It’s September, and so many things are happening! It’s fun and overwhelming and a little scary and a little bit confusing, but that’s alright…even though we may feel a little tired with all the excitement.

The children have gone back to school. The little ones will be starting preschool next week. Every day when I drive to work now, every street corner has at least a dozen children waiting for the bus with their parents, their backpacks, their masks…it’s the new normal, isn’t it?

Who knows what adventures this school year will bring? 

Who knows what adventures the program year ahead will hold for Epiphany?

Your discernment committee* is doing their work of prayerful consideration of possible candidates to be your next rector. They are guided by what they learned in the process of the survey and focus groups where you could share your thoughts about God’s will for Epiphany in the years to come. I’ll be explaining the process in more detail after our 10 am service on Sunday, September 19^th so please do come to that event with questions in hand. Nadia mentioned in our announcement of this event that I wrote the book on the process we now use…I actually did. Our process, which has evolved a good bit from what it was even five years ago, has been amply tested and validated in practice…over a hundred calls have been made using the process, and it is a good tool that reflects the current realities of clergy calls and parish life. Keep the committee in your prayers as they do their work – they’re a great team!

Your Servanthood Development Team has already mailed you pledge packets. For those who are new to this process, here’s the scoop: we ask you to contribute to the parish and to indicate what you think you will be able to give by filling out a pledge card. We use this information to develop our budget for the coming year. While we are blessed to have income streams from wonderful tenants and renters, your giving is what makes it possible for us to be able to change lives in these changing times. We’d encourage all to pledge, even if you’re nervous about a financial commitment right now. This is a sacramental act: it’s an “outward and visible sign” that you are committed to our common life and ministry here at Epiphany. Even if you haven’t pledge before, isn’t it time for you to begin to do so, to support the ministries this parish provides not only to you but to the larger community?

Your CYFM team has prepared a smart, exciting, and flexible plan for Sunday school for the fall, knowing we’ve got to be ready for just about anything – and seeing the kids connecting to each other and to Christ is one of the other “outward and visible signs” of changing lives in these changing times.

There’s more – so MUCH more – but this Hump Day Message is already a bit longer than we’d like. So if you’re having a wonderful day, thanks be to God! If you’re having a hard day, I have three words for you. Two words that will remind you how exciting this coming Sunday will be: KONA ICE TRUCK! Thanks to Kathleen B for helping make that happen for fellowship after the service – it’s the perfect and sweet way to say we’re ready for all the adventure of changing lives in these changing times!

Be blessed and be a blessing,

Mary+

*Ryan Hale (chair); Art Buck; Sally Campbell; Don Brill; Bill Forbes; Elaine Perry; Richard Durkin, and alternates Adam Yeany and Jeff Gilmore.