Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ ~

In spite of April’s terrorist attack in Boston, nothing can blur the fact that these are the days of Easter – the days of resurrection, new life, and hope.  Evil did its worst 2000 years ago on Good Friday, but God did his best on Easter Sunday.  And while evil continues to do its worst in 2013, our faith tells us that God and goodness will ultimately prevail.  It took the cross for Christ to win his crown; defeat to bring him victory, vindication, and triumph; death to bring him glorious new life.  And as for the Lord, so for us.  As a people of faith, we are called to be an Easter People.  

Because we experienced death in this most recent attack on our nation, we as Christians all the more need to look for and recognize the signs of Easter life and hope both in daily events and in one another.  For that reason, I invite you to join me in praying our way through this month’s occasions – please note the prayers I suggest from our Prayer Book:

• May 1 ~ “May Day” in parts of the world celebrating communism; our opportunity to similarly celebrate our freedom in a land of opportunity.  BCP 815 #3-6

• Week of May 5 ~ “Be Kind to Animals Week”:  An opportunity to appreciate the pets we love, and to perhaps donate to the Humane Society to further their good work.  BCP 814 #1

• May 6-8 ~ The annual Rogation Days during which we pray for crops, their harvest, and those in any ways engaged in harvesting the land and seas.  BCP 258 #19 I-III

• May 9 ~ Ascension Day: We celebrate Christ’s being taken up into heaven, “to prepare a place for us; that where he is, there we might also be.”  BCP 256

• May 12 ~ Mother’s Day:  For our living mothers, BCP 828 #45.  For our deceased mothers, BCP 493 second prayer; and 504 bottom prayer.

• May 15 ~ Close of the month long period of accepting applications for Bishop of the Diocese of Fond du Lac.  BCP 818 #13; and 817 #9-11.

• May 18 ~ Armed Forces Day:  As we prayerfully support those serving to protect us and our American ideals.   BCP 823 #25 and 820 #18

• May 19 ~ The Day of Pentecost:  the birthday of the church, and the day on which we open ourselves in a special way to receive the guidance of the Holy Spirit in our daily lives and in the mission and ministry of our cathedral congregation. ~ BCP 227 both; 251 #2; 255 #14

• May 22, 24, 25 ~ Our quarterly Ember Days in which we pray for those discerning a call to ordained ministry, and for ourselves strength and guidance in our own unique daily ministries.  BCP 256 #15 I-III

• May 26 ~ Trinity Sunday:  honoring God – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – God our Creator, Savior, and Guide.  BCP 228 and 251 #1

• May 27 ~ Memorial Day: Giving thanks for those who gave their lives to preserve our freedom – leaving a task for us today and a promise for tomorrow.  BCP 488 bottom

• May 30 ~ My 37th Anniversary of Ordination to the Priesthood of Christ.  BCP 560

Prayerfully,