THE. Mom... Dad... You're old enough to know... I'm adopted

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1 THE VOLUME 2, ISSUE 7 St. Nicholas Episcopal Church, The Rev. Ken Howard, Rector. Summer Schedule: Sunday Services: 10:00 am, 5:00 pm. Mom... Dad... You're old enough to know... I'm adopted Sermon - Trinity Sunday, June 3, 2012 (Romans 8:12-17; John 3:1-17) By The Rev. Ken Howard --- For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received a spirit of adoption --- COMMUNICANT JULY 2012 A place to belong! A place to become.! Many years ago, our family was sitting around the table, putting the finishing touches on our dinner, when I had inspiration about what to do next. I know! I said, Let s have some chocolate ice cream! (Those of you who know me know that this is an inspiration I have quite often.) From there our postprandial conversation turned to a discussion of the virtues of that most excellent desert. That is, until we realized that only three of the four of us were talking, our son being mysteriously silent. At which point we suspended our songs of praise and asked him what was up. I don t like chocolate, he said and an awkward silence fell over the room. You don t like chocolate? we asked, almost simultaneously. And then I voiced the question that was on everyone s minds: How is it that an offspring of ours, a person containing our DNA, does not like chocolate? Mom he said, Dad I think you re old enough to know I m adopted. There you have it: the only reasonable explanation for how someone could be in the same family and not like all the same things. Once upon a time, a seminary professor of mine jokingly warned us not to preach for more than two minutes on Trinity Sunday. When we asked "why?" he answered "Because it's impossible to speak for any longer than two minutes on the Trinity without wandering into heresy." The reason he gave was that the concept of Trinity does not define God, but merely explicates the paradox that God must at the same time contain both infinite complexity and absolute unity. Now, I wouldn t bet money on any preacher keeping any sermon to two minutes or less, let alone me. So I'm not even going to try to define God's Trinitarian nature for you. Instead, I m gonna leapfrog right over that tar baby and go straight to my usual question: "So what?" What difference does it make to us that God is a Tri-Unity? (continued on page 6) Start-Up Plan Made For Messy Church A meeting, chaired by Terri Murphy, Director of Spiritual Formation was held June 3 rd, 2012, to discuss and formulate plans for the proposed Messy church program for 4-6 graders. The Messy church program is adapted from a program popularized in England, of the same name. It is being edited to suit the needs of St. Nicholas and has a decided focus on learning, table ministry and fun! Eating is usually an integral part of table ministry and for Messy church the snacks will be themed with the lesson. The flow to these meetings will be a bit of discussion, followed by a messy project, and ending with a shared snack of some kind. As the Messy Church snacks might be all sweet or unusual, depending on the theme, it is suggested that parents give their children a substantive healthy snack before coming. Eight families turned up for the meeting and after discussion it was decided that the third Friday of the month would be the usual meeting time. However, given Terri s pending ordination date of Sept. 22, the first (continued on page 6) Inside this issue: News Briefs: Vestry Decisions; Fr. Ken Goes on Vacation : Chicks Update Editorial: To Cara, with appreciation, love and God s blessings 2 2 The Children s Page - 3 Save the Dates Keep Cool Recipe Milestones Save the Dates Mom, Dad, You re old enough... Messy church... Calendar for August We have a relationship with God

2 Page 2 THE COMMUNICANT JULY 2012 Decisions taken at Vestry Meeting held May 16, 2012 NEWS BRIEFS 1. Finance, Administration and Human Resources Related to the proposed roles/responsibilities of the treasurer, a plan needs to be worked out to address the ledger and how to record pledges. Motion passed to approve the proposed restructuring of the treasurer function. 2. Buildings and Grounds Update Motion to execute landscaping contract for $3300 passed 3. Consent Items Ken s vacation and sabbatical no objections taken. 4. Trash Situation Allied Waste is the recommended service provider for one pick-up a week. Vestry decided to commit to a 3 year contract, with a set 5% increase per year. With the Vestry s consent, a contract has been signed. Fr. Ken Goes on Vacation Sunday, June 24 was Fr. Ken s last Sunday before starting his summer vacation. There was the annual traditional ceremonial "turning over of the church keys," symbolizing his leaving behind his responsibilities and entrusting the "care and feeding" of the St. Nick's congregation to its exceedingly capable and trustworthy lay leadership. Members of the Vestry along with the congregants present that Sunday prayed for his safe return. Fr. Ken and his family will be taking a road trip down south over the next six weeks. He will resume his office in mid August. Chicks of St. Nick s Update We had a wonderful time at dinner at That's Amore! There were 12 of us. We looked at possible T-shirt ideas and had a nice, relaxing time. The Chicks are giving consideration to establishing a general Card ministry that is independent of the prayer list. Please let us have your ideas. We have also been invited by Karin Remington of the Worship Committee to co-lead (along with EFM and Boys with Grills), the lawn Labyrinth construction. We hope to have an early meeting to discuss this matter. If there are any women of the church who are not yet on the Chicks mailing list, but would like to be, please let me know. We may order T-shirts in the next month, but I will let everyone know beforehand. Contributed by Joyce Mason zoog@comcast.net EDITORIAL: To Cara, With Appreciation, Love, and Prayer for God s Blessings The editors of a newspaper are often shadowy figures, performing their tasks incognito, except for a comment in this section and a line reference to a name in the masthead of a publication. There comes a time however, when that veil must be lifted and recognition be given where recognition is due. Unfortunately, it often is at the end of one s tenure. Cara Littlewood Poirier has been co-editor of this newsletter, The Communicant, since its inception in January She has served diligently through thick and thin, through teething pains, and growing pains, to bring the fledging paper to what it is today, a newsletter whose next issue is anxiously awaited by many of St. Nick s parishioners. Cara and her husband John are scheduled to relocate on assignment to Australia in the very near future. It is with regret that due to distance, she will not be able to continue to volunteer her time, skills, and insights to this newsletter. Fr. Ken, and the rest of the staff of The Communicant, no doubt joined by all members of St. Nick s congregation, wish her and John a fond farewell and bon voyage as they travel to their next station along life s road. Cara: We send you off with deep appreciation, love, and God s blessings. You have left with us a legacy in this newsletter. We will miss you. We hope that you will keep in touch and return to St. Nick s in due course. 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. Thank you.

3 Page 3 VOLUME 2, ISSUE 7 The Children s Page July 4th is Independence Day for the U.S.A. parade independence freedom lemonade flag picnic stars fireworks stripes salute Happy 4 th of July!

4 Page 4 THE COMMUNICANT JULY 2012 St. Nick s Lunch Bunch Potluck Tuesday, July 17, :00 noon-3:00pm (Aimed at home-alone seniors and Caregivers) Please join us for lunch, thanksgiving and fellowship (There will also be BINGO with prizes) Contributions of food for the luncheon are needed. Contact: Karen Kucik at A Recipe to Keep You Cool this Summer Sparkling Strawberry Lemonade (adapted from WillowBirdBaking.com) Puree 1 pint strawberries, rinsed and hulled, 2 tablespoons sugar, 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice, and 2 tablespoons cold water until smooth. Strain to remove seeds, and chill. Dissolve 3/4 cup sugar in 1 cup very hot water in pitcher. Add 1 cup fresh lemon juice, 4 1/2 cups cold club soda/ sparkling water, and the strawberry puree and stir to mix well. Pour over ice and enjoy! M I L E S TO N E S Congratulations to the following parishioners on their wedding anniversary: Carol & Ray Palfrey who celebrate on July 11; Nancy & Michael Jackonis who celebrate on July 21; Elizabeth & John Kraft who celebrate on July 25; Michelle & Tim Clarke who celebrate on July 31.

5 Page 5 VOLUME 2, ISSUE 7 Group Spiritual Direction, July 2, 9, 16, & 23 from 7-8pm For anyone who would like to learn about and experience spiritual direction in a group setting. This is a highly structured experience of spiritual exploration for adults. It will consist of an introduction to group direction and then each week will be an experience of it. We ll meet in the church Great Room. Contact: Terri Murphy at Safeguarding God's Children Wednesday, September 12, 6:00 9:00pm Mandatory for Sunday School teachers and other ministries working with children. Contact Terri Murphy at St. Nick s Annual Retreat at Shrine Mont - October 5 7, 2012 SIGN UP TODAY! AT CHURCH or CONTACT DONNA ANDERSON at andonnae@aol.com or MINDY MCCARTIN at mindymccartin@comcast.net See our website For additional information

6 Page 6 THE COMMUNICANT JULY 2012 Mom... Dad... You're old enough... (continued from page 1) I think Jesus answered that for us when he called God father. Except he didn t call him father, that is. What he really called him was something not nearly as dignified as all that: Abba or to be exact ab-ba. Sounds pretty primitive Babyish, right? Like that androgynous ab-bab-bab-bab-bab sound that babies make when first starting to talk to parents, which depending on who gets there first, gets shaped into da-da or ma-ma. Jesus sense of connection to the Creator was not some theological Father-Son concept of family-ness, or even a just plain intellectual father-son notion, but a deep, gut-level, can t-do-without, parent-child love connectedness. God is a family. And if God is a family and God has adopted us at our baptisms and made us brothers and sisters with (and in) Christ, that means God has brought each of us into the family that is God. And if God is a family, and each one of us has been adopted into that family, then that means that as Church we are family, too. Not just a family that we were born into through no choice of our own, but one which God chose specifically for us and us for them. One to which God has extended us an eternal invitation that will never be withdrawn, and from which, once we have consented to our adoption, we will never be disowned. To put it bluntly, we are stuck with each other. Forever. And I mean that in a good way. Messy church...continued from page 1 meeting of Messy Church will be held on Friday, Sept. 7 at 7 p.m. The meetings are expected to last approximately an hour and a half. There is also a plan to have outings, fundraisers and lockins, in addition to the once a month meetings. Children in 6 th grade who have been waiting to be with the older youth group, are welcome. If there are 7 th graders who have some younger friends, it s fine if they join the group, or perhaps do both groups. To be in compliance with the church s child abuse prevention initiative, there must, at all times, be at least two adults at every meeting. If there is inadequate staffing on occasion, a parent may be asked to stay. Given that this is a new program and has no budget as yet, each family is being asked to pay a $30 fee to cover supplies. If this is a burden for any, please let Terri know. No one should stay away due to inability to fund. There is scholarship money available. As Paul put it in today s Epistle, we are debtors, not just to God but to each other. We owe it to each other to love one another. And not just love as feeling, but love as commitment and presence and action. We are called to be present for each other as we pass through life s transitions. We are called to accompany each other as we navigate life s journey. We are called to reflect with each other as we wrestle with our choices, with our accountability for our actions and their consequences. We are called to celebrate with each other in our joys and mourn with each other in our sorrows. And we are called to uphold each other in our prayers without ceasing. And the odd thing is, in the end, this debt we owe each other is no burden; certainly not the kind we grow to resent because we can never pay off, like we were some kind of indentured servants. God did not call us to servants but beloved children. No. The debt we feel as a result of our adoption into God s family is more like a compulsion: a positive and healthy compulsion that comes from being over-filled with God s tender, unconditional love, which the more we learn to accept and release it freely, the more it will free us. Amen! Parents and their children are asked to read Heaven is for Real by Todd Burpo, over the summer. September conversation with the kids will be around this book. Below is the curriculum planned for the coming year: CURRICULUM FOR MESSY CHURCH SEPT. OCT. THEME: GOD THE FATHER: CREATOR NOV. DEC. THEME: GOD THE SON (INCLUDING EPIPHANY PAGEANT) JAN. THEME: HOLY SPIRIT AND SPIRITUAL GIFTS FEB. MAR. THEME: LENT/HOLY WEEK APRIL MAY THEME: MINISTRY Kids should come prepared to learn a bit, make some noise and make a mess!!! (Contributed by Terri Murphy)

7 Page 7 VOLUME 2, ISSUE 7 This page reserved for August 2012 Calendar listing activities and events. For Calendar Updates, please visit our website

8 Page 8 THE COMMUNICANT JULY 2012 We Have a Relationship with God I still remember when Jason and I arrived at St. Nick s for the first time. We sat in our car in the parking lot, peering out at the size of the building and knowing that we could throw any hope for anonymity out the window. After being together for nearly 17 years, Jason and I had decided to start going to church. I grew up a Protestant and hadn t attended church since I was in my teens. Jason s family history was Baptist but he had never gone to church. We did some research and agreed that the Episcopal Church had the message and feeling we were looking for focused on the love of Jesus Christ and not on the judgment and hatred of others. I also liked the idea that St. Nick s was a place to belong and a place to become. So far, so good! Still, I was kind of hoping we could sneak in the back, unnoticed, and then disappear as quietly as we had come. That clearly wasn t going to happen here. The service began, and Jason and I were grateful for the bulletin to help us through the rituals. When the lessons were read, I felt a twinge of dismay. One of the lessons was the story of Abraham nearly sacrificing Isaac at God s request. I had never liked that story and couldn t comprehend the idea of a loving God asking a father to perform such a terrible act. As I joined the congregation in saying Thanks Be to God I was thinking we had made a mistake... Suzy and Jason Arnette, Parishioners and this was not the loving vision of God and church that we were hoping for. Then Ken stepped up and began his sermon. To my surprise, he shared my feelings about the Abraham story. He too struggled with the idea that a father would even consider sacrificing one of his children. The thought that a priest also had questions and doubts was amazing to me. Not only were questions welcomed, they were encouraged. As Ken explained how he now reads the story and what he believes God was truly trying to teach Abraham, I realized that his interpretation wasn t the important thing; it was the idea that everyone struggles with their relationship with God. The important thing is that we HAVE a relationship with God. Since then, our experience at St. Nick s has been nothing short of wonderful. Jason and I have been welcomed with open arms by everyone we ve met. We love having the opportunity every week to be a part of a community, to contribute to the service, and to learn more about the church. Even more, I love that I now have a relationship with Jesus and I can feel His presence in my life. I am so thankful that we found St. Nick s and are a part of this wonderful family. Sunday Services Summer Schedule 10:00 am Combined Holy Eucharist; 5:00 pm Contemplative Service Germantown Road Germantown, MD 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. We believe that the only sufficient basis for Christian community is Christ s love for us. We experience that the power of Christ s love can hold us together in the midst of great adversity. 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 Suzy Arnette at suzy@arnettes.net Permission is given to reprint original articles, so long as This Newsletter and the authors are both credited St. Nicholas Episcopal Church.