From the RectorDear Parishioners and Friends, After church this coming Sunday, Pete and I will be whisked to the airport to catch our flight to Jacksonville, Florida, which is the host city for this year's Episcopal Parish Network conference. We are arriving a few days ahead of the conference to take our belated "post-Christmas" break at the Jekyll Island Club, which is about an hour north of Jacksonville. In the early 20th century, north Florida and the South Georgia Islands were the gold coast for many gilded age heliotropes. When reading about the early days of Jekyll Island, we were amused, but not surprised, to note that many of the 100 founding members were also residents of Tuxedo Park and parishioners of St. Mary's--we simply had to check it out! I am also very much looking forward to attending the conference, which I thoroughly enjoyed last year in Atlanta. There are always compelling keynotes, as well as representatives from many different church-related organizations. Our own JoAnn Hanson will be presenting on behalf of Church Investment Group. Of course we exist as a Church in community, both locally and on a broader level, and it is always a joy to reconnect with colleagues from around the country. To put it into the words of the Wizard of Oz, " I go to confer, converse, and otherwise hob-nob with the other wizards." Please pray for travelling mercies for all who will attend, and for the Holy Spirit to be at work among us. Blessings, Fr. Rick
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