In the annual meeting, my goal was to not only talk about where we have been over the past year, but where I hope St. Michael’s can go int he next year or two. It was a bird’s eye view for sure, and consequently left out so many important details. In particular, I wanted to spend some time this week acknowledging a couple of groups of people that have been the life and blood of this parish as we have navigated rough COVID seas. For this week’s article, I want to focus with our Sunday morning services.

        Each week, so many people and ministries come together to create our worship services. At the forefront is our Altar Guild, and I want to take moment as we enter this new year post-annual meeting to say thank you. With Kristen Krueger and Kerry Kean at the helm, they have had to adapt to every new set of COVID guidelines that have come our way. We have stopped serving wine, drained the font, then we have used the little plastic cups, and we have started using individual, compostable cups, and we have tried different wines, they are constantly adapting to changing attendance trends- among all of the teams that I could not do without, this is high on the list. Those little candles in the chapel that seem to never run dry? That’s the altar guild. The flowers on the altar (which you can sponsor in memory or honor of someone) are arranged in ways that at times take my breathe away, and that’s them. The expensive robes kept clean and the perfectly white linens you see every week presented so effortlessly- that’s them too. So to all of you who serve in this ministry, come on Saturdays to setup and clean, change the (hard to manage) altar hangings with the seasons, change everything between the last Sunday in Advent and Christmas Eve- please accept my thanks and appreciation. With many hands comes lighter work, so if you are considering where you might volunteer to help the parish thrive, this one is a perfect opportunity.

        Additionally, we have several volunteer ministries who jumped in to reopen and sustain the worship life of our parish. To our Lectors- thank you for getting up in front of people and proclaiming the Scriptures, and to David Rauschenberg who coordinates this ministry. You have been faithful in spite of masks and reservation systems. To our LEMs who faithfully vest and serve wine (and at the 8am also read the lessons), and to Kevin Taylor who coordinates them (while running the live stream). Your help at the altar makes our services run smoothly and efficiently. And our Ushers- thank you for your friendly welcome, handing out bulletins, and keeping a count of our attendance each week. While you may not realize it, but the ushers are also keeping a watchful eye for any trouble that might come our way unexpectedly. Semmy Semerad (10am) and Dave Waring (8am) schedule this group.

       As we have slowly returned to in-person worship, we have also grown our virtual worship presence significantly. I want to thank Rob Wisnowski and Kevin Taylor for their faithfulness in running our live stream + zoom worship. Each week we have between 40-60 people watch at least some of our worship service. It would be nearly impossible to stream the service while also leading it, so I am very appreciative of your time and help.

        Our music ministry, led by Sara Torbeck, is undergoing a transformation, and I want to thank all of our singers and musicians for praying through music and for our spiritual benefit. This includes the intergenerational handbell choir, adult choir, and children’s choir- all who offer their gifts of music to God’s glory each week (and especially you singers in the pews!).

         And last but not least, our Verger, Wes Kimes, who is at the altar every week he is in town- it is a huge commitment, and so often he takes up the slack when something happens we do not expect.

        I admit that I do not say thank you enough, and often on Sundays my mind is in a 100 different places at once, so please know that from my heart I am grateful for each and every person who makes Sunday morning happen.

        Do you want to participate in one or two of these ministries? Contact the church office to volunteer ( 847-381-2323) and we will get your message to the right people. There are many more ministries and teams that work diligently at St. Michael’s, so tune in to the next couple of Swords and I try and thank each one, and offer you a place to give of your time at St. Michael’s.

In Christ,

Jesse+