WEEKLY RECTOR’S MESSAGE – September 12th – Fr. Thomas

After a great amount of difficulty and frustration, a young couple finally conceived their first child – in fact, the mother was carrying triplets. Her doctors insisted that she stay in bed for the duration of her pregnancy. After their friends learned the exciting news, flowers, notes, and cards filled their small house. After church, the pastor said to the husband, “We’ll be praying for you two in these next few months.” The husband’s response caught the pastor a little off guard. “Good,” he said, “And we’re going to hold all of those who prayed for us responsible.”

Although the reply was meant to be in jest, it reflects an important understanding about prayer. Prayer is not the wrestling of favors and gifts from a stingy God. Prayer is about trying to understand and accept God’s will for us. True prayer is seeking God’s will in all things – to give thanks for what God has given us by sharing those gifts with one another; to treasure His love and forgiveness and reconciliation.

The English saint Thomas More wrote, “Give us the grace, O Lord to work for what we pray for.” So, what prayers are we willing to work for? Our prayerful ACTS (an acronym for Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication) are the way to living a closer life in the Spirit and being more effective in our discipleship. Prayer is not a spare wheel we take out only when needed; it’s the steering wheel that directs us in the right path. So, pray to God, but keep rowing to the shore, because God promises a safe landing, not necessarily a smooth passage.

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Sunday’s Worship – We are open for live worship on Sundays at 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. We also “live-stream” our 10 a.m. service.

Video Viewing Options for Sunday’s mass. There are three different ways to view our videos: 1) our church website; 2) our Facebook page; and 3) our YouTube channel. See the links listed below.

Opportunities for Giving – there are several options that safely and efficiently expedite your generous donations: electronic bank transfers or automatic bank transfers via personal accounts or credit/debit cards; personal checks delivered by USPS; and our favorite through joining our giving family online through our website or at https://www.myEoffering.com with our secure vendor Church Envelope Budget Company, who provides you with yearly offering envelopes. Please do NOT leave any envelopes with checks/cash unattended at church mailboxes.

Sandwiches for St. George’s: Please bring your sandwiches to St. David’s west side paring lot each Thursday morning from 8:30 to 9:30 p.m.

Hospitality Hour is scheduled after the 10:00 a.m. mass – Daughters of the King.

Caribbean Sunday: Please join us for our 1st Caribbean Sunday service on October 24 at 10 a.m. We will have steel pan music with a Caribbean reception following the mass. Volunteers and donations are welcomed!

Shop with Scrip: Gift card fundraising is the best way to raise money. Start giving back to St. David’s the moment you buy a gift card with the RaiseRight mobile app today! You can join the program by downloading the app on your phone or go to www.ShopWithScrip.com on your computer. The enrollment code to set up your free family account is BB6656B177722. For more information, please pick up a flyer in the narthex, or email Kimberly Joy Castellotti-Ward at choiceplusrealestate@gmail.com

Altar Flowers and Candles: We will have a bag on the credenza to collect all flower and candle donations for upcoming Sundays. If you would like to donate for altar flowers for memorials and celebrations, please put your check for $40 with a request showing the date you want altar flowers and the reason for your donation into the bag. If you want to donate candles, please put your check for $20 and request showing date and reason for donation. Do not put flower and candle requests in offering plates.

Sunday School is still in operation with the necessary protocol in place.

Forward Day by Day brochures for the next quarter are now available in the narthex. Donation $3.00.

Tuesdays: Holy Eucharist 8:30 a.m.
Wednesdays: Holy Eucharist and Rosary 6:30 p.m.

PLEASE PRAY: For the sick: Aeneas, Alice, Barbara, Beth, Diana, Eliza, Jacob, Jayden, Jeanne, Jim, Manuel, Max, Michael, Miguel, Mike, Parker, Susan. For birthday celebrations: Charles Elmore, Gary Habib, Doreen Garrett, Anthony Ward, John Webber, Joseph Brabham, Isabelle Carter, Alex Morales. For our expectant mothers: Lauren, Meghan and Priya.

YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzWRA9VxChBQd5l6rf3kF3A