September 2016 St. Clarian Newsletter

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Dear Ones,

It's September and there is nothing we can do to roll the clock back to a glorious summer, so let’s embrace our present.

I give thanks for a glorious summer at St Clare’s, led by a gifted new clergyperson, Jessie Gutgsell, whose charisms for ministry are to bless us and multiply our giftedness in the Lord. The summer worship schedule worked fabulously, and the sign up process inspires the staff to want, four times a year, to have a couple of weeks of “sign up season,” to simplify on-line and at church signing up for various roles in our Sunday worship and fellowship. We will with the help of folks who follow up and communicate with people in such roles, gracefully transition in this way going forward.

My summer time on Beaver Island was renewing. I read a lot, sailed a lot, swam a lot, sang a lot, deepened relationships there, and enjoyed family. Notable among my reading was the large book by Ben Bernanke, The Courage to Act, and Valiant Ambition, by Nathaniel Philbrick, a great book about the struggles of George Washington and the betrayal of his most gifted field officer, Benedict Arnold. I learned a new understanding of the nature of the struggle for independence, which surprised this former history teacher who had a Masters in American History.

In August the Endowment Board event at Jessie and Joe’s house was wonderful, and the rain stopped at the exact right moment. The Beverage Selection Event August 13th was also very successful and sets us up in September for the next two steps that support our Outreach Ministry efforts locally, and in Haiti. The first piece is familiar, we sell fantastic varieties of wines by the case, chosen by our own discriminating wine-drinkers at the August 13th event. During the whole month of September, you can submit a “bid sheet” to obtain wine on the official with the state 24 hours of our liquor license on Sept. 30th. For some among us alcohol has been a problem and we are not promoting drinking for those who are led to abstain.

But if you are going to buy wine to use or give away in the coming year, this is your chance, at a great price, to get a great variety of wines and instead of the profit going to area businesses, your purchase supports the salary of an outstanding dentist, doctor, pharmacist, and lab technicians in our clinic in Mirebalais, Haiti, run by St Pierre’s Episcopal Church, Mirebalais. So be a spiritual investor, and enjoy the wine, and our service in the poorest country in the western hemisphere.

Opening up to new promising things requires more or less from each of us. I hope you and any group you are part of in September will decide how, by contacting coordinator and vestry member Sue Evett, your group can be part of making happen our Saturday afternoon October 8th Festival and FUNdraiser for outreach ministries;-think the Temple Purim festival if you have ever been. Sue can be reached at sevett@internet2.edu; or 678-4121. If we all take part in some way in making it happen, the whole parish will celebrate together, and fund our service to others in grand style.

If you are a political worrier and somewhat spiritual, there is a free on-line course designed by Episcopalians to sign up for soon, Bridging the Political Divide. You can learn more about it, and register by clicking this link before September 20th:

New things in the kingdom of God, or the political life of our country, come amidst anxiety on occasion, and fear; and hope, love, and creativity. I hope this fall we will help one another move toward the light of God’s new day, and abide in faith, hope, and love.

NEWS AND EVENTS

THE ROCK SLINGER AND HIS GREATEST HIT: Join us on Friday, September 2, at 4 p.m. for a performance by our Music Theater Church Camp participants. The story of David and Goliath comes alive in a fresh new way in this exciting, humorous, and powerful musical. Admission is FREE.

LIFT EVERY VOICE! Adult choir rehearsals begin for the year on Thursday, September 8, at 7 p.m. in the sanctuary. No auditions required! Contact John Goodell (john@saintclareschurch.org) for more information, or just show up.

ACOLYTE TRAINING / REFRESHER: Please mark your calendar for a refresher / training session for all senior acolytes, junior acolytes, and torchbearers on Tuesday, September 20. Families are invited to a pizza supper at 5:30 that evening in the social hall, followed by training at 6 p.m. in the sanctuary. A reminder and RSVP instructions will follow closer to the date.

GENESIS MOVIE NIGHT: The Genesis’ Joint Events committee cordially invites you to participate in a film night on Saturday September 17th at 7:00 pm in the social hall. We will be viewing 2 award winning short films: “Then I Came by Boat”, a moving and powerful story of a Vietnamese refugee’s journey to Australia, and “Afghan”, an artistic and poignant response to a racial hate act. Both films will augment our on-going refugee settlement efforts. A moderator will facilitate a discussion following the viewing of the films. Popcorn, snacks and refreshments will be served. Free admission, but please rsvp at http://evite.me/MMwhKMvMdF for a rough count. Please e-mail coleen.slosberg@gmail.com or rachidh482@gmail.com with any questions.

GENESIS 40TH ANNIVERSARY TREE BLESSING: It was an exquisite Sunday evening in June when all in attendance at this year’s Genesis Annual Meeting gathered outside the social hall on the front lawn to witness Rabbi Bob Levy and the Rev. James Rhodenhiser blessing a 12-foot tall Paper Bark Maple. Commemorating the Genesis 40th Anniversary, this exceptional tree was planted as a symbol of both the birth and enduring growth of our Genesis relationship. We hope you’ll take a moment to visit the tree and read the bronze plaque inscribed with “The Shared Vision of the Genesis Partner Congregations”, adopted as part of the Genesis Covenant Renewal approved on June 18, 2015. Thank you to the many generous donors from both congregations who supported this project with their contributions.

WINE SALE (ORDER DEADLINE SEPTEMBER 25): Based on selections identified in August at a Wine Tasting event, we are offering a range of wine options – including a mixed case (half red & half white), a mixed white-only case, and a mixed red-only case – for both members of the parish and their friends & neighbors! Many of these wines are not available in stores and/or limited to restaurants in the state so this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. The suggested cost of each case includes a donation to the Haiti Outreach Mission. This sale generates a significant portion of the funds we use to support the medical clinic and local services in Mirebalais. Please consider participating this year and – if you know friends or neighbors who might be interested – reach out to them, as well. Thank you in advance!

SILENT AUCTION DONATIONS NEEDED: Our 2016 Silent Auction is coming up, and we hope you are able and willing to donate items this year. The silent auction raises several thousand dollars each year for outreach projects, including the mission work in our adopted Haiti as well as for charitable organizations in Washtenaw County (including the Back Door Food Pantry). Thank you in advance for considering donating to support this effort! To make a donation, please complete and submit this on-line form: www.surveymonkey.com/r/TSYSHWB. For more details about our involvement with the Haiti Outreach Mission (HOM), see www.saintclareschurch.org/haiti.

THE ENDOWMENT BOARD INVITES PROPOSALS FOR FUNDING:
The mission of the Saint Clare of Assisi Episcopal Church Endowment Fund is to acquire and administer funds for the congregation to extend its abiding vitality and ministries beyond what can be accomplished through an annual budget. The Endowment Fund provides St. Clarians and friends the opportunity to extend the reach of the Saint Clare’s philosophy and impact upon its members and the community.

Each year the Endowment Board invites the Vestry, church committees and church members to submit project requests for funding. The types of items funded are items not covered by the church budget. Typically they are onetime expenditures, items that do not require on going funding. Examples of recent purchases are the bouncy house, tone chimes, chapel refurbishment, warming cabinet (for plates), landscaping for the Wisdom house, handicap automated door openers for the front door, cell phone transmitters for the lower level, two storage cabinets for the church school, a Bun coffee brewer & pots for hospitality and a contribution to the Habitat for Humanity project.

The proposals should contain the following information:

Overview of the project
Aims of the project
Specific plans for the project
Budget and timeline for the expected expenditures
Significance to the parish
Has any group within St. Clare’s already considered the proposal and endorsed or declined to endorse it?
Is there any financial support for the project from other groups or individuals in the Parish?

Name of contact person

The proposals may be submitted to any Endowment Board member. The current members are Christopher Ballard, Ken Cook, Macdonald Dick, Judie Erb, Barry Fuller, John Little and John Sampselle.

The submission deadline is September 30, 2016. To read more about the endowment fund, visit www.saintclareschurch.org/endowment.

MINISTRY TO CHILDREN AND FAMILIES

CHURCH SCHOOL STARTS ON SEPTEMBER 11: The beginning of the Church school year is right around the corner! Mark your calendars for the first day of Church School for children two-years-old (currently) through 5th grade. Church School begins at 10:15 am on September 20th. If you have any questions, please contact Xan Morgan (xan@saintclareschurch.org).

THE 411 ON CHURCH SCHOOL

2- and 3-year-olds aka Explorers
Calling all little tykes – it is time to EXPLORE! We use a Montessori based curriculum, Godly Play to explore God’s goodness throughout the year. Time is spent hearing a story, wondering about the story, responding to the story, and then having a feast (snack)! Our teachers for this class are Cecilia Cooper, Jessica Fleming, Wendy Hatem Eliza Nuxoll and Noah Walters.

4-year-olds through Kindergarten aka Wonderers
We use a Montessori based curriculum, Godly Play to explore God’s goodness throughout the year. Time is spent hearing a story, wondering about the story, responding to the story, and then having a feast (snack)! Our teachers this year are Julia Cooper, Hallie Dykstra, Emma Walters, Matt Walters and Knut Hill.

1st & 2nd Graders
The first through second graders will be using Living the Good News, a lectionary based curriculum as they grow in faith this year. Each Sunday’s lesson will connect with the readings we have heard in church. Our teachers are Erik Bond, Rob LaMoreaux, Melissa Pinsky and Cathy Stone.

3rd-5th Graders
The third through fifth graders will use a curriculum written by St. Clare’s staff, The Story of the Christian People. They will spend time acting, singing, praying and creating as they learn about the growth of the Christian faith among different peoples around the world. The line up of teachers: Anne Thomas, Larry Vandenberg and Celeste Weissinger.

ARE YOU A PARENT OF A 2-YEAR-OLD THROUGH KINDERGARTEN?
If you answered yes, you are invited to attend Godly Play: A Parent’s Perspective on Sunday, September 18th during our normal church school time (10:15-11:00 am). This gathering is for parents of children who are attending our Godly Play church school classrooms. You will get a taste of what the Montessori Godly Play experience is all about and what our heart and vision is for the child(s) experience in the classroom. You will receive more information by email about our Godly Play: A Parent’s Perspective gathering.

STORYSONG:
Tuesdays from 5:00-5:30 pm, all children (birth-preschool) and their parents are invited to join Xan Morgan and Charlotte DeVries for a time of listening to stories, praying and singing together. Children’s Choir happens simultaneously for elementary aged children. Our StorySong choir will lead us in worship by singing in church regularly. As your child’s primary faith former, this time will equip you with ways to talk about God with your little ones. Following Story Song and Children’s Choir we will have a pizza dinner and time to play outside.

SUNDAY MORNING WORSHIP SCOOP FOR FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN:
Jesus welcomed children and encouraged us to welcome them in his name. We take our baptismal promise seriously to nurture all children committed to our care. We believe that the body of Christ in worship is incomplete without them. The presence of children is essential for both the full congregation and for the children themselves because worship is one of the basic ways in which people of any age learn what it means to be Christian.

In order to help your children (and you!) feel comfortable in worship, we have Peaceful Packs available for children in three different developmental stages. The goal of these bags is to help our youngest children enjoy being in the space while playing with quiet materials. For preschoolers, we hope that the activities will help them have fun while engaging in worship a little more than before. And lastly, we’ll have bags for early-elementary students. These bags have activities that invite them to respond to what they are hearing and seeing in worship.

The rack of Peaceful Packs is in the Sanctuary. Children are invited to take a bag at the beginning of worship. When they are ready for new activities, we ask that the kids put the activities back into the Peaceful Pack and return it to the rack to pick out a new one. Please help your children practice using the materials in a way that will help them last for them and their friends in worship.

In the Peaceful Packs you will also find tips for parents to help your kids engage in worship. We want you and your kids to feel comfortable worshipping in the space. Here is a little info about two of our services.

9:00 service: Children are welcome to move in the space. Some parents feel more comfortable having their children walk in socks or slippers, this is of course fine with us. Adjacent to the sanctuary is the family room. This room is available during all services as a space for children to play with parent supervision in the room. There is a speaker dial on the wall that allows you to listen to the worship service.

10:30 service: Children (2yrs-5th grade) are in Church School for the first half of the 10:30 service. They return after the sermon and before the Peace, just slightly after 11:00. During this service we have a staffed nursery. The nursery is for babies through three year olds. You’ll find the nursery room one flight down from the main floor, in room 3. Adjacent to the sanctuary is the family room; it is available during all services as a space for children to play with parent supervision in the room. There is a speaker dial on the wall that allows you to listen to the worship service.

YOUTH/YOUNG ADULT MINISTRY

SUMMER 2017 PILGRIMAGE: We have an exciting year ahead of us with St. Clare’s Youth Ministry. As in years past, St. Clare’s youth will be planning and raising funds for a pilgrimage in the summer of 2017. This pilgrimage will shape much of our programming for the year to come. In addition we’ll have regular youth group meetings on Sundays (time TBD) and a monthly overnight lock-ins at the church. Please find the calendar for September below, and also please make note of special events that are coming up in the months to come. Have questions? Contact Jessie at jessie@saintclareschurch.org.

YOUNG ADULT NEWS: Are you a young adult (roughly aged 18-40 years old) at St. Clare’s? Are you looking for more fellowship and community? Then look no further! We have a new ministry underway at St. Clare’s that aims to build community with the young adults of our church. We had a kick-off potluck barbecue in August at Jessie and Joe’s home in Ypsi (see photo), and more events are in the works now. We’ll gather for fellowship and prayer at least once a month, but perhaps more. Stay tuned for more information and contact Jessie at jessie@saintclareschurch.org with questions or comments.

FELLOWSHIP AND GROWTH

FOOD FOR THE SOUL LUNCH: Twice a month (1st and 3rd Thursdays) we'll have a Food for the Soul catered luncheon at 12:45 pm following our mid-day worship at noon. We hope you are able to join us for this time of fellowship. To RSVP for each meal, please go to www.saintclareschurch.org/foodforthesoul. Suggested donation is $7/person to cover the cost of the food. Connect with Ann Putallaz or Xan Morgan if you have questions.

NO FRILLS BIBLE STUDY: On September 17, we’ll begin a Bible study that builds what we learned in Disciples. We’ll meet on 1st and 3rd Saturdays, 10 a.m. to noon, and begin with the Old Testament by reading and discussing Introduction to the Hebrew Bible, by John J Collins, Holmes Professor of Old Testament Criticism and Interpretation at Yale Divinity School. It comes with a handy study guide. If you’re interested, contact Barbara Scoville, 734-945-7938, bescoville@gmail.com.

BECOMING DISCIPLES THROUGH BIBLE STUDY: We will begin studying the New Testament in September and welcome new members to join our great group which meets 8 to 10 a.m. on 1st and 3rd Saturdays. Please contact James (james@saintclareschurch.org) if you are interested.

ONE HUMAN FAMILY: As you may remember or have seen, St. Clare’s and Temple Beth Emeth have joined together to display a banner with the words “One Human Family” in the front of our building. This banner campaign “exists to broadcast voices of compassion towards refugees and Muslims, voices which have recently been eclipsed in media by fear-motivated speech. This campaign is designed specifically for houses of worship and moral learning in order to demonstrate that our community’s many traditions and systems of belief favor hospitality over hostility, love over hate” (1humanfamily.org). In August, under the leadership of Christine Modey, St. Clare’s gathered after worship to take a photo with the banner to help the One Human Family campaign document its success. Still want to know more? Check out this website for more info: www.1humanfamily.org.

OUTREACH AND SERVICE

SIGN UP TO SERVE SUNDAY! Are you interested in taking a leadership role on Sunday mornings at church? We're looking for servant leaders of all types - readers, people to lead prayers, folks to provide coffee hour treats, and more. There will be an opportunity to sign-up for all such opportunities on Sundays September 18th and 25th after church. We'll be scheduling folks through November, and then having a similar sign-up event in a few months. We hope you'll consider being involved with these fun and important ministries. Training and further guidance will be available, so don't hold back if you haven't signed up before.

SERVE AT ALPHA HOUSE: St. Clare’s and TBE will provide volunteers for Alpha House during the week of September 5–11. Volunteers are needed to:

Bring a child friendly dinner for about 25 delivered before 6 p.m.
Serve/eat/play with kids after dinner from 5:30(ish) to 8 p.m.
Extra volunteers are always welcome during playtime from 6:45 to 8 p.m.
Spend the night, from 8:30 p.m. until 7 a.m. A private bedroom is provided!

Sign up at coffee hour, or contact Jeanne Hernandez (jeannehernadez@gmail.com, 971-5357) to volunteer or with any questions.

A NEW APPROACH TO OUTREACH PROGRAM FUNDRAISING: For a dozen years, most of the money raised for St. Clare’s outreach efforts (Haiti, Food Pantry, etc.), was generated through a combination dinner-silent auction-wine sale each fall. This year, we are coordinating several events to broaden community involvement in the Outreach Projects fundraising. We are envisioning three events.

A Wine Tasting that occurred on August 13. This event both raised money for ALL of our Outreach Projects and helped select the wines offered for sale in September.
A Wine Sale in September. As in previous years, cases of wine are sold via pre-orders, which are required by September 25 to raise funds for the Haiti Outreach Mission. This sale raises the bulk of the funds we use to support medical relief in the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere.
An afternoon Festival on October 8. We are working towards having family- and community-friendly activities to encourage more involvement in our outreach projects, raise community awareness, and come together to raise funds to help us in the work for the year to come. Please contact Susan Evett (sevett@internet2.edu) or Xan (xan@saintclareschurch.org) if you’d like to work on this project!

For each of these events, participants will receive tax-donation forms for applicable amounts. Thank you in advance for your (continued) support!

As a child growing up in a non-religious household, I always envied my peers who were members of a church. They had strong ties and connections to people outside of their family or school. People who cared about them, socialized with them, and accepted them as one of their own: a community. And, this showed in how they conducted themselves. There was an extra confidence in the way they interacted with others, a sense that they were rooted or grounded in something unshakeable. So, when the time came that I had my own children, I knew that I would seek out this type of connection, so that they too could grow up rooted in something greater than themselves. I did not, however, expect this connection to lead to service and giving that would create positive changes in my own life.

What began as friendships grown in conversations over pizza after Story Song, or in the midst of long runs during Soles on Fire, or even by the bathroom sinks as we rushed our respective toddlers to and from the toilets during church, soon became a desire to serve those I cherished, and give my support to their community outreach. And, as I began to feel joy in volunteering in the nursery, crafting items for the church school, and donating to workshops and drives, I began to truly understand the meaning of “a servant’s heart” and I started to desire less for myself and more for others. I emptied closets and storage bins, led my children in toy round-ups and donation trips, and asked guests to bring items for the food pantry and refugees instead of gifts to birthdays. We became a family that has less, gives more, and is happier than ever.

CHRIST WILL COME AGAIN: By Bill Tucker
Many thanks to many St. Clarians, who responded honestly and passionately to my question on August 7 about the return of Christ. The diversity in the responses confirms one thing we already know about our church family: we are no slaves to dogma.

The nineteen responses that clearly asserted a belief or question about when Jesus has or will return to earth ranged widely from Christ never having left us to questions about the implied exclusion of others in Christ’s return. And there was no consensus around any one opinion. Here are some samples of the range of beliefs.

Belief: Jesus is and has always been here (4)
Example: “Christ is here. Open your heart to see him around you.”

Belief: Jesus is present in other people (4)
Example: “Christ comes again . . . when we say to all others. ‘The Christ in me recognizes the Christ in you.’”

Belief: Jesus will be returning someday (7)
Example: “Live each day as if today Jesus is coming. Someday it will come to be true.”

Belief: Jesus will come to me at my death (2)
Example: “I think that I will see Christ on the day of my death. I hope he is always living in my heart”

Questions about Jesus returning (2)
Example: “What about Muslims, Buddhists, atheists. How does “Christ will come again” apply to them?”

What I learned in these responses is that our unity in Christ is not built around any dogmatic statements, least of all about His return. It is larger and more inclusive than individual claims or beliefs.

Personally I maintain my father’s sense of expectation of a returning Christ, but I have fewer clear images of what it will look like. And I am not sure what we can learn further from our individual visions of the returning Christ, but I would be glad to explore it if anyone had a goal for a deeper understanding.

PARISH COMMUNITY

DID YOU KNOW?

Peg Ross continues to have health issues that have temporarily made it impossible for Peg and Pete to attend church services. By way of background, Peg was hospitalized for six days in December with a gastrointestinal issue. She was told she probably had a viral infection in her colon and that she would get over it. She didn’t. Now she is no longer strong enough to walk – even with a walker – so she needs somebody with her all the time to facilitate continuing frequent trips to the bathroom. That’s the bad news. The good news is that a recent CT scan revealed a specific area of inflammation in the sigmoid portion of her intestine. She is now scheduled for a sigmoidoscopy in early September that we hope will provide a more specific diagnosis and a path toward recovery. Peg and Pete are infinitely grateful for your prayer support and hope to be able to rejoin you in the sanctuary in the near future.