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Demolition

Groundbreaking Scheduled

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Groundbreaking Scheduled

Dear Parishioners,

Praise be to our Lord Jesus Christ who continues to inspire and work in our Church.  As of this writing, the church building is now completely gone.  The dirt underneath the foundation will soon be removed down to the bedrock, and a new two foot layer of rock will follow.  From that point, the site will be fenced off for safety, and the hole that remains will be off limits.  We will be applying for construction permits, and wait until mid September for more activity.  

Mark your calendars for September 17th when Bishop Peter smith will come for our 11 AM Mass followed by a groundbreaking ceremony. This project needs all of our prayers: prayers for safety, prayers for healing, prayers for those who have been away and are coming back of curiosity, prayers for the continued work of the committees stewarding the project along, andprayers that we will be the welcoming people our mission calls us to be.

If you are involved in social media such as Facebook or Twitter, you may have realized that updates on our project are frequently posted there.  They are, in fact, the most rapid and up-to-date means to maintain clear and transparent communication with people. I will, of course, keep us up-to-date via our bulletin or “pulpit announcements” at Mass as needed. We will continue to do so as a way to help us all journey together and pray together for this work that God is doing in our community of faith.

Blessings,

Fr. William Holtzinger
Pastor

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Church Building Now Empty

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Church Building Now Empty

Dear Parishioners,

This past week has been an important yet emotional step in our journey to our new church building. Thank you to all the many people who came this past week to help prepare our church by preserving all the items that are important to us while also removing the items that needed to be thrown away or given away for other noble purposes. 

While Tuesday was our official day for the “Church Clean Out Work Day,” we had many people come on Monday to help us get ahead in this needed task. On this following Monday (June 26), the church building will be off limits to all as asbestos abatement begins. It is scheduled to last for two weeks.  At the time this posting went live, we have a demolition date for July 10th. I don't know what time this will be, but keep your eyes peeled to our parish Facebook and Twitter feeds for the latest. 

In addition to preparing the church building for demolition, we have settled into a routine for daily Mass. If you come to daily Mass, each parishioner needs to immediately take notice that they will be responsible for placing a host in the paten to be brought forward at the Preparation of the Gifts.  This is one benefits of no longer having two entrances and two sides to our gathering space. Now, we can more easily fulfill the Church’s guidelines that tell us that the hosts to be brought forward should only be the ones needed for the community at that Mass. As for Sunday celebrations, our sacristans will continue to get rough counts of those who have come for Mass and make sure the number of hosts is appropriate. In addition, we continue to have a reserved number of hosts for the sick in our Tabernacle so that our Homebound Ministers can bring Christ to the sick.

As always, please keep this courageous and faith-filled enterprise in your prayers.  And, again, thank you to all who gave of their time and talent this past week to help prepare the church for asbestos abatement.

Blessings,

Fr. William Holtzinger
Pastor

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It Has Begun

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It Has Begun

Dear Parishioners,

Well, it has begun.  Last week our flags were taken down and our pipe organ dismantled and sent to St. John the Baptist Episcopal Church in Portland. This weekend marks the last time we will offer any Sacraments or services in our church building. Each one of these events are uncomfortable and even disturbing, for we are all used to these things.  We’ve come to expect them in our minds, hearts, and vision when we come to our campus.  But, instead of living solely in the sadness of things going away, we must all accept that suffering and dying are necessary parts of life and necessary parts of our spiritual growth.  When we accept suffering and death into our lives, we are accepting our cross.  When we accept our cross, we are being true disciples of the Lord and only then can resurrection occur.  So, I want to encourage us all to truly take in the changes that cause us discomfort and see them for the potential gifts that they can be. 

Last week, while on retreat, I came upon this wonderful thought from Thérèse of Lisieux who was quoting a priest, Fr. Almire Pinchon: “The greatest honor that God can pay to anyone is not to give him much but to ask much from him.” God is asking much from us. This transitional time will require us to be uncomfortable at times and even bump into each other at times. We will get to know each other in a much more intimate space, literally we will be closer by the fact that we will be sitting right next to each other! But, this is our grand opportunity to give praise to God and love each other at a more personal level!  This is our time to pray for our community that we will grow through our suffering and become the saints we are all called to be. So, praise God for what he is asking from us!  In return, pray that our participation in our crosses will bear great fruit not just for our parish, but for all those who come to visit or are wanting to join us in the years to come. 

We will be saying goodbye to our current church (honoring our past), and preparing for our new church (building our future).  This presents us all a choice.  What will you choose?  May all our efforts give God the glory, for we choose to serve the Lord (cf. Joshua 24:15). 

Blessings,

Fr. William Holtzinger
Pastor

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Countdown

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Countdown

Dear Parishioners,

Let the countdown begin! Next weekend will be the last time we will celebrate any Masses, services, or any of the Sacraments in our current church as we move to the Hall and prepare for the next step towards our new church. Here’s what’s coming in the near future. 

June 13-16th - The organ will be dismantled, transported, and reassembled in St. John the Baptist Episcopal Church in Portland. 

June 18 - After the 11 AM Mass, we will solemnize the departure of our church by stripping the altar, removing the Blessed Sacrament as well as the Holy Oils and processing through the church and to the Parish Center Sky Room where we will have a short time of adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.

June 19 - Our first Mass in the Sky Room will take place. We will continue to use the Sky Room until the day we dedicate our new church in the later part of 2018. We are planning for Christmas and Easter Masses to take place in the gym of the Lincoln Elementary School across the street just so we can handle the increase in attendence during those times.

June 20 - All are invited to help in the removal of all the other items of the church to be either stored, thrown away, or given to other entities. The pews will need to be unbolted from the pews and placed outside. This activity will be lead by Kirk Chapman, Stephen Voehl, and Alan Crews.  If anyone has any questions, they are the ones with whom to inquire.

June 21 - If the church is not yet emptied of items that are scheduled to be removed, etc., this will be when the last items should be completely taken out.

After all the needed items have been removed from the church, a company will come to the church to begin asbestos abatement which will take two weeks to complete. The church will be completely off limits during this important step, indeed expect to see workers dressed in special garb and face masks as well other special wrapping around the church as the professionals determine are needed.

After asbestos abatement, heavy equipment will be brought in and demolition of the church will commence. This is expected to take only three days. We will make sure to advertise this date when it is known. It will be quite the event to witness.

So, there’s our short-term timeline of events.  There may be some unforeseen changes, but we do not expect them at this point.  As always, please keep this process in your prayers.  Please pray for the safety of all who are doing this work.  And ultimately, let us always keep our hearts, minds, and vision on the goal which is a new church for the greater glory of God.

Blessings,

Fr. William Holtzinger
Pastor

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Moving & Working Together

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Moving & Working Together

Dear Parishioners,

As we have shared previously, our last weekend in the church is June 17-18.  At the end of the 11 AM Mass on June 18th, we will formally strip the altar, remove the Blessed Sacrament and Holy Oils, and process in solemnity and joy from the church to the Parish Center for a short time of adoration and prayer.  In the days that follow that weekend, we need to begin to prepare the church for asbestos abatement and later demolition. This is where we, as church, can help out. We will have to unbolt the pews, removed the sound system and statues, and many other things.  A “honey-do” list will be created as well as dates as best as we can for these and other activities.  We will advertise these things when we know them more definitively.

Please keep this whole process in your prayers. We are now getting to the phase where things are not just being done in committees, but happening in front of our very eyes. We, ourselves, will need to move and get used to a new “field-church” situation in the Parish Center. We have only three more weekends left in our current building!

May charity and joy reign in our hearts. May we continually lean on the Lord for guidance and strength. And as it is written in Ephesians 1:17 from today’s Mass, “May the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, give [us] a Spirit of wisdom and revelation resulting in knowledge of him.”  For the greater glory of God and the increase of the Faith are why we do what we do. May he bless our hands and hearts in the weeks and months ahead.

Blessings,

Fr. William Holtzinger
Pastor

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Do Not Let Your Hearts Be Troubled

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Do Not Let Your Hearts Be Troubled

Dear Parishioners,

Jesus said, "Where I am going you know the way." Thomas then answered, "Master, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?" In the context of the moment, Jesus was trying to encourage his disciples not let their hearts be troubled. And why? Because, Jesus knew that his disciples were afraid and unsure of the future. Jesus told them that, despite his leaving, he would prepare a place for them and then return. He assured them that, more than anything else, they needed to know that Jesus is the "way and the truth and the life," and thus they went out with courage and faith. In this event, Jesus is speaking to us as well.

In each of our lives, there are changes, uncertainties, and other things that cause us fear and worry. In view of our new church building project, the reality that our current church will be demolished could cause anxiety and sadness for some. For others, there is anticipation and excitement. One thing is certain, we must be sensitive to each other during this process. We all hold memories of sacraments and other events that were commemorated in our church.

Going forward, be assured that people of good faith are striving to be good stewards in the process. Things are bound to change and mistakes will be made. We will be bumping into each other more and sitting closer to each other. In our transition period, which is slated to begin on June 24/25th, we should not be like the Israelites who grumbled and, thus, wandered in the desert. Rather, we are the disciples of Jesus who are called to a particular mission (this new church) with courage and faith.

Blessings,

Fr. William Holtzinger Pastor 

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