We are, as a country, quite the melting pot, are we not? I think it would be safe to say that virtually every country in the world is represented in America's population. From Austria and Zaire, Bolivia and Yemen, Canada and Wales, Denmark and Venezuela, Ecuador and Uruguay, Egypt, Greece, Germany, Ireland, the British West Indies, Poland, Mexico, France, England, countries that no longer exist like the former Yugoslavia and yes, even Malta...they're all represented here in the U.S.A.

 

My parents came to this country quite a few years apart. My Dad arrived when he was a little boy in the early 1920's with only a small suitcase and a shoe box with two pigeons he had as pets. Unfortunately, he was not allowed to bring the birds with him on board the ship. So, he opened that shoe box and let the birds go free and he watched them soar gracefully in the blue, Malta sky. That's a tough thing for anyone to do, especially a little boy who loved birds and animals as much as my Dad did. My Mom came to North America just after World War II ended, settling first in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. She and my Dad met on a 'blind date,' set up by fellow Maltese who thought these two 'youngsters' would be perfect for one another. How right she was...my Mom and Dad married shortly there after, settled in Detroit along with thousands of other Maltese expatriates and lived a long, happy and wonderful life together. They recognized and achieved their American Dream and were ever grateful for all they received. And their youngest son is ever so grateful for all his beloved Mom and Dad gave to him. Not a day goes by that I do not fail to think of them, smile with fond memories, feel the pain of my missing them and happily anticipate seeing them again one day in Paradise.

 

Let's celebrate the entire month of July remembering from where our families originated and helped weave the pattern of which our country has been made.  I for one am very proud of my Maltese ancestry. Certainly, it would be a safe bet that many, if not all of us are equally proud of where our parents, grand parents and great grand parents were born and raised. Imagine the stories we can all share.

 

With that said...why not? If any one has a story that tells the tale of when and how your parents and ancestors first came to this country, I invite you to send that story on to me and I'll post them in News from Nick for the rest of the month of July and if necessary, into August, too.   Send the story as an attachment in an email and I'll take care of the rest.

 

We have much for which we are grateful, do we not? We practice our faith freely and without fear or repercussion. As a community of faith, we worship and sing the praises of Jesus, Our Most Holy Redeemer, with loud voice and with hearts alit. With this freedom comes a sacred trust and responsibility: to put our faith into action, serving our sisters and brothers, bringing the Good News to all we meet and to gather, as a family of faith and worship the Creator, His Son and field the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

 

God bless us the world...

God bless America...

God bless us all...

And may we all be a blessing to one another.

 

-Manny 

manny@stnicholasepiscopal.org

Please consider joining the rota for communion bread bakers.  There are several slots open for the remainder of 2012, and we'd love to have you join our merry baking crew!

If you'd like to bake communion bread (one batch supplies us with enough for two weekends), please sign up in church on Sunday.  We supply the recipe, the pans and the stamps for the impressions on the top of the loaves. 

You supply the love and time to bake what we all enjoy at our worship services!

 

On Thursday, July 5, the legislative session of the 77th General Convention of the Episcopal Church will commence. Every three years Episcopalians from around the world meet, as the General Convention website explains, "to seek God's will for the Church in a planned, informed, and prayerful way".

The General Convention, which is the governing body of the Episcopal Church, has been meeting since 1785, and is a bicameral legislature. It includes the House of Deputies, which has more than 800 members (up to four clergy and four lay persons from each diocese), and the House of Bishops, which is comprised of more than 300 active and retired bishops.

The Handbook for Bishops and Deputies describes the process in this way:


This triennium's General Convention will be held at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis, hosted by the Episcopal Diocese of Indianapolis, and will convene from July 5 to July 12. During that time, various resolutions will be discussed and voted on by the House of Deputies and the House of Bishops. To see a full list of resolutions to be presented and to track their progress during General Convention, go to http://www.generalconvention.org/gc/resolutions.

Watch live coverage of the General Convention, beginning on July 2, at www.episcopaldigitalnetwork.com/gc2012.

The Rev. Cerna Rand -- pastor of Prince of Peace Methodist Church, Elk Grove Village -- and her husband Mark request our prayers for a very special cause.  They have adopted a young child in the Philippines and they now await his safe and secure arrival.  Let us pray that their new son, James Wallace Rand, born October 20, 2011 is allowed to come to this country very soon and join his new family.  Cerna was present at the Installation / Celebration of a New Shared Ministry Service, and is part of the Elk Grove Interfaith Council that Manny belongs to.

 

Thanks to:

Jim, Mike, Ed, Marv and Bob Kalicki for clearing the patch of land to the south of the church...it's now ready for its next incarnation.

Hal and Steve for representing St. Nicholas and the Episcopal Church at the Pride Parade last Sunday.


All who braved the tolls and traffic and ventured to Douglas and Manny's home for a Saturday of food, fun and conversation...a great time was had by all.

All our women and men who have served and continue to serve our country to defend our freedom and American way of life.

 

Walter Orlof, close friend of Nancy Allan's late husband John, who died in Washington, DC, May 8, 2012. 

 

Margo Lacy Eccles, who died June 25.  Margo is the mother of The Rev. M.E. Eccles, a priest of this Diocese. M.E. is the sister-in-law of Cyndi DeBock.  

 

Irene Rodriguez, a former member of Holy Innocents in the 1970's and '80s has died.   

 

Bishop James Allan, Nancy Allan's late husband's cousin, who is seriously ill.

 

Helen Childs, a friend of St. Nicholas, who is ill and undergoing several medical exams.

Our sisters and brothers at St. Bede's Church, that they know of our joy at having them join our family.      

 

Kathy Seghers, sister to our Jennifer Garcia.  Kathy is now home. Pray for her full recovery. 

 

Nathile Paul, Vernon Forde's sister.  Ms. Paul is recuperating from surgery.   

 

The Martin Family: Karen, Tom and Katie 

  

Ethel (Corkey) Stratton, the mother of Hal Stratton 

 

 

Paul Brouillette

  

For those in transition: those searching for work, those who are moving and those encountering changes in life.