Magazine - St. George`s Episcopal Church

ST. GEORGE’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH • ORDINARY TIME PART I • SUMMER 2016
Receiving • Living • Sharing
THE ABUNDANT LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST
GOOD WORK
Connecting Faith and the Workplace
An Interview with Chuck Grice
Rosa Hermosa
Clothing the World in God’s Love
The City
Keeping Our Community Connected
ST. GEORGE’S
CLERGY
The Rev. R. Leigh Spruill
Rector
[email protected]
The Rev. Dr. Kristine Blaess
Senior Associate Rector
[email protected]
The Rev. Samuel Adams
Associate Rector
[email protected]
The Rev. Michael Blaess
Associate Rector
[email protected]
The Rev. Chad Jones
Associate Rector
Priest-In-Charge, Church of the Resurrection
[email protected]
The Rev. Clinton Wilson
Associate Rector
[email protected]
The Rev. Richard Kew
Priest Associate
[email protected]
The Rev. Sarah Puryear
Priest Associate
[email protected]
The Rev. Roger Senechal
Priest Associate
[email protected]
The Rev. Timus Taylor
Priest Associate
stgeorgesnashville.org
615.385.2150
[email protected]
2
Letter From The Rector
GOOD WORK
F
or the second consecutive issue, the theme of
The Shield is on the vocational calling of all
believers. What is the nature of our Lord’s invitation
to “good work” in our particular lives and contexts?
How does the seed that is God’s grace in Christ grow
into the practical “fruit of the spirit” in our daily
living? These questions are not only foundational for
all Christian disciples they also connect directly to
our vision at St. George’s.
Key to our self-understanding as a parish is the
mutually reinforcing connection between vital
fellowship within the congregation and our missional
engagement with the world around us. On the one
hand, we pray that there is readily apparent within
the life of St. George’s the visible presence of the
Holy Spirit eliciting from visitors an inquiry about
who our Lord is (1 Peter 3:15). On the other hand, we
stress that congregational life is not bounded by our
own membership, rituals, programs, and physical
space that we enjoy as a congregation. Rather our
faith commitments find their fullest expression
within the various other spheres of cultural life
surrounding our congregation.
Therefore, I want us always to be asking ourselves
how the worship, fellowship, and formation happening within St. George’s are helping us to be more
Christ-like mothers, neighbors, doctors, lawyers,
teachers, accountants, and civic volunteers, etc.
outside of St. George’s. I want us also to resist the
contemporary false dichotomy between private faith
and public witness. I love being a part of a growing
Episcopal parish. Yet our primary concern is not
ultimately about expanding the church. The goal of
the gospel is not the enlargement of the institutional
church but rather that the gospel become known by
all people to the ends of the earth (Matthew 28:19).
Sadly, for generations too many Episcopalians
have heard the Great Commission as the peculiar
summons of very few, select, and brave individuals
sent off for foreign missionary service rather than
as the calling of every believer to embody the life of
Christ in their own unique social situations wherever
they may reside.
Our mission field is defined by our homes, our
neighborhoods, our friendship networks, our clubs
and volunteer groups, and our office environments.
The good news is that our “good work” going forth
as members of the church is not work we have to accomplish by our own power. Rather our “good work”
as ambassadors for Christ is a supernatural work of
our Father who blesses and inspires his church by
the Holy Spirit in revealing his Son to others.
One of the most dog-eared pages in any of the books
I own is in my copy of Lesslie Newbigin’s important
work, The Gospel in a Pluralist Society. The question
that Newbigin’s book seeks to answer is this: what
does it mean that in our contemporary society
defined by a multiplicity of religious commitments
and secular ideologies, God has chosen ordinary
people like us as credible witnesses to the truth that
the salvation of the world is found in a crucified and
resurrected man from Nazareth? How will it happen?
“It will only be by movements that begin with the
local congregation in which the reality of the new
creation is present, known, and experienced, and
from which men and women will go into every
sector of public life to claim it for Christ, to unmask
the illusions which have remained hidden and to
expose all areas of public life to the illumination of
the gospel. But that will only happen as and when
local congregations renounce an introverted concern
for their own life, and recognize that they exist for
the sake of those who are not members, as sign,
instrument, and foretaste of God’s redeeming grace
for the whole life of society.”
The congregation is the localized, tangible expression of hope in society. Ultimately, St. George’s
exists for the sake of the world. Our emphasis
on faithful worship, life together, and growing in
Christ should never veer into mere self-regarding
and comfortable retreat from the pluralistic society
to which we are called and for whom we have our
reason for being. My unwavering passion is to foster
understanding and formation in this direction. I hope
this issue of The Shield may represent a contribution
to those ends.
ORDINARY TIME PART I • SUMMER 2016
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Connecting Faith and the Workplace
An Interview with Chuck Grice
4
St.FAITH
George’s
IS A JOURNEY
Seniors Helping Others
Rosa Hermosa
Clothing the World in God’s Love
HOPE SPRINGS
2
LETTER FROM THE RECTOR
4
CONNECTING FAITH AND THE WORKPLACE
6
ST. GEORGE’S
88
6
IN
TheTHE
CityWATERS
OF
BAPTISM
Keeping
Our Community Connected
Preston Taylor Homes
Fostering Powerful Relationships
14
14
10
10
THE CITY
12
TAKE A TOUR AROUND
14
PRESTON TAYLOR HOMES
16
AN INTERVIEW
18
NEWS & NOTES
Clothing the World In God’s Love
Keeping Our Community Connected
The City
Fostering Powerful Connections
With the Joseph Family
From St. George’s
20 THE TABLE
At St. George’s
FINANCIALS
Last Quarter
22 MUST READ
Book Review
NEWS& from St. George’s
NOTES
16
Seniors Helping Others
ROSA HERMOSA
21
An Interview with
The Joseph Family
An Interview with Chuck Grice
8
AN UPDATE ON SGEM
6
Good Work
23 INREACH
23 TRANSITIONS
18
23 BOOK NOOK
Book Review
3
GOOD WORK
Connecting Faith and the Workplace:
An Interview with Chuck Grice
W
e are thrilled that you are going
to be a part of our St. George’s
summer series entitled “Good
Work.” Since this series is comprised of
industry leaders who have developed
ways of living faithfully in their chosen
vocations why don’t you start by telling
us briefly what it is that you do—what is
your profession?
I’ve practiced law in the area of tax-exempt bonds and bank lending for over 36
years now. Recently I’ve joined the law
firm of Bass, Berry & Sims, which is a
great place to work.
As an industry leader in the law arena
what are some of the specific challenges
that you face trying to live your faith in
the work place?
The challenge of faith in the workplace
has changed over the years. Things are
much different than the 1970’s when I
began my practice. The challenge has
become much greater in the face of a
fast-paced economy, hyper-specialization, and technology. But it’s not just the
frenetic pace driven by these dynamics;
rather it’s the general depersonalization
of the workplace. I have less time to talk
to people face-to-face.
When I sit down with older attorneys
who practiced back in the 1950’s, they
describe a very different profession. They
express a sense of job satisfaction which
is rare today. Back then people sat down
and worked out differences. Juxtapose
that with the contentious environment
we see today. I see the Christian challenge as reclaiming the fact that business
is essentially a human business. It’s about
people and it always will be.
This lesson was brought home to me
when I recently saw the movie Steve Jobs.
Driven and brilliant, Jobs is the quintessential version of success in today’s
world, but the real story was one of
narcissism and ego which left in its wake
a lot of broken relationships. For the
Christian, this doesn’t have to be.
An Interview with Chuck Grice
44
Has your approach to “work” changed as
your faith has changed and/or grown?
I approach work much differently than I
did when I first began. Like most young
attorneys, my priorities were putting in
long hours, collecting fees and making
partner. This is, of course, a necessary
part of business, but as a priority and
goal it eventually leaves us asking if
there is more to our work. Over three
decades I’ve seen the casualties of this
perception—allowing one’s self-worth
to be caught up in performance. I’ve
been through law firm breakups and I’ve
seen the cultivation of impersonal firm
culture.
very young. I was always a church kid,
entranced by ritual and liturgy. My
family joined St. George’s when I was in
the fourth grade and I recall being active
back then. In fact, I think my tenure as
head of the acolytes lasted four or five
years. I always looked forward to it. I
liked being a part of the communion. It
was in my mid-30s that my journey took
another direction. I became interested
in reading and studying the Bible. This
led me to teach Sunday school which I’ve
done at various church homes for the last
25 years or so.
As a result, I’ve seen more than a few
burnouts and addictions along the way.
For me, Christianity has a unique viewpoint which offers a way out, giving our
work meaning and purpose, as well as
a way of navigating through the world’s
ways.
Early in my teaching I felt as if something was missing. I soon realized that
I needed a theological foundation in
which to read and interpret Scripture.
This led me to read books of great theologians such as Karl Barth, Lesslie Newbigin, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, and many
others. In a very real sense they became
my guides and mentors, shaping my faith
forever. As far as where I am today? In
grace. A few baby steps forward and a
long journey ahead.
Tell us a bit about your faith journey?
When/where did you begin your journey
and where do you feel like you are today?
My faith journey began when I was
Biblically there are some great resources
regarding work, vocation, and the joys
and challenges presented to our human
race. Some are more well-known than
others and you specifically mentioned Ecclesiastes to me. Tell me a bit more about
what you have found in the Bible and how
it has informed your own life?
is a joyful enterprise, as he continuously
pronounces over his universe “it is good.”
In the same chapter God gives mankind
a vocation, “to till the soil and keep the
garden.”
other view redeems work by stripping it of
our human striving. Ultimately the challenge is to take these Biblical perspectives
and make it part of our lives. I still find it
difficult, yet I also find it to be a fundamental truth.
speaks of rest rather than worship. Still,
I believe it is meant to be a certain kind
of rest, one filled with reflection which in
turn becomes a form of worship.
On the Sabbath we can stop what we are
doing and realize that the world still turns
In our ever-changing, fast-paced, techwithout our frenetic efforts, realizing that
nological world—and certainly in your
God is in charge. I believe the Sabbath beThe Bible’s lessons concerning work have
industry—it can be difficult to find time for comes a means of seeing, a way of viewing
over time reoriented me towards the quesrest—for Sabbath. Do you find time and if
the world differently. In the Biblical view,
tions of vocation. Like most people, the
so, how?
work and Sabbath rest cannot be separatconnection of faith to worship and prayer
Technology presents a difficult problem for ed from one another. That said, I did quit
I’m especially intrigued by what Ecclesiis a lot more tangible than the connection
everyone. Not just its time-consuming and working weekends!
astes has to say about work. On its face
to the workplace, but Jesus’ injunction
mind-consuming nature, but its stifling
the author appears to be cynical about all
in his Sermon on the Mount to “set your
effect upon creativity and interpersonal
sights on the kingdom of God” tells us that forms of human effort with his constant
relationships. I sit in front of a computer
the Christian stance towards life is singular refrain that “all is vanity.” It appears that
all day dealing with perhaps a hundred
work may be drawn into this same negative
and unified. You can only set your sights
emails or documents transmitted over the
outlook when he writes, “What do people
on one thing. In the Bible there is no sepinternet—a form of communication which
arate realm of life in which faith is not our have to gain from all their toil under the
really doesn’t communicate anything effecsun?” But in the last analysis, Ecclesiastes
exclusive guide.
JOIN US THIS SUMMER...
tively. The solution I’ve found is to pick up
is affirming about certain ordinary things
for our Adult Sunday school series “Good
People may be surprised at how much the
the phone or meet with someone face-toof life, “It is God’s gift that we should eat,
Bible has to say about work. Beginning
face. Be a human, treating others as God
Work: Conversations on How Faith and Work
drink and take pleasure in all our toil.”
with Genesis 2, on the seventh day “God
would have me do.
Contribute to the Common Good.”
rested from all the work he had done.” Im- The author makes a critical distinction
Sundays at 9:00am in Hampton Hall.
For me the Sabbath commandment is the
between work for gain as opposed to a
mediately our perception of work as only
way out of serving the “work” master.
discernment that work is a gift from God.
a necessity is shattered by this description
Chuck Grice, along with other leaders of inReading the commandment carefully, it
One is centered on our success, while the
of God’s creative work. For him creation
All of this tells us that work is somehow
built into the fabric of creation, meant to
give us deep satisfaction and meaning.
Even though Genesis describes work as
somehow tainted by the fall, work remains
a part of God’s plan in the Bible.
“All of this tells us that work is somehow built into the fabric of creation,
meant to give us deep satisfaction and meaning.”
dustry will join us each week to share insights
about faith, work, and living the Christian life.
For more information, look for details in C+C.
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MINISTRY FOCUS
St. George’s
Seniors Helping Others
by Karen Lackey
6
Sedley Hassel and Karen Lackey work on a project for Our Little Roses.
Seniors meet to fulfill others’ needs on a recent morning.
“We offer multiple, one-time volunteer opportunities throughout the year for different outreach or inreach projects.”
A
fter retiring several years ago, I realized
there were many ways to be involved
in the work of the church and to serve
others outside the church. I envisioned many of
our senior population being involved in service
work at the church as a group. We have the
time, creativity, and the talents. The Seniors
Helping Others ministry group grew out of this
vision. We offer multiple, one-time volunteer
opportunities throughout the year for different
outreach or inreach projects. A volunteer can
select the type of project and time that fits their
schedule. A range of groups benefit from our
time, enthusiasm, and energy!
During the last year and a half Seniors Helping Others assembled bags of hygiene items
and hand warmers for the visitors at Room In
The Inn. The girls at Our Little Roses benefitted from two projects where Valentine’s Day
and Friendship cards were designed, personal
messages were written, and special items were
added for each girl.
Other projects benefitted our church and
congregation. We make over 300 palm crosses
each year for Palm Sunday, and write personal
messages on greeting cards and post cards
for our at-home parishioners for Thanksgiving,
Christmas, Easter, and Spring.
In the future we plan to take a morning and
work at Second Harvest Food Bank, make
greeting cards for Our Little Roses, possibly
fill back packs with school items for children
going back to school, and once again assemble
bags of hygiene items for our Room In The Inn
guests.
Seniors Helping Others has slowly evolved and
is growing. We have enjoyed the camaraderie of the group and share lots of stories and
laughter while working on the projects. We
welcome new ideas for projects and of course
welcome new volunteers with open arms.
The volunteers of Seniors Helping Others are
taking action to serve Christ’s people here at
church and out in the community. Each action
is a small way to make a change in Christ’s
world.
7
888
Joanne Sowell with girls from Our Little Roses.
9
MISSION AS A WAY OF LIFE
Rosa Hermosa
Clothing the World in God’s Love
By Joanne Sowell
W
hen I was asked to write a
little something about living
out my faith through work,
I said yes without really thinking much
about it. Then I started writing and
couldn’t understand why I was struggling to complete what should have
been a simple task.
After one or two attempts it dawned
on me why I was hesitant. This simple
task—writing something about why I
started the clothing line Rosa Hermosa—was making me feel vulnerable.
I can’t separate talking about why
I started this business and what it
means to me in my heart. That’s not
something I would normally share with
our large congregation! So let me try
to explain the “why” by re-telling how I
came to be doing this work.
I didn’t have any desire to start a
business. I enjoyed shopping and like
fashion but had never thought about
starting a clothing line and yet—that is
exactly what I started doing two years
ago when I married a love of design
with a need in the world.
Inspiration is a loaded word, but
for lack of a better one I’ll say I was
inspired to start the clothing line Rosa
Hermosa while on my first visit to Our
Little Roses home for girls in Honduras.
I supported OLR for years—always
happy to put together a shoebox or
make a donation, and always thinking
that some day I would like to go on
one of the trips.
When we finally signed up, it was the
summer of 2013. Once we were in San
Pedro Sula it didn’t take long to start
seeing the huge emphasis the staff at
the home place on love and parenting
each of these girls! It’s this message
that I most want to be able to share
through Rosa Hermosa—these girls
that we are helping to support and love
are no different than us, our daughters,
nieces, and friends. What we some-
times take for granted—love, support,
and education—we need to share with
others. And if I can help provide a
simple way to do this, then just maybe
that will help spread God’s love a little
further out into the world.
The most important thing I can share
about Rosa Hermosa is that I am simply a facilitator. I get out of the way and
let good things happen! As the yeast
leavens the dough, so I hope these
garments spread an invisible network
of love and support from here in “our
place” all the way down to “their place”
in Honduras.
Our designs are comfortable, classic,
and beautiful—as the girls we help
educate with the proceeds from the
clothing line are beautiful, beloved
children of God.
Please visit our website to find out
more about our important mission at
rosahermosa.com.
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The City: St. George’s Wants you to stay
connected and informed…. (needs work
obvs)
MISSING INTRO (let’s assume 200
words +/-)
The City: Be Informed but not Overwhelmed
By Joanna Williams
I’ve been using The City since late last
year and have found it an excellent
communication tool! We send a lot of
group emails which can be problematic:
typing in a wrong or old email address,
accidentally omitting someone, or having
to change my email list as people join or
leave the group.
I love that people get to choose how
much and what type of communication
they get from us. We want people to
be informed, but not overwhelmed! The
City beats email in facilitating dialogue
over one-way communication.
The City not only replaces the email tools
we have used, but also other vehicles
such as sign-up software. One of my favorite features is the photo album. Privacy is particularly important when working
with children. We must be careful these
days about making too much information
about them public. I’m finding The City a
great way to share photos of the children
in an internet-safe context.
MISSING ANOTHER TESTIMONAL (let’s
assume it’s the same size as Joanna’s)
The City
Keeping Our Community Connected
10
You can use The City on any of your devices including iPads, tablets, and smart phones.
DID YOU KNOW?
“This is the place to get and stay connected
with the life of St. George’s.”
Be Informed
But Not Overwhelmed
M
any of you may still be won-
By Joanna Williams
dering “What is The City and
why are we using it?” Great
questions from discerning parishioners!
The City, simply put, is St. George’s
internal communication tool—a place to
keep all of our communications in one
organized spot. Need to know when an
event is happening? Check the calendar. Want to volunteer with a group?
Match your skills with needs on The City.
Looking for a fellow parishioner but can’t
find a telephone number? Search for
them on The City. Looking for an easy
way to organize a group of people for a
particular task or need? Create a group
on The City.
Why are we using The City? After much
research over time into various ways to
accomplish a need—how to connect
parishioners with one another and with
parish and community needs—we de-
cided on The City because it answered
our most immediate needs and offered
tools that we can use in the future. This
is the place to get and stay connected
with the life of St. George’s.
I’ve been using The City since late last year and
have found it to be an excellent communication
tool! We send a lot of group emails which can be
problematic. Typing in a wrong or old email address,
accidentally omitting someone, or having to change
my email list as people join or leave the group is a
major headache
I love that people get to choose how much and what
type of communication they get from us. We want
people to be informed, but not overwhelmed! The
City not only replaces the email tools we have used,
but also other vehicles such as sign-up software.
One of my favorite features is the photo album.
Privacy is particularly important when working
with children. We must be careful these days about
making too much information about them public.
I’m finding The City a great way to share photos of
the children in an internet-safe context.
Put It On The City
By Lisa Johnson
I think The City is a really great tool for groups to
use to communicate. I am involved in a couple of
different groups, one of which I am a co-leader. It
is really helpful to put out advance notice for upcoming events. We use it for RSVPs and to plan
for food for our missional community. In one of my
huddle groups, we are beginning to use it for prayer
requests. It is great to have all the information in
one place. I also like that it keeps conversations in
one thread and not in multiple emails. It has been
really helpful to communicate last minute changes
and let the whole group know when there is a new
prayer request or need. It has become a common
statement to, “Put it on The City” when we talk
about references to songs or other content in our
group discussions.
I use it on all platforms and love the fact that I can
check things so quickly on my phone and make
changes on the fly. I encourage everyone to have
it on their phones!
I have sent and received private messages from
people inside and out of my groups. It has become
a really good tool to reach out to someone I may
not know but need to contact. It is also very easy to
add new people to our group. If they are in The City
with just a couple of clicks they are in our group.
As more people add photos that will make it even
easier to reach out to new people in the parish. It
will become an even greater asset the more we all
use it.
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TAKE A TOUR AROUND
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The City is St. George’s internal communications tool. The City makes connecting to each other easy and stress-free!
“Like most of us,
I am trying to juggle several balls
in the air at one time.
I have found a little piece
of sanity by downloading
The City app.
•
NEWS FEED
•
MESSAGES
1
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I love having all my St. George’s
information in one place
that I can check
when it’s convenient for me.”
•
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Elizabeth Reavis
Right in the middle of your home page is your News
Feed, which gives you all of the news from groups
you belong to and the people you’re connected to.
Select one of the tabs to filter your News Feed.
Don’t know someone’s email address? No problem.
Just write them a message on The City and they’ll
get an email. You can add multiple people to the
same message, too. And The City will keep the
whole conversation organized for you on your
Messages page.
CALENDAR
There are great things going on around our church.
Stay in the loop and get involved by keeping an
eye on your Calendar tab. The blue circle will show
you upcoming events and you can click the tab to
view event details and RSVP. The City will send you
a reminder before each event you’re planning to
attend, or you can add the iCal feed right to your
favorite calendar app.
•
4
GROUPS
So much of church life happens in the context
of groups, and the Group menu gives you quick
access to all the groups you’re in. When you want
to plan a group event, start a discussion, organize
help for someone in need, call people to prayer, or
share pictures, you can do it all right on The City.
•
5
ACCOUNT SETTINGS
Click Account Settings to update your account and
profile information, add your family relationships,
update your contact information, or select skills
you possess. You can also configure all your
personal and group notifications settings here.
•
6
SEARCH
If you’re looking for anything on The City, this is
the place to go. Just type in what you’re looking
for—names of people you know, groups you’re
interested in—anything. The City will help you find
it quickly and easily.
•
•
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REMINDERS
The Reminders panel is always waiting for you with
important notifications, like invitations to join a
particular group.
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APPS
Download The City app for iPhone or Android to
stay connected to what’s going on at St. George’s
wherever you are. Set your push notifications, reply
promptly to topics, events, prayers, needs, and
albums.
To learn more about The City and stay better
connected with St. George’s, contact Rebecca Teel
at [email protected].
13
All smiles spending time with the youth at Preston Taylor Ministries.
14
BEYOND OUR WALLS
Preston Taylor Ministries
Fostering Powerful Connections
By Chan Sheppard, Executive Director, Preston Taylor Ministries
I
t is not uncommon for youth growing up in generational poverty in
low income areas of Nashville
to express feelings of hopelessness–“I’m going to jail just like my
father and brother,” “I can’t wait until
I have my baby so I can drop out of
high school,” “when I get out of high
school I will work at McDonald’s like
my mom and granny do.” Unfortunately, these sentiments often become self-fulfilling prophecies perpetuating some of the harmful cycles
common in low income areas.
have real and eternal life, more and
better life than they ever dreamed of”
(John 10:10 The Message). Our goal
at Preston Taylor Ministries (PTM)
is to help our youth feel connected.
Following Christ who anchors and
connects gives us not only a picture
of what connection to others looks
like, but also power to experience that
connection—connections that happen
not only in the extraordinary opportunities of overnight camps, but also in
the ordinary opportunities of a lunchroom conversation.
We know the solutions to this “stuckness.” Scientists and researchers are
proving what Christians have believed
for centuries—youth who grow up
with a sense of being connected—to
a spiritual meaning, to positive peer
groups, and to caring adults—have a
much better chance of living lives of
significant purpose and meaning than
do youth who lack these connections.
In Jesus’ words, “I came so they can
For students at PTM, opportunities
for connection abound. Thanks to
the “good work” of a host of Christian mentors (including many from
St. George’s), there are 150 PTM
students paired with a caring adult in
programs like Lunchmate Mentoring,
Breakfast and Bible Study, Dinner
and Devo, Thrive, and Springbreak in
the Marketplace. In addition to these
one-on-one programs, PTM also
offers academic development through
after school programming, health and
nutrition through PTM Life, positive
peer group development through
family groups at Calvin House and
SaLT, and an abundance of field trips
and weekend events. This combination of routine academic work and
dream-creating outings mixed with
Christ-centered, joy-filled friendships
allows PTM students to look at their
futures with great hope.
PTM greatly appreciates the partnership with St. George’s in allowing
students living in an area of “stuckness” wonderful chances to connect.
Thanks for the financial support,
leadership, incredible volunteer support, and prayerful awareness of the
connection we share in Christ.
Want to know more about Preston
Taylor or have an interest in volunteering? Check out their website at
prestontaylorministries.org.
1515
An Interview with the Joseph Family
Ritu and Matt Joseph are familiar faces around St. George’s along with their two young daughters who participate in St. George’s Catechesis of the Good
Shepherd program as a part of their Sunday morning worship life. Matt and Ritu have become involved as leaders working with young children who are learning to
live out their faith in a variety of ways.
Q.
A.
How long have you been at St. George’s
and what drew your family to this place?
We joined St. George’s in 2010 when we
moved to Nashville. By background we come from
the Mar Thoma Church, which is an orthodox church
established in Kerala, India. The Anglican Church is
in full communion with the Mar Thoma Church, and
so we sought that relationship. At our first visit to
St. George’s, we really felt right at home and knew
that this was the right church home for us.
Q.
How did you become involved in
St. George’s Catechesis of the Good Shepherd
Sunday school program as Atrium Assistants?
A.
16
Our children had been involved in
Catechesis for several years, including the pilot
program for the 2-year old class, in which our
youngest participated. We were very involved in
that classroom experience, and subsequently
Joanna asked if we would assist the 4th grade
classroom. Of course, we were happy to help as
Atrium Assistants this year.
Q.
Q.
A.
A.
The theme of this issue of The Shield is
“Good Work”—living out faith in your daily life. Is
there anything about your experiences in the Atrium
that has drawn you closer to God or has helped you
to live out your faith deliberately in your daily life?
Joanna and other clergy and leaders at
St. George’s have made a big impact on our family
and have helped us show kindness and compassion
to people we meet and interact with every day. In
addition, St. George’s saw me through the hardest
time of my life after the death of my father.
Q.
You have young children growing up in the
church. Any tips or advice about how to make faith
an integral part of your family life?
A.
We listen to hymns together in the car or
at home, count our blessings, and pray every night.
We talk about God our Father, his Son our savior
and his love for us. We try to intentionally incorporate Jesus’s teachings into our everyday living, such
as his lessons on forgiveness, faith, and love.
.
Tell us about your life outside these walls?
What is your chosen vocation? What do you like
to do in your spare time? What are some of your
favorite things about raising a family in Nashville?
Matt is a medical oncologist with Tennessee Oncology and I am a homemaker. We spend
our time with our children, particularly as they are
still small and enjoy playing with us! Nashville is
wonderful place for a young family as it offers so
many different activities, and you can get to know
you neighbors in the community so easily.
Ritu and Matt Joseph along with their children.
1717
k
j
18
l
m
o
p
n
NEWS&
NOTES
j
k
from St. George’s
Our attendance at all Holy Week services this year was 2,772 people
with 1,874 present on Easter Day.
n
St. George’s welcomed the following special guests: The Rev. Dr.
nity Church. Stacey graduates with a Master’s in Counseling from
on Sunday, February 12; The Rev. Canon Dr. Andrew White, Emeritus
Trevecca Nazarene University this July. To learn more about Stacey’s
Vicar of St. George’s Church, Baghdad on Wednesday, February 24;
Hall, Dean of Westminster, Sunday, April 3.
l
o
Assistant to the Rector April 19. Claudia has been a St. George’s
parishioner along with her husband Tom for the last 16 years. She
brings 25 years of corporate marketing and sales experience to the
Tennessee received estate gifts from Robert (Bob) and Anne Zelle.
The endowment board is thankful for their support as members of
those who have made provision for St. George’s in their estate
through the Jewish celebration of Passover, explaining how the Jew-
Claudia Taylor joined the St. George’s office staff as Executive
For the benefit of St. George’s, The Community Foundation of Middle
the Cornerstone Society which exists to recognize, honor, and thank
Dinner presentation on Maundy Thursday, March 24. Mark led us
is pictured throughout the Passover celebration.
m
call, visit calltonorthernireland.squarespace.com.
We welcomed Mark Landrum with Jews for Jesus for our Seder
ish people celebrate the Passover today and how Jesus the Messiah
Antrim, Northern Ireland. She will be doing children’s ministry with
Care Center, a program recently launched by the Journey Commu-
of Anglican Episcopal Studies and Ministry at Duke Divinity school
Saturday, March 12 and Sunday, March 13; and The Very Rev. Dr. John
for the past three years, will be leaving this fall to be a missionary in
Journey Kids and counseling with Journey Counseling and Pastoral
David Marshall, The Jack and Barbara Bovender Associate Professor
The Rev. Dr. Sam Wells, Vicar of St. Martin-in-the-Fields, London on
Stacey Hanburry, who has served as Children’s Ministry Assistant
plans. p
St. George’s Children’s Ministry Sunday school program, Catechesis
of the Good Shepherd, received a significant mention in James K.A.
Smith’s new book You Are What You Love. Smith was a speaker
at the first C3 conference five years ago and was given a tour by
Joanna Williams of an atrium.
staff. We are delighted to have her.
19
WORSHIP FOCUS
The Table at St. George’s
A New Wineskin
By the Rev. Clint Wilson
What is the Table?
The Table is geared towards those
who are looking to worship in a
setting where the historic practices
of the church are experienced in
tandem with more contemporary
forms and instrumentation. Nashville
is a town full of amazing musicians
and artists, and this liturgy reflects
this diversity of talent—from cello
to guitar to banjo to flute—we come
together to worship Jesus Christ
as he is revealed to us in the Word
spoken (the homily/sermon) and the
Word broken (the Eucharist/Communion).
20
In many ways, the Table is a work
of translation, which is a mark of
the church from its earliest days.
Jesus most likely spoke Aramaic,
but the church created a Greek
New Testament so the Gospel
could be more accessible. The
shape and content of the message
stayed the same, but the form
changed for the sake of mission.
The Table is a “new wineskin,”
20
making available the living water of
Christ to those who do not gain a
sense of “belonging” from a more
traditional liturgy.
Is it really Anglican?
To ask this question is to ask if
it possesses a “lowest common
denominator,” of Anglican or Episcopal worship (i.e. a set of practices beyond which it ceases to be
basic Anglican/Episcopal worship).
Writing in the second century,
Justin Martyr reflected in his First
Apology on the description of what
constituted Christian worship at the
time, and for him it boiled down to
the following components: Hearing from Holy Scripture, a sermon,
prayers of the people, and Eucharist. He followed this up by highlighting another vital component of
worship, which is mission. There
is no doubt the Table provides a
space for people to belong, to heal,
to experience God’s grace, and it
embodies all the components mentioned by Justin Martyr (and those
mentioned as necessary by the
Book of Common Prayer). But I’m
especially interested in seeing how
we can continually press out in the
kind of mission that Justin identified as being an essential extension
and consequence of valid worship,
which he parsed out as service
to orphans and widows, the sick,
prisoners, sojourners, and all who
are in need.
In other words, The Table is a liturgy, a word which can be translated
as the “work of the people.” Our
“work” in worship only exists because of the prior work of Christ in
his death, resurrection, and ascension, and it infuses the rest of our
work—our accounting, and designing, and painting, and parenting,
and more—with the grace of Christ.
It is truly an offering given by so
many who serve as musicians,
ushers, LEMs, clergy, and most
importantly, worshipers of the God
of grace who frees us by the Holy
Spirit to be fully human through his
son Jesus Christ!
The Rev. Dr. Kristine Blaess blesses at The Table as LEMs Greg Wilbur and Lynn Ragland look on.
FOR YEAR TO DATE APRIL 30, 2016
ActualBudgetVariancePrior Year
Variance
Pledges
$1,261,292$1,056,995$204,297$1,105,507 $245,785
Other 214,786
208,723 6,063
259,188
( 44,402)
Total Income
1,476,078
1,265,71 8
2 10,360
1,274,695
201,383
Expenses
Excess Income Over Expenses
1,261,557
$214,521
1,328,162
($ 62,443)
66,605
$2 7 6,965
1,251,262
$23,433
( 10,295)
$191,088
21
MUST
READ
Me, Myself and Bob:
A True Story About Dreams,
God, and Talking Vegetables
A big thank you to all the families that hosted boys from the St. Thomas Choir this past April 22: Gail and Tom Molen, Susalee and Leigh Spruill,
Janet and David Schmidt, Carol Armes and Robert Pitz, Carrie and Edward Playfair, Diana and Marshall Neely, Jan and Jim Ramsey, Georgia and
Thomas Wiesner, and Gail and John Thompson.
by Phil Vischer
Creator of VeggieTales
The Rev. Dr. Kristine Blaess and Jimmy Gentry
Phil Vischer wanted to change the world.
He wanted the blinding flash message from
God that would give him that one big thing
he could “do” to fulfill God’s will for him.
He wanted to be like Noah, like Paul.
As many of you know, he built a media
empire; his characters became beloved by
millions of children and adults; he even had
a top-grossing film. What you may not be
familiar with is the sad story of how Phil
Vischer lost everything, but came to the
beautiful realization that “doing” for God
begins with “being” with God.
If you want a deep, dense, theological treatise, this is probably not the book for you,
but I recommend it as a simple, beautiful
and inspiring read. It will also cause you
to laugh aloud – especially if you have
watched as many episodes of VeggieTales
22
Parishioner Rob Smith, with Louise Grant, and Malinda Davenport-Crisp from DreamWeave. Leaders from SGEM recipients DreamWeave and
Poverty & the Arts recently spoke at the Rector’s Forum Sunday, April 3.
with your children as I have with mine!
.
–the Rev. Chad Jones
TRANSITIONS
SUMMER 2016
INREACH
BOOK
NOOK
Inreach Shepherds step in to help smooth
out temporary rough spots in times of need
for our parishioners. Remember to call the
Shepherd of the Month or call the parish
office for short term help with driving
BIRTHS
Campbell Ashton Frist,
daughter of Ashley and
Harrison Frist
Jonathan Douglas (Jude)
Minifie, son of Megan and
Joe Minifie
Jackson Scott Larence,
son of Ashley and Eric
Larence
Louisa Tyler Ozburn, daughter of Hannah and Marc
Ozburn
WELCOME NEW
MEMBERS!
Laura Anne Benson
Sherry Gotlieb
Michael, Tanya, Mikayla,
Harrison Byers Quina, son of
Margie and Tripp Quina
Shawn, and J.E. Maxon
Michael Stone
Jordan Keys Ciali, son of
Jenny and Craig Ciali
Hattie Lucille Reavis, daughter of Elizabeth and Craig
Reavis
Clinton Charles Cromwell, Jr.,
son of Lymari and Clint
Cromwell
Lilah Grey Richardson,
daughter of Virginia and
Greg Richardson
Addison Miriam Fitzsimmons,
daughter of Jennifer and
Aaron Fitzsimmons
Adalie Kate Saig, daughter
of Reagan and Joseph
Saig
Mallory Gray Graham,
daughter of Carlin and
Baird Graham
William Battle Williford, Jr.,
son of Ann and Battle
Williford
BAPTISMS
Nicholas Turner Greer, son
of Aly and Scott Greer
William Dennis Harpool,
son of Victoria and Drew
Harpool
Michael Gaines Humphreys,
son of Liz and Hunter
Humphreys
DEATHS
Catherine Killebrew
Ed Nelson
Heather Parrish
Jean Richardson
Deborah Lemacks Staeker
Jeanne Townsend
Noah Saterstrom
to doctor’s appointments, letter writing,
errands, clerical help, reading to the homebound, light tasks, or other needs.
Want to be on our list of volunteers?
Please contact Jeanne Gore at
615-371-9078 or [email protected].
Strong and Weak:
Embracing a Life of Love,
Risk & True Flourishing
by Andy Crouch
People naturally believe that being
strong is good while weakness is to be
avoided. Yet is this the path to human
flourishing? Friend and former guest
speaker at St. George’s, Andy Crouch
has written an outstanding book on
the paradoxical nature of living fully as
God intends: we are to be both strong
and weak at the same time! Strength
Upcoming
SHEPHERDS OF THE MONTH
JUNE
Cathy Shell
615-414-0669
and weakness are not opposites but
complimentary.
Similarly, authority and vulnerability
together lead to genuinely flourishing
people and communities. Crouch
points us to the life of Jesus as the One
who brings this paradox of the gospel
JULY
Michelle Cudd
615-804-2833
into perfect focus. In this way, Strong
AUGUST
Jeanne Gore
615-371-9078
have read in a long while.
and Weak is one of the best books on
Christian discipleship and spirituality I
–the Rev. R. Leigh Spruill
23 23
Non Profit Org.
U.S. Postage
PAID
Nashville, TN
Permit No. 1228
SUMMER
worship schedule
SUNDAY WORSHIP SCHEDULE
BEGINNING MAY 17
7:30am Holy Eucharist
9:00am The Table+
10:00am Holy Eucharist*+
5:00pm Evening Prayer with Holy Eucharist
SPECIAL SERVICES
Evening Healing Services
In Johnson Hall
6:30PM Wednesdays
June 29, July 27 and August 3
BEGINNING AUGUST 28
7:30am Holy Eucharist
8:45am Holy Eucharist with Children’s Chapel*+
9:00am The Table+
10:05am Sunday School+
11:15am Holy Eucharist*+
5:00pm Evening Prayer with Holy Eucharist
*Live video feed of this service at stgeorgesnashville.org
+
Nursery for ages 6 weeks through 5 years will open 30 minutes prior to each service
The Shield is a quarterly publication of St. George’s
Episcopal Church and is distributed to members and friends
to engage and inform readers about what is happening in
the life of our church community.
Communications Team
The Rev. Michael Blaess
Elizabeth Reavis, Director of Communications
Sandra Beld, Communications Coordinator
Rebecca Teel, Parish Secretary
Laura Zabaski, Parish Administrative Officer
Contributing Photographers
Ashley Heren, Kim King, and Elizabeth Reavis
On the cover:
Chuck Grice