As the weeks of summer come to a close, fresh breezes and the sun’s light still warming our skin, Henry David Thoreau’s words reach us from nearby Walden Pond: “If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put the foundations under them.”

What are your dreams, for your life, for our life together? Do you have magnificent hopes for the days that lie ahead?

It’s the stories of Jesus that inspire me to “build castles in the air.” From the accounts of him reaching out to the judged and outcast to ways he challenges those first disciples, I come to believe our lives can be filled with harmony and peace, a dream that’s founded on life in human community. And as the new fall season begins, that’s why I’m glad you are a part of Payson Park Church. Member or friend, I’m grateful you’re willing to explore the joys and sorrows of our human existence in this faith community. For it is here that “castles in the air” meet their foundation, as we experience God’s life-giving presence together. It’s here we build temples of love in our hearts.

Peace to you these final days of summer.

The Reverend Lael Atkinson