It will take some time to process all that we learned a few weeks ago at the College for Congregational Development training in Maryland. Rector’s Warden Deborah Way; postulant and parishioner Rosalinda Ibañez-Memba and I spent five solid days learning numerous models for enhancing and facilitating parish life. This is a good space to introduce some of this thinking. You’ll also see some of this wisdom showing up in parish forums, leadership trainings and Vestry meetings this

Summer has arrived at St. Peter’s. It snuck in quietly with the solstice last Sunday when the length of day reached its longest stride. Now incrementally, our hours of sunlight are inching in the other direction. Still, we are promised a season of long days, a break from busy schedules, perhaps a vacation or two. Here at St. Peter’s, the regular program year has drawn to a close. We had the final Lunch Club of the season last week. Godly Play and Come 4th Sundays and the LI

I recently attended a session of the College for Congregational Development (CCD) sponsored by the Diocese of Maryland. Rev. Barb and Rosalinda Ibañez-Memba also attended. I had only an inkling of what this experience would be. I imagined it would expand my knowledge of the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion. It did. I hoped to learn some common language shared by leadership in our Church. It did. I expected I would meet some people that loved God and the Episco

As most of you probably know, if you pay much attention to the news, the people of Cuba are hurting right now. As a result of U.S. government policies, they have been placed under an oil embargo. That means energy, transportation, food – so many of the essentials of life – are in very short supply. As you may know, I am a life professed member of a religious order (the Third Order of the Society of St. Francis). We are an international Anglican (Episcopal) order, and we have

Last week at this time I was making my way home from Boston to Philadelphia, after a really great week away. My husband Jess had to fly on to a conference in Buffalo, so I made the drive back by myself with the help of a long-recorded book and my GPS. Both served me pretty well until I hit New York City. That’s when several things went sour, and I came face to face with a feeling of vulnerability and helplessness that I’ve been thinking about all week. As I was trying to make

Churches are not simply places of prayer and worship. On any given day at St. Peter’s you’ll find preschool parents bringing kids to or from Kid View, community members visiting the food pantry or Community Fridge, volunteers assembling meals in the kitchen, people attending recovery groups. Those are the places where the community and the church come together. We’re a neighbor, and part of being a neighbor is taking an interest in what is happening in your community. That’s

My Siblings in Christ, I shared this with diocesan governance, and believe it has relevance for the entire diocesan family. At our recent clergy conference, I discussed the idea that we are conditioned to move fast and break things to make progress. I encouraged us, as the church, to do the opposite: go slow, repair, and restore, always with reverence and respect. This is who we are as a people of God. As Pentecost (Whitsun) approaches, we remember its gift: a diverse group o

This Sunday our celebration of Pentecost coincides with Memorial Day weekend. Typically, on the Sunday before Memorial Day, we recall those who have died in service to our country, and we list our own beloved deceased in the worship leaflet. Dave Kipphut often sets up a visual “Missing Servicemember Table” recalling those fallen, missing or imprisoned in war. Finally, our sacred music often includes the hymn America the Beautiful. This year, given the primacy of Pentecost, a

These weeks of Easter and Pentecost can be an intense time of wishing well, winding down and wrapping up. The next few Sundays all have special components to take note of and take part in. This Sunday, May 17: At the end of the liturgy, we will bless and thank Laurel Mosteller for her 39 years as lead storyteller for our Godly Play program. Then during fellowship hour, we will “make new friends and keep the old” at the annual Welcome Luncheon. All are invited to stay for lun

Spring seems to be sacrament season – Eucharists, Confirmations, weddings, ordinations – all tucked around Easter and Pentecost. Add in graduations and Mothers’ Day, and if we had a cake for everything we celebrate this time of year, we’d be in sugar shock! Last week, Bob Hartung and I joined our eight Confirmands and their families as they received the sacrament at St. Thomas in Whitemarsh. The church graciously allowed us to crash their service and bishop’s visit to allow o

I spent the first part of last week at the annual diocesan Clergy Conference in the Poconos. It was a great chance to get refreshed and meet up with my clergy colleagues from throughout the diocese. My rector’s note took the rest of the week off, in fact. So, this week I’m catching up. I especially wanted to tell you about a conversation that several of the clergy had on the subject of welcome last week. Two clergy, the Rev. Suzanne Clune and the Rev. Ben Capps, are doing doc

As our rummage sale enters its first day with the jewelry sale this evening ( 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the library) I’m struck by the proximity it has with our food cupboard and community fridge, and how all three engage mutuality in our wider community. What I love about these outreaches is that they make a way for people both to give and to receive at the same time. On more than one occasion, I have heard from people who have received support from St Peter’s or the Community F

HONORING RICK DEKALB AND TERITA REEVE, THE LEADERS OF THE ST PETER’S FOOD CUPBOARD MINISTRY WHEREAS , food insecurity is a critical challenge affecting individuals and families in our community, and access to nutritious food is a fundamental human need; and WHEREAS , the Food Cupboard was established to address this need, providing not only sustenance but also hope, dignity, and compassion to our neighbors in need; and WHEREAS , the leaders of the Food Cupboard have demon

Lord, prepare me to be a sanctuary pure and holy, tried and true With thanksgiving I’ll be a living sanctuary for you. That song was going through my head this afternoon as I tromped around the Edge Hill Wildlife Sanctuary, just down Pleasant Avenue from St. Peter’s. I’ve been visiting it of late as part of a commitment to take more walks in the middle of the day. If you haven’t been, it’s a lovely little hike up a modest climb and back down – about 20 minutes in all if you s

As part of our parish’s ongoing commitment to hospitality, dignity, and care for all who enter our doors, we are formally launching our Menstrual Care Items Ministry . You may notice that each of our church bathrooms contains a clearly labeled box marked “Menstrual Care Items.” Because our bathrooms are gender neutral, we intentionally chose language that is inclusive and respectful of all who may menstruate. In doing so, we seek to reflect the wide embrace of Christ’s love a

We are asked to do a number of difficult things during Lent and Holy Week. Fasting can be uncomfortable. Lenten practices can be hard to remember or do consistently. The stories themselves are painful and challenging. But I think that for most people, the most difficult practice of Holy Week is the foot washing that happens during tonight’s Maundy Thursday service. On this night, we tell the story of the last supper and the institution of the Eucharist. It’s the last time we

As we enter the sacred story of the Passion of Christ next week, try to make some time either personally or communally to place yourself with Jesus on his walk to the cross. Here are things to do every day of the week to enter the story. Read about it. The Last Week: A Day by Day Account of Jesus’ Final Week in Jerusalem is a thought-provoking and readable treatment of the historical Jesus’ journey to the cross, told by Scripture scholars Marcus Borg and John Dominic Cross

On Wednesdays in Lent the Montgomery County Episcopal Deanery, of which St. Peter’s is a member, has been holding a Wednesday night program featuring a simple meal and a program reflecting on one of the scriptures that are heard at the Easter Vigil. Titled For Such a Time as This, Stories that Strengthen us for the Work at Hand, the program is led and the soup provided by a different parish each week. The programs are held at the Church of the Messiah, 1001 DeKalb Pike in Lo

This week, we got a little taste of Spring as temperatures soared, and people walked about in shorts, t-shirts, and light jackets. The breeze felt like a balm on my bare legs. The patch of snow that filled our staff parking spaces finally receded to nothing. Of course, by the time you read this, we will be back to the customary temperatures of mid-winter. But it was nice to be reminded of what lies ahead. Coincidentally, our Lenten calendar is doing the same thing. This Sunda

During our Wednesday morning Eucharist, we often dedicate the reflection time to learning about the saint whose feast or remembrance is appointed for that day. Yesterday the Revised Common Lectionary Lesson Calendar directed us to remember Emily Malbone Morgan. Her feast day is also listed in Holy Men and Holy Women as today. Morgan’s particular charism was organizing women to pray for one another. So, it’s apt to consider what she might be saying to us at this time. Morgan,