Good
afternoon, everyone!
I had a wonderful week off at my sister’s and came back feeling both rested and renewed, which was my goal. The area of upstate NY where my sister lives has a low incidence of Covid-19, very similar to our area. But still I will self-quarantine for two weeks and be tested for Covid on Saturday to be sure I am not unwittingly exposing anyone.
Thank you again to Sammie, Pat and Christi for leading all the Zoom worship services and being Zoom host for Contemplative Practice in my absence.
Two
weeks ago I wrote in the Thursday Memo about the possibility of an outdoor
Eucharist, and on the following Sunday (June 14) I polled those present about
their interest in attending. The results are as follows, with 24 people
responding to the poll:
Would you come to an outdoor Eucharist in July? ( Multiple
Choice)
Answer 1: Yes, definitely. 12
Answer 2: I would come in August or September,
but July seems too early. 2
Answer 3: I would only come if I could be
under a tent. 0
Answer 4: I need more information to decide. 2
Answer 5: I wouldn't come, but would be okay
if it's held. 4
Answer 6: No, too many restrictions. 0
Answer 7: No, I wouldn't come under any
circumstances. 1
Answer 8: Other 3
In summary, half of those polled would come, 7 (29%) either need more information or have other reasons for not being certain, and 5 (21%) would not come.
I have felt from the beginning that we should not gather in person again until the majority of us feel comfortable attending and/or we could share the Eucharist. Given the outcome of this poll, I really appreciate Ann Cady’s suggestion that we continue to have our usual Zoom worship on Sunday morning, and have an outdoor Eucharist at some other time, and I believe this is the path we should take.
Meanwhile, in order to hold an outdoor Eucharist, several conditions need to be met, one of which is forming a team to review guidelines and propose a plan for Vestry approval. This team has been formed, made up of those of you who volunteered (Lin Frank and Cathy Lewis) and the existing Liturgy Committee (Gretchen Behr-Svendsen, Bernice Thompson, Lisa Thompson, Sammie Wakefield and me). There are three documents we need to digest amounting to 51 pages of reading, and our first meeting is next Thursday. Given all the guidelines, it may take us more than one meeting to create a plan!
If any of you would
like to read the documents we’re studying they can be found here:
Resuming Care-Filled Worship and Sacramental Life During a Pandemic or https://static1.squarespace.com/static/542c2c7ee4b0558816eec667/t/5ee23dd05e6f642856a699a4/1591885265321/Resuming+Care-filled+Worship+and+Sacramental+Life.pdf
here:
Following the Good Shepherd on the Path Ahead Version 3.0 or https://static1.squarespace.com/static/542c2c7ee4b0558816eec667/t/5eeb5a724d4d4012b8f80874/1592482432362/Following+The+Good+Shepherd+On+The+Path+Ahead+061820.pdf
and here:
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/disinfecting-building-facility.html
Again, please contact me if you have comments, suggestions or concerns as we move forward. And note that our plans may change if the incidence of Covid-19 cases in our area increases.
Enjoy our gorgeous, less humid weather, and blessings,
Caroline
via Zoom (see email for Zoom information)
or Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/standrewsinthevalleytamworth/
The Fourth Sunday after Pentecost
June 28th, Proper 8, Year A
Collect of the Day
Almighty God, you have built your Church upon the foundation
of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone:
Grant us so to be joined together in unity of spirit by their teaching, that we
may be made a holy temple acceptable to you; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who
lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and
ever. Amen.
LESSONS We hear the Word of God proclaimed.
First Lesson Genesis 22:1-14
Our Hebrew scripture reading
is the story of Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his only son Isaac in
obedience to the Lord’s command. The
narrative illustrates Abraham’s readiness to abandon all to serve the Lord. Originally it probably also was used as a
model story encouraging the substitution of animal for human sacrifices. Ancient Israel was given a better
understanding of God’s will.
The Second Lesson Romans 6:12-23
This lesson teaches that by
the grace of God Christians are no longer slaves to sin but are obedient to the
service of righteousness. Paul is concluding his long discussion of the way in
which disciples have been given a right relationship with God through faith. They are no longer set on a course that leads
through immorality to death. To use a
very human analogy, they are now slaves of righteousness and are bound to the
service of God, which leads to holiness and eternal life.
The Gospel Matthew 10:10-40
In our gospel lection Jesus tells of reward for disciples who
find themselves welcomed in his name.
Those who receive Jesus’ followers will find they are receiving the Lord
himself and God who sent him. Those who
do well and help even the least of the disciples will find great reward.
For those who are homebound: Joyce Gendron, Marge Hagerup, Elizabeth Pease, Susannah Keith, Alida, Dylan, Brian & Sara Kelley, Bob Wallace, Carl Mamigonian, Elizabeth Wiesner, Judy Grace, Audrey Berry.
For our First Nation people and those in this country who are living in impoverished areas of the Ninth Ward of New Orleans and the inner city areas populated by some of our poorest citizens.
For all those who are on the front lines serving communities during these difficult times.
June 18th repeated this week.
Last week
1. Jim Kellett brought a red plastic telephone to the lectern to speak to God during the sermon. Unfortunately, I do not remember their conversation. (I realize this question is a bit unfair, because only about three current parishioners will remember the event.)
2. The Rev. Frederick Cowper was born in Pernambuco, Brazil. His father was a British diplomat, a life which held no attraction for his son. So the young Frederick traveled north from Brazil, eventually settling in Sanbornville, NH.
3. A Pyx is a receptacle used to carry the consecrated Sacrament to the sick. (Later, of course, I thought of another “answer”: Greek, pyxyl from which we get “pixel”).
4. Mr. Cowper was the first Vicar of Saint Andrew’s. A vicar is a priest in charge of a mission, meaning a congregation supported by the diocese instead of being a self-sustaining parish which is headed by a rector. (This succinct definition is from Wikipedia.)
5. The Lectionary (Reading) for Sundays is arranged in a three-year cycle, in which Year A always begins on the First Sunday of Advent in years evenly divisible by three. (BCP p.888)
A NEW PUZZLE
In the title, The Book of Common Prayer, which word or phrase best defines “Common”?
1. Inferior, second rate
2. Most widely known, ordinary
3. Belonging to, shared by, applying equally: joint
4. Belonging to or relating to the community as a whole: public
At the end of the 1950’s, it was the idea of The Rev. Dr. Herbert W. Prince (for whom the Prince Room is named) to embark on an ecumenical experiment called:
1. The Tamworth Plan (TTP)
2. The Tamworth Associated Churches (TAC)
3. The Tamworth Experiment (TTE)
Which three local churches joined together in this effort?
1. Tamworth Congregational, South Tamworth Methodist, Wonalancet Chapel
2. Chocorua Baptist, South Tamworth Methodist, Saint Andrew’s Episcopal
3. Tamworth Congregational, Saint Andrew’s Episcopal, Chocorua Baptist
What is meant by “Proper” in “The Proper of the Day”
1. A set of rules governing acceptable Christian behavior
2. Appropriate prayers or special liturgies for an appointed day or feast
3. A fence around the church to prevent sheep and goats from grazing on the parish lawn
Note: Thank you for your encouragement of this project. Due to my hand surgery on June 19, FUN WITH NAMES will return in a few weeks. Lisa
Next Food Pantry: July 8
God,
we thank you for the inspiration of Jesus.
Grant
that we will love you with all our hearts, minds and souls,
and
love our neighbors as ourselves (even those with whom we disagree).
And
we ask you God, in these days of emotional tension,
when
the problems of the world are gigantic in extent and chaotic in detail,
to
be with us in our going out and our coming in,
in
our rising up and in our lying down,
in
our moments of joy and sorrow. Amen.
Attributed to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
16 Tina Quinn
photos and I will post each week!
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