Dearly Beloved,
A SUNDAY OF BEGINNING GOOD-BYES AND NEW BEGINNINGS OF PASTORAL CARE
Last Sunday we commissioned Susie Dutcher as a Pastoral Care Visitor:
Brothers and Sisters in Christ, our Savior Jesus, by his example and teaching, entrusted to his Church a ministry of healing. This ministry is exercised in various ways: by visiting, by the laying on of hands, by anointing, by confession and absolution, and pre-eminently in Holy Communion, which is both the medicine of immortality and the sacrament of our fellowship in the Body of Christ.
Susie, you have been called to a healing ministry as a Pastoral Care Visitor in this congregation. Will you, as long as you are engaged in this work, perform it with diligence?
Candidate I will.
Rector Will you faithfully and reverently execute the duties of your ministry to the honor of God, and the benefit of the members of this congregation?
Candidate I will.
Rector Will you who have witnessed Susie's commitment to this ministry support and uphold her in it?
Congregation We will.
Rector Let us pray.
Almighty God, look with favor upon Susie who has now reaffirmed her commitment to follow Christ and to serve in his name. Give her courage, patience, and vision; and strengthen us all in our Christian vocation of witness to the world, and of service to others; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
In the Name of God and of this congregation, I commend you to this work, and pledge you our prayers, encouragement, and support, and I give you this leather pyx case as a token of your ministry.
A pyx is a small round vessel, usually silver, in which the Body of Christ is carried to people who cannot attend church. For several years Susie was the Assistant Director of our diocesan Deacons' School, and a member of the Deacons' Formation Committee. One of the Deacons she helped form was Jim Nicholas, a member of St. Hilary's, Prospect Heights. St. Gregory's was Jim's field education site, and he was ordained in 2005. Sadly, Jim died of cancer a year and a half later. After St. Hilary's closed, Jim's wife Karen joined our parish. A few months ago, Karen made us the gift of Jim's Holy Communion set, including the pyx Susie is now using.
+ + +
At the Nine O'Clock Service, guitar-vocalist Rob Cunningham performed a Farewell Song for Erica Jeglum, with lyrics by our multi-talented Church School Coordinator Gretchen Bayer which she set to the Gordon Lightfoot classic The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.
MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR JUNE 12 , FEAST OF PENTECOST & BAPTISM OF ELLIOT JEGLUM
AND JULY 19, TRINITY SUNDAY & ERICA JEGLUM'S LAST SUNDAY WITH MASS ON THE GRASS
PLEASE SEND SOME CHEER KARIN HOWARD'S WAY
Karin Howard is waiting for her June 8 surgery at the Highland Park Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, and although she seems pleased with everything else, the food is abysmal (as I can vouchsafe, having visited her last Saturday as she was finishing her "dinner").
Lin Reichenbach suggests she might like to receive some cards to let us know we're thinking of her― and maybe you might call her, and even offer to visit (and smuggle in a treat). The Center's address is 50 Pleasant Avenue, Highwood, IL 60040-1813, and her direct phone is 847-579-5812.
SANTA GRÉGOIRE, TOLAGNARO (Tow-lah-NAH-ro)
Bishop Todd's sermon from two weeks ago is now online at St. Blogory's and on our website.
Here are some pictures as our companion parish's church building begins to take shape in July, November, and December 2010. Next week― the building continues, leading up to the May Day dedication of Madagascar's only St. Gregory's!
These three pictures were taken on July 22.
Can you guess when this picture was taken?
Or when this was taken?
TROOP SUPPORT NIGHT ON JUNE 7
Please mark the date on your calendar to come and show our military you care and have not forgotten them or their mission. As always, donations of goodies for the packages and check donations for the postage are always welcome. If you have any questions, you can contact Cissy or Nuala.
+ + + +
In your prayers this week, please remember the sick, especially Karin Howard, Donna White, Kathy Christenson, Tammy Tart, Chloe Seghers, Barbara Tate, Ted Repsholdt, Jeff Singleton, Joyce Mauro, Bruce Bryant, Beth Brickler, Genevieve Stegman, Kathy Barlow, Jerry Jenick, Jeanette Bayer, Judy McCann, Alex Wilkison, Joel Burrows, Bill Waltemath, the Travis family, and Alexandra;
our companion parish in Madagascar, Santa Grégoire, Tolagnaro, and their leaders, Rev. Donné and Evangelist Tomboasy;
the men and women serving in the armed forces and their families, remembering especially Ryan Redig, Doug Columbus, Timothy Welton, Ray Creevy, Cary Clark, Bob Morrissette, Carl Best, Mike Demmon, Sarah Shirley, Jason Greenman, Jamie Hayes, Ilan Kedar, Robert Steere, Eric Cloe, Robb Dunlap, Greg Hirsch, Jamie Mitchell, Brian Adamson, Hunter Levine and Chad Field; and
the faithful departed, especially remembering Jon Ruby.
Faithfully yours,
Comments