Today was the first special anniversary service for St. Paul's parish in our 150th anniversary year. The focus of this service was the school, and we had an all-school reunion dinner in the gym following the second divine service. Lois Senechal Rimbau won the prize for the teacher who came the furthest (Manhattan); Tara Sauerwein Januhowski was the former student who travelled furthest (from Texas) - we also learned that Tara was the expert at dealing with mice in the classroom; she stomped on them! Pr. Monte Haun - son of the parish and former Lutheran teacher and now pastor - delivered a fine homily at the two morning services. And to add to all the joy: today was the glorious feast of Pentecost, and we got to sing one of my all-time favorite hymns (both in text and tune):Come, Holy Ghost, God and Lord!
Be all Thy graces now outpoured
On each believer's mind and heart;
Thy fervent love to them impart.
Lord, by the brightness of Thy light,
Thou in the faith dost men unite
From ev'ry land and ev'ry tongue.
This to Thy praise,
O Lord our God be sung.
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Come, holy Light, Guide divine,
Oh, cause the Word of Life to shine!
Teach us to know our God aright
And call Him Father with delight.
From ev'ry error keep us free;
Let none but Christ our Master be
That we in living faith abide,
In Him, our Lord,
With all our might confide.
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Thou holy Fire, Comfort true,
Grant us the will of Thy work to do
And in Thy service to abide;
Let trials turn us not aside.
Lord, by Thy pow'r prepare each heart
And to our weakness strength impart
That bravely here we may contend,
Through life and death
To Thee, our Lord, ascend.
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Sounds like a delightful time was had by all. Is the Feast of Pentecost the actual anniversary of the church?
ReplyDeleteDeb
Deb,
ReplyDeleteWe're not sure the actual date of the anniversary. We know the constituting date was May 18, 1856 (which would have been Wednesday of Cantate Week that year) but they'd been worshipping for a couple years. The bigger celebration is planned for October 1st. It will be insane. We're doing a catered dinner the night prior, and then that Sunday we're holding a single service. We won't fit (without using the basement and the TV hookups), but it seemed important to gather as ONE family on that day. A son of the parish, now a pastor, who remembers the 100th anniversary is scheduled to preach for us.