Some seasons drift gently from one month into the next. Others arrive all at once, feet first and calendar full. July brought us joy, renewal, and the deep gladness of watching our youth and children go further in faith. August now rises to meet us, full of movement and meaning. We are not alone on the road.
Psalm 84 begins with a simple meditation: “How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of hosts! My soul longs, indeed it faints, for the courts of the Lord” (Ps. 84:1-2).
That’s real. It feels especially true this month as our Yates Orchestra and Choir return to worship leadership. Something rises in us when those Ministers of Music return. Our gathering becomes fuller and hearts sing even louder than our voices do! I’m grateful for Keith’s leadership and for the many hands and voices that stir our longing into praise.
The Psalm continues: “Even the sparrow has found a home… a place near your altar” (v. 3).
That’s the kind of belonging we’ve been witnessing. In July, we celebrated Jane Williams in an ordination service that called the church together to bless and send her into a new season of retreat leadership and spiritual direction ministry. On Aug. 24, we’ll commission Joanne Noel and the CDC team in worship as they begin a new academic year of ministry to children and their families from all of Durham and beyond. In mid-Aug. (18-19), Yates will host a two-day Early Childhood Summer Institute in partnership with Durham Partnership for Children, where preschool educators will gather for formation and inspiration. When we say this building is a blessing, we mean it quite literally. Hallways filled with children, classrooms filled with preparation, and sanctuaries, that host learning and worship side by side.
To that end, from Aug. 5-9, the Triangle Nonprofit & Volunteer Leadership Center will stage its annual Backpacks4Kids initiative in the Yates gym. Volunteers from across Durham will assemble school-ready backpacks for children whose families need extra support. We provide the space—and God multiplies the effort.
And then: “Blessed are those who dwell in your house… Blessed are those whose hearts are set on pilgrimage” (vv. 4-5).
August is a pilgrimage month for us. A stretch of days that moves us through worship, service, study, and celebration. It begins with the Lord’s Supper on Aug. 3, where we’ll gather around Christ’s table and remember the life that really is life. When our lives feel emptied by motion, worry, ministry, or missteps, the gifts of the Lord’s table become the nourishment and new start that keep us walking with God through it all.
In the following days, we’ll continue preparing our hearts and calendars for a new shared step. This fall, the entire church is invited into a spiritual journey through the study Experiencing God. Morning or evening, weekday or weekend, in homes, on campus, or online—there’s a place to join in. Wherever God’s people are paying attention, they find the Spirit still speaks!
To our Experiencing God group leaders: thank you for your willingness to lead with care. To everyone else: thank you for creating margin in your life to pursue something deeper.
Psalm 84 names the beauty that appears even in the weary places: “As they pass through the Valley of Baka, they make it a place of springs” (v. 6).
That’s the work of ministries like Backpacks for Kids and the Early Childhood Institute. They pour water into dry ground. They create tangible hope. These may be humbler moments of shared service, and they’re deeply faithful ones. Acts of trust in the hidden work of God as we love our neighbor through education, dignity, and shared provision.
Then comes the refrain that lifts my spirits: “They go from strength to strength” (v. 7).
July was a strength. From PASSPORT camps, where our youth and children laughed, learned, and encountered God in beautiful ways (thanks to Mackenzie’s outstanding leadership), to a summer of steady, sustaining ministry, our church has remained rooted. August offers the next stretch. It’s full of presence, praise, and shared joy.
On Saturday, Aug. 23, the Youth and Children’s Ministries will host a church-wide day at Jordan Lake. No RSVP required. Just bring a chair, find a spot in the shade, eat a burger, and enjoy good company. Danny Steis will bring his boat for those who want to fish. There will be games, laughter, and unhurried grace.
The next day, Aug. 24, we’ll continue that joy in worship, celebrating the CDC’s new school year, blessing our students and educators, and gathering that evening for a Back-to-School Backpack Giveaway and Cookout at 4:00 PM. We’ll close the day with evening worship, gathering once more in gratitude. It’s a weekend made for connection.
Somewhere in there, Aug. 17 to be exact, we’ll hold our Quarterly Business Meeting after worship. A chance to check our compass, align our resources, and keep walking together with clarity.
The Psalm closes this way: “The Lord bestows favor and honor… Blessed is the one who trusts in you” (vv. 11-12).
That’s the blessing I see across this month. We’re choosing to trust in motion. From July to August, from communion to community, from music to meals to ministry, we go from strength to strength.
Grace and Peace,