Our Shrine Mont group at the Emmanuel Parish Retreat of 2011. Read the whole story on Page 3
The Emmanuel Way A monthly publication of Emmanuel Episcopal Church, Greenwood, Virginia October 2011
Emmanuel Episcopal Church Memorial Garden In response to a growing need for a reverential space for loved one’s ashes, an Emmanuel Memorial Garden has been conceived as an adjunct to the cemetery. The garden is not intended as a burial ground for the ashes (that is more properly the cemetery) but rather as a dispersal area. On the left hand side as one walks south down towards the end of the cemetery on a little saddle of land, the garden is on the south eastern edge. Using handmade bricks from the courtyard and the hard work of Sun & Shade, Emmanuel’s current gardeners, what promises to be a special place
has been created. New plantings of azaleas and rhododendrons have been installed but this hardly excludes shade tolerant flower or bulb plantings of one’s choosing. Quite likely a columbarium will eventually be added to this site as the graveyard begins to approach capacity. Fortunately this should be sometime in the future as we have also received a generous donation of additional land from the adjoining Tiverton Farm on the western boundary of the existing cemetery. This is a very narrow plot of land that generally follows the farm road between our existing property and the gas station next door down to Stockton Creek. Further inquiries can be addressed to the current cemetery custodian, Sandy von Thelen. (Additional details on back cover)
reviewing peace ministries and teaching in various parts of the world.
Rector’s Reflections
The Rev. Charles F. Mullaly, Jr.
Our special guest on Oct 9
“One is Silver and the other Gold”
The Reverend Dr. George and Mrs. Victoria Hobson will be Emmanuel's guests on October 9 from the American Cathedral, Paris, France. Dr. Hobson will be preaching at both the 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. services, with Victoria Hobson as the forum speaker at 10 a.m. Mrs. Hobson's talk is entitled “The Holy Spirit on the Move.” She will be
There is a Girl Scout song that says, “Make new friends but keep the old. One is silver and the other gold.” That sentiment perfectly encapsulates my thoughts and feelings over the past few months. Many new people and families have come to Emmanuel over the past year. I have felt privileged to greet them and begin to get to know them. At Shrine Mont over our parish weekend I really had the wonderful
2 opportunity to visit in-depth with some of our newer people. These folks join an honestly incredible parish family of committed Christians who resonate with the joy and goodness of serving our Lord here at Emmanuel as well as out in the world. We are blessed to have a core group of people who do a tremendous amount of work that we need to make a parish function well. (To be honest, some have held leadership roles for so long they would probably like the opportunity to retire!) So here we are: short-term and long-term members of our Emmanuel family – some “silver” and others “gold”. I believe this invites us to look at what we do, how we do it, for whom we do it, and who actually does it in new ways, with fresh eyes. What is “it”? “It” is all the work and joy of actively participating in our parish life. I met a young woman at Shrine Mont when Emmanuel was there. She attends a small church in Northern Virginia. She shared that she chose her church “because they needed me”. I would say the same to each of you, newer to Emmanuel or not. We need you! In many organizations, associations and even churches there is the “20-80 rule”: 20% of the people do 80% of the work! This is not a good thing and we have not experienced this at Emmanuel. However, as our Emmanuel family keeps expanding our needs also increase. My plea, as we enter our busy fall schedule, is this: Don’t assume someone else will do “it”. Please know how much we want and need your fresh ideas, your enthusiastic participation, and your honest commitment to help make your parish thrive. Our commitment to being servants of our Lord Jesus Christ really requires more than just coming to church for one hour on Sunday morning. Can I count on your help? Call me. I have a list of things we need to do – small and simple as well as big and complicated. This is a great family so you’ll have help! Blessings, Chuck
The Emmanuel Way P.S. If I have not had the chance to visit with you and your family, please call the church office (540-456-6334) and invite me!
Peter’s Message
The Rev. Peter M. Carey
In our Baptismal Covenant we pledge to “seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving our neighbor as ourselves,” I am happy to report that folks from Emmanuel are finding new neighbors to love. I am so glad that Emmanuel Episcopal Church has formed a relationship with the organization, “Carpenter’s Kids.” Carpenter’s Kids is a program of the Diocese of Virginia (and other dioceses) in partnership with the Diocese of Central Tanganika in Tanzania. Several churches in Virginia, such as St. Paul’s, Ivy, and Buck Mountain Church have already supported kids in Tanzania. The program identifies the 50 poorest kids in a village and then a church, such as ours, pledges to pay $4000 in order to support these 50 kids so that they can go to school for the year. Through income from our Endowment Board, we are now beginning to support a group of 50 kids in Africa to go to school this year. The tuition (with food supplement and uniforms and supplies) per student is $80 per year. 2
October, 2011 Beyond this initial pledge, our Sunday School classes have sent soccer balls and a book to Tanzania for use by children there, and we will be looking for other ways to connect our parish with the kids who we are supporting. We will be finding ways to connect not only our kids, but also our entire parish with this worthy and important program. I hope you will help us to connect our living out of the gospel of Christ in this way this year. I am so excited about the possibilities ahead. At some point, I hope that a group of people will also travel to the Diocese of Central Tanganika to visit some of these villages. As we get more information about the kids that we are supporting, we will pass it along to you. In the meanwhile, keep these kids in your prayers, and consider finding other ways to support and connect with our brothers and sisters in Tanzania. Pray for us as we consider ways to connect to our neighbors nearby and far, and as we find ways to seek and serve Christ in all persons! In peace, Peter+
Vestry Report By Laura Farrell Senior Warden Your vestry reconvened in September after a brief summer hiatus to address Emmanuel’s growing space and facility needs. After sharing the Eucharist, we heard Pati Cunningham’s report on the facilities and programs survey. While response to the survey was minimal, it appears to 'cut a wide swathe' and represent our needs well. She brought good news: our programs are for the most part active and engaging. Emmanuel’s youth need more space for Christian education, and our parish hall isn't large enough to accommodate our well-attended events. Even the negatives reflect a thriving church, and we're ready to move forward with solutions! We had a long and productive discussion regarding Pati’s
3 report knowing that while the future of our congregation relies on growing with our population, we must maintain a grounded sense of who we are and carry that unique quality forward in our plans. Each vestry member is aware of the need for prayerfulness and guidance as we begin this journey. We concluded by forming two committees, one which will assess and take action for our most immediate space needs, Christian education being in the forefront. The second is a strategic planning committee to address long term answers to our 'good problem to have' of overflowing Sunday school classes and standing room only parish hall events. We will be asking for your input. Please be generous with your thoughts, suggestions, and concerns. Emmanuel is evolving physically and is dependant upon your participation in the process so that your needs are heard. Onward!
Fall Camp for the Aging The annual Fall Camp for the Aging sponsored by the three Episcopal dioceses in Virginia will be held at Shrine Mont from Mon., Oct. 24th to Thurs., Oct. 27th, according to Charley Chabot, our Missioner with the Aging for Region XV. The keynote speaker will be Marcus Borg, the challenging theologian and biblical scholar. The chaplain will be our new assistant bishop, the Rt. Rev. Ted Gulik. Returning by popular demand will be the incomparable singer, story teller, and folk theologian, Ed. Kilbourne. In addition to four beautiful fall days in the mountains with this dynamic trio we are offering various work shops in which you can do everything from make a book to explore your family tree. There is also an opportunity for outreach as we will be assembling toiletry and personal item bags for the Roanoke Rescue Mission. All of this is for the incredibly low rate of $220$250. We are accepting applications right up until the last minute so that if
The Emmanuel Way you suddenly find you are able to come, we will find a place for you. Since aging is a part of the “human condition”, Fall Camp is open to everyone. Registration brochures are on the table in the Parish Hall or contact Charley Chabot
The Emmanuel Way 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 Julia Shields . . . . . Editor Emeritus
Shrine Mont Parish Retreat deemed a great success The 2011 Edition of the Parish Retreat at Shrine Mont set a new record for member participation and the number of children almost matched the number of adults. Two new activities added even more fun and fellowship. Using the “America Has Talent” theme from the recent television show, the Shrine Mont Committee offered a fun filled Saturday evening of discovering who has talent at 3
October, 2011 Emmanuel Church. The surprises never ended. From slap stick comedy to concert hall solo presentations by some extremely talented musicians, we discovered some very professional talent among our parishioners. The second new adventure at Shrine Mont this year was the Friday evening campfire. The campfire stories and music offered while toasting marshmallows and making Smores was very rewarding. What a great setting for the service of Compline. Someone even brought wet wipes for the sticky fingers. Many of our young members got to toast marshmallows over an open fire for the first time. What a treat! All the other more familiar activities were highly successful offering new experiences in the porch offerings, inter-generational games and hiking, as well as, just plain visiting from the rocking chairs found on the porches. Jess and Kathleen Haden have been named as the co-chairs for next year and the planning will begin right away. If you are interested in participating in the planning for next year, you can reach them via telephone at 434-823-1230 or by email at this address:
[email protected] to volunteer. (See the picture on Page 4)
The Annual Parish Picnic This year our Annual Parish Picnic will be held at the church on October 2 following the 11a.m. service. This will be the first time for many years, the picnic will be held at the church in recognition of our new landscaping and parking facilities. Of course this means we will not to have drive to a different location following church services. Kathleen Haden and Katherine Merhige would like to hear from anyone who might be willing to help with the event. Mrs. Haden can be reached by calling 434 823 1230 or Mrs. Merhige by calling 540 456 6544.
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The Emmanuel Way
October, 2011
Newcomer’s Dinner Held On Friday, September 9th, Chuck and Leith hosted a delightful evening of good food and wonderful fellowship as we greeted newcomers into our parish family. Danielle Steiner and members of the Newcomer Committee, Michelle Burke, Betty Taylor, Pete and Jeanette Gatje, provided delicious food, warm welcomes, and great fun. A lovely cake with a basket of “cupcake apples” and Emmanuel’s Mission Statement was provided by parishioner Tess Reynolds Naumann. We will plan another gathering in a few months. If you are new, please be sure our Parish Administrator Janice Fischer has your information so we may invite you! .
The Greenwood Grapevine reports David Whitcomb attended the 13th Annual Bishop’s Golf Tournament at Shrine Mont on the 11th and 12th of September. The event is a fundraiser for Shrine Mont. Twelve four-person teams played a practice round of nine holes Sunday afternoon as a warm up event. This practice round was followed by a BBQ cookout and cold beer. On Monday morning the captain’s choice team competition began with a shot gun start. Each team played one hole with Bishop Jones. Prizes were awarded for team low net score, longest drive, closest to the pin and in some cases, just for showing up. An awards luncheon followed the competition. David played with a team from Trinity Church, but hopes that next year Emmanuel will field a team.
Trying the potter’s wheel beats making mud pies. This porch activity drew a lot of interest from the young parishioners attending Shrine Mont in 2011.
Disciples Kitchen Report By Amanda Poor On September 17, we served 36 breakfast plates at Basic United Methodist Church in Waynesboro. Thanks to the many parishioners who donated personal care items which the Methodist Church distributes each week on an as-needed basis. Toilet
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tissue and soap are always in demand because they cannot be purchased with SNAP (Food Stamp) benefits. In August we served 76 plates of our signature chili dish and used every last crumb and bean of food that so many generously prepared. Our remaining service dates for the year are as follows: lunch on Monday, October 24; breakfast on Saturday, November 19 and lunch on Thursday, December 1. If you'd like to help, contact Amanda Poor via email at
[email protected] or cell 804 200 3921
The Emmanuel Way
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October, 2011
Our Emmanuel Memorial Garden - Under the leadership of Sandy von Thelen, the Vestry chose a portion of the Emmanuel cemetery to be transformed into a permanent Memorial Garden. The area includes a brick walkway made from the old bricks removed from the sidewalks when the new courtyard was created. The Memorial Garden is designed so that those who would like to have their cremated ashes placed back into the earth will have a place to do so. If you would like to take advantage of this, please call the church office (540-456-6334) so we can record whose ashes are there for the church records. We plan to ask Bishop Gulick to dedicate the Memorial Garden on Sunday, November 13 when he makes his official visit to Emmanuel. We hope to add a bench for quiet meditation and we would also love to have a few gardeners work with Sandy on adding perennials to the area.
Emmanuel Way
First Class Postage
Post Office Box 38 Greenwood, Virginia 22943
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Adult Forums Oct. 2—”Are your affairs in order?”, Charley Chabot Oct. 9—Victoria Hobson Oct. 16—Youth Group Presentation Oct. 23—The Church and Creeds, The Rev. Jane Sigloh Oct. 30—”What Is Saving You Now?”
Special Events Sunday, Oct. 2—Church Picnic Monday, Oct. 3 & 10 —Inquirer’s Class, 6:30 pm, PH Saturday, Oct. 8—Acolyte Festival at National Cathedral Sunday, Oct. 9—The Rev. Dr. George & Victoria Hobson Saturday, Oct. 29—Fall Clean Up Day Sunday, Oct. 30—UTO FallIngathering
Key HE—Holy Eucharist MP—Morning Prayer MLR—Marston/LaRue House PH—Parish Hall LH—Ledford House HC—Holy Cross, Batesville AA—Alcoholics Anonymous
9:00 HE & Children’s Worship 10:00 Sunday School & Adult Forum 11:00 HE Prayers for healing after each service on the 4th Sunday
Sunday Schedule
October 2011
30 See Sunday Schedule UTO In-gathering
23 See Sunday Schedule EFM, 3 pm, PH
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16 See Sunday Schedule Shrine Mont meeting, noon, MLR
31 AA Meeting, 8 pm, PH
24 Coffee Lectionary, 10:00 am, Crozet Mudhouse
AA Meeting, 8 pm, PH
10 Coffee Lectionary, 10:00 am, Crozet Mudhouse Inquirer’s Class, 6:30 pm, PH AA Meeting, 8 pm, MLR
3 Inquirer’s Class, 6:30 pm, PH AA Meeting, 8 pm, MLR
Mon
9 See Sunday Schedule Visit by the Hobsons EFM, 3 pm, PH
Church Picnic at noon
2 See Sunday Schedule
Sun
Wed
26 Choir Rehearsal, 7 pm
25 Mountainside Tea Party, 3 pm
27 Women’s Bible Study, 10:30 am, PH Contemplative Prayer, 5:30 pm, church
20 Contemplative Prayer, 5:30 pm, church
13 Women’s Bible Study, 10:30 pm, PH Contemplative Prayer, 5:30 pm, church
6 Finance Committee, 5 pm, PH Contemplative Prayer, 5:30 pm, church
Thu
28 AA Meeting, 8 pm, PH
21 AA Meeting, 8 pm, PH
14 AA Meeting, 8 pm, PH
7 AA Meeting, 8 pm, PH
Fri
29 Fall Clean Up Day
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8 Acolyte Festival at National Cathedral
1 Thompson Wedding, 5 pm Bread Fund Distribution, 8 am, Holy Cross,
Sat
Please check the Sunday bulletin for changes and additions. If you would like to schedule an event, please call the office at 540540-456456-6334.
The deadline for articles for the November newsletter is October 15.
19 Choir Rehearsal, 7 pm
12 Choir Rehearsal, 7 pm
18 Men’s Bible Study, 8:30 am, PH
11 Mountainside Tea Party, 3 pm Vestry Meeting, 7 pm, PH
4 Men’s Bible 5 Study, 8:30 am, PH Bread Fund Packing, 10 am, HC Choir Rehearsal, 7 pm
Tue
