Fr. Simon's Letter - May 22, 2022

On May 13, a hot Friday evening in the middle of spring, over 400 parishioners, friends and visitors gathered at Chateau Ritz to celebrate our community, to have fun and to raise funds that will enable us to continue our mission of strengthening the Church through the ministries of Word, Worship and Service. 

As parishioners arrived at the venue, by shuttle, Uber or their own vehicles, they were welcomed to a banquet hall that was transformed into an elegant setting for dining and dancing. Once inside, you witnessed a sense of growth and the building of community. Those who haven’t seen one another in recent times were catching up. Strangers were introduced to one another, the first step toward forging new relationships. Others assisted in buying raffle items. There was cheering and caring for each other, all setting the tone of invitation to join in the evening’s celebration.

As you might imagine, the outward experience of community building seen at Chateau Ritz had its beginnings long before the event. It was already evident in the work of the UPP Committee members and team who in the months leading up to this day truly evolved into a dedicated, collaborative and interdependent community of their own, working together to create something special for all of us. I wish to acknowledge the following members (listed at the end of this letter) of the event leadership committee for their contribution of time and talent, making our evening at Chateau Ritz a time to remember.

I cannot say enough in gratitude and appreciation for the wonderful work of the Chairs of this year’s Lights, Camera, Auction 2022, Carolyn Carini and Christina Purtell and Vice-Chairs Angie Cantillon and Kristen Hack. Keeping with the times, they were seeming endlessly on their laptops and phones, spending countless hours week after week to plan, build a team and coordinate the efforts of many to orchestrate a spectacular evening. On behalf of all who took part in the Friday event and those who will benefit from our UPP throughout the year, which is each and every member of our parish, I wish to express my deepest gratitude to our Chairs and Vice-Chairs for their inspiring leadership and the entire UPP Team for all they did to create such a wonderful event.

Finally, as the evening progressed, it gave me great joy to know that all were having fun. I was deeply moved as I witnessed the pride everyone takes in being part of this community and your commitment to support the many ministries and activities of our faith community. I thank each and every one of you who through your presence and your participation in this year’s UPP helped us celebrate our community and support our ongoing efforts as the Parish of Queen of All Saints. 

Blessings!!