Dear Friends,
Kofi Annan, UN Secretary General wrote, “Elections are the heart of democracy. When conducted with integrity they allow citizens to have a voice in how and by whom they are governed.” We have just come off an election, and as I write this for the bulletin on Tuesday, we don’t have the results yet. Regardless of who wins, I invite you to grace, dignity and civility in public life.
One of the questions that has been asked often is, “Once the election is over will you accept the results?” The question needs to be answered by all of us – the candidates and every citizen. What about those of us who are followers of Jesus Christ? What will be our response? Will we be wringing our hands and biting our nails as we watch election returns on Tuesday evening? Will we accept the results of the election as God’s will once it’s over? Will we be filled with despair and be antagonistic toward the next president if the results go contrary to our preference?
I invite you to take to heart the teaching of St. Paul to the Philippians 4:6-7: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” We have earnestly prayed about the election and courageously spoken up for our convictions. We’ve done what we could. It’s now time for us to (in the words of an old hymn), “Take your burden to the Lord and leave it there.” Regardless of the outcome of the election, let the calm spirit of Christ be seen in you. Regardless of who is temporarily the President of the United States, God is still the God of the Universe.
Facilities Update: Because our parish facilities are largely empty during this time of Covid restrictions, we can complete badly needed, major safety related projects, that would be difficult and impactful to accomplish safely, while parishioners are using these facilities. To take advantage of this window of opportunity, we have initiated three large safety-related projects that can best be done now.
First, you may or may not have noticed that we completely rebuilt the trellis work around our Parish Hall and Rooms A, B, C and D. This trellis was riddled with dry rot and starting to fail. The work to remove this safety hazard was finished in early October.
The second project is to remove the five Eucalyptus trees on the west side of the large parking lot. These trees are overgrown, and present both a fire and falling hazard. We need to remove these trees and replace them with safer trees for our environment. Bidding was completed in late October and a contract has been awarded. The cost of removal of the Eucalyptus trees and the planting of the safer tress will be shared with our school. We anticipate completing this work in November.
The third project is to remove and replace the concrete patio in front of the church. Though the patio is relatively new, replaced when the restrooms were renovated in the Church, the concrete is cracking and heaving, and has become a serious tripping hazard. Several attempts to grind down the uneven surfaces did not solve the problem, and the concrete continues to deteriorate making an uneven walking surface in front of our church. We are in process of procuring estimates to replace this concrete, and hope to complete this work by the end of 2020.
Total cost for these three projects is estimated to be under $150,000, and will be funded from our savings. Thank you for your continued support of our church and our projects.
Fr. Paulson
