In 2009 I served as deacon in 148 liturgies, 100 at Transfiguration and 48 at Church of Our Saviour in Elmhurst. I preached at Transfiguration four times, and presided at 8 services and preached homilies at 19 services in Elmhurst.

I responded to Bishop Lee’s challenge for the Millennium Development Goals to raise funds to provide school uniforms for children who otherwise would not receive an elementary education, and the parish raised over $2100.

I served on two diocesan commissions throughout the year.

Early in the year I learned of an initiative to collect mobility aids—wheelchairs, walkers, crutches and related equipment—for people injured in the recently-ended civil war in Sri Lanka. Thanks to the good work of Melinda Moore, several newspapers picked up the story. By year’s end I had collected about 60 wheelchairs, over 75 walkers, about 120 pair of crutches of all sizes, some 50 rollators, about 25 boxes of various medical supplies including bandages, catheters, electronic thermometers, leg braces, patent medications, potty chairs, shower chairs and numerous other articles. On June 21, the Chicago Tribune sent a photographer to take a picture for a phone interviewed conducted earlier that month. Thanks also to Kathy Cortese for receiving donated items at the church, taking numerous phone calls and passing them on to me to pick up donated items all around the South and West suburban area.

This project has also produced a working relationship with the Muslim Community Foundation in Villa Park, who has passed along to me mobility items they receive as donations.