Fr. Harrison's Letter for May 20, 2018

Dear Hearts,

Our Sunday School children and youth will lead our celebration of Pentecost at 10 a.m.  So, we've re-ordered the first part of the service to focus on the Pentecost story-telling.  The youngsters will use word and song to convey Sunday's reading from Acts -- about the coming of the Holy Spirit upon a fearful crew gathered in an Upper Room, and the startled reaction of folks in Jerusalem from many nations who heard the disciples proclaiming "God's deeds of power" in their own languages. 

Sunday School Parents:  Although your children have been rehearsing their songs for weeks now, they have an important opportunity to rehearse their presentation in the church at 10 a.m., on Saturday, May 19.

To support the children, and join the Pentecost celebration, please wear red!  Actually, any flame color will do; we're recalling the "divided tongues, as of fire" that rested upon those early disciples.

As appropriate for Pentecost, we'll get an update on what the Holy Spirit is up to in Malawi during Coffee Hour.   Seminarian Derek Stefanovsky will return with news about the mission and work of St. Peter's School and Anglican Cathedral on Likoma Island in Lake Malawi.  As a further enticement, the Outreach Committee will host the Coffee Hour.

On the day before Pentecost, May 19, we will be celebrating the gift of the Holy Spirit among our Youth Confirmation Group.  We will join folks from other parishes at Camp Washington in Lakeside, CT, for a Service of Confirmation led by Bishop Laura Ahrens.  Please keep our confirmands Alex, Hannah, Lauren, Keelyn, Matthew, Megan, Michael, Olivia, and Sabrina in your prayers; Bishop Laura's prayer for them begins,

"Strengthen, O Lord, your servants with your Holy Spirit;
empower them for your service....

Thank you for your prayers for the Group's May 11-12 travel to NYC for Nightwatch at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine and visit to the 9-11 Memorial & Museum. You'll be proud to know that our group won Nightwatch's Scavenger Hunt/Wheel of Fortune game by being the first to identify the biblical quotation:  "Behold, I stand at the door and knock."  The Museum experience was as powerful as ever; the Memorial, now free of cyclone-fencing, quite moving.  The Group readily found the "Survivor Tree."

For those otherwise uninterested in Saturday's Royal Wedding in St. George's Chapel, Windsor, the invited preacher will surely provide sufficient reason to set your alarm (or TV recorder) for the early morning hour.  The preacher will be our own Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, the Most Rev.. Michael Curry!  After expressing his delight in the couple's invitation to Bishop Curry, the Archbishop of Canterbury, +Justin Welby, described him as, "a brilliant pastor, stunning preacher and someone with a great gift for sharing the good news of Jesus Christ."

I hope to see you (in flame colors) on Pentecost!
In faith, hope and love,
Harrison+
YFNR

p.s. As part of this week's Clergy Conference, the clergy of the Episcopal Church in CT descended upon the Mashantucket Pequot Museum.  I'm embarrassed to report this was a first visit for me; after my eye-opening experience, I will certainly be returning.