Senior Sermons:

Shannon Poirier ...... Adam Pulda ....... Gillian Baker
Nick Zalewski ...... Alyssa Lynn Ewing ...... Adam Lees

Senior Sermon ..............Shannon Poirier

Good morning,
For those of you who don't know me, I'm Shannon Poirier and I've been attending Saint Joseph's church since I was ten years old and have been an Episcopalian all my life. On behalf of all the seniors of Saint Joseph's, I would not only like to congratulate ourselves but also the loving parish that has helped support all of our endeavors through the knowing of Jesus. Since I was little both my parents, Brad and Dawna Poirier have instilled in me the knowing of Jesus, but it wasn't until the journey I took with my fellow youth group members that really led me to have a full understanding of what being a Christian means to me today.

As I went through middle school and high school being a Christian and doing the Christian thing wasn't at all the way I saw the things around me happening. Middle school was full of days where I was trying to fit in, wear the right things, and nonchalantly repeat cool jokes I'd heard even if they were inappropriate. But every Sunday my mother would trot me and my brother here, to Saint Joseph's In middle school I was known as the "church girl" and for some reason at that point in my life I resented that name so bad. Kids would ask me to do things on Saturday and to spend the night, but I couldn't - I had church on Sunday, or I was doing something with church on that Saturday night. To them I would act as though it was a chore for me to come to church things, but on the inside I was really stoked to be spending my weekends with my "church friends". Weekend after weekend I started really getting to love the people I was hanging out with, and I was always loving the things we would do together. Three of the people I become especially close with were Adam Pulda, Nick Zalewski and Gillian Baker. Four complete strangers at one point were becoming some of the best friends I'd ever have, and it wasn't until a few years later that I'd even realize that.

As I aged a few years, I was privileged to attend Kanuga, a church retreat held in North Carolina. Gillian and Nick were so excited to go, and don't get me wrong - I was excited but I wasn't exactly sure what I was getting myself into and that made me nervous. Nevertheless I boarded the bus and had no idea the spiritual change I was about to experience. The week we spent at Kanuga was amazing. I met kids from all over the United States that were not ashamed at all of loving their Savior. The first meeting we had, everyone was dancing and singing to Jesus songs. I was so confused. I was used to people making fun of me for just going to church. What would people think about them prancing around and singing about Jesus? That week to me was comparable to what I think heaven will be like, a bunch of happy people being kind to each other and accepting each other for exactly who they are.

When I returned home from Kanuga I was on what they call a "Jesus high", I was ready to go out there and spread the word. I had changed that week, but the people around me really hadn't, and I still found myself being made fun of, but I didn't really care anymore. A few more years passed and I was rocking steady with the Saint Joseph's Youth Group. I never missed a Sunday and if I did Gillian would always call me to see where I was. In high school I had a few rough spots, and I did sometimes forget about the one person who's always going to be there for me, Jesus. In the midst of all the new classes, new friends, and hectic sports schedules, I started missing a few more Sundays and started hanging out with my church friends less. I would pray every now and then but I was really at a point where I wasn't sure how I even felt about going to church and Jesus anymore. Even in the midst of this, I still continued to go to church but I wasn't always mentally there.

Next thing I know the year had come for our pilgrimage to Scotland. I started coming to church more and hanging out with my church friends again. I even stopped at one point and thought, how could I ever have doubted my faith. The people at Saint Joseph's have a love like no other, and that's because it's God's love.

The pilgrimage to Scotland made me realize how grateful I was to have had loving parents and friends to show me Jesus and to never stop pushing me to love him more. Throughout my entire life I had always known Jesus, but it wasn't until the end of my Scotland pilgrimage that I think I really accepted him into my life and was really willing to live every moment exactly how he has intended me too. During our pilgrimage the youth and also the adults on the trip bonded in way that's simply unexplainable. I got to see Gods light and gifts that he had given each individual and seeing those wonderful things shed a different light on the way I view each person. Day after day our youth that went on the pilgrimage separate a little bit more, but it's okay. We have all shared our happiest moments, and some of our saddest side by side. We have watched each other grow and learned from one another what friendship really means. Without Saint Joseph's and the community that comes along with being a church I truly don't think I would be the person I am today. Without a loving community in the church, all it really is, is just a building.
The next few years I plan on becoming a Nurse through my schooling at Florida Gulf Coast University. I am excited and scared, but mostly excited because of the support I have had my entire life from the people around me. And also because I know that with Jesus anything is possible. I will miss the community here at saint Joseph's immensely, but I am proud and privileged to go out into this world and bring the love that has been shared with me to everyone I meet. I will also take special gifts that Bobbie Smith, Dee Zlatic, Gene and Diane have also shared with me. A gift they all have in common is the ability to be friendly, warm and simply delightful to be around. Through these loving adults I have learned how much simply smiling at someone can mean and how loving can change people or even an entire community.

As I journey off to college, and my adult life, I hope to take the gift of God's love with me wherever I end up. I will no longer resent the name "church girl", but I will wear it proudly and represent the name as willingly and lovingly as the community right here at Saint Joseph's has taught me how. Thank you.

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Senior Sermon ........By Adam Pulda

St. Joe's, what can’t I say about St. Joe's? It’s been a huge part of my life for so many years. It started out way back in the day when I was just a little kid going to Sunday school classes with Mrs. Wendy and Mrs. Kokie. I had no idea at the time but it would be the foundation of something that would be such a huge part of my life. Then the next thing that I can remember was my mom trying to force me to go to youth group and for the longest time I didn't want to have anything to do with it. Until we got a new youth minister in Stephy Read I finally decided to go and check it out. I could never thank my mother enough for making me go to youth group that night because I don’t know who I would have become without my second family I would come to gain in the next years of my life. At the time I was an unconfident, over weight, shy, dorky, and uncoordinated kid who didn't have any real friends. Before I knew it I was coming to Rite 13 every Sunday and going to youth group just as much. I started making some real friends that I would hang out with on weekends when we weren’t even at church. Then I went off to Kanuga for my first time and had the best time I had ever had in my entire life. Much like my previous church experiences I had no idea how much of that place would become a part of me. We all slowly started to become a pretty tight knit click and kept hanging out and going church and Kanuga together. We were almost inseparable on the weekends and before we knew it we were in high school. We had graduated from Rite 13 and moved on to J2A. The first thing I remember doing was going on the urban adventure to Miami. It was a great learning experience and I feel like we all started to bond a little bit closer on that trip.

So before I go any further let me talk about Kanuga. It has been my home away from home every 6 months since I was about 13. It’s an amazingly beautiful place where you can find people that you get along with and become friends with from all over the country. Still to this day I hang out with people on a regular basis that I met in Kanuga that otherwise I would have never met. Not to mention the ladies were very easy on a young man's eyes! It’s possibly one of my favorite places on the face of the planet.
Then the next thing we would be preparing for would be our trip to Scotland. It was hard work fundraising all of that money and luckily we had a ton of support from our families and congregation especially Mr. and Mrs. Swaney. With the help from the church and all of our parents and a lot of fundraising, which consisted of yard sales, Christmas trees, café shows and flamingo flockings we were off to Scotland. After almost missing our plane to Chicago we were on our way to Scotland which for most of us was the first trip out of the U. S. It was an amazing trip I will remember it for the rest of my life, most of all the island of Iona. It was amazing that there were more sheep than people, there was one taxi cab on the whole island and everyone knows everyone else. From Iona to Edinburgh, to all the churches and cathedrals it was a trip I will for sure never forget and I am so thankful that I got the opportunity to experience all there was to experience there. That was the first time I ever really got to hang out with Charles who would come to be the man that would teach me so much about everything. If I would have to pick one person who had the biggest impact on my life it would be Charles. He molded me into the person that I am today. I started playing for the Unplugged Band at church and it was one of the best experiences of my life. I learned so much about music and performing, and it made giving reports and being in front of people so much easier. Now things are coming to an end and we are all moving on to our different paths in life. I will never forget the people, places and things I have learned from this church and its congregation. I could never repay all those people for breaking me out of my shell and making me the person I am today and for always supporting me and giving me every chance to succeed.
Thank you all so much.

Senior Sermon .......Gillian Baker

Good Morning,
Many of you already know me but for those of you who do not, I am Gillian Baker and my family and I have attended this parish for the past 12 years. My parents are Patrick and Lorraine Baker and I have a younger brother Andrew.
I recently graduated from Alexander W. Dreyfoos Jr. High School of the Arts in West Palm Beach. There, I studied Communications and Photography. In the fall I will be attending Florida International University which is located in Miami. I will be studying Communications but more specifically Advertising and Marketing with a minor in Photo-journalism. The next couple of months are going to whiz by so quickly and I cant wait! But at the same time I am feeling rather sad. I will be moving to a new town with new people and experiences, but at the same time leaving behind my rather comfortable nest and everyone that is close to me which includes this Church family.

For as long as I can remember I have been a member of St. Joe's youth group. In addition to being part of the church family I also attended St. Joseph's School for two years. I'm sure many of you remember that even before Stephy and Brie were the youth group leaders, it was Miss Dee. I looked forward to coming to church because I knew that she would have a fun activity planned. The church I previously attended did not really involve the youth so my parents were thrilled to have someone as caring as Miss Dee, spreading the good word about Jesus and all he did for me. Through Miss Dee I was able to participate in all the plays and work at Vacation Bible School, I received my 1st communion at this very altar. I was so excited on that day because we got to make our own bread for the service for everyone to enjoy! That same year I was asked by Father Mike to carry the boat for the Thurifer at the Christmas Eve service, which opened the door of acolyting for me. For the next 7 years my main ministry to this church was serving on the Altar.

During these years there were a couple of changes in the Church, Father Mike retired and Father Marty became our new priest and Stephy Read became our new Youth minister. Those 7 years were fundamental in my spiritual growth and development. I was confirmed by the Bishop and given a brand new book of common prayer. That year I also entered Rite 13 with a couple of people that have become mentors and life long friends. It's hard to imagine what it was like before St. Nicholas Youth House was built. It was so amazing to know that they had built this awesome building just for us! The Rite 13 group started out pretty small in comparison to the "older kids". Our group was Adam Lees, Stephen Frasier, Adam Pulda, John Born, Shannon Poirier, Rocco Casuci and I. Wow what a way it has grown, evangelism is a wonderful thing! At this time I was also informed that Bobbie Smith would be praying for me daily, and each year I look forward to receiving kind letters and a birthday card from her.

Kanuga has been a spiritual haven for me since 6th grade. I have brought many friends to Kanuga who now attend church including Tess Bath, Glenn Coine and Michelle Motter. Kanuga really introduced me to who I really was even though it was only for a week out of every year and when I entered High school I was able to go twice per year; it really has left a solid mark on who I am. At Kanuga I was able to figure out exactly how God plays a role in my life and that has helped me the most over the years. Without a strong spiritual background and without the support of my Kanuga family I don't know where I would be today. It is very sad for me to say but I will be attending Kanuga for the last time in a couple of weeks but on a lighter note my little brother will be attending for the first time and I know it will steal his heart just as it stole mine.

J2A was the next step in my life, which is when I really began to shape who I am today. I also became very close with our Youth group leader Stephy. I went through a couple of very hard experiences and events during those years and Stephy was there every step of the way encouraging me to do the right thing, and I really appreciate the time she spent with all of us. The last step in Our J2A journey was our pilgrimage to Scotland and England. This trip really helped me to get back on track with God. I had never in my life seen a place as peaceful as Iona. It was on the island of Iona that I was able to pray like never before which really lifted my spirit. I also was able to bond with the most fantastic group of people I know.

During the past 3 years I have been able to go on 2 mission trips with YAC which is the final step in my teenage spiritual growth. I attended the first trip to the Dominican Republic which for me was a reminder of how wonderful it is to know God and know that He is here for us. It was also a big reminder of how much we take for granted here. My most recent trip was over Spring break, when we traveled with Brie and Charles to New Orleans, to aide in the relief efforts for victims of Hurricane Katrina. We really bonded on the way there because unlike the other mission trips we did not fly, oh no! We drove all the way to New Orleans in a 15 passenger van. But that is besides the point. At this point I was sure I knew who I was and where God was in my life but I came to learn that I didn't. It was devastating for me to see 1st hand how much these people were suffering and how much time had lapsed since the hurricane. Nearly 2 years have gone since Katrina and let me tell you New Orleans and its surrounding areas are no where near recovered. It was quite an experience and I am very grateful that I was given the opportunity go because it really has made me grow even more and at the perfect time.
All these things that I have been able to accomplish would not have been possible without such a wonderful church family as you all are. This church and its members have provided me with many life long lessons and memories that I will cherish forever. All of this also would not be possible without my family and most importantly God, for it is He who watches over us all.

College is going to be a wonderful new experience and another step on my spiritual path which I am looking forward to.
Thank you.

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Senior Sermon ........Nick Zalewski

Hello as you all know I am Nick Zalewski, I play the drums and have for the contemporary service, and have gone on numerous trips to Kanuga, and the wonderful trip to Scotland our beloved pilgrimage. This church is more than just a comfort zone, more than just a place of worship, it's a family.

When I was 12 years old my father died, and at that young age I stood before you at his funeral trying to hold back the sobs to say some last words but nothing came out but you the church were there to hug me to let me know I had people who cared. In the weeks and months to come I received hug after hug. You would come up to see how I have been and to let me know that you all were there for me whenever I needed it. You will never know how much I needed those hugs and those insightful caring words.

Then came Kanuga, an amazing place to gather as if locked away from the world. Kanuga gave me yet another family, but with a single mother we really couldn't afford to send me to this wonderful place; so for the past 6 years this church helped in sending me to that wonderful place. The church, this church has been the best thing that has ever happened to me. This church has been there to watch me grow; it has given me a chance to do something that I am passionate about to be able to play music for this church. With this church and the youth group that you have provided I have found some of the best friends that I will take all throughout my future.

This church has kept my heart large, my mind open to all that surrounds me and out of trouble on my path to success. I would also like to thank our youth leaders Stephy for one she no longer is a youth leader but she will always be a part of our youth group thank you Stephy for all you have done. Charles, you have given me a wonderful opportunity to learn and play music at a much higher level. You took us on a trip on the road to play a church conference and had a wonderful time. Charles, I will never lose touch with you, you are my brother. Brie, you have been so wonderful to step up this last year and you have done a wonderful job taking control of our group.

I want to thank you all, this church, from the bottom of my heart for all you have done for me, for helping to shape me into the young man that you see in front of you. All of you will be in my prayers and my thought for the rest of my life. Thank you.

Life is a Circle Commencement Speech, St. Andrew’s School ..... Alyssa Lynn Ewing

Bishop Frade, Mrs. Brockway, Board of Trustees, Rev. and Mrs. Andrews, Dr. Krejcarek, faculty, parents and friends, fellow members of the graduating class of 2007:
Almost 17 years ago to the day in this chapel, not too far from where I stand now, held by my Godparents and wearing a similar white dress (although a bit smaller), I was christened and became a member of the Episcopal Church. Life is truly a circle, and whether I believe it was my destiny or some wonderful coincidence through which I find myself standing before you this morning, it is my great honor.
So, if life really is a circle, imagine for a moment what it would be like for us to return to this place, say, in another 17 years. What will we have to say for ourselves? What will we tell the class of 2024 about what we have accomplished, and more importantly, what will they have to tell us about how our contributions have made a difference in their lives?
Our class has come of age in the era of September 11th, genocide in Darfur, the Iraq war, and the most recent Virginia Tech massacre. But we are also a generation fluent in the language of the information age, equipped with tools and knowledge that make it our responsibility to take these tragedies as our cue to instigate change in a society with a troubled human spirit. Rather than being the class associated with domestic and international disasters, we can make our legacy one of legitimate progress. Our generation and particularly this class have the potential to cure cancer, run Fortune 500 companies, find diplomatic solutions to world conflict, and fill the dark places with joy and light. I believe that our St. Andrew’s foundation has given us the strength to redefine our generation, and what makes us, as St. Andrew’s graduates different, is that we can accomplish these things with personal integrity and a genuine respect for every individual--values instilled by our Episcopal School education.

The Episcopal School tradition is one that embraces different cultures, welcomes people of all faiths, or no faith, and honors a commitment to academic excellence. Episcopal schools exist not merely to educate, but to demonstrate and proclaim the unique worth and beauty of all human beings. At my christening, I became part of the Church family, and my parents and Godparents promised to raise me guided by its values and principals. Likewise, we are part of an Episcopal School family whose faculty and administration are committed to building lives of genuine meaning, purpose, and service in the world we inherit. “Honor above all” is more than our school motto, it is what defines our experience here at St. Andrew’s and the people we strive to become.

Perhaps one of the most meaningful aspects of our high school experience is what we have learned about relationships and cooperation. Everyday we have made conscious decisions that presumably would change our lives. We have gone to class, written countless papers, applied to college, respected the honor code (and sometimes the dress code), and ultimately succeeded under the weight of overwhelming expectations. But what seemed to come naturally and without so much effort were the friendships and camaraderie that have truly shaped our lives. So, when saving the world turns out to be harder than you expected, relax a little, and remember that we leave here with the enduring love and support of our good friends, great memories of time spent together, and invaluable lessons learned about how to work together for a greater good.

In reflecting on these high school years I have come to realize what a privilege our St. Andrew’s experience has been. I hope we will not take for granted the advantages we have been given, and that we will recognize that with them comes an even greater responsibility. Let us resolve to take what our parents and teachers have given us, what our fellowship has taught us, and what the Episcopal tradition has instilled in us, and use them to fulfill our potential.

St. Andrew’s has made us no stranger to challenge, so today I would like to issue one to my fellow graduates. I challenge the Class of 2007 to complete the circle. Let’s return to St. Andrew’s for graduation 2024 and each share what we have accomplished and ultimately, how we have contributed to healing the human spirit.
I leave you with the words from theme of the Lion King,

The Circle of Life:
From the day we arrive on the planet
And blinking, step into the sun
There's more to see than can ever be seen
More to do than can ever be done
There's far too much to take in here
More to find than can ever be found
But the sun rolling high
Through the sapphire sky
Keeps great and small on the endless round
It's the Circle of Life
And it moves us all
Through despair and hope
Through faith and love
Till we find our place
On the path unwinding
In the Circle,
The Circle of Life

Thank you and God bless you.

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Senior Sermon ....... Adam Lees

"Go forth in the name of the Lord, Alleluia, Alleluia!"
We hear these words at the end of every service, except Lent when Alleluia takes a well deserved vacation, but what do we do with them? It takes some perspective on going out- most of the time out of the ordinary or out of our own habits of thinking.

That's how it is for me anyway. I've been a member of this parish for over 18 years and only now do I really need to think about those words. Why? Because come next August I won't be in Delray. Heck, I won't even be in the state or even the states bordering the state. I'll be almost 1000 miles away at the base of the Blue Ridge Mountains in south-central Virginia. In the process of moving, I'll be taking all the necessities: clothes, books, iPod, and random knick-knacks and decorations. But I'll always have a little bit of home with me.

It's this church, it's my family away from my family- it's almost a second family. Equally nutty and different as the one I was born into. So many of my best times have occurred either here or because of the people sitting here. For example, my baptism, my Rite 13 ceremony, confirmation, Kanuga, and so much more. But those are not the treasures I take, because they are came-and-went events. They happen and you can see the beginning and end. Not so with my journey- a journey that brought me from San Pedro Sula, Honduras to a small 3 square-mile, treeless Scottish island called Iona. That is my journey of faith and my beliefs. Neither has a beginning, neither will have an ending. It still goes on. Here, let me explain:

When I was little, I had no concept of faith. I knew about Jesus, and how he was great and saved everyone and was this awesome guy. I learned manners, treating others how you want to be treated, hard work, kindness, charity. These are all excellent characteristics, but they are not faith. Faith is something that can't be taught, it must be experienced. Why else would Jesus ask us to "go forth" if there were no reason for it. And with this church, I have gone forth.

In July of 2005 the most anticipated event of all our Sunday school careers had arrived: myself and 18 other people- 12 youth and 7 adults in all- were about to board a plane for a flight that would take us across the Atlantic to Scotland. The day we left reality struck: terrorists killed hundreds in London that day in bus and subway bombings. The events were as tragic as can be- however, it was sobering because I had wanted to go to all sorts of museums across London on our free day towards the end. Every single station that had been hit was a station through which I would be traveling: King's Cross, Picadilly Circus, Baker's Street. You hear Psalm 23 "Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me" but I never understood the complexity of the feeling until I felt God stepped in that day and saved me from what could have very well been my end if the attacks had been delayed 2 weeks to the day we were picnicking in St. James Park. That day, 4 attacks were all around us, and we were safe and sound. Guardian angels sent by God. Nobody can convince me otherwise. But the Pilgrimage was more than that. For Fr. Marty, it involved a great deal of ice cream, but that is another story. For me- and I think I can say for all of those who went- Iona was the most significant destination. There is where we all found wonder. Wonder in creation- the very essence of God. Ancient Celts worshiped the Earth and I would make a fair wager that modern theology has been affected by that respect. Iona was believed to be a place where the boundary between the Spirit World and Natural World was the thinnest. I believe it too. When I was there it felt like paradise: I had no worries, nothing bothered me, it was cool, everyone was always in a laughing, jovial, radiant mood. Kanuga is somewhat like that, but you are always aware of the world- there you didn't. It was complete transcendence. One night when I was walking back from the post office across from the Abbey about a mile down the road I stopped. I looked up and around, and then I understood. It was then I felt at peace, as if I felt God moving within me and around me, around everything. I'll never forget it. The next day I wrote post-cards to everyone who had bought stock to send me there. Compared to what I experience, the post-cards were paltry, but the gratitude I expressed was as sincere as possible. It is simplicity- the minor things- that make a difference in a life. After that pilgrimage, the mission trips, hundreds of sermons, and even more hymns and songs I believe I can summarize my faith in Psalm 23 and the Prayer of St. Francis. Or in an even simpler means: "God is good, thus accepting God is accepting good, and doing good is worshiping God."

That is how I can describe both my faith and what St. Joe's means to me- simplicity. Make no mistake, I love the 5-course Italian dinners and the multitudes of fun things to do here, but the little things stand out. Bell choir practice is simple (except for the weaving of multiple bells in a song that goes faster than a roadrunner running on jet fuel). They say laughing burns off 5 calories every time, so...practice is a workout and also increases your life span. So, thanks to my fellow dingalings, I should die by the time I am 286 years old. Another simple thing I love about this place is that it is a very huggy parish and I love it, because without my hugs from Dawna Poirier, Lynne McKague, Rachel Adazsak- and so many more to name I can't begin- I wouldn't have been able to get through my week which has included 4000 word essays, world literature papers, near-misses with a wide range of cars on Lake Ida, chores, wind, and exhaustion.

Now as I leave to start a new chapter of my life, St. Joseph’s has been more to me than just a building, candles and services it is my family and I will carry them with me everywhere I go.

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