The Archangel July-August 2018 by Saint Michael and All Angels

Archangel JULY-AUGUST 2018

Volume XXXI Number VI

the The Magazine for Saint Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church

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Archangel JULY-AUGUST 2018 Volume XXXI Number VI

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The Archangel Newsletter (USPS 015-033) is published bi-monthly by Saint Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church POSTMASTER: Send Address changes to The Archangel, Saint Michael and All Angels Church, P.O. Box 12385, Dallas,TX 75225-0385

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A MESSAGE FROM THE RECTOR ON VESTRY NOMINATIONS FARMERS MARKET

Saint Michael’s Farmers Market Committee Visits Baugh Farms

WALKING THE CAMINO DE SANTIAGO A Saint Michael Pilgrimage Opportunity

LEON FARMER TRIBUTE A Transcription Of Ann Mills’ Remarks To And About Leon

PROJECT MOSES

On Human Trafficking, Part 2

MUSIC NOTES

The Latest From Music Director Jonathan Ryan

SATURDAY-SUNDAY SUMMER

WORSHIP SCHEDULE

May 27 - August 12 We will begin a new fall season on August 19 Saturday 5:30 p.m. Candlelight Service (SMC) Sunday 7:30 a.m. Rite I Holy Eucharist (SMC) 9 a.m. Rite II Holy Eucharist (Church) No Children's Chapel during the summer 9 a.m. Joy: A Children’s Service (SMC) 11 a.m. Rite I Holy Eucharist (Church) 11 a.m. Contemporary Worship (Parish Hall) 5:30 p.m. Rite I Evening Prayer and Holy Eucharist (SMC)

THE ARCHANGEL | JULY-AUGUST 2018

WHO ARE THOSE PRAYING PEOPLE?

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NEW DIRECTOR OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY MINISTRY

SAINT MICHAEL AND ALL ANGELS FOUNDATION

DEATHS, BIRTHS & GREAT EXPECTATIONS

YOUTH CONFIRMATION

A Recap By Assitant Director Of Youth Ministry Chase Monson

Why Education For Ministry?

Securing The Future Of The Church.

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PENTECOST RECAP

Recapping An Amazing Day!

CLERGY The Rev. Dr. Christopher Girata Rector The Rev. Lisa Flores Musser Associate for Worship and Liturgy The Rev. Greg Pickens Associate for Pastoral Care The Rev. Dr. Eric Liles Associate for Formation The Rev. Mary Lessmann Associate for Spiritual Growth The Rev. Bob Johnston Associate for Contemporary Worship The Rev. Michael Harmuth Priest Associate for Worship The Rev. Dr. Hiltrude Nusser-Telfer Priest Associate for Pastoral Care

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PARISH CALENDAR

Event Listings For July And August

STAFF NEWS

Meeting Our New Staff, And Thanking Those Moving To New Opportunities

UNDERSTAND MORE ABOUT WHO YOU ARE

FATHER BILL ANSWERS THE CALL

An Overview Of The Important Fall Enneagram Course.

A Fond Farewell To Our Vice Rector

IMPORTANT NUMBERS PRIEST ON CALL (214) 232-7512 Main Parish Number (214) 363-5471 Parish FAX (214) 363-4388 Lomo Alto FAX (214) 262-8062 ESD Lower Campus (214) 353-5818 Jubilee Center (214) 887-1364 907 Bank Street Dallas TX 75223 Saint Michael Woman's Exchange (214) 521-3862 SMWX FAX (214) 522-1933 5 highland Park Village Dallas TX 75205 Episcopal Diocese of Dallas (214) 826-8310 Episcopal Diocese FAX (214) 826-5968 1630 N. Garrett Avenue Dallas TX 75206

PARISH STAFF Rob Baber Ross Badgett Katherine Bowen Dianne Boyd Justin Brooks Robert Butler Jill Delabano Lowell Duncan Allie Farmer Rev. Lisa Flores Musser Bonita Frederick Julia Giles Rev. Dr. Christopher D. Girata Steven Haal Patricia Hale-Siedler Rev. Michael Harmuth Dr. Margaret (Meg) Harper Travis Harvey Carol Hicks Diane Hollie Angelia Hunter Clarence (C. J.) Johnson Rev. Robert (Bob) Johnston III Susan Kalen Cheryl Kaschak Elizabeth Keogh Rev. Mary Lessmann Rev. Dr. Eric Liles Chris Love Caroline Marak Amy McMahan Chase Monson Tricia Morris Rev. Dr. Hiltrude Nusser-Telfer Darla Osterhaut Gabrielle Ott Rev. Greg Pickens Edgar Porras Keith Quarterman Owen Reid Marco Reyes Jonathan Ryan Elsa SanJuan Anne Schmidt Dollie Smith Daniel Stanelle Celise Stephenson Tish Visinsky Regan Wallace Lauren Wainwright

Director of Finance Mgr of Electronic Communication Asst. to Pastoral Care Asst. to Liturgy & Worship Director of Contemporary Music Director of Facilities Asst. to CFM & Youth Ministries Director of Legacy Planning Youth Minister for Small Groups & Digital Media Associate for Liturgy & Worship Weekend Receptionist Asst. to Adult Formation & Parish Events Rector Director of Communications Youth Intern Priest Associate for Worship Associate Director of Music & Organist Temp Graphic Design & Production Extended Care Director Receptionist Accountant Sexton Associate for Contemporary Worship Executive Asst. to the Rector Accountant SMES Programs & Church Relations Associate for Spiritual Growth Associate for Formation Bookshop Manager Stewardship Manager Executive Director of SMES Asst. Director of Youth Ministries Director of SMES Priest Associate for Pastoral Care Accountant Asst. Director of CFM Associate for Pastoral Care Sexton Executive Director of Operations Organ Scholar Sexton Director of Music & Organist Sexton Membership Coordinator Sexton Youth Intern Registrar Director of Parish Life Director of CFM Director of Youth Ministries

2018 VESTRY Margaret Spellings Sally Schupp Warren Houser Kathy Kelley Jim Skochdopole Margaret Cervin

Senior Warden Junior Warden Warden-at-Large Treasurer Chancellor Clerk

Bonner Allen, Marla Jacks Briggle, John Ellerman, Jane Greene, Whitney Grogan, Ben Leal, Jay Lipscomb, Kyle Moore, Anna Paccone, Christine Paddock, Elizabeth L. Selzer, and Chris Wiley.

A Message from the Editor

I grew up on the mission field. My father had been in the military, and while in service became a Christian. Upon his discharge, he helped to found, along with some other military buddies, a mission agency that catered specifically to U.S. military overseas. It was as if he was still in the service, as we kept moving every few years: Panama, Philippines and Spain, along with a number of other extended jaunts to what seemed like the entire planet. During our time “across the pond”, our denominational connection was never really more specific than Protestant. When we finally moved stateside, little changed in that regard as we landed in the tiny town of Schroon Lake, NY, a way up north in the beautiful Adirondacks. Then we moved to Chattanooga, TN and everything changed: I awoke to find myself in the midst of Southern Baptist Fundamentalism. The shift was quite jarring, eventually leading to a number of, shall we say, disciplinary moments.... While that period of time was difficult, there came out of it a quite benevolent by-product: a knowledge of scripture. My exposure to holy scripture was daily and tied to everything. Even math and sciences somehow were connected, learning that 2+2=Jesus died for your sins.... We were constantly driven to scripture for study, for scripture memory contests, and for “sword drills” (a competition to see who could be first in finding a certain passage to read aloud.) “Hezekiah” was always a favorite, watching everyone around me looking for a book that I knew didn’t exist! Years later I find that the diet of scripture, though forced, yielded in my mind a bank of encouragement, knowledge, accountability and strength, to name a few. It’s also interesting to me that most of those passages are ready for memory recall, even today. It is primarily for these reasons that I am so excited that we, as a corporate fellowship, engage “God’s Story”, a read-through of the Bible. That our whole parish will join together in this endeavor, increasing our knowledge of scripture and the stories that lay therein, is truly exciting! An introduction to the Saint Michael universe of “God’s Story” can be found on pages 18 & 19. Eric Liles and the Formation team has done a stellar job in crafting for us all a path on which we can read through the Bible. Be sure to read through this information—also listed is the Fall schedule, showing the first half of our year-long journey. The kick-off event is, of course, the 72-hour read-through of the entire Bible! This will be done with your participation. You can read more about it and sign up for your time slot at www.saintmichael.org/GodsStory. In the meantime, have a wonderful July 4th, celebrating our country!

2018 DIOCESAN DELEGATES

Liz Oliphant, Sallie Plummer, Darrel Rice, John McFarland, Tricia Stewart, Kay Whelan, Terry Demler, J.C. Snead Scott Wilson alternates: Susie Ryan, Richard Frazar, John Glass, Ed Blessing, Katherine Blachly, Ross Vick, Heather Lorch, Blair Oden, Jack Rubarth

www.saintmichael.org @smaadallas

A Message from the Rector Being an Episcopalian is a complicated endeavor. As a convert from Roman Catholicism (in my twenties), I know, personally, that other traditions have a simpler, less nuanced way of understanding God’s divine work in the world through Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. For most other Christian traditions, the way one practices discipleship is based on boundaries and expectations that often limit the understanding of God to a particular time and place. But this is less true for Episcopalians, and that can make our way of discipleship harder. Most of us have had the experience of debating an idea of faith with a friend or neighbor who has a clear idea about something based on a line of scripture. How many times have you heard, “Scripture says…,” as a defense of a particular position or ideological opinion? For most Episcopalians, this kind of dialogue or debate ends in one of two ways: either we walk away frustrated at our inability to effectively articulate (or defend) our belief, or we begin to wonder if the other way of thinking is superior to ours. I want us to have a third option. This year, all of us at Saint Michael will learn the story of the Bible. This will not be an in-depth, parsing-each-verse kind of study. Instead, we will step through the story itself so that we all know the difference between Jacob and Joshua or David and Daniel. I want everyone to know the major characters, themes, and sections of the Bible so that we have a solid foundation for the work we will do in the years to come, because we won’t stop with God’s story. Our big vision for all of us is that we have the ability to understand what makes the branch of the Episcopal Church unique in the diverse tree of Christianity. This coming year, we will begin the big journey by rooting ourselves deeply and thoroughly in scripture, so that in the years to follow, we will have the capacity to build a better understanding of who we are as Episcopal Christians. In a global sense, our world is terribly polarized. Christianity has, in many ways, begun to reflect that polarity. It might seem that to be Christian, we must choose sides: either we are fundamentalists or we are relativists. But I believe the Episcopal continued page 30

THE ARCHANGEL | JULY-AUGUST 2018

On Vestry Nominations by Margaret Spellings, Senior Warden

Do you know a fellow parishioner who would be a good candidate to serve on the Vestry or as a Delegate to the annual Diocesan Convention? If so, please nominate him or her to serve. Nominations are open until Friday, August 17. The Parish will elect five new Vestry members and three new Convention Delegates at the Parish Annual Meeting on October 28, 2018. New Vestry members will serve a three-year term beginning January 1, 2019. Newly-elected delegates to the Diocesan Convention will attend the Convention in 2019, 2020 and 2021. Alternates to serve in the place of delegates who cannot attend a convention will also be elected. If the idea of a Vestry is new to you, it is similar to the governing body of a nonprofit company. According to the website of the national Episcopal Church, the vestry is the “legal representative of the parish with regard to all matters pertaining to its corporate property.” It helps define the mission of the congregation, supports the church’s mission “by word and deed”, selects the rector of a church, ensures effective organization, and manages the church’s resources and finances. In recent years, the Vestry helped develop the current Initiatives, in conjunction with a five-year vision for the church. Next year’s Vestry will play an integral role in developing future initiatives and strategic plans. There is a significant time commitment. Our elected delegates will attend the annual Convention of the Diocese of Dallas, which takes place on the first Saturday of November each year. At the Diocesan Convention, delegates elect diocesan officials, hear reports to the convention, approve the budget of the diocese and establish diocesan policy and procedure by considering and voting on resolutions and approving changes to the diocesan constitution and canons. The Parish elects three alternates who will serve if a delegate is unable to attend the convention. The alternates are ranked from first to third alternate, and serve in that order. What makes a good candidate? Our church bylaws include several requirements for service. A Vestry member or delegate must continued page 30

Farmers Market Committee visits Baugh Farms By Marillyn Seeberger

The Saint Michael’s Farmers Market Committee treasures the family farms that bring food to ours and other markets, because we are told that “40 acres of farm and ranch land are lost every hour in the U.S. to urban sprawl and development” [American Farmland Trust (AFT)]. There are many other factors contributing to the shrinking numbers of family farms. The economics of agriculture itself often do not produce an adequate return, yet we all need farms to survive. The AFT logo reads: “NO FARMS, NO FOOD”. With that thought in mind, we urge each of our readers to join in this appreciation of our own farmer vendors who work so hard to bring food to all of our tables. To support that, two of Saint Michael’s Farmers Market committee members recently took the oppor-

tunity to visit one of our farmer vendors, the Baugh Farms near Canton, Texas and were met by Charley, Marci, Baby Marley and Mr.Baugh. These three generations represent the history of many family farms in Texas. John Ellerman reported that during their visit, he and Mike Cohlmia took a tour of the fields where “the Baughs grow the following: peaches, tomatoes, potatoes, squash, melons, beans, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, onions, rhubarb, and any other vegetables I can think of. Mike and I walked into their fields and saw all of these crops in various growth stages”. Well known for their peaches and peach orchards, and their long history of generations of Texas farmers, John reports, “Each week, a large produce dealer comes to Baugh Farms on Thursdays/Fridays and takes delivery of large quantities of peaches and tomatoes which they deliver for the Baughs to restaurants in the Dallas area”. You probably know that chefs from many of Dallas’ fine dining restaurants buy

their fruits and vegetables directly from the farmers. According to John, “The availability of various kinds of vegetables and fruit is dependent upon many factors, including the time of the season, availability of pickers and labor, how damp or dry the weather has been and the size and scope of the farm operation and the Baughs have a big operation”. Our thanks to Mike Cohlmia and John Ellerman for making this visit to Baugh Farms and reporting to us. This is an effort of the Farmers Market Committee to get to know our grower vendors even better and learn how they approach farming and some of the difficulties they encounter in today’s environment. Our intention is to visit the farms of our other grower vendors during this season. We urge you to visit our Saint Michael’s Farmers Market and personally get to know our farmers, ranchers and other food vendors who provide the food we offer and let them know they are appreciated. They will be happy to tell you about the foods you are buying from them. Just ask.

e d o in Wa m a C e l k in g t h

o: g a i t San

ain S A

l Pilgrima e a h c t Mi

The cathedral of St James, Santiago de Compostela, Spain photo courtesy of bikethecamino.com

The modern symbol of the way

Another

beautiful day in northwestern Spain...

...you check your backpack and put on your hiking shoes and begin to walk the trail where you left off yesterday afternoon. And your spiritual —and physical—journey continues. The Camino de Santiago, also known as the Way of St. James, is a pilgrimage across northern Spain culminating at the shrine of Saint James in the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela. Pilgrimage to Santiago began in the 9th century after the discovery of the remains of St. James the Great and has continued ever since. During the medieval period, the pilgrimage was supported by the Roman Catholic church, and church-staffed hospitals arose along the trail a day’s walk apart to serve those on the journey. The scallop shell, commonly found on the nearby Galician shore, has long been the symbol of the Camino de Santiago. Over the years, those who completed the trek would return with a scallop shell as a talisman and proof of their journey. Walking the Camino de Santiago continues to be a popular pilgrimage today. Over two hundred thousand Christian pilgrims and many others set out each year from popular starting points across Europe, to make their way to Santiago de Compostela. Most travel by foot, some by bicycle, and a few travel as some of their medieval counterparts did, on horseback or by donkey. Of all the various Camino routes, the Camino Frances is the most popular. It begins on the French side of the Pyrenees and continues for 780 km to Santiago. Walking this route can take at least six weeks. However, there are many spots – closer and further away - from which you can begin your journey, all concluding at the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela. The Camino de Santiago is a walking retreat – an opportunity to be at one with God and with God’s creation. Saint Michael and All Angels will be walking the Camino de Santiago in September of 2019. This will be our first congre-

gational pilgrimage to the area, but we anticipate it will not be our last. Our inaugural trek will be a women’s pilgrimage led by The Rev. Mary Lessmann and Margaret Spellings. We’ll fly to Madrid and train to Serra, where we’ll begin our walk on September 12. We will cover the last 115 kilometers of the Camino, ending in Santiago de Compostela. Each day for a week we’ll walk anywhere from 9 to 15 miles and will stay in small hotels along the path each evening. We’re able to accommodate a maximum of 15 women on this trip. Those who wish to attend will need to be physically up to the demands of the journey. Our pilgrimage group will train for the Camino in 2019 leading up to our trip in September. If you are interested in making this women’s pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela or have questions, please contact The Rev. Mary Lessmann at mlessmann@saintmichael.org. Dates: Name:

September 12-19, 2019 Ladies Pilgrimage on the Camino de Santiago

Place:

Leaving from Serra, Spain

Cost:

Approx $1,000 plus travel to and from Serra

Description: The Rev. Mary Lessmann and Margaret Spellings will be leading a ladies pilgrimage on the Camino de Santiago in September of 2019. We’ll fly to Madrid, train to Serra, and walk the final 115k of the Camino de Santiago, ending in Santiago de Compostela. We’ll stay in small hotels along the way each evening. Contact:

The Rev. Mary Lessmann mlessmann@saintmichael.org

Read more about Saint Michael’s efforts to provide immersive experiences for members of all ages, page 9

THE ARCHANGEL | JULY-AUGUST 2018

Faith & Literature An Adult Summer Series | 10 a.m. Saint Michael Chapel

July 8

July 15

Everybody Always Lisa Musser

Everything I Never Told You Mary Lessmann

July 29

August 5

The Skin of Our Teeth Tom Blackmon

Night Lauren Wainwright

July 22

The Secret Life of Bees Allison Liles

August 12

Small Great Things Elizabeth Lang

Join us during July and August as we continue with our popular summer series, “Faith & Literature”. This year we will discuss the themes of faith, hope, and love and how they are represented in these remaining books.

www.saintmichael.org/FandL THE ARCHANGEL | JULY-AUGUST 2018

I LOVE TO TRAVEL, and traveling with people I care about is even better. One of the greatest POSTAGE benefits of being in a church community is the STAMP relationships we build over time—I love hearing stories of friends who have been together for decades, or perhaps those who have shared a deep experience together. No matter how it came about, deep relationships help hold a church together, and there isn’t any faster way of deepening new (or old) relationships than taking a trip together! Saint Michael is embarking on new efforts to provide immersive experiences for members of all ages, and you’re invited to join in. Over the next year, you will begin to see the synthesis of all our church trips fall into three distinct categories: mission, pilgrimage, and fellowship. Each trip will have its own flavor and purpose, but fundamentally, the trips will deepen the relationships we have with another. In order to kick off this new push, you will see the details of one particular pilgrimage trip on page 6. Over the coming months, more trips will be available, designed for different groups with a diversity of price points. It is my hope that everyone in the parish, of all ages, will make trips a priority as part of our discipleship. Stay tuned for upcoming opportunities, and if you have ideas for trips we might take in the future, let us know.

JOIN THE CONVERSATION! See you at @smaadallas

a t ran sc r i p t i o n

photo credit Haal Photography

“As you can imagine, this is a hard act to follow. I am just... when they asked me if I would do the goodbye for Leon, I was so overwhelmed. I’d never been asked to do anything, and here I’m asked to say goodbye to somebody who we have loved for these 55 Ann Mills years here at Saint Michael. And I felt like I was giving the Academy Award to the best guy that ever lived and I thought, “What can you say about Leon that hasn’t been said by every one of you in these pews?” So Leon, I had the privilege this week to be with precious Edna. 55 years she’s lived with this man. Give her a round of applause. So Leon, we talked about when you started to work here, and that was… he was just a kid. I mean, he came here and applied for a job as the yard man for Saint Michael’s. He had a lot of experience doing that. His father owned a lawn service, and he taught Leon well. So Leon comes. He’s our yard man. So on the good days, Leon kept all the grounds and on the bad days, when it was bad weather, Leon was inside and he was learning how to take care of everything that a church needs. His first thing that he learned was that you look at people in the eye, and you give them a smile,

and you put your hand out and you give them a handshake. No matter who they are, and no matter what door they come in, they all got the same care from Leon. So Mr. Fisher, our first… wasn’t that our first one, Leon? Yeah, okay. So, Mr. Fisher hired Leon. He was our Business Administrator. He was a tough guy, wasn’t he, Leon? Okay. He was one tough guy, and he taught Leon a lot of things we didn’t even know we needed to know, did we? But we tried to do that. So 40 of these 50-something years, I was on the staff here with Leon. And so, I want to say that Mr. Fisher did a good job. He started out good with Leon. And then about that time comes another Business Administrator, our wonderful Pat Snider. She did a fantastic job here at Saint Michael’s. She taught Leon and me a lot of other things we didn’t know we needed to know but we did, didn’t we Leon? So anyway, his job kind of morphed into a little more. He’s not the yard man anymore. He got all of these new duties along the way. Didn’t know we needed them, did we Leon? So at this point, Leon is waking up at 4:30 in the morning, he’s here at the church by 5:30, he’s opening the doors, he’s turning on the lights, he’s getting the place just perfect for continued page 34 photo credit Haal Photography

THE ARCHANGEL | JULY-AUGUST 2018

P R O J E C T

M O S E S

WHY PROJECT MOSES? “Say therefore to the Israelites, ‘I am the Lord, and I will free you from the burdens of the Egyptians and deliver you from slavery to them. I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgement.’ ” Exodus 6:6 This verse from Exodus and the story of Moses delivering the Israelites from slavery serves as the inspiration for the Project Moses ministry. Human trafficking is modern day slavery and our mission is to aid in the rehabilitation of the survivors of this awful crime. The Project Moses logo shown above was chosen because it represents the areas of focus in our ministry: HANDS Our partnerships with various organizations dedicated to the support of human trafficking survivors. HEART This represents our love and support for those impacted by human trafficking of any kind. CROSS Speaks to our prayers and sharing the Light of Christ with those suffering from the devastating trauma that comes from being victimized. BOOK Our dedication to spreading the awareness and education of human trafficking to our community

WHAT DOES TRAFFICKING LOOK LIKE? Project Moses has been fortunate to have the support of many local and state agencies that work in the field of human trafficking. One of these, Traffic911, works throughout the state of Texas to free youth from human trafficking through prevention, identification, and empowerment. Here are two composite stories of their clients:

THE ARCHANGEL | JULY-AUGUST 2018

“SHILOH” My name is Shiloh and I am 16 years old. When I was 10, my parents divorced and life was never the same after that. I just felt like no one was ever there for me - no one ever paid attention to me. When I was 14, my stepdad started looking at me in ways that made me uncomfortable. I tried talking to my mom about it but she never listened. At 15 I decided to run away from home. That’s when I was first sold for sex—by someone I met on the streets who told me he could take care of me. “JASMINE” My name is Jasmine and I am 18 years old. I was adopted when I was three years old and grew up in a Christian home. When I was 16, I met a guy on Facebook - I liked him a lot! I fell for him pretty hard and one day he suggested we meet up for a date, so I did. He convinced me to stay with him that night and the next day things changed. He turned very violent and told me I had to “prostitute” to make money. I did not have a choice. I have major scars from the times he would slash me with a sword if I didn’t do what he said. Unfortunately, these are but two of the countless stories like this that take place in our communities. To learn more about how you can help “Shiloh” and “Jasmine”, please visit www.saintmichael.org/projectmoses or attend the Project Moses meeting when we convene again on August 8.

MUSIC NOTES What an amazing first year! Before even arriving at Saint Michael last summer, I knew that I would be privileged to work with dedicated, talented people within our music Jonathan Ryan program. But, I Director of Music had no idea we’d & Organist be able to do so much in year one. If you run into choir members, choristers, or chorister parents, I hope you will join me in expressing gratitude for their gift of time, talent, and commitment in beautifying our worship, leading us in prayer, and inspiring our faith! As our music program continues to grow, I’m excited to tell you about what you’ll see on Sundays come this fall. We assembled a new group of choristers, that is boys and girls in grades 3-8, this past program year to rehearse and sing for several services, including in concert with no less than the Men & Boys Choir of Magdalen College, Oxford (UK) and the Girls Choir of Washington National Cathedral. Beginning this fall, they will become an “official” choir, and you will see them at our 9:00 Eucharist in the church every Sunday. Their regular rehearsals and services will not only greatly aid the musical, vocal, personal, and spiritual growth of these young people, their presence and singing will touch our hearts and enrich our prayer. Although we have further to go still, this is a wonderful next step in our chorister program! They will be joined by our staff singers. This is for several reasons. First, we need the lower voices (tenor and bass) to help lead

congregational singing. Second, while they will sing some pieces on their own, our choristers can sing what we call SATB anthems, i.e. pieces written for soprano, alto, tenor, and bass voice parts. That means that the choristers will sing the higher soprano part, and our staff singers will sing the lower three parts - much like an English cathedral or collegiate choir (as we saw with Magdalen College, Oxford on April 8). Third, our staff singers can provide an Offertory anthem when our choristers aren’t present, such as school holidays. After months of discernment and conversation, our adults will unify to one choir and sing at the 11:00 Eucharist every Sunday. This will yield multiple benefits. We’ll have a larger, more stable group on Sunday. The choir will also rehearse on Wednesday night as they will sing on Sunday. Previously, all adults rehearsed together, but sang separately on Sunday, so our singers experienced a completely different group on Sunday than in rehearsal. The greater consistency we’ll have starting this fall will support our adult choir more in their singing and leadership. Lastly, we will continue to make the 11:00 Eucharist a more full choral service with not only an Offertory anthem, but also a Psalm and Communion motet sung by the entire choir. On special occasions, including major feast days, they will continue to sing a choral setting of the Mass Ordinary, e.g. Gloria, Sanctus, Agnus Dei, to highlight the day and more significantly enrich our worship. Perhaps it’s fitting that in the year our parish is embarking upon a study of the entire Bible we begin to offer several choral Offices in the evening. The Divine Office originates from the praying of

the Psalms. It also includes Scripture readings, prayers, and, at the major prayer times, a canticle taken from one of the Gospels. I dare say you couldn’t find a liturgy or a church service more imbued with Scripture than the Divine Office! This is a brilliant way to experience the Bible as prayer in liturgy. I’d suggest that the Divine Office is one of the greatest treasures of Western liturgical Christian traditions, and is one that we as Episcopalians and Anglicans continue to foster almost more than any other denomination. For example, to this day, in most cathedrals in England, and a few select places in this country such as Washington National Cathedral or St. Thomas Church Fifth Avenue in New York City, the choral Office of Evening Prayer, called Evensong, is offered on a daily basis. This hearkens back to monasticism and even various prayer times throughout the day in the time of Jesus. The evening Offices we will begin to offer here at Saint Michael are Evensong and Compline. We will begin to offer Choral Evensong monthly, starting in October. Mark your calendars for October 7 and November 4 for Choral Evensong at 5:30 PM to celebrate the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi and All Saints, respectively. These liturgies will dive deeply into the richness of our Anglican heritage, and offer evening prayer with much choral music and Scripture. In December, in lieu of Evensong, we will offer what I hope is a special annual service of Christmas Lessons & Carols on the Sunday evening prior to Christmas Eve. This year, that’s December 23. More on that soon! Although Evening Prayer, or Evensong, is indeed the Divine Office for the close continued page 31

THE ARCHANGEL | JULY-AUGUST 2018

CONGRATULATIONS CONFIRMANDS! Congratulations to our 2017-2018 Youth Confirmation class! We are so proud they have decided to live out their Christian faith as Episcopalians at Saint Michael and All Angels. During the past ten months, we walked through the following four major topics: the Bible, the Church, our Episcopal Identity, and living out our faith. These topics are just the beginning for our newly confirmed youth. As a church, we look forward to continuing our support of their faith journeys. As followers of Jesus, the most important thing we do is come together regularly for worship. We look forward to welcoming them at our services and encourage them to find a ministry in which to serve. After all, Confirmation is not graduation from church life; it is merely the beginning of your Episcopal life. Continuing to grow in knowledge, love, and understanding of God and God’s calling is essential to our Christian journey. Confirmation class was just the beginning of this process, and now Sunday worship and involvement with our ministry programs will reinforce Christian formation. As

THE ARCHANGEL | JULY-AUGUST 2018

a church family beginning August 26, we will engage “God’s Story,” reading through the Bible together on Sundays at 10 am. There will be separate, age-appropriate classes, but everyone will explore the same chapters each week. This is an opportunity for families to learn and grow together, so join us for this exciting experience. During Confirmation, we wanted to instill the importance of giving back to the church and the community. This was accomplished through two large events: Jingle Bell Mistletoe in December and a literacy fair for Jubilee Park in March. Jingle Bell Mistletoe was started and run by one of Saint Michael’s confirmands and her friends as a way to raise money for the North Texas Food Bank. By selling beautiful mistletoe arrangements throughout December, they were able to reach their goal of $60,000, which will feed 180,000 kids. Preparation for the Literacy Fair began in February as the Confirmation class collected books through a book drive. We are happy to announce that the book drive yielded over 1,200 books, allowing 100+ families each to leave with 15-20 books per household. We are very proud of what this class achieved this year and know that their hard work will have an impact on the community for years to come.

There are some great changes coming for Confirmation classes in the future. We are moving our year-long Youth Confirmation class to 8th grade. This change is a part of a long-term plan to engage more youth in formation opportunities at Saint Michael. Our Sunday formation offering will prepare future Confirmands for our year-long class. During the twoyear absence of our year-long Confirmation class, we plan to offer a six-week Confirmation class each spring for all 8th-12th graders who have not yet been confirmed at Saint Michael. We are eager to start this coming formation year with our newly-confirmed youth. We are thrilled that they have chosen Saint Michael as their home to live out their Christian faith. Please, join with me in welcoming the newest members of the Episcopal community. Blessings,

Chase Monson Assistant Director of Youth Ministry

first was trained to be a mentor of an Education for Ministry seminar in 1979. With the exception of one year when I moved to Texas, I have been a mentor for EfM every year since I started. That is a lot of years, and I have never been bored because of the quality of the educational materials and the contributions of the people who have formed the seminar group. Each year in EfM is stimulating because people bring themselves to the texts we study. There are two class options, if you want to enroll in EfM, one during the day and the other in the evening. I invite participants to bring their personal experiences to our theological discussions. Throughout your Efm journey, I will be a knowledgeable instructor encouraging the disciples of Christ. Consider joining EfM at Saint Michael and All Angels. If you desire “an inquiring and discerning heart . . . a spirit to know and to love God,” (baptismal service), EfM may be right for you. EfM is a theological extension course for adults designed to support them in living into the hopes expressed and vows made at baptism. EfM combines study of Scripture, Christian history, and theology with a focus on ordinary experience in order to discern God’s presence in one’s life. This international program comes from the Episcopal seminary at Sewanee and has become famous for educating laity to see God acting in their lives as well as developing knowledge of the Bible, Church history, a contemporary thought, and theology. Faith, fellowship, and formation are its elements. The leader of an EfM seminar is a mentor trained and accredited by the seminary. FAITH EfM addresses three components of faith. It teaches faith as the dynamic content of Christian tradition through

By Elizabeth Lang

lessons and discussions of the Bible, Christian history, theology, and spirituality. Faith is also relational. Through worship and development of awareness of oneself and one’s sense of God, EfM nurtures the relationship between an individual and God. Faith also is a verb. EfM encourages living out through action the implications and insights of what one learns.

“As my time with EfM draws to a close in the 4th year and reflecting back, I’m amazed at how we have all grown in community, love, acceptance and knowledge! We have studied all together the Old & New Testaments, History of Christianity, and stories from other faiths. Last night I used theological reflection and came up with a solution that would not have been possible without that process!” -Mary Ruth McKenney

FELLOWSHIP As Jesus created a community of followers that continued and expanded in the Christian Church, so EfM cultivates supportive fellowship. EfM classes depend on this sense of community expressed through laughter as well as in-depth discussions. EfM groups depend on mutual respect and affection. Their bonds build trust that encourages people to be honest, ask hard questions, and to love one another even when they disagree.

FORMATION Intellectual development happens but is not the only important growth. EfM is designed to foster spiritual formation. This aspect of the program is rather mysterious. People experience it but cannot explain it. It happens through a disciplined but open-ended process of theological reflection. People become aware of themselves walking together on a spiritual journey. Faith, fellowship, and worship ground the community. Perhaps the best way to hear what EfM is like is to read some comments made by participants this year in one of the two EfM groups at Saint Michael and All Angels: “EFM is an excellent way for people to grow in their faith and ministry. Previously a mentor myself, I highly recommend your participation. Elizabeth does a great job of facilitating our EFM program at Saint Michael.” - The Rev. Dr. Eric J. Liles, Associate for Formation “For me, EFM has been both a flashlight and a highlighter. When I listen to readings or a sermon in church now, I feel more of a connection and awareness to what is being said” - Debbie Fosdick “My two years in EFM have been marked by noticeable spiritual growth and increased biblical knowledge through my connections with the individuals within our group. Our trust and openness with each other is inspirational and keeps me coming back for more.” - Chris McClung “I heard about EfM for years and found the idea intimidating. I’ve completed my first year and have found the experience very satisfying. The classes are inviting, non-threatening, and a great interaction with classmates looking for the same continued page 20

THE ARCHANGEL | JULY-AUGUST 2018

ALL D N A L E ICHA SAINT M FOUNDATION ANGELS uture Of The ChurchThe F -Securing

he Saint Michael and All Angels Foundation of Dallas was established in 1953. The foundation’s mission is to solicit, manage and steward funds to enhance the ministries of the church we love. It exists to encourage and assist the Parish in its religious, charitable and educational initiatives. The Foundation is focused on helping our church grow in many areas of ministry through the gifts and grants that you entrust to it. Your gift becomes a permanent legacy of your love for Saint Michael and All Angels, as only the interest earned on your gift combined with those of others are used for grants to build the mission and ministries of the church.

Giving That Gives Back During the past five years, the Foundation has granted more than $500,000 to support church initiatives, including: • •

•

Saint Michael’s Farmers Market, a community outreach ministry where local farmers, ranchers, and artisans sell directly to our North Dallas neighborhood. Multiple ministry programs to encourage greater involvement by all parishioners through Bible study groups, prayer teams, mission trips, and a host of other activities to enhance Christian formation. Parish Nurse Program, promoting health awareness throughout the church A new playground facility, enhancing the offerings of the Saint Michael Episcopal School (pre-school) and the church’s Children and Family Ministry Financing for the new Courtyard Columbarium The Jubilee Park neighborhood revitalization project that has been recognized throughout Dallas and the national Episcopal Church Educational materials for Godly Play, a program based on Montessori principles that helps children explore their faith through story, to gain religious language and to enhance their spiritual experience through wonder and play.

About The Foundation The Foundation is essential to the vitality, growth, stability and success of our parish. Its grants support the mission of the Parish, consistent with priorities established by the Vestry, the Rector, and individual donors. The Foundation supports special opportunities and challenges for creative ministry and helps meet the non-operational, long range goals of our Parish. Contributions, beyond annual stewardship giving, can be made for designated purposes such as music, outreach, pastoral care, or youth ministry, or can be undesignated and used for programs and projects proposed by the clergy, staff and Vestry.

•

Ways To Give The Foundation uses parishioner gifts made through wills, trusts, insurance policies, retirement plans, and other planned giving to advance the mission of the Church. Every bequest — a specific dollar amount, a percentage of the donor’s total assets, or the residual estate — is a statement of faith and thanksgiving.

The Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation, is governed by a 15-member board of trustees. Five trustees are elected by members of the Parish for six-year terms every two years at the annual meeting. The board oversees a professionally-managed perpetual fund invested for capital growth and preservation. Grants are made only from interest earned on

THE ARCHANGEL | JULY-AUGUST 2018

• • •

the investments. Grant requests are approved by the Church’s Finance Committee and Vestry prior to being submitted to the Foundation.

GRANT THEM ETERNAL REST May the souls of these faithful departed rest in peace. The Rev. Pamela Hillis Theodore May 2, SMAA Clergy; Doug Theodore, Husband Josh Theodore, Son Miles Theodore, Son Parrish Theodore, Son Betty Horne Priddy Walker May 7, Kathryn Francis, Daugther Caroline Walker, Daughter Elliott Walker, Son Ashley Walker, Daughter Dr. Hervey Priddy, Brother Marshall Spencer Thurman May 22 Glenn Thurman, Father Payton Thurman, Sister Twyla Miranda, May 25 Effie Georgas McCullough June 1, Tom McCullough, Husband George William Kline II June 1, Kristin Kline, Wife, Amanda Kline, Daughter, Willie Kline, Son, Luke Kline, Son Forrest Forsdick Lipscomb June 1, Betty Lipscomb, Wife, Dottie Lipscomb, Daughter, Jay Lipscomb, Son, Charles Lipscomb, Son Julia Elizabeth “Judy” Butts June 6, Tom Butts, Husband Jimmy Tobias June 8, Jim Snodgrass, Father Ann Elizabeth Gieb McMurray June 9, Robert McMurray, Son Kenneth James “Ken” Palmer June 23, Pat Palmer, Wife John Dennison McMurray IV June 24, Robert McMurray, Brother

Meet The Trustees Officers Term Expires Charles Sartain, President 2020 Bill Peeler, Treasurer 2020 Trustees Katherine Blachly 2020 Kalita Blessing 2020 Nita Clark 2020 Peggy Carr 2022 Dare Gillette 2022 David Martin 2022 Tamara O’Connor 2022 Stewart Thomas 2022 Harriet Cousins 2024 Larry Galvin 2024 Alan Lassiter 2024 Darrel Rice 2024 Matthew Waller 2024 Ex Officio The Rev. Dr. Christopher Girata, Rector Kathy Kelley, Saint Michael Treasurer Jay Lipscomb, Vestry Representative Lowell Duncan, Director of Legacy Planning

BIRTHS We warmly welcome our newest members recently born into our parish family:

The All Angels Society The All Angels Society was established by the Foundation to commemorate gifts made to the Parish through bequests and other estate planning. Anyone who has remembered this church in his or her will qualifies for membership. As God’s stewards, we build on the foundation left by those who came before us. We, in turn, have the opportunity, with a bequest to Saint Michael, to sustain and enhance our parish ministries and programs for the benefit of future generations. If you have named the church in your will, you are automatically a member of the All Angels Society. REAL-LIFE HELP: Saint Michael Foundation Funds Bible Materials for Children and Family Ministry The children in Saint Michael’s Sunday School will learn Bible stories hands-on this fall thanks to a grant from the Saint Michael and All Angels Foundation. The Foundation at its May meeting approved a request for $12,500 to purchase Godly Play materials for the program.

Campbell Walker Conway May 7, 2018 Sarah and Austin Conway Molly Grace Marak May 17, 2018 Caroline and Trey Marak (Staff ) Molly Elizabeth Johnson June 4, 2018 Will and Colleen Johnson [non-members] Rob and Betty Shiels (parishioners /grandparents) Gene and Susan Johnson (parishioners /great grandparents) Silas Weatherby Worley June 5, 2018 Peggy Carr (parishioner/grandparent)

GREAT EXPECTATIONS! Anne and Matthew Lewis

continued on page 21

THE ARCHANGEL | JULY-AUGUST 2018

GOD’S STORY INTRO

WHAT IS GOD’S STORY? One of the great opportunities we have at Saint Michael this coming program year is everyone reading through the narrative of the Bible, “God’s Story,” together. Each Sunday morning beginning August 26th at 10 a.m., members and guests of all ages will attend an age-appropriate lesson and hear God’s plan of salvation unfold. This is a wonderful way for each of us to deepen our faith, and for families to grow together in their faith and understanding of the Bible. Why read through the Bible as a church?

members will hear from The Story For Little Ones, many of our children will experience the Catechesis/Godly Play lesson, our middle school and high school classes will meet separately to discuss these chapters, and all adults will gather in the Nave for a presentation on the creation stories. Each Sunday will build on the week before, as we explore God’s love for the world as expressed through Holy Scripture. In the event that you are unable to attend an adult class, you’ll be able to watch a recording on our website to catch up. We also plan to have bookmarks available with a printed schedule. On Thursdays at 11 a.m. in the Saint Michael Chapel, we will explore the Bible sections that cannot be a covered on Sundays, such as the non-narrative chapters, books of poetry, and laws.

Don’t we get enough of the Bible on Sundays during worship? While we do engage a significant portion of the Bible through our 3-year lectionary cycle, understanding the overarching themes of God’s love, providence, and plan of salvation are best seen through a narrative reading. Additionally, as individuals we are being invited into a deeper understanding of God, a more profound love for God, God’s creation and each other, and a realized faith lived out in action in the world. According to Madeleine L’Engle, “In the Bible we are constantly being given glimpses of a reality quite different from that taught in school, even in Sunday school. We are all asked to do more than we can do. Every hero and heroine of the Bible does more than he would have thought it possible to do, from Gideon to Esther to Mary” Walking on Water, p. 53. As followers of Jesus, a community read-through of the whole Bible gives us the opportunity to consider how God is calling us as a church, and as individuals to be heroes of faith in our world today.

WHEN ARE THE OPPORTUNITIES TO PARTICIPATE? On August 26th each age group will engage Genesis 1-4 and the two stories of creation. Our youngest

Class audio will be available via the website.

72-HR BIBLE READ-THROUGH We will kick off God’s story with a 72-hour live readthrough of the Bible in the Nave. Beginning at 3 p.m. on Sunday August 19th, as a congregation we will read through the Bible cover-to-cover! We invite individuals and families to sign up for at least one 30-minute shift. A sign-up of this reading and more information can be found at the website shown below. As we approach August 19th, be sure to keep an eye on your email for details about a quick rehearsal on Satur-

www.saintmichael

day the 18th, and details for how to make your reading a successful experience. After completing the read-through we will celebrate God’s story and all of our readers at an evening reception on Wednesday, August 22nd.

A WORD FROM ERIC I hope that you will plan to join us each Sunday, for the 72-hour read-through, for Thursday class, and for the conversations that will come. If you have any questions please let me know. God’s peace,

23 30

MOSES/DELIVERANCE Exodus 1-17 NEW COMMANDMENTS/COVENANT Exodus 19-20, 24-25, 32-34, 40

OCTOBER 7 14 21 28

NUMBERS/WANDERING Number 10-14, 20-21, 25, 27 Deut. 1-9, 29-32, 34 JOSHUA Joshua 1-8, 10-11, 23, 24 A FEW GOOD WOMEN AND MEN Judges 1-8, 13-16 RUTH (and adults Parish Meeting) Ruth 1-4

NOVEMBER 4 11

SAMUEL & SAUL 1 Samuel 1-4, 8-13, 15 DAVID FROM SHEPHERD TO KING 1 Samuel 16-18, 24

THANKSGIVING BREAK 25 DAVID IS SORRY/TRIALS OF A KING 1 Samuel 20, 2 Samuel 5-7, 11-12, 18-19

DECEMBER 2 SOLOMON: THE KING WHO HAD IT ALL 1 Kings 1-11, Proverbs 1-3, 6, 20-21 9 A KINGDOM DIVIDED 1 Kings 12-16 16

NATIVITY PAGEANT

NO CLASS

FALL SCHEDULE AUGUST

Creation Genesis 1-4

SEPTEMBER 2 9 16

THE FLOOD & NOAH’S ARK Genesis 6:5- chapter 9 ABRAHAM Genesis 12-18, 21-22, 32-33, Romans 4, Hebrews 11 JOSEPH Genesis 37-50

l.org/GodsStory

KICKOFF EVENT AUG. 19 72-hour read through the entire Bible GOD’S STORY OFFICIAL RUN August 26, 2018 - May 12, 2019 VIDEO TRAILERS youtube.com/smaadallas QUESTIONS Please email eliles@saintmichael.org or call 214.363.5471

EfM continued from page 15

thing I am, a way to study and expand my faith.” - Mark Demler “Our group ‘has blossomed’ under your gifted mentoring and our care for one another.” - Ruthie Garrett Please contact me, Elizabeth Lang, if you are curious about EfM. We have two options for classes, Tuesday morning 9:30 a.m. - noon and Tuesday evening 6:30-9 p.m. in the Drake Room. CLASSES BEGIN TUESDAY, SEPT. 11. A summary of the information given below may answer your questions and prompt additional ones. EFM OFFERS • Spiritual growth • Ways to discern the presence of God • An experience of Christian community • In-depth study: Bible, church history, theology, and ethics • Theological discussion and reflection • Practical applications of faith COURSE REQUIREMENTS • Weekly class attendance for 9 months • Enrollment for one year at a time (4 year program) • $375.00 Tuition (Partial scholarships available)

INFORMATION & QUESTIONS, Please contact Elizabeth Lang (langelizabeth66@gmail.com) or 972-299-0938.

THE ARCHANGEL | JULY-AUGUST 2018

by Tish Visinsky Come one....come all! And come they did, despite the rain, to celebrate Pentecost and thank our beloved ringmaster, Leon Farmer, for his 55+ years of ministry at Saint Michael. Over 75 members of Leon’s family joined SMAA parishioners of all ages, filling the “big top” to the brim. As the service came to an end, a stilt walking ringmaster led the parade of parishioners out to the circus-themed celebration that took over all hallways and inside spaces. From a fire performer under the chapel circle drive, the cake walk in the South Lanai, pictures with the circus monkey in the theater, a roaming juggler, popcorn and Leon hugs and handshakes in the Parlor, cotton candy and balloon artist in the ESD lobby, carnival games in the ESD library and hallways to a fair food themed lunch catered by Chef DC in the west parking lot porte-cochere—we had fun around every corner. The video thank you messages we collected were graciously compiled by Michael Horvath along with footage from the celebration and presented to Leon on DVD to enjoy during his retirement. A HUGE thank you to the Saint Michael staff and volunteers who quickly jumped in to help relocate our outdoor event indoors when the rain hit early on Sunday morning. Leon Farmer touched each and every one of our lives in a multitude of ways, and our Saint Michael ministries jumped at the chance to show their love and gratitude for Leon by sponsoring these portions of the event: Popcorn - Men Of Saint Michael Cotton Candy - Saint Michael Episcopal School Carnival Games & Activities - Youth Ministry Golf Challenge - The Grogan Family Circus Monkey - Adult Formation Balloon Artist - Women Of Saint Michael Stilt Walker Ringmaster - Stewardship & Legacy Planning Juggler - Prayer Ministry & Knitters Group Fire Performer - Altar Guild & Acolytes Cake Walk - St. Mary’s Guild DJ - The Vestry P.T. Barnum once said, “The noblest art is that of making others happy,” and we cannot think of anyone who made more people happy during his time at Saint Michael and All Angels than Leon Farmer. There are no words worthy enough to celebrate a man who embodies the heart and soul of Saint Michael, so instead, we want to say thank you. Thank you for manifesting the light of Christ each and every day. Your time, your presence, and your sweet spirit have helped to make Saint Michael the church it is today, and we will all be forever indebted to you.

Foundation, con’t. from page 17

GIGI POGLITSCH TO BE SPEAKER AT JULY 12 FAITH AND GRIEF GATHERING We recognize that grief doesn’t take a vacation as we continue to gather for lunch and confidential conversation on the second Thursday of each month throughout the year. Join us on July 12 from noon to 1 p.m. to hear Saint Michael parishioner Gigi Poglitsch share the story of her grief, and then stay to explore how your own faith has intersected with your grief. Make your reservation for lunch at Faith & Grief Ministry, www.FaithandGrief.org, or call 469-251-9612. There is no fee, but your donation is greatly appreciated. The Saint Michael clergy contact is The Rev. Greg Pickens, gpickens@saintmichael.org.

Godly Play is a Montessori-based curriculum that helps children explore their faith through stories, and to enhance their spiritual experience through wonder and play. The grant will allow Children and Family Ministry to buy materials for four Sunday School rooms serving as many as 80 children ranging in age from Pre-K through the 3rd grade. The Rev. Dr. Eric Liles, Associate for Formation, in requesting the grant told the Foundation that the Godly Play materials will complement the plan to teach the whole Bible to all members of the parish next school year. “We need age appropriate and well-established curriculum materials to teach the Old Testament to our children.” Children and Family Ministry already has Godly Play materials covering the New Testament. The materials will be used for decades to come, Dr. Liles said. The Saint Michael and All Angels Foundation, through donations from parishioners’ planned giving, makes grants to encourage and assist the church in its religious, outreach, and educational initiatives.

We want you to be involved in the Foundation! Please contact Lowell Duncan to learn more about the Foundation and the All Angels Society lduncan@saintmichael.org 214.906.6959

THE ARCHANGEL | JULY-AUGUST 2018

Who Are Those Praying People? by Maria D’Antoni

Who are those people? Why do they do what they do? You know the ones I’m talking about, the people who hang out in the little chapel off of the narthex of the main sanctuary waiting to pray with parishioners. The people who pray with individuals behind the screen in the 11 a.m. Sunday service in the Parish Hall. The people who meet on a regular basis to study, listen and to pray together, out loud!

photo courtesy of soulshepherding.org

1 John 5:14: This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. Jeremiah 29:12: Then you will call on me and come and pray to me and I will listen to you.

Where did they come from? Why do they do what they do? Well, we are not aliens and we are not holy men. We are parishioners, regular men and women, just like you, who over a decade ago heard the whisper of the Holy Spirit. That whisper lead to the inception of the Sunday Morning Prayer Ministry. While some of us may be counselors or therapists that is not the capacity in which we serve at Saint Michael and All Angels. We are just vessels who responded by listening and hearing the summons to pray for our church, to pray for each and every member and to pray for our clergy. Prayer is just talking and listening to God and we come together for conservation with the Divine. Close to fifteen years ago, an original group of about ten started meeting to train, read and study about prayer. Over time the focus of our meetings changed to learning about prayer through the inspired wisdom of our clergy and noted speakers. As the group grew in size it became a community of prayer, committed to the necessity and security of confidentiality. The community of the SMAA prayer ministry is a microcosm of the larger church bonded to each other through prayer. Together and with the parishioners with whom we pray we have shared joy and pain, success and failure, health and sickness, birth and death. Prayer gives a spiritual covering to these events. It seeks to elicit the Spirit’s direction in all the doing of LIFE. We’ve witnessed prayers answered and at times the answer has been no. While this is at the time disappointing it is not defeating. We know the Lord knows our desires before we ask and only works to an end that is best. We support each other in the no’s and celebrate the yes’s. We are confident that all our prayers have been heard. We stand on biblical assurance.

One of our answered prayers was the arrival of Chris Girata as our new rector. The prayer ministry kept a prayer journal in the Bishop Moore Chapel where members con’t next page THE ARCHANGEL | JULY-AUGUST 2018

of the prayer team left prayers and notes of encouragement for the Rector Search Committee. Almost daily during that process someone could be found praying for this process in the chapel. The Episcopal Church has a rich heritage of prayer. This past January we were blessed to have the late Rev. Pamela Theodore share her passion for our own Book of Common Prayer. Pamela was a great supporter of our work and often offered us direction. By her encouragement and through the input of team members the Prayer Ministry’s monthly meetings will move to a new format this year. The move is to praying more! We will continue to meet on the third Thursday of the month. The new format will have speakers or special programs only on alternating months. The other months we will meet to pray. The non-speaker evenings will start with the service of Evening Prayer in the Bishop Moore Chapel. Evening Prayer will be followed by a time of intercessory prayer. If you have special prayer needs this will be an anointed time to come and let us pray for/with you. Again, this is always done with utmost confidentiality. Saint Michael and All Angels is a praying church! Each one of us prays! Sometimes we do it cooperatively and sometimes we do it alone. The prayer ministry extends an invitation to anyone drawn to prayer for others to join our group. Sometime people feel the call but not the confidence. One comment we often hear from people who are curious about our group is, “I don’t know how to pray with people”. While we train and practice to do this we are convinced that the Holy Spirit does the praying. If we open our hearts and our mouths, the Spirit does the heavy lifting. Please prayerfully consider joining us as we seek to communicate more fully with our Lord. Matthew 7:7 “Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you.”

NEW DIRECTOR OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY MINISTRY INTRODUCTION Hi everyone! I am very excited to join the staff of Saint Michael and All Angels as the Director of Children and Family Ministry. After four years in North Carolina attending Queens University of Charlotte, I am thrilled to be able to return to Dallas and to Saint Michael where I grew up attending the incredible children and youth events hosted by the church. In addition to the opportunity to build on the established programs, I am hopeful and enthusiastic about the direction of the Children and Family Ministry department and look forward to the new program year as we begin God’s Story! Do not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or concerns or would just like to chat! I can be reached by phone, 214-692-3052, or via email, rwallace@saintmichael.org. I look forward to meeting as many of you as I can! Blessings,

Regan Wallace

GOD’S STORY TEACHER RECRUITMENT 10 Volunteers Needed! The Children and Family Ministry would like YOU to volunteer to teach Sunday School! Help to enrich the religious lives of our children. Our programs would not be the same without our committed volunteers! As we move into God’s Story, those who do wish to teach Sunday School are highly encouraged to attend a weekend training session (schedule listed below) held at First United Methodist Church in Garland. The training will allow teachers to familiarize themselves with new material and prepare them for teaching the material throughout the year. GOD’S STORY TRAINING SCHEDULE: Friday, August 10, 1p.m. - 8:30 p.m. Saturday, August 11, 8:30am - 5 p.m. Sunday, August 12, Noon - 4:30 p.m. Don’t miss this opportunity to receive training in this exciting new curriculum—we are so lucky that it is offered so close to home! If you would like to volunteer, attend the training, or have any questions, contact Regan Wallace at rwallace@saintmichael.org, or Gabrielle Ott, Assistant Director of Children and Family Ministry, gott@saintmichael.org SUNDAY SCHOOL REGISTRATION REMINDER Be on the lookout for Sunday School registration, coming to you very soon! We cannot wait to start the new program year with God’s Story!

THE ARCHANGEL | JULY-AUGUST 2018

JULY-AUGUST PARISH EVENTS for a full listing of all events, visit www.saintmichael.org

Mondays, July 9-August 15

FACEBOOK LIVE SUMMER YOUTH BIBLE STUDY 5 p.m. at facebook.com/smaayouth All youth 6th-12th grades are invited See add page 9

Mon, July 16 - Thur July 19

SMES SUMMER CAMP “IT’S A BUG’S LIFE”

July 16-20

SKY RANCH LAUNCH CAMP ON CAMPUS

Thursday, July 19

Tuesday, July 10, 2018

PROJECT MOSES COOKING Parish Hall RSVP to saintmichael.org/projectmoses

DAUGHTERS OF ABRAHAM EVENT 7 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. “Creation Stories from our Faiths” At Temple Emanu-El

Thursday, July 12

Wed, July 18 - Thur July 26

FAITH & GRIEF GATHERING Noon to 1 p.m. RSVP at www.FaithandGrief.org, or call 469-251-9612. Join us for lunch— there is no fee, but your donation is greatly appreciated. The Saint Michael clergy contact is The Rev. Greg Pickens, gpickens@saintmichael.org. More info on page 21

YOUTH ALASKA MISSION TRIP

Sunday, July 15

AQUARIUM TRIP ALL YOUTH 6-12TH GRADES We will meet at the church at 12:15 p.m.,

BAPTISMS 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. services

Mon, July 23 - Thur July 26

SMES SUMMER CAMP “KIDOKINETICS”

Thursday, August 9

FAITH & GRIEF GATHERING Noon to 1 p.m. More info on page 21

Sunday, August 12

eat lunch together, and then head to the aquarium. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased at www.saintmichael.org/youth

August 17-19

MIDDLE SCHOOL (6TH-8TH) SUMMER RETREAT: “SALT & LIGHT” Camp Allen Cost: $200.00 Sign up: www.saintmichael.com/youth Activities we will have at the retreat: nature ikes, daily pool time, low or high ropes (depends on staff at camp), lake activities including canoeing, kayaking and more!

Sunday, August 19

GOD’S STORY KICKOFF EVENT 72-hr Read Through The Bible! Be a part of God’s Story kick-off at our 72hour Bible read beginning Sunday, August 19 at 3 p.m. Pick your time slot at www.saintmichael.org/GodsStory

PARENTS OF 5TH-8TH GRADERS:

Be sure to save the date for this important class

“HEALTHY AND HOLY SEXUALITY FOR PRE-TEENS” September 23, 30, October 7, 14 4:30-6 p.m. This is a 4-week class for parents and their 5th-8th grade children to talk about sex. The parent class will be led by Dr. Kathleen Fisher. Info session for parents will be offered on Sunday, September 16th at 12:15 p.m. in the Youth Center. For questions, please contact Regan Wallace, rwallace@saintmichael.org or Lauren Wainwright, lwainwright@saintmichael.org. Stay tuned for registration and more class details!

FALL KICK OFF RECEPTION Back to school reception 10 a.m.-11 a.m. BACKPACK BLESSINGS During the 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. services

August 24-25

ALL YOUTH (6TH-12TH) FALL KICKOFF Lock-in at Summit Rock Climbing 9201 Forest Lane Suite 200 Dallas, Texas 75243 $40 | All youth need to eat before they come to the lock-in but snacks will be provided throughout the night

Sunday, August 26

SUNDAY SCHOOL RESUMES GODâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S STORY OFFICIAL START See info spread on pages 18-19

Wednesday, August 29

PARENT & YOUTH OPEN HOUSE 6:30-8 p.m. Youth Center Youth and parents are invited to come

learn about plans for the year, meet the leaders, and sign up to volunteer. Stop by any time between 6:30 pm and 8 pm for food and fellowship. COMING IN SEPTEMBER Here are a few important events coming up:

Tuesdays: Sept 11- Dece 4

FALL ENNEAGRAM CLASS 6:30 to 8 p.m. Coke Activities Room $20 for class workbook Contact The Rev. Mary Lessmann with any questions at mlessmann@saintmichael.org See article page 28

Join us for a lively and fun luncheon led by Rector Chris Girata and The Rev. Mary Lessmann. If you are new to Saint Michael or just visiting and want to learn more about membership, then this luncheon is for you! Come meet members of our Clergy and Vestry, and hear all about our many ministries, opportunities for involvement, and the exciting future of our parish. Lunch is served and free childcare is provided with pre-registration. For more information or to register contact Anne Schmidt at aschmidt@saintmichael.org

Sunday, September 23

SAINT MICHAEL 101 12:15-1:30 p.m. in the Parlor. Want to know more about becoming a member of Saint Michael and All Angels? THE ARCHANGEL | JULY-AUGUST 2018

SAINT MICHAEL STAFF NEWS

and we are excited for her to continue on in this new role beginning on July 9.” -Lauren Wainwright

ROBERT BUTLER Director of Facilities

DR. MARGARET HARPER Associate Director of Music & Organist

Robert Butler has joined our staff as Director of Facilities. Robert has two decades of experience in this area and, most recently, oversaw the facility needs for all 28 Planned Parenthood clinics in North Texas. Robert and his wife, Lucinda, have a daughter, Brandon Nicole, and two sons, Caleb and Devan. When not helping work out our logistics at Saint Michael, Robert enjoys cooking, exercising, and deep-sea fishing.

Organist Margaret Harper has performed across the U.S., Europe, and Asia. Croatian newspaper Glas Slavonije writes, “The freezing cold of a January evening dominated the cathedral in Djakovo, but it could not diminish the richness and warmth of sound brought out of the cathedral organ by Margaret Harper.” Margaret has performed solo recitals at such venues as Harvard University, the Cathedral of St. John the Divine (NYC), and St. Paul Cathedral (Pittsburgh).

ALLIE FARMER Youth Minister for Small Groups and Digital Media Allie Farmer graduated from the University of North Texas this past May with a BA in Media Arts. She grew up in Lubbock, but currently lives in Denton. She grew up going to Episcopal church camp, Camp Quarterman, with the Diocese of Northwest Texas, and has spent time the last two summers working as a counselor there. After volunteering on the Bolivia mission trip in summer 2017, she was hired on as a youth intern here at Saint Michael and All Angels. She spends her time working on her photography, reading, and spending time with her dog Comet. “We are thrilled Allie will be joining us in a new capacity on the youth ministry staff working as one of our youth ministers focusing on our small group ministries and digital communications. Since serving as one of our youth interns she has developed many wonderful relationships with our youth

For the past four years, Margaret served as the Director of Music and Liturgy at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Portsmouth, NH. In her time at St. John’s, Margaret oversaw a dramatic expansion of all aspects of the church’s music program. Under her direction, the church developed The Choir School at St. John’s, an after-school RSCM-based music program aimed at low-income youth. In its first three years, the Choir School has received several significant accolades, including the opportunity to premiere a newly commissioned work at the prestigious Newburyport Chamber Music Festival and an invitation to serve in residency at Bristol Cathedral in England. In addition to her work at St. John’s, Margaret has also served as Artist Faculty in Organ at the University of Southern Maine, on the faculty and board of the Young Organist Collaborative, and as a secondary instructor of organ at the Eastman School of Music. She has presented papers at national and regional conferences of organizations including the American Bach Society and the American Guild of Organists.

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Margaret holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree and a Performer’s Certificate from the Eastman School of Music. Her primary teachers include William Porter, David Higgs, Michel Bouvard, Edoardo Bellotti, and Edward Zimmerman. AMY MCMAHAN Executive Director of Saint Michael Episcopal School Amy McMahan has agreed to become our new interim Head of School effective with school year 2018/2019. We are remarkably fortunate to have an early childhood educator of Amy’s caliber on staff and ready to continue the mission of our school. Although Katie Riley will be sorely missed, the board has full confidence in Amy as I know each of you that have worked with her also have. Please feel free to reach out to me or any member of the board or to Amy with any questions or concerns. The care and education of each child that enters our school has been and always will be the first and foremost concern of our wonderful school and its staff including Katie and now Amy. Join me in wishing her the best and offering our full support. Amy graduated from The University of Texas at Austin in 2002 with a Bachelor of Science in Applied Learning and Development with a specialization in Early Childhood education. Over the past 16 years she has been involved in education as a teacher, professional development trainer, and curriculum and assessment specialist. She spent the beginning of her career in the classroom including at Good Shepherd Episcopal School. In 2008, she left the classroom to train teachers in the Everyday Math program across the country. In 2012, she stepped back from this role to focus on her family and raise her young children, Maddie (8) and Lewis (5). Starting in 2013, she began assisting Saint Michael Episcopal School in building our curriculum. Her responsibilities have expanded to assess-

ments, evaluations and completing the self-study required for accreditation.

REGAN WALLACE Director of Children & Family Ministries

GLENN STROH Interim Director of Music

As Amy steps into her new role at SMES, she is excited about continuing to lead the school on the already excellent path that Katie Riley has set forth. She looks forward to supporting the teachers and staff in this new role, working with parents as they begin their children’s educational path, and helping grow the vision of SMES.

After a four-month national search, we found the best candidate close to home! Regan Wallace, who grew up in our own Formation programs, began her ministry with us on Monday, May 21.

OWEN REID Organ Scholar

Regan returns to Saint Michael after four years of study and successful completion of her Bachelor of Arts (BA) focused in Communications with a minor in Marketing, at Queens University of Charlotte. Highly dedicated with lots of energy and excitement, Regan is a great fit for our Formation team. She brings with her a personal knowledge of the history of Children and Family Ministry at Saint Michael as well as many connections to our families.

We are also saying farewell to Glenn Stroh, who served as Interim Director of Music and, for the 2017-2018 year, as Interim Assistant Director of Music. He has decided to focus on his full-time work at St. Mark’s School, and step away from his church work here at Saint Michael. We are profoundly grateful to Glenn for his excellent and important work at Saint Michael. His role in helping this music program to grow, including the reestablishment of our chorister program, has been invaluable. He will be missed!

Owen Phillip Reid, born and raised in western Oklahoma, will begin organ studies in the Fall at SMU with professor Stefan Engels. He is currently finishing his Master of Music degree from Cambridge University (St. John’s College) where he worked with conductors Stephen Layton, Graham Ross, Geoffrey Webber, Sarah MacDonald and Timothy Brown. In Cambridge he served as graduate organ scholar of St. Catharine’s College, working with the mixed-voice choir as well as the St. Catharine’s girls choir (the first such choir for school-aged girls in a Cambridge college) under director of music Dr. Edward Wickham. The year saw choir tours to Singapore, Northern Italy and London. In 2017, Owen received the Bachelor of Music and Musical-Arts degree from the Eastman School of Music in Rochester New York where he studied in the organ studio of Nathan Laube as well as harpsichord and improvisation with Edoardo Bellotti.

“Some of my fondest Saint Michael memories are from attending VBS and the incredible children’s programs. Being able to create and develop programs that impact the next generation of children is going to be the most rewarding aspect of this position,” said Regan. Gabrielle Ott, who has faithfully served as our Interim Director of Children and Family Ministry will continue as our part-time Assistant Director of Children and Family Ministry. Gabrielle notes, “It has been a privilege to hold this position for the past year and I’m looking forward to working with Regan. Our program will benefit from her fresh energy and love of the Saint Michael community!” Gabrielle will work with Regan as she settles in and learns the ropes of Children and Family Ministry. Together, Regan and Gabrielle will recruit and train volunteers as we add Godly Play to our Catechesis program in order to best present God’s Story.

About his time here at St. Michael, Glenn says, “Since arriving to serve Saint Michael and All Angels in my interim role last April, I have been richly blessed through your friendship, grace, dedication, and contributions of time and talent during our shared ministry in this special place. My heart is heavy thinking of leaving to focus on my role at St. Mark’s School, but I could not be more excited for the possibilities ahead for the church under the fantastic leadership of Meg and Jonathan. I look forward to amazing things to come from the SMAA choir and choristers, and will think of and pray for you often.” -Jonathan Ryan REV. RICHARD TOWERS Associate for Student Ministries SMU The Rev. Rich Towers, Priest Associate for Student Ministries at Saint Michael and Chaplain to the Lower School of the Episcopal School of Dallas, has announced that he will begin a new role this fall as Chaplain at Trinity Preparatory School in Winter Park, Florida. We are so grateful for his three years of ministry among us and wish him all God’s blessings as he begins a new chapter in his ministry!

UNDERSTAND MORE ABOUT WHO YOU ARE ABOUT THE FALL ENNEAGRAM COURSE Rev. Mary Lessmann In our Christian walk we strive to know and love God, our neighbor and ourselves. The Enneagram is a personality assessment tool that helps us to learn more about ourselves so that we might learn more about how we are in relationship with God and with the people most important to us. In learning the Ennea-

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spiritual work that is ours to do. The Enneagram has ancient roots. The Christian Desert Fathers and Mothers defined the nine personality types as early as the third century and used the system for spiritual direction and growth. In the modern era, the Jesuits rediscovered the Enneagram and continue its use in spiritual formation. Mary Ann Webster and The Rev. Mary Lessmann will facilitate this class which will utilize the DVD curriculum of Suzanne Stabile, an internationally recognized Enneagram master and a very entertaining presenter.

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PLAN TO ATTEND September 11 - December 4 We will meet in the Coke Room for twelve weekly sessions beginning Tuesday, September 11 and continuing through December 4 (with a break November 22 for Thanksgiving). Classes will meet from 6:30 to 8:00pm. Registration is required. There will be a small fee for the class workbook, but scholarships are available. If you would like to register for this offering or have questions, please contact The Rev. Mary Lessmann at mlessmann@saintmichael.org.

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FATHER BILL ANSWERS THE CALL

BECOMES EIGHTH RECTOR OF HOLY INNOCENTS IN ATLANTA, GA

Wednesday, May 2, 2018 Feast of Athanasius, Bishop of Alexandria My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, I thank God regularly for your support, prayers, and love. For four years we have worked together to grow and renew Saint Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church. Jessie and I brought our family to grow and flourish with you and we have. Together we started a process of rebuilding the youth program, the children and family ministry programs, and mission and outreach. We managed to triple Sunday school attendance, effectively work toward accreditation for the Saint Michael Episcopal School, and establish that program as a growing and thriving school with a wait list that is almost 50% of enrolled students. God has poured out his blessings upon us in more ways than we can count or imagine. Therefore, it is with truly mixed emotions that I am announcing that Jessie, Mose, Abe and I will be leaving you all soon. After much reflection, discussion, prayer, and discernment, I have accepted the call to be the eighth Rector of Holy Innocents Episcopal Church in Atlanta, Georgia. Jessie and I are excited about the possibilities of this ministry yet are heartbroken that our paths must now diverge. Our last Sunday with you will be June 3, 2018. While our time together is now limited, Jessie, Mose, Abe and I plan to be fully present. I will continue to pray with, minister to, and care for the people of this parish up until our last day with you. Though we will be parted one from another soon, I take great comfort in the fact that we will be forever connected through the love of God and the grace of Jesus Christ in the fellowship of the Holy Spirit. Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s blessings upon you all,

The Rev. Dr. Bill Murray Vice Rector Saint Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church

THE ARCHANGEL | JULY-AUGUST 2018

Rector, continued from page 4

Vestry Nominations, continued from page 4

Church represents a brilliant, faithful third way that the world desperately needs.

be over 18 years of age, be baptized and confirmed into the Episcopal Church, have received communion at least three times during the preceding year, be faithful at worship, and have made a financial contribution to the church in the preceding year.

Last month, we saw an eruption of arguments after some of our leaders used a passage of scripture to defend a civil law. That was immediately followed by other leaders casually referring to “what the Bible says” in a national press conference. When people use small pieces of scripture as a weapon to make highly specific arguments, I want us to be confident in our ability to respond with deep thoughtfulness. Saint Michael is often described as a “big tent.” This idea of having space for everyone is generous and loving, but I bet most of us can’t articulate a theological purpose for being a big tent. I don’t simply want to be a big tent because it sounds good, but rather, I want us to be a big tent because we live into an incredibly deep, Episcopal theology. We believe in the cosmic truth that God created this vast universe and yet loves each one of us uniquely. We preach the truth that our human frailty and imperfections can be redeemed through the saving grace of Jesus Christ. And we live with the confidence that the Holy Spirit continues to reveal God’s deepest truths through the world around us, especially through our relationships with one another. These truths are not cut-and-dried, not black and white, but instead that are complex, nuanced, and dynamic. Every generation, indeed every person, is called to wrestle with these truths in the light of each new day, seeking to discern how they impact the world. This year, as we travel the path of God’s Story together, we will certainly find new ideas and new pieces of scripture that will enlighten and inspire us. I want you to commit to the journey because it will be worth every lesson. Just remember, the goal of knowing the Bible is not for the knowledge itself. The goal of knowing the Bible is so that we can choose how to live, how to shine light in the darkness, and how to bring about God’s kingdom on earth. May God bless us all this year, and may God continue to inspire us to grow as disciples of Jesus in the years to come!

Candidates must also be able to fulfill the requirements of the office. Candidates for Vestry serve a three-year term, attend monthly meetings and at least one weekend retreat, serve as a liaison to at least one other church committee or ministry group, attend church and church events on a regular basis, and support the annual stewardship campaign. Delegates to the Diocesan Convention must be willing to attend the Diocesan Convention for three consecutive years, prepare for the convention, and attend meetings before and after the convention with other delegates and church leaders. Service on the Vestry and as a delegate requires sound judgment, familiarity with Saint Michael and its parishioners, and a willingness to spend time in service to the church. As the Nominating Committee considers candidates for its slate of nominees, it will take into account the qualifications, skills, and past experience of the nominees; skills and other expertise needed on the Vestry or at the convention; the current mix of expertise and experience on the Vestry or among the convention delegates, and other needs of the Vestry, the church and/ or the diocese. The Nominating Committee will make its recommendations to the Vestry in September. The slate of nominees approved by the Vestry will be announced to the parish in mid-September. As mentioned above, the parish will vote on the nominees at its annual meeting on October 28, 2018. The Nominating Committee needs your help to select our new leaders! If you know a great candidate for Vestry or for delegate, please get a nomination form on the church’s website, or from our church receptionist. All nominations must be received by Friday, August 17, 2018.

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Music, continued from page 13

of the day, it is not the last Office of the day. That’s Compline – coming from the Latin completorium, from which we have our word “complete.” This past fall we began a campus ministry at SMU with Sunday evening Compline. We also founded a new Compline Choir to sing for that liturgy. Some of you attended that liturgy last program year and found it profoundly moving. I’m thrilled that Sunday evening Compline will continue here at Saint Michael. Starting in late September, we’ll conclude our Sunday worship offerings at 8:00 PM with this brief, meditative service. Like Evensong, it is rich in Scripture and music. Unlike Evensong, which features big choral and organ music, our way of offering Compline is unaccompanied, musically centering around Gregorian chant with choral polyphony primarily from the Renaissance, with light coming almost exclusively from candles. This particular liturgical aesthetic is aimed at concluding our weekend with reflection, calm, and peace. It’s the perfect prayer time before bed! The Divine Office has special outreach possibilities. As the service is taken almost entirely from Scripture and there is nothing sacramental, it has strong ecumenical possibilities. I hope you will join me in inviting friends, family and colleagues to these evening Divine Office services this coming program year! I’m also very excited to make two announcements of new music staff (bios are on pages 26-27)! Dr. Meg Harper will begin as Associate Director of Music and Organist this fall. Meg was instantly liked by all who encountered her in her interview/audition here, and impressed us from the beginning with her exceptional credentials and background. She comes to us having most recently served as Director of Music and Liturgy at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Ports-

mouth, NH. During her four years at the State’s largest Episcopal church, her remarkable accomplishments include founding the Choir School, including the Choir School Board, at St. John’s. This Choir School is an after-school chorister program based on the Royal School of Church Music that brought many new children, especially under-privileged children, to that church. Her experience also includes initiating Choral Evensong and an annual All Souls Requiem at St. John’s, teaching as faculty at the University of Southern Maine, and serving as choir director/organist in Episcopal services at the Lake Delaware Boys Camp. She holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Organ from the Eastman School of Music, and graduated summa cum laude with a BM in Organ from the College Conservatory of Music at Wheaton College. About coming to Saint Michael, Meg says, “I am thrilled to join the music staff at Saint Michael and All Angels this coming Fall. The interview and audition process impressed on me what an energized and dedicated group of people make up this program, and I am honored to be able to join Jonathan in building toward the future. My husband Michael and I are looking forward to settling in Dallas with our dog Tabitha and our cat Attila. We are also looking forward to being closer to my parents, who live in San Antonio. I am excited to get to know all of you and to make music together!”

Music degree in Organ Performance and Literature from the Eastman School of Music. He is currently finishing a Master of Music in Choral Conducting at the University of Cambridge (UK), St. John’s College, where he has worked with some of the most renowned English choral conductors. While in Cambridge, he also served as Graduate Organ Scholar at St. Catherine’s College where his experience includes working with the only schoolaged girls choir in a Cambridge college. This fall, he will begin a Master of Music degree in Organ at Southern Methodist University. I’d like to thank our wonderful Associate Director of Music Search Committee for their dedication, wisdom, and time during the search process: Wendy Finley (coordinator), Eleanor Wroath, Arnold Spencer, and Rev. Lisa Musser.

Jonathan Ryan

Additionally, joining us for the upcoming program year is Owen Reid, who will serve in a new role called Organ Scholar. Taking its name from parallel positions in English collegiate chapels, Organ Scholar is a part-time appointment for the program year designed to go hand-in-hand with a degree program. As Organ Scholar at Saint Michael, Owen will assist in organ playing, conducting, working with our choirs, and helping us realize our music program’s continued growth. A native of Oklahoma, Owen earned a Bachelor of THE ARCHANGEL | JULY-AUGUST 2018

ITâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S MY PARISH! 32

THE ARCHANGEL | JULY-AUGUST 2018

Photos credit: Ray Hand Pictures, Smokey Goodrich, David Boldrick & Haal Photography

“Leon’s Tribute” con’t. from page 11

every one of you. Then he’s seeing that the 7 a.m. service is all set and ready to go. Then he’s helping to make sure that the Altar Guild has everything they need. Then he’s making the coffee. Then he’s getting the water out. Then he’s setting up all those stations. Then he’s going around the church making sure everything is exactly like it should be. And that’s what he’s done for all of us all of these years. And then, all of a sudden, it’s 8 or 9 o’clock and the phones start ringing. Well, the phones ring of course for our priests. Tell them what a good job they did on Sunday morning, always. And then, all of a sudden, it’s, “We need Leon.” “May I speak to Leon?” “I need to talk to Leon.” “We like those priests up there, but... I need to talk to Leon.” So, Leon is coming around the corner, and he’s being asked to come over and mop up a spill over in the hallway over by the Activities Room, and he says, “Sure, I’ll take care of that.” And then the next thing we know, there’s another call: “I need Leon. My battery doesn’t work on my car.” There goes Leon. Then the next thing you know, the temperature is not quite right. Well, they don’t want to tell the priests this. They want to tell Leon. And then the next thing we know, there’s a funeral service and, when I was here, the first one I wanted to talk to after the family was, of course, Leon. So, Leon, look at those people out there. They—every one—adore you just like I do. This brings to mind some stories, Leon.

until the phone’s ringing. They go, “Mrs. McIntyre, I thought we should tell you, there’s no school today.” Janie was horrified. She zips in the car, and right back up here, and pulling through, who is sitting on the steps telling a story to Holly? Leon. And it reminds me of the 40 years I was here and raising my sons Clay and Marshall. They loved trotting behind Leon, doing everything he was doing while I was working. They loved him. And I think all the generations here have loved Leon. And Leon, I remember when Marshall went off to TCU. The only family picture he wanted to take with him was... Leon.

Y’all, before we leave this family (you all can sit down now) before we leave them I want to tell you that every year I’d ask Leon, “Leon, what are you going to do this summer?” And he’d say, “I’m going to be with my family. I’m going to go for a family reunion.

So, anyway, when I asked Leon, “what are you looking forward to? I mean, you know, this has been our life.” And Leon said, “My family. My family is what I am looking forward to. Being with these people I love so much. Being with my grandchildren.”

You know, I think about one of our rectors, Father Henning, that we loved so much, such a joyous wonderful man. And one time he was heard to say, “You know, rectors come and go. But God help Saint Michael’s when Leon goes.”

And so today, I want all of us to thank this man, who was here for us while we were celebrating holidays while his family stayed at home waiting for Leon. So, not only do I want you all to know Edna, but I also want you to know their three wonderful sons. If you would stand. Now I’d like all the grandchildren to stand. And now, the rest of the family, please stand. We’d like to honor you.

Well the rest of us, you know, when we go for a family reunion it’s generally a potluck lunch and everybody brings something. Well, in this family, they show up for 2 or 3 days and there are as many as 70 people, who are there to keep in contact with one another. But they never do this without making sure of Leon’s schedule, so thank you for that.

So one little thing I was going to say is that I read recently that a good marker for the time to retire is when you have enough stories to last for the rest of your life. Well, Leon has that and many, many more. And so, for our precious Madison and Harper, who have made a sign for Leon, and I’d like us all to stand and say together, “Well done, good and faithful servant!”

I know whenever... one time, Janie McIntyre, who used to be Head of our Adult Education, she came through, brought her precious daughter Holly, dropped her off for school, left to go back home. Well, she didn’t get home photo credit Lisa Bachman Photgraphy

Let Your Passion For Saint Michael And All Angels Live On You can make an impact on Saint Michael

and the people you love that never ends! Including Saint Michael and All Angels in your estate plan is one of the simplest ways to make a gift beyond your annual stewardship.

Explore your options • • • • •

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have served and been served, ❝ We loved and been loved, learned and taught for almost 50 years. We are grateful for the community of Saint Michael and All Angels. – Arden Showalter

❞

All Angels Society member

Contact: Lowell Duncan, Director of Legacy Planning lduncan@saintmichael.org 214-363-5471

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