The Canterbury Tales. January Christmas Eve

Transcription

1 The Canterbury Tales January 2013 Christmas Eve The St. Augustine congregation enjoyed a beautiful Christmas Eve service. Our worship space was transformed into a warm and inviting place. The children did a wonderful job reading the Gospel. The music was uplifting and the homily inspiring. Many thanks to all who made this a very special time. 1

2 From the Pastor The Other New Year! January marks the beginning of our new calendar year (as opposed to the start of our liturgical year which began on Advent 1!) and 2013 is a very big new year for St. Augustine. After many years of meeting as a faithful congregation in a number of temporary locations, St. Augustine will be building a First Church in What will that mean for us as a congregation? What new beginnings will we need to plan for and what new things will we be surprised by? There is no doubt that the work and dedication of many gifted and experienced people has been counted on and will be counted on. Steve Mershon served this congregation as Senior Warden through the clergy interim period, casting a vision of a practical and achievable plan for building the First Church. Mission Committees have served as faithful leaders. Others have brought their gifts of financial expertise, engineering, design, law, building contracting, and more. (I would list names but I would be sure to miss someone important!) And still others have brought their gifts and energies to our children s programs, our adult education, our pastoral care and spiritual growth, and by physically setting up our church week after week. All of this is a part of who we are as a congregation and who we are becoming as the time of having our first permanent building becomes a reality. Yes, we will have this new sacred space. And yes, we will continue to grow together as the people of God, worshipping God, serving our neighbors, and being a safe place for those seeking God. Never fail to pray 2013 is upon us! God s Peace, Pastor Liz In this issue Christmas Eve From the Pastor 2 missio:engage!..3 Called to Build....4 Receiving Communion..5 Service Times, Outreach, Calendar...6 Announcements 7 & 8 Bible Challenge.9 Birthdays, Anniversaries, Companion s Corner..10 Outreach Update. 11 The Last Motorcycle Rides. 11 Church Contact Page.12 2

3 More about missio:engage! It has been asked, What does missio mean? A recent Google search found the following: missio Dei is a Latin Christian theological term that can be translated as the mission of God, or the sending of God. missio is understood as being derived from the very nature of God. The missionary initiative comes from God alone. Wikipedia. For lack of knowing better, the team is going with that. Pastor Liz s article last month described what this project means to St. Augustine. She said, missio:engage! offers a way to invite the Holy Spirit into the midst and rediscover the giftedness of the congregation, to explore the real needs of the community they are in and find new life by bringing those gifts and those needs together in creative and new ways. Pastor Liz has asked the missio:engage! team to provide periodic articles to keep everyone informed and begin getting involved in the project. Please consider this an orientation, which will be followed by introduction sessions in January, after the 8:30 a.m. and 10 a.m. services. Pastor Liz is also allowing time in the Annual Meeting for a short presentation/update. The team invites the entire congregation to the next national webinar on February 2 at 3 p.m. in the multipurpose room. You soon will see a new bulletin board containing missio information that invites you to converse with team members and partners on the project. Likewise our website has been updated with a tab for missio:engage! - where information is contained regarding; (1) reference material, (2) work assignments and working documents, and (3) results of completed tasks. With sponsorship from Pastor Liz, our objective for the project is to prepare for the transition into our First Church in 2013: To improve and develop strategies for outreach to meet the needs of both our current and future communities Become a center for the community Serve the community by making it known we are here to help, come along side without conditions So how do we do that? The team began meeting twice monthly in October via webinar with churches across the country, led by Fr. Tom Brackett. We will do this for 24 months. Along the way, another core team will be initiated. The team will continually seek new members, who can make the commitment of time (24 months, 4 hours/week). And we will seek partners who are not able to make the commitment, but can make contributions. We will learn and put to use new skills and tools provided by Fr. Brackett and his team. One of the first tools is called a microstrategy. The micro-strategy will be implemented over the course of the next 24 months. Below is a summary of 90 day blocks of time in which this work will be implemented. Rediscovering Gifts October January 2013 Preparing the House for Guests January March Inviting & Sending Welcoming new team members New Member Incorporation March July July October October on-going In the first 90 days, in which we are currently involved, we will focus on recognizing our personal gifts, the gifts of our congregation, and acknowledging how those gifts can be shared with the community. As Pastor Liz said, missio:engage! is full of possibilities for us as we navigate our transition to being a parish and moving into the First Church in Who are we as a congregation? What are our gifts? How is the Holy Spirit calling us to serve our surrounding community? Who can we be to visitors and newcomers to our church? This first 90 days will be followed by the next phase in which we will prepare the house for guests. I m thinking this may be a lot of information for you to take in at one time, but fear not. The team will be taking the time starting in January to help all members of our parish better understand this project and discern how they can contribute. Blessings, Steve 3

4 Called to Build IT S A NEW DAY! A Ground Breaking Liturgy Bishop Beisner will be at St. Augustine for a Ground Breaking Liturgy on our property Saturday, January 19, at 1 p.m. Following this event will be a Celebration of a New Ministry Service with Holy Communion. This service is for the institution and induction of Pastor Liz as Rector of our parish. A reception with refreshments will follow the service. Annual Meeting ~ January 27 Please stay and have some fun with your parish family at the Annual Meeting (and potluck lunch) which will take place on Sunday, January 27, immediately after the 10 a.m. service. All are invited to come and take part in this meeting. Reports about the finances and ministries of the congregation will be provided (many in writing) and we will elect our Diocesan Convention delegates for 2013 and four Vestry members. All adult members of the congregation who are communicants and givers of record for six months may participate in voting. We will have an update on our First Church building process and on our newest project, missio:engage! Don t miss out! Holy Baptism Adina Rubio was baptized into the Kingdom of God at St. Augustine Church, Sunday, December 23. Adina also celebrated her first birthday on that day. She is the daughter of Matthew and Simna Rubio. We welcome Adina into our Church family The Goal $500,000 The Results $518,079 Collected to Date $125,002 Gratitude for Results Give and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over will be put into your lap; for the measure you give will be the measure you get back. (Luke 6:38) 4

5 Receiving Communion Some coming to St. Augustine may wonder what the right way to receive communion is. Each Sunday we celebrate the Holy Eucharist, one of the seven sacraments observed by the Episcopal Church. This sacrament is also known as Holy Communion, the Lord s Supper, or the Mass. Whatever name is used, the sacrament remains the same the meal commanded by Christ for the continual remembrance of his life, death and resurrection, until his coming again. (BCP page 859) If you watch closely, you will see many different ways of receiving communion. There is a lot we could say about the theology of communion as a shared meal and maybe this year we will have a class on that! Here are some basic tips and reflections: The traditionally preferred method of receiving communion is to eat the host and then take a small sip of wine from the shared chalice. Intinction, the dipping of the host into the wine before consuming, has gained popularity: with many feeling it addresses their personal concerns about sanitation and drinking from a shared cup. Evidence does not suggest that intinction, whether by the receiver or a trained chalice bearer, is more sanitary than drinking from a shared cup. The reality is that even with training, the fingers of the dipper may, and often do, touch the wine. If for any reason, you prefer intinction (the dipping of the host in the wine), the preferred method is to allow the chalice server, who has been trained, to take the host from your palm, dip the host, and then place the host either on your tongue or lips. Self-intinction is not traditionally preferred. If it is your preference, care should be taken to avoid the fingers touching the wine by dipping just a small bit of the host. If you prefer to bypass the wine, it is customary to pause before the chalice server to allow them to lift the chalice and offer the phrase The blood of Christ, the cup of salvation, before you move on. Anyone may choose to receive a blessing, rather than receive either of the elements. With children, it is best to model for them holding their palm out to receive the host and then to do one of three things: to take a small sip from the chalice, to allow the chalice server to intinct the host and serve them, or to pause in front of the chalice server, if bypassing the wine. Each Sunday we are blessed to share together in this sacrament! Thanks be to God! 5

6 Service Times & Events Calendar Check 8:30 a.m. Sunday Service At 8:30 a.m. on Sundays, there is a simple service without music using Rite II. This quiet service with communion will appeal to some every week and to others occasionally as a quieter way to worship. 10 a.m. Sunday Service At 10 a.m. on Sundays, there is a full service with the support of the St. Augustine Choir. Sunday School begins at 10 a.m., excepting some holy days and special occasions. Outreach St. Vincent de Paul Food Locker January 13 January 19 January 27 February 4 February 13 March Baptism Sunday Founding of a Church Celebration of a New Ministry 1 p.m. Bishop Beisner Annual Meeting The Parables Study Groups Begin Ash Wednesday Confirmation Bishop Beisner St. Vincent de Paul foods for the month are soup and crackers. Please put your items in the grocery basket, so we can provide something good to warm the tummies of the folks less fortunate. The Gathering Inn The Gathering Inn is still in need of clothing for rain and cooler weather, during the winter months. Rain coats, wind breakers, heavy socks, sweaters and sweat shirts of all sizes are needed. Keep looking for unused items in your closets. March 24 March March 31 June Palm Sunday Holy Week Easter Sunday Tentative Dates for Vacation Bible School 6

7 DOK Small Group Studies Any woman who feels called to a life of prayer, service and evangelism is invited to come to our Daughters of the King meetings after the 10 a.m. service on the second Sunday of the month, in the school conference room. We will be having a membership study beginning early in Please speak to Robin Williams, Greer Nave or any of the Daughters, if you are interested in joining our chapter. Last month we elected our new officers: Robin Williams, President; Deidre Shonk, Vice President; Carol Vaughn and Mary Kathryn Marum, Cosecretaries; and Sharon Mershon, Treasurer. Our meeting this month will be Sunday, January 13, in the school conference room. The prayer shawl ministry continues to seek anyone in the church interested in participating in this project. The prayer shawls are for those needing a physical reminder of our love and concern in times of healing and stress. Please contact Greer Nave if you are interested in the ministry. The small group studies, The Parables of Jesus, will begin the week of February 4. You will soon be hearing from the facilitator of your study group. The season of Lent, which begins Ash Wednesday, February 13, is an ideal time to be with fellow Christians. The groups will finish the series just before Palm Sunday and Holy Week. If you do not already belong to a group and would like to join, please call the office or Carole Peterson. The Brotherhood of St. Andrew holds its regular monthly meetings at 9 a.m., in Canterbury Hall. Coffee and refreshments are served. All men are welcome and encouraged to attend a meeting. If any men have an interest in learning about the Brotherhood of St. Andrew, please contact Jack Dillon or John Redmond. Please join us for the January 12 meeting at 9 a.m. in Canterbury Hall. Breakfast will be provided by one of the Brothers. Jack Dillon will share his passion serving the Kairos Ministry. Baptism January 13 Sunday, January 13 th is a holy day, marking the Baptism of Our Lord Jesus Christ. Baptisms will take place on that day. Please contact Pastor Liz if you are in interested in baptism. The next regular day for baptisms will be at the Easter Vigil on Saturday, March 30,

8 St. Augustine Youth Group The St. Augustine Youth Group, F.I.S.H (Friends In Serving Him) will meet Sundays in January from 4:30 6 p.m., in Canterbury Hall. During the month of December, our F.I.S.H. Youth Group focused on outreach in preparation for the arrival of Jesus. We adopted a family from the Gathering Inn and provided them with Christmas gifts to help make their holiday a little warmer and friendlier. We also reached out to our neighbors across the street with caroling and invitations to come and see us on Sunday mornings! In January, we will be taking on a new study series, after wrapping up the Chronicles of Narnia in December. We look forward to a new year filled with friends, spiritual growth, continued outreach and of course LOTS OF F.I.S.H. FUN! Church School News January will be another busy month for our Church School children. We will be celebrating the season of Epiphany, the time when the Magi from the East bring gifts for the newborn King. The children will also learn about the Baptism of our Lord by John the Baptist. In addition, they will study about Jesus miracle in Cana, and that Jesus proclaims that God s promise of deliverance is come to God s people. We invite all children to join us for each Sunday at 10 a.m. sharp in Canterbury Hall. If you would like to help out occasionally in our Sunday School classroom, during the January through June 2013 sessions (tell a Bible story, help with puppet shows, help with a song or craft), please contact Susan Lampton (see Church Directory for contact information). Nursery Volunteers Beginning in January, nursery care will be available during the 10 a.m. service. Please consider volunteering for this important ministry. If you are interested, contact Susan Lampton. 8

9 Welcome! Thank you for joining me in taking The Bible Challenge. We will bless our Bibles as a kick-off on Epiphany Sunday and then begin our readings the next day, Day 1, which is Monday, January 7th. A section of the diocesan website will support The Bible Challenge, complete with daily readings and meditations. The daily readings will be posted one week at a time, Monday through Saturday (Sundays we listen to the Bible in church). Short meditations on each day s passages for the week will also be posted. These meditations are a gold mine in themselves, as they were composed by theologians, bishops and Bible scholars from around the world. I encourage congregations to plan now to support The Bible Challenge with local activities. I also ask that all individuals who intend to take The Bible Challenge 'subscribe' to an list, so that we can notify you of periodic supports. Please subscribe by ing to us your name, mailing address and the name of any church you may be attending, addressed to biblechallenge@norcalepiscopal.org. This is an exciting venture as the Body of Christ in Northern California. I personally look forward to reading each day, knowing that a cloud of witnesses is reading the same scriptures along with me. Grace and peace to you, Recommended Reference Center for Biblical Studies Website Oxford Annotated New Revised Standard Bible 9

10 Companion s Corner Epiphany January Birthdays January 1 Barbara Jean Harlowe January 2 Aaron Beckman January 3 Zach Beckman January 4 Lily Beckman January 17 Gaby Sisk January 22 Melissa Lovin January 27 Barbara Woolman January 28 Kathleen Quigley January Anniversaries January 5 Lawrence & Mary Morehead January 28 Ken & Karon Nelmes Guess what! Christmas is not over! Your body and your checkbook may feel as though it is, but on January 6, we move into one of the most beautiful seasons of the church year. It is sometimes called Christmastide, but more commonly is known to us as Epiphany. It is a continuation, as well as the climax, of the Christmas season. It lasts as long as it takes to move us from January 6 to Ash Wednesday and represents the bridge between Christ s birth and his passion. Epiphany is symbolized by the three Magi, or wise men, thought to be from the west (perhaps Iran), who followed a bright star which led them to Bethlehem. Beginning this month, we will be in the season of Epiphany from Sunday, January 6 until Ash Wednesday, February 13. Epiphany is known as the season of light and is a profound reminder that now that Christ has been made manifest, it is our obligation and joy to show him to the world so do not put away Christmas! Join together as we continue to celebrate the most marvelous gift civilization has ever received! Joyous Christmastide, dear friends. Carole Proverbial Wisdom Get wisdom and insight! Do not forget what I say. Do not abandon wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will keep you safe. Proverbs 4:5-6 10

11 The Gathering Inn Outreach Report St. Augustine members raised $420 for the Gathering Inn by supporting the raffle ticket sales for their Festival of Trees. And many thanks to everyone who generously donated clothing this fall to the Gathering Inn clients. Living Waters International (LWI) The Well Rehabilitation Project is complete! St. Augustine has reached out to provide safe water to the El Guasimito School in Villa Nueva near Leon, Nicaragua. Through our generosity and partnership, we are presenting a compassionate caring Christ to these people by meeting a basic need water. With our help, Living Water-Nicaragua provided clean water to every student and teacher at the school. Living Water-Nicaragua set up the well, sealed it with a new concrete well pad, installed a new hand pump, disinfected the well and provided hygiene training. Many thanks to Jim Tilton and Rich Wampler, from our congregation, who participated in this important project. The LWI Nicaragua Team had the opportunity to meet with 53 year old retiree, Laurianna Zuniga Peralta, who stated, For us, this is an excellent work and I am very grateful to Living Water and (St. Augustine Episcopal Church) because they care for the poor people in the rural areas. Now we have clean water to drink. Thank you very much. Outreach in 2013 This coming year, we have many plans to expand our outreach locally and globally. Stay tuned for exciting details and opportunities to share the love of Christ and the bounty of our blessings. In gratitude, Jim Quinney The Final Great Motorcycle Ride The back roads to Auburn were once again very alive with our famous motorcycle hosts and their passengers for this third motorcycle ride. Steve Mershon, Scott Drageset and Aaron Beckman donated rides (at the Fall Festival) to Auburn culminating with lunch at Awful Annie s. The last of the riders were June Meredith and Candace Rousselet. What an adventure! 11

12 Church Contact Information Pastor Liz Armstrong Contact Information Cell Church Office Normal Work Days Sunday Thursday Please contact the Church Office or Pastor Liz for pastoral emergencies. The Mission of St. Augustine Church With God s Help To Worship God To proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ To reach out to our community and the world in service and education St. Augustine of Canterbury Episcopal Church A Safe Place for People Seeking God 1800 Wildcat Boulevard Rocklin, CA Phone: FAX: staugustine@staugustineepiscopal.com 12