I enjoy baseball. My wife wonders how I can sit and watch a game on TV or laptop for so long! It is the strategy involved. In all sports, there is some strategy with the play of the game. In baseball, there is far more than most. Is this the best pitcher for this situation? How does this hitter do against that pitcher? How strong is the arm of the catcher and how fast is the runner I want to try to steal second? Those are just a very few of the issues and questions that can arise during the game. Strategy is everywhere!

Right now, we have a Religious Education Task Force that is meeting. Their purpose is to help strategize and plan the future of Religious Education here at Peoples. They are looking at what we have done, what we are doing, and models for the future. Questions include: What is the best way to deliver RE to meet the needs of the families? Is simultaneous with worship best? Is before worship better? Is another day better? Do adults need to have RE options for themselves? What is the purpose of the RE Council? Who serves on the RE Council? All types of questions abound. If you have ideas or thoughts about the future of RE, please feel free to share! We welcome all input.

Last month I wrote about the violence among children and young people that seems to be everywhere! Now many of us are still dazed about Parkland Florida and the shooting there. This one hits a bit closer to home for me. I grew up just a few hours from there! In a few conversations recently, I recalled that the only guns we had around school were in the racks of some of the pick-up trucks and they were used for hunting.

Times have changed. Some warning signs were apparently missed or ignored. So often we want to stay out of things and not get involved. Times have changed about that as well!! If you see something that seems awry or out of place—PLEASE SAY SOMETHING!! If you don’t want to get involved for some reason, find someone you trust and ask them to report the info. We no longer live in a world where violence like this is rare! We live in a world where violence seems to be everywhere!

David Wise