Dear Friends,

One of the courses I took in seminary was about the effect of chemical dependence and addiction on family systems. I knew my own family system had stories to tell, because I could remember as a 10-year-old watching my mom flush an entire bottle of Pinch scotch down the toilet. It had been a Christmas gift to my parents from friends.

The class made me curious. I wrote my father: What was alcohol use like in my dad’s family, since communion wine was the only alcohol we knew about? He wrote back a seven-page letter describing his dad’s weekend binges, and I began to understand how our family system had responded.

Recovery Sunday is one way that we as a community acknowledge the many who struggle with addiction and those who seek to recover from addiction. All of our lives have been touched by this reality. We are grateful to Kevin Warren, who is the coordinator, and Margaret Thiele, who will be preaching.

As we continue to inch toward normal life, providing childcare is a key requirement for families with small children. Leslie Sackett will be holding a Childcare Open House on Sunday, September 18th. Watch for more details this week.

“Keep coming back. It works!”

Fr. Sherman