The St. Peter’s

EPISTLE

September 2007

The Monthly Newsletter of St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Ashtabula, Ohio

IN WITH THE OLD, IN WITH THE NEW

I have enjoyed the summer. I hope you have. This season of no shovels, no hats, mittens or gloves has flown by. I am sorry to see it go. I remember when Pete’s Players was a crazy idea that just might work. Now I’ve seen it, and I’m amazed. I remember when Little League was just beginning and it was too cold and wet to practice, and soccer seemed somehow a long time away. Now it’s time to find all the stuff the kids need for school. In a few days, we will be back to unforgiving mornings and not a moment to spare.

Yet, it will be good to be back in the swing of things. I like the new church school curriculum, and I am anxious to see whether it really will be effective in grounding our kids in the scripture and giving them access to that whole extended family of faith in the book and around it.

Just before we get rolling with Start-up Sunday and Sunday School Registration on September 9, the twin festivities happen. I refer, of course, to the Log Cabin Days September 8 and 9 and the Rummage Sale on September 7 and 8. That weekend is an embarrassment of riches for St. Peter’s.

I have grown to love the Evening Prayer Service at the Log Cabin where St. Peter’s began. Last year, we used selections of the Evening Office from the 1789 Book of Common Prayer. This year we will use more of it, with a couple of exceptions. We won’t kneel. There just isn’t room in that small space. Or maybe a number of us have just gotten to that point on the down side of the middle years when kneeling is not so much a posture of prayer as a reason for it. (O Lord God, how am I ever going to get up again?) The other exception is that the rubrics frequently direct the people to repeat after the Officiant. Since we are profoundly blessed by the ability to read and the possibility of having our own copy of the service, we will instead say those parts in unison.

The Rummage Sale may not seem so sublime to you, but I suppose Jesus wore hand-me-downs, too. And it is, on a much shorter time-line, similar to the Prayer Book Office the founding members of our congregation used. We discover treasure from the past for our present benefit. Blessings abound. Some we can hold only in our hearts.

What’s Happenin’ in September?

3 -Office closed for Labor Day

7 -8 – Rummage Sale

9 Return of two Eucharists, 8:00

and 11:00 a.m.

Breakfast, 9:00 a.m.

Adult & Children Christian

Education, 11:15 a.m.

2-cents-a-meal collection

Loose offering to Rector’s

Discretionary Fund

12- Vestry meeting, 7:00 p.m.

13- Mary Margaret Guild, 11:00 a.m.

16- Deadline for Epistle news for Oct.

Put in box in office or email:

maryloou_tfclu@yahoo.com

19- St. Elizabeth Guild, 12 noon

25- Evening Guild, 7:00 p.m.

Who’s Cookin’ Breakfast?...

9 – Podgorny Group

16 – Grotto Group

23 – Clayman Group

30 – Youth Group

Come one – Come all!...

Sunday School registration for

children will be on September 9

following the late service.

A hot dog lunch and dessert will

be served to everyone.

Weather permitting, outdoor fun

& games will take place, too.

Come and join the fun!

Talking with children about prayer…

~ from Editor’s Clip Sheets, July 2007 ~

Just as Jesus taught the disciples to pray it is important that we teach our children to pray, and model for them how to pray. Some children (and adults too) can worry about doing it “the right way,” so be sure to let them know that the thing that matters is spending time with God.

Establishing prayer routines can be very helpful. Mealtime prayers (both at home and when dining out), bedtime prayers, and prayers on special occasions help to create routines and patterns. Yet we can pray at all times and in all places.

Remind children that prayer is not the same as magic. When we pray, we share with God our thoughts, hopes and dreams. However, we are not placing an order or presenting a wish list. We can talk with God about what we hope will happen, but we trust God to do what is best. This needs to be stressed for two important reasons.

First, of course, prayers are not always answered the way we think best. Children can often pray in very concrete terms – make Johnny like me; help Grandma get better – and the results are not always as anticipated.

Second, children can also have fleeting bad thoughts that they may then connect with events, such as “I got mad at Kari and now her family is moving away; it’s my fault” or “I was mean to Daddy because he didn’t play ball with me and now Mommy and Daddy are getting divorced; it’s my fault.”

A good way to start our prayers is with thanks, or by remembering how wonderful God is. Simple prayers can work wonders, such as: “God, your world is so big and beautiful. I’m glad I’m a part of it. Please take care of everybody. Amen.” Or, in specific situations, “God, we know you love every person. Please take good care of my friends who are sick, and help them to feel better. Amen.” Words like “feel better” or “help them to know that you love them” are prayers that we can be assured, in simple concrete terms, are being answered.

What do we say when prayers do not get answered the way we would like?

This can be especially difficult when the results are particularly hard to accept, such as a death or the recurrence of an illness (keep in mind that for a child the death of a pet can be just as traumatic as the death of a person).

The words, “I don’t understand” can be part of an honest answer. None of us – not even skilled and educated theologians, or wise and wonderful parents and grandparents- understand all of the mysteries of God and the universe. Saying, “I wish I had an answer, but I don’t,” can be okay. Sometimes things happen that are hard to understand, that are painful, and that we wish had happened differently. One thing we do know, though, is that God is always with us, even when we do not understand.

Praying with our children is important. Let them know that prayer is not confined to church or Sunday or special occasions. Model for them that prayer – in many styles and forms – is a key part of a spiritual life.

Resources on children and prayer:

Teaching the Lord’s Prayer, by Delia Halverson, Abingdon Press

How Do Our Children Grow? Introducing Children to God, Jesus, the Bible, Prayer, Church, by Delia Halverson, Chalice Press

Children and Prayer: A Shared Pilgrimage, by Betty Shannon Cloyd, Upper Room Books

A Thought to Ponder…

Do you ever wonder…what’s the

speed of dark?

Directory: Changes & Additions…:

Steve & Stacey Cevera

260 Brown Road

Ashtabula, OH 44004-8852

Elizabeth Fuller

1140 South Broadway #321

Geneva, OH 44041-9143

Ellen Szymanski

Westerly Apartments Apt. 1042

Lakewood, OH 44104

Phone: 1-216-521-0030

Dorothy Dingledine

NEW PHONE:

440-994-3342

Famous Sale Returns to St.Peter’s

Be sure you don’t miss the one, the

only, famous St. Peter Church 2007

Rummage Sale!!!!!

It will be in our auditorium for two

short days only –September 7, & 8.

Come on, come all in time to take

advantage of the vast array of once

in a lifetime bargains!

See you there!!!

Advance Special Notice:...

Mark your calendars and get your

taste buds ready!

Plenty of time to figure out how

many your budget will allow, but

it’s not too soon to start planning.

The much-praised St. Peter Church

Cabbage Rolls are making their

appearance this year on October 5 &

6, with pick-up 10:00 – 2:00 on

Saturday, the 6^th. Please bring your

own containers.

A Table Grace:…

Gracious God, thank you for the food before us, the friends around us, the love between us, and your presence among us.

Amen

Opportunities…

An important opening

We are sorry to announce that Don

Clayman has resigned as our Church

Sexton/Custodian, effective August

31. He and his family will remain

members of the congregation, so it

isn’t goodbye.

If you, or someone you know, would

be interested in more information

about this part-time position, please

see Brian Van Allen, or call him at

998-3891.

Lake Deanery Do’s…

The Autumn Study Group of the Lake Deanery will be meeting at Cedar Hills on September 19 and October 17 to

discuss the book, Landscapes of the Soul, by Robert Hamma. Each evening will begin at 6:30 p.m. with a potluck.

The Deanery Council meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, November 13 at 6:30 p.m. at Christ Church, Geneva. This will also start with a potluck. You are warmly invited to attend.

Do you dare?

Dare to Share Conferences are scheduled for Sept. 15 at St. Anne’s Anglican in Madison and October 6 at

Plymouth United Methodist Church here in Ashtabula. The day begins at 8:30 am and ends at 3:00 pm, with a light lunch included. Pastor Gordon Densmore will show you how to share your faith your way in different situations without fear. If you heard Pastor Gordon preach at St. Peter’s, you know what an engaging speaker he is and how passionately he loves the Lord. The Dare to Share newsletter is posted on the church bulletin board if you would like more information.

Mixed Message…

A man came up to a fellow and said to him, “Sir, I don’t know you, but I must ask you a question. It’s kind of personal, but I’m dying to ask you. Would you be offended at a personal question?” The man was a bit taken aback but said, “Well, I guess not. What is it?” He said, “Well, I’m just so curious. Would you mind telling me if you are wearing a toupee?” The response came back immediately, “No, of course not!” But the man persisted. “Sir, you can be candid with me. I won’t think any the less of you. Tell me honestly, are you wearing a toupee?” By now the man was getting a bit ticked off, and said, “Absolutely not” and started to leave. but the fellow would not be dismissed, he held on to his arm. “Please, sir, be patient with me. Honestly, you are wearing a toupee, aren’t you?” By now the man was really uncomfortable and just wanted to get away from the pest. And simply to get rid of him said, “Well, if you insist, O.K. Yes, I’m wearing a toupee.”

“Really? You’d never know it.”

~ Illustrations Unlimited, ed. by

James S. Hewett, Tyndale House

Publishers ~

Father Edd & wife, Li, home…

In a letter from Father Edd we have

learned that he and Li are now home

from China and in their apartment in

Allentown.

While they are both very happy to

finally be together, Li has been

experiencing some culture shock

New to her are Fortune Cookies –

seems they are NOT made in China,

they were actually developed in

San Francisco! Also, cold drinks are

new to her, too. She is slowly

adjusting to American food and has

taken over the kitchen and claimed it

as her territory.

These are a few of the things Li finds

different.

Check the bulletin board for other

interesting tidbits in his letter.

And other opportunities…

Catholic Charities has scheduled two orientation sessions for the Volunteer Guardianship program. You can choose either September 18 or September 27,

5:30 pm – 8:00 pm, includes dinner. See the flyer on the Community Bulletin Board for more information. Acting as an advocate and companion for those who have no one else to speak up for them is one way to serve our Lord as he is disguised as the least of these. Both Ann Balog and Karen Flack have experience with this ministry. Ask them to tell you about it.

ARC of Ashtabula County is hosting its 4^th annual Buddy Walk on Saturday, September 8 at Lakeshore Park. The Walk is at 2 pm. Registration is at 1:00. The Buddy Walk supports local and national programs which promote the inclusion and acceptance of people with Downs Syndrome. All walkers are welcome, and the fee is $15.00. Of course, donations/pledges could cover that cost or augment it. Individual walkers are welcome. There is information on forming a team for this event on the Community Bulletin Board. There will also be a Buddy (Motorcycle) Ride that day.

Getting to know the neighbors:…

Several months ago a new sitcom became popular in Canada. Called Little Mosque on the Prairie, the show revolves around a group of Muslims who set up a mosque in the basement of a local church in a small Western Canadian community. Against this backdrop, all sorts of dilemmas of culture shock, confusion, and misunderstanding make for limitless laughter – and a few poignant life lessons as well.

Little Mosque reminds us of the importance of getting to know our neighbors. We know that we live in a society that is increasingly rich in its diversity. When we reach out in hospitality to others, we learn about their traditions as we share our own.

Several Jewish holy days fall in the month of September.

· September 13 is Rosh Hashanah, Jewish New Year

· September 22 is Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement

· September 27 is the beginning of Sukkot, the Festival of Booths

The holy month of Ramadan begins on September 13. During this time, Muslims fast each day from sunrise to sundown.

Mother Teresa said it:

We are all pencils in the hand of God.

A Morning Prayer:…

So far today, God, I’ve had a productive day: I haven’t gossiped, lost my temper, been greedy, grumpy, nasty, selfish, or over-indulgent. I haven’t cursed, sworn, or had any wicked or evil thoughts.

But in a few minutes, God, I’m going to get out of bed and from then on I’m going to need all of the help I can get. Thank you. Amen.