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On the last Sunday in June, Bishop Shannon Johnston,
our Diocesan Bishop, and The Rev. Ed Jones came to St
Peter’s for the Bishop’s annual visitation. Bishop
Johnston participated in a prayer walk through Port
Royal before the service, and we prayed at various spots
throughout the town. We made stops at both Shiloh
Baptist Church and Memorial Baptist and prayed with
members at both churches. And down on the pier, as
we headed back toward church and the close of the
prayer walk, we remembered our baptisms as we
prayed while looking out over the Rappahannock River.

Myrtle Samuels, mother of Andrea Pogue, died in July and we held her funeral at St Peter’s and
hosted a reception afterward for her family. Thank you to all who participated in making
Andrea’s family welcome at St Peter’s during this sad time.

In August, the Diocesan ECW Board came to St Peter’s for their board meeting and greatly
enjoyed their welcome from Cookie Davis, who prepared for them, and the beauty of our
space. Bishop Shannon granted us permission to observe The Season of Creation for five
th
weeks, beginning on September 1 and ending on St Francis Day, October 4 . The goal of this
season in worship was to deepen our understanding of God as Creator, to celebrate God’s role
as Creator, and to examine, deepen and widen our own relationships with God, creation, and
with one another. With the Bishop’s permission, we used the Eucharistic Prayer, “We Give
Thanks” which I put together and is unique to St Peter’s. This Eucharistic Prayer highlights the
role of God as Creator and Jesus dwelling in nature as one of us to bring us abundant life.

The Season of Creation observance came to
an end on Wednesday, October 4, St Francis’
Day. Before the Village Dinner, Susan Tilt led
an art project, and Catherine designed a
Stations of the Cross that drew attention to
familiar pieces of the natural world around St
Peter’s. Several dogs showed up for the
blessing of the pets, and a hermit crab got
blessed as well.

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