In today's Spotlight post, get to know Jan Bruesch a little better! She’s a long-time member and dear friend of Savior’s.
How long have you been attending Savior? And how did you first learn of Savior?
I’ve been going to Savior since the summer of 2006 or 2007. I first heard about it from Linda Richardson, who I worked with as we were both a part of the Early Childhood diagnostic team in District 41 in Glen Ellyn. I remember sitting at a table waiting for an IEP meeting to start and she told me she and Bill had started an Anglican Church in West Chicago. She gave me the location and time and I let a year go by before I took her up on her invitation to “come and see”. I went and basically never stopped. I was hungry for a church that had what I called “Teaching” sermons and I found it at Savior.
Describe how you've encountered God through your time at Savior?
So, I met God through the preaching, no matter who was doing the preaching. I have also encountered God through The Holy Week services. I remember we were at Trinity in Wheaton for Good Friday and seeing Erik Peterson slowly walking down the aisle with the cross on his shoulders. I was not expecting seeing this enactment of Jesus on his way to Calvary and the tears just started to flow. I think I encounter God every week at Savior and sometimes in the middle of the week when I talk to other Savior parishioners. It became evident to me early on that people attend Savior not because they are supposed to go to church every week, but first and foremost because they love the Lord. That draws me back every week. Another way I have encountered God in my time at Savior is at Taize. I had never gone to Taize before and Savior introduced me to that way of worship. I often went to Taize alone, even if people from Savior were not going.
Share your fondest memory together with “friends of the Savior”?
Some of my fondest memories at Savior are from participating on the worship team, especially during the Vigil. As an Episcopalian, I had never wanted to attend the Vigil because it was so long and boring. Savior can only commit to one of those adjectives. Our Vigil is long, but not a second of it is boring, therefore it does not seem long. I have another fond memory of Savior and that is when we went on an all church retreat up at George Williams College on Lake Geneva. That whole weekend was a connection with God. I distinctly remember getting to know several members of the church at that retreat.
What are you looking forward to most in returning to in-person worship?
If I am able to attend, because of my disability, I look forward to seeing everyone. I especially look forward to seeing the children dancing at the end of the service, as Fr. Bill called it the Savior mosh pit. I look forward to that encounter with God in seeing all the people who are there because they love the Lord. I also look forward to the music. The music has always been a high point of worship at Savior.