Reflections of Father David

Since the beginning of January I have been taking an on-line graduate level class from the Episcopal Seminary of the Southwest.  The class is Holy Companions:  Spiritual Practices from the Celtic Saints, and is led by Dr. Mary C. Earle, a professor at SSW.  This is a new experience for me, taking a class on-line.  We are a group of XXX people from all across the United States.  Each week we post and discuss on line in response to what we've read in our text book and what we've studied in other web resources.

To date, we've explored the lives of St. Patrick, St. Brigit, St. Columba, St. Non, St. David, St. Illtyd, St. Melangell, St. Ninian, and St. Kevin.  Many of these holy companions I've studied in the past, but several are new.  With all of them, I've learned more about who they were and what impact they had upon Christians in England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland.  I've learned new prayer techniques and new interesting tidbits.  Did you know that during the Christianizing of Ireland, no blood was ever shed and there are no Irish martyrs? You can add that to there being no snakes in Ireland!

Why spend time studying dead saints?  Why did we just finish celebrating St. David's Day with a special liturgy followed by a potluck?  Do we really care that David's mother's name was Non?  Are we truly better people because we've taken time to learn something about these long-dead people?  Can they have any impact on life in the 21^st century?

We spend time studying the saints to see how the Risen Lord Jesus affected their lives, and how they passed the Gospel message on to a new generation.  We celebrate St. David's Day with thanksgiving that David answered God's call to serve, founded monasteries to keep alive Christianity, art, wisdom, culture, and learning in the midst of the Dark Ages.  Were it not for the dedication of monks and nuns in monasteries across the land, much irreplaceable knowledge would have been lost to mankind forever.  From St. Non we learn about caring and nurturing, how to overcome acts of violence, and to trust in God at all times.

Yes, we are better people because we've taken time to discover and learn from the saints of old.  The world in which they lived was not all that different from the world in which you and I live.   In both worlds we can find examples of joy and sadness, hunger, violence, suffering, and people needing to hear words of hope when all seems hopeless.  In both worlds, the action of a single person can make all the difference in the life of another broken hurting individual.

Too many people believe that once they are confirmed, or finish college or graduate school, they can stop learning.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  Every day we should learn as much as we can.  In this way we stay up to date on events in the world to see how we might respond to a dizzying array of changes.   None of us are even close to learning all that the Bible can teach us.  Everyone can benefit from continued daily study.

We can do this by attending Bible Study or memorizing a Bible verse weekly.  We can take on-line classes as I am doing.  We can participate in future Lenten studies or the rector's classes.  We can use the computer to discover a huge amount of material on the saints, church architecture, theology, and the list goes on and on.   We can get all sorts of books and materials from the local libraries and from MSU.

There is still time to work study into your Lenten journey.  Perhaps you remember from the Ash Wednesday Service that we were invited "to the observance of a Holy Lent, by self-examination and repentance;  by prayer, fasting, and self-denial; and by reading and meditating on God's holy Word." (Book of Common Prayer - page 265).  Add new depth and richness to your life by taking time each day to learn something new that feeds your spirit and your soul.

God's blessings to you this Holy Lent and always.

With deepest affection,

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KID’S WINTER RETREAT

The Kid’s Winter Retreat is quickly approaching!  The event is scheduled for February 20 and 21.  Kid’s in grades 3 through 12 are encouraged to attend.  Please contact Kevin Cornell at 517-743-1471 for more information.

Directory Updates

It’s time to update our parish directory again!  On the table in the Narthex are sample copies of the parish directory, birthday list, wedding anniversary list and baptism list.  Please take a moment to check your family information and update the lists as necessary. New directories will be available later this month.

Childrens Choir

Children ages 3 through grade 5 are encouraged to join the Children’s Choir.  Youngsters will meet in the church following the 10:30 AM worship service for a 15 minute choir rehearsal.  Parents with questions may contact Kathy Huebner, choir director, at 272-2473.  

Loose Connections - “Loose Connections” – that’s the title of a thought provoking video presentation that will be shown at the St. David’s Senior World Luncheon Program on Thursday, February 11.  Members of St. David’s are encouraged to attend!  Bring a dish to pass and enjoy fellowship with our friends from Lansing Manor, Serenity Place, Sterling House, and other locations. Contact Lore Tuttle (321-2469) for reservations or questions.

Secret Pal Party -  All the ladies of St. David’s are invited to participate in the Secret Pal Party.  The event will take place on Sunday, February 14, with a potluck following the coffee hour, at approximately 1:00 PM.  If you are currently a member of the Secret Pal group, this is when you will be able to know who your secret pal was during 2009.  If you are currently a member, please bring a dish to pass.  This is a wonderful opportunity to get to know all the lovely ladies in our parish.  

We thank Carolyn Jacobs, who has coordinated Secret Pals for many years.  She is now stepping down as coordinator.  We are in need of a new leader for this activity.    If you are interested in this ministry, please see Carolyn after church or phone her at 622-1983.

The Outreach Committee will be distributing Thanksgiving Food Baskets again this year to 55 families. On average we spend about $85-$90 for food for each family and provide enough food for a week.

There are three ways you can help:

1.    Donations—Please use the Food Basket envelopes in your Sunday Bulletin for your donation. If you write a check, please write “Food Baskets” in the memo line.

2.    Set-up—We will be getting everything (tables, food, boxes, etc,) ready on Saturday, Nov. 21 from 6pm-9pm (right after the Shopping Extravaganza) in the Great Hall. If you have an hour or more and would like to see what goes on “behind the scenes,” your help would be most welcome. Free pizza and pop will be provided.

3.    Packing and Distributing Food Baskets—Packing and distributing will occur on Sunday, November 22 from 9:15am-3:00pm in the Great Hall.  All are welcome for whatever time you can give. We need people to pack and deliver food baskets.

If you have any questions, please contact Jerry Williams or Sharon Phipps. Thank you, in advance, for giving generously of your time and money so that we can extend God’s love to these families.

St. David’s Mothers of Preschoolers group would like to invite you to a free fashion show on Thursday, November 5 from 10:00-11:30 AM. This event is free! There will be food, door prizes, and plenty of fall fashions to admire. Come learn how to put your best fashion foot forward as the owner of K2 Boutique shows what looks best on different body types using the moms as models. Free childcare is available, but you must RSVP as space is limited. Please call 323-2272 for more information or to RSVP.