Jim and JoAnn Potts
... Can They Have This Dance?
Jim and JoAnn Potts have been long standing members of St. Joan's. .... 32 years to be exact! And in that amount of time their influences
have been felt in more ways than can be counted. They said their first
visit to St. Joan's was on Mother's Day, 1968. When roses were handed
out to everyone, they knew they were HOME! Jim and JoAnn have lived most of their lives in Mpls./St. Paul. Jim originally moved here as a child from Iowa. He attended Cretin High School and St. Thomas College. After a few years in the service, Jim returned and started his own business. He owned and operated the Religious Gift Center in St. Paul, recently completing a 40-year career. In his retirement, Jim has stayed very busy with volunteering, cooking (for JoAnn!!!!), and is a true garden guru with numerous "judge quality" gardens throughout his yard.
JoAnn is a native of the Highland area in St. Paul. She is a former English/Music/Speech grade and high school teacher and a graduate of the College of St. Catherine. This June she celebrated her 50-year class reunion. JoAnn is particularly proud of her opera studies. This interest in music spawned a vocation as a choir director for various churches along with local and company choirs. In the last 10 years of her working career she was an Account Representative for Donaldson Mfg. Inc. in Bloomington. During their 45 years in their home they have raised 5 children and are proud grandparents of eight grandchildren. They are actively involved in their children's lives with a wall of collaged pictures to prove it. JoAnn enjoys current hobbies such as writing her "memoirs", writing poetry, giving voice lessons to friends, playing and singing on her keyboard, and working on her computer.
They both love being with their grandchildren, reading , planning their twice yearly North Shore vacations and entertaining friends. Together they enjoy ballroom dancing on a regular basis. They are happiest when they find the right foxtrot, rhumba, swing or waltz tempo for gliding around a dance floor!
On a more personal note, they revealed to me that they met on a CYC hayride the summer before starting college. JoAnn was coerced into going by a friend who told her she had to meet this young man named "Jim". She was reluctant, but went anyway. During the hayride JoAnn fell off and landed in a puddle of mud. Her shoes were sucked in and she couldn't move. As she puts it, "moments later a hand reached out to hers and helped her out....it was Jim!" He grabbed her shoes out and cleaned them off for her and they proceeded to walk back since they were so far behind. JoAnn said " It was a beautiful night with stars out everywhere and they walked at least an hour talking all the way." When they reached the barn a dance was happening and they danced the night away!!!! Guess it was a perfect match!!!
Jim and JoAnn have traveled far in their journey of 50 years together. All the while, this special couple was evolving towards St. Joan's . They had been long time members of another parish in Bloomington. There they both did adult education projects and JoAnn directed the adult and children's choir. They proudly partook in creating and promoting the "Holy Family Programs" which for the first time involved parents taking the initiative of teaching and introducing their child's sacraments.
They had a desire for a congregation which philosophically was changing with the times. Since Vatican II was stalemated in ways, they searched for those who believed in a deeper Christian attitude and in changing rigid rules. They connected with others that were in their mindset and started to attend "home masses". Sisters from St. Joseph's Hospital in St. Paul frequented Jim's religious gift store across the street. The sisters at that time were branching out on their own . This was occurring in the mid 60's, at a time some of us remember as a somewhat radical and voyaging decade. The masses held in homes were on less conventional terms. It gave those in need a way of experiencing a concurrent style of celebration. While exploring these options, Jim and JoAnn continued to look throughout the area for a church. They came to St. Joan of Arc with open hearts and open minds. They were amongst those that felt similarly. As they told me: They "fit in" .
Presently, Jim and JoAnn are stellar members of St. Joan's. They co-created the Prayer Partners group in 1991 which continues strong. In it's beginnings it was held every Wednesday night, but has been more successfully attended during Advent and Lent as the Wednesday Soup Service. Prayer Partners has also branched out in other areas such as the Lake Harriet services, Expectant Parents Services, Blessing of the Animals, etc. JoAnn also is a member of the SJA Choir. She is not only contributing with the loveliest of voices, but always attending to Anna Vagle's needs with a myriad of background duties. She prepares the slides and music for the musicians at Sunday masses throughout the year. Wherever there is a need for any help, Jim and JoAnn are there whether it's handing out bulletins, passing the collection basket, being a last minute "Welcome Giver", Sunday reader or Eucharistic Minister, registering new members, selling tickets to concerts, answering questions , helping Echo with coffee and cookies ... JoAnn says: "We are sort of the general substitutes for any need that arises." They are ever present and willing to support.
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| A PRAYER OF LIGHT by JoAnn Potts |
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" Thank You, oh generous God of light, for the many blessings in our
lives. We shall continue to try to "Shine out our light" from every
portion of our existence for as long as we are able. We are grateful
for the open philosophy of St. Joan's that allows itself to receive
that light, no matter how dim it may be sometimes. We ask you, Oh
Mother of Us All, to keep us within that
Light of Your Holy Spirit and help it to grow in strength and power
and brilliance so St. Joan's light will be the beacon that carries us
all into your loving arms." -Amen |