Keeping faithful in the pews a summer challenge

By DON O'BRIANT

For the Journal-Constitution

07/25/07

Maybe God never takes a vacation, but many of his believers do. Every summer, attendance at churches and synagogues dips as the members head to the beach or mountains or second homes.

Some clerics accept the summer slump as a seasonal fact of life, but others are trying to find ways of keeping their flock together or at least encouraging them to keep the faith when they're away.

Katie Morgan enjoys rock painting at St. James United Methodist Church's summer camp.

"I take it for granted that attendance will be lower because of vacations," says the Rev. Eddie Ard, pastor of St. Anne's Episcopal Church. "But we do have a summer camp that runs all summer that is staffed by teenagers and adults. And we have a program, Kids for Peace, that we have done for four years." the rest photo