THE TOWER S THE WORLD TURNS

Transcription

1 Emmanuel Episcopal Church 498 Prince Avenue Athens GA (706) Fax (706) Volume 47, Issue 2 February, 2014 E M M A N U E L E P I S C O P A L C H U R C H L THE TOWER S THE WORLD TURNS Before moving into the last four Sundays of Epiphany and onward to Lent, we might pause and recall a January anniversary in a country geographically distant but close to our hearts in this parish Haiti. On January 12, 2010 at 4:53 p.m., a 7 magnitude earthquake struck southwest of Port-au-Prince and was immediately followed by two aftershocks of 5.9 and 5.5 magnitude. Nearly 300,000 people were killed. About a third of Haiti s approximately 9 million people lived in Port-au-Prince at the time of the quake. Of those, 1.6 million people in the capital and elsewhere were left homeless on streets filled with the rubble of 80,000 destroyed buildings, including the Holy Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in Port-au-Prince and its satellite buildings primary, secondary, music and trade schools and the Convent of the Sisters of Saint Margaret (all on the cathedral complex), as well as St. Vincent s School for the Handicapped, the Episcopal University of Haiti, College Saint Pierre (a secondary school) and incomeproducing rental properties. Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schiori has led the appeal for funds to restore the cathedral, the spiritual center of the largest and fastest growing diocese in our church (Episcopal News Service). See on page 10 a photograph of one of three surviving murals (of fourteen!) painted on the cathedral walls by Haitian artists, badly damaged, and now restored and stored for the new cathedral Emmanuel s ties to Haiti reach back 33 years before the earthquake to the town of Limonade, where in 1987 our parish with generous support the Joelson Fund, helped to build the Edith Joelson Center, a Montessori school. The Bishop of Haiti consecrated the Center on Pentecost, Known to many at Emmanuel as "our school in Limonade," the St. Etienne Church and School are situated on the main road in the town of Limonade near the northern coast of Haiti, southeast of Cap Haitien (Carol Downs, The Tower, April 2004). Emmanuel continues to support the school its faculty and students with regular grants the MEMC and visits parishioners and clergy here. One such visit, including adults and youth, is upcoming July 23rd to 30th. It is being planned and led by Chris Evans and Sarah Ehlers, who have already visited Limonade twice, Fr Chris, and other members of the parish. The group five adults and seven students plans to paint the church and the school, do some minor exterior (Continued on page 2)

2 VOLUME 47, ISSUE 47, ISSUE 2 2 PAGE 2 (Continued page 1) repairs, and then spend a day at a young adult camp. Because they want to involve the parish as a whole, we look forward to hearing more soon. Our travelers are part of a number of churches in our Diocese who have partnering connections within the Diocese of Haiti, including St. Paul s and St. Bart s in Atlanta, and St. Gregory the Great in Athens. Additionally, we are all connected by our common support of Episcopal Relief & Development, which has been active in Haiti for many years. \Until Robert s return, Blue Wood THE TOWER INDEX TO THIS ISSUE From the Editor 1-2 From Bishop Wright 3 John Albright on the Choir 4 Father Chris on Young Adults 5 February Birthdays 6 February Calendar 7 Photos of Youth Activities 8-9 Director of Finance 10 Vestry, Staff 11 Transitions 12 The purpose of The Tower is to inform Emmanuel s members of who we are and what we do as a faith community. Members are encouraged to submit material they feel will both enlighten and inform others about Emmanuel s ministries. Submissions go to Melissa Fulcher in the office or directly to Blue Wood at bluewood@earthlink.net Blue Wood, Editor March deadline is Wednesday, February 15

3 PAGE 3 MMANUEL IN FEBRUARY THE TOWER FROM BISHOP WRIGHT S WEEKLY MEDITATIONS: ON FAITH MOVE! God is faithful, so we respond in faith. God plays the tune, we choose to dance. Jesus said that with faith you can move a tree. Faith is not only how we move; faith is how we move things. What have you moved by faith? Faith moved Sarah to a new city. Faith moved David to confront his giant. Faith moved Noah to build a yacht in the desert. Faith should move money our accounts to those of others. Faith is how we practice and proclaim that God is ultimate. God being ultimate, then everything else is subordinate! Everything. Everything can be moved by faith. Some use faith only as a private lucky rabbit's food. That's too bad; faith is so much more! Exercise your faith. Try to move something: an institution, a family, a heart. Do this and truly learn to pray: Lord, increase my faith. Please join Bishop Wright in the Common Room at 9:30 am for the Bishop s Forum and Gather after the 10:30 service in the Narthex for the blessing of the new building and a Reception/Luncheon to follow in the Common Room.

4 VOLUME 47, ISSUE 47, ISSUE 2 2 AROUND THE PARISH PAGE 4 EMMANUEL CHOIR: THE FISH OUT OF WATER I have a confession. I am not a musician. Some people mistakenly think I am. I ve been in the Emmanuel choir for several years now, and I ve been surrounded and supported in our choir stalls by great folks who are actual, sure nough musicians: Amazing people who can play trumpets and trombones and flutes and tympani really well, who have had years of piano and organ lessons, who ve actually taught music. Several have even sung on stage in front of (yes!) paying audiences. Most know the actual names of all the notes, sharp and flat. (Not a von Trapp, I still don t.) Most can easily explain for me 200-year-old composers nuanced instructions printed on hieroglyphic, railroad-track scores with arcane geometric symbols or abbreviated Italian commandments. I cannot claim to be an authentic musician and never will, but it s not that I m a lip-synching fraud. After decades of joyful singing in congregations, long-ago church camps, solo car rides, and shower stalls, I m now entrenched on the Emmanuel Choir back row. I found my choral voice about the same time I retired and joined Medicare. I m some version of Bass not the fish but the lowest vocal part of music, which I actually thought was spelled Base. We supply what I like to call the rumble. If it becomes a real rumble, my always-patient back row partners or our brilliant choral director/organist Sam will eventually call me out and encourage proper sound that produces correct harmony, tempo, and diction. Speaking of choral diction, I m still trying to shed Illinois roots that taught me to pronounce all R s at the end of words like a pirate. Aaarrrh! is bad form, especially for Anglicans. Practice is key. Four years ago, my family pushed me to screw up my courage and walk into my first Wednesday evening practice. I survived. I endured what I had expected would be a rough first year of floundering like a bass (the fish) out of water. Lots of laughter and great new friendships helped. It turns out that I ve always had a pretty good ear for pitch. I ve also got a good auditory memory for how the music I produce should sound, given enough performance, practice and instruction. YouTube is my choir friend, too. I often go hunting for upcoming anthems that choirs have recorded on YouTube with which I can continue practicing. (Continued on page 10)

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6 FEBRUARY BIRTHDAYS 1 Chandler Shields Courtland Alexander 2 Mark Wheeler 3 Jane Smith Brian Freese Taylor Crump Jack Byrne 4 John Byrne 5 Gary Shattuck Kelly Grow Kristi Farner Lucy Niolon 6 Bobby Gibson Terri Brewer Andy Zenere Maggie Sligh 8 Walter Jarrett 9 Nancy McDuff Mimsie Roberts Maya Osborn 10 Janet Robertson Matt McCaskey Molly Lloyd James Simmons V 11 Barbara Maddox Amy Kias 12 Betsy Ferguson Agnes Parker Robert Leventry Debora Permar David Brown Mary Morgan Collier 13 William Jones Tommie Elaine Shattuck 14 Jean Hunnicutt Kathy Dean Hannah Baker 15 Ellen Cowne 16 Judy Masters Nash Norris 18 Tessa Rogers 19 Antonio Zenere Tom McDonald Leslie Dailey Brandon Phillips Frances Thrasher Grace Green 20 Dodd Ferrelle 21 Philip Berry-Stoelzle 22 Jean Jordan Todd Baker Betsy Respess Stephen Tonge 23 Katherine Buckner Tiffany Greene Harper Cline 26 Georgia Collier Chris Cole 27 Clara Herrin Elise White 28 Ralph Stephens Alex Greene Joseph Becker 29 Vince Masters

7 FEBRUARY 2012 SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY : 0 0 : Infant Jesus in the Temple with his parents and Simeon Luke 2: Vestry Retreat at Lake Logan 4:45 Daughters of the King 5:30 Holy Eucharist, Rite II 2 EPIPHANY IV Presentation of Jesus in the Temple Vestry Retreat concludes 8:30 Holy Eucharist, I 9:30 Faith Formation 10:30 Holy Eucharist, II 12:00 Natural Spirituality 10:00 Bible Study 10:00 Natural Spirituality 7:30 Al-Anon 5:30 Healing Service with Holy Eucharist 7:15 Choir Rehearsal. 5:30 Holy Eucharist, Rite II 9 EPIPHANY V 9:30 Faith Formation 10:30 Holy Eucharist, II with Bishop Rob Wright 12:00 Parish Luncheon 12:00 Natural Spirituality 1:30 Prayer Shawl Ministry 16 EPIPHANY VI 8:30 Holy Eucharist, I 9:30 Faith Formation 10:30 Holy Eucharist, II 12:00 Natural Spirituality 10 10:00 Bible Study 17 Church Office Closed 11 10:00 Natural Spirituality 7:30 Al-Anon 18 10:00 Natural Spirituality 7:30 Al-Anon 12 5:30 Healing Service with Holy Eucharist 7:15 Choir Rehearsal 19 5:30 Healing Service with Holy Eucharist 7:15 Choir Rehearsal :00 Eucharist at Lanier Gardens March Tower Deadline 4:45 Daughters of the King 5:30 Holy Eucharist, Rite II 5:30 Freestyle Beats (Youth Center) 5:30 Holy Eucharist, Rite II 23 EPIPHANY VII Emmanuel to host IHN 8:30 Holy Eucharist, I 9:30 NO Faith Formation 10:30 Holy Eucharist, II 12:00 Natural Spirituality 24 10:00 Bible Study 25 10:00 Natural Spirituality 7:30 Al-Anon 26 5:30 Healing Service with Holy Eucharist 7:00 Vestry Meeting 7:15 Choir Rehearsal :30 Girls Night (Youth Center)

8 VOLUME 47, ISSUE 47, ISSUE 2 2 PAGE 8 Whether Feasting or Fixin Food for Others, Smart Kid lunches are packed and ready to go!

9 PAGE 9 THE TOWER the Youth of Emmanuel had a busy January! Ushers at the Youth-led service on January 5th

10 VOLUME 47, ISSUE 2 PAGE 10 Casera Bazile s Baptism of Our Lord mural, which he painted inside the Episcopal Diocese of Haiti s Holy Trinity Cathedral in Port-au-Prince in 1951, was one of three of the original 14 murals which, in part, survived the Jan. 12, 2010, earthquake that leveled the cathedral. (Continued page 4) Fish Out of Water There are two things I have come to enjoy most about choir. (And, in a subtle hint, you could too!) The first is singing hymns with everyone in the congregation. That s where I started corporate worship. We sing with everyone as we process down the center aisle. And we especially join you in the recessional hymn when we surround everyone by curving around the side aisles, finishing with our shouted, Thanks be to God! The other thing is our prayer. It s something new that Sam added. We finish each Wednesday night and Sunday morning choir practice with the Prayer for Choristers. It always touches my heart, and it is the core of what I understand about music not meant to be simply entertainment: Bless, O Lord, us Thy servants, who minister in Thy temple. Grant that what we sing with our lips, we may believe in our hearts, And what we believe in our hearts, we may show forth in our lives. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen John Albright

11 PAGE 11 THE TOWER EMMANUEL S LEADERS VESTRY Tracy Bartlett Phil Bettendorf Carol Bowles Sarah Ehlers Clara Herrin Weyman Johnson Naomi Norman Kim Ripps Shooter Roberts, Senior Warden Allen Stovall Diane Wahlers Erik Wells DIRECTORY: Clergy & Staff The Rev. Robert Salamone Rector rector@emmanuelathens.org The Rev. Christopher A. Cole Associate Rector Melissa Fulcher Director of Administration Karen Holland Director of Finance finance@emmanuelathens.org Sam Polk Director of Music music@emmanuelathens.org Georgia Collier Rector s Associate for Children s Formation and Family Life georgiacollier50@yahoo.com Amy Wraga Director of the Day School dayschool@emmanuelathens.org Denise Thomas Sexton

12 NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION U.S. POSTAGE PAID ATHENS, GA PERMIT NO. 231 T R A N S I T I O N S To Emmanuel Linda Hughes Christ Church Macon, Georgia John and Jane Amos Church of The Holy Faith Santa Fe, New Mexico Donald and Nancy Walton St. Luke s Episcopal Church Atlanta, Georgia Thomas and Katherine Pryor Charles and Katherine Barrow Benjamin and Kirsten Walters Nicolas and Laura Kraus St. James Episcopal Marietta, Georgia Alex and Erin McQueen Folkston United Methodist Church, Folkston, Georgia & Meadowview United Methodist, Meadowview, Virginia Byron and Amy Norris St. Andrews Episcopal Jackson, Mississippi Bradley and Lauren Koch St. Stephen s Episcopal Church Milledgeville, Georgia Martin Holland and Ruth Davis Trinity Presbyterian Church Atlanta, George Baptisms Noah Alexander Kraus son of Nicholas Charles Marion Kraus and Laura Kathryn Leong Kraus Alexander Paul McQueen son of William Alexander and Erin Wallace McQueen Charles Steward Strong Jr. son of Charles Stewart Strong and Kingsley Lanier Blount Strong Deaths Ann Little Scoggins Mary Eleanor Wiebe Rest eternal grant them, O Lord, And may light perpetual shine upon them.