John Stack Ministries Announcements & Reminders – Page 86 – Stay connected with our Catholic community through weekly Mass announcements and recaps, fostering faith and fellowship in every gathering.

Homilies

Sunday Homily, January 27, 2019, 3rd Ordinary Time
ByRosemary January 27, 2019

Take it away, Ben. We are ready!

Readings:

Nehemiah 8, 2-4, 5-6, 8-10 The story of Ezra, the priest

Psalm 19, Your words, Lord, are spirit and life.

1 Corinthians 12, 12-30, As the body is one.

Luke 1, 1-4, 4, 14-21, Today this passage is fulfilled in your hearing.

Emma doing her Candle Magic with John's help.

Homily from Mike

Think about the last vacation you were on. Did it meet your expectations; good weather, good food, good company. Sometimes our expectations are not met, unless we’ve taught ourselves to go with the flow and look toward the bright side by giving thanks no matter what we encounter.

Buddy reading the Blessing of the Candles with Mike's help.

In our gospel today, the Jews at the Sabbath synagogue service were in expectation to hear what Jesus had to say, for Jesus had chosen the reading. Not only that, it was said that he spoke with authority, and this was Jesus’ home ground; it was where he grew up.

Mike homilizing.

What Jesus gave them was what the Messiah would do when he came to his people, Israel. When you heard it, did you recognize that it was filled with promises, beginning with the most important: where he promised to bring to the lowly, those in dire need, the Good News of Jesus Christ. After reading it, he sat down; and he held them in expectation.

What a team.

When he stood up he said, “This day, this Scripture, is fulfilled in your midst.” They didn’t realize it but they had just begun to receive the Good News. They were the ones to whom Jesus had come. All of promises, given by the prophets, were directed to them: they were the blind, the poor in spirit, the ones who were in captivity, they were the downtrodden,

The Great Offertory Team, Karen, Tom, & Denni.

This Scripture is being fulfilled in our midst too, for we are the ones called to make those promises come true. We are the ones who daily are led by the Spirit to welcome and live the Good News in the world. With every act of kindness, each of us, using our unique spiritual gifts, bind ourselves together as one body; His body, which we are about to break and share with one another in our Liturgy of Eucharist.

Can it get better than this, Luke with his mommy, Julie.

Read More Sunday Homily, January 27, 2019, 3rd Ordinary Time
Announcements

Announcements
ByRosemary January 27, 2019
Rosemary's Blessing

Author Unknown

Mary Jane reading from Nehemiah.

Our Special Thanks
- For the Readings: John & Mary Jane
- For The Team: John & Mike & Buddy
- For the Communion Bread: Alison & John
- For the Wine & Cups: Jan & Charlie
- For the Pictures: Connie & Jackie, Mike & Rick
- For the coffee and extras: Tom & Becky & Jackie
- For the altar & sound: Jackie & Ben
- For the Music: Ben
- For all who helped with communion
John reading from 1 Corinthians.

Birthdays: Last week: Kevin Doherty (22, Thursday), Chloe (13, Thursday); (we forgot the cupcakes at home)

This week: Sir Charlie, Mary Hall, Mike Carrell (80), Randolph, Rick Turner, & Miguel

Anniversaries:

Last Week: Ray & Claire (48th, Wednesday)

Rosemary reading her Blessing of The Week.

Please Remember these special people:

For Tom Quinn's recuperation from surgery;  For Ray & Claire's son in Law, Ken, Christi's husband recuperating from a serious back surgery here in Dallas; For Meredith, cancer free; For David Dinsmore's mom in W. VA; For Jerry Brophy, a high school classmate of mine For Tom Quinn’s brother, Tim; For Hue; For John O'Donnell; For Carol's continued recuperation; For Joe Mazzei's sister, Nina with cancer; For Dee and her daughter, Lisa; For John Schanot's continued recuperation; For a young man who is suffering from depression; For Cliff & Jean, plus Jean's brother Terry; For Laura's sister Claudia; For Dawn;    For Anthony & Sabrina;

Thanks for lighting our candles, Emma, 2 weeks in a row.

For John & Jean's son John Louis; For our good friend Kay (at 90 years!) in Ontario;  For Jackie's friend, Barbara, plus Angela & her mom; for Sr. Patricia Otillio, a nun I worked with for years in Grand Coteau; John Cade's mother in law, Kalliopi Piskiouli and Lambrini; for Frank’s brother with advanced Parkinsons; For Steve Barrett, Rose, & Katie; Barb & Warren's grandbabies, Leighton Elizabeth and Warren Phillip and Ethan Michel, & their friend Chris, plus Barb's Annie & Kaitlen;

It has been 3 weeks since you lit our candles, Tori, and I am just now giving you a reward. Thanks for your patience.

Tom and Teresa Quinn's niece, Chawna, with cancer, their granddaughter, Mikayla;   plus Neva Flynn, Angel, and Diane Kreeitzer; Connie Doherty's mom and her sister, plus Kevin's cousin, Peter; For a number of David McKeon's family who are having a rough time with health issues, especially Mark Pelton; for our friends, sons, and daughters in the military, including Ryan McClurg and Chebino; cure for autism from Laura Chollick; for our President.

Happy Birthday, Randolph. You have some wonderful kids.

Your Finances, January 27, 2019

Expenses: $915.00

Outreach: $315.00

Thanks for your Generosity, Everybody.

And Happy Birthday to you, Mary.

Thanks, Everybody

(214-783-0443)

Sir Charlie, this is obviously a mistake. The cupcakes are for nice people. How did you get in the line? You being so bad!

JSM Mission-Faith Statement

      Help create a Catholic Community that welcomes all God’s People, provides for & challenges spiritual & total growth.

   Reaches out to help people who are disadvantaged & make the world we live in a better place to live.

If you did not get a cupcake this morning, you are obviously born under a bad sign. 12 cupcakes today because we missed last Sunday with Mary Ellen's Memorial & brunch. We actually left them home accidentally
Read More Announcements
Community Bulletin Board | Reminders

Reminder for Sunday, January 27, 2019, 3rd Ordinary Time, C cycle
ByRosemary January 23, 2019
Get Ready, Everybody. Here Comes Cathy.

Welcome: Catholic Mass with coffee & juice, and pastries, some bought, some home-made.

Time: 9:30; Celebrate with the Community & Stack with John & Mike homilizing this week.

Place: Legacy Charter School, Accent Drive, Plano, TX 75075

Suit up time.

Readings:

Nehemiah 8, 2-4, 5-6, 8-10 The story of Ezra, the priest

Psalm 19, Your words, Lord, are spirit and life.

1 Corinthians 12, 12-30, As the body is one.

Luke 1, 1-4, 4, 14-21, Today this passage is fulfilled in your hearing

Nothing like a Helping Hand.

Community Activities:

ROMEO MEET: Friday, January 25, Jason's Deli, Collin Creek Mall, west side of Central, 1:00. Welcome all wakos, you will fit right in. This old geezer may make it this Friday Friday.

Healing touch with John.

JULIETTE LUNCHEON: February 1, 2019

Hi Everyone,

Several of you have asked when will we be getting together for lunch. We will be meeting Friday, February 1^st at 12:30 at Outback Steakhouse. It is at 1509 N. Central Expressway, Plano. Phone # 972-516-4100. They have a good lunch menu. You do not have to order steak. I love their French Onion Soup and salad. Outback is on 15^th Street and Central Expressway.

Please let me know who will be joining us. Reservations are required.

Thanks,  Marilyn

972-491-7068

If that homily man gets too boring or long, there is always Chess!

TRUE?

I am enclosing two tickets to the first night of my new play. Bring a friend, if you have one.

George Bernard Shaw to Winston Churchill

Cannot possibly attend first night. I will attend the second…if there is one.

Winston Churchill , in response

What a Brunch!

What's up in Ye Old Catholic Church? Like…
1. 10 essential points for investigating Church leaders,http://corpus-blog.blogspot.com/2019/01/curb-crisis-10-essential-lessons-for.html
This is pretty wordy. The 10 points are worth a glance.

Kids' Table, Welcome.

See you Sunday,

J.S., 214-783-0443

Picture of Trust!

JSM Mission-Faith Statement:

Help create a Catholic Community that welcomes all God’s People, provides for and challenges spiritual and total growth.

Reaches out to help people who are disadvantaged and make the world we live in a better place to live.

Peace!

All Mary Ellen's friends.
Read More Reminder for Sunday, January 27, 2019, 3rd Ordinary Time, C cycle
Homilies

Sunday Homily, 1-20-19, 2nd Ordinary Time, cycle C
ByRosemary January 20, 2019

Welcome in, Everybody, from Cindy & Dee.

Readings:

Isaiah 62, 1-5, The Lord delights in you (a good one)

Psalm 96, Proclaim his marvelous deeds to all the nations.

1 Corinthians 12, 4-11, There are different kinds of spiritual gifts.

John 2, 1-11, The wedding at Cana.

Also from Ken and the two crazies behind him, Cindy & Marlene, Welcome in, Everybody.

Mary Ellen Munzell

As a way to honor Mary Ellen, I would like to tell you 4 stories that show why she was a special friend and dear to me.

The first time that Mary Ellen came to my attention in a special way was the first time we gathered a group for a two week trip to Italy. We had about 8 people.

And not to be outdone by the previous characters, Grace, too, says, "Welcome to our special Memorial for our dear Mary Ellen." It was Grace who packed her up so she could move back home to Connecticut, where she stayed one winter and returned immediately back to Dallas.

Mary Ellen asked me if she could go over about 3-4 days early and be picked up in the area around Lake Guarda, Italy. I was a little nervous, but thought okay. Mary Ellen wanted to visit Trieste before meeting up with us.

Why Trieste? Because her deceased husband, Chris, had been born there to a military family. Mary Ellen wanted to leave some of his ashes, which she did.

The A Team.

Just in case you are not familiar with how Mary Ellen & Chris met, it was at the American Embassy in Buenos Aires where she was working as a secretary and Chris was a Marine guard.

It was when Chris died that Mary Ellen took on the goal of scattering his ashes on golf courses on which they had played, especially in southern CA, where they had resided for some years.   Which brought her to Trieste.

It takes a Grandmother!

I can still remember approaching Verona. It was sunny & mild. Verona was quaint & colorful. The plan was to meet Mary Ellen in front of the train station. She had taken the train from Trieste to Verona.

As we approached the small station on our right I saw ahead of us a traffic circle with a lot of flowers, and there was Mary Ellen. I was so relieved and impressed with Mary Ellen and touched by her gesture.

Are our musicians crazy or what??

The second event caused me to love Mary Ellen’s adventurous spirit. I took her and Rosemary to the best game parks in East Africa for a visit with the lions, elephants, and giraffes. This had been my home for about ten years. I had lots of connections.

We hired a driver & helper, rented a Land Rover, and headed to the mystical Ngorongoro Crater and the magnificent Serengetti.   We visited all the animals and, in fact, late one morning a lion walked up and plopped down in the shade of our Land Rover.

It takes a Dad, too. Cody, a great one, and Olivia, his daughter.

Picture this. The Land Rover’s roof lifts up and locks into place so you may stand. We were standing while the lion took a morning siesta.   If we had leaned out, we could have touched that lion. We didn’t.

I was especially touched by Mary Ellen on this trip. The ride was rough, we tented, and one afternoon we drove though a scrub area with Tsetse Flies, which could keep up with the Land Rover. We had to shoo them away for about 30 minutes.

Nothing better than meeting up again with good old friends, like Bob & Jackie McGrath and Joanne Languell.

The third story.   Mary Ellen had a small private swimming pool in her back yard, as many of you know. What you may not have heard is that ME liked to skinny dip in her pool, until one afternoon she spied two young neighbor boys peeking over the roof line of her neighbor’s house.

Finally, as you had to know, ME was an avid supporter of U Conn’s women’s basket ball team. She loved to watch them play and then she and her sisters would discuss the game. U Conn had a record of 111 victories the day before ME died. The very next day, U Conn lost.

And more good old friends, like Cathy, Jackie, Alice.

Thanks, Mary Ellen, for being a special person and a special friend

And still more good friends, Grace, Camille, and Diane..

Read More Sunday Homily, 1-20-19, 2nd Ordinary Time, cycle C
Announcements

Announcements
ByRosemary January 20, 2019
Rosemary's Blessing

When we honestly ask ourselves which person in our lives mean the most to us,

we often find that it is those who, instead of giving advice, solutions, or cures,

have chosen rather to share our pain and touch our wounds with a warm and tender hand.

The friend who can be silent with us in a moment of despair or confusion,

who can stay with us in an hour of grief and bereavement,

who can tolerate not knowing, not curing, not healing

and face with us the reality of our powerlessness, that is a friend who cares.

Henri J.M. Nouwen

Mike reading from The Great Prophet Isaiah.

Our Special Thanks
- For the Readings: Mike & Geri
- For The Team: John & Georgie & Buddy
- For the Communion Bread: Alison & John
- For the Wine & Cups: Jan & Charlie
- For the Pictures: Connie & Jackie & Mike & Rick
- For the coffee and extras: Tom & Becky & Jackie
- For the altar & sound: Jackie & Ben
- For the Music: Shonda & Ben & David
- For all who helped with communion
Geri reading from 1 Corinthians

Birthdays: Kevin Doherty (22, Thursday), Chloe (13, Thursday)

Anniversaries:

Ray & Claire (48th, Wednesday)

Rosemary reading her Blessing of The Week.

Please Remember these special people:

For Tom Quinn's recuperation from surgery;  For Ray & Claire's son in Law, Ken, Christi's husband recuperating from a serious back surgery here in Dallas; For Meredith, cancer free; For David Dinsmore's mom in W. VA; For Jerry Brophy, a high school classmate of mine For Tom Quinn’s brother, Tim; For Hue; For John O'Donnell; For Carol's continued recuperation; For Joe Mazzei's sister, Nina with cancer; For Dee and her daughter, Lisa; For John Schanot's continued recuperation; For a young man who is suffering from depression; For Cliff & Jean, plus Jean's brother Terry; For Laura's sister Claudia; For Dawn;    For Anthony & Sabrina;

Our Offertory Team with Tom Becky & Cheryl.

For John & Jean's son John Louis; For our good friend Kay (at 90 years!) in Ontario;  For Jackie's friend, Barbara, plus Angela & her mom; for Sr. Patricia Otillio, a nun I worked with for years in Grand Coteau; John Cade's mother in law, Kalliopi Piskiouli and Lambrini; for Frank’s brother with advanced Parkinsons; For Steve Barrett, Rose, & Katie; Barb & Warren's grandbabies, Leighton Elizabeth and Warren Phillip and Ethan Michel, & their friend Chris, plus Barb's Annie & Kaitlen;

A bigger community this morning because of Mary Ellen's Memorial.

Tom and Teresa Quinn's niece, Chawna, with cancer, their granddaughter, Mikayla;   plus Neva Flynn, Angel, and Diane Kreeitzer; Connie Doherty's mom and her sister, plus Kevin's cousin, Peter; For a number of David McKeon's family who are having a rough time with health issues, especially Mark Pelton; for our friends, sons, and daughters in the military, including Ryan McClurg and Chebino; cure for autism from Laura Chollick; for our President.

It was a Feast!

Your Finances, January 20, 2019

Expenses: $980.00

Outreach: $495.00

Thanks for your Generosity, Everybody.

Talk about the Best Food in Town!

Thanks, Everybody

(214-783-0443)

Tori says, See you next week, Everybody.

JSM Mission-Faith Statement

      Help create a Catholic Community that welcomes all God’s People, provides for & challenges spiritual & total growth.

   Reaches out to help people who are disadvantaged & make the world we live in a better place to live.

Sez Sir Charlie, "Watch out, Everybody, I will be back.
Read More Announcements
Community Bulletin Board | Reminders

Reminder for Sunday, January 20, 2019, 2nd Ordinary Time. C cycle
ByRosemary January 16, 2019
In case you are coming to Legacy this Sunday for the first time, the above map should help.

Says Emma, "Welcome in, Everybody!"

Welcome: Catholic Mass with coffee & juice, and pastries, some bought, some home-made. Brunch today. In honor of Mary Ellen.

Time: 9:30; Celebrate with the Community & Stack with John

Place: Legacy Charter School, Accent Drive, Plano, TX 75075

Remember, Brunch this Sunday in honor of Mary Ellen.

Says Carrie, "Paul, Is this Cathy for real??"

Readings:

Isaiah 62, 1-5, The Lord delights in you (a good one)

Psalm 96, Proclaim his marvelous deeds to all the nations.

1 Corinthians 12, 4-11, There are different kinds of spiritual gifts.

John 2, 1-11, The wedding at Cana.

Carrie, Don't trust that old guy. What is he selling you?

Community Activities:

ROMEO MEET: Friday, January 18, Jason's Deli, Collin Creek Mall, west side of Central, 1:00. Welcome all wakos, you will fit right in. This old geezer may make it this Friday Friday.

JULIETTE LUNCHEON: February, TBA

It worked, Mike, Carrie and Paul are helping to clean up.

TRUE?

Some people won't admit their faults. I would if I had any.

Welcome, Robyn, You are now an official member of the Bona Responds team.

What's up in Ye Old Catholic Church? Like…
1. Celibacy is not the cause. The priesthood?https://www.bostonglobe.com/opinion/2019/01/03/celibacy-isn-cause-church-sex-abuse-crisis-priesthood/cinI3OcoEqyg7l51YHD72K/story.html
Peace, Everybody.

See you Sunday,

J.S., 214-783-0443

Peace, Jackie, Peace, Cathy.

JSM Mission-Faith Statement:

Help create a Catholic Community that welcomes all God’s People, provides for and challenges spiritual and total growth.

Reaches out to help people who are disadvantaged and make the world we live in a better place to live.

The meeting of The Board, Jim, John, Tom, & Joe

Clean up time.
Read More Reminder for Sunday, January 20, 2019, 2nd Ordinary Time. C cycle
Homilies

Sunday Homily for January 13, 2019, The Baptism
ByRosemary January 13, 2019

Says Bernadette, "Welcome in, Everybody."

Readings:

Isaiah 40, 1-5, 9-11 Comfort, give comfort to my people. (a good one)

Psalm 104, Bless the Lord my soul.

Titus 2, 11-14, 3, 4-7, The grace of God has appeared.

Like 3, 15-16, 21-22, He will baptize you with Holy Spirit.

The Team with Tori doing the candles and Buddy the blessing of the candles and Georgie watching out for all of us.

No homily today, guest speaker from Single Parent Advocacy, Robyn LaCasse.

Bill introduces Robyn LaCasse, the Director of Operations for Single Parent Advocacy. Members of our community helped the Advocacy present a big Christmas party for single parent families. Remember the photos of the huge number of donated bicycles.

Our Offertory presented by David, Caroline, & Jim.

Read More Sunday Homily for January 13, 2019, The Baptism
Announcements

Announcements
ByRosemary January 13, 2019
Rosemary's Blessing

O Holy One,

Abide with us

In this hour,

In our rest,

In all the time that is ours

in the year to come.

Let your blessing rest

Upon us, within us, around us

in this moment and in

all the moments to come.

In your name we pray.

A Blessing by Ken Phillips

Hue reading from The Great Prophet Isaiah.

Our Special Thanks
- For the Readings: Hue & Mary
- For The Team: John & Georgie & Buddy
- For the Communion Bread: Alison & John
- For the Wine & Cups: Jan & Charlie
- For the Pictures: Connie & Jackie & Mike
- For the coffee and extras: Tom & Becky & Jackie
- For the altar & sound: Jackie & Ben
- For the Music: Shonda & Ben & David
- For all who helped with communion
Mary reading from Titus.

Birthdays: Jan (Monday), Doug Kite (Tuesday), Quads (11, Wednesday) Becky Good (61, Friday

Rosemary reading her Blessing of the week

Anniversaries:

Jackie & Rick (today, 18th)

Happy Birthday, Jan, and thanks for all you do each Sunday to get us up and running smoothly

Please Remember these special people:

For Mary Ellen, who moved to the Other Side last two Wednesdays ago, ca. 3:00; Let's have a memorial Mass for her Sunday, Jan 20, plus a brunch afterward.

Happy 18th Anniversary, Jackie Rick, and thanks for all the excellent pix you two take every Sunday.

For Ray & Claire's son in Law, Ken, Christi's husband recuperating from a serious back surgery here in Dallas; For Meredith, cancer free; For David Dinsmore's mom in W. VA; For Jerry Brophy, a high school classmate of mine For Tom Quinn’s brother, Tim; For Hue; For John O'Donnell; For Carol's continued recuperation; For Joe Mazzei's sister, Nina with cancer; For Dee and her daughter, Lisa; For John Schanot's continued recuperation; For a young man who is suffering from depression; For Cliff & Jean, plus Jean's brother Terry; For Laura's sister Claudia; For Dawn;    For Anthony & Sabrina;

Happy Birthday, Becky, and thanks so much for inviting us to celebrate in your creative and color filled school. It is the best we have had all these years.

For John & Jean's son John Louis; For our good friend Kay (at 90 years!) in Ontario;  For Jackie's friend, Barbara, plus Angela & her mom; for Sr. Patricia Otillio, a nun I worked with for years in Grand Coteau; John Cade's mother in law, Kalliopi Piskiouli and Lambrini; for Frank’s brother with advanced Parkinsons; For Steve Barrett, Rose, & Katie; Barb & Warren's grandbabies, Leighton Elizabeth and Warren Phillip and Ethan Michel, & their friend Chris, plus Barb's Annie & Kaitlen;

Thanks, Robyn, for explaining to us the valuable work you do with The Single Parent Advocacy. It has been a delight to work with you on Love for the Kids and now The Advocacy.

Tom and Teresa Quinn's niece, Chawna, with cancer, their granddaughter, Mikayla;   plus Neva Flynn, Angel, and Diane Kreeitzer; Connie Doherty's mom and her sister, plus Kevin's cousin, Peter; For a number of David McKeon's family who are having a rough time with health issues, especially Mark Pelton; for our friends, sons, and daughters in the military, including Ryan McClurg and Chebino; cure for autism from Laura Chollick; for our President.

Thanks, Tori, for lighting our candles this morning. Sorry I got distracted & missed you this morning, I owe you a cupcake next week.

Your Finances, January 13, 2019

Expenses: $1245.00

Outreach: $535.00

Thanks for your Generosity, Everybody.

Guess what, Everybody. It is Girl Scout cookie time again and Harper has just what you need.

Thanks, Everybody

(214-783-0443)

It is board meeting time with Jim & Mike.

JSM Mission-Faith Statement

      Help create a Catholic Community that welcomes all God’s People, provides for & challenges spiritual & total growth.

   Reaches out to help people who are disadvantaged & make the world we live in a better place to live.

Board Meeting #2 with John & Mike.
Read More Announcements
Uncategorized

Reminder for Sunday, January 13, 2019, The Baptism
ByRosemary January 9, 2019
`

Sez Tori, "Welcome in, Everybody. It is fun even for us kids."

Welcome: Catholic Mass with coffee & juice, and pastries, some bought, some home-made.

Time: 9:30; Celebrate with the Community & Stack with John

Place: Legacy Charter School, Accent Drive, Plano, TX 75075

Sez Leo, "I agree with Tori."

Readings:

Isaiah 40, 1-5, 9-11   Comfort, give comfort to my people. (a good one)

Psalm 104, Bless the Lord my soul.

Titus 2, 11-14, 3, 4-7, The grace of God has appeared.

Like 3, 15-16, 21-22, He will baptize you with Holy Spirit.

And sez Harper, "I agree with Leo and with Tori.

Community Activities:

ROMEO MEET: Friday, January 11, Jason's Deli, Collin Creek Mall, west side of Central, 1:00. Welcome all wakos, you will fit right in. This old geezer will miss again Friday.

JULIETTE LUNCHEON: February, TBA

All God's Children welcome. Kids' communion.

TRUE?

There is no such thing in anyone's life as an unimportant day.

Alexander Woollcott

Our Father.

What's up in Ye Old Catholic Church? Like…
1. Effort made to remove land mines from sites in Holy Land. https://www.ncronline.org/authors/melanie-lidman
Peace, John & John.

See you Sunday,

J.S., 214-783-0443

Peace, Jim. Peace Cathy.

JSM Mission-Faith Statement:

Help create a Catholic Community that welcomes all God’s People, provides for and challenges spiritual and total growth.

Reaches out to help people who are disadvantaged and make the world we live in a better place to live.

Peace, Everybody, and have a wonderful 2019.
Read More Reminder for Sunday, January 13, 2019, The Baptism
Homilies

Sunday Homily for January 6, 2018, Epiphany
ByRosemary January 6, 2019

Sir Charlie, you are supposed to be welcoming everybody. Looks like you are scaring everyone away, like me.

Readings:

Isaiah 60, 1-6, Rise up in splendor, Jerusalem. (good one)

Psalm 72, Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.

Ephesians 3, 2-3, 5-6, The Gentiles are co-heir, members of the same body.

Matthew 2, 1-12, The Epiphany or opening to the Gentiles.

John ready in case I forget.

An Epiphany Day

This morning I would like to talk about an Epiphany Day, meaning a special day or a wonder day or event or even a person. December 28 was an epiphany day for me. Anybody guess why? Yes, the date of my back surgery, an event I was totally looking forward to.

Emma sharing her candle lighting gift with the rest of us.

The operation was scheduled for 10:00. We had to be there at 8:00. Rosemary & I were there at 7:30. Somewhere around 8:15 they checked me in and gave me the special operation gown. I was invited to get on my own special stretcher with 4 wheels. One guy wheeled me around and into a 14 cubicle pre-op room.   Along the way we picked up Rosemary and a good old friend.

Buddy reading our Blessing of the Christmas Candles.

I did not know it at the time, but I was going to spend 4 hours waiting in that room.   My doctor got delayed was all I was told. Rosemary had to leave. I got to know the names of the pre-op room staff, Matt and Deborah.

Cody, tell Ben that he cannot go to sleep until I start talking.

I teased some of the pre-op patients. Like one lady was begging to have a coffee. I welcomed back some from surgery. I had to ask to use the restroom. I napped. All these 4 hours my buddy stayed with me. He read the newspaper when I dozed.

To join this exalted team, it is required that you are named John and that your are old enough to forget your age.

Finally about 2:00 I was wheeled into the operating room, cold as usual. An hour or so later I was awake, Rosemary was there, and my good friend was there.

Looking back, the day was an Epiphany Day and the operation an epiphany event. You know what was another epiphany event?   My good friend. He came and stayed about six hours, from the time I was supposed to have the operation, through the delay, and up to and past the operation time. The pre-op room staff even told the poor guy we looked like brothers.

Bill and his special mom, Mabel.

Know who that special friend is? Mike Carrell, an Epiphany Event. Thanks, Mike.

Hi, Tom & Joe & Marsha

The Best Teammates

Elevation Time

The Healing Touch with John.

Mike, an Epiphany Friend

Read More Sunday Homily for January 6, 2018, Epiphany