we have a slight re-arrangement of the sanctuary, with a nod toward our architect’s design concept presented on Palm Sunday. We’ve raised the worship platform one step, brought back some pews, made some acoustic adjustments for better sound, and wiring and electrical changes for better safety on the floor.
In faith,
Kent
