July, 2004 Calendar In This Issue: Men's Retreat Reflections Surviving Spouses Need Support and Friendship, Not Advice Let's Put a Little Magic Back Into Our Lives The Historic First St. A's Rummage Sale St. A's Goes to the Beach on the 4th of July! Columbarium Construction Begins St. A's Goes to the Mountains October 1-3, 2004 The Energy of Money … and People! "I Believe in the Communion of Saints …"

by A Survivor (Christa Buswell)

What a blast, folks! stuff, Stuff, STUFF - a Mt. Everest of stuff! Clothes, luggage, handbags, linens, pots and pans, china, tools and gadgets, furniture, Hi-FIs, TVs, toys, jewelry, what is it, all the detritus of an affluent society. And books, oh man, books. Enough to stock the library of a good-sized town.

By Friday before D-day, the church was a battlefield in disarray. Boxes, bags, piles of goodies. Behind the altar, in the chapel, in the pews. I threw up my hands and fired off an emergency flare to the Lord. Thought I saw Jesus smile … And things kept rolling in, thanks to you and the generous people of the Waldorf School.

The guys lugging all that stuff groaned. The gals sorting and tagging and pricing moaned. At 10:00 a.m., Saturday, May 15th, the gates opened and in stormed the crazed shoppers. And the fun began. Some haggling and bargaining, sure. But also lots of "keep the change" when people were told about the kitchen. Kitchens do turn people on! And when all is said, people are wonderful. St. A's is a powerful place with many willing workers.

How much did we make? Hold on to your hats: $2,734!!! And we were able to send loads of leftovers to local charities. Dual mission accomplished.

Thank you, one and all, donors, workers, shoppers and a special thanks to Peter Haight for spear-heading the event and The One Time Biggest Sale Award must go to Laurie Hutzler and husband, Jim Charne, who schlepped all the leftover books to a used bookstore and came back with a $300 check. Watch for Rummage II next year.

Copyright © 2004 St. Augustine by-the-Sea