I wish you peace and all good things. I hope each of you are finding rest in God this summer, on vacation or on retreat.
 
Even during this season of Sabbath, the work of God has been going on. We have been building relationships through one-to-one meetings. Thank you to those who have visited the rectory. If you have not yet scheduled a meeting with me, please get in touch!
 
We have kept and remembered Sabbath in our celebrations. We enjoyed each other’s food and company at our picnic on July 15. Although we had to move indoors, we were happy and content. We had plenty of room for the 40 or so attendees at San Damiano. Thank you all for making our picnic a foretaste of the Eucharistic feast of heaven.
 
We thank Jorge Colon, Lucia Alcantara, and Alanna Finn for organizing a comedy show benefit for the Good Shepherd Shelter. Over 170 people packed the Good Shepherd School auditorium on July 21, donating $1,780 as well as hundreds of dollars’ worth of merchandise for the shelter. It was a success beyond our expectations! And we hope the friendships made that evening will provide power for the beloved community in Inwood. Thanks to our JPIC members for their assistance on the evening of the show.
 
Please save the dates of 
 
Saturday, July 28, a block party for Inwood.
 
Monday, Sept. 10, our next monthly meeting.
 
Here are brief updates on activities and projects. For full updates, join the working groups.
 
Care for Creation
 
Our working group is making plans. We have projects to promote ecological conversion, parish action, and policy advocacy. We will have a prayer for the earth in early fall. We will hold an ecology fair next spring. We want to reduce plastic use at the parish and school, recycle more, and re-use more. We will educate children and adults for ecological conversion. We will demand better protections by the government. The working group meets again on Thursday, Aug. 9, at 7 p.m. at San Damiano. All are welcome.
 
Homelessness and Housing
 
We are learning more about the realities of homelessness. The Saturday morning outreach events continue. Recently we visited the Antonio Olivieri Drop-In Center, which sends women to our parish shelter. More volunteers will have an opportunity to visit the drop-in center later this year. Coming up: 1) a survey to members of the working group; 2) a project to share the stories of homeless persons, and the facts about homelessness, with our parish; and 3) an autumn event. In several weeks, the working group will resume meetings every other Wednesday in the Choir Room. Contact Alba Fresco, amfresco@gmail.com.
 
Immigration
 
We are looking for volunteers to organize this group. From accompaniment to ICE or immigration court, to visiting the sanctuary churches, to supporting family reunification, to helping refugees, there is much work to do. Please contact Brother Anthony if you feel called to be a driver of parish action.
 
Rezoning
 
Come to the block party on July 28. There will be many musical acts, comedy, dancing, and children’s activities. We will educate the community about the Inwood rezoning plan and demand a just alternative. Join the party at Post Avenue. Join the Met Council on Housing. Join Northern Manhattan Is Not for Sale. Join the rezoning working group! Contact Graham Ciraulo, gciraulo86@gmail.com.