Summer is here, and most of the university students from our church have gone back to their hometowns until the fall. Some of you will be working full time, while others are spending quality time with family members, traveling, or just taking a break after a busy school year. As wonderful as summer is, it is also an easy time for us to get our of our routines and neglect the spiritual disciplines of the Christian faith. We must be aware of this and be intentional about our disciplines. As we go about our summer, let us not neglect:

1. Prayer

As Tim Keller rightly says,

“Prayer is the only entryway into genuine self-knowledge. It is also the main way we experience deep change—the reordering of our loves. Prayer is how God gives us so many of the unimaginable things he has for us. Indeed, prayer makes it safe for God to give us many of the things we most desire. It is the way we know God, the way we finally treat God as God. Prayer is simply the key to everything we need to do and be in life.” Tim Keller, Prayer: Experiencing Awe and Intimacy with God (18)

Prayer is an essential part of the Christian life for every believer. Prayer is an act of taking our eyes off ourselves and going to God in humble dependance, admitting that he is truly all that we need. Let us not neglect going to the Heavenly Father in dependence and communion!

Here are a few things to pray for this summer:

Your fellow students who are away for the summer: That they would continue to pursue Christ in the word, prayer, and fellowship with the saints. That they would be protected from temptations.
For upcoming first-year students: That they would get connected to a local church while in Peterborough and grow in their faith. That non-Christian students would be drawn to Christ and come to know him.
For the rest of our church congregation: That our church body would remain strong and growing and united in Christ. Special prayer for the growing families this summer, by God's grace (New babies Eleanor Auger, Ruth Kloosterman and soon to be Baby Ufkes!)
For the church leadership: For wisdom and direction as we pray and prepare for the fall. Pray also that we would be unified around Christ and grow in love for one another and for Christ and for the lost. Pray also for protection from sin, temptation, and evil. Please pray for our families in this season as well. Alex and Bec have had their second baby girl, Ruth, and will be moving into their new home at the end of June, while Rylan and Carleigh have just had their firstborn baby girl, Eleanor.

2. Bible Reading

The Bible tells us about who God is, what he is like, how he should be worshiped, how to come into relationship with him, who Jesus is, and what he has done for us. Because God is speaking to us through the Bible, everything we do should be guided by it. Everything good in us is a result of the truth of the Word being used by the Holy Spirit to change our lives so that we look more like Jesus. I encourage you to read the Bible deeply this summer. Get into it, meditate upon it, memorize, study, share, and apply it. Allow it to create in you good works, let it sustain you, and let it transform you.

For two Bible reading plans, see here:

Books Shortest to Longest
90 Day Chronological Order

3. Christian Fellowship

"And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near." (Heb. 10:24-25)

We also must not neglect meeting together for fellowship with other believers. This certainly does not mean less than coming together to worship in song and the hearing of God’s Word preached on Sunday, but it certainly means more than that. We need the whole body of Christ, since we are only one part of it on our own (1 Cor. 12). Even though you may be away from you home church, please do not neglect meeting together to confess sins, open up the scriptures, praying, and stirring up one another to love and good works!

We look forward to having you back!