From Father Jeff Sabbatical—a break or change from a normal routine for the
purpose of refreshment. The word is out that I will be taking a Sabbatical in the coming months. To set the tone for this announcement, this past Sunday the Rev. Joan Saylors preached at each of our services about the Biblical concept of Sabbath, especially as it relates to the life of priest and congregation. The idea of a sabbatical, has actually been in the works since 2014, and was initiated by then Senior Warden Dr. Jim Spruiell, and carried forward by the next two Senior Wardens, Vickie Luckenbach and John Sumners. There have been many starts and stops in the process and more than a little foot-dragging on my part.
Amid our manic, production oriented culture, the idea of taking an
extended rest is hard to get one’s mind around. But the leadership was insistent, and with Father Bur’s arrival another piece fell in place. So on May 1st, I will completely step away from my all of priestly duties and
April 2017 EUCHARISTIC LECTIONARY YEAR A SUNDAY WORSHIP 7:45 AM Holy Eucharist Rite I 9 AM Holy Eucharist Rite II 11 AM Holy Eucharist Rite II Children’s Worship
responsibilities, and into, what I pray will be, a three-month period of refreshment and renewal.
Having been advised that it’s very difficult to
separate from the church while still in close physical proximity, my plans involve a fair amount of travel and retreat time. I’ll begin my Sabbath spending two weeks alone at Our Lady of Guadalupe Monastery in New Mexico. It’s in a remote and beautiful area and offers communal meals and daily time for meditation, prayer, and worship with the
CHRISTIAN EDUCATION 10 AM Adult Classes Sunday School Encouragers
host monastic community.
WEEKDAY WORSHIP 6 PM Wednesday Holy Eucharist Rite II 12 PM Thursday Holy Eucharist & Healing (Chapel)
relish the multiple daily worship opportunities, services I’ll have no
This initial retreat period will be a time for unplugging, for stepping back and reflecting on where I am in my life with God and in my relationships. I also responsibilities in leading. My life has been so busy with church and family, it’s frankly hard to imagine what this unencumbered time will be like, or what it will reveal.
Upon my return to “civilization,” my focus will move to my family. For Barclay and the boys, school will be
getting out and I’ll have some uninterrupted down time with them before we head off on our “big trip.” We will head to England for at least a couple of weeks, where we’ll visit Barclay’s sister who lives in London, with time set aside for us being tourists in the land where our church was born. But I’d be disingenuous if I told you we’ll be spending most of our time visiting Anglican heritage sites- It will be a hard sell to get two teenage preacher’s kids to spend their vacation visiting churches, no matter how grand they may be. Upon our return from this once-in-a-lifetime trip, the rest of my Sabbath will be interspersed with time at home and shorter trips. These ventures involve nurturing relationships that have sometimes been neglected. This includes day trips with Barclay and the boys; some solid uninterrupted time with my parents; and carving out quality time with other foundational people in my life. Although I’ve guarded against setting a particular vocational goal in terms of being obligated to produce something during my sabbatical, I will not be idle in terms of enriching my spiritual and intellectual life as a priest and leader of a congregation. To this end, I’ve made plans to attend a conference and set aside multiple days to spend in Austin at the university and the Episcopal seminary there, for researching and expanding my mind on a number of ministry-related topics. The other component of sabbatical is the congregations break from the pastor. In this regard, I trust completely, that in my absence, the parish will continue to thrive under Father Bur’s guidance, and that the Holy Spirit will raise up people and ideas that will benefit St. Barnabas going forward. In closing, let me try and convey my gratitude: Earlier I stated that I will be “taking a Sabbatical,” which is true. But as this idea has become a reality, I’ve come to see that it’s more accurate to say I’ve been “given a sabbatical.” I am profoundly grateful that my community has seen to it that I and my family have been given this incredible opportunity. Please know that as I separate intentionally from my beloved community of St. Barnabas, that everything I do will be done that I might return refreshed and renewed to better serve you and God and the world He has made. Peace and Grace,
Almighty God, you have called us to tend and keep the garden of your creation. Give us wisdom and reverence for all your plants and animals who share this planet with us and whose lives make possible our own. Help us to remember that they too love the sweetness of life and join with us in giving you praise.
Father Jeff
From Father Bur One of my favorite anecdotes comes from a book entitled, An Altar in Your Heart: Mediations on the Jesus Prayer by Bishop Bob Hibbs. The story is as follows: I have a friend who is an Episcopal priest and about an umpteenth generation Texan, who had an aunt named Lonnie. Apparently, she was the terror of the family – one of these really poisonous, passive-aggressive people who just broke other people wherever she went. You know the kind: “If you love me, you will ... .” All of the family belonged to the Umbadumblian Church, except for this guy who turned out to be a priest in a church that sounded like Pepsi-Cola spelled sideways. Anyway, Aunt Lonnie died, and so it seemed only appropriate to have the priest say something. So, there they all were at this neat little cemetery by the riverside, and they sang “Amazing Grace” and all that good stuff. Then my friend got up and he stood by the hole where Aunt Lonnie’s body was and he said, “If God is a God of justice only, Aunt Lonnie is in Hell right now.” And that’s the truth. But it’s not just the truth for Aunt Lonnie, it’s the truth for all of us. If God is a God of justice only, there is no good news, there’s nothing. What we need is mercy. We absolutely need it;
without it, we cannot stand. Without it, we cannot live.
(Pages 29-30)
There would probably be plenty of us in the same predicament as Aunt Lonnie but thankfully Jesus has prepared a place for each of us. The good news found in Christ Jesus is that grace and mercy are freely given in abundance by God to all of us, even to the Aunt Lonnies in our midst. Faithfully,
Fr. Bur
Volunteers will be making the palm crosses for Palm Sunday on Friday, April 7 at 10 a.m. Training is provided and all are welcome!
February 2017 Financial Report St Barnabas Financials as of February 28, 2017 Feb 17 Monthly $ +/- Jan-Feb Actuals Budget Budget Actuals
YTD $ +/- Annual Budget Budget Budget
47,079 49,797 -2,718 89,705
99,594 -9,889 597,550
26,220 27,404 -1,184 75,149
78,259 -3,110 373,603
Operating
6,033
6,751
-718
13,787
13,502
285
81,000
Ministry
3,536
3,447
89
5,998
6,894
-896
41,350
Apportionment
5,581
5,581
0
11,162
11,162
0
66,972
Total Expenses
41,370 43,183 -1,813 106,096 109,817 -3,721 562,925
Income Expenses: Staff
Net Income
5,709
Cash in the Bank (unrestricted)
6,614
-905
-16,391
-10,223 -6,168 34,625
$114,995
Balance Sheet: There was a decrease of $ 3,454. The following is the breakdown by area: Monthly Operations $ 5,707 (explained below) Moms Morning Off -$ 2,669 (explained below) Prepaid Pledges -$12,476 remaining balance of $124,761 Restricted Funds $ 5,151 Significant activity from funds were as follows; Outreach ($583), Columbarium ($991), Rector Discretionary (-$700) Dugat MMO Scholarship (-$553), Endowment ($2,865), Sabbatical ($2,100) Monthly Operations: Income was slightly under budget (-$2,718), primarily in non-pledge income. Expenses were under budget by $1,812. This resulted in the month being over budget by $907. ($5,707 vs $6,614). YTD results are over budget by $6,668. MMO: MMO had a deficit of $2,669. MMO is starting off well again this year. Enrollment is still running at full+ capacity with 40 children with 10 teachers. YTD results are over budget by $1,349.
Holy Week Schedule April 9, Palm Sunday
Holy Eucharist, 7:45 a.m., 9 a.m., 11 a.m. 9 and 11 a.m. services will begin in the garden for the procession.
April 10, Monday
Morning Prayer, 8 a.m. in the Chapel
April 12, Wednesday
Lenten Lunch Program, 12:10—12:55 p.m. in the Parish Hall. Bring your lunch.
April 12, Wednesday
Holy Eucharist, 6 p.m. in the Sanctuary
From the Senior Warden March has been a busy month for St Barnabas and the vestry. Along with regular business affairs, we focused primarily on two main topics this month: vision and planning for our many programs at St. Barnabas and the exciting sabbatical opportunity for Fr. Jeff. The vestry will be spending some time each month in an open discussion with Fr. Jeff and Fr. Bur on the programs St. Barnabas is offering our parish. Our goal is to review what is working, what is not, what parishioners would like to see happening in our church, and general brainstorming about new and exciting ways to continue strengthening our church community. If you have ideas for new programs or comments about existing programs please reach out to a vestry member or one of our clergy. St. Barnabas is our community, and we want to further strength the concept of “Everyone Belongs.” This month, the vestry also began final preparations for Fr. Jeff’s sabbatical. Fr. Jeff and the Hammonds have been with us now over eight years, which marks only the second rector in St. Barnabas history to reach that milestone. This is a very exciting time for Fr. Jeff and all of us at St. Barnabas. The dates have been set, and Jeff is finalizing plans for his sabbatical summer. I know all of us are very excited to hear about his adventures while he is away and to see a rejuvenated Fr. Jeff upon his return. Many of you have expressed a desire to contribute directly and assist in making this awesome sabbatical opportunity possible for Fr. Jeff. If you would like to join me in contributing to Fr. Jeff’s sabbatical, please note on your gift “Sabbatical Fund”. We will be gathering these gifts through Easter. This is a great way to make a personal investment in our beloved rector. Giving out of desire to do so always feels good, but it is especially sweet when your gift directly benefits someone you love.
John Sumners, Sr. Warden John Sumners—Sr. Warden Julie Alvarez—Secretary Ric McCormick—Treasurer Jimmy Davis
C HURCH V ESTRY Vickie Luckenbach David Spencer Frances Money Shelly Kothmann
Ken Smith John Wallace John Youngblood
April 13, Maundy Thursday
Holy Eucharist, Healing Service, 12 noon in the Chapel Holy Eucharist, 7 p.m. in the Sanctuary, Washing of feet and stripping the altar
April 13-14, Easter Vigil
Begins after Maundy Thursday Service and extends up to the Good Friday service at 12 noon. Sign up for prayer times on the hour.
April 14, Good Friday
Holy Eucharist, 12 noon in the Sanctuary
April 14, Good Friday
Stations of the Cross at 6 p.m.
April 16, Easter Sunday
Holy Eucharist, 7:45 a.m. and 9 a.m. in the Sanctuary Easter Egg Hunt, meet in Parish Hall at 10:15 a.m. Holy Eucharist, 11 a.m. in the Parish Hall Flowering of the Cross begins at 11 a.m.
Vacation Bible School Set for July 24—28 An exciting underground adventure awaits the VBS kids as they discover the light that shines for us to find our way in the world. VBS participants will experience Sing and Play Rock, Spelunker Sports, Imagination Station, KidVid Cinema and more! Children will meet some special Bible Memory Buddies during the week.
Volunteers are needed Crew Leaders – working with small groups of kids Station Leaders – leading groups in activities Snack Patrol – preparing and serving daily snacks Also, we need some behind the scenes help: Creative minds to transform the Parish Hall into a cave-like atmosphere Set up and Clean Up crews Those interested or moved to serve this important part of our children’s ministry, please contact Karen Young at 830-285-1012.
On March 9, teacher Emily Bowyer brought the 7th and 8th graders from Ambleside School for a nature study in our Biblical Garden. The students spent their time sketching and painting.
Bobble Head Bishop
The staff at the Bishop Jones Center struggled to come up with an appropriate retirement gift for Bishop Gary Lillibridge, but eventually settled on several thousand Bobble Heads in his likeness. All who purchased one were encouraged to have Bishop Bobble Head participate in parish life. So… here he is enjoying the bluebonnets in the St. Barnabas garden. You can order your own Bobble Head Bishop on line at https:// public.serviceu.com/PaymentForm/23836/?OrgKey=31cf9e98-c974 -4083-92bb-aff2aaafc796 or call Leslie Mixson at 210-824-5387. All proceeds go to the Diocese’s College Ministries.
Meetings and Ministries A LCOHOLICS A NONYMOUS
D AUGHTERS OF THE K ING
Sun Mon Tues Wed Fri Sat 8 p.m. in the CEB (Christian Education Building)
2nd Saturday of the Month, 9:30 a.m. in the Sanctuary
Thurs, Closed Meeting (Women) 7 p.m. in K NIT -W ITS (K NITTING G ROUP ) Wednesday—3 p.m. in the CEB the CEB L ADIES ’ L UNCH
A L -A NON
RESURRECTION
Monday—6:30 p.m. in the CEB Friday—6:30 p.m. in the CEB
3rd Thursday of the Month, Fredericksburg Herb Farm
B ELL C HOIIR
L IBRARY G UILD
1st Thursday of the Month, 10 a.m. in the Library
Wednesday—4:30 p.m. in the CEB B IBLE S TUDIES
M EN ’ S B REAKFAST
Monday—7 a.m. in the Library
He is not here; he has risen, just as he said.
Thursday—7 a.m. in the Parish Hall
B OY S COUT T ROOP 137
Tuesday—6:30 p.m. in the Parish Hall C HOIR
Wednesday—7 p.m. in the Encourager Room
MMO (M OM ’ S M ORNING O FF )
9 a.m.—2 p.m. V ESTRY
3rd Monday of the Month—5 p.m. in the
Birthdays 1st 3rd 3rd 10th 13th 14th 14th 16th
Roylynne Brocksch Rex Jones Sharon Smith Christi Sumners Jonathan Godfrey Somsee Pornphet Gus Sumners Michelle Hodges
Matthew 28:6
16th 16th 16th 16th 20th 21st 21st 22nd
Moye Hooper Lyda Slayton Ginny Thomason Mary Lou White Meagan Laman Emmerson Daily Dan Neelon Miles Hammond
23rd 27th 27th 29th 29th 30th
Nancy Neelon Barrett Burns Cay Meadows Emilie Cox Wayne Seipp Deborah Edwards
Anniversaries 5th 6th 9th 11th 15th
Deborah & Darrell Edwards Karen & Ron Poidevin Melissa & Bur Dobbins Molly & Byron Fanning Allison & Bob Drury, Jr.
19th 20th 21st 22nd
Millie & Bill Bennett Kathy & Bud Parish Sandra & Roger Esterling Angie and Joe Cross
Lost and Found The following items are in the church “Lost and Found” drawer. Any that are not claimed by April 30 will be taken to the Hospice Resale Store:
Black Leather women’s gloves Agnelli jean vest Child’s school bag with notebook and lunch box Two baseball caps (Denali Alaska and Thomas Michael Riley) Two clip-on sunglasses Women’s sunglasses with rhinestones
Return Service Requested CHURCH CLERGY AND STAFF: Rector: The Rev. Jeff Hammond Assistant Rector: The Rev. Bur Dobbins Lay Pastoral Minister: Morey Weldon Clergy Associate: The Rev. Dr. Dyana Orrin Clergy Associate: The Rev. Anne Finn Clergy Associate: The Rev. Tom Luck Parish Administrator: Rachael Cole Office Assistant: Carol Schreider Youth Director: Marilee Pankratz Director of Music: Hazel Hanson Lay Ministry Coordinator: Steve Neale Mom’s Morning Off Director: Deanne Moellering Nursery Director: Madeline Clanton Housekeeper: Patty Ramirez
Easter Egg Hunt
Hunt will begin at 10:30 a.m.
BYOB (Bring your own basket!)
Children and their parents should gather in the Parish Hall by 10:15 a.m.