October 17, 2021
The Twenty-first Sunday after Pentecost
Chutes and Ladders.

It may be a while since you've played Chutes and Ladders, so I'll catch you up. Players spin a pointer to determine how many spaces they'll advance. Everyone starts in the same place. Some steps are simply neutral...you've gained some ground in pursuit fo the finish line, but nothing outrageous happens. In church, we might call this Ordinary Time. We're journeying with Jesus, and it's going fine. Sometimes, unexpected graces happen, and you end up skipping multiple places toward the end goal, finishing the game first. (In Church, this might be a feast day, a day that stands apart from the others in remembrance of a particularly powerful God moment, or in celebration of a saint.) Of course, that's all well and good until your character lands on a chute, and you're dragged backwards into a place you thought you'd come through. (Fast days...like Ash Wednesday, or even Good Friday.)

Life can be like this as well. Sometimes, we're plodding along. On other days, we surge ahead...maybe it's a breakthrough in a relationship, or at work, or in school.

Other times, however, we end up with falling down a chute... a health setback, a relapse, an unanticipated expense...or in my case this week, a quarantine for my youngest. (Everyone is fine, and we look forward to her scheduled return to school and her usual activities like Church.)

In the midst of all the ups and downs, the chutes and ladders of this life, I'm grateful for this prayer from the service of Compline.

Be present, O merciful God, and protect us through the hours
of this night, so that we who are wearied by the changes and
chances of this life may rest in your eternal changelessness; 
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

God's love, presence, mercy, and forgiveness are changeless...they're steadfast and true, no matter where we find ourselves on the game board. Wherever this finds you, may God's unchanging love be with you this week, and always!

Matt +
This week at St. Peter's


8:00 a.m. Holy Communion in the church and online via livestream.


10:00 a.m. Holy Communion in the church


10:00 a.m. Sunday School will begin in the outdoor chapel behind the church. Please bring your children directly to the chapel. They will rejoin us for Communion.

Wednesday 12 noon Eucharist with healing service in the church
(This service is also livestreamed)

Wednesday 7:00 p.m. Bible Study on Zoom. Hebrews 4-6.

Please keep in mind that with the current warnings 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.

The Readings for Sunday,
October 17, 2021


Happy Birthday and congratulations to
Christian Fournier, Kathleen Romatzik,
and all who are celebrating
birthdays this week!

Ways to Serve at St. Peter's.

Refugee Resettlement
We are forming a group that might continue exploring refugee resettlement in partnership with IRIS and the broader faith communities here in Milford.

Check the video below to learn more.
Interested in Refugee Rettlement?
Get in touch with Rev. Matt.

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Help Wanted to Paint the Taft Wing Classrooms

As our programs for children continue to grow and flourish, we are preparing for a return to our education wing (the Taft wing) of the campus, when conditions permit.

If you'd like to help us move furniture, clear out clutter, and most importantly, help prep and paint classrooms, we'd love to hear from you! To Volunteer for any of these projects, contact Melissa Watson.





We continue our study of Hebrews.
Chapters 4-6: Jesus, the High Priest


This Bible Study takes place on Zoom, and using the tremendous resources from the Yale Divinity School Bible Study program,

This study will focus on a couple of chapters at a time, and expound on the themes of the chapters with world renowned scholars, Harold Attridge and David Bartlett.

This week, we'll be reading chapters 4-6 of Hebrews.
The theme: "Jesus, the High Priest"

Each week will begin at 7:00 PM with a short video,
followed by discussion among the group.

While the resources are available any time, the discussion is where things get good, and where the "rubber meets the road". Join us! Questions?



Your prayers are requested this week for Dick W., Jack, Sophie, Corrine and Matt, Donald, Jim, Maria and her family, Emma, Ronald, Bennett, Rick, David, Ray, Paul, Gail, John, Susan, Nancy, Gabriel, Gretchen, Nicole, Ashley, Pat, Judy, Dorothy, Doug and Corliss, Claire and her family, Kate, Carolyn Martin, Richard, Patricia and Jim, Mike, Helene, Jan, Ruth, Carol, Mark, Ginny, Peggie, Roger, 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 and severe weather events.
+ 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.
+This week in the Anglican Cycle of Prayer, we pray for The Church of the Province of West Africa , and in the Diocesan cycle of prayer, we remember St. John’s, Vernon; St. Paul’s, Wallingford; and St. John’s, Washington.

Please send requests for additions to the weekly Prayer list by email to office@stpetersmilford.org