Wow! The Carbondale elementary schools begin classes this week, and next Monday the Fall Semester at SIUC starts up again. Where did this summer go?

Summer here is a time of transitions. Perhaps because of the university, it seems that departures and arrivals tend to cluster in the months of June and July. Whether they have been long-time members of the Fellowship, or have only recently arrived, it’s sad to say good-bye to those whose time here in Carbondale is ending. Even when we know that the move is part of an exciting opportunity for them, we know that we will miss them. Our task is to bid them good-bye with love and a sense of appreciation for what they have meant – and will continue to mean! – as part of our lives.

But even as some we have come to know and love are called to leave southern Illinois, others arrive. We will see an influx of newcomers to the area, and many of them will visit the Fellowship. I hope that each one of us will help extend the sincere welcome of the Fellowship to all who may visit, taking the time to meet someone new, learn a bit about him or her, and weave a new strand or two in the web of human connections. Do you recall the very first time that you visited this Fellowship? How easy was it to connect with the Fellowship community? If you recall individuals who reached out to you, perhaps now is the time for you pass that gift on by reaching out to another!

The ultimate form of reaching out may be to invite a friend or neighbor to visit the Fellowship some Sunday with you. I wouldn’t be surprised to learn that many of us know someone we really feel would find meaning and community here. If you find someone coming into your mind as you read this, someone you have considered inviting to the Fellowship once as your guest, I encourage you to extend an invitation to that friend or acquaintance! She or he might truly appreciate it, and so might you!

For many of us, summer is also a time of travel. If you have been on the road, or the river, or the rails, or the ocean, or the sky, I hope that your travels have renewed your energy and enriched your appreciation of this amazing world in which we live. To you, we extend the greeting “Welcome back, travelers!”

Finally, just in case you haven’t noticed, it’s hot out there as I write this column, with the region entering its second week of triple-digit, near-record temperature. Please remember to take care of yourselves in this extreme heat, drinking plenty of water, staying out of the sun, and doing any necessary work outdoors early or late in the day! Please reach out to others, especially the young and the elderly, to make sure that they are handling the heat as well as possible. During any form of extreme weather – hot or cold, dry or wet – we need to look out for ourselves and each other!

I hope that you enjoyed your summer and that autumn gets here soon!

Seasonally yours, Bill S.