This fall the church family of St. Ann is celebrating 135 years on the corner of Greenmount Avenue and 22nd Street and praising God that our anchor still holds secure! Besides our “Anchors and Ancestors Ball” and Homecoming Liturgy on the weekend of Oct. 10-12, we wanted to find a way to renew and rejoice in our call to be a eucharistic community. A Liturgical Revival weekend at St. Ann promises to do just that!
Why a Revival? From time to time, we Catholics – whether we’re talking about converts to Catholicism or lifelong Catholics like myself – need to rejuvenate our spiritual selves to identify ways to “revive” our own personal commitment to Jesus Christ. As Christians and Catholics, we must also continue to find ways to bring others along with us on our journey to follow Christ.
A 1990 Gallup Poll indicates that African-American Christians are attracted and remain in a particular church for five basic reasons:
1. Good teaching
2. Safe environment
3. Inspiring music
4. Bold preaching
5. Effective leadership
Our revival will have those five basic ingredients and much more.
Our vision for the weekend is to gather as many as we can from across this city and across our archdiocese to share with us this special moment in our graced history. We just can’t keep the overwhelming goodness of our God these past 135 years to ourselves. We have weathered many storms, and we are still here praising the Lord!
It was very easy for us to choose a theme for our revival because we feel as Catholics and as St. Ann parishioners, we know that in everything we say and in everything we do, we must “Give God the Glory.”
We have chosen Grayson Warren Brown as our revivalist. For those who do not know him, Grayson Warren Brown is a liturgical composer, author and recording artist who provides parish missions and workshops internationally. His love of God and commitment to social justice are deeply rooted. He began his liturgical ministry in the 1960s in a small inner-city parish in New York City. He learned early on how significant an authentic, spirit-filled worship can be to people in need of hope. His many years of ministering in a multicultural parish have given him a unique insight into the powers that good liturgy can instill in all God’s people. Grayson has helped many to “ignite the flame” that the Spirit of God has given them. His down-to-earth approach to liturgy and Scripture together with his dynamic speaking style have made him one of the most sought after presenters for missions, revivals and concerts today. He is coming soon to St Ann!
St. Ann’s “Give God the Glory” revival weekend begins Sept. 13 with a liturgical workshop on Saturday morning from 10 a.m. to noon. Ushers, lectors, eucharistic ministers, old and new, and all those who love the Lord are invited to gather and see the blessing come down.
Saturday evening from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., St. Ann’s choir and choir members from across the city and anyone with a talent for singing is invited to join our one-time-only, city-wide choir for practice in preparation for the concert the following afternoon.
On Sept.14 at 4 p.m., gather your family and friends and all those looking to ignite the flame of God’s Spirit to the “Give God the Glory” concert with Grayson Warren Brown and the city-wide choir. No tickets or reservations are needed, and there will be reserved parking on 22nd Street for the concert.
Fellow Christians, fellow Catholics, please join our pastor, Father Peter Lyons, T.O.R., our pastoral administrator Sister Jeanne Barasha, S.S.N.D., and our Deacon Eddie Bee and Father Jordon Hite and St. Ann’s parishioners as we celebrate 135 years of continued commitment to the mission of Christ as we “Give God the Glory.”
For information, contact Sister Jeanne Barasha at 410-235-8169; Sharon Johnson-Stewart at 410-467-5178 or by e-mail at sharon.johnson10@att.net; or St. Ann’s Parish Office at 410-235-8169 or by e-mail at saintannschurch.1@juno.com.
Sharon Johnson-Stewart is co-chair of the Leadership Team at St. Ann’s where she is a parishioner.