St. Anne Episcopal Church
September 2015
THE EPISTLE Time For A Change Of Time
September 2015
A message from The Rev. Phyllis A. Spiegel
new worship schedule for fall.
There is an old maxim in parish ministry that says, “Never change anything the first year after you arrive at a new call.” I’m not sure if that still holds true when members of the congregation are coming to you and saying, “This could use a bit of tweaking.” So even though such a change flies in the face of conventional wisdom, all those who have attended the meetings where this topic has been discussed are in favor of setting a new
The changes are slight, moving Sunday school to 10:00 am and the last service to 11:00 am, but we do realize this affects your plans and your routine, so we want to tell you why this change is taking place. During the parish wide meeting to discuss the Praise service, we received a lot of comments about the often “rushed” feeling at the service. The Worship Committee feels it is vital to give the Praise Service enough time to include critical worship elements such as the Nicene Creed and the Confession and Absolution (see Patty Cargill’s article for a detailed explanation). While we know that we have compelling reasons for making a...
Table of Contents Worship Time (page 2) Rally Day! (page 3) VBS photos (page 4)
Stepping Forward (page 5)
Welcome Beth (page 7)
Men’s Book Group (page 9)
Deadline for Oct Epistle: Sept 20
…Continued on page 2
Happy Birthday! St. Anne celebrated it’s 36th birthday on St. Anne Day on July 26th with a potluck lunch, cake, great fellowship and some of our founding members (who just happened to wear coordinating t-shirts): Jim Moon, Eileen Moon, Ann Wilson, Helen Goethel, Dave Wilson and Jim Goethel. In addition, Rev. Phyllis told us the story of the beginning of our church. Hear it again online at www.saintanne-wc.org / News / Sermons. 1
St. Anne Episcopal Church Continued from page 1...
September 2015
Time For a Change of Time
change please know that we also are aware that this decision affects folks to varying degrees. We welcome your feedback as we make this transition. Bob Pearson, vestry liaison for the Worship Committee, is at the ready to take feedback and to help folks gain understanding for the need for this change. Please speak to either Bob or myself if you have suggestions concerning the change or suggestions for making this shift as smooth as possible for all involved. There is wide consensus that this fifteen minute change to the late service will be extremely valuable to our overall flow of worship and education. The other change that is taking place this fall is to the classes that are offered for our youngest Sunday school students. We will offer one class for 3-year olds through kindergarteners which will be Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. The number of children we have in this lower age range makes having one option a clear choice, and we feel that experiential leaning is highly appropriate for this age group. The first through fifth grade program is going to experience some innovative changes in format, and I encourage families to attend Rally Day to hear about these exciting new ideas.
The grade school children will continue to use Weaving God’s Promises, which offers excellent foundational learning for young Christians. Many people are working to make plans for this fall and are preparing for a great start to our educational year. You will see lots in this newsletter about Rally Day and all of the festivities, but I want to hold up to you that before all of the excitement begins in the education building on September 13, we will first say prayers over all those who will teach this year. So whether or not you have a young one, whether or not you attend adult forum (can’t imagine why you don’t!), please come to Rally Day to pray for and with those who are committing their time and energy to fostering the faith through education. Our church is greatly enriched by those who teach and those who learn. I say, let’s bring on the fall! I can’t wait to see you all at 7:30 am, 9:00 am or 11:00 am. No matter the time, may we worship God with all of our hearts, minds and souls, for this is our spiritual calling. I give thanks for my ministry amongst you and bid you peace, - Phyllis+
Time Change for Worship The new service begins September 20th. Here are the new times: 7:30am 9:00am 11:00am
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Rite I Prayer and Praise Rite II
St. Anne Episcopal Church
Come join us for Sunday School - Rally Day 2015 Start your engines and mark your calendars – Rally Day is September 13th! All students ages three through fifth grade, along with their parents, are invited to “Meet The Teachers” on Sunday, September 13th, during our Annual Rally Day! This special kickoff for the school year is an opportunity for children to visit their classrooms and meet their teachers and classmates. Please come to the Education Building following the 9:30am service to pick up your information packets and share a sweet treat! If you have not registered your children for Sunday School, please do so at your earliest opportunity – classes will begin September 20th! We will have registration forms available on September 13th for your convenience or you may register online at http://www.saintanne-wc.org. Please come to Rally Day and show your support for our 2015/2016 teachers!
September 2015
Save the Date: September 13...
Combined Youth Event All students and advisors from Rite 13, J2A, and YAC are invited to our first Combined Youth Group activity of the year on Sunday, September 13th! Join in the fun as we play a round of mini-golf and get to know each other! This is a great opportunity to get involved in the St. Anne youth groups. Date: Sunday, Sept 13 Time: 3:30pm – 5:30pm Place: Eagle Tee Golf Center, 9200 Cincinnati-Dayton Road, West Chester Cost: $10/person Bring: Snack to share (beverages provided) RSVP: Jenni Kim 513-407-0838 JLK6031@gmail.com
We are currently looking for a few more volunteers to substitute or to serve as an “extra pair of hands” for our younger Children’s Christian Education classrooms. All teaching materials are provided and you may volunteer for ½ or full year. Please contact Cindy Rushton (4784183) or Cindy Null (290-8373) or
Adult Form Starts September 20th Adult Forum is back, with a few new presenters joining our experienced team. We meet in the basement of the Education Building in the Music/Media room 10:00-10:45 every Sunday. Coffee provided! Join us for a fun way to learn something new and meet someone new. Topics for this fall take a look at scripture from different perspectives. We start with three weeks on Paul’s letter to the Romans, then move on to discuss the meaning of Biblical Inerrancy, learn how the books of the Bible were selected or excluded, and review carefully What the Gospels Really Say. See you there! 3
St. Anne Episcopal Church
Looking back….
VBS – Summer 2015
September 2015
What’s New at 9 o’clock? Thanks to everyone who shared their thoughts on the 9:00am service a few weeks ago. Phyllis and the worship team have been working the details of this service for the fall. Still Shorter Here are plans so far: We will certainly retain both the informal style and the praise band music, two important elements of this service. However there are some changes in the works. While the 9:00am will continue to be shorter than the late service, moving the Christian Ed start time from 9:45 to 10:00 will ease the rushed feeling that sometimes bothers us. Adding the Confession and Creed It will also allow us to include the Confession and the Creed, two important elements in our liturgy that we have missed. At times we will hear readings from the Old Testament and Epistles. And you will start to see more variety in forms and formats of the liturgy and music.
Many thanks to all the fabulous volunteers who made this summer’s VBS such a wonderful success! –Rhonda Hamall
Phyllis and the worship team are passionate about their mission of leading worship for our congregation, and look forward to refreshing this service in meaningful ways. If you have ideas, feedback, or questions, please don’t hesitate to contact Bob Pearson, vestry liaison for worship. - Patty Cargill
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St. Anne Episcopal Church
Stepping Forward -Second Tuesday of the Month-
September 8th
September 2015
Update: Backpack Ministry
Second Tuesday of the month means it’s time to roll up your sleeves and help with Stepping Forward on September 8th. This month we need your help with providing Desserts! Fruit! Yogurt! Please bring your donations to the community room before noon on Tuesday. Stepping Forward is a program overseen by The Faith Alliance of West Chester and Liberty Township, a collaborative network of Christian churches who work side by side to serve the needs of our community. This outreach initiative takes place at: Faith Community United Methodist Church, 8230 Cox Road, West Chester. Contact me for more information or to volunteer. -Kathy Tracy katracy1955@yahoo.com Next month: MEATLOAF! Bake a meatloaf to share at the Stepping Forward meal on October 13th. Details to follow!
Thank you so much to everyone who contributed to the Backpack Ministry! On behalf of St. Anne, we collected 44 backpacks (complete with supplies!) and $135 in donations—wow! Overall, the Faith Alliance (13 congregations participating) collected 312 backpacks, plus donations, to support 370 Lakota children – an 80% increase over the 205 children supported in 2014. It is really wonderful to see all of the members of the Faith Alliance come together for the children of our area. Reach Out Lakota is thrilled with this level of support, which goes a long way to assisting the 501 children registered for help this fall. Thanks again for helping a child in need to succeed this back to school season. - Katie and Suzanne Masterson
Mark Your Calendars! Outreach Allocation Committee Join us for the Outreach Allocation Committee meeting on Sunday, September 27th following the 11am service in the Education Building. For more information, contact Kathy Tracy at katracy1955@yahoo.com.
• • • • • • • • •
Sept 8: Stepping Forward Sept 13: Commissioning of Teachers Sept 13: Rally Day for Sunday School Sept 13: Combined Youth Event Sept 20: Regular Schedule Begins Sept 20: First day of Church School Sept 20: Commissioning of Choirs Sept 20: Acolyte Training Sept 20: Men’s Book Group 5
St. Anne Episcopal Church
September 2015
Ministry Spotlight...
Journey To Adulthood Fall of 2015 brings the start of new Journey to Adulthood Youth formation to St. Anne. For families recently arrived to St. Anne and new to the program, The Journey to Adulthood is a comprehensive youth program for students in 6th through 12th grades. If your student has not been involved in Christian Education at St. Anne, now is the time to get started! New students are welcomed and encouraged to participate at any time during the year, but the start of the program year is always the easiest! The Journey experience incorporates much learning and laughter, but it takes our young people seriously and gives them real work to do. It uses Bible study, prayer, rites of passage, outreach ministries, and both serious and playful activities to underscore its key concept that “Manhood and Womanhood are gifts from God, but Adulthood must be earned.” The students are encouraged to connect their faith to all areas of life. It is our hope that this program fosters an environment of wholeness and authenticity and helps teens develop a life-changing relationship with the God who created them. Journey to Adulthood is designed to bring young people into full participation in the life of the congregation so they actually ARE the church of today instead of the church of the future! One of the characteristics that sets our parish apart from others is our visible involvement of teens in the parish. There are three sections of the Journey to Adulthood program: Rite 13, J2A and YAC. Each section of the program lasts for two years and that two-year grouping of teens will stay together until they graduate from high school. This stability of group dynamics helps create safe, sacred space where the group members can learn to trust themselves and each other as they grow in faith. This September, Rite 13 will be made up of our 6th and 7th grade students, J2A will be the 8th and 9th grade members, and the YAC (Young Adults in Church) will consist of our high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors. It takes many adults to offer quality programming to our youth and we have been busy lining up our teams for the next two years. Many thanks to Jenni Kim and Molly Buquo for volunteering to serve as the Coordinators for the Journey to Adulthood Program! The 2015-2017 Advisor Teams currently consist of: •
Rite 13: Nick Kim, Vicki Hamant, Dori Branch, and Steve Noe
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J2A:
Tim Sweeney, Susie Rutkowski, and Tom Thompson
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YAC:
Fay Greear, Angela Webb, Kyle Erven, and Randy Wolfe
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Combined Youth Group Events: Jill and Michael Schiaparelli
•
Journey Coordinators: Jenni Kim and Molly Buquo
We are truly blessed at St. Anne to have the support of the clergy, vestry, and parish, advisors, and parents working together to provide a faith-filled experience for our teens!
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St. Anne Episcopal Church
September 2015
We Want Your Stories! There is so much going on at St. Anne that it is easy for each of us to lose track of all of the great things happening in our congregation. Please send us your memories of moments when St. Anne made a significant, positive impact in the life of an individual or in the community. A few sentences or a paragraph is all it takes! We will then share these stories in the TWASA and other communications so that we can give thanks for our opportunities to serve, and better understand our own potential. Please send your stories to Eric Frischmuth at ericstanne@hotmail.com.
Welcome Beth Gould! We are pleased to announce that Beth Gould has accepted the position of parish secretary here at St. Anne. Beth recently moved to our area so her husband could take the position of administrator at Bethany School. Beth’s background includes having spent six years handling the scheduling for a hospital operating room, getting certified to give hands-on care for Hospice patients, and working for a physical therapist, and running her own online antique business. A mother of three and an Episcopalian, Beth is expected to start around Sept. 8th. Stop by and say hello!
Be a Greeter! Every Sunday, the smiling faces of the greeters stand by the doors of the church to welcome current members and guests to our church. Would you like to join them? It doesn’t take a lot of time, but is so important to our overall goal of being a welcoming church. Contact Frankie for more information. FrankieCroisant@fuse.net
Please join us on September 20th following the 11:00 service, if you are in the 6th - 12th grade and would like to serve at the altar. We are going over new information and will need the experienced acolytes to help with the new servers, so please try and attend whether you are really experienced or a first timer. Questions can be addressed to Molly Buquo, Greg Said, Bill Pearce, or Ron Hakes; however the best source of information is the current acolytes, who do a fabulous job every Sunday! Hope you’ll join us!
Nominating Committee The Vestry recently established a Nominating committee with the goal of securing a slate of candidates for the upcoming election in January, 2016. The committee consists of Jeff Leininger, Jr. Warden and chairperson; Charlie Martin Branch, Senior Warden; Rev. Phyllis Spiegel; Greg Cargill; and Eileen Moon. If you have any suggestions for future vestry members, please contact one of the above committee members. At this time, the committee would also like to inform the congregation that John Richardson has resigned from the Vestry, due to having recently move out of town. The Vestry thanks him for his outstanding contributions of his time and talents to St. Anne. According to the Code of Regulations, The Vestry has appointed Alick Watson to fill the term left by John until the next election in January 2016.
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St. Anne Episcopal Church
September 2015
September 2015
Calendar Please note that 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. www.saintanne-wc.org/calendar
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St. Anne Episcopal Church
September 2015
Men’s Book Group / September 20 For September, the Men’s Book Group has selected Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel. Kirsten Raymonde will never forget the night Arthur Leander, the famous Hollywood actor, had a heart attack on stage during a production of King Lear. That was the night when a devastating flu pandemic arrived in the city, and within weeks, civilization, as we know it came to an end. Years later, Kirsten joins a small group of actors and musicians that have dedicated themselves to keeping the remnants of art and humanity alive. The Men’s Book Group will meet on Sunday,
September 20 at 6pm at Rusty Bucket Restaurant in Mason. All men--of all ages--who enjoy reading and conversation are welcome to join us. For more information, please contact Bill Pearce at labpearce67@gmail.com, or Rob Turley at rsturley@mac.com or Baker Meyer at bakermeyer@mac.com.
About St. Anne Parish Office: 513.779.1139 Email: stanne@fuse.net Website: www.saintanne-wc.org Office Hours: Tues to Fri: 9am-3pm In case of an emergency, contact Rev. Phyllis Spiegel at 513.283.2760
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 513.779.1139 or email us at stanne@fuse.net
The Epistle St. Anne Episcopal Church 6461 Tylersville Road West Chester, OH 45069
Volunteers needed for Whiz Kids! Help a youngster learn to read on Tuesdays from 3:30 – 5:30 in the Education Building. For more information contact Norm Ekberg at freedones@aol.com.