Patty Zorn, ARCWP, Officiates at Wedding in Spring Hill, Florida on April 4, 2015

Patty Zorn ARCWP Officiates at Wedding of Troy and Courtney

For more information visit:

Sacred Walk Home Website
Rev Patty's Inspiration Station: From the Pulpit and Beyond the Garden
Sacred Walk Home Facebook Page

Homily for Holy Spirit Catholic Community, 2 Sunday of Easter, B. April 12, 2015

The scholars of the Jesus seminar agree
that this story of the Doubting Thomas,
which appears only in John’s Gospel,
is first of all a creation for the community named after him.
That makes sense:
John’s community is concerned with talking about Jesus
with people who did not even know anyone who knew him—
60 to 90 years after the resurrection.
The scholars say that this Gospel uses the word “see”
in its meaning of having insight,
of perceiving the reality behind appearances.
In that sense, what happens to Thomas in that Upper Room
is that he “sees”—he understands—
the truth of the resurrection.
As a result, he steps into faith.
He follows Jesus as a response to an experienced reality,
not to a myth.
Doubting Thomas!
Yes, of course, Thomas doubted.
I would, too.
I still do.
________________________________________
I remember October 1, 1965.
It was a First Friday, about 5:45 in the afternoon,
and I was kneeling after communion
at Mass in the Chapel of the Newman Center at Ohio State.
I remember that particular day and time because
at that moment the doubts about my faith and my religion,
which I had ignored for some time,
became more real to me than my faith was.
It was the moment that I first honestly faced my doubts
and acknowledged that I had them.
It was a profoundly shattering moment for me.
In retrospect, though, it was a moment of grace,
the moment that launched my adult search for God
and brought me to the place where I am today.
________________________________________
The key to this gospel passage for us
is not that Thomas has doubts
but that he refuses to believe what the others tell him
because it contradicts his own knowledge and own experience.
Thomas has real doubts.
He just doesn’t “see.”
And he talks about his doubts.
When he has an experience of the risen Christ—
when he experiences that “ah-hah” moment of insight—
his doubt leaves him
and he believes.
Would Doubting Thomas have come to experience the risen Christ
if someone had told him he couldn’t talk about doubt,
or as I was told in the 1950s and 1960s,
that it was sinful to even ask questions about faith?
________________________________________
For much of our recent Church history
we’ve been told that it’s a sin to doubt,
and our attempts to ask questions
and understand God and Jesus
have been greeted with not-always-gentle hushing up.
Bishops and priests have been ordered
to keep quiet about their ideas.
Theologians have been silenced.
Women religious have been investigated.
As much as we like to praise our modern scripture scholarship
as “enlightened” and “modern,”
we have to acknowledge
that human thought and reflection
has been going on a long time.
The people of Biblical times may have been poor peasants,
but they knew how to make houses and clothes,
tend their flocks, grow their own food,
and dig wells for drinking water.
And they didn’t have Google to look it up on.
________________________________________
The same thing that happened to Thomas happens to us:
we have an experience of the risen Christ
and our doubts turn into faith.
The experience isn’t always dramatic,
like the story in today’s gospel.
Sometimes it’s a quiet acceptance of a series of quiet insights.
Sometimes it’s a leap ahead
and a fall back
and a leap ahead again,
like a car lurching along with a carburetor problem.
Insights about God can come to us in unlimited and unique ways.
We believe in our own experiences of what’s real.
Sometimes we’re wrong,
and we believe in something that’s not real.
Most of the time, though, we’re right,
and we believe in something real and,
when we act on it—when we test it out—
we find out that it’s true.
We believe.
It can be tragic,
like believing somebody loves us and finding out they don’t.
Most of the time, though, it’s wonderful, and it’s true.
Like believing we can get into college and being accepted.
Or believing we can make a difference
and finding a way to do it.
Or finding a friend and believing that we’ve found our life partner,
and making a commitment.
________________________________________
We are a community of believers,
as the Acts of the Apostles describes the early Christians,
of one heart and one mind—
we are like that.
That’s not to say that we are all the same and think the same way.
Yes, we all do believe in the Divine Presence that we call God.
We all believe in the message of Jesus,
God-with-us, unique expression of the Divine Presence.
We all believe in the Holy Spirit,
in whatever image
or however we conceptualize its/her/his force and power.
But we do not all believe in the same way;
we did not come to our belief in the same way;
we do not celebrate our belief in the same way.
We are not robots;
we are real people with unique life experiences,
and so we are really different—
each of us an expression of that Divine Presence—
within the unity that we share as human beings
and as children of the One God.
________________________________________
Doubting Thomas, yes, each one of us!
Doubting Beverly, and Doubting John,
Doubting Sue, and Doubting Chris,
and Doubting… put your own name in there.
And because we doubt,
because we question,
because we attend to the signs of our times,
because we are open
to discerning the Spirit in our own experience,
we are true believers,
each of us, all of us,
full of faith!
Glory be to God!

--
Holy Spirit Catholic Community
Saturdays at 4:30 p.m.
Sundays at 5:30 p.m.
at 3925 West Central Avenue (Washington Church)

www.holyspirittoledo.org

Rev. Dr. Bev Bingle, Pastor
Mailing address: 3156 Doyle Street, Toledo, OH 43608-2006

Holy Thursday and Easter Vigil Celebrations 2015 the Women at the Well, St Mary of Magdala Catholic Community and Bethany House Church

                                 Holy Thursday and Easter Vigil Celebrations 2015

In Indianapolis there are three groups of inclusive communities: The Women at the Well, St Mary of Magdala Catholic Community and Bethany House Church. The Women at the Well is a catacomb community that Bishop Nancy Meyers, RCWP leads. Mary of Magdala is led by Maria McClain, RCWP and Annie Watson, ARCWP is the Deacon for this group and Bethany House Church meets at Mary Weber’s home.ARCWP. My husband, Gary and I are involved regularly with all three communities.  This year our communities combined to celebrate Holy Thursday and the Easter Vigil together.  On Holy Thursday several of us made lamb stew for the Seder meal that was followed by a foot/ hand washing ceremony and then the Eucharist was shared.  The foot washing between and among RCWP and ARCWP was especially poignant to me. We are different streams in the same river but coming together in unity and love was really all that mattered on these holy nights. I believe that our bonds deepened at these liturgies and our differences simply did not matter. Here are some photos from both liturgies. Mary Weber, ARCWP

Left to right, Deacon Annie Watson, ARCWP, Bishop Nancy Meyer, RCWP, 
  Maria McClain, RCWP and Mary Weber, ARCWP

Left to right: Women Priests Mary Weber and Annie Watson,

Maureen McGill, ARCWP, Officiates at Wedding in Old Christ Church, A Historic Chapel, in Pensacola, Florida

ARCWP Priest Maureen McGill Officiates at Wedding in Florida

Maureen presided at the wedding of Audra Nowling and Justin Windham.  Audra is the niece of Maureen's sister in law, Connie McGill.  The wedding took place at Old Christ Church, Pensacola, Florida.  Old Christ Church is in the historic district of Pensacola and is now a part of a Museum complex.  Old Christ Church
www.arcwp.org

Inclusive Catholic Community of New York State, Albany Area/Easter Liturgy Celebration and Photos

EASTER LITURGY TO CELEBRATE JESUS, THE LIVING ONE

Presider 1: Welcome to our liturgical gathering. Our liturgical style is highly inclusive and you are invited to participate in the words of consecration. We are happy you are here with us today. All are welcome to share in our simple Eucharistic meal around this friendship table. We begin our liturgical celebration today by lighting our Easter Candle and our individual candles – a symbol of Jesus, alive and with us.

As our individual candles are lighted from the Easter Candle, we sing three times, each time on a higher note:

Cantor: RISING SUN OF JUSTICE

All: Thanks Be to God!

Easter Proclamation

[adapted by Jim Marsh ARCWP]

Rejoice, heavenly powers!

Sing, choirs of angels!

Exult, all creation in God’s presence!

Jesus, the Anointed One, is risen!

Sound the trumpet of life renewed!

Rejoice, O earth, in shining splendor,

radiant in the brightness of our God!

Christ has risen!

Glory fills you!

Darkness vanishes forever!

 Rejoice, O Mother Church!

Exult in glory!

The Risen One shines upon you!

Let this place resound with joy,

echoing the song of all God’s people!

My dearest friends,

standing with me in this holy light,

Join me in praising God,

as we sing this Easter song.

When all our candles are lighted, we sing the joyful song which proclaims the feast:

Opening Song: Bright Morning Stars (traditional, words adapted)

Refrain: Bright morning stars are rising, bright morning stars are rising, bright morning stars are rising, light is breaking in our world!

The dawn of first creation, new earth, new sky, new creatures,  and humans, male and female, light was breaking in our world.

God's people lost in slavery, no hope, no light no freedom, then Moses clearly calling: “Come, my people, come be free!”    Refrain

The light of servant Jesus, A sense of godly vision, no bonds, no fear, no lying, death defeated through this love.
The chains of death lie broken: new hope for new creation, all living as one family, Light re-kindled in our lives.   Refrain

So, now we sing of Easter, of spring, of resurrection, and of renewed commitment: Lives embracing everyone.  Refrain

Renewal of Baptismal Promises

Presider 2: (Presider asks the following questions and the assembly answers: We promise)

Do you promise to see what is good for your sisters and brothers everywhere, rejecting injustice and inequity and living with the freedom and responsibility of children of God?

All: We promise.

Do you promise to work for the realization of God’s vision of harmony and right relations among people and peoples, rejecting the idols of money and property and color and sex and position? 

Do you promise to seek peace and live in peace in one human family, rejecting prejudice and half-heartedness in every form, and all barriers to unity?

Do you promise to cherish the universe, and this precious planet, working creatively to renew and safeguard the elemental sacraments of air, earth, water?

Do you believe in God, the great Spirit of Creation, in Jesus, the simple servant of justice and love who lived among us so that all might live with abundant fullness; in the breath of God’s center, the Spirit who continues the work of forgiveness and reconciliation, birthing and blessing, challenge and hope, so that together we can continue the work of creation?

Sprinkling with Water

Presider 3: (prays the following while sprinkling the assembly with water)

May you live as a child of God and may your name be a blessing in our time.

Assembly is invited to place their lighted candle on the friendship table.

A Statement of Faithfulness

Presider 4: Please stand and proclaim our statement of faith.

All: We believe in one God, a divine mystery
beyond all definition and rational understanding,
the heart of all that has ever existed,
that exists now, or that ever will exist.

We believe in Jesus, messenger of God's Word,
bringer of God's healing, heart of God's compassion,
bright star in the firmament of God's
prophets, mystics, and saints.

We believe that We are called to follow Jesus
as a vehicle of God's love,
a source of God's wisdom and truth,
and an instrument of God's peace in the world.

We believe that God's kin-dom is here and now,
stretched out all around us for those
with eyes to see it, hearts to receive it,
and hands to make it happen. Amen.

LITURGY OF THE WORD

Presider 5: Please be seated. The first Reading is the Story of Salvation History (adapted from the books of theHebrew Scriptures)

In the beginning, there was only chaos and a void. God breathed life into it and said, "Let there be light." And there was light: sun and moon and stars in the heavens. There emerged vast bodies of water filled with live creatures. Then, birds flying across the breadth of the skies, and on the earth, reptiles and animals of every kind, color and shape. And all had a purpose. God saw what had come to be, and God found it very good.

God then said: "Let us make human beings in the divine image; women and men together to take care of all of this, and one another! When this was done, God viewed the whole of creation, and loved it, for it was very, very good.

Presider 1: But human beings did not take care of creation and each other. Human beings corrupted the good-ness of what God had made. Rain fell, a torrential, purifying rain, covering the earth and washing away all the corruption to which people had given birth. Only Noah, his family, and living creatures from every species on earth floated above the flood in an ark made of wood.

After forty days, the rain subsided, so that the water was no longer a flood, and the ark came to rest on high, dry ground. The people and the animals looked up into the sky and saw something beautiful. God said: "That is my rainbow, the sign of my presence with you and my love for you. It will forever be the sign of my relationship with you, and your responsibility to take care of creation, and each other."

Presider 2: From these survivors of the flood, creation was begun all over again. Many, many years went by and there were many gatherings of people all over the face of the earth. One of these was the people, Israel, and among all of God's precious people, the Jews were very precious. During a time of famine, the Jews were invited by the Egyptians, their neighbors, to share their land and their food. But some centuries after this hospitality, a cruel leader in Egypt forgot the old relationship and made the Jews into slaves.

They lived this way for a long time, until Moses came among them and risked his safety and security to convince the Jews that God loved them and wanted them to be free. So, they left Egypt, filled with the Spirit of God, led by Moses and Miriam through the desert in search of a new home where they could be free again.

During this difficult journey, they were often disillusioned and resentful, and they complained bitterly. Moses asked God for help, and God offered the ten commandments, so that the people might know the simplest possible way to love God and their fellow human beings. And from these survivors of oppression, Israel began all over again.

Presider 3: But the people forgot the simple way of God and were not always faithful, and at times they were as oppressive to each other and to strangers as the Egyptians had been to them. They paid lip service to God, but their hearts were very far from God, and therefore, from justice and compassion. People of wisdom came from among them to remind them of the rainbow of their journey to freedom, and of their promise to God about caring for creation and each other. These were the prophets, and like Moses, they risked everything to convince the people to come home to freedom and responsibility, compassion and justice, faithfulness and integrity.

The prophet Isaiah said: "God is displeased with your prayers and your liturgies because the hands you lift in prayer are covered with blood. God wants prayer from the heart.         God wants justice for the oppressed. God wants food for the hungry. God wants true peace!"

Presider 4: The prophet Amos said: "Some of you have grabbed power and made your own people no better than slaves. You have stripped people of their dignity as God's children, buying and selling them as if they were groceries or sandals. Greed is your god and selfishness, your liturgy!"

The prophet Micah said: "My people, you struggle blindly to know what God wants, and you act as if you remember nothing from your history, as if you know nothing. From the beginning of time, there has been one message from God. What God wants is this, ONLY this: That we live justly, that we love tenderly, that we walk with integrity in God's presence!

These are the inspired words of our prophets.

Responsorial: Sung Alleluia

Presider 5: The Gospel according to John (20:1 – 18)

Early in the morning on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb. She saw that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance, so she ran off to Simon Peter and the other disciple – the one Jesus loved – and told them, "the Rabbi has been taken from the tomb! We don't know where they have put Jesus!"

At that, Peter and the other disciple started out toward the tomb. They were running side-by-side but then the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He didn't enter, but bent down to peer in and saw the linen wrappings lying on the ground. Then Simon Peter arrived and entered the tomb. He observed the linen wrappings on the ground, and saw the piece of cloth that covered Jesus’ head lying not with the wrappings, but rolled up in a place by itself. Then the disciple who had arrived first at the tomb went in. He saw and believed. As yet, they didn't understand the Scripture that Jesus was to rise from the dead. Then the disciples went back to their homes.

Presider 1: Meanwhile, Mary stood weeping beside the tomb. Even as she wept, she stooped to peer inside, and there she saw two angels in dazzling robes. One was seated at the head and the other at the foot of the place where Jesus' body had lain.

They asked her, "Why are you weeping?"

She answered them, "because they have taken away my Rabbi, and I don't know where they have put the body."

No sooner had she said this than she turned around and caught sight of Jesus standing there, but she didn't know it was Jesus. He asked her, “Why are you weeping? For whom are you looking?"

She supposed it was the gardener, so she said, "Please, if you're the one who carried Jesus away, tell me where you’ve laid the body and I will take it away."

Jesus said to her, "Mary!"

She turned to him and said, "Rabboni!" - Which means "Teacher."

Presider 2: Jesus then said, “Don't hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to Abba God. Rather, go to the sisters and brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Abba and your Abba, my God and your God!’"

Mary of Magdala went to the disciples. "I have seen the teacher!" she announced. Then she reported what Jesus had said to her.

This is the inspired word of John, disciple of Jesus.

Dialogue Homily – Presider 1 begins

EUCHARIST PRAYER

Presider 3: As we prepare for this sacred meal, we stand in solidarity with our sisters and brothers and we bring our many needs and concerns to the table.

(Please feel free to voice your concerns beginning with the words, “I bring to the table….”) 

Presider 4:  We pray for all who have asked for our prayers and for all who need our prayers. Amen.

Presider 5: Let us pray our Eucharistic prayer together.

(Easter Preface adapted from a poem by e.e. cummings)

All: We thank you, God, for this most amazing day/ for the leaping, greenly spirits of trees/ for the true, blue dream of sky/ for everything which is natural, which is infinite, which is yes. We who were dead are alive again today/ and.today is the sun's birth-day, the birth-day of wings/ in all of this wonder, how could we human merely beings/ lifted from the no of all nothing/ doubt unimaginable you? Now the ears of our ears awake/ now the eyes of our eyes are open/ awakened, quickened, alive, we join with all living creatures, and we sing:

Holy, Holy, Holy

(Words and music by Karen Druker)

We are holy, holy, holy,

We are holy, holy, holy,

We are whole.

Spirit Divine, Come to Me,

healing Love, healing Me.

Open my heart, allow me to see,

Beauty and love, lives in me.

You are holy, holy, holy…

All: Holy One, what we can ever say about you is revealed in the harmony of nature all around us, and all right-relations. We have been taught that it can be found within us and among us, as well.

We give thanks for all your visionaries throughout our history, in so many traditions, who have enacted your peace in the fragile vessel of their humanity.

We are grateful for our brother Jesus, whose life forever shows us the truth of your love and our own capacity for loving in a godly way, to create with you a place of peace for everyone.

He lived what he taught, and in him, as in the emergence of your springtime, we understand that death has no final dominion. Through this recognition comes our own rebirth to freedom, courage, and encouraging love.

On the night before he died, Jesus gathered for the Seder supper with his friends. Like the least of household servants, he washed their feet, so that they would know how to remember him. Back again at the table, he lifted up the bread of freedom, spoke the grace, broke the bread, and offered it them, saying:

(presider lifts the bread)

Take and eat; this is my very self. (pause)

Then he lifted up the cup of blessing, spoke the grace, and offered them the wine, saying: (presider lifts the wine)

Take and drink of the covenant made new again through my life, for you and for everyone, that all captivity might cease. Whenever you do this, you re-member me. (pause)

We will never make peace if we do not re-member, if we do not realize that your light and life and love are a heritage for all of creation, and that you see each of us as precious, bearing your image.

We can only make peace if we are passionately doing the work of justice and right-relations, working skillfully to eliminate the illusion of separateness so that we can live in communion, and rise up from our slavery: the dominion of death, and the attitudes, structures, and weapons of death.

We will learn to trust you, God of creation, liberation, rainbows and life. We will learn to trust creation and ourselves and each other enough, to open ourselves and our small circles until they are as wide as your own love.

We remember our brothers and sisters who have gone before us and all the saints who have done your will throughout the ages. We praise you in union with them, and give you glory through Jesus, our brother.

(Presiders hold bread and wine)

All:

Through him, we have learned to how to live.

Through him, we have learned how to love.

Through him, we have learned how to serve.

AMEN.

Presider 1: Let us pray together the prayer of Jesus

Oh Holy One, who is within, we celebrate your many names. Your wisdom come. Your will be done, unfolding from the depths within us. Each day you give us all that we need. You remind us of our limits, and we let go. You support us in our power, and we act with courage. For you are the dwelling place within us, the empowerment around us, and the celebration among us, now and forever. Amen.

The Prayer of Jesus as interpreted by Miriam Therese Winter

Presider 2:  God’s peace is with you always. As we share our joy, let us share God’s abundant peace. Please share a sign of peace.

Peace Song: Peace is Flowing Like a River # 41

Presider 3:  Please join in the prayer for the breaking of the bread.

All: Loving God, You call us to live the Gospel of peace and justice. We will live justly.  

Loving God, You call us to be Your presence in the world.  We will love tenderly.

Loving God, You call us to speak truth to power. We will walk with integrity in your presence.

COMMUNION

Presider 4: This is Jesus, the Bread of Life. How blessed are we who are called to the table.

All: What we have heard with our ears, we will live with our lives; as we share communion, we will become communion, both Love’s nourishment and Love’s challenge.

Presider 5: Please join in singing our Communion Song.

Communion Song:  #22  Morning Has Broken

ANNOUNCEMENTS

(Presider 1 begins announcements and recognition of special events during the month, etc.)

BLESSING

Presider 1:  You are light for the world, you are salt for the earth. It is God’s own Spirit alive with you Who animates you, consecrates you, and blesses you. Let us go now and live the Gospel! 

All: Amen.

Closing Song: #59 Glory to God

Inclusive Catholic Community of St. Petersburg Celebrated Easter Liturgy at Lakewood United Church of Christ: Co-Presiders Priest Maureen McGill ARCWP and Deacon James Marsh

ARCWP Community: Katy Zatsick, Bridget Mary Meehan, Janet Blakeley, Sally Brochu, Maureen McGill, Jim Marsh celebrate Easter together with new Inclusive Catholic Community of St. Petersburg which will meet on the first Sunday of the month at Lakewood Church of Christ at 5:30 PM at Lakewood United Church of Christ.Email address; stpeteicc@gmail.com

A

Inclusive Catholic Community of St. Petersburg, Florida

Deacon Jim Marsh ARCWP and Priest Maureen McGill, ARCWP

www.arcwp.org

"We are an Easter People, Holy Week with the Good Shepherd Community"

https://judyabl.wordpress.com/2015/04/05/we-are-an-easter-people-holy-week-with-the-good-shepherd-community/



Today, this glorious Easter Sunday, was the culmination of our Holy Week devotion as forty-three members of the Good Shepherd Inclusive Catholic Community in Fort Myers, Florida including their two Roman Catholic women Priests, Pastor Judy Lee and Pastor Judy Beaumont followed Jesus from his entry to Jerusalem, to the farewell meal with his friends and probably his family where he taught us how to serve, through the streets and through the courts on his way to Calvary and to the empty grave. Not everyone made it all four times but many did. The devotion was so remarkable with this people who identify completely with the suffering and the victory of Jesus, the Christ. It was such a joy to gather together today to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ and our new life. Today we remembered our own baptisms and also had the pleasure of baptizing Aleigha Skye Elizabeth Longstreth a twelve year old who requested baptism after many months of preparation with the approval of her family and her faith community.

Here is part our community as we gathered before our Easter Celebration:



From Palm Sunday to Easter the faithful gathered to walk with Jesus from Hosanna, to crucify him!, to Alleluia He is risen!

On Palm Sunday we met outside and blessed the palms then proceeded into the church where we enacted and lived the Passion.

In the interactive part of the homily we reflected on how many of our people have been abandoned by family and community when trouble hit and how Christ remained for them the Presence they could turn to and count on who was always there. they also reflected on how we are always there for each other as a church community, and how we also need to continue to reach out to those who remain homeless or on the streets or in trouble.

On Holy Thursday, we reflected on how hard it must have been for Jesus to have a farewell meal with his loved ones and how much he wanted to make sure they understood how to follow him in serving one another. We enacted the foot washing and reflected on how Jesus washed the feet of the disciples to show us how to serve one another. We reflected on the ways we do serve one another. Brenda has returned to our community after five years away and she was welcomed home warmly. Many community members helped her to move to a little apartment, not only once but twice as the first apartment flooded due to a slumlord and faulty water pipes and was declared unsafe by the fire Department.

This is our first team helping Brenda set up her apartment. Kathy Lauwagie from Minnesota who is part of our community for the winter months is drilling to hang pictures. Lili Randazzo and Linda Maybin and their teenage girls, Marcella, Jolinda, Keeondra and Jakeriya members of our Sunday school were part of the clean-up team. However, the next day the ceiling fell in and Linda Maybin quickly intervened in the crisis helping Brenda to mop up and sweep out the flood waters. When she moved in two days Quayschaun Crews , Joe Baker and Nathaniel Chester carried furniture up two flights of stairs. Carole Schauf and her friend George helped her to get reorganized and hang pictures again. They also did quite a bit of carrying and purchasing needed supplies. It truly took a community to help Brenda leave homelessness behind again and it was serving as Jesus taught us. This is Nathaniel and Gary with our Minnesota Kathy’s in a farewell picture as Kathy Overby and Kathy Lauwagie are leaving for Minnesota on Tuesday. This was also Nathaniel’s fifty-first Birthday and Brenda, who has been his friend for over ten years made him a beautiful card for everyone to sign. She appreciated the help that the women and girls and Kathy, Nathaniel, Joe and Quayschaun gave to make her move possible.

Quayschaun who helped Brenda move a large piece up two flights with Nate and Joe Baker was also chosen to be our Christ on Good Friday. This is Quay earlier this year at an affirmation of his baptism. His baptism was the year before as he was critically ill in the hospital. Everyone who saw Quay enact Christ’s suffering and passion remembered what he too had gone through and the resurrection he has indeed experienced. His brother Rashawn offered to carry the cross as Simon of Cyrene and he confided that he now understood what he needed to do in his life. Quay offered himself on Good Friday as he was so thankful for new life, and although he is not completely out of the woods, he truly believes he has risen and he too shall ultimately rise again. Aleigha who would be baptized on Easter sunday also said that being Veronica taught her how to help someone else.

On Good Friday we reflected that those who really do know the Good Fridays of life can best know what rising again on Easter means and how precious it is to rise again here and now.

Our simple altar and the baptismal font and a fragrant blooming lily was also a meditation on this Easter Sunday. The children and the adults were all dressed in their pretty dresses and sharp clothes and we reflected on how Jesus left his burial clothes behind and put on his glorious Easter clothes-inside and outside. Our smiles ,our words, our caring and our respect for the dignity of ourselves and others can reflect Easter. We pondered how we can witness the light as Easter people who live the promises of our baptism.



Aleigha’s Baptism focused all of us on the vows of our own baptism.

Aleigha and her Aunt Jody and one of her Godmother’s, Liliana Randazzo. Her other God-parents are Pearl Cudjoe and Hank Tessandori of our community and her relatives in Maryland, Cirene Nowicki Estepa and Luis Hernando Estepa. The laying on of hands.

The hallowed moment of Baptism.



Receiving Her White Garments

While Aleigha changes the congregation sings Amazing Grace. Then Aleigha is presented to the Community and receives the light of Christ which her Aunt Jody lit from the Easter candle. While the traditional baptismal candle is white this one was used as it has a green vine and branches embossed on it and we reflected on Jesus as the vine and Aleigha as the newest branch of our church who would yield good fruit .



The community applauded loudly to welcome Aleigha into the community of Christ. Aleigha also received her First Holy Communion at the time of the Eucharist. She shared her joy at receiving at the Table of Jesus and her intentions to come to the Table for strength to serve others and to grow in Christ.

After church we also celebrated the Birthdays of Joelle, 8, and Donnie, Timothy and Nathaniel. It was an altogether joyful celebration.

This is Donnie and her best friend Lauretta.

Thanks be to God for the love of Christ and the love of our community.

Rev. Dr. Judy Lee

Rev. Judy Beaumont

Co-Pastors, the Good shepherd Inclusive Catholic Community, Fort Myers, Florida

Share this: