FATHER ABEL’S COLUMN – FEBRUARY 21ST, 2016

lent2014Lent has gotten off to a wonderful start! I encourage you to check the bulletin for the many spiritual opportunities we have to deepen our relationship with the Lord! Lent is a time of returning back to God and coming home to the church. This must be our mission! As we focus on our journey with the Lord, we cant forget about others that we meet on the way. In my humble option, the challenge of Lent is two fold: 1) to deepen our relationship with Christ in whatever way possible and 2) to encourage others to do the same, and if need be to help them to come home to the Church. Many people have wondered away from the Church for many reasons. Our response is not to judge, but to help them to return home. Isn’t this the message of the Church’s Jubilee Year of Mercy? Not to judge, but to be merciful and to help people on their journey. We have a wonderful landings program in the parish that helps people to find their home again in the Church. All who come to landings are welcomed back with no question asked and there is no judging others. I cant tell you how many people have benefited from landings and are once again connected to their Church. Please, if you are away and are looking to come home or if you know of someone in your family or anyone else who needs help in coming back I strongly encourage you to consider Landings by reaching to our Pastoral Out Reach Office.

Finally I have put together a new parish committee named Parish Disability Advocates . We have already met a number of times to discuss ways we can make our Parish more handicap accessible to our parishioners and those who will visiting our parish. To start, on the 1st Weekend of March we will be reserving the first pew in front of the ambo for those who mobility issues. Some may find it difficult to make their way down the center aisle of the Church to receive Holy Communion. Those with mobility issues will be invited to sit in the first pew in the front that will be roped off permanently. I will share more of what we are planning in the weeks ahead.

Thanks for your support.

Rev. Kevin P. Abels
Pastor