It's a blessedly, quiet Monday, the 15th of August, as I put pen to paper to write and share a few thoughts with my sisters and brothers of St. Nicholas.  

 Sunday was a remarkable day.  The weekend Liturgies were wonderful.  New faces graced our space and they were warmly welcomed and quickly ingratiated into the community.  We celebrated and commemorated St. Mary the Virgin, mother of Jesus.  Hers is a special feast; that is, it is a special feast for me.  Certainly, the Church honors her and rightfully so.  She said 'yes' and chose to bear the Son of God, our Savior, Jesus the Christ.  This is reason enough to pay special tribute, we would all agree.  However, it is her motherhood that I also find so comforting and so humbling.  She took care of her family and loved them as only a mother can love.  I preached this past weekend that our devotion and attention to Mary is a rather personal and private matter.  Yet, we all agree, Mary was a most remarkable and special women.

Speaking of remarkable and special...the point of which I'd really like to share today:  what a remarkable and special effort last Sunday by so many remarkable and special people.  The call for "all hands on deck" was answered, and then some!  People washing the kitchen floor while others moved tables and shelves, unloaded trucks filled with furniture.  Others helped empty out the vicarage garage and hauled it all to the church.  Some organized the hall into a virtual department store, while others, one load after another, carried bags and boxes full of sellable goods!  It was an amazing site to say the least.

This, my friends, is what a loving family does for one another.  A family sees to the needs of the entire household; takes care of things in a timely manner; makes sure all is as it should be and all because there does exist a love, a care and a willingness to give of one's self in order to secure the betterment, success and happiness of the entire family.                    

Whatever the outcome of this year's rummage sale, I know we are off to an incredible start.  We continue to build community, one piece at a time...one person reaching out to another...a family grounded and rooted in faith, in one another and in our brother, Jesus Christ.

Until next week at this same place, I hope to see you all at the rummage sale...Friday and Saturday, August 19th and 20th, 9am to 3pm.  Bring your family, your friends and those with deep pockets!  Above all, I look forward to seeing you at worship at one of our weekend Liturgies.  All are welcome...then again family is always welcome in this house, God's house, our community of St. Nicholas.

-Manny

manny@stnicholasepiscopal.org

We need your help to make this sale a success.  Please:

• Stop by this evening; we can still use help pricing and moving some more furniture out of the vicarage. . .almost done!
• Spread the word to your friends!
• Like our posting/rummage sale album on our Facebook page.
• Show up to help.  As a reminder, click here to see who's currently signed up to volunteer on the dates of the sale.  We simply can't have too many volunteers, but we can certainly have too few! 

Come and enjoy the fun and camaraderie, plus make money for St. Nicholas!

Church Directory

Please check the "working copy" directory outside the worship space.  We have new software, so I need to make sure your name is listed and all of your information is correct.  Pen in any corrections or let me know what the corrections are.

Thank you,

Pat

pat@stnicholasepiscopal.org

Thanks to:

Every one who has pitched in getting the rummage sale off and running!  What an amazing response by the community of St. Nicholas!