GOOD NEWS LETTER. In this issue... February 2018 St. Mark s Episcopal Church

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1 February 2018 St. Mark s Episcopal Church GOOD NEWS LETTER Dear Friends, Happy New Year! January was a rich and wonderful month for our Parish. I am grateful for all of those who supported our super successful Twelfth Night Concert, the Celebration of New Ministry Service and our annual meeting/potluck thank you! February, our shortest month, is when we will begin our Lent Journey together. Lent is a shortened version of the Old English word Lenten which means Spring Season. As our days begin to lengthen, we, too, begin to walk from the darkness of February to the Cross, finally springing forth on Easter Sunday. We begin this time together on Valentine s day when I ll read the invitation from our Ash Wednesday service: Dear People of God: The first Christians observed with great devotion the days of our Lord's passion and resurrection This year we will have three ways to observe this solemn period in our church year. Wednesday night Lenten Suppers and (New) Historical Theology Talks. We are a people of history rooted in our place, Fincastle, and our identity as Anglican Christians. In celebration of our love of History we are starting a new series that will focus on a person or theological question. In honor the 500th anniversary of the Reformation this year we will focus on Martin Luther. Simple suppers will be offered and great speakers lined up. See inside for more information. Sunday Adult Series: Faithful Stewards of your Good Gift: Exploring death and dying. How do I make plans for the end of my life? Hospice? Wills? Funeral Planning? Join us at 9:15 beginning on Feb 25 th in the Library. In this issue... Page 2 - Vestry Musings by Dan Beasley; Adult Sunday School; Ash Wednesday services Page 3 - Lenten Supper Schedule with speakers and topics Page 4 - February Calendar Page 5 - February and March Duty Rosters Page 6 - Pictures; Brown Bag Bible Study info Page 7 - We Care Team; Dorcas Needlework Guild; New Vestry Page 8 - February Happenings; February birthdays A LOOK AHEAD Brown Bag Bible Study, Thursdays, 12:05pm, Feb 22 nd and into March. We will meditate and study some of the last words of Jesus from the cross. These events are not designed to add more to your life, but to give you life to provide places for prayer, reflection, study and fellowship. I am very excited about these offerings and look forward to our times together. Peace, Willis

2 Vestry Musings By Dan Beasley It s 9:15 on a Saturday morning. Karen and I arrive with the other volunteers to work at the Botetourt food pantry. Doors open at 9:30, but there are people already lined up in the cold waiting to get inside. I recognize one or two people from serving them over the years. There are many new faces; mothers with young children, older people, some Hispanics. Winter is harder when you are on a fixed income or have to manage on minimum wage and or food stamps. These clients sometimes have to make a decision to buy food or pay for fuel to heat the house. This is when the food pantry can make a difference by providing a stop gap once a month with canned goods, fresh produce, meats and baked goods. Over the years that we have worked at the food pantry, we have seen the numbers grow as more and more people have found themselves unable to make ends meet. You learn some facts that face these people that could surprise you. If you are receiving food stamps you cannot use them for any paper products. You can purchase potato chips or Little Debbie cakes, but not paper towels or bathroom tissue- go figure. We have a church in Eagle Rock that has a bathroom tissue ministry, providing each client two rolls. These are the invisible people of our society. They on the whole struggle day to day to provide for their families and themselves. Some of our clients have health issues that keep them from working and they have no safety net. One young man was working for a tree cutting company and fell, broke his back and is now unable to work, has no health insurance and cannot afford the operation he needs. Karen and I have been blessed working these many years with wonderful people from St. Marks who give of their time and hard work to lend a helping hand people like Emily G., Pete Mahony, Kaleb Cahoon and many many other people from area churches. My suggestion is if you have a free Saturday and would like to see this wonderful outreach ministry at work come and join us. You will be inspired to come again. I find myself thinking of a line from a line from a Bruce Springsteen song: I m just standing here drinking in the forgiviness that life provided-please let me be in the book of dreams. February Adult Education February 4th: Continued look at Jesus early life February 11th: What happenned at General Convention? Come hear from your delegates about the comings and goings of your Dicoese. February 18th: Lent Meditation February 25th: Session One: Faithful Stewards of your Good Gift: Exploring death and dying February 14 We will have two Ash Wednesday services: Noon, Holy Communion with optional Imposition of Ashes and homily, Rite I. No music. Willis will be celebrant and homilist. 2 7:00 p.m. Community Ash Wednesday Service -- Willis will be celebrant with The Rev. Dr. Justin White from St. Mark s United Methodist Church preaching. Child care will be available. Communion, music (no choir) and optional Imposition of Ashes.

3 Lenten Suppers and Historical Theology Talks with featured speakers Wednesdays in February and March 6:00pm to 7:30pm in the Ministry Center February 21: Pope Leo and Martin Luther meet in Purgatory Paul R. Hinlicky is the Tise professor at Roanoke College, where he teaches Christian theology with a specialization in Luther studies. He is the senior co-editor of the three-volume Oxford Encyclopedia of Martin Luther (2017) and of a systematic theology, Beloved Community: Critical Dogmatics after Christendom (2016). February 28: A Lutheran Pastor Serving in an Episcopal Church David Olson serves as Senior Associate Rector at St. John s, Roanoke and is an ordained Lutheran pastor in the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America. A lifelong Lutheran, he graduated from Lenior-Rhyne University with degrees in Theology and Music. He studied at Duke Divinity School and Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary. David has served parishes in Michigan and North Carolina and has served as the pastor to the LEAF community at Elon University, a joint Lutheran and Episcopal campus ministry group. Originally from Hendersonville, North Carolina, David loves first and foremost spending time with his wife Andrea and their three children Isaac, Maya and Ezra. He also enjoys reading, working with his hands, and doing anything outside. March 7: What We Talk about When We Talk about Justification: Then and Now David Zahl is the director of Mockingbird Ministries and editor-in-chief of the Mockingbird blog. Born in New York City and brought up elsewhere, David graduated from Georgetown University in 2001, and then worked for several years as a youth minister in New England. In 2007 he founded Mockingbird in NYC. Today David and his wife Cate reside in Charlottesville, VA with their three boys, where David also serves on the staff of Christ Episcopal Church (Willis former parish). His first book, A Mess of Help: From the Crucified Soul of Rock N Roll, appeared in He is a prolific speaker and writer. His favorite theologian is probably a cross between Johnny Cash, Flannery O Connor and his brother Simeon. March 14: The Bible: How Martin Luther changed the way we read the Bible Sujin Pak Boyer served as Associate Dean of Academic Programs at Duke Divinity School from and is a faculty member in the history of Christianity at Duke Divinity School since She specializes in the history of Christianity in early modern Europe. She has published two books, one entitled The Judaizing Calvin: Sixteenth-Century Debates over the Messianic Psalms (Oxford University Press, 2010) and another forthcoming with Oxford entitled The Reformation of Prophecy: Early Modern Interpretations of the Prophet and Old Testament Prophecy. Pak lives in Durham, NC and is married to Ken Boyer. She and Ken have two daughters, ages 10 and 12. Pak is an athlete who enjoys a variety of sports, particularly basketball, volleyball, and running. March 21: From Conflict to Communion - a Reflection from a Catholic voice Larry Fischbach is a retired teacher and pastoral associate. He taught theology at Roanoke Catholic School for 13 years before retiring in That retirement lead to another position at Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in Rocky Mount, Virginia, where he was the Sr. Pastoral Associate for this small Catholic parish, working with several pastors and retiring for good in Larry received his bachelor s degree in philosophy from Conception Seminary College in Conception, Missouri. His time with the Benedictine monks was a formative time in his young life. Larry earned his first master s degree in theology from Aquinas Institute of Theology and used that degree during his career as a teacher, minister of religious education and pastoral associate. Later, Larry earned another master s degree in education. He has taught courses in church history, New Testament as literature, Old Testament, and World Religions, but ecumenism is a love of his and he accepts this time with you, exploring the meaning of Luther and The Reformation for our life as Christians today. Larry and his wife, Wanda, live at The Glebe Retirement Community in Daleville. 3

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5 DATE FEBRUARY LEM LECTOR ACOLYTE CRUCIFER TORCH BEARER ALTAR GUILD USHERS YOUTH CHAPEL/ NURSERY COUNT- ERS Ash Wed LENT 1 C. Geiger K. Cahoon J. Howarth R. Hagan J. Powers Ana U. Amie U. G. Sydnor Gabriella B. Jason B. S. Loeschen S. Hays L. Jacobi P. Neil K. Cahoon TBA TBA P. Neil (7) L. Jacobi O. Manley P. Mahony Mark P. O. Manley E. Moore Emily T.-G. B. Heartwell A. Palmer G. Sydnor B. Heartwell D. Beasley S. Diez K. Beasley P. Howarth M. Parish F E B R U A R Y 2-25 Emily T-G K. Beasley LEM Danielle P. P. Gordon B. Heartwell S. Waid M. Dudding M. Parish B. Heartwell DUTY ROSTERS DATE MARCH LEM LECTOR ACOLYTE CRUCIFER TORCH BEARER ALTAR GUILD USHERS YOUTH CHAPEL/ NURSERY COUNT- ERS 3-4 J. Howarth P. Mahony E. Moore Ana U. Amie U. S. Loeschen P. Neil K. Cahoon Emily T.-G. G. Sydnor K. Beasley M 3-11 C. Geiger W. Michael S. Field Gabriella B. Jason B. S. Hays S. Sydnor B. Heartwell A. Palmer D. Beasley S. Diez A 3-18 K. Cahoon A. Layman Mark P. O. Manley E. Moore B. Heartwell J. Gordon R 3-25 PALM SUNDAY C. Geiger Emily T-G J. Gordon LEM Danielle P. P. Gordon B. Heartwell J. Gordon P. Howarth J. Gordon C 3-29 Maundy Thursday H 3-30 Good Friday 5

6 Clergy from Christ Episcopal Church, Charlottesville with Willis and Nev Parish Children enjoying the BBQ! Bishop Light with Local Clergy BROWN BAG BIBLE STUDY RESUMES FOR LENT What would you say to someone before you die? Thursdays in Lent, we will study and meditate over some of Jesus last words on the cross. Bring your lunch and Willis will provide coffee and a sweet. Studies start February 22nd with a look at words from the Gospel according to Luke -12:05pm to 1:00pm. Feb Luke 23:34 -- Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do. Mar Luke 23:43 -- Truly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in paradise. Mar Matthew 27:46 and Mark 15:34 -- My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? Mar John 19:28 -- I thirst. Mar Luke 23:46 -- Father, into Thy hands I commend My spirit. 6

7 We Care and we pray we pray a very great deal! Yes, the one thing that ALL of us on the We Care Team does is to pray, using our church prayer lists and the referrals to We Care Coordinator Carole Geiger. Additionally, some of us might hear God s Call to extend our Caring ministry in other directions - perhaps making calls to the housebound, the sick or those recovering from surgery; perhaps sending notes and cards of encouragement and support; perhaps visiting; perhaps unexpectedly taking a treat by a friend or stranger s home; perhaps driving someone to the doctor for an appointment; perhaps joining in a short-term meals ministry. Please call Carole at or her at geiger.caroleb@gmail.com to make a request for prayers or another We Care Service or to be added to the bcc list. However, this is not the only prayer ministry at St. Mark s (and beyond!). Susan Hays coordinates the Prayer Chain. The members of the Prayer Chain serve anonymously and hold all prayer requests in the strictest confidence. This ministry serves an immediate and most urgent prayer need, with as much specificity as the requester chooses to provide. The Prayer Chain responds twice a day, in the morning and the evening, with, of course, Susan s immediate prayer response when she receives a message. When urgency and timeliness of a prayer request matters, please contact Susan Hays ( ). Please note, too, that our rector Willis will meet with individuals and small groups to pray or for pastoral counseling. Please contact him directly. The Dorcas Needlework Guild members have been doing much of their stitchery at home thus far this winter! Road conditions, getting the Youth Center warm enough to work, and scheduling conflicts have put knots in our threads more than once since before Christmas! However, WEATHER PERMITTING(!), we will meet next on Tuesday, February 6, at 1:00 in the Youth Center! EVERYONE is welcome to join us, bringing your own projects or working on one of ours. MUCH to catch up on cannot wait to stitch and share once again. Carole Geiger geiger.caroleb@gmail.com. YOUR NEW VESTRY St. Mark s Vestry elections were held during the Annual Meeting on January 21st in the sanctuary. Two new members were elected: Dan Beasley and Mike Parish. Welcome! Wardens will be elected during the Vestry Meeting on February 20th. Your 2018 Vestry is: Dan Beasley Pam Garrison Carole Geiger Peter Howarth Gret Kidd Mike Parish George Sydnor 7

8 St. Mark s Episcopal Church (111 S. Roanoke St.) P.O. Box 277 Fincastle, VA willis@stmarksfincastle.org (The Rev. G. Willis Logan) office@stmarksfincastle.org (Gina Painter) (Phone) stmarksfincastle.org February Happenings 2-1 Willis Vacation 2-3 8:30am - EMF at the Greenwood Restaurant 2-5 1:00pm Parish Life Meeting in Carico Library 2-6 Southern Botetourt Ministers Meeting 1:00pm Dorcas Needlework Guild noon - Ash Wednesday Service, Rite I, no music 7:00pm - Ash Wednesday Community Service, The Rev. Dr. Justin White preaching, Willis is Celebrant :00pm Dorcas Needlework Guild (tentative) 2-19 OFFICE CLOSED - Presidents Day :30pm Vestry Meeting :00-7:30 - Lenten Supper and Historical Theology Talks (Professor Paul Hinlicky) :05pm Brown Bag Bible Study with Willis :30am - 3:00pm - Vestry/Staff Retreat - OFFICE CLOSED :00am Eucharist Service at The Glebe 6:00pm - Lenten Supper and Historical Theology Talks (The Rev. David Olson) February Birthdays 2-2 Michael Scott 2-3 Charlotte Hagan 2-7 Emily Uribe, Richard Workowski, Lauren Uotinen 2-12 Aidan Cole 2-15 Conley Saunders 2-21 Tommy Hunter 2-22 Gabriella Bayer 2-23 Dan Beasley, Allen Layman 2-24 Ola Manley 2-26 Richie MacLeod, Elaine Scott 2-27 Christopher Moore, Jr. 8