Back-to-School Pancake Breakfast and
Blessing of the Backpacks

Summer is almost over and the kids are being hosed down, hair cut, shoes polished and backpacks filled, ready for yet another school year.  New teachers, new projects, some trepidation, lots of excitement to see new teachers and old friends.

As we always do at this time of year, we look forward to sending the children off into the new school year, fed spiritually by our Blessing of the Backpacks, and physically by the Annual Back-to-School Pancake Breakfast.

Once again, John Gallagher, with me as his trusty kitchen assistant, will prepare a feast to celebrate the return to normality, after the 10 am service.

Pancakes and eggs, French toast and bacon and sausage!  Mmmm, a feast fit for Royalty!  If you would like to bring a fruit salad or juice or cookies or brownies to round the sugar-fest off, please feel free to give me a call.

While you are shopping for your kids' back-to-school supplies, Valley Churches United would like you to throw a few extra supplies in the cart, for those children who are not as fortunate as our own, and could use some markers or binders or composition books, or other sundry school stuff.  Let's have a huge pile of supplies to bless and deliver this year.

So please, put it on your calendars … Sunday, September 11.

This year we would like to make it a Homecoming Sunday as well.  Homecoming for all those friends and neighbors who we have not seen in church for a while, or new friends who might just be looking for a place to worship.  Friends with children who will have fun as they learn about the Church! 

Grab a friend, invite a neighbor, coerce a co-worker!  Let's fill our church with new faces.

See you Sunday, September 11!

             Lucy Gowan, Senior Warden

There”s a Hole in the Ceiling, Dear Liza, Dear Liza ...

We have a hole in the parish hall roof about the size of a brick that caused much damage to the interior walls last winter and must be fixed before this winter. I am organizing a work party for Sat., Sep. 17 to make the repair. The shingles and part of the sheathing below need to be replaced above the parish hall. If you can help with the dump runs, logistics, food, or skilled labor call me.

Also, perhaps you have noticed some new faces poking into unfamiliar territory lately. These are our new cadre of "Facility Coordinators". They volunteer for one month and are the first line of response to handle the problems that arise from our (and many other) groups using our facility. When a problem arises these volunteers may ask for guidance or help from other St Philip’s members, pick up the phone book and schedule the repair, or simply do it themselves.

I would like to thank Julie Levy for July, Susan Seaburg for August, and Barbara Lyon for September.  It’s easy when the work is spread among many hands. Call me to volunteer: October is still open.

Good News! We now have three of the nine office suites rented upstairs. Welcome to:
1. Debby Dodds is a marketing consultant working out but not far from the house.
2. Craig Turek is a Child, Team & Family Therapist.
3. Bruce Finch is supporting a remote office so he doesn't need to commute every day.

Other activities that are necessary to support our rental activity are the widening of the side entrance, a marquee showing who is in which office, and a sign out front that says "St Philip’s Office Suites".

Please understand that we must respect the upstairs area as a rental, respect our tenants and their clients. In our normal course of church events we should not be going into this area or storing anything in this area.

             Faithfully,
             Bill DeRouchey, Junior Warden