Sharpsburg Heritage Days is our community’s annual celebration of its history, and will be held on September 13 and 14 this year. The event is coordinated by the Sharpsburg Historical Society. Several of the Heritage Day Events will be held at Saint Paul’s. These include the following:

• Third Annual Pig Roast, sponsored by Saint Paul’s ECW will be held on Saturday evening with seatings at 5:00 and 6:00. Menu includes roast pork, cole slaw, baked beans and a homemade apple dumpling. Tickets are $10 for adults and $6 for children under ten. To order tickets contact Cindy Weaver (301-432-5163) All proceeds benefit the Sharpsburg area Fire Department and EMS.
• The “Great Day Concert,” featuring the Saint Paul’s Choir and the Choir of Asbury United Methodist Church, Hagerstown on Saturday night at 7:30. The concert will feature traditional American religious music and modern Gospel sounds. A collection will be taken to support the restoration efforts at Tolson’s Chapel, a landmark for South County African American History
• Commemoration Service for the Battle of Antietam. This Holy Communion service will be held on Sunday at 10:00 using the liturgy as it would have been celebrated in 1862. Period music and ceremonial will also be used and there will be special prayers for the fallen. The preacher will be Rev. John Schildt, a historian of the battle. A reception featuring nineteenth century refreshments will be held after the service.
• Saturday Market: Local produce will be available in front of the church by donation to benefit local outreach projects on Saturday morning from 8-midday. Morning Prayer will be said in the Church at 9:00.
• Historical Lecture Series: SHAF (Save Historic Antietam Foundation) will present a lecture series about the Battle and local history at 1, 2, and 3 on Saturday afternoon
• Civil War Artifacts Display: The South Mountain Relics Club will exhibit artifacts from the Civil War in the Edwards Room on Saturday from 9-5 and on Sunday from 11-5. Collectors will be on hand to explain the items.
• Historical Tours: Saint Paul’s is part of the Heritage Festival Tour and will be open to visitors throughout the day on Saturday and Sunday.

The poster for the event shown here has been designed by local artist Joan Bontempo. Matted copies are available for $35 and may be purchased at her shop (215 West Main Street) or during Coffee Hours at Saint Paul’s.

“We know that in everything God works for good with those who love him.” Romans 8:28

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen. 

I have been reading Mark Twain’s classic Life on the Mississippi, which is his greatest non-fiction work.  It’s a memoir of his lifelong love for that fascinating body of water, which seems to wrap so much of American history into its muddy flow.  A major part of the book describes his training in the art of riverboat piloting as a young man.  Continued

  The servants said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’ But he said, `No; lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them.’                      St. Matthew 13:28-29

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

You know it’s not often that you find a real word of comfort in the daily news.  But sometimes, we are fortunate in just that way.  I read an article the other day on the Internet which bore the headline was “Are We Just Too Clean for Our Own Good?”  Continued

“Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”  St. Matthew 11:29In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.  Amen.

These long days of summer, I have been thinking back from time to time about summer jobs in days past.  As I think I shared with you once before, for one summer during my college days I worked at a state park in North Carolina.  It wasn’t a bad job, and I enjoyed being outside.  Continued

Sharpsburg may well be able to make a case for calling itself Maryland’s “garden city.” I hadn’t planted a garden myself for several years, but I tilled up two small beds a few months ago and am very thankful that I did. Continued