Week 45 - Safe at Home!

Home Sweet Home. There truly is nothing like it.

It's always chaotic whenever there's a move, and inevitably there comes a period of adjustment as you get used to a new place. For new homeowners, it requires getting used to the new sounds and feels of a new home. If you're moving to a new area altogether, sometimes it takes awhile to learn the routes, and what is the most efficient way to get from here to there. And there's certainly a lot of boxes to go through! Still, that first moment, when you can settle back in your chair and look around and sigh and say "We're Here" really feels special.

Moving an office is really no different, as the Parish Staff found out this week. It was chaotic getting everything from A to B that needed to move. There were new sounds and feels, including the climate controls which will require some learning and patience on the part of the staff. And oh, the boxes!

The adjustment period will continue -- for the parishioners as well as the staff -- but for now, our parish family can sit back and have that sigh. We're here.

It's appropriate, then, that our new modern parish office should come with a new modern parish website. Just as with the parish center, the new look is ready, but the last of the features are still coming online, so please be patient. It will be worth the wait -- the new site brings with it new email addresses for the staff, a new electronic parish calendar, and an electronic archive of past bulletins, as well as up-to-date information on the groups and ministries around the parish.

The next phase in the journey of our parish family is now beginning. There will still be some adjustments to make, some final tweaks to complete, and some necessary changes in how the parish operates, but with your help, cooperation, and patience, we will accomplish great things!

There's no place like home!

Week 44 - Moving Day!

As the last of our missing pieces fall into place, it's time to begin the process of moving into our new home!

The Parish Offices will be closed the middle of this week while we make the transition. Your best bet is to call ahead. We thank you for your patience and cooperation as we learn where all the light switches are, how to turn the heat up to a reasonable level, and overall adapt to our new surroundings.

Stay tuned, because the next few weeks will bring some exciting changes to the parish!

Week 43 - Making Lemonade...

As our area recovers from the worst storm in nearly thirty years, allow me to offer a constructive alternative to the snowblower.

I'm referring to snow statues, one of the premier activities in the snowy tundra that is the Upper Peninsula, where I'm spending my weekend. If ever there was an example of making the best out of a bad (weather) situation, Michigan Tech has it figured out. Enjoy the pictures, even if they're not related to the Parish Campus Project...

..or are they? Certainly, in the building of snow statues, we can witness a community coming together to accomplish a massive project, much as our parish has come together to construct our beautiful new Parish Center. Whether the bricks are clay or snow, use mortar or ice, or finished with paint or an iron, the result is the same: a great example of teamwork.

There's another opportunity this week to get a look at the result of that teamwork. The parish center will be open for walk-throughs this Wednesday, from 5:30-7:00pm. If you weren't able to join us last weekend, be sure to come out on Wednesday to see the place in history we've carved out for ourselves!

Week 42 - Looking Ahead!

Today, the Parish got its first glance at what the completed Parish Center will be.

Although photos from the event, make it look as though the Parish Center is ready for business, there actually remains a fair amount of work to do before we can move in and open the doors. Still, it was wonderful to see the reactions as people viewed the building interiors for the first time.

I was particularly encouraged to see the number of people with mobility restrictions who were able to join us to take part in the event. The Parish Center represents a truly welcoming, accessible resource for ALL of our parish family, regardless of mobility.

We had a spectacular turnout today, and all of the comments, questions, and suggestions were appreciated and well received. As we continue towards the dedication of the building in April, we appreciate your continued support and interest. We look forward to the day we will open the doors permanently, and usher in a new era for our parish.

Stay tuned!

Open House Details

This week's blog entry will be delayed until Sunday evening, when I'll have exclusive pictures from the Open House.

The Open House will take place from 12:45-4:00pm THIS SUNDAY, February 3rd. Stop over and walk through the building, have some light refreshment, and see what we've been up to!