Thursday Memo: June 2013

June 27, 2013

Services this coming Sunday, June 30th and the Sixth Sunday

Photo by Connor

after Pentecost, will be at 8 am and 10 am with coffee hour following each service.

Readings for this Sunday: 2 Kings 2:1-2, 6-14; Psalm 77:1-2, 11-20; Galatians 5:1, 13-25; Luke 9:51-62.

A reminder from the Communications Committee… We want to hear from you. Please complete the questionnaire that was included in the summer Mountain Top. An electronic version is also being sent to email users under separate cover. Feel free to include your name, although that’s not a requirement. Thanks to those of you who have responded. Paper copies may be put in the folder on the counter in the office.

Thank you to all who made last Sunday’s All-Parish Picnic such a wonderful success! 62 of us (from 6 months to 80+ years – regulars, old friends, and new) gathered at White Lake State Park under the pavilion for a lively worship service, a delicious and abundant cookout with all the fixings, lots of sociability, and wonderful swimming, water play, and kayaking!

Special thanks to the Vestry for their work in organizing the day,

Photo by Connor

and to George and Patti Rau and George and Grete Plender for their grilling and serving!

A few dishes need to be reclaimed and are near the kitchen.

See below for our gallery of “Picnic Pix.”

More thank yous…. 
To Ginger Heard for two excellent books by Richard Foster donated to our library – Celebration of Discipline: the Path to Spiritual Growth and Prayer: Finding the Heart’s True Home. 

To Duane Dale for installing the new entry floor to the Parish Hall. 

To Elizabeth for providing gorgeous hostas for the gardens behind the offices. 

To David, for some heroic lawn-mowing in this lush growing season.

Sign up for book discussions of People of the Way: Renewing Episcopal Identity! Lots of you have been reading it. Now let's engage with it. Sign-up sheets on the easel in the Parish Hall.
       Wednesday mornings, July 17, 24, and 31 from 10:15 to 11:30
       Wednesday evening conversations with supper from 5:30 to 7 (Express your date preferences)
       After church on two or three Sundays, at 11:30 (Express your date preferences)

Interested in going to Church Island (in Squam Lake) on July 14 when Rev. Heidi will be preaching there? Call or Email George Rau ASAP to reserve your place on the boat. [367-8223, or geopat96@roadrunner.com]

A letter to the parish from Tom Reinfuss:

Dear People of St. Andrew’s,
A couple of weeks ago, Heidi mentioned that you may not be seeing much of me around St. Andrew’s.
I would like to explain why. Sunday, June 23rd, I, and two others from NH, met at the convent of St. Anne-Bethany in Arlington MA with other vocational diaconate postulants from the diocese of Massachusetts. At that meeting we were given an outline of our three year program and told what we were expected to do, some things more immediate than others. One of the items discussed was our present parish life. We are expected to start visiting other parishes and to disengage ourselves from our home parish. That does not mean that I will never be at St. Andrew’s again, but it does mean that I will not be serving at the altar, serving on any committees, leading Morning Prayer or helping to make decisions at St. Andrew’s. As one of our leaders said, “This is not a divorce, but a separation.”
I want to assure you that I consider myself a representative of this parish. It is you who have set me on this course. When I am ordained a Vocational Deacon it will be because you. This parish, raised me up, encouraged me, and supported me unconditionally.
I ask that you continue to pray for me and support me as you always have. You will all be in my prayers.
I will send out updates on my progress as I go forward.
So thank you and please do not feel that I have abandoned you, I am carrying your banner.

Tom Reinfuss

Food for thought from Br. Curtis Almquist, SSJE as we continue to reflect on what it means to be Christian Community together…

The early desert monastics learned what is repeated again and again in the wisdom literature of the Scriptures: you cannot do it alone. Left alone, to our own devices, cleverness, and calculations, we are incredibly vulnerable to self-deception.

See you in church!
Blessings, Heidi+

June 20, 2013

White Lake State Park

Services this coming Sunday, June 23rd and the Fifth Sunday after Pentecost, will be at 8 am at St. Andrew’s and 10:30 am at White Lake State Park (see below for details).

Readings for this Sunday: Kings 19:1-19; Psalm 139:1-11, 16-17; Luke 8:26-39.

Our ALL-PARISH PICNIC at White Lake Park, off of route 16 in Tamworth, this Sunday. We have reserved the pavilion, which is almost as big as our Sanctuary, so there will be plenty of cover. There is no fee for your entry, just let them know at the gate that you are there for St. Andrew’s Picnic.

We will gather at 10:30 a.m. for an informal outdoor eucharist; that will be followed by the picnic and social and recreation time! Hamburgers, hotdogs, and veggie burgers – and the grills to grill them on – will be supplied. We ask you to bring salad, chips, beverages, or desserts. The lake will be available for swimming and kayaking. The lake is shallow for quite a distance, so it will warm up quickly and will not pose deep water risks for young ones. The pavilion and the rest rooms are wheel chair accessible, so our hope is that it will be a fun, multi-generational gathering for everyone. Feel free to invite your friends.

There is a $200 fee for the pavilion and that covers the admission fee for everyone in our group. One household has already generously volunteered to cover a significant part of the cost of the fee. If you would like to help defray the cost, mark that in the memo line of a check, and know that your contribution will be appreciated by all of us.

The regular 8:00 service will be held at Saint Andrew’s as well.

WEATHER: We are not expecting any reason to not hold this event since we have such a large covered space, but should you have question the weather please call the church for a message update.

Copies of People of the Way: Renewing Episcopal Identity, a book recommended by our bishop that is being read by the Vestry, are available in the office. The cost is $15. We have ordered extra copies, so if you are interested, please pick up a copy.

We will meet this coming Wednesday (6/26) in the Prince Room at 10:00 am for a discussion of Chapters 1,2, and 3. The schedule for Evening discussion will be announced next week.

As the title implies, this book explores what is the heart of Episcopal identity and the mission of the church, in direct, practical relationship with our local contexts. There is also a “borrowable” copy on the office counter as well that may be signed out.

Food for thought: For good use of leisure.

O God,
you rested the seventh day and are still at work;
in the course of this busy life
give us times of refreshment and peace;
and grant that we may so use our leisure
to rebuild our bodies and renew our minds,
that our spirits may be opened
to the goodness of your creation.

See you in church!

Blessings, Heidi+

June 13, 2013

Flowers in memory of Betty Powers

Summer Altar Flowers: Do you have flowers in your garden you'd like to share? Our liturgy is enriched by memorial flowers -- or flowers given in thanksgiving. Last Sunday's were arranged by Sammie and given in loving memory of Betty Powers ... as Sammie said, "to help keep our memory of Betty alive." Do you remember her?

Services this coming Sunday, June 13^th and the Fourth Sunday after Pentecost, will be at 8 and 10, with a coffee hour following each service. We hope you will join us for worship and fellowship.

Readings for this Sunday: 1 Kings 21:1-10, (11-14), 15-21a

Our ALL-PARISH PICNIC at White Lake Park, off of route 16 in Tamworth, on Sunday, June 23^rd is coming up! We have reserved the pavilion. We will gather at 10:30 a.m. for an informal outdoor eucharist; that will be followed by the picnic and social and recreation time! Hamburgers, hotdogs, and veggie burgers – and the grills to grill them on – will be supplied. We ask you to bring salad, chips, beverages, or desserts. The lake will be available for swimming and kayaking. The lake is shallow for quite a distance, so it will warm up quickly and will not pose deep water risks for young ones. The pavilion and the rest rooms are wheel chair accessible, so our hope is that it will be a fun, multi-generational gathering for everyone. Feel free to invite your friends. 

There is a $200 fee for the pavilion and that covers the admission fee for everyone in our group. Just tell the person at the gate that you are here for the Saint Andrew’s Picnic. One household has already generously volunteered to cover a significant part of the cost of the fee. If you would like to help defray the cost, mark that in the memo line of a check, and know that your contribution will be appreciated by all of us.

The regular 8:00 service will be held at Saint Andrew’s as well.

A winning smile from Peg Cade's great-grandson,
Caleb, who was in town for a visit with his mother.

The Mountain Top will be in Parish Hall mail boxes for Sunday. (Out-of-towners will be mailed directly, unless we know you're in town.)

Food for thought: 10 Decisions You Can Make to Change the World from Jim Wallis’s book:
On God's Side: What Religion Forgets and Politics Hasn’t Learned About Serving the Common Good

After traveling the country this spring — while keeping an eye on Washington, D.C. — I am more convinced than ever that our personal decisions, choices, and commitments will change the world more than our politics.

The common good and the quality of our life together will finally be determined by the personal decisions we all make. The “commons” — those places where we come together as neighbors and citizens to share public space — will never be better than the quality of human life, or the human flourishing, in our own lives and households.

Here are ten personal decisions you can make to help foster the common good.

1. If you are a father or a mother, make your children the most important priority in your life and build your other commitments around them. If you are not a parent, look for children who could benefit from your investment in their lives.

2. If you are married, be faithful to your spouse. Demonstrate your commitment with both your fidelity and your love. If you are single, measure your relationships by their integrity, not their usefulness.

3. If you are a person of faith, focus not just on what you believe but on how you act on those beliefs. If you love God, ask God how to love your neighbor.

4. Take the place you live seriously. Make the context of your life and work the parish that you take responsibility for.

5. Seek to develop a vocation and not just a career. Discern your gifts as a child of God, not just your talents, and listen for your calling rather than just looking for opportunities. Remember that your personal good always relates to the common good.

6. Make choices by distinguishing between wants and needs. Choose what is enough, rather than what is possible to get. Replace appetites with values, teach your children the same, and model those values for all who are in your life.

7. Look at the business, company, or organization where you work from an ethical perspective. Ask what its vocation is, too. Challenge whatever is dishonest or exploitative and help your place of work do well by doing good.

8. Ask yourself what in the world today most breaks your heart and offends your sense of justice. Decide to help change that and join with others who are committed to transforming that injustice.

9. Get to know who your political representatives are at both the local and national level. Study their policy decisions and examine their moral compass and public leadership. Make your public convictions and commitments known to them and choose to hold them accountable.

10. Since the difference between events and movements is sacrifice, which is also the true meaning of religion and what makes for social change, ask yourself what is important enough to give your life to and for.

Finding the integral relationship between your own personal good and the common good is your best contribution to our future. And it is the best hope we have for a better life together.

Jim Wallis is CEO of Sojourners. His book, On God's Side: What Religion Forgets and Politics Hasn’t Learned About Serving the Common Good, is now available.

See you in church!

Blessings, Heidi+

June 6, 2013

Services this coming Sunday, June 9^th and the Third Sunday after Pentecost, will be at 8 and 10, with a coffee hour following each service. We hope you will join us for worship and fellowship.

The regular 8:00 service will be held at Saint Andrew’s as well.

Do you have a piece in the works for the summer Mountain Top? The deadline in Friday, emailed to frantzdale@gmail.com. Thanks. Publication and distribution will take place next week.

Good News: We have a new “asphalt carpet” approach to our ramp! When you arrive on Sunday, don’t miss the fact that the puddle and sand at the foot of our entrance ramp have been replaced by a wide smooth pathway of paving. And the railings are in the works, thanks to Tom Huckman.

Readings for this Sunday: 1 Kings 17:8-16; Psalm 146; Galatians 1:11-24; Luke 7:11-17

Food for thought on the subject of call from David Vryhof SSJE…

None of us is without a call. God’s call to each of us is continuous and ongoing. Be attentive to what it is that God is asking you to be or to do today. Trust that your weakness presents no obstacle to God. Do what you can. God will accomplish the rest.

Gathering together each Sunday in community strengthens each of us to trust and to take our next steps. Your presence in worship and fellowship supports each of us as we move forward in this great dance of growing in Christ.

See you in church!

Blessings, Heidi+