Harvest Principle

My Dear Friends,

Today we embark on a five week adventure, exploring the reality of the Harvest Principle. This is the season of harvest. We have experienced a warm September. Peppers and tomatoes are still ripening in my garden and the chard provides me with fresh greens. Whenever I see apple cider in the store, my favorite season is here! But before we dig into the “Harvest” part of things, let’s dwell for a moment on “Principle.”

A principle is a fundamental truth, a ground rule, an anchor for a system of belief. It is a fact that works, that does its job in the world whether we recognize it or not, believe it or not. So it is valuable and wise for us to recognize and dig into this principle.

So, here it goes: you reap what you sow. First on the natural level: sow a tomato seed, get a tomato; blow dandelion seeds all around with the kids, reap a yard full of dandelions! But this reality also exists beyond planting. It is true and most evident from attending to the rhythm of farming and the seasons, but it is true in our relationships, true in our families, true throughout the world.

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Annual Financial Report

My Dear Spiritual Family,

One weekend a year, usually in October, we present our annual financial report, a task we are obliged to do. An opportunity to reflect on our situation, it builds on the previous two weeks related to our buildings and volunteers. Our parish is certainly not its buildings, nor its financial statement, but a living reality of the Gospel growing in our midst. That is our primary mission and goal. Above all, our members make the mission possible. We thank you for the many ways you participate in the mission as we journey in faith together.

But we still gotta pay for that mission, and as my Dad used to say money doesn’t grow on trees, which seems obvious. (The Aztecs used cocoa beans for money, which does grow on trees, but generally speaking Dad was right.)

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The People Make the Real Difference

Dear Friends,

Last week I shared some updates with you, mostly focused on our campus and the buildings. Given our newest building dates to 1970 (51 years old) repairs and maintenance are always required. Some of those needs have been deferred but we are striving to catch up and formulate a strategic plan for our campus and parish.

But what is a parish without the people? The term “parish” comes from two greek words meaning dwelling beside or sojourning. You may have heard that the universal Church is convoked in worldwide synod on the very topic of synodality. “Synod” means together on the way, or walking together. Even the greek word for church “ekklesia” means to be called out from, and hence an assembly. All of these terms have at their root, members. People being called out of an old life to live a new life and walk together on the way to God and his kingdom. Members gathered together for the common purpose of living a Gospel life.

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