REMEMBERING JERRY SHAVER:
I met Jerry about 7 years ago. He was a tall, good looking man with an easy smile and wink. He had piercing eyes that I was convinced could see the inside of your soul. He had the ability to sense when life was not as you wanted it or when life was bubbling over in joy. For either of those times he was there and wanted to be a part of both. Jerry was a man to whom you could tell your inner thoughts and did not question or judge you, nor did I ever have a fear that these things would be shared with anyone else. He guarded his friendships. He respected his friends.
What did I learn from Jerry? Important lessons I hope to carry forth in my life and hopefully pass on to others. One day I was so upset with the world (ok, maybe more with myself than the world) and I am shaking my finger at him, not even realizing I was doing it. He gently held my hand and closed the shaking finger and looked into my eyes – we both began laughing over my anger. The lesson learned was a way of teaching through gentle guiding and kindness -- a way to quiet the soul rather than stir the anger. A lesson I will never forget.
Jerry had a wealth of knowledge, from religion to how to how to fix anything that I could break. Jerry and I served as joint Junior Wardens. Junior Wardens in the Episcopal Church take care of all maintenance of the church. When we took this job I don’t think either of us knew how much maintenance Emmanuel required! Even when Jerry was out of town, I would track him down and say, “Jerry, WE have a problem.” His reply was “Well, kid…” And we would go from there.
Jerry and I discussed religion quite a bit together. He loved the Episcopal Church and all it stood for. His faith was strong. Answers that he needed he looked for. He asked questions, he studied and read He knew when to search and when to quietly wait for the answers to come from above. He was a man comfortable with his God. There is no doubt that our Jerry is now surrounded by his family, friends and Lord and he is looking down on us with a smile and wink...saying “I am here, I am fine and I will see you when it is your time. Until then ... smile, laugh, and lend a helping hand. Fight for your causes, help those that come in your path. For each is sent to us for a purpose and a journey.”
Well, my dear friend, I love you and I treasure all my memories and what I have gained through our time together.
In loving memory,
Kim Pifer
June 03, 2008
CROSS ROADS:
It was about eight years ago that Barbara and I decided to make Mineral County our permanent home. Back then we anticipated that I would be retired by 2005 or so. We had been building our vacation home near Fort Ashby for many years, but it now needed some upgrading for year-round occupation.
In 1973 we built a vacation home that was cozy for us and our two children. But then we had a third child and the place got just a little cozier. By 1982 our family enjoyed going there so much that we decided to make a major addition. I had a sabbatical, so for five months Barbara and I worked from dawn until dust, six days a week, building a massive stone addition. The stone part was not really attached to the original house, but was rather very close, connected by a passageway. Our children all worked along side of us. At the end of that time, from moving about 120 tons of stone and mixing about 100 tons of concrete, we all were as lean and muscular as we have ever been.
Over the years memories had been made and additions and refinements had been added in a somewhat higgledy-piggledy fashion. We have used Shepherd’s Croft for our own vacations but also for church retreats and staff planning sessions. It is a peaceful place where people have often been deeply aware of God’s presence. Several years ago when we decided that we would retire there, we knew some special work would be required. Better insulation and a heating system. Major renovation of existing space and creation of new areas for traffic flow and all season living.
So we did something we’d never done before. We hired an architect to help us figure out what we wanted and how best to help it happen. We were no longer just playing on our vacations but actually planning for our long-term future. We looked at the way we lived and how we anticipated living in the next stage of our life. We had a ball just doing the dreaming and planning. We were dealing not only with the intangibles of our future hopes but also with the stone and mortar realities of two very different buildings that we now wanted to harmonize and expand. The architect understood our hopes and although we ended up not using his plans, he helped us dream big as we developed our own plans.
Then we had to put the project out to bid. One contractor scratched and shook his head in disbelief. One didn’t even return our phone call. And one, Dan, said he’d do it but he couldn’t give us a price. It would have to be time and materials, otherwise, he explained, he’d have to charge us way too much to cover his own risks. Dan wore a cap that had “JESUS” emblazoned on the front. The front of his truck proclaims, “Thanks be to God.” He was pleased that I am a preacher. So after some discussion we shook hands on the deal, having only an impression and high hopes about how much work we could actually get done on our budget.
Since I was working full-time in Cincinnati, Barbara was the overseer of construction. Rather than being in the thick of all the decisions that had to be made – where to bury the propane tank, at what height should a window be placed – I had to be satisfied with telephone reports and occasional visits. Happily, a Godly spirit seemed to guide us through all the changes. Dan and his crew were not only fair, but were hard working and imaginative too, with never a bad word or cross look on the work site.
The project was completed nearly on time and almost within budget. We were delighted with the way our vacation cabin had been transformed into a home we continue to love. Since that major renovation, we have added a garage with a guest apartment above it. Three Amish carpenters built us a beautiful gazebo. We continue to work on our home right up to the present moment with me, this week, building a new deck off our dining room. We anticipate that this is a life-long project that will continue to invite our creativity and energy.
I am sure there is a parable in all of this for our parish life. Planning for the future, hiring the right consultants and contractors, having to trust what is happening even when we cannot see the tangible results, getting occasional bulletins that help us believe that there really is a future out there somewhere. That seems to be the likely story that will unfold for Emmanuel in the coming couple of years. My hope is that I will be with you throughout this transition and beyond. I will pray for our deepened awareness of God’s presence.
For the summer, we have some plans that are described in the article Sunday Mornings in this edition of The Vine. I look forward to knowing the parish community better.
In Christ,
+Martin Townsend
SUNDAY MORNINGS:
After some hospital and nursing home visits, several meetings, and only two Sundays with you, the people of Emmanuel Church, I am forming some tentative impressions. Most apparent to me is that this is a community that has “welcome” as a guiding principal. I love the presence of so many young people who obviously feel at home here. And thank you all for the kind way in which you have invited Barbara and me into your lives. I am greatly looking forward to our time together.
In some of the meetings that I have had with Vestry and others, it is apparent that the parish leadership has been working very hard during the interim time with Mother Joyce since Fr. Joe Mackov left seventeen months ago. (Fr. Joe and I were friends with each other years ago when we were both young priests in the Diocese of Washington.) There is a consensus that the leadership people need a break, so we can relax a little during the summer and not crank up a whole lot of programming. We will restart the midweek Eucharist and a daytime Bible Study in September.
In the mean time, we do have a Sunday morning schedule that invites education in the 9 o’clock hour. Sharon Floyd, ever faithful, will continue to have Sunday School for the very young throughout the summer. Below is what I plan to do from 9:10 until 9:45 a.m. for adults, including high school students, in the parish hall.
June 8th How Does Scripture Mean?
- the difference between fact and truth
June 15th The Hebrew Scriptures
- the early history of God
June 22nd The New Testament
- remember that God is human too
June 29th The Early Church
- Jesus gets institutionalized
July 6, 13, 20th BREAK
July 27th Why I Love the Episcopal Church
- balance in an out-of-kilter world
August 3rd Questions that You’ve Always Had About the Episcopal Church
- but were afraid to ask
August 10th BREAK
August 17th Report from The Lambeth Conference*
- see the brief description below
August 24th Questions that Have Arisen During the Summer
- no taboo topics
Each of these sessions is designed to stand alone, so please come if you can only make a few of them. I suggest that we gather for coffee around 9 o’clock and be seated for the program by 9:10. My style of lecturing encourages questions and discussion.
Also during the summer I hope to get to know the parish. If you would like me to visit you in your home, please let me know by calling the Parish Office. If you are unable to come to church, I’d be happy to bring you communion. Our parish secretary, June, will be in the office on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays. My regular days in the office and making calls will be Tuesday and Wednesday.
Blessings on your summer.
+Martin Townsend
*The Lambeth Conference
Wednesday, July 16, 2008 - Monday, August 04, 2008
Location: Canterbury, England
The Lambeth Conference, one of the gathering points (technically called an “Instrument of Communion”) for the global Anglican Communion, will be held July 16-August 4 in Canterbury, England. It is convened every 10 years at the invitation of the Archbishop of Canterbury and is an opportunity for the Anglican Communion's bishops to meet for worship, study and conversation. Archbishops, bishops, assistant and suffragan bishops within the Communion are invited. Also invited to attend are bishops from other churches 'in communion' with the Anglican Communion, bishops from United Churches, along with a number of ecumenical guests. (I attended the last Lambeth Conference in 1998 – MGT)
In addition to the more than 800 bishops who attend, their spouses are invited by the Archbishop of Canterbury's wife to a parallel gathering: the Spouses Conference.
For further information visit: http://www.lambethconference.org
“THE WAR DEPARTMENT”:
By David Rankin, Music Director
A choral director of my acquaintance once referred to her church choir as "the war department."
Musical preferences seem to evoke strong emotions. During the past couple of decades, a great deal of ink has been spilled over the so-called "worship wars," pitting proponents of "traditional" against those of "contemporary" worship and music. There's no point in taking sides, since both make valid points, and both labor under false assumptions as well. If you really want to get inside the topic, check out Trouble at the Table: Gathering the Tribes for Worship, by Carol Doran and Thomas Troeger, and Reaching Out without Dumbing Down by Marva Dawn. I have both books, and will gladly loan them out.
Traditional and contemporary styles in Christian worship have always been blended. The Apostles themselves continued to worship in synagogue and temple, singing the "traditional" songs from the book of Psalms and other Hebrew scripture. Indeed, some of the tunes Jesus might have sung are in our Hymnal! The plainchant setting of the Lord's Prayer (S119), for instance, is supposed to be derived from the synagogue cantillation for the book of Zechariah, and every good Jewish boy (as presumably our Lord was) would have learnt it and sung it in synagogue occasionally. Very soon, though, Christians began composing their own "contemporary" hymns, some of which are dispersed through the New Testament (Ephesians 5:14 and I Timothy: 3-16, for instance, and throughout the book of Revelation).
It is an intentional choice to continue this practice at Emmanuel Church, for several reasons:
o The "meat and potatoes" (or should that be "fruit and vegetables") of our musical diet, from the Hymnal 1982, represent the fruit of centuries of culling and pruning, and provide strong spiritual sustenance;
o Our congregation is incredibly diverse in experience, despite outward appearance. We have former enthusiastic Pentecostals, Baptists, Methodists, dour Calvinists, Atheists, Roman Catholics, eccentric Orthodox, the occasional cradle Anglican, and only our Lord knows who else, who all know different songs, and who each have an expectation that Church will "sound" a certain way;
o We are blessed by the presence of children and young adults, who need music to channel their energy and nourish their souls, and who are incredibly open, not locked into any one style of music as their elders might think (nor as their elders are!), but willing to learn chant, Baroque anthems, Peterkin songs, and Christian rock with equal enthusiasm;
o Most importantly, we all need the chance to listen to and sing each others' songs. It isn't always the easiest. It takes courage. It takes patience. Honoring each other in this way is part and parcel of how our Lord wants us to be together.
The two paragraphs below appear on our church website. I thought it would be good to share them with the readers of this newsletter as well:
"And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teach and admonish one another in all wisdom, and sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." Colossians 3.14-17
On any Sunday, you may find the ten o'clock congregation singing great hymns of the faith from the Hymnal 1982, gospel songs from Lift Every Voice and Sing II, simple refrains from Taizé, South African freedom songs, and unaccompanied plainsong. Harmony for us means blending our traditions, honoring each others' preferences, and sharing the abundant diversity of Anglican worship and song in a spirit of unity and gratitude to God our Father.
Music is a place where mind and heart meet in intimate harmony. It is a place, where, because it integrates mind and heart, healing can begin.
QUESTIONS (A POEM):
[Editor’s Note: This poem was written composed by John D’Elisa, whom we deeply miss. It originally appeared in the Spring 2006 edition of The Vine, but I felt it was appropriate to run it again in memory of a truly wonderful man and a friend to us all. I doubt any of us can forget his vivacity and his profound relationship with Jesus Christ.]
How know we Lord, from where to go?
How know we that our lives might grow
a glimmer, yea a spark, of the true love
which preachers do extol amidst the Sunday show?
How is it that I fear my very self; the nature in me that is quick to err?
May not I cast away that which is loath in me and keep that only which is fair?
Where may I seek to fill this void in me?
How can I find some peace; what is my lot?
How may I be a better person, helping others?
Can I yet change my life to be what I am not?
I may not know the answers to these questions.
But I need not fear the future; nor know what horrors or what pleasures I may see.
I only know, through faith, that I must walk this path of life, and hearken to Him who bids us, “Follow me.”
~John D’Elisa, 2006
NOTE FROM THE EDITOR:
Hopefully you've noticed that The Vine Newsletter has a far more professional appearance this time around, especially with the beautiful logo on the front page and the information at the bottom of each page. These elements were specially designed for Emmanuel Church by a very dear friend of mine, a brilliantly skilled graphic artist named Erin Coslett-McBride. Erin lives in the suburbs of Atlanta, Georgia, with her husband and young daughter (who, by the way, just celebrated her first birthday). She was also responsible for creating the exceptional line drawing of Emmanuel Church (that includes the new Parish Hall) that greets all visitors to our official website. In case you haven't seen this, here it is:
I'd also like to take this opportunity to extend my great appreciation to Nancy Marshall as well, since she has brought incredible beauty to our church with her peerless stained glass designs; she also performs the important task of maintaining the beauty of the church by cleaning it. That can't be an easy job yet she does so very thoroughly and with a great smile.
Once again I'll make my plea (which is quickly becoming a mantra) to you for more material to keep our little newsletter going. Please consider contributing some articles, recipes, poems, book reviews, photographs -- anything that would make The Vine more interesting -- because Bishop Martin, Kim Pifer, David Rankin and I can only do just so much. You may submit materials to June Cooper (the kindly Parish Secretary), or if you're technologically inclined, feel free to send them directly to me via email. My email address is shakjula@mindspring.com.
And there's a bit of semi-exciting news! We've created a special "blog" (short for "web log", which is essentially an on-line journal in case you were wondering) for all of the sermons, newsletters, press releases, and other things that come from Emmanuel Church. It is connected to our main website, but it's much easier and faster to update. If you'd like to view these items (especially to re-read Bishop Martin's sermons) without going through the main site, the direct address is http://emmanuelepiscopalchurchwv.blogspot.com/.
In the months to come, I'm hoping to bring more information into The Vine about our most important resource -- YOU. I'll be contacting individuals so that we can work on a "Getting To Know You" section, where the readers of this newsletter can learn more about the various personalities who make Emmanuel Church the beautiful, loving community it is.
At the end of The Vine, you'll notice that there's a coloring page for people to color/paint/decorate in an extravagant manner. It's included for the children of our parish, but frankly there's nothing preventing those of us with the inclination to whip out the crayons for a bit of fun.
DAY OF PRAYER FOR THE LAMBETH CONFERENCE:
In a letter to the Episcopal Church, Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori has called for a day of prayer for the Lambeth Conference.
June 4, 2008
To the people of The Episcopal Church:
As we move toward a great gathering of bishops from across the Anglican Communion, I call this whole Church to a Day of Prayer on 22 June. The Lambeth Conference represents one important way of building connections and relationships between churches in vastly different contexts, and reminding us of the varied nature of the Body of Christ. I would bid your prayers for openness of spirit, vulnerability of heart, and eagerness of mind, that we might all learn to see the Spirit at work in the other. I bid your prayers for a peaceful spirit, a lessening of tension, and a real willingness to work together for the good of God’s whole creation.
As many of you know, the Anglican Communion is one of the largest networks of human connection in the world. Churches are to be found beyond the ends of paved or dirt roads, ministering to and with people in isolated and difficult situations. That far-flung network is the result, in part, of seeds planted by a colonial missionary history. The fruit that has resulted is diverse and local, and indeed, unpalatable to some in other parts of the world. Our task at the Lambeth Conference is to engage that diverse harvest, discover its blessings and challenges, and commit ourselves to the future of this network. We must begin to examine the fruit of our colonial history, in a transparent way and with great humility, if we are ever going to heal the wounds of the past, which continue into the present. With God’s help, that is possible. I ask your prayers. I can think of no better starting place than the prayer for the Church (BCP p 515):
O God of unchangeable power and eternal light: Look favorably on your whole Church, that wonderful and sacred mystery; by the effectual working of your providence, carry out in tranquility the plan of salvation; let the whole world see and know that things which were cast down are being raised up, and things which had grown old are being made new, and that all things are being brought to their perfection by him through whom all things were made, your Son Jesus Christ our Lord; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
I remain
Your servant in Christ,
+Katharine Jefferts Schori
WISDOM FROM THE FATHERS OF THE CHURCH:
From St. Cyril of Jerusalem's Lectures on the Christian Sacraments:
Therefore with fullest assurance let us partake as of the Body and Blood of Christ: for in the figure of Bread is given to thee His Body, and in the figure of Wine His Blood; that thou by partaking of the Body and Blood of Christ, mightest be made of the same body and the same blood with Him. For thus we come to bear Christ in us, because His Body and Blood are diffused through our members; thus it is that, according to the blessed Peter, we become partakers of the divine nature. [2 Peter 1:4]
RECIPE OF THE MONTH:
Beef Stew
This recipe came from Al and Sarah Crall, and it has been enjoyed by many of us at the Sunday Brunch following the 10 o'clock Holy Eucharist.
Preparation time:
20 minutes (ready in 10 hours, 20 minutes). Yield: 5 (1 1/2 cup) servings. I have not tried this crock pot recipe yet but modified it for the stove top version served at Coffee Hour.
Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds beef stew meat cut into 3/4 inch pieces (I will use chuck or cheaper)
4 medium carrots cut into 1/2 inch slices
3 medium red potatoes, unpeeled, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 large onion, cut into 1-inch pieces
3 cups vegetable juice cocktail
3 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca
3 teaspoons beef flavor instant bouillon
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Method:
1. In 3 1/2 to 4-quart slow cooker, combine all ingredients; mix well.
2. Cover; cook on low setting for 9 to 10 hours.
Kitchen Tip: For food safety reasons, recipes made in a slow cooker need to reach a safe cooking temperature (140 degrees F.) within 3 hours. That's why it isn't a good idea to assemble ingredients and refrigerate them or use frozen ingredients. It's also hard for the cooker to regain its temperature when you remove the lid, so avoid peeking until the cooking time is nearly over. No stirring is necessary while this stew cooks.
Notes:
I adapted the recipe for the stovetop preparation in the following ways:
1. I omitted the tapioca and instead used corn starch (mixed with small amounts of cold water) at the end of the cooking.
2. I browned the beef and onions. (I will probably brown the beef when I use the crock pot because it seals in the juices and prevents the formation of granules in the juices.
3. I quadrupled the recipe.
4. I thoroughly scrubbed the potatoes and removed all eyes and any bad spots and I peeled the carrots.
5. I used sirloin.
Recipe adapted from Pillsbury Doughboy Family Pleasing Recipes. Clarkson Potter. New York, 2001. Page 74.
NEW NATIONAL EPISCOPAL CHURCH ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN:
David Rankin brought this new initiative to our attention, and it really does capture a bit of the Episcopal Church we have all experienced. Here's the sample advertisement that will appear in newspapers across the United States:
There is also an accompanying television advertisement, which you may view by visiting www.putyourfaithtowork.org.
Sunday, June 8, 2008
Impromptu Jam Session...
Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Sermon for Pentecost/Mother's Day (May 11, 2008)
Acts 2:1-11 May 11th, 2008
John 7:37-39 Pentecost/Mother’s Day
In the Name of God, who is Spirit and who is Holy. Amen
Pentecost is an excellent day on which to begin a new chapter in a parish’s unfolding story. And when you add Mother’s Day to the mix, then we are triple blessed. For the next few minutes I will try to keep those three realities of mother, church, and new beginning in focus.
A while back, Barbara, my wife, was in Williamsburg helping her mother move from her apartment into an assisted living unit. Mom has not been very happy with the new arrangement. She was reluctant to give up some of the trinkets she has gathered over the years, reluctant to acknowledge the necessary changes in her life, but new circumstances required some letting go of old memorabilia. So Barbara returned to Fort Ashby with some things of her mother’s. We have hung in our home a Bavarian cuckoo clock that has hung in Mom’s dining room for as long as I can remember.
Mom’s name is Agnes and she is 95 years old, the last surviving of Barbara’s and my parents. For the past 44 years she has been a great mother-in-law and I love her dearly. Even though she grumbles at times, she can be funny and even a bit flirtatious, as she has always liked to be. When Barbara and I last visited, we took Mom out to lunch. She told us where she’d like to eat. She studied the menu with care. A gin and tonic, she thought, was in order. We had a good time together.
Over the past couple of years Mom has taken some falls that knock the stuffing out of her for a while. Her emotions are frayed and she is lonely, even though she has a lot of company, and she is fearful but does not know of what.
If it is a painful thing to see our parents as they struggle with changing life circumstances. I can only suppose that it is much worse to be on the inside of that struggle, trying to make sense of changes that don’t seem fair or necessary. Mom has adapted to using a walker, but she is rebelling against the other changes going on in her life. She does not like the sense that the boundaries of her life are shrinking. She does not like this new feeling that the world is somehow alien, perhaps even hostile. When she says she wants to go home, that means where she lived until fifteen years ago.
She did not used to be like that. As a young mother of three daughters – Barbara being the middle child – Agnes would push her girls out into the world to explore and to meet new people. Barbara tells stories from her childhood about forts built by the creek behind her home, and about playing with friends, unsupervised for hours. By contrast, our two grandchildren in Colorado hardly ever have an unsupervised moment. When Barbara was called home it was not because the world was dangerous but because supper was ready. Barbara remembers once when a man came to their house. It was the late 1940s, employment was scarce in upstate New York, and the man was looking for a meal. In those days they were called hobos. Mom made him a sandwich and talked with him as he ate it on the porch. It was simple hospitality.
Throughout her life, Mom has loved to play music. When Barbara and I were dating, as we walked up the pathway to her home we could hear Mom playing her Wurlitzer organ. She rarely played for any audience other than herself.
Above all, from her mother Barbara knew with complete conviction that she was loved. Her mother told her that regularly. No comparisons were made nor were conditions laid down. Barbara and her sisters were loved, and not much was feared.
Mom was widowed ten years ago. We, her family, all worried that she’d miss her husband so much that she’d shrink inside herself. Though she still misses Gerry, she did anything but shrink. She continued to make new friends in the retirement community to which they had moved a few years earlier. It is in the nature of retirement communities that the population turns over with some regularity. It is important to make new friends. In the years of her being a widow she has seemed even more unapologetically herself. She became a bit more connected to her faith. In her better moments she has had a sense of moving onward.
But moving onward doesn't always mean a cheerful journey. The death of someone we love is a burden to carry. Onward for my mother-in-law meant making a new life after 60 years of a partnership in which she had become a mother and grandmother and great-grandmother. Onward for Barbara and her sisters means feeling less grounded, less able to relax while Mom carries on. And Mom does carry on, often irascible, sometimes charming, and occasionally confounding. She loved Bill Clinton and would have kept on voting for him; and now she loves George W. Bush just as much. Loves ‘em both. Go figure.
And in all of that, Agnes might not be a bad image for how the church is called to be. Today is the Feast of Pentecost, the birthday of the Church. And it’s a day when my life is joining with yours, so it’s a new birth for all of us.
One of the medieval images used to describe the Church is “Mother.” It does seem to me that Mother Church is a lot like my beloved mother-in-law. She is in danger of becoming brittle in her old age. We are irascible and contentious about things that either do not matter or that Jesus would resolve simply by opening his arms a little wider, welcoming a few more people into the family. We are often pretty good at feeding people who are hungry – but too often we do it through the safe distance of an anonymous check.
I fear that the church is no longer the young mother who sends her children out to meet new people and to explore, unsupervised for hours. The church has become old, pre-occupied with fear, caught up in worldly conflicts and forgetting that her Lord makes all things new, young again. How might it be if we, as church, decided that the most important thing was to make sure that we each are loved – without comparison and without condition. Loved.
- How might it be if we sat down with someone who is eating a needed sandwich and we talked with them for a while? Not trying to straighten them out, but just being a kind ear.
- How might it be if we loved equally people on both sides of a political divide?
- How might it be if we made music and danced for the pure delight of it?
- How might it be if we were all encouraged to explore the world in which we live – explore it without fear of being so closely supervised that we are nervous about our own thoughts and questionings.
This morning’s reading from the Acts of the Apostles describes the puzzling and happy chaos of the earliest disciples of Jesus as they felt a new Spirit move amongst them.
This was an adventurous spirit that embraced people across every imaginable line of division. This spirit was one that made all things new and propelled the early believers out into the world as ambassadors of God’s love for all people. The promise of that spirit is what embraces Emmanuel Church in Keyser, WV, as we gather today.
We live in a fearful and backward-looking age, in which the church sometimes seems trapped in nostalgia, convinced of its own rightness and resentful of new ideas, trapped in a religiosity that is more interested in being safe than in being either adventurous or generous.
We forget that we come from adventurers like Abraham and Moses and Paul and most particularly Jesus. They were guided only by promise and hope. Those whose faith we claim never knew what was around the next bend. They only trusted that God was with them. And we all know that that is what “Emmanuel” means – God with us. Both personally and institutionally, as we try to protect what we have earned, created or horded, we forget that Jesus promised a new creation, more in the tradition of Moses the adventurer than of the Pharisees who had transformed faith from a lively relationship with God into a set of rules.
We are called to better than that. We are called to love one another and to love strangers. We are called to love people at all points of any political spectrum. We are called to a lively relationship with God, not to an obligation to maintain the political balance of an ancient institution.
Do not forget for a moment that we are called to serve the hungry, not to argue about doctrine. We are called to welcome the stranger amongst us, not check credentials and vie for status.
So on this Feast of Pentecost I give thanks for my mother-in-law Agnes. I give thanks for the way she pushed her daughters out into the world to be adventurous. And I give thanks for all mothers who have taught their children that the world is an exciting place to explore, that the hungry should be fed, and that they- both the children and the hungry - are loved without comparison and without condition.
As we all begin together this new Pentecost for Emmanuel, may Mother Church grow in such an understanding of what it means to be church.
Thanks be to God. Amen.
Sermon by Bishop Martin Townsend, D.D., Priest-in-Charge
John 7:37-39 Pentecost/Mother’s Day
In the Name of God, who is Spirit and who is Holy. Amen
Pentecost is an excellent day on which to begin a new chapter in a parish’s unfolding story. And when you add Mother’s Day to the mix, then we are triple blessed. For the next few minutes I will try to keep those three realities of mother, church, and new beginning in focus.
A while back, Barbara, my wife, was in Williamsburg helping her mother move from her apartment into an assisted living unit. Mom has not been very happy with the new arrangement. She was reluctant to give up some of the trinkets she has gathered over the years, reluctant to acknowledge the necessary changes in her life, but new circumstances required some letting go of old memorabilia. So Barbara returned to Fort Ashby with some things of her mother’s. We have hung in our home a Bavarian cuckoo clock that has hung in Mom’s dining room for as long as I can remember.
Mom’s name is Agnes and she is 95 years old, the last surviving of Barbara’s and my parents. For the past 44 years she has been a great mother-in-law and I love her dearly. Even though she grumbles at times, she can be funny and even a bit flirtatious, as she has always liked to be. When Barbara and I last visited, we took Mom out to lunch. She told us where she’d like to eat. She studied the menu with care. A gin and tonic, she thought, was in order. We had a good time together.
Over the past couple of years Mom has taken some falls that knock the stuffing out of her for a while. Her emotions are frayed and she is lonely, even though she has a lot of company, and she is fearful but does not know of what.
If it is a painful thing to see our parents as they struggle with changing life circumstances. I can only suppose that it is much worse to be on the inside of that struggle, trying to make sense of changes that don’t seem fair or necessary. Mom has adapted to using a walker, but she is rebelling against the other changes going on in her life. She does not like the sense that the boundaries of her life are shrinking. She does not like this new feeling that the world is somehow alien, perhaps even hostile. When she says she wants to go home, that means where she lived until fifteen years ago.
She did not used to be like that. As a young mother of three daughters – Barbara being the middle child – Agnes would push her girls out into the world to explore and to meet new people. Barbara tells stories from her childhood about forts built by the creek behind her home, and about playing with friends, unsupervised for hours. By contrast, our two grandchildren in Colorado hardly ever have an unsupervised moment. When Barbara was called home it was not because the world was dangerous but because supper was ready. Barbara remembers once when a man came to their house. It was the late 1940s, employment was scarce in upstate New York, and the man was looking for a meal. In those days they were called hobos. Mom made him a sandwich and talked with him as he ate it on the porch. It was simple hospitality.
Throughout her life, Mom has loved to play music. When Barbara and I were dating, as we walked up the pathway to her home we could hear Mom playing her Wurlitzer organ. She rarely played for any audience other than herself.
Above all, from her mother Barbara knew with complete conviction that she was loved. Her mother told her that regularly. No comparisons were made nor were conditions laid down. Barbara and her sisters were loved, and not much was feared.
Mom was widowed ten years ago. We, her family, all worried that she’d miss her husband so much that she’d shrink inside herself. Though she still misses Gerry, she did anything but shrink. She continued to make new friends in the retirement community to which they had moved a few years earlier. It is in the nature of retirement communities that the population turns over with some regularity. It is important to make new friends. In the years of her being a widow she has seemed even more unapologetically herself. She became a bit more connected to her faith. In her better moments she has had a sense of moving onward.
But moving onward doesn't always mean a cheerful journey. The death of someone we love is a burden to carry. Onward for my mother-in-law meant making a new life after 60 years of a partnership in which she had become a mother and grandmother and great-grandmother. Onward for Barbara and her sisters means feeling less grounded, less able to relax while Mom carries on. And Mom does carry on, often irascible, sometimes charming, and occasionally confounding. She loved Bill Clinton and would have kept on voting for him; and now she loves George W. Bush just as much. Loves ‘em both. Go figure.
And in all of that, Agnes might not be a bad image for how the church is called to be. Today is the Feast of Pentecost, the birthday of the Church. And it’s a day when my life is joining with yours, so it’s a new birth for all of us.
One of the medieval images used to describe the Church is “Mother.” It does seem to me that Mother Church is a lot like my beloved mother-in-law. She is in danger of becoming brittle in her old age. We are irascible and contentious about things that either do not matter or that Jesus would resolve simply by opening his arms a little wider, welcoming a few more people into the family. We are often pretty good at feeding people who are hungry – but too often we do it through the safe distance of an anonymous check.
I fear that the church is no longer the young mother who sends her children out to meet new people and to explore, unsupervised for hours. The church has become old, pre-occupied with fear, caught up in worldly conflicts and forgetting that her Lord makes all things new, young again. How might it be if we, as church, decided that the most important thing was to make sure that we each are loved – without comparison and without condition. Loved.
- How might it be if we sat down with someone who is eating a needed sandwich and we talked with them for a while? Not trying to straighten them out, but just being a kind ear.
- How might it be if we loved equally people on both sides of a political divide?
- How might it be if we made music and danced for the pure delight of it?
- How might it be if we were all encouraged to explore the world in which we live – explore it without fear of being so closely supervised that we are nervous about our own thoughts and questionings.
This morning’s reading from the Acts of the Apostles describes the puzzling and happy chaos of the earliest disciples of Jesus as they felt a new Spirit move amongst them.
This was an adventurous spirit that embraced people across every imaginable line of division. This spirit was one that made all things new and propelled the early believers out into the world as ambassadors of God’s love for all people. The promise of that spirit is what embraces Emmanuel Church in Keyser, WV, as we gather today.
We live in a fearful and backward-looking age, in which the church sometimes seems trapped in nostalgia, convinced of its own rightness and resentful of new ideas, trapped in a religiosity that is more interested in being safe than in being either adventurous or generous.
We forget that we come from adventurers like Abraham and Moses and Paul and most particularly Jesus. They were guided only by promise and hope. Those whose faith we claim never knew what was around the next bend. They only trusted that God was with them. And we all know that that is what “Emmanuel” means – God with us. Both personally and institutionally, as we try to protect what we have earned, created or horded, we forget that Jesus promised a new creation, more in the tradition of Moses the adventurer than of the Pharisees who had transformed faith from a lively relationship with God into a set of rules.
We are called to better than that. We are called to love one another and to love strangers. We are called to love people at all points of any political spectrum. We are called to a lively relationship with God, not to an obligation to maintain the political balance of an ancient institution.
Do not forget for a moment that we are called to serve the hungry, not to argue about doctrine. We are called to welcome the stranger amongst us, not check credentials and vie for status.
So on this Feast of Pentecost I give thanks for my mother-in-law Agnes. I give thanks for the way she pushed her daughters out into the world to be adventurous. And I give thanks for all mothers who have taught their children that the world is an exciting place to explore, that the hungry should be fed, and that they- both the children and the hungry - are loved without comparison and without condition.
As we all begin together this new Pentecost for Emmanuel, may Mother Church grow in such an understanding of what it means to be church.
Thanks be to God. Amen.
Sermon by Bishop Martin Townsend, D.D., Priest-in-Charge
Thursday, May 1, 2008
The Vine Newsletter (May 2008)
CROSS ROADS:
Dear People of Emmanuel Church,
The past few weeks seem to have been a gracious time of hopes and opportunities coming together. Bishop Klusmeyer had talked with me about Emmanuel Church, asking if I might be interested in working with the church community in Keyser. He spoke of you with affection and understanding. I talked with Kim Pifer and sent her my resume. She arranged for me to meet with the Vestry. After an energized two hours, we had formed a shared hope for the opportunities ahead. Shortly, on behalf of the Vestry, your Senior Warden called me to ask if I could come to Emmanuel as your priest and pastor. Both humbled and excited, I have accepted the Vestry’s invitation to become your Priest-in-Charge.
That is what has happened recently. Let me go back to when he groundwork for our meeting was laid. In 1972 I was the rector of a parish in the Maryland suburbs of Washington. Barbara, my wife, had grown up in a small town as had I. We needed an escape from the beltway, so we bought some land in the hills just east of Fort Ashby. The next year, with the help of lots of friends, we built a vacation home on the land. Ever since, we have been adding to that house, growing it in stages and calling it Shepherd’s Croft. (I was a shepherd of sorts and Barbara was an actual sheep breeder and shepherd.) Most of the work on our home we have done with our own hands, learning how to be carpenters, plumbers (not very good ones), stone masons, painters, and all the other things you have to be as a home builder. We have so loved being here and have enjoyed our neighbors so that Mineral County has become home.
Over the years I have served as Rector of St. Christopher’s Church in New Carrollton, MD, Trinity Church in St. Mary’s City, MD, Christ Church in Blacksburg, VA, and Bishop of The Diocese of Easton on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. After retiring from Easton I served for two years as the Interim Rector of the Church of the Redeemer in Cincinnati, OH, Assisting Bishop in Newark, NJ, and then for two years as the Interim Rector at Trinity Church, Upperville, VA.
Thank you for inviting me into your lives, allowing Barbara’s and my path to join with yours. It continues to amaze and delight me that after being a deacon, priest, and bishop for forty years, I still get excited as God guides me into new stages of my life.
Your wardens and Vestry described something of the challenges that you have recently faced and what some of your dreams and strengths are. I liked what I heard and I greatly look forward to knowing all of you. My first Sunday at Emmanuel will be May 11th, which is the Feast of Pentecost, also Mother’s Day. It is an auspicious day for giving thanks and for new beginnings. Winter and late frosts are past. Red bud and dogwood are bright bursts of color on our back ridge. It is a time for planting our gardens with a confidence that they will yield fruit. As one of my favorite Easter hymns declares, “Now the green blade riseth… Love is come again like wheat that springeth green.”
May God bless the joining together of our journeys.
See you on May 11th.
In Christ,
+Martin G. Townsend
THE SENIOR WARDEN’S REPORT:
Hello Friends!
There seems to be a few of us that like to sit towards the back of the church. I am not sure why we do this but it seems to be a practice that many of us have acquired. While sitting in the back you may have noticed the cold coming through the old wooden church doors. Not only do we get cold sitting back there but if the door doesn’t latch we have to get up and close it to keep the traffic noise from interfering with our worship. Well, this will be coming to an end. The vestry has approved two new metallic outside entrance doors. These doors will match the color of our Parish Hall doors, and will a sign of welcome to all those who come to visit us.
We are still correcting money for inner sanctuary doors. We are approximately halfway there! Last spring, when we installed the new carpet the old swinging doors would no longer swing. They had given their all throughout the decades. The vestry looked at several options and decided upon two wooden closing doors that will be walnut finished (the design matches our inner parish hall door), with a glass cross in the upper half of each of the doors. Above these doors will be a stained glass window designed by the talented Nancy Marshall, the local artist who created the gorgeous windows in the Parish Hall. This should fill our worship area with beauty, light as well as enhance the reverent quietness. If you would like to help with this project, please send a check to Emmanuel Church with a memo for Inner Door Fund marked on your check.
How wonderful to think of all that will enter through these doors to hear the word of God and receive His Sacraments!
Thanks be to God.
Kim Pifer
Senior Warden
THE FEAST OF PENTECOST:
O
God, who on this day taught the hearts of your faithful people by sending them the light of your Holy Spirit: Grant us by the same Spirit to have a right judgment in all things, and evermore to rejoice in his holy comfort; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. [Book of Common Prayer, page 227]
“ALLELUIA AEROBICS” MAKES A COMEBACK…
Thanks to the volunteering spirit of the indomitable Ginny Poland, we’re pleased to announce that the “Alleluia Aerobics” classes for women will once again be offered at Emmanuel Church.
The classes will be held on Monday nights each week, from 6:00 PM until 7:00 PM at the church, and there will be a nominal fee of $1.00 per class. All the women of the parish and the community are invited to come to work on physical fitness in a comfortable and relaxed environment.
For additional information about “Alleluia Aerobics”, please contact Ginny Poland or Marcy D’Elisa.
FUND-RAISER FOR BARBARA HOTT:
Emmanuel Church and St. James Episcopal Church of Westernport are planning a fund raiser for Barb in the upcoming months. If anyone would like to make a monetary contribution to the Barb Hott Fund, please place in offering plate or mail with a memo on your check. This money will go to Barb with your get-well wishes to help her during her chemo treatments or towards our fund raiser, please note what you desire. Emmanuel is asking all of our parishioners to help in any way possible during Barb's chemo treatments. Please keep Barb, Tori and Family in your prayers. For more information or input on plans, please contact Kim Pifer at (304)790-1814 or (304) 788-6253.
PRIEST-CELEBRANTS FOR MAY:
o May 4 -The Rev. Donald Vinson
o May 11 - The Rt. Rev. Martin Townsend
o May 18 - The Rev. John Valentine
REACHING OUT TO OUR PARISH FAMILY…
We have many people at Emmanuel Church who have illnesses and other concerns in their lives, and they need not only our prayers but more tangible signs of our love and support. So we’re asking for volunteers to do one (or more) of the following:
1. Get together and send out “get well” or “thinking of you” cards to those who have been ill and/or haven’t been at church in a while;
2. Give a telephone call to sick and shut-in members to see how they’re doing and if they should need anything.
3. Visit members who are in the hospital or nursing homes to see how they’re doing.
4. Volunteering your time (and automobile) to help people get to medical appointments.
Please pray about serving as the hands, feet and heart of Jesus Christ to our fellow believers who are in need. If you’d like to help in this important ministry, or if you’d like to get more information, please see Kim Pifer, the Senior Warden of our parish.
DIOCESAN WOMEN’S CONFERENCE:
The Practice of Prayer
With Guest Speaker
Rev. Margaret Guenther
May 16-18, 2008 at Peterkin Camp Conference Center in Romney, WV
Additional information, including a registration form, is available on our website: http://www.wvdiocese.org/pages/pdfs/WomensConf2008.pdf
SAFEGUARDING GOD’S CHILDREN TRAINING SESSIONS:
Editor’s Note: All persons at Emmanuel Church who work with children should attend this special training. Kim Pifer, the Senior Warden, will be attending on June 20th and is willing to take whomever needs to go.
Safeguarding God’s Children: A Program of Sexual Misconduct Prevention Training provides participants with information they need to protect the children they know and care for in their personal and professional lives. The training sessions includes two parts; the morning portion is based on the Church Pension Fund’s program and focuses on child abuse prevention and awareness, and the second portion addresses issues of sexual harassment and abuse prevention, both in adult and youth populations.
Training is required for all clergy, paid lay employees, and volunteers working closely with youth or shut-in and/or disabled persons. This includes youth choir directors, directors of Christian education, and youth group advisors. Clergy who have not had training in the last five years are expected to attend to renew their awareness.
Sessions currently scheduled are:
o April 19: Lawrencefield Parish, Wheeling
o April 26: Trinity, Martinsburg
o June 20: Peterkin, Romney
Additional sessions will be added later this year and information will be made available when they are confirmed.
A brochure with registration form can be found on our website at http://www.wvdiocese.org/pages/pdfs/sexbrochure.pdf or contact Mollie in the Diocesan Office: 304-344-3597 or mbailey@wvdiocese.org.
PETERKIN SUMMER CAMP SCHEDULE:
There’s still time to save money and register for Peterkin Summer Camps! The deadline to receive a registration fee discount for all of the camps has been extended until May 15, 2008.
Senior Camp: June 22-28, 2008
(Youth entering grades 10-12 and recent High School graduates)
This camp provides guidance into adulthood through personal growth, team work, and spiritual direction. Programs provide time for campers to ask and reflect on questions related to social, moral, personal and religious concerns.
June 29-July 3: ½ week camps (New themes/programs for 2008)
Family Camp: July 6-12, 2008
(Families and Adults)
A week of family renewal in a caring Christian community, Family Camp brings together families of all kinds in a fun and relaxing atmosphere away from the daily demands of life at home. This camp offers discussion groups for all ages, as well as a wide variety of indoor and outdoor activities.
Junior Camp: July 13-19, 2008
(Youth entering grades 4-6)
Campers at Junior Camp are introduced to a deeper understanding of what it means to be a Christian. This camp offers instructional themes, worship, music, and a wide range of activities that allow campers to explore their relationship with Christ and each other.
Intermediate Camp: July 20-26, 2008
(Youth entering grades 7-9)
This camp is designed to help young people grow as individuals and as members of the body of Christ. Many fun and engaging activities are offered to encourage campers to renew old relationships and form new and lasting friendships as they move closer to adulthood.
Creative Arts/Hallelujah Hike: July 27-August 2, 2008
(Creative Arts Camp – Youth entering grades 4-7; Hallelujah Hike – 13-18 years old)
Creative Arts Camp allows young people to explore and celebrate their gifts and talents. Music, writing, the visual arts, and crafts are some of the talents that are nourished and expanded during this camp.
Hallelujah Hike is for those with an adventurous spirit! The Hike is designed to promote Christian identity and growth through community living in a rustic outdoor setting. Hikers have a chance to discover their connection to nature through tent camping, outdoor cooking, hiking, backpacking, adventure trails, plants and wildlife.
Registration material can be found on our website at http://www.peterkin.org/pages/camps.html.
WISDOM FROM THE FATHERS OF THE CHURCH:
St. Cyril of Jerusalem (315-395)
Great indeed is the Baptism which is offered you. It is a ransom to captives; the remission of offences; the death of sin; the regeneration of the soul; the garment of light; the holy seal indissoluble; the chariot to heaven; the luxury of paradise; a procuring of the kingdom; the gift of adoption. But a serpent by the wayside is watching the passengers; beware lest he bit thee with unbelief; he sees so many receiving salvation, and seeks to devour some of them. Thou art going to the Father of Spirits, but thou art going past that serpent; how then must thou pass him? Have thy feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace (Ephesians 6:15); that even if he bite, he may hot hurt thee. Have faith indwelling, strong hope, a sandal of power, wherewith to pass the enemy, and enter the presence of thy Lord. Prepare thine own heart to receive doctrine, to have fellowship in holy mysteries. Pray more often, that God may make thee worthy of the heavenly and immortal mysteries. Let neither day be without its work, nor night, but when sleep fails thine eyes, at once abandon thy thoughts to prayer. [Lectures on the Christian Sacraments: the Procatechesis]
RECIPE OF THE MONTH:
Gazpacho
This is a cold soup from Spain that’s perfect for the summer months that are approaching very soon. It can be eaten from a bowl or sipped from a cup – if you choose the cup/glass method, you’ll probably want to use your blender or food processor to make it smooth. It looks better that way.
Ingredients:
3 (28-ounce) cans whole tomatoes, drained
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped cucumber
½ cup chopped green pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon salt
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 cups tomato juice or vegetable juice cocktail (such as V-8)
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
½ cup red wine vinegar
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Garlic Croutons (recipe below)
Method:
Combine first 8 ingredients in container of an electric blender; top with cover, and process 1 minute or until finely chopped. Transfer mixture to a large bowl. Stir in tomato juice and Worcestershire sauce; cover and chill (about 2 hours). Stir in vinegar and olive oil just before serving. Garnish with garlic croutons. Serves 8.
Garlic Croutons:
6 slices white bread
2 large cloves garlic, minced
½ cup clarified butter or olive oil
Trim crust from bread. Cut bread into ½ inch cubes. Sauté garlic in butter/oil in a skillet over medium heat for 2 minutes. Add bread cubes; sauté until golden. Drain on paper towels.
Recipe taken from America’s Best Recipes (1988)
BOOK REVIEW:
Celebrating Common Worship & Hour By Hour –Simplified Versions of the Divine Office
The Divine Office doesn’t mean the place where the Supreme Being does His paperwork or meets with staff. In traditional Christian spirituality and liturgics it refers to a set series of prayers (consisting primarily of psalms and readings from the Sacred Scriptures specially appointed) that monks and nuns gathered to pray throughout the day. Originally these services were based upon the old Jewish synagogue services that existed at the beginning of Christian history, and were later augmented and developed by the Desert Fathers and Mothers in Egypt and other early monastic communities. The intent behind the practice of the Divine Office is the sanctification of time, or perhaps marking out specific periods to remember the presence of God. In Benedictine spirituality, which is the basis for much of the spiritual tradition of the Anglican Communion, praying the Divine Office is known as the Opus Dei – the Work of God.
Over the years the Christian laity became attracted to the practice of habitual, structured prayer as a means of deepening one’s spirituality, and since the invention of the moveable type printing press and vernacular texts, along with more simplified versions of the Divine Office, an increasing number of Christians from mainline churches are adopting the practice.
If you’re interested in incorporating this time-honored, Bible-based and beautiful practice into your spiritual life – and you don’t want to drag around a rather hefty volume that seems overly complex to use around with you – here are two options you may wish to consider.
Celebrating Common Worship: In the 1980s the Church of England created a number of alternatives to its standard 1662 Book of Common Prayer, and Celebrating Common Worship is the official substitute to the old Daily Office in the BCP. It’s a nice one-volume edition that is meant to be easily carried, and to be honest the English is probably more refined than in the American version of the Office (which would only make sense, after all). The brilliance of Celebrating Common Worship is that it arranges all of the various liturgical seasons of the Church in such a way that everything fits into one book that provides considerable variety and flexibility.
Hour By Hour: I highly recommend this little Office Book for those who wish to begin the practice of sanctifying time throughout the day, and especially for people who are very active. Hour By Hour is very abbreviated and only contains Morning Prayer, Daytime Prayer, Evening Prayer, Vespers and Compline for a one-week cycle according to the format of the 1979 Book of Common Prayer Office; however, this is a wonderful way to develop the habit of daily prayer (there’s no need for you to overwhelm yourself). Plus, it has a very durable leather cover and its price won’t break the bank.
Both of these books are available at the Episcopal Bookstore of Seattle, WA (http://www.episcopalbookstore.com/) or Amazon.com. They are priced at under $25 dollars, as opposed to the $116.00 price tag for the complete Contemporary Office Book of the Episcopal Church.
There is, of course, a completely free method for praying the Divine Office for those of you who are friendly with the Internet, and I can highly recommend two sites:
Oremus (http://www.oremus.org/): This ministry gives you the option of subscribing to the daily Divine Office according to the format found in Celebrating Common Worship, which you would receive on a daily basis via email.
The Mission of St. Clare (http://www.missionstclare.com/): Through this site you can actually download the full text of the Divine Office (Morning or Evening Prayer) according to the Contemporary Office Book of the Episcopal Church. In this way you won’t have to spend hundreds of dollars to purchase the actual book, nor will you be required to learn how to navigate through the rubrics. Everything is clearly laid out for you.
Submitted by Michael Summers
WE NEED STUFF!
Once again the beleaguered editor of The Vine makes his plea for your help in making our little newsletter a success.
I know that everyone at Emmanuel Church has something to contribute toward the content of The Vine, and it would be wonderful if you were able to share with us. Please think about submitting some of the following:
o Inspirational quotes and poetry
o Your favorite recipes
o Reviews of Christian books you’ve read
o Photos and recollections from the past of Emmanuel Church
o Photos from your vacation
o Cute photos of your children, grandchildren, pets
o Anything you feel would edify the people of our parish
Depending upon space considerations, I’ll do everything I can to publish your materials in future editions of The Vine.
I’m hoping to be bombarded with your stuff in the very near future!
Dear People of Emmanuel Church,
The past few weeks seem to have been a gracious time of hopes and opportunities coming together. Bishop Klusmeyer had talked with me about Emmanuel Church, asking if I might be interested in working with the church community in Keyser. He spoke of you with affection and understanding. I talked with Kim Pifer and sent her my resume. She arranged for me to meet with the Vestry. After an energized two hours, we had formed a shared hope for the opportunities ahead. Shortly, on behalf of the Vestry, your Senior Warden called me to ask if I could come to Emmanuel as your priest and pastor. Both humbled and excited, I have accepted the Vestry’s invitation to become your Priest-in-Charge.
That is what has happened recently. Let me go back to when he groundwork for our meeting was laid. In 1972 I was the rector of a parish in the Maryland suburbs of Washington. Barbara, my wife, had grown up in a small town as had I. We needed an escape from the beltway, so we bought some land in the hills just east of Fort Ashby. The next year, with the help of lots of friends, we built a vacation home on the land. Ever since, we have been adding to that house, growing it in stages and calling it Shepherd’s Croft. (I was a shepherd of sorts and Barbara was an actual sheep breeder and shepherd.) Most of the work on our home we have done with our own hands, learning how to be carpenters, plumbers (not very good ones), stone masons, painters, and all the other things you have to be as a home builder. We have so loved being here and have enjoyed our neighbors so that Mineral County has become home.
Over the years I have served as Rector of St. Christopher’s Church in New Carrollton, MD, Trinity Church in St. Mary’s City, MD, Christ Church in Blacksburg, VA, and Bishop of The Diocese of Easton on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. After retiring from Easton I served for two years as the Interim Rector of the Church of the Redeemer in Cincinnati, OH, Assisting Bishop in Newark, NJ, and then for two years as the Interim Rector at Trinity Church, Upperville, VA.
Thank you for inviting me into your lives, allowing Barbara’s and my path to join with yours. It continues to amaze and delight me that after being a deacon, priest, and bishop for forty years, I still get excited as God guides me into new stages of my life.
Your wardens and Vestry described something of the challenges that you have recently faced and what some of your dreams and strengths are. I liked what I heard and I greatly look forward to knowing all of you. My first Sunday at Emmanuel will be May 11th, which is the Feast of Pentecost, also Mother’s Day. It is an auspicious day for giving thanks and for new beginnings. Winter and late frosts are past. Red bud and dogwood are bright bursts of color on our back ridge. It is a time for planting our gardens with a confidence that they will yield fruit. As one of my favorite Easter hymns declares, “Now the green blade riseth… Love is come again like wheat that springeth green.”
May God bless the joining together of our journeys.
See you on May 11th.
In Christ,
+Martin G. Townsend
THE SENIOR WARDEN’S REPORT:
Hello Friends!
There seems to be a few of us that like to sit towards the back of the church. I am not sure why we do this but it seems to be a practice that many of us have acquired. While sitting in the back you may have noticed the cold coming through the old wooden church doors. Not only do we get cold sitting back there but if the door doesn’t latch we have to get up and close it to keep the traffic noise from interfering with our worship. Well, this will be coming to an end. The vestry has approved two new metallic outside entrance doors. These doors will match the color of our Parish Hall doors, and will a sign of welcome to all those who come to visit us.
We are still correcting money for inner sanctuary doors. We are approximately halfway there! Last spring, when we installed the new carpet the old swinging doors would no longer swing. They had given their all throughout the decades. The vestry looked at several options and decided upon two wooden closing doors that will be walnut finished (the design matches our inner parish hall door), with a glass cross in the upper half of each of the doors. Above these doors will be a stained glass window designed by the talented Nancy Marshall, the local artist who created the gorgeous windows in the Parish Hall. This should fill our worship area with beauty, light as well as enhance the reverent quietness. If you would like to help with this project, please send a check to Emmanuel Church with a memo for Inner Door Fund marked on your check.
How wonderful to think of all that will enter through these doors to hear the word of God and receive His Sacraments!
Thanks be to God.
Kim Pifer
Senior Warden
THE FEAST OF PENTECOST:
O
God, who on this day taught the hearts of your faithful people by sending them the light of your Holy Spirit: Grant us by the same Spirit to have a right judgment in all things, and evermore to rejoice in his holy comfort; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. [Book of Common Prayer, page 227]
“ALLELUIA AEROBICS” MAKES A COMEBACK…
Thanks to the volunteering spirit of the indomitable Ginny Poland, we’re pleased to announce that the “Alleluia Aerobics” classes for women will once again be offered at Emmanuel Church.
The classes will be held on Monday nights each week, from 6:00 PM until 7:00 PM at the church, and there will be a nominal fee of $1.00 per class. All the women of the parish and the community are invited to come to work on physical fitness in a comfortable and relaxed environment.
For additional information about “Alleluia Aerobics”, please contact Ginny Poland or Marcy D’Elisa.
FUND-RAISER FOR BARBARA HOTT:
Emmanuel Church and St. James Episcopal Church of Westernport are planning a fund raiser for Barb in the upcoming months. If anyone would like to make a monetary contribution to the Barb Hott Fund, please place in offering plate or mail with a memo on your check. This money will go to Barb with your get-well wishes to help her during her chemo treatments or towards our fund raiser, please note what you desire. Emmanuel is asking all of our parishioners to help in any way possible during Barb's chemo treatments. Please keep Barb, Tori and Family in your prayers. For more information or input on plans, please contact Kim Pifer at (304)790-1814 or (304) 788-6253.
PRIEST-CELEBRANTS FOR MAY:
o May 4 -The Rev. Donald Vinson
o May 11 - The Rt. Rev. Martin Townsend
o May 18 - The Rev. John Valentine
REACHING OUT TO OUR PARISH FAMILY…
We have many people at Emmanuel Church who have illnesses and other concerns in their lives, and they need not only our prayers but more tangible signs of our love and support. So we’re asking for volunteers to do one (or more) of the following:
1. Get together and send out “get well” or “thinking of you” cards to those who have been ill and/or haven’t been at church in a while;
2. Give a telephone call to sick and shut-in members to see how they’re doing and if they should need anything.
3. Visit members who are in the hospital or nursing homes to see how they’re doing.
4. Volunteering your time (and automobile) to help people get to medical appointments.
Please pray about serving as the hands, feet and heart of Jesus Christ to our fellow believers who are in need. If you’d like to help in this important ministry, or if you’d like to get more information, please see Kim Pifer, the Senior Warden of our parish.
DIOCESAN WOMEN’S CONFERENCE:
The Practice of Prayer
With Guest Speaker
Rev. Margaret Guenther
May 16-18, 2008 at Peterkin Camp Conference Center in Romney, WV
Additional information, including a registration form, is available on our website: http://www.wvdiocese.org/pages/pdfs/WomensConf2008.pdf
SAFEGUARDING GOD’S CHILDREN TRAINING SESSIONS:
Editor’s Note: All persons at Emmanuel Church who work with children should attend this special training. Kim Pifer, the Senior Warden, will be attending on June 20th and is willing to take whomever needs to go.
Safeguarding God’s Children: A Program of Sexual Misconduct Prevention Training provides participants with information they need to protect the children they know and care for in their personal and professional lives. The training sessions includes two parts; the morning portion is based on the Church Pension Fund’s program and focuses on child abuse prevention and awareness, and the second portion addresses issues of sexual harassment and abuse prevention, both in adult and youth populations.
Training is required for all clergy, paid lay employees, and volunteers working closely with youth or shut-in and/or disabled persons. This includes youth choir directors, directors of Christian education, and youth group advisors. Clergy who have not had training in the last five years are expected to attend to renew their awareness.
Sessions currently scheduled are:
o April 19: Lawrencefield Parish, Wheeling
o April 26: Trinity, Martinsburg
o June 20: Peterkin, Romney
Additional sessions will be added later this year and information will be made available when they are confirmed.
A brochure with registration form can be found on our website at http://www.wvdiocese.org/pages/pdfs/sexbrochure.pdf or contact Mollie in the Diocesan Office: 304-344-3597 or mbailey@wvdiocese.org.
PETERKIN SUMMER CAMP SCHEDULE:
There’s still time to save money and register for Peterkin Summer Camps! The deadline to receive a registration fee discount for all of the camps has been extended until May 15, 2008.
Senior Camp: June 22-28, 2008
(Youth entering grades 10-12 and recent High School graduates)
This camp provides guidance into adulthood through personal growth, team work, and spiritual direction. Programs provide time for campers to ask and reflect on questions related to social, moral, personal and religious concerns.
June 29-July 3: ½ week camps (New themes/programs for 2008)
Family Camp: July 6-12, 2008
(Families and Adults)
A week of family renewal in a caring Christian community, Family Camp brings together families of all kinds in a fun and relaxing atmosphere away from the daily demands of life at home. This camp offers discussion groups for all ages, as well as a wide variety of indoor and outdoor activities.
Junior Camp: July 13-19, 2008
(Youth entering grades 4-6)
Campers at Junior Camp are introduced to a deeper understanding of what it means to be a Christian. This camp offers instructional themes, worship, music, and a wide range of activities that allow campers to explore their relationship with Christ and each other.
Intermediate Camp: July 20-26, 2008
(Youth entering grades 7-9)
This camp is designed to help young people grow as individuals and as members of the body of Christ. Many fun and engaging activities are offered to encourage campers to renew old relationships and form new and lasting friendships as they move closer to adulthood.
Creative Arts/Hallelujah Hike: July 27-August 2, 2008
(Creative Arts Camp – Youth entering grades 4-7; Hallelujah Hike – 13-18 years old)
Creative Arts Camp allows young people to explore and celebrate their gifts and talents. Music, writing, the visual arts, and crafts are some of the talents that are nourished and expanded during this camp.
Hallelujah Hike is for those with an adventurous spirit! The Hike is designed to promote Christian identity and growth through community living in a rustic outdoor setting. Hikers have a chance to discover their connection to nature through tent camping, outdoor cooking, hiking, backpacking, adventure trails, plants and wildlife.
Registration material can be found on our website at http://www.peterkin.org/pages/camps.html.
WISDOM FROM THE FATHERS OF THE CHURCH:
St. Cyril of Jerusalem (315-395)
Great indeed is the Baptism which is offered you. It is a ransom to captives; the remission of offences; the death of sin; the regeneration of the soul; the garment of light; the holy seal indissoluble; the chariot to heaven; the luxury of paradise; a procuring of the kingdom; the gift of adoption. But a serpent by the wayside is watching the passengers; beware lest he bit thee with unbelief; he sees so many receiving salvation, and seeks to devour some of them. Thou art going to the Father of Spirits, but thou art going past that serpent; how then must thou pass him? Have thy feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace (Ephesians 6:15); that even if he bite, he may hot hurt thee. Have faith indwelling, strong hope, a sandal of power, wherewith to pass the enemy, and enter the presence of thy Lord. Prepare thine own heart to receive doctrine, to have fellowship in holy mysteries. Pray more often, that God may make thee worthy of the heavenly and immortal mysteries. Let neither day be without its work, nor night, but when sleep fails thine eyes, at once abandon thy thoughts to prayer. [Lectures on the Christian Sacraments: the Procatechesis]
RECIPE OF THE MONTH:
Gazpacho
This is a cold soup from Spain that’s perfect for the summer months that are approaching very soon. It can be eaten from a bowl or sipped from a cup – if you choose the cup/glass method, you’ll probably want to use your blender or food processor to make it smooth. It looks better that way.
Ingredients:
3 (28-ounce) cans whole tomatoes, drained
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped cucumber
½ cup chopped green pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon salt
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 cups tomato juice or vegetable juice cocktail (such as V-8)
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
½ cup red wine vinegar
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Garlic Croutons (recipe below)
Method:
Combine first 8 ingredients in container of an electric blender; top with cover, and process 1 minute or until finely chopped. Transfer mixture to a large bowl. Stir in tomato juice and Worcestershire sauce; cover and chill (about 2 hours). Stir in vinegar and olive oil just before serving. Garnish with garlic croutons. Serves 8.
Garlic Croutons:
6 slices white bread
2 large cloves garlic, minced
½ cup clarified butter or olive oil
Trim crust from bread. Cut bread into ½ inch cubes. Sauté garlic in butter/oil in a skillet over medium heat for 2 minutes. Add bread cubes; sauté until golden. Drain on paper towels.
Recipe taken from America’s Best Recipes (1988)
BOOK REVIEW:
Celebrating Common Worship & Hour By Hour –Simplified Versions of the Divine Office
The Divine Office doesn’t mean the place where the Supreme Being does His paperwork or meets with staff. In traditional Christian spirituality and liturgics it refers to a set series of prayers (consisting primarily of psalms and readings from the Sacred Scriptures specially appointed) that monks and nuns gathered to pray throughout the day. Originally these services were based upon the old Jewish synagogue services that existed at the beginning of Christian history, and were later augmented and developed by the Desert Fathers and Mothers in Egypt and other early monastic communities. The intent behind the practice of the Divine Office is the sanctification of time, or perhaps marking out specific periods to remember the presence of God. In Benedictine spirituality, which is the basis for much of the spiritual tradition of the Anglican Communion, praying the Divine Office is known as the Opus Dei – the Work of God.
Over the years the Christian laity became attracted to the practice of habitual, structured prayer as a means of deepening one’s spirituality, and since the invention of the moveable type printing press and vernacular texts, along with more simplified versions of the Divine Office, an increasing number of Christians from mainline churches are adopting the practice.
If you’re interested in incorporating this time-honored, Bible-based and beautiful practice into your spiritual life – and you don’t want to drag around a rather hefty volume that seems overly complex to use around with you – here are two options you may wish to consider.
Celebrating Common Worship: In the 1980s the Church of England created a number of alternatives to its standard 1662 Book of Common Prayer, and Celebrating Common Worship is the official substitute to the old Daily Office in the BCP. It’s a nice one-volume edition that is meant to be easily carried, and to be honest the English is probably more refined than in the American version of the Office (which would only make sense, after all). The brilliance of Celebrating Common Worship is that it arranges all of the various liturgical seasons of the Church in such a way that everything fits into one book that provides considerable variety and flexibility.
Hour By Hour: I highly recommend this little Office Book for those who wish to begin the practice of sanctifying time throughout the day, and especially for people who are very active. Hour By Hour is very abbreviated and only contains Morning Prayer, Daytime Prayer, Evening Prayer, Vespers and Compline for a one-week cycle according to the format of the 1979 Book of Common Prayer Office; however, this is a wonderful way to develop the habit of daily prayer (there’s no need for you to overwhelm yourself). Plus, it has a very durable leather cover and its price won’t break the bank.
Both of these books are available at the Episcopal Bookstore of Seattle, WA (http://www.episcopalbookstore.com/) or Amazon.com. They are priced at under $25 dollars, as opposed to the $116.00 price tag for the complete Contemporary Office Book of the Episcopal Church.
There is, of course, a completely free method for praying the Divine Office for those of you who are friendly with the Internet, and I can highly recommend two sites:
Oremus (http://www.oremus.org/): This ministry gives you the option of subscribing to the daily Divine Office according to the format found in Celebrating Common Worship, which you would receive on a daily basis via email.
The Mission of St. Clare (http://www.missionstclare.com/): Through this site you can actually download the full text of the Divine Office (Morning or Evening Prayer) according to the Contemporary Office Book of the Episcopal Church. In this way you won’t have to spend hundreds of dollars to purchase the actual book, nor will you be required to learn how to navigate through the rubrics. Everything is clearly laid out for you.
Submitted by Michael Summers
WE NEED STUFF!
Once again the beleaguered editor of The Vine makes his plea for your help in making our little newsletter a success.
I know that everyone at Emmanuel Church has something to contribute toward the content of The Vine, and it would be wonderful if you were able to share with us. Please think about submitting some of the following:
o Inspirational quotes and poetry
o Your favorite recipes
o Reviews of Christian books you’ve read
o Photos and recollections from the past of Emmanuel Church
o Photos from your vacation
o Cute photos of your children, grandchildren, pets
o Anything you feel would edify the people of our parish
Depending upon space considerations, I’ll do everything I can to publish your materials in future editions of The Vine.
I’m hoping to be bombarded with your stuff in the very near future!
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Bishop Townsend Appointed Priest-in-Charge at Emmanuel Church
Emmanuel Episcopal Church of Keyser, West Virginia, is pleased to announce that the Right Reverend Martin G. Townsend, D.D., has accepted the call to become the new Priest-in-Charge of the parish. His first Sunday Holy Eucharist will be celebrated on May 11, 2008, at 8:00 and 10:00 in the morning.
Bishop Townsend, the retired Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Easton, Maryland, was born in England and immigrated to the United States in 1957. He was graduated from Notre Dame High School in Elmira, New York, and received his bachelor’s degree from Hobart College in 1965. In 1968 he received his Masters of Divinity Degree from the Virginia Theological Seminary (VTS), which is located in Alexandria, Virginia, and in 1993 and 2000 he earned the Doctor of Divinity and Doctorate in Ministry degrees from the seminary. Bishop Townsend also served as a professor at VTS for several years. He has taught at Virginia Tech and St. Mary’s College of Maryland, where he lectured in English literature and philosophy.
He was ordained to the Holy Priesthood for the Episcopal Diocese of Central New York in 1969, and from that time he served the people of the Episcopal Church as Rector in several parishes. In 1992 he was consecrated as the Bishop of the Diocese of Easton (ECUSA), a ministry he exercised until his retirement in 2001. After his retirement from the active ministry of the episcopate, Bishop Townsend served the Church as being the Interim Rector for a number of parishes in Ohio, Virginia and Maryland until permanent Rectors had been called. He remains a participating member of the House of Bishops of the Episcopal Church.
In a statement to the people of Emmanuel Church, Bishop Townsend said, “Thank you for inviting me into your lives, allowing Barbara’s [my wife] and my path to join with yours. It continues to amaze and delight me that after being a deacon, priest, and bishop for forty years, I still get excited as God guides me into new stages of my life.”
He and his wife Barbara reside in Fort Ashby, West Virginia, where they have been steadily working on building their retirement home known as “Shepherd’s Croft,” a name that was decided upon because Bishop Townsend is “a shepherd of sorts” and Barbara was an actual sheep-breeder and shepherd. Barbara Townsend heads up the restoration of the Ashby’s Fort 1755 Museum, which is one of the forts established during the French and Indian War on the orders of the future General George Washington.
Emmanuel Episcopal Church was established in 1910 by the Episcopal Diocese of West Virginia, and is located on 301 South Mineral Street, Keyser. The parish website is www.emmanuelepiscopalchurchwv.org. Following Bishop Townsend’s first Holy Eucharist at the parish, there will be a special luncheon held at the Parish Hall for the congregation and guests of the church.
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
The Vine Newsletter (April 2008)
A Message from Our New Priest-in-Charge:
The Right Reverend Martin Townsend, retired Bishop of Easton, Maryland. Courtesy of Dr. Lewis Crew’s “Unofficial Anglican Pages”.
Editor’s Note: My apologies to Bishop Martin for the woefully inadequate photo, since that was the only one I could find on Google at such a late hour approaching the publishing deadline.
Dear People of Emmanuel Church,
The past week seems to have been a gracious time of hopes and opportunities coming together. Bishop Klusmeyer had talked with me about Emmanuel Church, asking if I might be interested in working with the church community in Keyser. He spoke of you with affection and understanding. I talked with Kim Pifer and sent her my resume. She arranged for me to meet with the Vestry on Saturday, April 5th. After an energized two hours, we had formed a shared hope for the opportunities ahead. Shortly, on behalf of the Vestry, your Senior Warden called me to ask if I could come to Emmanuel as your priest and pastor. Both humbled and excited, I have accepted the Vestry’s invitation to become your Priest in Charge.
That is what has happened recently. Let me go back to when he groundwork for our meeting was laid. In 1972 I was the rector of a parish in the Maryland suburbs of Washington. Barbara, my wife, had grown up in a small town as had I. We needed an escape from the beltway, so we bought some land in the hills just east of Fort Ashby. The next year, with the help of lots of friends, we built a vacation home on the land. Ever since, we have been adding to that house, growing it in stages and calling it Shepherd’s Croft. Most of the work we have done with our own hands, learning how to be carpenters, plumbers (not very good ones), stone masons, painters, and all the other things you have to be as a home builder. We have so loved being here and have enjoyed our neighbors that Mineral County has become home.
Over the years I have served as Rector of St. Christopher’s Church in New Carrollton, MD, Trinity Church in St. Mary’s City, MD, Christ Church in Blacksburg, VA, and Bishop of The Diocese of Easton on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. After retiring from Easton I served for two years as the Interim Rector of the Church of the Redeemer in Cincinnati, OH, Assisting Bishop in Newark, NJ, and then for two years as the Interim Rector at Trinity Church, Upperville, VA.
Thank you for inviting me into your lives, allowing Barbara’s and my path to join with yours. I believe the Holy Spirit is at work in this coming together. It continues to amaze and delight me that after being a deacon, priest, and bishop, I still get excited as God guides me into new stages of my life.
Your wardens and Vestry described something of the challenges that you have recently faced and what some of your dreams and strengths are. I liked what I heard and I greatly look forward to knowing all of you. My first Sunday at Emmanuel will be May 11th, which is the Feast of Pentecost, also Mother’s Day. It is an auspicious day for giving thanks and for new beginnings. Winter and late frosts are past. It is a time for planting our gardens with a confidence that they will yield fruit. “Now the green blade riseth… Love is come again like wheat that springeth green.”
You have bid farewell to The Rev’d Joyce Wilkinson, and elsewhere in this newsletter she bids you peace in her own farewell. May God bless our partings and our meetings.
See you on May 11th.
In Christ,
+Martin G. Townsend
A Note From Joyce
From a reflection on the gospel of the 2nd Sunday of Easter, John 20:19-31:
"Whenever we're afraid and hiding out, all locked up,
God comes to us in the midst of our fear
and says, 'Peace be with you.'
Whatever doubts churn in our minds,
whatever sins trouble our consciences,
whatever pain and worry bind us up,
whatever walls we have put up or doors we have locked securely,
God comes to us and says, 'Peace be with you.'"
[But it doesn't stop there. - my note]
"Whatever hunger and need we feel deep in our souls,
God calls us to the table, feeds us well,
and sends us out into the world to be justice and peace,
salt and light, hope for the world.
We can do it, if we keep our eyes open, our minds limber,
and our hearts soft and willing to love.
As God sent Jesus, God sends us, this day." (from ucc.org)
Dear People of Emmanuel,
I enjoyed being with you, and I pray Christ's peace be with you on your journey.
Joyce
THE EASTER SERMON OF ST. JOHN CHRYSOSTOM
If any man be devout and loveth God,
Let him enjoy this fair and radiant triumphal feast!
If any man be a wise servant,
Let him rejoicing enter into the joy of his Lord.
If any have laboured long in fasting,
Let him how receive his recompense.
If any have wrought from the first hour,
Let him today receive his just reward.
If any have come at the third hour,
Let him with thankfulness keep the feast.
If any have arrived at the sixth hour,
Let him have no misgivings;
Because he shall in nowise be deprived therefore.
If any have delayed until the ninth hour,
Let him draw near, fearing nothing.
And if any have tarried even until the eleventh hour,
Let him, also, be not alarmed at his tardiness.
For the Lord, who is jealous of his honour,
Will accept the last even as the first.
He giveth rest unto him who cometh at the eleventh hour,
Even as unto him who hath wrought from the first hour.
And He showeth mercy upon the last,
And careth for the first;
And to the one He giveth,
And upon the other He bestoweth gifts.
And He both accepteth the deeds,
And welcometh the intention,
And honoureth the acts and praises the offering.
Wherefore, enter ye all into the joy of your Lord;
Receive your reward,
Both the first, and likewise the second.
You rich and poor together, hold high festival!
You sober and you heedless, honour the day!
Rejoice today, both you who have fasted
And you who have disregarded the fast.
The table is full-laden; feast ye all sumptuously.
The calf is fatted; let no one go hungry away.
Enjoy ye all the feast of faith:
Receive ye all the riches of loving-kindness.
Let no one bewail his poverty,
For the universal Kingdom has been revealed.
Let no one weep for his iniquities,
For pardon has shown forth from the grave.
Let no one fear death,
For the Saviour's death has set us free.
He that was held prisoner of it has annihilated it.
By descending into Hell, He made Hell captive.
He embittered it when it tasted of His flesh.
And Isaiah, foretelling this, did cry:
Hell, said he, was embittered
When it encountered Thee in the lower regions.
It was embittered, for it was abolished.
It was embittered, for it was mocked.
It was embittered, for it was slain.
It was embittered, for it was overthrown.
It was embittered, for it was fettered in chains.
It took a body, and met God face to face.
It took earth, and encountered Heaven.
It took that which was seen, and fell upon the unseen.
O Death, where is thy sting?
O Hell, where is thy victory?
Christ is risen, and thou art overthrown!
Christ is risen, and the demons are fallen!
Christ is risen, and the angels rejoice!
Christ is risen, and life reigns!
Christ is risen, and not one dead remains in the grave.
For Christ, being risen from the dead,
Is become the first-fruits of those who have fallen asleep.
To Him be glory and dominion
Unto ages of ages.
Amen.
“Alleluia Aerobics” Makes a Comeback…
Thanks to the volunteering spirit of the indomitable Ginny Poland, we’re pleased to announce that the “Alleluia Aerobics” classes for women will once again be offered at Emmanuel Church.
The classes will be held on Monday nights each week, from 6:00 PM until 7:00 PM at the church, and there will be a nominal fee of $1.00 per class. All the women of the parish and the community are invited to come to work on physical fitness in a comfortable and relaxed environment.
For additional information about “Alleluia Aerobics”, please contact Ginny Poland or Marcy D’Elisa.
Thank you!
Special thanks to Beverly Davis and Anita Johnson for the beautiful wreaths on the doors. If anyone would like to decorate the doors for a special holiday or occasion, you are welcome to do so. Please contact Kim Pifer for more information.
Reaching Out to Our Parish Family…
We have many people at Emmanuel Church who have illnesses and other concerns in their lives, and they need not only our prayers but more tangible signs of our love and support. So we’re asking for volunteers to do one (or more) of the following:
1. Get together and send out “get well” or “thinking of you” cards to those who have been ill and/or haven’t been at church in a while;
2. Give a telephone call to sick and shut-in members to see how they’re doing and if they should need anything.
3. Visit members who are in the hospital or nursing homes to see how they’re doing.
4. Volunteering your time (and automobile) to help people get to medical appointments.
Please pray about serving as the hands, feet and heart of Jesus Christ to our fellow believers who are in need. If you’d like to help in this important ministry, or if you’d like to get more information, please see Kim Pifer, the Senior Warden of our parish.
MESSAGE FROM THE SENIOR WARDEN:
The birth of spring is upon us and Keyser is starting to bud with a renewal of life. We have just celebrated the mysteries of Christ and the Resurrection. I feel Emmanuel is very much a part of this rebirth. I see growing pains, anxiety of the unknown and excitement for what is to come. We give thanks for Rev. Joyce’s time with us. We became stronger during her time with us and seek to continue our growth in Christ. During our next growing spurt, the Rev. Canon Donald Vinson will be working with the vestry and congregation to strengthen the life of Emmanuel Church. How will this be done?
Rev. Vinson will be meeting and sharing with us two segments that are quite different from one another. The first is a Fresh Start module called "Transition." It is based on the idea that change and transition are two different things. Change is inevitable, and it happens whether we respond to it or not. It is just part of life. But transition is adapting and responding to that change. We will have discussion about how these things impact on us and on our church. Second, we will do an assessment of the congregation in terms of where it is in its life cycle. Also, determine what this congregation's gifts are, what the church does well, and discuss how we can do even better.
This will be a time to begin conversation and a time for reflection. Where have we been? Where do we want to go? Most importantly, how do we intend to grow spiritual in ourselves and with the congregation? Rev. Vinson will help get us started with giving us the tools to expand our minds. He will give us some time to try them out and then will return with other topics for us to explore.
With spring upon us and the beginning of the growing season it is a perfect time for Emmanuel to dig in our hands and minds and get busy with new growth. I thank each one of you. We, as the vestry, continue to ask you to help with this process and make this the best year that Emmanuel has seen. Will keep you posted!
God’s Blessings to each of you.
Kim Pifer, Senior Warden
Pricket Stand from National Cathedral
Praying with Light…
In the not-too-distant future you’ll notice that a rather compact piece of furniture has been added to Emmanuel Church, and its sole purpose is to assist us in remembering in prayer our family and friends (those living and departed) as well as our own personal prayer concerns according to a tradition that reaches back to the very beginning of Christianity. The furniture in question is a votive candle stand, which in the Anglican/Episcopalian tradition is known as a “Pricket Stand,” and the members of the Vestry – during the special Vestry Retreat in January and after the advice of Rev. Canon Donald Vinson – voted to have a pricket stand constructed for Emmanuel Church by a local woodworker (to match the wooden furnishings in the parish), and several members of the Vestry contributed their personal funds for its creation (no money from the church was used for this purpose).
The practice of lighting candles for prayer remembrance has been a common element throughout the history of Christianity, and is most likely based upon the ancient Jewish practice of lighting special lamps or candles (called Yahrzeit) in order to remember deceased family members and friends. In Christianity, this practice was adopted and expanded to include all prayer needs one might have, and one can read accounts of how the persecuted Early Christians would light candles before Altars and the tombs of the martyrs as a symbol of their prayer intentions. This practice has been maintained in the Anglican/Episcopal, Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic Churches through the centuries, and because of the “Emerging Church” movement, you can see that numerous Protestant churches are adopting it as well.
In case you’re not familiar with the practice of lighting candles in prayer, here are some helpful ideas:
1. The lit candle reminds us of our Baptism, and the way that we share in the life of Christ by sharing in the life of the Church. The light also symbolizes the Light of Jesus Christ in our midst, and that He dispels the darkest times of our lives.
When we go, leaving the burning candle behind, we are reminded that our souls never leave the presence of God, in company with His Saints.
2. Prayer is not self-centered, it is God centered, and an important element is prayer for other people and causes. When lighting your candle, it is a very good idea to light a candle for those others you want to pray for. One can even light a candle as a sign of thanksgiving and praise to God for the blessings that have been received.
The candle will not be a substitute for the prayer of your heart, but an accompaniment. It is traditional to give small offering for the candle which, in and giving glory to God, speaks both from the heart and to the heart. All the offerings given will be collected to assist those in need in our community.
May our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ give a greater sense of peace and an increased sense of His Presence in our midst as you use this little spiritual tool for grace and comfort.
A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR…
Because I'm a perennial glutton for punishment, the Vestry of Emmanuel Church has appointed me as the new editor of The Vine newsletter. I look forward to keeping this important ministry of our parish moving into the future.
I want to express my sincere gratitude to the Rev. Joyce Wilkinson for turning The Vine into a monthly publication that has become a vital tool for keeping our church family and friends informed about all of the many things going on at Emmanuel, along with providing the weekly schedules for those who have volunteered to assist during the Holy Eucharist and during our fellowship brunches. Of course I cannot possibly forget to thank the person who started the tradition of The Vine in the first place -- Sue Riley. Sue created the very first edition of the newsletter, and so she's kind of the "mother" of this entire venture.
The Vine newsletter is YOUR newsletter, a publication of the people of Emmanuel Church. I want to encourage everyone to submit poetry, inspirational articles, old photos from the church's past, recipes, and so forth to me. We have such wonderful personalities and diversity at our church, and I believe that it would be great to show everyone who receives a copy what we're about.
May our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ continue to bless us, and may you and your families experience His love and transforming power especially during this Easter Season.
In Christ,
Michael Summers, Editor
Wisdom from the Rule of St. Benedict
This, then is the beginning of my advice: make prayer the first step in anything worthwhile that you attempt. Persevere and do not weaken in that prayer. Pray with confidence, because God, in his love and forgiveness, has counted us as his own sons and daughters. Surely we should not by our evil acts heartlessly reject that love. At every moment of our lives, as we use the good things he has given us, we can respond to His love only by seeking to obey His will for us. [Prologue to the Rule of St. Benedict]
The Right Reverend Martin Townsend, retired Bishop of Easton, Maryland. Courtesy of Dr. Lewis Crew’s “Unofficial Anglican Pages”.
Editor’s Note: My apologies to Bishop Martin for the woefully inadequate photo, since that was the only one I could find on Google at such a late hour approaching the publishing deadline.
Dear People of Emmanuel Church,
The past week seems to have been a gracious time of hopes and opportunities coming together. Bishop Klusmeyer had talked with me about Emmanuel Church, asking if I might be interested in working with the church community in Keyser. He spoke of you with affection and understanding. I talked with Kim Pifer and sent her my resume. She arranged for me to meet with the Vestry on Saturday, April 5th. After an energized two hours, we had formed a shared hope for the opportunities ahead. Shortly, on behalf of the Vestry, your Senior Warden called me to ask if I could come to Emmanuel as your priest and pastor. Both humbled and excited, I have accepted the Vestry’s invitation to become your Priest in Charge.
That is what has happened recently. Let me go back to when he groundwork for our meeting was laid. In 1972 I was the rector of a parish in the Maryland suburbs of Washington. Barbara, my wife, had grown up in a small town as had I. We needed an escape from the beltway, so we bought some land in the hills just east of Fort Ashby. The next year, with the help of lots of friends, we built a vacation home on the land. Ever since, we have been adding to that house, growing it in stages and calling it Shepherd’s Croft. Most of the work we have done with our own hands, learning how to be carpenters, plumbers (not very good ones), stone masons, painters, and all the other things you have to be as a home builder. We have so loved being here and have enjoyed our neighbors that Mineral County has become home.
Over the years I have served as Rector of St. Christopher’s Church in New Carrollton, MD, Trinity Church in St. Mary’s City, MD, Christ Church in Blacksburg, VA, and Bishop of The Diocese of Easton on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. After retiring from Easton I served for two years as the Interim Rector of the Church of the Redeemer in Cincinnati, OH, Assisting Bishop in Newark, NJ, and then for two years as the Interim Rector at Trinity Church, Upperville, VA.
Thank you for inviting me into your lives, allowing Barbara’s and my path to join with yours. I believe the Holy Spirit is at work in this coming together. It continues to amaze and delight me that after being a deacon, priest, and bishop, I still get excited as God guides me into new stages of my life.
Your wardens and Vestry described something of the challenges that you have recently faced and what some of your dreams and strengths are. I liked what I heard and I greatly look forward to knowing all of you. My first Sunday at Emmanuel will be May 11th, which is the Feast of Pentecost, also Mother’s Day. It is an auspicious day for giving thanks and for new beginnings. Winter and late frosts are past. It is a time for planting our gardens with a confidence that they will yield fruit. “Now the green blade riseth… Love is come again like wheat that springeth green.”
You have bid farewell to The Rev’d Joyce Wilkinson, and elsewhere in this newsletter she bids you peace in her own farewell. May God bless our partings and our meetings.
See you on May 11th.
In Christ,
+Martin G. Townsend
A Note From Joyce
From a reflection on the gospel of the 2nd Sunday of Easter, John 20:19-31:
"Whenever we're afraid and hiding out, all locked up,
God comes to us in the midst of our fear
and says, 'Peace be with you.'
Whatever doubts churn in our minds,
whatever sins trouble our consciences,
whatever pain and worry bind us up,
whatever walls we have put up or doors we have locked securely,
God comes to us and says, 'Peace be with you.'"
[But it doesn't stop there. - my note]
"Whatever hunger and need we feel deep in our souls,
God calls us to the table, feeds us well,
and sends us out into the world to be justice and peace,
salt and light, hope for the world.
We can do it, if we keep our eyes open, our minds limber,
and our hearts soft and willing to love.
As God sent Jesus, God sends us, this day." (from ucc.org)
Dear People of Emmanuel,
I enjoyed being with you, and I pray Christ's peace be with you on your journey.
Joyce
THE EASTER SERMON OF ST. JOHN CHRYSOSTOM
If any man be devout and loveth God,
Let him enjoy this fair and radiant triumphal feast!
If any man be a wise servant,
Let him rejoicing enter into the joy of his Lord.
If any have laboured long in fasting,
Let him how receive his recompense.
If any have wrought from the first hour,
Let him today receive his just reward.
If any have come at the third hour,
Let him with thankfulness keep the feast.
If any have arrived at the sixth hour,
Let him have no misgivings;
Because he shall in nowise be deprived therefore.
If any have delayed until the ninth hour,
Let him draw near, fearing nothing.
And if any have tarried even until the eleventh hour,
Let him, also, be not alarmed at his tardiness.
For the Lord, who is jealous of his honour,
Will accept the last even as the first.
He giveth rest unto him who cometh at the eleventh hour,
Even as unto him who hath wrought from the first hour.
And He showeth mercy upon the last,
And careth for the first;
And to the one He giveth,
And upon the other He bestoweth gifts.
And He both accepteth the deeds,
And welcometh the intention,
And honoureth the acts and praises the offering.
Wherefore, enter ye all into the joy of your Lord;
Receive your reward,
Both the first, and likewise the second.
You rich and poor together, hold high festival!
You sober and you heedless, honour the day!
Rejoice today, both you who have fasted
And you who have disregarded the fast.
The table is full-laden; feast ye all sumptuously.
The calf is fatted; let no one go hungry away.
Enjoy ye all the feast of faith:
Receive ye all the riches of loving-kindness.
Let no one bewail his poverty,
For the universal Kingdom has been revealed.
Let no one weep for his iniquities,
For pardon has shown forth from the grave.
Let no one fear death,
For the Saviour's death has set us free.
He that was held prisoner of it has annihilated it.
By descending into Hell, He made Hell captive.
He embittered it when it tasted of His flesh.
And Isaiah, foretelling this, did cry:
Hell, said he, was embittered
When it encountered Thee in the lower regions.
It was embittered, for it was abolished.
It was embittered, for it was mocked.
It was embittered, for it was slain.
It was embittered, for it was overthrown.
It was embittered, for it was fettered in chains.
It took a body, and met God face to face.
It took earth, and encountered Heaven.
It took that which was seen, and fell upon the unseen.
O Death, where is thy sting?
O Hell, where is thy victory?
Christ is risen, and thou art overthrown!
Christ is risen, and the demons are fallen!
Christ is risen, and the angels rejoice!
Christ is risen, and life reigns!
Christ is risen, and not one dead remains in the grave.
For Christ, being risen from the dead,
Is become the first-fruits of those who have fallen asleep.
To Him be glory and dominion
Unto ages of ages.
Amen.
“Alleluia Aerobics” Makes a Comeback…
Thanks to the volunteering spirit of the indomitable Ginny Poland, we’re pleased to announce that the “Alleluia Aerobics” classes for women will once again be offered at Emmanuel Church.
The classes will be held on Monday nights each week, from 6:00 PM until 7:00 PM at the church, and there will be a nominal fee of $1.00 per class. All the women of the parish and the community are invited to come to work on physical fitness in a comfortable and relaxed environment.
For additional information about “Alleluia Aerobics”, please contact Ginny Poland or Marcy D’Elisa.
Thank you!
Special thanks to Beverly Davis and Anita Johnson for the beautiful wreaths on the doors. If anyone would like to decorate the doors for a special holiday or occasion, you are welcome to do so. Please contact Kim Pifer for more information.
Reaching Out to Our Parish Family…
We have many people at Emmanuel Church who have illnesses and other concerns in their lives, and they need not only our prayers but more tangible signs of our love and support. So we’re asking for volunteers to do one (or more) of the following:
1. Get together and send out “get well” or “thinking of you” cards to those who have been ill and/or haven’t been at church in a while;
2. Give a telephone call to sick and shut-in members to see how they’re doing and if they should need anything.
3. Visit members who are in the hospital or nursing homes to see how they’re doing.
4. Volunteering your time (and automobile) to help people get to medical appointments.
Please pray about serving as the hands, feet and heart of Jesus Christ to our fellow believers who are in need. If you’d like to help in this important ministry, or if you’d like to get more information, please see Kim Pifer, the Senior Warden of our parish.
MESSAGE FROM THE SENIOR WARDEN:
The birth of spring is upon us and Keyser is starting to bud with a renewal of life. We have just celebrated the mysteries of Christ and the Resurrection. I feel Emmanuel is very much a part of this rebirth. I see growing pains, anxiety of the unknown and excitement for what is to come. We give thanks for Rev. Joyce’s time with us. We became stronger during her time with us and seek to continue our growth in Christ. During our next growing spurt, the Rev. Canon Donald Vinson will be working with the vestry and congregation to strengthen the life of Emmanuel Church. How will this be done?
Rev. Vinson will be meeting and sharing with us two segments that are quite different from one another. The first is a Fresh Start module called "Transition." It is based on the idea that change and transition are two different things. Change is inevitable, and it happens whether we respond to it or not. It is just part of life. But transition is adapting and responding to that change. We will have discussion about how these things impact on us and on our church. Second, we will do an assessment of the congregation in terms of where it is in its life cycle. Also, determine what this congregation's gifts are, what the church does well, and discuss how we can do even better.
This will be a time to begin conversation and a time for reflection. Where have we been? Where do we want to go? Most importantly, how do we intend to grow spiritual in ourselves and with the congregation? Rev. Vinson will help get us started with giving us the tools to expand our minds. He will give us some time to try them out and then will return with other topics for us to explore.
With spring upon us and the beginning of the growing season it is a perfect time for Emmanuel to dig in our hands and minds and get busy with new growth. I thank each one of you. We, as the vestry, continue to ask you to help with this process and make this the best year that Emmanuel has seen. Will keep you posted!
God’s Blessings to each of you.
Kim Pifer, Senior Warden
Pricket Stand from National Cathedral
Praying with Light…
In the not-too-distant future you’ll notice that a rather compact piece of furniture has been added to Emmanuel Church, and its sole purpose is to assist us in remembering in prayer our family and friends (those living and departed) as well as our own personal prayer concerns according to a tradition that reaches back to the very beginning of Christianity. The furniture in question is a votive candle stand, which in the Anglican/Episcopalian tradition is known as a “Pricket Stand,” and the members of the Vestry – during the special Vestry Retreat in January and after the advice of Rev. Canon Donald Vinson – voted to have a pricket stand constructed for Emmanuel Church by a local woodworker (to match the wooden furnishings in the parish), and several members of the Vestry contributed their personal funds for its creation (no money from the church was used for this purpose).
The practice of lighting candles for prayer remembrance has been a common element throughout the history of Christianity, and is most likely based upon the ancient Jewish practice of lighting special lamps or candles (called Yahrzeit) in order to remember deceased family members and friends. In Christianity, this practice was adopted and expanded to include all prayer needs one might have, and one can read accounts of how the persecuted Early Christians would light candles before Altars and the tombs of the martyrs as a symbol of their prayer intentions. This practice has been maintained in the Anglican/Episcopal, Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic Churches through the centuries, and because of the “Emerging Church” movement, you can see that numerous Protestant churches are adopting it as well.
In case you’re not familiar with the practice of lighting candles in prayer, here are some helpful ideas:
1. The lit candle reminds us of our Baptism, and the way that we share in the life of Christ by sharing in the life of the Church. The light also symbolizes the Light of Jesus Christ in our midst, and that He dispels the darkest times of our lives.
When we go, leaving the burning candle behind, we are reminded that our souls never leave the presence of God, in company with His Saints.
2. Prayer is not self-centered, it is God centered, and an important element is prayer for other people and causes. When lighting your candle, it is a very good idea to light a candle for those others you want to pray for. One can even light a candle as a sign of thanksgiving and praise to God for the blessings that have been received.
The candle will not be a substitute for the prayer of your heart, but an accompaniment. It is traditional to give small offering for the candle which, in and giving glory to God, speaks both from the heart and to the heart. All the offerings given will be collected to assist those in need in our community.
May our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ give a greater sense of peace and an increased sense of His Presence in our midst as you use this little spiritual tool for grace and comfort.
A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR…
Because I'm a perennial glutton for punishment, the Vestry of Emmanuel Church has appointed me as the new editor of The Vine newsletter. I look forward to keeping this important ministry of our parish moving into the future.
I want to express my sincere gratitude to the Rev. Joyce Wilkinson for turning The Vine into a monthly publication that has become a vital tool for keeping our church family and friends informed about all of the many things going on at Emmanuel, along with providing the weekly schedules for those who have volunteered to assist during the Holy Eucharist and during our fellowship brunches. Of course I cannot possibly forget to thank the person who started the tradition of The Vine in the first place -- Sue Riley. Sue created the very first edition of the newsletter, and so she's kind of the "mother" of this entire venture.
The Vine newsletter is YOUR newsletter, a publication of the people of Emmanuel Church. I want to encourage everyone to submit poetry, inspirational articles, old photos from the church's past, recipes, and so forth to me. We have such wonderful personalities and diversity at our church, and I believe that it would be great to show everyone who receives a copy what we're about.
May our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ continue to bless us, and may you and your families experience His love and transforming power especially during this Easter Season.
In Christ,
Michael Summers, Editor
Wisdom from the Rule of St. Benedict
This, then is the beginning of my advice: make prayer the first step in anything worthwhile that you attempt. Persevere and do not weaken in that prayer. Pray with confidence, because God, in his love and forgiveness, has counted us as his own sons and daughters. Surely we should not by our evil acts heartlessly reject that love. At every moment of our lives, as we use the good things he has given us, we can respond to His love only by seeking to obey His will for us. [Prologue to the Rule of St. Benedict]
Saturday, March 1, 2008
The Vine Newsletter (March 2008)
H o l y W e e k
Palm Sunday, March 16, through the Sunday of the Resurrection, Easter, March 23
Join us and bring friends or family members to commemorate the last week of Jesus’ earthly life.
Sunday of the Passion: Palm Sunday, March 16, 8 and10:00 AM
8, 10 AM Procession of Palms, Passion of Jesus, Holy Eucharist
9, 11:30 AM Make Palm Crosses in Patchett Hall
Maundy Thursday, March 20, 7:00 PM
7 PM Celebration of the Last Supper and institution of the first Holy Eucharist
Agape meal of breads, cheeses, olives, and fruits with the reading
of Jesus’ prayer for his disciples.
Stripping of the altar by the Altar Guild
8:30 PM -12 Watch by the people in the church. (Come and go.)*
Good Friday, March 21
Noon Stations of the Cross: Walk the Passion of Jesus, Patchett Hall
7 PM Good Friday Liturgy
Sunday of the Resurrection: Easter, March 23, 8 and10:00 AM
8, 10 AM Festive Eucharist of Christ’s Resurrection
Resurrect "Alleluia", bring bells to celebrate the joy
11:30 AM Easter Pot Luck luncheon and egg hunt
*As the disciples stayed with Jesus in the garden before his arrest, we spend time in
quiet. The church will be open for you to reflect, pray, read, meditate.
Good Friday Offering is for the Church in Jerusalem and the Middle East [See page 2.]
The Sacrament of Reconciliation is offered by appointment throughout the year.
*****************
Prayers for Peace marking the 5th Anniversary of the War in Iraq
Palm Sunday, March 16, 5 PM
Pray for peace on Palm Sunday evening as we recall the triumphal entry 2,000 years ago of the Prince of Peace into the holy city of Jerusalem and the beginning of the war in Iraq nearly five years ago. Karen and Ed McDonald will be joining us again for this special time of prayer for peace and for the peoples and families affected by the violence.
You may bring a candle.
Good Friday Offering
For over 150 years, the Anglican Church in Jerusalem and the Middle East has helped maintain the Christian witness in the Holy Land serving all of God's people there in a variety of ministries, proclaiming the gospel and promoting justice, peace, and love, thereby serving us all.
Since 1992, Episcopalians here have supported the ministries of the Episcopal Church in Jerusalem and the Middle East through the Good Friday Offering. It is vital that we continue to share in this burden, and not let our brothers and sisters in Jerusalem carry the cross alone. If you will not be present on Good Friday, write Good Friday Offering on the memo line of a check and place it in the alms basin on Palm Sunday.
Thank you to
Tamela Rankin for leading the adult Lenten formation time at 9.
Sonny Rhodes for taking on the responsibility of junior warden this year.
Kim Pifer for being senior warden again this year. God bless and give her strength!
Jottings by Joyce
Spring and Easter fit well together as both are times of new beginnings. Trees and flowers will be bursting out with new growth and vibrant blooms after a time of bare limbs and dormancy underground. Like the barrenness of the winter landscape, we enter into the agony of Jesus’ suffering during Holy Week. Journeying with Jesus through the events of his last week help us to more fully appreciate the glorious joy of Easter, the most remarkable springtime new beginning – Christ’s resurrection. Join us on Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter Day. Wave palms, institute Eucharist, walk the stations, pray before the cross, and sing “Alleluia, Christ is risen indeed!”
May the glory of the Risen Christ fill you with deep peace and radiant joy, Joyce
May you be at peace.
May your heart remain open,
May you awaken to the light of your own true nature,
May you be healed.
May you be a source of healing for all beings.
May there be peace on Earth,
May the hearts of all people be open to themselves and to each other,
May all people awaken to the light of their own true nature,
May all creation be blessed and be a blessing to All That Is. by Joan Borysenko
Palm Sunday, March 16, through the Sunday of the Resurrection, Easter, March 23
Join us and bring friends or family members to commemorate the last week of Jesus’ earthly life.
Sunday of the Passion: Palm Sunday, March 16, 8 and10:00 AM
8, 10 AM Procession of Palms, Passion of Jesus, Holy Eucharist
9, 11:30 AM Make Palm Crosses in Patchett Hall
Maundy Thursday, March 20, 7:00 PM
7 PM Celebration of the Last Supper and institution of the first Holy Eucharist
Agape meal of breads, cheeses, olives, and fruits with the reading
of Jesus’ prayer for his disciples.
Stripping of the altar by the Altar Guild
8:30 PM -12 Watch by the people in the church. (Come and go.)*
Good Friday, March 21
Noon Stations of the Cross: Walk the Passion of Jesus, Patchett Hall
7 PM Good Friday Liturgy
Sunday of the Resurrection: Easter, March 23, 8 and10:00 AM
8, 10 AM Festive Eucharist of Christ’s Resurrection
Resurrect "Alleluia", bring bells to celebrate the joy
11:30 AM Easter Pot Luck luncheon and egg hunt
*As the disciples stayed with Jesus in the garden before his arrest, we spend time in
quiet. The church will be open for you to reflect, pray, read, meditate.
Good Friday Offering is for the Church in Jerusalem and the Middle East [See page 2.]
The Sacrament of Reconciliation is offered by appointment throughout the year.
*****************
Prayers for Peace marking the 5th Anniversary of the War in Iraq
Palm Sunday, March 16, 5 PM
Pray for peace on Palm Sunday evening as we recall the triumphal entry 2,000 years ago of the Prince of Peace into the holy city of Jerusalem and the beginning of the war in Iraq nearly five years ago. Karen and Ed McDonald will be joining us again for this special time of prayer for peace and for the peoples and families affected by the violence.
You may bring a candle.
Good Friday Offering
For over 150 years, the Anglican Church in Jerusalem and the Middle East has helped maintain the Christian witness in the Holy Land serving all of God's people there in a variety of ministries, proclaiming the gospel and promoting justice, peace, and love, thereby serving us all.
Since 1992, Episcopalians here have supported the ministries of the Episcopal Church in Jerusalem and the Middle East through the Good Friday Offering. It is vital that we continue to share in this burden, and not let our brothers and sisters in Jerusalem carry the cross alone. If you will not be present on Good Friday, write Good Friday Offering on the memo line of a check and place it in the alms basin on Palm Sunday.
Thank you to
Tamela Rankin for leading the adult Lenten formation time at 9.
Sonny Rhodes for taking on the responsibility of junior warden this year.
Kim Pifer for being senior warden again this year. God bless and give her strength!
Jottings by Joyce
Spring and Easter fit well together as both are times of new beginnings. Trees and flowers will be bursting out with new growth and vibrant blooms after a time of bare limbs and dormancy underground. Like the barrenness of the winter landscape, we enter into the agony of Jesus’ suffering during Holy Week. Journeying with Jesus through the events of his last week help us to more fully appreciate the glorious joy of Easter, the most remarkable springtime new beginning – Christ’s resurrection. Join us on Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter Day. Wave palms, institute Eucharist, walk the stations, pray before the cross, and sing “Alleluia, Christ is risen indeed!”
May the glory of the Risen Christ fill you with deep peace and radiant joy, Joyce
May you be at peace.
May your heart remain open,
May you awaken to the light of your own true nature,
May you be healed.
May you be a source of healing for all beings.
May there be peace on Earth,
May the hearts of all people be open to themselves and to each other,
May all people awaken to the light of their own true nature,
May all creation be blessed and be a blessing to All That Is. by Joan Borysenko
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
