June 2018
/Dear Friends,
Enclosed with this newsletter is a copy of the sermon from last Sunday (June 24, 2018). It was a happy occasion for me personally to have the privilege of baptizing my two grandsons. It was wonderful to do it at our beautiful church with so many of you present. We tend to take baptism for granted, a little tradition we keep of thanking God for the birth of a child. But baptism, properly understood, is much more than that and is anything but a common everyday experience. Baptism, like marriage, establishes a bond with another that is forever. In this case, the bond established in baptism is with our Lord Jesus Christ, who makes us his own in baptism. We may turn away from him, but like the perfect spouse He is, He will be ever faithful to us. Always thank God for your baptism, because in it God gives us the greatest of all gifts: His own Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38).
This month marks 24 years that I have served as your priest, pastor, “father,” and friend. I thank all of you for your faithfulness and friendship, which mean everything to me. Our family will be “on vacation” for the next three weeks. Fr. Bill Dunning will be with you on two Sundays, July 1 and July 8. Fr. Tobias Haller will be with you on Sunday, July 15. They will celebrate Holy Eucharist on those dates at 9 a.m. Nevertheless, in case of a pastoral emergency, you may always reach me on my cell phone.
Our good friend, Judy Martin, is receiving hospice care at home. Her daughter and our good friend, Ginny Prietz, lives with her and is taking good care of her, but Ginny needs surgery for breast cancer herself. She hopes to have that surgery this month. Please keep the two of them in your prayers. Our dear friend and acolyte, Byky Hipp, lost her mother last week after a long struggle. Please keep Byky in your prayers, that God will console her and fill her heart with new joy.
Because of rain, we rescheduled the flea market for this coming Saturday (June 30) 9 a.m. – 1 p.m., on the rectory lawn.
God bless you,