St. Luke`s Episcopal Church Newsletter—February 2010 From Our

St. Luke’s Episcopal Church
“Heaven in the Hills”
Newsletter—February 2010
Newsletter Spotlight
From Our Vicar...
A PERSONAL ENCOUNTER WITH CHRIST
As we begin to approach the spiritual highpoint of the year, there are a number of things
to consider. However, all we need do is follow the lead of the liturgical calendar, one of
the advantages of being part of a liturgical church. Liturgical churches are pointed toward spiritual discipline which is a great part of what the seasons of the church are
about. The seasons are natural reminders of key turning points in the life of Christ and
give us an opportunity for a protracted look at key events in the life of Christ, thereby a
deeper understanding of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This is the point of the Lent/Easter
experience. That during this time appointed by the church we would take the opportunity to reflect upon the passion of our Savior while considering the question, "To what
end?"
Such a question could easily be encased in terms of relation to humanity in general.
However, while the "Christ event" leaves no aspect of God’s creation untouched, it most
often manifested in His encounters with individual people. For example, one might consider Pontius Pilot. Although Pilot's encounter with Jesus was in a official capacity as a
government official, there is often portrayed in other writings about the event, outside
Holy Scripture, a picture of a very personal experience of Jesus as Pilot is beseeched to
judge Him. Between the lines of the text of the bible there appears to be a great frustration on the part of Pilot about this man Jesus who is brought before him. He seems to
be personally touched by his encounter with Jesus.
So it continues to be throughout the New Testament. Even the demons are affected by
their encounter with Him. They immediately and mysteriously recognize who He is. The
writers of the New Testament are so moved by their encounter with Him, sometimes
only through the words of other disciples, yet still experiencing a personal encounter
with the Lord. This is, of course, part of God's plan of salvation for all of us; that each
one of us would experience personal encounters with the risen Lord. There are, of
course, numerous ways that such experiences take place. Sometimes in the study of
His word, in the receiving of the sacraments, in worship or in the everyday events of our
lives. However, as those events take place the next step in such an experience is to
discern in our lives God's meaning and purpose.
The Lent/Easter event then is just such an opportunity for personal encounter with
Christ and is given to us by God through His church. If we only see these seasons as
quaint sentimental events that are simply a creation of men, then we have missed a
large part of God's plan of salvation in our own time. Holy writ and the experience of
Christians since the Resurrection have born witness to God's saving work in and
through His church. Blessed St. Paul himself encourages the church to "continue in the
traditions of the church, both oral and written." In this coming season of Lent, be vigilant
and intentional about responding to this present opportunity for personal encounter with
your savior, especially beginning with the service of imposition of ashes on Ash
Wednesday.
Fr. Bye+
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Page 2
• Ash Wednesday Services
• Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper
• Important Dates
• Important Websites
Page 3
• Greeter Schedule
• Schedule of Services &
Events
Page 4
• Important Contracts
• Lay Reader/Acolyte
Schedule
• Altar Guild Schedule
• Bishop’s Committee
Meeting
• Poem” “Gift’s of Love”
Page 5
• Bishop’s Committee
Planning Meeting
• Church Sign
Page 6
• Children’s Sunday
School
• Haitian Relief Effort
Page 7
• “Dia de los Reyes”
Page 8
• Mission “Sewing” Trip
Planned
• Mission “Construction”
Trip
Page 9
• Upcoming Mission opportunities
Page 10
• Lent
Page 11
• Gaali, Zambia Maize
Crop
Page 12
• Birthdays &
Anniversaries
Ash Wednesday services are at 11:00 a.m.
and 6:30 p.m. on February 17, 2010
Come Hungry!!
Pictured Above:
The Preston kids: L to R, Luke and his wife
Veronica, Mercy and Peace.
(children of Beth and Glenn Preston)
Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper
5:30 on February 16, 2010
Important Dates
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Every Tuesday AM: Women’s Bible Study, 9:30
AM in Swope Hall
February 8 & 9: “Sewing” Mission trip to Piedras
Negras, MX
February 12 & 13: Bishop’s Committee “Planning
Retreat” in SA
February 14: Last Sunday of the Epiphany season
February 15: Bishops Committee meeting, 6 PM
February 16: Tuesday, “Shrove Tuesday” Pancake Supper, 5:30, Swope Hall
February 17: Beginning of Lent with “Ash
Wednesday” services, 11:00 AM, 6:30 PM
February 18-20: Diocesan Council meets in Corpus Christi
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Important Websites
A Wealth of Good Info...
St. Luke’s website can be found at
http://www.stlukes-cm.org/. At the
website you will find Daily Devotionals, Lay Reader/Acolyte schedule,
the most recent Church newsletter,
archived newsletters, minutes from
Bishop’s Committee meetings, photos and much, much more. The Diocesan website is found at http://
www.dwtx.org
“Greeter” Schedule for Upcoming Weeks
Greeters are being asked to provide a head count for Total Congregation Attendance (including children). There is
pad on the organ to write the number in the congregation & place in the collection plate. Greeters are expected to take
up the Collection. If you’d like to serve as a Greeter, please contact Joe McShane @ 512-261-6780 to be added to the
list. We could use two more greeters. With 8 or 9 greeters available, each would serve only once every two mos.
Feb. 7
Feb. 14
ASH WEDNESDAY
Feb. 17
Feb. 21
David Greene
Ladd Smith
: 11 AM—No
Greeter
Pat Burleson
830-832-5848
262-844-6171
[email protected]
[email protected]
830-825-0211
[email protected]
6:30 PM David Greene
Feb. 28
Jorn Budde
512-264-9685
[email protected]
Mar. 7
Don Gray
512-496-3583
[email protected]
Mar. 14
Rick Schroeter
830-825-2102
[email protected]
Mar. 21
Joe McShane
512-261-6780
[email protected]
PALM SUNDAY
Mar. 28
David Greene
830-832-5848
[email protected]
MAUNDY THURSDAY 6:30 PM
Apr. 1
Ladd Smith
262-844-6171
[email protected]
GOOD FRIDAY - NOON
Apr. 2
(no greeter)
EASTER VIGIL - 8 PM
Apr. 3
Pat Burleson
830-825-0211
[email protected]
EASTER
Apr.
Jorn Budde
512-264-9685
[email protected]
Rick Schroeter
830-825-2102
[email protected]
Apr. 18
Don Gray
512-496-3583
[email protected]
Apr. 25
Joe McShane
512-261-6780
[email protected]
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Apr. 11
IF ANY OF THE ABOVE DATES DO NOT WORK FOR YOU, PLEASE SECURE YOUR SUBSTITUTE EARLY, AS WE HAVE A
NUMBER OF SPECIAL SERVICES AS WE GO INTO THE EASTER SEASON!
St. Luke’s Services & Events
Sundays Services
8:00 AM: Holy Eucharist (no music)
9:15 AM: Adult Christian Education (in parish hall)
9:15 AM: Child care while parents attend Adult Education (white Sunday School
building)
10:00 AM: Children Sunday School (assemble in parish hall)
10:15 AM: Holy Eucharist (with music)
10:15 Children's education (white Sunday School building)
11:15 AM: Coffee and snacks (in parish hall)
Other Days
Monday 9:00 AM: Morning Prayer
Tuesday 9:00 AM: Morning Prayer
Tuesday 9:30 AM: Women's Bible Study
Tuesday 6:30 PM: English as a Second Language Class
Wednesday 6:00 AM: Men's Prayer Group
Wednesday 9:00 AM: Morning Prayer
Wednesday 11:00 AM: Holy Eucharist
Wednesday noon: Women's Small Group
Wednesday 12:30 PM: Men's Small Group at La Feria restaurant, Hwy 620 near
Hwy 71, across from Home Depot
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“Gifts of Love”
Altar Guild Schedule
Thank You, Lord, for gifts of love
2/7
- Gail Moreman, Sally Smith &
Candy Falatko
2/14 - Paula Sumners, Sandi Burleson,
Linda Appleton
2/21 - Sandy Hodges, Doreen Budde &
Sue Peterson
2/28 - Rita Reiner & Connie Bye
That You shower from above.
You haven't left us in the lurch
But give us gifts to grow Your church.
Without eyes, we couldn't see
To gaze lovingly at Thee.
What a gift it is to hear;
Bishop’s Committee Meeting
Thank You, Father, for the ear.
February 15, 6 PM
Swope Hall
Ears to hear a sermon gifted
Or angelic voices lifted;
All are welcome to attend
Hands to help or serve or heal,
Lay Reader/Acolyte Schedule
Lay Reader
8 AM
Lay Reader
10:15 AM
Acolyte
10:15 AM
Feb 7
David G.
Monique
Joseph
Feb 14
Frana
Marie
Thomas S.
Feb 17
N/A
Pat B.
(6:30 service)
David M.
Feet to go, and knees to kneel;
A mouth to speak what You want spoken,
Hearts to pass out loving tokens;
A nose to sniff out something rotten
That is better left forgotten:
Some have many; some have one.
Feb 21
John S.
Frana
Joseph S.
It matters not, for when all's done
Feb 28
Frana
Lonnie
Christie
We'll all be left before Your throne
To worship You, and You alone.
Important Contacts…
So let us merely do our part
Vicar - Tommy Bye
817-308-5850 ;
Email: [email protected]
To use each gift with all our heart
And finally sing this aria:
Bishop’s Warden - Sandy Hodges
512-663-9745;
Email: [email protected]
Soli Deo gloria!
Ever Thankful,
Beth Preston
Church Office - 830-825-8001
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Bishop’s Committee Planning Retreat
The Bishop’s Committee will meet at the Bishop Jones Center in San Antonio on February 12 and
13 for a planning session. Last year’s planning session was instrumental to many of the wonderful
accomplishments at St. Luke’s in the past months. The Bishop Jones Center is located in Alamo
Heights near Incarnate Word University and is owned by the Diocese of West Texas. It is a gorgeous estate with offices and a retreat center, large oak trees and gorgeous grounds with winding
stone walkways. The grounds also include a columbarium (cremated remains) built into stone walls
outdoors. The property was donated to the Diocese in 1962 by the Kamko Foundation. The Bishop
Jones Center - which comprises Cathedral House, Chapel House, and Cathedral Park - is home to
the diocesan bishop and his staff and continues to be a gathering place for the diocese. For being
located in central San Antonio, the center is amazingly quiet and peaceful. It is a wonderful place for
our Bishop’s Committee to enjoy in planning for St. Luke’s future.
New Sign Coming to St. Luke’s Soon
St. Luke’s will soon feature a new doublesided sign between the bell pillars. An example of how the sign will look when installed is provided below. The sign is
made from a wood-like plastic resin material that is guaranteed not to rot or weather
for ten years. The sign’s color will match
that found on the front door to the church.
The lettering on the sign will be handcarved and painted in gold. The sign will
read “St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, established 1956”. An all-weather double-sided
letter box will be hung below the sign. It
will be waterproof and feature lockable
doors. The letterbox will be used to provide notice of upcoming events, contact
information, a schedule of services, etc.
The decision to place the sign between the
pillars was in an attempt to leave the
church lawn as open and undisturbed as
possible. The sign is being prepared by a
company in New England who focuses on
signs for Episcopal churches.
Example of How the Sign Will
Look…(other than stating
“Est. 1956”)
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Children's Sunday School
Sunday School spotlight on… ALYSA MCLAURIN
The children will string beads for an Anglican rosary this month. They will learn how to
use the Anglican prayer beads, bring instructional brochures home, and have the beads
completed by February 21. That Sunday is also the first one in Lent and the children
have new educational materials that will take them through Lent and Easter. The materials go along with our scriptural readings. We are also continuing having the children
read the gospel as class begins and have a new children's Bible for the class.
Teacher Schedule
February 7
Connie Bye
February 14
Sally Smith & Ann Bond
February 21
Christi Schroeter & Rita Reiner
February 28
Sue Peterson & Mae Hernlund
Alysa is one of our devoted children attending
Sunday School regularly and was baptized in
the Fall of 2008. She is in the second grade
in Johnson City. Alysa likes to sing and enjoys arts and crafts. She also brightens our
Sunday morning with her ever present smile.
I can also attest after observing her the last
couple of years first hand that she is a sweet
and devoted big sister. That is a great gift.
Our Sunday School community is very thankful for Alysa. Alysa is pictured to the right with
her little sister Alea. –Connie Bye
St. Luke’s Contributes to the Haitian Relief Effort
St. Luke’s recently donated funds to the Episcopal Diocese of West Texas to be used in the Haitian relief
effort. Parishioners donated $780 and the Church donated an additional $1,500 from the assistance fund.
Donations are still being accepted.
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“DIA DE LOS REYES” (“Day of the Kings”)
at sister church Santa Fe Episcopal Church in San Antonio
“Dia De Los Reyes” was celebrated Sunday, January 10, 2010 during the Communion Service at
our sister church in San Antonio, Santa Fe Episcopal Church. This was their first celebration of the
New Year creating a beautiful beginning to 2010.
The service commenced with the procession of the “The Three Kings” trailed by the congregation
(adults and children alike) to lay gifts around the Baby Jesus.
Afterwards, all the children received and opened their gifts with a thrill of joy and excitement followed
by a feast in the Parish Hall. It was truly a Feast of the Epiphany celebration.
Special thanks were received from Santa Fe Episcopal Church to our congregation at St. Luke's for
our contribution in this blessing.
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MISSION “SEWING” TRIP SET FOR FEBRUARY 8 & 9
Women from St. Luke's will be leading sewing classes again in Piedras Negras, Mexico. We will have an afternoon class Monday and another Tuesday morning. The women in the classes will be making pillows and
aprons for themselves and learning more about sewing. Look to your March newsletter for photos and information about our trip.
Please keep us in your prayers for safe travel and inspiration in our classes. Participating in the mission trip are:
Linda Appleton, Sally Smith, Elizabeth Clark, Doreen Budde, Connie Bye
RECENT MISSION “CONSTRUCTION” TRIP TO PIEDRAS NEGRAS
St Luke's recently participated with Epiphany Church in Burnet in a building mission in Piedras Negras.
On Wednesday, January 27th, Father Bye, David Manning and Scott Dawson drove to Piedras Negras
to work with the Burnet Episcopal Church volunteers . The group met together in Piedras Negras to
build a new “home” for a young mother and her infant and to put a metal roof on an existing home. In
addition to the construction projects, the group scouted two other future projects to determine the
scope of work needed. The “new home” was well received by the young lady. Once the project was
finished, her grandfather did a small dance in the home and furnished the house with a carpet remnant. A big thanks to David Manning for his Spanish skills. Photos below by Scott Dawson. St. Luke’s
contributed funds to the material costs.
Above: The New “Home”
To the Right: David Manning,
Father Bye
Not Shown: Scott Dawson
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-
UPCOMING “CONSTRUCTION/SEWING” MISSION TRIP
MARCH 2010
We are in communication with Epiphany Church in Burnet to do another joint trip to Piedras
Negras which will involve building projects and sewing classes at the same time. They have
on their calendars to go March 9 through the weekend. Another possibility in the community
is there may be undiscovered artists who would rather paint pillows and aprons than sew.
Our hopes are to have an art station set up with teachers on the March mission trip. There is
also conversation of a future medical mission trip to that area involving our parishioners with
medical backgrounds and those from Epiphany and other churches.
There are endless possibilities of ways we can offer assistance to that community. Those
that have gone already come back with real enthusiasm for future trips and flowing with
ideas. Consider getting your passport soon and join us whenever you are available.
–Connie Bye
Does God Exist? Question Answered.
A man went to his barbershop to have his hair cut and beard trimmed. As the barber began to work,
they began to have a good conversation.
And when you are in the barber's chair, the talk covers many things and various subjects. When they
eventually touched on the subject of God, the barber said, "I don't believe that God exists."
"Why do you say that?" asked the customer. "Well, you just have to go out in the street to realize that
God doesn't exist. Tell me, if God exists, would there be so many sick people? Would there be abandoned children?" If God existed, there would be neither suffering nor pain. I can't imagine a loving
God who would allow all of these things."
The customer thought for a moment but didn't respond because he didn't want to start an argument.
The barber finished his job and the customer left the shop.
Just after he left the barbershop, he saw a man in the street with long, stringy, dirty hair and an untrimmed beard. He looked dirty and unkempt. The customer turned back and went into the barber
shop and said to the barber, "You know what? Barbers do not exist."
"How can you say that?" asked the surprised barber. "I am here, and I am a barber, and I just worked
on you!"
"No!" the customer exclaimed. "Barbers don't exist because if they did, there would be no people with
dirty long hair and untrimmed beards, like that man outside."
"Ah, but barbers DO exist! That's what happens when people do not come to me."
"Exactly!" affirmed the customer. "That's the point! God, too, DOES exist!"
"That's why there's so much pain and suffering in the world. That's what happens when people do not
go to Him and don't look to Him for help."
~ Author Unknown ~
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Looking Ahead to Our Next Liturgical Season…
Lent—February 17 through Easter
(Repeated from January’s Newsletter)
On Wednesday, February 17, 2010, we will enter into one of the most important seasons of
the church year—the “40 days” of Lent. The word “Lent” comes from the Anglo-Saxon word
lencten, or spring, the time of year when the days begin to lengthen. Lent itself is always the
same period of time, but its starting date is tied to the movable feast of Easter and can be as
early as February 4 or as late as March 10.
Lent is one of the most important seasons of the church year because it is a time of penitence, an introspective period during which we take stock of our lives and our relationships to
discover and change what we must to prepare for Easter and experience the spiritual renewal that comes when we engage in this type of “making right” activity. So, during Lent we
each follow the example of Jesus by sacrificing our own will to the purpose of God.
Starting on Ash Wednesday, the Lenten season includes 40 weekdays and five Sundays before Holy Week and the culminating triumph of the Resurrection at Easter.
Lent has two major focuses:
The first is baptism, which in the early church occurred only at Easter. The Sunday readings
provide a short course on the meaning of baptism.
The second Lenten theme, the one which most of us are familiar, is that of fasting and renunciation. This theme recalls Jesus’ 40 days in the wilderness, and through them the discipline
of self-denial reflecting the sacrifice of our will to the purpose of God.
Tuesday, February 16, is the final day before the Lenten fast. This day is variously recalled in
the celebration of Carnival (“farewell to meat”) which concluded on “Fat Tuesday” or Mardi
Gras, and in Shrove Tuesday’s pancakes (consuming the eggs, milk and fat not allowed during the fasting of Lent). “Shrove” Tuesday refers to the ancient practice of being
“shriven” (confessing and receiving absolution) in order to begin and keep a holy Lent.
The liturgical colors of Lent are purple, for penitence and royalty, or rough unbleached linen,
based on the sackcloth of Old Testament mourning and reflecting the somber mood of the
season.
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Gaali, Zambia Church Update
Reverend Joseph Phiri recently sent us the photos below of the wonderful 15-acre maize
crop that is growing now near the church to feed the orphans and widows of Gaali this next
year. He is pastor of the RCZ or Reformed Church of Zambia in Monze, the town close to
Gaali. The money St. Luke's gave ($3,950) went toward purchase of seeds and fertilizer for
the maize field. Maize is their staple food and from it they make a corn meal mush called
"nshema". Maize seed heads should soon be developing on the crop. The water the maize is
boiled in is used as a nutritious drink for children. This whole project represents the kind of
help we can give to enable Africa to become healthier with better educated citizens. This is
because many of the orphaned children and poor children in general do not go to school because they lack the energy necessary since their diet is extremely poor.
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Birthdays
Peterson
Robinson
Jameson
Stephenson
Jameson
Keith
Smith
Tom
Zack
Quentin
2/2
2/3
2/7
Ian
2/12
Amy
Hillary
Sally
2/28
3/9
3/24
Diocese of West Texas offers…
Contemplative Retreat:
People of Pilgrimage Journeying
into
Silence
February 28 – March 4
Anniversaries
None this month! So, if you are single,. consider getting married in FebContact Don Gray to provide your birthday or
anniversary date ([email protected] or
512-496-3583) or to remove it from the list.
Birthdays and anniversary dates are no longer
included on the version of the newsletter that
is posted on the Church’s website (in respect
to privacy concerns) .
•
February 18-20:
Diocesan Council
meets in Corpus
Christi
St. Luke’s Episcopal Church
263 Spur 962
Cypress Mill, Texas 78663
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This is an ecumenical gathering of
which the Department of Christian
Education is a sponsor. It will be at
the Oblate School of Theology in San
Antonio. It will begin at 2:30 p.m. on
February 28 and end at noon on
March 4. This retreat is open to all
who share a desire for a sprit-led life
and companionship on the journey.
The Rev. Mary Earle and Mrs. Sylvia
Maddox will be the conveners. Questions? Contact Lou Taylor at
[email protected] or 888/210-8245387 and also go to www.ost.edu for
more information and to register.