Presbyterians love education. From the very beginning in Geneva and in Scotland, Presbyterians were working to assure that every member of their community could read and understand the word of God.
That early interest in education has only grown in our 500-year history. Presbyterians were quick to establish universities, seminaries, and schools around the world. They started Sunday Schools to help educate children and adults working in mills. Our love of education was never limited to scripture and the church, but toward the formation of the whole child: body, mind and spirit.
If you look at Bryn Mawr Presbyterian’s long history of mission, you will see a common thread and a common trust that education is transformative.
As a congregation, we long to see every child succeed to the best of his or her ability. We know that education is impossible if a student doesn’t have the basic tools to learn. How do you take notes if you don’t have a pencil? Can you imagine taking an upper level math class without a calculator?
Each summer, as a congregation, we collect school supplies and fill backpacks to help students being served by theVillage. Each backpack becomes a unique prayer: It is filled with hope for a child’s academic year. It is filled with love extended to sister or brother we have yet to meet. It is filled with faith knowing that God knows and formed the very child whose shoulder will bear this backpack.
Thank you to the many who have already helped with this project! There is still time to participate. We need all supplies delivered to the Ministries Center by Sun., Aug. 5.
You can:
- Pray for students and teachers preparing for a new school year.
- Purchase supplies online through our Amazon Wishlist.
- Pack an entire backpack.
- Purchase particular supplies. Be on the lookout for back-to-school sales: We need 40 pencil boxes/pencil bags, 150 composition books, 30 packets of loose leaf paper, and 60 boxes of colored pencils (24 count).
You are also invited to help check backpacks and deliver them the week of Aug. 6.
