June 2013 - Episcopal Diocese of Tennessee

Transcription

June 2013 - Episcopal Diocese of Tennessee
June 2013
Bishop’s Notebook page 3
Feature Story page 4
Diocesan News page 6
From the Field page 8
Around the Diocese back cover
Connections:
home… parish… diocese
Taizé… in song and silence
The Mission of the Episcopal Diocese of Tennessee
is to encourage and equip one another
as baptized people of God, to witness
to the transforming and reconciling power of Jesus Christ.
The Episcopal Church
In the Anglican Communion
A global communion of
70 million Anglicans in
38 member provinces
Archbishop of Canterbury
The Most Rev. and Rt. Hon.
Justin Welby
Anglican Consultative Council
Partnership House
157 Waterloo Road
London, England
Episcopal Seat:
Canterbury Cathedral
In the United States
A communion of 2.5 million
members in 110 dioceses
in the Americas and abroad
Established 1789
Presiding Bishop
The Most Rev.
Katharine Jefferts Schori
Episcopal Church Center
815 Second Avenue
New York NY 10017
800-334-7626
Episcopal Seat:
Washington National Cathedral
Mount St. Albans
Washington DC 20016
Welcome to the June 2013 issue of Connections: home… parish… diocese.
We will accept submissions for Connections from throughout the diocese.
As space permits, we will use as much content as possible, subject to
editorial revision. Short announcements of 100 words or less may be sent
via email to [email protected]. For feature-length stories, contact us in
the diocesan office at 615-251-3322.
Digital photos can be submitted as above and must include activity, date
and identities of everyone in the photo.
Submissions are accepted until 12:00 Noon on the 10th of the month
prior to the upcoming issue and will be given consideration on a first
come/first served basis.
Safeguarding God’s Children
Protecting children from sexual abuse. Preventing adult sexual misconduct. A diocesan workshop for vestries,* nursery workers, Sunday school teachers, volunteer youth leaders and employees, part‐time and full‐time, anywhere in the diocese. No workshops are scheduled at this time; watch this space for dates.
To schedule a session at your parish, contact Bonnie Lloyd at 615-771-6322.
Please call the diocesan office at 615‐251‐3322 to sign up. *Newly elected vestry members should attend. Safeguarding God’s People is a curriculum provided by the Church Pension Group. Receiving Connections - three ways, your choice.
In the Diocese of Tennessee
A communion of 16,250
Episcopalians in
45 congregations
in Middle Tennessee
Established 1828
Online Edition: Connections is posted on the diocesan website for viewing, reading or printing! Visit
www.edtn.org for the Online Edition of Connections. Past issues are archived.
Bishop
The Rt. Rev. John C. Bauerschmidt
Episcopal Diocese of Tennessee
50 Vantage Way, Suite 107
Nashville TN 37228
615-251-3322
Print Subscription: If you do not have Internet capabilities, or you simply prefer the Print Edition of
Connections, call the diocesan office at 615-251-3322 to subscribe. Connections will be mailed to
your home 6 times a year.
Episcopal Seat:
Christ Church Cathedral
Published by the Diocese of Tennessee.
Publisher: The Rt. Rev. John C. Bauerschmidt
Editor: Cathy Hendrix
Email Updates: If you would like to be added to the diocesan Email Distribution List, visit the diocesan website and subscribe. A reminder will be sent to you when the latest Connections is posted.
Connections: home… parish… diocese
Communion Cues
There are some basic “cues” to receiving Holy Communion in the Episcopal
Church, a tradition to
“how we do things”
that varies from place
to place in its details
but which still bears
a family resemblance
no matter what parish
we belong to.
Practice differs in different places as
to whether communion is received
kneeling or standing, but a reverent
and humble approach to the Blessed
Sacrament is common to both. It is an
old tradition dating back at least to
the fourth century to distribute the
consecrated bread into the hands, one
placed under the other in order to
make a throne for Christ. In any case,
the hands should be held level as the
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laws of gravity still prevail in spite of
the sacramental presence. Some communicants prefer to receive the consecrated bread directly on their tongues.
The consecrated wine is received in a
variety of ways in Episcopal parishes. The most common way, and
the most traditionally Anglican, is
for each communicant to drink directly from the chalice. Others practice intinction, dipping the consecrated bread in the chalice, done either by the minister of communion or
by the communicant. Policies for this
are set by parishes, not individuals,
and approved by the bishop, but everyone should have a chance to drink
from the chalice. Communicants
should bear in mind that the Eucharistic bread is to be dipped, not
dunked, in the chalice: communicants who want more wine than that
will need to drink from the cup!
Questions are sometimes raised about
the hygiene of communion practices.
It is an old custom of the church for
the clergy to be involved in the reverent disposal of the consecrated bread
and wine, which in the Episcopal
Church means eating and drinking
what is left over. Clergy in modern
times have been known to be plagued
by stress but very rarely by communicable disease, which would seem to
undercut fears about hygiene.
Finally, it is an important cue if receiving at an altar rail to remain
where you are until the next communicant has received from the cup.
Communion is something we do together without rushing off or jostling at the rail. It’s also an old custom to make the sign of the cross
before and after receiving communion. “Amen” is also appropriate after the minister of communion says
the words of administration to each
communicant: the Christian’s “so
be it” in the face of the real presence of Christ. — Bishop John
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3
Peace and Tranquility
Through Song & Prayer
In 1966, the first international meeting
was organized with 1400 young adults
from thirty countries in attendance.
An ecumenical monastic order, the
Taizé Community was founded by
Roger Louis Schütz-Marsauche, a protestant pastor from Switzerland. In 1940,
during WWII, he rode a bicycle from
Geneva to Taizé, a small town in unoccupied France, about 240 miles southeast of Paris.
A Belgian doctor became the first
Catholic brother in 1969, and more Reformed, Anglican and Roman Catholics
joined the community.
Brother Roger purchased a small
house that became a sanctuary to Jewish refugees but was he forced to
leave Taizé. When he returned in
1944 after France was liberated, he
formed the Taizé Community which,
at that time, was comprised of a small
group of men living together in poverty and obedience.
On Easter day, 1949, seven men committed themselves to following a life of
simplicity, celibacy and community.
Since 1951, brothers have lived among
the poor in India, Bangladesh, the Philippines, Algeria, Brazil, Kenya, Senegal
and the United States.
As the whole world was changing, and
in response to student protests in Europe
and elsewhere, Brother Roger established the “Council of Youth” which
met in 1974. Time Magazine reported
on the event, stating that 20,000 people
had registered in the tent bearing the
sign “Taizé Community Welcome Bureau.” By the late ‘70s, these events
were referred to as “Pilgrimage of Trust
on Earth.” These Pilgrimages continue
to this day. Each year around New
Year’s Day, in a large European city,
tens of thousands of young adults
gather, staying with local families or
camping nearby. They participate in
programs and workshops on faith, art,
politics and social concerns.
In 2005, Brother Roger was murdered
in a knife attack by a mentally ill
woman. He was 90 years old. His funeral was attended by over 10,000 people. In his “Unfinished Letter” published following his death, Brother
Roger wrote of widen ing the
“Pilgrimage of Trust.”
Today, the Taizé Community is composed of more than 100 brothers in approximately thirty countries around the
world, led by Brother Alois, a German-
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Connections June 2013
Worship traditions include prayers and
silence, songs and chants. The music
uses simple phrases such as lines from
the Psalms or other scripture repeated
and sung in canon in a meditative fashion. Early Taizé music was conceived
by Jacques Bertier; later Joseph Gelineau became a major contributor.
The times of silence are meant for each
person to reach their own peaceful communion with God. Though it can be
difficult to quiet the mind of the day-today worries, silence allows God’s word
to reach the heart.
Churches in the United States have, for
many years, incorporated elements of
Taizé style of worship, and in 2012, for
the first time, the brothers of the Taizé
community, brought the conference to
the US. DePaul University in Chicago
was host to several thousand young
adults seeking answers to questions of
life and faith.
In an article for Huffington Post,
Brother Emile was quoted, saying,
“Young people, I think, feel respected
at Taizé. They’re welcome to come
with their questions and their doubts.
And they’re very relieved sometimes
to feel that there's a place for them as
they are.”
Guidelines for the community were
written by Brother Roger in the “Rule
of Taizé,” published in French in 1954
and still in print in many languages.
In the 1960s, the Taizé Community
became a point of pilgrimage for
young people. It wasn’t long before
the village church became too small to
accommodate all the visitors. Church
of the Reconciliation was built and
has been expanded a number of times
in the following years.
born Catholic. More than 100,000 people make the trek to Taizé from all
around the world each year for prayers,
Bible study and communal work, encouraged to live in kindness, simplicity
of reconciliation. Some choose to attend
in silence.
Some church leaders feel that the Taizé
movement is attracting young Christians, possibly reversing that generation’s falling attendance. The relaxed
worship style, not following any particular denomination’s rote service, is
very appealing to those looking for
spiritual nourishment.
In October 2010, smaller gatherings
were assembled in Brooklyn and Baltimore as well as different universities in
Massachusetts. The brothers facilitating
these visits then headed west to South
Dakota. They must have made quite an
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impact because just recently, May 2427, 2013, in Red Shirt, SD, a small village on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, another USA “Pilgrimage of Trust
on Earth” was held. The gathering included meditative prayer three times a
day, Bible study, workshops, small
group sharing and meals together, provided by the local Lakota people.
The strong relationship between Taizé
and South Dakota began in 2009
when a group of students, including
two Lakota men, visited France.
When the brothers visited Pine Ridge
in 2010 and again in 2011, a friendship was formed. A large group of
Lakota and Ojibwa young people visited the Taizé Community in 2011
and 2012. Their desire to host a pilgrimage was, in part, to show the
world the gifts of their way of life as
well as the struggles in adapting to
contemporary life while also letting
others know that in their Christian
faith, there is peace and joy.
The Huffington Post reporter spoke
with the Rev. Rita Powell of St.
Paul’s Episcopal Church in Vermillion, SD, who has been to the Taizé
Community in France several times.
She says, “Ideally, what sticks ultimately is that sense that you already
knew something.” She continues, “If
you can create the space for people
of any age to really feel that source
of faith, then the style of prayer is
really secondary.”
Here in Middle Tennessee, the Taizé
movement is growing with participation from a number of Nashville
churches. Since it is nondenominational, people tend to follow
the scheduled services, regardless of
the church. According to their website, www.nashville-taize.org, there is
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a weekly Taizé service at Downtown
Presbyterian in Nashville on Tuesdays at 4:45 PM. Bi-weekly, Vanderbilt Divinity School offers a service
on Tuesdays in All Faiths Chapel at
6:30 PM. On the second Sunday of
the month, Christ Church Cathedral
has an evening service at 6:00 PM
and on the third Sunday of the month,
at 5:00 PM, West End United Methodist Church has a Taizé service, with
anointing. Quarterly, the Second
Presbyterian Church on Belmont
Blvd. turns their 8:30 AM worship
over to the Taizé style.
Jon Johnson, the associate organist/
choirmaster at Christ Church Cathedral Nashville leads the music for
their Taizé-based service. More than
15 years ago, the Rev. Anne Stevenson, then at Christ Church, was
tasked with incorporating a meditative aspect to the Sunday Evening
Prayer service.
Begun in 2004, the monthly liturgy
with Taizé music was a collaborative
effort of Anne, the Rev. Alice Nichols and Marjorie Proctor who had
been meeting and working on a format to create a liturgy that would be
ecumenical, welcoming of all sorts of
people, inclusive and peaceful.
Anne says, “We decided on a once a
month format, calling it Prayers for
Peace in the Taizé Tradition. Marjorie
organized musicians and chants, generally including one or two singers,
piano, violin, cello and other instruments. Alice and I chose the readings,
generally from the Hebrew Scriptures,
and the writings of saints and peacemakers of all traditions.”
They consulted with other churches in
the Nashville area who had a tradition
of Taizé services, and planned that
there would be a Taizé service somewhere in the area almost every week.
The liturgy was designed to allow each
participant to enter into the peace and
beauty of the evening. Worshipers entered and left in silence.
Anne adds, “I always found the liturgies inspiring and sustaining.”
Now, in an atmosphere of dimmed
lights and candles, those attending the
service are seated in the chancel, facing the reredos. Incense burns during
the service though it is not censed by
a thurifer. The service begins with
chants to prepare the participants. Jon
says, “The chants are a unifying device. The beauty of the simplicity is a
way to center yourself.”
An icon of the
16th
century
“Christ Pantocrator” from Crete is
visible for participants to focus their
mediation on during the silent portion of the service.
The Rev. Joshua Calor, curate and
coordinator of the young adult ministry at the Cathedral, and some of the
participants do the readings. Along
with prayer intentions that have been
requested, there are prayers for the
people of the world. People say they
leave the service centered, refreshed
and filled with peace.
The group at the Cathedral is about
30 strong and consists of college-aged
young adults through the over 60 set.
For more information on Taizé services at the Cathedral, call Jon Johnson or Fr. Joshua at 615-255-7729.
Other churches in the Diocese of Tennessee have adapted elements of the
Taizé service to suit their needs.
Grace Church Spring Hill has a Sunday evening service once a month
drawing from Taizé. St. Bartholomew’s hold a Lenten quietude and an
Advent quietude using parts of Taizé
worship.
Seminarians at The School of Theology, University of the South in Sewanee have held a Taizé service at
All Saints’ Chapel once a month for
the last several years.
To learn more about the Taizé tradition or to make plans to visit the community in France, visit http://
www.taize.fr/en.
Connections June 2013
5
Parish News Recent confirmations: Philip Pratt, Dave Christensen, Leslie
Humphreys, Betsy Sloan, Salee Wise, Mary Hill, Timothy
Armstrong, St. Paul’s Church Franklin; Anna
Shackelford, Nancy Hawkins, Mike Northington, John
Davis, Trinity Church Clarksville; Megan Adams, Emily
Adams, Ben Rice, Charles Broderick Jr., Rebecca Broderick, Ryan Adams, Danny Ramsey, Tracy Cullen, Savannah
Ramsey, Gray Richards, Robert Hagans, Sarah Hagans, St.
Philip’s Church Nashville; Blair Carnell, Porter Meadors,
Graham Meadors, Sheppard Anderson, Joann Aron, Brandon Bannock, Martin Blakely, Laura Blakely, Windi Bowman, Lisa Cheek, Merrie Cheek, Andrew Dale, Blair
Darnell, Allison Elkins, Joy Fauntleroy, Staci Glover, William Greathouse, Camellia Howorth, Hillary Howorth, Lisa
Johnson, Mark Johnson, Elliott Kyle, Frank Kyle, Jennifer
Kyle, Craig Laine, Rebecca Laine, Scott Langerak, Doris
Matthews, Laura McGirt, Bruce Newland, Eunice Park,
Carolyn Platt, Danny Terry, Robert Walker, Everett
Aguirre, Benjamin Ambrose, Gage Anderson, Harrison
Avery, Matthew Bulow, Kate Bulow, Marguerite Coombs,
Emma Downey, Hunter Dunn, Frances Garrard, Clay Garstin, Grace Gerenday, Maggie Greiner, Bradford Harrington, Jackson Jeansonne, Oliver Kacki, William Kinard III,
Joey King IV, Clayton Ladd, Catherine LeMaster, Jackson
Long, Powell Lowe, Hannah Lutz, Kate Mabry, Ruff Maddux, Lanier Mason, James McKnight Jr., Arianna Murphy,
Kathleen Norton, Eliza Ossolinski, Audrey Overholt, Gray
Patterson II, Ford Ray, Brawner Smith, Lisa Sweeting,
Avery Taylor, Hudson Walker, Reed Williams, Robert Willingham, St. George’s Church Nashville.
Recent baptisms: Austin Bright, Raymond Pratt, Whitfield
Spain, Caroline Saye, St. Paul’s Church Franklin; Darcy
Grimenstein, Grayson Ochoa, St. David’s Church Nashville; Laylah Zelaya, St. Paul’s Church Murfreesboro;
Mercedes Thornton, Terry Mack, St. Andrew’s Church
New Johnsonville; Emma Perez, Valor Moore, St. Mark’s
Church Antioch.
Recent receptions: Brian Grant, Elizabeth Grant, Anthony
Lepetic, Brandy Lepetic, Amy McManus, St. Paul’s
Church Franklin; Michelle Rice, Jeanty Cader, Erna
Cader, St. Philip’s Church Nashville; Jennifer Thornton,
St. Andrew’s Church New Johnsonville, Frank Aguirre,
Mary Aguirre, Shaila Bannock, Christina Jarman, Cynthia
Sites, Zaida Wallace, St. George’s Church Nashville.
Recent reaffirmations: Jerry Brock, John Bull Jr., James
Cheek IV, DeWitt Dawkins, Lauren Dawkins, Kimberly
Dougherty, Douglas Elkins, Thomas Jarman, Catherine
Jeffords, Daniel Lucas, St. George’s Church Nashville.
St. Ann’s Church Nashville hosted students from St.
Mary’s Roman Catholic Church in Ann Arbor, MI and a
Fordham University service organization for Alternative
Spring Break. The groups spent a week in Nashville, volunteering at Nashville Cares, Second Harvest Food Bank and
Catholic Social Services Refugee Program. On Thursday,
June 13, St. Paul’s Church Franklin will host a luncheon
presentation by Paul Gaddis on the preservation of Franklin
Civil War battlefield sites. Lunch is at 11:30 AM with the
program to follow. For more details, call the church office at
615-790-0527.
Are You A Mitre Sighter?
The youth of St. Paul’s Church Franklin
have come up with a neat way to track
Bishop Bauerschmidt’s weekly visitations.
Using his schedule and a map of middle
Tennessee, they note which church he will
be visiting and make a point to include that
church and its congregants in the Prayers
of the People. The Rev. Monna Mayhall
helped them put the display together.
She says, “At the recent Clergy Colloquium, the Bishop informed us that our Diocesan Cycle of Prayer was in the process of
being revised to be in sync with the parish
that he is visiting on that particular Sunday
or weekday. I saw this as a great opportunity for the children to learn about our diocese and to think about the people in other
parishes besides our own. We have encouraged them to be “Mitre Sighters” in the Diocese, determining
where the Bishop is each week by listening to the prayers and
looking at the map. Some of the children were really surprised
6
Connections June 2013
when they realized how much the Bishop travels, going to a
different church each Sunday rather than sleeping late.”
www.edtn.org
Living In Leadership:
Susan Allen Huggins
After the election of Bishop Gene
Robinson in 2003, the Diocese of
Tennessee experienced a huge divide,
as did many other dioceses across the
nation. As Senior Warden of St.
David’s, I attended my first Diocesan
Convention in 2005. During that Convention, I was astounded by the hostile way people on different sides of
the issues were treating one another.
Being a “cradle” Episcopalian, I have
always believed that we come together by “agreeing to disagree” at
times. This is not what I saw at that
Convention. Because of that experience, I vowed to get involved in the
Diocese and do what I could to help
bring us back together.
Living In
Leadership
includes 15 years
as a marketing
executive at Jack
Daniel Distillery
and 24 years as
owner of a fullservice
direct
mail company. In
2011, she became
the first Executive Director of CABLE, a 600+ membership organization
whose mission is “Connecting Women
and Opportunity.”
Since that time, I have been a delegate to Convention each year, served
two terms on Bishop and Council, am
finishing the last year of my term as a
member of the Standing Committee
and co-chairing the hospitality events
for the September visit of the House
of Bishops. I believe through the
years, especially with the leadership
of Bishop John, we have come back
together… even though we still have
many different points of view on a
variety of topics.
Her volunteer work includes board
leadership of the Rotary Club of
Nashville, the Nashville Sports Council, the TN Chapter of the International Women’s Forum, St. Mary’s
Sewanee, St. Luke’s Community
House, CABLE, YWCA of Nashville
and many other nonprofit groups.
When people ask me why I continue
to stay involved, I simply explain
what a wonderful sense of community
this work gives me… and not just
community among those individuals
who hold the same views as I do. I
think it is so important for the leadership of our Diocese to reflect the
wide range of personalities and beliefs within our congregations.
The Rev. Richard Zalesak
I would like to encourage all of you to
step up and become more involved in
our leadership. We need everybody
represented, and who better to do that
than you.
*******************************
Susan Allen Huggins is an eighth generation Nashvillian who has worshiped
her entire life in the Diocese of Tennessee. Her professional background
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She has been married to her husband,
Bill, since 1977 and has two grown
children, Ruth and Allen, daughter-inlaw, Maggie and grandson, Emory.
In addition to being the rector of St.
Peter’s in Columbia, I have the distinct
pleasure to chair the diocesan Evangelism and Congregational Development
Committee (ECDC). These are both
ministries for which I have a great passion and enjoy doing them very much.
Knowing my interest in evangelism,
the Rev. John Bender invited me to
join him on ECDC when I first came
to the Diocese of Tennessee. Two
years ago Bishop Bauerschmidt asked
me to chair the committee. The Rev.
Cynthia Seifert had ably led ECDC for
a few years and the committee was
quite healthy. It has been a joy chairing a committee which has gone from
strength to strength.
ECDC is intentionally composed of
a diverse membership. We come
from urban, suburban and rural parishes, big and little churches. Everyone has talents and experience in the
ministries of evangelism and congregational development. The exciting events we host - Back to Church
Sunday and The Small Church Conference - create a great deal of synergy during our meetings. We have a
sense that we are really helping the
Diocese of Tennessee and its members. This gives us a real sense of
pride and accomplishment.
To anyone interested in helping or
leading on the diocesan level, please
let Bishop Bauerschmidt, Canon
Snare, or one of the diocesan committee chairs know. One lady currently on ECDC mentioned to Bishop
John during his annual visitation to
her parish that she has an interest in
evangelism. Not long thereafter the
bishop told me about her and she has
been a wonderful addition
*******************************
Fr. Richard was
ordained in 1989
and
served
churches in Texas
and Virginia before coming to St.
Peter's in 2009.
He holds a Master
of Divinity degree
from Virginia Theological Seminary and a Doctor of Ministry degree
from Gordon-Conwell Theological
Seminary. In addition to serving on
various diocesan committees Richard is
active in Kiwanis and the United
Way. He is married and has two children. He likes to exercise and read.
The July issue of Connections will feature more Living in Leadership.
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7
Fish Fry Times Two
In June, two Nashville churches will
host fish fry fundraisers.
St. Anselm’s Church will have their
Annual Fish Fry and Bake Sale on
June 1. It’s the single fundraising
event they do for the year… and what
a tasty way to support all they do.
Rutherford County
Churches Get Together
On Pentecost Sunday at Old Fort Park
in Murfreesboro, the Episcopal
Churches in Rutherford County got
together to celebrate with a joint
Eucharist and picnic. Pictured below
are the Rev. Colin Ambrose (St.
Paul’s Church Murfreesboro), the Rev.
Randy Hoover-Dempsey (All Saints’
Church Smyrna), the Rev. Carolyn
Coleman (Church of the Holy Cross
Murfreesboro), Fr. Bu Christ (All
Saints’ Church) and the Rev. Polk Van
Zandt (St. Paul’s Church).
There will be no cost for the class
and St. Thomas will supply all the
training materials.
Stephen Ministers are a significant
spiritual presence, confident in our skill
to be present to God, to the patient, and
to each other.
To learn more about Stephen
Ministries or the classes offered,
contact Gail Logan at St. Thomas
Hospital, 615-222-6402.
The Rev. Kempton Baldrige
Presents Video At Clericus
Martha and Larry Tolbert, off on a
tandem-bicycle trip across the country,
were sent with a prayer and a blessing.
There were also baptisms in the park.
Fr. Polk says, “Three adult baptisms
on one day!”
Stephen Ministry
Workshop Offered
A new class of Stephen Ministers
begins training on July 9, 2013 at St.
Thomas Hospital. Classes meet once a
week for 2 hours for 17 or 18 weeks.
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At a recent Clericus meeting - that is,
a luncheon for the clergy in the
Diocese of Tennessee, the Rev.
Kempton Baldridge, chaplain for the
Seamen’s Church Institute and
Licensed to Officiate here in the
diocese, presented a short film on the
mariners he serves.
On June 29, St. Philip’s Church will
hold their event: a fish fry and yard
sale on the grounds of the church in
the Donelson area. Hosted by the
Men’s Club of St. Philip’s, take a
second chance to support another
local church - get your fill of fish and
side items. And who doesn’t like a
good yard sale bargain?
Produced in connection with Trinity
Wall Street, it can be viewed on their
website, http://smschur.ch/T3ItRl. If
you are interested in having Fr.
Kempton speak to your church or
group, contact the diocesan office at
615-251-3322 and we will put you in
touch with him.
www.edtn.org
St. Mary’s Center
Summer Programs
In June, July and August, St. Mary’s
Sewanee continues to offer the wonderful programming they do the rest of
the year. Some highlights are:
June 7-9: Multiple Religious Identity
and Participation - What is Religion
Anyway? Professor John J. Thatamanil, associate professor of theology
and world religions at Union Theological Seminary in New York, explores
whether it is possible to be more than
one religion at a time?
July 28-August 4: Eight-Day Intensive and Post-Intensive Centering
Prayer Retreat. Presented by the Rev.
Tom Ward, this retreat is an opportunity for practitioners of Centering
Prayer to deepen their contemplative
journey in the contemporary world. A
week long experience of integrating
contemplation and action through
silence, solitude and community, the
retreat offers daily experiences of
silence, solitude, walking, hiking,
yoga and spiritual companionship.
August 23-25: One River Wisdom
School. A retreat based program supplemented by online gatherings and
co-mentoring opportunities presented
by the Rev. Dr. Gordon Peerman, therapist, mindfulness teacher
and author; Kathy Woods, teacher of
Mindfulness Meditation and Qigong;
Rabbi Dr. Rami Shapiro, Ph.D., author
and Adjunct Professor at Middle Tennessee State University.
For more event listings or to register
for these retreats and workshops, visit
www.stmaryssewanee.org.
God’s Green Earth
American Hiking Society’s National Trails Day® is slated for June 1,
2013. And while thousands of activities are happening all over the United
States such as hikes, biking, paddling trips, demonstrations and more,
showing appreciation for the nation’s trails doesn’t have to be limited to
one day of the year.
Celebrating America’s trails on the first Saturday in June evolved in the
late ’80s and early ’90s among trail advocates, the outdoor gear industry
and political bodies who wanted to transport the country’s hikes and hikers into a true network of interconnected trails and trail organizations.
This collective came up with the idea of a singular day to bring attention
to the National Trail System.
In 1968, President Lyndon Johnson signed into law the National Trails System Act, establishing recreation, scenic and
historic trails. In 1976, the American Hiking Society formed and receive its 501(c)(3) designation. President Ronald
Reagan signed executive order 12563 in 1985 which ordered a bipartisan commission, led by Tennessee’s Lamar Alexander, to conduct a review of America’s outdoor recreation resources. The commission was renamed President’s Commission on Americans Outdoors in 1985, and in 1987, it published a report with recommendations based on analysis of
testimonies and contributions from thousands of experts. They reported that there was a need for strong commitment to
safeguard the environment and expand recreational opportunities on federal land.
The National Trails Agenda Project initiated a cooperative venture between the National Park Service and American
Trails in 1988 to look at trail issues and develop recommendations to satisfy future needs. By 1990, they issued their
report and the following year, the American Hiking Society responded to report recommendations. They conceive a
program to highlight the importance of the National Trails System and advocate for increased use and stewardship.
They came up with a name for it and on June 5, 1993, the first National Trails Day® was observed. Hundreds of organizations participated. In 2012, an estimated 157,000 people took part in that year’s more than 2,000 events.
Today, there are 200,000 miles of trails for recreation, education, solitude or fellowship.
Fresh air and exercise have long been linked to good physical and mental health. And while
the trails are a part of God’s green earth, a lot of work goes into planning and maintenance.
National Trails Day® highlights the work thousands of volunteers do each year to take care
of them.
In Tennessee alone, there are hundreds of events scheduled - organized hikes, work days and
litter pick-ups, planting projects and so many more. To finds a National Trails Day® event
near you, visit www.americanhiking.org/events and enter your location. And if you’re busy on
Saturday, don’t worry… the trails will be there waiting for you all summer. And fall, winter
and next spring too.
www.edtn.org
Connections June 2013
9
St. B’s Bids Farewell
To Eric Wyse
After 19 years, first
as Organist then as
Director of Music at
St. Bartholomew’s
Church Nashville,
Eric Wyse has accepted the call to
become Organist/Director of Music at
St. Michael’s Church, Charleston,
SC. He will begin his ministry there on
Sunday, September 1 and will be responsible for all music at St. Michael’s
including choirs and bands.
A native of Brattleboro, VT, Eric is an
accomplished organist, songwriter,
church musician and record producer.
As a pianist, Eric has recorded the best
-selling “Reflections” series of solo
piano music for Christian Book Distributors, with sales in excess of
200,000 units. His organ work was
featured on the worship project “City
on a Hill – Sing Alleluia.”
He has written a great deal of liturgical
music, much of which serves as standard music in many churches across
the country, including “Lamb of God
(Agnus Dei)” and a setting of the
Lord’s Prayer, “Our Father in
Heaven.” Eric is the co-writer for the
modern hymn, “Wonderful, Merciful
Savior,” penned in 1989 with his wife,
Dawn Rodgers.
An award-winning producer and consultant, Eric has worked with artists,
Back To Church Sunday - Plan Now
We at St. Peter’s Church Columbia
were very pleased to have participated
in the first annual Back to Church Sunday for the Diocese of Tennessee on
January 20, 2013.
Our parish evangelism committee took
charge of the event. To let the community know about Back to Church Sunday, we placed ads in the Columbia newspaper, on Facebook, on the air of a local “oldies“ radio station and on a
large banner in front of the church.
including Keith and Kristyn Getty, The
Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir, Cece Winans and Amy Grant. In 2007, he produced a critically acclaimed full-length
London recording of Handel’s Messiah
with British conductor John Rutter,
featuring The Cambridge Singers &
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.
On
Sunday,
June 23 at 6:00
PM, Te Deum:
You Are The
One That We
Praise, a Festal
Evensong followed by a reception
will
honor
Eric’s
time at St. Bartholomew’s.
The churches of the Diocese of Tennessee are asked to
participate in Back To Church Sunday on September 15.
This free, collaborative effort is a nationwide outreach to
welcome back those individuals and families who may
have, for one reason or another, gotten out of the habit of
going to church.
For more information for participating within the Diocese
of Tennessee, contact the Rev. Richard Zalesak via email
at [email protected]. For details on the program and
access to resources (invitations, banners and more), visit
http://backtochurch.com/.
Beginning before Christmas we urged parishioners to
consider who in their lives might be looking for a church
home. This could be a friend or family member. We also
urged parishioners to ask lapsed members they know.
Sometimes people just need a gentle nudge from a friend
to return to church and re-establish the holy habit of Sunday attendance. Parishioners found that the invitation
cards worked well for prospective guests.
We had approximately twelve people visit on Sunday,
January 20. A cake and punch reception was held after the
main service in the parish hall as a thank you for those
that attended as guests. It gave us a good time to get to
know each other a little better.
We are glad that the second Back To Church Sunday
hosted by the diocese will be in September rather than
January. September is the back to school time of year and
Back to Church Sunday fits better with that timing. — The
Rev. Richard Zalesak, Rector, St. Peter’s Church Columbia.
10
Connections June 2013
www.edtn.org
The Diocese of Tennessee presents
The Second Annual
Vestries’, Wardens’
and Treasurers’ Day
with Bishop Bauerschmidt
St. David’s Church
6501 Pennywell Drive, Nashville
Saturday, August 24, 2013 9:00 AM - 1:30 PM
Bishop Bauerschmidt will open this second annual
gathering of senior lay leaders of the diocese
with a Eucharist.
He will speak about the diocesan vision and
strategic situation, entertain questions and
close with a Bible study.
The concurrent afternoon workshops will be:
Lunch will
be provided.
To attend, rsvp
by Tuesday,
August 20
via email:
[email protected]
“Clergy and Church Relations”
Presenters: The Rt. Rev. John Bauerschmidt
and the Rev. Canon Pamela Snare
“What is Income and What is Not”
Presenter: Jan Pate
“Planned Giving to Benefit Your Congregation”
Presenter: Seawell Brandau
Diocese of Tennessee
50 Vantage Way, Suite 107
Nashville, Tennessee 37228
Members of parish vestries or mission councils,
clergy and other interested parties are
www.edtn.org
also invited to attend.
615-251-3322
[email protected]
Connections June 2013
11
50 Vantage Way, Suite 107
Nashville Tennessee 37228
Non-Profit Organization
U.S. Postage Paid
Nashville, Tennessee
Permit No. 431
June 2013
2
2-6
6-9
9
15
16
16
13
24-28
30
Bishop’s Visitation, St. Bartholomew’s Church Nashville
Mountain T.O.P. Ministry, Grundy/Marion Counties
Camp Gailor-Maxon Pre-Camp, DuBose Conference Center Monteagle
Bishop’s Visitation, St. Paul’s Church Murfreesboro
Ordination of Margaret Peel, Christ Church Cathedral Nashville
Bishop’s Visitation, Church of the Holy Spirit Nashville
Jazz On The Triangle, Church of the Holy Trinity Nashville
Bishop’s Visitation, St. Luke’s Church Springfield
Urban Mission: Nashville, Christ Church Cathedral Nashville
Bishop’s Visitation, Church of St. James the Less Madison
Italics denote Bishop Bauerschmidt’s visitations
This is a sampling of events in the Diocese of Tennessee.
For a complete listing of events throughout the diocese,
see the Calendar of Events at www.edtn.org