WEEKLY RECTOR’S MESSAGE – June 26th – Fr. Thomas
Many of our readers will be driving more than usual this summer, despite the record setting price of fuel. We can tell a lot about someone by observing their driving habits. No one likes it when another driver cuts them off, risking life and limb, or when they crawl along at the pace of a funeral procession. No doubt you’ve seen too many demented drivers who cut across three lanes of traffic on the highway to head directly toward the exit ramp. Our vehicles are sources of independence, but also financial liability. No surprise that many folks take better care of their cars or trucks than they do themselves. Occasionally, I receive a Customer Opinion Survey asking me questions about my car and its service. What if we sent the same sort of questionnaire to folks in the parish? “How would you evaluate your recent visit to our church?” “How would you evaluate your journey with the Lord?” “Have you been contacted by your church after joining?” “Would you like your priest to contact you with any problems or concerns?”
So how do we recognize Christ in the other driver? Drivers should see themselves not as the most important person on the road, but as one fish in a school on life’s highway. There is a parallel in locking oneself in the car to being back in the womb, where there is a misconception of invincibility. One can close themselves up, turn on some music, and forget about the whole world outside. Everyone else is a hindrance to our reaching our destination faster than the next person. So, we’re all in this together -by ourselves! God is more interested in how we treat one another than how many seconds it takes our vehicle to get from 0 to 60 mph. A prayer card I picked up years ago read, “At 45 miles per hour, sing: “Highways are happy ways. At 55 sing: I’m but a stranger here, heaven is my home. At 65 sing: Nearer my God to Thee. At 75: when the role is called up yonder I’ll be there, and at 85 sing: Lord I’m coming home.”
Cars can make us less than human, serve as a mask, or a suit of armor. Instead of becoming brothers and sisters on the highway of life, we can become competitors in a destructive race to moral or physical annihilation. So, do we drive like the devil or drive like a Christian?
The Bishop’s Assistant, The Reverend Canon Licia Affer, will be our special guest preacher at the 10:00 a.m. service.
Sunday’s Worship – We are open for live worship on Sundays at 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. We also “live-stream” our 10 a.m. service.
Video Viewing Options for Sunday’s mass. There are three different ways to view our videos: 1) our church website; 2) our Facebook page; and 3) our YouTube channel. See the links listed below.
Opportunities for Giving – there are several options that safely and efficiently expedite your generous donations: electronic bank transfers or automatic bank transfers via personal accounts or credit/debit cards; personal checks delivered by USPS; and our favorite through joining our giving family online through our website or at https://www.myEoffering.com with our secure vendor Church Envelope Budget Company, who provides you with yearly offering envelopes. Please do NOT leave any envelopes with checks/cash unattended at church mailboxes.
Next Sunday, June 26th at the 10 a.m. mass, our guest preacher will be The Rev. Canon Licia Affer, the Canon to the Ordinary (Bishop’s Assistant).
Sandwiches for St. George’s: Please bring your sandwiches to St. David’s west side parking lot each Wednesday morning from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m.
St. George’s Center has asked if St. David’s could provide lunch and dinner once a month to the community. If anyone is interested in helping out, please contact Joyce Parker at 561-312-2719
Hospitality Hour is scheduled after the 10:00 a.m. service – Hosted by Joyce Parker and Marianne Davidson. Next Sunday, July 3 will be hosted by the Vestry.
Altar Flowers and Candles: We will have a bag on the credenza to collect all flower and candle donations for upcoming Sundays. If you would like to donate for altar flowers for memorials and celebrations, please put your check for $40 with a request showing the date you want altar flowers and the reason for your donation into the bag. If you want to donate candles, please put your check for $20 and request showing date and reason for donation. Do not put flower and candle requests in offering plates.
Sunday school is in operation with the necessary protocols in place.
Forward Day by Day brochures for next quarter are now available in the narthex. Donation $3.00.
Tuesdays: Holy Eucharist 8:30 a.m.
Wednesdays: Holy Eucharist and Rosary 6:30 p.m.
PLEASE PRAY: For the sick: Alice, Baldwin, Barbara, Beth, Bradley, Carol, Carolyn, Donna, Doris, Doug, Edna, Gina, Grace, Jacob, James, Jayden, Jeanne, Jill, Joaquin, Jory, Kenzie, Manuel, Michael, Miguel, Parker, Patricia, Predrag, Rachel, Sharon, Steve, Sue, Susan, Tracy, Violet, William. For birthday celebrations: Marie Pierre-Paul, Dan Grubb, Zane Hawk, Dr. Kitonga Kiminyo, Joyce Richardson, Leona Rozzi, Jacquie Murray. For anniversary celebrations: Douglas and Joy Noe, Danny and Carol Sneade. For our expectant mothers: Aubrey and Sarah.
Our YouTube Channel – https://www.youtube.com/c/SaintDavidsinthePinesWellingtonFL
