From The Pastor
5th grade was a really difficult year for me.
Out of five classrooms, my class was the only one to have two different teachers.
Our morning teacher was a well-seasoned, no nonsense kind of woman.
Our afternoon teacher was brand new and had never taught on her own before.
My class (except for me and my BFF Jenny of course) was made up of the rowdiest and most disrespectful students.
Perhaps the school thought that our morning teacher could whip them into shape enough for them to be better listeners and better students by the afternoon.
That was not the case.
It was like my class (again, apart from me and my BFF Jenny) could smell her fear and inexperience. It became a competition to see who could make her cry first.
Some of them were quite successful.
She never returned to the school after that year.
With Sarah starting her fifth-grade year, and Ruth her eighth, and with all of our children and youth, college age students, teachers, professors, administrators, coaches, custodians, mentors, volunteers, subs, and support staff who have started their first, or another year, I think of that one tricky year and offer up this prayer:
God, be in the midst of all your children as they begin a new school year.
Help them ease into a routine.
Give strength when there is weakness.
Give patience when there is frustration.
Give celebration when there is accomplishment.
Help celebrate the baby steps of improvement.
Help keep the foul language and the distractions down to a minimum.
Help the pressures of classes or social dynamics be low.
Help good friendships be made easy.
Guide inexperience into confidence.
And Please God, let kindness rule over every body.
For the way you provide safety.
For the way you provide care.
For the way you provide a mysteriously good presence, we give you thanks.
Amen
Pastor Molly
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