Dear friends in Christ,

Several themes in our life together these days deserve a bit of reflection:

· The Rev. Lisa Flores, after 2 terrific years with us, has moved to Christ Church in Grosse Pointe, Michigan. She touched our lives at St. Peter’s and we will miss her and pray for her continuing growth and service in the Episcopal Church (and her warmth when winter comes to Detroit!)
· The Rev. Kimberly Still – recently graduated from the School of Theology at Sewanee, and recently ordained deacon at St. John’s Cathedral in Jacksonville – will join us as Assistant Rector beginning July 1. She will have similar duties and responsibilities as Lisa, though with more of a concentration on Pastoral Care.

Saying “Hello” and saying “Goodbye” are two of the very most important things we do, so we MUST do them well. I feel like we did a marvelous job of saying goodbye to Lisa, and I hope and trust – in typical St. Peter’s style – we’ll do a wonderful job of saying hello to Kimberly. Please introduce yourself to her (and keep wearing your nametags!) and think of ways you can make her feel welcome to St. Peter’s and Fernandina Beach. We will have opportunities soon to meet and greet her together.

Speaking of saying important things, I want to say THANK YOU and WOW!!! to all of you wonderfully generous and faithful people of St. Peter’s!

· You put us over the top in our “Preserving Our Past and Planning Our Future” Giving Campaign. On Sunday, June 10 we dedicated and blessed the pledges we had received, and celebrated that day that we were barely under our minimum goal of $1.45 million. As of this writing, we have surpassed that, and continuing to move into the “stretch” area. All of the gifts and pledges we receive will accomplish our stated goals, and everything over our minimum goal will go toward the endowments of our maintenance and cemetery funds, as well as 10% going to giving beyond our walls. Those of you who have not completed your decision about pledging, please do so as soon as you are able. We’re counting on you!
· The week of June 6-10, St. Peter’s campus was transformed into the Land of Narnia as we lived into the program called “Aslan is on the Move”. A total of about 90 people – from mere months old to 80 years old – participated in this intergenerational program using the C.S. Lewis classic, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. It was incredible! This was truly Christian formation, as all of us there were taken to a new place in our Christian journey. Thank you to ALL who helped so much, and especially to Kristina Smith who put the whole thing together!
· Along with these exciting items, we also have been saddened at the deaths of several people in our St. Peter’s community. Life seems to be that way, doesn’t it? We have highs and lows; mountaintops and deep, deep valleys. Wherever we are, and whatever befalls us – we are accompanied by the One who loves us and has promised to be with us always, even to the end of the age. And it is the frosting on the cake to also be accompanied by you – the faithful and loving pilgrims who are St. Peter’s. God bless you!!!

Peace in Christ, George+