Let me start with one big thank you for many little things. When I hear that someone is ill, I usually don't have to worry that if I don't get there, no one will, because, usually, the person who tells me about the sick person is one of you, on your way home after visiting them. I do my level best to get there, and soon, but I also know that many people share that responsibility. I hear through the grape vine that if you get laid up with an accident or illness, or if your family goes through a difficult event or time, or a joyful event like the birth of a baby, there is a very good chance you'll get a card or a basket of fruit or something like that from somebody in the parish. Sometimes that happens through a formal function of the ECW, but many times it happens informally.
Someone just does it.
Many of you share that responsibility. Since I live next door to the church, I have seen you come and go at all hours of day and night, to set up for a meeting, to change a light bulb, ready the church for worship, count the Sunday collection, take it to the bank, bring food or clothing for Midnight Run, go on Midnight Run, collate and fold the St. John's Journal for mailing, bring sandwiches for a reception after a funeral. This is only a partial list. These things go on in this parish every day, usually very quietly, because you see each other as fellow members of the body of Christ, and care for each other on that basis. On behalf of all of you to all of you, thank you.