When Fr. Bill asked me to be with you as your priest while he is on sabbatical, I was honored, and I was pleased to accept his request. As I told him at the time, my sense is that he does not take lightly the tending of his flock. And so I am aware that my new relationship with you comes with great responsibility on my part. Summer is a perfect time for this new relationship, I believe, as summer brings with it a time for a break sense of being. I am hoping we can celebrate summer at Good Shepherd together, continuing some of our traditions, giving some of them a rest, and maybe trying a few things that are new.
As we proceed together, there are two things I think I need to share with you: 1) I will not be singing, for any occasion, the Great Thanksgiving. For this you can be grateful. 2) There is something I do very, very poorly – mindreading. Because I am so bad at this activity, I am going to need to ask you to do this: If you want me to know something, please tell me. All my contact information is in the Good Shepherd Directory, or our parish administrator extraordinaire, Tawanna, will be able to direct you to me. She will always know where I am and how to reach me.
Our Sunday services will continue on their same schedule. And I will rely on the Sunday Support Services to use their same methods for assuring that the ministers with varying responsibilities are in place each week. However, know this: if something comes up at the last minute for you and you can’t make it, please do not stress. I have had supply work situations present themselves to me where I was the only one, doing every function, and doing it in an unfamiliar place. And our noon service on Wednesday will also continue on its same schedule. For those of you unfamiliar with this service, it might be an opportunity to try something new. I truly enjoy the informality of this service and the opportunity to share in worship with others in a more personal setting. The lectionary study which usually follows this service is taking a break for the summer. This break opens up an opportunity: lunch together. I have learned and come to appreciate one activity that the good folk of Good Shepherd do very well – the consumption of food.
And last, for right now, is an opportunity where new and food come together: Church at the Lake Sunday. Pam Roman, head of our Parish Life Committee, has secured a pavilion for us for Sunday, June 11th. This will be the site of our 11:00 service that day. To make it easier for folks to attend, everything needed for lunch following the service is being provided. Worship booklets will be provided. Some of our very talented and dedicated musicians will be offering their gifts. The only thing you will need to bring is a chair. Please watch the Sunday bulletin and weekly newsletter for more details for this event.
Again, honored is the word that describes the trust I have been given. I look forward to our Sabbatical Summer together, at Good Shepherd and in the presence of the Holy Spirit.
In God’s grace,
Bev+