St. Anne In Its Beginnings
Today I visited one of the founding members of our parish, Judy Tickel. She is in the last days of a battle with cancer. My visit brought back many memories of the earliest years of St. Anne, in which she played a very important part. Please keep her in your prayers!
The first meetings of what would become St. Anne, began in 1997, when a few Orthodox people who were interested in forming an English-language Orthodox Church, started gathering for prayers. Those meetings took place in the parish hall of a Catholic Church in Farragut on a monthly basis. Non-Orthodox (including the Freeman family) made up a tiny part of interested visitors. The Tickel family were a bedrock in our founding, with an eager enthusiasm that welcomed every new face.
In February of 1998, regular Sunday services began, first with meetings in the home of Jim Tilson and his late wife, Melinda, then in the rented space of the "Warehouse." The Warehouse, near today's Turkey Creek would serve as the parish's first home for two years.
Many sacrifices were made in those early years, with St. Anne held as a vision in the heart. Church was "make do as make can," and required as much imagination as it did prayer. An example was the first Holy Week with the process of the tomb. We had no tomb.
I built a small platform with detachable handles for carrying. But Judy Tickel came up with an idea that has remained with us ever since. She took chicken wire and molded it into an "X" shaped pattern that was then filled with flowers. It was as beautiful then as it is now.
The third year of the procession, the chicken wire became a bit warn and fell on to this unsuspecting priest during the service. The next year it was reinforced with a wood frame and has remained so ever since.
I give thanks for all that has taken place in the last 18-19 years. O Lord, remember your servant Juliana (Judy) and all of our founders and benefactors. Grant them the great grace of your favor in all things!
