I have missed seeing you at Mass over the past couple of weeks while I was away on vacation. On Sundays, July 9 and 16, I was worshipping at two different Episcopal parishes in the Atlanta area while visiting my husband’s family and making my way to Savannah, Georgia, to spend some time in that beautiful city on vacation. In a previous message, I encouraged all of you to find the nearest Episcopal parish in which to worship while on vacation. And if that’s not possible, find some church! The Lord’s Day is still the Lord’s Day, regardless of summer schedules. In the Christian life, it takes precedence over all other obligations and activities. But above all, Christian worship is meant to be full of joy! Every Sunday is a little Easter in which we celebrate Jesus’s resurrection from the dead and our concomitant freedom from sin and death.
Over the past two weeks, I found myself reflecting on the breadth and diversity of the worldwide Church, even within the much smaller niche of the Episcopal Church. It was good for me to see other parishes engaging in their own ministries and continuing to celebrate the Sacraments and preach the Gospel, and I was impressed at how full both churches were that I visited. That is an encouraging sign in an age when we are consistently told of Church decline. As I’ve also said before, the more we preach that pessimistic narrative, the more it will become self-fulfilling. I was happy to see that, as with Good Shepherd, other churches proceed with ministry throughout the summer. Indeed, ministry never stops!
And yet, being away made me realize what I miss about Good Shepherd when I’m not here. I usually miss our liturgy, music, and of course, the people. And I’m also reminded that we may very well encounter our own visitors this summer at Good Shepherd, and I hope you will join me in warmly welcoming them to our own portion of God’s kingdom.
While summer is programmatically slower than the rest of the year, Good Shepherd continues to be a busy place. Consider all that has been happening this summer and all that will continue to happen in the remainder of the summer months:
We are nearing the end of the time period for accepting applications for our new Director of Music position. Soon, we will begin in-person interviews and welcome Jack Warren Burnam as our Interim Organist and Choirmaster until a new Director of Music is called.
Work has just been completed in the Lady Chapel to repair roof and plaster damage (this is being funded by money received from an insurance claim; otherwise, we would not have been in a position to fund this work).
We have continued to address damaged roofing and leaking ceilings around campus, evidence of the extensive deferred maintenance on this campus, and we have more to do (perhaps some of you witnessed the torrents of water flooding into the church on July 9 and 16 during Mass). Unfortunately, for the present time, we are not financially poised to undertake major roofing work, but we are managing what we can to get us to a place where significant capital work can eventually be done. Thank you to Donald McCown, Rector’s Warden, for his helpful work in this regard!
This week, the retreat house will host twelve participants in a summer institute sponsored by the Delaware Academy of Vocal Arts. Join us for Choral Compline sung by the participants on Thursday, July 27, at 8 p.m. in the church!
We are finalizing our calendar for next program year, and we will soon be very busy with new retreat house offerings (day, program, and online), as well as children’s and adult formation and other parish events. Stay tuned! And it’s not too early to sign up for some of these events.
We continue with the Daily Office and weekday Masses, in addition to Sunday Masses. Hallow the ordinariness of your day with the extraordinariness of prayer.
We are looking forward to a new season of Pilgrims in Christ. Learn more about Pilgrims, and register here. You do not need to be new to the Church to participate!
And there is more. For a small parish that is growing, Good Shepherd is a busy place. And so as we draw closer to a new program year, I invite you to prayerfully consider ways of lending your time and gifts to ministry at Good Shepherd. If you’re already doing so, thank you! If not, please contact me, and I’d be delighted to assist you with discerning how God is calling you to serve his Church in this parish community. I hope you won’t be shy about reaching out. We always welcome the efforts of new hearts, minds, and hands in this place. For ministry at Good Shepherd to thrive, we need your help. I’m looking forward to seeing you on Sunday!
Yours in Christ,
Father Kyle