St. Joseph of the Lakes

Thank You and God's blessings for your New Year!

Posted by Anne Serwe on 12/30/16

My goodness! You have been so kind and generous to me over this holiday season, as I keep telling my brother priests that I am still on my honeymoon with you. Every season keeps getting better and richer as I continue to grow into the family of Saint Joe's ... Read More »

Merry Christmas!

Posted by Anne Serwe on 12/27/16

From Fr. Mike and all of the staff here at St. Joseph of the Lakes we wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas!

We Welcome our Brothers & Sisters

Posted by Anne Serwe on 12/20/16

Next week we will gather with many of our beloved brothers and sisters whom we haven't seen for a while. This is a day to rejoice in, not to complain about. It means certain inconveniences such as losing your butt worn pew space and perhaps even having to sit ... Read More »

In the past -Tribes - Now individuals

Posted by Anne Serwe on 12/14/16

We come from a very tribal background. The tribes arise from significant individuals who establish a bloodline and customs in which eventually a culture arises that is unique to itself. Scripturally we see this in the rise of Abraham, a man who was old and childless who trusted in ... Read More »

Advent Longings

Posted by Anne Serwe on 12/05/16

Throughout the past weekend (Thanksgiving holiday) I was amused by the many cars driving up and down Lake Drive with a Christmas tree tied onto the roof of the car. It reminded me of days long ago when the deer hunters would wrap their trophy buck either on the ... Read More »

Have a Blessed Holiday

Posted by Anne Serwe on 11/30/16

I hope you are having a Blessed holiday with your family and friends this weekend. I am so very thankful for the past year and 5 months in which I have had the privilege to be your pastor. You are a great bunch of people to be with!

This ... Read More »

Mystery of the Divine

Posted by Anne Serwe on 11/22/16

 I used to take great comfort in the predictability of my mother and father. I pretty much know how they would react to any given situation. But there were times when they said or did the unpredictable and this always disturbed me even as an adult. It was an ... Read More »

Days to Ponder

Posted by Anne Serwe on 11/15/16

It's getting harder to wake up in the morning as the sun doesn't rise until after 7:00 am. The natural conditions make it easier to become reflective on death and dying in my morning prayers. I think this same experience drives the Church into these early November festivals of ... Read More »

Who Will Serve the People?

Posted by Anne Serwe on 11/01/16

I remember the days of the political machine which could produce great good for our society. There were problems with it, yes, it was an "old boy's club" that encouraged us to vote for the incumbent Representative or Senator because the longer they stayed in office the more Federal ... Read More »

What Makes a 'Good Person'

Posted by Anne Serwe on 10/25/16

I am always put off by the person who describes himself or herself as a 'good person'.  This description reeks of self-justification and a general lack of reality.  God didn't send his Son into the world to rescue good people.  He sent his Son into a world filled with ... Read More »