The Courier
January 2002
Volume 55, Issue 1
The Epiphany of
Christ
On January 6, we begin a season of the church year typified
by showing Christ to the world. The
stories read on Sunday at worship are chosen to highlight the “non-Jewish”
reactions to the coming of “Messiah”, a concept that did not exist outside the
Jewish world. Therefore, we hear about
the three magi, traveling from the east, bearing gifts for the infant
king. We hear about Paul’s missionary
journeys in
In our day and in our time, we too are called upon to show Christ to the world. It is not enough for us to sit comfortably inside our glorious building, smug and secure that God cares for us, and that all will be well, all manner of things shall be well. The world is crying out for good news, and we have it! Disease, death, terrorism, brokenness, futility, lack of purpose and more are here to stay, and here to infect human lives. But in the midst of all that which destroys and corrupts, we proclaim a God who heals, restores, connects, and brings new life.
Following Paul’s example, we are compelled to share this news with those who need it most. A seminary classmate of mine, Steve Ellis, who serves a parish on the West Coast, wrote in his monthly newsletter that “…if we keep this good news to ourselves alone it is not faithfulness, but privilege.” It sets up a class system of salvation in which some have received grace and healing, while others remain outside of those divine gifts and flounder on their own.
We have been given much by a loving and generous God. We have been blessed not just in material
wealth, but in a wealth of community and mutual support. There may be no greater exercise to deepen
our spiritual lives than to begin to share God’s gifts among those who need
them the most, people who may not even realize that they need them. I have asked the Parish Life Episkopos to
gather the “sheep” in a variety of ways, and we will be offering some training
in how and when to share God’s abundant presence in our lives with others. The “Epiphany” does not strictly “happen”
inside the nave and sanctuary of
Michael
A Note From the
Dettras
A big thank you to the choir and congregation for the nice
farewell reception and the choir gift of Marge Bliss’ wonderful sketch of the
church – with signatures. We will
treasure it always! Our time at
We are very busy getting ready for Christmas. Tomorrow (Dec. 16) at our monthly Evensong, I
will be commissioned as organist and choirmaster and will be giving a half-hour
organ recital following Evensong. Most
of our boxes are unpacked – a few to go – but we have our Christmas decorations
and tree up as of today! Two of our 3
children will be here for Evenson (not the
It’s nice being back “home” in
Janet & Lee
A Note from God
v January 6 – Isaiah 60:1-6,9; Ephesians 3:1-12; Matthew 2:1-12; Psalm 72
v January 13 – Isaiah 42:1-9; Acts 10:34-38; Matthew 3:13-17; Psalm 89:1-29
v January 20 – Isaiah 49:1-7; 1 Corinthians 1:1-9; John 1:29-41; Psalm 4:1-10
v January 27 – Amos 3:1-8; 1 Corinthians 1:10-17; Matthew 4:12-23; Psalm 139:1-17
From the Wardens
December has been a month of consolidating. We are organizing a list of groups who are to
be briefed on the
The Annual Meeting was held December 12, electing new vestry and hearing from the rector on plans for vestry philosophy for the coming year.
At its December meeting, the vestry opened with Bible study. The vestry received reports from the Rector, Wardens, and Episkopoi. The Vestry welcomed new members, James Monteith and Bill Graff, as observers. The Vestry voted on and approved the following: to take out a bank loan of $16,000 to cover end-of-year expenses; to change the by-laws to schedule the Annual Meeting for the first Sunday in December; to provide a parsonage allowance for the Rector for 2002; and adopted a budget for 2002 totaling $376, 544 with a $21,000 deficit.
Bob Sherer and Phyllis George
Great Weekend at
Companions Evensong – On Friday evening the 7th, about 30 people attended the Evensong service. Diane Sherer officiated and Sister Elena gave a homily on “Rapture” theology. Following the service, 22 women enjoyed conversation and a scrumptious potluck dinner.
Companions Quiet Day – The next morning, Saturday the 8th, the Companions hosted a Quiet Day of meditation and reflection. The day began with a light breakfast followed by Morning Prayer. Then Sister Elena led a meditation centered on Mother Ann Lee of the Shakers. The women then lunched on three kinds of soup and returned to the sanctuary for a meditation on The Virgin of Guadalupe. The dozen or so women closed out the day with Evening Prayer.
4:30 Eucharist – Michael Phillips celebrated at the Advent Two afternoon service which had a lovely, intimate feel in the dusk and falling darkness. More than 50 people attended.
“Dinner and a Movie” – The Eucharist was followed by an All-Parish PotLuck for around 55 people. The food and fellowship were both expansive.
After dinner, there were two showings of “The Story of Esther” for which we were required to have tickets. The fifteen minute video film, created and produced by the Sunday School (grades 2-6), was shown in the theater (the Lay Ministry Room) to more than 20 guests each show. John McCleary was the director/producer/editor who made the video with the children. Complete with humorous outtakes and credits, the production is informative, entertaining, and quite professional. It’s certain that neither the children nor the audience will forget it soon.
Patronal Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe – The weekend was rounded out by the incredible bilingual celebration on Sunday afternoon of the Feast of the Virgin of Guadalupe. Bishop Sisk was the celebrant for that most impressive event.
Marge Bliss
Bulletin Bloopers
Where your treasurer is, there will be your heart also.
Rejoice you pure in heat.
St. Mary’s was broken into last week and six doors and a widow were damaged.
Suggestions for prayer time: Put people at east by saying something like, “You may pray silently if your lie.”
Thanks to the mean women and children who attended the luncheon.
The Deadline for the February “Courier” is Sunday, January 20. Please bring items to the parish office. Thank you.
Michele Haynes
Letter from The Rev. Candida E. Feliu-Gonzalez
Dear Friends at
It was with great
joy that we read about the 10th anniversary celebration of the
Latino ministry at
The Rev. Wilfredo Benitez
The Rev. Candida E. Feliu-Gonzalez
Youth Catechumenate
The following are the dates that the Youth Catechumenate Group will be meeting:
v
v
v
v
v
Please mark your calendars.
Thank you,
Jackie Vierno
Concert Series at
Concert Series:
The Parish Life is supporting Laura Russell in her initiation of a
Concert Series at
Join the Choir
If you would like to sing with the choir at the
The following items are needed: hats/scarves; pajamas-men’s & women’s; single sheets/blankets; pillows; laundry soap; paper products; razors; shaving cream; and small wrapped soap, shampoo, etc. Please bring items are are new or in very good condition to the box provided in the Parish Office.
Thank you, Evie Fortna
January Acolyte
Schedule
v January 6 – Johanna Kraft, Monica Lievers, John McCleary
v January 13 – Adam Gregorius, Michael Shepherd, Derek Easton
v January 20 – Irene Currie, Jason Gregorius, Anatole Malukoff
v January 27 – Robin Angstrom, Nick Currie, Alice Friedl
Milestones
Congratulations to
Sally Vasse who retired December 14 from her 36-year career in library
science. Her last position was as
Associate Professor and Public Reference Librarian at
Community Ministry
Episkopos
This month’s launch of the “Center of the Square”, the 501c3
not-for-profit corporation started by Christ Church to broaden our community
outreach efforts, involve non-parishioners and secure new funding sources, has
a profound impact on the work of the CME.
The year 2002 will be one of transition, during which CME will advise
and assist the new Center Board and staff as they take on the administration of
CME’s role will be changed and, in a way, diversify. One of the new roles sees CME serving as managers for the income from the Winant Endowment directed to community service efforts. CME will decide what community programs will receive funding, based on annual proposals from the Community Center and other groups as well. Part of CME’s stewardship of the Winant funds includes evaluating these programs and communicating their work to the parish.
In 2002, the CME budget includes about $7,690 of Winant money,
some of which will go to the Summer Camp and Climb the Beanstalk. We expect that these two programs for
children will continue to need both volunteers and additional financial aid
from the
The Community Ministry Episkopos needs and will actively
seek out the ideas and interests of the
Marge Bliss
Guadalupe: A Shared
Festival
As I reflected on the great patronal festival of our Latino
congregation this year, which saw the usual mariachi musicians, infant “Juan
Diegos”, roses filling the chancel, and a nearly packed house, and which saw
(this year) the visit of our diocesan bishop the Rt. Rev. Mark Sisk and his
wife, Karen, it occurred to me one of the purposes of encouraging the Anglo
members of Christ Church to participate.
Although the story of Juan Diego and the Virgin of Guadalupe originates
in central
Some people have asked me why we read some of the biblical lessons in English, and sing an English hymn as part of the communion music. Why is there a sermon in both English and Spanish, not one sermon translated immediately from one language to the other? My answer is that I do not want the Fiesta of the Virgin of Guadalupe to remain just “their” festival. I want it to become “ours”. I do not want Anglos to attend as passive observers, watching “them” as “they” celebrate “their” culturally-specific liturgy, as if we had tuned in to a National Geographic special on the television. Instead, my intention for this liturgy is that it be shared: we bring from our tradition an authentic expression of our worship, and they bring the same from their tradition. Together we mark and honor the meeting of our two cultures in story and song, after which we share a meal of unity and thanksgiving in Christ.
I do not expect Anglos to become Mexicans, nor Mexicans to become Anglos. I only want to provide an opportunity for each group to bring to liturgy the appropriate cultural elements which when combined give us a truly shared celebration.
Mark Como’s work is to provide orientation to North American culture, not to turn the Latino immigrants into someone they are not, but rather to allow them to enter into a fullness of life in their new home, so that dividing walls are not constructed and lines of division are not drawn. The worship service for the Virgin of Guadalupe attempts to do the same thing liturgically. We all bring our best to the liturgy, and offer it to each other in the sight of God, who then blesses the resulting community. I had a great day. I hope you did as well.
Michael
Cultural Orientation
For those who would like to build upon their experience at the Guadalupe festival on December 9, Leo Magna-Gomez will be sharing aspects of Mexican culture in a series of workshops in January. (Leo and her daughter, Sylvia, taught us to make tamales last Lent.)
The workshops will be offered on the following Wednesday
evenings: January 9, 16, 23, 30
beginning at
Michael and Mark Como
Stewardship
This is the final report from the Fall 2001 campaign as of
This year’s campaign pledge total ($172,688) resulted in a smaller total pledge at campaign end compared to last year ($178,232). The final pledge total for last year of $195,741 resulted from generous late pledges that arrived in the early months of 2001. The Rector, Vestry and Stewardship Committee thank all of you who have pledged for your great response and generosity.
This year’s total will impact financial planning for
internal Church Life in 2002 if it doesn’t at least reach last year’s final
total. The reality is that more pledges
will come in during the next few months as happened last year; we just don’t
know how much. You can see that there
are approximately 27 people who pledged last year who have not yet pledged (117
minus 90 (100 minus 10 new pledgers) equals 27). We are on the cusp of new growth at
Campaign Year 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995
Total Pledged 172688 195741 172905 162787 148360 121781 108033
Total Pledges 100 117 118 123 123 102 93
Avg. Pledge 1727 1673 1465 1323 1206 1198 1162
Total Canvassed 164 180
Pledge Increased 59 63
Pledge Decreased 2 8
Pledge Same as Last Yr. 29 29
New Pledgers 10 17
Campaign Goal 219230 198840
% Goal Pledged 78.77% 98.44%
% Pledge Response 60.98% 65.00%
Avg. Pledge Increased 3.22% 14.20% 10.73% 9.70% 0.67% 3.10% 10.35%
Jim Bliss, Stewardship Chair
Directory Updates
Amanda Kay
Glen Barry
19 Broad Gap
Bodicite
Banbury
OX 15 4 DE
Telephone: (011 44) (0) 1295 258857
E-mail: amanda@kaye.uklinux.net
(e-mail can also be sent to Richard or Edwin or Roland by putting their first names before the @kaye.uklinux.net)
From the Baton of
Laura Russell, Choir Director – Contributions of African Americans to Religious
Music
During the months of January and February the Christ Church Choir will be singing spirituals and gospel hymns as part of our honoring of the contributions of African-Americans to religious music. We will also lead the congregation in singing hymns that speak of the African-American experience. Spirituals and gospel music are songs rooted in the hopes and faith of a community struggling to find its way in a strange land. It is music that helps one discover faith in the ultimate justice of life. As such, its message of hope and faith is needed more than ever in today’s world.
In 1526 when the first enslaved Africans arrived in
In these Black churches Old Testament stories inspired their
belief in a God of liberation and gave rise to the spiritual. The spiritual used a biblical text, and the
musical form was similar to the work songs in its use of
call-and-response. Although the song
texts were overtly religious in character, they also served as a social
commentary on treatment by the master, and often spoke in coded terms of a
means of escape. Much of this social and
political meaning was purposely hidden, embedded in the religious text to
thwart those outside the community from understanding the true meaning. for example, the phrase “the
Many texts in spirituals are fashioned after Old Testament
narratives about freedom fighters. These
texts were appealing because of God’s direct intervention in human affairs in
the interest of the oppressed. The Old
Testament figures reminded the slaves that just as God delivered the Hebrew
children, so too God would show them the way to escape. The characters of Joshua, Moses, Daniel,
Samson, and David are featured frequently.
Daniel showed how he could resist slavery and the fiery furnace and
still be triumphant. Pharaoh was the
slave master, and the walls of slavery would someday fall, like the walls of
In the late 1800’s gospel music grew directly out of spirituals as a response to changing social conditions. Following the Emancipation Proclamation African-Americans began moving from the rural south to the larger cities in search of jobs and a better life. As their lives changed, so too did their music. While church music originally used a cappella voices, now pianos, guitars, tambourines, and percussion instruments were added. The improvisatory style of gospel music often relies on a soloist and choral accompaniment and the instrumental accompaniments were improvised.
Gospel songs centered in Jesus, whom people saw as the
problem-solver, rather than on the problems themselves, Gospel hymns also
reflected the development of the importance of “a personal relationship with
God”. In gospel music the Old Testament
stories were replaced with the more personalized “I” songs of the gospel. It is that personal relationship with the
Divine that gives gospel music its unique character. The language of gospel music was also often
in code, and it became a way for the African-American community to communicate
their social and political concerns, especially during the Civil Rights
Movement. In fact, both art forms were
instrumental during this movement, providing solidarity and solace to those
involved in the struggle. During the
Civil Rights Movement spirituals returned and served as battle cries for that
movement. Three examples are: “Go
down Moses, way down tin
Spirituals and gospel music were created out of the need for African-Americans to express their feelings about living in a society that showed them indifference and ill-treatment. However, their music reaches out beyond the African-American community to all of us. It communicates the universal yearning for freedom and the need to trust in God as the ultimate judge of all things. It celebrates the opportunity God gives to all of us to be open to the presence of the Divine.
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