Of the many, many things for which I am grateful here at St. Ann’s, our music at mass ranks right at the top. So, after our Choirs ran the musical equivalent of a marathon during the Triduum – in your name, let me say thanks to all who lent their voices and instruments and skills to proclaiming in song the great story of the Paschal Mystery – from the Last Supper through the resurrection. What a gift you are to our faith community.
And what a gift you are to this presider’s heart. I need to tell you that YOU are one of the ways that God ministers to me during mass. As presider, I don’t have the luxury I had prior to ordination of just being able to follow the Lord’s inspiration when it strikes during mass. Like the host of a party, my mind can be caught up in the necessary details. But then you sing a two part harmony during the Easter Alleluia verses, or a lovely piece that spills over from communion into the meditation time, or an acapella beginning to the recessional song, and I am undone! Thanks for singing me, and this community into life.
Thanks, as well, to whomever cut the grass and trimmed the grounds around the church prior to the Easter masses. (Bob Reid, Dave Marstall, and/or Eddie Eisenhart are the likeliest suspects) The grounds looked their Easter finest. And I have already seen Carol Giblin, Kris LeBoeuf and Margaret Saak trimming and weeding and sprucing up the flower gardens and pots. You make our grounds look amazing!
And then, if you have not been down to the cemetery in a while, treat yourself to the walk. Spearheaded by Joe Schweitzer and Jim Niemczyk, and joined by a veritable who’s who of St. Ann volunteerism, (Mike Marty, Don Davenport, Dave Graham, Bob Maixner and ???) they have cleared a multitude of the under-brush that choked access to the creek and encroached on the tombs on the right side of the cemetery. Tombstones have been repaired and set straight, and branches and twigs have been cleared away. What a difference they have made with their winter and early spring efforts.
And then, on Holy Saturday Bob and Jack Reid cut down the HUGE tree limb that had crashed into the fence next to their back yard and rested like the sword of Damocles over prime ‘capture the flag running lanes’. Thank you for that work.
Finally, thanks to Kate Garrett, Velja Lacey, Sandy Vogt, Fran Uthoff and Mary Lou Krueger who transformed our space from the sparseness of Lent to the glory of Easter. Your gifts are so appreciated.
Finally, keep our first communicants in your prayers in these final days of preparation for receiving the Lord in the Eucharist on April 10, and our Confirmandi as they prepare for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon them on April 18th…