This Week from Mitch

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

For the last two years, COVID has drastically changed how we go about being church. In some ways, amid the myriad of emotions, each of us felt St. Martin's felt both rushed and slow at the same time. We rushed to get streaming services up, we rushed to do online formation, build apps for pilgrimages, erect a tent, and create outside worship space. At the same time fellowship in its traditional sense stopped. This year as we have gathered for our trick or trunk, our St. Martin's day dinner, newcomers dinners, visitor dinners, Fat Tuesday, Wednesday night soup suppers, and our agape meal, there has been a real feeling of celebration. We longed to hang out, have fun, and celebrate. Scripture tells us that Jesus was made known to us in both the "breaking of the bread and in the prayers." I believe this to mean that Jesus is made known to us whenever we intentionally break bread together. It can be at the Eucharist and it can be in fun and fellowship.

Next Saturday the 14th we will have a chance to break bread together and have fun! We will celebrate our youth program with a parish party and dance. I hope that you will dress up and come. I hope that you will play and dance and enjoy. I also hope that you will come prepared to donate to the youth program! A parish can not be healthy without a healthy youth program. The two go hand and hand. This Sunday we will celebrate mothers and then over the course of our next two Sundays, we will celebrate our children and the opportunities we are striving to give them. Our commitment to our youth now is an investment in our church's future.

In Christ,

Mitch+