Most
of all, we at St. Edward's are a parish family. We are each unique
and beloved of God, made in His image and striving, as best as
we can, to walk in His ways and, through His Grace, see Christ
in each other. And it is within the context of this interaction,
this fellowship that we reach out to one another in what is often
a world filled with unmet expectations. Through that outreach,
however, we find peace and friendship. Our All Purpose Hall is
often the scene
of meals prepared
by those attending events ranging from pot luck dinners to celebrations
of special occasions in our lives, collectively or for an individual
parishoner. In the relaxed, friendly setting that makes this
room just a nice place to be, we get to know one another in ways
that would not be as readily possible were we to primarily congregate
in more formal settings. In fact, groups of us periodically try
to get away to even more informal venues such as our annual Vestry
Retreat, a day devoted to realizing who we are from different
perspectives as well as how we hope to grow spiritually as a
parish family. 
Or our weekly Ladies
Breakfast held at a local restaurant most Wednesday mornings.
Time seems to fly by at such gatherings, our annual picnic communion
service held prior to the parish picnic is yet another example
of how we feel that by creating opportunities for inter-generational
activities we can better attain a sense of extended family. There
are also many special seasonal programs which feature a wide
gamut of crafts, artistry and just plain good times. One such
parish get together is that of the making of Yule logs and Christmas
wreaths to which all can come, nimble or not, and be asssured
that they will leave not just with decorations but also the warm
feeling of having invested, not just spent, time with others
who similarly enjoy engaging in traditional holiday pastimes.
We have found that this inter-generational
approach to parish life helps foster, and does not hamper in
the least, the individual friendships that spring up naturally
at St. Edward's among those of similar ages. Our Mentor Program
successfully promotes development by matching interested teens
and adults of the same gender so that they, in small groups or
just as duos, can further strengthen ties and learn from each
other how life experiences shared positively can both reinforce
constructive traits as well as help avoid pitfalls to which we
all are subject. 
At St. Edwards,
then, we spend time with each other in various settings not because
it is "how we do church", but rather because we realize
that we are the church, and we need to express our love for Christ
by joining together, as He would have us do, in making our faith
come alive in community. We are, indeed, community, and through
our parish family we can see the wider Anglican Communion of
which we are just a tiny part as one holy, catholic and apostolic
church.
