Have a faithful summer!

The Sunday after Easter Sunday is often referred to in the church as "Low Sunday." That is because church attendance on that Sunday is usually the lowest of the year??!! (It's amazing to me that the Easter joy of the resurrection of our Lord can be so short lived and that, for some, a desire and dedication to participate in the community's worship and praise of God-beyond Christmas and Easter-is practically nonexistent.) On a good Sunday at the Cathedral we generally have an attendance of 330-340. This year, on Easter 2 (Low Sunday), our attendance was 306 and, in fact, over the last 3 years our average attendance on Easter 2 has been 327. I tell you this just to say, "Way to go, Cathedral!" and how proud I am of you for your consistency and faithfulness to worship.

Then, there is summer. From June until September our average weekly attendance is around 250. Now, I know attendance is going to drop in the summer. We all, including the clergy and staff, take vacations and are occasionally out of town on weekends for various other reasons. But 250 on Sundays puts us almost 100 off the mark. Some of us, even when we are in town, simply choose to stay home-or stay away from church-as standard operating procedure. It's what we do in the summer. It's not just the Cathedral either. In fact there's a joke about Episcopalians: we're the only people God can trust to take the summer off!

Look, I know you'll be away some this summer. So will I, but when you're here, come to church. It only takes an hour or so out of your day. Do afternoon tee times, head for the lake just a little later, cut your grass on Saturday, come as you are (shorts and T-shirts are welcome), come to church at a different time. I just want you here and so does God.

And when you are away, set aside an hour on Sunday morning and go to church, wherever you are. Being present at worship will make your whole week go better. You know that. And if you are staying with family or friends, making worship a part of your Sunday can provide a great witness to them about the importance of faith in your life.

Have a great, safe, fun and faithful summer!
and
I'll see you in church!
Steve+