We Are Most Grateful

Our 2026 Annual St. Michael Flea Market Weekend came to a close, a two-day event on August 1st and 2nd. No matter how you were involved — visitor, patron, volunteer worker, contributor — we can all agree it was great fun, and an incredible success!

But what was most rewarding could be easily overlooked.  Not to deny, this event our church runs, is in fact a critical fundraiser.  Yes, that is important.  But participating as a volunteer, or attending as a visitor, there is joy in the pleasure of greeting people from Northeastern Pennsylvania and beyond.  Our neighbors and our friends. People who may have even discovered for the first time, who we are as a church and parish family.  Or those folks who stopped out of curiosity, by mere chance of driving along North Main.  Naturally, we are appreciative of those who return year after year, and contributors of all kind.  And we thank all who showed great patience, knowing our volunteers were working on limited “reserves” at times.

As our largest community activity of the year, beyond fundraising, this event presents an opportunity to bring everyone together.  It is a fitting example of the virtues we aspire to, not always perfectly, but in living our Catholic Christian faith.  Running an event of this nature is very hard work for our volunteers.  But for those who lend their hearts, hands, aching backs and sore feet, each knows deeply in their soul why this matters.  And so we humbly share our immeasurable gratitude to those who came to support our parish.  And equally so, those who stopped to chat.

Thank you to all on our volunteer team!  Thank you to all in our community!

Our Appreciation extends to EVERYONE  —-  and this includes:

♥    Patrons who come back year after year.   Our good neighbors and community friends.  We are moved by your enduring support.  Not to mention your willingness to brave the predictable August heat and humidity!

♥    Contributors who bring us their interesting and gently used items to sell (over the course of 3 months!) and those who make donations of all kinds.

♥    The shoppers – those who were patient, who waited in line on opening day. We hope you found the perfect treasures!

♥    Our food team!  Dare we say most of whom are age 70 plus but willing to provide their skills to make such delicious food! The hardy souls frying and grilling outdoors.  And those doing cleanup.  You are our success makers!

♥    Our senior volunteers who give beyond their capacity.  We pray that God may guide and protect them in all their needs.

♥    Volunteer friends and relatives (those not even members of our parish!)  And especially our young volunteers.

♥    Let’s not forget many others:  bakers, flea market “pricers”, organizers, errand runners, donors of supplies, and on and on.

♥    Finally EVERY volunteer.   Know you served God when you served others.  You showed the same determination as our immigrant ancestors, when after their hazardous work in the mines, they actually dug and built the foundation of St. Michael’s.  It’s that legacy we need to keep going!

Our Future

Our future as a parish depends on many things. Certainly, like many churches in our area, fundraising plays a vital role.  It’s how we pay the skyrocketing bills, insurances, and if fortunate, have a bit extra to make necessary repairs to our aging building.

But our future is much more than our building or being functional as a church.  Our future is people.  The people who love the beauty of the Byzantine faith; the role and responsibility bestowed to us in preserving it, as Pope Leo XIV exhorts — must be our mission.  Our future are the people we care enough about, relationally, in our circle of faith, this community we call Church.

The future depends on everyone who calls St. Michael’s “home”.   And those who once called it home.  We welcome new parishioners and those who like to reminisce of long ago, when their families once called St. Michael’s their own.  The Holy Spirit may be calling you in this way, to make our parish a living presence in your current spiritual formation. And for those who may have wandered for whatever reason, outside this inheritance entrusted to us.  We also invite you to cross the threshold of your heart, to make the journey home.  Because that journey of faith is ever changing, growing as we grow, in perspective and knowledge.

Our future also lies in our children.  And our children’s children.  And what we convey to them, whether deliberate or not.  What we convey in teaching them, in what we say and how we react, and so much more.  How sad it can be, that often in life we only realize the treasure of what we have, after it is lost or given up — after it is no more.  And that is not material treasure.  It is a treasure passed on to us, our inheritance, for which we are responsible to pass on to others.  And so our future lies in many things.  Including what is what is God’s will.

It requires our wisdom.  It necessitates discernment.  Such is the strength of resolve that matters to each who care about the future of our parish.

But the future cannot stand on these things alone. The future depends on our intentional private and public prayers.  Prayer is the key that supercedes all other actions.  When prayer is an integral part of our personal and family life, it serves as a gateway to everything else.   When we are comfortable in our “skin” about our faith, we shine that to others without using words.   We cannot know our future.  But, we can do what it takes to allow the Holy Spirit to work through us wherever we may be.  Our future depends on each of us.

May God build on the efforts of our faithful to the greater glory of all His Church.

We thank everyone.  May God bless you all.