The Community of St. Mary & St. Ann in Charlotte shared a reflection from the Rev. Dwight Ezop in its July 19 bulletin for the 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time. 

Ezop thanked all who have helped with the roof project for St. Mary School, as well as the HVAC replacement project for the preschool, which, due to the generosity of many donors, has already been able to set aside $80,000. 

“That leaves us with a need for an additional $110,000 in order to fully fund this critical work,” Ezop wrote. “Members of our parish finance council and I are scheduled to meet with the Diocese of Lansing’s Chief Financial Officer to explore our options and hopefully create a plan to move forward on this project.”

The Rev. Dwight Ezop | https://www.stmarycharlotte.org/

There is currently a matching donation opportunity which will give 50 cents on the dollar up to $10,000 that parishioners have pledged to the community. 

“Not only is this a kind gesture on the part of those parishioners, but it also provides a helpful incentive to dig a little deeper,” Ezop wrote.

The church is introducing an upgrade to its online giving website, which will help facilitate easier giving during this time of pandemic. Ezop also wrote that Art Williams, who has been in a spiritual formation program to become a permanent diaconate, will soon be completing the program. 

“There will be a Mass of Candidacy celebrated on Saturday, Aug. 22 at St. Thomas Aquinas Parish in East Lansing, during which Art and the other members of his cohort will be formally admitted to candidacy by Bishop [Earl] Boyea,” Ezop wrote. 

Additionally, Ezop shared the good news that his six-month checkup for kidney cancer showed no signs of additional disease. 

“As of now the news is good, with no evidence of additional disease,” Ezop wrote. “I will have my next check-up in about three months, as I continue this two-year period of surveillance following my diagnosis and surgery. My thanks for your continued prayers.”