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December 20, 2016
To capture in a prayer our spiritual vision of parish ministry for the next century was the challenge our Diocese issued to each of its churches in 2016. The summons was part of the 200th anniversary celebration of Episcopal ministry in Ohio (1816-2016). Our prayer for Saint Martin’s Church embraces the character and strengths of our patron: $!
Lord God of Hosts, who in the life of your servant Saint Martin of Tours revealed to us the virtues of courage, compassion and humility: Grant us the grace so to follow his good example that we may with confidence walk before you in love, pursue that peace which passes all understanding, coming at last to the habitations of those who worship your Name in beauty unveiled; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.$!
Speaking of prayer, other petitions were offered this fall at the Sunday, October 9, dedication of our new columbarium and memorial window, as well as of the precincts around these lasting additions to our work of pastoral care. For the Trinity Window we prayed:$!
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The Beacon$Saint Martin’s Newsletter, Winter 2017$To pray the Prayer of Christ, to learn the Mind of Christ, to do the Deeds of Christ
Saint Martin’s Episcopal Church 6295 Chagrin River Road Chagrin Falls Ohio 44022
440.247.7406 saintmartinschagrinfalls.com
Holy Eucharist Saturday 5 pm Sunday 8 am & 10 am
Admin Office Hours 10 am-2 pm Monday thru Wednesday
Clergy Hours Saturday thru Thursday, by appointment is best
Emergency Pastoral Care 24/7
December 20, 2016
Holy and Triune God, who dwells in light inaccessible and full of glory, whose Name is Father, Son and Holy Spirit: bless, we pray, this image of your being. May all who look upon it be led to lift their hearts and minds into your presence, contemplating your true nature: eternal, immortal, invisible, God only wise. Grant by your grace that the earthly light passing through it may stir us to remember that light of life we will one day find in you; for the sake of your only Son our Savior Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. $!
With respect to the Saint Martin’s Columbarium we prayed:$!Almighty and everliving God, source of light and life, strength of the living and repose of the dead, in whom at death life is not ended but changed: bless, we pray, this columbarium of Saint Martin’s Church. Sanctify it to your people as an instrument of your grace and mercy. May it be for us an enduring emblem of the hope of the resurrection which we find in none other than your Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. $!
For the precincts we prayed:$!God of all comfort and safety, whose Son came proclaiming peace to those who are far off and to those who are near: Bless this place which we now set aside for meditation and prayer. May those who use these precincts, from this day forward and forevermore, find their rest in you. Inhabit this chamber by your Spirit that all who enter here may be still and know you are God. To you we give glory, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen. $!
By God’s grace our ministries are flourishing. In the months ahead, we are people-focused. In preparing to welcome Bishop William Persell on Sunday, March 26, for his Episcopal Visitation of confirmation and reception, we are offering a learning-teaching series on the life and teaching of the Episcopal Church. This is for prospective members of Saint Martin’s and will happen in winter and early Lent, including a component for youth who wish to be confirmed. We have a good number of folk interested. All parishioners are invited to join us. Indeed, it would be wonderful to have longtime members available to share their experiences and knowledge with our inquirers. See John Cerrato to get involved. $$ Parish-wide: in a special evening event on January 11, parishioner and Retired Ambassador Jennifer Brush will share with all of us her experiences as a global missioner (see page 3 article). At our January 22 Annual Meeting, we are planning to welcome Clint Cassese, Jeremy Clark and Ken Porter to membership on the vestry, as well as Kris Gillespie as our new junior warden and Dr. Karen Gerken as our senior warden. Thanks be to God for the grace working among us. $
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Saint Martin’s, Chagrin Falls, is a parish of the Episcopal Diocese of Ohio, The
Right Reverend Mark Hollingsworth Jr., Bishop
Priests serving Saint Martin’s The Reverend Dr. John A. Cerrato
The Reverend Gary A. McElroy
Staff serving Saint Martin’s Sandra Tittle, Director of Music
Carol Maye-Botzman, Administrator Connie Schaaf, Sexton
Church Wardens Mr. John Meade
Dr. Karen Gerken
Vestry Jane Albert
Linda Bird Daniel Carter, Esq.
Robert Case Cindi DelBrocco Kristina Gillespie
Gail Kallock Nancy McKinley
Merry Petroski Jean Schmiege Greg Streicher
Victoria Ware
Colleen Deering, CPA, Treasurer Byron Hays, Clerk of the Vestry
Nominations for Vestry 2017 Clint Cassese Jeremy Clark
Ken Porter !Vestry Update
In its October 2016 meeting, the vestry voted to revise the parish
bylaws, stating we will now elect three vestry members per year.
December 20, 2016
An Evening with Jennifer Brush$!Parish Life is excited to offer an evening of conversation and engagement with Retired U.S. Ambassador Jennifer Brush on Wednesday, January 11, 2017, at 7 p.m. in Saint Martin’s Church. Jennifer will share insights from her career
in international service and hold an open conversation on current global events. Her tantalizing title is “Faith, Food and Forehands.” $!Previous to her appointment as Head of OSCE Mission in Moldova in 2012, Jennifer served 25 years with the U.S. State Department in Washington as Director for South Central Europe. Prior service included Deputy Chief of Mission and Charge at the U.S. Embassy in Belgrade, Deputy Chief of Mission and Charge at the U.S. Embassy in Ashgabat, and Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Majuro, Republic of the Marshall Islands. She is Former Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary General at the United Nations.$!Join us for this spectacular educational opportunity. Bring a friend or two. The evening is open to the public. $!!SOAP & More $
$ $We now have eight members on our SOAP Team to prevent human trafficking! They are: Jennifer Brush, Karen Gerken, Cheryl Gray, Chris and Nancy Horn, Greg Streicher, Debbie
Wilson and Beth Young. We continue to take training packets and soaps with the human trafficking hotline number, every other month, to our twelve area hotels and motels in Solon, Aurora and Twinsburg. The hotel staffs are becoming familiar with us and our
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Volunteer Staff Alfred KanagaRaj, Service Leaflets
Cheryl Gray, Parish Nurse
Ministry Leadership
Judy Tremain, Altar Guild
Karen Swan, Pastoral Care, The Daughters of the King
Nancy McKinley & Jane Albert, Parish Life
Tim Schaaf, Stewardship, Vestry Nominations
John Meade and Karen Gerken, Property
Colleen Deering, Finance
Katie Clark, Church School & Children’s Ministry, Child Care
Emily Gielink, Acolytes
Elizabeth Hays, Women’s Christ Care Journeying Group
Carolyn Downie, Communications
John Meade & Alfred KanagaRaj, Men’s Bible Study Group
CROP Walk 2017 The date of our next CROP Walk has been announced as Sunday,
April 23, 2017, at Frohring Meadows. Please consider putting it
on your calendar now, since Saint Martin’s will be recruiting a team to
walk together. Registration will be from 1:30-1:45 p.m. that day on site and the walk will start at 2 p.m. Plan
to join us. Funds raised will again benefit the Geauga County Hunger Task Force. More info forthcoming. !
Pastoral Care Comfort On the bottom shelf of the Health cart in
the Burroughs Room are prayer shawls, fleece throws and
crosses. They are intended for folks receiving treatment, attending
rehab, and going through bereavement. There is no charge. We ask you record who it is for, so
there aren't duplicates given. If you have an interest in helping to keep
the shelf filled, please contact Karen Swan [email protected]
OUTREACH
PARISH LIFE
December 20, 2016
rapport is very good. Young girls are gradually being found through this method and public awareness is increasing. All good! $
With a September Bake Sale and a Thanksgiving Pie Sale, we raised close to $600 to reimburse Holy Angels Catholic Church for the training packets we give to the hotel staffs, in addition to the soaps. Interest in helping to make the training packets at Holy Angels has been expressed. Watch the leaflet for upcoming dates. There is no pre-training necessary for this. $
We decorated our Advent Giving Tree with gift card reminders for the parish to take to purchase cards from Giant Eagle, Target or Walmart for Chagrin Park families. Saint Martin’s parishioners generously donated just over $1,000 to Chagrin Falls Park through the card collection! Over 50 gift cards were purchased ranging from $10-50 in value. We also donated a generous supply of wrapping paper and cards. Thank you Saint Martin’s family! You are awesome!$
At our upcoming January 15 outreach meeting, we will be reviewing plans for the year ahead. Thus far, MedWish dates, a letter writing campaign — Valentines for our soldiers — and inviting a rep from family services to present the needs of Chagrin Falls Park, are on the agenda. Any interest in joining our group? Please plan to attend our January 15 meeting after the 10 a.m. service! $ $ $
$ $ $ $ $ $ $ Nancy Horn$
!Kash for Keith$!Eleven year old Keith Burkett is now battling cancer for the third time. Saint Martin’s parish has adopted Keith’s cause as its own and intends to support the Burketts as strongly as possible. Neighbors of Linda and Don Bird, Keith’s story has become our story. Please visit the Kash for Keith basket in the church entryway for more information. Consider a financial gift, the gift of prayer and help us follow through with the next chapter of Keith’s fight for life. Checks can be made payable to Saint Martin’s Church, memo: Kash for Keith. Now is the time to show the heart of Saint Martin’s Church. $
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The Men’s Study Group meets each Wednesday at 7 am in Saint Martin’s
Library. We start with coffee and donuts, then spend an hour in
discussion of a text of scripture or another book. We are reading and
discussing Paul’s Epistle to the Romans. Men from the parish and
community are welcome to join us.
Midhour Forum meets on Sunday mornings. We gather in the library at
9 am for discussion of the day’s scripture readings and liturgy, as well as contemporary topics. Parishioners
and visitors are welcome to join us for a cup of coffee and conversation.
Bainbridge Food for Friends Who is aided: Local families in need.
Location: 17826 Chillicothe Road, Chagrin Falls Township, OH 44023.
How we participate: food collection. Please bring your contributions to
church and place them in the wicker baskets in the entryway. Items
should be nonperishable and within date of use. Contact: Elaine Brophy.
Cathedral Meal Program (trinitycleveland.org). A Place at the
Table (APATT). Who is aided: hungry Clevelanders. Location: Trinity Cathedral, Cleveland. How we
participate: a team to helps serve as scheduled. Time commitment:
several hours on a Sunday morning as scheduled, to serve a mid day
meal. Age restrictions: none. Signup in the Burroughs Room.
Parish Life Coming Events An Evening with Jennifer Brush,
January 11, 2017 @ 7 pm Annual Meeting Brunch
January 22, 2017 @ 11:15 am in the Undercroft Parish Hall
Shrove Tuesday Supper, February 28, 2017, times TBA
Coffee Hour Reception for the Bishop’s Visit
Sunday, March 26, 2017, @ 11:15 am !A Special Thank You to each and all
of our musicians, instrumentalists, choristers and vocalists for the music
of the season: Advent Lessons & Carols, Christmas Eve & The
Children’s Pageant. The people of Saint Martin’s appreciate your
ministry of worship.
December 20, 2016
It’s All About Giving!From Sunday, October 2 through Sunday, November 13, 2016, Saint Martin’s engaged in the Fall Stewardship Campaign, raising awareness, teaching and challenging our congregations on the significance of Christian stewardship. Our leadership, including Tim Schaaf, John Meade, John Cerrato, Greg Striecher and others, communicated the message and meaning of our faithful stewardship practices. On Sunday, November 13, we celebrated Saint Martin’s Festival Day and had our annual Faith Pledge Ingathering. If you have not yet turned in a pledge card for 2017, they are available at the church on the entryway tables. More about our new Legacy Giving program will be presented at the Annual Meeting (January 22, 2017). Thanks be to God for the stewardship ministries.$!!!Congregations & Caregivers$During any given year, more than fifty-million Americans provide care for a family member or friend who has a chronic illness, or is aged and frail. About 60% of family caregivers are women. Nearly one in three family caregivers caring for seniors are themselves age 65 and older. Ohio has more than 1.3 million caregivers, whose work is valued at $9.92 per hour. An official report states: “The estimated economic value of caregiving in Ohio is about 20% more than the state’s total Medicaid spending, and about ten times as much as the state currently spends on home and community based care.”$!Caregivers are often unaware of the availability of support services. Love, empathy and devotion drive caregivers but they often experience despair, fatigue, depression and anger. Caregivers need assistance from friends, support groups, churches; from family and professional resources. They need to discover ways to connect with others, while others need to discover ways to connect with them. Here are some ways for individuals and congregations to provide help:$!
• Encourage visits from clergy, family and friends. A brief visit, even a few minutes is sufficient.$
• Take communion to the homebound and choose to go on a regular schedule.$
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Bishop’s Appeal 2016 Love God. Love your neighbor. Change the world. The Episcopal Diocese of
Ohio, supporting parish outreach programs and leadership
development. For more info see the pamphlets on the tables in the
entryways or visit www.dohio.org.
ERD Help sustain the church’s response in South Sudan where
over one million persons are displaced and 4.9 million are in
need of humanitarian assistance. Visit ERD, Episcopal Relief &
Development, at www.episcopalrelief.org or call
1.855.312.HEAL.
Serve We welcome sign-ups for folks to serve as ushers and as
hospitality servers at Coffee Hour on Sundays. We also invite sign-ups
to donate flowers and candles to be used in worship. The sign-up sheets
live on the large window table in the Burroughs Room. Please help out as
often as you can.
Good Company is a group of Saint Martin's
parishioners who have lost spouses to death. We meet on the 4th
Monday of each month for lunch 1 p.m. at The Burntwood Tavern in
Chagrin Falls. Please contact Jane Albert at 440-591-5490/
[email protected] for questions or more information. !
Special Thanks to our Altar Guild for the greening
of the church in this season, as well as the volunteers who helped, and
to Paula Stepnick for serving as acting coordinator of our Altar Guild as Judy Tremain has been on hiatus. !
Parishioners’ Prayer Requests for Daughters of the King One of our
Rules of Life is prayer, including intercessory prayer. In the narthex
(church entryway) is a prayer request box. Prayer request cards can be found on the table. Please
place your prayer request cards in the box, as you are prompted. All
requests are confidential. The request will remain on the prayer list
for 30 days, unless an extension is requested.
STEWARDSHIP
HEALTH & WELLNESS
December 20, 2016
• Develop a one-on-one caring relationship with a lay minister/church friend, in support of both care receiver and caregiver.$
• Show a little kindness: flowers, picking up library books or CD’s, prayer shawls, phone calls, walking the dog, etc.$
• Form a support group$• Offer respite care$• Provide comfort through listening, cards, prayers, food$• Offer transportation$!
Caregivers are notorious for neglecting their physical, mental and emotional needs, as well as their spiritual well-being. Encourage them to carve out time and space to nurture their spiritual health. God is with caregivers on their journey. Church family, relatives and friends can be there too. “There are various kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit; there are various kinds of services, but the same Lord; there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone.” 1 Corinthians 12:4-6$
Cheryl Gray$$
De Musica$!Special Thanks! Donna and Ed Kidd opened their home on November 13, 2016, to our Chancel Choir and friends. The group enjoyed a wonderful fall party with delicious ham — from the hosts — and side dishes from everyone else. All had a marvelous time and enjoyed the gracious hospitality offered by Donna and Ed.$ !
Camerata Our instrumental chamber ensemble plays frequently for worship, performing mostly music from the Baroque and Classical periods. Members include: Karen Gerken, flute; Carolyn Downie, violin; Elaine Brophy, clarinet;
Phyllis Marino, flute; Don Daley, viola; and Amanda Meitz and Linda Gilbert, trumpets. We welcome new members to the group. Contact Sandy Tittle, [email protected]$!!
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A Special Thank You to everyone who shared in our Children’s
Christmas Pageant 2016, especially Victoria and Rob Ware, and Katie
Clark for their leadership. Thanks to the parents, grandparents, children
and youth who made the story of Christ’s birth come alive with grace,
charm and humor.
Holy Unction, or Anointing with Oil for Healing, is offered on the second Saturday of each month in the 5 pm
service of Holy Eucharist.
Human Trafficking: Ohio’s Tragic Reality.
No one should be sold for sex. Recognize and report: Call 911 or
888-3737-888 or Text HELP to #233733. Visit
www.polarisproject.org !
LITURGY
December 20, 2016
More Than Parts “Gestalt” is a German psychology term which literally means “unified whole.” The idea is frequently translated as: “The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.” A more accurate translation would be: “The whole is other than the sum of its parts.” The whole has an independent existence.$$ The gestalt effect is originally applied to visual perception. However, I think it can apply to audible perception. The choir seems like a nearly perfect example of this phenomenon. $$ Here’s what I mean: When everyone in our choir is available, we have nineteen singers. However, those who have heard our chancel choir would probably agree that it’s a 35! How can that happen? Individual voices are mostly moderate but the total effect is something other than the sum of the individual parts. It’s the transformative Gestalt at work!$$ So, if you like to sing, join the choir. Come together as a bundle and bring more than our individual gifts. We need more singers, especially during the winter, low attendance months. Some choir members are snow birds, travelers, or catch flu and colds. We need more people to come together—to help us remain a 35! !
Sandy Tittle, Director of Music$!Music Opportunity for Youth! $Our Chancel Choir especially appreciates music while they receive communion. If you play an instrument or sing, perhaps you would like to give a musical offering at the beginning of communion. Please email Sandy Tittle at [email protected] to schedule a date.$!!$ !
The Right Reverend William Persell, Bishop of Chicago, Retired, will be our Episcopal Visitor on Sunday, March 26, 2017, at the 10 a.m. Holy Eucharist of Confirmation & Reception (only one service that weekend).$
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!Daughters of the King is an
International Order of women committed to the ministries of prayer
and Christian service. The Saint Martin’s Chapter welcomes inquiries
about membership in our active fellowship. See Karen Swan or John
Cerrato for more info.
Church School begins at 10 a.m. each Sunday morning, led by Katie Clark and company, meeting in the
church undercroft. We have fluid and flexible classes and engaging learning events for all ages of
children. See Katie for more details.
Christ Care Journeying Group for women meets every Tuesday at the
home of Elizabeth Hays.
Winter Convocation of the Episcopal Diocese of Ohio, February 10-11,
2017, Kalahari Resort & Convention Center, Keynote Speaker: Dwight Zscheile on the Missional Church,
Music: Live Hymnal. Many more workshops, great children’s program
and youth program. Information at www.dohio.org.
The Homeless Stand Down (HSD), January 14, 2017, is a one-day event
providing access to resources for individuals and families facing
poverty and homelessness. The Homeless Stand Down provides
homeless individuals, families, and veterans a day of respite from the
elements, renewal of the human spirit, and reconnection to needed services that assist in the totality of human wellness and sustainability.
An estimated 1,500 guests enjoy access to social service providers, haircuts, medical screenings, live
entertainment, professional portraits, breakfast and lunch, and free winter
clothing, personal care kits, bus passes and much more. Visit
www.handsonneo.org/HomelessStandDown !
Upcoming in January 2017 is the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. !
Requiescat in pace Diocesan DOK President Linda
Graves has passed on into eternal life. We bid your prayers for her soul
and for the souls of all the faithful departed. May they rest in peace.
.
Sam Gielink, Emma Davidson
December 20, 2016
Clergy Notes $!On October 11 the Saint Martin’s Stewardship Committee met with Laura Hnat, Chief Development Officer of the Diocese of Ohio, to discuss Legacy Giving. More about our plans for this at the annual meeting 2017. $ On Sunday, October 30, 2016, The Reverend Vincent Black, Canon for Christian Formation in the Diocese of Ohio and Priest-in-Charge of the Church of the Ascension, Lakewood, was our guest celebrant and preacher in the 8 and 10 a.m. services. $ On Sunday, November 6, in the 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. services of Holy Eucharist we welcomed guest speaker Katie Ong Landini, Project Director of the Diocese of Ohio, a leader in the Planting for Tomorrow Campaign and in the development of the new camp and retreat center in Wakeman, Ohio.$$ From Friday evening through Saturday, November 11-12, wardens John Meade and Karen Gerken, Karen Swan, Linda Bird, John Cerrato, Cheryl Gray and Amanda Meitz attended the 200th Annual Convention of the Diocese of Ohio in Bowling Green. News of the convention and of the bicentennial celebration can be found in the most recent edition of Church Life (Winter 2016). $$ We welcomed Father Mac, The Reverend Gary McElroy, as our celebrant and preacher for the 5 p.m. Holy Eucharist on the Saturdays of November 12 and December 10.$
$ $The Reverend Dr. John A. Cerrato blessed parish dogs on October 2, The Blessing of Animals — cats and other critters decided not to show. He engaged in a fair bit of teaching in the fall, offering two educational series (eight weeks) on Augustine’s
Confessions at Saint Paul’s, Akron, and in Saint Martin’s. He also preached and celebrated in the Church of the Ascension, Lakewood, as part of an exchange with Canon Black. He continues to serve with the Episcopal-UMC dialogue group, the CVCC, and Fresh Start. He and the vestry are together exploring the viability of taking on a seminarian intern to work in the parish under his supervision in 2017.
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Annual Meeting of the Parish will be Sunday, January 22, 2017, following the 10 a.m. service of Holy Eucharist
(one service only this weekend). A brunch will be served as we meet in the great hall of the undercroft. We
will hear updates on finance, ministries and much more.
Happening 2017 Event for Youth in Grades 9 through 12: Staff Retreat,
February 17-19; Happening Retreat, March 31-April 2. Sponsored by the
Episcopal Diocese of Ohio, Canon Vincent Black
Cathedral Pilgrimage Trinity Cathedral, Cleveland, Youth in
Grades 6 through 12, May 19-21, 2017. Sponsored by the Diocese of
Ohio, Canon Vincent Black
Episcopal Youth Event University of Central Oklahoma, Youth in Grades 9
through 12 in 2017-2018 academic year, July 10-14, 2017. Sponsored by
the National Church
From the Parish Register Baptisms in 2016
Connor O’Shea Franck John Patrick Dippel
Victor Robert Dippel Hudson Scott Rankin
Benjamin James Streicher Nicholas Avery Streicher
Ann Keltner Avery !Weddings in 2016
Colleen Downie & John Deering Meghan Rahrig & Cyril Kanagaraj
Katherine Vedder & Melvin Mobley Laura Hughes & Matt Brockman
Shannon Mitchell & George Beelen !Burials in 2016
Emily Guile Gerken David M. Simko !
On the Horizon 2017 Shrove Tuesday, February 28
Ash Wednesday, March 1 Bishop’s Visitation, March 22
Palm Sunday, April 9 Holy Week, April 10-15
Maundy Thursday, April 13 Good Friday, April 14
Sunday of the Resurrection, Easter Day, April 16
PARISH & DIOCESE
Read about the 200th Anniversary of the Diocese of Ohio in Church Life, Winter 2016
