Back from Vacation

I had a wonderful time on vacation this summer with my family in Maine, but it is also nice to be back in the office catching up with each of you. We spent two weeks in Lubec, near the Canadian border on the Bay of Fundy, and it was beautiful. It feels odd to come back from vacation and already be getting ready for my maternity leave; the baby is due on September 28, so I plan to work up to and including Sunday the 27th (assuming he or she isn't early). I'm glad to have some time to begin the fall before handing over the reigns to the Rev. Cathy Venkatesh, who will be filling in for me until Christmas--I'll be back for our service on December 24.

On the topic of planning, I'd like your help for considering what to do for Advent. Our weeknight worship, supper, and education series will return for those 4 Tuesdays. Rev. Cathy will celebrate the Eucharist but has a toddler to put to bed, so she won't be staying for the second part of the evening. I would love to have a series where parishioners could offer their learning to each other-if you have something you might be willing to share, whether explicitly "spiritual" or not, please give me your ideas so we can put something together! We'll also need someone to coordinate the dinner part of the sessions (you won't have to cook every week; you'd just be the one to order the pizza when no one else signs up).

This Sunday, we welcome Bob Wojcik, founder of Children of Incarcerated Parents. His talk coincides with the last Sunday to bring in school supplies for CoIP's backpack program. Bob is a friend of Sue Burkart's. She wrote in her July Fieldstone Crier article, "Bob has been of great service to many of his fellow inmates and their families over the years and is living proof of how people can change with God's help." Bob was recently given parole after 15 years of incarceration. He will speak on his prison experience, the importance of prisoners maintaining family ties, and the anguish their children go through. I'll close here with our prayer book's prayer for Prisons and Correctional Institutions (BCP 826)

Lord Jesus, for our sake you were condemned as a criminal: Visit our jails and prisons with your pity and judgment. Remember all prisoners, and bring the guilty to repentanceand amendment of life according to your will, and give them hope for their future. When any are held unjustly, bring them release; forgive us, and teach us to improve our justice.Remember those who work in these institutions; keep them humane and compassionate; and save them from becoming brutal or callous. And since what we do for those in prison, O Lord, we do for you, constrain us to improve their lot. All this we ask for your mercy's sake. Amen.

Blessings,
Sara+