Each year when I see the school supplies show up in the stores, I start to feel reflective and am flooded with back-to-school memories.  The “tears and cheers” of sending our kids back to the classroom and now for me, the sorority house, is a real thing for parents.  Helena, our 20-year-old, is a Kappa Kappa Gamma at Ole Miss and today is her first day of 15th grade (a.k.a. junior year).  Our son, Jackson, is in the beginning of his high school senior year and I am like a sponge in their lives.  

I am here to tell you that as I watch our Pinnacle Preschoolers arrive today back to school, it never gets easier even with older kids. There is something emotional that goes on with us parents as a new school year starts.  I guess it’s the tangible evidence that they’re indeed progressing a year, getting older, and… so are we.  It’s inevitable that nothing stays the same.

So, I am soaking up every single hug, every single “love you mom” and even savoring events like Back to School Night.  It’s a big year in the McGinn household, and we are bracing for the last ride.

It's also nice to know that there are so many parents in my family’s situation that I can lean on here at church.  We all feel each other’s pain and now we plan to say cheers through our tears at a Pinnacle college parents’ event next month.  We will share stories; growth pangs, and support one another as some seasoned parents join us with their wisdom.  Surviving the goodbyes is a skill and I need to learn it.  Send me a note if you would like to join us or enjoy a cup of coffee over these shared feelings.  We’ve got this!

Revolution, Reformation, and Reconciliation! That’s what I think of when I read the Book of Confessions. I could also add these words as well: restructuring, reconstitution, reestablishment, restoration, rearticulation, reorganization, and renewal, but those first three words tell a much more dramatic story. 

The Christian church for nearly two thousand years has struggled to articulate its beliefs and claim its identity, firstly because there were such diverse ways, in the early years, to be a follower of Jesus and to understand who he was (in relation to the God of the Jewish people.) They had good questions to answer: If Jesus was the Son of God how could he be God, too? If Jesus was God, how could he have a human body? If God is “one,” how could God also be “three”? In the resurrection, will we have physical bodies or spiritual bodies? The way that different Christians answered these questions often separated them from other Christians, and if you didn’t hold to the prevailing “orthodox” answer to these questions, you could be marked as a heretic and excommunicated from the Body of Christ. Such drama! 

And speaking of drama, when we think about St. Nicholas, we usually picture jolly, old Santa Claus, gleefully handing out presents to deserving, little children. But the original St. Nicholas, Bishop of Myra, the original Santa, actually punched a fellow bishop in the face, during the Council of Nicaea in 325 AD, during which the Nicene Creed was formulated, for saying, “Jesus is not equal to the Father!” The other bishops reacted by stripping Nicholas of his bishop's garments, chaining him, and throwing him into jail.  Yet, even though Nicholas was gone from the meeting, his ideas prevailed against Arius. That’s why in the Nicene creed we hear, “Jesus is God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, consubstantial (of the same essence) with the Father.”*

*Early Christians also fought over whether the Spirit emanates from both the Father and Son, or from the Father only. This may seem trivial to us today, but the debate split the Eastern (Greek-speaking) and Western (Latin-speaking) churches, and they didn’t speak to one another for almost a thousand years.  The two churches still don’t agree on this topic.  [It’s subtle but you’ll find that the version of the Nicene Creed we affirmed in church on Sunday says, “The Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son.”]

The creeds and confessions were indeed formulated during times of great change and conflict. That’s why they’re so revolutionary, reformational and reconciliatory. Making a statement of faith can be risky business? To begin with, early Christians faced the juggernaut of the Roman Empire, experiencing repeated times of persecution and ostracization. Who would have guessed that within 300 years, Christianity would grow from a marginal sect of Judaism to the prevailing religion of the empire itself? The change was revolutionary. Christianity reformed the empire (and was reshaped by prevailing ethos of the empire itself.) And after a thousand years’ of the church and empire walking hand in hand, certain Western Christians caused a revolution in theology and society by stating the Roman Church did not have sole authority over the beliefs and practices of the church and human life. The Reformation itself was a revolutionary time, causing tumult not only in ecclesial matters, but the whole society. Throughout the British Isles, when the Reformation came there, monasteries were closed, even burned, and civil unrest was ignited between Catholics and Protestants for centuries to follow. 

A few centuries later, when National Socialism had taken over Germany, Nazis actually prescribed what churches in Germany could think and do. Some Christians accepted the wedding of Nazi ideology with Christian liturgy, but others protested. Out of this protest came the Confessing Movement, which said, “Jesus Christ alone is head of the church!” … and not any human ideology. Out of this anti-fascist movement was born the The Theological Declaration of Barmen.

When in the midst of the oppressive system of Apartheid in South Africa, certain Christians stood against prevailing racist ideology and systems, as these had infected both society and church. These Christians called for a revolution in society which would deem all people as equal both in the sight of God and in society. Out of this conflict was born the Confession of Belhar which states, “We believe that Christ’s work of reconciliation is made manifest in the church as the community of believers who have been reconciled with God and with one another. Unity is both a gift and obligation for the church, and a reality that must be pursued earnestly.” The end of Apartheid would come within eight years of this church declaration.

Perhaps the Reformed Church of South Africa drew them or reconciliation from American Presbyterians’ Confession of 1967, the major theme of which was not only God’s reconciling work in Jesus Christ, but also the foundation for all human interaction:  This work of God, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, is the foundation of all confessional statements about God, humanity, and the world. Therefore the church calls all people to be reconciled to God and to one another. In the midst of the social upheaval of the 1960’s, and the Civil Rights Movement, came the church’s opportunity to rearticulate its faith in light of the great human drama that was occurring. This confession affirms, that God reveals his love in Jesus Christ by showing power in the form of a servant, wisdom in the folly of the cross, and goodness in receiving sinful humanity. The power of God’s love in Christ to transform the world discloses that the Redeemer is the Lord and Creator who made all things to serve the purpose of his love. In the midst of the “Love Decade” came a confession that highlighted the Love of God as the foundation for all Christian identity and for Christian mission as reconciliation. 

The examples abound for the Book of Confessions reflecting revolutionary change, amid continued times of reformation and reconciliation. 

I invite you to be a part this fall of our ongoing exploration of these creeds, confessions, and catechisms, in a time when we all need to how God is reforming us.

In their elementary years, a child begins to learn about the world they live in and starts to develop their sense of identity. Children’s minds are like beautiful sponges! They soak up everything, as they are constantly observing and interacting with the world around them. 

As we considered themes for Pinnacle Kids this year, we searched for a theme that would motivate and excite our children, both in Pinnacle Kids on a Sunday morning and throughout their week. One shined brightly above the rest. The idea of God’s light. God’s light often symbolizes the light in the darkness, as well as the joy, love, kindness, and compassion that we can share with others. 

When we live with intention we can reflect God’s light to those around us. As a church body, we have the honor of being part of children’s lives in the most fantastic ways! As followers of God, our faith is highlighted in the way we care for others. We get the privilege of modeling our relationship with God for Pinnacle children from the moment we take a step through the door every Sunday morning. 

Kids watch with wonder as we light up when we listen to our pastors and worship together in community. Kids watch how and when we greet our fellow church goers. They hear the way we interact with others at lunch, and on the patio when they go to get a cookie. Most importantly they see who welcomes them into the sanctuary with patience and gladness; wiggles, energy, questions, and all. They also hear how their parents and families talk about their church interactions and impressions on the drive home. What a beautiful experience to be part of in this lifetime…to spark a child’s love for God!

God designed us for connection with others and with God. Kids see the way we connect with those around us. Knowing these things, we can incite passion for the Lord through discovery and wonder in our youngest population by being God’s light to them. Children love to make discoveries and what a great gift for them to discover that God is real and truly loves them!  

To quote our children’s curriculum, “In the elementary years, a child will grow in wisdom, faith, and friendship.” I love these goals. I love that we, as ordinary people living with God in our lives, have a part in illuminating Pinnacle children’s faith, encouraging positive social skills, and pointing them towards God’s wisdom and light. 

Can you believe Pinnacle Presbyterian Preschool has been offering high-quality early childhood education to families in our community for three decades now? In celebration of our birthday, we are welcoming alumni back to our campus with some fun events this fall!

Open House - Thursday, October 17th 
Stop in anytime between 5 PM - 7 PM to see the classrooms and Atelier. This is a great opportunity to connect with former and current families and see how our spaces have evolved over time. We are excited to reconnect with our Alumni!

Alumni Atelier - Saturday, October 19th 
Family Atelier Days is a new family event we started in 2021 to find meaningful ways to connect with family during Covid restrictions. This is an incredible opportunity for families to join their child during Atelier for time together working with materials. In honor of our 30th anniversary, we are hosting a special Saturday event for alumni, Alumni Atelier. Spend the morning surrounded by creativity and curiosity while working with materials from the Atelier. Drop in anytime between 9 AM - 11 AM. 

Tallulah Family Workshop - Saturday, November 16th
Our Tallulah Workshops have always been a favorite for families and offer a chance to leave your legacy on our walls. We invite alumni to join us between 9 AM - 11 AM to add new tiles to the preschool walls in celebration of our 30th anniversary. 

We are grateful for the opportunity to look back on our history, acknowledging the ways we have evolved over the years. We continue to be dedicated to best practices in early childhood and providing a safe, loving environment for children to learn and grow. We are thankful for our incredible team of teachers and staff, both current and past, who have created the strong foundation of our program. As we move forward, we take the best parts of our history with us as we continue to find innovative and purposeful ways to serve the children and families in our care. 

We will be sharing more opportunities for Alumni to celebrate with us this coming spring. Stay connected by following us on Facebook and Instagram. 

We’d love to hear from our alumni! What is your favorite memory from Pinnacle? Send us your stories and photos to be featured in our 30th anniversary documentation (email to kvasquez@pinnaclepres.org).

For most students in our area, Monday was the first day back to school. As a new(er) parent at this (our daughter just started her second year of preschool), I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. I’m learning to look for the email with the list of supplies she needs. After visiting multiple stores, I’m lowering my hopes for a subtle backpack - especially when my 3-year-old locks eyes on a unicorn backpack that looks like the glitter and sequin aisle threw up all over it. I’m relieved we are back to a predictable schedule instead of patch-working together camps, babysitters and days off. I’m a little in awe at how much she’s grown. I’m a big girl now. I can do it myself. 

If you’re a parent of school aged children, what are you feeling/learning/reflecting upon in this season? If you’re an empty nester, what about you? Are you excited and relieved for the routine? Are you teary-eyed when time moves so fast and children grow? Are you anxious for them or excited? Back to school time brings a range of emotions–not just for our children but also for us. May you lift all of it – all the wonderful things, all the messy things, all the hard things and exciting things, all the sticky glittery things and all the smelly funky surprising things–may you lift all of it to God as a prayer. Leaning into the strength of the God who created you and called you to this work of raising humans is equipping you to do so–and giving you a village to help you. Trusting that the God who was present at Creation is present in the lives of your children whether they are at home or at school. Remembering that God loves them and gives them their own identity and calling which hopefully they’ll use to share the love and light of Christ in their own unique way. The church needs them too. 

Here’s an excerpt of something I read Monday morning after dropping off for the first day of school by Kayla Craig. I hope it blesses you too.  

A Prayer for the First Day of School

O God of new beginnings,
As this child begins this new school year, 
We are reminded that they are Yours
And Yours alone. 

We have filled their backpack, 
And we ask You to fill their heart
With the joy of new friends
And their mind
With the wonder of learning new things. 

You are the God of science
And the God of art,
The God of equations
And the God of song. 

Be with them,
This piece of my heart,
As they embark on this new adventure,
Becoming more themselves
And needing me less 
Every day. 

Give them courage 
To extend kindness to teachers,
Fellow students,
And even themselves.
May they stand tall in who they are,
And may they find friends to sit with.

Ignite passions in them
For Your world and everything in it.
Spark creativity and stoke the fires of imagination…..

O God, we give our own worries
And our parents desire for control To You. 
Thank you for the gift of the first day of school
And for all the days to come. 
May this child learn and grow,
And may I learn and grow too.
Teach us how to love You
And our neighbor
More every day. 
Amen. 

For the full blessing, check out To Light Their Way: A Collection of Prayers and Liturgies for Parents by Kayla Craig or come visit me in my office. We can read it together over a cup of coffee.