A NOTE FROM THE RECTOR

Dear Parishioners,

I was deeply honored with your surprise reception complete with a special cake and gift of a pen and pencil set in honor of my being graduated from The Seabury-Western Theological Seminary with a Doctor of Ministry degree. Thank you for your thoughtfulness and kindness.

May all of you have a glorious summer!

Faithfully yours,
Peter Worthington

SCHOOL'S OUT - Watch out for our children.

OFFICE CLOSED - Monday, July 5th

NEWSLETTER DEADLINE FOR SEPTEMBER IS AUGUST 9TH .

SUMMER GIVING STATEMENTS

During the week of June 30, the Treasurer, Pete Roane, will provide second quarter giving statements which will be available for the congregation on Sunday, July 4th. Please keep your pledge current during the summer months as the church must honor its monthly expenses. Call the church office if you have any questions about your statement.

EDUCATION FOR MINISTRY

It is not too late to enroll in Ware's Education for Ministry (EFM) program that reconvenes in September. This four-year course of study in Bible, Church History, and Contemporary Christian Thought is challenging and enriching. Students enroll for one year at a time, can stop and restart when life circumstances require, and transfer to other areas of the country and around the globe if needed. At the same time, each seminar group is a community of faith and friendship. Final enrollment for the 2004-05 Education for Ministry (EFM) group will have to be completed by August 22 in order for the group to start meeting in mid-September. Seminars will be held on Sunday evenings, but the group will not meet on major Holidays or Festival Sundays. Time and place for the meetings will be decided after the group is formed. Please call Dr. Grace Cumming Long at 642-9361 if you want more information or would like to enroll in the group.

MUSIC NOTES

Senior Choir

Senior Choir will rehearse on Sundays, July 11th, 18th and 25th at 9:00 a.m. There is no practice on July 4th. The Senior Choir will be on "vacation" during August with no rehearsals on Sunday mornings. They will continue to robe up and sing during the 10:30 services. Offertory anthems will be vocal solos or instrumental solos/duets.

SCHOOL CLOTHING

The Ware Church Mission Committee will again help needy children in Gloucester with clothing and school supplies before school begins in September. Look for the annual letter explaining more about this mission project.

FOOD PANTRY INGATHERING

July 4th and August 1st

Help the Salvation Army to help others. Ware Church members have been bringing staples and paper products for the Salvation Army pantry for many years. During the summer there is a need for peanut butter and jelly and cereal as well as paper products-paper towels, paper napkins, toilet paper. The gifts are received on the first Sunday of every month. Bring your gifts July 4th and August 1st! Of course you may always bring items in during the month and put them in the sacristy in the Parish House. There are a couple of guidelines for gifts to the pantry:

Please no opened boxes or partially used boxes or items (even if items are individually wrapped within a box). Check the date on canned goods and items that you are donating to be certain that the goods are still o.k. to use.

Members of our local Salvation Army are very excited because they are moving to a new location on July 1st. The Salvation Army will be located in the Hayes Plaza Shopping Center behind Movie Scene. There will be much more space.

VESTRY NEWS

The Ware Vestry will meet Tuesday, July 13th at 7:00 p.m.

Monthly Vestry minutes along with the financial statement are posted in the Parish Hall bulletin board for your reading and information.

PRAYER CHAIN MEETS JULY 14TH

The Ware Church Prayer Chain gathers for fellowship, prayer and the Holy Eucharist at 10 a.m. July 14th in the Chapel. After the Holy Eucharist, they gather in the Library to pray for friends and church members. For prayer requests, please call Bruce Forsberg (776-7734), Anne Clark (693-4026), or Jane Van Leeuwen (693-3500).

HELP!

Volunteers can always help at the church. The office needs persons to help with the folding of the newsletter each month, usually the 4th Tuesday. If you have some free time, please call the office. The current volunteers will appreciate more "hands" to help with folding and taping.

EPISCOPAL CHURCH WOMEN

The nominating committee, consisting of Nell Jones, Margaret Perritt and "Shot" Tabb, will be looking for a new ECW board this summer.

Our end-of-summer event will be a High Tea at "Avoca" at 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, August 29th. "Avoca" is the home of Shot and Waller Tabb. Co-chairs for this event are Lenore Munger and Carol Bottoms.

Dolly Rabelais, President of Region II ECW, attended our May luncheon and announced a bus trip for Region II women (that's us) on Wednesday, October 6th to the Washington National Cathedral. All the women of the church are invited to join this day trip, which will include an in-depth guided tour of the cathedral, Holy Eucharist, an organ demonstration, and a garden tour. The trip will start in Gloucester and will cost $28.00. Money for the tour must be turned in by the day of the High Tea, August 29th.

The ECW Book Circle will meet on Thursday, July 8th at the home of Robert and Anne Clark at 12:30 p.m. We will be discussing The Life of Pi, a novel by Yann Martel. No, this is not a story about math and geometry. Pi is the son of a zookeeper in Pondicherry, India and he emigrates to Canada. The story is an interesting look at Christrianity, Islam, and Hinduism.

"MAKE A JOYFUL NOISE"

Week of August 16

Summer Music Camp is a fun-filled, action-packed wacky and wonderful week for children ages 5 through and including teenagers. This year's theme is "Make a Joyful Noise". Campers will learn songs, dances, make rhythm instruments, do craft projects and write their own praise songs and psalms. The emphasis in camp will be exploring a variety of musical ways to praise the Lord. Can we use dance, and maybe gymnastics in praise? How about homemade rhythm instruments for praise? Campers will also see how other cultures use dance, masks, and theater to sing God's praises. All these activities will culminate with a presentation on Sunday, August 22nd during the 10:30 service.

Camp begins each day at 1:00 p.m. and ends at 5:00 p.m. Monday - Friday with lots of games, prizes and surprises each day. Parents are encouraged to help with the daily activities. For more information, email Dee Johnston or call 804-843-3447 .

JULY BIRTHDAYS

AUGUST BIRTHDAYS

If you wish for your birthday to appear in the monthly list, please call the Church Office.