Saint Alban's Episcopal Church
From the Rector
You may be surprised to find an article from me while I am on sabbatical. I thought it appropriate to share a sort of progress report since St. Alban’s, as a congregation, has an interest in this too. It is close to the halfway point of the sabbatical, and also near the end of my time in Jerusalem. This course at St. George’s College is the centerpiece of my sabbatical. There has only been a slight hiccup in meeting or exceeding all my expectations.
From early articles you may recall that I enrolled at St. George’s College, which is attached to St. George’s Anglican Cathedral as their center for Continuing Education. The majority who come here are Church of England clergy, but many others come as well, laity too. The course is “Risen with Christ” and is a study of the Eastern Orthodox Churches observance of Holy Week and Easter.
As I write this, it is Easter night (we are 7 hours ahead), and we attended Vespers (Evening Prayers) at the Russian Orthodox Cathedral just a few hours ago. Nothing in the service was spoken. It was all chanted. A choir of male voices in three-part harmony carried on a monastic tradition of chanting a good deal of the service. The Russian Orthodox bishop, resplendent in vestments like I’ve never seen, including a very regal crown, chanted a good deal of the service too, including the Scripture reading. Further, all of the churches we have visited have no pews. For some of the services, chairs were brought in for visiting dignitaries (which didn’t include us). One or two had a few benches, which usually were given to the elderly and infirm. Some services will last two to three hours. It is times like this that I begin to appreciate what I/we have.
I have been keeping a daily journal which includes my thoughts and observations about the various services we have attended and holy sites we have visited. Further, I have extensive notes from our course lecturer, who is extremely knowledgeable about the Eastern Orthodox Churches. He has spent the better part of 30 years as a Church of England representative in official dialogs and conversations with the numerous Orthodox Churches.
You know I can’t leave out a reference to the food here. Luckily, I like Middle Eastern food, and we have been richly blessed with a fine cook at the college. Also, we have been guests of a couple of different convents and enjoyed their gracious hospitality while out touring holy sites and churches.
Before I began this course I had a few days of silent retreat at the Society of St. John the Evangelist Monestary in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The retreat set me on this path well rested and refreshed. Blessedly, I have been able to continue with rest and many opportunities for spiritual refreshment.
I have not forgotten you all in any sense. My prayers are with you, even though I am not. I left feeling loved and look forward to returning to that love – in due time. In only a month I will be back with you. Or, it will be another month before I am back. It is all in your perspective. Being in Jerusalem in these days has opened my eyes to different ways to see many things. That will be part of the gift I bring to you in appreciation for the gift you have given me in this sabbatical.
From the Assistant Rector
“What would it take to make you change your mind about what you believe?” asked a former bishop turned Th.D. student. At the time I confidently replied, “absolutely nothing!” Naiveté has not always served me so well and on this occasion the Th.D. student soon became my teacher. What he had to teach me was in the questions he asked himself. Like many of us in seminary, he fell victim to Faith Seeking Understanding, (the motto of St. Anselm of Canterbury 1033-1109). When I first met this student he was serving as an adjunct professor while he waded once again through the vast array of theological questions that brought him to ordination in the church in the first place.
What I learned over time was that this adjunct professor painfully surrendered his bishopric to recover his faith and that was what brought him back to seminary. He had to leave behind what he once knew and thought, revisiting the questions, to recover who he was and what he believed. The implication of St. Anselm’s motto is that catechesis, or Christian Formation, is a lifelong endeavor. What my new teacher had discovered in his service as a bishop over time was that what he had held onto firmly as his core beliefs suddenly no longer held the truth for him. Life experience and ministry had challenged his rigid faith and thrown him back into the sea of longing for answers.
What would it take to make you change your mind about what you believe? Jesus poses a similar question on more than one occasion when we hear him ask Peter, “Who do you say that I am?”(Matt. 16:15) Belief is hard won for many of us and sometimes comes as a great surprise when you find it has taken a turn to incorporate something new. In my brief time in ministry I have come to value and even cherish the turns along the way whether mine or that of another. When Jesus asks us “Who do you say that I am?” We are challenged to understand the root of who and why we are Christians and not some other faith tradition. Simon Peter’s answer to the question was “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God” but what does that mean to you specifically, or to the person sitting next to you in the pew? Why is it then when we say the words, Messiah and living God, that they do not always carry enough water to wash away our doubts and confusion? Why does language often leave you wanting something more tangible, something with flesh and bones?
Some of the answer may be discovered in what Jesus tells Simon Peter when Jesus says Peter is blessed because his belief did not come from “flesh and blood” but rather from God. That is good news for those of us who have at one time or another been confronted with the statement or thought, “if only you had enough faith.” The very fact that you doubt, question, and wrestle with difficult questions does not negate faith, rather it is an exercise in faith when you seek understanding. A change of heart, to see the world anew, is the work of God in you, through the action of the Holy Spirit.
The adjunct professor had one more question for me, “What, if anything, would it take for you to conclude that Christianity is not true?” His question had surpassed even my own and nearly dropped me to my knees at the thought of it. What I could not put in words surfaced in my heart: in the rising and setting of the sun; in the cry of an infant child; in the witnessing of a changed heart; in the community gathered at the altar with open hands; in the breaking of the bread. As I think of what I have learned Jesus continues to ask, “Who do you say that I am?”
Has the Bishop laid hands on you? What joy it is to see 10 vibrant members of our parish take their places in the life of the church by confirming their baptismal vows and making a mature statement of their Christian faith. After 8 weeks of preparation and wrestling with the questions on Sunday, April 6th the Rt. Rev'd Dorsey F. Henderson presided and laid hands on what is to date the largest confirmation class of St. Alban's history. Congratulations to those who were confirmed: Matthew Seward Billesbach; Zachary Chance Deinzer; Maureen Lida Dunnagan; Gregory James FitzMaurice, Austin Alexina Humbert; Carly Marie Keith; Carolyn Denise Merkel; Kyle Patrick Monts; and Andrew Corey Watson. St. Alban's is richly blessed indeed! Fellowship Pot-luck LuncheonJoin us on Sunday, May 4, following the 10:30 AM service for our First Sunday Fellowship Pot-luck Luncheon in the fellowship hall. The Vestry will be responsible for clean-up. St. Alban's Women's Beach RetreatAre you interested in some time for rest, play, and re-creation? A St. Alban's women's beach retreat is being planned for Oct. 24th-26th at Edisto, SC. If you are interested in being on the design team for this retreat weekend please notify the church office or contact me. |
3rd Annual Wine and Cheese Tasting A tremendous thank you goes to all who participated in our recent Wine and Cheese fund-raiser for Habititat for Humanity. Over 160 people were in attendance and not a morsel of food remained! Peggy Moseley and Pat Ellis did an outstanding job with much help from many of you. Many thanks to all who prepared and donated food items for this event. Also, many thanks to the generous time and efforts of our youth, Matt Billesbach, Gregory FitzMaurice, and Jolie Hiers, who tirelessly offered childcare for 10 children during the evening's festivities. Congratulations Our own William Blake Amick, son of Blake and Dell Amick, received his Eagle Rank on July 27, 2006, will be one of the young men honored. Congratulations Will, from your St. Alban’s family. Will has also been named Student of the Year at Lexington Technology Center. Episcopal Church Women Evening Guild The May meeting for the Evening ECW will be Tuesday, May 6. We will meet at 6 PM (an hour early than usual) in the St. Paul room at the church. Please email Tracie Ifkovits at tracieif@windstream.net or 951-3614. |
Habitat for HumanityMark FitzMaurice Work continues at our Habitat for Humanity house. In the accompanying photograph you can see our new homeowner, Melissa, building some “sweat equity” in her house. We’re getting close to getting the house weathered in” with most of the vinyl up, doors and windows in and shingles on the roof. This is good news since it means weather will be less of a factor for our work days from here on out. We still have openings for YOU to participate in this great ministry, either on Saturday morning on May 3, May 24, or June 14, or on Saturday afternoon on May 10, May31, or June 21. Sign up on the sheet in the narthex or give me a call at 356-0962. We also need your prayers for the safety of our workers and the successful conclusion of this project. Thank you for your financial contributions through the Wine and Cheese event as well. Merry Widows LuncheonDoris Drake The Merry Widows will meet on Tuesday, May 27, at 1 PM at The Bistro in the Shoppes at Flight Deck. |
African Team Ministries Jewelry SaleRose Braddock The Episcopal Church Women will be selling jewelry to benefit the African Team Ministries on Sunday, May 4, the Sunday before Mother’s Day. African Team Ministries assists children who have been orphaned by AIDS in Africa. The jewelry is made by African women who also assist these women by providing them with an income to support their family. The jewelry is beautiful and affordable. Brotherhood of St. Alban The Brotherhood met on Thursday, April 10, and managed to cook without Father Maltby. After supper we enjoyed learning about Libba Rhoad and Mark FitzMaurice’s upcoming mission trip to Equador. It appears to be a beautiful, but poor country that is interestingly apart of the Episcopal Church of the United States. Mark and Libba are still in need of donations. Pastoral Care Committee MeetingPastoral Care Committee will meet on Thursday, May 22, at 6:30 PM in the Parish House. We will discuss Chapters 3 & 4 of Mary Earle’s book, Broken Body, Healing Spirit. |
TheovisionNannette Voisine Theovision will be held at the home of Adrien and Nannette Voisine, 142 Siddington Way, Lexington, SC, 29073, on Friday, May 9, at 7 PM. The movie is “Juno”. Please have watched the movie prior to our meeting and bring any movie reviews you may have for discussion. We will be serving spaghetti and meatballs as an entree. The more the merrier!! See ya all then! Please RSVP to Nannette at 803-808-7012. Acolyte Training Anyone who is interested in learning about serving as an acolyte is invited to attend the training session on Saturday, May 17, at 9:30 AM. This training session will acclimate youth to the features of the liturgy where acolytes play an important role. Our time together will give young participants an opportunity to try out acolyting as practice in a fun environment and see if it is a ministry in which they would like to participate now or at sometime in the future. Gregory FitzMaurice will assist in facilitating this training session. We look forward to seeing you there! Worship in the Park . . .St. Alban’s will host the 10:30 AM Sunday Morning Worship service in the Virginia Hylton Park on Sunday, May 18, closing out Sunday School for the year and celebrating with a picnic following the service. Please mark your calendars and plan to bring a picnic lunch and beverage. Volunteers are needed to assist with set-up, please contact Altar Guild chair, Elaine Moseley or the Parish Office at 359-2444. Sunday School Committee MeetingThe Sunday School committee will meet on Thursday, May 22, at 6 PM in the St. Paul room to discuss options for the fall adult Sunday School offerings. If you would like to give your input concerning things you like, don’t like, or would like to see in our current offerings, or classes you would be interested in teaching or facilitating, please plan to attend this meeting and bring a bag dinner. If you can not attend but want to let your voice be heard, please contact one of the Committee members (Steve Senf, Barbara Jones, Craig Giles or Cindi Gearon) or the Vestry liasons to the Committee (Cheryl Banks or Pat Ellis). VBS Movies The program for adults during our week of Vacation Bible School continues to be a group discussion of a different movie each night. The movies are available on DVD. The discussion group will meet in the Choir Room following dinner. The schedule is as follows: Share the Love…..The Vestry Share the love, there is no better way to express your love than to devote time to a person. Sharing your time and attention with someone else is a gift that money cannot buy. Your attention means that at this moment there is nothing that is more important to you than that person.
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Look for the Light . . .Cheryl Banks & Pat Ellis Truth, goodness, fantasy, selflessness, magic, animals, and lessons to learn lead by masters of wisdom. Look for the forest but you must first see the trees. Sound interesting; join us on another adventure at Vacation Bible School. Be a part of it, June 23 – 27. May Birthdays 1 Bubby Pinckney For A Birthday Watch over your children, O Lord, as their days increase; bless and guide them wherever they may be. Strengthen them when they stand; comfort them when discourage or sorrowful; raise them up if they fall; and in their hearts may your peace which passes understanding abide all the days of their lives; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. May Anniversaries 5 Joe & Edna Bedenbaugh For a Wedding Anniversary
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Monthly Treasurers ReportThis report is now going to appear in the first of the month issue of The Alert due to the fact that the mid-month issue of The Alert has limited distribution. The data, because of the new timing will be the previous months data. Operating Account: During the month of March the income that was generated for the month was $5,498.54 over the budget projections. This is due to the fact that there was 5 Sundays in the month of March. On the YTD side the income is $2,439.75 over income needed. We are now up to date with all bills except for the Diocesan Assessment. We did pay only half of the assessment in February and March. I will be tracking our shortage so you know how much our total is. I have learned there are new IRS rules concerning contributions and am publishing them here for your information: Bank or credit union statements should indicate the name of the charity – or church – and the date and amount paid, according to the rules. According to the IRS, donations of money include those made in cash or by check, electronic funds transfer, credit card and payroll deduction. “For payroll deductions, the taxpayer should retain a pay stub, Form W-2 wage statement or other document furnished by the employer showing the total amount withheld for charity, along with the pledge card showing the name of the charity,” the IRS said. Before the changes, taxpayers could provide personal bank registers, diaries or notes made around the time of the donation in order to document their contributions. But such records are no longer sufficient for contributions under $250. Charitable contributions of $250 or more still require written acknowledgment from the charity. In figuring whether a contribution is $250 or more, the IRS says separate contributions should not be combined. For example, if a person places $25 in the offering plate each Sunday, the weekly payments should not be combined. Each payment is a separate contribution. For each cash contribution that is less that $250, the IRS now requires the taxpayer to keep a canceled check, a receipt or other reliable records from the charitable organization showing th name of the organization, the date of the contribution and the amount of the contribution. Contributions of $250 or more require an acknowledgment from the qualified organization, the IRS says, and if more than one contribution of $250 or more was made, the tax payer must have either a separate acknowledgment for each or one acknowledgment that shows the total contributions. I would suggest that if all possible that you use the envelopes provided or use a pew envelope providing your name and amount. Of course this will only impact cash donations or as we call them “loose cash donation.” For more information you should contact your tax preparer or the IRS for further details. Another item is that of non-cash contributions. If you have purchased items for fellowship, etc., and you want to donate the items rather than be reimbursed, indicate that on the receipt, sign the receipt and put it in the plate or give it to myself or Lisa Kleinfelder so we can record your contribution. REMINDER: Don’t forget to write the check number on the outside of the envelope and be sure to indicate where the contributions are to be credited, i.e., building, operating, etc. This will speed up the counting process. Lastly, if there is something you would like explained about the financial aspects of our church, e-mail or call me with your comments or questions, and I can include them in a future article and provide you with an answer. E-mail wcochran@sc.rr.com; phone 957-4424 |
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Weekly/Monthly Activities Christian Education for all ages, Sunday, 9:30 AM |
Vestry Mike Gearon, Senior Warden Pat Ellis, Junior Warden 2009 2010 2011 |
