Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.

Transcription

1 March 2017 Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return. Within the short span of a few days we will gather as a community, the people of God, and we will once again hear these words as they have been spoken through the millennia, Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return. Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the holy season of Lent. On Ash Wednesday, our spiritual focus shifts from the divine and eternal light that we have received via the Incarnation through the birth of Jesus Christ as celebrated at Christmas. That same Light of Christ that was made manifest during the season of Epiphany will be the beacon which will lead us on and through yet another journey, a journey of self-examination, fasting and penitence. As you look towards this coming Lenten season, even now, are you able to imagine that you would offer yourself as a close companion of Jesus as he traverses his desert wilderness experience for forty days? Have you even considered that Jesus would need you to be with him during this sacred and solitary journey? As you spend time with Jesus within the bounds of the forty days, what do you hope to see? What do you want to learn? What fears might you need to confront? When you gather on this coming Ash Wednesday and you hear these words, Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return, and you feel the mark of the ashes as they are impose onto your forehead, may the sign and symbol of these words and ashes set you on an intentional journey with Jesus that will lead you to greater life and peace. Faithfully, Fr. Milton THE REV. MILTON C. WILLIAMS, JR.

2 Please help make the 59th Annual St. Francis Book Sale a success by becoming a Sponsor! This is a wonderful opportunity to get the word out about your business while also supporting local charitable organizations in our community. All of the proceeds from the sale are given back to organizations in our community. Sponsorships help defer Book Sale expenses, such as advertising and set-up costs. Sponsorship levels are as follows: Title Sponsor (Exclusive) - $3000 Name on T-shirt as Title Sponsor worn by over 100 volunteers Thanked as Title Sponsor in all television, radio, printed advertising, and interviews Name listed prominently as Title Sponsor on Book Sale banner and all promotional flyers and posters Name listed on bookmarks given to each customer at the Book Sale Opportunity to hang company banner inside Book Sale Venue and display company advertisements on cashiers tables Name listed on St. Francis Book Sale Facebook page and in Church Newsletter Platinum Sponsor - $1000 Name on T-shirt worn by over 100 volunteers Name listed as Sponsor on Book Sale banner and promotional flyers and posters Name listed as sponsor on Bookmarks given to each customer Opportunity to hang company banner inside Book Sale Venue Name listed on St. Francis Book Sale Facebook page and in Church Newsletter Dr. Seuss Sponsor (Exclusive) - $750 Name on T-shirt worn by over 100 volunteers Special recognition given in Children s Area of the Book Sale for all three days of the Sale Name listed on Book Sale banner and Bookmarks given to each customer Name listed on St. Francis Book Sale Facebook page and in Church Newsletter Gold Sponsor - $500 Name on T-shirt worn by over 100 volunteers Name listed on Book Sale banner and promotional flyers and posters Name on Bookmarks given to each customer Name listed on St. Francis Book Sale Facebook page and in Church Newsletter Silver Sponsor - $250 Name listed on Book Sale banner Name listed on St. Francis Book Sale Facebook page and in Church Newsletter Bronze Sponsor - $100 Name listed as Sponsor on St. Francis Book Sale Facebook page and in Church Newsletter. Individual Sponsor - $50 S T. F R A N C I S B OOK S A L E S P O N S O R O P P O R T U N I T Y This unique opportunity allows individuals to honor or memorialize loved ones and special occasions. The Sponsor will provide a one line commemoration which will be printed on a large Dedication Board outside the Book Sale Venue. Please contact Andrea Pollina at (336) or apollina@triad.rr.com with questions or to become a Sponsor. *In order for your name to be included in print materials (including T-shirts), your donation and sponsorship information must be received by March 1, Sponsorship donations are tax-deductible. 2

3 S T. F R A N C I S E P I S C O P A L C H U R C H L E N T E N A N D H O L Y W EEK Ash Wednesday: March 1st 7:30am Holy Eucharist and Imposition of Ashes, No Music 9:30pm Day School Children s Chapel and Imposition of Ashes - All are Welcome 12:00pm Holy Eucharist and Imposition of Ashes, Piano 7:00pm Holy Eucharist and Imposition of Ashes, Sr. Choir Wednesday Lenten Worship Parish Hall 6:45pm March 8th, March 15th, March 22nd, March 29th and April 5th For centuries artist have uses their gifts to render expression to the narrative of holy text that we have come to know and love so well. Leonardo da Vinci, and the Last Supper, Rembrandt, and The Prodigal Son and Giorgio Vasari, and his interpretation of the Agony In The Garden, are only a few that come to mind. Art and Holy Scripture were meant to be joined. This year Saint Francis will journey through Lent by exploring art and scripture. For the five Wednesdays in Lent we will be led in a Lenten journey, Following the Life of Christ Through Art Looking at the Cross. Lisa Woods, one of Greensboro s finest art educators will guide us in an intergenerational hands-on opportunity to deepen our faith and follow Jesus more closely for the forty days in Lent. Do not miss this opportunity for people of all ages to come together and grow together. I look forward to seeing you on the Wednesdays in Lent. Faithfully, Fr. Milton Mrs. Lisa Woods - Lisa Woods is an innovative mixed media artist and an instructor at Weaver Academy for Performing and Visual Arts. In addition to artmaking, she is also a musician in the Triad. Lisa has conducted art and spirituality workshops at her church (St. Pius X), and finally, in middle age, realized her artmaking is her path to spirituality. In her spare time she makes her own visual art and tries to keep her husband, teenaged son, a dog and 2 cats fed and happy! Palm Sunday: 8:00am Holy Eucharist 10:30am Procession with Palms, Holy Eucharist, nursery available Maundy Thursday: 7:00pm Holy Eucharist and Stripping of the Altar Good Friday: 7:30am Downtown Way of the Cross N. Elm Street 12:00pm Good Friday Liturgy Easter Sunday: 7:00am Holy Eucharist 9:00am Holy Eucharist with Flowering of Cross, nursery available 10:30am Easter Egg Hunt 11:00am Holy Eucharist, nursery available April 9th April 13th April 14th April 16th 3

4 F E L L O W S H I P C O M M I T T E E On February 10th, St. Francis hosted its fourth annual Monte Carlo night with great success, and a fun time was had by all. A huge thank you to everyone who came, to those who organized, and to all that stayed to help with the cleanup. The Fellowship Committee is excited to share that we raised $1000 in proceeds which is going towards finishing the front and side areas of Bridget Maxwell s Landscaping project. Check out our Facebook page for some pictures from the evening. Our next big event will be the annual pre-summer picnic May 7, which is Youth Sunday. The Day School parents will be helping with the picnic and offering the Annual Basket Raffle. Watch the announcements for more details. F I R E P IT AND S E A T I N G A R E A Fire Pit and Seating Area behind St. Mike s Eagle Scout Project by Ben Puchyr Included in St. Francis s future plans for grounds development is construction of a fire pit and a seating area behind St. Mike s. This area is projected to be used by the youth groups and many other organizations currently using St. Mike s as their meeting place. I am Ben Puchyr, a Life Scout and Senior Patrol Leader (SPL) of Boy Scout Troop 103 in Summerfield. I am a very active member of St. Francis s Sunday school, youth group (EYC), and regularly serve as an acolyte. I plan to make the construction of the fire pit and seating area my Eagle Scout Project, giving back to the church something of lasting value. The project will require the removal of the existing fire pit and surrounding bricks, digging down and removing the required depth of soil, and creating a level base. Drainage will redirect any excess water. A circular patio of stone pavers will be added, along with three built-in stone benches. The fire pit will be made of large individual boulders and will hold a grate that will be suspended over the firewood. This fire pit area will greatly enhance and expand the use and appearance of St. Mike s Part of earning my Eagle rank is obtaining the funds through donations and fundraising. The estimated cost of this project is $5,500 and if you are presently able to donate any amount to this project, it would be greatly appreciated. Checks may be made payable to Ben Puchyr; please note for Eagle Project at St. Mike s. If you have any questions, please contact me at ben.puchyr@triad.rr.com or (Anne Puchyr s cell #), 4814 Carlson Valley Dr., Summerfield, NC

5 T HE R E A C H F R O M T H E O U T R E A C H C O M M I T T E E Thank you, St. Francis! Our parish was so welcoming to our visitors from Wheels 4 Hope, Fostering Bright Futures, and Malachi House during the car blessing on January 29. You made our guests feel at right at home, the way it should be. You also contributed 150 pounds of food to the GUM Food Bank that day! Sanctuary House Benefit - Funky Bash Musical Moods will be held at Greensboro Country Club on March 4 at 6 p.m. Enjoy a sit-down dinner with wine, cocktail hour, appetizers, and silent auction with emcee Eric Chilton. Get your tickets at SanctuaryHouseGSO.com or by calling Music provided by Jessica Mashburn, Big Betty and the Punchbowl, and Rockin Easy DJ Productions. Funk Mental Health! Our own Father Milton will be offering the invocation at this event. Malachi House II 7 th Annual Silent Auction Fundraising Banquet Celebrating Recovery March 31 and April 1 at 6:30 p.m. at the Khalif Event Center, 2000 E. Wendover Ave. Greensboro. Individual tickets - $20; Table of 10 - $150. Reserve your seat today by calling Spring Food Drive April 21 and 22: Let s help stamp out hunger in Greensboro! As you may be aware, the Greensboro Urban Ministry s Food Bank is alarmingly low in food. As the annual spring food drive approaches, it is important that our parish does its part to help beef up the food stores for the hungry in our community. This is where you can help! On Friday April 21 and Saturday April 22 at the Harris Teeter on Lawndale Dr., we will be staffing two-hour volunteer food collection shifts during both days. You may soon sign up via Sign Up Genius or contact Julie Haviland at havilandjc@gmail.com to let her know when you can help. If you wish to send your support monetarily, you can mail a check to the Greensboro Urban Ministry at 305 W. Gate City Blvd. Greensboro, NC 27406, or donate online at greensborourbanministry.org. Lenten Baby Bottle Project to benefit women and children Change-ing Lives is a project that St. Francis has supported during many Lenten seasons in the past. Beginning on March 5, the first Sunday in Lent, baby bottles will be distributed during the Sunday services for collecting loose change, cash, or checks made payable to Family Service. Bottles are due back at church Palm Sunday, April 9 th for pick-up by Family Service representatives. All proceeds go to support Clara House and Carpenter House, Family Service s shelter for women and children escaping domestic violence, the agency s two Children s Advocacy Centers, and other programs of Family Service of the Piedmont that support child victims of abuse. The Outreach Committee meets typically on the third Monday of each month (except July) at 7 p.m. in St. Mike s House. Contact us at outreach@stfrancisgreensboro.org. 5

6 T R E A S U R E R S Y E A R - E N D R E P O R T This year-end report to the parish is to provide you with the financial results of 2016 for St. Francis Episcopal Church and an overview of our budget for For our Operating Account, we received $643,431 in Revenues, ($10,569) UNDER budget for the year. We expended $621,279 operating the church, which was below budget by $34,248. That yielded a positive margin of $22,152. That margin will be best used for a variety of facility projects, as determined by the Vestry. As of year-end, the Capital Account had received $965,652 representing the CAPITAL gifts that had been received in 2015 and From this amount we spent $1,598,522 for our Capital Project, including $111,627 for Architects fees, $1,378,363 for construction, $33,532 for interest and fees and, $75,000 to pay ourselves back for the previous years unanticipated capital problems. That left a balance of $103,316 in our Capital Account at the end of the year. The major construction project was completed during 2016, and the church borrowed $758,397 by year end. We are authorized to borrow up to $800,000, but found that full amount, unnecessary. We are now paying both interest and principle back to the bank each month on our loan. In addition we hope to pay back more than the monthly amount as we accumulate capital funds from pledge payments. Because we spent nearly $1.6Million on our construction project and our capital pledge commitments total $1.4 million, we will need to raise some additional funds to eliminate this gap. The sooner we pay back the entire loan, we can reduce the amount of interest expense. The Day School, at year-end has completed the first 6 months of their school and fiscal year and they had revenues of $86,107 and expenses of $86,870, which yielded a negative margin of ($762) dollars. The first 6 months of their fiscal year has one less month of revenue than does the last 6 months. They currently have 70 students and are doing well! Finally, I can report that our Endowment Fund at year end has grown to $86,459, given a generous gift and a productive stock/bond market. OPERATING BUDGET 2017 The following is a summary of the 2017 Operating Budget for St. Francis Episcopal Church. A more detailed version of the operating budget can be found on-line through the Church Website at: 6

7 T R E A S U R E R S Y E A R - E N D R E P O R T 2016 Operating Budget Summary 2016 Revenue Budget is $678,000, which represents a 5.4% increase over Pledges $619, % Non-Pledge Contributions 45, % Loose Offerings 11, % Other 2, % Total $678, % 2017 Expense Budget is $687,787 yielding a negative margin of ($9,787), which can be covered by our contingency fund. Service (Diocesan Support) $75, % SWEEP (includes Worship, Education and Pastoral Care) 20, % Clergy Salary 143, % Contract Services 38, % Support Staff (music, admin. /program, facilities) 177, % Other Personnel Expense 92, % Occupancy (utilities, cleaning, maintenance, grounds) 82, % General Expense (insurance, audit, telephone, etc.) 57, % Totals $687, % The above is a lot of information to consume. Therefore, if you need clarification or have questions about anything financial, I m ready to help answer them. Please call me or send me an and I promise to respond. Dennis Barry, Treasurer barryde6946@gmail.com,

8 N EW M I N I S T R Y C E L E B R A T I O N 8

9 L E G A C Y C O R N E R Welcome to the first edition of the Legacy Corner - brought to you by the St. Francis Legacy Committee. Our purpose is to make you aware of ways you can support the future ministry of St. Francis by donating to the St. Francis Endowment Fund. The Endowment Fund is a pool of long-term funds that is set aside and invested to provide support (through the dividends) for the future missions and ministry of St. Francis, not provide income for current operations. People who support the Endowment Fund are automatically recognized as members of the St. Francis Legacy Society. The Endowment Fund started in 1994 when a parishioner suggested creating a fund and The Reverend Fred Warnecke endorsed the idea. Members Ken & Bobbie Baldwin made a substantial commitment to the fund in their estate planning for St. Francis that year. Support to the Endowment Fund can be in the form of cash (a gift) given at a time of your choosing. Many parishioners have chosen to make provisions in their estate planning (a bequest). More on these and other options in coming articles. The Fund is growing, but we need the support of the entire congregation to reach our goal of $5 million dollars. In future editions, we will provide specific ideas and suggestions for your consideration. If you have a question, please contact us at legacy@stfrancisgreensboro.org. Leave a lasting Legacy support the St. Francis Endowment Fund? N EW M I N I S T R Y C E L E B R A T I O N (CON T ) 9

10 A R O U N D S T. F R A N C I S ADULT INQUIRER S CLASS An Adult Inquirer s Class for any adult who wants to be confirmed, is new to St Francis and the Episcopal Church and/or any adult who wants a bit of a refresher course, will be held Sundays 9:15am - 10:00am in the Red Room. This class will talk about our liturgical life, Sacramental and Incarnational theology, the culture of the Episcopal Church, how we relate to other denominations and faiths, and, of course, your questions. The class will convene on the following Sundays: March 5th, 12th, 19th and 26th in preparation to welcome new member s when the Bishop is here on April 23rd. CONTEMPORARY WORSHIP SERVICE WITH HEAVEN HELP US Please join us at our Contemporary Worship Service on Sunday, March 5th at 9:15am in the Parish Hall. The Heaven Help Us band will provide worship music, and the Rev. Tricia de Beer will be our preacher. Our wonderful guest speaker is an Episcopal priest of 28 years who has served in congregations small and large, rural, suburban, and urban. She has been an educational consultant and trainer with Education for Ministry for 35 years. Her joy is working with people seeking the transformation the gospel promises. She is a Shalem-trained spiritual director and is one of a worldwide network of coaches certified to assist individuals and organizations make the crucial changes they desire using Immunity to Change. FIRST SUNDAY LOOSE OFFERING Please prayerfully consider that the loose offering on March 5th will go to the Rector s Discretionary Fund (RDF). This fund is a designated checking account from which the Rector is able to exercise his ministry by extending financial assistance to church members and non-church members alike when the need arises. This discretionary fund allows the rector to offer tangible and critical financial assistance to those who are most vulnerable and is dependent upon the generous gifts of the congregation for its support. Besides the loose plate offering on the first Sunday of each month the account may also receive additional funding from designated gifts given by parishioners to ensure the continuation of this important ministry. 10

11 D AY S C H O O L Grandparents/Special Person s Day March 13 11:15 am-noon Come visit your grandchild s class. Meet your grandchild s teachers, friends and see where they love to learn. Come see what makes St. Francis Day School special. 11

12 S P E C I A L C O N V E N T I O N F O R T H E E L E C T I O N OF T H E X I I B I S H O P D I O C E S A N OF N O R T H C A R O L I N A Special Convention for the Election of the XII Bishop Diocesan of North Carolina. A Special Convention will take place on Saturday, March 4th at Canterbury School, Greensboro. Clergy eligible to vote and delegates selected by their congregations will gather to elect the XII Bishop of our Diocese. Cathy and Bill Sternbergh, Vara Cox and Chris Relos, the lay delegates for the most recent Annual Convention, will also serve as delegates from St. Francis to the Special Convention. Candidate Bios are available here and on the Diocesan website There you will also find video town hall conversations, candidate videos and a theological reflection for each candidate. The XII Bishop Diocesan of North Carolina will be elected on Saturday, March 4, The final candidates include The Rev. George Adamik, The Rev. Charles Dupree, The Rev. Canon Michael Buerkel Hunn, and The Rev. Samuel Rodman. The Rev George Adamik Rector, St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Cary, North Carolina My biography in many ways is the story of my vocation. Like my brother and parents, I was born and raised in Yonkers, New York, a suburb of New York City. My parish priests and my family instilled in me a faith grounded in a belief that we can change the world. Thus, as a 14-year-old, wanting to be a priest like the incredible priests of my boyhood parish, and having earned a scholarship, I began commuting each day into Manhattan to attend Cathedral Prep. My world became filled with the diverse culture, language and textures of humanity. I will forever be thankful to my parents for being courageous enough to provide me that experience. It transformed and defined my life. During college, having encountered the writings of Thomas Merton, and into my seminary years, I felt a call to the monastic life, which I explored by living in a Benedictine monastery for two summers. Realizing I was not called to the monastic expression of Benedictine spirituality, years later I would be led to the Episcopal Church, a community of faith grounded in the richness of the Benedictine tradition. The most significant person in my life is Mary, my wife of 30 years, whose patience and love has transformed my life. As I feel called in my ministry to change the world, Mary has tremendously changed mine, as have my two daughters Elizabeth and Rebecca. I enjoy vacations in Cape Cod, working in the yard and occasionally playing golf. 12

13 S P E C I A L C O N V E N T I O N F O R T H E E L E C T I O N OF T H E X I I B I S H O P D I O C E S A N OF N O R T H C A R O L I N A (C ON T ) The Rev. Charles Dupree Rector, Trinity Episcopal Church, Bloomington, Indiana North Carolina is my home. I was baptized and confirmed at St. Mary s, Speed, a small congregation in the eastern part of this Diocese. At St. Mary s, farmers, storekeepers, and one faithful Sunday School teacher served as my spiritual guides. My family still lives on or near our farm in Edgecombe county. They have deep roots in agriculture and education. I studied art and music at East Carolina University. Episcopal Campus Ministry and Kanuga Conference Center shaped my call to ordained ministry. There were no burning bushes, but there were wise women and men and beautiful mountains who bid me to listen and follow. I followed the call to Virginia Seminary, where I was formed by community, daily prayers, and the prophetic words engraved at the library entrance: Seek the truth, come whence it will, cost what it may. Since my ordination seventeen years ago, I have sought to serve God and God s people by seeking truth and by leading Episcopal communities of love, justice, creativity, and inclusion. Trinity Church, Bloomington, the congregation I currently serve, is a growing, multi-staffed church in the heart of a college town with vibrant worship and a heart for calling our community to love and serve those in the margins. I have been married to Matthew Cole since 2011; prior to that, we were partners for sixteen years. When I m not wearing a collar, you ll find me playing or composing music at my piano, exercising, or enjoying the company of my friends. 13

14 S P E C I A L C O N V E N T I O N F O R T H E E L E C T I O N OF T H E X I I B I S H O P D I O C E S A N OF N O R T H C A R O L I N A (C ON T ) The Rev. Canon Michael Buerkel Hunn Canon to the Presiding Bishop for Ministry within The Episcopal Church Baptized as an infant, I fell in love with God in my youth group. My academic work and ministry are still rooted in that love. My rule of life has two emphases - a focus on my home as a school for my soul, and a focus on my frequent journeys seeking God on the road. Home is the place which strengthens my soul, where my wife Meg+ and my kids teach me to be a better human being, and where I find peace tending our vegetable garden. As much as I love home, for ten years now ministry has called me to travel. As Canon to the Ordinary I loved hitting the road and meeting people of the diocese were they lived and worked. Recently I travel mostly by air. I have experienced parts of this church I couldn't have imagined - Haiti, Alaska, Standing Rock. My journeys are expanding my sense of what is possible, exploding my sense of what is normal, and extending my understanding of what God is calling the church to be. And one of the things I have learned is how important the work of a diocese is right now. Now approaching my 20 th anniversary of ordination, I could never have imagined this life. Parish ministry, school and college chaplaincy, and being Canon to a great bishop for ten years have all led me to this conversation with you in the Diocese of North Carolina - a place and a people I love dearly. Let's get started! 14

15 S P E C I A L C O N V E N T I O N F O R T H E E L E C T I O N OF T H E X I I B I S H O P D I O C E S A N OF N O R T H C A R O L I N A (C ON T ) The Rev. Samuel Rodman Special Projects Officer, Diocese of Massachusetts I am currently the Special Projects Officer of the Diocese of Massachusetts having recently completed a year as the Acting Chief of Staff during the transition with the new Bishop. From , I served as the Project Manager for the Campaign Initiatives in the Diocese of Massachusetts engaging congregations, clergy and laity, in collaborative local and global mission through the Together Now campaign and helping to raise $20 million to fund these initiatives. For 23 years, I served as a parish priest in Pennsylvania and Massachusetts, most recently as rector of St. Michael s in Milton for 16 years from During my time in Milton, St. Michael s expanded their mission through partnerships and completed a seven-year plan that included a capital campaign for a major renovation of the church school building. From , I began my service in the Church as a lay person in the Office of Evangelism and Congregational Development at the Episcopal Church Center in New York. In the Diocese of Massachusetts, I also served on the Commission of Ministry from and was co-chair from I have been associated with Bethany House of Prayer for the past eight years serving as a retreat leader and chaplain with groups, congregations and dioceses. In my free time I enjoy basketball, golf, kayaking, walking my dog, crosswords, and creative writing. I am a graduate of Bates College and Virginia Theological Seminary. I am married to Deborah Rodman, and we have two adult daughters. More information on each candidate may be found at 15

16 S T. F R A N C I S E P I S C O P A L C H U R C H A Parish of the Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina The Rt. Rev. Anne Hodges-Copple, Bishop Suffragan & Bishop Pro Tem The Rt. Rev. Peter Lee, Assisting Bishop P A R I S H S T A F F The Rev. Milton C. Williams, Jr., Rector Amanda Harmon Owens, Director of Children's and Y outh Ministry Sam Doyle, Choir Director Jane Woody, Junior Choir Director Benita McFarland, Assistant Choir Director Kit Hargett, Day School Director ST. FRANCIS VESTRY: Senior Warden: Cindy Patterson; Junior Warden: Bruce Lyon; Treasurer: Dennis Barry; Clerk: Kathie Huff; Mary Dator, Grant Haviland, Melinda Madtes, Dick Maxwell, Chris Relos, Pat Russell, Virginia Summerell, Geoff Wehe, Jim Woody On the web at: Phone: Fax: St. Francis Day School: Linda Allgood, Parish Administrator Bonnie Thyer, Communications Coordinator Jack Steelman & Bo Edwards: Sextons Rigoberto Bautista, Custodian 16 ST. FRANCIS EPISCOPAL CHURCH 3506 Lawndale Drive Greensboro, NC 27408