Welcome back to Fellowship Magazine. You will have noticed that our spring issue from Fellowship Publications was the brand new Fellowship Connections. It was our hope and prayer that the newsletter format would meet some specific goals as we strive towards our mission of celebrating the historic Christian faith within the United Church of Canada. And based on response from our readers and supporters we appear to be meeting those goals. The change in publication schedule from four magazines a year to two magazines and two newsletters is fulfilling its purpose: we are better able to keep you up to date with timely articles since the production schedule is so much shorter for the newsletter than for the magazine. Also, the trimming of costs means our books are in much better balance. Thank you for your generous support in words of encouragement, in prayer and by donation. We are moving forward with renewed purpose and your support has made all the difference.

We hope this issue of the magazine offers you some food for thought. The inclusion of an issue of Theological Digest and Outlook within the pages of this magazine provides you with some lengthier and more detailed articles than those found in Fellowship Magazine. Growing in faith means growing in the heart but also stretching our minds!

We're sure that you will find encouragement in the article, by Jim Breen, on summer camp outreach with children. Connie denBok has given us some challenging words about the route to revitalization and renewal for our congregations. Our regular columnists are all here too and we know many of you look forward to Victor Shepherd's profiles in faith, Dawn Marten's musings on music and all the rest.

I'm in the midst of summertime activity as I write this to you. It's a hot day and the swimming pool beckons. I've already been away on one Christian retreat and have Presbyterian Music Camp and a mission trip coming up to round out the summer. But when you receive the magazine, we'll all be in the midst of the September swirl: back to school, back to regular routine, headlong into the full program at church. To round out your spiritual diet and keep you strong for the journey ahead, here's one more tasty tidbit: an issue of Fellowship Magazine prepared and ready to serve so that you might be strengthened, encouraged, challenged to grow in faith and in grace. May the Lord Jesus Christ, by the power of his Holy Spirit, be with you always!