Dear Beloved of God,

St. Margaret’s, even though she is tucked away on a side-street, is noticed by passers-by, visitors, and residents of Belfast as a beautiful edifice. We are indeed blessed by the generosity of all those who contributed and who are still contributing to the building and maintenance of this holy and life-giving space.
 
When a sanctuary is blessed during its consecration, the Book of Common Prayer includes this beautiful prayer as part of the service:
 
“Lord Jesus Christ, make this a temple of your presence and a house of prayer. Be always near us when we seek you in this place. Draw us to you, when we come alone and when we come with others, to find comfort and wisdom, to be supported and strengthened, to rejoice and give thanks. May it be here, Lord Christ, that we are made one with you and with one another, so that our lives are sustained and sanctified for your service.” BCP p.568
 
During the service, the Bishop says, “Peace to all who enter here”.
 
Our church is a space of worship and meeting—a place where God’s grace meets us in our need, helping to strengthen, encourage, and comfort us for the whole of our lives. This grace is extended to all who enter, be they members or not.
 
Recently, we have been asking how God is calling us to let our building serve the wider Belfast community so that more and more people can experience God’s loving embrace.
 
You have heard us speak of the possibility of hosting a program called Family Promise. But, there are many ways we can use this building to spread God’s good news and blessings, and Family Promise is just one of them. In order to listen to each other and to the Holy Spirit as we discern a path forward, we will hold two parish meetings, one on July 13 and July 16.
 

                                             July 13, 6-8 p.m., Potluck dinner and parish meeting
                                                             July 16, 11-12:30 p.m., Parish Meeting