Beloved,

May was a busy month of transition. As Mrs. Erin called each child by their name at the graduation, the student walked up to the front, gave the teacher a big hug, received a beautiful, handmade prayer blanket —a symbol of God’s love, and stood still by themselves in front of everyone with a tiny academic hat on top of their head for a proud Kodak moment. They were much taller and more confident, and were nothing like when they first set foot in the preschool. Their lives are forever changed. As the preschool sent the children off on their next journey, the prayer blanket reminds them of their rich experience packed with memories of loving teachers, friends, much laughter, and a few tears. It wraps around them to bring comfort. It can be their cape, reminding them of their superpower. Watching the faces of all the graduates, their families, and the teachers glowing is truly infectious and inspiring. 

A few weekends before the preschool graduation, the annual spring planting of our memorial garden took place. I was feeling uneasy as the weekend approached without knowing how many helpers we’d get. Contrary to my fear, many more helping hands showed up this year to beautify the garden and pay respect to our old friends. The youngest helpers are Avery and Autumn. Autumn is our first JOB scholar graduate, and Avery is about to begin in our preschool following his sister’s footsteps.

As I highlighted at the parish picnic, the blessings and dedications of the spiritual pathway, the renewal of the playground, and the memorial garden make us aware how this faith community truly emboldens people from all walks of life, from the beginning to the end, and somewhere in between. We remind each other that Christ, the Alpha and Omega, is present in our midst through our relationships with one another.

June, July, and August are periods of spiritual recalibration. We begin an ordinary time after celebrating the Day of Pentecost on June 8th (Remember to wear Red on Pentecost!). Your vestry leaders will start preparing for the program budget for the coming year, as well as the audit work to ensure the health of our stewardship. We also have major construction work planned this year to install a new lift, expanding the accessibility of our building to all who utilize our facility. Thanks to your incredible generosity, we are able to take action to achieve this significant milestone. I am truly blessed to have the privilege of serving in this faithful community alongside you all. With God’s help, walking the spiritual journey of faith, we will be and lead others to be committed followers of Jesus Christ. Loving God and His people as Jesus commended us, lifting each other’s hearts to the Lord, makes this faith community truly beautiful. Let us continue to do good work in love that glorifies our God. 

Love in Christ, 

Fr. Andrew