Rector’s Note: Summer at St. Peter’s-6.25.26

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 4^th Sundays and the LIFT Book Group are off for the summer.  Summer music has scaled back to pick up choirs that you are welcome to join if you’d like to experience singing in the choir loft (wear very cool clothing.) Ministries such as our Food Cupboard and our weekly worships continue uninterrupted.

Sprucing, cleaning, and repairing are also in the work. Repairs and new paint are gracing our exterior, and the changes are already noticeable. Soon, there will be a new steeple to match. Dave Kipphut is gathering volunteers to help repair the playground fence, as well. Look elsewhere in the newsletter to sign up or see Dave.

Summer is a time for trainings and for preparing for new ministry. Rector’s Warden Deborah Way, parishioner Rosalinda Ibañez-Memba (who is also a postulant for Holy Orders) and myself spent last week at the College for Congregational Development in Maryland. Read Deborah’s nice reflection in this newsletter on what we learned there. I now have scores of new models in my tool kit for everything from welcoming, facilitating change and understanding the gifts of our neighborhood.

We will also be sending several parishioners to be trained in Godly Play at the end of July, so we can rebuild our program in fall.

It’s also retreat and vacation season. July 6-10 I will be on retreat at Mt. St. Benedict in Erie, PA, the spiritual home of the Catholic Benedictine Sisters of Erie, Sr. Joan Chittister’s community. I’ll be staying in a hermitage, walking through the woods, praying and eating with the sisters and doing a lot of listening. It’s been more than 20 years since I made a retreat there, fully at the other end of my journey to priestly ministry. I look forward to returning at this point in my priesthood, and listening to what God is saying on this part of my journey. After that I’ll be vacationing with my two sisters, whom I haven’t seen for about a year. I’ll be back on the 15^th.

Meanwhile, our planning for the upcoming program year has gotten off to a good start with Calendar Day a few weeks ago. Events are making their way onto the permanent calendar, so please contact Charlese Freeman-Benoit (stpeter654@gmail.com) if you have programs that need to be scheduled. Charlese has some great planning forms to make sure that events get the planning and publicity they need. Also please make sure to discuss new programs with me as well before putting them on the calendar.

Summer means that attendance on Sunday goes up and down as people head out for vacation. If you visit any interesting faith communities on your days away, bring me back or bulletin or let me know about it. I’m always excited to learn what others are doing.

Please pray for me this summer, as I will pray for you as we enter this period of rest, breaks and anticipation of God’s blessings through all.