Grace and peace and joy to all!
The calendar page turns and suddenly we're switching who's here and who's not: children and their families returning with the academic year, and retired persons with freedom to travel are going away. This issue of the Connector is full of information about the months ahead, so please mark your calendars now!
Over the summer we said "farewell" to Martin, our organist and choir director, and we've enjoyed the gifts of Jenny Driscoll-Holmes, Sandra Bower and Kelly Kim at the piano and organ benches. We're organizing a Saturday event to explore some of the new and old ways of doing music in worship so that we can get a good picture of just what the next minister of music we hire might be prepared for (or willing to learn). Stay posted.
I've also scheduled a rotation of Intergenerational services on Sundays at 10 am, during which time only the nursery will be open and we will be organized to involve all ages in our worship. This probably will mean fewer readings and more singing, it might mean drama, puppet shows or other 'new models' of communicating gospel and prayer, and it definitely will include a family choir group. I'll put posters in the Hall to sign up if you're interested in helping me. The first one is scheduled for October 30th when we'll celebrate All Saints.
I'm also hoping, with or without a choir director in place, we'll be able to have a choral Evensong on the 30th of October, and on 5th Sundays the rest of the year. We'll continue with Taize-style worship on 4th Sunday evenings. I hope we can build into our time a regular contemplative prayer offering.
My first six months with you have flown by, and this change in seasons has offered the perfect time for us to enter into our next stage of life together. The "introduction" is done, and Chapter 1 is beginning. I'm looking forward to seeing what the Holy Spirit writes on us.
Yours in Christ,