June 2016
Eagle News (540) 942-4136
[email protected] St. John’s Episcopal Church P.O. Box 945 473 South Wayne Avenue Waynesboro, VA 22980
When Two or Three are Gathered Together in His Name Since we have begun weekly Morning Prayer on Tuesday mornings at 10:00 a.m. in the Rob Ingram Chapel, a group of people have noticed the powerful words of our Episcopal Prayer Book. One parishioner noticed in the Prayer of St. Chrysostom these powerful words:
have similar life experiences. We rejoice with those who are rejoicing and we mourn with those who mourn. We are equal as sisters and brothers in Christ and we pray that God will not only hear us but also answer our prayers as may be best for us. Not always what we ask for but what is best for us.
Almighty God, you have given us grace at this time with one accord to make our common supplication to you; and you have promised through your well-beloved Son that when two or three are gathered together in his Name you will be in the midst of them: Fulfill now, O Lord, our desires and petitions as may be best for us; granting us in this world knowledge of your truth, and in the age to come life everlasting. Amen.
In Sunday worship we gather to hear God’s Holy Word, ask forgiveness for our sins; we are absolved of our sins; we pass the untainted Peace of God which surpasses human understanding; we celebrate Eucharist as we remember the gift of God’s love for us in the person of Jesus of Nazareth, who resurrected as The Christ, the Redeemer and Sanctifier of the world. We do all of this in the presence of our sisters and brothers. Each Sunday is an oasis of peace and calm in a hectic world, it is a balm in Gilead, and it can and will equip us to face the trials and temptations of the week ahead.
The question posited: Isn’t God with us individually as well? Yes, that is true, but if we look at the arch of God’s demands from the Book of Genesis to the Book of Revelations, God demands corporate worship. It is why our prayer book is a Book of Common Prayer. We together, in common, prayer with and for one another, and God promises to be in the midst of us. It is only corporately that we learn about one another; we share our hopes, dreams, fears, and anxieties with the community. We learn that we are not in this life alone and we
I pray that as you travel this summer, you will take time to worship corporately in Episcopal Churches or other faith traditions, and that you will feel the presence of God in unfamiliar places. God grant us all safe travel, happy returns, and all the joy we can handle this summer. Peace, Kim
Eagle News
June 2016
It is Not About You From Father Kim
Years ago a Vestry member asked me to publish on our website my daily musings on Facebook. They can be found under Rector’s Ruminations on the website. It has been an interesting project and allows me to reflect on happenings in life, allows me to compare and contrast world events with my Christian faith, and generally to muse about life as I see it. Often it is simple: I get up, turn on my laptop, and write. Other times it is difficult because of what is happening in my life, the life of the parish, or in our world. Sometimes folks are certain that I am talking about or to them via social media, but I can assure you, as Sister Carol Riley told me during my sabbatical, “It is not always about you, Kim.” Sometimes a sermon or a social media post may seem to be directed to an individual because of your life story, but at best it is a coincidence. Keep the faith, make each day a better day for yourself and others, and remember most things in life are not directed at us, it may simply be our heart hearing what we need to hear.
Sunday School From Marty Siebken
Youth Sunday was a wonderful culmination to our year of Christian Education (see page 5). Our youth did a wonderful job leading our worship and sharing their many gifts with us. This has been a year of transition and change, and I would like to thank everyone who has helped with this transition. We were blessed with a dedicated group of teachers living out their Baptismal Covenant in the education of our children. I am grateful for each of them and the gifts they freely shared each Sunday. Our older youth embraced trying something new as well, as we moved away from the traditional classroom setting. They worked hard getting a dinner together to raise money for a STOP Hunger Now food pack, and we gathered each month to share a meal and spend time together. It is now time to step back and reflect on how we go forward. We would love to get some feedback from the families of children and our youth. Do you feel that holding Sunday school during the service is meeting the needs of your children? Youth, do you feel your needs are being met? Would you like a more traditional approach or more frequent gatherings? Teachers, what are your thoughts after the year? In conversations with a couple of you it seems a curriculum change might be in order. So if you have input please talk to me, Father Kim or another vestry member. Our goal is to provide the most nurturing environment possible for our youth. Thank you for your unwavering support.
Thanks be to God for the safe arrival of Ta-Kao Seri Yacovone, born May 6, 2016. He weighed 7 lbs., 11 oz., and is the great-grandson of Pam Sprouse.
Thank You From the Vestry
We thank you for chatting with us and telling us what you feel about our parish community and our priest. It has been a learning process for us and we look forward to sharing the information with the parish. We pray the information will shape our mission and ministry in the future. Thank you and look forward to hearing from us again in the near future for follow-up conversations.
PLEDGES With summer coming on and attendance down, please don’t forget your pledges! We still have our normal monthly bills and salaries to pay, so please take a few minutes to send in your pledge. Mail your check to P. O. Box 945, Waynesboro, VA 22980 or go to our website and donate. Just remember that we are charged about 3% (or more if you use a credit card) of the donation made through the website.
Eagle News
June 2016
Summer Worship Hours in effect June 5 Rite One 8:00 a.m. Rite Two 10:00 a.m.
Episcopal Church Women News Note date and time changes for June Meeting. June Meeting: Sunday, June 5 at 9:15 a.m. in the Parish Hall Topic: St. John the Evangelist
Summer Office Hours
June Lunch: Blue Mountain Brewery, Tuesday, June 7. Meet at the Brewery at noon. Please call the office to sign up by June 3.
in effect May 31 8:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.
Thank you Bettie Von Frankenberg for sharing the “My Garden Fence Lenten spiritual reflection on Developing a Spiritual Discipline by Growing a Rule of Life”. We will hang on to it for Lent 2017!
July Outing: Thursday, July 14, 11:30 a.m. lunch at Karis Gifts of Grace in Mt. Sidney, followed by a trip to White Oak Lavender Farm in Harrisonburg. Leave from church at 11:00 a.m. to carpool. Call the office to sign up by July 11. No Sunday ECW meeting in July.
Do You Know...? From the Office
• This summer on the 4th Sunday of each month we are having a picnic in the backyard. This allows us to use our green space, connect with one another, and enjoy the great outdoors in our own backyard. Come and connect with friends or make new friends. • We are in need of lay readers and chalice bearers for our Sunday worship. If you are yearning to help share the Gospel on a Sunday morning contact Carol Webster at 540-943-7876 and sign up. • It is the time of year to begin looking for four able, willing, and interested parishioners to serve on the Vestry for three years. We elect four new members each year in our December parish meeting. If you feel called to leadership in the parish contact any member of the Vestry or our Rector. • Our grounds need sprucing up. Several parishioners are going about the work of maintaining our grounds and they are also going to plan and install some plants in our backyard. Look for details soon. • On June 13th at Arlington National Cemetery, Father Kim will be the officiant at the laying of a headstone in honor of Merrill Walter Hoover, who was lost at sea off the coast of the Eastern Shore of Virginia in 1943 and never found. He was attempting to wake his fellow shipmates before a 400foot Dutch freighter rammed their Coast Guard schooner. You can read about him here.
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Eagle News
[email protected] June 2016
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June 2016
Youth Sunday 2016
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Eagle News
June 2016
2016 Vestry Members Beth Abato, Senior Warden George Buzzard Dale Diacont June Elliott Happy Gilligan Gerrie Kerby Marty Siebken Richard Smith Nancy Rogers Colleen Taylor Jerry Wagner Freddie Zeh
June Birthdays 3) Maryann Pruiksma 4) Nancy Conrad 6) James Pruiksma 7) Sally Cole, Lauren Anderson (the younger) 8) Sally Reynolds 11) Bethany Balser Hicks 12) Danielle Aldridge 16) Dillen Watson 18) Elizabeth Smith 19) Pam Sullivan 21) Grayson Hulse 23) Judy Ericson 25) Francis Pereira 26) Dale Diacont 27) Mrs. Kathy Kappes 29) Connie Chandler, Mark Donham
Eucharistic Visitors Schedule June 12 Carole Shriver visits Rhoda Shifflett
June Anniversaries
April Attendance 2015
2016
1st
201
2nd
110
113
3rd
104
88
4th
90
74
185
1) John & Kathy Kappes 7) Ted & Sally Cole 9) Doug & Martha Wood 10) Mike & Ellen Reno 11) Fred & Dana Zeh 19) Steve & Kathy Garber
The Mission of St. John’s Episcopal Church is to worship and serve God as we: Pray, Proclaim the gospel, Promote spiritual growth, justice, peace and love. Affirmed by the Vestry, December 2008 All articles are due in the church office not later than the 15th of each month. Early items are always accepted. Thank you for being kind and on time. Deadline for July issue: June 15
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