Saint Monica's Episcopal Church
Messenger
March 2014
Ashes – and a message in a bottle By Richelle Thompson, ECF Vital Posts, February 22, 2012 I like shiny and new. I’m not typically first on the bandwagon of the latest trend, but I normally get in line for ride two or three. This is especially true with communication, and I’ve spent many keystrokes for ECF Vital Practices and other arenas encouraging the embrace of new technology, social media and other tools to share our faith. But my daughter and three of her friends reminded me that sometimes communication can take the form of an ancient tradition. A local TV station carried the story: My daughter and three of her friends found a message in a bottle three weeks ago at a lake about an hour away. When they uncorked it, they discovered a letter written in 2008 from a boy in a neighboring community. The girls decided to write back. They tracked down his school and called the principal. The boy, in second grade when he launched the bottle, is now in middle school but still in the same district. The girls wrote a simple letter and sent it to him – this time, via snail mail. The news glommed onto this as a novel way of communication against a backdrop of texting, tweeting and Facebook-ing. The history of putting messages in a bottle pre-dates the imposition of ashes. Trusty Wikipedia reports that the first recorded message in a bottle was sent in 310 BC by the ancient Greek philosopher Theophrastus, as part of an experiment to show that the Mediterranean Sea was formed by the inflowing Atlantic Ocean. The tradition continued through the ages, with bottled messages informing about weather patterns and enemy positions. Queen Elizabeth I even created an official position of "Uncorker of Ocean Bottles," – with a death sentence facing anyone else opening the bottles. Poor, suffering Job talks in the Bible about dust and ashes as he repents a “wandering eye.” Scripture has other references as well to ashes as a means to express mourning. Pope Urban II formalized the custom of re-
Our Staff & Vestry Vestry: Chuck Barnett - Senior Warden, Dan Ferguson- Junior Warden, Ann Philen, Bill Ramsey, Melanie Velaski, Beth Woods, Linda Aligood, Tom Chaapel, Frank Murphy Carol Farrel - Treasurer Dr. Kadisha Onalbayeva - Music Director Sally Putters - Parish Nurse
ceiving ashes on Ash Wednesday during his tenure from 1088 to 1099, and in the 12th century, the tradition began of using the ashes from the previous year’s palms to mark a cross on the forehead of the penitent. On Ash Wednesday, people will fill churches and Ashes to Go stations across the country to partake in this ancient tradition. I don’t have any plans to give up shiny and new, to turn off the iPad in exchange for paper and a bottle. But like churches and communities of faith, I must leave room for the mystery and power of centuries-old rituals and let the ashes on my forehead keep me rooted. More about Ash Wednesday Ash Wednesday is the first day of the forty days of Lent. According to the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke, Jesus spent 40 days fasting in the desert, where he endured temptation by Satan. Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of this 40-day liturgical period of prayer and fasting known as Lent. Ash Wednesday is named for the custom of placing blessed ashes on the foreheads of worshipers at Ash Wednesday services and has been practiced since the ninth century. The ashes are a sign of penitence and a reminder of mortality, and may be imposed with the sign of the cross. The Old Testament frequently mentions the use of ashes as an expression of humiliation and sorrow. Ashes for use on Ash Wednesday are made from burned palms from previous Palm Sunday services. They are imposed on the penitent’s forehead with the words, “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return” (BCP, p. 265). Ash Wednesday is observed as a fast in the church year. The Ash Wednesday service is one of the Proper Liturgies for Special Days in the Book of Common Prayer (p. 264). Imposition of ashes at the Ash Wednesday service however, is optional.
March 5 at 6 pm
With Rev. John Phillips
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Saint Monica’s Messenger
A report from the 43rd Annual Diocesan Convention By Chuck Barnett
Much of the discussion at the 43rd Annual Convention of the Episcopal Diocese of the Central Gulf Coast centered around the retirement of our current Bishop and the election of his successor. By the time of next year’s convention three to five candidates will have been selected, interviewed and presented by the Standing Committee to the convention for final selection. Given that this will be only our fourth Bishop Bishop Philip M. Duncan in the 44 year history of ordains two new Vocational Deacons during the 43rd Annual this diocese, this person will likely lead the Diocesan Convention. church for a decade or more. Britt Landrum, Chairman of the Search Committee, estimates the total cost of the search for our next Bishop to be between $100,000 and $120,000. In addition, the Standing Committee submitted a budget for the approval of this convention of $1,256.024, up from $1,203,042 in 2013. An increase in the Bishop’s salary of just over $29,000 was also approved. In light of the fact that the Bishop’s salary was cut by approximately $10,000 in the 2012 budget, the increase brings the salary into relative parity with where it should be. A set of proposals drawn up by the “We Dream of a Diocese” Committee commissioned by the 2010 Annual Convention was another topic of major discussion. It centered around a proposal to divide our diocese into five regions or councils to serve administrative, mission, and social roles within the organizational structure of the diocese. This would form a diocesan council consisting of
Be a part of the Bishop Search!
Delegates cast their votes during the business sessions of the 43rd Annual Diocesan Convention.
the Bishop, one lay person and one clergy person at large, as well as a clergy member and a lay person elected by the congregations of each of the five districts, resulting in a committee of twelve voting members. Of the one hundred dioceses of the Episcopal Church nationwide, all but six have such elected councils. The convention voted 96 to 101 to delay implementation of the plan until after discussion by the 44th Annual Convention next February. Thanks to Beth Woods and Tom Chaapel for joining me in representing our congregation at this year’s convention, and to Viv Welch for a great job in capturing the event in photographs. And, in case you missed the announcement this past Sunday, congratulations are in order to Viv, who has been asked to serve as Communications Committee Chair for the Diocese. For more information on this year’s convention, follow the links on the Saint Monica’s web site and Facebook page.
Your delegates Chuck Barnett, Tom Chaapel and Beth Woods enjoying lunch and sunshine on the Steps of St. Christopher’s during the second day of Convention.
Saint Monica’s Messenger
Thank you, Saint Monica’s! From the Putters family
We want to thank our Saint Monica's family for all their prayers, thoughts and kindness during Bill's recent crisis. He is working very hard in rehab and making progress, which he feels is too slow. He realizes there are up and down days, so is working hard at coping, If you ask him how he feels, he gives you the thumbs up “never been better”. He is keeping us all on our toes. God Bless everyone, The Putters Family
Love by example
The Feast of Saint Joseph Joseph was called to fill the role of Jesus’ father on earth. He obeyed a message given to him by an angel of the Lord to take Mary as his wife. Everything we know about the husband of Mary and the foster father of Jesus comes from Scripture. He wasn't rich for when he took Jesus to the Temple to be circumcised and Mary to be purified he offered the sacrifice of two turtledoves or a pair of pigeons, allowed only for those who could not afford a lamb (Luke 2:24). Despite his humble work and means, Joseph came from a royal lineage. Luke and Matthew disagree some about the details of Joseph's genealogy but they both mark his descent from David, the greatest king of Israel (Matthew 1:1-16 and Luke 3:23-38). The angel who first tells Joseph about Jesus greets him as “son of David,” a royal title used also for Jesus. He is honored in Christian tradition for the love he showed to the boy Jesus, as well as Mary. Though Joseph most likely died before Jesus’ active ministry, he stands as a grace-filled model of serving God through simple everyday activities, and as a devoted husband and father. Scripture has left us with the most important knowledge: who Joseph was – “a righteous man” (Matthew 1:18). His patience, persistence, and hard work are admirable qualities. On March 19, the Feast Day of Saint Joseph, Patron Saint of the Universal Church, let us reflect on his life and be encouraged to actively remember Joseph’s example in all that we do every day.
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Altar Guild Spring Day By Diocesan News Team
Registration is now underway for this year’s Diocesan Altar Guild Spring Day at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in Troy, AL. The event begins at 10 am with Holy Eucharist celebrated by Bishop Philip M. Duncan. Following the service, Bishop Duncan will answer questions and there will be time for general discussion. Lunch will be provided by St. Mark’s ECW followed by a short business meeting. Items on the business agenda include volunteering to clean the Chapel at Beckwith Conference Center, organizing the Diocesan Altar Guild, having a newsletter, and hosting next year’s Altar Guild Spring Day. At 1 pm, there will be a presentation of Iconography and Religious Art by Dr. Kenyon Holder. Dr. Holder received his Ph.D. from the University of Leeds (England) and also studied at the University of Glasgow (Scotland). He teaches several courses in Art History at Troy University. The second presentation will be Holding the Balance; Contemporary Muskegee/CreekRreligious Practices in the Southeast by Dr. Robert Pullen. Dr. Pullen received his Ph.D. from Florida State University and has academic training in sociology, anthropology and counseling. He also teaches several courses in Sociology at Troy University. The registration fee for the entire day is only $10 per person and includes lunch. Make checks payable to Diocesan Altar Guild and include a sheet with your name, address, telephone number, parish, city and email address to Sam Shelton, St. Mark’s Altar Guild Day, Hunters Mountain Road, Troy, AL 36279. Please bring any Linens, Frontals, Pulpit/Lectern Hangings that are beyond repair. They will be taken to the Province IV Conference at Kanuga Conference Center where they will be recycled or burned. For questions, call Cecelia Lacey at 850-243-5248 or 850-830-5248 or email cwlacey@cox.net.
Tuesday, March 4 5 pm until In the Parish Hall
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Saint Monica’s Messenger
March 17; The Feast of Saint Patrick Each year, The Episcopal Church celebrates the Feast Day of Saint Patrick, the fifth-century bishop and missionary of Ireland, by commemorating the day of his death in 461. Saint Patrick, who lived in Western Britain, was captured by slave traders and forced into servitude in Ireland. His grandfather had been a Christian priest, and his father was a deacon in the early Christian church. When Patrick was in his early 20s, he escaped slavery and returned to Britain, where he was educated as a Christian. After taking holy orders as both presbyter and bishop, he had a vision, calling him to return to Ireland. Sometime around the year 431, he began converting Irish pagans into Christians by appealing to the local kings, and through them to their tribes. Patrick built Christian churches over sacred pagan sites, carved crosses on old druidic pillars, and protected sacred wells and springs with Christian saints. One of the legends about Saint Patrick is that he illustrated the doctrine of the Holy Trinity to the Irish by using a shamrock, a three-leafed plant sacred in pagan tradition. Shamrocks remain a central symbol for Saint Patrick’s Day. Saint Patrick is generally credited with being the first bishop of Armagh, Primate of All Ireland. Saint Patrick’s Day, March 17, is celebrated as both a liturgical and non-liturgical holiday. In popular culture, this feast day is often a celebration of Ireland itself. Saint Patrick returned to the land and the people who had taken away his freedom. He blessed those who cursed him; he brought the light of God to those who were wandering in darkness. His life and legacy can become an inspiration for us and others to walk in that same light of forgiveness. Let us use the example of Saint Patrick to challenge us this month to seek out new ways to reach those who may be wandering in the darkness.
Kathy Vail packed the house with children of all ages for her final Children’s Sermon on Sunday, February 16. Kathy and her husband Bill have moved to Singapore where Kathy has taken a two year counselling position with the Navy.
A Voice from the pew -
Stop or Go; Yes or No By Tom Chaapel
I recently had the privilege of attending, as a voting delegate, the 43d Annual Convention of the Episcopal Diocese of the Central Gulf Coast. It was a rewarding experience, and that experience brought forth some interesting analogies of the decisions that we make in our daily lives and in our congregation at St. Monica’s. The Diocese used a green card/red card system to vote on issues or resolutions First time Delegate to the 43rd brought before the Annual Convention of the Diocese Convention. There of the Central Gulf Coast, Tom was a resolution preChaapel casts his vote against sented that involved postponing resolution discussions. the redistricting of the Diocese into 5 regions which required a Yes/No (green card/red card) vote to affect passage. The ensuing vote to “table” this resolution was quite spirited, involving several delegates presenting their Yes or No view on the issue. First a vote was taken by holding up the green card or red card. This resulted in a count discrepancy among the individuals tallying the votes. This was followed by a direction to stand up and hold one’s red card or green card to get an agreeing tally. This still presented a discrepancy. The delegates were then instructed to turn in their red cards, which were subsequently counted; and finally produced an agreeing tally. The Body of Christ, other than the consecrated bread of the Eucharist, is defined as the community of believers, of which Christ is the head. The point of this is that even though there were conflicting views on which path to take, and repeated discrepancy in the voting, we accomplished the task at hand as members of the Body of Christ. The measure that was passed was probably not the one we would have chosen in the best interest of St. Monica’s, but as members of the Body of Christ we accept the outcome. As members of Saint Monica’s Body of Christ, even though there may be tensions and disagreements in the church, we can come together and accept those things that have passed, and remain determined to continue our efforts toward the unity of our fellowship.
Saint Monica’s Messenger
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ECW Spring Day Away, April 5 The 2014 Episcopal Church Women’s Spring Day Away will be held Saturday, April 5 from 9:30 am until 3:30 pm at Church of the Advent, Lillian, AL. The featured presenter will be the Reverend Carol Mead. Until recently, Reverend Carol served in Starkville, Mississippi Reverend Carol Mead as the Episcopal Chaplain at Mississippi State University and as assisting priest at the Episcopal Church of the Resurrection. She has accepted a call to be Priest-in-charge at St. Peter's by the Lake Episcopal Church in Brandon, Mississippi. Reverend Carol received her Master of Divinity degree from Yale University. She is the author of two devotional books, Holy Ordinary and Practically Holy. Her easygoing personality and sense of humor will grasp your attention as she honors the Holy Scripture. Visit her website at: www.holyordinary.com. The day’s events include opening prayer at 10 am, lunch and Closing Eucharist. The registration fee of $15 is due no later than March 28, 2014. Checks should be made payable to Church of the Advent and can be mailed to Church of the Advent, c/o Leslie Hahn, 12099 County Road 99, Lillian, AL, 36549. For more information about Spring Day Away, contact Connie Chamberlin.
Our Parish Nursing Ministry and Sacred Heart Health Systems served 28 people during our Heart Health Screening on February 15. Pictured above, St. Monica’s members Susan Early and Jim Morningstar discuss results with nurses.
Viv Welch prepares to remove smoked pork shoulders from the smoker for the ECW’s Barbecue Fundraiser on February 15. The Holy Smokers raised over $500 toward playground renovations.
The Church remembers Oscar Arnulfo Romero y Galdámez Óscar Arnulfo Romero y Galdámez was a prominent Roman Catholic priest in El Salvador during the 1960s and ’70s. He became the archbishop of San Salvador in 1977. After witnessing many violations of human rights, he began to speak out on behalf of the poor and the victims of repression. After calling for soldiers to disobey orders to fire on innocent civilians, Archbishop Romero was shot dead while celebrating Mass at the small chapel of the cancer hospital where he lived. Óscar Romero was a voice for the voiceless poor and symbol of freedom and hope for the repressed people in El Salvador. He had foreseen the danger of assassination and declared his willingness to accept martyrdom if his blood would contribute to a solution to his people’s problems. Tyrants, dictators and bullies have power because they take away creative doubt – but they only can do it because their followers give up. It is important for us as Christians to stand up for the powerless and those in need. We may not be 100 percent certain about what God is asking of us, but we can go on out there anyway and change the world one step at a time. March 24 marks the Feast of Oscar Romero, honor his legacy by speaking out against violence and bullying in our schools or join a movement to challenge the epidemic of violence. Use the example of Oscar Romero to draw attention to the issue of violence within the community. Make a point to discover and share ways people can get involved to stop violence in all its forms. For more information on ways you can help, visit the Global Justice Page on the Episcopal Church web site.
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Saint Monica’s Messenger
Bishop Search Committee needs your help By The Diocesan Search Committee
Your Diocesan Search Committee has invested a great deal of time and effort to determine the best way to attract and call the best candidates to serve as our fourth Bishop. One of our first steps is to develop our Diocesan profile. In order to develop a profile that reflects who we are, what we desire and who we hope to call as our Bishop, we will utilize two tools that rely on your deliberate participation – an Online Survey and Focus Group Gatherings. We have worked with HOLY COW! Consulting to develop a series of questions that will help us form a baseline for the profile. As surveys go, it might not feel perfect but with all of the variables (timeline, budget, energy and desired results), we believe it best represents what we hope to uncover for our future use in the calling process. One important fact to remember is that the survey is designed to be completed online. At the same time, we do not want to exclude anyone from participating in the survey. There are two avenues that we can use to make this happen: 1) Provide computer access in each church for their use; OR 2) We will provide a single Master copy to each church for those parishioners who do not have access to a computer. The churches will then assist these parishioners with the completion of the survey and manually enter their responses into the HOLY COW! online survey system. Please complete the survey by March 16th, 5:00 p.m. CDT. We will host gatherings at different locations across the Diocese beginning February 26th through March 27th. Our goal is to further the conversation beyond the survey, as we look to the future of our shared ministry in the Diocese. We will post the schedule of these gatherings (on the Diocesan website and in The Coastline. We strongly encourage you to set aside some time to join us at one of these important meetings, even if the closest gathering is not held in your home parish. Each Focus Group gathering will last approximately 1 ½ hours; we will use the same format in each gathering to initiate constructive conversation to identify themes and trends of the Diocese as a whole. We are confident that, with your dedicated and prayerful participation by completing the survey and attending a Focus Group, that we will be able to develop a meaningful profile that will attract the right candidates for our next Bishop. We will share a website link to the survey (http:// bishopsearch.diocgc.com/index.html) and provide dates
Bishop Search Focus Group Meeting Thursday, March 20, 5:30-6:30 pm Christ Church Pensacola 18 W. Wright Street
and location of the Focus Groups through emails, Coastline, the Green Sheet, Diocesan Convention Kiosk, and the Diocesan Search Committee's web site www.bishopsearch.diocgc.org. We will update our website as we walk though this process. We invite you to join us as we continue working together enthusiastically and prayerfully to accomplish this important ministry for you, our brothers and sisters of the Diocese of the Central Gulf Coast. Please continue praying for us. In particular we ask you to continue using the prayer from our Book of Common Prayer on page 818 “For the Election of a Bishop or other Minister”: Almighty God, giver of every good gift: Look graciously on your Church, and so guide the minds of those who shall choose a bishop for this Diocese that we may receive a faithful pastor, who will care for your people and equip us for our ministries, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Rejoice, Restore & Renew Celebrating 100 years of Wilmer Hall Wilmer Hall in Mobile, AL was founded by Bishop Richard H. Wilmer in 1864 as a home for children who were victims of war, poverty and disease. Now serving children and young adults in need due to poverty, abuse, neglect and homelessness by providing them with a warm, loving and nurturing home where they can live, learn and grow, Wilmer Hall will celebrate 150 years of mission and ministry this year. They will celebrate not only the past, but look to the future as they continue the legacy of caring for children and young adults. Due to an ever increasing census, both Carpenter Hall and Quigley Hall dormitories need to be renovated in order to expand the Transitional Living Program and Transitional Family Programs. The goal is to raise $1,500,000 for renovation and expansion and to strengthen their endowment so that Wilmer Hall will be sustainable for many more years. Executive Director, Sally Green and The Board of Directors of Wilmer Hall are asking for your support of the Rejoice, Restore and Renew Campaign as they seek to continue and sustain this very special ministry. Rejoice in the rich heritage of caring for children and young adults in need for 150 years. Restore the beautiful buildings to expand the capacity for ministry. Renew commitment to caring for children and young adults in need by providing them a safe home to live in where they are surrounded by a community of people that love and support them. For more information about the Rejoice, Restore and Renew Campaign, visit the website at www.wilmerhall.org or call 250-342-6954.
John Veleski & Dave Somerville Viv Welch Ushers Bill Ramsey & John Nicholls Ann Philen Juliana Horn & Jeanine Black To the glory of God
Chuck Barnett & Connie Chamberlin
Ron & Ann Philen
Ushers
Jim Morningstar & Jeff Woods
Margaree MillsFitchett
Brenda Ferguson & Margaree MillsFitchett
To the glory of God
Jackie Wright
Carol Farrel
Altar
Greeters
Oblation Bearers
Ushers
Nursery
Coffee Hour
Flowers
Arrangers
Eucharistic Visitor
Carol Farrel
Valerie Smith
To the glory of God
Carol Farrel & Rowena Chaapel
John Velaski
Jeanine Black
To the glory of God
Pauline Somerville & Jackie Wright
Connie Chamberlin
Jeff Woods & Bill Ramsey
Jim Morningstar & Frank Murphy Carol Farrel
Ushers
Connie Chamberlin
Ushers
Beth Woods
Tom Chaapel & Dave Somerville
John Velaski
Jackie Wright
Melanie Velaski
March 23
* If you are unable to meet your obligation, please call a replacement, or swap with someone.
John Velaski
Melanie Velaski
Dave Somerville
Connie Chamberlin
John Velaski
Acolytes Valerie Smith & Pauline Somerville
Chuck Barnett
Ron Philen
Beth Woods
Connie Chamberlin
Lector 1st Reading
Dave Somerville
March 16
Frank Murphy
March 9
Eucharistic Minister, 9:30
March 2
Service Schedule for March 2014
Carol Farrel
Pauline Somerville
To the glory of God
POTLUCK
Ann Philen
John Nicholls & Jim Morningstar
Ushers
Ron & Ann Philen
Dave Somerville
Connie Chamberlin
Fred Woods
Frank Murphy
March 30
March Prayer Requests Todd Aligood Rosalynda Blackburn The Brown Family Max & Marie Cartwright Miles Cooper Destiny Coy Ora Early Ray Farrel Cliff & Debbie Foggatt Ron Giles Scott Gilliam Theresa Halloran Mildred Hamby Debbie Heath Matthew Hinton
Bill Holland Jane Hunter Bishop Ci Jones Chuck Knight Charlie Martinson Bob Matlock Dorothy Pemberton Bill Putters Ashton Resmondo Leroy Robbins Tiny Robinson Barbara Roper Rusty Sellers Wanda Shearer Pauline Somerville
Military Prayer List Nichole Teague Bob Tebbs Faye Walker Brandon Warrick Ken Whiting Seth Whiting Marcella Young
Birthdays in March…
There are no birthdays on record for March. If we’ve missed your birthday, please notify the church office.
Anniversaries in March…
18, Tom & Rowena Chaapel; 30, Waymon & Debbie Fulgham If your birthday or anniversary is not listed or not listed correctly, please let Viv Welch know.
Saint Monica’s Episcopal Church 699 South Highway 95-A Cantonment, Florida 32533 We’re on the web at Www.st-monicas.org
Phone: 850-937-0001 E-mail: Office@st-monicas.org Office hours: Monday thru Thursday, 9 am - 1 pm The peace of the Lord be always with you.
Brian Condon Daryl Coy Mark Feely Benjamin Gaff Tim Gibson Tim Hartford Johnny Hurd James Klinginsmith William Knapp Andrew Kuntz Nicholas Matroni Seth Muenks Richard Pinner Florin Ryder Alex Sibbach John Townsend Jimmy Tracy Clinton Webb Darren Walker Jeremy Wright