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May 21, 2021Beginning today masks will be recommended but not required at the 11am Mass. Masks will still be required at the Vigil Mass on Saturday and at 8am on Sunday. Masks will be optional at the 8am daily Mass. Beginning Sunday, the ushers will take up the offertory collection at the regular time and the gifts will be presented. Beginning Sunday, you will no longer have to come in the side door. Participating in Mass outside will remain an option at the Vigil and 11am Masses. Sunday Mass will continue to be lived streamed for the foreseeable future. There is open seating on the St. Joseph side of the aisle for the vaccinated and social distance seating on the BVM side of the aisle for all others. The Pandemic isn’t quite controlled yet. So, the return to “normal” will be fluid for a while longer. Stay tuned for updates and thank you for your patience.
As I mentioned at Masses last Sunday one change that I am just a little leery about is having the ushers take up the offertory collection once again. I say that in jest, because your stewardship of our Parish has been and continues to be remarkable. Throughout the pandemic you have clearly understood the needs of our Faith Community and your support of our offertory has been outstanding.
Thus, we have funds on hand to construct the Jeff Cramer designed front plaza that will make getting in and out of Church much easier and safer. Paul Nott, the Director of Construction & Properties for the Diocese has asked First City Enterprises Inc. to be the General Contractor for this project. Unfortunately, there is a shortage of building supplies and Mike Beytagh reports that the pavers will not be delivered now until the end of June, so the hope is to start work at the beginning of July. Our next project after the plaza will be to level the parking lot and replenish the gravel. God bless you for good stewardship that makes these projects possible without a lot of fundraising.
- On Monday, I fly up to Philly to visit with my family and old friends from my seminary days and high school days. I’ll be back on Saturday. I am grateful to Fr. Tom Peyton for covering the weekday Mass while I am gone and so I don’t have to worry about homily preparation Deacon Hosea Bennett will be preaching next weekend.
- Congratulations to our High School graduates, Anna Claire Edenfield, Lilla Gillen, and Erin Murphy. I pray that even as you head off to college, you’ll stay connected to your Faith Community here on Tybee. I pray that you never stop growing, exploring, learning, and challenging yourselves. Blessing and prayers on your graduation and for your future.
- I met Richard Law outside of Church on Sunday. He gave me 10 copies of his autobiography, Some Things Never Change. I did not find it an easy or uplifting read as it outlined the racism he faced as a black man trying to make it in a white society. If there is ever going to be racial reconciliation in our country and in our church, we need to move beyond “us and them” thinking. As God’s children, we can’t continue to think we are better than others of God’s children. Mr. Law’s book is available for the taking at the Church entrance.
Taking the Gospel Home: Read Acts 2:1-11 Did the Holy Spirit come only once in history, as in the upper room? Or do you see the Holy Spirit as dynamic and constant in all life? How were the disciples different after the Spirit’s arrival? Are you confident that the Spirit is with you? Will the Spirit work through you in some way to change things that need changing: Climate crisis? Hunger? Immigration? Racial bias? Trafficking?
