Dear Friends,

I am writing this on the Fourth Day of Christmas, which is also the Feast of Holy Innocents, one of the stories that can get lost in the shuffle of the week between Christmas and New Year’s. But if you come to the one service on New Year’s Day at 10:00 am, we will celebrate the Holy Name of Jesus, AND you will get to hear the story of Herod’s paranoid reaction to the birth of Jesus and how it was thwarted. You’ll also hear other readings and poems and the carols that go with them.

The following Sunday, January 8, is The Baptism of our Lord, and we will have a baptism at the 11:00 am service that day.

As I mentioned last week, we have renegotiated the Interim Rector Covenant of Ministry, which will increase my time commitment starting January 1st. I will continue to take Mondays off, and normally plan to be in the office Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. I’m adding Friday but will work from home that day or use it for pastoral visits.

Kudos to our staff and volunteers who managed to make Christmas Eve seem somewhat normal, despite frozen pipes and flooded spaces.

I’m grateful to Leslie Sackett and all the kids who memorized parts for the Nativity Play, and to Hannah and Brian and all the choristers and choir members who prepared such lovely music of the season – some new and some old favorites. And lest we start taking them for granted, gratitude to JT Quanbeck and Steve Walton, who keep the live-stream streaming for those unable to join us in person for worship.

Dag Hammarskjöld, the second Secretary-General of the UN, wrote this in his diary at New Year, and I conclude with it:

For all that has been—Thanks!

To all that shall be—Yes!

Fr. Sherman