Humming along

Preparing to pray for the Children

This week I have been humming a happy tune.  Everything things to be slowly falling into place.  The feeling is just amazing.

Last Sunday was my first opportunity to pray in public for the boarder community.  There was a gathering on the courthouse steps to pray for the children.  Only about forty people showed up, but the sun was out and the singing was great.  There were four of us preachers present. Therefore, we each offered a pray for the children of our world, nation, state, and county.  The result of this is the plan to pray every third Sunday at the courthouse steps.  It is not quite Occupy main street or some Tea Party rally, but maybe this small group of Christians might have even a bigger impact.  We are depending on God and nothing else!!

Praising on the Courthouse steps

Tuesday was a wonderful lunch with Pastor Ryan of Rutledge Methodist Church in Grainger County.  It was a great way to get to know each other more.  They have been allowing us to hold planning sessions in their church.  This Saturday will be the first English Mass for the Catholics of Grainger County.  It will be followed by our third Spanish Mass since my arrival.  All Saint's Day Mass will be held in a parishioners home.  We have found a building to rent and are just waiting to sign the lease.  Hopefully, we will hold Mass inside this building a week after signing the lease.

In Maynardville, we are really in high gear.  We have been humming along all week.  This week we held daily Mass in the office space which will also serve as our daily chapel.  We also held our faith formation classes in the main building this Wednesday. "Jesus in the morning, Jesus in the noontime and Jesus when the sun goes down" was sung by our ten students.  It was even better than humming!!

The main building, which will host the Blessed Teresa of Calcutta Catholic Mission, will be set up Saturday for worship in order to celebrate All Saint's Day Mass on November 1, 2011.  All the many hands that made this possible is overwhelming.  Br. Joe guided the local people in cleaning, scrubbing, building walls, painting, laying carpet and many small things in between.  In less than 30 days we turned a storage shed and hot dog stand into a church.  God works miracles.

So hum with us as we move into our first worship space here in Maynardville.