[Magdalen] Last Sunday as Senior Warden

[Ginga Wilder]

Thank you all for your words of loving kindness.  While there have been
moments of frustration, especially the parishioner who put her finger in my
face many times, usually immediately folllowing worship, and said, "Do you
know what's wrong with this church?!"  Twice I had to trek the 40 miles to
Mepkin Abbey to walk and weep.  But, these encounters were relatively few
and from a very small handful of individuals.  Mostly, parishioners where
joyfully on board with following our call to and God's direction to become
the church in this place.  Individual members have been more than
generous.  All has been well, and all manner of thing shall be well as we
continue to move forward.  In the end, this process has been so creative it
is akin to having a baby in old age.  Such joy!

Good to do Lenten contemplation of the differences of the former and the
present church.  What can we learn from this beginning?  What does that
mean for our ministries.

Etc.
Ginga



On Sun, Feb 14, 2016 at 6:41 PM, Judy Fleener <fleenerj at gmail.com> wrote:

> I know this journey has not been easy for you and John.  The church is
> blessed by your presence.
> Judy
>
> On Sun, Feb 14, 2016 at 6:29 PM, Molly Wolf <lupa at kos.net> wrote:
>
> > Oh Ginga, how wonderful your gifts have been, not just to your church but
> > to all those blessed by your love and wisdom, me included.  May your
> parish
> > flourish and be full of grace.
> >
> > Love,
> > Molly
> >
> > The man who carries a cat by the tail learns something he can learn in no
> > other way. -- Mark Twain
> >
> > > On Feb 14, 2016, at 2:10 PM, Ginga Wilder <gingawilder at gmail.com>
> wrote:
> > >
> > > Today was my last Sunday as organizing Senior Warden of The Episcopal
> > > Church of the Good Shepherd, Summerville, SC.  What a day it was!
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > Forty months ago, on October 21, 2012, a letter from Bishop Mark
> Lawrence
> > > was read in Episcopal churches across the Diocese of SC stating
> > > (erroneously) that we were no longer associated with The Episcopal
> > Church.
> > > After years of intentional fracture, schism had finally come to the
> > > Episcopal Diocese of SC.  You all know what a grief that was to John
> and
> > me
> > > and other faithful Episcopalians in SC.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > That very afternoon, seven Summerville Episcopalians gathered on
> friends’
> > > back porch and committed ourselves to reorganizing an Episcopal
> > > congregation from the local remnant.  And, we have done just that…not
> > just
> > > me, not any one person, but the Body of Christ in this place, in this
> > > time.  My grief was morphed by my passion to reorganize an Episcopal
> > > congregation.  I was named senior warden.  All of us, the original
> seven,
> > > plus those who have joined us in those months to reform, rebuild,
> > > reestablish an Episcopal Church, now known as The Episcopal Church of
> the
> > > Good Shepherd, Summerville.   Good Shepherd is a mission church of The
> > > Episcopal Church in SC.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > Lots of gift-giving today.  During worship, John and I presented a new
> > > banner that we had commissioned, a banner that speaks visually where
> Good
> > > Shepherd is today.  Then, I was stunned more than I have ever been in
> my
> > > entire life.  The congregation presented the church a hand crafted
> > > baptismal font in my honor.  Dave Comer, an architect and gifted
> > furniture
> > > maker from our parish, made the mahogany stand and a glass artisan
> > crafted
> > > the glass bowl.  The bowl has an amazing design…one can see the holy
> > spirit
> > > moving in it.  I am blown away and unworthy and thankful beyond words
> and
> > > want to share that with you.  Photos will be posted on our webpage as
> > soon
> > > as possible.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > Rejoice with me that God has brought The Episcopal Church of the Good
> > > Shepherd to this day and has shed a light on the way into our future.
> We
> > > have wonderful new leadership coming on board.  The priest in charge
> has
> > > asked me to serve going forward as lay ministry coordinator.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > Thanks be to God!
> > >
> > > Ginga
> >
>
>
>
> --
> Judy Fleener, ObJN
> Western Michigan
>