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Message from Father Mende.... Dear Parishioner: Welcome to our SS Peter and Paul Web site. I'm delighted to invite you to visit us often to keep up to date on the ministries and activities of our parish family.  If you are not a member of St. Pete's, please take some time to explore our site to get acquainted with us and join us for worship or a special event.  We are still in the process of building our web site, and in the coming weeks and months new information will be added.  Soon, I hope to be able to take you on a virtual tour of our 112 year old building, which I believe is a masterpiece of ecclesiastical architecture.

APPREHENSIONS

            Throughout our lives, whenever we have to do something we’ve never done before or when we face situations that are completely new to us we can become apprehensive, wondering whether we will be able to accomplish the task or handle the situation.  This happens because we may be uncertain of what to do or how to do it and what the circumstances are likely to be.

            It’s the same with our life of faith as Catholic Christians.  We will always be faced with situations in which we will have to determine how to live our faith.  Here too we are likely to become apprehensive.  I’m sure this is the case with the people of SS Peter and Paul and St. John as we prepare to merge together to form Holy Apostles Parish.  We’ve never done this before, and we probably have lots of apprehensions about what is going to happen.  If this rings true with you, know that you’re not alone and that I too have some apprehensions.  Even though I believe our merger to be the right decision and a win-win situation for both churches, and am delighted and excited to have been named the pastor of the new parish, I’ve never done this before and wonder how I’m going to handle things.

            That being said, I believe that we are making good progress in putting things together for our June 1^st merger date.  Our Transition Team has been working diligently to address the various details that must be in place for this to happen smoothly.  Today’s general meeting at St. John Hall will afford the opportunity for parishioners to be updated on what has been accomplished to this point and what will be happening in the next few weeks.  I’m hoping we have a good turn out of people from St. Pete’s so that those who are unfamiliar with the St. John buildings and property can see this wonderful facility that will be part of our new Holy Apostles parish.  I’m really excited at the prospect of having a place where we can gather for parish activities and not be in competition for parking (and during the weekdays not having to pay for parking just to come to church!).

            On March 26^th we had our second general meeting of the respective parish pastoral councils and I was very encouraged by the openness of the people and their willingness to work together for the future.  I sensed a real excitement as we spoke of the possibilities for our new community of faith.  On March 27^th the respective parish finance councils met together and began to lay the groundwork for preparing and managing the budget for Holy Apostles.  Here too there was a good sense of cooperation and readiness to collaborate for the good stewardship of parish financial resources.  I came away from these meetings totally energized and eager to go forward to June 1^st.

            We’re charting new territory, and I know there will be apprehensions.  Yet I’m sure that you will see that the Risen Lord is with us and the Holy Spirit is guiding us.

Sincerely yours,

Rev. Dennis W. Mende Pastor of SS Peter and Paul, St. James, and Our Lady of Victory Episcopal Vicar of Southern Chautauqua