From the Bishop's Committee
Celebrating God's creation
Some Christian communities have begun to observe a "Season of Creation" during the month of September ending with feast of St. Francis on October 4. It is a time to focus on God the creator and our relationship with God and God's creation.
"St. Francis' devotion to God was expressed through his love for all of God's creation. St. Francis cared for the poor and sick, he preached sermons to animals, and praised all creatures as brothers and sisters under God. St. Francis of Assisi, patron saint of animals and ecology,Francis' devotion to God was expressed through his love for all of God's creation. St. Francis cared for the poor and sick, he preached sermons to animals, and praised all creatures as brothers and sisters
under God. St. Francis of Assisi, is patron saint of animals and ecology."
-The Humane Society of the United States
We have an opportunity to give thanks and praise for creation through the creation of our pet memorial garden. I have thought and prayed about this for 11 years and it has slowly come to be. A sacred space for our brother and sister creatures to rest.
I invite everyone to help us finish setting it up after mass on Sunday, September 11. A fitting day to celebrate creation and new beginnings. There will be soil to prepare, stones to lay, a statue of St. Francis to paint and to set on a new plinth. I have a carved stone birdbath to set in place. I was thinking two small seasonal flowering bushes might be nice to flank the statue, maybe mums. Anyone want to donate a couple?
I also need a container which could hold at least two gallons. It must be weatherproof as it will be outside year round. It will contain the name tags of the pets buried in the garden. I envisaged a large temple jar but any vessel would do. Suggestions would be appreciated.
With our garden complete we can turn our attention to sprucing up the memorial garden-- painting the Blessed Mother, neatening the bushes and trimming the grass. We will be ready for guests on "Homecoming Sunday" and for the first interments in the pet memorial garden three weeks later.
This is an outreach to the community. You don't have tp be a member to have the remains of your pet interred. So we have an opportunity to talk to friends about a subject that is quite a bit easier to talk about than church.
Thank you for your support of this project and special thanks to Fr. Chip, who listened and supported me. I leave you with the words of Pope Francis who said: "One day, we will see our animals again in the eternity of Christ. Paradise is open to all of God's creatures."
Peter Monte
Our Shared Ministry Cycle of Prayer
Each week, in both of our churches, we pray for one ministry we share and one or two households in each church. About once every six weeks, we will instead using the Shared Ministry Collect we prayed throughout the opening months of our Shared Ministry.
In our prayers the next two weeks, we give God thanks for...
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Sept. 11
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Little Blessings directors, Diane Lewis & Kelly Coleman, and their staff; Robert & Jennifer Stiefel; Sally Bowden
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Sept. 18
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Village Pre-School director Ginny Bridle & her staff; Chip & Cindy Robinson; John Kristiansen
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A joint event for both congregations... Homecoming Sunday cookout at Christ Church Date: Sunday, Sept. 18 
Time: 10:30 a.m. (or whenever we're ready to start!)
Location: Weather permitting, the service will be held outdoors at Christ Church. Who's Invited: Everyone from both churches! (There will be a said 8:45 a.m. service at Trinity for any who absolutely cannot come - but please, Trinity folks, consider this your "main service" for the day.)
More Info: There will be a pot-luck cookout following the service. Please bring a salad, side dish or dessert. Hamburgers, hot dogs and condiments, as well as beverages, will be provided. We especially need people to help set up before the service, and clean up at the end - but the most important part is this: invite someone you know, who you haven't seen in church in a while, to come!
Holy Eucharist with Healing
Our next Healing Service at Christ Church will be at the conclusion of the 10:30 service on Sunday, Sept. 11. At Trinity Church, we offer healing as part of the 5 p.m. service on Saturday, Sept. 17. Everyone is welcome to attend these services, which include healing of mind, body, and spirit through laying on of hands, praying, and anointing with holy oil. If you know of someone who would be comforted by this ministry, invite them to attend with you.
"Transforming Questions" course being considered - would you come?
Many Christians and seekers operate under an assumption that doubt is the opposite of faith. Sometimes we hear people say that to have faith means accepting things without questioning them. Others say that you can't be a "good Christian" if you have a lot of doubt. Nothing could be further from the truth. Questions are an essential part of faith.
Almost every single person in scripture who encounters God does so with a lot of questions, and more than a little doubt. Abraham and Sarah, Moses, David, Mary, the disciples, and Paul all ask questions, and those questions are part of their faithful response to God. In fact, it is in the act of asking questions that we wrestle more deeply with our faith, allowing ourselves to be transformed by the One whom we encounter in the midst of our doubts and questions.
This fall, we are giving consideration to offering a ten-session program called Transforming Questions - a curriculum that offers the opportunity to engage in faithful questioning in the midst of a community. Through table fellowship, teaching, and conversation, participants wrestle with some of the most basic questions of our faith:
- Who is Jesus?
- Does God answer prayer?
- Why do bad things happen?
In the act of asking questions, we see our faith transform, deepening and developing from something simple and superficial to something complex and rich. And, in the act of asking questions, we see ourselves transformed, as the answers that we find, or the new questions that we discover, demand that we respond, changing not only what we think but also how we live.
Transforming Questions is a good introduction to the Christian faith for newcomers who are still seeking God. It is a good refresher on the Christian faith for longtime church members who are wondering about the basics of the faith. Above all, Transforming Questions helps to build community among those who are seekers and those who are members, those who are questioning for the first time and those who are questioning for the thousandth time.
Be watching for more information as we explore developing a Transforming Questions course here in our Shared Ministry. I already have a lay leader who has expressed not only interest but enthusiasm about facilitating this. I would assist, and we would need some lay help with logistics. If we can pull it together, we are hoping for a fall start, with sessions continuing until just before Bishop +Rob visits our Shared Ministry in March.
Fr. Chip
Save The Dates Ham & Bean Supper Saturday, Sept. 24, from 5:00-6:30 PM Let's bond in the fellowship of opening the doors of Trinity's Parish Hall to the community as we strengthen our friendship with each other! Please let me know how you would like to help. Soup & Chowder Challenge Saturday, Oct. 15 Holly Berry Fair Saturday, November 12 We'll have the following tables: Bake sale, Cookie Walk Silent Auction, Holiday Treasures, Gift Card Raffle and a Raffle Table We're also having a Soup & Bread Luncheon. We need your help with donations for the tables *Especially the raffles and Silent Auction, Publicity - Help get the word out, Baked goods & Cookies (for the cookie walk), Kitchen help and Wait staff, and as always - Fair Set-up & Clean-up. Please call Carol Gobar, 926-2768, and let her know how you can help.
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