A Profile of

Messiah-St. Bartholomew Episcopal Church

8255 South Dante Avenue Chicago, Illinois 60619

2013

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Messiah-St. Bartholomew Episcopal Church: An African American Community of Faith

Table of Contents

• Staff and Lay Leadership

• Who We Are

• Our History

• What We Aspire To Achieve

• Our Worship

• Our Ministries

• Our Facilities

• Our Community

• Our Diocese

• Our New Priest

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Staff and Lay Leadership

Mr. Clifford Michael Gale, Senior Warden Mr. Charles M. Routen, Junior Warden The Venerable Elaine Bellis, Archdeacon, Diocese of Chicago Ms. Jihan Murray-Smith, Diaconate Candidate Vestry Mrs. Nadine Beard, Clerk * Mrs. Carolyn Cooper Mrs. Wilma Davis * Mr. Marcus Grace * Mrs. Mary L. Hall Ms. Marjorie Jones * Mrs. Kathleen Powell-Ingram Ms. Donna Strickland * Mrs. Patricia Cornelius - Woods, Treasurer Parish Staff Ms. Jonnetta Benson, Organist Ms. Eleta J. Murray, Parish Administrator Ms. Shirley Williams, Sexton Mr. Lavane Williams, Transportation Ministry Lay Assistant/ Eucharistic Ministers Mrs. Joyce Ewell, Senior Lay Assistant Ms. Aletha Abaryea * Ms. Eleta J. Murray Mr. Donald Smith * Mrs. Yvonne Wells

Messiah-St. Bartholomew Development Center Dr. Doreen Barrett, President Mr. Phillip Mantle, Executive Director

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Who We Are Messiah-St. Bartholomew Episcopal Church is a lay-empowered, predominantly African American congregation of 127 active baptized members with an average Sunday attendance of 53. Though the average age of the congregation is over 50, 26% of those attending regularly are a dedicated group of youth ages 8 to 19. We are a transforming community bound by our faith in Jesus Christ and shared Christian values. We nurture one another through spiritual support and empower each other and the larger community via our outreach ministries. The parish membership is multi-cultural, reflecting the African Diaspora. The doors and ministry of the parish are open to people of all ages, backgrounds and interests. Summary of Church Assessment Tool (C.A.T.) Results Administered July 2012 Most of us see the value of attending church on a regular basis. Sixty-six percent of us have been attending as much or more than we did three years ago. Even so, about half of us describe ourselves as “being on the fence,” regarding our overall satisfaction with Messiah-St. Bartholomew Church. About sixty percent of us see participation in church activities as very meaningful We feel committed to abide by the historic faith as handed down through the Councils of the Church. We think of ourselves as conservative, adaptable and prepared to welcome guests to our worship services. We feel that we are a spiritually vital and prayerful congregation. We also value life-long Christian formation and want our congregation to grow.

Our History Our Parish’s story goes back to the year 1957, in the Englewood neighborhood, on Chicago’s south side. Holy Cross-Immanuel was a mission church in the Diocese of Chicago. Father David Harris, who had also been curate at the Church of St. Edmund King and Martyr, was appointed as vicar to the all-white congregation by Bishop Burrill. Objections were so loud that it became necessary for Bishop Charles L. Street, bishop suffragan, to assert his authority in person to ensure compliance at Father Harris’ first Mass. Father Harris succeeded the Rev. Ivan Smith, who had been preceded by the Rev. White. After Father Harris had secured his placement, more and more black families joined Holy Cross-Immanuel and some white parishioners stayed on. Under his leadership the church grew – thanks to the enthusiasm and commitment of its young post-war families. The bishop of the diocese soon determined that this remarkable and growing mission church should become a self-sustaining parish. Although individual and collective efforts were made by Father Harris and the parishioners, change was on the horizon for this growing church. Bishop Gerald F. Burrill directed that in 1963 Holy Cross-Immanuel would cease to exist and that the congregation would relocate to 6729 S. Stewart, the site of the predominately white St. Bartholomew Church, which was also in the Englewood neighborhood.

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Once again, after Father Harris said his first Mass and each Sunday thereafter, the number of Caucasians became less and dwindled to a small few who attended regularly. Built in the 1880’s, St. Bartholomew was a huge edifice that was once under consideration as cathedral for the diocese. The sale of Holy Cross-Immanuel allowed the congregation to bring funds for the most urgent repairs needed at St. Bartholomew. The new members of St. Bartholomew became devoted to their new church home, as they developed stewardship, scouting and music programs. During Father Harris’ tenure, organist/choirmaster, Rubynn M. English, Jr., served at St. Bartholomew, as he had also done at Holy Cross-Immanuel. Parishioners Adelaide Ward and Isabel Setler were the first women to become members of the vestry. Father David Harris was named Canon for Metropolitan Affairs in 1972. After months of searching, the vestry called the Rev. Charles Grainger to serve as rector of St. Bartholomew. He remained at St. B’s for a little more than two years. There was a succession of supply priests, with the Rev. Stanrod Carmichael staying for the longest period. He made every effort to hold the congregation together. With the decline of tithing members, it became apparent the church would have great difficulty in meeting its financial obligations and other alternatives would have to be investigated. This most desirable and historic church would have to be sold. The Church of the Messiah, located in the community of Avalon Park, was dedicated on January 10, 1926. By 1960, there were only two African American families who attended the church. At that time, Father George Griffin was the rector. Father Robert Taylor succeeded Father Griffin as rector. A few more African American families began to join the church as the neighborhood started making its transition from white to black. As the years progressed, The Church of the Messiah also struggled under financial constraints. The Very Rev. Quinton Primo saw the advantage of bringing The Church of the Messiah and St. Bartholomew together. Under his guidance, talks began about a merger. With the sale of St. Bartholomew, there were sufficient funds to settle obligations and to underwrite repairs needed at The Church of the Messiah. The merger agreement was incorporated in June 1979. Under the rectorship of the newly called Rev. Paul Abernathy, the newly merged churches began the process of growing into one church community. From 1979 to 1983, Father Abernathy guided the church’s growth. He was succeeded by the Rev. Walter L. Bryan from 1983 to 1985. On November 23, 1985, Darryl F. James became the third rector of Messiah-St. Bartholomew, spearheading several special worship services that have become part of our tradition. Most notable among these services is our annual Jazz Mass marking the impending Lenten season. Developing outreach programs for the parish and community, especially in service to children and the homeless, was emphasized during Father James’ tenure. During this period Messiah-St. Bartholomew initiated its P.A.L. Program for developmentally challenged adults, which is now approaching its 25th anniversary. Father James also extended the ministry of Messiah-St. Bartholomew by partnering with other congregations throughout the United States and in other countries, including Haiti, Puerto Rico, South Africa, Sri Lanka. Messiah-St. Bartholomew partnered with Chicago’s All Saints Episcopal Church, in ministering to the people of New Orleans, Louisiana following Hurricane Katrina. Having served over

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twenty-one years, Father James concluded his ministry as rector of Messiah-St. Bartholomew in January 2007. In January 1999, parishioner Elaine Bellis was ordained as deacon of the Episcopal Church. Bishop William Persell appointed her as the Archdeacon of the Diocese of Chicago in 2001, making her the first woman to hold this position. The Venerable Elaine Bellis continues to serve as deacon assistant at Messiah-St. Bartholomew. We feel blessed that we are maintaining our viability as a community of faith in the absence of a rector. We have received interim support from a team of priests, including a period in 2009 to 2010 when the Rev. Richard A. Frontjes served as priest-in-charge. In this time of transition, we have gratefully learned that “lay empowerment” is a benign, yet creative, effective and reliable force that both strengthens us in our spiritual growth and allows us to be more than a “Sunday morning” community.

What We Aspire To Achieve Messiah-St. Bartholomew Episcopal Church recognizes that it is at a key moment of growth and transition. As a spiritually vital and prayerful congregation, we aspire to achieve the following goals.

• Call a new clerical leader who will: o engage people empathetically and provide pastoral care for persons in times of need; o guide us in reaching new members, especially families with children and youth; o lead us in developing our spiritual generosity so as to financially support our ministries; o help us to provide high quality Christian education to every member, regardless of their

age and stage of life.

• Revitalize and grow the music program of the church to deepen our worship experience by: o recruiting a director of music; o incorporating a variety of music genre into the worship; o growing the choir.

• Improve the facilities housing our church community, ensuring that they are safe and accessible

and support our various ministries and the needs of every member, regardless of their age and stage of life.

o Installation of air conditioning to avoid dangerously high temperatures in the church buildings which preclude expansion of summer camp and senior programs

o ADA accessibility to sanctuary, undercroft and restrooms to facilitate participation of aging and disabled parishioners

o Renovation of restrooms to support growing participation in worship and outreach programs

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Our Worship Messiah-St. Bartholomew celebrates Holy Eucharist, using Rite II, each Sunday at 9:15 a.m. Our worship services provide many opportunities for lay participation. As a symbol of our unity in the Spirit, it is our customary practice that all stand and hold hands throughout the sanctuary during the singing of the Lord’s Prayer. Every 2nd Sunday of the month, our youth assume major roles in the Mass. This includes serving as ushers, lay readers and, on occasion, choristers. The music ministry is of vital importance to the worship experience at Messiah-St. Bartholomew. Some of the

sources of music that we currently use include, but are not limited to, the 1982 Episcopal Hymnal, the Lift Every Voice and Sing II Hymnal, and the African American Heritage Hymnal. We joyfully find ways of combining our African American heritage with our traditional Episcopal liturgy. Some of the special Masses that take place include: Annual Jazz Mass – A long-standing Messiah-St. Bartholomew tradition, this Mass commemorates the last Sunday before Lent. Music for this service incorporates the lively jazz music tradition.

Lenten Series – Mass is celebrated each Wednesday evening during Lent. Traditionally, it is preceded by Stations of the Cross, and followed by a dinner meal provided by one of the ministries of the church. Oftentimes, parishioners or guests are invited to deliver the homily. This year, we are incorporating some non-traditional aspects into the Wednesday Lenten series to encourage a deeper spiritual connection among the congregation.

Maundy Thursday – Our evening service includes washing of the feet and culminates in a meal patterned after the traditional Passover Seder and the night watch, leading into Good Friday.

Day of Pentecost – In 2011, we initiated the reading of portions of the Mass in English, French, Spanish and Swahili – languages spoken by peoples of African descent, and it has become a Messiah-St. Bartholomew tradition.

Graduate’s Sunday – Typically held on the last Sunday in June, we use this time to honor the graduates in our church community with award presentations.

“Gathering at the Garden” – Messiah-St. Bartholomew conducts an outdoor Mass and picnic at the community garden which is run as an outreach service of our Development Center. We gather to celebrate summertime, “green” living and our parish community.

Homecoming/Harvest Festival – This annual celebration takes place in a sanctuary adorned with freshly baked bread and fruits and vegetables of the “harvest”. This Mass is held at the end of summer to welcome home travelers and inspire us for the coming church year.

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Kwanzaa Mass – Celebrated on the Sunday following Christmas, each year we honor our unique and rich heritage as African American people, by including special readings of the principles of Kwanzaa and lighting of the kinara.

Even as we implement new ways of worship, we recognize the importance of continuing the time-honored tradition of sitting together and sharing a meal in fellowship. This is especially true whenever we invite guests into God’s house.

Our Ministries We embrace the idea that our “Baptism = Ministry” and through our organizations and committees, we encourage each of our members to examine the talents and interests through which they can best contribute to our church community. The Vestry The Messiah-St. Bartholomew vestry is comprised of nine members elected to three-year terms and is co-chaired by two wardens. The vestry meets on a monthly basis. The annual parish meeting is held every year on the last Sunday in January. Pastoral Care Currently, the archdeacon and our Eucharistic ministers are sharing the duties of communion visits to the sick and shut-in. The archdeacon is available to the parishioners and their families for emergencies, death counseling, hospital visits, youth counseling and other pastoral needs that may arise. Episcopal Church Women (ECW) The Episcopal Church Women of Messiah-St. Bartholomew is the largest organization within the church. ECW has been active through programs and donations within the parish and diocese, including sponsoring fall and spring United Thank Offering ingatherings, participating in ECW diocesan convention, donating Spanish editions of Book of Common Prayer, and hosting an annual Angel Tree Christmas Party for needy families. ECW initiated focus groups with the youth and young adults to determine their interests and encourage cross-generational communications and participation in church activities. The group has sponsored the annual Jazz Mass, Wednesday Lenten service and various fund-raisers. MSB Youth Group Though Messiah-St Bartholomew first began its Youth Development Program in the 1990’s, the group was re-structured in 2009. Completing its third year in its revised format in 2011, the current Youth Group, which is made up of teens between the ages of 13 and 19, holds its regular meetings (including a light meal) every other Friday at 6:30 pm at the Church. In addition, the group hosts various other special activities, fundraisers and outings throughout the year, ranging from an annual camping trip to flower planting for seniors in the community. As a key and active part of our church community, one goal that the Youth Group members share with the general congregation is to grow membership in their age group.

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Other Guilds, Organizations & Committees Acolytes Fellowship/Hospitality Office Volunteers Adult Choir Finance Special Events Altar Guild Flower Guild Stewardship Benevolence Lay Readers Sunday School Buildings & Grounds Men’s Guild Ushers Communications Offering Counters Van Ministry

Our Facilities Messiah-St. Bartholomew is located on the northeast corner of 83rd Street and Dante Avenue. The parish’s facilities consist of two buildings: the church and the rectory. The upper level of the church houses the sanctuary with seating for approximately 130 people and our small chapel with seating for twelve.

The undercroft (parish hall) is used for various occasions and activities. It is equipped with a stage and a full kitchen. The men’s and women’s lavatories are located on this level. The rectory includes meeting space and offices for the priest and administrative assistant on the first floor. The Development Center offices occupy the second floor. The basement houses a computer lab and additional meeting room. While our church roof and furnace have been replaced

within the last five years, our aging congregation is challenged with the lack of accessible means for maneuvering our multiple flights of steps, and restrooms that are not handicapped accessible.

Our Community Messiah- St Bartholomew is located on the south side of Chicago on the borders of the Avalon Park and Greater Grand Crossing neighborhoods. In the recent census African Americans comprised 882,067 of the population within our target area served by our current outreach efforts to address ever-growing needs arising in the community such as hunger, child care, unemployment and senior advocacy.

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Outreach/Development Center In the mid-1990’s, Messiah-St. Bartholomew began consolidating its outreach programs and, over the years, its outreach organization has grown and evolved into the Messiah-St. Bartholomew Development Center (MSBDC), an independent not-for-profit 501(c)3 corporation since 2005 and a National Church Jubilee Center since 2002. The organization is governed by an eleven-member board of directors, of which about half are members of the church. Board membership is elected annually at the annual board of directors’ spring meeting. The MSBDC is currently funded by local fundraising activities, state funding and private foundation support. The Development Center has four employees, in addition to seventeen volunteers from both the parish membership and the local community. who assist with day-to-day program operations. The Board of Directors is developing a three-year strategic plan, which focuses on community needs, as well as securing additional funding. Program services are offered at little or no cost to residents. Each program unit is expected to complete an annual program audit of their activities. The MSBDC conducts an annual fiscal audit by an outside firm in compliance with our corporate funders. MSBDC is one of twelve Jubilee Centers in the Diocese of Chicago and continues to be an active member of the National Episcopal Jubilee Network. Outreach Program Units: • Food Pantry – emergency assistance, monthly food day • Culinary Training – sanitation certification, soft skills, food preparation, job development • P.A.L. (Patience, Ability & Leadership) – monthly arts and crafts, semi-annual birthday celebrations,

Christmas celebrations • Senior Network – monthly forums, trips to state capital, advocacy • Holiday Sharing – seasonal lunch with homeless, holiday gift package, children’s gift collection • Summer Camp- cultural trips, arts ,crafts and sports • Youth Development – weekly workshops, monthly forums, cultural outings, job skills, career

development, college bound assistance

Avalon Park Ecumenical Association Messiah-St. Bartholomew is a member of this ecumenical group which has joined in worship for more than twenty years. It is comprised of churches in the Avalon Park area and includes Lutheran, Baptist, Methodist, Catholic, United Church of Christ and Episcopal faith communities. The Association, which holds regular meetings throughout the year for its clergy as well as lay ministers, has made it a tradition to gather all of its congregants annually for these events:

• Celebratory service in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., at which finalists in a youth essay competition read their essays and are awarded scholarships

• Preceding each church’s Palm Sunday service, an outdoor blessing of the palms followed by an ecumenical neighborhood procession and singing

• Annual Picnic and Praise Service

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Our Diocese Messiah- St. Bartholomew Episcopal Church is one of 124 congregations across northern Illinois that comprise the Episcopal Diocese of Chicago, and one of eleven of those congregations that make up the South Deanery of the Diocese. Under the leadership of our bishop, the Rt. Rev. Jeffrey Lee, the Episcopal Diocese of Chicago is a spiritual community of 40,000 people who reflect the rich diversity of perspective and demographics of our region. The diocese is devoted to three simple goals: Grow the Church; Form the faithful; Change the world. Messiah- St. Bartholomew Episcopal Church actively supports the diocese through its annual financial pledge as well as its service and participation in diocesan programs and conferences. Several Messiah-St. Bartholomew parishioners serve in roles of diocesan-wide governance including Archdeacon of the Diocese, membership on the Standing Committee, and membership on the Board of Directors of the Episcopal Charities. Most recently, our parish has joined the diocese’s CROSSWALK initiative which seeks a constructive alternative to gun violence, and its green initiatives which seek to move toward a more environmentally responsible community.

Our New Priest The parishioners of Messiah-St. Bartholomew are seeking a part-time priest-in-charge who is energetic and possesses an abiding faith in Our Lord Jesus Christ. We are looking for someone with strong leadership abilities who is willing to collaborate with the vestry and parishioners in achieving our aspirations for the future. We envision our spiritual leader as a person of compassion with a willingness to be inclusive of those from all walks of life. We seek a person who has the gift of preaching and teaching and knows how to make God’s Word relevant to our 21st Century lives. He/she should also be very knowledgeable about the Bible and theology to help us move forward in our Christian formation and deepen our spiritual lives. One last thing – having a good winter coat, a sense of humor and the ability to carry a tune is a plus!

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The Priest Search Committee has provided leadership in developing the church profile based upon the results of the Church Assessment Tool, and the participation by and input from all parishioners through the various church ministries and lively and thoughtful discussions. We acknowledge with gratitude and appreciation the contributions and assistance provided by all, making it possible for us to complete this task. We invite qualified candidates who wish to be considered for this position to please contact: The Reverend S. James Steen (312) 751- 4210 jsteen@episcopalchicago.org The Episcopal Diocese of Chicago St. James Cathedral 65 East Huron Street Chicago, Illinois 60611 (312) 787-7360 (312) 787-9469