Our Lady of Lourdes

Dear Mom and Dad,

Wow, next week is back to church Sunday!  It is always a great weekend for folks to invite neighbors and friends to church.  I know it is awkward sometimes to invite people to church, but I really think we have an amazing community of believers whose faith is visible in the way we live.  Many people who visit us really enjoy the radical hospitality they feel when here. Most folks come back and join in our mission to love the God we cannot see by loving the neighbor we can.  I could not be a happier pastor being part of such an amazing group of “saints”.  We are more than a church; we are a family.  

I am very grateful Tyler and Michelle band are leading a 10-week recovery class, “Obstacles to Faith and Addiction”. The recovery class will focus on how our faith can assist and educate us on how to live a sober life and support those that still struggle. I hope people check it out.  It is so much of who we are, trying our best to meet the needs of folks wherever they are on their journey.

One consistent problem I encounter is with folks who don’t know how to live on a budget.  Dad, I am more than grateful you taught me fiscal literacy and fiscal responsibility.  I remember taking a friend shopping and he had no idea how to look at price per ounce when shopping.  He only looked at what appeared to be the size of packaging.  I tried to teach him   Thanks Dad for teaching me how to shop.  I know when preparing couples for marriage one of the greatest areas of conflict is over finances.  We all have different “money” issues.  I asked Sara to help us out.  She will be doing a 7-week seminar, “Balanced” on gaining and maintaining financial stability to help folks manage their money better.  I am really grateful and hope it is well attended.  I couldn’t teach it because I would just put everyone on the austerity plan, which only works for us Egittos.  Our money issues are being overly frugal or as others call it being “cheap”.  I do know being penny wise and pound foolish is not a good thing.  

I am grateful that Derm will be here for Drum Circle.  I just love being part of a parish that has so many opportunities to connect in so many different ways.  Spirituality is our entire life, not just when contemplating on God.  

I am also grateful for those who signed up for house meetings.  As I said last Sunday, it is an important way to engage in our Justice work.

Next, we will be signing up for Dinner Church.  Church is not just a spiritual gas station where we come for an hour a week for a fill up.  Church is a place where we love and are loved.  It is a place to belong.  Dinner “Church” is a smaller gathering where we get to care more intimately with each other.  When a loved one dies, the church needs to bring food, love, and support.  The “Church” that does this is the Dinner Church group.  When one is sick the “Church” needs to help, visit, let the dog out, even help tidy up.  Church is not “Fr. Phil”, but church is the many places we get to be known and know others.  Church are the people who are willing to really care about each other.   If we are expecting “Fr. Phil” to let the dog out when we are in the hospital, I will do the best I can, but….  our Dinner Church groups can make it all happen.  Mary Lewis, Darren Nash, and Gina Bruno will help sign folks up and coordinate this.  We need hosts to sign up this weekend from our many different neighborhoods. You don’t need to be able to cook, (many groups do a potluck) and only need space for 8 to 10 people. I am very grateful for the folks who are willing to host a Dinner Church at their home, clubhouse, community room, etc. . 

Hopefully by next weekend and we have the host list, people can sign up for which Dinner Church they want to belong. 

I guess that is all for now.

Love,

Philip