At the 5 p.m. Eucharist, we will have the Blessing of the Animals. Friends, this will be great fun and a little bit new. Come learn about St. Francis and bring your four-legged, or winged, slithering, or even stuffed friend to the service. This service will be special as we will also be blessing the K9s and their handlers who serve our community in the Forest Acres Police Department. May God bless them and keep them safe.

Growing up around the water, I have learned a lot about hurricanes. From hurricanes in the Pacific to hurricanes along the Gulf, I have learned to respect them. I have also learned that when the storm has passed, we should look for the helpers. We look for them because in their hands and feet, in their effort for their neighbor, we see the work of Christ. Today, I give thanks for all of you and I give thanks for the helpers.

The other day as I thought about Lazarus and my own giving, I came to a conclusion. When I am giving out of gratefulness and generosity, I tend to notice more. In my life, giving tends to open my eyes to need. When I am in a giving mode, I see the poor and am more compassionate; I see the hungry and am driven to feed; and I see injustice and am more willing to stand up to it. I think giving allows me to see the world through a more Christian lens because giving helps to orient my heart toward love.

Please consider your giving to St. Martin's. Your giving helps us to work in the community, touch people's lives, and so much more! Together, this year we airlifted clothes and bedding to Ukraine, re-built a Habitat House, sent pilgrims to Spain and so much more. Your giving and your participation in the ministries of this church are what makes our community so strong.

Sausage and eggs, grits, biscuits, breakfast casseroles, juice, and coffee! It's Parish Breakfast time. This Sunday after our 8 a.m. service and before our Jazz Mass at 10:30 a.m., we will host our parishwide breakfast. You are invited.

I want to hear from you. How can St. Martin's bring the Gospel to you during this changing time? How can we better distribute information? Let me know.

For the fourth time, we have "won" The Free-Times Best House of Worship in Columbia award. I put "won" in quotation marks because the idea of churches competing against each other does not sit well with me. On the other hand, being recognized by readers, voters, and folks like you means a lot. So what makes a good church great?

And I hope that you are as excited about our future as I am. Our church is healthy and our future is bright. I believe that as long as we keep Christ as the center of our common life together, the Holy Spirit will continue to bless us with remarkable fruit.

On Aug. 14, we will have a parish breakfast between services. During breakfast, there will be time to talk, eat, and have some fellowship time together. Also, during the breakfast, we will start to share the calendar for the upcoming program year, including new Bible studies, programs, and service opportunities. This upcoming program calendar is going to be packed for people of all ages.

It's ALL HAPPENING. Yesterday and today, St. Martin's staff have been meeting, planning and getting ready for our upcoming program year. We have been putting together a full and exciting schedule.

Our Gospel is a Gospel of love and acceptance. It is a Gospel where Jesus literally says, "Let the children come to me." Vacation Bible School is a way that we live into that call. Thank you to all who have taught our children about the love of Christ, and God's presence in their lives. It has been a special week.

As the upcoming school year approaches at breakneck speed, I find myself inexplicably feeling a bit rushed. After two years of not traveling, I feel an urge to make up for lost time. I want to take my family to the beach and to the mountains. I want to go on hikes, fish, and enjoy an adventure. I am sure I am not alone in this. If you have the time, I encourage you to explore, but as always, I invite you to come back.

I have such great memories of Vacation Bible School. I remember playing games with friends. I remember the older students I looked up to with such awe, wondering in my mind, "Will I ever be big like them?" I remember VBS-themed snacks, meals, and even some of the songs and prayers. I wonder, do you remember?

I pray that you all are well and that you are able to enjoy some summertime adventures. Taking time for rest and self-care is important. If it has been a while since you have been to church, I invite you to come back. I believe maintaining our spirit is as important as maintaining a healthy mind and body. Have you taken some time to nurture your soul?

This Sunday is Pentecost Sunday. On this day, we celebrate the gift of the Holy Spirit given to each and every one of us. During this celebration we also will baptize six people into a life in Christ, into the shared baptismal waters of our faith. After the baptisms, we will commission our pilgrims as they prepare to head to Spain to walk the Camino de Santiago. I hope that you will each have the opportunity to attend.

I pledge to try to be a part of a solution that saves lives, but like many of you, I feel helpless. I pledge to try to move from beneath the pall. I lament my anguish to God because I am angry. I pray that this time the voices of the victims will be heard, for it is only in that hearing that the stain of the sin of inaction can be washed away by the waters of our baptisms. Perhaps then the pall can be lifted and the vanity will be gone.

I want to take some time as we celebrate Youth Sunday to say thank you to our many, many youth volunteers. Thank you to our Godly Play teachers, Children's Chapel leaders, 4th and 5th grade Sunday school teachers, middle school and high school teachers, youth group volunteers, Royal School of Church Music volunteers, acolyte masters, and the many of you who work behind the scenes to ensure that we have a Christ-centered, safe, and fun environment for our youth. The youth are not the future of our church -- they are a part of our present.