Looking Ahead to Whitsunday: Wear White! Celebrate Baptism! Give Thanks for Past Clergy!

May 20, 2019 Uncategorized

After the spectacular Garden Party, our next centennial celebration will be a liturgical one: a Whitsunday service on June 9^th. The day we now refer to as Pentecost was for many years called Whitsunday—a contracted version of the words “White Sunday.” Pentecost/Whitsunday is one of the four days in the church calendar that are particularly appropriate for baptisms, and those being baptized typically wear white.

At our 10:30 service on Whitsunday, we will baptize little Rachel Edquist. At both services, we will also give thanks in our prayers for the clergy who have served St. Andrew’s over the past 100 years. We extended invitations to all former clergy to join us on June 9^th, but unfortunately so far none of them is able to join us in person. See below for notes we have received from some of those clergy.

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Dear Anne,

I arrived at St. Andrew’s just in time for its 75th anniversary, but the 100th anniversary is so much bigger – a major milestone in the life of the parish! Countless lives have been blessed through this parish for an entire century – and the journey continues!

Thank you so much for the gracious invitation to join in the celebration by preaching at the 10:30 a.m. service on the Day of Pentecost. I am deeply honored by the invitation. However, several months ago, Maria and I committed to a family reunion on that same weekend.

Although we will not be physically present for the celebration, we will be keeping you and the entire parish in our prayers. May the Lord richly bless St. Andrew’s as it begins its second century!

Faithfully,
Rob+

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Anne –

I received your invitation to celebrate St. Andrew’s anniversary with you, and am so sorry I won’t be able to join in the festivities. My sister is retiring as rector of Holy Cross Episcopal Church in Shreveport, and June 9th is her last Sunday, so John & I are traveling to Shreveport that week-end.

St. Andrew’s is a wonderful parish, and John & I both loved the years we were part of that community. I’m sure the ministries you offer in Newport News and beyond will continue to thrive for another 100 years and more.

Blessings,

Betty

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Dear Anne,

Greetings from Maine.

I was once an associate priest there and you invited me to the grand 100th anniversary. Thank you, what a great time it will be.

I so wanted to come, but after much thought and working with calendars it is apparent that it cannot work out for me at this time. It would be such a joy to see the wonderful people of St. Andrew’s. It is a wonderful and blessed place and will always be a special place in my heart.

Blessings,

Peter Jenks