St John’s had a poignant service and touching farewell celebration for Dave DeSalvo, StJB’s Priest-in-Charge since mid 2019, on yesterday’s brisk Mother’s Day ’22 morning. Emotions ran high during Father Dave’s last homily -- aptly on shepherding and moms -- and listening to his final guitar song for us, accompanied by Judy Gray (organ), Linda Loucony (drums) and Dave G (guitar). Fittingly, Dave Moberg presented Fr Dave his iconic plaque; our God Sighting shepherd, Jim Nevin, shared some sage words; and Sr Warden, Dave Giunta, offered our heartfelt thanks.
Reflecting when Father Dave first came to StJB in May 2019, none of us could have imagined the challenges and opportunities we would face together over these past three years. It’s truly astonishing all our little Episcopal church of St John the Baptist has achieved under the extraordinary care and adept shepherding of our beloved Father Dave, including:
Raising more than $108,000 in our Building Hope capital campaign (2019-2022);
Completed our bold and major campus reconfiguration (tore down our old Parish Hall 1/19; sold the rectory 10/20) and built the wonderful Hansen Pike Hall (dedicated 7/21);
Topped EpiscoGolf’s cumulative (since 1995) donation milestone of $100,000 last year to support dozens of worthy local children’s charities;
Initiated StJB Cares - a new neighbor-helping-neighbor outreach program;
Rallied to recently collect and send nearly $3,000 and our prayers to World Central Kitchen to help feed and sustain the war-torn people and refuges of Ukraine.
Did I forget to mention that St John’s did most of this under Fr Dave’s guidance amid a global pandemic? StJB built a vibrant virtual community with amazing Zoom services, thanks to Kathryn Saunders (weekly eBB, Zoom shepherd/bulletins, website) and other Zoom shepherds (Burkes, Joe & Roland, Kirt & I).
Beyond tangibles, Dave DeSalvo also empowered StJB qualitatively. He has shown us enormous compassion and empathy; he brought people together and seeks unity within our parish and community. Dave has a calm strength, a curious mind, a gentle kindness and affinity to children. He always looks to serve, near and far, especially those marginalized. He keenly notices, acknowledges, accepts and appreciates others. Dave’s ever present warm smile and openness helps bring light into any situation. As a good shepherd, Fr Dave guided us by living example; he challenges and encourages us all of us to be shepherds of Jesus’ love.
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 reminds us, “to everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under the heaven.” We all face pain, loss, and tragedy, as well as joy and blessings, as a parish and individually. Our church family has lost many cherished members these last few years, including Mary Hansen, our generous and faithful benefactress of Hansen Pike Hall; as well as beloveds like Tom Bond, Joe Branca, Jeffrey Colmer, and Paul Elkins. Thankfully, under Dick Burke’s safety shepherding, we’ve endured the pain and isolation of Covid. We’re thriving with new members and just celebrated the marriage blessing of two most welcome newcomers to St John’s flock, Roland LaScala and Joe Beard. Life is fragile, hard, fleeting and beautiful. It’s best lived together within a loving, supportive community open to all, like St John the Baptist, and we are ever blessed for Fr Dave’s leadership.
Personally, we’ve worked closely with Fr Dave on Building Committee, Zoom, Vestry and many StJB projects. Kirt and I faced the fight of our lives against his sarcoma, a rare and aggressive cancer the last 18 months. We lost our dear brother-in-law, Fred, at our lake house in a horrible accident last spring. Our only daughter, Katie, married Austin Kennedy at St John’s lovely sanctuary on a spectacular day last September. Fr Dave played a crucial role in all three of these major life events: our prayer warrior throughout Kirt’s long cancer battle; God’s envoy of comfort and solace to our traumatized family within our home and hours of tragedy; a minister of light and love joyously presiding over Katie and Austin’s union, as well as their advisor in their preparation of marriage. As he’s done for so many, Dave went way above and beyond in his love and support for us. We’re forever grateful to him and will always cherish our personal connection – as pastor, shepherd, and friend.
Now, this chapter ends for Father Dave and all of us at St John’s. A most difficult, but necessary part of this transition – as dictated by Diocesan contract -- is the abrupt and complete end of all contact (personal meetings, e-mails, calls, letters, texts, etc) between Fr Dave and all StJB wardens and parishioners. Under Diocesan rules, Father Dave is not allowed to communicate or respond to StJB parishioners for any reason, so let’s all please understand and respect these rules -- and not feel bad when we don’t hear back from him. The potential caveat is the concluding contract clause regarding no contact, “at least until new ordained leadership is fully integrated into the life of the church, and then only at their invitation.” So, keep faith…perhaps in a year or two…we may rejoice to see Father Dave visit StJB.
Exciting new chapters are also beginning for both the DeSalvos and StJB. For starters, Dave and Mary leave this Friday for several weeks of spiritual study and immersive exploration in old Jerusalem. We wish them the very best in their retirement; fulfilling, fun and safe travels; and more precious time with their family. Remarkably, StJB’s Vestry/search team will interview an exceptional candidate as a potential transitional priest this week. Thanks to Fr Dave, we are a better, stronger and more vibrant community of ‘associate shepherds’ prepared for our continued transformation and work ahead. Stay tuned…
In closing, we shared many smiles, reflections, hugs and choked back a few tears at StJB’s feast and farewell celebration for Fr Dave and Mary on May 8, 2022. StJB Wardens, Dave Giunta and Dave Tyler, shared our sincere thanks for all the DeSalvos have done for us and how far we’ve come together. Fr Dave personally commended his StJB’s ‘shepherds/partners’, including Vestry, Music Ministers, Altar Guild, DoK, Building Committee, Prayer Circle, Bible Study, Zoom and Covid Shepherds, as well as many parishioners, most notably, StJB’s beacon, Jackie Keating and our faithful and generous Martha Pike. Special tributes were presented to Father Dave and Mary: a beautiful handmade quilt with parishioner’s hand prints, a lovely portraiture of Jesus, a gorgeous photo banner of StJB, a cake and collective purse – all remnants of St John’s appreciation, respect, admiration, and love for Mary and Dave.
Fr Dave has forever impacted all of us at St John’s -- we are so thankful for and will always cherish his ministry here. We surely hope we have ‘loved him out well’ – as he has so well loved us. God Bless you, Father Dave!