Looks like this will be another busy month…we already have a busy schedule planned for Nov. and Dec.
October began with both laymen and guest priests speaking on Sundays at St. Peters. There were Vestry & Search meetings, Weekly Bible Study, the usual first Sunday Coffee Hour following the service, and behind the scene planning for Thanksgiving and Christmas special events! Our Junior Warden Larry has planned a workday at the church (Gate repair and cleaning the portico ceiling are included in this.) Contact him or Ken Pogue if you can help!
Johnny has been appointed treasurer by the Vestry. He makes deposits & reports to our bookkeeper at Account. Inc. of deposits, etc. At a recent meeting he reported that we have money in our Discretionary Fund to help needy in an emergency. He has already helped several at this time. The Food Distribution once a month continues also with more volunteers helping Andrea pack & distribute the goods.
Andrea and Cookie recently participated in the regional ECW meeting at Aquia Church. It was great to be with so many women from 18 churches in Va. and to share ideas. The new president gave us her motto for the year ahead: “The POWER behind is greater than any task ahead of you! “ (Many of you will remember the little blue Boxes we have collected coins in over the years for our ECW.) Last year 2023 ECW in Va. Collected $28,532.87. We have missed Betty Kunstmann who distributed and collected these boxes. We are on the lookout for a new “Betty” to lead this.
Our first “Grab and Go” Thanksgiving Dinner is scheduled for Wed. Nov. 13th. Andrea is now taking orders. You can plan to eat in or order “To Go”. The cost is $15 each. Make your order as soon as possible. Choose turkey, chicken or ham. Call Andrea 540-847-9002.
It is also time to remember the needy in Caroline Co. The Men’s Group is collecting funds to give “cash cards” to needy elderly and to disabled adults at Thanksgiving. They will also be assigned eight “kiddos” to remember at Christmas!
I am sure most of you heard that Clarence Kunstmann, our faithful treasurer for many years died last month in Arizona. If you have not written to Betty, her address is:
Mrs. Clarence KunstmannFair Winds Desert Point
10701 N. La Reserve Dr. Apt. 342<
Oro Valley, Arizona 85737
On another sad note, Joyce “Joy” Owen Stevenson, wife of Bishop Stevenson of the Diocese of Virginia died last week. She was the “JOY” of his life!
As wife of the Senior Warden, I had the honor of being asked to speak and give the homily (message) on the last Sunday in October. It was Morning Prayer and I studied the scripture a second time or two and finally decided what I wanted to say. It was the story of Bartimaeus the blindman who called to Jesus asking: “ Jesus have mercy on me.. “
Having never had to do a homily on a Morning Prayer Sunday. I felt the same way as Bartimaeus…..”Jesus have mercy on me”. I knew I could do it but I also knew I needed help. I read and reread the information and found myself saying, “Jesus have mercy on me.”
I found a little prayer that I repeated over and over to myself and meant to open my talk with it. It is:
Still my soul, that I might pray TheeCalm my mind, that I might hear Thee
Light my vision, that I might see Thee
Lose my tongue, that I might exalt Thee. Amen.
Perhaps it will help you sometime. It helped me so much that I skipped over it and went right into my talk with no nervousness at all!
Thought for the Month:
“Loose my tongue, that I might exalt Thee!”