THOUGHTS FROM THE CENTER AISLE

We wish Rev. Bob a restful vacation and look forward to spending the next three Sundays worshiping with our lay leaders along with Father Joseph on August 2 and 9. We want to take a moment to acknowledge Bob for going way above and beyond the call of duty during the Pandemic. Right from the start, Bob’s desire to maintain our connections with each other and provide meaningful worship has been met with an incredible amount of energy and good spirit. We know this is not an easy task and we are grateful to Bob (and Pam) for leading us gracefully, prayerfully, and confidently through this national crisis. We also want to thank Allison, who too will be taking some much needed time away. Allison i

Dear Grace and St Peter’s and St John’s, This is likely going to be my last mid-week message for a few weeks so I wanted to take a moment to thank all of you for coming on our great ecclesial adventure of the past few months. There have been many challenges and, also, many discoveries and delights. Yes, meeting and worshiping on Zoom and Facebook has not been without regular surprises and annoyances. At the same time, we have learned new ways of being together and have made ourselves accessible to some who might not otherwise be able to join us. Plus, at least at Grace and St Peter’s, broadcasting our services allowed us to go on a virtual Sunday morning tour of our town, to share favorite

Dear Grace and St Peter’s, Hamden, and St John’s, North Haven, Two weeks in, I think I can safely say that our summer experiment in combined outdoor worship is going well. We’ve had over fifty people attend our service on the side lawn at St John’s with more following on Zoom and Facebook and even more watching the recorded video of the service later in the day. Thanks to those who have put in extra effort to make all of this happen. And, thanks to St John’s for welcoming all of us from Grace and St Peter’s so warmly—if at an appropriate social distance. Along with Sunday morning worship, please keep in mind these other opportunities for inter-parochial sharing of support and resources: • K

Dear Grace and St Peter’s, Hamden, and St John’s, North Haven, I am delighted that so many of you were able and willing to join us on the side lawn at St John’s for Morning Prayer this past Sunday. I understand that, due to health and safety concerns, the service was not the fully festive reunion that some of us might hope for. Nevertheless, after many weeks of talking into a camera, I was inspired to see you, live and in person, and to share a time of prayer and worship with you. And, thanks to the magic of technology and the skill of our technicians, others were able to witness the service from the comfort and the safety of home. As Paul Simon sang, these really are the “days of miracle

Dear Grace and St Peter’s, Last Sunday, we completed the first part of our Covid-19 communal worship journey—a journey that has taken us to some of the most beautiful and most important sites in Hamden. Thanks to Allison Batson and Aldon Hynes’ technological handiwork, we were able to broadcast services from The Keefe Center, Town Center Park, Edgerton Park, Lake Wintergreen (ah, the international Zoom collapse), Sleeping Giant State Park, York Hill and our own sanctuary and front yard. It was an impressive journey that reminded me of what an amazing town Hamden is. No wonder this town where we live, work and worship regularly ranks among the most desirable communities in the country. That s

Dear Grace and St Peter’s, Somehow this week seems quieter than the last few. Or maybe I’m just getting used to new rhythms of life. Perhaps I am comforted by the Supreme Court’s recent decisions on LGBTQ rights, DACA policies and gun regulation. Though something tells me not to get too comfortable with SCOTUS. There are important decisions yet to come that will shape the nature of representative government in our country for decades to come. Keep our Supreme Court justices in your prayers! Tomorrow, Juneteenth as it has come to be known, there will be a “Liberation Day March and Teach-In” beginning at 3:00 pm on the New Haven Green and heading towards East Rock Park for food and music.

Dear Grace and St Peter’s, It has been another week of strong impressions even if events have been somewhat less dramatic than those of last week. Impression 1 On Sunday, a rally for justice took place at Hamden’s Memorial Town Hall. The peaceful protest was welcomed and attended by Mayor Leng and Police Chief Cappiello. Rally speakers made impassioned, yet certainly not unreasonable, calls for equitable civic policies, police reform, and an end to racial bias and discrimination. Grace and St Peter’s Church was beautifully present. I put the large wooden cross back up in the front yard after having taken it down just a few days earlier after Pentecost. Thanks to Chloe and Helen Barajas,