From The Deacons Desk….

 

                          This year I completed Level 1 training                           for the Catechesis of the Good                               Shepherd, and I am now serving in                           the 3-6 year old Atrium (the                                  Sheepfold) 2 Sundays a month, during the 10:30 service.

 

Prior to completing the Catechesis training I was assisting teaching the Prophets class (9-12 yr olds) 1 Sunday a month.

 

In keeping with the Bishop's guidelines I have distributed communion from the Reserve Sacrament on weekdays when Fr. Denzil has been unavailable.

 

The Prayer Shawl ministry continues to meet on Wednesday mornings. We have distributed approximately 35 shawls to those who need them. This ministry is open to anyone who wishes to join us.

 

This year we officially welcomed Deacon John Whennen to our staff and worked out a calendar of shared responsibilities. Unfortunately, his severe illness has negated that plan. We continue to pray for his ongoing healing.

 

This fall we were assigned Deacon Student Dee Goodale-Mikosz to work with us as an intern. She will be ordained in January of 2008, and this experience with us is to give her an opportunity to learn her responsibilities as a deacon away from her home parish. Her home parish is St. Edward's and Christ. It has been a real pleasure to have Dee with us.

 

Last year I served on the committee to organize the Vestry Retreat.

 

Arranged for, and hosted, the visit of the Rev. Lauren Stanley from the Sudan, in April. It was a wonderful experience to hear first hand accounts of life in the Sudan.

 

Attended the Deacon's Day meeting in September and the Diocesan Convention in November.

 

I continue to prepare the Prayers of the People each week for distribution, and we enjoy hearing all the

different voices that contribute to the prayers. Also serve on the Liturgy Committee that meets monthly.

 

Outside of church - I serve on the board of the Lockport Homer Glen Area Ministerial Association, as secretary. I also served on the local ad hoc FISH Food Pantry committee, to assist the Food Pantry in ironing out some difficulties they were having.  I was invited to preach at the annual Thanksgiving service.

 

I am serving on the Diocesan Transitions Committee, which is helping to plan the Consecration of the new bishop, and I have been appointed to the Deacon's Council by the bishop. This is a 3 year term.

 

I am happy to say that I have returned to Stateville Correctional Center in a much different capacity than what I anticipated. Previously I was leading a worship service in the Hospital Unit, with distribution of communion and anointing of the sick. Now, I am leading a class called Houses of Healing. This is a curriculum that is designed to help the inmates confront the issues in their own lives that caused them to go astray. This is a powerful class and the inmates response to the material is quite positive. The Outreach committee has chosen to support this ministry with the purchase of textbooks. The inmates response to this gesture is to invite the Outreach Committee for a visit.  That visit to prison is in the works.

 

On the downside - I have had to discontinue the Nar-Anon meetings which we were holding here at St. John's. This is a 12 step group that helps families and friends of drug addicts - very similar in content to Al-Anon. This choice was made due to lack of interest and attendance. We went over 6 months with no one showing up.

 

I look forward to 2008, and to the opportunities and challenges it may bring.

 

In peace,

Deacon Bobbie Molony