St. Peter's
Episcopal Church
Milford, Connecticut
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This Week at St. Peter's
September 5, 2021
The Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost
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A Gritty kind of Grace.
Today was "one of those days" where I'd hoped to write my newsletter article earlier, but instead the remnants of Hurricane Ida left us with other things to do.The floodwaters lifted up our dumpster, and deposited at least fifty feet away in our rear parking lot. Torrents of water filled our basement spaces with ankle and knee-deep pools of water, so we got to work, pumping things out and checking our facility over to make sure we're up to speed. (We are.)
Today was an experience of Grace. It wasn't what I would have asked for or imagined, but that's how grace works. Instead of orderly plans, and tightly structured planning meetings, I got to work side by side with neighbors, colleagues, and parishioners who checked in on the church, who loaned sump-pumps, shop vacs, garden hoses, extension cords, and time to help dry our spaces out. Somewhere in there, Maureen Lucas and I talked about our plans for our youth and the confirmation journey ahead of our high schoolers this year.
As I spun around the building, and fretted about hoses and hardware, several of our team took some time in our sanctuary for a bit of peace and prayer amid the hurried work to get our space dried out. They reminded me to do the same. We can pray, especially when things don't go to plan, and we can watch for the beauty of what God can do in the midst of the messes of this world. Maybe this kind of thing is what James was talking about in this week's reading...
Last night's storm gave us a very real taste of what our siblings on the Gulf Coast, as well as those in New York and New Jersey experienced, and I give thanks that the impacts to our church were merely annoying, and not calamitous.
Check the announcements below for ways to help ease suffering locally, nationally, and abroad.
Yours in Christ,
Matt +
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Here are a few simple Ways to Help through eGiving.
To Help Resettle Refugees and allies from Afghanistan, you can contribute to IRIS, in New Haven. (They are seeking to settle over 300 families from Afghanistan alone.)
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SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 5th
8:00 a.m. Holy Communion in the church and online via livestream.
10:00 a.m.
"Mass on the Grass"and blessing of Students, Teachers, and Families!
Join us for a family-friendly service on the Church Lawn at 10:00 a.m. with a special blessing for all who are going back to school. Lemonade, light refreshments, and fellowship will follow the service.
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With the current warning about the Delta Variant of the Covid virus, masks are to be worn for all services to protect the most vulnerable among us.
Thanks for your patience, and for wearing your mask.
NOTE: We are now livestreaming our 8:00 am Service. This will help us avoid some audio quality challenges we've experienced in our livestream of the 10:00 am service.
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The Readings for Sunday,
September 5, 2021
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Happy Birthday to Shane Tummins who celebrates his birthday this week, and congratulations to Chrystine & Kevin Cody, Mark & Sherra Rego, and Elizabeth & Kurt Buckholz who are celebrating anniversaries this week!
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Please note a change of email address
for Rev. Julie Kelsey.
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Your prayers are requested this week for Ronald, Warner, Bennett, Rick, David, Ray, Paul, Gail, John, Susan, Nancy, Gabriel, Gretchen, Nicole, Ashley, Pat, Haleigh and Mark, Judy, Dorothy, Bob W., Doug and Corliss, Claire and her family, Kate, Carolyn Martin, Richard, Patricia, Mike, Helene, Jan, Ruth, Carol, Mark, Ginny, Becky, Peggie, Roger, Jason, Peter, Tina, Henry, Paul and Violet, Bob and Connie, and Alice.
+ Pray for those who have died, and for all those who are bereaved.
+ Pray for those who are frightened, anxious, or lonely, especially the sick.
+ Pray for continued wisdom and discernment in our leaders in government and the church alike.
+Pray for the unemployed and underemployed; for all who suffer from addictions; for all who suffer chronic illness, and for all caregivers;
+ Pray for support and strength for health care workers, first responders, hospice chaplains, palliative care teams, funeral directors, and all who attend to end-of-life care.
+ Pray for all communities impacted by climate change. We especially pray for especially those affected by Hurricane Ida in Louisiana and Mississippi, and those western states battling wildfires.
+ Pray for all who will be persecuted for their faith.
+ Pray for renewal in our church, that the Holy Spirit might bless us with the endurance to run the race before us, and to do so with joy.
+In the Anglican cycle of prayer we pray for The Province of the Episcopal of Sudan and in the Diocesan cycle of prayer we remember L’Eglise de L’Epiphanie, Stamford; St. Andrew’s, Stamford; and St. Francis’, Stamford
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