From Rev. Jane
Dearest Family and Friends of St. Margaret’s,
What a wonderful celebration it was for my final Sunday with you at St. Margaret’s last week. My heart is truly overflowing with gratitude and thanksgiving for each of you.
Thank you that so many of you were able to be present for worship that day. The numbers in the congregation looked like pre-covid days! How wonderful it was to experience worship with so many of you.
I have a huge thank you for the beautiful engraved, silver frame with the photo of the magnificent “St. Margaret Etched Window”. I will treasure it always. So thoughtful.
And to EACH of you who contributed to the monetary gift, I can only say I am deeply humbled and offer my sincerest, heartfelt thanks. Your generosity was absolutely amazing. Again, I am deeply touched and offer my thanks to EACH and EVERY one of you. Words fail.
The reception on the lawn was so special – and beautiful under the white tent with the gorgeous fall flowers. The tablecloths decked with Royal Stewart plaid were perfect and so festive. And all the food was delicious – and plentiful! Thank you to ALL – and I mean all – who make it happen!
As I finish up this week in the office, I have been reflecting on the wonderful community that is St. Margaret’s. And I know, without a doubt, that St. Margaret’s will continue to engage and grow in new and vigorous ministries.
I wish you every blessing and peace as we all enter this new season of our lives!
Blessings, peace and joy always!
Jane+
From Mo. Laura
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
This is a bittersweet letter to write, my first as your priest-in-charge. It has been such a delight working so closely with my dear friend Mo. Jane Bender over these past three years. Her kindness, compassion, pastoral sensitivity, and WISDOM, are all I could ever hope for in a colleague and in MY priest. While we will still continue as friends and as members of the Benedictine Oblate Chapter, we won’t be working together on a daily basis. But I am so very delighted that she will now have time to spend with her many family and friends around the country. I know we all send her forth with our blessings for joy and heartfelt thanks. And look forward to hearing about her adventures and seeing her from time to time.
It has also been a great honor and privilege to worship alongside of you and to serve you as assisting priest. I’ve known the people and clergy of St. Margaret’s for many years, but I never expected to be your priest! I am grateful for your trust and the Bishop’s trust in placing me in this leadership position. I promise that I will continue to do my best as we work together for the sake of Christ’s Gospel of love, acceptance, and hope. And don’t we all need that Good News among the stresses of our daily lives and the bad news that sometimes overwhelms us?
As time goes by, I’ll share more with you about my suggestions on leadership, as you share with me “the ways things are done” at St. Margaret’s. But there is one very important thing you need to know: I have a terrible memory. It’s a minor kind of learning disability. It saddened my piano-teacher mother’s heart that I could never memorize music enough to play for a recital. Or even at church. Learning math formulae, names/dates/places in history, titles of things in biology were a real struggle. And to this day, I am entirely capable of being introduced to you and an hour later not remembering your name, however much I immediately recognize your face. If you tell me something about an event or something that needs to be done, I will almost certainly forget. So I try hard to write everything down. I can be quite organized, but you will often see me scribbling on a piece of paper as people talk with me (or on my hand, if no paper is available). I’m not being rude, I’m paying attention to you by making a note of what you are telling me.
My favorite Latin motto is: NON SCRIPTUM NON EST! IF IT’S NOT WRITTEN DOWN, IT DOESN’T EXIST! So please give me notes or send me emails about things. And never, ever hesitate to remind me if I haven’t answered you. I’m not offended, I’m grateful for your patience with me.
Looking forward to a wonderful year ahead! And praying that God will bless us all with health and joy. And that soon, COVID will fade away. But that won’t stop us from praying together!
Peace,
Mo. Laura