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From the Pastor&
What if St. John's disappeared from New Brighton? What if Christ the King Lutheran, Atonement Lutheran, Salem Covenant, Salem Baptist, and all the churches in our communities of New Brighton, Mounds View, Fridley, Shoreview, Roseville, and St. Anthony were suddenly to disappear? What would be different?
More people depend on the area churches than just the people who attend liturgies on the weekend. The churches provide food for the needy, assistance for those about to be evicted from their apartments, opportunities for children and youth like scouting, after school programs and athletic programs. Many who volunteers in area schools and nursing homes come from our churches. And many area residents volunteer in countless ways to those less fortunate in our inner cities of St. Paul and Minneapolis. Without the churches, would there be all those volunteers and help for the needy? Civic leaders also come from the different congregations and give of their time and talent to make our local communities better places to live.
If churches disappeared, what would happen to families? Would there be more domestic or substance abuse? Would there be more violence, gangs and crazy behavior? Would the disappearance of churches turn our communities into less safe places to live?
Do you ever stop to think how many people turn to St. John's for help, or to one of the local congregations? What you see on the weekend Masses, or when there is a program like religious education, or choir practice, is only part of our story.
There are many stories being told each week at St. John's and at our neighboring churches. Some people are still alive because the church (people) was there to take a loaded gun away from a depressed middle-aged male before he did violence to others or himself. Lonely seniors, as well as those with illness, can count on visits from the church.
So much of parish life takes place in one-to-one encounters that you never see or hear about. People experience confession and absolution, the soul-baring times in the parish center, a new lease on life as one deals with grief and tragedy, the quiet decisions to make a generous donation to help the parish to do good things for others, a 5th step by a recovering alcoholic, healing after an abortion. Few people ever see or hear about the power of God at work through the people of our churches.
Our churches are also sacred places where people meet God within. Our church provide people a place to breathe, to see life differently, to change, to find meaning in life. What would happen if our religious congregations disappeared?
The parish is here when you need it. Will you help it by your generosity to be here for others when they need it? Churches are gifts of God, places of hope and transcendence. Our churches can change lives and heal a broken world--because we work with God. Churches are also human, as we well know! If churches were to disappear it would be a less beautiful world, there would be more hurting people and less hope for individuals. It's too bad that some people only remember the weakness of a particular priest or nun. We need to tell others the good things about our local congregations.
I am blessed being at St. John's, and I need to remember that on my "bad" days.
Fr. Bill
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