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.
Today was a two service Sunday at the end of the month on Easter Five – Holy Eucharist, Rite 1 at 9am with 10 and and Morning Prayer at 11am with 35.
We also had an adult ed on climate change emphasizing what we can do to be better stewards of the environment. The relatonship of earth and God was mentioned at several points in the lectionary. Psalm 148, a praise psalm had "Let them praise the Name of the LORD, for his Name only is exalted, his splendor is over earth and heaven." The passage from Revelation 21:1 starts this way "I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband."
The weather began sunny but became overcast and by 1pm was raining. This is the first week of the Iris blooming in numbers with more coming next week.
The children joined Catherine at 11am on a hymn ("In My Life Lord Be Glorified) from LEVAS that showed the themes of the lectionary and sermon. We also continued to sing the Psalm.
The life of the church was explored in the announcements. We announced we had collected $1,320 for the Haiti toilet project. The recent Region One meeting was described with $2,000 – provided $1,000 for Church repair at St. John’s in King George and $1,000 for two missioners. We have a shredding project coming up on May 10 which Andrea advertized. Apparently you have to remove staples and other things from the papers to be accepted!
The sermon was on the concept of glorious love based on the Gospel reading ."This glorious love isn’t just the garden variety love that we create on our own. This glorious love that Jesus talks about is reflective of the glorious love that God has for us, and we glorify God in our lives when we love one another as God has loved us. "
-This glorious love is free.
-This glorious love is sacrificial
-This glorious love is abundant.
-This glorious love is healing.
-This glorious love is full of praise.
-This glorious love is new.
-This glorious love is full of God’s freedom and justice.
-This glorious love is visible to the world.
This week the Gospel is about extending love in the world. There are plenty of reasons in the world not to love but equally there are just as many to extending love.
This is the beginning of what scholars call the “Farewell Discourse”, or more properly, “Farewell Discourses” in John. The “Farewell Discourses” take up several chapters in John’s gospel, in which Jesus directs his teachings no longer at the crowds in general, but at his disciples in particular. Jesus’ goal is to prepare the disciples to continue on without him after he dies, is raised, and finally ascends into heaven – in the case of this first discourse, Jesus is preparing his disciples for his crucifixion.
David Lose provides the following thoughts on the Gospel reading of John:
"In terms of the larger structure of the Gospel, we are early into the “second book” of John (the first being the “book of signs," chapters 2-12) that relates the story of Jesus’ “glorification” in the cross, resurrection, and ascension.
"This section begins with the account of the Last Supper and the moving words that summarize the whole: “Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.” As this particular passage commences, Jesus has already washed the feet of his disciples, Judas has just departed to betray him, and the rest of the disciples are in a state of confusion. At just this moment of drama and tension, Jesus’ offers these words, “I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
"Think about it: when Jesus washed his disciples’ feet, Judas was there. Further, he will now demonstrate just how much God loves the world by dying for those who manifestly do not love him. Love is hard because it is self-sacrificing. It means putting the good of the other first, even when it hurts.
"I find it striking that these are the words Jesus’ leaves with his disciples. I mean, he could have said, “Go out and die with me.” Or, “keep the faith.” Or, “when I am gone go out and teach and preach to all the world.” Or, well, any number of things. But instead he offered this simple and challenging word, “love another.” Why? Because this kind of love is the hallmark not just of God and Jesus but also of the Christian church. As in the old camp song, Jesus agrees that the whole world will know we are Christians not by our sermons or our sacraments or our festivals or our buildings or our crucifixes or our family values … but by our love. It’s just that important.
"Second, having set the scene so that we can hear again and anew the import of these words, remind us that we actually can and often do love one another. Sometimes the love command seems so challenging we assume it’s an ideal, a lofty goal that none of us will ever reach. But while we may not love perfectly, we do love, and sometimes one of the most powerful things you can hear in relation to a command is the affirmation of your ability to keep it.
"Perhaps it was looking out for the interests of a colleague, or overlooking the slight of a friend, or putting aside one’s own goals to help someone else achieve theirs. Maybe it was a large act of love, or maybe it was much smaller. But each of us, I’d wager, did in fact “love one another” this past week and it would be good to call that to mind. "
Suzanne Guthrie, priest and writer, provides an elaboration of what this love is. "Love in all forms (meditation one) to live and die for love (meditation two) embodying the qualities of gentleness and generosity (meditation three). As we mature in love, our love and our actions have no boundaries (the Last Word.)"
We can also look at this passage in a more narrow way based on what was happening to the church during John’s time. Jesus doesn’t tell his disciples to love their neighbors, Gentiles or Samaritans, victims or Others. Jesus tells his disciples to love one another – those who are already in the community of Christ (John 13:35). In the context of John’s church, which was beset with tension both from without and within, this was important and necessary advice. In order to bring the good news of Christ to the nations, it was necessary that the followers of Christ take care of one another, that in the midst of disagreements about doctrine and struggles in establishing the church, the disciples of Jesus needed to love one another. The politics of a world beset against Christianity required it.
Indeed, in a world in which Christianity too often finds itself beset against itself in wars over scriptural authority, denominationalism, separation of church and state, and the like, the advice of the Johannine Jesus continues to be excellent advice – setting aside all our differences, as disciples of Jesus, we are called to love one another.
In the Acts reading, Jesus sends Peter to the home of Gentiles, commanding him to “make no distinction” between himself and them (Acts 11:12). Indeed, as a result of this encounter with those whom he would have otherwise avoided as Others, not only are Peter and the whole Jerusalem church opened to a larger view of ministry, but everyone in that household – including, one would assume, slaves, women, and children (more Others in the first century world!) are baptized and experience Christ’s salvation. Through Peter’s love of the Other, they are thereby brought into the community of Christ.
Wow! Last year we earned the last tally for this event in 8 years at $390. We exceed that by almost 90% to $735! Tax returns, accounting records, expired documents – it all was disposed of safely, securely and fast by shredding!
Thanks to Andrea Pogue’s work over 9 years. The funds go to St. Peter’s outreach ministries. It covers several months of the Village Harvest food distribution so it is given back to the community.
This was the toughest year with the ongoing pandemic, limited time to advertise and a truck that was late. As Andrea said in her email, “It was worth the wait.” And yes it was!
Multitasking May 11 – Bible study in the morning and Shred-it in the afternoon
Weekly Bible Study– 7 people studied the scriptures for this Sunday Easter 5 from 10am to noon. Highlight – Gospel John ‘Where I am going, you cannot come.’ I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
Shredit – Professional shredding done right for all who wanted their documents shred . We collected $1,000 for Shredit- and after costs we made $605 for outreach ministries at St. Peter’s. This was our 10th year of providing professional recycling for the community. Andrea Pogue devised the event and has continued to lead it during these years. Thanks to all who participated.
Over 10 years the event has generated $2,570 for outreach ministries.
A cooler day with temperatures in the mid to high forties. Rain overnight and continuing partially into Sunday. A low Sunday with 19 in the church and 7 on Zoom
We thank Elizabeth Heimbach for the beautiful arrangements adorning the altar
The sermon featured a quiz on sheep with some surprising results of the abilities of sheep.
The sermon described Peter’s giving new life to the deceased Tabitha. The only difference with Jesus is that Peter pauses to kneel and pray, thereby illustrating that the authority to raise the dead is not his own like it was Jesus’, but is an extension of the presence of Christ.
The highpoint of the sermon -“In this miraculous moment, Peter is one with Jesus, united with Jesus in Jesus’ lifegiving, healing mission to the world. And in this oneness with Jesus, through which new life flows into Tabitha, people see for themselves the evidence of God’s love, and many believe in the Lord.
“In Bible study on Wednesday, Helmut pointed out that we suddenly seem to have so many friends who need our prayers. Our prayer list continues to grow.
“We can pray for them the way Peter prayed that day in Joppa, by removing the other voices that nag at us even in prayer, and then be intentional about listening for the voice of Jesus, reflecting on Jesus’ love for each of us, Jesus’ love for the person for whom we’re praying, and then to open ourselves as a channel for Jesus’ healing, life giving resurrection love to flow where it will, out into the world, and into the person for whom we are praying. We are united with Jesus in Jesus’ lifegiving, healing mission to the world.
“Jesus says that he gives his sheep eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of his hand. So when we pray, we really can simply listen for the voice of Jesus and reflect on his life giving love in prayer, resting in the assurance that all is well, and that all will be well, even when life is falling apart around us, and even if we are full of fear for ourselves, for those we love, or more broadly, for the state of the world itself.
“After all, we are praying for what is not now, but for what will be. We are praying in the now for the not yet of God’s reign, here and completed on this earth, when the words of Jesus have finally been realized.
As Jesus says earlier in Chapter 10 as he is talking about being the good shepherd, “There will be one flock, one shepherd.”
“That shepherd is the Lamb at the center of the throne in the book of Revelation who guides us to the springs of the water of life, and God will wipe away every tear from our eyes.
“This is the same God who in this life pursues us with goodness and mercy all the days of our lives and wants us to dwell in the house of the Lord forever, the one who wants us to have life, and to have it abundantly.
This week coming up is Shred-It on Wed May 11. We don’t know the time until Tuesday night. It is a service to the community and a money maker for St. Peter’s Outreach ministries
Earth Day originated in 1970 after Sen. Gaylord Nelson from Wisconsin witnessed the ravages of the 1969 massive oil spill in Santa Barbara, California. He hoped it would force environmental protection onto the national political agenda. It did lead to the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency, the passage of the Clean Air Act and a dialogue on a host of issues.
The Earth Day 2022 Theme is Invest In Our Planet. What Will You Do? The site has “52 Ways to Invest in our Planet” https://www.earthday.org/earth-day-tips/ We have invested in our planed with Shred-It. The 10th Shred-It scheduled May 11, the same day as the Village Dinner
1 Plant more trees.
Canopy project – For every $1 donated a tree gets planted The Canopy Project partners with groups around the world to ensure that your donation sustainably plants trees for a greener future for everyone. This charity has a four star rating on Charity Navigator. https://donate.earthday.org/donate_to_the_canopy_project
Locally. Tree Fredericksburg has planted 7,500 trees in the city since its founding in 2008 https://treefredericksburg.org They have a donation project to donate free trees to individuals or business. Tree Fredericksburg always needs volunteers
2. Conservation landscaping
Also, Virginia provides financial incentives to help with environmental issues on your property. The Virginia Conservation Assistance Program (VCAP) is an urban cost-share program that provides financial incentives and technical and educational assistance to property owners installing eligible Best Management Practices (BMPs) in Virginia’s participating Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCDs).
These practices can be installed in areas of your yard where problems like erosion, poor drainage, or poor vegetation occur. This website provides more information. https://vaswcd.org/vcap
Examples include conservation landscaping to create a diverse landscape that helps to protect clean air and water and support wildlife. A part of this is planting more native plants https://vaswcd.org/conservation-landscaping . Native plants do not require fertilizer, use less water than lawns and help prevent erosion
3 Help with a clean-up. Cleanups outside reduce waste and plastic pollution, improve habitats, prevent harm to wildlife and humans and even lead to larger environmental action. It’s out there – let’s get rid of it! No community cleanup is scheduled in the spring. Is it worth considering for this area ? The Earth Day site has tips – https://www.earthday.org/your-first-cleanup-what-to-know-and-expect-15-tips-for-first-time-volunteers
4 The Virginia Bottle Bill Organization supporting a bottle bill for Virginia “Passing a Bottle Bill in Virginia would greatly reduce beverage container litter ensuring the recycling and reuse of containers while also reducing carbon emissions and the negative impact on the environment. A bottle bill that includes a return incentive and curbside recycling has been shown to reduce litter and on average ensures 80% of bottles in circulation are recycled or reused. – https://www.vabottlebill.org
Look also inside your home. For a day or more, compile all of your packaging and food waste, and then take a hard look at what you have: Is there a lot of plastic? Are any of your food scraps compostable? Are your leftovers stored in plastic or glass containers?
5. Create less food waste –
The biggest proportion of food waste — about 37 percent, according to the nonprofit ReFED — happens in the home.
What to do – Keep a list of what food you have on hand and organize the refrigerator so you can keep track of what’s inside. Some people find it helpful to label things with the date they were purchased or cooked. Others have a system in which the oldest items go on the top shelf, so they will reach for those items first.
Look also inside your home Are any of your food scraps compostable? Are your leftovers stored in plastic or glass containers?
6. Replace a portion of your grass with plants
There are an estimated 40 million to 50 million acres of lawn in the continental United States — that’s nearly as much as all of the country’s national parks combined. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, maintaining those lawns consumes nearly 3 trillion gallons of water a year, as well as 59 million pounds of pesticides, which can seep into our land and waterways.
Replacing grass with plants is among the most important ways to keep a yard eco-friendly. Laying down mulch is an easy place to start. It quickly kills grass and offers a blank canvas for planting.
7. Save coral reefs by packing smartly for your beach vacation
Skip sunscreens and toiletries that contain oxybenzone and other chemicals and opt for mineral-based products instead. And remember to pack a reusable water bottle, utensils and bag, so you can avoid single-use plastic.
8. Weatherize your home
According to the Energy Department, 25 to 30 percent of household heating and cooling is lost through windows. You can first identify leakage points by turning on your kitchen and bathroom exhaust fans, creating a slight pressure differential between indoors and outdoors, then holding up a lit incense stick to potential problem areas. If the smoke wavers or blows in one direction, there’s a draft that needs fixing. Use weatherstripping to insulate windows and install a sweep to the bottom of exterior doors.
2020 has been a time of dealing with exceptional challenges with the elimination of gathered services after March 8 due to the pandemic. We have chosen to move forward considering alternate ways of conducting church. The theme of restoration from the Old Testament and God doing a new thing in the New Testament was apropos to St. Peter’s in 2020. God is creating, redeeming, sustaining. We learned to be both flexible and adaptable.
Here is what was done:
1. Church moved to Zoom with scattered outside services along the river in the fall. The Zoom services offered additional ways for parishioner to contribute through photographs and discussion. By August, we were conducting Morning Prayer in August outside which led to outside Eucharists.
2. New services (Compline) and educational opportunities (Sacred Ground). The latter considered racism against various group from the 19th century to the present.
3. Ministries were restructured, including the ECW (Episcopal Church Women), ECM (Episcopal Church Men), Village Dinner, and Village Harvest.
4. Within the ministries there were alternate means of connecting – ECW, for example, made cookies for members not able to connect. We used our ample driveway to distribute food for the Village Dinner and Village Harvest food ministry. We also provided messages of assurance in the food with the latter, an idea from one of our parishioners. There were untold phone calls, email and outside visits to preserve the connections.
5. Filming began inside the church in Dec. and was integrated within the online service from Zoom.
By March 29 we had implemented Zoom online. The basic parts of the service – lectionary, sermon, music – could be adapted to Zoom. The major missing and significant component was the Eucharist. Except for a few times in the fall when we held services on the river, the Eucharist was absent during the pandemic in 2020. Still there were new additions such as a period of comments/questions about the sermon not easily conducted in person. Plus people could be miles away from Port Royal and still experience the service. Karen Woodruff (rector 1994-2003) visited a few times.
The zoom service offered enrichments. We could tap resources not available in the normal service such as music from all over the world as well as virtual choirs created by having musicians record their selection at home and assembled. Who could forget Michael Eldridge who sang all parts of a hymn! By May, the services combined these resources plus PowerPoints containing photographs many of which were contributed by parishioners as well as others from the online world. We added original videos during Pentecost and about the Gospel on the River. By December, Catherine was filming the music at St. Peter’s to be integrated into the service. This brought the interior of St. Peter’s back into the services
Existing ministries had to be adapted to the pandemic as well. Most of the 2nd quarter ministries were not held. There was much soul searching on how to continue.
The Village Harvest was revived with all workers wearing masks practicing social distance. We had to give up the market approach and bagged groceries to be delivered. The ministry was able to complete 6 years in November Over the year many clients returned.
Likewise the Village Dinner would be to be restructured. The ECW would prepare the food with masks, socially distanced and would deliver the food outside to cars driving up. A new variation of the drive-in! People who ordered the dinners were also masked. That way people were fed in a safe manner.
Special events such as Shred-It carried on with safe practices – masks, social distancing and holding it outside.
By the end of 2020, the church has continued its vital ministries plus added alternate means of presentation which will be invaluable as the church gradually reopens.
We had 12 hearty souls for the 7pm Epiphany service.The English word “Epiphany” comes from the Greek word epiphaneia, which means “appearing” or “revealing.” Epiphany focuses on God’s self-revelation in Christ, the gradual unveiling of Christ’s identity. Epiphany celebrates the twelfth day of Christmas, the coming of the Magi to give homage to God’s Beloved Child. The sermon dealt with the role of Jesus coming among the people as King and our allegiance.
Catherine combined PowerPoints with the Genesis readings to teach it during the Christian Ed hour on Sundays in Epiphany. 11 sessions are available below though it was not completed in part due to the pandemic.
From the newsletter. “Covenant and blessing are themes that run throughout Genesis. God continues to desire to be in covenant with us, and to bless us. Studying the book of Genesis on Sunday mornings during the Season after the Epiphany will help us to see how God is carrying out the work of covenant and blessing even now, among us”
Dave and Arthur Duke made a presentation of some of their metal detecting finds at St. Peter’s as part of the Parish Meeting, Jan. 19, 2020. Link
4. Taking God’s Light into the World, Epiphany, Jan. 31 In December, as part of sharing the Light, the Vestry sends money to various organizations. St Jude’s Hospital cares for children with cancer. Funds sent to CERV which helps with emergency financial needs of people at Caroline County. Link
The Souper Bowl collection on Feb. 2, 2020 raised $130 for the Village Harvest and collected 50 cans for Caroline Social Services. This was less than the previous two years $210(2019), $175(2018) but slightly over $125 in 2017.
The Souper Bowl program in conjunction with the NBF focuses attention on the issues of hunger and poverty in our community and throughout the world. 149 million will tune into the big game but there are 50 million facing hunger.
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. Little did we know it would be our last service in the church in 2020.
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,
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.
We put this out within a week after the church closing. We moved service to Zoom. It was a modified Morning Prayer that originally emphasize photos to illustrate the prayers. Eventually we would move past this to offer music (Brad’s recording) or from You tube. We moved the service to 10 and encouraged parishioner to access the National Cathedral service at 11am.
The church building closed on March 15 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The Village Harvest on Wed. March 18 was drive through. Those who are helping to pack the bags for the distribution should be prepared to start distributing food at 2PM so that people can come and go without a wait.
Sunday March 29 was our first online church at 10am, one hour before that of the National Cathedral. We had 24 people online through Zoom. People could converse with one another before the service and there was a period of comments/questions about the sermon. Thus some real benefits from this platform!
Catherine also used the screen sharing feature to show photos of St. Peter’s in the spring and display the lectionary readings for the readers. We conducted our mid-week ecumenical Bible study earlier in the week. Some documents used on Sunday
This year in 2020 Good Friday had mixed clouds and sun but was very cool in the low 50’s and windy. Due to the pandemic the service was online through Zoom. We had 27 online
Readings were divided – Cookie the Old Testament, Marilyn the New Testament and Cookie and Johnny altered verses for the Psalm 22 readings. Carey Connors read the Gospel from John .
Catherine had a powerpoint to supplement key parts of the service. The sermon on the tree of glory is here
“I really do believe that service and volunteerism is an important part of character,” he said. “And I’ve tried to do what he recommended.” Fisher lives that credo. He works long shifts treating COVID-19 patients at Spotsylvania Regional Medical Center and provides volunteer care for fellow church members. He also instructs advance members of his Boy Scout troop in Tappahannock—something he does virtually these days.
Pentecost on May 31 marks the fulfillment of Christ’s promised presence through the arrival of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit re-energized the Apostles who were lonely and afraid after Jesus left them. It was a reminder Jesus would always be with them and emboldened them with a strength beyond themselves.
Small numbers can do wonderful things to continue the work of bringing the fulfillment of God’s kingdom. These are some our small numbers who did the work of the church 2011-2015 with the inspiration of the Holy Spirit
The music is “Hail Thee Festival Day”, often sung from Easter to Pentecost. Words from the 6th century, music by Ralph Vaughan Williams from the 20th
The Trinity which we celebrate this week on Trinity Sunday, is one of the great examples to counter the tendency of some Christians to see God as apathetic, a-historical, and unchanging in contrast to the passionate, evolving, and transitory world of time and space. It was one of the last doctrines to be defined by the church.
God is constantly doing something new, and God is constantly being revealed to us in new ways. God is still speaking through the acts of creation, which Wisdom (which also has at times been interpreted as the Holy Spirit in the New Testament) is part.
The key to the Trinity is not worrying about understanding it fully but to see what God is doing – Creating, Redeeming, Sustaining – remembering the promise at the end of Matthew – God’s promise in Christ to be with us and for us always, to help us believe that promise, and to encourage us to live in the confidence it grants.
This was our first gathered service since the pandemic began in March. This was an outside service as others would be in to Nov. We had 25.
The sower. Today’s readings remind us of the surety with which God’s salvation will come. Te prophet Isaiah describes how God’s word powerfully accomplishes what God wants. Paul reminds the Romans that God’s Spirit is alive and at work in us. In the gospel, Jesus describes his ministry through the parable of the seeds and their various responses.
The service ended with 15 ears of corn distributed to each person from Johnny, demonstrating the abundance of the sower.
A Tree Fund has been established to cover the cost of maintaining our trees and shrubs. Consider donating to this fund in honor or in memory of someone. We hope to have some work done soon by Bartlett Tree Experts to correct some problems that have developed recently.
Wow! Last year we earned the last tally for this event in 8 years at $390. We exceed that by almost 90% to $735! Tax returns, accounting records, expired documents – it all was disposed of safely, securely and fast by shredding!
Thanks to Andrea Pogue’s work over 9 years. The funds go to St. Peter’s outreach ministries. It covers several months of the Village Harvest food distribution so it is given back to the community.
It has been gone 4 months during Covid-19 but it is back in August on the second Wed (Aug. 12) in a slightly different form which continued for the rest of the year:
1. Meals will be take-out only (no dining inside).
2. One person will be the runner to take meals to the cars.
3. The runner will also carry a pot that patrons can place their payment in.
4. Food preparers/kitchen help/runner will wear gloves and face masks.
Catherine led Sacred Ground over 2 months, 10 sessions with up to 20 people.
Sacred Ground, a film-based dialogue series on race and faith, is part of Becoming Beloved Community, the Episcopal Church’s long-term commitment to racial healing, reconciliation, and justice in our personal lives, our ministries, and our society.
The Sacred Ground series:
-is built around powerful documentary films and readings.
-focuses on Indigenous, Black, Latino, and Asian American histories as they –intersect with European American histories.
-invites the exploration of how people of color suffer from racism, and how white people consciously and unconsciously perpetuate racist thinking and systems, creating a deeply unequal and mutually broken society for all.
is framed as a spiritual journey and grounded in the Christian faith.
We found it an eye opening series that caused to question our practices around race.
We had 20 at Morning Prayer on a sunny but cooler Sunday as we move toward the end of summer. This was our first Morning Prayer on the river after an Evening Prayer a month earlier
After the church closed after March 8, the predominant way of holding church was through Zoom. We were able to meet outdoors sporadically but depended on the weather as well as COVID-19 levels. There was not only Zoom services but Zoom Bible Study as well as the ECW Tea in November
It was not without issues. One Sunday had to be postponed until 7pm due to outages. Some had difficulty getting connected during other Sundays. Some just were not attracted to the medium.
One advantage is that people on vacation or traveling could connect. Geography was not a limiting factor. It allowed for informal worship.
One feature added using Zoom services was a discussion of the sermon which would be difficult inside the church .
During Advent, filming began in the church for use on Zoom. Nancy and Helmut sang, Brad played the organ and the younger members lit the Advent candle.
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 on Sept. 12.
This is fourth year we have used this optional lectionary which begins Sept 1 and ends at St. Francis Day, Oct. 4. Usually Pentecost is the longest season from Pentecost Sunday until Advent. The Season of Creation focuses God’s relationship with all creation and with our relationship with creation (and with God through creation). It highlights our role in understanding and addressing address the ecological problems we face today as a part of God’s creation.
The ECW (“Episcopal Church Women”) hosts the monthly Village Dinners for the Port Royal community, an outreach project to feed the community and take the profits earned and distribute them to a variety of charities.
This year was a challenge. 3 months were cancelled at the beginning of Covid as people could no longer congregate in our Parish house to eat.
During that time the ECW developed a procedure to reopen. They would prepare the food with masks, socially distanced and would deliver the food outside to cars driving up. People who ordered the dinners were also masked. That way people were fed in a safe manner.
Each year the Episcopal Church Men (ECM) help St Peter’s provide support to those in need during the holidays. The men coordinate with the Caroline County Department of Social Services to provide families in the area with Thanksgiving dinners and Christmas gifts.
This year instead of delivering food to residences they distributed specific grocery limited gift cards due to the ongoing pandemic.
The ECM (Episcopal Church Men) made the following contributions to the Department of Social Services in support of families in the Port Royal jurisdiction:
• Thanksgiving Dinner/Groceries ($400) – $40 per family for ten (10) families.
• Christmas Children Gifts ($800) – $200 per family for four (4) families.
Thanks to Ken Pogue and Johnny Davis for organizing this project. The total of $1,200 was more than double last year’s $510 and covered more families. Stupendous!
It has grown in numbers. In 3 years from 2015-2018, clients served rose 734 in Jan., to Oct. 2015 to a high of 1,494 in 2017 from Jan – to Oct. It has scaled back to 1,122 in 2019. During 2018, we stopped calling to remind people of the harvest. Our core group now is about 100 people per month, the ones who are benefiting constantly each month. This year in 2020 we were closed 3 months, April through June during the Pandemic and still managed 707 people.
What was notable in 2020 was the foods distributed. The people served was 14 less on average but food was 7% higher and 83 pounds over 2019. The average pounds received per person was 13.84 above 11.59 for 2019. The value at $6 a pound was $83 compared to $70 in 2019. 4 years earlier it was $54 so the value has steadily increased over time for the Village Harvest.
A month earlier in Oct. we distributed words of assurance. A creative and enterprising parishioner associated the food we distributed in October with certain words which could be considered “words of assurance.” They were written in the food bundles that people received. How do we live our lives in this time of pandemic?
Last week was the first video filmed ahead of time for the service. This week featured another filming with Brad, Helmut and Nancy. In addition, Tucker lit the two candles for Advent.
1. “Jesu Joy of Man’s Desiring” with Helmut on violin and Brad on organ
2. “O come, O come, Emmanuel (verses 3 and 4)”- Helmut and Nancy on vocals and Brad on the organ
3. “Comfort, comfort ye my people” with Nancy on vocals
4. “Prepare the way, O Zion” with Nancy on vocals
5. “Hark, a thrilling voice is sounding” – Nancy and Helmut on vocals
Compline began as a weekly service in November but was celebrated earlier or the solstice in June
Every Sunday night at 7PM, a brief service of Compline took place on Zoom, along with a time of prayer and meditation as we pray the old year out.
Beginning on Sunday, November 29, the first Sunday of Advent, the compline service included prayers for the lighting of the Advent wreath that you can easily make yourself and have in your home for Advent. This wreath can be as simple as just four candles on a plate with a little greenery tucked around, or something more elaborate if you have the time and desire to get more creative.
As Catherine wrote, “I commend these evening services to you as a way of praying through the close of the year, bringing your sorrows and disappointments and also joys to God in prayer, and then in December, using these evening times of prayer as active waiting on the Lord for the new life that will be reborn in us in the Word made Flesh, Jesus, our Lord and Savior.”
Each day features an introduction, background of the carol, the actual verses (and some alternates) and versions which are chosen Youtube links online.
We provided postage stamps, notebook paper, self sealing envelopes and school supplies to the people being detained at the Caroline Detention Facility in Caroline County. Chaplain Schoars (left) was elated to receive the St Peter’s donation in December.
St. Peters also donated food for the staff table at Mary Washington Hospital (right). Staff members at the hospital can take food they need from this table. This pantry has been particularly helpful to staff during the coronavirus.
Christmas is all about music to celebrate Jesus birth. We had plenty of it on Dec. 24 at our Christmas Eve service from violin and vocal on “What Child is this”, guitar and vocal on “Away in a Manger, “Silent Night” with the first verse sung in the original German, Vocal duet on “Joy to the World” with beautiful light on the cross behind the table, vocal solo on the 16th century Personant Hodi (“On This Day”) and then combined singing on the traditional anthems “O Come All Yet Faithful”, “It Came Upon a Midnight Clear”.
It is about words- Luke’s stirring Christmas story which Catherine said for memory.
We also celebrate the light of Jesus by lighting all the Advent candles in front of and all behind the altar including candles in the baptism font. Words and music in the bulletin celebrated it
This year’s service was unlike the others year -1. Use of the Message translation for the readings 2. Variety of music forms – not only organ/piano but acoustic guitar in particular. 3. Use of videos exploring black spirituals, a carol that goes back to the Huron Indians as well as traditional English hymns from cathedrals.
Wow! Last year we earned the last tally for this event in 8 years at $390. We exceed that by almost 90% to $735! Tax returns, accounting records, expired documents – it all was disposed of safely, securely and fast by shredding!
Thanks to Andrea Pogue’s work over 9 years. The funds go to St. Peter’s outreach ministries. It covers several months of the Village Harvest food distribution so it is given back to the community.
This was the toughest year with the ongoing pandemic, limited time to advertise and a truck that was late. As Andrea said in her email, “It was worth the wait.” And yes it was!
Andrea originated the event 9 years ago and has developed it over the period. It is a not only a convenient way to dispose of sensitive, private documents but we find it is a great fellowship event attracting all ages. Last year it was in May but in August it was hotter but it didn’t stop the donations. Thanks to all who contributed and for Andrea’s leadership.
This was the 4th year of bringing our paper clutter to St. Peter’s to be professionally shred. It was a beautiful spring afternoon in Port Royal in the high 70’s under full sunshine. The iris were mostly in full bloom – all colors – yellow, purple, shades of red This year we collected $328 at Shred-It. After paying the Shred-it truck $225 we came out with a profit of $103 for St. Peter’s Outreach ministries.
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.
a Powerpoint on the Passion story, a 
