Rector's Notes: Bringing our current program year to a close-5.14.26

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 lunch, meet our newest members and get to know one another better. Special thanks to our Welcome Team, which ensures that all those who are new to the parish are welcomed, supported and provided with resources throughout the year.

Pentecost, May 24 : Our Pentecost service will feature banners, baptismal blessings and the customary reading of the Pentecost Story punctuated by many languages. So far, we’ve enlisted speakers of French, Spanish, Russian, German and Japanese. If you would like to participate with another language, let me know soonest and I’ll send you the script. We will also take time to bless our graduates during morning worship. If you or someone you know is a 2026 graduate, please submit their name to the church office (stpeter654@ gmail.com) by Wednesday, May 20.

Parish Picnic, May 31: our annual parish picnic tradition continues with worship at 10 am in Pavilion 3 at Fort Washington Park (Militia Hill Park). Food and fellowship will follow. (Please see the article elsewhere in the newsletter to sign up to bring beverages, side dishes, or to help grill).

This year I will not be able to join the fun as I will be away for a wedding, followed by some vacation. Deacon Bob will lead you in Episcopal Morning Prayer.  The Folk Group will again lead the music. Pray for good weather and come rain or shine with lawn chairs. The site has accessible bathrooms.

Please Note: There will be no formal liturgy or live streaming at St. Peter's Church that day, but the worship space will be open for private prayer.

Winding Down: After the parish picnic the program year gradually winds to a close. Godly Play will be done for the summer. The Youth Group will have at least one more gathering in June for a food drive. The choir and Folk Group will take the summer off. We’ll have a few more forum speakers in June.

Meanwhile other ministries keep chugging such as our food cupboard ministries, our Vestry meetings and our Sunday and Wednesday liturgies.

Calendar Day, June 13: Ministry leaders are invited to help coordinate our event scheduling for the next program year, which starts in the fall at our Saturday, June 13 calendar day from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the parish hall, lunch included. This gathering helps us to collectively pace and plan our events, ensuring that we have plenty of time to promote them and avoid conflicting events. That doesn’t mean that new ideas can’t hit the calendar later, but it does allow us to think ahead while the previous year is fresh in our minds. The event is not limited to ministry leaders, so I you are interested in seeing how the process works, you are welcome to join us.

Thanks to all. St. Peter’s is a bustling place, mainly because of the ministry that comes up from our members. Thanks to all who have brought so much blessing in reflection, study, service, pastoral care, education and more. It has been a great year. I look forward to some rest and rejuvenation for all this summer and renewed energy in the fall.