The long summer season - Rector's Rambling for June 10, 2018

The long summer season is now upon us and the neighborhood will be as busy as ever.  The picture here is a bit dated.  It was taken from Comerica Park before the parking garage was built.  On any given Tigers home game day, the neighborhood around us is bustling, as well as for shows at the Fox Theatre and concerts at the Little Caesars Arena.  Add to that the uptick in new housing available and occupied in the neighborhood, and this Piety Hill area (the old name for this neighborhood) has certainly come back to life with joggers, walkers with strollers and pets, and those coming and going on their bikes.  It is a big change from 10 years ago.

Here at St. John’s, I used to say that things slowed down for the summer.  But, in fact, the busyness just changes.  Instead of Sunday School and Guilds/Organizations meeting regularly, we have summer projects and programs.  In July we celebrate our nation’s birth, send students and staff to the St. Michael’s Conference for Youth, and end the month with a day in celebration of our founders.  Regular weekly Evening Prayer will also be scheduled mid-July onward at the Prayer Wall as a chance to be out and seen as the community is busy around us.

Summer is a time for travel and recreation.  My family will be taking a few days away this summer to refresh and regroup.  And as always, I implore you to take the opportunity to visit a church or two if you are away on holiday, and be sure to bring back a worship bulletin or other information about the church so we can see what others are doing in Jesus’ name.

But if Sunday morning finds you in the area, then I hope that you will make the effort to come down to Church to worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.  Although the choir is only at quartet strength, the music is still wonderful, the Gospel powerful, the Sacrament Grace-filled, and the fellowship welcoming.

And I hope that while home, or while traveling, you will keep current on your pledge to the parish.  Although the parish income is never considered “straight line”, expecting the same amount each week, the bills expect to be paid regularly throughout the summer months.  In addition to dropping it in the collection plate on Sunday, if you are away, you can always put a stamp on your giving envelope and drop it in a mailbox, and it will get to us that way.