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January 11 Greetings

Dear Ones,

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I have very sad news to share. I received a call from a close family friend of the Rooney’s that Casey died in the early morning hours today. He was surrounded by loved ones and it was peaceful. This is hard to hear. When he had the stroke last month, we were hopeful that he was going to be able to recover, but Friday came last week, and the doctors felt they had done everything they could. He came home from Barrow Neurological Institute to hospice care.

It is hard to think of being in a world where the bright smile and enthusiasm of Casey is no longer. It reminds me that every day is a gift and there is no guarantee about the days to come. Please keep Jodi and the Rooney family in your prayers, and make sure that you tell folks you love them. If you are sad, please reach out to someone that can be a comfort to you. We are so blessed to have each other. As information becomes available, we will let you know about what the family decides about services for Casey.

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This poem was written for the New Year by Amanda Gorman. She was the first person to be named National Youth Poet Laureate. Several things in the poem jumped out at me but most strongly this:

Tethered by this year of yearning,

we are learning that though we weren't ready for this,

we have been readied by it.

These last two years have been very hard, and we have learned that we can do hard things. We can do them because we have each other and Christ. As a family that gathers at Christ’s table, we have learned to love more, let go gently and to be present for each other even in the very hard times. We don’t know what the pandemic will bring, so we wear our masks to protect the vulnerable and we stay the course because we have each other for support. We have our baptismal promises, that we are marked with the Cross of Christ forever and that God has prepared a place for us, and we will be together again. As Amanda says:

Come, look up with kindness yet,

For even solace can be sourced from sorrow.

"New Day's Lyric"

Amanda Gorman


May this be the day

We come together.

Mourning, we come to mend, 

Withered, we come to weather,

Torn, we come to tend,

Battered, we come to better. 

Tethered by this year of yearning,

We are learning

That though we weren't ready for this, 

We have been readied by it.

Steadily we vow that no matter

How we are weighed down,

We must always pave a way forward.

Click above to hear her recite her poem.

This hope is our door, our portal.

Even if we never get back to normal, 

Someday we can venture beyond it,

To leave the known and take the first steps. 

So let us not return to what was normal, 

But reach toward what is next.


What was cursed, we will cure.

What was plagued, we will prove pure.

Where we tend to argue, we will try to agree,

Those fortunes we forswore, now the future we foresee, 

Where we weren't aware, we're now awake;

Those moments we missed

Are now these moments we make,

The moments we meet,

And our hearts, once all together beaten,

Now all together beat.


Come, look up with kindness yet,

For even solace can be sourced from sorrow. 

We remember, not just for the sake of yesterday, 

But to take on tomorrow.


We heed this old spirit,

In a new day's lyric,

In our hearts, we hear it:

For auld lang syne, my dear, 

For auld lang syne.

Be bold, sang Time this year, 

Be bold, sang Time,

For when you honor yesterday, 

Tomorrow ye will find.

Know what we've fought

Need not be forgot nor for none.

It defines us, binds us as one, 

Come over, join this day just begun. 

For wherever we come together, 

We will forever overcome.

Beth Millbourn took these pictures at Watson Lake on Sunday—stunningly beautiful!

Yours in Christ,

Pr. Tricia

Emmanuel Lutheran Church

Prescott Valley, AZ

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Emmanuel Lutheran Church


7763 E. Long Look Dr.

Prescott Valley, AZ 86314

PH (928) 772-4135

FX (928) 759-3541



website: emmanuellutheranpv.org

email: emmanuelelca@gmail.com

submissions: ELCPVnews@gmail.com


Office Hours

Monday: 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Tuesday: 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Wednesday: 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Thursday: 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Friday: 9:00 a.m. 4:00 p.m.

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