St. George’s Episcopal Church www.StGeorgesonline.org September 2016
This is a free publication for members and friends Volume 23, No. 8
St. George’s Newsletter September 2016 Page 4
OLYMPIAD AT ST. GEORGE’Sby Father Daniel Pearson /
Personally, I find the Olympic Games a little overwhelming. There are a gazillion games to keep up with and more sports in play than I actually care about. It’s serious business for the athletes—as made poignant in the case of a sprinter who was disqualified due to a false start out of the block, a mistake exceedingly difficult to accept. Apart from the agony aspect of those competing in the Olympics, it’s great entertainment for the rest of us. “What’s your favorite sport?” “What highlight do you remember?”
A faint analogue to the Olympics is the serious “game” we have going on here at St. George’s. We are in interim or transitional ministry. We have chosen to put a lot into play. We have constituted a Discovery and Discernment Team to do research, learn about what’s going on in the Church at large and sharpen our perceptions as to what God is up to with us. Given that one of the goals of a parish in transition is to refresh and renew relations with the wider church—the Episcopal Church in Minnesota in our case—we have begun to participate in the Missional Assessment Process (MAP). And to fructify our effort and maximize results, the D & D Team is adding persons from the congregation to work with us.
Meanwhile, we have just launched a Feasibility Study for a possible Capital Campaign!
Feasible | Definition of Feasible by Merriam-Webster 1: capable of being done or carried out <a feasible
plan> 2: capable of being used or dealt with successfully: suitable. 3: reasonable, likely.
I add this definition of “feasible” directly out of the dictionary to clarify the difference between considering a campaign and actually doing one and to emphasize that this effort is a part of our discovery and discernment process. And as I have already said, our D & D effort is fundamentally about God’s direction, and our participation in God’s mission. As we, the members of St. George’s, are embodied beings, so at this point in time, St. George’s is our building. For health sake, our bodies need attention; so with our church buildings. What is God calling us to do? What is feasible for us to do?
Meanwhile, our parish life and program go on: Sunday worship, education, pastoral care, outreach; more to participate in and follow. All quite wonderful. All activity an offering to God. Our blessing to be called. The race set before us. (Hebrews 12)
ST. GEORGE’S
SECOND SUNDAY/SECOND OFFERING:
September 11. (The second offering is donated to the St. Louis Park Emergency Program (STEP). /
/ THE SUNDAY FORUM
by Father Daniel Pearson
“Will you continue in the apostle’s teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread and in the prayers?”
This familiar question from The Baptismal Covenant is particularly germane to what happens for Christians on Sunday. It seems to make clear that participation is not normally a virtual experience but rather an embodied one. “Fellowship” assumes coming together; “the breaking of bread” means assembling for worship and in our sacramental tradition participating in The Holy Eucharist.
Continuing in the apostle’s teaching and in the prayers of course can be a solitary, individual experience but when put together with fellowship and worship the communal dimension is emphasized.
Wonderfully, at St. George’s there is opportunity and a tradition for saying “yes” and “we will” to this baptismal question. Predictably, like every Christian Church, we have our schedule of worship services. Perhaps we can also benefit by having a schedule of opportunities for learning and sharing our faith. To this end, we are preparing to have a listing of programs, presentations and activities for each Sunday in the coming program year. So stay tuned and look forward to The Sunday Forum brochure.
Place: Parish Hall
Time: Sundays 9:15 to 10:00 a.m.
FINANCIAL UPDATE for the month of July, the last month for which we have records: /Income $23,965.96 92% of budget
Expenses $19,051.99 92% of budget
Total for month $4,913.97
Year to date $1,491.43
Budget year to date $1,331.88
Average Attendance for July:
8 a.m. – 23
10:30 a.m. – 58
/ EDUCATION CORNERby Heather Whitesell
Children & Youth Coordinator
Education Update
Fall is in the air and with it comes the return of educational activities for the youngest here at St. George's. Children's Chapel will be offered during the 10:30 am service, with children going to Chapel before the first reading and returning for the Peace. All children ages 3-10 are welcome to participate. Chapel time includes a structured service mimicking the adult service with added time for discussion focusing on Scripture/Gospel readings. Chapel will begin for the year on Sunday, September 18.
Youth News
The young teens had another successful and mind-altering experience on the mission trip to Rosebud Indian Reservation in South Dakota this past June. We look forward to continuing our relationship with them, as well as with the youth from St. John's in the Wilderness and Calvary Episcopal. Youth will meet the second Sunday of every month following the 10:30 a.m. service. We will focus on outreach while having fun fellowship! Any young people ages 10 and up are welcome to attend!
Rally Sunday!!
Please come to help kick off our year on Sunday September 11. We will have our annual balloon procession, bagpipe player and lawn games following the second service. See you there!
by Patty Dittrich
Parish Administrator /
Alexander McIntosh
10101 Cedar Lake Rd. Apt. 188
Hopkins, MN 55343
Amanda Turgeant
4232 32nd Ave. S.
Minneapolis, MN 55406-3316
Shannon Engel/Dan Westlund
7833 Cambridge St.
St. Louis Park, MN 55426-4305
Yosef Hunter
711 Felicity St., New Orleans, LA 70130
Phone: 504-900-1114
BALLOONS, BANNERS& A BAGPIPER:
RALLY DAY AT ST. GEORGE’S!
by Randy Egan, Organist/Choirmaster /
Yipes! Me thinks I hear a bagpiper practicing! Is it really possible that summer is winding down and September looms? How swiftly pass the soft days of summer. New duties are upon us as the more vigorous rhythm of autumn approaches.
At St. George’s, it is our tradition to mark the start of the “church year” with a jubilant Festival Service—celebrating the resumption of duties of choir, Sunday School and other St. George’s organizations. Do highlight Sunday, September 11, on your calendar, for this lively and colorful event. Balloons, banners, children, musicians—all led by a kilted bagpiper, will raise the rafters at St. George’s with a joyful noise!
This is a feisty occasion to reach out and invite in. Do you think YOU could invite a friend, a neighbor, or family member to come to church on September 11? At St. George’s, we have much to give away—but we must first invite! Take the initiative!
ST. GEORGE’SCHOIR RESUMES
by Randy Egan, Organist/Choirmaster /
St. George’s Choir resumes rehearsals and service leadership on Rally Day, September 11, 9 a.m., in the Rehearsal Room. We have TOO MANY empty chairs and would love to fill them with new singers! Consider yourself welcome—you will be overwhelmed with appreciation.
But first, we must keep our strength up, so must eat: our annual Choir Potluck Party is scheduled for FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 6 p.m., at the home of Randy Egan, 2024 Kenwood Parkway, Minneapolis. If you are a singer, do please consider coming over. We would love to have you. Any questions, please call Randy at 612-377-4450.
2 Ella Cruz 17 Rachel Holbach
Harper Malone Brianna Rousselow
7 Ravi Norman 19 Nancy Taylor
10 Mike Milligan 21 Gloria Monroe Johnson
11 Camille Schroeder Claire Holbach
12 Fr. Daniel Pearson 23 Devin Snyders
13 Harold Morgan 25 Julian Mejia
16 Kathie Brown 27 Jill Burns
THANK YOUby Patty Dittrich
Parish Administrator /
• Carole Leonard, Kitty Reese and Bill Stromberg for volunteering in the office when I was on vacation.
• Geri Alberg, Carole Leonard and Bill Stromberg for weeding, dead-heading and trimming the flowers and bushes in the garden areas of St. Georges.
• Camille Schroeder and all of her wonderful volunteers who worked with the STEP Back-to-School project. It is amazing how many supplies they get packaged up and ready for distribution to needy students in St. Louis Park.
• Laura Harmon and Carole Leonard for all the extra work they are taking on as wardens during this transition time.
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY PATTY DITTRICH! /The parish of St. George’s would like to extend a Happy Anniversary to Patty Dittrich, our Parish Administrator, on her 22nd year working for our church.
Thank you, Patty, for all you do for all of us.
St. George’s Newsletter September 2016 Page 4
Calendar of Events – September 2016
1 / 2
Office closed / 3
4
8 am – HE, Rite I
9:15 am – Sunday Forum
10:30 am – HE, Rite II / 5
Labor Day
Office closed / 6 / 7
11 am – Bible Study
(PH)
6:30-8:30 pm –
MAP team meeting at Perspectives,
St. Louis Park / 8
6:30 pm – AA(LL) / 9 / 10
11 – Rally Sunday
8 am - Rite I
9 am – Choir Rehearsal
9:15 a.m. – Sunday Forum
10:30 am – HE, Rite II
2nd Sunday/2nd Offering / 12
6 p.m. - Staff mtg. / 13
2-4 p.m.: Grief Support Group / 14
11 am – Bible Study
(PH)
7-8:30 pm – (PH) Discovery & Discernment Team / 15
DAYD
6:30 pm – AA (LL) / 16
DAYD / 17
18
8 am - Rite I
9 am - Choir
9:15 a.m. – Sunday Forum
10:30 am – HE, Rite II
Children’s Chapel
11:30 am- Welcoming Committee / 19
7 pm - Vestry / 20 / 21
11 am – Bible Study
(PH)
7-8:30 pm – (PH) Discovery & Discernment Team / 22
6:30 pm – AA (LL) / 23 / 24
25
8 am – HE, Rite I
9 am – 3 pm: Safe Church Training (CEB)
9 am – Choir
9:15 a.m. – Sunday Forum
10:30 am – HE, Rite II / 26 / 27
2-4 p.m.: Grief Support Group / 28
11 am – Bible Study
(PH)
7-8:30 pm – (PH) Discovery & Discernment Team / 29
6:30 pm – AA (LL) / 30
Key: HE – Holy Eucharist CEB – Christian Education Building
LL – Library Lounge
PH – Parish Hall
DAYD –Dinner at Your Door / ST. GEORGE’S OFFICE HOURS
CHANGE ON SEPT. 5, 2016
9 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. – Monday thru Friday
Ministers of the Eucharistic Assembly
September 2016
September 4Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost / September 11
Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost / September 18
Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost / September 25
Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost
Readings / Deuteronomy 30:15-20
Psalm 1
Philemon 1-21
Luke 14:25-33 / Exodus 32:7-14
Psalm 51:1-11
1 Timothy 1:12-17
Luke 15:1-10 / Jeremiah 8:18-9:1
Psalm 113
1 Timothy 2:1-7
Luke 16:1-13 / Amos 6:1a, 4-7
Psalm 146
1 Timothy 6:6-19
Luke 16:19-31
Lectors / Mary Kuhfeld
Mary Poulsen
Kristin Malone / Karen Marie Cherry
Steve Harvala
Marion Miller
Jim Jenkins / Maraline Keeling
Lindsay Benjamin
Mary Weekes / Marilyn Clark
Karen Hurlbert
Kathie Brown
Cyprian Troyer
Chalice / Mary Kuhfeld
Alan Poulsen
Kristin Malone / Steve Harvala
Kathie Brown
TBD / Maraline Keeling
Amanda Norman
Leslie O’Donnell / Karen Hurlbert
Cyprian Troyer
Kathie Brown
Ushers
8 a.m.
10:30 a.m. / Ron Erickson
Ron Holbach
Bill Stromberg
Don Janke / Ron Holbach
Scott Clark
Tom Zaun
Lou Michelich / Bruce Becker
Ron Erickson
Jane Jacobson
Bob Jones / Bruce Becker
Ron Holbach
Tom Zaun
Lindsay Benjamin
Acolytes: / Ian Rash / Richard Norman
Ian Rash
Harper Malone / Calista Snyders / Harper Malone
Coffee Hour:
8 a.m.
10:30 a.m. / Ron Holbach
Karen Hurlbert
Don Janke
Patricia Janke / Holbach family
John Carlson
Jane Carlson / Betty Bauer
Alan Poulsen
Mary Poulsen / Carole Leonard
Geri Alberg
Bob Jones
Bonnie Jones
A LETTER FROM DEACON EILEEN
/ Dear St. George’s Friends,
I cannot possibly thank you enough for the wonderful send off, Sunday, July 31. I have immense gratitude for all that you did for me—the party, kind words, beautiful dalmatic, and check. Those gifts touched me beyond words. Know this, wearing the dalmatic will remind me of the love and grace that you have given me. It is a symbol of your faith, and will always remind me of St. George’s. I take you with me. I treasure it deeply.
Sometimes the thought of leaving St. George’s literally took my breath away. All the years I have enjoyed with you, so full of laughter, joy, tears, love, prayers and learning. I have tears when I think of all the dear people that I have come to love and cherish deeply. Big sigh, my friends. Thank you for all that you are, all that you do, all that you will continue to be.
My heart is full of gratitude for my years at St. George’s, most particularly, the past three years with the privilege of serving as a deacon in the parish that raised me up. Now, you send me forth to continue doing the work that God has called me to do.
The future for St. George’s is bright. You are such a strong, welcoming, praying, and faith-filled community. Oh, the wondrous possibilities that await you.
Peace and love, and my deepest, most heartfelt, soul-filled thanks.
Eileen
St. George’s Newsletter September 2016 Page 7
About St. George’s
5224 Minnetonka Boulevard