From The Visiting Rector

What do we think we are doing when we pray? Moments ago, we collected all our supplications in these words: "O God, the protector of all who trust in you, without whom nothing is strong, nothing is holy: Increase and multiply upon us your mercy; that, with you as our ruler and guide, we may so pass through things temporal, that we lose not the things eternal."

This cry from the collect is familiar. It is familiar because we ask in a number of ways and quite often, "Give ear to our prayers, O Lord." We ask, we cry out to God to hear us. We have expectations of God. But what do we expect of ourselves? What do we think we are doing when we pray?

We make direct address to the Lord in prayers of adoration, thanksgiving, confession, intercession and petition, seemingly expecting those prayers to be heard and answered. Like Abraham in Genesis 18:20-33, we intercede expecting that God answers our prayers. With the Psalmist, we testify that God does respond, "When I called, you answered me; you increased my strength within me." But what is the substance of our action? What are we doing when we pray, and how do we know when our prayers have been answered?

We have learned that there are different kinds of answers to prayer. Where healing is concerned, in particular, we are told that sometimes the answers are physical, sometimes emotional, sometimes spiritual; sometimes the answer to the prayer of healing is not to be found in this life but in the next. And sometimes that answer is just not enough.

When we dare to question the answer to prayer, we're really asking whether or not we know what we're doing when we pray. When our hearts cannot agree with the answer to prayer our heads submit, we question what prayer really is. When doubts arise, we ponder whether or not we are capable of teaching our children to pray.

We have promised to make known to the church's children and our children's children the faithfulness of God. We have promised to instruct our children in the commandments of a God who is trustworthy. We have promised to to teach our children to pray to the Lord who is praiseworthy and powerful. But do we know what we are doing when we pray?

"Teach us to pray," the disciples asked in the Gospel reading. Not an unusual request: In this passage, Jesus is doing what every teacher of the day was asked by his disciples to do. He was not the only prophet with a band of followers, and each group of disciples had a distinctive prayer taught to them by their leader. "How should we approach God?" they asked their teachers; and each leader offered an approach.

The Lord's Prayer is found in the 11th chapter of Luke's Gospel (11:2-4) and in the sixth chapter of Matthew's (6:9-13). If you compare the two versions, you will find some subtle variations: For example, where Matthew has "Give us this day our daily bread," Luke changes the wording just a bit to "Give us EACH day our daily bread." Luke is apparently emphasizing the ongoing nature of the church and the church's needs. The differences in wording demonstrate points of view on the part of the authors of the gospels. Scholars believe the version closest to the original words of Jesus is Luke's. The version we use at the Eucharist is Matthew's, with "Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory" added from ancient authorities.

Jesus' answer to his followers' request - "Teach us to pray" - is not what to pray, not the content of what we should ask, not the answers we should seek before we even know the questions, but how we go about asking, how we go about seeking, how we turn and pray.

His reply was very brief, very easy to remember. What he outlined was not so much a method as an attitude of prayer, and the example he gave the disciples represented an outlook of adoration - "Hallowed by your name" - thanksgiving - "your kingdom come" - confession - "forgive us our sins" - intercession - "we ourselves forgive everyone indebted to us" - and petition - do not bring us to the time of trial."

What was not so clear two millennia ago and not so clear in 2004 is how a person arrives at the point of prayer, how one realizes that outlook, how one assumes that attitude of prayer. If there is no method for asking, no technique for seeking that outlook, no procedure for arriving at that attitude of prayer, then perhaps we must examine what people think they are doing when they pray.

For many of us prayer is a quiet time, a moment to embrace a silent space for ourselves. At the same time, prayer is often a time of stress, a time of anguish when we acknowledge ourselves as we really are apart from the roles we play. In identifying all the feelings, needs, ambitions that preoccupy us and fill our days, we confess ourselves to be idol worshippers of those very feelings, needs and ambitions. We have not yet discovered the self we were meant to be, the self from which we are meant to pray; and if we are totally honest, we admit that we do not know who God is, either. We find ourselves, as it were, in a cloud of unknowing. How is it possible to leave this void and approach what we do not know? How is it possible to pray?

There is an old Hindu legend that illustrates the first obstacle to that journey into encounter with God, only the first. The legend goes like this:

"There was a time when all humankind were gods, but they so abused their divinity that Brahma, the chief God, decided to take the divine power away from humankind and hide it where they would never find it. Where to hide it became the big question.

When the lesser gods were called in council to consider the question, they said, "We will bury humankind's divinity deep in the earth." But Brahma said, "No, that will not do, for humankind will dig deep down into the earth and find it." Then they said, "Well, we will sink humanity's divinity into the deepest ocean." But again Braham said, "No, for humankind will eventually explore the depths of every ocean and will be sure some day to find it and take it up again for themselves." Then the lesser gods concluded, "We do not know where to hide it, for it seems there is no place on earth or in the sea that humankind will not eventually reach."

The Brahma said: "Here is what we will do with humankind's divinity. We will hide it deep down in humans themselves, for they will never think to look for it there." Ever since then, the legend concludes, humankind has been going up and down the earth, climbing, digging, diving, exploring, searching for something that is already in themselves.

Jesus deepens our understanding of the same truth, the search for the attitude of encounter, by teaching his disciples always to pray and not lose heart. Most often, he did so by means of a parable. One such parable begins: "In the middle of the night a friend of mine … on a journey … has turned up at my house and I have nothing to offer him." It is not a stranger who has arrived in the middle of the night. It is a friend. We know that the laws of hospitality in the Middle East require that any stranger who presents himself at your door be fed. To do less is murder in the desert. But Jesus is pressing a deeper point in this parable: It is not just anyone who has arrived. Is it someone he calls a friend? What friend would be traveling at this hour? Who would be journeying in the darkness?

Think for a moment of your own sleepless nights spent tossing and turning, working and reworking in your mind an endless stream of problems that will not go away, casting in your mind for solutions to the issues in your own life. And then consider, who is the wanderer searching for comfort? Who is this "friend" who has arrived at midnight on a journey? It is yourself … in need. You who are on a quest has journeyed into the depths of night. You have sought a discovery within your soul. And at the darkest hour you have arrived unto yourself and found that there is nothing.

Each of us deals with his or her experiences in a unique way. Each of us has some organizational pattern or framework for dealing with data with which we are constantly bombarded. Each of us has some means of integrating fragments of insight into a unified theme. Our frame of reference has many dimensions: instincts, personal values, facets of self-control, adherence to conventional standards. Because of these horizons of understanding, we possess the bases for interaction with other individuals. Nevertheless, our maximum field of vision is from a determinate point of view; and that conceptual model determines our expectations of life and our expectations of ourselves.

We go up and down the earth, climbing, digging, diving, exploring, searching for something we believe to be meaningful. We have embarked on a journey toward what we consider to be wholeness. Then one day we discover, instead of our goal, that we are unequal to the task. We are confronted by our own inadequacy, with the fact that the things we would do we can we cannot and the things we would not, we do. We have arrived at our cross, the symbol of the journey of self coming to oneself, the moment of death to all our dreams of being, the moment of emptiness and abandonment.

In whatever words or sounds you use for sighing, you grasp your despair over your own life and cry out. And in that moment you meet the symbol of abandonment, the Christ.

What are people doing when they pray? They are changing. Not because God has given them the answer to their dilemma. God does not give answers. He gives himself. The attitude of encounter, the attitude of prayer if willingness to be changed. To pray is to change. We're changing because in our own need and lostness, we meet the Christ. He meets us where we are when we are ready to be met there. Living in the assurance of his presence with us changes our frame of reference and brings us into a wider context, a greater perspective than our existent present. That greater perspective gives us the power to live in unaccustomed joy with the polarities of life.

In "Doctor Zhivago," Boris Pasternak describes that greater perspective in this way: "I think that if the beast who sleeps in man could be held down by threats - any kind of threat, whether of jail or of retribution after death - then the highest emblem of humanity would be the lion tamer in the circus with his whip, not the prophet who sacrificed himself. But don't you see," he continues, "this is just the point. What has for centuries raised man above the beast is not the cudgel but an inward music."

Prayer is an expression of the inward music, the inner vision, trust and commitment by which a person of faith may more fully live. We approach that vision because of the conviction that somehow life is more than animal instincts, more than personal values, more than self-control, more than conventional standards, more than a constant tension between what we would be and what we would do. And we experience the mystery of God's giving us back ourselves: renewed, strengthened, changed.

I tell you, ask and it will be given you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. If you who are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?

Let us pray…
If we would more perfectly adore you,
If we would more acceptably approach you,
If we would more lovingly appeal to you,
If we would more humbly ask you,
If we would more gratefully thank you,
Lord, teach us to pray.
… Amen

The Rev. Judith M. McDaniel, Ph.D., is the Howard Chandler Robbins Professor of Homiletics at Virginia Theological Seminary. She is visiting rector at St. Paul's. These are excerpts from her sermon given on July 25, 2004.

Senior Warden's Corner

Over the past few months, the vestry has prayerfully discerned and called people to serve on several committees at St. Paul's. The revitalization of existing groups and the formation of new groups include the creation of a new finance committee, to work with and support the treasurer, a stewardship team, to address the many facets of stewardship, including the pledge drive that will take place this fall, and a committee to develop a long-range strategic and spiritual plan for the congregation. By the time you read this, the vestry will have met in August to do another discernment process to call people to serve on the communications/marketing committee.

During the last couple of months, our treasurer and the reconstituted finance committee have worked tirelessly to create a budget for the second half of 2004 (approved by the vestry in June), sorted through our financial records, updated programs and data in the computer, paid our accounts, and developed and presented to the vestry a financial plan to keep St. Paul's running smoothly and efficiently. The vestry approved and adopted new financial guidelines that define clearly how we are to handle our money. This faithful team of individuals has consistently brought to the vestry concise, up to date, financial information which the vestry has used to make informed decisions regarding St. Paul's current and future financial needs.

Stewardship is a primary focus of the vestry right now. The newly discerned stewardship team will embrace a wide spectrum of responsibilities. Their duties include working with the formation team to plan some educational pieces on stewardship, working with the finance committee and the vestry in setting guidelines and planning some select fund raising activities, working with the communications/marketing committee to foster growth and, of course, coordinating our pledge drive.

At the request of the vestry, a new committee was formed, comprised of both vestry and non-vestry persons, to develop a long-range strategic and spiritual plan for St. Paul's to define the immediate and long-term goals for our parish ministries. The committee has been meeting, weekly, to distill the information contained in the questionnaire responses returned on All Saints Day, the information gleaned from the small group discussions at the R.A.D. gathering and input from our ministry leaders. St. Paul's has a clear vision statement and we will soon have a comprehensive strategic plan that will clearly reflect how we intend to continue living out that vision by continuing to live into our collective ministries.

For the past several years, the St. Paul's communications committee has worked to "get the word out" to our parish and to the greater community. Our web site has enticed families to visit us. Press releases have been sent to various area newspapers and St. Paul's has been featured in print frequently. Our parish newsletter has published timely and informative content that has chronicled the "doings" of our faith community. In recent discussions concerning the need to increase our numbers, the vestry agrees that communications and marketing are vital to parish growth. Discerning new members for the communications/marketing committee will revitalize this important ministry.

The vestry calls upon the parish to live into this next phase of our life together and to pray that we remain constant in our discernment and in our ministries.

Faithfully,
Myra Battin

In Gratitude

If l were to write a personal stewardship prayer it would go something like this, "Heavenly Father, thank you for your persistence and patience with me but, please, could you just lighten up?" Except for the two years I spent in the military, I have gone through a pledge campaign every year of my life. Just think about that, over half a century of pledge campaigns. I can't say I've enjoyed it. I think it has a lot to do with the way I grew up.

I was not born an Episcopalian; I was not even born a normal Baptist. I was born a Missionary Baptist in Arkansas of a long line of highly active Missionary Baptists. This placed us theologically just to the right of Attila the Hun. We were not even sure that Southern Baptists were going to make it to heaven, except that all of my uncles and aunts had defected to be Southern Baptists and it did not seen appropriate to condemn them. Episcopalian and Roman Catholics, well, they would not have had a chance.

It was a package religion that came with answers to all questions you might have. As far as giving to the church was concerned there was no question, you gave a tenth of what you got. For Missionary Baptists that tenth was necessary because, if you are the only ones with the real gospel and you had to save the whole world, you obviously have to give a tithe.

At first, this was pretty simple. As a child my mother gave me the money; I put it in the plate. Then later I put in ten percent of my allowance. Then when I was seventeen my mother died and I had my own income, and I defected and became a Southern Baptist. The church I joined turned out to be the best at pledge campaigns anyone had ever seen. Southern Baptists flocked from all over the country to see how we did it. Could they make you feel guilty! Personally, I soon found out that ten percent could buy a lot of stuff and I liked stuff, but 1 gave ten percent because that was what you did. But I didn't want to.

In college I became the Youth Director of a church and it never occurred to me not to give, and I knew how much, because they paid me and they all knew what ten percent of what I made was. This pattern continued as I went to seminary and became a pastor in my own churches. I even got to be really good at directing pledge campaigns, but I didn't like it and I gave as a duty. I knew all of the appropriate scriptures :and slogans: "You can't out-give God." "Give and you will be rewarded tenfold." However, putting the duty of giving and personal faith together had been totally neglected in my training and in my own spiritual journey. On other topics, I had grown a good deal and it was also time in my life to no longer be a Baptist.

I became an Episcopalian and a layman and ran slap into my first Episcopal pledge campaign. However, this one was different. The Rector said he just wanted us to pray about how much we were to give and, when God told us an amount, to give it. Nothing was said about a tenth. Hurrah, I knew I was home! I gave it a try. I prayed and sure enough I knew an amount and it was too much. God had obviously made a mistake. I had a new job, more bills than I expected, and there was all that stuff that I needed. Later, I moved to a new state and a new church. I even became Stewardship Chairman and served on the Vestry' and I still didn't enjoy giving to the church. But I did it. Then I lost my job. My company had been sold, and after a life of more than four decades of pledge campaigns I was starting over again.

In short, I became a realtor, moved to Austin and St. David's in the fall of the year and ran right into one - should you guessed it - a pledge campaign. It seemed like a good time to come to grips with this. One should not be as active in churches as I had been and as miserable about such a big part of his spiritual life. Maybe for the first time, I really prayed about this and actually listened. I am sure that you learned the lesson early on that took me fifty years to learn. It isn't about the money, it's about faith and trust and being a child of our Father. I used the model I learned from my first rector. I prayed and asked for a figure. Sure enough I got one and this time I thought, why not? I'm starting over. I have no assured income. About all I've got to invest is faith and I could sure use some help financially. So I did it. I wrote the check and didn't even think about whether or not I had the money coming in. I put the giving before the income and do you know what? It has always been there. The bills seem to get paid, and I have way more stuff than I need. And I learned another lesson: really trusting changes your whole life. I have been blessed at St. David's in ways I cannot even describe. It was true, you can't out-give God, and you received more back than you ever dreamed possible. Why didn't someone tell me years ago how simple all this is? Or maybe I needed a Father who was patient and persistent and who wouldn't lighten up. Give it a try; just don't wait as long as I did

Editor's Note: This article is written by Don Carr - who is a member of St. David's in Austin, Texas, where, in addition to his stewardship ministry, he teaches in the adult education program, sings in the choir and serves on the Discernment Committee. He also teaches History of Christian Spirituality in an adjunct professorship at The Episcopal Seminary of the Southwest. Don, who is a realtor, also paints, gardens, goes to the theater a lot, works too much, and spends time with Beau his English Springer Spaniel.

Finance Committee Report

We received 30 responses to our mailing of pledge statements in June. Of these responses, 7 pledged what they had already been giving without a pledge, 5 new pledges were received, 7 modified their existing pledges and 10 confirmed their existing pledge for 2004. Overall we have $2, 332 in additional pledges for the period from July 1 through the end of December of this year. This brings our totals for the year to 59 pledges totaling $93,224 for 2004. This amount still falls short of the $170,000 St. Paul's needs this year to operate (without paying the Diocesan Assessment.)

Using this information, the Finance Committee submitted a bare-bones budget to the Vestry. The Vestry held a special meeting on June 22 to review, discuss, and settle on the 6-month budget. The final result is to keep St. Paul's functioning in the manner that it has for the first part of the year, but to cut back in certain areas. Money will be spent for flowers, tracts, and food only to the extent that it is donated. Designated giving will be tracked to ensure that it is used for the intended purpose. Income is expected to be the same as the first half of the year plus the additional pledges received in June. Unpaid bills, which totaled approximately $19,000 not counting the Diocesan Assessment have been paid so that we are now current with two exceptions totaling about $2,500 which will be paid before the end of August. With these assumptions and tight controls set up by a set of Financial Procedures approved by the Vestry at the June 22 meeting, we expect to use approximately $29,000 of our reserves during this six-month period.

The new Financial Procedures passed by the Vestry provide a roadmap for the Finance Committee and the leadership of the parish to follow to control expenses and limits approval to spend funds to the leadership of the Vestry and Committee Chairs provided the expense is in the budget. Unbudgeted expenses will have to be sent to the Finance Committee for consideration and then presented to the Vestry for approval. Designated giving such as offerings for UTO and Copper Crusade will be closely tracked and moved to the appropriate accounts on at least a monthly basis. After some discussion, it was moved and passed by the Vestry to use the offerings for Thanksgivings to replenish the Deacon's Discretionary Account.

Following the new procedures, the Vestry at the July meeting voted for the first of two separate votes to move $20,000 from the Endowment held by the Diocese to our local accounts at the end of September to help meet expenses. This will leave approximately $23,000 in the Endowment at the Diocese. The second vote will be held at the August Vestry meeting. These funds are required over and above offerings in order to meet salary and other expenses during the remainder of this year.

With our vendor accounts generally up to date we are now operating within the six-month budget which totals $73,000 in expenses. The current status of our accounts on August 5, 2004 is as follows:

General Fund $ 8,507
Reserve Fund $ 3,225
Outreach Fund $ 1,224
Memorial Fund $12,484 Note: most is restricted use
Columbarium Fund $ 2,017

Funds not held by St. Paul's:

Endowment (invested at Diocese) $ 43,000 Mary Shannon Fund $210,000 (Note: This fund is restricted and the principal cannot be touched)

The Vestry is preparing for a dynamic Stewardship Campaign this Fall to raise $200,000 in pledges for 2005 so that we can pay all of the salaries and other expenses and pay our Assessment to the Diocese.

As we work our way through the next few months we will be giving you updates on how we are doing. Our income since July 1 is above our expectations and 64 percent of our pledges have been paid at or above the expected amount for this point in the year.

Henry M. Morris
Chairman, Finance Committee
Vestry Member

July Vestry Notes

This year the Vestry will again host the annual church picnic at Evergreen Park in September. Planning will begin at the August Vestry meeting.

The discernment process to develop the Stewardship Committee began with a discussion of the expectations of this important team. Some of the important features of members and of the committee as a whole include enthusiasm, a sense of commitment and a love for St. Paul's. In addition to meeting the immediate financial need, long term planning and an awareness of funding needs for yearly activities will be the focus of this committee.

The vestry also agreed on the need for open, honest communication about the financial situation and a positive fundraising environment. The committee must be comprised of a cross section of the congregation in order to be most effective. A second offering plate for specific purposes ( i.e. diocesan assessment) was discussed. (There will be more information on a second plate in the coming months.)

With all of this in mind the vestry formulated a suggested member list. Laura Murray will be contacting potential members and plans to have the first committee meeting before the August vestry meeting.

The Finance Committee and the Treasurer reported to the vestry that the final phase of catching up on past due bills is just about complete.

The Finance Committee recommended and the vestry approved the following items:

1. Give notice to the diocese to move $20,000 of principal in the diocesan held memorial fund account into St. Paul's general fund.
2. Proceed quickly in selecting a committee and formulating a positive and vigorous stewardship campaign using all available resources from St Paul's and the diocese. The goal will be to raise $150K for 2005 year. Committee selections occurred and action is pending.
3. Pick a contingency committee and support them in developing alternatives in the event the stewardship campaign doesn't achieve the funding level required.

After a discussion the group agreed contingency planning should be undertaken by the entire vestry and not a subcommittee or grouping. The motion was tabled until November when more concrete numbers would be available on the 2005 budget and pledges. In addition, the Thanksgiving Fund was officially changed to the Deacon's Discretionary Fund. Monies collected in the little church during thanksgivings on Sunday mornings will be used to replenish the Deacon's Discretionary Fund.

The Strategic Planning Committee has been meeting to review characteristics of growing churches and is starting to develop themes and focusing energies for developing 1 year, 5 year and 10 year plans for St. Paul's.

The meeting adjourned at 9:15 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,
Ingrid McGinley and Lisa Massey

Church Quiz - September 2004

1. Episcopalians follow what system in the use of colors for vestments and altar hangings?

A. The Church of England
B. The Roman Catholic Church
C. The Lutheran Church

2. What is the color for the season of Whitsuntide?

A. Red
B. White
C. Green

3. What is a Diocese?

A. The home of a Bishop
B. A geographical unit
C. Location of a cathedral church

4. The Episcopal Church is divided into nine geographical areas. What are these areas called?

A. Dioceses
B. Synods
C. Provinces

5. What area does Province IX cover?

A. Caribbean
B. Sewanee
C. Southwest

6. Where does our Presiding Bishop reside?

A. Dover House near Greenwich, Connecticut
B. New York City
C. St. Peter and St. Paul Cathedral in Washington, D.C.

Church Quiz Answers: 1B, 2C, 3B, 4C, 5A, 6A

Question: Did you know the fees you pay for copies of documents from state and local government offices is put into a separate fund which is used to fund local housing programs for the homeless and low-income?

Answer: Currently, in Kitsap County, that amounts to several hundred thousand dollars a year. Last year this fund was used towards a low-income housing project on Bainbridge Island as well as housing for those in recovery. This year's recipients will be determined in November.

The Homeless Coalition has been meeting during the summer to plan a workshop on the issues surrounding homelessness to be presented to the clergy in the area. It is planned for October (TBA).

The group meets at 2:00 p.m. on the second Wednesday of each month at St. Paul's.

Please contact Barbara Moerler for more information on how you can join this vital ministry.

Parish Picnic
COME ONE, COME ALL

Immediately following the service the vestry is hosting the annual Parish Picnic.

There will be great music, bountiful food and a lot of fun for all.

Please bring a dish to share and come join the festivities!!!

You may call the church office (377-0106) if you need directions or other information.


Office Hours and Deadlines

Regular fall office hours (Tuesday- Friday) will resume on Tuesday, September 14 as the new program year gets started. The October newsletter deadline is Wednesday, September 15.

In the case of a church emergency, please contact Randy (620-2376), Myra Battin, Sr. Warden (876-5165) or Don Vanlue, Jr. Warden (373-0649).

In the case of a pastoral care need, please contact Deacon Cece Morris (792-1589).


Looking for ways to plug in?

Do you enjoy welcoming people and helping nurture them? How about volunteering to host coffee hour once a month? Or how about baking some homemade goodies to share at the feast following services?

We all know how lonely coffee hour can be if you are a visitor- how about volunteering to talk with anyone who is standing alone? Or serve as a greeter before services or to make sure that no one stands alone during coffee hour. Contact Jennifer Laris for more information.

If music gives you joy, join Cindy Holland and the choir/music team and share your gifts with others on Sunday morning. The new hand bell choir will be starting practices soon-so check in with Gayla Elverson for details.

As directors of the Altar Guild, Jeannie Thune and Glady Bertaux, are always looking for new folks to join in this important servant ministry as they prepare for Eucharist each week. Each team serves for one week a month.

There are numerous ways to volunteer at St. Paul's…these are just a few examples. Contact Randy or the church office (377-0106) for more information.


The Interpreter of Dreams

Bring your coffee to the Oliver Room on Sunday mornings at 9:00 a.m. to discuss the morning's Bible readings and the sermon.

Judith is writing a book on how sermons effect change. Your questions and insights would be most helpful to her research!


Anglican Rosary Group

This fall, we hope to start a small group who will pray using the Anglican rosary. Using beads or a knotted cord as an aid to prayer has long been practiced in many religions.

The Anglican rosary combines some elements of the Roman Catholic rosary, but is smaller, more varied, and flexible in subject matter. We will use suggestions from a booklet that comes with the beads.

Contact Arvelle Carey for information, rosaries, and booklets. I have one-of-a-kind rosaries made by Genia Vookles that vary from $18 to $24.

You may also buy them at the Episcopal Book Store in Seattle.


Celebrate the Bard!
SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL TRIP

Interested in some wonderful theater and fellowship at the same time?

We are trying to gather a group of 15 or more to go to Ashland, OR, during October 4-8, to see several plays.

We need that number in order to get special discounts on the plays and the motel rooms.

Please signal your wishes to Alexandria Nichandros to be counted in!


Coffee Angels need your support!!!

Fall is here and many coffee angels are hoping for a respite from their monthly duties. If you are willing to help out one or two Sundays this fall we would welcome the break.

There are usually two people assigned each Sunday so you would not be working alone. Also, since all treats are donated, food offerings are welcome as is cash.

Coffee hour is self-sustaining and not supported from the Church finances.

Please e-mail me at jennylaris@wavecable.net if you can do either.