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Sunday, 27 April 2008 |
Next Sunday, we will celebrate the Ascension of the Lord. In that Gospel proclamation, we will hear the Risen Lord speak to St. John Neumann, saying to us: and behold, I am with you always, until the end of the ages (Mt.28.20b). This assurance that God-is-with-us still gives us the strength of faith, as we trust in the gifts and Presence of the Holy Spirit.
Though I know that we will have wonderful celebrations of the Ascension, at our ten Sunday Masses, I’ll have to hear about those celebrations from you on my return. Next weekend, I’ll be about an hour away from Lilburn, at the site of Toni’s Camp. This Archdiocesan retreat experience is designed to celebrate that God-is-with-us in and through the faith-community of those living with various disabilities. Many from our parish (including several of our teenagers) will join me for next weekend’s Toni’s Camp experience: some will come as campers, some will come as counselors… all of us will come as sons and daughters of God. Please pray for all of us at Toni’s Camp next weekend, as we seek to find joy in the Lord’s love and in the loving fellowship of disciples, whatever our ability or dis-ability.
Here’s some important news for the parish:
Our Building a Legacy of Faith project is a -movin’ and a-shakin’. As you know from last week’s bulletin, the Archbishop has given me permission to move forward with bringing on our architect, so that the plans for our new worship space might be completed. Please know that within a week or so, each person & family that offered a three-year pledge to build a legacy of our faithfulness will receive a letter, outlining how we will begin to redeem those pledges of necessary funds. I will be speaking to the parish soon about the project. Please remember that this project is one aspect of our spiritual renewal. We are being called to the joy of the Lord, in prayer and in fellowship and in service.
With all that we are doing as a parish has come some budgetary difficulties. After discussing these budgetary pressures with our Finance Council and with the parish’s Business Manager (Bill Marten), I have made a decision to down-size our staff, by eliminating one full-time position. The position held by Sherry Johnson (Adult Faith Formation) has been eliminated. The workload of that position will be picked up by members of the staff, by other lay leaders and by the deacons and priests of the parish.
In the year that I have been with the parish, I have seen the many talents of Sherry Johnson at work. She brought great gifts to the staff of the parish, and I know that her dedication to adult faith formation was recognized by those that saw her in action. Please know that the decision to eliminate her position was made because of budgetary concerns. Sherry completed her staff responsibilities on the 17th. Please God, she will continue to offer her gifts for the good of our parish family and the spiritual renewal we are being called to. Join with me in thanking Sherry Johnson for her years of service.
AMDG
Msgr. David Talley |
