Gifts from Above

It's a far cry from the chambers beneath St. Peter's basilica, but the attic above the 40-year-old Parish Hall is the closest thing we've got.

It was the first time I'd been up there. We were looking for posters, signage, and other materials that could be used in our booth at next weekend's Summer Days, formerly known as the Foster City Arts and Wine Festival.

Among the 20-year-old financial reports and Sunday School coloring books was an old rolodex containing the names and addresses of congregants remembered by very few in this peripatetic community.

She looked disappointed.

The Senior Warden read off a few of the names. "Charles was the organist," I said, "Harriett was his wife." "Peg ran the altar guild." He wasn't impressed. (We were members of the church from 1979 to 1985, went elsewhere, then returned in 2003.)

We found a few items, including some custom banners that cost hundreds of dollars. Now comes the hard part--putting everything together appealingly so that passersby will be intrigued.

The church knew enough not to put me in charge of that.