Thanksgiving 2013 Newsletter

Transcription

1 Newsletter Rector s Message Dear parishioners and friends, I am writing this article for the Thanksgiving Newsletter, as Holly and I, along with several folks from Lunenburg and across Canada, continue our tour of Russia, sailing along the mighty Volga River. As I look out the windows, all the fall colours we are familiar with are to be seen: gold, yellow and russet, all that is, except for our crimsons and reds, for there are no maples here. Autumn is about a month ahead of us and the leaves are already falling. We have been to Moscow with its government and historic buildings along with thousands of impressive Churches and cathedrals, most of which during the communist era, were turned into warehouses, barns, storage or museums. The faith of millions of Russian Orthodox Christians could not be taken from them, so they went underground, worshipping in private homes, fields, and forests, often risking their lives and their careers. Today all has changed. Churches and cathedrals are open and being restored and people are once again able to practice their faith and live it as they wish. I grew up as many of us did during the cold war with negative views of Russia and its people. The experience of our group and I would say everyone on our tour has been of a welcoming and hospitable people. They share a great pride in their country, people, culture, and faith. We have had the opportunity to visit a Russian elementary school, a concert of young folk musicians and artists, all of whom with great modesty and humility, share with us their rich traditions and faith. One of the most striking differences between the religious expression of the churches of the West, such as Roman Catholicism, Anglicanism and Protestants and the Orthodox Churches of the East, including the Russian and Greek Orthodox churches are the use of Icons. Everywhere we go and every church we enter, our senses are flooded by colourful Icons. Like our use of stained glass windows in the churches of the West, Icons tell the wonderful stories of the Bible and the leaders of the Faith. I've chosen for my Thanksgiving message, to share with you one of the most famous Russian Icons, the Holy Trinity, painted by Andrei Rublev in We were able to visit this Icon which depicts the three Angels who came to visit the great Prophet Abraham at his Tent under the oak tree of Mamre. Abraham and Sarah opened their home and their hearts to the angels, showing them great hospitality and welcome. In so doing, tradition has come to understand that Abraham was welcoming the very presence of God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The table represents the Lord's Table and the Cup, the Body and Blood of Christ in Holy Communion. The beauty is that in showing hospitality, thanksgiving and welcome to the angels, the angels share an even greater gift, the blessing, and presence of the Holy Trinity. Rublev's Icon of the Holy Trinity can help all of us enter more fully into the Season of Thanksgiving. As we pause and reflect upon our many blessings of family, friends, community and Church, as well as gratitude for the abundant harvest which Almighty God is giving to us, let us affirm the biblical gift of hospitality, welcome and the sharing of our blessings with others. In doing so, we may entertain angels and the very presence of God. Friends and parishioners of St. John's, as we continue to celebrate our 260th Anniversary of Foundation, we have so very much for which we may give thanks. Let us continue to support and affirm one another and our children in the faith. I look forward to celebrating the great feast of Thanksgiving with you all. Your brother in Christ, Michael+

2 Page 2 A note from Barbara.. Music At St John s Our choirs remained active throughout the summer and we are grateful to them for taking part in services over the summer months. Members of the Chancel Choir changed to their summer gowns and were joined by members of the Congregational Choir and congregation. Vocal workshops and private voice coaching with Edmund Brownless were also made available to choir members who were able to take part in this opportunity. This is a service provided to St. John s through Musique Royale. As a result we enjoyed many sessions of music making with added guest musicians leading to two particular services focused on music one was at the end of Boxwood week and the second was the Payzant Family Reunion service which was also the special Sunday when we welcomed Bishop Howe to St. John s. The summer was very busy in music outreach at St. John s beginning with a concert with the Irish National Choir, Anuna, on July 4. For this event Musique Royale purchased special lighting which illuminated the stars on the ceiling in a spectacular way. The church was full to capacity to hear this wonderful group. The German Band was once again on the Parade Square and later on St. John s hosted a number of Boxwood and Folk Harbour events. Musique Royale held 5 events in August a Payzant Family Reunion Concert, A Viol Quartet from New York, Organist Robert Quinney, the Nova Scotia Youth Orchestra and a premiere work by Peter Togni. Chancel Choir resumed regular rehearsals on September 11 beginning with a pot luck at my house in Oakland. We always welcome new members as does Sharon for the bell choir. Music Moments at children s time will continue through the fall and as time permits, a short period at Sunday School. These sessions will be based, as closely as possible, on various themes of the church year. They are meant to engage the children in singing and to feel a closer connection with Sunday worship through music. I extend appreciation to Sharon and members of the Chancel Choir for their assistance here. A special evensong is included during Back to Church Sunday this year with special guests, Capella Regalis Men and Boys Choir directed by Nick Halley. The choir is part of Musique Royale s educational outreach program. The choir returns to St. John s on Dec. 21 for their program To Bethlehem with Kings which we offer as a benefit to local area food banks. Musique Royale s line-up up of fall events includes: Anastasia Rizikov, piano - 14 year old piano prodigy (Saturday, Sept 28, 7:30 pm) Symphony Nova Scotia - Gueller conducts All Mozart Program (Friday, Oct 4, 7:30 pm) Carte Blanche à Stéphane Tétreault and a $6 million 1707 Stradivarius cello (Fri, Oct 25, 7:30 pm) Award winning Cecilia String Quartet (Friday, Nov 1, 7:30 pm) Andrea Jeffries, soprano; Derrick Miller, tenor We Will Remember Them (Friday, Nov. 8, 7:30 pm) Chester Brass Band (Saturday, Nov16, 7:30 pm Opéra La Bohème - Jeunesses Musicale production of Puccini s beloved opera (Fri, Nov 22, 7:30 pm) A King s Christmas conducted by Paul Halley (Sunday, Dec 8, 4:00 pm To Bethlehem with King s - for Food Bank (Saturday, Dec 21, 7:00 pm) Our music committee meets regularly each month and provides a helpful forum to discuss all things musical in the parish. Warm regards, Barbara

3 Page 3 Congregational Development Committee Update from the CDC.. After a bit of a hiatus in the new year, the Committee reconvened in May, 2013 and has had regular monthly meetings since then. Various matters under discussion and consideration and/or action taken, include (but are not limited to) the following: New mothers were contacted to encourage their attendance at the Mother s Day Luncheon The first Congregational Meeting was held on June 23, The Meeting was intended to be informal but informative and for snowbirds and year-rounders! There were financial, property, rectory and 260 th anniversary event updates. The Committee believes it to have been a very positive meeting and to be a worthwhile forum to continue. The next Congregational Meeting is scheduled for October 20, 2013 following the 10:30 service Thank you to capable CDC members Jane Ritcey and Rena Demone for organizing the BBQ following the service on August 4, 2013 with the Rt. Rev. Dr. Bruce Howe and Mrs. Howe, as part of our 260th Anniversary Celebrations - and to our second shift of BBQ operators, Wayne Dodge, Christina Pottie and Grant Dixon, for all their assistance; The Parish List is being reviewed and updated; Committee Members Rena Demone and Judy MacPherson have very kindly agreed to succeed Mary King in organizing the delivery of newsletters. They have already recruited approximately seven (7) new couriers and are anxious to fine tune newsletter delivery system. Many thanks to Mary King for her able assistance in the past, to Rena and Judy for taking this on - and, of course, to our new and returning couriers; Materials in the existing Welcome Brochures require review and updating; The Committee assisted with the Environment Service (September 22) Thank you to the Rev. Gillian Ball and to the readers and other participants in the Environment Service - and a special thank you Barbara Butler for her selection of beautiful music for the service and to artisan Peter Allen for volunteering his time and craftsmanship in making our "environment web". The Committee will also be assisting with Back to Church Sunday (September 29) events, which date is not yet upon us at the time of writing this piece. Comments and suggestions are always welcome! Mary E. Meisner, Chair

4 Page 4 Back Row From L: Peter Allen (craftsman of the Web); the Rev. Gillian Ball (craftsperson of the service), Nikki Saunders and Aisling Curtin (readers and Web workers); Front/Middle Row from L: Kaylee Fox; Jasmine Saunders; Nolan Green (several of our little Sunday School assistant Web workers) Giving Thanks and Caring for the Environment Sunday September 22nd, celebrations were dedicated to the Environment. Reverend Gillian Ball conducted the service and gave the sermon. The theme throughout was the connectivity of our actions and the direct impact upon the environment of those actions. Peter Allen made a large frame for the youth to spin a web on to symbolise the interconnectivities of action and result. The readings were adapted for this service and the Old Testament reading was read by two different readers. A READING ADAPTED FROM THE BOOK OF GENESIS In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep and the Spirit of God was moving over the face of the waters. In the beginning of the technological age, people recreated the heavens and the earth. To the earth they gave new form with dynamite and bulldozer and the void of the heaven they filled with smog. And God said, "Let there be a firmament in the midst of the water. Let the waters under the heavens be gathered into one place, and let the dry land appear. The people took oil from beneath the ground and spread it over the waters until it coated the beaches with slime. They washed the topsoil from the fertile prairies and sank it into the ocean depths. They took waste from the mines and filled the valleys, while developers levelled the hills. And they said, "Well, business is business." Then God said, "Let the earth put forward vegetation, plants yielding seed and fruit trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, according to its kind upon the earth. Let the earth bring forth living creatures according to their kind." And it was so. And God saw that it was good. But people were not sure. They found that mosquitoes annoyed them, so they killed them with DDT and the robins died too, and people said, "What a pity."people defoliated forests in the name of modern warfare. They filled the streams with industrial waste - and their children read about fishing in history books. And God created man in his own image; in the image of God he created him. And God created man and woman and blessed them and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion over... every living thing." So human beings multiplied - and multiplied - and spread their works across the land until the last green glade was black with asphalt, until the skies were ashen and the waters reeked, until neither bird sang nor child ran laughing through the cool grass. So humanity subdued the earth and made it over in their own image, and in the name of progress they drained it of life...until the earth was without form and void, and darkness was once again upon the face of the deep. The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. Editors Note: It all appears to hinge on the word Dominion. The first Encyclopaedia Britannica, printed in 1771, defined Dominion as; In civil law, signifies the power to use or dispose of a thing as we please. It should be noted that it distinctly states in civil law, no mention of the Word of God. How vain are we?

5 Page 5 Brittany Gerhardt s Volunteer Summer Report Brittany & Friends June 25th 2013 I had an amazing time at the Masebe Nature Reserve in South Africa. I learned a lot about South African Adult Workshop in South Africa culture and met many wonderful people. Each morning we began our day with bird point counts, listening, watching, and recording the birds in the area. We got to know the common bird calls quite well by the end of our time volunteering. This was important because birds in the area tell a lot about the ecosystem. We did habitat assessments each day as well; this involved measuring grass and trees to determine the amount of grazing that had taken place on that particular area on the reserve. We did grass identification, which involved collecting different grass species at different sites on the reserve to be identified. We did giraffe tracking, which involved taking photos and naming the giraffes to be able to identify them when seen again. Giraffe identification helps to get an idea of the number of giraffes on the reserve. The habitat assessments help the scientists to determine the carrying capacity (which is the number of animals the reserve can support) for different species on the reserve. One day we spent the morning cleaning up litter along the road in a nearby village and another day we spent clearing the trails through the reserve with saws and machetes. We made a visit to the village to run an adult workshop to talk about the environment and how we can benefit from it and what we can do to treat it properly. We discussed recycling as well. Everyone seemed to enjoy and appreciate this workshop. During my stay we made two visits to the local school. The first visit we taught the children about food webs and food chains, we played some fun games that pertained to the material they were learning. The second visit we talked about decomposers, producers, primary and secondary consumers and how they form the circle of life. We played a huge game with the whole group to show the children how these things form a never ending food web. We hope that teaching these children about the environment will give them an appreciation for nature that lasts a lifetime. I fully enjoyed my time in South Africa and am so grateful to have had the opportunity to have this experience. ACW Fundraiser for St. John s The ACW are planning a great fun event and fundraiser on Saturday, October 19th from 10am - 2pm. There will be a Bake Table, Flea Market, Canteen and Auction. The canteen includes lobster rolls, fish chowder, hot dogs and dessert. We really need the help of the whole parish to make this a success. Please save your treasures for the Flea Market (no clothing or large items) and bake us some yummy treats for the bake table - cakes, pies, sweet breads, rolls, etc. jams, jellies and preserves of all kind will be gratefully accepted. Items for the flea market may be dropped off anytime from now on, in the parish hall kitchen. Please bring your baked goods to the parish hall on Friday, October 18th, or early in the morning on the 19th. All proceeds to support St. John's Church. Come and enjoy this fun event and bring lots of friends with you!

6 Page 6 ACW News It is my pleasure to give you a brief update on what has been happening with the ST. John s ACW so far this year. We have been very busy with the following functions:- We have held five (5) Unity Chowder Lunches. Four (4) Funeral Receptions were provided with sandwiches and sweets. For the Marriage Preparation Weekend, Saturday February 16th, we provided muffins, ham & scalloped potatoes, vegetables, cabbage salad, and dessert. The lunch for the Annual General Meeting was served. Two parish breakfasts on April 21st and May 19th were well attended. Lobster Roll Takeout on June 21st saw us provide 365 takeouts and 48 lobster burgers, raising $3800 in the process. At the Lunenburg Festival of Crafts on July 12th, 13th & 14th we served cheesecake, strawberry shortcake, and strawberries and raised $2400 during the three days. The Clergy Retreat Day on September 6th had us providing sandwiches and desserts. We have a number of events coming up this fall. Look for the notices in the Sunday Bulletins. We would like, at this time, to thank the St. John s parish family supporting us at these events. Thank You All Sharon Green Attention All Knitters - Madagascar School Project Aisling Curtin and the St. John s Church Group are knitting squares for the Madagascar School Project. We need as many knitted squares as we can get to be made into quilts for children in the Madagascar School. This is the pattern we want you to use, it s about 6 X 6. Cast on 4 stitches; Row 1 knit across; Row 2 K2 YO K to end; Repeat this row until you have 40 stitches. Begin to decrease K1 K2 tog YO K2 tog K to end repeat until you have 4 stitches; Bind off. Make as many as you can. With thanks Aisling.

7 Page 7 On The Edge Of Autumn (Fall) September has a strange and wonderful feeling. It is the best part of the summer and the hardest part of the summer. Just when summer gets perfect fresh nights, soft sun, casual breezes, crushingly full and quietly cooling trees, empty beaches and free weekends it ends. Life is like that, too. Just when we get it right, it starts to change. The job gets easy and we know just how to do it and they tell us we re retired. The children grow up and get reasonable and they leave home just when it s nice to have them around. The days get less full of work but we re older now and too still to play. The money we never had enough of to spend on clothes abounds after the mortgage is paid off, but the body has lost the shape for style. We celebrate the autumn equinox this month one of only two days of the year in which daytime and night-time are of exactly equal length. From now on daytime will begin to wane. But there is nothing to fear from this diminishment of the kind of life associated with sunlight. The night times of life have their beauty and their lessons, too. That s life on the edge of autumn. And that s beautiful. If we have the humility for it. Humility is a natural virtue. It s one of those things that everybody has to get eventually or else die in misery. Diminishment, for instance, is one of the facts of life that breeds humility and diminishment is part of every experience. We get to practice it all our lives. Humility is the survival mechanism of life. from A Monastery Almanac by Joan Chittister August 4th Bar-B-Q From L: Carolyn Chenhall, Rt. Rev. Dr. Bruce Howe, Roxie Smith, Barbara Butler, Roger Mason, Rena Demone, Ben Smith, Christina Pottie, Wayne Dodge, Mary Meisner, Grant Dixon and Jane Ritcey.

8 Page 8 Schnitzel Nacht As a parish fundraiser, St. John s is holding a Schnitzel Night at the Parish Hall on Sunday, October 27 th at 4:30pm 6:30pm. Chef Konrad Haumering and Cammy Tibbo will be preparing a meal consisting of pork schnitzel, mashed potatoes, vegetables, pie or cake, tea and coffee. Cost is $15.00 for adults and $10.00 for children. To purchase your ticket call Cammy Tibbo or the Parish office Everyone is welcome. Greeting & Refreshments Hazel Oliver reports that she has found Greeters for each Sunday until the end of this year. She is now looking for people to volunteer as Greeters in the new year. Each Sunday two Greeters arrive early to give out bulletins and greet people as they arrive at the door. Each pair of Greeters do two Sundays, which is not a huge commitment of time since you would be coming to church anyway. There is always a need for Greeters so this request for people is an ongoing requirement. Hazel also reports that the Refreshments outside the church started on June 16th so people are able socialize after church. She managed to get two people for each Sunday until September when we usually finish. Should the weather continue to be favourable we will continue until October. There would be a need for people to help out if we do continue into October. Hazel is now looking for people to volunteer for next year so that these two important ministries can continue in their current caring way. If people would be willing to go on the Greeters List and Refreshment list for next year please contact Hazel Oliver St. John s Anglican Church 81 Cumberland Street PO Box 238 Lunenburg, Nova Scotia Canada B0J 2C0 we re on the web Phone: Fax: stjohnslunenburg@eastlink.ca