St. Dunstan's Weekly Message 
June 9, 2010       

Come to A Good, Old Fashioned..... 4^th of July Picnic

I remember 4^th of July family gatherings from my childhood with great affection. We would gather at Uncle Joe's farm with four generations of cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents and great grandparents. Joe's farm had almonds, cotton and dairy cows, so there was a lot going on. It was great fun for a city kid like me.

Great Grandma Sally would sit in the kitchen directing the cooking. She was like a queen, with her four daughters, one son and all their spouses, children, and grandchildren in attendance. We had as many as 80 people some years. We would set up picnic tables in the back yard, and games in the front yard. Games included sack races, tug-of-war, raw egg toss, water balloon toss, horse shoes, the works. In many ways, our family gatherings reminded me of the town picnics in a Mark Twain story, complete with the teenagers sneaking smokes behind the barn.

Well, times may have changed, but we can still have a good, old fashioned 4^th of July picnic. This year the 4^th falls on a Sunday, so we're going to have a picnic after the service. We'll set up tables for potluck food on the lawn next to the lower parking lot. We'll also have games. I'm not sure we'll be tossing raw eggs around but we'll definitely have some fun! Be sure to mark your calendar and come to St. Dunstan's Church on July 4^th.

Last week I wrote that we'd be doing something on August 1^st, but we've decided to move that to our kickoff Sunday in the fall. So, on September 12^th we will replace the liturgy of the Table with the liturgy of the Grill! We'll hold the entire worship service on the lawn next to the lower parking lot, using the shorter Morning Prayer service, and finish up with another potluck picnic and grill. This will be a full-on summer picnic event with games and food and (God willing) warm sunny weather. We're working on some special music for the event as well.

These are great events for inter-generational fun. I have a five-generation picture from one of the last family gatherings I attended years ago. In that picture, my son Tom is being held by Great Grandma Sally. Behind her is my Grandma Ginny, my mom Kay, and my wife Alice. We may not be able to match five generations this time, but we can come close! Let's invite kids, grandkids, friends and neighbors to come and join us in a patriotic picnic.

Your brother in Christ,

The Rev. David Marshall

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In the prophet Elijah and in Jesus Christ, God does great works. God’s reign of compassion and love breaks into this broken world. But God does not work at the level of Kings and governments. God comes to the most vulnerable and weak. God comes to the people who are on the margins. God comes to the invisible people.

Listen to last Sunday's Sermon.

When you are completely sure you are right, or when you are completely sure someone else is wrong, perhaps you should be careful. Perhaps you should think again, or ask for another perspective. In next Sunday's lessons we hear of people who are so sure of themselves, so sure that they are right, only to find themselves at odds with God's will. As you read these lessons, avoid the temptation to think about King Ahab or the Pharisees as "them". How have you (and I) been so sure of ourselves that we allow others to suffer? How have you (and I) been so sure of the sins of others that we have failed to see our own? These are the kinds of questions that these powerful, dramatic stories allow (or challenge) us to consider.

Read the full lessons here.

Sunday: Holy Eucharist, 8:00 AM, Henry Chapel & 9:30 AM, St. Dunstan's Church

Wednesday: Holy Eucharist, 10:00 AM, St. Dunstan's.

Families With Children. At the 9:30 service we offer Sunday School for kindergarten through middle school children. We also offer nursery care for babies and toddlers not yet ready for Sunday School. Our teachers are dedicated to the safety and Christian education of your children using a lectionary based curriculum called Seasons of the Spirit. Children come back to the service for communion. Children are always welcome in the service.

eBay Auction Begins Wednesday, June 9!  Check out our auction catalog and item details by searching on the following titles:  Oak End/Coffee Tables; REI Backpack w/Nalgene Hydration; Tivo Box Series 2 (Model TCD540080); Coach Handbag (Black); Noritake Colby/Blue on Edge Fine China Set - Pattern #5032; Antique (?) Curio Stand; Pfaff Smart 350p Needle Felting Machine; Brookstone Tournament Edition Dart Board with Cabinet; Ceramic Chess Set.  Want to bid or buy but don't have an eBay account?  Contact Diana Rall (dtoshiba@comcast.net - 206-660-9156).

Medieval Murder Mystery & Auction September 17!  The Stewardship Committee is planning this funding raising murder mystery dinner and auction to raise operating funds.  The mystery play will be set in the time of St. Dunstan.  In addition to "Medieval" cuisine, the plan is to auction 4-5 high-ticket items, for example:  Dinner/Movie/Hotel for 2; a weekend or week's accommodation at a resort or holiday spot; wine cellar collection; spa package, ski package, etc.  How can you help?  Do you have business/merchant contacts that might be willing to donate items or services?  Do you have a vacation/resort condo or home that you would be willing to donate for a weekend or a week?  Would you like to participate in the play or help cook or serve?  We'll need actors, musicians, costumes, props, cooks, servers, etc.  Please contact Dawn Miller (kris ten@live.com) or Diana Rall (dtoshiba@comcast.net - 206-660-9156).