The Epistle ~~ SUMMER SCHEDULE BEGINS JUNE 14 ~~ In Time with God Rev. Jody Lediard

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1 St. Paul s Episcopal Church Page 1 June 2015 The Epistle ~~ SUMMER SCHEDULE BEGINS JUNE 14 ~~ In Time with God Rev. Jody Lediard Pentecost time begins with the feast of Pentecost and goes through to the beginning of Advent. It is about living with Jesus and the help of the Holy Spirit here, today, right now, whatever happens. The readings and lessons teach us to handle day to day life situations with God as center of balance and with prayer as ongoing conversation with God. I love the Celtic Christian image of beginning each day by giving thanks to God for a good night and asking God s help as we begin our daily routines. This way we are able to center our lives in God and begin to deal with the world. Thinking and praying about who each of us is in relationship with God can help us to realize who we are (authentic selves), who we want to be (goals), and what we want to do (hopes and dreams). With God s help we learn to appreciate who we are right now and for changes we want to make in our lives. # (continued on page 2) Steps to Wellness Rev. Lynn Yule The part of this year s diocesan clergy retreat which I was able to attend -- relevant to those of us of retirement age -- dealt with the various components of Steps to We!ness. It was well worth the time, money, and effort. The emphasis was on what could be done to enhance the different aspects of wellness. Presentations touched on nutrition, activity and exercise, and resilience (bouncing back from adversity). I was especially impressed with the emphasis on making an action plan to fit our individual New Vision of We!ness. For example, What is one thing that you would like to change or focus on? or What is one exercise that you can incorporate into your daily routine? After I got home, I discovered a two page spread in my Steps to We!ness booklet, titled Sma! Steps, Big Difference, 100 Su#estions for Improving Your Health. I thought printing a few of them would be a way of sharing some of the conference with you. See if any speak to you as something you can do to improve your health. Stay Fit Clean out your medicine cabinet and get rid of out of date medications. Make a point to smile more often, especially when you exercise.

2 St. Paul s Episcopal Church Page 2 June 2015 In Time with God (cont d) I have to remember that the only person who can change me is me. It s not the Priest, the teacher, or people in my peer group who can change the person I am. It is just me with God s help. Others can and will offer suggestions, but offering suggestions or advice when I haven t asked is about what the advice giver wants me to do or be. When we take time with God as our center to find out and set (discern) our goals and dreams, then we begin to understand what each of us needs to have a fulfilling and abundant life. I invite you to take time each day for conversation with God to make your life more meaningful and joyful. Remember you are the one who gets to choose what s right for you when God is your center. A Note from the Senior Warden Senior Warden Jim Carter asks that anyone having an idea for an outreach project, please get in touch with Outreach Chairman Ron Weed. Eat Well Drink more water. Try a glass of water with, or before, each meal. Ask for salad dressing on the side and choose vinaigrette over the creamy variety. Take Care Wellness (cont d) Read a biography of someone you admire. Try turning off the TV or computer 30 minutes before bedtime. Manage Your Money Make sure your beneficiaries are indicated and up to date on all insurance policies and investment accounts. Plan to review them every five years or if you have a life event change. Support Your Spirit Before sleep, offer gratitude for five things in your day. Take a walk and pray with your steps. Let me know if these are helpful to you. I'll share with you how I m doing with keeping a food journal of all I eat. St. Paul s Episcopal Church 1609 W. 10th Avenue Kennewick, Washington (509) stpaulskennewick@frontier.com Church Staff Rev. JoAnne Lediard, Priest-in-Charge Rev. Lynn Yule, Deacon Mary Esther Lippold, Organist Cindy Stewart and Stefanie Wiltse, Sunday School Superintendents Kathy DeMers, Adult Education Margie Weed, Jim Carter, Stefanie Wiltse, Youth Leaders Bill Buchmiller, St. Paul s Church Website Marji Parker, Micki Furr, The Epistle Newsletter The Bishop s Committee Jim Carter, Senior Warden" Elmer Rupp, Junior Warden" Bob Andrew" Alma Estrada"... Susan Moore" Cindy Stewart" Emmanuel Wajaras" Ron Weed" Johnathan Hicks, Treasurer"

3 St. Paul s Episcopal Church Page 3 June 2015 Keep those aluminum cans coming! Erina Moda is back from three months in Uganda and will soon let us all know about her experience there, but meanwhile, progress on the construction of the Wampologoma Busaana church building is progressing. See attached photo. See also the photo of the building on the bulletin board in the hall. News of the Church in Uganda The village of Wampologoma in northern Uganda is one of the locations to which refugees from South Sudan fled after tribal warfare broke out, resulting in persecution and hunger. Ultimately, the completed building, for which we have helped raise some funds for the roof through the collection of aluminum cans, will house not only church services but also will provide space for school for children. The Kubi for Hope group there has long range plans for providing water within walking distance of the settlement; school supplies and food for children; support for fertilizers, new equipment, and new methods of agriculture for farmers so that the community may become self sufficient. Hospital beds are also needed in the region. Recycling of aluminum cans in the United States can help with these projects. The Bookish Experiment The Bookish Experiment described in the April newsletter is up and happening. A shelf for books is in the Fireside Room. Here's how the thing is expected to work: This is an honor system exchange of books people want to share and others may want to read. Books are expected to be returned. It is not a means of getting rid of stuff you no longer want. We can set up a separate pile of things people want to give away. It's recommended that you put your name in books you bring to share. That way, readers can talk about it with you. Again, this is an experiment in process. We may want to change the rules as time goes by, and if it is successful, perhaps can be extended to the community.

4 St. Paul s Episcopal Church Page 4 June 2015 News of the People Steve & Margaret Hicks It took Margaret and Steve Hicks about 40 years to get from Lansing, Michigan, where they met at Michigan State University, to Kennewick. Most of this time they were in Alaska. Margaret grew up in Lansing, and Steve, born in British Columbia, grew up in Allegan, Michigan before ending up in Battle Creek, Michigan (the cereal place). Following college, Steve spent time in the army working as a military occupational specialist on the dew line (north of the arctic circle) while Margaret stayed in Anchorage. After his time in the army, Steve worked and as a consulting engineer for a construction company in Chicago. In 1963 they went to Alaska with that company and Steve eventually formed his own construction company. Margaret, meanwhile, worked at a variety of things. She was a major volunteer at their church (Episcopal of course), organizing programs for kids among other things. She was also employed at dispensing apprentices for operating engineers; as business manager for a bone doctor; as a trainer of tellers in a bank. All this she did while also working as mother to their four children. They lived primarily in Anchorage. Neither liked Fairbanks, describing it as small and dirty, city power being supplied by burning coal which settled coal dust everywhere. Margaret especially disliked the cold. Steve points out, however, that there is a growing season in Fairbanks, unlike in Anchorage. Memorable events of these years include living next to a friendly mother moose who allowed the Hicks children to pet her calves. They were in Anchorage for the major earthquake. It did not damage their house but did cause a four-tier bookcase to walk across a room without tipping over. Why are we here? Margaret asked when it was time to retire, and they decided to leave. But to where? Home (Michigan) was out. They looked in Nevada but could not find housing and in Utah with the same result. They looked at Arkansas and Alabama but did not want to be thought of as hillbillies. They did not want to be on the coast on either side of the country. It may be that St. Paul s guardian angel sent them to eastern Washington, first ruling out Spokane for some reason, and finally pointing out that the trees now growing in Tri-Cities reminded them of Michigan. They moved to Kennewick in Their children are Margaret Ann (Peggy) in Florida; Jennifer, in Missouri; Richard in San Diego; and Johnathan in Pasco. And where did Steve learn to cook? When it became difficult for Margaret to stand for long, he was drawn to the kitchen, where, he says, he learned by doing.

5 St. Paul s Episcopal Church Page 5 June 2015 We Celebrate Fathers June 21 is the day. During coffee hour, we will pay tribute to all the fathers among us. Coffee hour hostess Jean Andrew is planning Easter pies for the occasion. Anyone who would like to make one is should call Jean ( ). The recipe follows. 2/3 cup boiling water 1 pkg (4-serving size) Jello, any flavor 1 2 cup cold water ice cubes 1 tub (8oz.) cool whip, thawed 1 ready crust graham cracker pie crust Stir boiling water into Jello in large bowl for 2 minutes until completely dissolved. Mix cold water and ice to make 1-1/4 cups. Add to gelatin, stirring until slightly thickened. Remove any remaining ice. Stir in whipped topping with wire whisk until smooth. Refrigerate 10 minutes until mixture will mound. Spoon into crust. Refrigerate 4 hours or until firm. Store leftover pie in refrigerator. Makes 8 servings. Expanding of the Words of the Model The words gather transform send, a slogan which we see often are the title words of a congregational development model designed to...to support vital, dynamic sustainable communities of faith. What the words imply was discussed at some length at the regional gathering in March. To gather : Getting together as God's people, implying that we may be more effective together than we might be individually. Maybe in implies going to church, and/or participating in church activities. To transform : Webster s thesaurus says that transformation is to change over something into a radically different form. Who or what is to be changed? Is it us? At the meeting, it was suggested that we are transformed through participation in liturgy, through formation, and through establishing relationships. What does formation mean? Literally, to form is to put something together, to make something. We make ourselves into better followers of Jesus. To send : Sending isn't hard to define. Where are we to send out transformed selves? To our families, to work, to our civic and social activities: in other words, out into the world in which we live our lives every day. The concept of sending implies that we do something with our transformed selves away from church.

6 St. Paul s Episcopal Church Page 6 June 2015 Birthdays in June! 2 Bill Dunbar 7 Ben Noland 15 Grace Elizai 12 Simon Ezekiel 21 Carolyn Sparks 23 Sharon Ferrians 26 Brian Kady Anniversaries in June! 15 Walt & Gloria Slipp 16 Perry & Cora Jane Williams 23 Bill & Collene Dunbar The Quilt and Sewing Group The quilt made by the 3rd Saturday Sewing Group has been finished and was displayed at the service May 24. It was auctioned at the block party May 30. The sewing group will continue to meet during the months of June and August (not July). New projects will be introduced. The next meeting will be on June 20. July/August 2015 EPISTLE Article Deadline: Wednesday, June 17, p.m. Contact Marji Parker if you have an article to include in the next newsletter. Garden Now Full Erina Moda and Susan Moore have finished planting all the donated seeds in the two middle garden beds. The front bed contains herbs and the back bed is under the sponsorship of the Moore family. Watch to see what grows, and look forward to harvest time. Summer Activities -- Looking Ahead Sunday School will continue through the summer. Rod Coler will make his yard available again for the 4th of July celebration. Vacation Bible School will be in August. Youth Group will be meeting every Thursday from 5pm to 7pm starting June 18. Game & Movie Nights will happen beginning June 18 from 7pm until?. Bring popcorn & pillows! Camp News The season at Camp Cross actually begins June 17 with a session for young adults. But St. Paul s kids (at last count there were 12) will be going beginning in July. More about them later. Help with funds for their fees will be available through proceeds from the sale of Easter s chocolate eggs and from car wash events by the kids. Donations will not be turned down. Transportation to Ritzville for the camp bus will be needed for some. If you can provide rides (both to and from Ritzville), please let Ryan Peterson or Stefanie Wiltse know. There must be 2 adults in a car providing rides to kids. The sessions are in the early part of July.