I knew that the news wouldn’t stay under wraps for very long when I saw Charlie at the Post Office the day after a made the announcement to the congregation.  “When will you be leaving town,” he asked, “we’ll be sorry to see you go.”  It didn’t take me long to learn that most news in Sharpsburg passes in and out of the post office.  It’s our most central meeting place, the one location where you are most likely to see the folks you know.  We have enough options to allow people to differ about the best place to buy their morning coffee or to sit down for dinner, but there’s only one place to pick up your mail if you live in town.  Rome had its forum, Washington has the Mall and Boston its Common-here in Sharpsburg, we have the Post Office.    Continued

I pass the Wounded Lion monument everyday on my commute to Saint James School.   Located on a bank above the Sharpsburg Pike, the monument is among the most beautiful and famous on Antietam Battlefield.  It is dedicated to the 15^th Massachusetts, and lists the names of 118 men of the regiment who died fighting near the spot where it stands, or later, from wounds gained during the battle.  Continued

Some of you have probably noticed the blue ribbons adorning the front porch of Saint Paul’s Rectory the past few days.  They announce the birth of our new son, Philip Thomas Michael, who arrived on February 1.  He weighed seven pounds, thirteen ounces, and to his father, at least, the world has never seen a more beautiful baby.  For now, at least, he must be the newest Sharpsburger, and Allison and I are delighted to raise him in such a safe and friendly community. Continued

One of the ways to tell when we are upon a new year is by the television commercials.  No, I am not talking about the January “white sales” but the get slim, lose weight, get fit, commercials. Continued

By Simon Barber

Hard times are busy times for St Paul’s vestry member Nicole Taggart. A Workforce Investment Act case manager at Martinsburg’s Career Center, Nicole helps her “customers”, as she calls them, retrain to find new work when they have been laid off as a result of the recession or because their jobs have moved offshore. Continued

Joseph and Justin Rose have lots of things in common.  They are identical twins, to begin with.  Both of them are Sharpsburg natives, students at Hagerstown Community College, and both work at the Weis’ in Boonsboro.  They’ve both been involved in scouting since the first grade, and have served in most of the same leadership positions and earned many of the same merit badges as they rose up through the many ranks in Troop 51.  Continued

“A Cloud of Witnesses” is the theme for an exhibition of the work of the artists of Saint Paul’s that will be held on All Saints’ Day, Saturday November 1, from 4:00-6:00.  Saint Paul’s congregation is unusual for its high percentage of visual artists.  Lee Weaver, Polly Lieberman and Susan Abrahamson have been art teachers for years.  Chuck Vargason was a fine arts major in college and Shirley Miller is a well-known local pen and ink artist. Continued

We will be offering assistance to the citizens of our  area, particularly those on a fixed or limited income with lowering their electric bills this winter.

  St. Paul’s will send out members to homes and replace free of charge the older incandescent light bulbs with the newer compact fluorescent light bulbs. These newer light bulbs use 75% less energy, last 10 times longer, and help reduce carbon emissions into the ozone by using less electricity. The average reduction or savings on an electric bill during the winter months to a household during the winter season is $100.00. Continued

What happens at a Confirmation Service?

On November 16 at 4:00, Saint Paul’s will host our regional Confirmation Service.  Confirmation is one of the Church’s lesser sacraments, in which Christian reaffirm the promises made in Baptism and receive the strengthening gift of the Holy Spirit.  The word “confirmation” comes from the Latin for “to strengthen.” Continued

The Venerable Kerry Smith, Archdeacon of Maryland, will institute Deacon Steve McCarty in a special Clebration of New Ministry service on Sunday, October 11 at 2:00.  Deacon Steve will make a series of solemn promises and we will pray for God’s blessing upon him and his work in this new ministry. Continued