The Courier

May 2002

Volume 55, Issue 5

Moving the Church Forward

A few years ago our Vestry created a Mission Statement which included these two phrases: “…respectful of history and tradition…” and “…engaged in Christ’s ministry for today’s world”. Taken together, these two phrases represent an important element of our identity. We, as followers of Christ, have a past. We have memory and story which inform us and shape us as we live and grow. However, we do not live in or for the past. We are part of a continuum that comes out of the past, includes the present and anticipates a faithful future. We respect tradition without becoming “traditionalists”.

I don’t know exactly how the dictionary defines the word “traditionalist” but in common church usage it refers to someone who continues to find liturgical practices from the past meaningful to their lives today. I define a traditionalist as someone whose present is also their past, and an extreme traditionalist is someone who follows practices from the past for their own sake. An example of this occurred at my parish in Chicago. When I first arrived there, the head lay reader asked whether we would be continuing the practice of weekly incense at the eucharist. I asked her what purpose or role did incense play in the liturgical life of the congregation. She replied, “I don’t know! We just always did it before!” I answered that maybe it would be a good idea to discontinue its use until we felt we had some idea of how incense expresses a truth for us in our common worship. She thought that sounded pretty good.

The example above demonstrates a disconnect between the past and the present. The result was a congregation moving into the future without a clear idea of what it was doing, or where it was being called. I wonder if I would receive the same answer if instead of asking about incense I had asked the head lay reader, “What is the purpose or role of the ministries supported by this congregation?” Would she reply, “I don’t know! We’ve just always done them!”?

As Christ Church moves forward we need to be aware of keeping a delicate balance between respecting the past, but not being controlled by it. The past is not our future, nor do we want it to be. On the other hand, we don’t want to disregard our past in a way that would render our progress disoriented or aimless. Our Vestry has begun a process of discerning the Holy Spirit for vision, mission, and decision making. One of the questions to ask oneself during a discernment process is “In the service of what … have I come to this conclusion?” Begin brutally honest with oneself at this point in the process is a key to involving the Holy Spirit in the outcome. “Maintaining the past for the sake of doing what we’ve always done” is one possible answer. “Doing something we have never done for the sake of newness” is another. Neither of these answers addresses the question, “But to what is the Spirit calling us?”

Figure 1 below shows the path of a traditionalist (the straight line represents the past. The dot represents the present, and the dotted line represents our proposed path into the future).

Figure 1

As you can see, the traditionalist’s future is also the past. In Figure 2 below, the past disappears and movement originates for a disconnected present. The problem here is deciding which of the infinite, indistinguishable future paths is the one to follow.

Figure 2

Figure 3 shows the place that balances “respecting tradition” and “discerning the Spirit’s call”. There is a connection between the past and the future in the present. Tradition is represented by a vector, from which future paths begin. The future is not a random guess, but is a course adjustment forward.

Figure 3

As the Vestry continues its leadership of the proposed Capital Campaign it will lay out a process by which we will move from tentative concepts to specific plans. The tentative case statement that we received this spring will be replaced by contractors’ blueprints after completing a parish-wise process of discernment and listening. The Vestry will include setting priorities as part of the decision-making process. The process will not ask you what you like or dislike. It will ask you “In the service of what …” shall we move the church forward. In the service of proclaiming the gospel and ministering to God’s people rests at the heart of our discernment and our campaign.

Michael

A Note from God

Easter VI	May 5	Isaiah 41:17-20; I Peter 3:8-18; John 15:1-8	Psalm 148:7-14
Easter VII	May 12	Ezekiel 39:21-29; Acts 1:1-14; John 17:1-11	Psalm 47
Pentacost	May 19	Genesis 11:1-9; Acts 2:1-11; John 7:37-39a	Psalm 33:12-22
Trinity Sunday	May 26	2 Corinthians 13:5-10; Genesis 1:1-2:3; Matthew 28:16-20	Psalm 150

Youth Catechumenate

The final session for our Youth Catechumenate will be held on Sunday, June 2, immediately following the 10am service. N Catechumens and their sponsors need to complete their projects by then. Also, put October 5, 2002 on your calendar for our visit with Bishop Sisk at his office in New York City.

The Administration Council will meet on Sunday, May 12^th at 12:00 p.m.

Habitat for Humanity

Finally, everything is ready. The land is acquired, the lucky family has been chosen, an architect has detailed drawings done, and the permit has been granted. Now the volunteers take over. If you are registered with the local chapter, you will be held with the skills you have offered. It will take a few weeks to build if it is a blitz. More often, it takes many weekends. One professional carpenter will schedule events with the help of the Build Committee. The age range and build experiences of the men and women who volunteer are truly amazing. However, they all have in common an intense desire to offer their time and energy. You can ask questions and you will get very patient answers. You can stay as long as you like or leave whenever you have to. You may bring any of your own hand tools, but they will provide appropriate tools for the particular day’s work. The lunch is always provided by some church group. The fellowship is genuine amongst the volunteers; you will be happy when it is finished and witness a most grateful family starting a new life of home ownership.

There is a statue of Jesus in Newburgh standing in a garden, stretching out his arms toward you. Curiously, his hands are missing. He seems to make the gesture of saying “You are my hands. Do the work that I have given you to do.”

Sam Im

Test Your Bible Knowledge

Look Alert, and good hunting. There are 16 names of books of the Bible mentioned in the paragraph below. Can you find them?

I once made a remark about the hidden books of the Bible. It was a lulu; kept people looking so hard for facts. For others, it was a revelation. Some were in a jam, especially since the names of the books were not capitalized. But the truth finally struck home to numbers of our readers. To others it was a real job. We want it to be a most fascinating few moments for you. Yes, there will be some really easy ones to spot. Others may require judges to help them. I will quickly admit it usually takes a minister to find one of them, and there will be loud lamentations when it is found. A little lady says she brews a cup of tea so that she can concentrate better. See how well you can compete. Relax now, there really are sixteen names of books of the Bible in this paragraph.

Look for the BOOKS in the June “Courier”.

Have fun!

Michele

New Church Website

If you haven’t checked out our new website, you’re missing a lot! Our new web address is www.christchurchpok.org.

You will now be able to access information such as upcoming church and music events, Michael's sermons, information on church activities, a “virtual historical tour” of the church’s architecture, and even read The Courier on-line!  Carol Lundergan, a member of our choir, created the site and is the “official” Christ Church webmaster.

If you have any news and/or information that you would like to see on the website, please contact Carol at 256-1841 or e-mail her at soprano.one@verizon.net. You can also send Carol any comments, suggestions, complaints, or ideas on improving the site. Happy surfing!

Newsletter Deadline

The DEADLINE for the June “Courier” is Sunday, May 19. Please bring items to the parish office, or you may e-mail articles to me at christchurch@mindspring.com. Thank you!

Michele Haynes

Poughkeepsie Journal Article:

Treasurer’s Report – March 31, 2002

The Audit for the Year 2001, as required by the Diocese, has been completed by T. J. Eglit, Jr., CPA and presented to, and accepted by, the Vestry. A copy, along with the 2001 Parochial Report, has been forward to the Diocese in New York City. Copies for review by members of the congregation are available from the Treasurer.

Following is the summary of the Operating Results for the First Quarter of 2002

A/B

YTD ACTUAL ’02 BUDGET 25%

INCOME:

Endowment $23,653.00 $110,653.20 21.38

Pledges $58,746.20 $187,588.00 31.32

Special $ 5,037.86 $ 9,440.00 53.37

Reading Program $ 1,410.00 $ 9,665.00 14.59

Summer Program $ 810.00 $ 33,400.00 2.43

Utility Sharing $ 1,025.00 $ 9,700.00 10.57

Other $ 7,303.64 $ 5,750.00 127.02

Total Income $97,985.70 $366,196.20 26.76

EXPENSES:

Administration

Salaries $25,441.26 $ 97,688.50 26.04

Benefits $15,193.80 $ 63,499.36 23.93

Office Operation $19,634.81 $ 74,677.00 26.29

Community Ministry

Reading Program $ 2,206.37 $ 9,665.00 22.83

Summer Program $ 36.00 $ 33,400.00 0.11

Outreach $ 0.00 $ 7,696.34 0.00

Parish Life – Worship $ 1,943.10 $ 10,420.00 18.65

Property

Church $ 9,746.99 $ 32,950.00 29.58

Parish House $ 2,222.73 $ 15,400.00 14.43

Operations $ 1,614.97 $ 20,800.00 7.76

Total Expense $78,040.03 $366,196.20 21.31

OPERATING ACCOUNT $19,945.67 $ 0.00

Joseph S. E. Crown

Treasurer

Dutchess Outreach, Inc. Food Bank

For many years, Christ Church has contributed food to the Dutchess Outreach Food Bank. Our offerings of food are brought to the front of the church at the same time as our offerings of our monetary gifts. This emphasizes our commitment to serve God in our community life as well as in our spiritual life. The Emergency Food Bank provides clients with up to a 3-day supply of food and is open Monday-Friday, 8:30a.m. - 11:30a.m.

There are Sundays that the “food basket” at Christ Church is not as full as it could be. It may be that some who would be likely to contribute are not sure what is needed and do not want to “make a mistake”. Dutchess Outreach supplies a list of “Suggested Food Pantry Donations” which will be posted on the Community Ministries Bulletin Board in the hallway near the kitchen, and copies will be available to you to attach to your regular grocery list. The important guideline is that products must be unopened and nonperishable. Baby formula (iron fortified) is always needed. Cash donations are always appreciated and make up nearly half of the annual budget.

Support of the Food Bank is an important part of outreach. We need to remember to help the needs of others as we tend to our own needs. It is a gift of life.

Thank you,

Diane Sherer

Suggested Food Pantry Donations

Canned meat, tuna, chicken

Canned stew, chili, hash

Dried and canned soups

Macaroni and cheese

Spaghetti sauce

Cold cereal and oatmeal

Peanut butter and jelly

Baked beans

Dessert items (jello, cookies)

Assorted toiletries and toilet paper

Feminine hygiene products

We will accept any nonperishable food items!

Jazz Concert on June 7th

The second annual Poughkeepsie High School Jazz Ensemble concert will again fill Christ Church with joyful noise. The young musicians are very good and inspiring. As we support them, they support the programs Christ Church offers for the younger city children – Climb the Beanstalk, and the Summer Program. Please buy tickets for yourself, and sell them to neighbors, and any family you know that has budding musicians. You can obtain tickets from the volunteers who read or help with the children at Climb the Beanstalk. This includes Alice Bunnell, Jean Menuez, Art Dutton, Ruth Fairbanks, Sally Taylor, Norma Johnson, Austin Ehleider, Lillian Garret-Thomas, James Monteith or A. J. Williams-Myers. Leonard Lewis has designed the tickets - $10 for adults and $5 for seniors and kids under 12. Ask any of the above people for tickets. Checks shouldb e made out to Christ Church with Jazz Concert on the memo line. Give money or checks to the person who gave you the tickets. We are trying not to overburden our wonderful secretary, Michele, in the church office.

Bicycle Bob’s Bike Benefit

Did you know that Bob Raymond raised thousands of dollars for the Homeless Shelter by riding across the U.S. both east to west and north to south? Those of us who volunteer at the shelter will be raising a little more this spring to honor Bob’s memory. We will be selling raffle tickets for a handsome mountain bike (sized to fit the winner) donated by The Bicycle Shop in Pleasant Valley plus accessories like helmets ad lights. The drawing will be at a party here at church on May 18^th at 4 PM with Bob stories, refreshments, and games for the family. You do not have to be present to win, and everyone except winners can count your ticket donation as a charitable deduction. Checks should be made payable to DCCH (Dutchess County Coalition for the Homeless). Help support the needed expansion of the shelter and remember Bob the way he was – a good man with a bicycle. For ticket information, see Lloyd Lee, Evie Fortna, or Michele in the office.

Plants for Sale on Mother’s Day

Bring your extra little beauties to donate for the May 12^th sale. Also, you can buy pretty flowering geraniums and pansies and or course those perfectly started tomatoes and other vegetables from Al Nielson. Questions? Call Ellie Vermillion.

From the Baton of Laura Russell, Choir Director

April 27 Choir Concert

If you attended the Choir’s Fauré Requiem Concert, thank you! If you were not able to attend, you missed a real treat. Our choir worked incredibly hard on this beautiful piece and it showed.

Upcoming Events in the Christ Church Concert Series:

May 11:

Kairos: A Consort of Singers will present a concert of a cappella choral music on Saturday, May 11 at 3:00 p.m. at Christ Church. The program includes a delightful selection of unaccompanied choral works including Benjamin Britten’s Hymn to St. Cecilia, Maurice Ravel’s Trois Chansons, sacred motets by Anton Bruckner, works by Josquin, Debussy and Lasso, and vocal jazz selections by Jerome Kern, Duke Ellington and others. There is a suggested donation of $10 for adults and $8 for students/seniors.

Kairos: A Consort of Singers is a select ensemble of thirteen voices dedicated to the performance of unaccompanied choral music from the Renaissance to the present. The ensemble is directed by Dr. Edward Lundergan and performs frequently throughout the Hudson Valley. The name “kairos” comes from the Greek word for cyclic time, as opposed to “chronos”, or linear time. It denotes the state of mind that the members of Kairos hope to achieve in their music, a time-out-of-time in which past and future merge with the present in the listener’s experience. Call 256-0503 or visit the Kairos website at www.kairosconsort.org.

June 1:

88 Plus Four will present an afternoon of music by Brahms and Schubert on Saturday, June 1 at 4:00 p.m. at Christ Church. The program will include the delightful Liebeslieder (Love-song) Waltzes, several of Brahms’ serious vocal quartets, and a charming selection of Brahms piano works to enchant both young and old. This concert is being performed as a benefit for the Christ Church Concert Series, and there is a suggested donation of $10 for adults and $8 for students/seniors.

88 Plus Four is the Hudson Valley’s newest vocal/piano ensemble. The “Plus Four” are Carol Lundergan (soprano), Tricia Lewis Agar (alto), Ed Lundergan (tenor) and Paul Frazer (baritone). The “88” are Laura Ramsey Russell and Rhthanne Schempf, pianists. The ensemble most recently performed at the Potluck Supper Concert Series in Cornwall-on-Hudson to rave reviews. For further information, call Laura Russell at 485-1648 (home) or 452-8220 (church), or visit the Christ Church website at www.christchurchpok.org.

LOOKING BACK AT A MUSICAL LENT – When Michael told me of his plan to spread the events of Holy Week out over the entire six weeks of Lent, I was thrilled! Why? Because there is such a wonderful wealth of hymns, anthems, and organ works that deal with the moving events of Holy Week, and there is usually not enough time in the Holy Week services to do more than touch on a couple of these musical riches.

Looking over all the musical possibilities, I felt like a kid in a candy shop. Here I was, thinking that Lent was a time to abstain from some beloved activity, and I was being given the opportunity to explore all the musical riches in our choir library! The only problem was limiting ourselves to what we (the choir and I) could master musically during the six weeks. Many Sundays the choir sang two anthems, and each week the anthems and hymns were carefully coordinated to reflect the theme and readings for that particular Sunday. We even included anthems by two woman composers, reflecting the month March as a time to celebrate women’s accomplishments!

My deep appreciation goes to Michael for giving the choir and me this wonderful opportunity, and to the choir for all the extra time and energy they put into lovingly preparing all this wonderful music. Thank you!

Endowment Sunday, May 12

The annual

Celebration of the

George the Third Society

Will be held on

Sunday, May 12

To honor those who have made

Bequests to Christ Church

And inviting others

To do so!

******************************************

Parish Picnic

End-of-Year

All Parish Picnic

To be held

Sunday, June 23

After 10:00 a.m. service

(approximately 11:30 a.m.)

COME AND JOIN US!

******************************************

The Welcoming Church

Welcoming Children: When I set out looking for a new church, my idea was to visit a different one every Sunday until I had covered all the Episcopal churches within a reasonable distance of home, and then to choose the one I liked best. Christ Church was the second one I tried, and I never did get to any others. I knew that I didn’t need to look any further.

What made the difference? I think I vaguely remember someone saying something welcoming to me at the first church on my list – or did they? I’m not really certain. But I vividly remember walking into Christ Church with my nine-year-old very shy daughter. The greeter/usher that day had her ten-year-old daughter with her, and as Amelia was warmly welcoming me, Mary Katherine took my daughter by the hand, saying, “Come on”, and away they went, returning at communion time still hand in hand. I am certain that if I had tried to deposit my daughter in the church school, I would have been met with quite a struggle!

We really need to attract and keep new families at Christ Church. So, for those of you who have children, tell them this story, and let them know that they have an important role to play when a new kid shows up. It probably comes more naturally to them than to us.

Nutrition Workshop to be Held at Christ Church

Elenor Lindsay, the daughter of Leonard and Dorothy Lewis, is organizing an evening of information on nutrition and health on Monday, May 20, in the south transept. Elenor works in Westchester County as a nutritionist. The workshop dovetails with our Adult Forum discussion on “Food and Spirituality”. The workshop is free and open to the public.

Christ Church Summer Camp – 2002

Registration: Mark your calendars! Registration for Christ Church Summer Camp 2002 will be held on Tuesday, May 14 at 6:00 p.m. in the Christ Church Parish House. Children who are entering grades one through five may apply. The camper fee is $260, payable at the time of registration, but full and partial camperships will be available later on to those who qualify. This year our day camp will run from July 1 through August 9, providing six weeks of crafts, games, songs, stories, meals, sports, and field trips for up to 55 children. Call the church office for more information or to request a registration packet.

Fund-raising: How can you help Christ Church be a loving witness to the children of our community? Make a contribution to the Christ Church Summer Camp. We still need help with tuition scholarships, as well as funding for special activities and supplies. Also, we are making a special appeal for scholarships for migrant children. Make your checks out to Christ Church, but be sure to write “Summer Camp” on the memo line. Later this spring we will be providing more information about this year’s program and some suggestions for volunteering your services. Thank you for your help!

Summer Camp Committee

Kairos: A Consort of Singers

3:00 p.m. Saturday, May 11

Reception to Follow

Tickets: $10 for adults; $8 students/seniors

Stand for the Dignity of All

Farmworkers’ Advocacy Day will be held on Thursday, May 2, 2002 in Rochester and Albany. For additional information please contact: The Rural & Migrant Ministry, P.O. Box 4757, Poughkeepsie, NY 12602. Telephone 845-485-8627.

Pentecost Pageant

The Sunday School will present its latest dramatic production of “Pentecost Day” on Sunday, May 19 at 10:00 a.m. Wind, tongues of fire, and the babble of foreign languages will be featured in the production. Director Stephen Currie, whose drama credits are too numerous to list, promises a moving experience for all.

Attention

AA, Adult Forum, Choir, GALA, KAIROS, Parish Breakfast Committee, Nursery, and any other groups that utilize the Community Room, please be advised that the new floor will be installed during the month of May. Therefore during the month of May you will need to find another place to hold your meetings/events that are usually held in the community room. Any questions, please see Michele in the Parish Office.

A TRIBUTE TO KIRK RUMBLE

Fiery citizen fought for others’ rights

It's been three weeks and I still can't believe that the unstoppable Kirk Rumble is dead. When I moved to Poughkeepsie from New York City, before I knew the difference between Waryas Park and Adams, I remember Kirk describing herself as a "Poughkeepsie Person." At my first all-Vassar event she painted an enticing portrait of a lively city just packed with social and political action. Kirk came here straight from Minnesota when her steadfast husband Bill landed a job teaching constitutional law at Vassar College in the early '60s. To this day Bill's amiable laugh and endless talk of lake fishing echo his Midwestern sensibility. Not Kirk. Her fiery eyes, outspoken manner and an appetite for adventure made her seem to come from any borough of New York City rather than Minnesota. Kirk was always politically concerned, politically active and, as far as I can tell, infallible in her politically liberal judgment. These elements came together when the late Democratic Assembly woman Eileen Hickey came out for the death penalty. Kirk, dismayed, burst into her friend's office with a spirited lecture on the nature of politics and the evils of the death penalty. I visited the office shortly after Kirk left and a shaken aide, Ron Hicks, explained the office atmosphere saying, "Kirk Rumble just stopped by to share her views on the death penalty." Only then did I learn the

power of a single citizen who speaks up. One thing that could get her mind off real politics was fun. I remember Kirk telling about meeting President Clinton. She spoke like a teenager at a pajama party about the Clinton charisma and who got to shake his hand first. Of course, none of these thrills would let her forgive Clinton's votes on welfare reform or the crime bill.

Minnesota connection

Evie Fortna recalls the kick of being on Main Street in 1984 to see the Democratic presidential candidate, Walter Mondale of Minnesota. When Mondale finally strolled by he waved saying, "Hi Kirk," as if he had just seen her last week. But ultimately, and unforgettably, Kirk Rumble, the community activist mother of three, cared about people who were shunned by society. That's what was behind her decades of volunteer work with agencies like the Mental Health Association, and the League of Women Voters. For the last two years, Kirk, with her friend Mary Lou Heissenbuttel, was relentlessly monitoring Poughkeepsie City Courts to be sure that victims of domestic violence, substance abusers and people with mental illness got a fair shake in court. But now with this "Poughkeepsie Person" suddenly gone there's something amiss -even those blooming daffodils seem so oddly out of season.

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