Growing Together in God s Love

Transcription

1 Volume 4 Issue 10 October 2015 Calendar highlights: Tuesday, October 13 6:30 pm: Women s Book Group Tuesday, October 13 7 pm: Vestry Agenda Planning Saturday, October 17 6:30 pm: Cabaret Night, Farmer Hall Tuesday, October 20 7 pm: Vestry Meeting Wednesday, October 21 7 pm: Coed Spirituality Group Inside this issue: Holiday Fair 3 Fair Baskets 3 Music in August 4 Cabaret Night 5 Discernment Day 6 Faces of Our Faith 7 Food Pantry Donation 7 Women s Spirituality Group 9 Outreach 9 Treasurer s Report 10 Summary of Vestry Meeting 10 Seen Around Church 11 Blessing of the Animals 12 Growing Together in God s Love From Mother Jenni Money and the Life of the Spirit Dear People of St. Andrew s, This comes as an invitation to you to explore your own spiritual life. We don t often associate the spiritual life with the giving of money and that s too bad, because money and the life of the spirit are made for each other. Money or the lack of it is a big part of our life representing a huge portion of our collective concern as a culture. Let alone making money, what portion of your attention, time, energy, do you think, is devoted to its sharing, saving and spending? Any subject as big as money calls for thoughtful and prayerful consideration by God s people. A big portion of our lives is devoted to money or its making, and as all life is precious in God s sight, and all life is where God s Spirit visits, then any and all portions of our lives are (Continued on Page 8) Warden s Corner Stewardship: An Eye on the Future It s fall that time of year when conversation drifts towards stewardship. For each of us it means looking into our bank account, and our heart, and praying for guidance about how to spend our money. And spending money is not easy because there is never enough of it, so we have to make choices, sometimes painful choices. And just like its parishioners, St. Andrew s itself also has to decide how to spend its money the money that you have decided to offer to the church. So as we begin the stewardship season, I wanted to reflect a bit about the fruits of your stewardship. At our annual meeting in January we voted to fund a budget deficit by transferring funds from the endowment. Then in February we agreed to use a final distribution from the estate of Ann Sherman to renovate Farmer Hall. Both decisions reflected confidence in the future of (Continued on Page 2)

2 Page 2 Warden s Corner, (continued from Page 1) St. Andrew s. In choosing to fund an operating deficit we allowed ourselves to keep nurturing children, youth and adults in their faith journey: having our youth perform in a Twelfth Night Revue, offering Advent and Lenten adult ed programs, sending kids on mission trips to the Dominican Republic and Niagara Falls, holding a service of healing every Wednesday. Programs like this enrich each of us this year, right now, but more important they distinguish us in the Shoreline community as a spirit-filled place to worship, that works creatively to serve God and each other. And they embody themes of our 50 th anniversary: Rejoice in our present; Faith in our future! Likewise the decision to renovate the kitchen and Farmer Hall anticipates an active future of fellowship and education. The new kitchen will make it much easier to offer mouth-watering food for receptions, casual church suppers, and fancy dinner events. And while details have not yet been worked out, the hall itself will be cleaner, brighter, more cheerful and drier a more inviting space where we can meet, learn, discuss and just talk. All of us on the vestry dream of coffee hours packed with worshippers, standing room only educational events, and income-producing wedding receptions! New spending decisions will need to be made in Our Christian Education program, for example, is thinly staffed right now, and we need to reevaluate the hours and caliber of staff we need to keep building this vital program at St. Andrew s. And while we have seen a lot of new faces and families in church on Sunday, we may face a budget deficit again next year. Your vestry is bullish about the future of St. Andrew s. We have work to do, and choices to make, including the choice of a new rector, but as the recent Discernment Day program showed, there is abundant energy and enthusiasm in the congregation, and most importantly, a strong sense of community, a strong sense that the spirit is leading us together in the service of God and Christ. Holiday Fair (continued from Page 3) More information will follow in the coming weeks on items that could be donated for the various theme rooms, and additional help needed before and during the fair. If you would like to volunteer for any of the roles described above, or volunteer in advance for general help, please contact Maira Rieger at mmrieger41@comcast.net or St. Andrew s Episcopal Church Staff Officers Vestry Jenni Matheson, Interim Rector Gary Naegel, Senior Warden Mark Auletta Rector@StAndrewsMadison.org Warden@StAndrewsMadison.org Art Criddle Barbara Gibbons, Parish Administrator John Armstrong, Junior Warden Lucinda Embersits Barb@StAndrewsMadison.org JrWarden@StAndrewsMadison.org Kristen Garnett Grant Underwood, Music Director Cathy Golden, Treasurer Amanda Hayward Grant@StAndrewsMadison.org Treasurer@StAndrewsMadison.org Colleen McHugh Mary Merkle-Scotland, Church School Coordinator Louise Beecher, Clerk Alan Miller MerkleMaryk@gmail.com Clerk@StAndrewsMadison.org Rebecca Rastetter David Mikus, Sexton David@StAndrewsMadison.org Webmaster: Terry Sinclair Anita Spear, Preschool Director Messenger Editor: John Armstrong

3 Volume 4 Issue 10 Page 3 Everyone s Help Is Needed Holiday Fair Coming Up Saturday, December 5 The Holiday Fair is a wonderfully fun event for parishioners of all ages, and it s also open to the community. The building will be transformed into a grand bazaar offering food, gifts, craft projects for kids, attic treasures, books, and a healthy dose of holiday spirit. We need your help to make this special event a success! Whether it is chairing a theme room, baking, donating items, or just attending, we encourage everyone to be involved. Thankfully many who have helped in the past have already re-committed to this year s fair. We need a few more people to get involved in planning for the following: Bottle Shop This is one of the most popular stops! It is a game of chance offering items in bottles or jars. We are looking for a person, a couple people, or family to chair this popular event. Wreaths These are purchased locally and sold at the fair. We need a co-chair to assist an experienced chair. Treasurer/accountant for a day We need at least two people to help manage the cash flow during the day and complete some paperwork. The fair is a significant fund raiser for our outreach programs. Photo assistant record contact information for folks who are having photos taken with Santa. Donations for Gift Baskets Donna Johansen and Susan Miller have graciously agreed to chair the Basket Room and are looking for people to sign up to donate a gift baskets. (Continued on Page 2) Holiday Fair Baskets If you ve ever attended our Holiday Fair, then you know that our Baskets are a huge hit. Every year groups and individuals at St. Andrew s get creative and come up with a theme for their baskets, and the final results are always so diverse and exciting. Themes can be anything from a gift card basket to a wine basket. Just let your imagination go wild. With the Holiday Fair just a couple of months away, we want to reach out to anyone that has donated a basket in the past, and would like to do so again, or if you re new to St. Andrew s, or just think this is something you d like to do, please give it some consideration. Once again Donna Johansen has agreed to work her magic and take the items that you have donated and turn them into a beautifully displayed basket, and Susan Miller has agreed to help her out. Our supply of empty baskets is very low, so if you can supply the basket in which you want your items displayed, it would be greatly appreciated. Baskets will be accepted up to a week before the fair, but we would gladly welcome them in advance, especially if they need some finishing touches. As soon as you have your basket ready to be wrapped up and tied with a bow, drop it off at Barb s office, and Donna will retrieve it and make it beautiful. Thank you in advance for your generosity in continuing to make our Basket Table a huge success. Please feel free to contact Donna (dmjarm@snet.net) or Susan (smillercnm@comcast.net) with any questions.

4 Page 4 Music at St. Andrew s: October, 2015 All are welcome in this place! - Sr. Youth Choir, Welcome : October 4, 2015 This September and October are busy for music ministries at St. Andrew s! We are learning the new rhythms of our service times, and we are, as always, striving to worship God through song, whatever the season or weather. The first way you can be involved in music ministries is simply by being present and active in worship each Sunday. A few (but not the only) special times this month: Sr. Youth Choir and Jr. Youth Choir Updates The Sr. Youth Choir will sing on Blessing of the Animals Sunday at 9:30 am, Sunday, October 4. The Jr. Youth Choir will sing for the first time this year at 9:30 am on Sunday, October 18. Spirit & Chancel Choir Anthems: October 2015 Sunday, October 4 8:00 am The Spacious Firmament On High (Tallis) Sunday, October 11 9:30 am Let the River Run (Simon) Sunday, October 25 9:30 am Carry the Light (Eiler) Mark Your Calendars Twelfth Night Revue Auditions for Middle and High Schoolers: Please contact Grant if you re 4 th grade or above and would be interested in this year s fun. The St. Andrew s Spirit & Chancel Choir will take part in All Saints Day Evensong at 4:00 pm on Sunday, November 1 at the Cathedral in Hartford. See the Farmer Hall bulletin board for more information. All are welcome to worship. An Invitation For You It is not too late to join a choral music ministry for the fall. Consider singing in the Sr. Youth Choir (grades 3-8), Jr. Youth Choir (PK-2), or Spirit & Chancel Choir (grades 9-adult). Grant - grant@standrewsmadison.org - (for Youth Choir and S&CC) or Megan sesma_m@hotmail.com (for Jr. Youth Choir) by October 15 for more information and schedules.

5 Volume 4 Issue 10 Page 5

6 Page 6 Discernment Day: Towards a Parish Profile D-Day: Discernment Day! Sunday afternoon and early evening on September 27 some 50 parishioners gathered in Farmer Hall to lay the groundwork for a Parish Profile that will help rector candidates understand the St. Andrew s community. Maureen Mo Lederman, rector of St. John s in north Guilford, and Lee Ann Tolzmann, the newly appointed Canon for Mission Leadership, led the process. Mo is the consultant assigned by the diocese to guide us through the transition process. At the start parishioners were assigned somewhat randomly to one of eight tables. To get the conversation rolling everyone participated in a short Dwelling in the Word (Exodus 18:13-23), and then the serious work began. Lee Ann and Mo presented four questions, which each table worked at one at a time. First, each person wrote on a colored PostIt note a personal answer to the question, then in pairs people shared their answers, and finally each table drew up a list of common themes that emerged from the sharing and conversation. The PostIt notes and list of themes were all collected on a large sheet of easel paper. The four questions discussed were: Describe a highpoint that occurred in the life of St. Andrew's sometime over the past 10 years that details a moment or event when we were engaged in God's mission, firing on all cylinders, and the Spirit's presence among us was obvious. What was happening? How did you feel? Name the three things you value most about St. Andrew's. Looking over your entire life, tell a story about when you most appreciated the ministry of a priest. What happened? What did you appreciate? What was it that s/he brought into your life that was characteristic of a priest? It is 2020 and our new rector's been with us for a few years. Describe our parish's three most exciting, energizing, significant accomplishments, cultural changes, and new or strengthened aspects of our life as a faith community that exist now. As a last step, one question at a time, each table leader shared the themes their table came up with, and Mo collated those themes on sheets of easel paper. Those sheets, and the sheets each table put together, were all bundled up for the Transition Team. In the next few weeks the Transition Team will use all the data to come up with a Parish Profile.

7 Volume 4 Issue 10 Page 7 Faces of our Faith Joan Adams: Warmth makes St. Andrews a true home As a cradle Episcopalian, I have attended churches from New Jersey, Connecticut, Hawaii, Maryland, and back to Connecticut. Each parish has been unique some large, some small, some impressive, some simple. Each one has had strengths and weaknesses. Each one has been a good place to be. However, not one of them has been as welcoming as St. Andrew s here in Madison. Our very first Sunday we were greeted as if we had been here from the beginning, as if we were among the best of friends. That kindness and warmth has been ever present and has made this parish a true home where the joy of worship with others continues. May it be the same for all who enter here. Monthly Food Pantry Donation In the past, Saint Andrew s has brought in weekly food donations for the Madison Food Pantry and then once a year in the spring, we have had a large food drive. Even though this system has been successful, the Madison Food Pantry has asked if this year we could try something different. The new system involves picking out one food item from the pantry s list of most needed foods and then bringing in that food item on the first Sunday of the month. St. Andrew s food item is pasta/pasta sauce. When you see any kind of pasta or pasta sauce on sale at the grocery store, stock up and save it for our monthly Pasta Sunday. St. Andrew s has committed to this new system for a year. A number of other churches have started doing this, and the food pantry has said that it is working out quite well. With each church signing up for a different food item from the pantry s list of most needed foods the food shelves are staying well stocked. Since the first Sunday in September is before Labor Day, we will change our donation date in September to Sunday September 13 th after that all donations should come in on the first Sunday of the month. Initially announcements will be made to remind parishioners of our upcoming donation Sunday, and then hopefully we will all get into a routine of Pasta Sunday Thank you for your continued support to the Madison Food Pantry where our donations are literally feeding our neighbors. If you have any questions about our donations, or the Madison Food Pantry, please feel free to send me an at smillercnm@comcast.net or call Susan Miller

8 Page 8 Mother Jenni, (continued from Page 1) involved with God and vice-versa. Just so you know, this includes all the life topics we both like and don t like talking about and that certainly includes money, yet even the unspeakables are included in life with God. Money, its making and its use, is a spiritual issue. The spiritual life may be defined as the awareness and the intentionality of making connections with God. Spirituality is the shape each person gives to the search for intimacy with God in his or her own life. It involves the examination and integration of ALL aspects of our own lives with the life of God: our relationships, our work, our play, our memories, our bodies, our possessions, our time, our gifts and how we participate in the world. The goal of the Christian spiritual life is holiness, quite simply that means becoming whole and spiritually healthy in Christ. I like to think of it as fullness of life, which I believe is God s will for the baptized. This journey to fullness of life isn t for the faint-hearted; it takes a lifetime and it involves discipline. Spiritual growth is intended to make people more thankful, merciful, generous and joyful human beings who are revealed by their actions and attitudes as God s people in the world, which is exactly the same as being God s stewards of creation in the world. It tends to generate a deepening awareness that as one becomes more connected to God, one is fueled to care for and connect with our world that God so loves. It is recognized by the growth of faith and love in the individual and in the communities to which those individuals belong. Just like every other important aspect of life, the care of the spirit is a year-round activity and requires nurturing, digging, planting, pruning, weeding, and cultivating. Therefore it seems a good idea to address issues of stewardship all year long. The discipline of spiritual practices is intended to benefit the quality of human life and relationships. So whether the practice is prayer, worship, doing good works, or giving, they all include stewardship which I define as everything you do after you say, I believe, Spiritual disciplines are time-proven practices that create openness to God. They are a matter both of letting go of hindrances and of taking on activities that nurture the human spirit by the care of our selves, our communities, and our world. Stewardship is a spiritual issue. Generous giving is both an expression and an expectation of faith. It is a quality of communal life that characterizes us as God s people. We hope that you will stand with all those at St. Andrew s who intend to support the parish with their money, their expertise and their precious time. Join us in the practice of faith and in the exploration of your spiritual lives to discover how to pay attention to God and how to participate in God s means of grace. Join us in the journey to fullness of life and in the growth of faith and love. Join us in participation and in generosity. You are cordially invited, for the sake of your spirit and the parish s welfare. God s peace and generosity be with you all,

9 Volume 4 Issue 10 Page 9 Women s Spirituality Book Club The Women's Spirituality Book Group will be discussing the book The Life- Changing Magic of Cleaning Up by Marie Kondo on Tuesday, October 13 at 6:30. This #1 New York Times best-selling guide to decluttering your home from Japanese cleaning consultant Marie Kondo takes readers step-by-step through her revolutionary KonMari Method for simplifying, organizing, and storing. Kondo takes tidying to a whole new level, promising that if you properly simplify and organize your home once, you will clear your clutter and enjoy the unique magic of a tidy home and the calm, motivated mindset it can inspire. The book is available in hardback and Kindle versions from Amazon, and can also be found in the public library. Please RSVP to Rebecca Rastetter (rebeccarastetter@comcast.net) by October 11 and let her know if you need childcare. Outreach Matters Bishops Draw Attention to Human Trafficking Bishops Ian Douglas and Laura Ahrens are launching an effort to draw attention to the issue of human trafficking in Connecticut. In the coming year they will be inviting parishioners and congregations to launch conversations about gender-based violence and to offer support to women who have been trapped in lives of abuse. The bishops have already provided funds from their discretionary account to support individuals and organizations working on this issue. They recently sent money to support Bishop David Rice of the Episcopal Diocese of San Joaquin California, who is biking 750 miles in October to raise awareness and funds. They have also provided support to the Barnaba Institute and LOVE146, two organizations in Connecticut that are also actively involved in this ministry. Several parishes in Connecticut are working with these organizations to address a horror that is not well known but a tragic reality in Connecticut. The Barnaba Institute is familiar to St. Andrew s as its office in located in Clinton, and its founder Frank Barnaba visited the church and spoke with parishioners several years ago. Headquartered in New Haven, LOVE146 has offices in Houston and the United Kingdom. LOVE146 recently published a story about trafficking in Connecticut on its website: love146.org/talking-about-trafficking-in-connecticut/ Spirituality Group To Discuss Eriugena: Finding God in Creation The Coed Spirituality Discussion Group, led by Mother Jenni and John Armstrong, will meet next on Wednesday, October 21 at 7 o clock. The group is exploring the first thousand years of Christianity, tracing the development of Roman Christianity and Celtic Christianity. These two distinct traditions grew up separately but sometimes collided and together formed much of what Christianity is today. The reading for the October meeting is the chapter Listening within Creation: Eriugena from Listening for the Heartbeat of God by John Philip Newell.

10 Page 10 Finance Committee Report and Financial Update August 2015 Monthly Income Year-To-Date YTD Budget Annual Budget Total Pledges 13, , , ,200 4% from Endowment 7,100 31,950 28,344 42,520 Supplement from Endowment ,664 70,000 Fund-Raisers 0 14,712 16,664 25,000 Other Income 350 2,700 3,664 5,500 Total Income 20, , , ,220 Expenses 27, , , ,455 Difference -6,660-37,982 6,496 9,765 Summary of September 22 Vestry Meeting Donation to Dancing for the Cause. The Vestry voted to commit $1,500 to the team of Don and Nancy Rankin, who will compete Nov. 13 in Gala of the Stars: Dancing for the Cause. The event, in which local celebrity couples compete against each other Dancing with the Stars style, will raise money to build the next Raise the Roof Habitat for Humanity house. St. Andrew s is a longtime supporter of these charities. The money will be taken from the Outreach Fund. Audit. Cathy Golden reported that the audit of the church s books for the 2013 fiscal year was completed and that no problems were found. The audit of the 2014 fiscal year will begin in October. Golden noted that St. Andrew s is one of the few parishes in the state that has its books audited annually. Church School. The church school had a successful and well-attended first day on Sunday, Sept. 20. However, the only candidate for the open position of church school director has withdrawn her application. Shelby Auletta has volunteered to assist Mary Merkle-Scotland, who is filling that position until a permanent director can be found. A few teachers are still needed on Sunday. Kitchen. Alan Miller, who is overseeing the reconstruction of the kitchen in Farmer Hall, said he hoped to have the design finalized Wednesday. He said four bids had been received for the hood that will be installed over the new stove. The hood is a major item in the project because it must include a fire suppressant system. He is working with the town s fire marshal to determine which one to purchase. Its cost is expected to be in the $8,000-$9,000 range. Meanwhile, everything has to be moved out of the kitchen. Most of the items the silverware, etc., will be replaced. Miller recommended that unneeded things be boxed up for sale at the Holiday Fair. The goal is to have the new kitchen ready for that event in early December. Stewardship. Stewardship cards each with a personal note have been prepared for mailing in St. Andrew s Annual stewardship campaign. Welcoming Committee. After several years of neglect, Kristin Garnett has spearheaded an effort to organize the name tags that are kept in the Narthex. Volunteers and Organization. The vestry discussed the need for more volunteers to serve on committees and church projects. Mother Jennings Matheson noted that none of the parish s regular committees had chairmen at the moment. She suggested that the vestry use the situation as an opportunity for renewal and redefinition the parish organizational structure and its goals.

11 Volume 4 Issue 10 Page 11 Seen Around the Church Calling All Photographers!! St. Andrew s is working on a new website. We need recent, high quality photographs (iphone pictures probably won t work!). If you have pictures, contact Gary Naegel or John Armstrong.

12 The Messenger the monthly newsletter of: St Andrew s Episcopal Church in Madison, CT NONPROFIT ORG US POSTAGE PAID GUILFORD CT PERMIT NO 283 Phone: On the web: Jenni Matheson, Interim Rector Rector@StAndrewsMadison.org Gary Naegel, Senior Warden Warden@StAndrewsMadison.org Barbara Gibbons, Parish Administrator Barb@StAndrewsMadison.org Grant Underwood, Music Director Grant@StAndrewsMadison.org Mary Merkle-Scotland, Church School Coordinator MerkleMaryK@gmail.com David Mikus, Sexton David@StAndrewsMadison.org Anita Spear, Preschool Director AnitaS@StAndrewsSchoolCT.org Come Worship with Us on Sundays All are welcome! Services at 8 am and 9:30 Sunday School 10:15-11:00 Mailing Label Blessing of the Animals, Sunday, October 4 October 4 is the Feast of St. Assisi, and in recognition of that event we will celebrate the Blessing of the Animals on Sunday, October 4 at both the 8 and 9:30 services. Bring your dogs, cats, birds and other pets! St. Andrew s Church 232 Durham Road Madison, CT 06443