The Emmanuel Way A monthly publication of Emmanuel Episcopal Church, Greenwood, Virginia April
2013
Welcome Cathy Boyd Cathy Boyd has accepted our call to be part-time Director of Christian Education. She will be working 15 hours a week until the new rector is called and then that priest can decide whether to extend her letter of agreement. She will be using the assistant’s office in the Marston/LaRue House. She will be worshipping with us soon She will attend the Tuesday staff meetings and probably work some of her hours on Tuesdays at the office and then will be with us on Sunday mornings. Some of her hours can be worked from home. Her e-mail address is
[email protected]. Cathy is a Charlottesville native who has also lived in other fun places: Tappahannock, VA, Charleston, SC, Baltimore, MD and Yamagata, Japan. She is currently completing her M.Ed. in Environment-Based Learning at Mary Baldwin and lives on the Mary Baldwin campus in Staunton. The picture above was taken at Mesa Verde National Park on a Mary Baldwin class trip to the Four Corners/Navajo Nation. Cathy enjoys country roads, general stores,
swimming holes, junktique shops, and twangy music, so the foot of the Blue Ridge seems like a great place to be. She looks forward to joining the Emmanuel Greenwood community as a fellow pilgrim on this spiritual journey.
Rector’s Reflections
“Alleluia. Christ is risen. The Lord is risen indeed. Alleluia.” Faithfully, The Rev. Pam Webb Interim Rector
Father Don’s Don’s Message
The Rev. Pam Webb Interim Rector
Dear friends, In the account of the Resurrection of Jesus in the Gospel according to John, Mary Magdalene is the very first person to discover the empty tomb that once held the lifeless body of the Crucified Lord. Early on that first Easter morning, she was also the first person to actually see the Risen Lord. As much as she wanted to cling to her Lord, Jesus commanded her to “go” and to share the amazing, joyful news with His closest followers. This obedient and faithful woman did exactly that. She boldly proclaimed to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord.” We, too, have seen the Resurrected Lord when we have experienced the presence of the living Son of God in our lives and in the life of our community and beyond. Now Christ commands us to also “go” and share the Gospel Good News that Jesus has conquered death and assured us of Eternal Life with Him. In this Easter season, boldly proclaim this amazing, joyful news:
The Rev. Deacon Donald Cady
Dear Friends in Christ, As you read this April issue of The Emmanuel Way, the six weeks of Lent will have passed, Holy Week and its time of deep spiritual reflection will have ended and the joy and celebration of our Lord’s resurrection will be with us. During this time of penitence, sorrow and jubilation, I have thought a good deal about prayer. What does it mean for me, how does it support me, why should I pray? How can I help others through prayer? What are the different types of prayer? When and where is it best to pray? The questions about prayer are extensive. Perhaps, you have had some of the same questions about prayer that I have had. The other day as I was thinking about what prayer means to me, I opened the Book of Common Prayer and turned to the Catechism. You may remember working through the
2 Catechism as a child. As I flipped through the sections of the Catechism, I came to the section titled “Prayer and Worship.” The questions and answers are not “earth shaking,” but perhaps they can be helpful as you think about your prayer life: Q. What is prayer? A. Prayer is responding to God, by thought and by deeds, with or without words. Q. What is Christian prayer? A. Christian prayer is response to God the Father, through Jesus Christ, in the power of the Holy Spirit. Q. What is adoration? A. Adoration is the lifting up of the heart and mind to God, asking nothing but to enjoy God’s presence. Q. Why do we praise God? A. We praise God, not to obtain anything, but because God’s Being draws praise from us. Q. For what do we offer thanksgiving? A. Thanksgiving is offered to God for all the blessings of this life, for our redemption, and for whatever draws us closer to God. Q. What is penitence? A. In penitence, we confess our sins and make restitution where possible, with the intention to amend our lives. Q. What is prayer of oblation? A. Oblation is an offering of ourselves, our lives and labors, in union with Christ, for the purposes of God. As I was thinking about these questions, I turned back to the BCP to a section known as Prayers and Thanksgivings. I found more than seventy prayers for the world, the church, social order, family and personal life. Among them is one of my favorites, a prayer attributed to St. Francis. Lord, make us instruments of your peace. Where there is hatred, let us sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is discord, union; where there is doubt, faith;where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness,
The Emmanuel Emmanuel Way joy. Grant that we may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen. Beyond these seventy-plus prayers, the BCP offers many, many prayers from the Daily Offices, the Collects, the prayers of the liturgy, the Psalms and the Canticles, which offer comfort in both times of joy and sorrow. I share these thoughts with you because as we continue our prayer journey this year of prayer through Easter, Pentecost, into Advent, it is my hope and prayer for each of us that we will find both time and occasion to turn to the Book of Common Prayer to strengthen our prayer life in God’s love and grace. Faithfully, Don
Vestry Report By Delores Smith Senior Warden What exactly is a senior warden? What is a junior warden? Since having been elected as Emmanuel’s senior warden in January, I have been asked these two questions by a number of congregants. With its phenomenal growth within the past ten years or so, Emmanuel now includes many parishioners who are new, not only to Greenwood Parish, but also to the Episcopal Church and may be unfamiliar with its canons. Thus, I think that a report regarding the duties of Emmanuel’s wardens is in order. What is a senior warden? First, the senior warden acts as the “rector’s warden,” serving as the senior elected lay member of the parish. In addition to the general expectations of all members of the vestry of Emmanuel, the following items specifically pertain to the duties of senior warden: 1. Monitors all vestry committees. In doing so, the senior warden assists these committees in their work so that 2
April, April, 2013 they are prepared to report at vestry meetings. 2. Helps plan and organize the annual Every Member Canvass. 3. Ensures that a lay delegate attends certain “extra parish” activities, such as: The Annual Diocesan Council The Region XV Council (which meets quarterly) The Annual Wardens’ Conference Perhaps the most important duty of a senior warden is to accept his/her election as a commitment to God through Emmanuel Episcopal Church, Greenwood. What is a junior warden? Henry Oakey, our newly elected junior warden, acts as the “people’s warden”. In addition to the general expectations of all members of the vestry of Emmanuel, the following items specifically pertain to the duties of junior warden: 1. Oversees the physical plant of the church buildings and grounds. This includes, but is not limited to: The upkeep and operation of the church’s heating plant and airconditioning system. (maintaining a list of repairmen for each system and contacting them as necessary as well as following through on their work.) The capital improvements (painting, gutter work, etc,) as well as all repairs and general maintenance. The inspection of all on-site property on a quarterly basis, including cemetery and all buildings. The handling of any continuing “nuisance” problems, such as replacing burned-out light bulbs, repairing leaky faucets, and ensuring the general cleanliness of the church property and buildings. 2. Oversees and supervises the work of the sexton. 3. Oversees the seasonal jobs of lawn mowing, fertilizing, leaf removal, and snow removal. 4. Requests all the assistance needed from other vestry members and members of the congregation to accomplish these duties. The junior warden is truly invaluable to the operation of our church. It is a widely held belief
3 among Episcopalians that a junior warden is guaranteed a place in heaven! As I have stated many times, it is indeed an honor to serve as Emmanuel’s senior warden. Working as “the rector’s warden” with Pam is such a pleasure and always a learning experience for me. At the conclusion of every meeting with her (and there are many), I am reminded of how very fortunate we are to have such an organized, compassionate, and truly spiritual leader. We are blessed. God’s Peace, Delores Smith
The Emmanuel Emmanuel Way schedule, the bishop’s visitation and other items for discussion.
The Greenwood Grapevine reports
The Emmanuel Way
Disciples Kitchen By Amanda Poor Many thanks to all who prepared food, served and cleaned up for our lunch service last Monday. Pam joined us and handed out many pats on the back! We will continue our service with Disciples Kitchen in Waynesboro for the immediate future. We will be serving on the following dates: Monday, April 15 at Second Presbyterian Church, lunch Monday, June 17 at Second Presbyterian Church, lunch Pam and Don challenged the Emmanuel family to begin a new "Matthew 25" ministry at Emmanuel. We will be talking about some ideas for the future after describing our current efforts.
Worship Committee to meet There will be a meeting of the Worship Committee on Sunday, April 28 after the 11 o’clock service. This will be our last one with the Rev. Pam Webb, our interim rector. The meeting will gather in the nave of the church. If you are a member of the Worship Committee and can’t make it to the meeting, please let the office know and also try to arrange for a substitute to attend. The meeting will be covering Pentecost, the summer
April, April, 2013 of $100,000. You may wish to consider making your annual pledge in this way or you may wish to enhance our Emmanuel Episcopal Endowment with money that you’d otherwise have to pay in tax. If you have questions, please consult your CPA or the church treasurer, Sandy von Thelen.
During the week of March 11th, Sue and Lloyd Raupp took their son Chris to the National Invitational Special Olympics tournament at Hilton Head, S.C. Lloyd and Chris played " Unified Doubles". ( one Special Olympian and one nonSpecial Olympian on the doubles team.) Together they won the Gold medal! Though their faces aren't clear in this picture, they were both smiling broadly. It was a great week!
Plans laid for a church photo directory Vestry member Leigh Myers has agreed to coordinate a new photo directory for Emmanuel. We will work with Lifeways and have already scheduled dates in May and June to have photographs taken. Sign up sheets will be available soon so be watching for more information. Thanks to Leigh for taking this on.
New tax law favors donations The tax law signed January 2 2013 by President Obama allows for those over 70 ½ and who are subject to Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) from their IRA may donate directly from their IRA (Traditional, Roth and Rollover) to a charity of their choice w/o tax consequences, i.e. no tax on the distribution, up to a total 3
Mission Statement The Emmanuel Way, the official newsletter of Emmanuel Episcopal Church, Greenwood Parish, will strive to communicate with, enlighten, and entertain the members of the parish in strict compliance with the official word of church doctrine as set forth by the rector utilizing the Style Sheet of the Diocese of Virginia. The newsletter shall be published monthly on or before the 1st day of the month of issue. The publication shall not be published during the month of July. The deadline for submissions shall be the 15th of the month preceding the month of publication. The primary role of the publication shall be to promote upcoming activities, report past activities and accomplishments of the church and its members, and carry an official church calendar of the month, as well as, become a recorded history of the church by the archival of all past issues.
The Emmanuel Way 7599 Rockfish Gap Turnpike Post Office Box 38 Greenwood, Virginia 22943 Email:
[email protected] Website: emmanuelgreenwood.org Phone: 540-456-6334 James E. Crosby………….. Editor
Shrine Mont Fundraisers Planned Planning for the annual parish weekend at Shrine Mont (Aug 30, 31 and Sept 1) is fully underway. Part of this is a joyful tradition of raising money for the Shrine Mont Scholarship Fund, so that every family that wants to attend the retreat is able to do so. The Committee is excited to announce two upcoming events that will benefit the Fund: A Wine & Chocolate Tasting at 7 pm on Sat,
4 April 13th, and a Spaghetti Dinner & Silent Auction at 6:30 pm on Sat, May 18th. Details will be forthcoming, but save the dates now! The Committee would appreciate any assistance for these events (setting up, baking a chocolate dessert, donating an item/experience for the silent auction, etc) - please contact Kris Bourque if you can help out at
[email protected] or 434-9871817.
The Emmanuel Emmanuel Way
Adult Forum for March and April By Doug Connell April 7 NO FORUM: Town Hall Meeting - Calling Our New Rector April 14 Karimu Missioning in Tanzania, with Rev. Tally Bandy April 21 Life as a Missioner in Haiti, with our own 2013 Mission Team April 28 Who Are These Anglicans, and What Does it Mean to Us, with Gren King, Emmanuel’s EFM coordinator. The forum meets in the parish hall from 10:10 to 10:45. Come and join us over coffee and treats!
April, April, 2013 Chris Lehmbeck at
[email protected].
Our beloved Bishop Bob at his going away party.
Past Memories The beautiful posters displayed around the church promoting the upcoming Shrine Mont fundraiser for scholarship was created by Shannon Sanka as a donation to the effort.
New drip-less candles placed in service On Easter Sunday we were delighted to use our newly refurbished altarware. The silver was polished and repaired, the brass candlesticks were straightened and polished, and the altar cross was restored back to its original condition. This was made possible by gifts given by or in memory of former parishioners through our Memorial Fund. Our thanks go to Jim Crosby for arranging the restoration. In addition, we have instituted a program to replace all of our wax candles with oil filled ones to eliminate dripping wax on our fine linens and brass candlesticks. Churches that have made this switch report a great savings in candle purchases, as well as the dripping wax problem. The candle sticks are filled with oil and have wicks that do not burn away.
Emmanuel Mission Trip Update Joe Schinstock, Jody Lahendro, Clarke Goodling, and Tim Scruby have returned from an extremely successful mission trip to Haiti. They teamed with other Building Goodness volunteers to work on the St. Pierre Church reconstruction project in Leogane. The group will be sharing their experiences at the April 21st Adult Forum. You don’t want to miss it! Emmanuel will now be planning the next mission trip, tentatively scheduled for Fall 2013. Should the church reach out to our trusted partner Building Goodness to plan a new trip to Haiti with a fresh construction challenge? Or should the church seek out a new international mission opportunity, such as medical services or education? They seek your ideas. Please contact the members of the Emmanuel Mission Trip Committee: Joe Schinstock at
[email protected]. Kristin Von Thelen at
[email protected]. Donovan Dagner at
[email protected], and 4
By Julie Shields In 1998, our beloved Bishop Robert Atkinson led a retreat at Miller School for Emmanuel’s vestry. During the course of the day Bishop Bob told us about a plan some years earlier to divide our large, somewhat unwieldy diocese to into two dioceses. As he listened to the discussion, Bishop Bob had imagined himself the bishop of the new diocese, the Diocese of the Shenandoah. He loved the sound of it -- the Bishop of the Shenandoah -- so evocative, so poetic. But, alas, agreement could never be reached, and the diocese remained as it was, the Diocese of Virginia. But years later, in 2000, when what was later to be named the Marston-LaRue House was being renovated, Emmanuel rented a trailer in which Sunday school classes met and office work was done. It was in this trailer that the vestry met on February 8, 2000, and it was then that we got the great idea of naming our trailer Shenandoah -- so, since Bishop Bob was our very own Bishop, he became at long last the Bishop of the Shenandoah.
The Emmanuel Emmanuel Way
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April, April, 2013
Shrine Mont fundraiser set Chocolate & Wine Celebration - Sat, April 13th - To raise funds for Shrine Mont scholarships, the Shrine Mont Committee is holding a new and tasty event! Join us for sampling wines and homemade chocolate desserts in the Parish Hall at 7 pm. Bring the kids - they will have their own fun with a free babysitter and smores outside. Please consider donating either a bottle of wine or a famed chocolate dessert recipe - the sign up sheet is in the Parish Hall. Attendees are asked to donate $10 per person to indulge - it's for a great cause! We are also planning a Spaghetti Dinner & Silent Auction at 6:30 pm on Sat, May 18th. Questions? Contact Kris Bourque at
[email protected]. Membership on the committee is open to all who are interested.
The Emmanuel Way
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A monthly publication of Emmanuel Episcopal Church, Greenwood, Virginia April
2013
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