MARCH 2020

THE NUGGETS Hickory Neck Episcopal Church

Toano, VA

Rector’s Letter

Lent is one of my favorite seasons of the year. Part of why I like it so much is its inten-tionality. The church directs our minds and bodies all in one direction – to the act of dis-cernment, repentance, and amendment of life. We all accomplish that goal in various ways – giving up things, taking up practices, or sometimes both. But we do that work together, in the hopes that by the time we get to Easter, we have grown spiritually, and become more faithful disciples of Christ.

The challenge for me each year is figuring out what to do in Lent; or, more specifically, and especially this year, what not to do in Lent. Too often I get so excited about Lent, that I want to do everything: give up hurtful habits, read a book, engage in a new spiritu-al practice, make more time for quiet, create a better sense of spiritual health. As we were on pilgrimage in England this year, I felt like I was experiencing a Lent, of sorts. For ten days, all my energy was focused on the spiritual journey. I stepped away from my daily routine, I routed myself in the daily practice of Evensong, I spent time pondering sacred art and architecture, and I was intentional with my prayers. In creating space for God, I was able to hear God and find creative space for inspiration. Of course, that meant I came up with about one hundred ideas about what I and Hickory Neck could do for Lent. There were so many resources in England, and so much inspiration to gather!

But like any Lent, one can do too much. When we take on too much at Lent, we inevita-bly are not faithful in our disciplines. In trying to do too much, we can run out of steam two or three weeks into Lent, and give up altogether. So, this Lent, I encourage you to choose just one thing: something you want to give up or something you want to take up, that will allow you to shift your regular patterns just enough to open you up to God’s voice. In England, just going on the pilgrimage was enough. Just making the space al-lowed for a flood of spiritual riches. This Lent, my wish is the same for you. In whatever practice you try, I hope it will give you just enough space to experience a flood of spiritu-al riches. And if even taking on one more thing this Lent seems overwhelming, perhaps your invitation is to give up something this year. Whatever it is, be gentle with yourself in this time of intentionality.

I look forward to journeying with you this Lent! And I cannot wait to hear how Lent is going.

Christ’s Peace, The Rev. Jennifer Andrews-Weckerly

THE NUGGETS: MARCH 2020 PAGE 1

In this issue:

Rector’s Letter

PAGE 1

Ecumenical Worship

Series

PAGE 3

Lenten Bible Verses

PAGE 6

Sarabande

PAGE 8

High Fives

PAGE 10

Strategic Planning

PAGE 11

Shining Our Light

PAGE 12

Birthdays

PAGE 13

Treasurer's Report

PAGE 13

Chaplain’s Corner

PAGE 14

A”Mayes”ing Bible

Facts

PAGE 16

Lunch with the Rector Join us in the coming months for Lunch with the Rector. These lunches are potluck, held in the Narthex, and are meant to be a time of fellowship and connection, especially with members you may not see from other service times. The upcoming dates are: March 4, April 1, and May 6. We look forward to seeing you there!

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Sunday Forum: Strategic Planning with Hickory Neck

THE REV. JENNIFER ANDREWS-WECKERLY About a year ago, your Vestry began a year-long process of developing a strategic plan for our ministry for the next sev-eral years. At the Vestry Retreat, we started with data – feedback from over 75 parishioners that included what we love about Hickory Neck, and what our dreams are for Hickory Neck. This data was the basis for defining our mission, our values, our strategic priorities, and our organizational structure. During Sunday Forum, our Vestry and Rector will be walking the parish through that process, sharing the results of our work, and answering questions about the impact of that work. We will be meeting March 8, 15, 22, and 29 at 10:15 am. Please join us! Also, for those unable to attend, we will be summarizing this work in print form, in short articles in the Nuggets, and within parish groups and committees this spring. We look forward to our conversations with you! (See page 11 for a related article.)

Lenten Lunches Planned ANN COOPER

The Lenten season is a time for both contemplation and action. Saint Teresa of Avila’s summation of Lent was that, “We find God in ourselves, and we find ourselves in God.” Lent is a good time for us to share thoughts with each other through both prayer and social gatherings.

Lent begins with Ash Wednesday on February 26 and ends on April 1, the week before Holy Week. For three Wednes-days during Lent (March 11, March 18, March 25), there will be lunches in the Parish House. We will begin with a meditation at 11:30 a.m., followed by a light meal of soup, bread, and fruit. We will have time to talk with each other about what Lent means to us, providing us the opportunity to grow closer as Christians and friends. There are two oth-er Wednesdays in Lent – March 4 and April 1. Jennifer invites us to attend Lunch with the Rector in the Narthex on those dates. Those lunches are potluck.

I look forward to sharing these times together. If interested, please let me know – text 757-509-9700 or email ver-aanncooper@cox.net. (Having a general idea of numbers will help in assuring there is enough soup.)

Invitation Sunday March 22, traditionally known as “Refreshment Sunday” in Lent, will be Invitation Sunday at Hickory Neck. The Com-munications Team will have all sorts of invitation materials for you to take home and use with your friends, neighbors, and colleagues. These materials are meant to help us build up a culture of invitation - not just actually bringing people to church, but getting comfortable with the invitation itself - whether it leads to a visit or not. Your Communications Team wants to help you get confident in sharing your story, listening to others, and then inviting others to Hickory Neck - the place that is so special to your heart. Join us on March 22 and come get your bag of goodies!!

2020 Lenten Ecumenical Worship Series

It’s that time again for everyone to get together for the Lenten Ecumenical worship series which began on Ash Wednesday, February 26, and runs continuously every Wednesday night in Lent until April 8. All are welcome to gath-er at 6pm for a simple supper followed by worship at 7pm every week at different churches throughout upper James City County. Each gathering features a different preacher who will reflect on People of the Cross. An offering will be designated to help specific community organizations. Join us for this Lenten tradition across Upper James City County, and enjoy the fellowship of gathering with fellow Christians of many denominations as we share in worshipping Jesus Christ.

March 4, 2020: Stone House Presbyterian Church, 9401 Fieldstone Parkway, Toano

Offering- Proclaiming Grace Outreach

Speaker- Rev. Robert Whitehead, Sr., of New Zion Baptist Church

“People of the Cross: Peter”

March 11, 2020: Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church, 7479 Richmond Road, Williamsburg

Offering- Avalon Center

Speaker-Rev. Richard Cline of Olive Branch Christian Church

“People of the Cross: Judas”

March 18, 2020: Williamsburg Mennonite Church, 7800 Croaker Road, Williamsburg

Offering-Williamsburg Christian Retreat Center

Speaker – Rev. Jennifer Andrews Weckerly of Hickory Neck Episcopal Church

“People of the Cross: Simon from Cyrene”

March 25, 2020: Mt. Vernon United Methodist Church, 7801 Church Lane, Toano

Offering- From His Hands

Speaker– Rev. David Lehman of Williamsburg Mennonite Church

“People of the Cross: John”

April 1, 2020: New Zion Baptist Church, 3991 Longhill Road, Williamsburg

Offering- Williamsburg Hospice House

Speaker – Rev. Alex Creager of Stone House Presbyterian Church

“People of the Cross: Pilate”

April 8, 2020-HOLY WEEK: Olive Branch Christian Church, 7643 Richmond Road, Williamsburg

Offering- Child Development Resources

Speaker – Rev. Chuck McHose of Mt. Vernon United Methodist Church

“People of the Cross: Joseph of Arimathea “

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Safe Church Training Required by Diocese DAVID HARTSOUGH, SENIOR WARDEN

Starting on or about April 1st, 2020 Hickory Neck Church will have new locks on all the doors and there will be new requirements for accessing the buildings. Due to new safe church guidelines provided by the Diocese, all key holders and those with access to Hickory Neck Buildings (those with codes to key boxes) must be “safe church trained.” In order to help Hickory Neck come into compliance with guidelines, the Church Safety Team is helping us rekey the property and document who has access to our buildings. This will help us moni-tor compliance with the new “safe church regulations.”

While classroom training is the best way to receive Safe Church Training, it is possible for you to go on-line and do the training. This needs to be done this month. The training is tailored for your Ministry. For exam-

ple, parishioners who work with children or vulnerable elderly people will need a more rigorous course than say an Alter Guild member. Please keep in mind that you only need Safe Church Training if you want to have your own key or know the combina-tion to the lock boxes or are involved with a Ministry that already has this requirement. To ensure access to our buildings, Safe

Church training should be completed by the end of this month, March 31, 2020.

Thank you for your cooperation with this new initiative. The Safety Team will work to make the transition go as smoothly as possible. To sign-up for safe church training go to: http/::www.diosova.org/congregation_res/article462905.htm.

Nuggets Staff

Editor: Beth Knight Brown

Interim Production: Paula Simmons

Contributors: Jennifer Andrews-Weckerly, Kathryn Bridewell, Ann Cooper, Sarah Bland, Fred Boelt, Dave Hartsough, Mayes Matthews, Don Seeterlin, Paula Sim-mons, and Bill Teale.

Photos: John Rothnie

Deadline for submissions is the 15th of each month, except July. Items received after this date will be consid-ered for publication in a future issue. Please send sub-missions to: nuggets@hickoryneck.org.

Ministering to Our Youth Sharing a meal together is a special part of our

Sunday night youth gatherings. Are you willing to

provide a meal for the HNC Youth Group? Contact

Paula Simmons at 757-879-6393.

Digital Compline Join us for Digital Compline on Facebook Live at 7:00 p.m. every Monday evening in Lent. Com-pline is a short prayer service and is accessible for all ages. Your digital device and a quiet space are all that are needed and know that others are gathering with you. A place is offered on our Fa-cebook page (https://www.facebook.com/Hickory.Neck) for prayer requests to be included in the worship.

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Daughters of the King The Bruton Chapter Daughters extend an invitation to all Hickory Neck Church Daughters to join us at our monthly meetings. The Daughters also welcome any women interested in a new or transfer membership. Meetings are held on the first Thursday of each month at the Bruton Parish House. Each month, we share spiritual prayers, scripture read-ings, devotionals, prayer intercessions, discuss Chapter business, and a book study. For additional information or if you have any questions, please email: daughtersoftheking@brutonparish.org, or contact either co-president Ricki Carson at (804) 229-5349 or Maridell Loomis at (757) 220-2835.

Rector’s Blog THE REV. JENNIFER ANDREWS-WECKERLY

Each week, Mother Jennifer posts a reflection about daily life or life at Hickory Neck and how it connects to our spiritu-al journey. A quick read, these can be great invitations into spiritual growth. Most recently, she reposted all her reflec-tions from the Choral Pilgrimage to England (these were originally posted on our Facebook page). She also posts her sermons on the blog, in case you miss a Sunday. The blog is https://seekingandserving.wordpress.com/. You can also subscribe to the blog so that each time a post is created, you get a reminder notice. Don’t miss this great offering!

Grants Awarded to Local Charities BILL TEALE Grants totaling $8,225 have been awarded to local charities from money raised at the 2019 Fall Festival, Fiber Fest and previous unused funds. $3,951 has been held back for additional grants in 2020 to the charities we currently support or to new charities based on our Outreach Committee’s recommendations and Vestry’s approval.

• Avalon is an organization that provides a 24-Hour Help Line and helps women and children who are victims of abuse with emergency and transitional housing, counseling, life skills, legal advocacy, and other supportive services. One of our members is their Executive Director. This is the tenth year we have supported Avalon.

• From His Hands provides meals to people in the Grove area. Hickory Neck parishioners prepare the meals at St. Martin’s and then serve them at the Grove Christian Outreach Center. This is the thirteenth year we have supported From His Hands.

• The Salvation Army Transitional Housing Program is a program that provides housing, counseling and mentoring to help families and individuals get back on their feet. This will be the eleventh year we have supported this program.

• Williamsburg Faith in Action is an organization that helps people to continue living in their homes. We have parish-ioners volunteering at WFIA. This is the fourteenth year we have supported WFIA financially.

Since 2002, Hickory Neck Church has raised $165,870 for local charities.

Lent Bible Verses

1. Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. - 1 Peter 5:6

2. Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? - Isaiah 58:6

3. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God? - Psalm 42:2

4. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. - Matthew 6:21

5. The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him. - Lamentations 3:25

6. Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; therefore he will rise up to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him! Isaiah 30:18

7. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord. - Psalm 27:14

8. But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. - Isaiah 40:31

9. We wait in hope for the Lord; he is our help and our shield. In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. May your unfailing love be with us, Lord, even as we put our hope in you. - Psalm 33:20-22

10. But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me. - Micah 7:7

11. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. - Romans 12:12

12. But you must return to your God; maintain love and justice, and wait for your God always. - Hosea 12:6

13. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. - Matthew 6:33

14. Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. - 1 Peter 5:6-7

15. For through the Spirit we eagerly await by faith the righteousness for which we hope. - Galatians 5:5

16. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. - Jeremiah 29:12

17. For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him. - Psalm 62:5

18. Show me your ways, Lord, teach me your paths. Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long. - Psalm 25:4-5

19. We wait in hope for the Lord; he is our help and our shield. In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. May your unfailing love be with us, Lord, even as we put our hope in you. - Psalm 33:20-22

20. When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Fa-ther, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. - Matthew 6:16-18

THE NUGGETS: MARCH 2020 PAGE 6

The Flower Guild: Preparing for Lent and Easter KATHRYN BRIDEWELL

Lent Alter Table Preparations

During the Lenten season, there are no flowers on the alter tables in either chapel. During Lent, the flower guild prepares a progressive altar table arrangement starting with large rocks, then adding another symbolic item each week until the last Sunday of Lent, March 29th, when the alter tables are covered with a symbolic arrangement similar to the picture. The flower guild could use your help with the set-up of the alter tables in both chapels. They only commitment on you part is to ensure the items are set up before the 9:00 service in the New Chapel and before the 8:00 am service on the Sunday the item is to be added to the arrangement. This is something you can do when it is convenient for you. If you can help, contact Kathryn Bridewell, call/text 757-719-0918 or email k.bridewell73@aol.com.

Flower Donation Calendar

The flower donation calendar is now available for your convenience and is located on the kiosk in the new chapel narthex. Forms will be availa-ble at the kiosk, in the Historic chapel, and in the Wilkinson Center. Thank you for your dona-tions. Please remember to make your requests at least 2 weeks prior to the Sunday you want the flowers arrangements.

Easter Festival of Flowers Preparation

Easter is April 12st this year. The flower guild is asking for you help with filling the chapels with flowers to cel-ebrate our risen Lord. We will be decorating the chapels on Saturday, April 11th and can use your help, many jobs need no special skills. If you can help by providing some refreshments like sandwiches and chips or other snacks for our workers, that would be appreciated. It is a great time for fellowship. We can also use any fresh green ivy vines if you have some.

Come join us to brighten the church with flowers. We will start at 9:00 am and go until 2:00 pm or later. Come when you can and stay as long as you can. Contact Kathryn Bridewell, call/text 757-719-0918 or email k.bridewell73@aol.com.

Easter Lily donations

Easter lily donations will be accepted March 1–April 5, 2020. The donation will be $12.00 for each lily you wish to donate as an honorarium or in memory of someone. Forms will be available in both chapels and in the Wilkinson Center. The lilies will be used to adorn both chapels for Easter Sunday’s Festival of Flowers. Be sure to indicate whether you want to claim your lily after Easter Sunday or wish to donate it.

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SARabande: OUR ENGLISH PILGRIMAGE SARAH BLAND, MINISTER OF MUSIC

“. . . Lost in wonder, love, and praise.” (concluding words of Charles Wesley’s great hymn, Love divine, all loves excelling, #657 in The Hymnal 1982)

Our pilgrims’ recent journey through many of the great cathedrals and collegiate chapels in Great Britain was an inspiring, sumptuous visual and musical banquet as our eyes lifted to breathtaking beauty in soaring ceil-ings and towers, and our ears opened to glorious, heavenly-sung harmonies and melodies spiraling through these acoustically marvelous spaces. Worshipping here was spiritual renewal that, as we walked in the foot-steps of the forbearers of our faith, spoke to us of the power and importance these centuries-old houses of God held for early English speaking Christians. Reminded again and again of the history of our Anglican herit-age beginning with Henry VIII’s dissolution of the monasteries in the mid-16th century, we gained greater ap-preciation for the music written specifically for the newly created Anglican services and by composers who worked in many of the places on our pilgrimage.

Our group was privileged to experience an incredible amount of choral music including anthems, canticles, psalms and service music spanning over 500 years of musical composition, all sung by some of the very best choirs in Great Britain. We heard English Renaissance music of Tomkins, Byrd, Tye and Tallis sung by the men and girls of York Minster (the minster was begun in 1220 on the site of the first Christian church, 627) and the men and boys of Westminster Abbey (consecrated as a Benedictine monastery in 1065).

We were transported back to medieval times hearing monastic plainsong chanted exquisitely by the men at Canterbury Cathedral (also a Benedictine monastery built in 1077 on the site of St. Augustine’s original church, 597) and St. Paul’s, London (early buildings date to 604; Sr. Christopher Wren’s masterpiece was built 1666-1711 following the great fire of London in 1666).

Grand organs accompanied canticles and anthems by nineteenth-century Irish composers Charles Wood and C.V. Stanford at King’s College, Cambridge and Christ Church, Oxford respectively. At Winchester Cathedral (another Benedictine monastery consecrated in 1093 on the demolished site of the original Christian church built in 645) we heard canticles by T. Tertius Noble, an English composer who came to America in 1913 to establish the first choir school in this country in the English tradition at St. Thomas Church, NYC. Here we also heard Sir Michael Tippett’s (1905-1998) moving arrangement of the spiritual, “Deep River”.

All of this music was sung by Winchester Cathedral’s choir of men and boys and accompanied on their fa-mous Willis organ, first displayed at the Great Exhibition in London in 1851, then purchased by the cathedral and installed there in 1854. Finally, we were treated to ethereal early 20th century French choral and organ music of Poulenc, Durufle and Vierne during Eucharist at St. John’s, Cambridge.

Here is a hyperlink to hear plainchant sung by the Westminster Choir in their cathedral. https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=google++music++youtube+plainchant+in+westminster+cathedral&&view=detail&mid=2024F543D57C209386BB2024F543D57C209386BB&&FORM=VRDGAR

THE NUGGETS: MARCH 2020 PAGE 8

A full English breakfast like

this one fortified us each day

on our travels. Note the mush-

rooms, tomato and baked

beans on toast.

The Pilgrims gather on the

steps in front of Westminster

Abbey.

With W&M

Choral Scholar

Olivia Levin in

front of the

choir stalls at

Christ Church,

THE NUGGETS: MARCH 2020 PAGE 9

Cecilia is the patron

saint of music. This

cushion is located

in Winchester Ca-

thedral’s Chapter

House.

Organ pipes being

restored and paint-

ed by this man at

York Minster.

Inside Norwich

cathedral looking

west from the

choir loft.

THE NUGGETS: MARCH 2020 PAGE 10

High Fives THE REV. JENNIFER ANDREWS-WECKERLY

A big high five goes to our delegates to Annual Council: Jennie Corrales, Tori Otstot, Denise Pearsall, David Simmons, David Hartsough (alternate), Gareth Ross (alternate), and Pete Devlin (retired delegate). Unlike in traditional years, this group formed in the summer, and labored long and hard to discern and elect our new bishop. But their work was not complete at election or even consecration. In February, they gathered for 1 ½ days at Annual Council, doing the work of the wider diocese. We are so grateful for their labor and love this past year! High fives, team!

We give a high five to our parishioners who lead Morning Prayer five days a week: John Greenman, Jeff Seiler, Tom Gee, Curtis Johnson, Mark Kintner, Bill and Mary Teale. Throughout the course of the year, this group gathers in our Historic Chapel, offering their own prayers, but also the prayers of our community on our behalf. We are so grateful for this pow-erful ministry. Please give them a high five the next time you see them!

We also give a big high five to our Youth Group, with whose encouragement, we collected 230 pounds of food and con-tributed $525 for local food ministries through the Souper Bowl Sunday effort. We are so proud of them for encouraging us, especially in a busy season, to give to others! High fives, Youth Group!!

High fives also go to our Pilgrimage Prayer Partners. Almost 30 people signed up to pray with and for our sixteen pil-grims to England. Each day, prayers were flying across the Atlantic Ocean, as we lifted each other up in intentional pray-er. We are so grateful for those who accepted the invitation to be in prayer. High fives, prayer partners!

Knit one, Purl one….and that’s not a yarn I am tellin’ ya!

LINDA MCGEE

When is the last time you didn’t feel up to par? Perhaps you have a friend or relative who needs some extra TLC for a serious matter. Could there be someone you love who is quite ill or you yourself are very ill. There are many ways to seek comfort from friends and family. HNC has one very special way of sharing some love, while people are engaged in their special prayers.

Kathy Ramsaur, a wonderful Hickory Necker who passed away, created the prayer shawl and lap robe ministry. Then Gay Forloine and Jean Hancock took over the reins. HNC records show that hundreds of beautiful items have been created and share, near and far, through the years. Presently, Tina Sinclair has become the head “honchette” of this committee. She is in search of new members. You may choose to knit or crochet at a monthly lunch meeting or at home. Feel free to ask Tina about joining this vital ministry. Help HNC continue this great ministry and spread the light of the world to others. You can be the “salt” of the world!

Strategic Planning, Part I: Starting with Data THE REV. JENNIFER ANDREWS-WECKERLY

This article is part one in a four-part series summarizing the Vestry’s year-long strategic planning process.

About a year ago, the Vestry started a year-long process of defining our strategic plan for the next 3-5 years. We began our Vestry Retreat with data – feedback we had received from over 75 parishioners about what we love about Hickory Neck, and what our dreams are for Hickory Neck. We found common themes in both of these prompts. One was fellowship with the congregation: parishioners love the sense of community, welcome, and belonging; times to gather and build relationships; and the accessibility of ministry opportunities for all. Another theme was our buildings and grounds: the historic chapel, the new chapel, and our green space. Other themes included worship (in particular, the varieties of styles of worship and music, the involvement of all ages, and the focus on children’s learning within worship); formation (especially Sunday School and Tuesday night Seekers); pastoral care (both specific ministries, like healing prayers and the prayer shawl ministry, and the greater sense that HNC is there for us when we need them); and outreach (specifically, the Winter Shelter and our festivals).

When we talked about dreams for Hickory Neck, themes also arose. Around fellowship, themes included: focus on the needs of both retirees and young families; continued opportunities for fellowship and relationship build-ing; increased participation in ministries by all; and an emphasis on a culture of invitation to the outside commu-nity. The main theme for our buildings and grounds was the desire for building a new building. There were a vari-ety of desires for this new space: expanding and permanent space for The Kensington School, space for the com-munity to use (for gathering, support groups, or service opportunities), and a new kitchen to facilitate ministries within and without the parish. For formation, there were desires for more and varied adult programming, and a focus on programs for our youth and children. For pastoral care, we saw a desire to focus on the unique needs of both young families and aging members, and a desire to connect parishioners across generations. For outreach, we expressed a desire to support our aging neighbors with respite care, to expand our work with the School and scholarships, and support our community with our buildings.

Finally, the Vestry looked at the data of our surrounding community. Upper James City County is a community with two distinct populations: recent and long-term retirees who have settled here, and young families who are often buying their first homes here. Members of each of these distinct groups are often settling here without im-mediate family nearby, leading to a need for support and/or connection, in both similar and unique ways. We also noted that we have a fair amount of transition in our community: newly settled retirees sometimes experi-ence Williamsburg as their first, but not last, retirement location; some young families are here due to time-limited military service; and some young families buy a starter home here, but then move on elsewhere as jobs and family growth change needs.

As the Vestry culled through this data, a mission began to form. The mission statement, or discipleship strategy, is both declarative about who we are and who we aim to be. The statement is: We foster a loving, welcoming Christian Community with a uniquely intergenerational approach to worship, fellowship, and formation, helping us to develop a relationship with God and each other. Nourished in community, we share the love of Christ Jesus by caring for each other, serving neighbors in need, and seeking justice and peace for all people. We believe this dis-cipleship strategy includes both who we are within our community, and who we are in relationship to the wider community. We also believe this strategy reflects the unique character of the community in which we are situat-ed.

Stay tuned next month as we talk about what values we hold dear at Hickory Neck – those things we do not want to change as we look at where God is inviting us to engage in new opportunities. Also remember to join us a Sun-day Forums in March to hear about all four parts of this process.

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Treasurer’s Report FRED BOELT, TREASURER

01/31/2020

Budget Income $35,126.67

YTD Actual Income $72,177.44

Budget Expense $31,567.83

YTD Actual Expense $42,047.32

Income for January was over budget by $37,050.77. Before we become too exuberant over that, we should remember that a large portion of that is from prepaid pledges for the year. Some of that was paid late in 2019 for this year, and some has come in during the month. Non-pledge and loose plate line items were both under budget, but I think they will pick up as the year progresses.

Expenses for January were over budget by $10,479.49. While this may seem like an unusual overage, our entire HVAC contract and a large per-centage of our insurance premium were paid up front in January. At the end of the month, we were in the black by $30,130.12. Great! But we have to be careful not to let our guard down. In addition to annual pledges already in house, we count on the weekly, monthly and quarterly contributions being kept up to date.

As you read this, we have just had a jovial Shrove Tuesday followed by the imposition of ashes on Wednesday. And now, we begin to move through a solemn Lent. Let this be a time of reflection and personal spiritual development. As we consider the sacrifice made by our Lord and Savior, remember that WE ARE HICKORY NECK, and your increased offerings of the three “Ts” is a personal sacrifice to insure that we continue to SHINE OUR LIGHT bright-ly from our HOLY HILL.

Online Ways to Support HNC Give online with any major credit card for

pledges and other donations at bit.ly/HNCGive. Shop online at smile.amazon.com/ch/54-

1096929 and Amazon donates to HNC.

March Birthdays

Carolyn Gaylord 1

Benjamin Greene 1

Jessica Hughes 2

Nancy Byrd 3

Esther Gay 4

Jennie Corrales 6

Gwyneth Ross 12

Nancy Aschiero 13

Brian Dow 13

Cleve Corlett 18

Emily Roberson 19

Betty Harrison 20

Ken Parsons 20

Phyllis Faas 21

Donald McConaughy 22

Cana Andrews-Weckerly 22

Robert Brown 23

Tom Murphy 23

Bill Teale 24

Lena Poitier 25

Levi Schrack 27

Jennie Seiler 27 We want to celebrate with you! Are we missing your birthday? Update your information by con-tacting Ann King (aking@hickoryneck.org or 757 - 566-0276).

Chaplain’s Corner: Praying “For” Others CHAPLAIN DON SEETERLIN

“Pray for me”, or “pray for us”, two very common phrases within the Christian tradition. This may be a plea for help. It may be an unconscious response to a farewell among friends. Or even may be used to end an uncomfortable conversation. When we ask others to pray for us, or we offer to pray for others, I wonder if we truly appreciate the magnitude of the phrase. Are we just saying, “I will mention you in my list of supplica-tions”, and then think no more about it? Are we saying that “I have not forgotten you, and you are in my heart, and I will gladly blend my voice with yours?” Are we offering to truly intercede for those that are in need, trusting that our prayers will be heard?

Praying for others is based on a sound scriptural foundation. The Letter of James instructs us, “Are any among you suffering? Are any among you sick? They should call for the elders of the church and have them pray over them, anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord. The prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise them up…pray for one another, so that you may be healed.” (Ja. 5:13-15, NRSV) Paul takes this a step further when he reminds us that we all are to “pray without ceasing, giving thanks in all circumstanc-es; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” (1 Thess. 5:17-18 NRSV) Jesus modeled what it meant to live a life based on prayer. Jesus, the Son of God knew in the depth of His being the importance of daily pray-er and communion with God.

Praying with and for others, lifting up their needs, is an important part of our communal calling as members of Christ’s Body here on earth. But what about another aspect which may not be as evident, but in many ways is even more important? What about when life gets so tough, when pain gets so deep, or when our emotions are strained to the breaking point, that a person can only focus on breathing the next breath? What about when praying for oneself, or even one’s loved ones is just too much of an effort? These are times when, as Paul reminds us that, “The spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to (or perhaps don’t have the strength to) pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words.” (Rom. 8:26 NRSV) These are the times when praying for others takes on a whole deeper dimension.

In this time of praying, when someone asks us to pray for them, it may be much more than remem-bering their needs and hurts as a concerned friend. It may mean praying “for” them. Praying to God with words and supplications in the place of, or as a part of, the hurting individual or family. It may mean, “I know I need to pray, but I just can’t find the words or strength, so I’m depending on you to speak for me.” These are times when we are called to live into our role as Christ’s representative here on earth. As Christ regularly prayed to His heavenly Father on behalf of His followers, so too, we are called to intercede with God for those who may need our help.

The ability to pray for others is a gift from God, and so is the assurance that our prayers will be heard. Though the circumstances surrounding the need for prayer may be challenging, the ability to perform this duty is still a wondrous blessing, which I believe is the good news in all of this. Paul reminds us again, “Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer”. (Rom. 12:12) The next time someone asks you to “pray for me”, they may be doing so in an unconscious effort to end a conversation, they may be asking you to blend your voice with theirs’, or they may be reaching out to you, asking you to truly intercede and pray “for” them to Our Heavenly Father on their behalf. Rest assured, your prayers will be heard, because

“The Lord hears the prayer of the righteous.” (Prov. 15:29)

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AFRICAN TEAM MINISTRIES

Serving the church in East Africa

Look for an article in the April Nuggets and treasures for sale in the Nave on Sundays, April 19 and 26.

Festival May 16, 2020 10am – 3pm Hickory Neck Episcopal Church 8300 Richmond Road

Toano, VA

Proceeds and donations benefit local charities

Vendors Welcome

info@highfiberfestival.com ~ www.highfiberfestival.com

Save the Dates - Save the Dates - Save the Dates

Campus Clean-up Day Volunteers Needed Volunteers are needed to participate in the Campus Clean-up Day on Saturday, April 4 from 8:30 a.m. un-til 11:30 a.m. This time, we expect the clean up to be minor with some mulch and pine needles needing maintenance. Let’s all pitch in and make our campus beautiful for Easter. It is up to all of us to keep the light on our hill shining brightly. Please bring some rakes and shovels! If you need more information, contact Curtis Johnson online at curtisjohn-son4316@gmail.com.

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A“Mayes”ing Bible Facts MAYES D. MATHEWS

We continue this month to share interesting facts about your Bible that your clergy, Sunday School teachers and par-ents may not have shared with you. All these amazing facts are based on the King James translation of the Bible. They may or may not be true for other versions and translations.

When my daughter was a little girl, she loved to play with her imaginary unicorn and her My Little Pony friends. And I made the mistake one day of saying that unicorns were not real. Flowing manes and tails, powerful haunches, star filled eyes, and the predominant forehead horn were just imaginary. She was not alone in her love for unicorns as it turns out. The British Royal Crest is flanked by a pair of unicorns, In the Celtic mythology of Scotland, The Unicorn of Scotland is a symbol of feminine innocence but it is also seen as a symbol of masculinity. It appears in Scottish heraldic images as a dangerous beast that had to be chained. Accounts of unicorns are found in writings from Sweden, South Africa, Mesopotamia (in early artwork), India, China, New Zealand, Assyria, and in writings of Julius Caesar of the Ro-man Empire.

The question to be investigated here is, “What does your King James Version of the Bible say about unicorns?” The sim-ple and surprising answer is, “a lot.”

Numbers 23:22 God brought the Israelites out of Egypt with the strength of an unicorn. Numbers 24: 8 We find a second reference to the strength of an unicorn. Deuteronomy 33:17 says that the glory of God is like the horns of a firstling of a bullock (or unicorn) and his horns

are like the horns of unicorns. Psalm22:21 mentions a unicorn’s horn Psalms 92:10 also mentions the horn again Psalms 29:6 describes a unicorn skipping like a playful calf. Isiah 34:7 mentions unicorns in the same context as bulls and bullocks. Job 39:9-12 points out that although their strength is great, they are useless for agricultural work, refusing to serve

man or to harrow (or plow) the valley. Scholars feel that the Biblical unicorn was a real animal, not an imaginary creature. But no skeletal remains, bones or fossils of a unicorn have been found. No unicorns were listed as passengers in Noah’s Ark. In 1967, a song called THE UNICORN performed by the Irish Rovers, tells the faithful story of how silly unicorns would not get on the Ark because they wanted to play in the rain (listen to the Irish Rovers, The Unicorn Song, on YouTube). Case closed. But is it?

Other scholars feel that the explanation of the existence of unicorns lies hidden in the various translations leading up to the unicorn of the King James Version of the Bible. The Hebrew word for the unicorn was the re’em or wild ox (or urus or aurochs). This beast was an ancestor of the domesticated cattle of today. Re’em still flourished in early historic times and into modern times, although they are now extinct. When the Greeks translated the Hebrew Bible about 250 B.C., they used the Greek word monokerus (which means one horned) for the Hebrew word re’em. Since the re’em was extinct, the Greeks had no experience with one; so the Greeks had no word for it. And when St. Jerome then translated the Greek Bible into Latin, he used the Latin word unicorns which means one horned. However, one should note that the Latin word does not mean a one horned horse. In 1611, ra-ther than speculate, The King James translation scholars did what any scholar would do when they could not translate the Latin word directly to an English word. They made up a word – Unicorn.

Often considered by some to be the most wondrous of all mythological creatures, they have been seen as protectors of purity and chastity and valued for their ability to bestow magic, miracles, wisdom and virtue through their deeds. Those who drank from the horn of the unicorn were thought to be protected from stomach trouble, epilepsy and

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A“Mayes”ing Bible Facts continued from page 16

poisons. Others see unicorns as a breed of rhinoceros that had only one horn, that was relatively large in size, was gen-erally foul in temperament, and had not been domesticated. Their appearance may have been much like a water buffa-lo. Sometimes, we may forget that a single horn is not uncommon. A swordfish has is single horn as does a narwhal and a rhinoceros beetle. Nor is it uncommon that some animals cannot be domesticated.

The absence of a unicorn in the modern world should not cause us to doubt its past existence. Think of the dodo bird. It does not exist today but there is no doubt that it did exist in the past.

If you have an interesting Bible fact that you would like to share, please pass it on to Mayes Mathews at 757 566 0928, TURTLTREKR@GMAIL.COM or PO Box 99. Toano, VA 23168.

In Pictures: Shrove Tuesday Talent Show