Sexagesima Sunday - Rector's Rambling for February 8, 2026

     We are now in the middle of our gesima season, these three pre-lent Sundays before we get into the fullness of our Lenten Discipline.  Ash Wednesday is February 18th, with our Shrove Tuesday Pancakes, Paczki and Trivia night the night before.

We received the good news that our own Fr. Cam Walker will be heading to Appleton, Wisconsin to serve as their priest at All Saints Church.  We are so grateful that the Diocese of Long Island adopted him and ordained him to the deaconate and priesthood, but are also glad to have him back in the Midwest.  St. John’s and the Diocese of Wisconsin have a long history together.  Their first bishop, Jackson Kemper, preached here several times, as did two other notables from the Episcopal Calendar from Wisconsin—James Lloyd Breck (first Dean of Nashotah House Seminary) and James DeKoven (rector of the old Recine College).  Our first rector here at St. John’s, William Armitage, became the second bishop of the Diocese of Wisconsin!

Next week we are giving thanks for my 25th anniversary as Rector of St. John’s Church.  My first Sunday here was Quinquagesima Sunday in 2001.  We have a guest celebrant and preacher with us next week, the retired bishop of our diocese, The Rt. Rev’d Wendell Gibbs.  It was he who allowed and confirmed my election by the vestry, and who then formally installed me as rector a few weeks later.  A luncheon is being planned and we hope that everyone will be here next week, and will stay after for the meal as well.

The Anglican Theology class meets today but will not meet next week because of the luncheon.  If you have not joined this  class yet, meeting after 10 AM coffee hour, you can join in at any time.  We have a good group of people and at times a lively discussion.  Fr. Louis Tarsitano’s book is our basis for the class but we go off on tangents as necessary (or as Fr. Kelly’s A.D.D. mind takes us).

Thanks be to God for the opportunity to worship together!