A Message from Father Duane . . . You have all heard about the “Dog Days of Summer.” To the Greeks and Romans, the days occur around the time when Sirius, bright ”Dog Star” of the constellation Canis Major, appears to rise alongside the sun in late July. Sirius is the bright star in the night sky, and the ancients believed that Sirius and the sun combined their heat to make these particular days the hottest of the year.
Bright sunshine and bright moon and stars at night remind us to be living as children of light. Indeed Paul exhorts us to live as children of the bright daylight. In his earliest known epistle he writes, “You are all children of light and children of the day . . . . Since you belong to the day, let us be sober, and put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation, for God has destined us . . . . for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Thessalonians 5:5-9)
To be sober means to be serious. God through Paul instructs us to be serious about practicing the Christian virtues: faith, love and hope.
Recently our Vestry has determined that the best wisdom for us as a faith community is to continue to operate under Phase Three guidelines. This means we are being very careful not to expose especially our grandchildren and great-grandchildren to unnecessary pandemic risk. But, it also means we continue to be somewhat isolated from one another.
So then in order for us to be serious about sharing faith, love and hope we need to take thoughtful consideration about reaching out to one another by using intentionally alternate means. Please make room in your activities to check with your St. David’s friends. Give a call. Catch up. Drop a card. Write an encouraging note or letter. Let others know you are thinking about them and that we are praying for them. Your faith, love and hope are not limited to having face-to-face physical contact and fellowship. Because many people are still feeling alone and disconnected, they need yet to be reminded you are present in their life and still care. In this way you can certainly turn the summer’s warm, long days into times of refreshing for those whom you love.
Thank-you Laurie McClanahan for serving as Treasurer of St. David’s and the many years you have spent in this position. In addition, you have been able to serve as a Eucharistic Minister and grow flowers for the Altar – not to mention your coffee-hour cinnamon rolls! We may be letting you off as Treasurer but you will still be held accountable for all the other ways you contribute to the health and welfare of St. David’s. We thank you and we appreciate you.
Hello, Don KAY, in his own words . . . I have served on the Vestry as Co-Senior Warden with Patti Case as Senior Warden since Father Duane joined us. Patti gives so much to St. David’s in so many roles. When the role of Treasurer recently came up for appointment, the Vestry unanimously voted to accept Patti’s resignation as Sr. Warden and appointed her to the position of Treasurer. I learned a lot from Patti’s role as Sr. Warden and am so glad she has been appointed Treasurer. We owe much gratitude to Laurie McClanahan for her many years of service as Treasurer and keeping the finances in order.
Good Luck Patti Case and welcome to your new position as Treasurer of St. David’s. In accepting this position we are confident that you have accepted the challenges ahead of you and will do them to the best of your ability.
Jr. Warden Cheri Ratay reports that progress is being made on getting estimates to have the gutters repaired on the church building and that St. David’s Garden Club has been busy tidying up the church grounds. Thank you to all the ‘green thumb’ folks in our congregation.
PLEASE PRAY for our families, friends and neighbors, remembering especially: Shawn, Mike & Judy, Doug, Barrett. Janet, Greg, Dave, David, Ann, Robin, Betty, Margaret, Jonathan & Christina, Sue, Jesse, Don, Kayla & Ryan, Anthony, Kurt & family, Suzy, Rogen & his family, Barbara, Aimee, Kate and Coco.
AUGUST BIRTHDAYS . . .
- Ann Olli on the 1st;
- Gary Weza on the 8th;
- Bill Johnson on the 10th;
- Betty McClanahan on the 15th; and
- Connie Reandeau on the 30th.
Happy Birthday to all. Many happy returns of the day and may God Bless You!
DATES TO REMEMBER. . .
August 1, 8, 15, 22, & 29, at 10:30 am
Worship Service at St. David’s and Live Streaming on YouTube.
August 4, 11, 18, & 25, from 10:00 am – Noon
Sit and Pray – Come as you are, stay as long as you like!
August 15, at 11:45 am
VESTRY MEETING – following Service of Worship
