This little opus also appeared in the May 22, 2022 bulletin.
Last Saturday, I began my fourth month in service to the St. Noel community— time that has absolutely flown by! Hectic as these three months have been, however, not a day has gone by without a genuine sense of gratitude and joy. You have validated every person who told me how wonderful you all are. I have already witnessed profoundly moving examples of faith-filled hospitality and service, whether directed at me or extended to others. It's a joy to serve you in worship, as the hard work of our Music Ministry volunteers is constantly rewarded by your energy and engagement as a worshiping community. For all this, I thank you!
Now that the Lenten Gauntlet is behind me, I can look to the long-term (or at least to the summer), and several exciting projects are already underway.
Our music ministers already know about the Worship Blog on our parish website, as I've been sending them weekly "Wednesday Reports" to keep us all in the loop. I invite you all to check out this blog, as I'll be turning to it more often to introduce new music, get your input, and share other bits of good news for our worship life. You'll find the Worship Blog at https://www.stnoel.org/blog/worship.
While much of our worship life is bouncing back from COVID, we haven't yet been able to welcome our kids back into Music Ministry. We're hoping to change that! If you have a young music-maker in your life who'd be interested in sharing those gifts in the parish, please tell me about them at stnoel.org/musicalkids! Your input will help us discern how to open the doors of ministry back up to our young parishioners.
Our Concert Series is coming together beautifully, and I can't wait to share the slate of artists we have lined up for you. Check out the Concert Series page at stnoel.org/concerts for more information. This year, we're looking for businesses and individuals to sponsor this series through in-program ads and sponsorships. If you'd like to support the Concert Series, just let me know!
If that weren't enough, we're making several behind-the-scenes improvements in Music Ministry, from upgrading microphones to reorganizing our music library. We've reunited after a long COVID hiatus, and we've welcomed several new members too. (By the way, there's still room for you. We're hoping to add more instrumental presence to our liturgies, from guitars to winds to strings. This fall, we'll add a new Mass setting to the parish repertoire (which you'll be invited to help us choose!), and I look forward to my first Advent and Christmas with you too.
Your experience of worship at St. Noel is something I want to know about; that's what I'm here for, after all. Please know that my door and mind is open to you, and I welcome any perspective you're willing to share on our liturgical life.
My two years away from liturgy were difficult ones for many reasons. To have landed in such a fantastic community is a blessing beyond comprehension, and your witness to faith has been a source of healing and hope for my family and me. Thank you.