Growing Together in God s Love

Transcription

1 Volume 5 Issue 3 March 2016 Calendar highlights: Tuesday, March 1 6:30 pm: Women s Book Group Friday, March 11 7:00 pm: Shubert Concert Saturday, March 12 Vestry Retreat, Deer Lake Tuesday, March 15 7 pm: Vestry Meeting Wednesday, March 16 6:30 pm: Service of Prayer for Healing Holy Week: March Wednesday, March 23 6:30 pm: Taize-Tenebrae Service Inside this issue: Transition Update 1 Youth Matters 3 Warden s Corner 3 Music in March 4 Holy Week Schedule 5 Spaghetti Supper & Auction 7 Community Garden 7 Olivia Nye on Scouting 8 Adult Lenten Program 9 Treasurer s Report 10 Seen Around Church 11 Growing Together in God s Love Supper, Conversation and Prayer on Tuesday Evening, April 5 Getting Organized: Worship, Word, Work Dear People of God, This comes as an invitation and a challenge that requires your help to even have a chance of being successful. For the last several months the vestry has spent some portion of our meeting time reviewing parish goals. The goals are: Renew a focus on love, diversity, family, community; Feed our hunger for a deeper spiritual life; and Optimize our organizational structure to share the ministry of St. Andrew s. The work of renewing and feeding are on-going processes with which God s people have millenia of rich, varied and reliable experience. Our worship, programming and fellowship keep those goals in mind as they are designed and planned. Our strategy for them is persistence and perseverance in continuing to offer programs that teach and model Christian living and maturing. Patience, participation and creativity are required. (Continued on Page 2) Candidates for Rector Can Now Submit Applications Parish Profile Approved! The Bishop s office has approved the St. Andrew s Parish Profile and published the opening for a rector here at St. Andrew s. The Rev. Lee Ann Tolzmann, Canon for Mission Leadership, has explained to the Transition Team that the transition process is now in the Recruiting Phase. Her office will be receiving and screening resumes and applications for the next six to eight weeks. Towards the end of that period she will forward the best of the candidates to us for evaluation by the Transition Team. The Transition Team will prepare interview questions, interview the best of the candidates, and then prepare a list of finalists for the vestry. The vestry will meet with one or more of the finalists before deciding which finalist to call as the next St. Andrew s rector. (Continued on page 6)

2 Page 2 Mother Jenni (Continued from Page 1) Strategy for organizational structure to optimize the sharing of ministry has been more problematic. Consideration of what makes for organizational obstacles reveals that few do all, (indicating to me that perhaps folks don t feel equipped for ministry); discretionary time is often mercilessly limited for 21st century people on New England s coast; and many of us are strangers to one another. How do any of us balance commitment to God and personal and familial spiritual health and development, with all the demands of our walking around life (day to day stuff in the world)? How might St. Andrew s celebrate and honor love, diversity, family, community, and pray and learn together life in Christ, and share that both with one another and with anyone else? How might the people of St. Andrew s share the burdens and the joys of corporate identity and mission, and experience a positive sense of their own identity as God s people in Madison? How do you develop corporate unity, health and strength? How does anyone learn to live thankfully and create an environment supporting thankful living? These questions that can only be answered in the living out of them through God s grace and may exceed the scope of the exercise. That said, the vestry and I are proposing we try on another way of doing things. St. Andrew s Episcopal Church Staff Jenni Matheson, Interim Rector Rector@StAndrewsMadison.org Barbara Gibbons, Parish Administrator Barb@StAndrewsMadison.org Grant Underwood, Music Director Grant@StAndrewsMadison.org Mary Merkle-Scotland, Youth Minister MerkleMaryk@gmail.com Shelby Auletta, Church School Coordinator ShelbyAuletta@gmail.com David Mikus, Sexton David@StAndrewsMadison.org Anita Spear, Preschool Director AnitaS@StAndrewsSchoolCT.org Officers Gary Naegel, Senior Warden Warden@StAndrewsMadison.org John Armstrong, Junior Warden JrWarden@StAndrewsMadison.org Cathy Golden, Treasurer Treasurer@StAndrewsMadison.org Louise Beecher, Clerk Clerk@StAndrewsMadison.org Vestry Mark Auletta Gary Cimmino Art Criddle Kristen Garnett Nancy Karas Colleen McHugh Rebecca Rastetter Webmaster: John Armstrong Messenger Editor: John Armstrong Photography: Alan Miller, John Armstrong The old solution: form a committee. The newer, and even older solution: let s get together and talk about it, pray and plan to act, then take responsibility for action. The challenge and the excitement comes in being conscious the whole time of remembering we are all members of Christ s body. We are bound to Him and each other in Baptism and Holy Eucharist. God has put us all here together, so let s make something good of us! Let s make something good for where we live together! Let s make something good because that s what God s people do; it s how we cooperate with glory and reflect the divine. Our common life falls easily into three distinct categories. Though some ministries could arguably go in multiple categories, for the time being we ve parsed them out guided by Holy Scripture and basic reason, like this: Worship - Defined by all the ministries that contribute to making our worship distinct: acolytes, altar guild, choirs and band, intercessors, lectors, ushers, vergers. Word - Including all the ministries exhorted in Holy Scripture: Giving; Christian formation/education; Hospitality; Welcome (Incorporation); Caring for one another with meals, rides, and/or visits. Work - Essentially everything else required to keep a parish of 350+ people with over a million dollars worth of insured property and a nearly 2 million dollar endowment safe, legal and well-managed. These ministries include Administration; Buildings & Grounds; Money (Budget, Endowment, Counters and Finance). You are all invited to a parish pot-luck, or, The Gathering, on April 5 from 6:30-8:30pm (Continued on Page 6)

3 Volume 5 Issue 3 Page 3 Youth Matters Here at St. Andrew s Youth Events The Middle School Youth Group enjoyed a fun afternoon at Northford Ice Pavilion on Sunday, February kids and 8 adults attended the event. Great fun, and exercise, were had by all! This was a day set aside for fellowship and recreation with the kids. Next month, on March 19, the kids will head to the Ronald McDonald House in New Haven to prepare a meal for the families residing there at that time. Thanks, as always, for sharing your wonderful and spirited kids with us! Mary & Sandy Happening on Sunday We had a terrific turnout for Scout Sunday on February 21! More than 20 scouts and leaders participated. Thank you to all the Daisy, Cub, Girl and Boy scouts and leaders who ushered, joined in the procession, served as acolytes, and lectored. A special thank you to Olivia Nye, who addressed the congregation and shared her scouting experience (see page 6). Shelby Warden s Corner Year-Round Stewardship We typically use the word stewardship once a year in the context of our annual estimate of giving campaign in the fall. The connotations are based around the need for preparing the church s upcoming annual budget and making commitments for financial support. However, there are also the possibilities of supplementing financial commitments with stewardship of your time and talents, which are both absolutely necessary and helpful for a thriving community of faith. However, I think this context should be expanded to how we run our daily lives. The vestry is currently looking to improve the organizational structure of the church, by bringing the various ministries of the parish together under common umbrellas. For example, the church s core themes could be defined as (1) Worship Liturgies, (2) Word Teaching, Giving, Caring, and (3) Work do with stewardship? Parishioners involved with music, altar guild, ushers, acolytes, chalice administrators, healing team, pastoral care, liturgy, Covenant to Care, mission trips, Raise the Roof, loaves and fishes, Christian education, budget and finance, the endowment, annual campaign, hospitality/kitchen, buildings and grounds, welcoming, and the memorial garden, frequently refer to their involvement as ministries, which they are. These ministries provide stewardship benefiting the activities and individuals involved. With the launch of the new Parish Profile, prepared by our Transition Team, we have featured the engagement of parishioners involved in our St. Andrew s community of faith, with the (continued on Page 10)

4 Page 4 Music at St. Andrew s: March, 2016 No matter what people say, Say or think about you, You are a Child of God. Child of God Sung by combined choirs, March 6 T hroughout March all of us will reflect on the Lenten Lectionary, with the Spirit & Chancel Choir singing a combination of 1982 hymns, hymns from our blue book, and other anthems. We will also strive to worship using many instruments. We will sing liturgies primarily composed by Franz Schubert (via Proulx), and Mark Miller. On March 6, we will hear the parable of the prodigal son. In parallel with the lectionary, the Sr. Youth Choir and Spirit & Chancel Choir will sing two combined anthems, Child of God, and The Homecoming. The former anthem not only finds itself in conversation with the Gospel reading, but also calls for greater inclusivity among our churches, our world, and ourselves. Where do you visualize God s presence? Is God present among us? In the heavens? In the clouds? In the waters? Where do we find God? Where does God find us? Our music will examine all of these questions on March 13. The choir will sing an anthem entitled God of the Deep by Daniel Forrest. In this anthem we are reminded that God is in the most awe-inspiring and vast areas unknown to humanity, including the sea the Long Island Sound, and beyond Each time I stand and wonder at the vastness of the sea, I know that there are mysteries too great and deep for me; the wide expanse of water reaches far beyond my sight; and yet I know the one to whom its depths are full of light. Reese Puchalski will also offer a sung confessional, Even Here, which asks whether God finds us even among our most liminal places and moments: At the land s dark roots, in the farthest deep, where the daylight dims, where no one can reach. Forgive me Lord, I ve denied your grace. Can the hand of God, can the voice of love find me even here? Palm Sunday and Holy Week: The Jr. Youth Choir will sing a few anthems (including Ho, Ho, Hosanna! ) on Palm Sunday and we will all process with the Palms to commemorate Jesus s regal march throughout Jerusalem. Steve Van Ness will provide a musical offering entitled Jesus Was an Only Son. Of course, we will sing hymns and/or anthems throughout Holy Week and Easter as well. Wednesday s Tenebrae service will include contemplative music from the Taize community; Maundy Thursday, Good Friday (evening service), and the Easter Vigil will include music as well. On Easter Sunday the Hallelujah returns and shall be on our lips once again! The choirs will sing anthems of celebration including Risen Lord, Worthy is the Lamb, and Healy Willan s Rise Up My Love, My Fair One.

5 Volume 5 Issue 3 Page 5 Holy Week Service Schedule Palm Sunday, March 20 8:00 am: Holy Eucharist, Rite I 9:30 am: Holy Eucharist, Rite II, Spirit & Chancel Choir Wednesday, March 23 7:30 pm: Tenebrae Service. During this service of Shadows and Light scripture is read, and at the end of each passage a candle is extinguished until the sanctuary is left in complete darkness. Holy Thursday, March 24 7:30 pm: Maundy Thursday service. We remember Jesus' command of love and service with the washing of feet followed by Holy Eucharist. Following the service an all-night vigil begins until 7 am Friday morning. (Sign up for one-hour shifts at the church.) Good Friday, March 25 12:00 pm: Good Friday Service (no Eucharist) 1:00 pm: Stations of the Cross. Led by our teenagers, we move around the church property, retelling the story of Christ carrying the cross to his crucifixion. 7:30 pm: Good Friday Service (no Eucharist) Holy Saturday, March 26 8:00 pm: Great Vigil of Easter. The service on this "night of nights" begins in darkness. Then after an extended Liturgy of the Word all join together for the first Eucharist of Easter. Easter Sunday, March 27 8:00 am: Holy Eucharist, Rite II 9:30 am: Holy Eucharist, Rite II, Spirit & Chancel Choir 10:30 am: Easter Egg Hunt

6 Page 6 Mother Jenni (Continued from Page 2) (child care provided and study halls available as necessary) to get together, break bread together, listen, talk, pray and plan some action for the benefit of us all together; let s make something good. The evening will begin with Supper, Conversation and Prayer. We ll then break out into the larger ministerial categories. A decision may need to be made for those who are involved and/or interested in multiple categories. Please consider allying yourself with the ministry in most need or the ministry about which you are most passionate. We ll make sure that written notes on all the meetings will be posted. This will be our shake down cruise. The purpose of this first time of gathering will be to clarify mission/purpose. Think about expectations and work needing to be done, and how that will be shared. Sub-groups may need to step aside to have individual conversations about their own concerns when it comes to divvying up the work (more about that later). Groups will have about an hour for this task and will be facilitated in their conversations by a member of the staff and a vestry person. About 8:15 we ll re-gather to report back to the whole all that went on in the smaller groups. We can have dessert - or second dessert (it ll be Easter by then)- and celebrate the good work God has given us to do. Hopefully (what we Christians live in), The Gathering together to determine and plan, and to support and celebrate ministry, will encourage the lives and faith of each participant, not to mention delight the Holy Spirit. There is great possibility in your future. You are on the cusp of receiving names of potential candidates for your next rector. I am moved to urge you to know and to accept the truth that your future is not just in God s hands, it s in your own hands -- it s never just the rector. It will take ministers with an assortment of gifts to walk alongside each other and the rector, to work with each other and the rector, and to seek God s kingdom with each other and the rector for your future to come into being. It s a with, both, and future. Nobody does it alone successfully, nor are they meant to - that s why we re God s people. Never forget that with God, all things are possible. Parish Profile (Continued from Page 1) The profile is available on the St. Andrew s website. There is a prominent link to it on the home page, or you can go directly The profile is a 36-page compendium of St. Andrew s and the many facets of its worshiping community. It is designed to give clergy persons interested in becoming rector here as complete a description as possible of St. Andrew s. Its many sections include the St. Andrew s mission statement, the Parish Covenant, discussions of our leading strengths and faithful struggles, Outreach ( Faith in Action ), Worship & Liturgy, Music, Children and Youth, the Preschool, Pastoral Care, Stewardship, Finances, History of the church, the Campus (buildings and grounds), and the Madison area. The final section describes the gifts and skills the church hopes to find in its next rector. Questions about the profile and the transition process are best directed to the Transition Team: Chris Abbott, Mary Potenziani, Alice Hencir, Nancy Karas (chair), Patches Earle, Laura Miller, Albert Gonzales, Lucinda Embersits and Art Criddle (vestry).

7 Volume 5 Issue 3 Page 7 St. Andrew s 25th Annual Spaghetti Supper and Auction Saturday, April 2, 5:30 Tickets: $15 per person in advance, at office or on Sunday, March 20 and March 27, or $20 per person at the door Four-course meal featuring Barb s famous sauce! (Please note: this is an adults only event) Wine-Tasting: (optional/$10 per person, sign up at door) John Algiere of Madison Wine Shop will offer a tasting in our "Tuscan Hillside" theme room (the choir room) Donations: Please drop off any items to church office by 5pm, Thursday, March 24. We would welcome: * Gift Cards for Mystery Boxes valued at $25 to $50 * Silent Auction items Jewelry, Restaurant or Spa packages, be creative! * Live Auction items Tickets to sporting events/concerts, gourmet dinners, sailboat cruises, getaways at vacation homes. Please details to Sue McCann at suzym39@comcaset.net Planning Under Way to Expand this Ministry Community Garden: Be a Steward of the Earth The ground may still be frozen but St. Andrew s community gardeners are eagerly planning for warmer days ahead. In early February Episcopal community gardeners from around the state gathered together at the invitation of Bishop Laura Ahrens to create a forum intended to serve as a source of inspiration and support. Ahrens opened with morning prayer after which she encouraged participants to share stories and challenges they face with their parish gardens. Following introductions, keynote presenter Brian Sellers Petersen, senior advisor to the president for Episcopal Relief and Development, related community garden successes from around the world that he had encountered in his extensive travels. We have an intimate relationship with the earth we share food with everyone around the world, noted Petersen. Challenging the group to think about where the Episcopal Church fits into the equation and where we fit into being the stewards of the earth, Petersen pointed out that, the Episcopal church owns a lot of land here, much is not used, and lots of money is spent on mowing and maintenance. He suggested we look hard at how we steward our land. Faith has to be active. A garden is a great way to take care of our neighbors and a great way to practice active faith, said Peterson. Among the many benefits of community gardens, Peterson pointed out that they bring generations together, encourage local and ethical food use, as well as offer a place of peace, healing, and solace. St. Andrew s leadership and community gardeners have taken to heart the wisdom of Petersen and the forum group as they lay plans for this year s gardening activities. (Continued on Page 9)

8 Page 8 Faces of our Faith Scout Day, Feb 21: Olivia Nye Speaks on Scouting Good Morning everyone! For those of you who don t know me, I m Olivia Nye. I started Girl Scouts in kindergarten and am currently a Junior in high school. This spring will mark my twelfth year in the Scouts, making me an Ambassador. Scouting has offered me a multitude of opportunities. My troop has been together since elementary school. Despite our varying extracurricular activities and interests, my troops still has this incredible bond. The scouts not only provide a fun community and way to connect, it has promoted positive values, which I believe can be best summarized by The Girl Scout Promise and the Girl Scout Law. The Girl Scout Promise reads: On my honor, I will try: To serve God and my country, To help people at all times, And to live by the Girl Scout Law. The Girl Scout Law reads: I will do my best to be honest and fair, friendly and helpful. Considerate and caring courageous and strong, and responsible for what I say and do, and to respect myself and others, respect authority, use resources wisely, make the world a better place, and be a sister to every Girl Scout. While it is important to uphold all parts of both the Girl Scout Promise and the Law, the two values my troop leaders have placed the most emphasis on are being friendly and helpful. At jamborees or large events, they would encourage us to befriend other troops and try to separate any cliques that formed within the troop. They wanted to see us actively engaging with other people and being as compassionate as possible. I don t know how many times I have heard one of my troop leaders say, A girl Scout always leaves the place better than how she found it. Even with small things, for example, if the room we were meeting in was not clean, even if we did not make a mess by our standards, we would still make sure the room would be completely clean when we left. A girl scout must make it her mission to be as friendly and helpful to her community as she can. While Girl Scouts can earn badges specifically for faith and religion, our core values also align with the Christian religion. Every Sunday, we are reminded that when we leave the church, we are supposed to actively help others. The church calls on Christians to find meaningful ways to lend their service to the community. Everyone accomplishes this in different ways. Some people might volunteer their time in an organization, some find ways to help right here at St. Andrew s, and others work individually to improve their family s, friend s, or coworker s day. For me, Scouting has offered an opportunity to better my community while allowing me to form friendships. Along with going to church, there are many ways to practice Christianity. It is up to each member of the church how he or she is going to respond to his or her faith. Being a Christian means upholding the values the Bible teaches us in everyday life. It means helping others. Even if it s something as simple as holding a door, each of us can find many ways in which we can improve our participation as Christians. Girl Scouts has taught me how I am able to help other people and has opened doors to community service I might not have ordinarily experienced. Overall, being a Scout has allowed me to strengthen my faith. Thank You! Olivia Nye

9 Volume 5 Issue 3 Page 9 Adult Lenten Series Please join us for any or all of the Wednesday sessions throughout Lent. Each evening begins with a light supper at 6:30 pm (there is a sign up sheet in Farmer Hall if you would like to bring something), and then the program content runs from 7 to 8 pm. March 2 and 9. The apostle Paul, a Jew and Roman citizen, spread the gospel of Christ throughout Rome, Greece and Turkey. His epistles planted the roots of the theology, worship, and pastoral life in today s Catholic and Protestant traditions of the West, and the Orthodox traditions of the East. Mother Jenni will help us trace Paul s life and teachings. In the last two Wednesday evenings of Lent we will move to worship in quietly musical settings. March 16. This service of Prayer for Healing will begin with the opportunity to voice petitions for people and communities seeking reconciliation and healing. After a haunting song and short scripture the service will culminate with moments of personal healing. Worshippers will be able to pray privately with members of the healing team, or come forward to receive or share in the ministry of the laying-on of hands. The Youth Choir will provide the music. March 23. During the meditative service of Tenebrae (the service of Shadows) psalms and passages of scripture are read, alternating with pieces of Taize music. At the end of each passage a candle is extinguished until the sanctuary is left in complete darkness. Community Garden (Continued from Page 7) One sage piece of advice they would like to heed is to ensure that the garden is highly visible. Last year, produce was grown on a rented plot at Madison s Bauer Park on Copse Road about a mile from the church so the garden was not conspicuous, says Brenda Naegel, one of the founders of St. Andrew s community garden. There are advantages though as the land is already tilled and the location is level and sunny. The park also has a process in place for collecting and distributing donated produce from the plots to the Madison Food Pantry which was very helpful for getting started, says Naegel. The gardeners will continue to cultivating at Bauer Park but as a reminder of the ministry, formation opportunities are planned such as Rogation Sunday and blessing the freshly picked produce when the gifts are brought forward on Sunday mornings. The planning team is also exploring areas on the church property to grow herbs and flowers. Introducing activities to connect the newly renovated kitchen with the garden are also under consideration. The great thing about community gardening is that everyone can get involved and we are always looking for volunteers to help with tasks both large and small, says Naegel. To volunteer to garden or assist with planning, contact Brenda Naegel at or brenda.naegel@yale.edu.

10 Page 10 Finance Committee Report and Financial Update January 2016 Monthly Income Year-To-Date YTD Budget Annual Budget Total Pledges 15,945 15,945 17, ,040 4% from Endowment 5,355 5,355 5,355 64,260 Supplement from Endowment 0 0 5,000 60,000 Fund-Raisers ,083 25,000 Other Income ,500 Total Income 21,562 21,562 30, ,800 Expenses 26,178 26,178 31, ,606 Difference -4,616-4, ,806 Summary of February Vestry Meeting Security System. At the start of the meeting vestry members received training on the proper way to lock up the church for the evening. This supports the security system already in place. Outdoor Lighting. Several steps are being taken to improve the church building s visibility from Durham Road in the evening. The timer to the internal lights that illuminate the stained glass window in the front of the church will now turn on at 5 p.m. instead of at 9 p.m. LED floodlights will be used to illuminate the outside of the church. Buildings & Grounds. Volunteers continue to be sought for the Buildings & Grounds Committee. The group will oversee repairs to the rectory, where a defective heating unit has caused water damage, as well as the renovation of Farmer Hall and the choir room slate to be done this summer. Asset Map. The church is contributing to a national asset mapping program run by the Episcopal Church. The interactive online map not only locates Episcopal churches, schools and other facilities worldwide, but identifies their different ministries and service programs. St. Andrew s Christmas Card. Junior Warden John Armstrong said that a St. Andrew s Christmas card would be created for the 2016 holiday season, as well as a CD recording of the choir s best bits. Warden s Corner (continued from Page 3) hope of attracting a new like-minded rector to lead us forward. Taking care of our beautiful parish property, and also looking out for each other, is also stewardship in action. The absence of stewardship would allow our buildings and grounds decay with neglect, as well as forgetting to take care of each other and our local community from this faith community. I think you would agree we are not in that downward spiral with the absence of stewardship, yet there is still opportunity for us to become more involved with parish ministries following the path of Jesus. With the recent renovation of the kitchen, the expected renovations for the music/choir and Farmer Hall for this summer, and with the 2 nd year of the St. Andrew s community garden to fill the local food pantry, we have the chance to recognize, cultivate, and bless an ecological ethic in our faith community, with a call for stewardship rooted in love for creation. Being an active steward, while following the ministries of our faith community, is a year round endeavor.

11 Volume 5 Issue 3 Page 11 Seen Around the Church

12 The Messenger the monthly newsletter of: St Andrew s Episcopal Church in Madison, CT Phone: On the web: Jenni Matheson, Interim Rector Rector@StAndrewsMadison.org Gary Naegel, Senior Warden Warden@StAndrewsMadison.org Barbara Gibbons, Parish Administrator Barb@StAndrewsMadison.org Grant Underwood, Music Director Grant@StAndrewsMadison.org Mary Merkle-Scotland, Youth Minister MerkleMaryK@gmail.com Shelby Auletta, Church School Coordinator ShelbyAuletta@gmail.com David Mikus, Sexton David@StAndrewsMadison.org Anita Spear, Preschool Director AnitaS@StAndrewsSchoolCT.org Come Worship with Us on Sundays Services at 8 and 9:30 Sunday School 10:15-11:00 Mailing Label NONPROFIT ORG US POSTAGE PAID GUILFORD CT PERMIT NO 283 New this year, the St. Andrew s Arts Camp will offer rising first through fifth graders an arts curriculum proven to cultivate creativity: Music and song Visual art and media Drama and storytelling Movement and game playing And it all comes with a message: Kids are the peacemakers and doers of their generation, they can create a lasting peace through active, compassionate living! Middle-school and high-school youth are invited to participate as Counselors. The dates are July Watch your for full details! St. Andrew s Church 232 Durham Road Madison, CT 06443