Saint Andrew’s Net | February 2005 | Vol. XX No. 1 | Page 1

I am sitting here thinking about our Annual meeting, which we had last week, and am once again grateful to all of you for your love and support in our first year together. Much was accomplished in that year and a lot of that had to do with all of your ministries. As this New Year begins, I look forward to continuing our journey, hoping and praying that we continue to grow not only in numbers, but more importantly, spiritually.

Lent is just around the corner and that means the Sunday evening Lenten Program will soon be with us. Last year I went to a conference called “Via Media,” and I though this would be great for our Lenten Program. Via Media is Latin for “middle way,” which is a claim made for the Episcopal Church, and Anglicans in general. We, as the Episcopal Church, are a middle way between the Catholic and Protestant traditions—a bridge between them. This program can be used as a tool for evangelism, but it can also be a tool for those of us who have been Episcopalians our whole life. Do you ever get confused about what it is we really believe? Have you always felt like you’re the only one who feels that way? Do you feel like being challenged? If so, then this is the program for you. Now, this is not like the confirmation classes that you went through. This program will speak to your heart. I hope you can join me as we search to
find out who we are and whom we belong to.

I am also pleased to announce to you that we are going to be involved, over the course of this year, in a diocesan program called “The ABCs of Natural Church Development.” In this program we will be looking at the eight quality characteristics of growing churches. I will be attending the first meeting on Feb. 26, and will have more information for you after that.

One last thing: Starting on Wednesday, Feb. 16, we will be starting a weekly Bible study at 11 a.m., followed by Eucharist at noon. I hope that those of you who can attend will be able to make it to one or both of those weekly events.
There is much for us to do this coming year. I am excited about sharing with each other and with those in our community.