A Word from Fr. Michael Fry
From Father Michael2008-01-24
Rector’s Report to First Annual Meeting of ASAC
I could not be more grateful to God for calling me to come and serve as All Saints’ first Rector. That his hand has been upon you all and among you since the formation of this church is manifest in so many ways. Just a brief look over the highlights in the life of this parish over the last 11 months have left me in renewed awe of what he has done and is doing here. Clearly God has a plan for All Saints!
Since I just joined you the first of November, I will only briefly address some of the significant happenings during the last three months. Since the Vestry issued it’s call we have done a number of things to affirm traditional Anglican liturgy as the foundation of the life of worship of All Saints: The purchase of 1940 Hymnals, 1928 Prayer Books and the English Standard Version Pew Bibles. With Thomas Bell’s leaving us in late December, we have also been blessed with the presence of the enormously talented Shannon Bryan as our Interim Director of Music. I am very pleased to announce that as of the first of February we can delete “Interim” from her title—we don’t want to let her go!
As for the coming year I expect to be busy getting to know you all better, focusing on the fundamentals of what it means to be a church and helping to bring our organization and programs in line with what will most help us to accomplish the tasks the Lord has set before us.
The fundamentals for me are these:
The Great Commission (Matthew 28.19-20)
The New Commandment of love (John 13.34-35)
The example of the Early Church (Acts 2.42-46)
By this time next year I hope we all can clearly articulate each of these principles and speak with knowledge about how All Saints is modeled after the Bibles plan for what a true church is meant to be and do.
The Rev. Michael Fry
January 2008