Are you enjoying the summer?

We get spoiled with good weather, living where we do, but there is still something different about summer. Longer days, children out of school, implicit permission to wear flip flops everywhere we go…summer just has its own vibe.

We’re leaning into the summer vibe at Chalice this July and August. We’re enjoying a series of worship services on “playing:” playing with wonder, with beauty, with stories, with poetry, and with song lyrics. Summer is a time to do things differently, and we are enjoying doing Sunday worship a little differently too.

We just had our Blessing of the Animals worship service at Felicita Park on July 23, followed by a picnic. It was great to see so many people (with children!) and pets there, and we were blessed by grey skies and even a few drops of rain. What a relief after some of the heat we’ve been having!

Sunday August 27, we’ll have one 10 a.m. worship service held outside on our courtyard (this will also be livestreamed) for our Hymn Sing service. We hope that singing outside together will be a fun way to bring summer to a close.

One of many ways the pandemic has changed me (and, I’m sure, many of us) is that I have a better appreciation now for savoring the blessings of good times, however we might define that: time with friends and family, nice weather, long days, the ability to gather outdoors, the joys of our beloved pets, the camaraderie of group singing, and so much more. Let’s face it, good times can change to hard times quickly, and with little warning, so let’s enjoy the good times while they’re here.

Although we still have some surges in Covid (wastewater data shows that Covid more than quadrupled in the three weeks between July 2 and July 23), life at Chalice feels more normal than it has in a long time, since 2018, in fact. Remember, we spent a considerable amount of 2019 with our campus under construction, with our Sunday services being held at 1:30 p.m. at Temple Adat Shalom in Poway. Life at Chalice hasn’t been routine in five years!

Whatever you are coping with these days, I hope you find some time to get outdoors, to a park or a lake or the ocean, perhaps with friends, and to savor some blue skies and sunshine while you can.

Blessings and love to you,
Sharon