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Dear Friends,

I find that I am utterly at a loss for words as I sit down to write my final Rector’s Message in The Eagle.  Goodness, twenty years of these Epistles is quite a lot, and, as noted, I am simply not sure what more to say. 

No one could ever have asked to serve a finer Parish or finer people.  You have changed my life for the better, and I shall miss you terribly. 

I shall continue to hold Saint John’s in my prayers morning and evening until the good Lord calls me home.  I hope that you might perhaps remember me in yours.

The Reverend Robert L. Ficks III

Rector

Sunday School ~  Saint John’s Sunday School is open to all young people of the Parish, from the very, very smallest (who have nursery care provided by Cindy Koslosky) to those who are beginning nursery school and kindergarten up through fourth grade.  This year’s Sunday School begins on Sunday the 23^rd of September. The format of the Sunday School is one that divides the year into three sections. Each section is lead by a different group of volunteers from the Parish. Last year was the fourth year this format was used, and it seems, on all counts, to have proved quite successful.

The first Family Sunday (that one Sunday each month when the young people of the Parish join us in the Church for the entire service) will take place on Sunday, Sept. 30th.

5^th–8^Th Grade Youth Group  ~  The following details our efforts in crafting a program that will benefit and, hopefully, engage the members of Saint John’s in the 5^th -8^th grades. It is our observation that this group of young people is a growing segment of the population at Saint John’s and one that seems to be becoming quite cohesive as they participate in numerous activities together (i.e., Choir, Sunday School, Youth Group).

We are optimistic that the plan detailed below will add to that spirit of cohesion and lead the group to a new level of trust and friendship that will have broader implications for them as the years progress…whether simply in friendships which find their basis in the life of the Church or Youth Group Mission Trips together or activities planned at Saint John’s simply for fun or the support of aspects of our life here.

We hope you will agree and that, even more importantly, you will support us by insuring that there is time in the calendars of your child(ren) to accommodate their presence at these gatherings.

We welcome any input, comments, or questions you may have regarding our efforts.

There is a certain lack of specificity to our plans…though what we think is a solid framework is in place. It has been our experience that young people in this age group respond most strongly and positively when they have a sense that they have placed their imprimatur on what is being undertaken, and so, we will ask their input as we move forward within the framework laid out.

Framework of the 5^th-8^th Grade Group Meetings

Our group will work together to determine how we will approach the following:

There will be fifteen meetings during the year. The following are the dates now planned. We have not scheduled meetings on Family Sundays in order that conflicts with Choir participation are avoided. Please put them on your calendar.

September 16^th & 23^rd

October 7^th & 14^th

November 11^th  & 18^th
December 2^nd
January 13^th  & 20^th
February 11^th  & 18^th
March 2^nd
April 6^th & 13^th
May 18^th

Adult Forum ~ We are fortunate that the Reverend Rowan Greer has agreed again to lead the Autumn Adult Forum at Saint John’s.  The Forum begins on Sundays at 9.00am in the Parish House Library and allows those who have attended the 8.00am service to be in this gathering as well as those who will be attending the 10.00am service.  The Forum ends about five minutes of ten and coffee is available for those attending. This year’s Forum will focus on “Trying To Solve The Puzzles of John’s Gospel”.  This year’s Forum will be offered the weeks of September 16 – October 28.

We cordially invite you to attend these meetings. It is not essential that you attend all of them, but you certainly are urged to come to as many as possible. You are assured that your time will be time very well spent. We are graced to have as fine a teacher as Father Greer in our midst.

Evensong ~ Please plan to attend Evensong at 5.00pm on September 9^th and the reception immediately to follow in the Parish house to bid farewell to Bob Ficks who will end his tenure as the sixteenth Rector of Saint John’s on the following morning.

Hull Scholarship ~ Under the guidance of Peg Addicks and Russ Elgin, the Hull Scholarship Committee awarded a scholarship to assist with the college education of graduates of Shepaug High School, Megan Morse and Benjamin Lodsen. Congratulations to these young persons and our thanks to the Hull Scholarship Committee for overseeing this aspect of life at Saint John’s.

Loaves & Fishes ~ Our day for Loaves & Fishes is Friday, September 21^st.  Please sign up for cooking food or delivering it and serving it at Loaves & Fishes.  The sign-up sheet is in the Parish House. Please have the pans of food delivered by Noon on the 21^st.  Please note: we are needful of volunteers to help with serving on that day.  It will not take a great deal of your time, but it will be a tremendous help at the Soup Kitchen. Contact David Poole if you would like to help (354.8964 or dpoole8964@charter.net)

Vestry News ~   The regularly scheduled meeting of the Vestry took place on August 19, 2007.

- Father Ficks opened the meeting with a prayer.

The minutes of the July 15, 2007, meeting were accepted.

Treasurer’s Report:  Winston Fowlkes reported that there were no changes.  It is important, however, that all those who have made a pledge meet that commitment.

Mary Schinke reported that there has been no changes in the number of pledges.

Old Business: Father Ficks and Stephen Morris reported that they have toured the grounds and buildings and the grounds are in generally good shape.  Mr. Morris reported that David Poole and

Alec Purves have agreed to serve on the Building and Grounds Committee and will check the buildings and grounds weekly.  Any major items requiring expenditure beyond that allotted in the budget will be brought to the vestry for approval.

The Vestry thanked Father Ficks for his twenty years of leadership at Saint John’s Church.

The next meeting of the Vestry will be held on September 16^th.

Music Notes ~   By the time you find yourselves reading this, I shall be back from my holiday and once again well settled into the Saint John's mode of life.  But at the moment of writing I find myself in an environment as different from Washington CT as if is possible to imagine.  I am seated in an Internet 'Cafe' in the heart of teeming London.  The constant pacing of chattering customers waiting to use the next available terminal coupled with the continuous display of Your Remaining Time at the bottom of the screen are scarcely elements likely to contribute to the feast of reason and flow of soul one requires for the composition of lucid prose.

Moreover, as you might expect, there is little news of a musical nature to report with regard to Saint John's encompassing the period of my absence and the choir's well-deserved 'down' time.  Nor is this an appropriate place for one of those “What I Did On My Summer Vacation” essays.  But I do want to extend my sincere thanks to Harvey Spevak who held down the musical fort at Saint John's whilst I've been away; a task I'm sure he performed with consummate skill, good humor, and grace.

One thing I do know absolutely is that I shall sorely miss Bob.  I cannot adequately express what a joy and an honour it has been to work alongside such a wonderful colleague.  I hesitate even to hope that I'll ever be so lucky as to meet his like again, and I thank him from the very bottom of my heart for his support and, above all, for his friendship.  I know I'm not alone in wishing him God's blessings. Please be aware that Evensong will be sung on September 9^th and will be followed by a farewell reception for Bob…who will end his tenure as Rector of Saint John’s on the following morning.

With all best wishes, and looking forward to returning State-wards and getting started on the '07/'08 season at Saint John's, I remain

Yours truly,

Parish Registry

Baptisms

David Lathrop Johnson ~  August 12, 2007

Marriages

Sarah Schermerhorn Stehli and Lucius Alexander Howell ~  June 16, 2007

Melissa Ann Hodges and Christopher Yard II ~  July 14, 2007

Sarah Beth Werner and Robert Kenneth Watson, Jr. ~  August 11, 2007