After being your pastor for over 13 years, I must say, one of the blessings that I may take for granted is the many parishioners who serve in various activities and ministries here who are past retirement age. In spite of being retired from their profession and of serving for some or many years in parish  ministries elsewhere, they get involved here and are a blessing to their fellow parishioners and, in some instances, non-parishioners with a drive and energy that surely comes from the Lord. Such is certainly the case with Deacon BJ and Vernell Bowen, our VIPs for the month of December. If I described all they did in their lives in Little Rock for well over 40 years, both in the church and in charitable endeavors and organizaitions in the larger community, I know it would be impossible to do so in the space I have in my pastor's column. Deacon BJ was on more than a few civic boards and committees including "Helping Hands" in North Little Rock which provides food and other support to the poor on a daily basis in that part of the state.Deacon BJ is a "Hot Springs Boy" who was born and raised there (like someone else you know at sacred Heart Church). In his adult life he was active at St Edward's in Little Rock in the parish and the Catholic school there. Following his ordination to the Permanent Diaconate in 2002, he was assigned to the Cathedral of St Andrew's in Little Rock where he served until moving his ministry solely to Sacred Heart Church in 2023. For a time he served both parishes and began exercising his preaching ministry here a few years ago. As a "Senior" Deacon, he continues to preach one weekend a month here, assists with the Catholic prayer and Word services at Samaritan Ministries in Hot Springs once a month a has helped prepare a few people to convert to Catholicism and receive sacraments of initiation. He has recently agreed to assist with our Sunday Eucharistic Holy Hours once a month. Vernell was born and raised in Saline County and, besides being a wonderful wife to BJ for 49 years, she served as an educator for 48 years, first as a teacher in public schools and then as principal at St Edward's School in Little Rock and, finally as Superintendent of Catholic Schools of Arkansas from 2002 to 2019. Upon moving to Hot Springs Village in 2019 she soon became a very active member of the Ladies of Sacred Heart, serving as vice president, then president, and now on various committees of LOSH. They are reitrees who obviously continue to be active in serving the Lord and others as Sacred Heart Parioshioners and are indeed a blessing to many, including me. God's continued blessings upon BJ and Vernell!