This Sunday evening, and on the third Sunday's of July and August, we will celebrate Eucharist at 5pm in the Memorial Garden, our Columbarium. The service will be simple and it is definitely "a come as you are" occasion.

  

Regardless of the location, or the wearing of sandals and shorts, we will bring glory to God. Even the most rustic location calls for praising God's glory and showing forth our best. Worship has taken place in the most unusual of places.

  

Before Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walked on the moon, they celebrated Eucharist. Buzz Aldrin carried the Elements into space and shared a quiet time before the first moon walk. The scripture he read was "I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me, and I in him, will bear much fruit; for you can do nothing without me" (John 15:5).

  

I have had the pleasure to work with several military chaplains; their stories tell of Eucharist being celebrated under the most trying of places and times. But amidst the chaos and din they found a glimpse of peace.

  

There is also a movement that promotes celebrating Eucharist with a Holy Hike. The hike need not be long or strenuous, but it is usually done in silence. At intervals the group stops and there is a passage of scripture that is read, and then the hike continues with the walking being a time for meditating on the passage. The final stopping point is when Eucharist is celebrated among God's creation.

  

All of these are examples of going outside the walls of the church to celebrate and praise God. As wonderful as our worship space is, our work is outside the walls, so it is good to venture outside for ministry and for worship.

  

There are several reasons for offering worship on Sunday evenings this summer. First, this is a way to accommodate the change in the schedules of parishioners as trips to the shore or mountains become frequent, it also helps with sports league schedules. Second, some parishioners have asked about an evening worship time so this is a good season to experiment. And third, it appears that in the not too distant future, we will need to think about offering a third service to accommodate our growing numbers, what a good problem that is. This is a short experiment but please give me your feedback about the service; attendance numbers will not tell the whole story, I need to hear about why, or why not, the service worked for you.

  

Also this is a great opportunity to invite a friend to worship at Saint John's. A casual service in the garden is a lot less threatening to some visitors, so please extend your hospitality and bring your friends.