Honoring Educators in August

Think back to the teacher who saw something in you. The one who handed you a book that opened a door. The educator who showed up early, stayed late, and remembered your name. Most of us can trace at least one stretch of our lives to someone who taught us. This August, McPherson First UMC sets aside the month to honor educators, those in our congregation and the ones who shaped each of us.

The month carries two parallel emphases. The church is doing something concrete: on Sunday, August 23 during the Blessing of the Backpacks, the educators in our congregation come forward for prayer along with students, teachers, and school staff, and they receive a tangible thank-you for the year ahead. It is a gift from the whole congregation to the educators who serve in our midst.

The congregation is invited into the same theme. As you give to our regular weekly offering this month, hold the educators who shaped your life in your prayers. If the witness of a teacher who changed your story moves you to a little extra generosity, that is a beautiful thing. Every gift supports the full ministry of the church and keeps us a community that honors and prays for educators.

Are you an educator in our congregation? If you teach in a classroom, lead a homeschool, work in any school role, or serve as an educator in another context, please email Karen Jonas or Sarah Hendricks by Wednesday, August 19, so we can include you in the Aug 23 blessing. We already know many of you, but a quick email helps us make sure no one is missed.

All are welcome at worship this August, Sundays at 8:30 AM and 10:15 AM. Watch online at youtube.com/@mcphersonfirst. The Aug 16-Sep 6 sermon series The Good Life opens scripture for the back-to-school season.