Rev. Bob’s Weekly Message, July 12, 2020

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:

• Kathie, the music director at St John’s, leads a virtual hymn sing at 10AM on Sunday mornings. She leads the singing from the St John’s organ and posts hymn lyrics online. More details can be found in the weekly eNews.

• Dinner for a Dollar at Grace and St Peter’s on Friday evenings and at Hamden Plains United Methodist Church on Saturday evenings is looking for volunteer cooks and servers. Please let us know if you can help.

• The Grace and St Peter’s Faith Study Group meets via Zoom on the second and fourth Tuesday evening of each month. Gretchen Pritchard ably leads this discussion group and they are currently working their way through a delightful illustrated-for-adults version of the Bible called Manna and Mercy. More details appear in the weekly eNews.

• The discussion group on race and racial issues that I mentioned in my sermon last Sunday will have its first meeting on July 20 at 7PM on Zoom. We will begin by hearing from Grace and St Peter’s parishioner Whitney Batson. Whitney was scheduled to present to the parish on the topic of race and racial issues as part of our “Seeing Beyond Difference: Jesus’ Kingship of Kinship” series. Then Covid-19 hit. You might say we will pick up where we left off. After Whitney’s presentation, we will have time for questions and a sharing of hopes and concerns for the group. We will set ground rules for our ongoing conversation about this important and sensitive topic and will choose a text or film to be the focus of our subsequent conversation(s). There are no prerequisites other than a willingness to listen, share and learn. I hope you will join us. Zoom information will be sent out shortly before the group’s first meeting.

I look forward to seeing you on Sunday!

Peace,

Bob+

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