Good Morning everyone my name is Patricia Haynes “I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me”, Philippians 4:13. I need to hear myself say that. When I was asked by Michael our Minister, and Tom Tufts, to do a living epistle, my first reaction was fear and rejection, what I really said was…“oh no not I”, I’ll have a heart attack or panic attack if I have to face the entire congregation, but they assured me that no such thing would happen, and that I would be OK. When I arrived home I prayed about it, I asked God to be with me, and give me the courage and strength to stand before all of you this morning. “Ask and it will be given onto you”, Matthew 7:7. I was born and raised in the West Indies on a beautiful island called Barbados. I am one of 3 children, born to my parents, with 2 brothers, I’m the only girl and middle child. I was brought up in the Christian faith as most Barbadian children were; my parents were very loving and kind. Sunday was our day of worship, with Sunday morning service, afternoon Sunday school, and evening service, that’s the way it was as far back as I can remember. My mom was the religious one of my parents, my dad was not a church lover, but he believed in God. He always said that church was for weddings and funerals. When I was of age, I was sent to England to study nursing, after graduating I immigrated to Canada where I met my husband. He and I then immigrated to Boston. From the marriage came 3 beautiful children, 2 boys and a girl. We were led to an Episcopal church in Cambridge where we worshiped as a family regularly. Unfortunately our marriage feel apart and my husband walked out, and left us behind. I fell apart, I wanted to die, our marriage was a failure, I blamed myself, I didn’t see it coming, I gave up my job as a nurse and turned my back on everything and everyone. I stopped going to church and stopped praying. I was angry with God, and I turned my back on him, but God never turned his back on me. After much self-pity and misery, I turned backed to God. I started to go back to church, and started to pray again. With God’s help, I found the strength and courage to pull myself together because I had 3 children to raise who needed me. The day I found St James’s church was a blessed day for my family and me. Only God could have brought us here, the diversity, the love, warmth and friendship here keeps me coming back Sunday after Sunday again and again as if I can’t get enough. This is my church! It makes my heart glad to know that God loves me and I love God. Praise God.