We want to especially thank those of you who keep us in
prayer as we have just come through a Fall with more weekends booked in service
than ever! On the ‘daily beat’, Cricket is finishing going through nearly 25
years of memories in the house to transition to more life in a small
motorhome….She is also writing a new book about this experience!
Jerry continues to teach for the Diaconate Formation
program, and he is also working on a Doctorate in Ministry while Teaching for
Christ the Teacher College (online MRE degree)
In August, our daughter Bethany and companion Alejandro
visited from Spain (tho I called him Ale-eskimo as he was always getting cold
in air conditioning), which meant Jerry went to the ARG while Cricket stayed
home with family. Talked at ARG with nat’l minister Deacon Tom Bello about our
plan to travel to different OFS fraternities in 2014, making ourselves
available to serve (he was, as always, extremely supportive). Jerry always does
some music for the Memorial service, as well as a light hearted singalong,
which this year contained some good natured humor toward Fr. Linus DeSantis, OFM, the
spiritual director.
We began Sept serving the Aquinas HS in Augusta faculty
retreat, which included four grade school faculties as well. It was a day of
reflection following a communal Mass, and a real honor to do something Fr.
Michael Lubinsky of St. Mary’s had
worked on for a couple of years since we served him at MHT a few years ago.
We returned to Augusta a week later to provide a concert and
day of reflection sponsored by the Augusta Secular Franciscan fraternity and
the parish of St. Mary’s on the Hill. This was a special concert, occurring a
special First Friday Mass, that included our long time friends from California
Pete and Sue Fullerton. Pete was a founding member of We Five, who had several
# 1 hits in the 60’s including “You Were On My Mind”! Pete sang and played
bass, and Aquinas music teacher Natalie Salazar also played violin or us! (You
would have loved their Ave Maria together!)
The following day, we provided an interactive day of reflection on the stewardship of time, very well received by a good combination of Secular Franciscans and parish members.
Next, we travelled West for a couple of weeks. We served a 15 person prayer group dedicated to St. Padre Pio in Memphis under the direction of Deacon Norman Alexander. This was an annual retreat weekend, and Cricket’s teaching on Intercession, drawing on the reflections in her book by that name.
We then travelled to her hometown of St. Louis to attend her
high school reunion, staying with her lifelong friend Sue Bowman. Cricket always enjoys this weekend from start to finish! We even
visited her childhood home. Those of you familiar with stories she tells about
her childhood faith development in this home and yard would especially
appreciate her connecting there---the house was empty and for sale, so we had
free rein to walk around and take pictures. Her hometown was also the site of
our getting to see our daughter Talia, touring with a Church choir, who were
rehearsing there!
October drew us to do the annual retreat for the REC in
Ridgecrest NC. Region Minister Jerry Rousseau asked Cricket to take a theme she
had done with them a few years previously (Penance and Living Prayer) and
expand it in Leadership areas, which went beautifully!
We then travelled to serve Cricket’s own secular Franciscan
fraternity at their annual retreat in the Mt. Carmel Retreat Center in Hoschton
Ga. Here she had prepared a wonderful set of talks and activities exploring communication
issues from a Franciscan approach. (Jerry likes to say he ‘drives the bus and
hauls boxes’, but he also leads some singing and activities in these
retreats.) Jerry also was honored to
help Fr. Roy Lee do an evening retreat with music fitted to a celebration and
exploration of the Mass.
The last weekend included Cricket teaching a day of
reflection for the Conyers fraternity where she is Spiritual Advisor, and this
went so well they stayed for hours after it was finished!
November began with Jerry getting to do something he also
loves---solo jazz! Our parish had a thank you dinner for their stewardship
donors and our Pastor had asked that Jerry do some ‘james taylor and such’ as
background for the party. Jerry keeps threatening to do a church songs in jazz
cd!
For perhaps the fourth or fifth year, we were honored to
serve the annual retreat for the Blairsville Ga secular Franciscans, and there
was much prayer and laughter and service as always! You can tell from the
crowded nature of the picture, this group likes fellowship!
Cricket had led a Women’s Day of Reflection in the Spring in
North Ga, and two attendees asked us to do a day of reflection and a parish
mission at their beautiful church, St. Mark’s of Clarkesville, Ga. The mission
is in Lent of ’14, but the day of reflection was with a wonderful prayer group
that met regularly with up to 75 parishioners to deepen their experience and
service in the Year of Faith!
Our next edition of this will include some new efforts we
will be making in 2014! Thanks again for your prayers and support, and May God
Bless you and yours this Advent/Christmas season!
