Dear First Pres,

   These are the last days of summer vacation in my house. The kids are trying to soak up every last moment. Today, they're working on their summer homework (when did summer homework become a thing?). Tomorrow they leave for one last hurrah with the cousins and grandparents. Sunday is church day. Then, on Monday morning, we'll be pulling out the measuring board to mark their height at the beginning of another school year and posing them in front of the house for another "first day of school" photo. And, by the following Monday, all the K - 12 schools in our area will be up and running.
 
   That means that some 139,000 kids will be gathering on campuses in the Central, Fresno, Clovis, and Sanger school districts, Monday through Friday, for the next several months (even more if you count charter, private and home school students). In addition to all those students, many adults will be gathering as well: teachers, staff persons, administrators, etc. And most of them (kids and adults) are not connected with a local Christ-honoring church. But among them are many who love Christ and long to be witnesses for Him in their schools.
 
   That's why we're taking special time to Love Our Schools on Sunday. That's why we're deploying FPCers all over our community to pray for schools. We want to ask for God to move in powerful ways on those campuses. We want to lift up to the Lord those kids and adults who are Christ followers. We want to ask the Lord of the Harvest to send workers into the harvest fields known as schools. We want to present our request to God, with thanksgiving, that He would draw nonbelievers to faith in Christ. We want to pray for God's love and justice and truth to be experienced at every campus.
 
   Beloved, First Presbyterian Church Fresno has long held high our love for kids and our longing for them to know and be known by God through faith in Christ. This Sunday, let's demonstrate that love by putting on our sneakers, going to those campuses, and lifting them up before the Lord in prayer. 
 

Blessings,

P.S. Sunday Worship at 9am; Love Our Schools at 10:20am (right after worship).