the chronicler - christ church spotsy · 5/7/2013 · ruth feltner...
TRANSCRIPT
The Chronicler May 2017 Spotsylvania, VA
The Secret Work of Winter
In his video titled, “A Celtic Pilgrimage,” which will be the basis for our parish retreat at
Shrine Mont this year, poet and spiritual writer John O’Donohue says, “Spring is born out of the
cold, dead heart of winter. Spring is the secret work of winter.”
During winter what we see around us appears to be dead. Except for a few early
tantalizing signs of spring, such as crocuses or daffodils, the cold months offer us nothing of
hope or vitality. When the buds and leaves begin to burst forth, we realize that there has indeed
been secret work going on, underground and in the heart of the trees. The beauty comes from a
mysterious place that is inexorably connected to the cold and seemingly dead of winter. Without
winter’s long sleep spring’s new birth doesn’t take place.
The Christian concept of death and resurrection follows this natural order in a way.
Without the cross and the tomb, we never get to Easter and the resurrection. This truth is not
only for the end of our lives. It rings true in the seasons of our lives as well. Often, when we
feel that there is nothing happening, when we long for spiritual comfort or certainty but find
none, we miss the fact that God is doing “secret work” within us or around us, preparing us for a
blossoming that will make us forget the difficult time.
The familiar words of Psalm 23 remind us, “Though I walk through the valley of the
shadow of death, I shall fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort
me.” When you find yourself in a dry time or a cold, dead season of your life, keep the faith.
Remember that God never abandons you, and that springtime will arrive with its explosion of life
and new possibilities. Hold the beauty of spring—its colors, smells, and sounds—in your heart
as you walk through the valleys.
Finally, remember that there is nothing you or I could do to make spring come earlier, or
for that matter to prevent spring from coming. The robin will return. The forsythia will bloom.
The dogwood will blossom. No matter what we do or don’t do spring will come. Winter does
its secret work, just as God does his secret work in our souls. We cannot stop either of them.
We cannot stop them, but we can miss them. We can stay inside and deny the spring the
satisfaction of our lifted spirit. By the same token, we can turn our back on the resurrection work
that God does and miss the new life that is freely offered.
So open your window and drink in the spring. Open your heart and celebrate that little
bud that God has brought forth from the darkness, that little hope of life, community, love, place
and future.
THE MISSION OF CHRIST CHURCH is to bring all persons to the saving
knowledge of Jesus Christ through Word, Sacraments, and instruction, as taught through the Episcopal tradition, that all
may know the joy and grace of faith, and
to share that grace through outreach.
MAY 2017 LAY MINISTERS SCHEDULE
Lector Chalice Bearer Acolytes Ushers Altar Guild Nursery
May 7 OFFICIANT MaginTeam
8:00 Calib Garland, 1st Reader
Tricia Smelter, 2nd Reader
Deacon Margaret Frank Carosella
10:30 Roy Smith, 1st Reader
Tim Watts, 2nd Reader
OFFICIANT
Deacon Margaret
Hunter Clifford
Hannah Clifford
Judy O’Neill
Bob McGann
Molly Watts
May 14 Wieland Team
8:00 Beth Goshin
Deacon Margaret
Calib Garland
10:30 Martha Clark Penny Knepp
Kristi Gross
Tate Mattive
Rachel Stockli
Chloe Stockli
Hank Mausolf
Frank Carosella
Heidi Mills
May 21 Williams Team
8:00 Dana Houck
Edd Houck Joseph L. Ilk
10:30 Marilyn Greene
Joe Junod
Werner Wieland
Stephen Wallach
Lilly Wallach
Aaron Packard
Bob Massey
Ron Magin
Erin Senters
May 28 Magin Team
8:00 Joseph L. Ilk
Deacon Margaret Calib Garland
10:30 Ann Woolford
Linda Rooney
Tim Watts
Emma Ayers-Brown
Alli Ayers-Brown
Ian Gibson
Frank Stewart
Werner
Wieland
McKenzie Goldberg
You are responsible for finding your own replacement in the event that you cannot serve when scheduled. If you are serving as a Lector/Chalicist
and unable to find one, please contact Penny Knepp at [email protected] or 891-6299 and she will assist you. Notify parish office of
replacement(s).
Choir Director
Denise Gregory
Organist Hannah Massey
Secretary Ruth Feltner
Newsletter Coordinator Ruth Feltner
Christ Episcopal Church 8951 Courthouse Road
Spotsylvania, Virginia 22553
Phone (540) 582-5033
www.christchurchspotsy.com
Rector
The Reverend Jeffrey A. Packard
Deacon The Rev. Margaret Haight
Vestry Senior Warden
Linda Wieland
Jr. Warden
Bob McGann
Treasurer
Mary Williams
Asst Treasurer
Linda Smith
Register
Martha Clark
Members
Bill Butler
Martha Clark
David Fagiano
Gregory Hall
Joe Junod
Jim Kenkel
Bob McGann
Sue Roberts
Linda Wieland
A Warm Welcome:
In April we welcomed Renee Jiron of Virginia Heritage who attended our 10:30
service; also, Carl Cleaton of Fredericksburg who attended our Easter Vigil and
Bobbe Spicer of Spotsylvania who attended our Easter Sunday service. Finally,
on Palm Sunday, we were pleased to welcome our newest member, Frank
Doerrbecker, and his family, Joshua, Steven, and Charlotte Parks. Thank you,
Frank, for sharing this special service with your family.
With Deepest Sympathy:
To a dear parishioner, Margaret Little, on the recent passing of her brother, Thad
Goodwyn who resided in Tennessee. “May his soul and the souls of all the
departed by the Mercy of God, rest in peace.”
MAY 2017
CHRONICLER
MAY 2017
05/02 Brian Howell
05/06 Michelle Ruth
05/06 Jack Lord II
05/07 Alison Bareford
05/07 Velyn Beall
05/08 Sean Mills
05/09 Judi O’Neill
05/10 Missie Jarman
05/10 Angela Wienckowski
O5/12 Gavin Smith
05/12 Andrew Smith
05/14 Ellen Johnson
05/16 Pat Clark
05/16 Bill Sides
05-18 Mary Griffin
05/20 Colby Clifford
05/21 Susan Frank
05/21 David Packard
5/23 Cherie Houck
5/24 Jo Christensen
5/25 Hannah Massey
5/26 Joan Gurniak
5/27 Sue Ann Thomas
5/28 Anne Williams
5/29 Werner Wieland
5/29 Matthew LeBlanc
5/31 Lish Garnett
From the Christ Church Youth Group: A hearty and sincere thanks to all who donated the
filled plastic Easter eggs for our children’s egg hunt on Easter Day as well as the “Easter Bunnies” who
hid the eggs. Your time and generosity was truly appreciated. A fun time was had by all!
Let Us Know Who’s Graduating ~
If any of you have graduating seniors in high school, college or some other educational/training
program, please notify Jill Bates, [email protected] or the parish office,
[email protected] and give us the name of the young adult, school graduating from and
accomplishments while in school, as well as future plans.
We will not only celebrate them in the next (Summer) edition of the Chronicler but after naming them
all in the 10:30 service on June 11, the Education Commission will honor them at “Senior/Education
Sunday” during Fellowship in the Great Hall. Also being honored at that time will be our Sunday
School/Nursery and Youth Group volunteers. An advance hearty congratulations to all!
The young mother set her foot on the path of life.
“Is this the long way?” she asked.
And the guide said: “Yes, and the way is hard. And you will be old before you reach the end of it. But the
end will be better than the beginning.” But the young mother was happy, and she would not believe that
anything could be better than these years.
So she played with her children, and gathered flowers for them along the way, and bathed them in the clear
streams; and the sun shone on them, and the young mother cried, “Nothing will ever be lovelier than this.”
Then the night came, and the storm, and the path was dark, and the children shook with fear and cold, and
the mother drew them close and covered them with her mantle, and the children said, “Mother, we are not
afraid, for you are near, and no harm can come.”
And the morning came, and there was a hill ahead, and the children climbed and grew weary, and the mother
was weary. But at all times she said to the children, “A little patience and we are there.” So the children
climbed and when they reached the top they said, “Mother, we would not have done it without you.”
And the mother, when she lay down at night looked up at the stars and said, “This is a better day than the
last, for my children have learned fortitude in the face of hardship. Yesterday I gave them courage. Today I
have given them strength.”
And the next day came strange clouds which darkened the earth, clouds of war and hate and evil, and the
children groped and stumbled, and the mother said … “Look up, lift your eyes to the light.” And the
children looked and saw above the clouds an everlasting glory, and it guided them beyond the darkness.
And that night the mother said, “This is the best day of all, for I have shown my children God.”
A Mother’s Walk
A Mother’s Walk (Cont’d)
And the days went on, and the weeks and the months, and the years, and the mother grew old and she was
little and bent.
But her children were tall and strong, and walked with courage. And when the way was rough, they lifted
her, for she was as light as a feather … and at last they came to a hill, and beyond they could see a shining
road and golden gates slung wide.
And the mother said … “I have reached the end of my journey. And now I know the end is better than the
beginning, for my children can walk alone, and their children after them.” And the children said, “You will
always walk with us, Mother, even when you have gone through the gates.”
And they stood and watched her as she went on alone, and the gates closed after her. And they said:
“We cannot see her, but she is with us still. A mother like ours is more than a memory …
she is a living presence.”
Your mother is always with you … She’s the whisper of the leaves as you walk down the street, she’s the
smell of bleach in your freshly laundered socks, she’s the cool hand on your brow when you’re not well.
Your mother lives inside your laughter … And she’s crystallized in every tear drop. She’s the place you
came from, your first home … And she’s the map you follow with every step you take. She’s your first love
and your first heartbreak, and nothing on earth can separate you … not time … not space … not even death!
Author: Temple Bailey
As this newsletter is published, we will have just finished a very busy season ending with our bake and plant
(mostly plants) sale on Saturday, April 29. Our final activity/event for the year will be our trip to Yeocomico
Cople Parish (Episcopal) Church in Kinsale, the oldest church in Westmoreland County. This historic trip
will be on Monday, May 22. It should be interesting, worthwhile, and fun! To entice you, we have
enclosed the history of the church, courtesy of the Internet. Please look it over and if you would like to join
us, meet in the Christ Church parking lot at 8:30 to car pool. However, if you plan to go, please contact
Debbie Garland or Elaine Wyant in advance so they won’t leave without you and they can include you in
the lunch count. The next two months include honoring our graduates and celebrating our Fathers on
Father’s Day. No meetings during the summer months but will resume meeting in September.
EPISCOPAL CHURCH MEN (ECM)
On April 24, nine of our church men met at Scafa’s Italian Restaurant for their monthly meeting. Treasurer
gave the report. Marc Svare reported that he and Kristi Gross planted four beds of beans before the rainy
weather. He plans to plant 2 more beds with beans in a few weeks along with 50-100 tomato plants, squash,
and pepper plants. ECM gave $100 towards the garden materials. A big thanks goes out to the Masseys for
tilling up the area outside the fence where the tomato plants will be planted. The St. Patrick’s Day Dinner
was a huge success, great turnout and a delicious meal was enjoyed by all.
Under new business, there was discussion on several upcoming projects. We decided to meet together as a
group on Saturday, May 6, to plant the tomatoes, squash, etc., at 9 am with lunch to follow after the
planting.
Dates were discussed and set for upcoming events such as the 208 Trail Sale during the first part of
September, the Church Parish Picnic on September 24, the Car Show October 7 and Christmas Parade
December 2. We hope to have and/or sponsor other events for the community throughout the year.
With such a good turnout for the Breakfast Meeting in January, it was decided that we will have at least
another Breakfast Meeting in the future as well as a couple of Dinner Meetings. We will NOT be meeting in
June and July this year. We will start up again in August to prep for the busy months of September and
October.
Our next Luncheon Meeting will be held Monday, May 22, at noon at Scafa’s Restaurant, 10349
Courthouse Rd., across from Giant at Leavells and Courthouse Road.
EPISCOPAL CHURCH WOMEN
(ECW)
Cople Episcopal Parish - Yeocomico Church
Yeocomico Church is located on Rt. 606 between Kinsale and Tucker Hill. Yeocomico Church is the oldest church in Westmoreland County. Originally built in 1655 of oak timbers sheathed with clapboards, the church was rebuilt in 1706 with bricks fired in a nearby kiln.
The church, built in 1706, or almost precisely a hundred years after the first settlement at Jamestown, takes its name from Yeocomico River, flowing into the Potomac and dividing Westmoreland from Northumberland. It stands near the Potomac shaded by trees and protected by a brick wall, the restoration of an old one, which even in 1857, according to Bishop Meade's testimony, was "mouldering away." The church also has been considerably restored, but it remains notable among Virginia Colonial churches for the curious roof lines created by a gentler slope and then a steeper slope in the gable, and for the porch on the T-side of the cross which has the same broken roof lines. The placing of the windows is likewise unusual, and though the general pattern of the brickwork is the regulation Flemish bond and glazed header combination, there is a quaint variation of that pattern in the gable of the porch and, over the door of the porch, an unusual combination of three arches, the top one based on the two lower—suggesting the top of a mullioned window.
Altogether the suggestion of the Gothic is very strong—even if there is also a hint of Strawberry Hill or Queen Anne Gothic. Briefly, while simplicity and dignity are the notes of the typical Virginia Colonial church, quaintness is the keynote of this one. The building seems to have been in a tumble-down condition when the War of 1812 came along, but Meade describes feelingly the acts of desecration committed on it, not by the British this time, but by a detachment of our own men who were watching the British forces in the river. In the good Bishop's words, the baptismal font was "used as a vessel in which to prepare the excitements of ungodly mirth" until it was rescued by a "venerable man of the Presbyterian connection."
Mary Ball, who afterwards married Augustine Washington and became the mother of George, used to attend this church in her girlhood, riding over (on her young dapple gray horse, perhaps) from the home of her guardian, Captain George Eskridge, at Sandy Point nearby. Not far away is the region of Nomini Creek upon which stood Nomini Hall, the seat of Councillor Robert Carter, grandson of the first Robert, called King, where the young Princetonian, Philip Vickers Fithian, was tutor, and delighted among other things in the Councillor's performance upon the harmonica. Nearer Nomini Hall, however—and vanished now like the Hall itself—was Nomini Church which Fithian could see as an agreeable prospect from his bedroom window.
In the neighborhood—on Pope's Creek—was Wakefield where Washington was born, and along Nomini Creek, Bushfield where Washington visited his brother, John Augustine. On Nomini Cliffs above the Potomac still stands Thomas Lee's great house Stratford, now being made into a memorial of Robert E. Lee, who was born there, in right of Light Horse Harry's earlier marriage.
Our usher team is getting a little sparse especially since vacation time is approaching. If you attend
Sunday services anyway, please volunteer to assist by ushering. You are not scheduled every week, and
meeting/greeting and ushering parishioners/guests would only take a few minutes of your time before the
service. Frank Carosella will be more than happy to go over the duties with you. For more information,
contact Frank Carosella at [email protected] or (540) 287-6418.
THRIFT SHOP CORNER ~ Submitted by Linda Wieland
Meet Debbie Burnette, our new Assistant Manager! Debbie is originally from Erie PA, but she has
called Fredericksburg home for 25 years. She is married and has two grown children.
Debbie has held many jobs over the years from Preschool Teacher, Daycare Director, Community
Liaison Officer in Oslo, Norway, Property Manager and Secretary. Her favorite job of all was being the
area supervisor for Brass Ring Carousel Company. Come by and ask her about it.
Debbie discovered our Thrift Shop when looking for a little part-time job. However, she wanted it
to be a job where she was “giving back”. When she came for the first time, she felt that it as an “instant
fit”. She is a hard worker, wonderful with our clients, and always has a smile on her face. When asked
what she likes best about our Thrift Shop, she replied, “the people”. Please drop in and introduce
yourself.
How Can YOU Help at the Thrift Shop? (1) work at the register (training provided);
(2) organization of merchandise; (3) organizing/creating new displays; (4) pricing merchandise; (5) price
checking throughout shop; (6) Mr/Ms. “Fix-It”; (7) hospitality/visiting with customers; (8) Help with
recruiting new volunteers…and more!
To make it run, we need a minimum of 40 volunteers each month. Ideally, we’d like to have 2
volunteers for each shift. The three hours go by so quickly and you will cherish the fellowship. Please
prayerfully consider giving just three hours of your time to give back to the community. You will be
welcomed with open arms.
Marriage Vow Renewal Opportunity
If you are celebrating a landmark wedding anniversary, or would just like to renew the vows that bind you
to one another, you may renew your wedding vows during one of the Sunday services. This would be
available any time of year, but we advertise it during the summer just because so many anniversaries are
during the summer months. Just speak to Father Packard if you are interested or have any questions about
the renewal of marriage vows.
LOOKING FOR A FEW
MEN AND WOMEN!
8:00am RAAI, ASH
8:30am Morning Prayer
318:00am RAAI, ASH
8:30am Morning Prayer
30MEMORIAL DAY-OFFICE CLOSED
7:00pm Boy Scout Troop 165
298:00am HE Rite 1
9:15am Christian Ed. 10:30am HE Rite II
11:45am Fellowship, GH
28
278:00am RAAI, ASH
8:00pm AA Mtg
268:00am RAAI, ASH
8:30am Morning Prayer
10:30am Quilters, ASH #8
258:00am RAAI, ASH
8:30am Morning Prayer
248:00am RAAI, ASH
8:30am Morning Prayer
10:00am Food Pantry, ASH
238:00am RAAI, ASH
8:30am ECW to Yeocomico Church
8:30am Morning Prayer
12:00pm ECM Mtg/Luncheon, Scafa's Rest.
7:00pm Boy Scout Troop 165
228:00am HE Rite 1
9:15am Christian Ed. 10:30am HE Rite II
11:45am Fellowship, GH
21
208:00am RAAI, ASH
8:00pm AA Mtg
198:00am RAAI, ASH
8:30am Morning Prayer
10:30am Quilters, ASH #8
188:00am RAAI, ASH
8:30am Morning Prayer
7:00pm Youth Group Mtg, ASH #6/7
178:00am RAAI, ASH
8:30am Morning Prayer
168:00am RAAI, ASH
8:30am Morning Prayer
7:00pm Boy Scout Troop 165
158:00am HE Rite 1
9:15am Christian Ed. 10:30am HE Rite II
11:45am Fellowship, GH
14
138:00am RAAI, ASH
8:00pm AA Mtg
128:00am RAAI, ASH
8:30am Morning Prayer
10:30am Quilters, ASH #8
7:00pm Vestry Meeting, ASH #8
118:00am RAAI, ASH
8:30am Morning Prayer
7:00pm Outreach Mtg, ASH #8
108:00am RAAI, ASH
9:00am Food Pantry Morning Prayer, GH
10:00am Food Pantry, ASH
6:00pm Sunlight Garden Club, ASH #6,7
98:00am RAAI, ASH
8:30am Morning Prayer
7:00pm Boy Scout Troop 165
88:00am MP Rite 1
9:15am Christian Ed. 10:30am MP Rite II
11:45am Fellowship, GH
7
6Shrine Mont 5-7
8:00am RAAI, ASH
8:00pm AA Mtg
58:00am RAAI, ASH
8:30am Morning Prayer
10:30am Quilters, ASH #8
48:00am RAAI, ASH
8:30am Morning Prayer
7:15pm Choir Rehearsal
38:00am RAAI, ASH
8:30am Morning Prayer
28:00am RAAI, ASH
8:30am Morning Prayer
7:00pm Boy Scout Troop 165
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Christ Church May 2017