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| News
from St. Mark's Episcopal Church |
November 2008 | |
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This edition introduces a new feature to the
ROAR, Lion in the Limelight. In this we will spotlight a
parishioner. It's a space where we can share things that are
important to us, where we can tell our stories. Don't be
surprised if I call you for your
story! | |
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| Letter from John de
Beer
Dear Friends,
I
continue to feel grateful that you have called me to be
Rector. This past month I have particularly enjoyed
sharing in the leadership of the latest
Connect? class. Participants included those new
to the congregation and long term members One Sunday we
had a wonderful discussion on the difference between
striving to be acceptable on the one hand, and on the
other hand trusting that we are already accepted by God,
so therefore are free live whole hearted, not anxious
about measuring up. Connect? is one place of
the safety called for in our mission statement, where
parishioners have the opportunity to be transformed as
they explore their faith. I am grateful to Catherine
Owens who presented the class with me, and to Shirley
Estrella and Rick Eaton who facilitated the discussion.
As you have probably heard, I am also
serving as Interim Chaplain at Boston University for
this academic year. This is a very different context and
I am fascinated by the themes that occur in both
settings. Time is a precious commodity in both
places. Students are always studying, except when
they are working for money, participating in an on
campus organization, grabbing a quick meal or sleeping
(briefly.) Finding time to worship, pray or be
reflective is a huge challenge. Sound familiar? At the
same time, having a regular pattern of worship is very
important. The words they use to describe this - become
centered, refreshed, reminded of what is most important,
a place to simply be myself, a community which is safe,
are the same words I hear you use to describe St.
Mark's.
I am writing to you in the final
days of this Election cycle, with the financial news a
continual cause for deep concern. It seems most likely
that our lives will become more rather than less
challenging. Whoever is elected President, the changes
that these times are demanding of us will take the
collective effort of us all. It will be even harder and
even more important to make time to worship, to pray and
to reflect together. When I agreed to be your Rector a
few weeks ago, I did not expect to be facing such
challenging times so quickly. With challenge comes
opportunity. Let us commit to worship together, to pray
regularly, and to keep inviting one another into our
lives as they
unfold.
Blessings,
John de
Beer |
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Multigenerational News from Sarah
Manly
Finding Faith at Fenway
As I write this, the
Red Sox are battling the Tampa Bay Rays in game 6 of the ALCS
championship series. With Tampa Bay ahead in the series
the Red Sox can afford no more mistakes. By midnight
tonight their season could be over or we could be going on to
game 7. Such is the life of a Red Sox fan.
Being a Red Sox fan is a lifetime
vocation. We are a unique breed. We don't just buy
posters and bumper stickers. We stay up until all hours
of the night to watch games with 13 innings. We
spend ridiculous amounts of money just to see one game.
We get excited about Spring Training. We keep the faith,
even when faced with terrible odds. Sure we may lapse
but with one swing of the bat our faith is
restored.
So why am I a Red Sox fan? The
community. The day after a game I can go into any
Dunkin' Donuts from here to Bar Harbor and talk with another
fan about the win or loss. There's no other topic that
creates such a connection. It's an amazing feeling to
realize that you have something in common with hundreds of
thousands of other people! After the 2005 World Series
win I walked down to Harvard Square for the celebration.
It may have been midnight but we danced and sang like it was
the middle of the day. Being surrounded by all the
people was like being surrounded by a large extended
family.
If community is the answer, how do we
create a community like that at St. Marks? How do we get
to the point where church is so exciting that we talk about it
to perfect strangers? I think we have taken some first
crucial steps. I see the excitement of people leaving
service, especially on Story Sundays. I see members of
all ages taking time out of their schedules to attend
Christian Education classes. I see conversations and
connections beginning between people who had never spoken
before. We are growing an exciting
community!
Our community is the like any
team. We may not like everyone on the team, and we
probably don't agree with everyone either. What makes a
community/team successful is the ability to work together to
reach a common goal. Jesus' team, the disciples,
certainly didn't get along. But Jesus showed them how to
work together, to use their differences to tell the Good News.
St. Marks has a unique gift for the world: a
community which affirms that people of all ages, colors,
abilities experience God's love and forgiveness. Now
that's something to talk about at Dunkin'
Donuts!
Peace
Sarah |
Top Ten Reasons why the Fall Fair was
Fantastic
Here is a
list, not in any special order, of why our Fall Fair was a
smashing success! You can put them in the order
you think they deserve.
#_____The weather was
fantastic with the sun shining down on all of us (That would
be God smiling down on us).
#_____The baskets made by you,
(especially the Women's Group) were amazing
#_____The Silent Auction had
great bargains and exciting items for all
#_____The popcorn, candy, pies,
fudge, ice cream, baked goods and other "naughty" stuff was
sinfully good.
#_____The Lunch Counter had
something for all tastes. And the service was superb!
#_____The books, tapes, and
White Elephant items were well organized, priced right, and
fun to explore.
#_____We brought in more
money than last year ($3.500 and still counting).
#_____It was a Happy Time!
There were smiles on faces wherever one looked.
#_____We had more volunteers
than we could have dreamed of. Thanks for helping.
#_____WILD CARD!
YOU NOMINATE SOMETHING MISSING
ABOVE.
THANK YOU TO ALL WHO PARTICIPATED.
1. All those who
worked so hard in the days leading up to the Fair.
2. All those who worked to set up and clean up!
3. All those who baked or cooked, knitted,
donated, solicited and otherwise gave.
4. All those who joined in the fellowship,
adding to the enjoyment of those who were present.
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Is Jesus Knocking at your
Door?
If Jesus
came knocking at your door and asked for food - you would give
it to him. Some would put on a feast.
If Jesus came knocking at your door and asked
for water - you would give it to him along with coffee and tea
or wine.
If Jesus came knocking at your door and asked
for clothing (a coat in the winter) or maybe some A/C in the
summer to cool off - you would give it to him.
Why would we give him these things other than
the fact that this is Jesus; I think we would do this
because we are born generous and want to help each other.
What if he came knocking at your door and
asked for money for the poor, the homeless, the sick, the
destitute, for people afflicted with AIDS, people who need
mosquito nets to keep them safe from malaria. What would you
do about that?
Now what if he came knocking at your door and
asked for financial support in the way of a pledge to St.
Mark's to increase our outreach efforts, to pay the utility
bills, to maintain our buildings and grounds, to pay the staff
so we can have a priest and an associate, an organist, and an
office assistant and to give to the diocese to go beyond our
Burlington walls.
I believe Jesus is knocking at St. Mark's
door hoping we will respond to his request to spread his
message of love by our actions here and throughout the
world. He gives us all our talents so we can earn an
income, how can we turn away and not give back to Him that
which is already His. He will always be there for us. He will
always take care of us. We belong to Him and He will not let
us down. That is why your pledge to St. Mark's is important
for you to make out of your God given generosity and
gratitude. It is a commitment that we make to be part of a
larger community. Jesus knocks on our doors all the time but
we don't always recognize Him. He doesn't wear a long robe and
sandals. He comes in many different sizes, shapes, skin color
and speaks in many languages. Join me in saying "yes I will
help spread your love through my pledge to St. Marks".
Shirley Estrella
Stewardship |
From the Senior
Warden
Sunday October 18th was a little crazy but in a very rich
way. I ended up crucifer so much at the last minute I didn't
even vest. I started off in Connect?, was reminded to get the
materials out in the parish hall so the youth group could
paint the new ecology corner hanging, and ended up drawn into
the Bible group. Just think about that for a
minute. In one Sunday our church offered liturgy, children's
education, two (count 'em, TWO) forms of adult education, and
youth group. We were celebrating the success of the fall fair,
our bulletin was filled with notices about the Jubilee Walk
and Worship and the upcoming food drives for Thanksgiving for
the food pantry. Sunday October 26th started our
fall Stewardship program, with a wonderful video that Shirley
Estrella brought back from a Stewardship conference. It raises
some provocative questions, and offers some interesting
perspectives. It's called Stewardship as Spiritual Formation:
A Conversation of Conversion, and you can download it from
this page: http://www.nhepiscopal.org/Videos/stewardvideos.htm.
Then Bruce Burrell spoke movingly of how stewardship relates
to his faith. I'm going to be away
the next two Sundays. I'll miss Story Sunday and Bryan and
Angela Anderson's baby's baptism, not to mention the All
Saints celebration. Who knows what I'll miss the Sunday after
that. What a wonderful rich community we are
building! Oh, and by the way, did you ask
yourself at the beginning of this, "What new ecology corner?"
Wait and see! Peace!
Catherine Owens |
Smile!
Used with permission. |
Vestry
Notes
On October 6th the vestry reviewed and discussed
Stewardship plans, and reviewed and voted on the Covenant of
Mutual Ministry between John de Beer and St. Mark's.
On October 20th, Joan Frederick presented the treasurer's
report, Jack Heidbrink reviewed some items about property and
the fair, and Catherine Owens presented a report on the recent
purge of the financial files. The vestry reviewed the
nominating process and discussed the nominating team, and
talked about the 50th anniversary. We also spent some time
talking about our concerns, fears, and hopes around the
current state of the economy and the world.
Minutes and the treasurer's reports are posted on
the bulletin board outside of John de Beer's office.
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Treasurer's Report
SEPTEMBER 2008 YEAR TO
DATE GENERAL FUND
Actuals
Budget
Contributions
$ 61,932
63,560
Rental
Income $
30,562
26,275
Other
$
4,454
3,804
Total
Income
$
96,948
$93,937
Expenses
$(102,573)
$(112,170)
Net Loss
YTD
$
(5,625)
$(
18,234)
The
month of September had a profit of $3,725 bringing the year to
date loss down to $(5,625.) There were no major expenses
or surprises in the month for the General Fund.
Although the year is still in a loss position, we are in a
much better position than budgeted and historically, income is
usually strong in the last quarter of each year. All our
tenants are current with rent payments.
Fall Fair
income to date has been $3,000; final figures will be reported
in next month's report. We received the $5,200
development grant in October from the Diocese which will cover
portions of Sarah Manly's costs and expenses in her
programs.
INVESTMENTS - Current Market
Conditions
St Mark's invests in several financial
instruments such as cash reserve accounts , certificates of
deposits, passbook savings accounts, and stocks
and bonds. These deposits are invested with Fidelity
Investments, Northern Bank & Trust Co., Countrywide
Bank (owned by Bank of America), and the Diocesan Investment
Trust.The majority of these funds have not been effected by
the recent events on Wall St. and continue to earn modest, low
risk interest. The Endowment Fund investments in the
Diocesan Investment Trust have been adversely effected just
like many individuals. We are monitoring the
situation and realize that these are long term investments
that will experience fluctuations, both good and bad, in the
market and that our best strategy is to be patient and wait
for the market to rebound. We are confident that the
Diocese is managing the Investment Trust in a responsible and
conservative manner.
If you have any
questions about this report or the different funds and
investments, please contact me.
Respectfully
submitted
Joan
Frederick
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Thanksgiving Food
Drive
On November 9 the High School group will be going door to
door to collect food for People Helping People. They
will be looking for the items listed below. Their goal
is to collect 10 of each item!! So make sure to be home
between the hours of 11 am and 1 pm on November 9 and stock
your pantry for a good cause!
As well as the High School class scavenger hunt, we will
be having a special food drive for the Food Pantry on Sunday
November 23rd. They anticipate giving to over 120 families
this year so please start shopping now. However, do not bring
the food in until 11/23 - anything before that will be taken
to the food pantry as usual.
Stuffing (bags or boxes)
Cranberry
Sauce
Gravy
Chicken
Broth
Corn
Cornbread Mix
Mayonnaise
Apple Juice Concentrate (canned, not frozen)
If you cannot shop please consider donating money to buy
fresh vegetables. Checks should be made payable to People
Helping People. |
Choir
Notes
We'll be celebrating All Saints' Day on Sunday, November
2nd, with both choirs and added instrumental music. Our
recessional hymn will be "When the Saints Go Marching In" with
Bruce Burrell on Dixieland clarinet and any Sunday School
students who want to play an instrument joining in. Tracey
will have the instruments in the back of the church to give
out before the recessional. All of this and a baptism, too! It
promises to be a joyous and uplifting conclusion to our
service.
You will be hearing a lot from our
Youth Choir during the month of November. They will be
singing "I Sing a Song of the Saints of God" for our All
Saints' service on Story Sunday, and then will sing for two
additional services this month. We may ask for your help
again, so be ready to sing! The Adult Choir will be
singing a beautiful arrangement of an old favorite hymn,
"Jerusalem, My Happy Home" for All Saints' Day. We are also
preparing a special anthem for Stewardship Sunday later in the
month featuring guitar and flute
accompaniment.
Scheduling note: Please remember
that we will not have Adult Choir Rehearsal on Thursday,
November 27th because of the Thanksgiving holiday. Our
regular schedule will resume on the following Thursday,
December 4th. The Youth Choir will rehearse as usual
after the service on Sunday, November 30th.
And
another scheduling note: The Burlington Interfaith
Thanksgiving Service will be at the Temple on Monday, November
24th at 7p.m. We are waiting to hear from those planning
the service, but I expect that the St. Mark's Adult Choir will
be involved in some way. We hope to see many of you there to
join us as we gather together to give thanks.
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Lion in
the Limelight - Shirley Estrella
 When Ernie was in a nursing home, I saw a
lot of injustice to patients. My son, Kevin and I were his
advocates and weekly we were discussing the care or lack of
care that was being displayed in the facility. I often said
that I wanted to be an advocate for the people in nursing
homes who do not have family members or friends that speak for
them. They don't have a voice. This idea was put on the back
burner as I have been going through the grieving process.
During the Connect? and the Commit? programs we were wondering
what our role is here on earth, what are our gifts and how to
use them in our every day lives. While Ernie was ill, I knew
without a doubt, that I was to care for him even if I didn't
feel gifted in this area, actually I really didn't like this
role at all.
A few weeks ago I picked up the local newspaper which
I haven't done for a while and read an article about a
training program to become an Ombudsman, an advocate for
nursing home patients, so I called, got accepted into the
program and am now a certified Ombudsman for the Minuteman
Services. I felt that God was and is leading me in a new
direction for my new life. Why am I telling you about this?
Because I feel that God called me to do this. Last April it
was only a little thought, but today it is a reality. God
gives us time every day, hours, months, years. What we do with
this time is part of our Christian stewardship not just at St.
Marks but in our daily lives. We proclaim stewardship is our
time, talent and treasure. We have a choice every day to use
our time wisely in response to God or to waste
it.
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Wednesday Parish
Lunches
On Wednesday November 12th lunch will be held in the
Parish Hall at 12:00 noon. Please come and enjoy conversation
and lunch. Bring a friend if you would like, and extend our
Church family at St. Mark's.
- Marge Douglass
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Revised Common Lectionary
Beginning on the first Sunday in Advent (November 30th)
we will be changing over to the Revised Common Lectionary
(RCL). The RCL became the official lectionary of the Episcopal
Church of the USA in Advent of 2007. While, at the
discretion of their bishop, parishes have until Advent 2010 to
change, During her recent visit, Bishop Gayle strongly
encouraged us to make the change.
The RCL follows
the same three-year pattern as the current lectionary in the
Prayer Book. Very few changes have been made to the appointed
gospels. The Hebrew Scripture and epistle selections vary
more. The major difference between the RCL and the prayer book
lectionary will not be seen until the season after Pentecost.
The Prayer Book lectionary uses Hebrew Scripture readings that
related to the Gospel, whether as parallel, contrast, or
background. The RCL offers this as one alternative. However,
it also introduces a second, semicontinuous, alternative,
designed to help us better see how our history unfolds in the
Hebrew Scripture. Year A of the three year cycle starts with
Genesis and Exodus, and ends with Deuteronomy, Joshua and
Judges. Year B has the stories of David, and readings from
Proverbs, Job, and Ruth. Year C covers the prophets in
chronological order. We will be using the semicontinous track
this year, which is year B in the cycle.
Other
changes were made to include more stories of women, both in
the Hebrew Scripture and by including additional verses to the
Gospel readings. Finally, because Christians have at times
interpreted scripture in ways that support anti-Semitism, some
epistle readings were changed to present a more balanced
discussion of Jewish Law.
The RCL makes it
easier for the Episcopal Church to work ecumenically. It is
used by many Anglican churches around the world, as well as
Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, Lutheran, and United Methodist
churches.
As part of our change to the RCL, we
have bought a new Gospel and a new pulpit Lectionary book.
Watch for the bright gold cross on the Gospel book signaling
both the beginning of Advent and this exciting change to our
readings.
(Adapted from: Meyers, Ruth A., "Using
the Revised Common Lectionary," Forward Movement Publications,
Cincinnati, OH, 2007) |
| Notes
from EDS
One of the many wonderful things about being in seminary
is the many opportunities for worship. We have chapel (BCP
morning prayer, meditation, or other less classifiable forms
of corporate worship) every morning except Thursday. On Monday
evening, Thursday morning and Friday noon we have a
Eucharistic celebration. Monday evening is the student
Eucharist. Here we all learn how to make a Eucharistic service
happen and at various times in our program we read, lead the
prayers of the people, or give the sermon. At some point we
even, God help me, lead the singing. I'm only at EDS on Monday
and sometimes Thursday, but worship on those days has become
part of my routine.
Monday the 20th was a hard
day for me. I was dead tired and when I'm tired I begin to
feel incredibly insecure, that no one likes me, that I'm a
complete failure. I hadn't been on campus for almost two weeks
because of a Monday holiday and pressures of work, and it was
clear that friendships had grown in that time between members
of my class who live on campus. I felt left behind. I walked
around most of the day praying over and over again, "God loves
me, God loves me." But it wasn't doing much good. I almost
didn't stay for the Eucharist, but that night was vestry, and
if I'd left after class I would have gotten home only to have
to turn around again and leave for St. Mark's. So I stayed.
The student preacher, Terry Hofmann, spoke to
the parable of the rich fool (Luke 12:15-21). This is the
story of the rich man who had such a good year he had no place
to store all his crops. Here is part of it from the New
International Version. 'Then he said, 'This is what I'll do. I
will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I
will store all my grain and my goods. And I'll say to myself,
"You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take
life easy; eat, drink and be merry." But God said to him, 'You
fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you.
Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?"
'
As part of our M.Div. program, we all have to
do what is called Field Education, where we work under
supervision doing the kind of ministry we hope to do after we
graduate. Terry asked us to imagine that we were in Field
Education and had to minister to the rich fool, that night in
his beautiful big new barn, when he learned he was to die.
What would we say? What would we do? She tied it to the way we
react in the face of fear, especially the current fear of
losing our savings, those of us who are lucky enough to have
some. It was an inspired sermon and she delivered it
beautifully.
I heard God in Terry's sermon. I
went into church tired and discouraged and afraid, and I came
out still vulnerable, but also joyful and optimistic. Her
sermon has continued to resonate with me as I continue to work
to learn to trust in God, to deepen my understanding that
everything comes from God, and that God does indeed love me no
matter how worthless I feel myself to be. What a gift God gave
me that night!
Peace!
Catherine Owens |
Regular
Schedule
Holy Eucharist
and Church School begin at 9:00 am on Sunday. After service we
have coffee hour in the parish hall, and the youth choir
rehearses.
Bible study group meets in the Parish Hall
after coffee hour.
Adult Choir rehearses on
Thursday at 7:30 pm.
On the first Sunday of
the month Sunday School combines with our regular service for
a special Story service. We also have our monthly food
drive to support People Helping People.
The
Youth Group meets on the first and third Sundays after the
service. High School classes meet on the Sundays when
Youth Group does not meet.
Vestry meets at 7:00 pm in the Choir Room on the first
and third
Mondays. |
| November Special Events |
All Saints, Story Sunday with Baptism
Sunday November 2, 2008 beginning at 9:00
am
Diocesan Convention
November 7th and 8th
For more information click here. Deb Smyth
and Catherine Owens, delegates
High School Thanksgiving Scavenger Hunt
Sunday November 9th, 11-1
Wednesday Parish Lunch
Noon November
12, 2008
Thanksgiving Food Drive
Sunday November 23rd
Burlington Interfaith Thanksgiving
Monday November 24, 2008 at 7:00 p.m., at the
temple.
First Sunday in Advent
November 30th
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| Upcoming
Events |
Diocesan Convention. Click
here for more information. Friday November 7th to Saturday November
8th
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