FEBRUARY, 2008 WILDERNESS JOURNEY

FEBRUARY, 2008 WILDERNESS JOURNEY Eternal Lord of love, behold your Church walking once more the pilgrim way of Lent, led by your cloud by day, by night your fire, moved by your love and toward your presence bent: far off yet here the goal of all desire. (Hymn #149) These words from the first verse of one of my favorite Lenten hymns are rattling around in my head as we approach February 6 when Ash Wednesday will once again mark the beginning of our individual and collective forty-day journey through the wilderness of Lent. It s a journey we take every year as a church and as one who grew up in the rhythm of the liturgical life of the Episcopal Church, I honestly can t remember a time before I knew stories about what it meant to journey through the Lenten wilderness. But for all the familiarity of the signs and symbols of Lent the hymns, the prayers, the lessons, the fasting, the giving every journey is different. Every year s pilgrim way of Lent has its own tone and timbre, but I believe, as the eternal God of love beholds this Church this Lent 2008, we look around and see all the wild wildernesses of this world: poverty, famine, discrimination, oppression, war. May we, in the wilderness of these wildernesses, find our way as a church, respecting the dignity of every human being. There are some wild wildernesses, all right, and sometimes it wears me out just thinking about them. But thankfully the journey we take is a journey we take together. We have companions on the way not only in those we see and meet and greet each Sunday at St. David s but in all those who work for peace and justice and an end to war wherever they may be. But most importantly, as we begin our journey into this wild Lenten wilderness, we have as our guide, our shelter, and our shield the one who is far off yet here the goal of all desire, the eternal Lord of love. E.S.G. 1

IN OUR PRAYERS We give thanks for the birth of Mya Marie Jones, born to Emily and Thunder Jones on January 14. May God, the Father of all, bless this child Remember those for whom prayers have been requested: Brad Gibson, Jackie Hill, Robert and Darcy Ellis, Monte Graham, Gerry and Shelley Gotterer, Cindy Neal, Jeremy Tillman, Jimmy Snapp, Katie Allen, Paula Howry, Dr. and Mrs. Tom Proctor, Donald Paine, Annie and her baby, Patrick Freel, Sydney Rogers, Loretta Allen, Dot Williams, Sarah Ohlt, Susan Moore, and J.B. Snider. Minister to them, O Lord, of your healing gifts TREASURER S REPORT HIGHLIGHTS (as of December 31, 2007) Budgeted Actual Pledges MTD $22,251.36 $19,465.75 Pledges YTD $267,016.32 $252,000.07 Total Contributions MTD $23,834.73 $26,370.21 Total Contributions YTD $286,016.32 $284,739.54 Total Income MTD $24,084.69 $26,459.71 Total Income YTD $289,016.32 $293,147.52 Expenses MTD $23,291.36 $18,788.05 Expenses YTD $288,945.44 $293,147.52 VESTRY ELECTIONS Congratulations to the following who were elected to the Vestry Class of 2010 at the Annual Parish Meeting on Sunday, January 13: Joe Brown, Bill Gish, Debbie McDougall, and Stephanie Spector. New wardens and officers for 2008 were elected at the Vestry meeting on Tuesday, January 15: Senior Warden: Judy Grace; Junior Warden: Debbie McDougall: Clerk: Betty Lentz; Recording Clerk: Carol Hornberger; Treasurer: Rahn Huber; Assistant Treasurer: Scott Rayhab. We continue to be blessed with committed lay leadership at St. David s! SUNDAY BREAKFASTS by Lynda Christiansen Happy New Year to all! We are in a new year, and it s time to look at signing up to host breakfast for the first half of the year. The breakfast menu doesn t have to be fancy or elaborate. Sweet rolls, donuts, cereal and/or fruit are fine, especially if your time is limited. Please add your name to the sign-up sheet on the Sanders Hall bulletin board. We have hungry folks on Sunday mornings! Thank you! 2

ONION RINGS by Norman Gillis Suzie Shaw is pleased to announce her marriage to Keith Drummond. The two former University of Tennessee sweethearts rekindled their romance last year and were married on January 14, 2008, in Keith s hometown of Mt. Vernon, Texas. Suzie has recently retired and Keith is a retired trial lawyer. They will spend their time between Tennessee and Texas. St. David s fed about 40 folks at the Campus for Human Development in January. We served fried chicken, potatoes, green beans, and corn bread, along with cobbler and ice cream. We also left enough for several of the guests that were at church and missed lunch. The next serving will be on February 24. If you are interested in helping with this wonderful ministry and joining us, please give the Hendricks a buzz at 646-1758. We are excited to announce that on Sunday, March 2, 2008, the Juniata College Concert Choir will be performing at St. David's. Juniata College is a small liberal arts college located in Huntingdon, PA, and is where Steve and Betsy McElroy first met. The choir is a 50-person auditioned choir led by Dr. Russell Shelley whose annual spring tours and frequent summer tours have presented concerts in New York s Cathedral of St. John the Divine, the Washington National Cathedral, Chicago Temple, St. Patrick s Cathedral in New York, Salzburg Cathedral (Austria), Kreuzkirche Dresden (Germany), Kaiser-Wilhelm-Memorial Church Berlin (Germany), Cathédrale de Notre Dame Reims (France), Cathédrale de Notre Dame Chartres (France), Schlosskirche Wittenberg (Germany), St. Mark s Venice (Italy), La Cathédrale de Lausanne (Switzerland), St. Mary s Cathedral Sydney (Australia) and other significant performing venues. Recent tours include Croatia and Slovenia (2004), Poland/Belarus/Russia (2005), Brazil (2005), and Mexico (2006). The choir is making its first domestic tour in many years and its first visit to Nashville mostly due to the persistence of the McElroys who both sang in the choir during their years at Juniata. The choir will perform a 6:30 evening concert in exchange for a dinner and a place to stay that night. Sign up sheets will be posted outside Sanders Hall to participate in the dinner and the hosting of students overnight. All overnight hosts are invited to bring a dish to share that Sunday night for the choir's potluck dinner. Hosts are asked to take the students home Sunday night and then bring them back at the agreed time on Monday morning, March 3. This is an exciting opportunity to hear a very talented and energized choir and we hope that you'll be able to come to enjoy the concert on March 2! EXCHANGE STUDENT NEEDS FAMILY by Vickie Donets The student will be in Nashville for the month of July. Iphi Djellouli is a very bright and delightful 15 year-old girl who visited my family with her mother and brother about 2-1/2 years ago. She liked her visit so much that she has wanted to return ever since. Her mother was an exchange student for a year in my family's home when I was a youth, and we have remained friends all these years. I have stayed in her home twice in Paris over the years. Iphi would like to stay with a family with a teenaged girl, if possible. Iphi speaks English fairly well and her mother speaks excellent, perfect English and is an English teacher in Paris. If interested, please call me at 352-2957 or email me at vpdonets@aol.com for additional information. I'm sure this would be an enjoyable experience for any family interested. MISSION AND OUTREACH UPDATE by Judy Grace Uganda: Our friend and contact, Catherine Piwang, writes that 81 boxes have arrived in Uganda! Three more, filled with soccer and kickballs, are en route. We are still collecting items such as yarn and embroidery thread. There is some concern that the peace talks in Uganda may break down and that the civil war will resume. The children we are reaching and helping are in Internally Displaced Person s (IDP) camps. 85% of the population of northern Uganda lives in these camps, which are lacking in sanitation, running water, education, and other resources that we take for granted. Catherine has been able to travel to the north with the supplies we send because the roads are safe at present. The situation in Kenya has affected her ministry, as the price of gas and other products have increased. 3

Please keep Catherine and the children (and hope for peace) in your prayers. Honduras: We are in the process of sending out letters to those of you who are sponsoring children in the San Pedro Sula area. A team may go to Honduras in April for 5-6 days. Please see Judy Grace if you are interested. : Cold weather brings greater needs, such as blankets, gloves, hats, and socks. We are averaging 25-30 men per week. Donations of dried beans, Doritos and Thera Flu are also welcome. ADULT FORUM FOR LENT: POVERTY During Lent the Adult Forum will focus on the issue of poverty. People in poverty face challenges virtually unknown to those in middle class or wealth challenges from both obvious and hidden sources. The reality of being poor brings out a survival mentality and turns attention away from opportunities taken for granted by everyone else. Ruby Payne, A Framework for Understanding Poverty Could you survive in poverty? Do you know its hidden rules? Why can t people get out poverty? What is our role (and responsibility) as Christians when it comes to the poor? How do we break the cycle of poverty? These are some of the questions we will be exploring in our Lenten series. All are invited and encouraged to attend youth and non youth alike! + + + Please remember to pick up your angel(s) from Sanders Hall. Thank you for sharing with the parish family. JOIN US FOR THE ANNUAL ST. DAVID S PANCAKE SUPPER by Liz Chilton This fun and delicious event is sponsored by the Bloomin Onions on Shrove Tuesday, February 5, at 6:00 pm. The cost is $5 per adult and $3 for kids from 3-12. This is a chance to relax and enjoy dinner and fellowship, as well as a chance to win the Golden Pancake at the Pancake Olympics! Mark your calendar today and come find out more Please sign up by Sunday, February 3, so we have an idea of how many to expect. There will be a signup sheet outside Sanders Hall, or call Carol in the office at 352-0293. If you have questions or would like to volunteer, please call Liz Chilton and Bryan Collier at 370-3676, or Sara and Les Wilkinson at 353-8659. Feb. 1 Feb. 2 Feb. 4 Feb. 6 Feb. 7 Feb. 8 Feb. 10 Feb. 12 Feb. 14 Feb. 16 Feb. 18 Feb. 22 Feb. 24 Feb. 27 Feb. 28 Feb. 2 Feb. 3 Feb. 7 Feb. 20 Feb. 26 BIRTHDAYS Chester Schmidt Erik Wilkinson, Anne Erwin Bill Gish, Annette Pilcher, Bruce Rainey, Rob Johnson Kathy Tompkins, Bob Dietrick, Julie Lunn John Kuenneth Thom Garner Larry Ballantine, Mary Lou Pierce Lanna Jackson Evan McElroy Kristin Napier Jane Zibelin, Vickie Ballance Norman Gillis Matthew Duke Shelley Gotterer Mary Lloyd Pearson, Phillip Dougherty, Trey Beasley ANNIVERSARIES Betti & David Lose Eleanor & Bill Van Cleave Elise & Tom McMillan Mary Leigh & Scott Rayhab Carolyn & Kelley Avery 4

February 2008 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1 2 3 Last Epiphany 10 Lent I 4:45 pm Choir 17 Lent II 4:45 pm Choir 24 Lent III 4:45 pm Choir 4 11 18 25 5 Shrove Tuesday 6 Ash Wednesday 11:30 am 12:00 pm 5:30 pm Prayer Shawl 6:00 pm 6:00 pm Pancake Supper 12 13 11:30 am 12:00 noon Holy Euchairst 12:30 pm Lenten Lunch 19 20 11:30 a.m. 12:00 noon 12:30 p.m. Lenten Lunch 26 27 11:30 am 12:00 noon 12:30 pm Lenten Lunch 7 14 21 28 8 9 8:30 am Vestry Retreat 6:00 pm Room in the Inn 15 16 22 23 29 5

ACOLYTES - 10:30 a.m. FEBRUARY 2008 LAY MINISTRY SCHEDULE February 3 Last Epiphany February 10 Lent I February 17 Lent II February 24 Lent III March 2 Lent IV Crucifer L. RAYHAB A. MARTIN M. GREEN H. FOX R. HOWLAND Torchbearer M. MOORE D. RAINEY J. JOLIE T. SWIFT L. LECHLEITER Torchbearer J. DUKE L. LECHLEITER R. GREEN L. RAYHAB J. JOLIE USHERS - 10:30 a.m. J. BROWN C. SCHMIDT K. HOWRY C. BROOKS K. AGEE G. WILLIAMS J. ERWIN N. HOWRY P. LECHLEITER J. RAYHAB FLOWER GUILD J. ERWIN M. BROWN R. HUBER K. DOUGAN C. AVERY (Saturday) D. ROGERS M. HINTON E. ROBERT C. HINTON H. GASPARD ALTAR GUILD L. NEWSOM L. McLEVAIN D. ROGERS L. GUSTAVE L. NEWSOM (Saturday) H. SULLIVAN M. HINTON J. LEATHERS M. ADAMS H. SULLIVAN S. MOORE/ B. LITTLE M. L. PIERCE C. HINTON D. RAYHAB S. MOORE/ B. LITTLE L. CHRISTIANSEN BREAKFAST CHEFS tba tba tba tba tba COUNTERS - 10:30 a.m. D. AXFORD B. LENTZ S. COOK A. PILCHER D. AXFORD S. COOK J. LENTZ S. JORDAN D. WILKINSON S. COOK LECTORS 8:00 a.m. C. FARRAR J. FERRELLI M. CAVER M. L. PIERCE B. BOWEN 10:30 a.m. J. HAMILTON V. BEASLEY J. BROWN T. BEASLEY N. HOWRY L.E.M. S - 10:30 a.m. S. JORDAN S. GRAY K. LECHLEITER S. JORDAN J. SWEENEY S. GISH* A. HERLONG* P. HALPERIN* S. COOK* M. L. RAYHAB* CHILDREN S WORSHIP M. AGEE C. HINTON M. KIRKPATRICK R. KIRKPATRICK J. SANDERS C. SCHMIDT S. WILKINSON H. WILKINSON A. LEE B. McELROY D. WILLIAMS C. BEASLEY E. McELROY A. BEASLEY K. NAPIER W. SANDERS MATTHEW DUKE MOLLY DUKE M. L. RAYHAB C. HINTON L. NAPIER C. JOHNSON H. RAYHAB GODLY PLAY 1 GODLY PLAY 2 GODLY PLAY 3 K. NAPIER JOHNNY ERWIN M. AGEE K. AGEE M. J. HOWLAND JULIE ERWIN V. BEASLEY S. WILKINSON J. SANDERS H. GASPARD M. L. RAYHAB S. SPECTOR B. McELROY C. AVERY L. CHILTON W. McFALLS C. KIRKPATRICK L. KIRKPATRICK K. NAPIER JOHNNY ERWIN M. AGEE K. AGEE M. J. HOWLAND JULIE ERWIN B. McELROY C. AVERY J. SANDERS W. McFALLS M. L. RAYHAB S. SPECTOR 6