St. Peter's Church Keys, August 27, 2010, Get Ready for Fall!!

Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost

From the Assistant Rector's Desk...

July 20th marked the beginning of my third year as Assistant Rector at St Peter's Church, and I stand at my start of this new year as I did at the start of my first and second years: full of hope and anticipation that something powerful is afoot at this place, among the wonderful people of St Peter's Weston and through their spirit and hopes for the world. There is such great energy, commitment and possibility this year surrounding our offerings in worship (you can worship, AND help it happen powerfully!), outreach (to those within, and beyond, the church community), youth ministry (teaching, being taught, working together as the Body of Christ), adult formation and education (learning together and transforming each other in our faith and life journeys) and welcome and hospitality (opening our hearts as we open our doors to all who seek God or a better knowledge of God). The spirit of St Peter's feels to me woven into the Spirit of the Living God, and I am excited about my third year.

And we are counting the days until our September Celebration! Please plan to be at church - bring a friend, too! - on September 12th (the Sunday after Labor Day) for a festive and busy day celebrating our parish life and offering a community-wide welcome to the Fall and to all who call St Peter's home or are looking for a church home. We will register children for Church School, have folks available to talk about all our ministries, and learn much more about what the year has in store and what makes St Peter's an exciting place to find your place!

- Hall

Our wonderful Church School exists because parishioners step forward to get involved teaching, substituting, observing, or simply offering support wherever they can, and without YOU we would not have this important offering for our families!

Church School runs this year from September 12, 2010 to June 5, 2011, watch for details. At this point in the summer - and with the start of school less than a month away - we need teachers for any portion of the year (fall / winter / spring). PLEASE let Sarah Ardila, Teresa Swanson or Pastor Kirkham know if you are able to help!

Remember: you can teach regularly, help out as a substitute, or help only on monthly "Special Sundays." To quote Outback, "No rules: just right." Whatever you are interested in doing, we are eager to make it work. Church School is such an important offering!

This year we will augment our on-line curriculum with questions like...

What in general is the church and what are its traditions?

Who is God, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit?

What is the Bible and what are some of its key stories?

And finally, what is our relationship to all of this?

Are you willing to enact this part of your ministry? Please let us know, and know that we are grateful,

Hall Kirkham (hkirkham@stpetersweston.org)

STEPHEN MINISTRY TRAINING

Have you wanted or felt called to help others in crisis or during particular life challenges? Perhaps you would be interested in becoming a Stephen Minister.

Stephen Ministry is a caring ministry where lay caregivers (called Stephen Ministers) provide one-to-one Christian care to the bereaved, hospitalized, terminally ill, separated, divorced, unemployed, relocated, and others facing a crisis or life challenge. Stephen Ministry helps pastors and congregations provide quality caring ministry for as long as people need it.

St Anne's in-the-Fields in Lincoln will host a half day workshop from 9am to 1pm on Saturday, September 18th to receive hands-on caring ministry training, and to learn more about Stephen Ministry and how we at St Peter's can become involved!

For more information on Stephen Ministry, visit their website at http://www.stephenministries.org/ or for more information on the training opportunity contact either Pastor Voysey or Pastor Kirkham.