Pastoral Letter: School of Life
Dear SUM Family,
Grace and peace to you in the name of Jesus Christ.
This summer, I intentionally stepped back from social media. I spent less time on Facebook and Instagram and tried to give more attention to my family and to the experiences that were right in front of me while I was in Korea. In another season, I might have shared more photographs and stories. There were friends I wanted to see and people I hoped to visit. Yet I was tired in body and spirit. I needed time with family, and I also needed some quiet time alone. So, naturally, I shared less of my daily life.
Then, this past Wednesday, I posted a photo of my children as they began new school years—one entering eighth grade and the other fifth grade. Along with that small family record, I shared a prayer for students, teachers, and school staff. As I prayed, I thought of the many people in our congregation who teach or serve in education. I also held Little Lamb and Ivy in prayer.
The prayer began, “God, our Teacher and Guide, I lift my heart and voice to you as a new school year begins.” I prayed that students would be given curiosity, courage, kindness, and joy as they learn and grow; that teachers would be given wisdom, patience, strength, and compassion; and that every learning space would become a place of discovery, respect, kindness, and grace.
At the beginning of a school year, we are reminded that learning is not only for children. In Exodus 16, the people of Israel are anxious about what they will eat in the wilderness. God knows their need and provides manna, morning after morning. Each person receives what is needed; the daily bread becomes a gift that teaches daily trust (Exodus 16:4, 13–18).
My quieter summer was, in its own way, a small lesson in that kind of learning. In stepping away from the pressure to share every moment, I had more room to notice the people and places before me, and to pay attention to the condition of my own heart. That time was not always restful or neatly resolved. But I was reminded that God teaches us not only when we are busy producing or responding, but also when we pause long enough to receive what we need for today.
What does the beginning of this fall look like for you? You may be praying for a child or grandchild returning to school. You may be beginning a new year in a classroom, school office, or caring profession. Or you may be preparing for a new kind of learning, change, or responsibility in another part of life. In one way or another, each of us remains a learner before God.
In this week’s Messenger, you will find Eileen’s introduction to the Fall 2026 Adult Spiritual Growth classes. I encourage you to look through the schedule and book information and find a group that meets a real spiritual need in this season. You are welcome to join one class or more than one. This is not an invitation to add one more obligation to an already full life. It is an invitation to make room, in a way that fits your life, for Scripture, honest questions, conversation, and the patient work of becoming more deeply rooted in Christ.
Perhaps this week you might pray a simple prayer: “God, you know my needs; you prepare and provide. Help me to look with expectation toward what you will teach me in the school of life this fall. Lead me toward the people, words, and questions I need.” As we make room for one another’s learning and growth, we can look with hope toward how God may grow each of us and our church community in the months ahead.
As you prepare for the fall and the second half of the year, may God’s wonderful grace accompany you in the school of life.
Grace and peace,
Pastor DH
Simsbury United Methodist Church