Rector’s Update: Parish Meeting this Sunday
Above: I can’t wait to be with almost 300 of you, October 7-8, at our Fall Retreat. Please remember that we will not have church services on Quincy Street on Sunday, Oct. 8th. If you will not be with us at the retreat, I hope you can worship at one of our partner churches in the area: Christ the King in Alexandria, Incarnation in South Arlington, or The Falls Church Anglican on Route 50.
Dear Restoration,
“For we know how dearly God loves us, because He has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with His love.” Romans 5:5 (NLT)
We have started a new section of Paul’s letter to the Romans.
In chapter 5, Paul labors to help the church understand their suffering. It is a weighty task for the church in every age: How do we make sense of our pain and the suffering of the world? Is God aware of it? Is He redeeming it? How is it changing me? How does God sustain me with hope and love in the midst of it?
All of us ask these questions… often daily! Scott did a marvelous job connecting us to both the hope God gives in this passage and a very tangible experience of it in the life of a family that Restoration dearly loves. You can hear ‘Implications’, here.
I will pick up the story on Sunday and invite us to get our hearts and heads around the mind-blowing idea that “because one person obeyed God, many will be made righteous.” Paul declares, “Christ’s one act of righteousness brings a right relationship with God and new life for everyone.” (Romans 5:18-19, NLT) I look forward to celebrating this good news with you!
Parish Meeting on Sunday, October 1 at 12:45pm
About three times a year the leadership of Restoration calls for a Parish Meeting. We want to keep close connection with you. It’s an opportunity to share about our financial health, to update you about recent news, and to dialogue about future plans and opportunities. We can’t do all of that during worship, but it’s important information for you to know. I love these gatherings of our parish because you get to hear from other leaders on our vestry and staff. Restoration is led well as we follow our Good Shepherd.
At this particular meeting, we want to tell you how fiscal year 2023 closed out. (We started Fy24 on September 1.) We also want to talk with you about the growth Resto is experiencing. We are grateful for the opportunity to help so many people, of all ages, connect to God, to others, and the needs of the world. We are honored that God would entrust us to steward an abundance of good things. On Sunday, we would love to hear your questions and to invite your prayers as we respond to Him.
Please stay after the 11 or come back after the 9. The meeting will start at 12:45pm in the sanctuary and we will have childcare for kids 5th grade and below on the first floor. Do you have a question or comment that you want to make sure we cover? Shoot me a note.
Boats!
Finally, one of the most fun activities at the fall retreat is the Saturday afternoon boat making and boat launching that occurs alongside the stream running through the retreat center. (Small boats *grin*.)
We are collecting milk cartons, yogurt containers, produce containers, and corks for boat making supplies. This Sunday, you will find a ‘boat’ in the narthex where you can place these used items that will be lovingly repurposed by dozens of young hands in the Fall Retreat Flotilla! Please bring donations if you got ’em!
See you on Sunday!
-David
