Dear People of St. Catherine’s,

By the time you read this we will have had our Parish Development Weekend. Thank you to our consultant, Michelle Heyne, OA, and to all who participated in this important opportunity for growth. Thank you also to Tiffany Grant and Seth Jones and their new commission, Embrace, for arranging the food for the weekend. The Vestry and other parish leaders will continue to work with the information and tools received during this time.

We also said goodbye to Dr. John Carmichael, our beloved choir director, on Sunday September 30th. John has moved to be with Alisa in Kansas City, near their grandchildren. We continue to pray for them in this transition, as we continue our process to hire an interim organist / choir director.

October brings the first opportunity for a new tradition with our Lutheran neighbors. We are starting a joint Blessing of the Animals service. This year the service will be in our back lot, at the outdoor chapel, as usual, at 11 a.m. on Saturday October 6th. Next year we will do the service down the street on their property, and so on. I am excited about starting some new traditions with our Lutheran neighbors! Bring your beloved pets, stuffed animals, or photos to be blessed.

We also have Diocesan convention in October. The Diocese is celebrating it’s 50th anniversary, and our Presiding Bishop, the Most Reverend Michael Bruce Curry, will be with us. Our lay delegates to Convention, Manon Alewynse, Seth Jones, and DeeDee Schatzberg and I will bring back news from this inspiring gathering.

Thanks be to God for all the blessings of this life.

In Christ,
Mother Susan+