St. Anne Episcopal Church June 2017 THE EPISTLE

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1 THE EPISTLE June Epistle: Newcomers Edition A message from the Rev. Phyllis A. Spiegel We are having some growing pains, and I mean that in the best possible sense. Every Sunday there seem to be new faces, and I have the great desire to get to know folks on a deeper level than a quick smile and handshake at the door. I hope that I am not alone in that feeling. This issue of the Epistle is aimed at helping our newcomers get connected with helpful suggestions our members can offer to new folks. Part of being a disciple is making new disciples (so says Jesus!). I remember when I returned to church after being away from organized religion for a decade. I had barely sat down in the pew, and gotten my eightweek-old baby settled in arms, when a woman came to speak to me. After introducing herself she said, You will want to know where the changing table is and where you can find privacy to feed your daughter. And just like that, I felt a connection to someone. A few weeks later, I was invited to dinner at their house and had fun getting to know her family outside of church. I often wonder what would have happened if I had not received such a kind reception? Would I have gone back to Christ Church a few times, or maybe traveled Continued page 2. JUNE 2017 Table of Contents Ministry Spotlight (page 2) Table Talk (page 3) Gabriel s Place (page 4) Graduate Recognitions (page 5) J2A Pilgrimage (page 6) After Golf (page 7) Deadline for July Epistle: June 26 Pentecost is June 4 Wear colors of FL E Instructed Eucharist There will be an Instructed Eucharist at both the 8:00 and the 9:30 a.m. services on the Day of Pentecost (Sunday, June 4) - which gives commentary to each portion of the service. The commentary takes the place of the sermon so does not lengthen the service but provides great insights into the symbolism and meaning expressed throughout the parts of our weekly worship. Fiona Jane Osborne will receive the sacrament of baptism at the 9:30 service. We will send- off our J2A pilgrims- who depart for Germany on June 10th.

2 Conversations with Clergy St. Anne Episcopal Church June 2017 Newcomers Continued from page 1 the 45 minutes to the next closest Episcopal church, and then, not finding a connection, faded back into the habit of staying home on Sunday mornings? Given the path my life has taken, and how important Christ Church was to my call, I do recall that moment of kindness quite often and give thanks for Karen Irby s ministry of hospitality to the stranger. So, the next time you see a visitor, ask yourself (and God), I wonder what God has in store for that person, and how can I be of service? And, as always, act on what you hear. Rev.Phyllis+ Newcomer Sundays Something New for those who are New! On the first Sunday of each month (starting June 4 th ), newcomers will see tables in the Community Room that are reserved just for them! The tables will be marked with signs that say Reserved for clergy and newcomers. Ministry Spotlight The Greeters First impressions are huge for church visitors. Did you know that the average church visitor makes up their mind within 3-4 minutes after coming into a church whether they will return? Fortunately, we at St. Anne have some hands up in making that first impression a positive one. We have so many warm and friendly parishioners that it would be hard for visitors not to feel welcome. Many new members have said that the reason they came back and decided to become members was the people. It is probably safe to say that not every church provides that same experience to newcomers, so we at St. Anne Church have something very special! The Greeters are some of the very first people that newcomers see and help to make that great first impression, but we need more! If you would like to be a Greeter and be at the front door to provide a St. Anne Welcome, contact Rosie Koehler or Melba Wilburn, or talk to them on a Sunday at the welcome table. If you are new (ish) to St. Anne, these Sundays are for you - the time where you will have the opportunity to sit with a clergy member, have a conversation, ask questions, and just get to know each other. The tables will be staffed by clergy on the first Sunday of each monthfollowing the second service during summer, and at 10 a.m. during the school year. We look forward to getting to know you! Welcome to St. Anne. St. Anne graduating High School students Kaelyn Bachman, Erica Glosby, Michael Hakes, Riley Hamant, Griffin Noe, Eliot Schiaparelli, Ryan Staats, and Dennis Sweeney accept their gifts on Senior Sunday 2 `

3 Table Talk: A Conversation about Church Protocol Hmmm is that person two pews up from you visiting St. Anne for the first time? Or has he been coming for a year and you just haven t met him? Either way, when you notice someone new, you can never go wrong saying, I don t believe we ve met, have we? My name is ; And yours is? If the person is new he/she will often mention that. If they are fairly new, they may not have gone on a tour yet or felt free to explore the buildings. Showing folks where the offices are, the nursery (volunteers always needed), the coffee routine, the announcements on PowerPoint, and if you are really feeling adventuresome, the Ed. Building (Adult Forum room is also where the choir practices on Thursday nights, etc.) can be a great way for a visitor to get to know us. Walking around the property provides a natural way to talk about ministries and programs as well as a chance to explore. Just like you wouldn t ignore a guest in your home, we don t ignore folks in our spiritual home either. We want people to make themselves right at home, that is, to feel free to join in the life and work of our faith community. And if you are relatively new, and have never taken a tour of your new church home, then next time you are at coffee hour, don t hesitate to ask someone if they would show you around. Outreach Services Meeting The Outreach Service Commission will meet in the Nazareth Room of the Education Building on Sunday, June 4 th after the 9:30 a.m. service. All parishioners are invited to participate in recommending and planning Outreach activities. So please plan to join us as we seek opportunities to serve outside the church. Contact Nicki Turley with any questions/concerns. Long Range Planning Commission Update We are finishing our look into the various aspects of ministry at St. Anne, and moving into two additional tasks: discerning the needs and opportunities in our community where we might get involved, and looking at practices of other successful churches to see if there are ideas we might consider. Here is how you can contribute: Attend the Congregational Meeting on Saturday, June 24. We will gather in the community room 9:00 a.m. 12:00 p.m. The commission will give a short presentation of our process, progress to date, and plans for next steps. Then we will use smallgroup and large-group discussions to hear your input, with a focus on some key strategic areas but also on anything that affects our direction over the next five years. Refreshments will be pot-luck continental breakfast, and child care will be provided on request. Mark your calendars and look for more details as the date approaches. Summer is a good time to visit other churches, as you travel and gather with friends and family. God has many branch offices! If you see things in worship, communications, buildings and facilities, etc. that St. Anne might consider, pass them on to a team member. Feel free to share your thoughts and ideas with any member of the team. We want your input! And please continue to pray for the team and our congregation to be faithful disciples of Christ and discerning stewards of St. Anne s abundant resources. Patty Cargill: gcargill@cinci.rr.com Mary Ellen Eckberg Eric Frischmuth Angi Meyer Ed Sweeney Tim Sweeney Rev. Phyllis Spiegel Tom Williams: Vestry Liaison ` 3

4 June Outreach A Community Commitment After St. Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church on Reading Road closed in 2008, Bishop Breidenthal recognized the need to maintain a ministry presence in the Avondale Community. Several community organizations, in collaboration with the Diocese of Southern Ohio, determined that primary concerns were job training and development, youth offenders, need for entrepreneurial training, and the absence of fresh food alternatives and nutrition education. That same year the Avondale Community Council was allocated use of a portion of the church grounds to plant a Teen Garden. While teaching local teens about gardening and healthy eating, the garden also was the beginning of a Farmers Market stand on church grounds managed by the Avondale Youth Council. By 2010, the Bishop s Advisory Board was created naming the new Community program, Gabriel s Place. Numerous community partners provided funding for kitchen equipment, staff positions, and ongoing programming. Much-needed renovations were made to the former parish hall. On Sept. 30, 2011, a ribboncutting ceremony took place and Mayor Mark Mallory proclaimed this Gabriel s Place Day in Cincinnati. Currently, Gabriel s Place supports their own community Marketplace, reportedly the only fresh food retailer in the Avondale Community. Much of the produce is from their own garden and sold at a reasonable cost. Marketplace is open Tuesday and Saturday. Gabriel s Place also has a Jr. Chef and Agriculture program which provides high schoolers an opportunity to build life skills in the kitchen and garden, as well as teaching critical thinking about our food system and making healthy choices. Emphasis is on food education from seed to table. The Community is invited to gather on Tuesdays for a free meal which is prepared in-house with fresh ingredients. Beyond the food initiatives, Gabriel s Place also offers health screenings by nurse volunteers as well as interactive healthy lifestyle workshops open to the Community. St. Anne parishioners have an opportunity to assist with a Community meal on Tuesday, June 20 at Gabriel s Place. Be a part of this evening from 3:00 7:00 p.m. and learn more about this Diocesan-supported community program and the people of Avondale who make it work. Sign-up is in the Community Room at church or contact Nicki Turley at nhturley@hotmail.com. 4 `

5 Congratulations! Nathan Ekberg, grandson of Norm and Mary Ellen Ekberg, graduated from Lakota East High School. He will attend Case Western Reserve University where he will be studying engineering and playing soccer for the Spartans. Meghan Gibbons, daughter of Sr. Kim and Michael Gibbons, graduated Summa Cum Laude on May 21 st from Case Western Reserve University with a B.A. degree and was inducted into the Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society. Her plans are to attend Kent State University in the fall to pursue a Master s Degree and to become an Undergraduate Graduate Advisor. Riley Hamant, daughter of Brad and Vicki Hamant, graduated from Lakota West High School. She will be attending Maryville College in Maryville, Tennessee in the fall where she will be studying Theater Education. Emily Chamberlain, daughter of Ethan and Meg Chamberlain, graduated Cum Laude from Butler University with a B.A. in Psychology and Human Communication and Organizational Leadership. Emily accepted a job with a nonprofit organization in the Chicago area. We are so proud of all her accomplishments! Lianna Brown, granddaughter of Ruth Gattinella, graduated with honors with a Bachelor s Degree in electrical engineering from The Ohio State University. She is on a mission trip to Nicaragua for the summer. In the fall, she will continue with her pursuit of a Master s degree from Ohio State. St. Anne offers congratulations to ALL those who graduated from High School or College this year! ` 5

6 J2A Pilgrimage to Germany The J2A class from St. Anne is counting down in just ten days 16 youth, 4 leaders and Reverend Phyllis will leave to meet our guides from Wonder Voyage to begin their Germany pilgrimage. Thanks to fundraising efforts of families and the generous spending habits of parishioners you all made this trip happen! Families and prayer partners will receive the itinerary on Saturday June 10. The pilgrims will experience the trip as it unfolds! That is the mission of our guides from Wonder Voyage to create a pilgrimage and encounter with God and each other that is full of wonder. The group has researched and prepared for several of our destinations including touring a concentration camp at Buchenwald; the group read the book Night by Elie Wiesel and watched the movie Boy in the Striped Pajamas. The students and leaders have studied the 95 Theses of Martin Luther as a prelude to visiting Wittenberg and seeing the church where Martin Luther protested against Rome and the Catholic Church. The pilgrims have been working in small groups in order to lead a short worship service and evening reflection daily. This great group of youths appreciates your support as they are making this very wonderful pilgrimage and continuing on their journey to become young adults! The pilgrims are: Nicole Bachman, Laura Benson, Abby Bollinger, Alex Fernholz, Ethan Glosby, Alec Hamall, Elena Hamall, Joe Kim, Josh McKettrick, Audrey Oleson, Carter Olszewski, David Reigle, Cader Rowe, Beckett Schiaparelli, Lindsay Speed and Gwyneth Staats. The leaders (Leigh Pearce, Tim Rinehart, Susie Rutkowski and Tom Thompson) are so proud of the pilgrims and how they have grown in their own community and faith over the last two years. Reverend Phyllis Spiegel is excited to join the pilgrims as well. Save the date for Vacation Bible School 2017 July 23-12:30 p.m.-3:00 p.m. July :15 p.m.- eat a packed dinner. The program starts at 5:45 p.m. MARK YOUR CALENDAR! June 10: J2A Pilgrimage Begins July 23 rd : St. Anne Day August 13: Ministry Fair Sign-Ups begin soon! 6 `

7 Stepping Forward June 13 Stepping Forward is a program overseen by the Faith Alliance of West Chester and Liberty Township. On the second Tuesday of each month, they oversee the Stepping Forward dinner at Faith Community Methodist Church - a meal outreach initiative. This month s dinner takes place on June 13 th and St. Anne is the dessert and fruit provider. If you would like to contribute to this month s dinner, please mark your donations Stepping Forward and have them to St. Anne by 2 p.m. on June 13 th. If you would like more information or would like to volunteer to help, please contact Kathy Tracy at katracy 1955@yahoo.com. Thank you for your continued support! Feeling called to get involved in the church? We are looking for you! St. Anne is always looking for people to help in many areas. Have great social skills? Become a greeter or an usher! Creative? Join with the flower crew. Love children? Volunteer to be the second adult in the nursery. Great entertainer? Find a place in Hospitality. Contact any Vestry member to help you reach the Vestry member who is overseeing your area of interest, or contact the parish office by phone at or by at beth@saintanne-wc.org. Kroger Community Rewards Use your Kroger Plus Card, and earn money for St. Anne. When you enroll in the Kroger Community Rewards program and designate St. Anne as your organization. You can earn rewards for St. Anne on qualifying purchases every time you swipe your Kroger plus card. With the money already received from the program, St. Anne has been able to make much needed IT upgrades including a new computer for the bookkeeper, and a WIFI signal booster. These purchases have been made without having to ask for more money from the congregation. You can help us continue with these upgrades by enrolling in the program, if you haven t already! To enroll, go to and put in Saint Anne s site number More information on this program may be found on the west wall of the Community Room. After Golf Are you looking for new and exciting ways to spend your Friday evenings this Summer? Are you interested in socializing and fellowship with friends from St. Anne, both old and new? If so, After Golf is for you. After Golf is a series of informal gatherings held each Friday evening through the summer months. Hosts sign-up for a specific Friday, and all gather for an evening of fun and community. The hosts provide a main course, usually something simple like burgers and hot dogs, and guests generally provide a side-dish, appetizer, or dessert. These get togethers are BYOB, informal and a great deal of fun. All adult parishioners -including young adults-are invited. While some people play golf beforehand, there is absolutely NO requirement to play or be knowledgeable about the sport!!! After Golf begins on Friday, June 2 nd and finishes up before Labor Day. Sign-up in the Community room. Contact Baker Meyer or Bill Pearce for more information about these fun evenings! ` 7

8 June 2017 Reminder, St. Anne is no longer using the Fuse.net addresses. Here are the current office addresses: Calendar Please note this calendar is a snapshot of the full calendar from the St. Anne website. For more detailed information, go the website and click on the item listed. To include your event on the calendar, contact the parish office. General Address: info@saintanne-wc.org Rector: Rev.Phyllis@saintanne-wc.org Rev. Jennifer: Rev.Jennifer@saintanne-wc.org Parish Secretary: Beth@saintanne-wc.org Book Keeper: Ruth@saintanne-wc.org 8 `

9 Men s Book Group / June 25th The book pick for June is Falling Upward: A Spirituality for the Two Halves of Life by Father Richard Rohr. In this book, Father Rohr offers a fresh way of thinking about spirituality throughout life. The Men s Book Group will next meet on Sunday June 25 th at 6:00 p.m. at the Liberty Center Rusty Bucket. All men of all ages who are interested in books and good conversation are always welcome! For more information, please contact Bill Pearce, labpearce67@gmail.com, or Rob Turley, rsturley@mac.com, or Baker Meyer at bakermeyer@mac.com. About St. Anne Parish Office: info@saintanne-wc.org Website: Office Hours: Mon: 8:30 am- 2:30 pm Tues to Thur: 8am-4pm Friday: 9 am-2 pm In case of an emergency, contact Rev. Phyllis Spiegel at The Epistle is a publication of St. Anne Episcopal Church of West Chester, Ohio Please feel free to contact us regarding any of the information in this publication. Call or us at info@saintanne-wc.org The Epistle St. Anne Episcopal Church 6461 Tylersville Road West Chester, OH 45069