ESSENTIAL

When I began to prepare the last service booklet as rector of Trinity Church, Michigan City, Indiana, I looked back through the newsletters from my first year
there.  I came across an article entitled "Essential."  It was about what it
would be like if every member of the congregation on Sunday morning experienced
his or her presence during worship as fundamentally essential to the service
itself, like the bread and wine, like the Scriptures.  I had forgotten that I
have been thinking about this for so long because in the past year there has
been a new intensity to my reflections on what it would be like for every person
who is at Mass to experience his presence at the liturgy as essential. 

LENT

A number of years ago the understanding I had of Lent began to change.  It began to change when the congregation where I served began to observe the historic rites of preparation for baptism in Christian tradition.  Those rites begin with the church year on the First Sunday of Advent.  On that Sunday a young adult in his mid-twenties stood before me with his new wife.  She had grown up in the Church.  They had recently been married in her home parish in another state.  At another time either her rector or I would have baptized him before the wedding, just done it to get it done.  But her rector said he deserved something more and
I did too.

BEGINNINGS

I want you to know how happy and excited I am that I have been called to be your
rector.  I never imagined such a ministry for myself.  The Church of Saint Mary
the Virgin is one of the great American parishes.  Saint Mary's ministry and
witness supports much work for Christ in the greater church.  Thank you for
calling me to be your pastor and your priest.  I promise to try to offer my best
efforts and my best love to the call you have given me.