From the Pastor's Pen

Dear Friends,

I had a conversation with David Lehman today about Beardsley School.  As many of you know, we have a special relationship with Beardsley School providing mentors and needed school supplies from time to time.  David heard from the school about some needed supplies today and he is on it!

There is one thing the school requested from our church that is a request for everyone.  The school has asked our church to pray for them and for the teachers in particular.  I really want to do that and I know you do too.  I think teachers right now have a special challenge.  No one really knows how much they are risking by going in to a classroom of students four days a week.  Their points of potential contact with Covid 19 grows tremendously as this enter the classroom.  Additionally they have to plan for double lesson plans right now.  They teach half their class in person each day, but also need to provide lessons and homework for the other half of their class which is at home.  I know from personal experience that everything is harder to do during this pandemic.  I’m sure this is true for teachers as well.

This is obviously also hard on the children who have an every other day schedule and who are stuck with home learning three out of five days a week.  They also don’t have the benefit of having outside visitors or mentors coming in to the school.  And we can pretty well assume that their parents are stressed at home trying to manage child care for the days the children are home.  I think there is a lot about which we may pray.

Paul writes in his first letter to Timothy, “The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know.”  I Tim 2:1.  (The message paraphrase)  Sometimes we wonder if there is anything we can do in this challenging time.  Well, the answer is yes!  We can pray.  Please pray for Beardsley School.

Peace,

Sally