Welcome back, Father Mike!
Today the Reverend Michael Galvin, Rector, rejoined his congregation at Holy Family following a fourteen week summer sabbatical. Father Mike spent time in Europe as well as the United States in a time of spiritual and physical renewal.
Our “holy village” was extremely excited to have Father Mike back in church with us.
Father Mike spent some time greeting congregation members and visitors and chatting.
Holy Family’s Hannah chapter of the Order of the Daughters of the King hosted a delicious hospitality hour following the 10 AM service to welcome Father Mike. Members of the 8 AM service also provided treats between our Sunday services. Father Mike plans to share stories from his sabbatical during a 9 AM Adult Forum presentation in September. Details will be posted shortly.
Community Garden in the News
The Holy Family Community Garden was featured in the August 25th issue of the Fishers Current newspaper. Providing fresh produce to the Come to Me Food Pantry at Fishers United Methodist Church is what first spurned the garden’s creation. The garden first welcomed area gardeners in 2011 and has expanded nearly every year since. You may view the article by clicking HERE.
Thanks, Father Steve!
Special thanks to the Reverend Steven Giovangelo for sharing his time and talent with us during the latter half of Father Mike’s sabbatical.
We would also like to thank and acknowledge Deacon Cathy Scott for serving as liaison to our visiting clergy this summer.
Senior Warden Bryan Luce shared his gratitude on behalf of the congregation.
We enjoyed a special hospitality hosted by our vestry following the 10 AM service.
Feast of St. Mary
On Sunday, August 16th, we celebrated the feast of St. Mary, Mother of Jesus. The feast day is held on August 15th but was transferred to the closest Sunday. Father Steve used a variety of classical paintings as slides during his homily.
This icon was also on display on the altar. Our hymns and prelude paid homage to the mother of Our Savior.
Our altar flowers featured the lily, a symbol of virginity and purity.
Holy Family also welcomed guest musicians Brenda and Ron Iacocca. Brenda sang “Ave Maria” while Ron accompanied on the organ.
Tools 4 School 2015
Father Steve Giovangelo blessed our Tools 4 School supply drive donations this Sunday during the 10 AM service.
These supplies will be delivered to students in IPS School 57 by Deacon Cathy. Bless your generosity!
Thanks, Father Bruce!
Special thanks to the Reverend Bruce Boss for sharing his time and talents with us during the first half of Father Mike’s sabbatical.
Senior Warden Bryan Luce extended his gratitude on behalf of the congregation.
We enjoyed a special hospitality hosted by our vestry following the 10 AM service.
Godspeed, Father Mike!
Following our City of God outdoor Eucharist, we turned the focus of our picnic to sending Father Mike off on his adventure in style. We set up a Bon Voyage table with decorations that nod in the direction of his sabbatical trip to the British Isles.
Congregation members wrote well wishes on small tags that were dropped into a suitcase on the table display. At the end of the evening the tags were bound into a booklet to send with Father Mike on his journey.
During the picnic we enjoyed catered barbecue with all the fixings and sweet treats made by congregation members. We also enjoyed some karaoke and discovered hidden talents within the congregation. Later in the evening, members of our youth group presented Father Mike with a suitcase of small items that might be helpful on his trip including snacks, puzzle books, a sleep mask and neck pillow, hand sanitizer, and Airborne cold medication.
At the end of the evening, Deacon Cathy read the Traveler’s Prayer for Father Mike from the Book of Common Prayer. She then invited the congregation members to hold up their hands to bless the entire Galvin family who will travel with Father Mike for at least part of his sabbatical. She read The Irish Blessing. Godspeed, Father Mike!
City of God: Celebration Picnic
On Saturday, May 16th, Holy Family members gathered for our annual spring outdoor Eucharist and parish picnic. This year the event was the final in a series of special occasions related to our City of God capital campaign.
Father Mike and Deacon Cathy led the congregation in a beautiful liturgy under a large tent.
Music was provided for the service by youth group members led by guitarist Ethan Everett.
Father Mike invited congregation members to bring forward their City of God pledge cards and mite boxes to be blessed during the Offertory. In addition, congregation members returned their river stones that they had personalized earlier during the campaign. The stones will be added to the foundation of the new building during construction.
Father Mike blessed all of the items as well as the regular offering.
Following the service we celebrated with a picnic of grand proportion. Our City of God logo, designed by Holy Family member Stephen Beard, took center stage on a delicious cake. At the picnic’s end, Father Mike announced an updated in-gathering amount of $615,000 toward the building project. More information about our City of God campaign can be found by clicking HERE.
May 2015 Celebrations
Sunday, May 10th was a super-sized day at Holy Family. We began our celebrations by blessing all Sunday school teachers and Christian formation leaders and thanking them for their service to the spiritual journeys of others. Father Mike offered a blessing.
We honored our 2015 high school graduates and presented them with our traditional gifts – bibles signed by adult mentors and prayer shawls handcrafted by our Prayer Shawl Ministry members. The shawls were made with love and prayers in every stitch.
Father Mike blessed the graduates. Each student shared his or her upcoming college and degree choice.
We also presented Deacon Cathy Scott with a prayer shawl. Deacon Cathy graduated on Saturday with a Master of Theology degree from St. Meinrad Seminary.
At the end of each service, Father Mike offered a blessing for mothers of all kinds.
Our Brotherhood of St. Andrew chapter hosted a lovely Mother’s Day brunch.
We also indulged with cake for our teachers and graduates. It was a special day for all who attended.
City of God: Advanced Commitment Dinner
On Friday, May 8th, members of Holy Family’s congregation gathered at St. Christopher’s Episcopal Church in Carmel for fellowship and the Advanced Commitment dinner for the City of God capital campaign.
Father Mike shared a few words about the campaign and his hopes for Holy Family’s future.
Envision Our Future committee members Charles Forman and Dan Chillemi gave updates on the campaign so far.
Generis fundraising consultant Tom Melzoni shared stories from his extensive work with other churches and their capital campaigns.
The event’s guest speaker was the Reverend Canon Gray Lesesne. Reverend Lesesne was appointed by Bishop Waynick as the Vicar of the new Episcopal community in Brownsburg, Indiana.
Following the main address, congregation members were invited to prayerfully discern their campaign pledges and return their pledge cards to a collection basket.
Church members lit a City of God candle during this special ceremony and were invited to take them home at the end of the evening. Our initial ingathering of pledges yielded $582,000 toward a total project goal of $1 million. More information about our City of God capital campaign can be found by clicking HERE.