The pictures included in this message emblemize something of the spirit of Good Shepherd, Rosemont. They were taken at a recent coffee hour following Mass. Notice how “at home” everyone seems. Notice the joy on people’s faces. Note how people seem to be so comfortable conversing with one another. Pay attention to the variety of ages represented.
Parish fellowship, lived out most acutely at Sunday coffee hours, is a natural outgrowth of what we share each week at Mass. We gather weekly, not for coffee hour, but for Mass. And yet, having gone through the drama and transformation of the Mass, it seems fitting to spend additional time together as a community of believers. In the Mass, we share in the “breaking of bread and the prayers,” as well as in “the apostles’ teaching.” After Mass, we share in their “fellowship.”
My weekly messages over the past two weeks reflected on how we find our identity as Christians in community in the Mass and how our shared fellowship together in this particular parish is representative of a Benedictine commitment to stability in community. As we look ahead to the 2024-2025 program year (and yes, it’s that time!), we will be focusing, as a parish, on our common life together. What does it mean to say that we are a part of this specific parish? What does being a member mean? What responsibilities do we have to God and each other by being at Good Shepherd? How is ministry here truly shared, and how can we share that ministry more? How do we experience the demands of being a committed Christian by being a part of life at Good Shepherd? These are only some of the questions we can ask.
You can now find the 2024-2025 parish events calendar published on our website. Intentionality in community together means that we plan ahead of time to ensure that everyone can prioritize significant events in our shared life together. As we would do in our lives outside the Church, consider reviewing the parish events calendar now and marking key events in your own personal calendars. What would it mean to give precedence to some of these events (especially holy days, special Masses, and other notable occasions) so as to let the rhythm of God’s sacred time break into our quotidian time?
I would like to highlight just a few items of particular note.
1) Please join us for a festive parish picnic on Sunday, September 8, following Sung Mass as we kick off the new program year. More details will follow, but we expect to have games for children, lots of fantastic food, and fun for all ages.
2) If you’re new to Good Shepherd in recent months, consider attending the newcomers class after Sung Mass on September 15. This is an opportunity to learn more about official membership, as well as about Good Shepherd, the Episcopal Church, and Anglicanism.
3) Note that our 2025 pledge campaign will ramp up on September 22, with a presentation by our parish Advancement Committee. Please plan to attend and learn how you can make a difference in supporting God’s ministry at Good Shepherd.
4) You will note the Sundays on which our new choristers will be singing throughout the program year. What an exciting new phase this will be in the life of the parish!
5) As in the past, the Choir will lead us Choral Evensong and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament throughout the year. On these Sundays, plan to hang around after coffee hour, have brunch with fellow parishioners, and come back for worship in the beauty of holiness.
6) You will see that most evening feast day Masses are followed by potluck suppers in the retreat house. I hope you will try to attend some or all of these!
7) Sunday adult formation is intentionally structured around the theme of our common life together, beginning with a theology of worship and moving into outreach and service in the world. All Sunday adult formation discussions will occur on the first Sunday of the month. Please recall that Sunday adult formation is not the only formation happening in the parish. Stay tuned for more information on registering for Pilgrims in Christ, an intensive adult formation class scheduled to begin in the early fall.
8) Main Line Early Music concerts are now usually on the last Sunday of each month, with occasional exceptions.
As we look towards next program year, I encourage you to find ways to put our parish life at the center of your life as you make God the center. If you’re looking for ways to become more involved at Good Shepherd, I hope you will reach out to me. If you’re just wanting to dip your toe into the water of parish life a bit more, consider this year as an opportunity to do so, and I hope you’ll avail yourself of a rich series of parish events and formation classes.
I will be away on vacation until July 13, and then I return for Mass on July 14, leaving again the next day for further vacation until the end of the month. I will miss all of you. Should you have any pastoral concerns or emergencies, please call the parish office (610-525-7070), and you will be directed to someone who can help. I’ll look forward to seeing you upon my return!
Yours in Christ,
Father Kyle