Of interest: Newly ordained priest to minister to area's young people

[John Perkins]

Sarah Fossati (in all white, center right), 30, of Gaylord waits nervously before being ordained as an Episcopal priest at St. John's Episcopal Church Saturday morning. Fossati graduated from The General Theological Seminary in New York in May. "Today I'm just showing up; preparation for this day has been over the past seven years," she said.

Fossati is the Episcopal Diocese of Eastern Michigan's new missioner to young people. She will work with young people in the Tri-Cities, creating small house communities for those 18 to 30. The majority of her work will have a non-denominational slant.

"The emphasis is more on community in general than on the Episcopal (church)," she said.

"Denominations have less meaning than they used to," she continued. She said she will be working with an emerging church model, bringing to mind the early Christian church as created by the apostle Paul.

"In doing so, I'm inviting them into a space within the Christian community," she said. "I'm there as a disciple of Christ."

Bishop Todd Ousley said the diocese wanted "a ministry that is not bounded by walls."

"We wanted to have something that had freshness and a freedom," he said. "We don't know where the Holy Spirit is going to lead us."

Read it all here.

It's interesting to note that Average Sunday Attendance (ASA 3,029) in Eastern Michigan is down by 25% in the last 10 years (1996-2006).

[Eric Fenton]

Ah yes - down 25%. Twenty-five years ago I was vicar for All Saints, Houghton Lake and St Elizabeth's, Higgins Lake south of Gaylord on I-75. Both had doubled while I was there and each was able to afford their own priest when I left. All Saints closed when the priest and delegates to Dio Convention returned home and decided they couldn't do it anymore. They turned in the keys and abandoned the building. Today it is painted red and a gift shop. Looks like the pattern has continued. I attended a Lyle Schaller Church Growth conference in 1984. Schaller identified the lack of denominational loyalty back then. So this is nothing new. We changed the sign to "All Saints Church" with only the Episcopal shield identifying the denomination. Perhaps that set them up for walking away. I will be praying for Sarah as she reaches out to the youth of her area of Michigan.

[John Perkins]

Done! I found her on the Church Publishing Clergy Quick Find.

[Karen Ward]

John can you invite newly ordained Sarah to join this group?

[Mike Croghan]

Awesome! Go Sarah go! I hope and pray that she's given freedom to bless and release other leaders and ministers, and to give them the freedom to lead and serve as they are called and gifted.