Dear friends in Christ,

Happy Easter!!! Wow – is this Easter season ever full! Here are 5 things I want to reflect about a bit with you:

· The Preserving Our Past by Planning Our Future Campaign is in full swing! There have been many, many people doing so much to make this successful. Our calls have been experiences of pure grace, as you – the people of St. Peter’s – have contributed so generously and joyfully. I am humbled and thankful. We are well on our way to preserving this great Jewel of Centre Street!
The Campaign Dinner was a great occasion and a joyful time. Thank you to all who attended, and to all who helped produce this great event!
Thank you also to all who have made sacrificial commitments to the campaign. If you haven’t had a chance to do so yet, please welcome your fellow parishioner who calls you to arrange a visit. You’ll be moved by the good news!

· Last month, Lisa Flores announced to us that she has accepted a call to Christ Church, Grosse Point, Michigan. We wish her Godspeed as she continues to spread her wings as a priest in the Church. Her last day with us will be Sunday, June 3 – and we’ll have a big party (St. Peter’s style) to wish her well that night at 6:00 p.m. More info coming!!

· I am overjoyed to announce that I have invited Kimberly Still to become the next Assistant Rector of St. Peter’s. Kimberly visited with us over Easter weekend, and had a chance to meet a few folks. She is a Candidate for Holy Orders from Christ Church, Ponte Vedra Beach, and has just graduated with a Masters of Divinity from the School of Theology, Sewanee, Tennessee.
Kimberly will be ordained Deacon on May 27 at 5:00 p.m. at St. John’s Cathedral in Jacksonville. I hope as many of you as are able will attend this glorious celebration. She will begin her ministry with us on July 1, 2007.
(more…)

Dear friends,

In 1998-2000, the Blessings Upon Blessings campaign enabled St. Peter’s to complete the facilities which make our campus the ideal setting for the ministries that make up our mission. Now, in 2007, we are poised to further care for some more of our facilities, and prepare us for 2008 – our Sesquicentennial Celebration!!!

For 3 years, the Vestry of St. Peter’s has been discussing when the right time and right emphases would be for us to embark on a capital campaign. Several months ago, we decided the time is NOW and the emphases are clear. We engaged a professional firm to move us through a feasibility study to determine financial parameters, as well as a careful listening process about the priorities and desires of the members of this fine parish. The study is over, the recommendations have been made, and the Vestry – at the March 12 meeting – unanimously endorsed moving forward immediately to do this.
(more…)

Dear friends in Christ,

I attended the funeral recently of a wonderful priest named Fr. Jack Flynn from Jacksonville (golfers – this is obviously a different Jack Flynn, who is very much alive!). At this moving service, we sang Hymn #10, which I hadn’t sung before. John Keble, a 19th century English priest, wrote the words. Here is the last verse:

Only, O Lord, in thy dear love,
Fit us for perfect rest above;
And help us, this and every day,
To live more nearly as we pray.
(more…)

Dear fellow seekers of the Messiah,

Almost everyone could give a decent answer to the question, “what is the meaning of Christmas?” Answers like, “the baby Jesus was born, the Word became flesh, God became human, God is like Santa Claus and rewards us for being good boys and girls and punishes us for being bad (nope – that’s NOT right!!), etc.” would be given.

How about Epiphany? I wonder how people would answer the question – “what is the significance of Epiphany?” The scriptural description is - that is when the kings from the East arrived to give gifts to the newborn king. It is when people who were NOT Jews recognized Jesus as the Messiah.
(more…)

Dear friends – especially those making New Year Resolutions,

Did you know that neither your salvation nor your standing as a beloved child of God is AT ALL dependent on whether or not you attend church on Sundays?

But here’s what does happen when you attend church at St. Peter’s on Sundays:

· You experience world-class preaching.
· You come into the holy presence of God.
· You take part in the Body of Christ re-assembling.
· You partake in the heavenly banquet – receiving the Real Presence of Jesus Christ.
· You avail yourself of numerous opportunities to be formed as a Christian person.
· You show your children/spouse/family/friends that it is a high priority to be here on Sunday.
· You may share a five-star breakfast with some of the finest people in Nassau County.
(more…)