From Our Pastor: 4th Sunday of Easter
This weekend is called Good Shepherd Sunday. We celebrate the gift of good shepherds in our lives. We thank God for the gift of our shepherd Pope Francis and pray for his continued ministry. We thank God for the gift of our shepherd Bishop Thomas John Paprocki and pray for his continued ministry. We thank God for the gift of our shepherds in our priests here, Fr. David Beagles, Fr. Rafal Pyrchla, and myself, and pray for our continued ministry. Through these shepherds God reorders the world through the Church. They bring us the sacraments, and most especially bring us the true presence of the Eucharist. Good shepherds not only feed their sheep, but are also called to protect them, most especially from wandering off. Good shepherds go out and find the lost and seek to bring them to the flock. Good shepherds should reach out to those who are injured and sick and bring them healing wherever they may be. Christ the good shepherd does all of this. We pray then that Jesus continues to work through His shepherds in our lives and Church. We also then pray that Jesus the good shepherd calls more, in our very midst, to follow after Him to be shepherds. Pray for more shepherds. Pray they hear the voice clearly of the good shepherd calling them, but most especially that they have the courage to head Jesus’ voice and leave everything behind and follow Him. This Good Shepherd Sunday we thank Jesus the good shepherd for caring for us, His flock.
We thank Fr. David for his service here at St. Francis. We pray for him as he follows the call of the good shepherd to go and tend the flock in Robinson, Oblong, and the prison there. We have time in these next few weeks, but please make sure you take that time to show him the immensity of his impact here.
We thank Mike Holbrook our DRE, as he looks to retirement. We thank him for these years he has served here so faithfully and so diligently. We are grateful to Liz and Jake as they start here, and we are abundantly thankful for all God has done through Mike. Truly a servant heart.
Please make sure you continue to pray for the new principal search that we find who God desires us to hire.
Lastly, do not forget to sign up to work the parish picnic in some way. If you are a new family, this is a great way to meet people and serve the parish. If you are someone who’s been here a while, or a LONG while, please make sure to sign up to help make this picnic a success. Many hands make light work when we do this together, and it’s way more fun that way! Thank you!
-Rev. Steven Arisman