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DECEMBER 2005
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Vol.
9 No. 11
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Special
Events For December
*Event details inside or call the office for more information Sunday Schedule 8:00
Holy Eucharist Rite I
It's no secret that this time of year is particularly stressful for some people. It is for me. Perhaps it's the combination of less daylight and more darkness; colder and harsher weather; more time spent indoors; and the compelling hopes, fears, and expectations we attach to Thanksgiving/Christmas/New Year's and their attendant celebrations. These factors are joined by the upped ante around church on account of the intensified liturgical observance of Advent and Christmas. It's both counter-intuitive and counter-cultural to ease up at this time of year. There is so much to get ready for and accomplish, and so much money to be spent! But learning to pace oneself is one of life's cardinal skills. And pacing oneself requires a illusive elixir of patience, perspective, and priorities. Where many go to seek this balance is prayer: prayer that is still, contemplative, listening, and grounded in silence. In the place of such prayer we can glimpse at least three things: a longer view to help us with patience, Christ's place in our lives to assist us with perspective, and fundamental values which are invaluable in setting our priorities. A great book about this kind of prayer is Finding Grace at the Center by M. Basil Pennington and Thomas Keating. Check it out. I wish you good luck and God's blessing in making your way through the next several weeks with purpose, pacing, and abundant grace. + + + Please keep the leadership of Holy Communion in your personal prayers of intercession. The Vestry and other lay leaders in the parish and I are working our way through a conversation about keeping our church as open, welcoming, inclusive, and diverse as possible. This is challenging work, and it's sometimes hard to know how to have positive and productive conversations about these matters. I deeply value a commitment to welcoming all people that Holy Communion has demonstrated for generations, and demonstrates still. Our struggle is not whether or not we want to be welcoming, but rather just how that welcome is articulated and communicated. Pray that all of us who have the gift and burden of parish leadership will be focused on God and charitably attentive to one another. + + + Kudos to Paul Bange who tirelessly labors to keep our grounds in shape, Burt Mayfield who works constantly on the physical plant, Donna Robey who is coordinating the Christmas Eve Pageant, Rudy Nickens who lead the Pledge Campaign, Derrick Coley whose Scouting group has helped outfit the new library, and Lucy Krieg who has such a heart for the education programs of the parish. For them and all of you I pray a holy Advent, a merry Christmas, and a happy New Year rife with the love of Christ, in whose Name I am yours.
Senior Warden’s Message Butch Sterbenz This week, Thanksgiving week, we concluded conversations and verbal agreements with Mr. Ernest Shapiro, the landlord at 7471 Delmar, and Mr. Vincent Banks the sub-lease tenant concerning our agreements with each of them. The long and short of it is that we have served notice to Mr. Shapiro that we do not wish to continue in the long term lease arrangement with him and expect to sever the relationship on March 31, 2006, when the current 5 year term expires. We are required to give him 60 days notice of intent not to renew the lease and have now done so orally and will do so in writing with the next week. A separate conversation with Mr. banks clarified the relationship between us and secures his tenancy until the landlord lease expires. The clarification was required because our lease agreement with Mr. Banks expires on December 31, 2005 and if we do not have agreement for extension until March 31, 2006 we could be in the position of paying for an uninhabited apartment with no sub-lease money coming in for 3 months This would not be good for the 2006 budget. This lease extension will also be confirmed in writing in the next few days. Other than this, it is a busy time for the vestry. Before the annual meeting we need to make decisions concerning potential shortfalls in the 2005 budget, agree on the 2006 budget, work out personnel policies and staff performance reviews, come to agreement on what it means to be an open and welcoming parish, find a way to get the web site back in operation, and try to find a solution to the continuing decline in the health of the organ which Mary Carol has been valiantly struggling with for several years. Problems other than these we handle easily. By the time you get this you will have already had a happy Thanksgiving, so I wish you a Christmas which is peaceful and joyous and rich in faith, and a warm and happy New Year celebration Website Revival! Butch Sterbenz You may have noticed that our website has been moribund for a couple of years now [Webmaster note: actually, it's only been since June of last year... (M. Chapman)]. It has been cause for increasing embarrassment and frustration as our impotence in the face of technological progress has become more apparent. We stand shamefaced as other parishes in the Diocese have jauntily zipped by, perhaps thumbing their noses at our long un-updated site. Well, that situation is about to come to an end! Matt Chapman has volunteered to become our webmaster. But he needs help. Specifically, he wants to develop a site that is appropriate to the needs of this parish, not one cluttered with pages of material that no one is interested in. In order to get the data to build such a site he needs to get information from you and me. So far, he and Rick Simoncelli are a committee of two, and are hoping for a couple more folks to join them in developing survey questions for parishioners. This small task force will get its work done quickly. It will take one or two meetings and then the sun will set on the effort. . If you are willing to give these two fine fellows a hand call Judy at the office. Community Ministry Committee Jan Munro Moog Two-Buck Potluck Series Continues The Community Ministries continued its 2-Buck Potluck series with a bonus session presented by Glenna Anderson and two members of the Christian Peacemaker Team (CMT) on October 13. About a dozen people were present to see slides of Melissa’s trip and hear stories about Betsy’s four trips to Palestine. While this group works with both Israeli and Palestinian peace groups, most of the presentation was based on time spent with Palestinians on their side of “The Wall.” Glenna will be traveling to Palestine in January to join this group which has been working for several years to regain peace in this region. Our next 2-Buck Potluck will be held December 4 at 6 p.m. The topic, sponsored by parishioner Bev White, will be Haven of Grace. Executive Director Diane Barry and Developmental Director Eric Schramm will describe ways that Holy Communion members can support this program for young, homeless, pregnant women and their children. We hope you will join us December 4 to see how you might use your talents and time for Haven of Grace. Please look for the 2-Buck Potluck sign-up sheet which will be in the Lounge. Karen Payne reports that contributions continue for the Women for Woman organization that encourages American women to sponsor women in third world countries. A few more commitments from Holy Communion members will ensure our ability to sponsor a woman for a year. There is a sign-up sheet in Mitchell Hall if you would like to add your commitment. For more information about the program, contact Karen (34-721-1820). Trinity Hot Lunch Program Our continues success at Trinity is causing growing pains and we need more help from individual guest hosts willing to sign up for one of two of our committed monthly lunch preparations and servings. It is rewarding work and doesn’t require a great deal of time commitment, so if you have any interest, pleas contact Jan Moog (314-614-1952) for details. Trinity Food Pantry A big thank you for the food donations that have been coming in since our brown bag campaign started this fall. Continue to watch for the brown bags containing this month’s requested food items and leave your offerings in the basket in the Narthex. Donations for Hurricane Katrina Victims A truck load of clothing and other personal items was taken to St. Patrick’s Center to be used for people in the Gulf States suffering with the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. We are thankful for all your thoughtful donations and want you to know that they were received gratefully at the center. Holy
Communion Nights In an effort to further the awareness and understanding of issues of race, The Community Ministry Committee is organizing a Holy Communion night at the Black Repertory Theater for the 2006 season. We will be attending on Thursday nights 1/12, 2/16, 3/23, 4/27 and 6/1. We will then meet for coffee or plan a potluck for discussion on the Sunday evening following the performance. Our goal is to discuss the issues raised in the production and see how they are relevant to our individual lives and our life as a congregation. Sign-up sheets and additional information will be available after both services beginning November 13th. Please call Doug Black (314-610-5859) if you have any questions. Christmas Giving Tree This year Holy Communion is sponsoring a Christmas Giving Tree to benefit children and families served by Beyond Housing and the Episcopal City Mission. You will notice the tree in the Lounge. We invite you to take an ornament and purchase a gift for either one of the children in the county Detention Center (served by ECM) or for one of the family members (served by Beyond Housing). Please consider purchasing a gift for folks who could use help buying gifts at Christmas. The deadline for ECM and Beyond Housing are Sunday, December 11. Please bring your unwrapped gifts to the church and place them in the bins next to the tree. If you have any questions, please contact Jan Moog at 314-614-1952. Meet the Teachers Hilarie Hunt In this column we will begin introducing you to the men and women who generously volunteer their time and share their talents with the children of our parish. This month we begin with the six teachers who team-teach in the Pre-Kindergarten/Kindergarten class. We are very fortunate to have a large group of talented, energetic Sunday school teachers. Watch for more introductions in future editions. Mary Bass has attended Holy Communion for two years and is teaching for the second year. She is the mother of two daughters, Maya and Edie Zerazion, ages 5 and 3. Mary works full time for an eye doctor as an ophthalmic technician. Mary’s happy nature shows in her smile and her laugh. When asked why she teaches Sunday school Mary said, “I just love the little kiddies!” Mary also enjoys cooking. Look in the parish cookbook for her “Mom’s Meatloaf” recipe. And as if all of this doesn’t keep her busy enough, this year Mary and her mother, Wanda Spencer, are our nursery coordinators. Jane Popham is teaching for the first time this year, teamed with Mary Bass. Jane has been at Holy Communion since 1989. She is retired from Purina where, as a technical writer, she wrote about feline and canine nutrition and care. Jane says she volunteered to teach because there was a need for teachers and she enjoys children. Jane also shares her love for children by volunteering in the church nursery. Lisa Hummel is teaching for the second year. Lisa has attended Holy Communion for 2 years. Lisa teaches physical science, environmental science and physics at Normandy high school. After dealing with teenagers all week Lisa says she looks forward to working with the little kids in Sunday school because they are so sweet, and sometimes she gets to play with Play Dough! Lisa is a vegetarian who plays the piano and likes to roller skate. She is married to John Clark and they have two sons, Isaac and Zachary Clark. Hilarie Hunt has been at Holy Communion for almost four years and started teaching soon after moving here. She team-teaches with Lisa Hummel and Liza Stanton. During the week Hilarie works in the Anheuser-Busch travel office handling VIP travel requests. She loves teaching Sunday school because it is lots of fun, and she believes it is important to provide a spiritual foundation for children and help them learn about God, prayer, and our church community. Hilarie enjoys drawing, taking walks, and being a grandmother to Mason and Olivia Hunt. Liza Stanton has been at Holy Communion for about five years and has been teaching for three years. As a family physician, Liza sees patients from newborns to geriatrics at her clinic in O’Fallon which is part of the BJC medical group. Liza says teaching Sunday school is a worthwhile endeavor that allows her to take part in teaching kids about God, the church and leading a moral life. In recent years Liza worked to make our parish nursery what it is today – an inviting place that is both parent- and kid-friendly. Liza is married to another Sunday school teacher, Phil Stanton, and they are the parents of Emma and Phil. Wanda Spencer has attended Holy Communion for two years is team-teaching for the second year with Mary Bass. Wanda is a Registered Nurse who has retired from working in operating rooms. Because Sunday school was such an important of her own life, Wanda wants children to have the same opportunity to learn at their own level about God and Jesus, and get a solid religious background. Wanda enjoys theatre, ballet, opera and movies. She also has season tickets to the Kansas City Chiefs football games. Wanda has two sons, Walter and Charles, one daughter, Mary Bass, and six grandchildren. ADULT EDUCATION Lucy Krieg The adult learning program will starts for the New Year on Jan 8. The Rector will begin with a program on the Book of Mark since that is the book from which most of the Gospel readings will be taken in this church calendar year. The next two Sundays are being planned by Liz Mills and Sara Green. They will consider the topic of Alcohol Addiction. On Jan 29 there will be no educational programs because it is a single service Sunday followed by the annual meeting. We have been having a good turnout on Sunday mornings. Come see what the attraction is. Campus
Ministry Coordinator Stepping Down Babs Kehl-Fairchild The Rev. Michael Kinman has been appointed the First Executive Director of Episcopalians for Global Reconciliation. In accepting the appointment, Kinman will step down as Coordinator for Campus Ministry in the Diocese and as Chaplain at Rockwell House, the campus ministry serving Washington University in St. Louis. The changes will take effect Jan. 1, 2006. Kinman will remain in St. Louis and will work out of his home. He has been coordinator of Campus Ministry since 1999, and is credited with reviving a dormant facet of Diocesan life and making it into a widely acclaimed ministry and fertile ground for new clergy in the Diocese. Kinman has been active in global reconciliation since serving as a deputy at the 2003 General Convention and was instrumental in pushing through resolutions in Missouri committing the Diocese to setting aside seven-tenths of one percent of its budget for global initiatives, mainly in Sudan. He recently has been on the national stage participating in conferences and workshops on global reconciliation. The organization he will direct is described by Kinman as "working toward the spiritual transformation of the church through engagement in ministries of global social and economic justice." He says he plans to remain active in diocesan affairs. A search for a new chaplain at Rockwood House is expected to begin after the first of the year. In Kinman's place, Kate Ketcham, who has been serving as an intern, will oversee the ministry at Washington University. Guild News Marlene O'Brien Special thanks to all the Guild members who worked so diligently on the Cookie Sale and Bazaar. Many donated time, energy, materials and finished products. We will be able to donate nicely to our charities because of the proceeds. On Wednesday, Dec. 21, Rose Henneberry will take Guild members out to lunch at Frank and Helen's Restaurant on Olive Street. We will have our usual Eucharist and Bible Study, gather in the lounge, at noon and car-pool there. Thanks to Rose for her generosity. Remember to bring gifts for Places for People by the 21st also. Please mark them with size and whether it is for a man or a woman. Warm items would be particularly appropriate. See PfP article elsewhere in this publication. During 2005 we made 3,785 sandwiches bringing our grand total to about 28,000 sandwiches since we began the project. Best wishes for a Blessed Advent. Ladies’ Movie Night Rosemary Burrows We will be taking a break in December so our next movie will not be until January 11. In January the new series, “The Women”, will start with The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. This should be a little lighter fare than the November movie we saw and is rated PG. Four close friends discover a pair of pants that fit them all perfectly, even though they're physically very different. Since all four are going in different directions for the summer, they pledge to each wear the pants for a week and then mail them to the next girl. In Greece, Lena (Alexis Bledel, Gilmore Girls) lands in the middle of a Romeo & Juliet family-feud romance; Carmen (America Ferrera, Real Women Have Curves) discovers that her estranged father is about to marry a blonde Southern belle; Bridget (newcomer Blake Lively) flirts with love at a Mexican soccer camp; and Tibby (Amber Tamblyn, Joan of Arcadia) stays home and gets a boring retail job to pay for her documentary film--but finds herself with an unwanted young assistant. These four stories manage to cover an amazing amount of ground (touching on race, body issues, divorce, mortality, and more) without resorting to stereotypes or easy resolutions. The engaging characters are brought to vivid life by these four talented actresses, who grab this excellent script and run with it. This movie is about teen-agers, but I hear that it is one of the best movies about teenage life in a long, long time. Pot-luck dinner starts at 6:30. Movie starts at 7:00. Upcoming movies include Vera Drake and Ladies in Lavender. BOOK CLUB Lucy Krieg The book club has chosen readings and one film for the months between now and August. I have a description for most these books and will gladly give you a copy. This is the short version Dec. 11: Adaptation a film Jan. 8: The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde Feb. 12: Guns, Germs and Steel by Jared Diamond Mar. 12: Tears of the Giraffe McDonald Smith Apr. 9: The Virgin Blue Terry Chevalier May 14: Will in the World by Stephen Greenblatt Jun. 4: Angels and Demons by Dan Brown Jul. 9: A Portrait in Sepia by Isabella Allende Aug. 13: Nightingales: the Extraordinary Upbringing and Curious Life of Florence Nightingale by Gillian Gill If any or all of these titles intrigue you, please join us. LADIES DAY OUT Lucy Krieg On December 28 we have been invited to Karen Sterbenz home. We will have lunch, and dessert will be some of Karen's famous cookies. And of course there will be fun and laughter that seems to follow this group around. Come join the party. See Karen’s note elsewhere in this publication. In January we’ll hunker down for an afternoon in the Church Lounge to play games and eat. Junior High Youth Group The Junior High Youth Group has been busy through November, finishing their Bible Study unit and visiting the Adult Class--first to learn about the Church Year and then to make advent Wreaths--Inter-generationally! On November 20, Doug Black met with us after church and told us about the Community Ministries Committee. we ate lunch together and visited. Then we went down to Trinity and helped to serve the lunch. November 27th we looked again at the Church Year and how it is embodied in the Prayer Book. Through December we will continue looking at Advent and Christmas stories in the Bible. On Sunday, December 18, the group will go to Karen's house right after the 10:30 Church Service for lunch and Christmas Cookies. We will get Youth to Karen's house. Parents should pick them up there at 1:30. A Great Woman Remembered Karen Sterbenz Rosa Parks died in her home at the age of 92 on October 24, 2005. Rosa became an icon. When she refused to give up her seat on a city bus in Montgomery Alabama, she inspired Martin Luther King, Jr and others to mount the civil rights movement. Rosa was a seamstress and a quiet, maybe even shy woman. But she wanted to remain seated on that bus. A white man had demanded the seat, because in those days, white people could do that to African Americans. And Rosa refused. For her defiance, Mrs. Parks was arrested, convicted of violating the segregation laws and fined $10 plus $4 in court fees. Blacks then boycotted the Montgomery buses for 13 months and challenged that Alabama law all the way to the Supreme Court where it was overturned. Rosa's act of defiance seemed a simple thing, but it changed our world dramatically by shining a spotlight on the injustices blacks suffered and accepted as inevitable, while others of us were oblivious to it. While we have a Dismantling Racism Committee in this Diocese and struggle to become more equal and less superior-inferior, things were more racist and restrictive in the 1950s. Without Rosa's bravery, perhaps we would not even today be aware enough to recognize racial injustice. When Rosa died, she was laid in state in the Capitol Rotunda. She was the first woman ever to be so honored. The President of the United States and both houses of Congress laid wreaths at her casket. Flags were flown at half mast in the Washington D.C. and around the country in her memory. More than 30,000 people came to the Rotunda to pay their respects. We thank Rosa for what she did for all of us. Breakfast Update Jane Vacho This coming December and January, St. Lizzie’s Breakfast will be available in Mitchell Hall from 8:30 to 9:15 on all Sundays with the exceptions of Sunday, December 25, 2005, Sunday, January 1, 2006 and the Single Service Sunday, January 27, 2006. We look forward to seeing you all there. Places For People Needs Household Items With clients with mental health problems moving into their own apartments for the first time, Places for People could use your help in setting up their new homes. If you have any of the following items for a start-up apartment, and would like to donate them, they would be very appreciative: apartment-sized furniture essentials, i.e. kitchen table and chairs, bedroom furniture, sofas, coffee and end tables, lamps, etc.; Small appliances, such as microwaves, blenders, coffee makers vacuums, etc.; households items like dishes, glasses, silverware and utensils, pillows, sheets and bed linens, towels and cleaning supplies; Toiletry items such as soaps, shampoo, deodorant shaving cream, dental care items, diapers and baby wipes; and clothing, men’s, women’s and children’s. Places for People will be happy to pick up your donation along with the Guild’s planned donations if they are taken to church and brought to the Lounge on or before December 21st. Or for larger items call Joyce Bono at 314-535-5600 to arrange a pickup. StaffThe
Rev. Brooke Myers, Rector VestryButch Sterbenz,
Senior Warden Parish MissionTo worship God, share our Christian vision with the world, and equip others for the work of ministry. We will: Glorify God with liturgy in the Anglican tradition; Support the making of music and outreach placing our current emphasis on young people and the hungry; Invite and include all people into our fellowship regardless of who they are or where they are on their journey of faith; Stand in solidarity with the oppressed against all forms of oppression; Encourage racial, cultural, economic and generational diversity in this congregation; Provide resources for this congregation’s continued growth and ministry; Offer educational programs for children and adults, to nourish each person’s growth in Christ; and Take an active role in the life of our Diocese E-mail: churchoffice@holycommunion.net Published eleven times a year. The editor of this issue is Jane Popham, December issue editor is Jane Vacho, jpvacho@aol.com; please have articles in by November 16. Or put articles in the Communiqué mail box by the offices. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
