On Sunday, July 12 at 5:30pm our St. Isidore parish family took the celebration of the Paschal Mystery into the great Michigan outdoors in the parish courtyard. After several weeks of sweltering heat, we were blessed with an evening of nearly perfect conditions with clear blue sky, light clouds, a nice summer breeze and a much more comfortable 80 degrees.
We were hopeful the outdoor Mass would be an opportunity for additional guests who are not yet feeling comfortable entering the building for worship. We were very pleased to be able to celebrate with over 70 households including friends and family from other parishes!
Our Pastor, Fr. Ron presided with the help of former associate, Fr. Noel Cornelio and Deacon Jeff Loeb. Staff members assisted with greeting and liturgical ministries and our 5:30 Ushers Team provided a smooth seating experience for our lawn chair and beach blanket guests. Music was led by Amy and Matt with Matt’s 3-month old daughter, Juliana assisting from her baby carrier at the keyboard. Worshiping with so many of our St. Isidore families, for the first time together in a long time, was incredibly uplifting at a time when we all can use a little more joy in our lives.
Our new closing song, Alive and Breathing (by Matt Maher) sums up the encouragement of our Eucharistic commission: “Don’t stop dancing and dreaming. There’s still Good News worth repeating. So lift your head and keep singing, “Praise the Lord!”
Even with our 6-feet circles of social distancing strategically measured on the grass, we still had space for more guests, so stay tuned for another late summer opportunity to join us for a refreshing experience of Mass on the Grass.
