We are a small Episcopal Church on the banks of the Rappahannock in Port Royal, Virginia. We acknowledge that we gather on the traditional land of the first people of Port Royal, the Nandtaughtacund, and we respect and honor with gratitude the land itself, the legacy of the ancestors, and the life of the Rappahannock Tribe. Our mission statement is to do God’s Will in all that we do.

Fellowship

Card of thanks to Elizabeth & Jim Heinbach

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 appreciates 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 supporting all meetings. We hope you had a wonderful anniversary with love and appreciation.” St. Peter’s Vestry

Looking back to the beginning of Summer, 2016, 8 years ago

Traveling back in time for June and July, 2016 marks the transition from spring to summer. We have a slide show and a description.

 Look back to June, July 2016(full size gallery)

Here are some of the events that happened over the 2 month period:

1. Altarpiece center portion and other sections completed so scaffolding could be removed in July
A. July 21, 2016
B. July 13, 2016
C. July 3, 2016
D. June 26, 2016
E. June 11, 2016
F. June 11, 2016
G. June 9, 2016

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St. Peter’s Chrismas Play, a 25 year tradition

St. Peter’s Christmas play has been different from the typical Children’s Church play. It will be held on 2nd Advent this year, Dec. 3, 2022

First it has involved parishioners of all ages and not just children. Second it takes up most of the Sunday service. Lastly the play is written fresh every year. No repeats. The tradition began in the 1990’s under the Rev. Karen Woodruff when there were many children in the parish.

Here is a collection of Christmas pageants from 2010.

This year St Nicholas will visit the 11AM service and the St Peter’s youth will take the lead in playing holiday music for the congregation.

Advent Workshop, Nov. 26

Jan Saylor organized an Advent Workshop on Nov. 26 from 3:30pm to 5pm. This was our first such workshop for the entire congregation.

It was a wonderful intergenerational event with 16 people participating. It was a good kickoff for Advent, creating items to be taken home.

Jan had organized the Parish House into 4 stations:

1. Creating a block based nativity scene. The characters were drawn on small blocks of wood.

2. Bird feeder made with pine cones covered with peanut butter and bird seed.

3. Advent wreath intended for tables with candles and greenery.

4. Decorated Christmas trees that started with sugar cones and were covdred with different frostings, white and green, decorated with assorted sprinkles.

People flowed between the stations as they liked. The timing was ideal as they easily worked through four stations.

Here was a sampling of what was created in the above order:

Here is Jan describing making the Christmas trees:

New Picnic Tables

4 new picnic tables to replace the rotting, wooden tables were blessed during Pentecost and used for the first time during the picnic. They were easier to enter without climbing over the boards.

From the bulletin on May 28, 2023 – “Thank you, Ken and Andrea Pogue, and Larry Saylor for picking up our new picnic tables, and to Ken for assembling them. Thank you for those who donated the money for these new tables. We will bless the tables today at the picnic.”

Photos from the Saylor fellowship, Nov. 5, 2022

About 25 gathered from 2 St. Peter’s churches as a fund raiser for the home that is being built in Jamaica for a family member at St. Peter’s. It was a beautiful, warm night with the sky moving to a full moon on Nov. 8

The fellowship included “What’s in the sock game” where people guessed what was in up to 20 socks. (At least 2 identified all!). Andrea Pogue’s Nov. 5 birthday was celebrated. Dinner included multiple sets of chili with bread and a dessert table that included pecan pie, peanut butter pie and cupcakes. The evening shifted into singing with Larry Saylor leading the group from a distributed song book. Well planned! There was time left for roasting marshmallows.

At the Saylors (full size gallery)