Ministry of Presence

How can you get involved over the summer? Not a bad question because often people seem to get wrapped up with summer plans and vacations and neglect their spiritual lives. Sometimes others are yearning to get closer to God and their spirituality.

Beginning in June, we have a wonderful opportunity to continue our presence at the Westside Farmers Market in Cool Spring Park, but in a new and improved way. While we will be engaging in the ministry of presence among the beauty of God’s creation, we will be doing so in a more focused way.

The market has gone through some changes which will help redirect it to be more community centered and more meaningful to those that attend. Sound familiar? I hope so because that is what we are doing at St. Stephen's...re-imagining ourselves as a more community centered and focused. Where we are a place for those who participate are engaged in a meaningful and Holy way.

Our presence at the market will only be on the first and third Thursdays. Not that huge of a commitment if you plan to only volunteer once a month over the summer and early fall.

On the first Thursdays the focus of the market and our presence will be on children. Children learning how to eat better, what sustainable food is, and how to be better community members. Our contribution will be to offer storytelling and other activities for children.

The third Thursday will be focusing on local artists, and we will be able to be present for those in our community that express themselves through art.

While we will no longer be selling pickles at this time, we will be offering candles for sale made from the wax of altar candles and retired paschal candles that no longer burn in our sanctuary. Our tent will also be a remote drop off site for our Food Pantry, and it is our hope that people will become more encouraged to donate both time and food to our vital feeding ministries for Trolley Square and the greater Wilmington area.

I encourage you to talk more with me or members of the council on Sunday and throughout the week about ways in which you can be part of this wonderful ministry to our community. Who knows how the Holy Spirit is going to work through each and everyone of us in this ministry, but I can tell you this, it will be a blessing for all.

Yours in Christ,
Pastor Jason