June 2013 - Christ Episcopal Church

The Bellringer
Christ Episcopal Church
66 Middle Haddam Road/P.O. Box 81
Middle Haddam, CT 06456-0081
(860) 267-0287
June, 2013
A welcoming community committed to worship, mission and Christian formation in today’s world
Dear Friends in Christ,
After Trinity Sunday which we just celebrated on May 26, the Church enters the longest season of our
Church year: The Season after Pentecost. It takes us all the way to the First Sunday of Advent, when we
begin our liturgical cycle again. I love the rhythms of our Church calendar, with each season having its
own character and intent: the anticipation in Advent, the reflective nature of Lent, the abundant joy of
Easter.
But then there’s the Season after Pentecost, a full six months long! It’s so long and so rather run of the
mill that its other name is “ordinary time”. Granted, it’s got a lot going on during it, but there’s no flashy
color or festival that characterizes the season. And did I mention it’s long? I can maybe sustain a particular intention or focus for the four weeks of Advent, or for the six weeks of Lent. But six months? That’s a
different experience altogether.
The colors of the other seasons are bright and showy: the regal purple of Advent and Lent, the starry
white of Epiphany and Easter, the flashy red of Pentecost Sunday. And the Season after Pentecost’s color? Green, just plain old green. Now, I have nothing against green. It’s just that, well, it’s kind of ordinary. Kermit the Frog feels a bit this same way. He knows what it’s like to be green, and he isn’t much
fond of it, as he sings:
It's not that easy being green…
When I think it could be nicer being red, or yellow or gold...
or something much more colorful like that. It's not easy being green.
It seems you blend in with so many other ord'nary things.
So what does the Season after Pentecost have going for it, if not color and focus and festival? The
answer: everything that has to do with living our faith. It is during this season that we recount the stories
of Jesus’ ministry and deepen our relationship with God as we experience the Holy Spirit. This season is
about how we live our lives as Christians day in and day out, during the so-called “ordinary” moments
like going to the grocery store, spending time with friends, helping a neighbor, struggling to put food on
the table. It’s when we find that God doesn’t dwell only in the flashy, festival times, but God also particularly dwells in the common times and places. It’s when we discover that the God we seek is sitting right
next to us. Like green, seen everywhere throughout creation, God is in all places at all times.
So may we, during this long ordinary time, discover that green is the color of growth and wonder as we
open to God in all things and find that all things are in God.
Blessings for this ordinary, Christ-filled season,
JUNE CALENDAR OF EVENTS
Sunday, June 2—The Second Sunday after Pentecost
8:30 am
9:45 am
10:00 am
11:00 am
Choir Rehearsal
Nursery Care
Holy Eucharist: Rite II
Community Time and Refreshments
(courtesy of the Cecilios)
Sunday, June 9—The Third Sunday after Pentecost
8:30 am
9:45 am
10:00 am
11:00 am
Choir Rehearsal
Nursery Care
Holy Eucharist: Rite II and Holy Baptism
Community Time and Refreshments
(courtesy of Ellen and Ralph Little)
Sunday, June 16—The Fourth Sunday after Pentecost
Choir Appreciation Sunday
(Last day for the Choir and JAM until the Fall)
8:30 am
9:45 am
10:00 am
11:00 am
Choir Rehearsal
Nursery Care
Holy Eucharist: Rite II
Community Time and Refreshments
(courtesy of the Hytes)
Tuesday, June 18
6:30 pm
Vestry and Officers Meeting
Thursday, June 20
10:00 am
Bellringer Articles Due to Church Office
Sunday, June 23—The Fifth Sunday after Pentecost
8:45 am
9:00 am
10:00 am
Nursery Care
Holy Eucharist: Rite II
Community Time and Refreshments
Sunday, June 30—The Sixth Sunday after Pentecost
8:30 am
9:45 am
10:00 am
11:00 am
Choir Rehearsal
Nursery Care
Holy Eucharist: Rite II
Community Time and Refreshments
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Birthday Blessings from Rev.
Mary Anne for Johanna!
Johanna and Mckayla
Leigh and Jerry
Dawn and Linda
Barry and Bruce
Evelyn and Tracy
Johanna and Geri
Sandy, Scott, and Leigh
George and Robert
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Bud, Nancy, Dottie, Bud
Barry, Linda, and Winnie
Willie, Dick, and Ros
Shannon, Nancy, and Laurie
Dottie, Tracy, and Kate
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Prayers of the People
For consolation to Kathy Schluntz and family upon the passing of Kathy’s mother,
Sondra “Sunny” Benson
For healing and strength: Rt. Rev. M. Thomas Shaw, Bishop of the Diocese of
Massachusetts
For healing: William Moore, from Emily Moore and Jerry Graham
For healing: Alice Emmons, mother of Dotty, from Dotty and George Seitzer
For recovery and healing: Paul Hunt, Jr., from Geri-Anne and Paul Hunt
For comfort: Brian Perry and family from Dana Vick
For strength and comfort: Dorothy O’Shaughnessy from Donna Hryb
For comfort and healing: Ricky from Ellen and Ralph Little
For comfort and healing: Charlotte from Ellen and Ralph Little
For healing: Lisa DeVoe from the Sargent Family
For healing/strength after a successful liver transplant: Anna Bauer from Kathy
Godwin
For healing and strength: Bill Faragher from Chris and Denise Hamel
For strength and healing: Amy Garofalo from Dana Vick
A prayer for strength/comfort/healing: Sandra L. Read from B. Reed Kahn
For comfort and strength for those who are homebound, especially Anna Michelson, Eunice Sudol and June Wylie
Herbert Strickland passed away on Sunday, May 26, at the age of 98.
Herb was a long-time parishioner of Christ Church until fairly recently,
when he moved to a nursing facility in East Haddam. A service was
held on Thursday, May 30, at Spencer’s Funeral Home. Memorial contributions can be made to the East Hampton Ambulance Assoc. or to an
animal charity of the donor’s choice. Our condolences and prayers are
with Herb’s family.
Congratulations to Kate Grant upon her Graduation in April from
Goodwin College’s Nursing Program. Kate now awaits the State Licensing
Exam! Congratulations to Brian Hamel, son of Denise and Chris, upon
his graduation from Western New England University.
Kudos to you both!
Isabella (Bella) and Christopher Jr. (C.J.) Little will
be baptized on Sunday, June 9, during the worship
service. Bella, 6, and C.J., 1, are the children of Chris
and Anna Little, and the grandchildren of Ellen and
Ralph Little and Eric and Sandra von Tish. Please
welcome Bella and C.J. into our Church Family!
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VITAMIN DRIVE: Our final tally for our Vitamin drive is in: 500!
Thank you so much for your generous support of our Lenten Mission
for the children of St. Vincent’s School for Handicapped Children in
Haiti.
BIRTHDAY BAGS: We have also provided another six months’
worth of Birthday Bags for “our” Covenant-to-Care children served
by
our Social Worker, Christine Nucci. We could use some donations to
replenish our funds for this program. Each bag costs about $35, which includes a $20 gift card. If you
wish to honor someone, think of donating a bag in his/her name. Please make out checks to “Christ
Episcopal Church” and note “Missions- Birthday” in the memo line.
BACKPACKS: Our next big project is to provide backpacks for “our” Covenant-to-Care kids. Christine has told us that she has six children in need of backpacks: Two children (1 boy, 1 girl) are in the
lower grades, two children (1 boy, 1 girl) in middle school and two children (1 boy, 1 girl) in high
school. The four older kids are in need of flash drives (thumb drives—1 or 2 GB is plenty), which
allow them to save their work at school and then work at the public library. These are a bit more expensive than most school supplies but are very important to the educational lives of these kids.
Please note: We are changing it up a little this year in order to get the correct size and genders for our
backpacks. A good quality backpack costs about $25 each. We will be collecting money for the backpacks, which we will purchase on your behalf. Just put “Backpacks” in the memo line of your check
or on your envelope.
We ask you to help us fill the backpacks by providing us with as many of the following materials as
possible. Although the students have access to many of these tools at school, we are trying to provide
their home environment with the tools for success as well! We also try to put the same materials into
each backpack so each child gets what he/she needs. As there are two at each school level, please try
to provide supplies in groups of 2 so that both children can receive the same items.
notebooks
notebook paper
pens
pencils
colored pencils
markers (upper grades)
glue sticks
tape
flash drive (middle/high school)
pocket folders
3- ring binders
erasers
ruler
crayons (elementary)
scissors
basic calculator (middle/high school)
If you prefer, you could donate money and we will do the shopping! Just send in your check and make
it out to “Christ Episcopal Church” and put “Backpack supplies ” in the memo line so it gets to this
Mission. If we get more supplies or money than we need, Christine said that she will find homes for
more backpacks!
Please bring your donations to church on or before August 11. Be sure to inform a Missions team
member if you put your bag in the Parish Hall or at the back of the church. If you need other drop-off
arrangements, please contact Donna Long at 467-6278, [email protected]; Dottie Seitzer at 267
-9204, [email protected]; or Mary Boretz at 267-0365 [email protected] We will
be filling the backpacks on Monday, August 12. Please feel free to join us! Contact Donna for the
time. There will be no Missions Meeting in June or July.
Thank you so much for helping to make a child’s life a bit easier as the school year begins again in
August.
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Each week in the Sunday bulletin we publish an update of our year to
date pledging. Here is what was printed on Sunday, May 26.
Parishioners have pledged $1,616.81 per week for an annual total of $84,074. to
support the mission of our Church. We received $6,532. on May 19. YTD Pledge
Budget: $30,719.; YTD Pledge Actual: $34,107. (One 2013 pledge paid in lump
sum on 5/19.) Thank you!!
Remember you can always set-up automatic bill payment using your
checking account! Or you can always mail your pledge to the Church, attention: Pledge Counters. Thank you!
Barry Edmonds, Treasurer/Bookkeeper
If you would like to enhance our Church and/or property while honoring the memory of
a person or the celebration of a milestone, we would value the donation of any of the
following:
Item
Number
Prayer books for pews
Interior painting of the Parish Hall
Comfortable chair for our priest’s office 1
Approximate Price
$20.00
TBD
free, from a good home
With many thanks to:
The Cecillios for donating a portion for the Altar Book in honor of Johanna's 21st
birthday.
Other donors have completed the Altar Book donation and donated the Lectionary
Book “To the Glory of God”.
Only a dad, but he gives his all
To smooth the way for his children small,
Doing, with courage stern and grim,
The deeds that his father did for him.
This is the line that for him I pen,
Only a dad, but the best of men.
—Edgar A. Guest
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Saint Barnabas, Apostle
On our Liturgical Calendar, June 11, 2013 is the Feast of Saint Barnabas, the Apostle.
Barnabas, born Joseph, was one of the earliest Christian disciples in Jerusalem. His story appears
in the Acts of the Apostles. He was a Cypriot Jew and cousin of Mark the Evangelist. He was the
founder of the Orthodox Church in Cyprus. Named an apostle, he and Paul the Apostle undertook
missionary journeys together and defended Gentile converts against the Judaizers. They traveled
together making more converts (45-47AD), and participated in the Council of Jerusalem. Barnabas
and Paul successfully evangelized among the "God-fearing" gentiles who attended synagogues in
various Hellenized cities of Anatolia.
Barnabas is one of the first teachers of the church at Antioch. Barnabas was a Levite. He was a native of Cyprus, where he possessed land, which he sold, giving the proceeds to the church in Jerusalem. When Saint Paul returned to Jerusalem after his conversion, Barnabas took him and introduced him to the apostles.
Christian tradition holds that Barnabas was martyred at Salamis, Cyprus, in 61 AD. Several Jews,
being highly exasperated at his extraordinary success, fell upon him as he was disputing in the synagogue, dragged him out, and, after the most inhumane tortures, stoned him to death. His kinsman,
John Mark, who was a spectator of this barbarous action, privately interred his body.
According to the History of the Cyprus Church, in 478, Barnabas appeared in a dream to the Archbishop of Constantia (Salamis, Cyprus) Anthemios and revealed to him the place of his sepulcher
beneath a carob-tree. The following day Anthemios found the tomb and inside it the remains of
Barnabas with a manuscript of Matthew's Gospel on his breast. Anthemios presented the Gospel to
Emperor Zeno at Constantinople and received from him the privileges of the Greek Orthodox
Church of Cyprus, that is, the purple cloak which the Greek Archbishop of Cyprus wears at festivals of the church, the imperial scepter and the red ink with which he affixes his signature.
Anthemios then placed the remains of Barnabas in a church which he founded near the tomb. Excavations near the site of a present day church and monastery have revealed an early church with two
empty tombs; believed to be that of St. Barnabas and Anthemios.
St. Barnabas is venerated as the Patron Saint of Cyprus.
2013 Bellringer Series “Saints of Our Church”, by Paul Hunt
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TREC invites conversation through website, social media
[May 15, 2013] The Task Force for Reimagining the Episcopal Church (TREC)
is utilizing social media to solicit ideas, info and as a means to hear from the
church. And, TREC plans to regularly pose questions, report on its progress,
and engage both the wider church and specific groups within the church in an
ongoing dialogue throughout the triennium. The TREC website is www.
reimaginetec.org; www.twitter.com/reimaginetec; and facebook.com/
reimaginetec.
According to the Rev. Canon Craig Loya, “An important part of our work during this triennium is to engage the wider church in conversations about
church structure and about what God is calling us to be as The Episcopal
Church embraces change and creativity in the years to come.”
Dr. Katy George noted, “We are committed to transparency and sharing information as our work evolves. However, what would make this journey relevant, meaningful and productive is the active engagement of the church in
this process at all levels. We welcome you to be part of this journey.”
In inviting conversation and engagement, the Rev. Joseph M.C. Chambers
said, “It is our desire that our website and social media pages serve as tools
for conversation and a platform for sharing information; a bridge to connect
every Episcopalian with the work TREC has ahead. As we share a common
love for our beloved Episcopal Church, we invite you to invest in this process.
Join us, and share your thoughts, ideas, dreams and hopes for The Episcopal
Church you would like to see.”
Other contact information includes: [email protected], Task Force for
Reimagining the Episcopal Church, PO Box 11641, St Louis, MO 63105-1641.
Book of Remembrance
The Vestry would like to update Christ Episcopal Church’s “Book of Remembrance”. We are
seeking anyone who made a donation in a parishioner’s memory to contact Jerry Graham, Donna
Hryb, or Betty Fuqua. To ensure that we have everyone accounted for, we are asking for any donations made going back to 2003. Thank you for your assistance with this mission.
Ben's Lighthouse Fund: I am pleased to announce that $1,504 was the grand total of
the donation sent to Trinity Church of Sandy Hook, in Newtown, CT, for Ben's Lighthouse
Fund. Trinity Church’s Junior Warden, Rick Haylon, sent me his thanks, confirmed
receipt of the check, and stated “Again, we are very appreciative for what your parish has
done to support our kids!” Rick indicated that they are on track for a town-wide day of
activities on June 15, 2013, as a major event sponsored by the Lighthouse Fund. This
date is the six month anniversary of the tragic shootings.
WOW, I'm so proud of the donation we made and thank you all for your support.
Bud Briere, Jr. Warden.
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CHRIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH INFO:
Priest:
Rev. Mary Anne Osborn
Cell # 203-494-5114
Vestry:
Bill Brault
Willie Fuqua
Jerry Graham
Denise Hamel
Paul Hunt
Donna Hryb
Dick Napoletano
Patti Stannard
Officers:
George Seitzer, Sr. Warden
Bud Briere, Jr. Warden
Barry Edmonds, Treasurer
Betty Fuqua, Parish Clerk
Church Office Hours:
Tuesday: 3 pm - 5 pm
Thursday: 10:30 am-2:30 pm
Church Website:
christchurchmiddlehaddam.com
Church e-mail:
Parish Administrator:
Susan Skoglund
Rev. Osborn’s e-mail:
[email protected]
Choirmaster & Organist:
Barbara Brundage
Sexton:
Roberta Edmonds
[email protected]
Nursery Care:
Shannon Walsh
Christ Episcopal Church
66 Middle Haddam Road
Middle Haddam,CT 06456-0081
860-267-0287