By Lea Anne Schmidt,
Coordinator of Growth & Member Engagement
Each week we have the privilege of worshipping with an average of 3 to 6 first-time visitors. And during the last program year, St. John’s welcomed over 25 new members! This fall you will surely see some faces of fellow parishioners whom you recognize but haven’t had the opportunity to meet. Our parish is growing and with that, we multiply the opportunities to cultivate new relationships and friendships through worship, ministry, and prayer.
This program year, St. John’s has adopted a theme of Seeing through God’s eyes, Noticing each of God’s beloved, and Welcoming with God’s love. The joy of noticing and welcoming our new members belongs to each person in the parish. To name just a few examples: You may hear new voices in the choir this fall with the addition of Courtney Veszi and Beth Rhodes. If you attend a weekday morning prayer service, you will be praying alongside Jayan Nair, the primary morning prayer officiant. And when stopping by the office on a Tuesday afternoon, Marjorie Rapp will most likely be the one to greet you. All of these members have been profiled in The Evangelist in the past, and in this issue we are introducing you to two more households who joined the church in May.
Our newest members have courageously jumped into life at St. John’s with both feet. Please meet their enthusiasm by noticing new faces and taking a moment to introduce yourself. Ask them what they love about the ministry they serve or the liturgy they attend, and let them know we appreciate the energy, presence, prayers, and voices that they bring to our faith community.
Andrew Fox
Andrew grew up in Hastings; his family goes back six generations in Dakota County. At Augsburg College, he majored in Medieval Studies and Religion. He first attended St. John’s at a Compline service a few years ago. The rich liturgy, music, and welcoming atmosphere have made him feel very much at home here. He’s grateful to have been recently confirmed and now be a “full-fledged Episcopalian!”
He loves visiting museums, especially the Minneapolis Institute of Art and the American Swedish Institute. He works for the Minnesota Historical Society and has a great fondness for historic houses.
Phillip & Julia Takemura Sears
Julia grew up in Japan and Iowa, while Phillip (having a father who worked on army bases) moved around a lot. They were actually both born in Maryland, but didn’t meet until attending Iowa State University together.
Julia, a digital archivist, loves to sing, dance, draw, paint, do voice acting, and roller skate. Phillip loves telling stories with friends.
Phillip first came to St. John’s as a staff singer. He says, “As a singer for church services, I have sung in many congregations of which I was not formally a part of. Julia and I decided that we wanted to sing and also join the church we sing for.” Julia adds, “I ended up joining the choir and have kept coming ever since. I also keep coming back because this church seems to be about open-minded thinking and universal love.”
Originally published in the September/October 2019 Evangelist.
