Dear Friends in Christ,
As we make our final preparations for the Lenten journey that leads us to Easter, I invite you to make this year’s journey one that will strengthen our parish by building friendships. There are parishioners you know well, parishioners you’d like to know better, and parishioners you don’t yet know at all.
Our Lenten journey together as a parish is our opportunity to take bold, brave steps to know each other better. So, for Lent 2021, I’m asking each and every member of our parish to make a commitment to open your copy of our parish directory each and every day of the penitential season, and randomly select one of your fellow parishioners to call.
By the end of Lent, you will have gained or strengthened 40 friendships. That’s 40 friends in 40 days! It’s important to select names at random, so that nobody in our parish is left out, and so that everybody feels included in this great movement of faith and grace that we call Saint Mary’s of Oak Ridge! Even if you have to leave a message, the sound of your voice will make their day!
Lent runs from Ash Wednesday to the evening Mass of Holy Thursday. I’m asking that you keep a record of each parishioner you call, and then bring these with you to Mass during Holy Week. I’ll place the stack of recorded names on the altar for Holy Thursday Mass, and then we’ll display them in the church for the whole Easter season.
In Christ,
Father Shelton, Pastor of Tennessee’s Friendliest Parish
Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time
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ALSO, ON ANOTHER NOTE, YOU GOTTA’ WATCH THIS!