I’m sitting here in my office this Monday morning. Out-side my window is a large snow drift that partially obscures a view of a huge snow pile another twenty feet away. Get the picture? Snow EVERYWHERE. It’s winter. As the psalm says, “snow and chill . . . bless the Lord.”
Yet even with the deep freeze we’ve had these weeks things are stirring quietly about us that will bring new life in a short while (6 more weeks actually; according to Ground Hog Phil). What sorts of things?
Well first off, the sunlight is returning (days are longer since Dec.22), and soon we’ll begin to feel the difference in longer and warmer days. Burrowed animals are in gestation, and we’ll see their pups and fawns this spring. The last of the leaves are being stripped off the trees readying the branches for a new start.
That’s in nature. What about Holy Trinity? Any new life stirring here?
Yes, some quite wonderful things actually. Quietly over the past 5 months, 7 adults (six children as well) have been preparing to enter the Catholic Church through Baptism, Eucharist and Confirmation at the Easter Vigil. We pray for them each week in this journey.
Plans are underway to renew the church roof around the south towers. This is the first of two phases that will eventually renew our 100 year old roof. (Phase 1 will cost $100,000). Also, we are looking at paving and lighting the north parking lot across from Murphy Hall. This gravel parking lot is suffering erosion and terminal darkness at night. ($80,000?).
Our crack facilities committee is looking at both these issues and I’ll be reporting to you later this winter how the heck we’re going to pay for all this.
Youth Ministry is growing quietly at HT. In January Rob and Megan Balas led our Senior High Youth Retreat at Camp Stella Maris, and weekly they meet in the Youth Room to talk, pray, and eat! PARENTS AND GRAND PARENTS . . . DO YOU ENCOURAGE YOUR TEEN TO JOIN THE SUNDAY YOUTH CONVERSATION? HOLY TRINITY CAN PLAN, BUT YOU HAVE TO ENCOURAGE.
Meanwhile, plans for Jr. High (grds. 6, 7, 8) youth activities are being discussed. We need parents to help us here. What do you want to see here at Holy Trinity for your young pre-teen? Can you help make it happen? Call me!
One last note: we are still short staffed. We’ve not re-placed the 2 full time staff members we lost last summer, (Youth Minister and Pastoral Associate) and are stretching to fill in some critical areas of catechetical instruction (thank you Fr. John and Judy Cass!).
We will be looking for a new staff person this spring to help with adult faith formation and other responsibilities.
Soooo . . . dear friends, I hope you’re spreading the light wherever you are. Lent is not far away. We’ll talk about that when the time comes. Meanwhile, we go straight ahead.
Be kind.
Fr. Tim
