Photos

A mild and sunny Sunday with the river fogged in with the colder earth from the morning interacting with warmer air. This was the first week with the flowers out – daffodils, cherries, and other blossoms. The Campbell Magnolia was out at St. Peter’s.

Catherine presented “A blended family” at 10am with the family of Jacob and the 7 sons who will be part of the 12 tribes of Israel and his two wives, Leah and Rachel, and two concubines, Zilpah and Bilhah,

We had 35 with a smaller choir and at least two families away

Deacon Carey led the children’s sermon and preached the sermon on Nicodemus. The children received a plant to track how plants in a dark bag with a hole will grow to the light.

There were several celebrations this week. We began Communion after a lapse of 6 months due to Covid (the last one on March 8). It was very different. Communion was distributed in one kind only—the bread. The wafers were in cups. People lined up to take a cup and then consume it raising your mask. Still, it was a sign of a restoration of the key ceremony in the church.

The second was a celebration of Carey Connor’s ordination a priest in Richmond yesterday at St. Paul’s. She had been Catherine’s friend since 1992 when she came to St. George’s. In the fall of 2019, Carey became our Deacon. In that year, she has graced us with her preaching, Christian ed on mission, hospitality and participation in many parts of St. Peter’s life. Today we presented here several tokens of appreciation. Elizabeth presented a collection of stoles for every season. We got to see them unwrapped after the service. Second was a St Peter’s cross made by Helmut. Today was her first Eucharist as a priest outside of her ordination. About 10 of her friends from St. George’s came to witness and brought out attendance up to 30

A dozen ladies gathered at Cookie Davis house to celebrate the year almost past, to decide on how to use the monies they collected in terms of donations and to enjoy the day with tea and other foods. They also made tags for the Giving Tree which will debut on Nov. 24.

Donations of $250 each or $2,750 in total to 11 groups
Healthy harvest food Bank
Village harvest food distribution
Tunnels and towers
Heifer international
The discretionary fund
Wounded warriors
Saint Andrews school
Caroline’s promise
five talents
Episcopal relief and development
Caroline young life

We were back in the church for this Christmas Eve after being on zoom exclusively a year earlier. Masks continued as the omicron variant of Covid19 swept the world. Some churches like the Washington Cathedral moved all of their services online. We held ours in the church but with masks required. We had 39, 36 in house and 3 on Zoom. The weather was moderate in the 50’s with partly cloudy to cloudy skies.

We had a new nativity scene outside with 3 figures – Mary, Joseph and the baby Jesus.

This year may be noted as as return of enhanced music. Since last year Larry Saylor was with us on guitar, and Mary Peterman is back on flute as well as Denise Gregory with her voice. The choir had a new energy and depth which was shown on the “In the Bleak Midwinter.” The choir contributed soloists – flute, guitar and violin. Later in the service, Helmut sang “Silent Night” accompanied by Larry on guitar which was the way it was performed in 1818 on guitar and vocal. Helmut sang the first verse in German and the congregation repeated the 1st verse in English along with the rest of the hymn. Certainly a highlight of the service!

Our first “Blue Christmas Service” entitled” “A Christmas Service of Peace and Comfort” was held Dec. 22 , 4:30pm at St. Peter’s.

We advertised it this way -” the Christmas Season a time when you feel sad, lonely, or depressed? We invite you to join us at this service to acknowledge these feelings and share in a time of reflection on the pain, sadness, or loneliness you may feel. We pray that you will find hope and comfort in knowing that you are not alone with this service. ”

The setting of the service at 4:30pm at the winter solstice echoed the darkness of people’s lives. In contrast to this the candles in the windows and the altar candles provided an alternative setting.

The words through prayers provided a petition. “Almighty God, you have poured upon us the new light of your incarnate Word: Grant that this light, enkindled in our hearts, may shine forth in our lives; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.”

The Way of Beauty Retreat took place at St Peter’s on Saturday, November 9. Carol Maher, the founder of Many Waters Ministries, led the retreat for a group of fifteen people from St Peter’s and from St Mary’s in Colonial Beach. Carol shared the story of how she came to be interested in Native American spirituality. We learned about the concept of hozho, which is the Navajo word that describes “the beauty way.”

The beauty way is a way of life, much like the “Way of Love” that Bishop Curry has developed. The beauty way integrates God into all of life. To find what gives you harmony in your life, the moral condition of good, the things that are harmonious, blessed, good and satisfying are all part of living the way of beauty. The Navajo people find that they live engulfed in beauty. Carol told us about “The Long Walk,” when various tribes from all over the West were forced to walk to Ft Sumner in Arizona. The mindset of The Way of Beauty gave the people the strength to persevere and to survive the ordeal. This group of tribes is now the largest in the United States.

Carol asked us what we want our own lives to radiate. Jesus talks about abiding. What does it mean for us to abide in Jesus and to produce the fruit that lasts? Carol also talked about how The Way of Beauty prayer has the same themes of St Patrick’s Breastplate and the Prayer of St Francis.

After we spent some time in prayer, listening to God, we made collages that reflected what we feel most passionately about in our lives, what means the most to us, what inspires us, where we go for refreshment and peace.

After we shared lunch together, the day ended with a Eucharist in the church and during the service, each person presented her collage and talked about the inspiration behind the art.