We Remain
Illustration
Stories
“I want to hold a picnic on the last day we’re having Sunday School before summer begins,” Janice announced. The three women standing around in the church hall after service turned to face her.
“Why?” Heather asked. “I mean, I know that we have always had a Sunday School closing and there were picnics in years past but we’ve only had one or two children in Sunday School this year.”
“If that many,” Susan said. “The truth is that many Sundays there was no one here.”
“I think it we should just skip it this year. I mean that is what we ended up doing with most of the stuff we usually do.” Pattie sighed. “I almost think this is going to be a forgotten year in the church.”
“Yeah, we can try to put behind all the bad things that have been happening and start fresh.” Heather nodded. “Hopefully next year will be a better one for our congregation.”
“I certainly hope so too.” Susan frowned. “I look around and wonder if we can keep going if things don’t get better in this town. People are unsure and scared about what is happening and what is going to happen.”
“I hear it is in every church,” Pattie said. “My neighbor goes to the church across the river and they’ve had as bad a year as we have. So are some of the service clubs in town. They’ve had to cancel events and have had very poor turnout at meetings when they’ve tried to have them.”
“You’re right, things have been bad this year with everything that has been going on. It has been a confusing, unsettled, and downright scary year at times. I don’t think that we’ve ever had a year this bad in the history of our congregation” Janice watched the three women nod. “Which makes me all the more certain that this needs to happen. I know that we haven’t had many children in Sunday School, but I want them to have a good memory from this chaotic year. I want to have a picnic.”
Heather bit her lip. “What if it rains?”
“It’s rained before and we’ve had the picnic inside.” Janice gestured at the wide-open space of the hall. “I remember my boys having the time of their life in here one rainy day. They still speak of the picnic in the hall.”
“My girls certainly loved the picnics no matter what the weather.” Susan grinned. “Come to think of it, so did I back when Miss Bea was in charge of the Sunday School. I remember driving my mother crazy when it rained in the summer asking her to hold a picnic inside just like we did at church.”
“Okay, inside is a good backup plan but who will do all the work?” Heather asked
“I don’t mind looking after the games.” Janice said. “I’ve asked Fred and Tom and they said they’ll bring the barbeque and cook the food. I haven’t asked them yet, but I think Claire and her friends might be able to provide some music.”
Pattie frowned. “What if no one shows up? I mean it’s all fine and good to hold an event but if only one or two kids show up that wouldn’t be much of a picnic...”
“We wouldn’t want to try something and have it fail,” Suzy finished. “Yeah, I’m not so sure it is a good idea. It’s has been a discouraging year as it is, and the kids don’t need any more disappointments.”
“That’s why I’m talking to you as part of the planning.” Janice paused. “Would you be willing to come to the Sunday School closing picnic?”
“We’re hardly Sunday School age.” Heather shrugged. “Having said that, I don’t mind hanging around after church.”
“You’re thinking the last Sunday of the month?” Pattie checked her calendar. “Kim will be home that Sunday and she would probably love to come to a picnic. Sure, I can be there whether she is home or not.”
Everyone turned to look at Susie. She laughed. “If there is food, then Charlie will be here so there is no problem for me to say yes for both of us.”
“Wonderful.” Janice smiled at them all. “I think this is a great thing we’re doing. We may not have much of a Sunday School, but I think we will in years to come. This is our way of supporting the kids and lettering others know that we will continue to be God’s people no matter how chaotic and difficult the world becomes.”
*****************************************
StoryShare, September 25, 2022, issue.
Copyright 2022 by CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Lima, Ohio.
All rights reserved. Subscribers to the StoryShare service may print and use this material as it was intended in sermons, in worship and classroom settings, in brief devotions, in radio spots, and as newsletter fillers. No additional permission is required from the publisher for such use by subscribers only. Inquiries should be addressed to permissions@csspub.com or to Permissions, CSS Publishing Company, Inc., 5450 N. Dixie Highway, Lima, Ohio 45807.
“Why?” Heather asked. “I mean, I know that we have always had a Sunday School closing and there were picnics in years past but we’ve only had one or two children in Sunday School this year.”
“If that many,” Susan said. “The truth is that many Sundays there was no one here.”
“I think it we should just skip it this year. I mean that is what we ended up doing with most of the stuff we usually do.” Pattie sighed. “I almost think this is going to be a forgotten year in the church.”
“Yeah, we can try to put behind all the bad things that have been happening and start fresh.” Heather nodded. “Hopefully next year will be a better one for our congregation.”
“I certainly hope so too.” Susan frowned. “I look around and wonder if we can keep going if things don’t get better in this town. People are unsure and scared about what is happening and what is going to happen.”
“I hear it is in every church,” Pattie said. “My neighbor goes to the church across the river and they’ve had as bad a year as we have. So are some of the service clubs in town. They’ve had to cancel events and have had very poor turnout at meetings when they’ve tried to have them.”
“You’re right, things have been bad this year with everything that has been going on. It has been a confusing, unsettled, and downright scary year at times. I don’t think that we’ve ever had a year this bad in the history of our congregation” Janice watched the three women nod. “Which makes me all the more certain that this needs to happen. I know that we haven’t had many children in Sunday School, but I want them to have a good memory from this chaotic year. I want to have a picnic.”
Heather bit her lip. “What if it rains?”
“It’s rained before and we’ve had the picnic inside.” Janice gestured at the wide-open space of the hall. “I remember my boys having the time of their life in here one rainy day. They still speak of the picnic in the hall.”
“My girls certainly loved the picnics no matter what the weather.” Susan grinned. “Come to think of it, so did I back when Miss Bea was in charge of the Sunday School. I remember driving my mother crazy when it rained in the summer asking her to hold a picnic inside just like we did at church.”
“Okay, inside is a good backup plan but who will do all the work?” Heather asked
“I don’t mind looking after the games.” Janice said. “I’ve asked Fred and Tom and they said they’ll bring the barbeque and cook the food. I haven’t asked them yet, but I think Claire and her friends might be able to provide some music.”
Pattie frowned. “What if no one shows up? I mean it’s all fine and good to hold an event but if only one or two kids show up that wouldn’t be much of a picnic...”
“We wouldn’t want to try something and have it fail,” Suzy finished. “Yeah, I’m not so sure it is a good idea. It’s has been a discouraging year as it is, and the kids don’t need any more disappointments.”
“That’s why I’m talking to you as part of the planning.” Janice paused. “Would you be willing to come to the Sunday School closing picnic?”
“We’re hardly Sunday School age.” Heather shrugged. “Having said that, I don’t mind hanging around after church.”
“You’re thinking the last Sunday of the month?” Pattie checked her calendar. “Kim will be home that Sunday and she would probably love to come to a picnic. Sure, I can be there whether she is home or not.”
Everyone turned to look at Susie. She laughed. “If there is food, then Charlie will be here so there is no problem for me to say yes for both of us.”
“Wonderful.” Janice smiled at them all. “I think this is a great thing we’re doing. We may not have much of a Sunday School, but I think we will in years to come. This is our way of supporting the kids and lettering others know that we will continue to be God’s people no matter how chaotic and difficult the world becomes.”
*****************************************
StoryShare, September 25, 2022, issue.
Copyright 2022 by CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Lima, Ohio.
All rights reserved. Subscribers to the StoryShare service may print and use this material as it was intended in sermons, in worship and classroom settings, in brief devotions, in radio spots, and as newsletter fillers. No additional permission is required from the publisher for such use by subscribers only. Inquiries should be addressed to permissions@csspub.com or to Permissions, CSS Publishing Company, Inc., 5450 N. Dixie Highway, Lima, Ohio 45807.
