The Sunrise ...at Episcopal Church of the Resurrection Starkville, Mississippi August, 2005 Dear Brothers and Sisters, As we enter August and our children return to school and the MSU students return, we begin to move into our fall programming. Fall, as the ingathering or harvest time of the year, is when we, as do most parishes, gather our financial pledges for the next year. During my recent vacation reading I came upon the following poem, I hope you will seriously consider it as we move into this harvest season and as you consider the invitation to give to God in thanksgiving for the blessings God has given you. On our own, we conclude: that there is not enough to go around we are going to run short of money of love of grades of publications of sex of beer of members of years of life we should seize the day seize the goods seize our neighbor's goods because there is not enough to go around. And in the midst of our perceived deficit: You come You come giving bread in the wilderness You come giving children at the 11th hour You come giving homes to exiles You come giving futures to the shut-down You come giving Easter joy to the dead You come - fleshed in Jesus. And we watch while the blind receive their sight the lame walk the lepers are cleansed the deaf hear the dead are raised the poor dance and sing. We watch and we take food we did not grow and life we did not invent and future that is gift and gift and gift and families and neighbors who sustain us when we do not deserve it. It dawns on us - late rather than soon - that "you give food in due season you open your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing."  By your giving, break our cycles of imagined scarcity override our presumed deficits quiet our anxieties of lack transform our perceptual field to see the abundance . . . mercy upon mercy blessing upon blessing.  Sink your generosity deep into our live that your muchness may expose our false lack that endlessly receiving, we may endlessly give, so that the world may be made Easter new, without greedy lack, but only wonder without coercive need, but only love without destructive greed, but only praise without aggression and invasiveness . . . all things Easter new . . . all around us, toward us and by us all things Easter new. Finish your creation . . . in wonder, love, and praise. Amen. "On Generosity" Walter Brueggemann, Inscribing the Text, pgs 3-4, 2004. God invites you to release your fears of scarcity and enter into a life of abundance. As we focus more specifically on stewardship, once again, I remind you, it is not about our parish budget (That is scarcity thinking!). It is about acknowledging the blessings God has given you and enabling your parish to be about making "all things Easter new!" Christ's Peace, NEWS & EVENTS August, 2005 Newsletter  The Tent Meeting Saturday, August 20, at the Duncan M. Gray Center Water for the baptismal font at the Tent Meeting can be collected in vials provided by the church at services on July 31 and August 7. Water will be brought forward by each person at the communion. Water will be taken to the Tent Event in a beautiful vessel made by Dixie McMillen from Mississippi clays. Tickets must be purchased by Monday August 8. Everyone must have a ticket for this event, with $60 the maximum cost for a family.   From the Rector As much as we'd like the world to remain the same, it doesn't. That leaves the Church with a difficult dilemma: How do we continue to be faithful to the Gospel and to our tradition in such a way that the Church remains relevant to the broader world. This does not mean watering down the Gospel, but it does mean recognizing that the Church has not only ceased to influence the broader culture, but if it does not draw in the youth of future generations and the unchurched, the Church has failed in its mission. Bishop Gray has articulated these concerns and invites the Diocese to take seriously the Church's mission. The Tent Meeting will be the opportunity to hear, participate in, and support the Diocese vision. Resurrection is about to embark on its own discernment process in which we will seek to discern how to best fulfill our mission. Because our mission will need to support the Diocese vision, we need as many parishioners as possible to attend the Tent Meeting. Please attend if you can! Christ's Peace, Bill+   From the Senior Warden The Bishop has asked that as many people as possible attend the Tent Meeting at Gray Center on Saturday, August 20th. I truly feel it isn't so much about numbers as it is about family. He has said he has a vision he wishes to share with all of us and I feel we owe it to ourselves to hear what he has to say. I don't know where you stand on the "issues" of late but I would hope that your love for this Parish and the people here would motivate you. It is very rare, in the grand scheme of things, that one person can make a difference, but one person in a Parish the size of ours can indeed make a difference. The vestry here at Resurrection has been working very hard to try and include as many people as possible in the life of this Parish. I hope the vision the Bishop wants to share with us is something we can use to improve our commitment to this Parish and to the community we serve. We won't know if we don't go. - Babs Deas, Senior Warden   Agape Wednesdays at Resurrection Building Community through Shared Meals and Building Disciples through Christian Formation 5:15-6:00 Dinner 6:15-7:15 Christian Formation for Children, Youth and Adults, Nursery available Beginning September 21, Resurrection will offer Christian Formation on Wednesdays. A catered dinner will be served from 5:15 - 6:00 p.m. The serving time will allow for varied arrival time, with service discontinuing at 6:00 p.m. The caterer is currently being arranged, as is the cost. There will be a charge to cover the cost of the meal. The proposed charge is $6 for adults and children 10 and over, $3 for children under 10 and MSU students (undergraduate and graduate), $1 for children who elect to have sandwiches (bread, peanut butter and jelly will be available), with a maximum of $20 for a family. Christian Formation will be offered from 6:15 - 7:15 p.m. There will be multiple age groupings of children and youth. A lectionary based curriculum has been selected. For adults, initially two curricula will be offered: (1) a class on Christian topics (to be announced), using videos and facilitated discussion; and (2) a class on Divine Justice, reading and discussing God's Politics, by The Rev. Jim Wallis, editor of Sojourners, as well as biblical teachings on Divine Justice. Canterbury Fellowship will also meet during this time. The kickoff for this new program will be the Sept. 14 Silent Auction, followed by a performance by John Maxwell. More details can be found in this newsletter (page 8) and additional information will be published. With the beginning of the Agape Wednesdays at Resurrection, Sunday morning Christian education will be replaced by intergenerational activities. These may include preparing items for our parish servant ministry, our pastoral care ministry or worship. Details will be published as to the activities that will be scheduled each week.   Music Notes Choir Chair Project Gifts/Memorials continue to come in for the chairs for the choir loft. All but two of the twenty-two chairs ordered have been paid for. Adult Choir Returns to Loft Thanks for those who have joined us for the Summer Choir. The regular choir will return to the loft on August 21, with a warm-up rehearsal beginning at 10:00. Rehearsals for this choir will move from Wednesday evenings to Sunday mornings at 9:00, beginning August 28. All are welcome to join this group. Children's Choir This choir, for children in grades 1 through 6, will meet on Wednesday afternoons from 4:30 -5:30. The children will then join the rest of the parish for supper. The Tent Event The Adult Choir will be attending the Troubling the Waters concert on Friday evening before the Tent Event on Saturday August 20. We plan to get ideas to bring back to Resurrection for our services. FAQs If you'd like to submit a question for next month's newsletter, contact Leanne Fazio at 312-1481 (cell) or leannefazio@hotmail.com.   Servant Ministry News Darfur, Sudan Crisis The Servant Ministry Committee continues to work on several things. At our last meeting Donna Stark shared about the Darfur, Sudan situation; the group appreciates all of the research that she is doing. Certainly it helps all of us to know that there are things that we can do here in Starkville to help our brothers and sisters there. Please read the information in the narthex and the Student Center. Your prayers and participation are welcomed. Adopted Families Go Back to School The committee is helping buy school supplies for two of our adopted families who have school-aged children. We are also looking ahead to make plans for a special Thanksgiving remembrance for our adopted families and to Christmas and the Angel Tree as we help our families at that season. El Salvador Mission Trip Since there are several who are interested in participating in a mission trip to El Salvador next May, the committee is going forward with plans to help this happen. Watch for more information later in August. August Shopping List Items to shop for in August for area food pantries and for Safe Haven Domestic Violence Shelter are pasta/noodles (any spaghetti products - canned or packaged, ramen noodles, etc.) and paper products (toilet paper, paper towels, etc.). Next Meeting August 17 The next Servant Ministry Committee will be Wednesday, August 17th at noon in the Student Center. Anyone interested in outreach/servant ministry is welcomed!   Claire vanOgtrop and Gavin Glenney, who now live in Charles Town, West Virginia, have a baby boy, Christopher, who was born July 8. June, their daughter, is pleased to be a big sister. All are doing well!   Other Coming Events and Important Dates August 2-7 The 30th Annual Mississippi Conference on Church Music and Liturgy 4 Clergy Day at Music Conference 4 Deacons' POC, All Saints' School, V'burg Deacon's Council, All Saints' School, V'burg 5-6 Deacon's Summer Conf. All Saints', V'burg 10-12 Transition Conference, Gray Center 10-12 Commission on Ministry, Gray Center 12 Standing Committee, Gray Center 15 Tombigbee Youth Election Gathering (10:30 a.m.) 15 Deadline for Resolutions for Special Council 19 TROUBLING THE WATERS: a concert for Youth & Young Adults, Gray Center 20 BISHOP'S TENT EVENT, Gray Center 23 Diocesan office closed, staff retreat 26-28 Fifth Annual AWWY Conference, Gray Center 28 Fall Blood Drive September 1 Deadline for $50 deposit for tickets to Lessons & Carols ECW bus trip 5 Diocesan & Parish Office Closed - Labor Day 11 POD (Parish Opportunities Day) 13 Executive Committee, St. Andrew's, Jackson 14 Stewardship Evening, featuring John Maxwell, and Silent Auction 15-16 Deacons' POC, Gray Center 16-17 A Conference for Understanding & Managing Church Conflict. For more information, contact the Rev. Canon David Johnson, 601-948-5954 17 Day on the Diaconate, Gray Center 17 YAYFC Playgroup, McKee Park (9:00 a.m.) 18 Parish Discernment Sunday 18-20 Presbyter POC & Fresh Start, Gray Center 22-27 House of Bishops 23-25 Senior High Day, CBG October 1 Special Council, Holy Trinity, Vicksburg 5-9 Women's Kairos 10-13 Annual Presbyter Conference, Gray Center 20-23 Cursillo #108, Gray Center 27-30 Men's Kairos November 4-6 Friends of Gray Center 11-12 ECW Fall Meeting 11-13 Deacons' Winter Retreat, Gray Center 11-13 Happening #62, Redeemer, Brookhaven 18-20 Bishop's Silent Retreat, Gray Center 23-27 Diocesan Office Closed ~ Thanksgiving 24 Thanksgiving Day   Christian sympathy is extended to Jack Hollister and family on the death of his mother, Katherine Hollister, on August 1. "Rest eternal grant her O Father, and let light perpetual shine upon her."   Your prayers are asked for…...those with child, especially Meg Hargrove Miller, Jamie Perry, Caroline Brady, Kristen, Jennifer Beal Duncan, Rebecca Hanson...those who suffer in mind, body or spirit, especially Margie, Jeanne, Lorenzo, Dee, Edna, Don, Oma Lee, Ophelia, Nel, Becky Seago Simrall, Donald Mosley, Charles Finane, Madeline, Warnie Kennington, Melinda Jones, Tom Bell, Mary Lou Hansford, Larry Ivey, Napoleon Sears, Carolyn Green, Patti Thomas, Lisa Rowland, Nell Elam, Gloria and Hal Rowland, Marianne Crowell, Tommy Wakeman, Sidney McDaniel, Teresa Phillips, Judy Touchstone, Pat Encke, Clora Alexander, Frank Howell, Marianne Clark, Victor Lee, John Decker....those who serve in the military, especially Steve, David, Chris, Fran, Tim McKay, Mike Kirklin, Justin, John Burdan....and those in harm's way.   Education For Ministry Every baptized person is called to ministry. EFM provides people from all walks of life with the education to help carry out their ministry. EFM is an extension program operated by the School of Theology of the University of the South, Sewanee, Tennessee. It is a four-year program, committed one year at a time involving study of the Old Testament, New Testament, Church History and Theological and Moral choices. In addition theological reflection is practiced as technique to look for God's presence in addressing issues and making choices. Prayer and worship are incorporated into the study/reflective process. The organizational meeting will be held in the student center at Church of the Resurrection at 6:30 PM Wednesday, August the 15th. At that time we will discuss format, time location and date for the weekly meetings. For more information you may contact Bob Collins at: 662-323-0828 (home), 662-325-2431 (office), or rcollins@saffairs.msstate.edu.   Young Adult Group Plans Summer Events PLAYGROUP Let's have our playgroup on Saturday, August 6th at 9:00 a.m. at McKee Park. Please, bring your little ones out for some exercise and socializing! Everyone is welcome. BARBEQUE POSTPONED The "Live, Love, Laugh" newsletter foretold of a pool party and barbeque to be held on August 20th. However, that will no longer be planned because of conflicts with the Tent Meeting. The Tent Meeting in Clinton is scheduled for Saturday, the 20th of August, and we encourage all of you to attend. There will be child care available for those of you with little ones. If you would like more information, please contact Emily Easterling (emily.easterling@gmail.com) or Leanne Fazio. TIME TO TAILGATE Football season is just around the corner! We would like to have some tailgates this fall so we can enjoy the festivities together. If you would like to help coordinate these activities, please contact Emily (emily.easterling@gmail.com) .   Note: For more information on either event, please contact Emily Easterling by phone at 418-5421 or email her at emily.easterling@gmail.com. August Birthdays 1 John Switzer 4 Merrick Wiedrich 6 Clifford Anderson 8 Jeanne Ferris 14 Mary Hermann 17 Gabrielle Linder 18 Sue Bell 21 Lindy Rawlings 26 Joey Hansford 26 Melinda Myers 27 Dorothy Anderson 30 Tom Bell Parish Discernment In the June Sunrise, Father Livingston discussed the parish discernment process that will begin this fall. Our goal is to find out who we are and how we want to live out our mission of service to all. This process will begin in September and go through Advent. We will be successful if everyone takes part, whether it is filling out the survey, acting as a facilitator for one of the small group sessions, or serving on the historical panel. In August you may be contacted and asked to participate in some of these events. Our prayer is that everyone will support this process. When finished, our parish will have a better understanding of our future, and we will have an understanding of who we are and how we plan to live out our mission together. Mary Lee Beal & Leigh Jensen Crawford   Parish Opportunity Day Sunday, September 11, 9:00-10:15 a.m., we will kick off our fall program with our annual Parish Opportunity Day. This is a chance to learn more about our various ministries. Committee chairs are encouraged to use this time to recruit more participants to volunteer their gifts and talents. Parish members and new members are encouraged to use this time to identify ministries we offer which may serve them or in which they can offer their gifts and talents to serve others.   CANTERBURY NOTES Summer Canterbury continues through August 3. We meet at 5:00 p.m. for worship/program and dinner. Regular CANTERBURY begins meeting on August 17 at 5:00 p.m. for food, fun, fellowship and worship. At this time, we'll "spruce up" the Lodge in preparation for the fall semester and our incoming students, as well as make plans for the fall semester. August 24 is the actual Canterbury Kickoff for new and incoming students, and we'll meet at 6:00 p.m. that evening. Please encourage friends to join us for this kickoff event. There'll be plenty of food and fun as we welcome and meet new folks! Hope to see you there! Canterbury and the Tent Event Rooms have been reserved so that folks from Canterbury can attend the Tent Event!! We'll be traveling to Gray Center on the afternoon of August 19 for dinner in the Jackson area and the Troubling the Waters concert later that evening. Cost is $15/person which covers the cost of the Tent Event on Saturday and lunch. Rooms will be covered by Canterbury, but plan on bringing some spending money for dinner on Friday evening. If you have questions about the Tent Event, Troubling the Waters or rooms, etc. please contact Brian. All Canterbury students interested in attending should register with Brian before August 10! Early Notice! Canterbury Advisory Committee The CAC will resume its regular meetings, beginning September 13 (second Tuesday of each month) at 5:30 p.m. Please mark your calendars now!! A New Deal for Canterbury Meals With the new Christian Formation format beginning this fall, Canterbury will be joining the parish for dinner on Wednesday evenings. Over the years, a provided meal has been an important draw for our students, and we'd like to continue that practice in a different way. If you'd like to make a donation to help defray the cost of student meals for Wednesday evening, please contact Ginny Powell at 312-1990 about doing so. This will help us keep the cost to students at a minimum while also encouraging their participating more actively in the life of the parish.   Fall blood drive: AUGUST 28 Time again for the fall blood drive! The United Blood Services Bloodmobile will be in the parking lot of Merchants and Farmers Bank on Sunday, August 28, from 10:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Meeting the quota means that the entire parish will once again be covered for six months. If you're not able to give on Sunday, August 28, you can also give blood at any Mississippi Blood Services blood drive. Ask them to credit Resurrection, and it will count toward our total. If you meet the donor restrictions (posted in the narthex) and can give blood that Sunday, add your name to the sign up sheet in the narthex. Please remember to bring identification with you on the day of the blood drive. Can't give blood that Sunday? Bring fruit or goodies for the donors!   NOTICE By Call of the Bishop of Mississippi and the Dean of the Convocation All Junior and Senior High School Aged Youth from the Churches of the Tombigbee Convocation are Requested to Convene upon The Church of the Resurrection, Starkville, Mississippi for the purpose of Nominating and Electing a Delegate and Alternate to the 2005 Special Council of the Diocese of Mississippi Election Day Activities are Scheduled for Saturday, August 13, 2005 from 10:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.   EYC Update Troubling the Waters Troubling the Waters is a one of a kind event that will serve as a warm-up for the Bishop's Tent meeting on August 20. The main feature will be an amazing concert featuring the music from Fran McKendree, Dr. Horace Boyer, the Mt. Carmel M.B. Church Choir and some of your favorite camp musicians. Those who choose to attend will spend the night at camp, get breakfast and a tee-shirt, and be able to participate in the Tent Meeting on Saturday. The overnight portion of this event is for Senior High students only, at a cost of $30 (includes Friday night lodging, breakfast Saturday, tee-shirt, post concert CD, and admission to the Tent Meeting. Carey will be attending and will be available if necessary to provide transportation to/from the event. Applications are available in the narthex. For more information contact Carey at 601.529.2166. Tombigbee Youth Gathering, Election Resurrection will host a Saturday session to elect a delegate and an alternate to represent the youth of the Tombigbee convocation to the Special Diocesan Council scheduled for October. This election gathering will take place on Saturday, August 13, beginning at 10:30 a.m. All parish youth in junior and senior high should plan to attend! This is an opportunity to discuss some important issues our church and diocese are facing, as well as providing a wonderful time to get to know others from surrounding churches. If you are interested in standing for election as delegate or alternate, please contact Brian as soon as possible. Our EYC will assist with games and activities, and a lunch will be provided. Also, the pool will most assuredly be open (weather permitting)! So make plans NOW to attend. Cost is $3 per person to defray cost of lunch and musician for the day. For more information contact Brian in the Parish office, or Carey at 601.529.2166. Early Notice for EYC EYC resumes regular gatherings on Sunday, September 11. Please mark your calendars NOW! EYC is for all youth in junior and senior high school! Bring a friend! For questions about EYC, please contact Carey Price, coordinator.   2005 Silent Auction This year's Silent Auction will be used to kick-off our Agape Wednesdays at Resurrection (see details on page 3). It is scheduled for Wednesday, Sept. 14. The auction will last from 5:15 - 6:30 p.m. in the Parish Hall. During this time, heavy hors d´oeuvres will be served as we gather for social time and bidding on donated items. A nursery will be provided for younger children, and a meal and activities will be schedule for children and youth in the Student Center. From 6:45 - 7:15, John Maxwell will perform Bartholomew, his most recent Christian/biblical based theatrical performance. Watch for more details in the Sept. Newsletter and additional publicity as we get closer to the date.   Have items for the 2005 Silent Auction? As we do each year, we will underwrite the cost of the Silent Auction expense with funds raised from the Silent Auction. If you have items/services to donate, please notify David McMillen (324-3141). Items may include artwork, services (such as legal, decorating, landscaping, cooking, baby-sitting, etc.), gift items (gift certificates, massages, meals, etc.), accommodations (rooms, condominiums, homes in recreational areas or travel destinations), collectibles, or similar items. Please no garage sale or used items (unless collectibles).