Advent Series

 

Upcoming Events

Join us for the Pastor Alice Day of Action this Sunday, or for our thanksgiving meal and coat sale on November 26th. 

From on the Rector: The Rev. Steve Holt

On the Election 

On Tuesday night, after staying up to watch election results to come in, it was disappointing but not surprising that things were as uncertain then as they had been on Tuesday morning. In the midst of a pandemic, with a closely contested race, it is important that they are taking the time to ensure that every vote is counted, even as that continues to leave us in a space where we don’t know what’s next. The results will come.

 

In the meantime, on Wednesday morning, our team at the food pantry showed up. There were still people who needed to receive food, still, prayer requests that need to be shared, and perhaps even more than usual, still connections between us that needed to be made. In the midst of the uncertainty, our work at Church of the Guardian Angel continued.

The reality is that we have a long way to go to take care of the most vulnerable, to become a truly antiracist society, and to be in a community where we love all of our neighbors. Elections matter and the results of this one will certainly affect the lives of so many of our neighbors who have been told that they are not a part of our community, and so we should all keep praying for our country and watching the results. We should also remember that, regardless of who ends up being declared the winner of this election: our work continues. 

 

Gathering Around The Table

Every Tuesday, volunteers gather at my service site (Church of the Guardian Angel) to prepare the food that will be distributed to our guests on Wednesday Morning. This is a busy day, as a Truck is unloaded and food is sorted into three different bags. It is an exciting time of preparation, but my favorite part of my week is about midway through our day, when we pause from all the business and share a meal. And sharing this meal with everyone who has come to help in the perpetrations, has become my favorite event of the week. I have loved the chance to get to know everyone who is there and to share fellowship, but I am most impressed with how this meal brings everyone to the table, as part of one community.

Guardian Angel has made sharing meals together a center of their life together. They gather whenever they can safely, and make sure that everyone is welcome at the table.  Watching that process of the community has thought me more about what it means to be a community of faith in these couple of months than just about anything else I have experienced. I am incredibly grateful for that and looking to continue to learn more from that community during this year of service.

Learn more about Father Steve

By now, you've probably seen Father Steve Holt around Guardian Angel. Steve joined us this summer as the new Rector. Now that he's pretty much settled in, we decided to sit down and record this so the wider community can get to know him a little better too.

Gathering Together

These past few weeks at Guardian Angels have been wonderful, as we have gathered for worship (both together in the church and online), celebrated St. Francis Day with Church of the Redeemer, and continued the work of the Food Pantry. We know have three weeks under our belt of in-person worship. It is such a wonderful gift to be able to see each other and to break bread together. In-person worship continues on Sunday, and you can also join us online using this link (http://rebrand.ly/CGASunday)

            In addition to our gatherings on Sunday Mornings, about 10 people form Guardian Angel and Church of the Redeemer gathered together last Saturday to celebrate the feast day of Saint Francis, and to bless the animals. There were very excited dogs running around in Wyman Del Park, and wonderful service led by the Rev Rebecca Ogus (Associate for Youth and Young Adult Ministries at Church of the Redeemer.

All of us who gathered on Saturday recited together the Prayer Attributed to Saint Francis. The Prayer Attributed to Saint Francis is a powerful reminder in these difficult times, that our faith calls out into the world to bring love, truth, and faith into the world. For me it at least, it is a reminder that we have the ability to use our faith to make the world a better place for everyone.