On The Table

Dear Church:

With apologies to the bunch of hard-working folk who braved the heat last week to do some landscaping at the Benedictine monastery nearby, it looks like we'll be enjoying some cooler temperatures and clear skies this Sunday morning, September 2 at 10am as we gather there to celebrate the anniversary of our church, and to walk a labyrinth together.

Immediately following the time of worship, we'll be having a picnic on the grounds there to extend our Eucharist. The Amazing Kate has graciously volunteered to coordinate the plans, and has asked everyone to bring some meat (or meat-like substance) for the grill, and a dish to share. You also might want to bring a chair or blanket to sit on, both for the picnic and the labyrinth.

So we hope you can join us at this beautiful oasis in the 'burbs of Bristow, VA . (a note about driving: Google maps produced a rather jacked-up, confusing route for me, but Israel-- the friendly man, not the nation-state-- suggested a more straightforward route: exit 66 at Lee Hwy/29, head south, then take a left onto Linton Hall Road/619. The monastery doesn't have any blatant signage, but you will probably notice the giant Baptist church with huge lettering on your right. The monastery is directly across Linton Hall. Once you get on the grounds, head left at the main building toward the twin white grain silos at the end of the property.)

Next week (September 9th), we'll be gathering at our place in Falls Church for a celebration of baptism! We'll be coming around Lucretia and Alyssa as they celebrate the new life they have been given, and to pledge ourselves to them as they continue to live after Jesus. Please pray that the pool stays relatively warm, and rest assured that there is a (brand-new!) Chipotle just up the hill. So our normal liturgy won't be interrupted that much.

Hope everyone has a nice, relaxing holiday weekend.

Mike Stavlund

Labels: baptism, labyrinth