The Sunrise ...at Episcopal Church of the Resurrection Starkville, Mississippi June, 2003   Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, As we come to the end of another academic year, as we move into summer and our pace slows, I request you use this slower time for reflection. Over the next few months, my "Sunrise" entry will ask you to reflect on issues relating to stewardship. Be aware, these will not be about the church budget or even a request to increase pledges (although increased pledges are drastically needed). Specifically, I ask you to consider how your pledge to Resurrection symbolizes your relation with God and the role of money in your life. The reason the Lord bids you and me to make an offering of our money is for one reason alone &endash; so that we can fall in love with the Lord. It has to do with where our treasure is, and where we want our hearts to be. Stewardship is the belief that all that we have, and the entire creation in which we live is truly "on loan" to us and that, eventually, we will be called to give an accounting of whether we have used God's gifts for God's purposes. Inherent in this is the belief that such giving is "thanks giving": Giving can only proceed from our sense of gratitude for all that God has done and is doing for us and for all people. This is not a giving out of obligation but to organize everything around the principle of Thanks-living. Every one of us needs ways to say thanks to the God who is the source of all that we are and all that we have. Money and its use is central to this process. The question for us is not "how much of my money does God demand?" but "how much of all God has given to me do I have any right to keep for myself?" The General Convention of The Episcopal Church in 1988, identified stewardship as the main work of the Church when it adopted the following statement. The Book of Common Prayer teaches US that "The Mission of the Church is to restore all people to unity with God and each other in Christ" and that "the Church carries out its mission through the ministry of all its members." The unstated but dear implication of this teaching is that the main work of the Church is involving people in using all that is entrusted to them in carrying out the mission. Said simply, stewardship is the main work of the Church. Thus, stewardship is more than church support; it is the use of "the gifts given to us to carry on Christ's work of reconciliation in the world." Therefore, the way we use or do not use resources to further unity and reconciliation in our homes, our communities, and our occupations is our stewardship. Yet stewardship is not less than church support. Our worshiping working, praying. and giving within the Church provide the support that we and others need to engage in the often difficult and lonely tasks of proclaiming the good news, loving our neighbors, and striving for justice and peace. Stewardship is more than a duty: it is a thankful response to God's graciousness to us. As such, it is an opportunity to praise God with our lives in thanksgiving: for the blessings of creation; for the birth, life, teaching, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ and our redemption; for the gift of the Spirit for the word, sacraments, and fellowship that sustain and transform us as the Church. Stewardship is an adventure, an expedition into the kingdom where we find our lives through losing them for the sake of the gospel. It is an invitation to offer our gifts for the purpose for which we were created &endash; the only purpose that will fulfill us. It is a challenge to refocus our lives by designing our budgets around tithing. It offers us away to begin breaking the bonds of consumption that involve us, often unwittingly, in perpetuating injustice and oppression. All of God's people, within and without the Church, can learn that to be held accountable for our lives as stewards of God's gifts is to discover our own true great worth before God. We believe that discovery, too, is a gift, a gift that brings unspeakable joy. The main work of the Church is to bring its people, and through them all people, to this joyful knowledge, which will "restore all people to unity with God and each other in Christ." Consider what how God has blessed you. I do not ask you to reflect how you can repay God. We can never repay God. I ask you first to reflect how can and do you show God gratitude? Christ's Peace, SUNRISE NEWS & EVENTS June, 2003 Newsletter Graduates Reception: Thanks from Mary Eleanor to all who helped make the reception for the graduates special: Julie Baca, Sue Bell, Katherine Hollister, Jean and Charles Little, James McCormick, and Kim Noffsinger. Blood Drive: The entire parish family is covered for blood needs for the next six months thanks to the following donors: Deborah Nettles, Christopher Brown, Mike Vance, David Callahan, Mary Lee Beal, Bill Hardin, Russell Gaines, Thomas Coleman, George Cook, Jerry Williams, Leonard Brandon, Elizabeth Callahan, Steven Brandon, David Callahan, Jr., Ruby Licona, Amber Adsit, John Talbert, Cory Adams, Robert Cox, David VanLandingham. Many thanks! The United Blood Services phone number is in the Church Directory, if blood is needed. A thank you to Resurrection: Received from a family who has been assisted with rent and other needs through the Rector's Discretionary Funds with funds given by some of our parishioners for this specific need. For confidentiality reasons, the name has not been included. Dear Church Family, We thank you for the love and support you have shown. Your contributions will always be remembered. Happy Easter. Music Notes: If you were at the10:30 service on May 4, you spoke and never sang. On that very day the 8 members of the choir were singing in the choir at St. Andrew's Cathedral in Jackson at the" FESTAL EUCHARIST celebrating The African American legacy in the Episcopal Church." In preparation for the Festal Eucharist, the choir attended a workshop on Saturday, May 3, at St. Andrew's with Dr. Horace Boyer, facilitator and compiler for LIFT EVERY VOICE AND SING II (LEVAS II), the African American Hymnal which is a supplement to the Episcopal hymnal, THE HYMNAL 1982. We learned much, we laughed and cried. We were all moved by this music. Seeking to share this music with you, we have incorporated some of it into services already (the communion song "I've Got Peace Like a River" is one example). While the music and the experience are still fresh within us, we are incorporating more of it in the Eucharist for Pentecost (look for LEVAS II, which will indicate the music is from this hymnal and something we sang at the Conference). A rich musical and spiritual heritage -- these are songs drawn from the following genres: Negro spirituals Traditional and contemporary Gospel songs Adapted Protestant hymns Missionary and evangelistic hymns Service music and mass setting in both traditional and Gospel settings. As the choir continues to explore the LEVAS II hymnal for use in our worship, we hope you will bring an open mind and heart on this adventure. Pentecost Pool Party: Plan Now--the Pentecost Pool Party will be held around the swimming pool on June 6th. Hot Dogs, Drinks and Chips will be furnished. St. Joseph's Guild: Looking for a ministry where you can get your hands dirty? If so, join the St. Joseph's Guild, parishioners who devote their time and talents toward the maintenance and improvement of the church property. Contact Michael Fazio at (w) 325-2202, (h) 323-3451, email: mfazio@sarc.msstate.edu. Many parishioners have done good works over the last few months and deserve all of our thanks. Bob Collins has almost single-handedly installed an irrigation system across the front of the church property. Pam Collins has overseen the stabilization and planting of the front bank and has seen to tree and shrub pruning across the property. David Lewis, with help from Rob King, James McCormick, and Robert Cox, took care of the construction and painting of the north porch, and Dolton McAlpin, James McCormick, and David have readied the swimming pool for the summer. Robert Cox has been a one-man gang, doing all kinds of yard work and painting, painting, painting. Douglas Crawford has replaced Nelda's light fixture and made new grills for the brick barbecue pit. Finally, Payton Passons and Guy Hargrove are doing the lawn mowing. Take the time to tell them how good it all looks. Vacation Bible School: Plans are well underway. Resurrection will join forces with Trinity Presbyterian to offer an alternative approach to Vacation Bible School by having Wednesday evening (5:30pm-7:30pm) gatherings for four weeks. The dates are not secure, however, it will likely take place at the end of June and beginning of July. We will alternate VBS sites between Resurrection and Trinity, but we will need folks from Resurrection to help each week with providing food and leading Arts & Crafts, Music, Games and other VBS activities. To assist in anyway, contact Jennifer Damms (338-9022) or James McCormick (324-3863; kazoo@netdoor.com). Canterbury: Canterbury summer gatherings will begin on Wednesday, June 4th at 5:30pm in the Canterbury Lodge. Join us for a casual worship service. Following the service, folks may go out for "dutch" dinner or even a cook-out by the pool. As the summer progresses and VBS takes off, Canterbury gatherings may take place at a different time. Keep alert for Canterbury gathering plans! Eyc News: After a successful lock-in and eventful Youth Sunday, the EYC ventured to the Livingston's for an evening of relaxation to wrap up our semester. Thanks to Bill and Diane for providing food, our campfire, and hosting us. Also, thanks to everyone who helped prepare food and other necessary items for our lock-in. Due to school being out and Jessica working again in Birmingham, EYC is not meeting every Sunday during the summer, but keep your eyes and ears open for some fun Saturday activities throughout the summer. Attention Acolytes: Did you know that Mary Lou Hansford has VOLUNTEERED to take over the acolyte schedule from Beth Callahan who is moving away? Take the time to say hello and thank you to Mary Lou. This is a big task and much appreciated. Greeting ministry: Please let us know if you would be interested in the "greeting ministry." With the end of the school year, several more greeters are needed to fill positions by people who have moved or graduated. Also, we would like more college students and younger church members to help us with this vital ministry. Please contact Lynn Phillips, 324-2889 if you think this is something you would be interested in doing. See a stranger at church? Make a point to introduce yourself and to learn something about that person. It is a great way to make you both feel at home in our church. If it happens to be a visitor, drop an email to Lynn (lynn@pfai.com) so she can make sure a welcome package is mailed out. Your Prayers Are Asked: With this issue of Sunrise, you will notice that our request for your prayers are grouped similarly to the Sunday and Thursday Prayers of the People. We include such prayers in our corporate worship and in this newsletter for two important but distinctly different reasons. First, we offer our intercessory prayers to God on behalf of others, trusting into God's care those whom we name. Second, being corporately part of the Body of Christ means being in community with one another, and this involves being aware of one another's needs, personally lifting them up in prayer, and offering our support and assistance as we can. To include names in either the newsletter list or in the Prayers of the People, you may make an entry in the "Prayer Requests Notebook" on the shelves in the entry way into the church, call the parish office, or tell either Bill or Elizabeth. However, while your clergy regularly pray for the individuals within the parish, because they consider information relayed to them confidential, when you request one of the priests to include something in their prayers, if you want this also included in the corporate prayer requests, please let them know. If you are adding someone else to the list, please have this person's permission to do so. You may list both first and last name or only the first name. To keep our prayer lists current, names of persons outside the parish will be included in the newsletter only once and in the Prayers of the People for only one month. Please resubmit the prayer request to have them remain on the list (again, this is only for those who are not members of the parish). Your Prayers are Asked for: Expectant Mothers: Wendy Van Landingham, Beth Woodcock, Kristin Cade and Maribel. Those serving in the military: Steve Van Landingham, David Callahan, Chris Livingston, Justin, Fran Miller, Kate James, Carl, and Bob Tipton. Those serving as missionaries: Bob and May Little. Special needs within the Church of the Resurrection: Jeanne Ferris, LaVora Williams, Don Emmerich, Edna Wilderson, Rae Brandon, Jan Handy, Susie Owings, and Alice Franks. For friends of the Church of the Resurrection: A.C. Margie Cook Melanie Pharo, Lorenzo Crowell, Dee, Betsy Selby, Jay Keehley, Nora Ware, Stella Madar, John Lucas, Oma Lee Pierce and Robert Caballero For the departed: William Carr, grandfather of Brian Arnett June Birthdays 2 Ian McCombs 3 Kyle Willimas 4 Jim Jones 4 Rachel McCann 9 Marianne Crowell 10 Ethan Baca 10 John McCombs 10 Jason Noffsinger 18 Gordon Johnston 18 Stan Wiginton 19 Betsy Stark 20 Julia Cathcart 20 Glenn Cook 21 Margaret Mosely 22 Debbie Nettles 23 Emmy Schuster 24 Ren Crowell 24 Reed Waldrop 24 Susan Waldrop 27 LaDonna Bullman 27 Beath Lane 27 Hellen Polk 30 Alex Lewis Vestry Meeting Summary May 19, 2003 Old Business Swimming Pool: Dalton McAlpin gave a report of the pool preparations and that the filter is broken. Action: Pool committee to propose membership fees and proceed with filter repair. An assessment of pool costs will be done to make sure membership dues are covering pool costs. Vestry confirmed commitment to keeping pool operational. Audit committee: Committee has been appointed and will begin meeting in June. Vacation Bible School/Christian Education: Planning meeting will be held Sunday May 25. Trinity Presbyterian Church is interested in having a combined VBS. Canterbury Advisory Group: Elizabeth Wheatley presented and Vestry approved a proposal to establish Canterbury Advisory Group. Stewardship: Bill Livingston announced the current Stewardship Committee members: Mary Eleanor Anderson, Frances and Tom Coleman, Bob and Pam Collins, Marsha Williams, Bill Livingston, and Elizabeth Wheatley and gave a brief overview of the stewardship plans. Commission System Reorganization: No action taken, to be discussed at the June meeting. Distribution of Vestry materials: Bill Livingston will pursue with Rick Noffsinger being able to post agenda, minutes and reports on the parish web page. New Business Newsletter: Nancy Christiansen is now editing. There will be changes in the layout and format. Congregational Life Cycles: Bill Livingston distributed copies of this document and encouraged Vestry members to read. Columbarium Report: Mary Eleanor Anderson gave a report on Columbarium Committee plans to borrow funds to complete the project, projected completion, option for non-parishioners to purchase niches. Bill Livingston will contact Bishop's office about scheduling a dedication. Review and approval: minutes, financial report. Closing prayer and Dismissal