Memorial Mass- Fall 2001  Thursday, November 1st, 2001

The softly lit church sent a warm glow into the night as the St. Joan's community gathered to remember those who have died, but blessed us in their lives. A carpet of leaves spread before the altar embodied the theme of this remembrance celebration.

With Joanne Potts softly playing "Autumn Leaves", we came together through the unseasonably warm evening, and began to focus on the themes of joining with others, and of letting go. The first reading was a wonderful poem," Kicking the Leaves" by Donald Hall. Read by Roger Dick, it beautifully related the many autumns of a life, encompassing football games, corduroy pants that swished like leaves, the death of a loved one, the joy of tumbling in freshly raked piles, and our place in the in this story. Julie Madden maintained our sense of these wonders with a solo, "I Will Remember You".

Following the Gospel, George Wertin spoke of "letting go" - like the leaves, at the appointed time. The importance of connections in the life cycle and in the healing of our spirits was the focus of his thoughtful meditation.

Each of us then received a candle, which was set aglow by the Easter candle. These were placed in two copper kettles, to continue to shed their light, as the names of those we remembered were spoken aloud. The Eucharistic prayers resumed, with songs of Peace supporting the theme of interconnection. After Communion, the hushed and reverent "Litany of Remembrance" was recited, with the response "We Remember Them" filling the church. We ended with "Let there be Peace on Earth".

Jean Jachman is a consummate volunteer. Jean pitches in at the parish office, waits tables at Cabaret, and contacts and schedules the readers for masses. All that and a career as a nurse that included time in a refugee camp on the Thailand-Cambodia border.

As we slowly filed from the sanctuary, there were many expressions of gratitude for this lovely service, and for the atmosphere it helped to create. The sense that St. Joan's gives us so many opportunities to focus on the eternal truths of our existence, and the glow of community permeated the evening. Special thanks to those who planned and participated - it was a very special gift.