Fr. Harrison's Letter for October 16, 2016

Dear Hearts,

Our Sunday mornings return to their usual full schedule this Sunday, October 16.  In the Parish House, three groups gather at 9:30 a.m.:  the children's Chapel Time with Laurie Varley meets in the 4-5th grade classroom; the Middle School group gathers with Page Pelphrey for fun and games in their classroom; and the high schoolers' Young Adult Program with Alex Diana begins in the Guild Room.  At 10 a.m., as the worship service starts in the nave, the Sunday School and Middle School classes also get started.

The Rectory Forum's reading and discussion of Andrew Doss's play begins when folks sit down with their coffee and tea following the 9 a.m. service. For folks who want to catch up on reading and discussing a "Song of a Man Coming Through," the Forum is still in Act One, while the Tuesday Supper Discussion is ready to begin Act Two on the 18th.  There's room for you!

Hurricane Matthew's aftereffects continue to plague the Carolinas, Georgia, Florida and the Caribbean.  And Episcopal Relief & Development is engaged to deal with the catastrophic flooding and wind damage.  In a message to the Episcopal Church, our Presiding Bishop Michael Curry wrote:  
Prayer matters. All who because of Hurricane Matthew have lost their lives, who have lost their loved ones, their homes, or who have been hurt need our prayers now. They also need our help in other ways. ...
God, please be with those who have been harmed by this hurricane. And help us to help them, our brothers and sisters.
To be the answer to your prayer, please join YFNR in supporting the work of Episcopal Relief & Development by going here to make a secure on-line donation.

Speaking of the PB, +Michael Curry was recently in Rome to help celebrate the relationship between the Vatican and the Anglican Communion. Fifty years ago, a meeting between Pope Paul VI and Archbishop of Canterbury Michael Ramsey led to establishing the Anglican Centre in Rome; that was the first public meeting between the holders of these two offices since the Reformation, and it began a new diplomatic relationship between the two communions.  For the 2016 celebration included Anglicans and Roman Catholics praying together in a service led by Pope Francis and Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby.  Further details are available here.

The Howler is coming!  Our annual costumed talent show will be on Saturday, October 29, at 4 p.m.  All musicians, dancers, comics and singers -- all witches, princesses, ghosts and super heroes -- are encouraged to sign-up on the clipboard on the ushers' table, and/or to be in touch with Music Director Mark Sullivan. 
 
In faith and hope,
Harrison+
YFNR

p.s. Ushers, please remember we have a meeting following Sunday's 10 a.m. service.
There's a new canine resident in the Rectory; her name is Cassie, and she's a two-year old, pit bull-boxer mix with a brindle coat.  We adopted each other at a rescue fair at the Guilford Fairgrounds on October 9.