by Susannah Davis
On Sunday, August 11, 2019 Kirkwood UCC in Atlanta began our gathering with the King of Pops cool celebration in the parking lot, complete with chocolate sea salt and blackberry ginger lemon popsicles!
At 5pm, we headed into the sanctuary, filled with Backpacks for our Toomer Elementary kids and Blessings for ALL of our kids, teachers and administrators. We offered prayers and promises of love and hope for our children and their parents, as they move back into the rhythm of school days. We offered blessings and stoles for our administrators and teachers, as they give of themselves daily, to our children and community.
Carol Kobayashi made KUCC “Stoles of Light” for all of our teachers and administrators, and we commissioned them as ministers “Gathered” at KUCC and “Scattered” out into the community to serve and love kids in meaningful and thoughtful ways, as they teach them and lead them, offering light and love to them in the coming year.
On Monday morning, we shared the “Welcome Wave” with our Toomer Elementary kids as they gathered for their first day of school! May they be blessed—we certainly were!
We got this idea from the Reverend Traci Blackmon, our Associate General Minister of Justice & Local Church Ministries for The United Church of Christ and Senior Pastor of Christ The King United Church of Christ in Florissant, MO. KUCC created the liturgy and Carol Kobayshi, the stoles.
Blessing & Commissioning for our Teachers & Administrators
ONE: Teachers and Administrators, you make a difference in the lives of children, parents and communities every day and we thank you. You work long hours, you give of yourselves, you help shape lives and give meaning to the learning process. You have a heart that is deep and wide, even when you feel frustrated and annoyed. You keep at it—you help change the world for good and we are grateful.
You are the Light of the World. And today, we the church, KUCC send you out into our communities to shine.
ALL: Teachers, Administrators, Friends and Siblings in Christ, please know that our deepest prayers, love, support and encouragement go before you and with you. We are grateful for the ways you love others as you have first been loved.
Thanks be to God, for YOU.
AMEN
