September, 2007

New Rector Announced!

On Sunday, August 26, 2007 our new rector was announced at the 8:00 and 10:30 services:  The Rev. James Lee Winter.  The Rev. Winter will begin his ministry at Church of the Resurrection October 1, 2007, and we all look forward to his arrival.

A little about the Rev. Winter:  He has graduate degrees in Counseling (Louisiana Tech University), Social Work (M.S.W., The University of Alabama), and a Master of Divinity degree from The University of the South, Sewanee, TN.  He began his career as a pilot in the U. S. Air Force as an aircrew commander in 1971.  After graduating from Sewanee, he served congregations in Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana.  His first appointment in Mississippi was as Vicar of The Episcopal Church of the Ascension in Hattiesburg and Episcopal Chaplain to the University of Southern Mississippi.  From there he went to serve congregations in Cleveland and Rosedale, serving as Dean of the Delta Convocation as well.  After leaving Mississippi in 2001, the Rev. Winter served as Rector of Christ Episcopal Church in Slidell, Louisiana for 3 years, then moved to New Orleans in 2004 as Associate Rector of Trinity Church.

The Rev. Winter has served in numerous diocesan positions including the Christian Education Committee and the Executive Committee in the Diocese of Mississippi.  He has also served in the Diocese of Louisiana on the Diocesan Stewardship Commission as a consultant.  He has been involved in community service as a volunteer in numerous organizations throughout his career.  His resume has been  posted on the Search Committee Web page.

The Rev. Winter is married to Ruth S. Winter.  Ruth has been employed in New Orleans as the Clinic Administrator for an orthopedic practice with eight physicians on staff.  They have four children:  James L. Winter, Jr., 36, a teacher married and currently living in England; Mary E. W. Van Slyke, 34, an attorney living in Biloxi; Sarah G. Winter, 29, a teacher, married and living in Nashville; and Edward J. Winter, 25, who is an assistant campaign manager living in Jackson, MS.  They also have four grandchildren. 

The search process has gone very well, in part due to having a committed and energetic committee.  Please assist me in thanking the members of the committee when you see them:  Mary Lee Beal, Rae Brandon, David Christiansen, Glenn Cook, Martha McAlpin, Dwayne Myers, Carey Price, and Beatrice Tatem.  Babs Deas, Senior Warden, served ex officio.

Many thanks are extended to all who helped with projects or served in a variety of ways.  Thanks to those who worked on the Parish Survey including Bob Collins, Michael Fazio, Sally Hester, David McMillen, Sandra Sistrunk, Ellen Newsom, and Sherri VanLandingham.  Thank you to those in the congregation who completed a parish survey. 

Thanks to Rick Noffsinger for setting up and updating our Search Committee Web page.

Thanks:  for meals, Rae Brandon, Babs Deas, Dwayne Myers; for snacks on our roadtrips: Melinda Myers; for meeting space and assistance with setups etc.: Dwayne Myers and M & F Bank; to all those in the congregation who made nominations (we looked at each one carefully); to Sandra Sistrunk for reminding me about newsletter deadlines and the Rev. Brian Ponder for editing my submissions; to the Rev. David Johnson for the leadership he provided as our vacancy consultant—he was always so quick to respond to questions and provided great insights for the entire committee; to Bishop Gray who assisted in the submission of candidate names….and more names….and more names as we went through our process; and to the Rev. Brian Ponder for supporting me and the search committee in every way possible, through assistance and prayer, throughout this process, and for creating our search prayer.

Thanks to all of you who have prayed for us during this past year as we discerned God’s call.  I truly believe that through discernment, we have heard God’s call to ministry with the Rev. Lee Winter.

Interestingly, our search retreat was held August 26, 2006—we announced our new rector August 26, 2007!  We began with a two day vestry/search committee retreat; set up a search budget; created a parish survey which led to the creation of the Parish Profile which was used to inform candidates, nominees, and applicants about who we are.  We screened a total of 42 applications/CDO profiles.  We participated in 14 telephone interviews, and we interviewed four individuals in person.  We had scheduled to interview three others, but they withdrew for personal reasons prior to the interview.  We interviewed an equal number of men and women.  We unanimously recommended the Rev. J. Lee Winter on Monday, July 16, 2007 to the vestry for consideration.

I am happy to say that the Rev. Winter will be joining us in October.  We look forward to his ministry with great joy and anticipation.  Please help us welcome Lee and Ruth to our parish family.  Feel free to send them a note at:  8017 Nelson Street, New Orleans, LA  70125.

Faithfully,
Leigh Jensen Crawford
Chair, Search Committee

SEPTEMBER 9:  Sunday School Resumes, EYC Kicks Off!!!

Mark your calendars for the beginning of Christian Formation programming for the 2007-08 academic year! Sunday school for all ages kicks off at 9:15 a.m. sharp, so please don’t be late! Sunday school teachers will be commissioned at the 10:30 a.m. service that day.

EYC resumes at 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, September 9, for all in grades 7-12. EYC includes numerous opportunities for fellowship, formation, reflection, fun, and service. For more information about EYC and its programs, contact Merry Barnes, EYC coordinator, at 601-506-1021 or merrizzle@yahoo.com.

Canterbury Fall Lineup Announced

For more information about Canterbury and any of its programming, please contact our chaplain, the Rev. J. Brian Ponder, at 662-323-3483 ext. 102 or msu_canterbury@bellsouth.net.

Cooks for Canterbury!

A Wednesday night home-cooked meal is one of the best offerings for the MSU Canterbury students in our midst and continues to be an important ministry of the parish. Please consider cooking for Canterbury and joining us for fellowship and dinner one evening this semester!

Contact Canterbury Assistant Merry Barnes at 601.506.1021 to sign up, or drop by the narthex to add your name to the list! Thanks in advance for keeping us wonderfully fed!

Fr. Lee’s First Sunday

Fr. Lee Winter’s first Sunday at Resurrection will be October 7, when he will preach and celebrate.  Please plan to join us as we welcome our new rector and his wife, Ruth!

Pet Blessing Set for October 7

The annual St. Francis Day Celebration with Blessing of the Animals will take place on Sunday, October 7, at 4:30 p.m. in the church parking lot. Whether your pet be hoofed or winged, pawed, clawed or even bipedal, join us for this yearly celebration of God's creation and those who bring our lives so much joy. Those with pet allergies are encouraged to bring a favorite stuffed animal for blessing. Treats for humans and their owners will be served!

As is customary for the St. Francis Day Celebration, donations will be accepted for the Oktibbeha Co. Humane Society. Items needed daily at the Humane Society include: bleach*; Pine-Sol*; paper towels*; disposable Latex gloves*; Purina Dog Chow*; Purina Puppy Chow*; Purina Cat Chow*; Purina Kitten Chow*; non-clumping kitty litter*; fabric softener dryer sheets; laundry detergent (prefer liquid); automatic dishwasher detergent; dish detergent; dog chews and chewy treats; assorted size dog collars; leashes; Quality Flea and Tick Spray; and Germ-X hand sanitizer. Long term needs include: otoscope; postage stamps; and general office supplies. Check the OHS website (www.msstate.edu/org/humane) for up-to-date donation needs. Tax-deductible donations can also be sent to OCHS at P.O. Box 297, Starkville, MS 39760.

* indicates most needed items

Seasonings

One of the responsibilities of Parish Life is to develop and initiate activities to strengthen relationships among members of Resurrection. We also want members to get to know each other better. This fall we are starting a series of dinners in members’ homes for small groups of people. We do not intend these dinners to be very formal. Instead, they should be rather informal and uncomplicated, much like a family dinner. This is not an attempt to breathe new life into Foyer Groups. Here’s what it is:

Please look for the sign-up sheet and indicate whether you would be willing to host a dinner.  For more information, contact Jim Jones at 324-5756 or jdbirdiems@netscape.com.

Jim Jones
Vestry Member, Parish Life

Bishop’s BBQ was a Blast!    

This year’s Bishop’s BBQ was appropriately named. The barbeque chicken and pork were delicious, but all in attendance were also barbequed in the triple-digit heat. Snow cones saved the day!

Church of the Resurrection was well represented by Brian Ponder and a smattering of sweaty yet sophisticated and serene long-time, new, and soon-to-be Parish and Canterbury members.

We set up our tent under a shade-tree and proceeded to party until the dunking booth shut down. There was a great deal of comradery … our neighbors shared home-made orange slushes with us and lots of people helped each other set up, decorate, and dismantle theme tents. Generous attitudes were apparent and much appreciated.

You will be happy to know that our tent DID have a theme … ”the Confirmation Class a cappella Hymn-Singing Group”. Although we didn’t win, our effort was applauded by the judges. Our neighboring tent, the group from St. Mark’s in Jackson, won the overall theme with “All God’s Children”. Other notable themes included a tent in the shape of a turtle, a tent with a giant propeller on top, and a heart-rending tent provided by St. Peter’s-by-the-Sea, Gulfport, which displayed actual signs and church mementos from the aftermath of Katrina. (www.stpetersbythesea.net) The auction was successful with many beautiful items offered for sale. The bookstore area also offered some nice items. The dunking booth was a big hit, especially when it came time to dunk Bishop Gray. The funniest Duncan dunking came from a little boy who missed the mark with all three of his throws, so he just walked over to the plunger and pushed it with his hand. The Bishop never saw THAT one coming. The most impressive dunking came from our own new member, Jo Bright. Jo is right-handed, but she had rotator-cuff surgery on her right shoulder in May. Not fully recovered from that, she still managed to dunk the Bishop twice by throwing left-handed.

It was a hot but wonderful day. Many of us in attendance will most certainly return next year. But next year we may play in the sprinklers set up for the kids!

Julia Heard
Confirmation Class a cappella
Hymn Singing Group

Around Resurrection

Welcome Back/Start of the Year Party

You’re invited to a wine and cheese party on Friday, September 7, from 6:00-8:00 p.m. in the Student Center. Everyone is invited to attend this start of the year/welcome back party.

It will be a very informal affair where we can get to know each other better, and there is no program. Please bring a bottle of wine and some cheese or a small hors d'oeuvre to share. Non-alcoholic beverages will be provided, and the nursery will be open. For more information, please contact Jim Jones (324-5756, jdirdie@netscape.com).

We look forward to seeing you there!

St. Joseph’s Guild Saturday Workday

A St. Joseph’s Guild workday will be held Saturday, September 8 from 8:00 a.m.-noon.  This will be an indoor/outdoor workday.  All are welcome to help out. 

Indoor activities will focus on cleaning, and outdoor activities will include beginning our breezeway painting project, weeding, edging, and other work on the grounds. 

Please contact Clarissa Balbalian (cbalbali@ext.msstate.edu, 615-1291) for more information.

POD 2007

Sunday, September 9, we will kick off our fall programs with our annual Parish Opportunity Day (POD). The effectiveness of the various committees and ministries and the life of the church depend on the participation of all of us. Your time and talents are needed to help with these important ministries.

Please mark your calendars and plan to stop by the Student Center that morning from 8:45-10:15 or 11:30-11:45 to learn about our more than 25 ministries and how you can help!

PNO September 21

Our next PNO (Parents' Night Out) will be Friday, September 21, 6:00-9:00 p.m.  Bring your children over to the church nursery for the evening, and enjoy the night out!  Please let the office know by 2:00 p.m., Thursday, September 20, if you plan to attend.

ECW Pledge Party ~  September Date TBA

ECW is planning their wine and cheese pledge party in September, and more details should be available soon!  If you would like to help or are interested in more information about ECW, please contact Kim Noffsinger Stevens at 312-7763.

Name Tag  Fall

Name Tag Sunday has been extended to Name Tag Fall!  In September, we’ll wear name tags to help remember new and returning names.  Then, in October and November, we’ll wear name tags to help Fr. Lee and Ruth learn our names.  Watch for the name tags in the narthex ~ and wear one!

Fall Blood Drive: October 21

The next Blood Drive at the church will be Sunday, October 21. If it is more convenient for you to donate at another United Blood Services drive, do so, and ask them to credit Resurrection. Then notify Ellen Newsom so she can make sure we get credit! Remember...if we make our quota all members of the parish family are covered for blood needs for another 6 months.

Music Notes

Thanks to those of you who sang in the Summer Choir, and thanks to guitarists/cantors Rachel McCann and Nels Long who heightened our worship.

Thanks to Rachel McCann and to Dolton McAlpin for each leading worship with guitar and with organ.    How fortunate we are to have these two fine musicians willing to serve!

Attending the Music and Liturgy Conference July 31-August 5 at Gray Center were Iwao Asakura, Clarissa Balbalian, Leanne Fazio, and Dolton McAlpin.     We sang and learned and returned with fresh ideas for enriching our community’s worship.   

The Children and Adult Choirs have begun regular Wednesday rehearsals, but it’s not too late to join us!   Children, grades 1-6, meet at 4:30 in the Student Center.   Adults meet 6-7:30 in the Choir Loft.   The choirs have begun rehearsing  new fall service music, for  Lessons and Carols (December 2) and for Christmas Eve.    

Encountering the WISDOM JESUS
Quickening the Kingdom of Heaven Within

A group is being formed to listen to and discuss this CD lecture series (12 sessions;  6 CD's) by Dr. Cynthia Bourgeault.  This group will begin meeting in a private home on a Monday or Tuesday evening (to be determined) the second week of September - unless the number participating becomes large, in which case it will be moved to a local church.

The Reverend Dr. Bourgeault, an Episcopal priest, is the principal teacher and advisor to the Contemplative Society in Victoria, British Columbia, as well as founding director of the Aspen Wisdom School in Aspen, Colorado.  She has worked closely with Fr. Thomas Keating as a teacher of Centering Prayer and other Christian Contemplative masters, as well as in Sufism and the Christian inner tradition.  She is author of The Wisdom Way of knowing, Mystical Hope, and  Centering Prayer and Inner Awakening.

Cynthia Bourgeault's command of biblical knowledge and of religious and wisdom traditions, plus her beautifully clear voice and simple teaching manner encourage a complete expansion in our awareness of who Jesus was as a teacher of inner transformation.  The course brings renewed meaning to what it is that Jesus actually taught.

A few of the topics considered are:  Jesus as a wisdom master;  the cosmopolitan Jesus; the Beatitudes; the hard sayings of Jesus; the path to self-emptying love; the chastity of Jesus; the passion: the heart of the Christian mystery; the harrowing of hell; walking the path. 

If you are interested in being a part of this group, please contact Barbara McKee at 324-6478 or mckee3400@bellsouth.net.

Coming Events & Important Dates

September

October

November