toer ale es - Amazon S3s3.amazonaws.com/dfc_attachments/public/documents/3242438/E17Oct.pdftoer I am...
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October 2017 I am a cradle Episcopalian. My grandfather was an Episcopal priest in New York state during the middle years of the last century. My mother met my father because he was in the Navy in the fif- ties and his ship was stationed in New York. My grandfather entertained Episcopalian servicemen to lunch at the rectory every Sunday and it was around his dining table that romance bloomed. Given that history, it is no wonder that my sisters and I were raised as perfect little Episcopa- lian children. I well remember dressing for church over the years – the coat with the velvet collar and matching hat, the black patent Mary Janes and short white socks with lace trim, and yes, the little white gloves, just like Mommy’s. The outfit was never complete without the black patent purse that each of us carried. Before we left for church every Sunday, my father would hand each of his daughters a dime. My dime was tucked carefully into my purse, be- side the handkerchief that mother always admon- ished me to carry “just in case.” I always enjoyed the moment when the plate would come around during the offertory and I had the chance to place my dime carefully on the velvet-lined bottom. Over the years, that little black patent purse changed radically. I remember a red faux- crocodile version when I was in middle school, and for a time in the seventies, various iterations of groovy woven sacks, be-fringed and be-tasseled. There was even, I believe, for a while when I was a teenager, a chunky wooden box with a plastic handle. What did not change very much, however, was the amount I took out of those purses to add to the offertory plate. I believe I got to the point where I might have been contributing a dollar per week out of my allowance (Daddy no longer provided the dimes), but I’m sure there were many occasions when a last-minute scrabble through my wallet produced less than that. I didn’t take my little contribution very seriously. Mom and Dad did the heavy lifting where contributions to the church were concerned. That was an adult matter, better left to those who were better able. I don’t believe I ever thought about it very much – who paid for all those communion wafers, the candles, the flowers, and all the other things that support the living church, like light and heat and water. As a college student and a young adult, I didn’t show up in church very often, but then I became a mother and I wanted my own children to have that secure foundation I gained from my own childhood experience. It was not until my return to church at that time that I really gave any thought to my financial responsibility as a mem- ber. I remember sitting in the pew at Emmanuel, Greenwood, which was my church at the time, and suddenly being a little embarrassed at the few dollars which, as a stay-at-home mother, I was able to contribute. I remember thinking, if I ever went back to work, that I wanted to become one of those members who actually made a serious contribution to this institution that has been and is such an important part of my life. That was a quarter of a century ago and I am proud to say that I am now a regular contribu- tor to St. John’s, despite the fact (as I noticed with some embarrassment last week) that I really need a new purse. I cannot claim to provide the kind continued on next page From Colleen Taylor Eagle News St. John’s Episcopal Church P.O. Box 945 473 South Wayne Avenue Waynesboro, VA 22980 (540) 942-4136 [email protected]
Transcript of toer ale es - Amazon S3s3.amazonaws.com/dfc_attachments/public/documents/3242438/E17Oct.pdftoer I am...
October 2017
I am a cradle Episcopalian. My grandfather was an Episcopal priest in New York state during the middle years of the last century. My mother met my father because he was in the Navy in the fif-ties and his ship was stationed in New York. My grandfather entertained Episcopalian servicemen to lunch at the rectory every Sunday and it was around his dining table that romance bloomed.
Given that history, it is no wonder that my sisters and I were raised as perfect little Episcopa-lian children. I well remember dressing for church over the years – the coat with the velvet collar and matching hat, the black patent Mary Janes and short white socks with lace trim, and yes, the little white gloves, just like Mommy’s. The outfit was never complete without the black patent purse that each of us carried.
Before we left for church every Sunday, my father would hand each of his daughters a dime. My dime was tucked carefully into my purse, be-side the handkerchief that mother always admon-ished me to carry “just in case.” I always enjoyed the moment when the plate would come around during the offertory and I had the chance to place my dime carefully on the velvet-lined bottom.
Over the years, that little black patent purse changed radically. I remember a red faux-crocodile version when I was in middle school, and for a time in the seventies, various iterations of groovy woven sacks, be-fringed and be-tasseled. There was even, I believe, for a while when I was a teenager, a chunky wooden box with a plastic handle. What did not change very much, however, was the amount I took out of those purses to add to the offertory plate. I believe I got to the point
where I might have been contributing a dollar per week out of my allowance (Daddy no longer provided the dimes), but I’m sure there were many occasions when a last-minute scrabble through my wallet produced less than that. I didn’t take my little contribution very seriously. Mom and Dad did the heavy lifting where contributions to the church were concerned. That was an adult matter, better left to those who were better able. I don’t believe I ever thought about it very much – who paid for all those communion wafers, the candles, the flowers, and all the other things that support the living church, like light and heat and water.
As a college student and a young adult, I didn’t show up in church very often, but then I became a mother and I wanted my own children to have that secure foundation I gained from my own childhood experience. It was not until my return to church at that time that I really gave any thought to my financial responsibility as a mem-ber. I remember sitting in the pew at Emmanuel, Greenwood, which was my church at the time, and suddenly being a little embarrassed at the few dollars which, as a stay-at-home mother, I was able to contribute. I remember thinking, if I ever went back to work, that I wanted to become one of those members who actually made a serious contribution to this institution that has been and is such an important part of my life.
That was a quarter of a century ago and I am proud to say that I am now a regular contribu-tor to St. John’s, despite the fact (as I noticed with some embarrassment last week) that I really need a new purse. I cannot claim to provide the kind
continued on next page
From Colleen Taylor
Eagle NewsSt. John’s Episcopal Church P.O. Box 945
473 South Wayne AvenueWaynesboro, VA 22980
(540) [email protected]
October 2017Eagle News
Page 2(540) 942-4136 [email protected]
of financial support that many of our members do. I’m sure that the amount of my contribution is somewhere in the middle, less than I wish but more than that with which I am quite comfort-able. I do not tithe, but I would like to get to the point where I do, someday. I read somewhere that tithing is not for the church’s benefit, but for the benefit of the person who is doing it. That’s some good food for thought. Nevertheless, I try to push myself a little bit every year. Adding a small amount to my weekly check every year or two builds up over time.
During this period of transition, it is hard to know exactly where we are going financially, but my hope is that soon we will have called our next rector and the future will be a little clearer. I am grateful for everything St. John’s and the Episcopal church have poured so bountifully into my life and into the lives of my children. I am hopeful for the future. I hope you will join me in pushing yourself just a little bit this year. Good times are coming. Let’s be absolutely sure the lights are still on when they get here.
Thanks to all of you for all you do to make St. John’s the great place it is. I’ll see you on Sun-day, with or without that new purse.
Peace, Colleen Taylor
continued from first pageA Lesson on ReceivingFrom A Grateful Parishioner
If we’re not careful, it’s easy to become lost in the long, green season of Pentecost. Summer vaca-tions, the back-to-school rush and the autumnal equinox have all come in rapid succession as we plunge headlong into the month of October. Though the days are shorter and the maple trees in front of the high school are beginning to turn, we continue to observe Pentecost during the Church year we celebrate.
Turning the Church calendar back to the Fourth Sunday after Pentecost, the faithful forty-three who gathered for the 10:00 a.m. service at St. John’s heard The Reverend Denise Guinta fo-cus on both giving and receiving. To me, Denise vividly articulated that a willingness to receive went along with giving like peas and carrots. For someone who previously had a disposition towards self-reliance, this was a novel concept. This new approach ran at a right angle to the past practice of not looking to others for help – to include friends, family and parishioners!
It’s amazing how sickness can render the self-reliant quite low and downright helpless. With two major surgeries and ensuing hospital stays spaced four weeks apart and precious little family at hand, the Saints at St. John’s came forth en masse to help me along the road to recov-ery. Not being able to drive during two differ-ent eight-day stints, rides to and from Augusta Health, delicious homebound meals and col-lective prayer made the recovery much easier. Throughout the time of recuperation, the words of Denise’s July 2nd homily continued to speak to me; it’s okay (even mandated) to receive.
In summation, this experience has surely changed my thought process. Please know how grateful I remain for all of your prayers during my infirmity and the help during the road to recov-ery. Receiving the many kindnesses from my fellow parishioners has genuinely been one of life’s most Christ-like benevolences.
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For as in one body we have many members, and not all the members have the same function, so we who are many are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of anoth-er.
Romans 12:4
St. Paul’s use of the Body of Christ as a metaphor for the Church is an apt description of the interconnectedness of the members of a congregation (as well as the congregation’s relationship to the larger Church). St. Paul asserts that each part of the Body is related to and affected by every other part. The hand cannot say to the eye “I don’t need you.” This is not just a hoped-for goal of the Church; it is indeed an accurate description of how things actually work.
Family Systems Theory: The Congrega-tion as a System – This parish-wide gathering on October 22 provides an introduction to Rabbi Edwin Friedman’s family systems theory and its particular application in times of tran-sition in congregations.
The purpose of looking at a congrega-tion through the lens of family systems theory is not to diagnose, but to understand. When one understands what makes a congregation function in both healthy and unhealthy ways, one is better positioned to bring health to a community. Through self-differentiated lead-ership by both clergy and laity, congregations can move forward, focusing on their strengths and living out of their positives.
I hope to see you there for good discussion and fellowship!
Denise+
Youth GroupFrom Fran Gomez
We had a great time and a good turn-out at our youth group kickoff. We had seven kids and made five beautiful tie blankets in less than two hours. Everyone was interested in doing this again. We have a crafty group that enjoyed working with their hands. Please stay tuned and we will try to work out our schedules for another blanket-mak-ing gathering.
We did talk to the WARM shelter about hosting a Halloween party again for the kids. There are cur-rently 14 children at the shelter ranging in ages from 5 to 18. Please mark your calendars to help with the Halloween party on Sunday, October 29.
Water Main Break On August 24 an eight-inch water main broke on 13th Street, causing muddy water to flow into the church and along the sidewalks on Wayne Avenue. Read the article in the News-Virginian.
A big thank you to our Sexton, Tony Balser who stayed at the church most of that night to keep ahead of the flood as much as possible. By the time Sunday came and the Bishop was here, you would never have known there was water and mud in the 13th Street hall, in the classrooms and up the hall past the meeting room.
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Episcopal ChurchWomen News
Thanks to Katie Sullivan for our class on scarf ty-ing. She did an excellent job.
ECW MeetingOctober 8, 9:30 a.m. in the Parish Hall.
Bazaar Planning and WorkdayOctober 5 and October 19, 10:00 a.m. in the 13th Street room. All-occasion cards and jewelry-mak-ing.
ECW LunchTuesday, October 24 at 11:45 a.m. at Stella Bella & Lucy’s on Main Street in Waynesboro. Please let the office know you plan to attend by Thursday, October 19.
Holiday Bazaar 2017Saturday and Sunday, November 11 & 12 in the Parish Hall.
There will be more room to spread out and make it the best year yet! Food, crafts, and so on; all ideas are welcome! We will be calling you for donations of baked goods. If you have something special that you would like to donate, please give Donna a call so she can put it on our list. We want to fill the Parish Hall this year with lots of good-ies and crafts. SAVE YOUR BOOKS; we will have a “book table” also.
Homebound MealsThe homebound meal delivery schedule is now posted on the Mission board. We have Route A again. It is much easier if there are two people, one to drive and one to deliver. Team up with a friend, or just sign up for days that work for you and join up with someone else who is available the same day. This is a very worthwhile cause to help those who can’t get out to get their meals. Check your schedules and sign up now!
Disciples KitchenDisciples Kitchen was held Mon-day, September 11 at Second Presbyterian Church. We served 60 persons plus 9 takeouts. Thanks to those parishioners who supplied
hot dogs and buns along with cole slaw, baked beans, peaches and brownies. To our volunteers who cooked, plated, and served the meal, thanks for your time and energy. This is just one mission that St John's is involved in our community. We welcome parishioners to sign up to share their time, talent and treasures the next time we serve.
Adult Sunday SchoolFrom Amy Bihl
Adult Sunday School class will meet on the first and third Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 10:15 a.m., in the library. Although there is cer-tainly room for discussion on expanding the format and topics of this class, we will begin by using a curriculum called Living the Good News to begin this year.
Living the Good News is a lectionary based curriculum. There is great benefit in using the lectionary based curriculum as it helps reinforce the message from the sermon each week. Also, since it is based on scripture it always provides an excellent opportunity to open our Bibles together.
Another advantage to this curriculum is that we have chosen a multigenerational set. This means that the classes will be written for all ages.
October 1, 2017 will have a focus on “Act-ing in Faith.” Scripture content: Jesus’ parable of the two sons illustrates the nature of true obedience.
October 15, 2017 will have a focus of ‘”Ban-quet of Plenty.” Scripture content: Jesus com-pares the coming of the messianic kingdom to a wedding banquet to which all are invited.
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The Episcopal Diocese of Southwestern Virginia, in partnership with other faith commu-nities and community organizations, is convening three community conversations across Southwestern Virginia entitled Pursuing the Beloved Community: A Continuing Conversa-tion on Race.Each event will feature a presentation by Dr. Wornie Reed, Director of the Race and Social Policy Research Center and Professor of Sociology and Africana Studies at Virginia Tech. Following Dr. Reed's presentation, there will be question and answer time as well as in-formal discussion. The next events are: Roanoke, VA | October 25, 2017 | 6:00-7:30 p.m.Northwest Community Center Wytheville, VA | November 8, 2017 | 6:00-7:30 p.m.
The event will be live-streamed via YouTube at the following link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h5GgtARL9Ak
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The Mission of St. John’s Episcopal Church is to worship and serve God as we:Pray, Proclaim the gospel, Promote spiritual growth, justice, peace and love.
Affirmed by the Vestry, December 2008
All articles are due in the church office not later than the 15th of each month.Early items are always accepted. Thank you for being kind and on time.
Deadline for November issue: October 15
October Birthdays2) Robin Hersey5) Richard Smith9) Anne Edgecomb, Richard Reynolds 10) Douglas Stegura13) Susan Siebken15) Dennis Bassett, Rose Boyd16) Justin Stegura20) Jill Sullivan29) Martha Wood
October Anniversaries1) Dianne and Dennis Bassett17) Kathe and Tom Maneval25) Kim and Vann Vernier31) Susan and Dan Jenny
2017 Vestry Members Amy Bihl
George Buzzard
Dale Diacont
June Elliott
Warren Elliott
Kathy Garber
Gerrie Kerby
Richard Smith
Alex Sullivan
Nancy Rogers
Colleen Taylor
Freddie Zeh
August Attendance 2016 20171st 65 83
2nd 89 80
3rd 87 57
4th 66 80
Eucharistic VisitorOctober 1 Jeanmarie Sharretts visits Lou Hersey
