THE. By Rev. Ken Howard

Transcription

1 THE VOLUME 1, ISSUE 9 COMMUNICANT SEPTEMBER 2011 A place to belong! A place to become.! St. Nicholas Episcopal Church, The Rev. Ken Howard, Rector. Regular Sunday Services: 9.00 am., am., 5.00 pm. It Ain't Over til It's Over: Doing The Hard Math Of Forgiveness S t. N i c k s Re m e m b e rs 9 / 1 1 *Peter asked Jesus+ How often should I forgive? As many as seven times?" Jesus said to him, "Not seven times, but...seventy-times seven. Good old Peter: blunt as a brick and twice as dense. When Jesus starts teaching his disciples about forgiveness, Peter goes straight to the bottom line. How many times? Peter wants to know, Seven times ought to be enough, right? Which, roughly translated, means, How long til I m done? Or When is it over? Jesus reply takes it to the next level and beyond. Literally translated, it could mean seven times seven, seventy plus seven, or seventy times seven. But I think the best translation might be, Peter, Peter, Peter It ain t over till it s over. By Rev. Ken Howard Ten years ago today we all became victims victims of suffering and death, violence and rage, hate and despair, loss and mourning, our own and others, our country and the world. Everybody lost something on that day. And we ve all been struggling with it ever since. And not just us, but the whole world. Nearly 3,000 people died on that day: people from the U.S. and over 90 countries. Over 50,000 have died over the last ten years as a direct result of 9/11 friends, foes, and those in between each sending out ripples of loss through fathers and mothers, sisters and brothers, husbands and wives, friends and colleagues, lovers and fiancés. [Rev. Howard continued by telling the story of one John Wesley whose fiancé was killed when American Airlines Flight 77 was flown into the Pentagon. (continued on page 4) Well Done, Good And Faithful Servants Mission of St. Nick s Youth to the Appalachian Wilderness By Terri Murphy, Director of Christian Formation These words apply quite well to our teens at St. Nick s. On Sunday, July 31, 2011, twelve teens and five chaperones gathered at St. Nick s to pack gear and food for a week long mission trip into the heart of the Appalachian wilderness. After a brief service and communion, we set out in a caravan for a nine hour drive to St. Timothy s Episcopal Outreach Center in Irvine, Kentucky. St. Timothy s is a ministry of the Episcopal Diocese of Lexington, KY. that has been in operation for 28 years. Rev. Bryant Kibler operates a one-man outfit. He accepts requests for home repairs from residents of Barnes Mountain, on which St. Timothy s is located. Each week, he hosts a different group, like ours, that come to help him with the building projects. With the patience of a saint, Fr. Kibler teaches each new group how to fix roofs, build additions to homes, put in insulation, install dry wall and the hundreds of other tasks necessary to assist those in need. (continued on page 7) Inside this issue: Highlights of Vestry Meeting 2 Well Needed Furniture Donated Editorial: How Did You Spend... The Children s Page Milestones Save the Dates 5 Calendar Oct/Nov 2011 Parish Life/Hospitality Cttee. Services Cancelled due to... Prayerful Farewell -Mary Ellen Why I have been part of St. Nick s... 8

2 Page 2 THE COMMUNICANT SEPTEMBER 2011 Highlights of Vestry Meeting August 17, 2011 St. Nick s Vestry met on August 17, 2011 under the leadership of Bob McCartin, Senior Warden. The following decisions/discussion are the highlights of the meeting: The Current Fundraising Policy is to be revised. This policy is to cover: Space Rental Policy Planning a Fall event fundraiser Plans for the next Stewardship Campaign A Prayer Vigil should be the norm to precede all major campaigns at St. Nick s. The Prayer Vigil would focus on the spiritual as well as on the practical. It is desirable that the vigil be formalized and publicized before the next Stewardship Campaign. One of the objectives should be to make members of the vestry available to parishioners at all times during the vigil. There is also a plan being formulated for a vestry member to visit all member families prior to/during the Stewardship Campaign. Report on Meeting with Bank About Mortgage The Bank has proposed that we consider a short-term 18- month interest only mortgage, instead of the current mortgage terms. Giving Campaign Update The Senior warden reported that his request letter had received 8 responses with commitment totaling $25,400 to help off-set the $40K shortfall. Use of the Building (set-up of Great room use of risers and dividers) Well-Needed Furniture donated to St. Nick s The Parish Administrator, Sharon Barbee was pleased to accept the donation of 2 bookcases, 2 filing cabinets, a table, 6 small chairs, and a buffet cart from Mary Ellen, Nicholas Howey, and their son Florin Howey. The Howeys also purchased 3 tall white cabinets for the church. The furniture provides a very useful and decorative addition to the Cry-room and the Great Room at church. On appeal for assistance with transportation and strength to load the vehicle, help came from Mary Ellen herself, Kim Irish, and Lis Monaco-Kraft. They were also helpful in removing the contents that were currently being used and putting the new furniture in place. Sharon as well all parishioners are very thankful to all three ladies, friends and members of St. Nick s, who rallied to the call. EDITORIAL: How Did You Spend Your Summer Vacation? This question is a standard essay topic for students returning to school after their summer vacation. Of course my school days have long past. But, my summer was indeed noteworthy and I would like to share. How did I spend my summer? The highlights of my summer include a visit to Chattanooga, Tennessee, during which time I took an afternoon cruise down the Tennessee River, attended Grace Calvary Chapel, a place of worship located in a shopping plaza in Hixson, and listened to a most inspiring sermon entitled Thorns and Thistles: When God Doesn t Heal. The sermon was a testimony of faith presented by Frank Clark, a lifelong epileptic. Back home, I weathered a 5.8 magnitude earthquake, Hurricane Irene, and 16 inches of rainfall over four days, and was left with a leak in my roof -- all within two weeks. On a more pleasant note, I took my sister visiting from Jamaica, on a tour of Washington, DC and viewed the newly opened memorial of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. It is awesome. How did you spend your summer? Write down any exciting experiences you had or visits you made, and send to the editor of your newsletter, The Communicant, to be published and shared with your fellow parishioners. your articles by the 15th of the month to The Editors, at newsletter@saintnicks.com. We reserve the right to edit all s and letters for length, style and clarity.

3 Page 3 VOLUME 1, ISSUE 9 The Children s Page The following is a song, and it is also a prayer. We hope you like it, and use it. (Excerpted from

4 Page 4 THE COMMUNICANT SEPTEMBER 2011 It Ain t Over continued from page 1). John and his fiancé Sarah Clarke had only a few days earlier picked out their wedding rings. For years after, John s life seemed to be frozen in time. He remained imprisoned with his lost love, referring to her questions as to how to proceed with his life. He found answers in going back to church, becoming involved with children, and composing music. When years later he met Gladys, it was Sarah s memory that came to him. But this time Sarah seemed to say to him it was time to let her go.] You might think that the story I just told you is not about forgiveness, but about coming to terms with loss. But I tell you that all forgiveness is about coming to terms with loss: of letting go of that which was taken from us, of loosening our grip on our grievances of acknowledging and feeling and ultimately releasing our anger at those we hold responsible for our losses: the perpetrators, obviously, but also at some unexpected suspects: at ourselves for not figuring out a way to avoid it, at our lost loved ones for leaving us behind, and ultimately at God, in whom we all live and move and have our being, but in whom we now wonder if we can trust. How often should I forgive? Seven times? No. Seventy times seven. My spiritual director once told me the most damaging thing to your spiritual health is a justified grievance. And it all has to do with anger. In and of itself anger is neither a bad thing nor a good thing; it just is. The good and the bad of anger lies in what we do with it. If we own it and feel it and openly acknowledge it, it can be a cleansing thing, both for us and for others. But if we hold on to it nursing it and speaking to it and telling it that it is justified (even if it is especially if it is) then it becomes a consuming fire that rages uncontrolled from person to person, stealing the life from ourselves and everything we touch, and leaving nothing but ashes and dust. How often should I forgive? Seven times? No. Seventy times seven. Do not think that I am saying forgiveness is quick and easy I forgive you. Those three little words may sound simple, but they are only easy to say if you don t mean them. Forgiveness is a hard work of the heart: not a one-off proposition, but an action that has to be repeated again and again, as our anger resurfaces again and again. And forgiveness is not something that one person can tell another person to do, but something that only the victims can decide for themselves, and even then only as they come to understand how holding on to their grievances is warping their lives. How often should I forgive? Seven times? No. Seventy times seven. Truly, I tell you: If we take Jesus at his proverbial word, forgiveness is the work of a lifetime and impossible to do on our own. But the more we experience of Christ s love for us and experience God s forgiveness of us, the more we become able to love and forgive. And the more we are able to pass along that love and forgiveness to each other, to our families and friends, to our neighbors and colleagues, and even, as Jesus said, to those who hate us and wish us evil the more we are doing the work God has given us to do: the work of reconciling the world to God and setting its people free from hate: one by one, one person at a time, Yi, Janice & Song who celebrate on 9/7 M I L E S TO N E S Congratulations to the following parishioners on their wedding anniversary: Schmid, John & Diane who celebrate on 9/15 Ericson, Steve & Alicia Frechette who celebrate on 9/16 Firestine, Debbie & Tim who celebrate on 9/16

5 Page 5 VOLUME 1, ISSUE 9 The Big Ideas Summit and Potluck Congregational Retreat at Shrine Mont October 7-9, 2011 September 18, 2011 at 12:15pm All are welcome to the BIG IDEAS SUMMIT on September 18, 2011 at 12:15pm in St. Nick s Great Room. Purpose: to determine what are the top two or three BIG IDEAS and begin planning how to integrate one or more of these into our plans. Please bring your BIG Ideas along with a potluck dish to this critical Parish wide meeting. We will convene to brainstorm the very important issue of raising much needed funds to secure the financial future of St. Nick's. Christmas at St. Nicks Craft Fair Saturday, December 3rd am to 3.00 pm. This Fair to coincide with the celebration of the Feast of St. Nicholas. This will include the children s gift buying opportunities that had previously taken place after services in the latter part of December. Details will follow. Contact Lis Craft, emonaco@starpower.net Youth Summit for Students Grades 6-12 and their Parents, Fri., 9/16, 7-9pm, in the Great Room: Join us for our annual Youth Summit to discuss activities for the upcoming year. Pizza provided. Register asap. Donna Anderson. andonnae@aol.com) St. Nick s will have access to all facilities open in October, such as fishing in the pond, tennis, hiking trails, games, etc. The Cathedral Shrine of the Transfiguration * Diocesan rate (per person/per night) double occupancy $77.00, single occupancy $ Rates include meals and there is a 2-night minimum. (Rates do not include sales and lodging taxes of 5.25%.) *The Cathedral Shrine of the Transfiguration, an open-air cathedral of the Diocese of Virginia, was consecrated in Each of its stones was pulled by horse or rolled by local people from the mountain that embraces it. The baptismal font was originally a dugout stone used by Indians to grind corn. The Shrine remains the core of Shrine Mont.

6 Page 6 THE COMMUNICANT SEPTEMBER 2011 For Calendar October/Novemberr

7 Well Done (continued from page 1.) It is tough work under very tough conditions, but it is as rewarding as it is tough. The entire week was a learning experience for all of us. We sacrificed our privacy, as we shared two large dormitory style rooms one for the girls and one for the boys. We sacrificed our contact with the outside world as there was no internet and limited cell phone coverage. Despite these hardships everyone did well. New and stronger friendships were formed and people began to take on tasks of which they never thought they were capable. The people of Appalachia who at first are hesitant with outsiders, warmed up to us quickly. They live in abject poverty, in small, often falling down trailers or shacks, but they take care of each other. They also shared with us from fresh vegetables from their gardens, to serving as tour guides on a day off for cave exploration. Many of you have asked me what the most poignant moments were. I can tell you, there were many. Perhaps the one that impacted us most was Tuesday on the Mountain. It is the practice at St. Timothy s to invite everyone on the mountain for dinner on Tuesday nights. What shocked us were the large numbers of children who came barefoot. Many simply did not have shoes. The week we were there was extra special. School was to start for the children that Thursday and a church in Michigan, as was their practice, had sent dozens of boxes of school supplies. Our teens organized those supplies according to grade level and handed them out, along with backpacks to each child who came. We equipped about 75 children. This led to discussions about what we, at St. Nick s might do to assist perhaps a shoes drive, or baby clothing drive. We are considering several options. On September 18 we will have a display of our pictures between services. The teens and chaperones will be there to discuss our experiences and to answer questions. As this is the first day of Sunday school, and Fr. Ken will be back, we thought this would be a good way to kick-off our education year. So, please try to come and share with our teens their experience! NEWS BRIEFS Highlights of Parish Life/Hospitality Committee Meeting July 31, 2011 Under the chairmanship of Donna Anderson, the Parish Life/Hospitality committee met. Much of the meeting was spent discussing the concern that less than a full congregation would be in attendance at the Big Ideas Summit on Page 7 VOLUME 1, ISSUE 9 September 18, and even more time spent on brainstorming fundraisers. Several fundraising ideas were identified. One long-term planning idea was compiling a Parish Cookbook. Other ideas were short-term but almost immediately implementable: Bake sales by each Ministry, rotating on either a monthly or 5 th Sunday schedule. This might serve to fund the Ministry itself or the church in general. Bingo, a one-time or quarterly evening for the family. Cards $1-$5 each, plus pot luck contribution and cash bar. Garage/Yard Sale Services Cancelled due to Hurricane Irene Sunday services were cancelled on August 28, because of the threat of Hurricane Irene. Many parishioners, especially some who had special assignments on that Sunday were relieved when they received an the Friday before from Terri Murphy, Director of Spiritual Formation which read Given the certainty of our hurricane this weekend, Bob McCartin and I have decided to cancel services this Sunday. Our supply priest Rev. Tom Andrews, lives in Annapolis and would not be able to safely drive to us. We want all of you to stay safe and snug inside! That was indeed an excellent decision taken proactively. Fortunately for St. Nick s, we only lost power for a time during the storm and a tiny bit of water seeped under the front door. Prayerful Farewell to Mary Ellen and Family Our long standing parishioner, Mary Ellen Howey, who has over many years been tremendously involved in supporting St. Nicholas Church, has moved from the area. Before the departure of the Howey family (Mary Ellen, Nicholas and their son Florin) the St. Nick s congregation on August 21, prayed farewell to them in a Liturgy of Departure at the am service, and again at the 5.00pm service. Mary Ellen was a very popular parishioner. She served as a member of the Vestry, chaired the Parish Life/Hospitality committee, as well as the Welcome Committee. She had a keen interest in the El Hogar ministry and held annual fundraisers at her home in support of that ministry. St. Nick s will certainly miss her pleasing personality and her involvement at the church. We hope Mary Ellen will visit us whenever she is in the area.

8 Page 8 THE COMMUNICANT SEPTEMBER 2011 Why I have been part of St. Nick s for so long... Roberta Miller, Parishioner The expression start at the beginning takes on a whole new meaning when I talk about my St. Nick s life. As one of the few originals who are left at St. Nick s, I go way back! Services at Darnestown Elementary, Ridgeview Junior High, Moreland s home, Prince s home, Darnestown Presbyterian, Circle School, Seneca Academy, potlucks, crab feasts, confirmation in a gym, Rummage sales, Seders, Darnestown Day and our own building, a new home. All of these are wonderful memories of St. Nick s growth. The ups and the downs, the starts and the stops, we have had a wild ride. From vestry to hospitality to lay reader to sewing liturgical furnishings, there seem to be many hats in my St. Nick s haberdashery. The people of St. Nick s are a huge part of why this church community is home for me. St. Nick s has always been full of warm, gracious, and compassionate people. It seems that St. Nick s has a way of smoothing out everyone s rough edges. I always find it hard to put into words why I have been part of St. Nicks for so long. With the exception of the church in which I grew up (an old Episcopal Church on Long Island), I seem to gravitate to young/mission churches. I now have lived in Mary- land longer than any other place and I have been part of the St. Nick s family longer than any other church. And I still can t pinpoint why. It must just be the place God wants me to be. The people of St. Nick s are a huge part of why this church community is home for me. St. Nick s has always been full of warm, gracious, and compassionate people. It seems that St. Nick s has a way of smoothing out everyone s rough edges. Program Year: Sunday Services Resume Sunday September am: Family Holy Eucharist followed by Fellowship and Sunday School am: Traditional Holy Eucharist, followed by Fellowship 5.00 pm: Contemplative Service, followed by Fellowship Germantown Road Germantown, MD In disciplined response to the grace and love of God in Christ. We are a spiritual home, a safe haven, grounded in Scripture and centered in life, where we are nurtured and challenged in our journey of faith. We welcome all people to join us in worship and prayer, and in joyful service to the community around us. St. Nicolas Episcopal Church. The Abbey, Dec. 2001, p. 12. THE COMMUNICANT Germantown Road Germantown, MD Tele: Fax: office@saintnicks.com Newsletter deadline is generally FIFTEEN DAYS BEFORE THE END OF THE MONTH. Send articles to: Rev. Ken Howard at rector@saintnicks.com The Editors at newsletter@saintnicks.com Audrey Thompson at audreyt58@gmail.com Cara Poirier at cara.littlewood@gmail.com Permission is given to reprint original articles, so long as This Newsletter and the authors are both credited St. Nicholas Episcopal Church.