Church blesses students, eases back-to-school burden

COLUMBUS — First United Methodist Church Columbus prayed over 30 young students and distributed free school supplies for all grade levels during its Blessing of the Backpacks service, Sunday, Aug. 2.

Pastor Sunshine Reyes led the congregation in praying for students as they prepared to begin a new school year. After the service, children and their families selected free school supplies from tables lined with crayons, note- books, disinfecting wipes and other classroom essentials.

“(When) you carry your backpack, you’re carrying more than school supplies,” church marketing committee member Brooke Bonorden said. “You’re carrying all those anxieties, all those worries, all those insecurities, and that’s the part people don’t see about going back to school.”