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| Bridget Mary Meehan, represented Mary Mother of Jesus Inclusive Catholic Community, |
on Aug. 9th at St. Andrew UCC and MMOJ on Aug. 1, 2015
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| Pastor Phil co-presided at Liturgy on Aug.1st with MMOJ Community Pastor Phil and Bridget Mary Meehan |
Bridget Mary Meehan: Tribute and Blessing on Behalf of MMOJ Community:
Pastor Phil, as a representative of
our Mary Mother of Jesus Inclusive
Catholic Community, we give thanks to God for your Spirit-filled ministry here at St. Andrew UCC.
Catholic Community, we give thanks to God for your Spirit-filled ministry here at St. Andrew UCC.
When our community outgrew its home
church setting,
I came knocking on St, Andrew’s door.
I came knocking on St, Andrew’s door.
After consultation with your beautiful
faith-filled community,
you opened this blessed sanctuary to us.
you opened this blessed sanctuary to us.
Walking in the footsteps of
Antoinette Brown,
the first woman to be ordained as a mainstream Protestant minister
in 1853 in the United States,
you supported gender equality in spite of the
Vatican’s and local bishop’s opposition to women priests!
the first woman to be ordained as a mainstream Protestant minister
in 1853 in the United States,
you supported gender equality in spite of the
Vatican’s and local bishop’s opposition to women priests!
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| Co Presiders: Kathryn Shea ARCWP , Sally Brochu, ARCWP and Pastor Phil Garrison at MMOJ Liturgy on Aug. 1st. Farewell to our community |
Thank you Pastor Phil and St. Andrew
UCC for your courage.
In the Gospel we read that Jesus
prayed that all may be one.
Pastor Phil, you have prayed with us,
laughed with us and
cried with us for the past 7 years.
cried with us for the past 7 years.
You attended many of our
liturgies. I appreciate your warm
welcome to the participants at our ordinations and your organizational skills
that contributed to the success of our major retreat days with world renown
speakers like Matthew Fox.
You invited us to pray with your
community here at St. Andrew.
Our members have shared how much they appreciated
your contemplative Wed. evening liturgies.
Thank you for your spiritual depth and
leadership.
Our members have shared how much they appreciated
your contemplative Wed. evening liturgies.
We have participated in the feast of Maundy
Thursday
where we shared a reenactment of the Last Supper and
celebrated communion together in groups of 12 around the Table.
You even took a risk by allowing a certain woman priest
to play the role of Jesus at the Last Supper!
where we shared a reenactment of the Last Supper and
celebrated communion together in groups of 12 around the Table.
You even took a risk by allowing a certain woman priest
to play the role of Jesus at the Last Supper!
Thank you for being a risk taker and
a great liturgist.
Pastor Phil, because of your
visionary leadership, we can truly say that we are one in the spirit and that
united in prayer, love and service.
Thank you for being you, abounding in kindness
and generous service. You have touched our souls and we have grown.
As we bid you farewell, we will hold
you in our hearts
forever with deep gratitude for all you have given to us and
for all that you are, the face of Christ in our world today.
forever with deep gratitude for all you have given to us and
for all that you are, the face of Christ in our world today.
We bless you and Patricia as you walk
in faith into a
new adventure into the unknown trusting that the
Living God will accompany you every step of the way.
new adventure into the unknown trusting that the
Living God will accompany you every step of the way.
One day we will meet again. Namaste!
Final Blessing at Farewell Liturgy at St. Andrew UCC
May God bless you with a restless
discomfort
about easy answers, half-truths, and superficial relationships,
so that you may seek truth boldly and love deep within your heart.
about easy answers, half-truths, and superficial relationships,
so that you may seek truth boldly and love deep within your heart.
May God bless you with holy anger at
injustice, oppression, and
exploitation of people, so that you may tirelessly work for justice,
freedom and peace among all people.
exploitation of people, so that you may tirelessly work for justice,
freedom and peace among all people.
May God bless you with the gift of
tears to shed
for those who suffer from pain, rejection, starvation,
or the loss of all that they cherish, so that you may reach
out your hand to comfort them and transform their pain into joy.
for those who suffer from pain, rejection, starvation,
or the loss of all that they cherish, so that you may reach
out your hand to comfort them and transform their pain into joy.
May God bless you with enough
foolishness to believe
that you really can make a difference in this world,
so that you are able, with God’s grace,
to do what others claim cannot be done.
that you really can make a difference in this world,
so that you are able, with God’s grace,
to do what others claim cannot be done.
Let it be so! Amen!
A Franciscan blessing
Thank you, Pastor Phil and Patricia. We will never forget you.
Bridget Mary Meehan, ARCWP, www.arcwp.org,
www. marymotherofjesus.org
Thank you, Pastor Phil and Patricia. We will never forget you.
Bridget Mary Meehan, ARCWP, www.arcwp.org,
www. marymotherofjesus.org
Thank you.
ReplyDeleteYou faith-filled presence and your amazing words were so excellent.
Thank you, dear Bridget Mary.
Yes, one day we will meet again!