Holy Spirit is a wonderful family, and we are currently in need of more volunteers for jobs big and small. Some volunteer jobs are a major commitment like being on the vestry or being a member of the rector search committee. (More announcements about that are coming soon). We have many smaller jobs to fill, and we need a diverse, committed group of people to fill them. I am going to highlight a few of these each week to let everyone know what these jobs encompass and how you can join in. Please prayerfully consider adding at least one of these to your Christian journey.

The Liturgical calendar is divided into two parts. The first half of the year we remember and celebrate the events of Jesus life on earth, from Advent to Pentecost. The second half of the year starts on Trinity Sunday and is called the long green season or Ordinary Time. The meaning of the term “ordinary” in this case is based on ordinal numbers, since we delineate the Sundays as being the first, second, third, etc. Sunday after Pentecost. However, I want us to think about the more standard definition of “ordinary.”

I was looking up this Sunday’s lectionary selections for inspiration for the Spirit Shot for this week. When I saw what the Epistle is going to be for Sunday, I just decided to put it up here. We all have unique gifts, and we need all of our gifts to be shared with each other as we work through these next few months. As often happens, the perfect scripture appears at the perfect time.

1 Corinthians 12:3b-13

As our Holy Spirit community faces an important transition, I would like to first express my gratitude and thanks to Josh Condon and his family for all the contributions, sacrifices, and improvements they have made to our church and school. I have a unique perspective of serving on the Vestry both when Josh arrived and later when he departed. Under Josh’s leadership, we have greatly enhanced our church facilities, financial position, church and school relations, membership, and overall spiritual growth as a community. Even though we have lost a very capable and energetic rector, he has left us in a great place and we have solid foundation to build upon.

For what are likely obvious reasons if you read last week’s announcement, I have been thinking a lot about how to say goodbye well. How do I say how much I love you and appreciate you while also in the same breath say my family and I are leaving this wonderful church? Honestly, the only way, with all sincerity, is that I really do believe this is what God is calling us into. That is not to say that God is negating anything about our time together, but I believe it is more an honoring of all we have shared.