August 1st, 2025

First Bonita

Serving Bonita Springs for Over 100 Years

08.01.25

Back to School

Somehow it’s already August, and as I faced it down earlier in the week, it occurred to me that means somehow the school year is beginning soon. Most of us aren’t coordinating our schedules to the public school schedule or syllabi anymore, so, like me, perhaps the start of the school year often goes by without noticing beyond recognizing a shift in those engaged in it.

But it’s also got me thinking, connecting with it differently, mostly remembering with joy. Both the joy of experiences I had as a student in grade school, college, and graduate school, and the joy of being far away from the anxiety that creeped in among the excitement of a new year or semester.

Whether or not we’re feeling connected to it, our community certainly is. We have among us many students, teachers, and educators who are engaged, and right now find themselves looking ahead and figuring how to navigate a new year. New teachers, new students. New challenges, laws, friends, frustrations, things to learn, and, I pray, new joy.

I invite you to join me in praying for them all. Let’s lift them up together, for strength, courage, clarity, peace, and love to be a part and guide the multitude of experiences ahead of them. And to that end, I offer a prayer below for us. It was written for another church’s blog by Lindsay O’Connor, and is one I will be praying it in the weeks to come, and invite you to join me.

Rev. Ben Richards

Sunday Service

Join us on Sundays in-person or online! Click here to watch the service on 8/3 and here to watch the service on 8/10.

Let Us Pray

A Prayer for Back to School

by Lindsay O’Connor

God of new beginnings,

Be with us – students, educators, and we who love them – as a new school year begins. Bless us with awareness of Your presence amidst our excitement, stress, busyness, and anticipation. Allow us to be open to Your work in us throughout this new school year.

God of wisdom,

Help us to grow in knowledge and wisdom that comes from experience. Let us know the joy and fulfillment of learning in an embodied way that involves our heads, hearts, and bodies so that along with wisdom, we grow in humility.

God of compassion,

Some of us begin this school year with heavy hearts and weary bodies. Our grief, physical and mental illnesses, financial difficulties, broken relationships, and other personal struggles do not often follow a calendar and thus follow us into the school year. Let us know intimately the comfort available to us through You, and allow us the blessing of comforting others with the comfort we ourselves have received.

God of unity in diversity,

Thank You for the creativity with which You have created us, for our diverse brains, bodies, and learning styles. Help us and others to see the gifts we bring, even when those unique gifts sometimes feel like burdens. Help us to companion one another well on the journey of self-compassion that leads to compassion for others. Let us not forget that we are all connected and that our well-being is inextricably tied to that of those in community with us.

God of goodness,

Allow our schools and educational institutions to be protected places where people grow and thrive without fear or threat of danger. Protect students and educators from every kind of violence. Help us all to work together to eradicate the forces of oppression that plague the most vulnerable among us, that we might partner with You in bringing the Kingdom of Heaven to Earth.

God of abundance,

Thank You for the abundance of goodness we don’t even know to ask for this year but will receive from You. Open our eyes to see the treasures hidden in the everyday, ordinary moments where You dwell.

Amen.

Pancakes, Balloons, and Neighbors

In a month when we considered the lawyer in Luke 10 who asked, in order to vindicate himself, “who is my neighbor?” it’s perhaps especially wonderful to simply celebrate the welcome of some of our neighbors to First United Methodist Church Bonita Springs for a fun and filling time together. 97 meals were served, alongside balloons being given out, and amazing volunteers making it possible. Our thanks to all who contributed; who continue to support this incredible ministry by their gifts, service, and prayers; and to those who have been at work preparing for the Clothes Closet to reopen in August.

And on that note: mark your calendars and join us for the next opportunity on Saturday, August 30, when we will again welcome our neighbors to join us for good times and good food.

Updates

Bible Study:

Our weekly Bible Study will resume on August 3, meeting weekly on Wednesdays at 3 PM.

Meals of Hope:

Meals of Hope is now distributing food every other week on Tuesdays from 1 PM - 4 PM. If you would like to participate, their next distribution is on August 5.

Prayer and Care:

Join us Fridays at 9:30 AM on Zoom or in the sanctuary. Cards to submit requests are in the back of the Sanctuary. Need to keep someone on the list? Send their name to prayer@fumcbonita.org. All information and last names will be kept confidential.

Altar Flowers:

If you would like to honor family, friends, or loved ones for an anniversary, birthday, or memorial, contact the church office for details.

Prayer Requests

Doug

Rae

Bob

Chet

Kevin

Mikey B

Leroy

Justin

Ron S