Winter is coming… (For you Game of Thrones fans, this is not about the Stark family motto) Having witnessed more than a few winters here at St. Ann, there are some things that are pretty predictable around the coming of winter. One of those is the tendency to ‘create’ your own parking space right in front of church.
I realize that parking is difficult here at St. Ann, and that there are not nearly the handicapped parking one might like. And I understand that some people are NOT very mobile, and appreciate being dropped off in front of church. That is fine. What is less than fine is the creation of ‘new’ parking spaces directly in front of our two exits from the glass doors. If you have been guilty of that ‘infraction’, I would call three things to mind as an invitation to reconsider your practice.
1) Heaven forbid there should ever be a fire, but if there were, those cars would directly impede the flow of people escaping from the church.
2) As the weather deteriorates, (and the snow returns) there really needs to be a ‘lane’ where people can drive up before church to drop off and after church to pick up our less mobile parishioners. Cars which create their own parking spaces make that courtesy difficult.
3) Emergency vehicles need to have unfettered access to our church facility. In medical emergencies, seconds count. When an ambulance has to slow down to ‘squeeze’ between illegally parked cars, precious seconds are lost forever.
Consider the extra steps you have to walk as ‘a chance to offer your suffering for the poor souls in purgatory’ and a chance to live sacrificial love in another small way for the good of our community.
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A huge word of thanks to two of our stalwart school families for service above and beyond the call of duty. Karen Shirley-Johnson completed her 5 year run as the emcee extraordinaire for the Fall Talent Show with her usual grace and savvy. Cheri and Mark Smith finished their 10th and final year directing and coordinating the Show. What an amazing gift of time and talent and service to our school and parish community. What a wonderful job they have done each year, with a professionalism that would make Hollywood jealous. From a grateful pastor – THANK YOU for the opportunity you provide for our students to showcase their talents and skills. What a gift!
Finally, St. Ann history was made when our 7th grade Girls Soccer team became CITY-COUNTY CHAMPS in the CYC closed division. With the snow falling heavily, obscuring the lines on the field, they persevered and were victorious over Holy Spirit 2-0 in the final game. Congratulations to them and their coaches for what is literally a ‘banner year.’ (The Men’s Club puts a banner in the gym for every team that wins the City-County title!)