Dear Friends,
Our Book of Common Prayer (BCP) contains not just prayers, the Psalter, and liturgies, but also historical documents and the wonderful “An Outline of the Faith (Commonly called the Catechism) which begins on page 845. In a series of questions and answers, the Catechism outlines what we Episcopalians believe about a variety of topics. On page 855 we have a description of the Ministry:
The Ministry
Q. Who are the ministers of the Church?
A. The ministers of the Church are lay persons, bishops, priests, and deacons.
Q. What is the ministry of a deacon?
A. The ministry of a deacon is to represent Christ and his church, particularly as a servant of those in need; and to assist bishops and priests in the proclamation of the Gospel and the administration of the sacraments.
In other words, a deacon represents the church to the world and the needs of the world to the Church. The most important part of our Eucharist is the Dismissal when we are sent out, by the deacon, into the world “to love and serve the Lord.” As Bishop Leo Frade was fond of saying “The worship has ended; now the service begins.”
How blessed we are at St. Christopher’s to have The Reverend Miguel Baguer as our deacon! He truly embodies everything a deacon is: he presents the needs of the world to the church. He lovingly ministers to those in need, both physical and spiritual, both within the St. Christopher’s community and beyond. He is a beacon to us, reminding us how we are to live out the ministries to which God has called each one of us.
We have a wonderful opportunity this weekend to celebrate Deacon Miguel as he marks a milestone 90th birthday this Sunday. Deacon Miguel has family members coming from near and far; he will be our preacher at the 10:00 mass and will lead us in a “Deacon’s Mass” from the reserved sacrament. Culminating the weekend’s festivities is a party at Dottie Devaney Goldman’s house at 5:30 to which all are invited. Please come share in this opportunity to celebrate and thank our wonderful Deacon Miguel. I will be with you in spirit as we have a long standing commitment to be at an out-of-town wedding.
In Christ’s love, Willie+
Search Committee update
Greetings!
As we prepare to start a new chapter at St. Christopher’s, I am excited to report that we are undertaking much needed work on our grounds and buildings.
The rectory, in preparation for our new rector, is undergoing repairs, painting and new landscaping. We want to ensure we have a welcoming home to show candidates.
We trimmed and removed some of the trees on the grounds to let in more sun and to prepare for the upcoming hurricane season. Foliage throughout the property that had become overgrown was thinned out and we did lots of weeding. We hope to continue this work in the coming months as many of the planters and beds have plants that need to be replaced. I hope to add iguana-proof and native plants that attract birds, butterflies and other pollinators in their place. Please consider volunteering your time to help with this next phase – no experience necessary!
The pipes connecting the first-floor classrooms/bathrooms and the parish hall to city pipes, some of which go back to when the property was first built, need to be replaced. This is a big project that required canceling this year’s summer program in order to ensure the work is finished before school starts.
We should see the installation of the much-awaited new playground begin shortly. Anyone who has done construction knows that aligning bids, design plans and permitting is a frustrating process and this project has proven all the adages true.
Cecilia Braham, our parish and school administrator, has navigated these projects with efficiency, an eye for detail, and a sense of humor. Without her help, these projects would not have gotten this far.
The ongoing maintenance and upkeep of the church, the parish hall, the rectory and the grounds could not be accomplished without the tireless work of our facilities manager, Guido Mora, and his crew. Please say hello to them when you cross their path and thank them for their dedication!
Blessings,
Isabel Lamas, Jr. Warden
786-208-9651
Please Pray For...
As the Body of Christ we are called to pray for each other in times of sickness or hardship, or any form of distress, as well as to give thanks for the bounty and goodness which God has given us.
We are also happy when our prayers have been answered or are no longer needed as the illness, crisis, or concern may have passed. If you have anyone currently on our prayer list who has been blessed in this way please contact Cecilia Braham in the parish office (cbraham@stchriskb.org) to let her know if there are any names to be removed. Many thanks in advance.
St Christopher’s Parish & School Community
Pat Neal, Susie Schradle, Kathy V, Carol, Isabel L.
Family & Friends
Erik, Marilyn, Jane, Stewart, Sherrie, Julian, Charles, Mary Jo, Michael V, Allison, Frances R., Paul, Angie M., Dominique, Debi P., Lisa K., Katrina, Barbara, Eleanor, Nancy, Bill and Family, Lori, Paul J, Hugh, Keith, Barbara, Rebecca, Esteban, Carol, Jack and Marilyn Courtnay, Andy, Jane, Samuel, Niki, Dave, Geno, Patricia, Robert, Jackie, M.F.P., H.H.R., Bella and family, Betsy, Ethan, Danie, Dean and Richard, Gustavo Z., Gary, Mr. Long, Tracy, Shane, Stephen and Family. For Rex and Ruthann. For Ulla Britt Faiella
+ For the repose of the soul of Rick Faiella, Roberto Weisson & Doris Hodges.
+ For peace in the Holy Land.
+ For refugees and all who are in danger.
+ For the Nominating Committee: Jeff Brosco, Pam Gordon, Callie Holderman, Lynne Nelson, Ken Noto and Peter Verbeeck, and Lynne Libby, their chaplain.
+ Peace, Freedom and the Safety for the people of Ukraine
