Fr. Harrison's Letter for March 18, 2018

 Dear Hearts,

Bring your appetite with you Sunday morning when our Sunday School will continue its tradition of raising funds for the children of Haiti:  We're all invited to a Pancake Breakfast following the 10 a.m. service.  Besides enjoying pancakes, bacon and sausage, oranges and orange juice, and conversation with each other, there'll be a brief video and some slides to introduce St. Luke's School & Church project in Matel, Haiti. 

By my count, this is the 8th year our Sunday School children have raised funds during March for a project in Haiti.  Again this year, they will be serving a pancake breakfast prepared by Sunday School families and chef Steven Varley.  We're in on the ground-floor of an exciting partnership for the children of Matel.  There will be a fee-will offering; so, please bring your checkbooks!  

"Spring Training" is an annual gathering for fellowship, learning, prayer and fun for Episcopalians from across Connecticut.  This year, Spring Training will be offered on Saturday, April 7 from 9 am-4 pm in Meriden.  The program for the day begins and ends with prayer, and provides three opportunities to participate in workshops; with over 30 workshops on offer, the challenge is to choose only three!  Along the way, there's a beautiful spread of morning refreshments, box lunches, time for conversation with mission leaders, and a bookstore to visit.

After several of us had such positive experiences at Spring Training, it will serve as your Vestry's usual spring workshop.  But Spring Training isn't for Vestry Members alone. There are workshops on Christian Formation, communications, community building, pastoral care, social justice and worship, as well as essential parish procedures; some are about one's own spiritual life including discernment, "Paint & Pray," and "3M's of Good Health: Movement, Meditation & Music."

Click Here to learn more and find the links to the workshop booklet and registration form.  If you need help with the form, feel free to be in touch with me.  The admission charge (now $25)  defrays hospitality expenses.

Lent Madness was full of inspiration this week.  Tuesday's "competition" between Deaconess Anna Alexander of Georgia and Nurse Edith Cavell of England particularly grabbed me; find it here.  Deaconness Alexander persevered in her call to serve the black rural poor of coastal Georgia, believing "anger about how society treated women and African-Americans was a wasted emotion."  Instead she "worked to change her community through education and love."  Edith Cavell's call to provide nursing care for all those injured during World War I in Belgium put her in the crosshairs of the German army.  Accused of "assisting men to the enemy," she was convicted and executed.  Her statue in London's Trafalgar Square bears this quotation, "Patriotism is not enough. I must have no hatred or bitterness toward anyone."

Congratulations to our Evening Episcopal Church Women on last Saturday's celebration of their enhancements to the Parish Hall.  Not only was the afternoon event a lovely occasion, but the redux for Sunday's coffee hours revealed just how hospitable the space is becoming.
 
See you on Sunday!
Harrison+

p.s. Seminarian Graham Marsh is still on Berkeley Divinity School's pilgrimage to Canterbury, England.  So, his High School group will not meet this Sunday; but will resume on March 25 when Graham will no doubt have his own "... Tales" to tell.  In the meantime, high schoolers are encouraged to join their families for the entire 10 a.m. service.