Buck Mountain News April 2015 Buck Mountain Vestry and Officers The Rev. Connie Clark, Vicar The Rev. Anne Scupholme, Deacon The Rev. Dr. Donald E. Moore, Priest Associate Brian Carman (Class of 2015) Senior Warden Art Symmes (Class of 2016) Junior Warden Silvia LaRue (Class of 2016) Register Kate Daniels (Class of 2017) Ed Duval (Class of 2017) Mark Prichard (Class of 2015) Wendy Steeves (Class of 2015) Dave Canoles, Treasurer Buck Mountain News is published on or about the first of each month by: Buck Mountain Episc. Church P.O. Box 183 Earlysville, VA 22936 434-973-2054 www.buckmountainchurch.org Diane Shelden, newsletter editor, may be contacted at: bmecadassist@gmail.com or 434-973-2054 From the Vicar Holy Week Contradictions The deadline for my piece in this month's newsletter came at an awkward time -- in Holy Week. I want to write about resurrection, but we're still walking the way of the cross to Jerusalem. We haven't made it to the empty tomb yet. But because of Jesus' resurrection, we do know what lies ahead ultimately. As the Southern Gospel hymn says, "Because he lives, I can face tomorrow." We may slog through much difficulty and pain in our earthly lives. The Holy Spirit sustains us daily, hourly. And the prospect of heaven keeps us looking forward with hope. As individuals and as a congregation, we live within the contradictory experiences of earth and heaven, death and rebirth. We navigate changes as one phase of life ends and another begins. In the parish, we are literally building toward a more abundant future. Getting to the point of groundbreaking for the expansion of Deese Hall has taken much faith, vision, hope, hard work, and generosity. This is a sign of new life in a congregation with roots going back to 1747! We can only imagine how many cycles of death and rebirth this church has seen in its long life. I am grateful to be a part of this upswelling of vitality! Just as significantly, many of us experience renewed vitality through the worship, fellowship, and outreach of Buck Mountain. In our difficult times, we learn that this congregation will be there for us. The support of our brothers and sisters in Christ mirrors the love of God for each one of us, and it is a precious thing indeed. Continued on page 2 Buck Mountain is a Spirit-led, inclusive community of faith, living out God s unconditional love with each other, our community, and the world through worship, outreach, spiritual development, youth formation, and fellowship.
April 2015 Buck Mountain News Page 2 Continued from page 1 There is so much to be thankful for at Buck Mountain. Most of you know I have a hard time "burying the alleluias" in Lent, because exuberant praise is my default setting. I will be more than happy to bring them back to our worship together on Easter Sunday, and to keep them ringing constantly, through phases of decline as well as phases of new growth, because of this one thing we can be sure: God is good, all the time. Love in Christ, Connie (The Rev.) Connie Clark Let Us Know! Due to the HIPAA Privacy Rule, hospital staff is not allowed to contact clergy for those admitted to the hospital. Please call or email the church if you are going in for surgery or a procedure so Connie, Don, or Anne can visit and pray with you for healing. Call and ask to be on the prayer list, too. The more people praying for you, the better!
April 2015 Buck Mountain News Page 3 We Broke Ground! On Palm Sunday, March 29, we broke ground for the expansion of Deese Hall. This joyful occasion comes after the long, hard work of many. Rev. Connie asked the following folks to wield a golden shovel in recognition of their role in this project: Harry Austin and John Jacoby (also representing their wives, Dorothy and Ann), for their many years of service to and visionary leadership at Buck Mountain. Dave Canoles and Fran Dickerson, co-chairs of our successful Capital Campaign. Cliff Smith, chair of the Building Committee. Kenny Williams, contractor for the project. Rev. Connie, representing everybody! Thanks to the efforts of Diane Shelden and Susan and Jim Nagy, we all enjoyed a lunch after the ceremony in the Parish Hall, including a cake inscribed with the very appropriate words, "Thanks be to God!" More photos on page 4.
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April 2015 Buck Mountain News Page 5 Vestry Notes A letter from Vestry Member Kate Daniels, Class of 2017 I have been delighted to serve on the vestry and am just learning about the duties and delights therein. I wanted to serve because I felt it would be a great way to learn more about our church and get to know the congregation better. Here s how I came to Buck Mountain Episcopal Church with my family. Franklin and I had been married just a few months and had been unofficially looking for a church home after moving to St. George (at Blue Ridge School). I drove by the church several days a week for work and always made note of the service times. On a cold, crisp day in January of last year, my son Smith and I slipped inside the back of the church for a service and heard Connie preach. I felt at home immediately and knew I could relate to this warm and real woman. She greeted us afterward and I knew I had found our place. Franklin agreed when he came a few weeks later. Quickly, I was included in a few events and met some amazing women (and their families) and now I can t imagine life without BMEC. Franklin and I dove in and led a successful White Elephant fundraiser and the Alzheimer s Walk. I joined the Health and Wellness Committee, attended yoga, the 4th of July parade, and many other activities. Most of you know my husband Franklin was part of the outreach that connected Connie to Blue Ridge School and paved the way for the partnership created. I d say I m doubly blessed that I can see Connie both at chapel services on campus (where we live) and most every Sunday here at BMEC. I began to feel a solid sense of place for me and my newly blended family, a place where there is real acceptance and plenty of opportunity to find ways to serve, without the feeling that I was still a newcomer. If anyone had told me that I would look forward to going to church functions several days a week, and even on the weekend evenings for birthday parties, live music, and real fellowship, I might have laughed at them. I wouldn t have believed that I would feel so welcomed. I treasure the way everyone seems to want to go deeper into his or her journey with Christ. It is interesting to me to hear similar stories from others about how they came to stay here too. Many of us shared that they came via a special event, and most stayed after hearing Connie preach and feeling the genuine warmth of our congregation. I am so proud to be a member of this congregation, to have renewed my baptismal vows here last September, and now to serve you all through the vestry. My roles include newcomer committee liaison, Christian education liaison, and Blue Ridge School liaison. Please feel free to contact me if I may be of service in any way! Thank you!
April 2015 Buck Mountain News Page 6 Reconciliation Follow-Up: Hand-in-Hand Listening Sessions At the diocesan Annual Council meeting in January, Bishop Shannon Johnston announced the start of a new racial reconciliation initiative for the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia in 2015. The first step in this initiative is a series of listening sessions to take place across the Diocese, and we want our church to be represented at these important events. You are invited to join in one of three Hand-in- Hand Listening Sessions that will take place this spring in northern and central Virginia. Additional sessions will take place in the eastern and western portions of the Diocese in the fall. These gatherings will be an opportunity for participants to speak their hearts and minds in a safe, non-reactive environment. Registration is not necessary, but you can indicate which session you will attend on the diocesan website at thediocese.net/events. Thursday, April 16: Epiphany, Richmond, 7:00-8:30 p.m. Saturday, April 18: Trinity, Fredericksburg, 10:00-11:30 a.m. Thursday, April 23: The Falls Church, Falls Church, 7:30-9:00 p.m. Rev. Connie will be attending both events and is happy to car-pool. Please contact her for more information. PACEM-- End of the Shelter Season Spring for Housing! We had ten volunteers participate in our annual dinner on March 10 for the PACEM men s shelter at Westminster Presbyterian. Thanks to all who helped -- the fried chicken was once again very much enjoyed by all! I am often asked what happens to the men and women using the PACEM shelters when the season ends in March? Where do they go? This year, the City of Charlottesville awarded funding to the Thomas Jefferson Area Coalition for the Homeless (TJACH) to provide housing for 31 individuals! Funds for rental assistance are a tremendous start, but we are all aware much more is needed in a new home. You can be a part of the effort to help make the transition from homelessness successful. PACEM and The Haven are working with TJACH in a Spring for Housing drive to help provide basic new or gently used household goods and furniture to help these folks furnish their new homes. To make donations of new items easier, they have set up a registry with Bed, Bath and Beyond for basic household items. Or you can contact The Haven to arrange donations. http://www.thehaven.org/give_things If your spring cleaning includes finding a new home for household items/furniture, please consider a donation. - Leslie Richard Outreach and Advocacy Committee
April 2015 Buck Mountain News Page 7 Movie Night Continues Thursday, April 23, 6:30 p.m. How does faith influence the course of events in our family, in our community, in our world? Do people s lives the actions taken, the decisions made demonstrate their faith? We will explore these and other challenging questions together as Movie Night continues on April 23 at 6:30 p.m. in Deese Hall. Light refreshments will be provided. Our hosts will be Brian and Pat Carman. For our next installment, we will be viewing a prismatic and probing exploration of our world in I AM. The film is the product of Tom Shadyac, a noted Hollywood producer (Bruce Almighty), who undergoes a life threatening head injury and survives to ask two questions with many faith connotations: What is wrong with our world? and, What can we do about it? This film is his attempt to answer those questions questions which Christians are challenged with daily. Seeking answers, Tom visits some of the great minds of today, including several cameos with Archbishop Desmond Tutu. Disillusioned with life on the A-list, he eventually sells his mansion, moves to a mobile home community, and bikes to work. I AM is an obvious biblical reference to God explaining who He is. In this film, however, we are asked to evaluate who we are and why we are the way we appear to be: I AM because I care to be; I AM the change that I desire; I AM where it all starts; I AM responsible. How are we empowered by God, through Jesus Christ? Tom's changes in his life might seem to some extreme, but the idea of celebrity and all of the trappings that come from it can be just as extreme. There is absolutely nothing wrong with success. It's what you do with the platform where you find yourself and how you use what you have to make the world around you a better place that really makes you shine. Please consider joining us to view the film and take the journey with Tom to seek the answers to his questions. Prior to each Movie Night, advance materials such as a synopsis or excerpt from writings will be available. These are not essential to Movie Night, but those interested in receiving materials in advance should send an email to Brian Carman at bcarman@aol.com.
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April 2015 Buck Mountain News Page 9 Planned Giving Corner Expanding our Ministries How can I contribute to Buck Mountain s Endowment Fund? Contributions can be made in a variety of ways, including both direct cash and indirect cash. An example of an indirect cash contribution would be naming the church as a life insurance policy beneficiary. The most common way monies are contributed to church endowment funds is through a bequest in a will. The specifics can vary, but indicating The Endowment Fund of Buck Mountain Episcopal Church, Earlysville, Virginia as the beneficiary in a will leaves no doubt where the funds will go. Of course, monetary contributions can be made anytime during one s life as well (no minimum amount required). -The Planned Giving Committee Jim Foley Leslie Richard Mike Gibson Health and Wellness April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month Sexual violence crosses all ages, genders, races, ethnicities, and economic backgrounds. The National Sexual Violence Resource Center has designated April as National Sexual Assault Awareness month, in recognition of the widespread prevalence of sexual assault nationwide. Although the amount of sexual violence is alarming, there is hope for survivors. Please visit nsvrc.org for more information. On Friday, April 24 from 6:00-8:00 p.m. in the Parish Hall, the Health and Wellness Committee will be hosting ROAR (Relaxed, Open, Alert, and Ready), an event observing Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Our phenomenal NIA instructor, Susan McCulley, will lead us through a mindful movement and meditation devoted to worldwide sexual assault awareness. The Charlottesville Sexual Assault Resource Center will then lead us through an hour-long basic self defense class. We will end with light refreshments and Q&A (group and individual). More details to follow. - LeAnn Mitchell
April 2015 Buck Mountain News Page 10 Health and Wellness Recipe Corner Giada s Italian Vegetable Soup - Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis. Submitted by Kate Daniels, Health and Wellness Committee Ingredients: 1/4 Cup extra-virgin olive oil salt and freshly ground black pepper 2 leeks (white and pale green parts only), chopped 10 cups vegetable broth 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh thyme leaves 6 zucchini, thinly sliced crosswise 4 oz. dried, wide egg noodles 2 (13 3/4-oz.) cans quartered artichoke hearts freshly grated parmesan packed in water, drained Directions: Heat the oil in a heavy large pot over medium heat. Add the leeks and sauté until translucent, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté until tender, about two minutes. Stir in the zucchini and artichokes. Season the vegetables with salt and pepper. Saute until the zucchini are tender, about 10 minutes. Add the vegetable broth. Stir in the thyme and cook for two minutes. Cover the pot and bring the soup to a simmer. Decrease the heat to medium-low and simmer gently until the flavors develop, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Increase the heat to medium-high. Add the noodles and cook until al dente, stirring constantly, about five minutes. Ladle the soup into bowls. Sprinkle with parmesan and serve. Easy Bean Stew from Alicia Ross Kitchen Scoop Submitted by Fran Dickerson This easy 20-minute stew will satisfy a vegan, a gluten-free dieter, one who is lactose-intolerant and an omnivore. The secret is to use natural ingredients, especially refried beans. The spices have a mild chili flavor and you can turn up the heat as you like. Start to finish, 20 minutes; yield 4 servings, easily doubled or tripled 1 tsp. olive oil 2 cans (15 oz. each) black beans, drained & rinsed 1/2 cup chopped onion 1 can (14.5 oz.) chopped tomatoes 1/2 cup chopped carrot 1 tsp. chili powder 1/2 cup chopped celery 1/2 tsp. cumin 3 cups low-sodium vegetable broth black pepper to taste or stock 1 can (16 oz.) refried beans, all natural Heat the oil in a large soup pot. Add onion, carrot, and celery, and cook, stirring occasionally over medium-high heat until veggies are tender, about five minutes. Add broth, both beans, tomatoes, and seasonings. Stir well. Reduce heat to low and simmer to blend flavors for 5 to 10 minutes or until ready to serve.
April 2015 Buck Mountain News Page 11 CALENDAR-AT-A-GLANCE Choir Practice Wednesday, April 1, 7:15 p.m. Maundy Thursday Service Thursday, April 2, 7:00 p.m. Good Friday Services Friday, April 3 12:00 and 6:00 p.m. Food Pantry Wednesday, April 8, 4:00-6:00 p.m. Choir Practice Wednesday, April 8, 7:15 p.m. Choir Practice Wednesday, April 15, 7:15 p.m. Contemplative Prayer Friday Friday, April 17, 7:00-8:30 p.m., Deese Hall Men s Group Saturday, April 18, 8:30-10:30 a.m., Deese Hall Choir Practice Wednesday, April 22, 7:15 p.m. Practice Your ROAR! Nia and SARA Event Friday, April 24, 6:00-8:00 p.m., Parish Hall Food Pantry Tuesday, April 28, 2:00-4:00 p.m. Choir Practice Wednesday, April 29, 7:15 p.m. Women s Retreat at Roslyn Friday and Saturday, May 8 and 9 Earlysville Community Picnic Sunday, June 7
April 2015 Buck Mountain News Page 12 The Parish Prayer List If you would like to put a name on our parish prayer list, you may give it to Connie or Diane with some indication of the person s need. In our worship services, we pray for people who need healing of any kind, people serving in the military or overseas as civilians, and people who have died in the past week. We also include specific thanksgivings. Names will stay on the prayer list for about two months or until Connie learns that the need for prayer no longer exists. Buck Mountain Episcopal Church 4133 Earlysville Road, PO Box 183 Earlysville Virginia 22936 www.buckmountainchurch.org (434)973-2054