Givng at the Right Moment is Important: Talent Tuesday

All talents are equally important and beneficial in bringing glory to God.

 

Yesterday's explosions at the Boston Marathon were extremely sad and unexpected. It's important not to let the terrible overshadow the goodness that came from the terrible. A friend of mine, Debbie, ran in the race and finished before the explosions. A second woman I know, Roberta was still running and was about half a mile from the finish line when the explosions occurred. Both are safe, but the amazing story is that Debbie ran the additional couple of miles back to the hotel to get her things and in hopes of meeting back up with Roberta. Roberta was picked up by a kind Boston couple and taken to the hotel where the couple waited outside and drove Debbie and Roberta to the airport so they could catch their flight back to Ohio. Both women offered to give them money for the ride, but the Boston couple said they just wanted to make a bad experience a little bit better for the Ohio-bound ladies.

There were many awe inspiriting stories from yesterday's tragedy.

I heard multiple stories of residents of Boston that picked up strangers because taxis weren't picking anyone up and other means of public transportation weren't running. These Good Samaritans were helping others in need during a crisis situation for their community.

I heard of runners that crossed the finish line and continued running to the hospital to give blood to those who were harmed in the explosions.

I heard a story of a former NFL football player, Joe Andruzzi  (of the New England Patriots) carried a woman to safety after the explosions. 

I heard a story of a runner that was worried for her husband who was ahead of her in the race at the time of the explosion and could have been in range, but how fellow runners pulled together to aid a woman that spoke little English and was scared and confused.

People helping people. That's what I would say was the theme of yesterday's event. People were there to lend their cell phones, their calls, their shoulders to strangers. All brought together by this one event. It takes a special talent to leave your own worries behind, trust in God's goodness and offer your help to neighbors in need. 

Consider, on any given day, slowing down enough to notice when a stranger might need your help and take the time to offer it.  You don't have to be talented in many ways, as Jean de La Bruyère, a French writer once said, “Generosity lies less in giving much than in giving at the right moment.”

Ministry Monday

Congratulations to the St. Hilary Adult Choir! 

It's Ministry Monday and the St. Hilary Adult Choir is certainly deserving of a fanfare. This ministry shares their gifts for music with the parish. Holy Week is the peak of their liturgical year--as they perform at the Evening of Sacred Music and Dance on Palm Sunday evening, Holy Thursday's Mass of the Lord's Supper,Good Friday, and at the Easter Vigil. Stewardship of talent is shared freely by the parish music ministries.

Music and Liturgy Minister, Carissa Young submitted an entry for the 2013 Jubilation! and the St. Hilary Adult Choir was selected as one of six finalists!

Jubilation! will take place on May 9th and 10th at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist at the corner of East 9th and Superior in downtown Cleveland.

The St. Hilary Adult Choir  will perform a 20 minute program on either May 9th or May 10th (as soon as we know the date we'll let you know).

Each of the two evenings will include music from 3 of the finalist groups and an audience favorite will be selected by those in attendance at each performance as well as one overall winner, selected by a panel of judges.

Save the date for this exciting event.  

Thanks to all Music Ministries & Ministers!

Special thanks Phillis Hilkert, pictured below playing the organ, for all of the hard work she put in to practicing for the Holy Week musical performances. 

Many thanks, always, to our beautiful music ministries at St. Hilary for always providing a phenomenal musical environment for the liturgies: the 9:00 Contemporary Ensemble under the direction of LuAnne Toth, The ALIVE Music Ministry under the direction of Stephen Garchar, The Hand Bell Choir, the St. Hilary Adult Choir, and St. Cecilia Singers' Youth Choir under the direction of Carissa and Jacob Young. Thanks also to each and every music minister that contributes to the many musical ministries of St. Hilary with voice, accompaniment, and/or instrumental.

 All photos in this post were taken by parishioner, Victor Howe, at the Evening of Sacred Music & Dance on Palm Sunday, March 24, 2013.

SIDE NOTE: May is less than a month away and it's also National Bike Month. Consider challenging yourself to show your stewardship by riding your bike over driving to nearby destinations. Check it out.

Charles

Holy Thursday. What a powerful message. Jesus serves his disciples through the washing of their feet. Their sinky, dirty, gross feet. Jesus strives to teach us to serve one another. He was the prime example of what it means to be a steward throughout his entire life. How can we continue to stretch ourselves as a steward, with Him as our model?

Photo taken by Carol Malick, 2011 Holy Thursday Mass of the Lord's Supper

At the Holy Thursday Mass I attended at St. Anne's in Rittman, OH I heard a story. A very uplifting and beautiful story of a truly ecumenical effort by the many churches in the city. A man named Charles lives in the area and is not well-to-do. He had very little, but strived to stretch himself.

He would visit the churches and talk with the ministers/priests. After visiting St. Anne's several times he left 7 pennies on the altar. Another time he left two sets of 7 pennies, still other times he would leave 3 or 4 sets, all the way up to 7 sets of 7 pennies. Charles felt that 7 was a powerful number.

Charles has a mental health disorder of some kind and has been hospitalized due to it. Instead of the church folks in Rittman feeling relieved that he is getting help and that "he's not our problem anymore" they pitched in and different churches have taken up different collections to help when he gets back into his home. One church was able to cover the cost of a new water heater, another has been able to supply people to re-paint his home. Still others have been cleaning or purchasing a new appliance or two. This community has come together to ensure that when Charles gets home he will have a safe place to live and will not have to worry whether important appliances are going to sputter and die out in the near future.

In the Holy Thursday Gospel (John 13: 1-15) Jesus says"If I, therefore, the master and teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash one another’s feet. I have given you a model to follow, so that as I have done for you, you should also do."Jesus wants us to do for others what he has done for us. He has given us a model to follow, how will we choose to follow it?

He died for us. He purchased for us eternal salvation. He wants for us to do for others...



On Saturday, April 13 the Journey Together for Justice Ministry through St. Hilary and Faith Lutheran is sponsoring a Day of Service. This is a follow up to the Lenten Speaker Series that was sponsored by the two churches to encourage parishioners to Live the Gospel Message of Matthew 25: The Lord calls us to give food to the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, welcome strangers, clothe the naked, care for the sick and the imprisoned.  Jesus says: "Amen, I say to you, what you did not do for one of these least ones, you did not do for me." Consider whether you are able to give some of your valuable time for the least of God's people on this day of service. Sign up online, now!