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| News from St. Mark's Episcopal Church |
June 2009 |
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 Letter from John de Beer
Dear Friends,
Gordon Cosby was the founding pastor of the Church of Our Savior
in Washington, D.C. For many years I have been inspired by
his vision of church where each member is called to a life of discipleship, in
a mutual relationship of prayer and support with other members of the
congregation. Gordon's thoughts are most easily accessible through the writings
of Elizabeth O'Conner. I have slightly edited this passage from Journey
Inward, Journey Outward:
Find out what you really want to
be doing and do it, which is quite different from doing your duty or what is
expected of you. Have faith that God
calls you into being to play a part in His cosmic drama. Your deepest longings
and desires provide hints which help you identify this part. What you deeply
want to do is often what God wants you to do.
What you think you ought to do and feel compelled to do may not be God's
intention at all.
This thought guides my ministry among you, both for myself
and in how I seek to serve you.
Twelve members of St. Mark's have been reflecting and
praying about their part in "God's cosmic drama." Nine were members of the Covenant! course that met for eight
weeks and three participated in the Between
Jobs course, along with twelve people from the community. I hope that they
will share with you some of the insights that they gained and ask you to
support them as they respond to God's call at St. Mark's and beyond.
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If you would like some summer reading for yourself around
this topic, any of Elizabeth O'Conner's books are fun to read: Our Many Selves, Eighth Day of Creation: Gifts and Creativity, The New
Community, Letters to Scattered Pilgrims, Cry Pain, Cry Hope: Thresholds to
Purpose.
If you can't find any of her books, Parker Palmer's Let
Your Life Speak: Listening for the Voice of Vocation. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2000, is
definitely in print.
For myself, I continue to feel blessed to be your Rector. At
the end of August Tricia and I are moving into the Rectory at 14 St. Mark's Road. I look forward to continuing to support
you to discover and to act on what you most deeply want.
Blessings,
John
The Rev. John de Beer
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 From the Senior Warden
Recently I was asked what is it that I like about being Sr.
Warden. I thought for a minute and could only reply, "all of it"; the challenges, the problem solving, the
interaction with parishioners of all different personalities, the business aspect,
and above all seeing how the holy spirit moves within this congregation. As
some of you know, this is my third time being a Sr. Warden. The first time was
when the Rev. Bill Seaward was rector of St. Mark's which was many years ago.
There is no comparison today with then. The church has had so many changes both
at the diocesan level and at the parish level. We have fewer parishioners but
the power of the spirit is still very strong here. We had a successful Tea
Party which raised over $500 for the pantry. The youth walked and raised over $1500 for
Project Bread. We are making a
difference in the world and in the town of Burlington. Between Jobs brought in people
from other towns who commented that the program is very thought provoking. The
Covenant! class proved to be very enlightening for me and answered some
questions which have been on my mind for a long time. This was also a way of getting to know some
people at a deeper level. I would
encourage all of you to really think hard about attending this group when
offered again. It is about life itself, your life. For me it was a way of
seeing a clearer direction for my life and I will be happy to share my
experiences with you in more detail. Now as I write this, it is still May, but
the temperature before noon
is 81 and the forecast is 90 plus so summer is almost here. This is the last
issue of the ROAR until the fall. As many of you go traveling on vacation, I
ask you not to forget that God is with you. Please take the time to pray during
the summer months, to give thanks for your abundant life and I will pray that
you all return in the fall after having a safe and happy summer.
Peace and love to all,
Shirley Estrella
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 From the Associate for Multigenerational Ministries
Dear Friends,
Thank you for all your
prayers for healing after my surgery.
The doctors all told me be about the healing powers of ice cream after a
tonsillectomy but I know it was your prayers and positive thoughts that helped
the most. I found that too much ice
cream is never a good thing in the long run.
Fortunately I'm on my way to a full recovery and a more normal diet.
In the few weeks before my
surgery I spent many moments in prayer wondering where God was leading me. Should I stay on at St. Mark's for another
year? Should I look for another
job? Can I continue to work multiple
jobs and retain my sanity? They were tough questions to ask. In many ways I thrive on change. The constant change is one of the things I
loved most about being in school.
Classes only last fifteen weeks and then you can study something
entirely different. Each year I got to
move to a new room with new people. And
just when you think you can't take it any more June rolls around and you have
vacation! In school nothing every stays
the same.
As a person who lives
according to the adage, "variety is the spice of life," it was a little
frightening to imagine myself working at St. Mark's for a third year in a row. But then I realized that things are changing
and I enjoy being part of the change.
Working with you all I've seen how in just two years St. Mark's can
become a new church. So after talking
with John and the Vestry I've decided to stay on for another year. My ministry will be in the same areas with
increased energy on the Story Sunday services.
I'm excited about the possibilities and can't wait to see what happens!
Sarah
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Youth Group Field Trip
We are
excited to announce our third annual Youth
Group Canobie
Lake trip. We will meet briefly in the choir room
following the service on Sunday, June
7th, have a snack and then head to the park. Everyone is encouraged to bring a bagged
lunch. We will return to St. Mark's at
7:30pm and youth group members can be picked up at the church. The trip is open to active members of the
current youth group. Admission to the
park will be $12.00, with the balance being covered by the Youth Group budget. We are not allowed to bring food or drinks
into the park, so members are advised to bring some pocket money if they would
like to purchase anything once inside. We
are looking forward to a great day of fun!
Also, our
final Youth Group Meeting for 2008-2009 will take place on Sunday, June 14th.
We are planning to have a cookout at our house following the
service. We will provide transportation
to our house, and ask that the Youth Group members be picked up at 3:00pm from:
27 Pequot St.
North
Billerica,
MA 01862
DRIVING DIRECTIONS
From: 10 Saint Marks Rd, Burlington,
MA 01803-3622
US
To: 27 Pequot St, North Billerica,
MA 01862-2923
US
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A) 10 Saint Marks Rd, Burlington,
MA 01803-3622
US
--------------------------------------------------
1. Start out going NORTHWEST on ST MARKS RD toward TERRACE HALL AVE. (0.1 miles)
2. Turn RIGHT onto TERRACE
HALL AVE.
(go 0.0 miles)
3. Turn LEFT onto BEDFORD
ST. (go 1.5
miles)
4. BEDFORD ST
becomes BURLINGTON RD/MA-62. (go 0.3
miles)
5. Merge onto US-3 N toward BILLERICA/LOWELL. (go 5.1 miles)
6. Take the TREBLE COVE RD
exit, EXIT 28, toward BILLERICA/CARLISLE.
(go 0.2 miles)
7. Turn SLIGHT RIGHT onto TREBLE
COVE RD.
(go 0.9 miles)
8. Turn LEFT onto PEQUOT ST. (go 0.2 miles)
9. End at 27 Pequot St
North Billerica, MA
01862-2923
--------------------------------------------------
B) 27 Pequot St, North Billerica,
MA 01862-2923
US
--------------------------------------------------
>>
TOTAL ESTIMATED TIME: 15 minutes | DISTANCE: 8.31 miles
Youth Group
Schedule for the remainder of the fall 2008 - spring 2009 year:
- Sunday May 3rd: No traditional meeting. Youth group will participate in the Walk
for Hunger / Common Cathedral lunch.
Please see Sarah Manly for more details.
- Sunday May 17th: Youth Group will meet as
usual in the choir room from 11:00am - 1:00pm. Field
Trip permission slips are due today.
If you do not have a permission slip, you can download it here:
http://www.saintmarksburlington.org/youthgroup/files/ygtrips2009.pdf
- Sunday June 7th: Canobie Lake
- Sunday June 14th: Final meeting / cookout
Sincerely,
Justin
& Juliette Turner
Email:
justin@say-anything.com
Home:
978-362-1566
Mobile (Justin): 781-771-6629
Mobile (Juliette): 978-987-7571
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Property Notes
Property
Improvements Continue
Thanks to your efforts and
input, Property Improvements are being made each week.
--------The gardens are
looking great.
--------The lawn is
beautiful.
--------The building is
being improved.
What
is next?
ALL
PARISHIONERS........
We
want your opinion on two questions: Look for opinion boxes that
will be located in the narthex and near the bathrooms.
--------Should
we convert one bathroom to a handicap room for both men and women?
--------Should
we remove some large bushes so we can better see the beautiful flower garden
that is emerging near the entrance.
PROPERTY
TEAM WORKERS........
We have a new Job
#1
We ask for your help at
your convenience to
--------Rake the leaves and
grass and other "bad things" from the "gardens."
--------Let's get it down
to bare DIRT. so that Mulch can be added.
--------Find leaf bags in
the shed.
--------Use the ten bags of
mulch on the steps of the church--front side door
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Outreach Notes
Please remember our Food Drive - The first Sunday of each month - JUNE
7TH
The list of food that St. Mark's can help benefit the Food Pantry
is as follows:
Hamburger Helper - any kind of noodle dishes that tuna, chicken
beef or pork can be added
Spaghetti Sauce - Dry Pasta
Tuna Fish
Mayonnaise
Catsup
Pancake Mix & Syrup
Baked Beans
Powdered Milk
Bottled juice
Soup
Canned vegetables
Anyone wishing to make a donation of money would also be helpful.
Please make check out to St. Mark's Church with Food Pantry written on the memo line of the check. If giving cash please also specify for the
Pantry. Thank you.
WEDNESDAY FELLOWSHIP LUNCHES
As summer is approaching and people get busier than usual, the
Outreach Team thought it would be best if we gave up our luncheons during the
months of June, July and August. Have a wonderfull summer. See you in Church
and in September for lunch.
Marge Douglass
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Women's Group Meeting
Our
final meeting before the summer will be on Tuesday, June 16, 2009. As in years
past, we will be going out to dinner. This year we have decided to revisit The
Emerald Rose on Route 3A in Billerica.
There will be a sign up sheet in the Narthex.
Please sign up by Sunday, June 14, 2009. The cost of the dinner is being
confirmed.
We will
be meeting in the church parking lot at 6:30
PM and driving over together. Reservations are for 7:00 PM. All women of the church are
welcome to join us.
If
anyone needs a ride, please contact us and we will make arrangements for you.
We all have a wonderful time and want you to join in the fellowship of St Mark's women. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact:
Linda Kelley at 781-883-8972
or email at ljkelley@rcn.com
Rosemarie Tieri at 781-272-1558 or email at rozeetea@yahoo.com
Judy Gustafson at 781-229-2688 or email at judester52@comcast.net
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Yard work help needed for the Knowltons
Jim and Jeanne Knowlton of 31 Carey Avenue would like to hire someone
to cut their lawn this summer. This could be a good part-time job for someone
between jobs or for a student during the summer months.
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St. Mark's to Participate in B-Safe
For the first time this year St. Mark's, coordinated by Marge Douglass and Catherine Owens, will be a partner church in the B-Safe program - an urban ministry designed to keep young children safe and off the streets, reducing their exposure to gangs, drugs, and risk of injury or death as innocent bystanders to street violence. While most partner churches take a full week we are dipping a toe in the water and only taking two days, Monday July 27th and Tuesday July 28th. We will be providing lunch and a snack for 60 kids at St. Mark's, Columbia Road, Dorchester, and bringing volunteers to help serve, read to the kids, and otherwise participate for the day. Everyone we have talked to has said it is one of the most rewarding ministries they've participated in. We will be looking for help planning and making lunch and snacks, and volunteers to come into Boston with us. We'll send out details in early July. In the meantime, if you think you might be interested in helping, please talk to Marge or Catherine. To learn more about the program as it was in 2007 (it's added two more locations since then), check out the YouTube video here.
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Project Bread's FoodSource Hotline
With the high cost of living in the Commonwealth and more than 522,000 people across the state struggling to put food on the table, chances are that a friend or neighbor of yours is having difficulty making ends meet this winter. Project Bread's FoodSource Hotline can help. The FoodSource Hotline is the only comprehensive information and referral service for the hungry in Massachusetts. Counselors can provide information and screen callers for food stamp eligibility, connect them to school meal programs, and direct them to emergency food resources right in their neighborhood. Counselors can assist callers in 160 languages and the calls are both personalized and confidential. Extend your goodwill and reach out to those in need. A call to Project Bread's FoodSource Hotline may be all it takes to provide comfort to someone who is struggling.
In response to the increased demand for help, Project Bread's Food Source Hotline has extended its hours to:
Monday - Friday: 8:00 A.M. - 7:00 P.M. Saturday: 10:00 A.M. - 2:00P.M. 1-800-645-8333 TTY: 1-800-377-1292. |
Choir Notes
TEA FOR MORE THAN TWO!!
The St. Mark's Adult Choir enjoyed being part of the very
successful American Girl Tea Party. We
had a chance to sing some songs we don't normally get to perform, and we were
thrilled to see such a great turnout for the event. The Parish Hall looked just beautiful, and
our own Betsy Figenbaum was on the committee and helped make the day a big
success. She also remembered to bring an
umbrella for our rendition of "Singin' in the Rain"! Bruce Burrell did a
terrific job accompanying us on clarinet and acting as emcee. We thank Shirley
Estrella for inviting us to be part of the Tea Party, and I thank the choir
members for making this extra effort.
YOUTH CHOIR SETS A RECORD
Since the Adult Choir expended so much effort in preparing for
the Tea Party, we took the day off on Mother's Day, Sunday, May 10th.
For the first time ever in St. Mark's history, the Youth Choir sang not one but
two anthems during the service.
The song we taught to the congregation, "Your Words", was new to our repertoire,
so that took several weeks of work to prepare.
I am grateful to the Youth Choir members who have dedicated their time
for rehearsals after church and to participate in our worship as fully as they
do.
SUMMER CHOIR
As in past years, the Youth Choir will take the summer off
until the week after Labor Day when school resumes. The Adult Choir will continue to grace us
with their music during our summer worship services. We will end our Thursday
night rehearsals in June, and then start again the Thursday after Labor
Day. Later in the summer we will have a
session to read through some new anthems that we will consider for the next
church year. Our anthems during the summer will be familiar favorites, so we
invite anyone who would like to try us out to come on Sunday morning at 8:30am
for a quick run-through before the service.
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 Notes from EDS
As you know, I am working as a consultant for the Winchester Unitarian Society, helping them develop their welcoming and new member incorporation processes. The ministers (a couple with the first names of John and Sarah, believe it or not) lent me a book about Unitarian Universalism. In one of the essays in that book, the author quoted an old Jewish story, that goes something like this:
Once upon a time in Krakow, a rabbi dreamt three times than an angel told him to go to Livovna, and that in front of the palace there, near a bridge, he would find a treasure. When the rabbi arrived in Livovna, he told his story to a palace guard who told him that he, too, had had a dream in which he was told to go to a rabbi's house in Krakow, where a treasure was buried in front of the fireplace. So the rabbi went home and dug at his own hearthstone and found a treasure.
The author used this story to illustrate the value of going somewhere else, to a teacher from another tradition, to an understanding of another faith or practice, to better know yourself. This has certainly been true for me. I deeply appreciate their commitment to service, to social justice, to making this world a better place. I honor their openness to and respect for all religions and spiritual practices. Both of these are also aspects of my own life based on my understanding of what Jesus intended all of us to do.
And I also know, fully and completely, that Christianity as it is expressed in the liberal Episcopal church is where I am supposed to be. I miss reflecting on those hard lessons in the Gospel in the company of others doing the same thing. I miss the Eucharist. I miss opening myself to the mystery of faith in a Trinity I can barely comprehend. I miss the discipline of letting go of rationality and feeling God in and around me. (I know that doesn't sound like a discipline but for as committed a rationalist as I am, letting it go takes some work!).
This job is a great joy and I am probably learning as much as I'm giving. I'm building a relationship with the other John and Sarah that I believe will be a lasting one. And the greatest gift has turned out to be that opportunity to step outside my own religion, and through that to fully understand what a treasure I have at my own hearth.
It's also a great opportunity to pick up on ideas to bring back to St. Mark's. One of these is the idea of ethical eating. The approach they are working on is based on the idea that by making one or two simple changes in the way we buy our food and the kinds of foods we eat, we can have a positive impact in the world. They have just started an ethical eating group that is exploring all kinds of things, from getting educated about humane and fair trade labeling, to exchanging recipes and doing cooking demonstrations, to clubbing together for community agriculture shares, to showing films and reading books together, to supporting community food service causes that ensure everyone is well fed. No one tries to do everything - and everyone does something. It seems like a fun and easy way to make a positive change for ourselves and the world. If anyone would be interested in forming an ethical eating group at St. Mark's please let me know by emailing me here or catching me the next time you see me in church! We could have a great time!!
Love and good food for all!
Catherine Owens
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Usher Schedule
May 31 MARK
LAMOURINE
NELSON HOLT
June 7 GREG
DOOLEY
BOB JANKOWSKI
June 14 CAROL
HODGKINS
DENNIS
HODGKINS
June 21 DON
HOWSER
BOB PATTISON
Jun 28 BRIAN CULLINAN
RICK
BLANEY
July 5 DENNIS
HODGKINS
July 12 MARK
LAMOURINE
July 19 NELSON HOLT
July 26 GREG
DOOLEY
August 2 BOB
JANKOWSKI
August 9 DON HOWSER
August 16 BOB
PATTISON
August 23 RICK BLANEY
August 30 BRIAN
CULLINAN
Sept 6 CAROL HODGKINS
DENNIS
HODGKINS |
Summer Schedule
Holy Eucharist and Church School begin at 9:00 am on Sunday. After service we have a simplified coffee hour in the parish hall.
. On the first Sunday of the month we have our monthly food drive to support People Helping People.
The ROAR does not publish over the summer. Our next issue will be before Welcoming Sunday in September. If you have news or a request to send to the ROAR mailing list, please email Catherine Owens.
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