THE GOOD NEWS May 2016

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1 The mission of St. Paul s is to be the Body of Christ and instruments of his love and grace committed to serve and nurture this church and community. THE GOOD NEWS May 2016 Inside this Issue Parish News & Notes Vestry highlights Upcoming Events EYC Happenings Church Calendar and Ministry Schedule Baptism is Cleansing from the Rector Over the last few years, I ve talked a lot about my childhood, in these pages, of course, but mostly from St. Paul s venerable pulpit. So some of you will remember that I grew up the oldest of five kids, with my youngest brother Doug a little less than six years my junior. As I was thinking about Baptism, I was reminded of an incident that happened when I was about nine years old, making Doug about three. We had been playing in the backyard of our yellow, cinder-block ranch-style house in suburban Phoenix, Arizona. It was summertime in the desert Valley of the Sun, so we had been kept in the shade of house during the hottest part of the day, the pre-air-conditioning swamp cooler at least keeping the temperature in the eighties. At precisely 3:00 (we watched the clock with care) we were released from our afternoon confinement to play in the closest thing we had to a pool, the cooling spray of the sprinkler. On this particular day, my siblings and I had discovered that using the pressure of the water at the end of the hose, we were able to create tunnels in the loose, cultivated soil of one of Mom s flower beds. My mother would not have been pleased, if she had known we were doing this, but it was the 60s and supervision of children in their backyard wasn t what it is today, so we were able to carry on with our muddy games for quite some time. By the time Dad did happen upon our happy little band, we were all a mess, but being the youngest and most gullible, Doug had been literally coated from head to toe in mud and muck and mire. Now, Mom might have taken us inside and cleaned us up, but Dad took a more direct approach. Ordering us all onto the stones of the patio, he turned the hose... on us. Now I don t know if it just seemed the right thing for him to do, or if he just had mud in places the rest of us had avoided, but Doug decided to go for the whole treatment. He shucked off his shorts, undies and all, and flung his arms out to his side so that the water could find every part of him. As Dad turned off the hose and the Arizona sun began to dry us off, Doug danced up and down and shouted, Daddy, I feel so clean! The waters of baptism are also cleansing waters. Since the theology of Baptism was first being developed by the early Church, much has been made of the need to deal with the concept of original sin, the brokenness that clings by nature to the descendants of Adam because of humankind s violation of the goodness of God s original creation. But even if you don t particularly subscribe to St. Augustine s fifth-century theological argument, we know something is wrong. Simply looking around at the brokenness of the world we live in, it is obvious that the world is not what it was meant to be. And honestly assessing the fallings and failings of the life lived by each and every one of us, that each of us continues to live day by day, we know that things are not all right. We are indeed, I think, as Augustine first thought, caught up in the ancient mud that clings to us from the Fall. But we are also covered with the mire that snatches at us as we journey through this fallen world. And perhaps most troubling of all, we have all, every one of us, practically wallowed in the muck that we bring on ourselves as we allow ourselves to be consumed over and over by our pettiness, or our prejudices, or our prideful pursuit of possessions and power. We know we are not clean, that we are un-clean, and we know just as surely that something has to be done about it. That s where Baptism comes in. Baptism is the Father s bath for his soiled children. Baptism means that the flood of God s grace and forgiveness poured out in Jesus Christ has washed away the mud and the mire and the muck of our sins, and made us clean again. Baptism means that we do not have to live our lives in the grime and the corruption and the decay of this sinful world. Through our baptism we can feel so clean! Peace and joy,

2 Upcoming Events Sundays 8 a.m. Holy Eucharist, Rite 1, 9 a.m. Choir Practice, 10 a.m. Choral Eucharist, Sunday School. Coffee Hour following the service. Mondays Office Closed, 6 p.m. EfM Tuesdays 6 p.m. Saints, Sinners and Cynics Rookies Sports Bar Wednesdays 12:10 p.m. Holy Eucharist with Anointing for Healing Wednesday May 4, May 18 5 p.m. Confirmation Class Wednesday May 4 5:45 p.m. Mission Trip Supper Presbyterian Church Thursday May 5 National Day of Prayer Church open 8 a.m. through 3 p.m. Sunday May 8 Youth Day, Mother s Day Tuesday May 10 5:30 p.m. Vestry Meeting, Rector s Study Wednesday May 11 and May 25 6 p.m. Potluck Supper and Program Sunday May 15 Pentectost Sunday, CCO Sunday Macaroni and Cheese Monday May 16 Noon St. Ann s Guild Tuesday May 17 Diocesan Standing Committee Meeting Saturday May a.m. Prayer Shawl Ministry Tuesday Thursday May 31 June 2 Confirmation Retreat Wednesday June 1 Larry Courtney s Ordination Christ Church Cathedral, Louisville Parish News and Notes Fr, Rich and Jenny were proud to be at St. Mark s Cathedral in Nebraska for Kyle s ordination as Deacon. Ella and Marcia: Many, many thanks and appreciations in helping make the Yard Sale a great and marvelous success. Brianna, Alexis and Miranda, ready to enjoy a ride during EYC day at Tri-Fest.

3 Constantine: Changes to the Church from the Postulant At Fr. Rich s invitation, for the next few months I will be sharing part of the Church history portion of the canonical exam I had to take as part of my preparation for Ordination. I have shortened it so it will fit in this column. I hope you ll find it interesting. On the eve of the Battle of Milvian Bridge in 312, the Emperor Constantine saw the sign of the cross in the sky as he was praying to his own father s god, and heard the words, In this sign, conquer. According to Eusebius, Bishop of Caesarea, the first great historian of the Church. Constantine accepted the vision, and had the cross inscribed on the armor of his soldiers. Constantine went into battle and won. After his great victory, the world would never be the same again, and neither would the Church. The Church had long survived as a suffering body and had never taken up arms against the ruling authorities. Yet now, the Church found its right to exist established through the ruling authorities and military means. Constantine supported the church with favors it had never known before, resulting in Christianity being the official faith of Rome by the end of the fourth century. As the Empire declined, the Church became the stabilizing and unifying source for Roman society, outlasting the Empire and in a sense eventually replacing it. But the Church s experience with prestige and power proved more uncertain than the pressure of persecution. The Church grew more rapidly than it ever had before under Constantine s protection and patronage. Yet the Church which had known such prolonged oppression, still became an oppressor once in power. In 324, Constantine had defeated his rival, Licinius in the East, controlling for the first time the entire Empire, and establishing Constantinople as the symbol of the new Christian Roman Empire. Later in the building of the Basilicas, worship went through a transformation. Religious rites were developed for presenting the bread and wine at the time of Communion. Congregations began participating in the services with the introduction of litanies, chants, and hymns. A set of prayers were being formed, which resulted in the collect form of prayer. In 325 Constantine convened and presided over the Council of Nicaea, an important council that stopped heresy and defined the orthodox doctrine. Beyond any doubt Constantine took personal risk in his advocacy of Christianity. The Christian community entered a new era with Constantine. I believe Robert Mullin s statement is correct, throne and altar were joined, and both were dedicated to shaping the social order and creating a new society. Constantine s Christianity provided benefits that have blessed the Church down to the present day. We have the collects, the Nicene Creed, the litanies, the Hymns, chants, dismissal and Communion which we practice in our service still today. God Bless, Larry Wednesday, June 1, 2016 at Christ Church Cathedral in Louisville the Standing Committee consenting The Right Reverend Terry A. White Eighth Bishop of Kentucky will ordain Larry E. Courtney to the Sacred Order of Deacons in Christ s one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church Group transportation is being arranged Just the Pits April s collection for Christian Community Outreach was something new for our monthly program, deodorant. In addition, because last month s newsletter was delayed, the 3rd Sunday in April seemed to come entirely too quickly. Between the novelty and the timing, this month s collection was not the most abundant of our long-running program, but we managed to bring in a fair collection of this important personal item to help CCO help those that so need it. And we got deodorant in a nearly dizzying array of scents, from Lady Speedsticks in spring blossom and shower fresh, to Secret s version of shower fresh, to Suave in powder, and the more exotic tropical paradise and sweet pea and violet. But the most popular in our collection was the old stand-by Speedstick, with the catchy scent of clean. Our next 3rd Sunday collection for CCO is Pentecost Sunday, May 15 when, at Mary s request, we re looking for our old favorite, boxed mac-and-cheese. Wednesday Evenings The first episode of our Wednesday evening Bible study of the Gospel of John nearly got washed out on April 27 with the biggest storms of the season. But a hearty band carried on with a pot-luck of fried chicken (of course), lasagna, salad and even a peach cobbler. Oh, and we supplemented our study of the very important first chapter of John with a wide-ranging conversation on Church politics. At least the study portion of that conversation will continue on the second and last Wednesdays of this month as well, May 11 and May 25. Both evenings will start with a potluck supper at 6:00 and then continue with the Bible study at 6:30. This is an informal, oldstyle study that requires no preparation, though reading ahead doesn t hurt, so anyone can come be part of the discussion. On May 11, the young people of the ongoing Confirmation class are invited to stay for supper, and though Fr. Rich will not be back from Kyle s wedding, he promises to insure there will be fried chicken on May 25 anyway. Join us for the food and fellowship, and for the conversation that is usually food for our growth in knowledge of our faith, and always fodder for fun.

4 Welcome John Tyler Leslie Newman On April 10, EYC joined the Parish in welcoming Hannah Carroll s son John Tyler Caudill to St. Paul s. John Tyler s parents graciously allowed the youth time to hold him. Alexis had brought her electronic practice baby from her HCHS Life Skills Class to church over the Easter weekend, so our youth were ready for the real thing. Finally a Sunny Tri-Fest Leslie Newman EYC had a big time at Tri-Fest on April 17. St. Paul s provides the kids $10 and it is fascinating to see how they pool and allocate their funds between rides, games, food and drinks. Thanks to Gisele and Greg Powell for joining Fr. Rich and me for this adventure. Just Getting Together Leslie Newman EYC met at the church on May 1 for a Mother s Day art project, a Domino s supper, and time to play in both the church yard and at Central Park. There we had a serendipitous encounter with a group from the youth group at Holy Name Catholic Church who were downtown on a scavenger hunt. We were able to provide them the opportunity to perform an act of kindness pushing Kayleigh on the swings, and to secure the autograph and photograph of the youth minister from another church me, and we even shared our pizza and wings with them. Mission Fundraiser Leslie Newman Please join EYC at St. Paul s at 5:45, Wednesday May 4 to walk down to the Presbyterian Church, or join us there for a taco bar and supper prepared and served by the members of the mission team to the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota in June. Our youth were invited to join the team, and Trae Purdy has seized the opportunity. He has been hard at work helping Parishioners to earn money for his expenses, and remains available and willing to work. The mission team also has had group fundraisers, including selling parking spaces at the Presbyterian Church lot during tri-fest, and there will be a free-will offering at the Wednesday night supper. The youth will tell about their trip at the supper, and they will host another supper when they return to tell us about their actual experience. To get a taste of the adventure Trae may experience, you may want to read On the Rez by Ian Frazier. Our Graduates Leslie Newman Two members of St. Paul s will walk the stage of the Ford Center in downtown Evansville on May 27 as members of the HCHS Class of The 8-O clockers have watched Renner, and the 10-O clockers have watched Alexis grow up, and both may be finding it hard to imagine it is time for this right of passage. Alexis Lorraine Purdy is the daughter of Gisele and Jerry Purdy and sister of Trae, Kayleigh and Miranda and Robin. Alexis favorite memory of her years at St. Paul s is of her Baptism in 2010, following the death of her brother Brandon in It had been a difficult time and her memory is the significance of her Baptismal Covenant and how warm and welcoming the people of St. Paul s were to her when she received the Sacrament. Alexis embraced life at St. Paul s as she attended Sunday School, where she still helps with the Atrium when there is a need. She is active in EYC, serves as an Acolyte, and on the Altar Guild. She has helped with the Epiphany Pageant, and set a fine example at our Shrove Tuesday pancake suppers. She has been every type of leader at VBS, and she has been a counselor-intraining and a junior counselor at All Saints Camp, and will be a senior counselor for this summer s camp. Alexis cherishes the opportunities she has had to be part of the All Saints family as well as our Parish Family. She especially values the friends she has made at All Saints, friendships that sustain in the gaps between gatherings and summer camps. That helps explain why her favorite hobby is reuniting with old friends and making new friends. If you have seen the beautiful photos of Alexis from prom or the JROTC military ball, shot in the church and in the church yard, you will see how St. Paul s is key to her everyday life. Outside St. Paul s, Alexis looks forward to her Wednesday dance lessons at the Markwell School of Dance, where she dances jazz, tap, and pointe. She employed those talents, and the poise she learned in years of pageant competition, when she participated in the Distinguished Young Women program. For four years, Alexis has also sung alto in the HCHS Concert Choir. Alexis is a member of the HCHS Y-Club, giving her the opportunity to attend Kentucky Youth Assembly in Frankfort to see our State government in action, and KY United Nations Assembly where she has studied and represented Hawaii and South Korea. Alexis joined the Future Business Leaders of America Club (FBLA) primarily because of the opportunities for community service. Her favorite projects have been helping with the Wag Walk to benefit the Henderson County Humane Society, and Marsha s Walk to benefit Marsha s Place Pregnancy Resource Center. Recently, Alexis plans have shifted from nursing to education for teaching young children, not surprising to those of us who have seen how she instinctively helps the younger members of our St. Paul s family. Alexis will present her HCHS senior project on May 9. The topic she chose to present is Closed Adoption vs Open Adoption.

5 Work brought Lary and Leigh Ann Wehr to call Henderson home in 1991, and on the Fourth of July in 1998, Renner Grant Wehr arrived as the highly anticipated addition to their family. Lary was raised a Catholic, and a Hoosier, but Leigh Ann, an Episcopalian from northern Kentucky, brought both Lary and Renner to St. Paul s, where they have been stalwarts of our congregation ever since. Renner went to Holy Name School for elementary and middle school, where Leigh Ann still teaches, and had the benefit of both youth groups, too. He participated in EYC during his earlier high school years, and he has long served as an acolyte at St. Paul s. He has served as a crew leader for VBS, too. And of course he was part of more Epiphany pageants than he can remember, often with his mom at the helm. And then there are the pancake suppers where he was the first to volunteer to collect the money. Renner s favorite memories of St. Paul s are of the good people in our Parish, and that he can talk to them. When Renner was about six, I remember he was going to be the President of the United States, though I can t remember whether his thought or ours. As time has passed, Renner has embraced athletics instead of politics, and while he now plans to attend Western Kentucky University to study sports management. Renner has earned nine sports letters from HCHS, but he has also managed to receive honorable mention from the Kentucky High School Athletic Association as an Academic All-Star. Renner wore #7 for the football Colonels for three years, and has been a member of the swim team and track team throughout high school, both of which have advanced to regional competition each year. In swimming, Renner says his best events are the 50-meter and 100-meter freestyle, and in track he is a sprinter, specializing in the 4x200 meter relay, the 400 meter dash, and the long jump. This year s state track tournament is the day after graduation, putting a damper on Project Graduation. In his spare time, Renner enjoys weekends boating with his family at Lake Barkley, and he is an avid hunter and SCUBA diver, especially on family trips vacations in Siesta Key, Florida. Like Alexis, Renner has is a member of FBLA and the Y-Club, attending KYA as a delegate. As a member of the Community Involvement Club, he has participated in projects at the Humane Society, New Hope Animal Rescue, Riverview School, and Audubon Park. Renner chose Charles Dickens as the topic for his HCHS senior project. This summer, Renner is looking to use his strong back and good work ethic to set aside money for when he heads off to WKU in the fall he s available for hire. Alexis and Renner both will take the pulpit at the 10:00 service on Mother s Day to reflect on their time at St. Paul s. Please take time between now and their graduations to let both Alexis and Renner know we honor them as valuable members of our Parish Family, and to wish them well. Junk for Jesus Congratulations and heartfelt thanks to Ella Thomas, Marcia Stinnett and the many volunteers they coordinated to pull off another successful St. Paul s Rummage Sale. The most recent tally indicates that the sale raised over $5,350, all of which is used for special needs of the Parish determined by the founders in consultation with the Rector. What s more, the Bake Sale held in conjunction with the Rummage Sale raised nearly $200 to help St. Ann s help our kids go to camp at All Saints. Vestry Notes At their meeting on April 19, St. Paul s Vestry: Reviewed March financial reports showing income still slightly trailing expenses for the year. Asked that the church be opened for the National Day of Prayer on May 5. Received updates on the status of gutter repairs and the odd jobs list of facility improvements. Approved sponsorship of the Sandy Lee Watkins Songwriters Festival at the $1,000 level. Resumed discussion about a replacement for the downed maple tree, began a conversation about adding a labyrinth to the grounds, and called for the development of a unifying grounds use plan. Looked forward to the final round of consideration before Larry s ordination. Celebrated the choice of St. Paul s for the location of the May meeting of the Diocesan Standing Cmte. The next Vestry meeting will be Tuesday evening, May 10 in the Rector s study. Financial Summary as of March 31, 2016 Pledged Amount to Date $32,018 Pledged Income received to Date $24,006 Other Operating Income to Date $8,882 Operating Expenses to Date $41,404

6 St. Paul s Episcopal Church Staff The Very Rev. Rich Martindale, Rector Leslie Newman, EYC Director Evalyn Champion, Organist/Choir Master Donna Mulcahy, Bookkeeper Judy Duncan, Parish Secretary Phone Service Times Sunday 8:00 Rite I 10:00 Rite II Wednesday 12:10 Rite II w/ anointing Vestry Members Sr. Warden Jr. Warden Clerk Budget and Finance Parish Life Building and Grounds Outreach Worship and Music Christian Formation and Youth Communications Treasurer Greg Powell Bill Gentry Susie Watkins Hugh Hennessy, Bill Gentry, John Henderson Marilyn Dixon, Greg Powell, Susan Sauls Greg Powell, Bill Gentry, Hugh Hennessy Jennifer Preston Kurt Wilson, Marilyn Dixon, Susan Sauls Jennifer Preston Jennifer Preston, Kurt Wilson Hugh Hennessy St. Paul s Episcopal Church 5 South Green Street Henderson, KY