May 31, 2020

Visit: www.stjoan.com 4537

Pastor’s 2 Cents From: Fr. Jim DeBruycker

For four years during seminary I was the ‘prop’ manager for large Cathedral liturgies- Midnight Mass, Holy Week, and ordinations to name a few. I was given a script and a list of items needed for every ceremony, then it was my job to make sure they were there when needed. Many times I found myself putting things away in an empty Cathedral at two or three in the morning. To be in a large empty space, like the Cathedral, with only one or two lights on is an eerie experience. My boss at the time, Fr. Jim Notebaart, would call it an experience of holiness. Without a doubt, there is a residue of humanity that lingers after a large crowd leaves a building, es-pecially a church celebration. There are the whiffs of incense still lingering, the residue of over-perfumed bodies and a certain detectable higher level of humidity generated by so many bodies. It is not an unpleasant presence…but it is a presence. This is one of the primary reasons I feel it is important not to open up too soon during a pandemic: that presence is a great incubation vehicle for virus. I know the Cathedral rector argued faith was as essential and important as Walmart to us all and to an extent I agree, but while I do need a grocery store to have food, I don’t need a building to have faith. Why compound the risk for no good reason? Many parishioners have expressed their sadness at not being able to receive communion in either Eucharist or in common fellowship with their neighbors. However, they are finding ways to be of service and communion with their neighbors. I am invited to a number of Zoom pray-er and community gatherings each week. We are getting a fairly constant delivery of food for Sabathani’s food shelf each week. Our staff is constantly coming up with different outreaches to our community, and your financial support has never wavered. Yes, you can maintain com-munity without a building. At some point this pandemic will come to an end. It may be by patient endurance and/ or a vaccine, a cure, or more likely, all the above. Until then, we are like those disciples in the upper room trying to decide what’s next. As Paul tells us, the Spirit is inside us groaning and searching in prayer to lead us to the best and most loving decision. Until that day when we can celebrate together in a new Pentecost, let’s follow the advice of John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist faith:

Do all the good you can. By all the means you can.

In all the ways you can. In all the places you can. At all the times you can. To all the people you can. As long as ever you can

No Gathering for Masses planned at this time. The same applies to all meetings or gatherings.

Parish Center will be open 9:00am - 3:00pm Monday thru Friday

We Grieve With Our City

On Tuesday, June 2 from 6-7pm, join Julie Madden, Cynthia Bailey Manns, and others for a virtual prayerful gathering online (media format

TBA) . We will pray for George Floyd and his loved ones on our journey to becoming an anti-racist church. RSVP to Julie at

jmadden@stjoan.com

Scripture Readings:

Sun, May 31: Acts 2:1-11; 1 Cor 12:3b-7:12-13; John 20:19-23 Mon, Jun 1: Gen 3: 9-15, 20; Acta 1:12-14 John 19:25-34 Tue, Jun 2: 2 Pet 3:12-15a, 17-18; Mark 12:13-17 Wed, Jun 3: 2 Mac 7:1-2, 9-14; Mark 12:18-27 Thu, Jun 4: 2 Tim 2: 8-15; Mark 12:28-34 Fri, Jun 5: Acts 26:19-23; Mark 12:35-37 Sat, Jun 6: 2 Tim 4:1-8; Mark 12:38-44 Sun, Jun 7: Exo 34:4b-6,8-9; 2 Cor 13:11-13; John 3:16-18

Looking Ahead…

Cheryl Adams, Steve Ahlman, Arlene Alexson, Ann Allen, Carol Anderson, Molly McLaughlin Antila, Dennis Barta, Dave Benson, Phyllis Berninger, Elaine Boehm, Marcia Boehnlein, Patty Brennan, Brent, Lorraine Bryant, Jonathan Bulthuis, Pam Burd, Betty Byrne, Catharine C., George C.,

David Carroll, Jim Cassidy, Dayna Cell, Mary Cermak, Pat Clancy, Bob Corrick, Steve Cross, Culver family, Elizabeth Davidson, Norah Davidson, Larry Dease, Jim DeBruycker, Colleen Dooley, Rosemary Drees, Ava Dunlay, Kathie DuRocher, Henry F., Patricia Forster, Carol Fourre,

John & Margaret Frees, Michelle Fries, Kate Gilbert, Heidi Gregorich, Ron Guillfoile, Kate H., Mary Hale-Haniff, Claire Hayes, Isaiah Henry, Brad Hinker, Jim Hinton, Megan Hoffman, Jan Horner, Kathy Horner, Kathy Itzin, Jeanine, John K., Tom Keating, Glen Kelley, Chuck Kennedy,

John Kingston, Sage Kirscht, Larry Kitts, Dan Kleber, Steve Kremer, Helen LaFavor, Amy Lainus, Melva Larson, Margaret Lulic, Alex M., Maureen, Dawn McCelland, Joaquin Mendez, Kate Meyer, Bob Miller, Rita Miller, Bev Moran, Paige More, Royce Morrissette, Terry Muelken, Ted Mueller,

Annie Mutuura Kamau, Nate, Rita Nelson, Craig Nordby, Dick Olson, Paul Olvera, Mike O’Rourke, Colette Ott, Jacques Parent, Pam Paul, Alice Pirola, Rita, Wendy R., Pat Radecki, Graham & Nancy Rattrsy, Carol Reiland, Jack Riebel, Jean Rieck, Gina Romani, Donald & Susan Roufs, Dorothy Rowe,

Pat Russell, Sri, Ottavio Savina, Don Schafer, Dale Schmidkee, Carter Schmidt, Phil Schmidt, Colleen Schroeder, Betty Scully, Gary Sheppard, Paul Skrip, Sam Slagerman, Harold Sonnek, Teddy Sparrman, Joan Speltz, Ross Spriggs, Doug Stahlke, Vivian Steblay, Carson Stier,

Nancy Stockhaus, Rick Streng, Joleen Strosahl, Beth Swanson, Gabe T, Grayson Taylor, Matthew Tennant, Troy, Echo Thoren, Glo Tonskemper, Al Traynham, Linda Underhill, Carin Vagle, Leroy Vague, Dave Velasco, Barbara Verthein, Floyd Ward, Pam Washington, Marlys Weber,

Lee Weinberger, Bennett Wentworth, Mary White, Ambassador Ross Wilson, Jim & Jerry Wohnoutka, Jim Wolfe, Morley Woodruff, Michele Wylie, Denise Wyttenbach, Sarah Yoder, Curt Youngren, Dave Youngren, Annemaire & Ava Zubrzycki , Bridget Zvirin

Prayer Corner Requests: To keep prayer requests current, names will be included in the bulletin for four weeks and then removed. To add a name or to renew your request, please call the Parish Center at 612.823.8205.

Prayer Corner: Please remember in your prayers those who are in need of healing:

Our Liturgies from April through today’s will be available through the St. Joan of Arc website. Celebrate virtually with Fr. DeBruycker , Fr. Cassidy and the SJA community .

Watch online at www.stjoan.com.

Families, tune in to the video liturgies designed for families!

Summary of contributions for the week and fiscal year. Includes plate, envelopes and estimated Sustaining Member payments.

Week of May 18– May 24, 2020 Actual $25,541 Budget $27,374 Prior Year Actual $27,877

Year to Date (July 1 – May 24, 2020) Actual $1,964,453 Budget $1,845,791 Prior Year Actual $1,852,313

THANK YOU for your continued generosity!!

So much has been and will continue to be, for some time , can-celled: sports, concerts, plays, worship services, rallies, travel, meetings, classes, family gatherings, and so much more. How-ever...

Love has not been cancelled. Mercy has not been cancelled. Prayer has not been cancelled.

Attentiveness has not been cancelled. Goodness has not been cancelled.

Thanksgiving has not been cancelled. Loving relationships have not been cancelled.

Music has not been cancelled. Conversations have not been cancelled.

Learning has not been cancelled. Courage has not been cancelled. Families have not been cancelled.

Faith has not been cancelled. Hope has not been cancelled.

and...God's presence with us, has not been cancelled

-David Haas

Help parishioners in need! If you are able to help members in our community with things like picking up & delivering groceries and such, please contact Sherri Stella at 612.823.8205 ext. 231 or sstella@stjoan.com.

Intro to SJA ISAIAH This Monday, June 1, join our SJA ISAIAH Core Team for a Zoom call from 4:30 - 5:30pm. Meet fellow parishioners to share the story of ISAIAH, a multi-faith organization that leads our state in the work for economic, racial and social justice. FFI, contact Julie Madden at the parish center.

Summer (Virtual) Multigenerational Camp Experience, on "Birds, Bees, Butterflies and Bats." How you can protect these magnificent creatures right here in MN begins June 11 from 7-8pm via Zoom and will be focused on birds. FFI, contact Julie Madden.

Food Shelf Donations Are Needed: We will continue to accept non-perishable food items, and they have also indicated a need for laun-dry detergent and body soap. They can be dropped off Monday thru Friday, 9am - 3pm in the bins in the Parish Center entry. Your food offerings are donated to the Foodshelf at Sabathani Community Center each week.

Thank you for your willingness to help those in need.

A Prayer During Times of COVID-19

In this time of COVID-19, we pray: When we aren’t sure, God,

help us be calm; when information comes

from all sides, correct and not, help us to discern;

when fear makes it hard to breathe, and anxiety seems to be the order of the day,

slow us down, God; help us to reach out with our hearts, when we can’t touch with our hands;

help us to be socially connected, when we have to be socially distant;

help us to love as perfectly as we can, knowing that “perfect love casts out all fear.”

for the doctors, we ray, for the nurses we pray,

for the technicians and the janitors and the aides and the caregivers, we pray, for the researchers and theorists,

the epidemiologists and investigators, for those who are sick,

and those who are grieving, we pray, for all who are affected, all around the world …

we pray for safety, for health,

for wholeness. May we feed the hungry,

give drink to the thirsty, clothe the naked and house those without homes;

may we walk with those who feel they are alone, and may we do all that we can to heal

the sick- in spite of the fear. Help us, O God,

that we might help each other. in the name of the Creator, in the name of the Healer,

in the life of the Holy Spirit that is in all and with all, We pray.

May it be so. -Rev. Richard Botts