I’ve heard the term “rally day” whispered over the years at Sewickley United Methodist. I liked the sound of it, but I never knew exactly what it meant. In my previous church associations, we never rallied.

So, I considered asking Pastor Hannah or one of my trusted Methodist sources for insight, but instead I Googled it.

From an Internet dictionary, I found this explanation: “In liturgical Protestant churches, Rally Day marks the beginning of the church calendar year. It typically occurs at the end of September or the beginning of October.”

From the UMC website, I found this insight: “Rally Day is observed in some congregations to celebrate a new start or a renewed effort in involving children, youth, and adults in Sunday morning classes for Christian education… When Rally Day is observed on its own, focus is on efforts to involve as much of the congregation as possible in Sunday school or other Christian formation opportunities.”

Let’s rally. Let’s lift a rally prayer. Let’s launch a new church calendar year with prayer. Let’s include Sunday mornings and Christian education, but let’s amplify and explore the “efforts to involve as much of the congregation as possible.”

On September 4, as the sun sets around 7:48 pm, from wherever you are, with whomever wants to join you, let’s lift the Sewickley United Methodist Church and pray into the new calendar year.

Let’s lift prayers of thanks for everything that has happened in the past year.

Let’s lift prayers for Pastor Hannah, who began her third year with us in July.

Let’s pray for our Christian Education initiatives, including our Children’s Ministry and the Growth Groups, which will resume in September. All are welcome! Let’s ask God to lift up leaders for our youth ministries and volunteers throughout our education ministries.

Let’s pray for the chancel choir and the handbell choir and the children’s bell choir, which resume in the new year. And let’s pray for Leap of Faith, which serves in every season.

Let’s pray for new ways to “involve as much of the congregation as possible” in ministries and missions. How can we include, invite, and embrace more people? Can we create new ministries and missions? Can we expand or amplify existing ministries and missions?

Lord, please show us how we can reflect your love and your light more impactfully in the new year.

The UMC website offered a sample prayer for Rally Day. Perhaps we can include some of it in our rally prayer.

“Bless our times of study so that we may grow in faith. Bless our times of fellowship so that we may truly live as brothers and sisters in Christ. Bless our times of prayer and worship so that we may be enriched in our spirits. Amen.”