Life certainly has a way of coming at us in surprising ways. First, let me welcome our new seminarian, Sarah Spurlock Biggs, and express my gratitude for her graciousness and willingness to jump right in on Sunday. Not only did Sarah lead both services on her first day with us, she preached with virtually no notice, and did it all with poise and warmth. Welcome, Sarah! We are so glad you are here, and look forward to sharing ministry with you.

Life does surprise us. Despite being fully vaccinated, masking in the office, distancing and hand washing, I had a positive COVID test on Saturday September 18 in the late afternoon. This is, as one parishioner wrote to me, a ‘sober reminder that we cannot let our guard down, vaccination notwithstanding.’

I share this not to alarm anyone; I’m feeling pretty well, isolating and praying that everyone around me stays well. I saw my doctor. We closed the church office for the week. Worship went on safely. Please know that your church leadership is doing everything possible to keep all our staff, school, students and parishioners safe in this ever changing landscape of ongoing pandemic.

I share this to urge you all to take heart. The vaccines work. I urge everyone to get vaccinated, and talk to your friends and family about vaccinations. Follow CDC guidelines, mask indoors, stay vigilant. Remember that wearing a mask is an act of kindness and respect for those around you.

I’m not a scientist or physician. I look to the experts for guidance on the medical front. I do know that our reactions to one another, the way we choose to talk to one another, the stance we take with one another during this pandemic - these are spiritual issues. We’re careful as we can be, but we can’t control the virus. We can, however, choose how we treat each other. Choose kindness. Choose grace. Choose to listen, to what is said, and what is unsaid. Choose respect. Most of all, choose love, because, as we say in our 9am creed: we are the church, which reminds people of God because we love each other.

Thanks for your love and support, and I look forward to being with you again soon.

Blessings,

Mary Kay+

Pray for those who suffer in body, mind or spirit: Colgate, Mary, John, Abby, Ken, Annie, Janet,

Ginny, Stacey, Zakary, Madeline, Bob, Sofia, Richard, Michele, Madison, Len, Caroline, Grace

and all those being prayed for by our prayer teams.

We pray for those who have died: Richard, Pat, Gene, Jerry, David, Margaret, Kelly, Anita and

Stefan; and those who have lost a loved one through death: the Whitlock family, the Nutwell

family, the Hayes family, the Sonnthal family and the Yealdhall family.

We pray for our clergy, vestry, ministries, church staff, school staff, parents, and children.

Loving God, we pray for all those who continue to be affected by the pandemic.

We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.

To that end, we are using slides at both services, and posting the slides on line at sdlife.org. We are not printing bulletins for either service. 

We welcome your input as we regather. Please let us know if you have suggestions about how we might make the slides more effective, either in person or on line.

Also, we are in need of readers, greeters and ushers and servers for our two services. There is a job for you! Please sign up on the website. See you Sunday!

This month's Vestry meeting is this Wednesday, September 22nd at 7 pm. All parishioners are welcome to join the meeting via Zoom. You may access the agenda and meeting information here.

Please join us with your pet on Sunday, October 3rd at 4pm for our annual Blessing of the Animals which also honors St. Francis of Assisi. The blessing and short service will take place outside near the chapel ruins. Please donate pet food and toys for the local animal shelters. If you are unable to attend please contact Maureen at mcarey@sdlife.org to arrange a phone or zoom blessing for your pet.

Outdoor Sunday School is our Sunday School program for the fall of 2021. Classes are offered after the 9 am service and before the 11 am service for children aged preschool through 5th grade. It’s our goal to support and encourage kids through God’s love one child at a time. Classes are fun and engaging, with a focus on learning Bible stories through arts and crafts, songs, and games through nature. From the Creation Story, to the Parable of the Sower, engaging the Bible through tangible experiences. That means water, soil, plants, rocks, and seeds! We also know that time outdoors can provide a place to unwind engage in spiritual formation in new ways.

Please contact Maureen mcarey@sdlife.org for more information and to volunteer. Fall Sunday School follows both CDC and Diocesan guidelines. Drop off and pick up with take pace outside on the lawn in front of the church.

Do you hear a call to share your musical gifts? Here at St. David’s, music is happening and we welcome any musicians to our music ministry team. Joyful, uplifting, deeply spiritual, and reflective, our music ministry has adapted to this time of pandemic and there are many opportunities to serve. Right now our greatest need is for singers at our 9am and 11am services. We are singing masked, distanced, and in person. There are also virtual opportunities for those who feel more comfortable staying home and for young children. Instrumental musicians are also needed and musicians of all ages are welcome. Please email Music@sdlife.org if you are interested in joining our music ministry.

We are having a Youth Ministry zoom Bingo this Wednesday September 22nd 7pm - 8pm called by parishioner John Knox. There are great prizes including prizes if you wear your school gear and a drawing for AirPods. RSVP to Maureen at youthministry@sdlife.org for your digital bingo card.

Youth are invited to meet at the fire pit for smore’s, fellowship and prayer from 7-8pm the first Wednesday of each month. The dates for 2021 are October 6th, November 3rd, December 1st .

Sunday, October 10th, November 14th, December 12th 12:30 – 2 in the annex.

Here at St. David’s Mission Trips connect people with what God is up to all around them, and children and youth are an important part of what God is doing. Mission trips invite students’ faith to their fingertips, allowing meaningful conversations about why service is essential to following Jesus and invite students to be fulltime participants in God’s plan.

Communities, too, are participants in that plan. We know that every community – the ones we visit and the ones we come from – have both strengths and struggles. By entering a different town or city, we get an inside view of another context where Jesus is at work. This mutual giving makes mission trips much more than simple service projects. It changes perspectives, shapes passions and alters pursuits. It opens students’ eyes to the incredible possibilities God has put in front of them.

Here’s the deal: Everyone involved in Youth Ministry is encouraged to experience a mission trip that values relationships, respects communities and connects the hands of service with the heart of Jesus.

Again and again we see quality mission trip experiences show students how to use their lives to love and value others better. We will plan local, not so local and in time a pilgrimage to serve and be the hands of feet of Jesus in the world.

You see, mission trips are not the “big event” of youth ministry. The “big event” of students’ faith happens every day as thy find the opportunity to love and serve the people God puts in their path. Instead, mission trips are a launch pad… a drawing back of the bow… a wind-up for the pitch. Mission trips equip and encourage students to go home and love the communities they travel into every day when they roll out of bed.

And God’s mission for us is far more than a trip. But we know, for many, living out that mission begins with a trip. That’s why mission trips will continue to be part of our work and our passion.

Questions? Suggestions? Volunteer and mentor opportunities? Contact Maureen at youthministry@sdlife.org.

Grace to Go is one of St. David's longest running outreach programs, providing fully cooked meals to our Loudoun County neighbors. St. David's is one of four "anchor" organizations which Grace to Go counts on to lead the food preparation and distribution efforts once each month -- typically 1-3PM @ the second Sunday followed by Monday afternoon meal distribution, both in Leesburg. St. David's is seeking an individual or a family who would be able to carry the outreach forward in 2022. Training/orientation will be provided and volunteers to help with meal preparation routinely will come from both the St. David's community and/or your own circles of family/friends/sports teams/school groups, etc. St. David's must name its new outreach leader by November 1 in order for the larger Grace to Go organization to plan accordingly for 2022. If St. David's does not have an outreach leader by November 1, its commitment to Grace to Go will come to an end. Thanks for your prayerful consideration! Please contact domesticoutreach@sdlife.org for more information.

This Advent we will be creating an Intergenerational written and virtual Advent Devotional. This is an opportunity to share your gifts and reflection as you reflect on the reading that you are given. If you are interested in participating and/or being part of this team, please contact Maureen at mcarey@sdife.org by September 30th. Readings will be sent out in mid October.

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