A. OUTREACH
1. Investment outside the church
Support for the Caroline County Sheriff’s Department—The Vestry made its annual donation to the National Child Safety Program. Through this program, the Sheriff’s Department provides safety information to Caroline County children. Churches and businesses in the county help to fund the program.
The Absalom Jones Fund for Episcopal Historically Black Colleges and Universities. —The Vestry voted to make a donation to this fund, which helps to support historically black colleges and honors Absalom Jones, who because the first African American to be ordained a priest in the Episcopal Church in 1804.
Hunters for the Hungry–The Vestry made a donation to Hunters for the Hungry to help cover the cost of processing venison donated by hunters in the area. Johnny Davis delivered around three hundred pounds of venison to the Caroline County Department of Social Services food pantry from Hunters for the Hungry.
2. Earth Day project – “Team up to Clean up “
Thanks to the 7 people who picked up trash on Aug. 20 in support of Earth Day and to improve the beauty of Caroline County. We collected 9 orange bags.
Our territory was the trailer court at the edge of the nature preserve. The front was littered with plastic and paper in all stages of deterioration. We ventured in to the woods with thick brush that hindered our way. All sorts of things were found including a plastic bucket
3. Sacred Ground
A check for $2,700 was provided in January for the workforce scholarship program at Germanna Community. The three are receiving instruction in the following fields – excavator operator, owner/operator trucking, and CDL training.
Book discussion – How We Can Win Race, History and Changing the Money Game That’s Rigged by Kimberly Jones
Feb 10 presentation on Port Royal at the Old Port Royal School (2024 is 100th anniversary), Bingo,
Feb meeting- On behalf of the group, Catherine met with Chief Anne Richardson of The Rappahannock Tribe.
In the meeting, Chief Anne talked about the importance of healing the land as a way of reconciliation among us all, for we all come from the earth itself. Ongoing conversations with The Rappahannock Tribe will be to work with their historian to develop an additional sign about the Native American presence in Port Royal, to gain more understanding about possible restoration work on our bit of Rappahannock River shoreline, and how our Sacred Ground Scholarship may contribute to the Tribe’s ongoing efforts to educate its young tribal members. Chief Anne spoke about the importance of the land acknowledgment that we currently have in our bulletin, as a way to anchor ourselves in respect and honor for the ancestors who have come before us and who have cared for the land on which we now worship. They are looking for descendants of The Virginia Racial Integrity Act of 1924, a law that prohibited interracial marriage and established a legal definition of whiteness. The act banned interracial marriage by requiring marriage applicants to identify their race as “white,” “colored,” or “mixed.
The Sacred Ground group also had a discussion about food insecurity in our area based on research by Ben Hicks. We discussed various ideas about how to address this issue in addition to our current food distribution. We also noted the efforts of CERVE, the ecumenical group of which we are a part, and talked about ways in which this group is addressing needs in the county
May’s meeting – An email from Germanna – Jessica Thompson on the use of our funds $2,700 delivered for 3 students to obtain a commercial drivers certificate. They completed the training and are now in the workforce.
Jessica Thompson of Germanna
Jamaica scholarship
St. Peter’s John Whitfield and Andrea Pogue Educational fund was used to award money for the top three students who will be graduating this year at Victoria Primary School in Jamaica. The certificate was presented by Rogel Reid on behalf of Laura Carey.
The awards are in Jamaican dollars and together total about $500. From left to right, top to bottom:
1st place, Teshan Duncan $25,000
2nd place, Deshenae Alveranga $20,000
3rd place, Kris-Annie Stanigar $15,000
Virginia Tribal Education Consortium( VTEC)
Our connection to this group came from Catherine’s meeting with Chief Anne Richardson of the Rappahannock Tribe. Catherine talked with VTEC on April 25.
The VTEC offers scholarships funded by grants for secondary and post-secondary education as well as workforce grants for changing jobs. The tuition is $3,000 to $4,000 per student. ) This model is being studied in other states, since it has been so successful.
Those who qualify have to be a card-carrying member of their tribe. The Racial Integrity Acts in Virginia (1924-1930) obliterated the connections of tribal members to their history The laws made it difficult to trace their native ancestry.
VTEC is holding a conference in Richmond on Oct 3-4. Last year 250 came. This will be held at the Virginia Museum of History & Culture; The focus is how native Americans have worked to reclaim their identifies and to achieve sovereignty through education. They are trying to raise $8,000 to help with those attending. Catherine has sent materials to the Diocese in hopes that our Diocese will support this conference by helping to fund it.
Breakfast in Jamaica. From Principal Annette Steele – “The Victoria Primary School Breakfast initiative was established five years ago to help in addressing the nutritional needs of some of the students. We had an increasing number of students getting sick in the mornings. Some experienced tummy aches, headaches and even to the extent where some would faint. We realized that most of these cases were as a result of students not having breakfast in the mornings for various reasons. Some students arrived at school very early because parents were unable to provide breakfast because of financial constraints that they were experiencing.” A group of parishioners are now supporting a breakfast program in Jamaica. A week’s worth of breakfast costs $50. The action has helped feed children and has also acted as an inspiration to teachers to keep up their work as well.
4. The Portland Guitar Duo concert. This was their second performance at St. Peter’s, the first being almost exactly 8 years ago in April, 2016.
We had about 30 for the concert. A reception organized by the ECW was held before in the pavilion. After the show, the two guitarists, provided an opportunity for the guitarists in the audience to meet the Duo, ask questions, and play their guitars.
Romantic guitars were used for the concert, smaller than the current classical guitars. The period had standardized on 6 strings in contrast to the baroque guitar of the 18th century with 5 strings.
The Romantic guitars were used in transcriptions of piano pieces from Chopin, Liszt, and Schubert as well as dipping back to the 18th century for Domenico Cimarosa. Foti does many of the transcriptions for the duo.
5. Souper Bowl Sunday. The project resulted in the collection of 41 cans of food and 33 cards for food distribution clients, plus $75 in monetary donations for the Souper Bowl. The soup will be a blessing to all who receive it.
6. Snacks for Schools. At the February, 2024 meeting, the Vestry voted to give $150 to CERVE for school snacks. Wendy Sneed at CERVE reported “We have been regularly informed by school employees and volunteers that there is a need for snacks at all of the schools. We discussed as a group in the last meeting that we would collect funds from any who wished to contribute. One of our members from Wright’s Chapel has volunteered to take the funds and purchase snacks in bulk at a wholesale store such as Costco.” $1268 was raised to be spent on snacks for the three schools. Teachers at these schools have been individually providing snacks for their classrooms since many of the children cannot afford to bring a daily snack to school. With the donations received, the schools will receive snacks through the rest of this school year.
Snacks for CCPS Bingo Night – St Peter’s provided snacks for the CCPS Bingo Night held at the Port Royal Firehouse on Monday, February 26th. Approximately thirty people from the Port Royal area attended.
7. Village Harvest – Half year, 2024
2nd Quarter 2024 was positive for the Village Harvest in almost every category which boosted year to date trends for six months.
For the year St. Peter’s served 575 clients the best in the 4 years, 2021-2024 (compared to 480, 543, and 535 in earlier years. Growth for 6 months in 2024 was 20% compared to (12%) a year ago. Second Quarter 2024, client growth only was 8% (compared to 6% and 3%, previous 2 years.)
Pounds provided grew significantly in the 2nd Quarter. For the year, St. Peter’s has provided 7,539 in 2024 compared to 6,370 in 2023. It is slightly below 2022 and 2021 at 7,590 and 7,664.
2024 growth was 18% compared to a decrease of (16%) in 2023 and (1%) in 2022. If the 2nd quarter only is considered, then 2024 is the best 2nd quarter in pounds provided in the 2021-2024 period.
8. Shred-it
With the 12th year of Shred-it on June 12, 2024, St. Peter’s received donations of $1,316 for shredding people’s important papers. With costs of $335, we cleared, $981 the best in the dozen years. Thanks to all who participated and Andreas leadership!
Andrea brought tea and lemonade and set up a covered area for people to sit and visit – which they did since it was a beautiful day and not too hot. Shred-it is great for the environment and facilitates fellowship.
B. INTERNAL
1. ECM Project before Pentecost, May 11
We had 8 men working on a glorious Sat morning, somewhat cool. (Thanks to Ken Pogue, ECM chair, and Larry Saylor, Junior Warden for organizing it). The ECW provided lunch
3 projects. 1 project was completely finished (C), One is a work in progress to be completed next week (A). A third one needs external review.(B)
A. New water pipe from the parish house to the church to be installed by a plumber on Monday, May 13. We need to dig trenches to find the main line from the parish house and prepare the connection for the plumber. The line going into the church needs to be reviewed. Finally, refill the trenches and make sure firm. DONE! Awaiting the plumber on Monday
B. Repairs to the handicapped walkway
C. Correct bent fence in back graveyard
2. God’s Garden for ages 5-9 Here is a link for their activities.
Feb 4 and Feb 11- On Feb 4, the children created the Alleluia Banner and then the box for the banner was decorated and taken to the church before the service. The Alleluia was revealed on Easter. They then made pretzels. Pretzels for Lent date back to the early Church. During that time it was common for Christians to fast during the season, abstaining from meat, dairy, fats, and sweets. These quick breads are made with only a tiny bit of sugar to activate the yeast and no fat – they are entirely flour, water, and yeast! The simplicity of water, salt, and flour suggested commitment and attention, not least also prayer.
In March they learned the Lord’s Prayer, words, and signing technique which was revealed to the congregation on Palm Sunday
On March 17, the Sunday before Palm Sunday, the children created “Resurrection Eggs”. There were 12 numbered plastic eggs each with an object, a symbol of the events on that day of Holy Week. The children numbered the eggs, put an object in the eggs, and heard a story. For example, the first was a palm branch for Palm Sunday. The story is taken through Holy Week to the Resurrection.
3 A Case for Love Movie – Jan 23, 2024
Seven people from St Peter’s went to the Paragon Theater in Fredericksburg on Jan 23 to see “A Case for Love” movie. It was 3+ years in the making by an Episcopalian filmmaker and is based on Bishop Curry’s “Way of Love” concept.
The movie spotlighted 13 stories involving unselfish love plus many more “man on the street” questions about Love. “What is love? Is love dead?” A number of prominent individuals were spotlighted including Episcopalians, Bishop Curry, Senator Danforth, and Al Roker.
The St Peter’s Vestry has designated 2024 as a year to be intentional and to “Walk in Love,” in particular ways corresponding to the church year
4 Creeds class– a Lenten study.
February and March featured 5 sessions on the Creeds led by Catherine on Zoom. during this season of Lent, we will study these creeds, learning about how they came to be, what they mean to the Church, and we will also reflect on how they may help us grow in faith as Christians . Notes from the 5 sessions
5. Banners for Lent “Journey to the Cross” and Pentecost “I will Pour out my Spirit” by Jan Saylor
6. Congregational Meeting – The sermon was a combination 2023 review and sermon. The focus was our work as disciples. From the sermon “Both casting nets and mending nets are necessary parts of discipleship. As disciples, we must cast our nets but we also must mend our nets as well. Johnny Davis and Andrea Pogue have agreed to run to fill the two three-year terms, and Larry Saylor will run for the one-year term
7. Bible Study –
This group meets weekly on Wed., 10am-12pm to study the lectionary for the next study.
The group originated in the 1990’s. We have a picture from 2001 so is likely in 2024 it has been going for 25 years! It is usually led by the priest but the laity have also led it.
8. Transition to a new priest, June 30, 2024 –
Johnny Davis has been leading the Vestry through this process in conjunction with the Vestry. The Vestry have been working with the Diocesan transition minister the Rev. Shirley Smith Graham. She spoke at 9:30am on the transition process in the church and was with us during worship and coffee hour. Internally, volunteers have come forward for worship servers, streaming and publications like the bulletin.
9. Cleo performs “Harriet Tubman” in Market Square, Juneteenth
Bible study broke their usual routine and ventured to hear fellow member Cleo Coleman’s portrayal Harriet Tubman at the Juneteenth celebration in Fredericksburg. 6 were served lunch at Castiglias before the event and then on to Market Square. Cleo was delayed to perform at 2:30pm so Senator Tim Kaine could be there to hear Cleo’s performance. Cleo has been a member of that group for over 20 years Article with slideshow and Cleo’s performance
10. Farewell to Elizabeth and Jim Heimbach
Catherine read the anniversary prayer to Elizabeth who is celebrating her 56th anniversary to Jim. Both are moving to Fredericksburg within the month. So it was a time of thanks and best wishes and as well as sadness.
Johnny then presented a card from the Vestry:
“Members of St Peter’s Church greatly appreciate your service during your years in Port Royal. Jim has been a faithful Treasurer keeping accurate records weekly while Elizabeth has been a leader in the ECW women and vestry serving as registrar for the church supporing all meetings. We hope you had a wonderful anniversary with love and appreciation.” St. Peter’s Vestry
C. WORSHIP
1 Epiphany – Jan 7
There was no Epiphany service but on Jan 7 we celebrated Jesus’ baptism
Birth is the beginning of the earth and our times through baptism. The Gospel reading from Mark also represents Jesus’ birth since it is the beginning of his ministry. Our baptisms are also our birth stories. God calls us into a new creation—at our baptisms, God calls us in and welcomes us into the loving womb water in which the Trinity resides, so that we too can grow up into love, complete and inseparable from God.
Tom’s sermon emphasized there are a number of beginnings in the Bible which are part of revelation of God leading up to baptism.
He added the following about baptism “What Jesus brought then on that on that occasion was that in his baptism was a new understanding of what it to be in relationship with God even another new understanding with the history of God’s movement from just the mass of creation to creation of life and creation of human awareness to the coming of the Holy Spirit and the fulfillment of the divine life. Christ is the fulfillment of the divine life”
Tom’s sermon ended with the sense of newness that the new year brings on. “So as we begin this this new year let’s do so with hope in our hearts and real sense of the unfolding of God’s purposes in the world we don’t know what they are yet exactly but we know they’re going to be magnificent just look at what’s already happened – the creation the beginning of life, human awareness of one another human awareness of the presence of God, human begin being transformed by the power of God, it’s all in the line God’s of holy purposes in the world. Personally. I can’t wait to see what’s going to happen next
2 Epiphany Jan 14 –
It starts this way – “So here’s Nathanael, minding his own business when his friend Philip comes running up with some news. (Remember that people have been fervently hoping for the Messiah). “We’ve found him!” Philip says with great excitement—”the one we’ve been waiting for, Jesus of Nazareth!”
“In this short exchange is the whole meaning of this season after Epiphany. In this season, the church invites us to remember that yes, Jesus already knows us, that Jesus has already chosen us, and that our privilege is to get to know him more and more deeply if we choose to follow him. This is the season in which we remember that Jesus invites us to walk in the light, HIS light.
3 Easter – Memories
-the beautiful weather with nature blooming
-the flowers on the altar including a special one for a new birth,
-the work of the youth servers with the candles at different points in the service,
-The children’s banner – the Alleluia comes back, a project of the children
-Helmut Linne von Berg’s farewell,
-Dedication of the Paschal Candle
This is a limited look considering based on excerpts sermons and blogs for this year’s Holy Week, mostly from our services at St. Peter’s without considering hymns or prayers. That’s another story.
From Palm Sunday
“Jesus has gone before us into the tomb.
“It is in the tomb of our hopes and dreams and in the death of our unruly wills that we come to know that only God is immortal, the creator and maker of all that is, and we are mortal, formed of the earth, and to earth we shall return…all of us go down to the dust, yet even at the grave, we make our song, Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
“The tomb, even in its cold finality, is not a place without hope, for only God is the maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen, and the Lord, the giver of life. Jesus, true God from true God, has been there before us, and will meet us there.
“And it is there, in the tomb, that God brings life out of death and makes all things new.
4. Pentecost
What a day! Pentecost reception/confirmation, the feast of Pentecost and a picnic with live music. There were multiple moving parts that flowed well together.
It was both an enjoyable and meaningful day with 9 people, confirmed and/or received between St. Peters and St. Paul’s. Pentecost reception/confirmation, the feast of Pentecost and a picnic with live music. There were multiple moving parts that flowed well together.
One unique feature during the service was the Bishop conversing individually with each which made the process more meaningful to all at the end.
Lots of preparation – The three to be confirmed spent two months on Thursday nights to understand confirmation and to decide if they really wanted to go through with it. At the end they contributed to the process of organizing the procession. The choir spent months learning the prelude “Let the Whole Creation Cry”. Those who were part of the reception had to be organized to decide who was bringing what. The choir had to prepare as well the “Tongues of Fire” on the last hymn. Cookie had to prepare the altar and outside flowers. The “Little Falls Bluegrass band” had to be booked and coordinated when they were to appear.
Sermon – Like the apostles on Pentecost today, we are called to new life today to speak differently with our tongues to have our ears open to hear new words, for eyes to behold something beyond just what we see beyond ourselves, to have our hearts enlarged and expanded, to embrace God, to have our minds filled with wonder and love and praise the name of our Him,
“In other words not the frozen dry bones. It means today we have to reach deep within ourselves and see ourselves and see others as children of God and not worry about what is familiar or comfortable but rather look out for what is different and new.
“So, if you truly do want to receive the Holy Spirit, that means you’re going to be an agent of God and to be an agent of God means this – you must break down social and class distinctions of race age national origin and sexuality. It means you cannot be blinded in your loyalty at all to anything but God. You must not have blind loyalty to political parties or leaders. It means that you must speak and receive the whole truth the whole truth that sometimes comes without spin or agenda and makes you uncomfortable. That’s truth! Not how you want it to be but how it is, and if you’re going to be an angel of God you got to respect those who are most different from you now.
The Holy Spirit will enable you to be the person through whom God is meeting other people. Through you others will meet God if you live these baptismal vows so that their lives will be changed and this world will be changed. It is time for us to put anger and resentment and Prejudice behind us and go forward with truth and love and joy. The other person is not your enemy usually. The enemy resides within and that’s what the Holy Spirit wants to burn out so that new life in God can come in. It’s not about us and them. It’s about God.
5. Pentecost 2- Sermon, June 2
The sermon used the clay pots metaphor to illustrate Paul’s reading from Corinthians – “We have this treasure in clay jars.” In one case light can shine through and another it cannot. This was acted out by three children helpers. It provided examples of how St. Peter’s lets light shine through – the Village Harvest distributing food, the Jamaica project providing educational materials, the work with other organizations in the area including the schools, Sacred Ground providing scholarships.
6. A new guitar at St. Peter’s. Larry Saylor played the prelude and offertory June 16, 2024. What’s significant is that he played them on a new guitar. Not one bought but the second one he made! (His first one debuted in Feb. 2022). This one took 1.5 years compared to 3 years of the first one.
This guitar has a different design. It is closer to a Romantic guitar, smaller with two less frets. It was modelled after a Martin 1920’s model. Another quality is that Larry designed the moldings and resonator board himself rather than buying them. Thus this instrument has been more personalized
7. Pentecost 6, June 30, 2024 – Catherine’s Farewell
The photos
The videos – service
The videos – reception
We had almost 90 people at this service. Our congregation was supplemented with prior members, Catherine’s friends from other churches, local friends, and family. It was like a giant homecoming. Some came for the service, the reception afterwards or both.
She provided a tangible gift to all in the service -a votive candle made from old candles burned at the church. It took most of the week to get the process down. It is a symbol of what we hear. God encourages us to make all things new as well as the love she holds for this community. She brought them to the service to distribute which provided a time to connect.
Catherine opened all the stops for the service. The music reflected what we had sung over the years, such as the “Scottish Blessing”, “Alleluia, Alleluia”, and “There’s a sweet sweet Spirit” with a repeat of the tongues of fire from the Gallery. Her stole was made from Susan Tilt who made many artist additions during her time here and had the St. Peter’s banner on it.
The resources page in the bulletin speaks to the Celtic influence in parts of the service – her theological depth with contributions from John Philip Newell, the Iona Community in Scotland as well as resources from as far away as Northern Africa and even close to us on Emerald Island, a favorite vacation spot.
The sermon was about St. Peter’s being an “Alleluia Congregation.” We only omit the Alleluia during Lent. From the sermon – “Although they hold within them the sorrows of the world, today’s readings remind us that resurrection waits after every ending, with the promise of new life to come. In the end, the alleluias win.”
From the conclusion- “Wrapped around everything we bring to this table is God’s mercy, and God’s steadfast love, and God’s faith in us. And so we come in faith. And we come in hope. We come to this table because it is at this table that we can always hear, if we listen, the music of alleluias, maybe faintly, maybe pulsing like the heartbeat thrumming through our bodies.
“Alleluia. The cry of faith, the essence of hope, the sound of joy, the defiant shout even in the face of death—”All of us go down to the dust; yet even at the grave we make our song: Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.”
“We are an alleluia congregation. This day of ending is also a day of resurrection, a day of new beginnings for all of us. No wonder this place echoes with alleluias, for alleluia is the word that that has rung down through the ages, whispered and spoken out and shouted in joy and in even in doubt by the faithful. ”
This was an incredible service from those who have supported the church , particularly in the reception and gifts – Andrea Pogue, Jan Saylor, and Johnny and Cookie Davis. Andrea put together the food and the slide show. Jan did a testimonial, the ECW book, and the youth song. All helped with the tents and organizing the yard. Johnny and Cookie were over on Saturday to organize the tents and flowers.