Volume 2, Issue 11                    August 2010

Website address Www.stbarnabas.org

  The St. Barnabas Episcopal Church Newsletter

 

“The Encourager”                                                                                                                          Home

 

 

                                 What is New and What is Old

                          Worship in God’s Church

 

            At the conclusion of the parables of the Kingdom Jesus asks his disciples: “Have you understood all this?”  They answered, “Yes”.  And he said to them, “Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like the master of a household who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.” 

            Throughout my ministry this text has been helpful in understanding Worship in God’s Church.  Music, hymns, liturgies include what is new and what is old.  Our choices of that which is included in any given service of worship also includes what is new and what is old.  The historic liturgy of Word and Sacrament dates back to the early centuries of the church.  New hymns and new musical settings of the liturgy are written every year.  God has blessed us with a rich diversity of styles and traditions in church music.

            We at St. Barnabas have two services of Sunday worship that have some elements in common: Rite Two of the Mass from the Book of Common Prayer is the center of what the services have in common.  The style of music is different between the two services but the readings, the homily, and the prayers are common to both.

            The music leaders and worship committee members met with me after the worship service on Sunday, June 27 for a dialogue on worship for St. Barnabas parish.  The ten of us came to a consensus on having a common musical setting of the Mass.  A hymn team was established to select three hymns for Sunday worship that would be common to both services: the primary gathering hymn, the sequence hymn before the Gospel and processional, the primary sending hymn (the recessional).  We will use the same Psalm for both services and have a common musical setting of the Psalm when that is workable.  The Rev. Michael Joncas who wrote and composed the music for “ON Eagles’ Wings”, has written music for the musical setting of the Mass; it is titled “Angels and Saints”.  The Mass setting will be practiced after both services with those who can stay and learn it on the Sundays in August.  Worship leaders will accompany this new musical setting beginning the first Sunday in September.  I ask that worshippers stay for at least one practice after worship in August. 

            I thank God for the music leaders and the worship committee for their commitment to meaningful worship and to using what is new and what is old. 

To God give glory!      Father Dennis

 

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Father Dennis would like to meet with every household of this parish; there is a sign up sheet in the parish hall with times and dates for you to sign up for.  This is a way for everyone to meet the new Interim Priest at St. B’s on a more personal level.

 

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DIOCESAN MISSIONS SEEKING VOLUNTEERS

     Two exciting missions to New Orleans and Kentucky are being offered to Diocesan churches in 2010.  New Orleans is the mission destination from the 12^th through the 21^st of November.  Twenty volunteers will be staying at the Bishop’s Guest House near the French Quarter.  The Guest House was converted to a disaster relief facility in the aftermath of Katrina.  It is in the heart of the Garden District near the Episcopal Cathedral.  (http://www.episcopalchurch.org/78650_83570_ENG_HTM.htm)

     Rebuilding homes damaged by the hurricane continues.  Hundreds of families evacuated from New Orleans are still waiting to return.  In many cases, volunteers are their only hope.  On last year’s Diocesan mission, volunteers repaired a home for a family on Robert E. Lee Blvd. just north of downtown. The family was living in Arkansas since 2005.  After fleeing Katrina the day before the storm, the family lived in homeless shelters in Little Rock unable to raise funds for repairing their home.  Thanks in part to volunteers from St. Mark’s in Coldwater, St. Barnabas in Portage, Church of the Resurrection in Battle Creek, St. Luke’s in Kalamazoo, and St. Paul’s in Elk Rapids, the family has returned home.  This year the Diocese hopes to help another family in a similar position.    

     In addition to home reconstruction, volunteers can choose to work on beautification and landscaping projects.  Many New Orleans residents, especially the handicapped and the elderly, are unable to return their property to its condition before Katrina. Volunteers from St. Phillips in Beulah, Christ Church in Charlevoix, Church of the Nativity in Boyne City, St. Paul’s in Greenville, and St. Timothy’s in Richland planted flowers and gardens, put a new coat of paint on a home, repaired fences and porches, and provided a much needed clean up to property for those in need. 

      Kentucky is the mission destination from the18th through the 25^th of September.  Thirty individuals can participate in this mission.  There are already twenty-five committed volunteers.  This mission targets southeastern Kentucky in Appalachia.  The congregations of the Episcopal Diocese of Lexington are the sponsor of St. Timothy’s Outreach Center at Barns Mountain.  (http://www.diolex.org/bishop)  Sixteen of the hundred poorest counties in the United States are located in this area. Volunteers may plant a garden, clear brush, build a deck, repair a floor, paint homes, or help a crew add a room to a house.  This mission also staffs a hospitality house with volunteers who help families of individuals in Lexington area hospitals. 

     To inquire or register for either the New Orleans or Kentucky missions contact Terry Dorcy, Mission Coordinator, at tjdorcy@aol.com  or call him at 269-349-3625.  Terry is a member of St. Luke’s Episcopal in Kalamazoo.   

 

Daily Vacation Bible School at Prince of Peace Church!

August 16-19, 9am-noon.  Questions? Contact Jennifer Gatz tjgatz@sbcglobal.net or 372-7083

  

HIGHER POWER

A Sunday school teacher said to her children, “We have been learning how powerful kings and queens were in Bible times. But, there is a Higher Power. Can anybody tell me what it is?”   Little Johnny blurted out “Aces!”

 

The Thursday morning BIBLE STUDY GROUP will begin again on August 5th.  We meet for one hour beginning at 10:30am.  A new study book will begin, and we welcome anyone interested in this wonderful group study.  If you are interested please talk to Julia Hartenberger, Fara Cochran, Gail Reisterer, Judy Forster, Karen Kott, Helen Holport, Karen McDonald, BJ, Carole Stanski, Marilyn Lorentz, or Micki Holder for more information. 

YMCA of Greater Kalamazoo memberships: Families of preschoolers get free year

Beginning with registration for preschool 2010-2011, the YMCA of Greater Kalamazoo is offering a free one-year family membership to families who register a preschooler full-time for the entire school year at one of its two sites. In addition to its main Maple Street location, the YMCA will open a new site within the Woods Edge Learning Center on Milham Road this fall.
          The Y preschool locations are open to children ages 3-5 who are potty trained. Maple also offers a transitional program for children ages 2-3. Registration for fall preschool begins Monday. To register a child or get more information, call the YMCA at 269- 345-9622, Ext. 161 or visit our website at www.kzooymca.org.

  Gardening class begins soon

Bruce Alden is a Master Gardener.  He will be presenting a series of talks for the children of the congregation titled, "EarthKeeping: Stewardship of God’s Gifts".  Taking care of the planet God has given us is the underlying theme as we hope to empower & inform young minds.  The talks will be light & worthwhile. The time slot will be from 10:15 a.m. to 10:45, each Sunday. 

     Topics will span all the basics: soil, watering, plants & their parts (all plants: flowery ones, fruity ones, trees, etc.), bugs (the good, the bad, the ugly & the beautiful), and so on. Even if we don't "hatch" a batch of young gardeners, we can make gains by sharing an appreciation of what goes on all around us & beneath our feet, wherever we are: a garden full of vegetables, a meadow full of flowers, a city park full of people, an orchard of fruit trees or, a wood full of native plants.

The class start date is tentatively August 22^nd.  

 

PRAYER SHAWL MINISTRY we are picking up our yarn, crochet hooks and knitting needles and starting up the Prayer Shawl ministry again.  It has been a comfort to people in our congregation, friends and family to be wrapped in a prayerfully crafted shawl that has been blessed and lovingly constructed.  If you would like to be involved in this ministry call Jan Hageman ~ 382-2656.  If you know someone who needs a prayer shawl call Karen Blaise ~ 329-0901.

 

CURSILLO FALL WEEKENDS

Men’s October 7-10                                  Women’s October 14-17

St. Luke’s downtown Kalamazoo

Please see Jan Goes or B.J. Jeschke with any questions

 

COLUMBARIUM VISITATIONS During a recent home visitation it was brought to our attention that some parishioners would like to visit loved ones at the Columbarium other than on Sundays.  Since the church is usually locked up during the week it was proposed that the church set a time and date that the church would be open.  If this is agreeable with the parish, then a time and date would have to be implemented and a list of volunteers willing to be at the church, preferably 2 people.  If anyone ould like to volunteer, please see a vestry member and tell them what day and time you would be available.  After a list of volunteers is created then a list of dates and times would be complied and posted in the bulletin. 

 

SEITA SCHOLARS WELCOME PACKS - There is still time to sign up to donate new items for the Seita Scholars welcome pack program.  Sign up is on the Evangelism bulletin board in the parish hall.  Items may be dropped off in the corner of the classroom across from the rector's office.  We will schedule to deliver our donations the first week in August.  As you drop off your items, will you please check off on the sign up sheet what you have brought in.  This will help us with inventory and determining what is yet missing from the 6 baskets we hope to complete.  There is a handout on the table in the narthex with more information, or contact Marti Haug (267-7961) with any questions. 

 

AUGUST BIRTHDAYS

Andrea Littel                   8/2

Frank Blaise                    8/5
Margaret Latora              8/9

Sose Klein                       8/11

Betty Byers                     8/19

Donna Martin                  8/23

Travis Crossman               8/25

Collin Martin                   8/26

AUGUST ANNIVERSARIES                     

Dick & Margaret Baber     8/1

Tony & Christina Jacobs   8/2

Steve & Colleen Ullrey      8/4

Marti Haug                      8/30

Allison Dietzel                 8/30

Christopher Sharpe          8/30

 

 BASEBALL NEWSLeslie takes one for the team!

Can you believe we are down to the last game of the season!!!  Our final game is this coming Monday @ 7:30 p.m. against Flagstar (our first win of the season) on Westnedge #2.  Last warm-up is at Pfizer fields at 6:15 p.m.  Please let both Bill and I know if you will be unable to attend the game.  Fans are always welcome to watch us play!
 
We are also planning to hold a postseason celebration this year.  We've had some great (and a couple of not-so-great) moments and it would be nice to gather and celebrate another season of St. B's softball. 

 

Sunday after church, a Mom asked her very young daughter what the lesson was about The daughter answered, 'Don't be scared, you'll get your quilt.' Needless to say, the Mom was perplexed. Later in the day, the pastor stopped by for tea and the Mom asked him what that morning's Sunday school lesson was about. He said 'Be not afraid, thy comforter is coming.'

 

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Cush is putting a box in the narthex to assist in collecting items for wildlife clean-up for the Kalamazoo River Oil Spill, and she will deliver the box to the collection point. 

     The Kellogg Bird Sanctuary will be a collection site for donations to aid in helping the wildlife harmed by the oil spill. NOTE: The Sanctuary is NOT a site to bring injured or oiled wildlife; we DO NOT have facilities here to assist in that way. However, we will be accepting and delivering donations of needed materials to the agencies and organizations that are taking in wildlife. Please, DO NOT attempt to rescue animals yourself, call 1-800-306-6837 or CircleD at (269) 903-1846 to report the exact location of an animal in need of assistance.

 No more fish tanks……..….No more boxes……..….No more linen of any kind

Thank you!
Sarah Carroll          Kellogg Bird Sanctuary          MSU's Kellogg Biological Station
12685 East C Avenue, Augusta, MI  49012
Phone: (269) 671-2510          Fax: (269) 671-2474

•       Unflavored Pedialite
•       Vanilla Ensure
•       bug spray
•       sun block
•       New spray bottles
•       Linens (non-elastic, non-fitted)
•       Pillow cases
•       Small whiteboards with markers
•       Duct tape
•       Small-medium firewood
•       Vegetable oil
•       Dawn dish soap
•       White lines
•       Food/snacks for volunteers
•       Water for volunteers
•       55 gallon drums
•       outdoor lighting 
•       5 gallon buckets
•       large garbage bags
•       grain/cracked corn/whole corn
•       hay/straw
•       wash tubs
•       tyvak suits
•       rubber aprons
•       tarps
•       hospital booties
•       bungy cords
•       rain ponchos
•       gas cards
•       old blankets
•       food for volunteers
•       bottled water
•       bags of ice
•       holding pens for birds
 •       Towels

•      Tupperware style containers, old or new, with lids

Extra note:  Enbridge is causing some problems with the bird sanctuary, so if you bring any items in, Fara will take them to the Southwest Michigan SPCA until we hear more. 

 Here is the SPCA list: 

Used bath-size towels--Used beach towels--Cedar chips for puppy pens--Paper towels-- Duct tape--

Scrub brushes--Used blankets--Laundry detergent-a LOT!--hotocopier--Filing cabinets--Copy paper--File folders-- Postage stamps-- Computers --Treats for dogs-- small Ziploc bags-- Push brooms-- Hand soap--Bleach --Tarps (8'x10' & 10'x12')-- dog & cat Collars, toys, food--Rubber gloves--Lawnmowers--Garbage bags--Clip boards--Hand sanitizer--Peanut butter--Leashes--Clumping kitty litter--Basic handyman tools

 

 NURSE NOTES From Deacon Karen McDonald

Picnic or BBQ Safety

• Wash hands before handling food and use clean utensils and containers.
• Do not prepare foods more than one day before your picnic unless It is to be frozen.
• Mayonnaise-based foods need to be kept cold.
• Thoroughly cook food all at one time (never partially cook food)
• Thoroughly cook meats.  Burger and poultry should not be pink in the center.
• Keep cold foods cold while serving the meal-warm temperatures promote bacterial growth.
• Keep hot foods hot while serving the meal.
• Throw out picnic leftovers that have been sitting out for more than one hour and/or have had many people handling them.  Handling increases the risk of harmful bacteria.