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March 18,
2008
COVER
STORY
Rekindling
Faith
by The Rev. Alvin C. Johnson, Jr.
 Dear
Friends and Pilgrims,
After a beautiful
morning this past Palm Sunday, I found myself reflecting later
in the day about how much the morning meant to me and how much
you all mean to me. I want you to know that I loved worshipping
with you on Sunday…as is, actually, true most Sundays, and
I love being a part of this beautiful community of God's people.
Upon reflection, I also was curious about what the story I read
in the sermon about Gunnar, the Viking, and Aidan the Celtic monk,
meant to me. I wondered why that portion about Aidan losing faith
and then finding faith; about believing in the Hanging God (Jesus
on the cross), spoke so deeply and passionately to me and, I hoped,
to all of you. (For reference, go to our parish website, click
on sermons and click on the sermon
for March 16.) Then, the Spirit spoke in memory.
This coming
Tuesday marks 19 years since Nicholas died. When this parish was
so gracious to extend a call to me to serve as rector, I was a
man with little to no faith. The suffering that my family and
I witnessed taking place in the life of this innocent boy broke
something in side of me when it came to believing in God. I remember
preaching on Easter Sunday not eight days after Nicholas died
and being smug in what I shared realizing that it all seemed like
a cruel joke. Whatever doctrine of God I had in place before he
died no longer invited a living relationship with the Divine Love.
As Aidan says in the book, "I did not lose my faith —
it was stolen from me…God abandoned me." (Byzantium
by Lawhead, pg. 633). I know that thought is selfish, but such
is often the prerogative of the painfully bereaved.
As Sunday
unfolded, what became clear to me is how much this community has
helped to rekindle faith deep within me and how grateful I am
for all of you and for this gift you have given and nurtured in
me over the years. You were like Gunnar simply aware that the
Hanging God identifies with suffering and always strives to bring
hope to our lives even in the face of suffering and death that
we cannot and will never understand. How much it meant to me to
stand as a community with you in our community room and walk Jesus'
path as a community.
So, as Easter
approaches this week, join me in giving thanks to people those
faith has lifted your faith; whose witness has brought hope to
your love; whose love has made all the difference in the joy of
your day to day existence; whose life speaks powerfully of the
truth of Jesus' resurrection. I surely give thanks to God for
you. Then, join us in the marvelous acts of redemption on Thursday,
Friday, and Saturday and especially on Easter Day when we celebrate
the one Love that invites all the rest…the Love of the Hanging
God…of Jesus now raised from the dead.
Love and Blessings,
Alvin+
PARTNERSHIPS
U2charist
Benefits Renk Theological College
by Ann Ryba
 St.
Michael's Church proudly presents the band Elevation at a U2charist
celebration Saturday, April 12, at 5:00 p.m. St. Michael's Community
Room. We celebrate our 10-year partnership with the Diocese of
Renk, Sudan, and kick off a fundraising drive to support the Renk
Theological College for the next three years.
What in the
world is a U2charist??
A U2charist
is a communion service accompanied by U2 songs in lieu of traditional
hymns and is typically a liturgical service (including communion)
that features the music of the rock band U2 and a message about
God's call to rally around the Millennium Development Goals. The
U2charist is held by supporters to be a great opportunity to reach
out to people in their congregations and larger communities, especially
young people, with U2's messages of global reconciliation, justice
for the poor and oppressed, and the importance of caring for your
neighbor.
Please join
us and bring your neighbors and friends! U2 will want to be there!
Help
Wanted for Easter Receptions
Marti Callahan
is asking for your help with this year's Easter reception. If
you are interested in being a part of this festive event, please
sign up on the sheet in the kitchen to let her know of your interest.
What's needed??
- 2 people
to help refresh and clean up after the 7:45 a.m. and 9:00 a.m.
services.
- 3-4 people
to stay and clean up after the 11:00 a.m. service.
- 8-10 people
to make 2 dozen deviled eggs each (trays are available in the
kitchen)
- 10-12 people
to bring two or more trays of finger foods to the service they
attend
- 1 person
to help Saturday morning setting up the tables, paper goods,
decorations, etc.
A
Stone in Your Pocket
Did you carry
a "Stone in Your Pocket" throughout Lent? If so, please
bring back your stones on Easter morning to be cleansed in the
Fountain of Living Water. The cleansing is symbolic of the cleansing
that takes place in your heart as you relieve yourself of the
burden of what is broken and in need of restoration. You may leave
your stone in the cleansing waters, if you so desire.
Mission
to Mississippi
A team of
20 volunteers will venture forth to Mississippi on Thursday, March
20 to work for a week doing Katrina restoration. The team will
prepare Pat Baird's site for construction, work at North Bay School,
complete projects for Redeemer Episcopal Church and help Elivia
James at St. Luke's in New Orleans. Please keep St. Michael's
team and her Gulf Coast neighbors in your prayers as they travel
and share your support to our friends down south.
St.
Michael's Book Club
The next meeting
of St. Michael's Book Club will take place on Wednesday, March
26 (rescheduled from March 19. This months selection is The Whistling
Season by Ivan Doig hosted by Annilee Quinlan and with discussion
led by Mary Schwind. The book club meets in St. Michael's Library
at 7:30 p.m.
The
Little Red Wagon: Lent 2008
During the
month of March, the St. Cyprian Food Pantry will receive offerings
made to the Little Red Wagon. St. Michael's has been supporting
this food pantry for many years. Its needs are even greater now
— not just because of the growing number of clients, but
because of the great drop in food available from its main support
agencies, The Greater Chicago Food Depository and the Chicago
Anti-Hunger Federation.
During Lent,
please remember those struggling to survive each day. Their needs
are many and money is limited. Providing food is essential and
something we can all do. $10
gift certificates from Jewel are also helpful as they are provided
to families to allow them to purchase fresh meats.
Opportunities
in Outreach
The Outreach
Team of St. Michael's meets several times a year and plans Outreach
activities for the parish and reviews grant requests from agencies
throughout the Chicagoland area. Perhaps you are searching for
something to throw your heart and soul into—I offer you Outreach.
We welcome you to join our committee and be a part of our efforts
here. Or we have the resources to connect you to a myriad of needy
agencies that would be thrilled to have your time and talents.
Just contact Ann Ryba at 847 358-5808 and let's talk. Perhaps
you fear being too busy—but when you connect with something
you love, it will refresh you and the time will be well spent.
To those
of you who do give so abundantly of yourselves to so many worthy
causes, I offer my thanks and admiration. May God continue to
bless each of you in your own Outreach efforts.
Around
the Neighborhood
Leadership
and Ministry Fair
The Diocese
of Chicago will host a Leadership and Ministry Fair on Saturday,
April 19 from 9:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. at the Lutheran School
of Theology. The fair will offer a keynote address by Bishop Jeffrey
Lee in addition to 60 learning opportunities on topics related
to vestries and bishop’s committees; aspirants, postulants,
those in discernment; congregational development and vitality;
effective groups; formation; Hispanic ministry; mission and outreach;
music; spirituality; stewardship; technology; youth and young
adult ministry; and more. For a schedule, descriptions of learning
opportunities, and registration form, visit www.episcopalchicago.org
Advance registration
is $25 person ($20 for groups of 4 or more from same church) and
$10 for students, seminarians. Please register as soon as possible
to get your first choice of workshops. For more information contact
Anne Cothran at 312-751-4206.
In
the Parish Family
Those for
whom prayers have been requested
Ray, Kevin
& Marti, Mary, Shirley & Bob, Brad, Patrick, Margo, Military
troops in danger, Mary Beth, John, the Galasso family, the Locher
family, Bob, Josh, Hilary, Dave, Lhee, Nancy, Jim & Sharon,
Maurice, Wendy, Kate, Jo Ann, Kate, Constance, Chuck & Gloria,
Dick & Patricia, Laurie.
Anniversaries
This Week
Birthdays
- 3.22 Justine
Stauffer, Margaret Atkins, Hannah LaBarge
- 3.23 Kati
Seyffert, Tommie Nesset, Timothy Raynor, John Brown, Whitney
Brett, Joshua Shultz
- 3.24 Douglas
Conway, Bailey Gunderson, Beth Rejman, Laura McCammack, Ford
Wickman
- 3.26 Christopher
Rabb, Jimmy Parr, Hannah Harris, Sean Harrington
- 3.27 Rebecca
Galasso, Elizabeth Cannon, Bob Erker, Nicholas Ceniti, Deirdre
Cutliffe,
- 3.28 Chad
Thompson, Bob Guss, Kristin Tomczyk, Allison Lekai
Anniversaries
- 3.22 Sharon
& Jim Bullion
- 3.27 Emily
& Robert Ernst
Deaths
- 3.22 Zoe
Blanchard
- 3.24 John
Thomas, Toni Kania
- 3.26 Babbs
Wastcoat
- 3.28 Ruth
Kraus
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