Dear Fellow Parishioners,
Our beloved Pastor Monsignor Jim is now enjoying his first vacation in three years. He will return for the weekend masses 22 October, and just in time for Oktoberfest on the 21st. In his absence Monsignor offered me the opportunity to write a Twitch. My intent is to give you an update of our current parish activities from my perspective as a member of your Pastoral Council.
During our forced absence from attending Mass, the thought that prevailed in my mind was what does church mean to me? The answer came to me when I was praying for the Holy Spirit to inspire me to make the best use of this opportunity to communicate with my fellow St. Sebastian Parishioners. I found the answer in Luke 11:27-28, “Blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it.”
How do we hear the Word of God? Coming to church daily and weekly is a predictable way to hear the Word of God. Our attendance is almost back to normal. Please encourage anyone who is reluctant to attend church to return. Social distancing and wearing a mask are still options for those who want extra protection. Another aspect of hearing the Word of God is through prayer. For prayer to communicate to us we need to hear the words. When we pray aloud this means saying the words slowly and TOGETHER. That dictum comes to mind whenever we pray the Lord’s Prayer. Another aspect of prayer is silence so that in our minds we can be aware of our communication to the Lord. Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament that is available in our Chapel every Friday from 9 AM to 5 PM gives us another opportunity for silent prayer. When we are in the church or the chapel, we focus on talking to God. Meeting and greeting our friends can wait until we are outside of God’s house... and that is a good lead into our upcoming social events. Our Octoberfest is 21 October. You need to buy a ticket to enjoy the dinner! (see the Bulletin). Also, we are asking Parish to assist us with a myriad of tasks which provide opportunities to engage with fellow Parishioners. (Call the office to volunteer!) The next parish event, which is both social and needed to sustain our parish, is the Parish Ministry Fair scheduled for 3 and 4 December. We have more than a dozen Parish Ministries (Eucharistic Ministers, Ushers, Sandwich Min¬istry, Lectors, etc.). All need volunteers to help the Par¬ish continue our mission.
Please plan to attend either 3 or 4 December for wine and cheese or donuts (you can figure which one is which) and sign up to be more involved in our Parish community.
The last item I will mention is the Parish Cruise that is happening from 5 to 19 November. This is the third cruise and the fourth trip made by a group from St. Sebastian. We can plan a future trip if Parishioners have an interest in making a trip together. Should we do another cruise in 2023 or something else? Give your ideas to your Pastoral Council; our names are on the front of the Parish Bulletin.
I conclude with words from Sirach 30:22, “Gladness of heart is the very life of a person and cheerfulness pro-longs his days.” May you have many happy days!
Nancy R. Adams
Pastoral Council President
