The Communicator. Weekly Service Schedule NOTES FROM FR. DAVID SEPTEMBER 2015

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1 The Communicator SEPTEMBER 2015 The Episcopal Church of the Covenant 314 N Adams (4 th & Adams) Fr. David Jenkins william.d.jenkins30.mil@mail.mil Junction City, KS Fax Weekly Service Schedule Sunday Mornings 8:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist, Rt. I 9:15 a.m. Adult Study Class 10:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist, Rt. II 10:00 a.m. Sunday School for Children and Youth No Sunday School the last Sunday of each month Wednesdays Noonday Healing Prayer Fridays Centering Prayer 12:00 Noon NOTES FROM FR. DAVID At our last Vestry Meeting we were invited to remember our mission statement and direct our energies toward it. It is easy to overlook this one sentence statement that is printed on the cover of each Sunday bulletin. It is a simple statement and yet incredibly important. It reads, A Covenant for the future nurturing the spiritual and social needs of our community. I invite each of us to reflect on how we are doing with respect to our mission statement. This is especially timely as we seek to re-energize our Ministry Teams on September 20 following the all-church potluck luncheon. Our mission statement has an outward focus i.e. our community. It is so easy for us to focus our thoughts around our internal needs: upkeep of our building and grounds, getting ready for a special service, making our limited resources stretch, etc. All of these things are important, but our mission statement reminds us not to stop there but to look outward and focus on our community. The return and rededication of our stained glass windows is central in our attention right now. We have been discussing how to make this not just a Church of the Covenant event, but an opportunity to reach out to our community as a welcoming event. Our Wheels of Hope ministry is definitely meeting real physical hunger needs in our community, but is it meeting those people s spiritual hunger needs? These are just a couple of examples of the types of questions we need to ponder. Our mission statement calls us to think deeply about meaning and purpose: who we are, what we do and how we do it and asks the question why. I am excited about September 20 and a new format for conducting our Ministry Teams please mark your calendar and join us for a wonderful all-church potluck luncheon and then stay around and join in on the Ministry Team of your choice and help us to live out our mission! A Covenant for the future Father David

2 Highlights from the Vestry Meeting on August 16, 2015 As the clerk of the vestry, it is my responsibility to publish the highlights of our monthly meetings. The discussions made focused on the fact that whatever we do as a church should support our vision. We decided that we needed to revisit what our vision is and connect all of our ministry work to it. As we progress in getting our ministry committees reorganized, our sights need to be set to complement this vision. On September 20, we have planned a potluck lunch followed by ministry committee meetings. We d like everyone to get involved so please reflect on the gifts you have and be prepared to meet. The committees are: Worship Ministry Building and Grounds Ministry Junior Warden projects Outreach Ministry Wheels of Hope Education Church School, Adult Book Study Hospitality Covenant Sunday is being planned to include dedication of our refurbished stain glass windows. Mark Edwards shared that he hopes they will be delivered by the end of October. The celebration will include the community followed by a dinner. Thanks was given by the senior warden to all who volunteered with the clean-up in July. The junior warden remains busy with projects throughout the church. Lonnie is creating a book to support future junior wardens with repairs such as air conditioning and other services. Please contact any vestry member if you have concerns, questions, or would like to chair any of our ministry committees. Thanks to all parishioners for serious prayer as each of you reflect on what gifts you have to contribute to the mission of our church. Respectively submitted Melanie Laster Clerk of the Vestry 2

3 SEPTEMBER BIRTHDAYS Remember to pray for each of these persons on their special day. Watch over your children, O Lord, as their days increase; bless and guide them wherever they may be. Strengthen them when they stand; comfort them when discouraged or sorrowful; raise them up if they fall; and in their hearts may your peace which passes understanding abide all the days of their lives; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen Sept 3 Sept 3 Sept 7 Sept 7 Sept 10 Sept 12 Sept 12 Sept 13 Sept 13 Sept 14 Sept 14 Sept 14 Sept 15 Sept 17 Sept 19 Sept 20 Sept 21 Sept 24 Sept 24 Sept 25 Sept 25 Sept 26 Sept 27 Sept 27 Diann Colbert Jace Budinas James August Edwards Judy Montgomery Julia Adams Michael Cohen Mary Anna Jenkins Melissa Sharp Matt Cody Shelley Kite Paige Lueker Trisha Lueker Judith M. Wagenblast Blake Pierson Jessica Budinas Carter Holman Grey Montgomery Chase Mathis Kira Wojciechowski Jedidiah Moody Chris Mathis Eleanor Louise Schoenrock Meghan Colbert Isaiah Kimball Moody Church of the Covenant Mission Statement A Covenant for the future nurturing the spiritual and social needs of our community. 3

4 WHEELS OF H.O.P.E. Food Donations Needed The August food distribution for Wheels of Hope was conducted on August 27. We had an incredible number of volunteers representing our participating churches and the people of Geary County/Junction City. We also had bread, produce and extra goodies that went to the families. Thanks to those of you who helped. Number of Families Assisted: 34 Number of Targeted Families Assisted: 20 (46 invited) Outside Families Assisted: 14 Based on the July distribution when all of our food was given away, we targeted more families this month. As can be seen from the numbers above, not all who were invited participated. The board is not sure what causes this fluctuation in numbers from month to month. But, we will continue to explore this pattern. Wheels of Hope requests food donations (canned and dry goods) from the Shopping List in your Mini- Comunicator and at the table underneath your mail boxes.our food pantry is very low as is the Wichita Food Bank from which we purchase our food each month. For the last two months, we have not received all the food ordered from the Food Bank so the need to restock our pantry which is critical at this time. Please bring your donations to church throughout September and leave them in the box near the church office or at the back of the church as you enter. We truly appreciate your prayerful commitment to our outreach ministry. 4

5 SEPTEMBER Every Wednesday, Noonday Healing Prayer Every Friday, Centering Prayer 12:00 noon Sept 6 - Discretionary Fund Sunday, Loose Change Offerings Men of the Covenant Breakfast 7:00 a.m. Sept 7 - Labor Day Church office will be closed Sept Fall Fun Fest, St. James, Wichita, KS Sept 13- Church School begins Sept 19- Northwest Convocation Meeting 1:00-2:30, Grace Cathedral, Topeka, KS Sept 20- Reorganization of Ministry Teams following the 10:00 service with all- church potluck luncheon. All are encouraged to attend and join a Ministry Team of your choice. 5

6 Acolyte, Chalice Bearer, and Lay Reader Schedule September and October 2015 September Acolyte Jolana Matney Haley, Jed Shelley Kite Jolana Matney Chalice Bearer (10:00) Anne Collett Shelley Kite Gery Schoenrock Jolana Matney Lay Reader (8:00) Joe Mitchell Vicky Budinas Deb Fegan Ken Andrew Lay Reader (10:00) Nancy Hubbard Mark Edwards Patti Schoenrock Melanie Laster October Acolyte Shelley Kite Haley, Jed Jolana Matney Jolana Matney Chalice Bearer (10:00) Richard Pinaire Mark Edwards Anne Collett Shelley Kite Lay Reader (8:00) Joe Mitchell Vicky Budinas Deb Fegan Ken Andrew Lay Reader (10:00) Anne Collett Shelley Kite Keith Collett Tom Kite DILLON S CARDS Don t forget to purchase your Dillon s cards every Sunday. The outreach committee is going to use the proceeds from the Dillon s card program to reach out to kids who have needs through the homeless program at USD475. Discretionary Fund Sunday (Loose Offerings) First Sunday of Each Month September 6 th is our next offering. ATTENDANCE: Year to Date Year to date If you have any questions or concerns about the parish, call Keith Collett, Senior Warden at (cell) and Keith s is keithcollett@sbcglobal.net. Please call Father David Jenkins for Pastoral needs. Fr. David is at the church on Fridays and Sundays and is willing to come to visit you at your home upon request. You can reach him at his cell number, or the church at His is william.d.jenkins30.mil@mail.mil or episcopaljc@gmail.com. If Fr. David is unavailable, please call, Deacon Rex Matney for Pastoral Care needs. His work number is , cell # is or him at rexmatney@gmail.com. 6

7 HAPPENINGS IN THE DIOCESE NORTHWEST CONVOCATION MEETING Saturday, September 19, 1:00-2:30 p.m. Grace Cathedral Topeka, KS For clergy and elected delegates from parishes of the Northwest Convocation, one of the four regions of the diocese. Contact Convocation President Myrline Winkler DIOCESE CONVENTION The 156th Convention of the Episcopal Diocese of Kansas will take place Oct in Topeka. This year all Convention registrations are online. Those attending also can use the registration form to pay by credit card, if desired. The deadline to register is Friday, Sept. 25. Forms have been sent to each parish office for use by lay delegates and clergy, as well as to ex officio members and retired clergy. Copies of those forms, as interactive PDFs where appropriate, are on the Diocesan Convention page. 7

8 As the summer winds down and the school year begins The Church of the Covenant participated in the blessing of backpacks August 16, 2015 God of Wisdom, we give you thanks for schools and classrooms and for the teachers and students who fill them each day. We thank you for this new beginning, for new books and new ideas. We thank you for sharpened pencils, pointy crayons, and crisp blank pages waiting to be filled. We thank you for the gift of making mistakes and trying again. Help us to remember that asking the right questions is often as important as giving the right answers. Today we give thanks for these your children, and we ask you to bless them with curiosity, understanding and respect. May their backpacks be a sign to them that they have everything they need to learn and grow this year in school and in Sunday School. May they be guided by your love. All this we ask in the name of Jesus, who as a child in the temple showed his longing to learn about you, and as an adult taught by story and example your great love for us. Amen. Written by Wendy Claire Barrie, Director of Children, Youth, & Family Ministries at St. Bartholomew s Episcopal Church, New York City 8