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With the first pastoral visit by Bishop James Stanton in six years, Parish Episcopal seniors received his blessing at their final Parish community Eucharist. And Parish third- and fourth-graders were left buzzing about who got to wear the mitre and hold the Bishop’s staff. “I like what you’ve done to the place,” Bishop Stanton told the overflowing group of students, parents, faculty and staff. The Bishop last visited the Parish campus on Midway at the school’s dedication in its 2002 opening. The Class of 2008 graduates he blessed were seventh graders during that visit. “It was a real honor to have the fellowship of the Bishop,” said Parish chaplain, the Rev. Amy G. Heller. “I think he felt very welcomed, and it shows our deep connection to our diocese.” Stanton preached a moving homily for the students in which he encouraged them “to never give up and to never give in.” He also honored Parish upper elementary music teacher Linda Zrubek, who is retiring after 25 years at the school. Zrubek, in fact, conducted the Episcopalian youth choir which sang at Stanton’s consecration at Dallas’ Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center in 1993. Zrubek led one of three choirs who presented choral offerings during the Parish service. “A church service is always reverent,” Zrubek said. “But you could tell the students knew this was unique.” Before touring the Parish campus and classrooms, the Bishop mingled with the Parish Upper Elementary choir in the school chapel. “I got to wear his hat and he told me what mitre means,” said a beaming Anna Huddleston. “It means “hat” in Greek.” Parish has grown considerably since the Bishop’s visit in 2002. The school was beginning its middle and upper school expansion. From its beginning as an elementary school at the Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration, Parish had its first seventh and eighth grade classes six years ago and no high school students. Parish’s first graduating class of seniors was in May 2007. “When I was here then, this was a magnificent building and campus,” Stanton said. “And it is wonderful to be back here with it filled with all these students.” |
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