Changes

Fr. Daniel had advised me Friday of a change in the appearance at the entrance to the Narthex, without particulars, so I was prepared to see changes this morning. Except when we arrived, I remembered how the parking lot has been filling up of late and decided to park down by the entrance off Avondale Road, so we'd entered the Parish Hall without seeing this change. A few minutes later I remembered and walked up with the pocket camera...

...to find the trees that had flanked and were swamping the entrance gone. The space looks a little bare to my eyes, but a significant improvement overall. If it was the Garden Guild who was responsible, Kudos!!!

On a different topic, I've noticed that the turnout for the 9 AM Bible Study has fallen off. A pity, because we go through an in-depth study into several of the Collect, Epistle, Gospel, Morning Prayer OT & NT Lessons for the Sunday. In other words it's a topical, not a "progressive", study in which we go back to old commentaries and the Church Fathers among other sources. One can come in "cold" and learn a lot that will make the readings during the subsequent service much more relevant to our lives. Fr. Daniel is providing an excellent program here -- if he'll let me I'll even talk about it during "announcements" some Sunday. If you're not attending, you're missing something important.

And as regards the first annual Diocese of the Western States Family Camp, we wore our camp t-shirts to church today (FAR more informal than my custom, but in a good cause). I'm pleased to announce an increased interest at St. Bartholomew's in attending next year's camp; I intend to print out some of my photos (still to be put online) for next Sunday to give folks a feel for the occasion.

And if anyone wouldn't attend for lack for camping gear, my wife and I assessed our equipment and realized that outside of flashlights/bedding/cookware, we have all the hardware needed for another family to attend as tent-campers. We could even offer the "three-room tent" I grew up with for our smaller dome if someone else needed the space/divisions.