This past Sunday felt like an Easter in August. All Saints’ Hall was full of families, children, and backpacks – each one prayed over, each one representing not only a new school year but also the reminder that God equips us with what we need for the journey ahead.

As I said during my homily, backpacks are always more than just fabric and zippers. They carry pencils, books, and snacks – AND they also symbolize the reality of our lives. Sometimes they are filled with exactly what we need. Other times, they are heavy with things we don’t really need to carry – worries, fears, old regrets, expectations that aren’t ours to shoulder.

The good news of the Gospel is that we are not asked to carry those things alone. Jesus tells us, “Come to me, all who are weary and carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” This always new invitation is not just for students, but for all of us as we step into a new rhythm, a new cadence, a new school year of life together at Christ Church.

Maybe this is a season for you to put something down. Maybe it’s a season to pick something up. Maybe it’s a season to travel a little lighter, trusting that God really will provide the wisdom, patience, courage, or community you’ll need when the moment comes.

As we turn the corner into fall, I want to invite you to plug back into the life of this community. There’s a place for you here – to worship, to serve, to grow, to pray, to rest. Like a band of pilgrims walking a long journey together, we’re meant to carry some things in community. That’s part of the gift of being Church.

So let’s begin this new year with hope. Let’s walk a little lighter in faith. And let’s remember: whatever we carry, we carry together, as God’s Spirit carries us. Amen. 

A Prayer for the Things We Carry



Gracious God,

you know what we carry,

both the things we need

and the things that weigh us down.

Lighten our load where it is too heavy.

Give us strength for what is ours to bear.

Remind us that we never walk alone –

you go before us, beside us, and behind us.

As this new school year begins,

fill our backpacks and our hearts

with faith, hope, courage, and joy.

Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.