St. John's at night - Rector's Rambling for July 14, 2024

     

The photo above is how so many people see St. John’s.  The doors are open during the weekdays, and the office staffed Monday through Friday.  But for so many people who come downtown in the evening for events at Comerica Park, Ford Field, Little Caesars Arena, The Fox and Filmore Theatres they see St. John’s lit up at night as they go from parking to event venue and back.  Although we can’t leave the doors open in the evening like we do during the daytime, good signage helps to introduce people to the parish.  One future project is additional signage on the sides of the Ministry Center to identify the name of the parish as “St. John’s” when driving by down on the  freeway, or walking on Montcalm after an event.  Also, the lighting on the sides of the building, particularly the freeway side, needs to be upgraded.

The St. Michael’s Conference for Youth 2024 is now complete.  I am writing this article for publication before it is over  sincethe printer needs it by Wednesday morning at the latest.  If past experience is a trustworthy predictor I am pretty tired, my voice strained from singing so much all week, but I am both happy for what has been accomplished at the conference and sad to know it is 51 weeks until we gather again.  What I will most miss is having 70 people to sing Morning Prayer, Holy Communion, and Evening Prayer every day of the week like we do at “St. Mike’s”.

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Today after the 10 AM Service we will gather in the Chapel for the interment of the cremains of Eleanor Johnson Tuttle, who passed away in California in September of 2021.  Mrs. Tuttle is the daughter of St. John’s 10th Rector, Rev’d I.C. Johnson.  He was rector from 1934 to 1962.  Her daughter  Dana and son Richard and their families are to be with us as her ashes are interred at the church were she baptised in 1935.

This past week we interred the ashes of Robert Hart in the columbarium, and on August 11 we will pray the Burial Office for former parishioner Mel Palmer who passed away in Alabama.

Baptisms, Weddings, and Funerals are an important part of the rhythm of being a parish church, and we have had several f them all this summer.