“Why I Accept Leadership at St. Michael And All Angels”
By Kathy Lang, Junior Warden (12/8/11)

When Fr. Fred asked me if I would speak about why I accepted leadership at St. Michael’s, I said yes without giving it much thought. Shortly after, I realized what I had agreed to and thought, ‘oh my, what have I gotten myself into this time’. Basically, I had the same reaction to accepting the position of Junior Warden. I thought about how much easier it would have been to let someone else fill the position, but I guess it was a calling from God. Later that evening, my husband Tom and I discussed it, then I thought of the church we had previously attended when first started going to St. Michael all Angels (SMAA).

The other church is one of those types that are very big and impersonal. During the time we attended that church, Tom and I offered to become more involved and do some volunteer work for them, but we were told that our help was not needed because we didn’t have children attending with us.

A year or so later Chris started asking us to come to SMAA to help her out in one way or another or to come to a healing service. It’s been approximately 8 years now since we started going and I am very involved with most of the aspects of this great ministry.

This little church that was willing to accept help from us because we wanted to be more involved, gave us a feeling of belonging to a family. We had become a part of the SMAA church and wanted more of it everyday.

I have a lot to be grateful for. In some ways more than most because 11 years ago I had an accident in which I received 3rd degree burns. The doctors told me I would never be able to use my arm again. After 5 ½ years of intense physical therapy and hands on healing I was able to prove the doctors wrong. At this point in time I can happily say I have about 95% use of my arm. I see my service to God through His Church as my way of giving back and showing my gratitude. Maybe I was blessed from my giving too.

I believe SMAA can grow and flourish again. I have faith that if we work together as the Church Family we have come to be, this can come true. Every family needs unity and leadership to keep it together and to lay a foundation for growth. I hope as Junior Warden & President of ECW I can be part of that foundation.

Thank you,
Kathy Lang

TESTIMONY: WE ARE A CHURCH WITH NO OUTCAST
By Maria Saladino, Vestry Member

Twenty years ago, as I look back, I was wearing my “rose colored glasses.” I had a wonderful husband; beautiful healthy children and we had just bought our home. Life couldn’t get any better. But then, again, as I look back, it was time to remove my glasses.

“Mommy, Mommy,” my youngest daughter called out. “Paul keeps telling me that he’s gay. Tell him to stop”. To make a long story short, our son came out to us to say that he was gay. In all honesty, I cannot say that I was clueless, because who knows their children better than parents. We just chose to ignore what is true, and that’s what we did.

Reality set in and it hurt: emotionally, mentally and spiritually. What will our family and friends think of us, were we to blame, what did we do wrong? How can he live freely when Church and society have deemed him an “outcast”? These were a few of the many questions we asked of ourselves and of God.

Our family was raised as Catholics. We were never very religious, yes, we went to church for the major holidays, but other than that, we just instilled in our children to be honest and loving. After all, isn’t this what God wants us to be?

Before he came out to us, our son had gone to our Church for guidance. The priest told him to leave the Church, as he was an abomination and didn’t belong in “His” house. Our hearts broke, as he recounted to us how alone and abandoned he felt. Our Church failed us. We were angry with God. How can our son be an “outcast” in his eyes, after all, wasn’t he made in his image?

As years passed, our daughter came out to say that she was a Lesbian. Oh God! Once wasn’t enough? Questioning Him again. As we looked in her scared and tearful eyes, we knew what we had to do…we embraced her strongly. We realized the true meaning of “unconditional love” that day. We made our peace with God, but never went to Church unless there was a funeral.

Until…our grandson was born. We wanted to have him baptized in church. We wanted him to be Christian. Since he came from two divorced parents, the Church would not allow him to be baptized in the Catholic Church. “That was the last straw”. We realized that it was time to find ourselves a new religion. We found it in the Episcopal Church.

Our son was the first to have chosen this particular Church. He explained to us that the Church never refuses anyone in their Home and they preach love and acceptance of all people. “Look, they accepted me” he said, as he laughed.

We found this small Episcopal Church in Seaford, New York ---St. Michael and All Angels. I loved it at first sight. I saw the simplicity of it and felt that “I had come Home”. We went to Mass the following Sunday, not knowing what to do or what to expect. We were greatly surprised as to how we were so warmly welcomed by its parishioners. The solemn worship, the inspirational preaching, the loving fellowship and the missionary outreach all indicate that the church is inclusive.

Our faith in God who loves unconditionally and our understanding of the church as a community with no outcast, has been restored. Looking back, God didn’t abandon us, as we thought. He was guiding us to a greater path. We questioned, “Why”? He answered, “why not”?