During the recovery from any disaster, man-made or natural, there is a tendency to start off strong, with lots of enthusiasm and vigor to immediately repair what needs to be done and get back to “normal”. We have seen it here at St. John within our Parish Family. I have cautioned the staff, however, that this is a marathon, not a sprint. It can seem like a grind sometimes, but the efforts we are taking to recover, repair, and renew our campus will have a lasting positive impact on the area. We are not just a parking lot and a couple of buildings. We are a church, made to serve the spiritual and pastoral needs of our Parish Family and our community. We provide shelter for support groups for those addicted individuals and their families. We are an after-school program that serve single parents that must work and have a safe, enlivening environment for their children. We are the center of social activities for people who otherwise might stay within the walls of their own homes, closing in on themselves. We are Saint John.
The positive and engaging environment we provide has been the product of decades of efforts here at Saint John by countless ministries and groups. Pope Francis has asked that all of us continue in this effort as “Missionaries of Hope”:
Dear Brothers and Sisters: In our continuing catechesis on Christian hope, I would now like to speak of our calling to be missionaries of hope. October is traditionally dedicated to reflection on our participation in the Church’s mission. Saint Francis of Assisi, whose feast we celebrate today, can serve as our model in this regard. Francis was a true missionary of the joyful hope born of Christ’s victory over death and our own share in his risen life. Jesus asks us to be witnesses of that same hope, confident in the transforming power of his Spirit at work in our hearts and in our world. Joy is the sure sign of true Christian hope, for we know that evil will not have the upper hand, and that God’s love, revealed on the cross, will ultimately triumph. Certainly, there are times when the gift of hope proves costly. This is the case with so many of our fellow Christians who presently experience persecution, and with the martyrs in every age. Their witness inspires us to continue to hope in Christ’s promises. As missionaries of hope, may we rejoice in God’s saving power, never lose heart, and help others to look to the future with confidence.
The disciples are announcers of Jesus’ resurrection not only in word, but with facts and with the testimony of their life! Jesus doesn’t want disciples capable only of repeating learned and memorized formulas. He wants witnesses: people who spread hope with their way of welcoming, smiling and loving. The most important part is loving because the strength of the resurrection renders Christians capable of loving even when love seems to have lost its meaning.
– Pope Francis 10/4/17 (http://w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/audiences/2017/documents/papa-francesco_20171004_udienza-generale.html)
Staying positive, flexible, and understanding during our recovery is not always easy. I have to thank our Parish Staff for their continued affirmative communication and outreach to all that come to our church, even though as of this writing we are still working out of the Narthex and Cry Room. It is a testament to their resilience and dedication to our Mission.
I also want to thank our Parish Family, who continue to serve those in need while dealing with our own personal recovery issues. I hope you are all seeing the constant improvements and repairs we are making across the campus every single day to serve you. The Front Parking Lot is nearly complete, even after the storm’s damage. The new lighting scheme has been finalized and been ordered, so we will have a safe campus after dark finally. Instead of a 200-day lead time to have our damaged tree removal accomplished, our church was prioritized and our damaged trees are being hauled away. The cross on our bell tower was damaged in the storm, but we were able to remove it completely and safely so it can be repaired and restored. Every day we are making progress and it is due to your prayers, patience, and support. Thank you for running this marathon with us!