Skip to main content

New beginnings

I love this time of year. You can’t get on any social media without seeing many pictures of kiddos heading to school for the first time this school year. They stand on their porches with signs, some are captured heading to a bus stop, or standing with their new teacher in their classroom. In these pictures you can see kiddos who are buzzing with excitement, those who look a little nervous around the eyes — but are still smiling, and my favorite, the ones who are just dying to roll their eyes at the loved one insisting on documenting the moment.

This time of year holds so much hope and potential. The school year is new, the supplies are new, the teachers are new, sometimes the schools are new — a student has the ability to start fresh and really kill it, if they want to. That’s so exciting! It can also make our young friends feel really nervous. That’s a lot of pressure! And even exciting new, can feel scary because it is unknown. And we humans struggle with the unknown.

Salem, we’re sort of starting a new school year right now. We have had a lot of transition with staff reductions, building sales, and the biggest with the pastor leaving recently. Looking around, it might make you feel a bit nervous, it might even feel scary. There is a lot that’s unknown right now. But just like our young friends sharpening their new #2’s, we also have a lot of opportunity ahead! We get to see what Salem is made of, and who we want to be. We get to focus on what makes us Salem and turn it up a notch. I have noticed that Salem is a place where people love each other, love to have fun, love to serve others, accept and love people as they are, and are doing a great job of being the hands, feet, and face of God to our community.

So c’mon Salem, smooth down your hair, straighten your shirt, hold up your sign, and give us a big smile! We’re going places, friends! This year is going to be AMAZING!

Emily Nelson Dixon
Director of Teen Ministries and Outreach

Tags: Weekly Word