The Quill—Newsletter of Saint Simeon's Senior Community June 2023

Saint Simeon's employees are

Lisa Gray Foundation

all smiles!

Saint Simeon’s employees were all smiles in early May when both Saint Simeon’s and Tulsa County had met all the regulatory requirements for visitors, residents, and vaccinated employees to no longer be required to wear masks in the building Visitors and residents have been unmasked for awhile, but employees have been consistently masked since early 2020.

Many of us, who started working at Saint Simeon’s during the pandemic had never seen our co-worker’s smiles. And although everyone was all smiles and excited for the change, it was a strange feeling to walk into common areas unmasked. It has taken us a bit to get used to it and we still feel a little “exposed” occasionally!

We will continue to test symptomatic employees and residents according to regulations Family or friends who are symptomatic should not enter the campus. Please visit the COVID-19 updates page on our website for more information and to review the COVID-19 symptoms https://saintsimeons org/covid-19-updates/

Years of Service Awards Resume

After a 5-year hiatus, Employee Service Awards resumed Employees with 1, 3, 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25 years of service were honored Two employees Stephanie Colbert and Teresa Reno—have been here over 25 years Three employees were honored for 20 years, another three for 15 years, nine had reached the 10-year mark. Another 50 employees were celebrating 5, 3, or 1 year with Saint Simeon’s We are happy to be caught up on honoring our wonderful family and look forward to our next Annual Years of Service Awards in early 2024. Scan the QR Code above to see photos of the event

J U N E / J U L Y 2 0 2 3 Newsletter of Tulsa’s Senior Community

Saint Simeon’s is a mission of the Episcopal Diocese of Oklahoma Administrative Assistant Kristie Flute, Community Concierge Juan Ferrara, Transportation Jeannie Ham, CNA, AL

THE CHAPLAIN’S CHAT

The Rev. Susanne Methven, Chaplain

In A Nutshell

On June 5th we enter a church season called "ordinary time " After all the drama of Christmas (the coming of Jesus in Bethlehem), Easter (the resurrection of Jesus from the dead) and Pentecost (the gift of the Holy Spirit), the days until November 30th can seem, well ordinary We live most of the year in ordinary time, but this doesn't mean that extraordinary truths aren't revealed even in the ordinary.

During the 14th century, hazelnut trees were ubiquitous around Norwich, England and people could easily gather the nuts off the ground The hazel tree was employed in many ways: in construction of homes, for fencing, and for strong and flexible bows Hazelnuts were used in cooking and to make oil "The size of a hazelnut" even became a measurement for ingredients in recipes

Julian of Norwich was thirty and a half years old in 1373 when she became deathly ill and was not expected to live During this severe illness, she received a series of visions Her first vision was of a hazelnut in her hand: something that she found so commonplace she could not imagine what this vision could mean. She was amazed that it could last, it was so small. In fact, it could have even fallen into nothing

She was given an extraordinary insight:

In this little thing I saw three properties The first is that God made it, the second is that God loves it, and the third is that God preserves it.* Imagine you have something in your hand the size of a hazelnut, something that easily fits in the palm of your hand As you hold this object in your hand, imagine...

God holding the cosmos in divine hands. God creates it, loves it, and sustains it

Anything in your life you deeply love. God creates it, loves it, and sustains it

God holding you as a hazelnut You are created by God You are loved by God. You are sustained by God.

The ordinary hazelnut revealed our extraordinary God to Julian of Norwich

To Julian, God

is our clothing, who wraps and enfolds us for love, embraces us and shelters us, surrounds us for his love, which is so tender that he may never desert us.*

And that's it in a nutshell!

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Photo by Ing W on Unsplash *Walsh, James, Colledge, Edmund Julian Of Norwich Showings New York: Paulist Press, 1978, p 183

Runners Up:

Schneisha Oviedo, CNA, HCC

Altamae Swift, CNA, Medical Resort

Margarita Segura, CNA

"Margarita worked the first 12 hours of a very long shift as the only aide with me. She did not complain or show any signs of being upset She did an awesome job "

Amy Elliston, LPN

Juan Ferrara, Transportation

"Watching Juan take great care of transporting patients is amazing. You can tell he really loves what he does."

Melanie Goddard, Accounting

Stephanie Colbert, CMA, AL

"Stephanie often picks up extra shifts She thinks of others' needs when picking up shifts or when needing to be pulled."

Sarah Wormington, Staffing

Mildred Blocker

Stephen Moore

Wilbur Northington

Eleanor Smith

Rosaline Pine

FOUNDATION NEWS

IN MEMORIAM

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The lower COVID transmission rate in Tulsa County has also allowed our residents to enjoy some of their favorite off-campus activities, like going to the Tulsa Driller's games!

Another wonderful thing the lower transmission rate has allowed is for families to join us for events like the Luau! We had a great turnout and the spring weather was perfect to enjoy one of our beautiful courtyards!