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Glad Tidings Our Mission
To inspire, nurture and expand Nativity’s spiritual growth through faith, worship and community
A m o n t h l y p u b l i c a t i o n o f t h e c h u r c h o f t h e N a t i v i t y
June 2015
Issue No. 06-15
Please Note
Glad Tidings
Deadline July and August
combined Issue Deadline: Wednesday
June 17 at noon
Mailing date: June 24
Send articles to
gladtidings@
nativityonline.org
Summertime...and the livin’ is easy, including for the Glad
Tidings team. Please note in the box below that the June 17 deadline listed for Glad Tid-
ings is for a DOUBLE issue covering the months of July and August. Please plan ahead and advertise your August events in this combined issue. Thank you from the Glad
Tidings team: Stephanie Allen, Jennie Herrick, Emilie Sigel, Ailsa Tessier, and the super team of volunteers who fold, address, and mail our newslet-ter.
Summer Sabbath Time
S ummer is a time to slow down, take a holiday, and take things easy. Young people and grown-ups alike are inclined to take time to rest and play in the longer daylight hours.
This summer we are going to try an experiment to add some rest and some play into our summer schedule. Rather than our scheduling the various ministries for Sunday morning, you may pick a ministry for that morning. When you arrive for the service at 8:30 or 10:30, there will be a card for each of the ministries from ushering to acolyting to fellowship available for you to take. If there is a ministry you typically do, and enjoy, you may take a card for that ministry. If there is a ministry you’ve always wanted to try, you may take that card. There will be as-sistance available for questions if you are trying something new. This is an experiment. It is intended to be fun, to lighten full schedules, to try something new, and to play with the way we do things on Sunday morning a bit. All may serve, and all are invited to serve. My greatest hope is that church be a place where we gather to offer worship and praise to the God we love. My desire is that church is a place of peace where we may be refreshed and restored to return to our ministries and service in the wider com-munity and the world. This summer I invite you to take this leap of faith with me - take a chance, and pick a card. Serve where you love to serve. Take a risk to serve where you have been hesitant. Sing in the choir. Light the candles. Serve the Lord and the congregation. Take time to rest this summer. In resting, we stop to hear God’s voice. In resting, we hear the deepest desires of our hearts. In rest and quietness, we return to the Lord. See you in church, Stephanie+
You, too, can be an acolyte, usher, or greeter this summer!
Summer Choir Volunteers Waltye Rasulala, Choir Master
If you’ve ever thought about joining the choir on a Sunday morning but didn't have time for a Thursday night rehearsal, well here’s your chance. On Sunday, June 7, our choir will be-gin its summer schedule and we will need some folks to help lead the hymns on Sunday mornings. If you are interested, join us in the choir area at 10 am for a quick rehearsal. You will not have to robe or process for the service. We welcome teens and adults to join us. Questions? Contact Waltye Rasulala [email protected].
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Glad tidings june 2015
Parish Life
I Have an Idea Mike Belmares
I am reading the book This Idea Must Die by Stephen Dubner and Steven Levitt. It’s about longstanding ideas that we hold, for some reason or another, in the science world that need to go away - either in light of new research or advancements that have been made. I was turned on to it because I listen to a podcast hosted by the authors called Freakonomics: The Hidden Side of Everything. Their book is framed around ideas people strongly hold on to that must in fact die because they are actually impeding pro-gress. It’s an interesting read - a little dry depending on the topic - but it has really gotten me thinking about the ideas I hold. How might I approach that question? What would I say “needs to die”? Imagining that I was important, and that my opinion might matter to some, I have been thinking about this question. What ideas do you hold that you think might need to change? How would you respond to this question? How would we, as a faith community, respond to this question? What ideas about faith and our faith community might need to die? As I think back on church history, it seems the Church has, at times, been unwilling to move away from old ideas and embrace new perspectives in light of new revelation. Sometimes we do a good job, but there are certainly spots where the church missed the Spirit’s movement. Have there been any new revelations lately? Is there anything impeding the progress of the Church? Maybe feel you can’t comment on behalf of the Universal Church - do you have a thought about our church at Nativity? Do we uphold ideas in the midst of our parish life that actually impede progress? I hope to continue this series, but right now all I wanted to do was start the conversation. I encourage some of you write a re-sponse to this. Get your piece in the next Glad Tidings. Let’s see what we’re all thinking about. What ideas might need to die?
Mike and Liz Belmares
Introducing Our New Sunday School Coordinators
Becky Showalter
Please give a warm welcome (and a large dose of thanks) to our two new Sunday School co-coordinators, Michelle McElrath and Sarah O’Connor, for the 2015-16 Sunday School year. Michelle and her husband Rod have been attending Nativity for 7 or 8 years, with their first daughter, Lilly, being baptized shortly after they joined. They have three daughters – Lilly (7), Maddie (5) and Bree (4) – a beautiful brunette handful, for sure! Michelle (and Rod) have taught both the Preschool Sunday School class and the 2nd-3rd grade Sunday School class over the last several years. Michelle has volunteered with Vacation Bible School and joined the children’s program on various outreach ac-tivities like gleaning, packing groceries for the Interfaith Food Shuttle, and Stop Hunger Now. If you see Michelle, please give her a word of thanks and an offer to help. Sarah O’Connor, her husband Cuyler, and their three daughters, Libby (10) and twins Erin and Camp-bell (7), have been attending Nativity for a little over three years. Since then, Sarah has dived into the Nativity scene, co-coordinating last year’s awesome Vacation Bible School, Son Treasure Island, and is already working on this year’s VBS. So if you see her and her trio of blonde “angels,” please say hello and give her kudos for helping to make this a welcoming place for all our young ones. Thanks to both of them. I know we will have a great year next year!
Michelle McElrath
Sarah O’Connor
Repair Needed Diana Hudgens, Junior Warden
You may have noticed that one of the rear pews is currently sporting a widening split in the seat cushion cover. This cushion needs to be recovered or replaced. If you have come across some of the matching cloth somewhere at the church, or if you have saved a remnant of the fabric off-site at your home, please contact Diana Hudgens ([email protected]) or another vestry member. If you can search your memory banks for even the name of the supplier of fabric and/or cushions, that might help in this quest. Thank you!
On Beautifying the Churchyard Alfred Christensen
Have you noticed the beautiful parking lot island in front of the nursery entrance? Lucy Maloney has main-tained that for a number of years and it looks wonderful. If you are interested in adopting one of the other parking lot islands and making it as beautiful as the one Lucy maintains, please contact the Junior Warden or someone from Buildings and Grounds, and we will help you get started. Contact Diana Hudgens, Junior Warden, [email protected], or Alfred Christensen, [email protected].
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Glad tidings june 2015
Parish Life
"Next" Communion Class Has your young person has been receiving communion, but you would like her to learn more about the sacrament of the Eucharist? Have you have been waiting for your young one to re-ceive, and would like him to learn more before the "first" communion? If so, you and your child are invited to attend a "Next" communion class in the church with Stephanie on Sunday, June 7, at 9:30 am. Please let Stephanie know you would like to attend: [email protected].
Dear Nativity, This past year has gone by so fast. Many of us met at an ice cream social when the weather was cooling down and school was starting. It doesn’t seem real that the school year is over, but here we are enjoying the summer. I want to thank each and every one of you for making this the best year I’ve had on earth. Ever since I was an 8th grader looking up at the cool camp counselors at Camp McDowell, I have wanted to be a youth minister. I pray you, too, one day get to live out a dream and have it be just as spectacular as you hoped it might be. As an interim-anything, you hope to leave behind a better place for those who come after you. With the help of the Youth Ministry Team, the curriculum and overall format of our youth program was changed to better serve our young adults. Going forward, this church will be taking point on initiatives to bring the convocation closer together. “Nourishing Youth Leaders” is the name of the big picture idea that Stephanie, Karen Rideout, and I have been working on. I am excited to hear from afar how the lives of the leaders and youth from Nativity, Ra-leigh, and the greater Triangle area are all affected. Fellow parishioners, take some time out of your next Sunday to thank the Sunday School teachers, Youth Min-istry Team members, and Youth Group leaders. They are a much bigger part of any of this than I am. The bonds these amazing people have with our youth are strong and I couldn’t be prouder of them. If you are interested in any of these forms of ministry, please reach out to Stephanie. It takes a village to raise a child, pizza to raise a teen, and the love of a community to raise an adult. I hope you will consider being a part of the great education program Nativity has to offer. As I journey back to Alabama to finish up my undergraduate studies, I hope I will remain in your prayers. Nativity will certainly be in mine.
Paul Grass
Children’s Church to Start June 7 Volunteers Needed! Sarah O’Connor
Starting June 7, Children’s Church will be offered during the 10:30 service for 3 year olds through rising 1st graders. All children will sit with their parents at the beginning of the service. After the children’s sermon, the crucifer will lead the chil-dren out the back of the church where teachers will be waiting to take them over to the Education Building for a short lesson and activity. The children will return to church before communion. To make this work, WE NEED YOU! We are currently looking for adults or older teens willing to help. Please consider teaching one or two Sundays during the summer so that everyone's vacation and summer plans are accommodated! The lessons will follow along with the readings and the children’s sermons heard in church. Since the children will stay in church through the children’s sermon and come back before communion, these will be abbreviated classes with a simple reinforcement of the children’s sermon they just heard and an accompanying activity. Lesson plans and ideas will be pro-vided for you! Use the Sign-Up Genius link below to sign up for the Sunday or Sundays that work for you. Thank you!
http://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080445abad2ba02-2015
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Glad tidings june 2015
Christian Formation
Teaching Teams Needed for 2015-16 Sunday School
Becky Showalter
The Preschool through 4th Grade Sunday School classes are looking for several more teachers for the 2015-2016 school year. We use an online curriculum that emails you the links to lesson plans, craft ideas, activity ideas and coloring pages several days before you are to teach – it really does have it all – so the stress of figuring out what to do is low. Classes meet from 10:15 to 11 am, and teams are arranged so that you teach about three Sundays in a row and then have about six Sundays off. Having taught for years, I can honestly say that I may have gotten as much out of exploring God’s word and works than these kids did. I hope you can join us! Please contact me at [email protected])with any questions or if you’re interested!
Adult Formation in June Stephanie Allen
In the Beginning: Creation Care and the Book of Genesis
Sundays, June 7, 14, 21, 28; 9:30 am
Our Adult Formation Summer Season begins with a discussion of how the Story of Creation in the book of Genesis teaches us about caring for God's creation. The richness of the story of creation, the details the storytellers include, and the two versions of the story all help us to understand the Creator and God's love for the creation. How might we take part in that on-going and all-consuming love?
Session 1 - Let There Be Light Session 2 - The Birds of the Air
Session 3 - God Planted a Garden Session 4 - God Rested
Thank you, thank you, thank you! Becky Showalter
Thanks to all the parents, students and teachers who made the 2014-15 Sunday School year so successful. It has been a blessing to me as the Children’s Formation Team Leader to see the program grow; a blessing to the teach-ers that they got to share God’s message with our youngest members and have fun along the way; a blessing for the children to grow in this wonderful Christian community; and a blessing to the church that the energy and en-thusiasm of these children are present every Sunday. Have a great summer and we hope to see you at Children’s Church and Vacation Bible School!
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He himself is before all things, and in him all things hold together. Col. 1:17
Glad tidings june 2015
Environmental Concerns
Growing in God’s Creation: Seeing the Light on Solar
Carl Sigel
As Christians, we are called to care for God’s creation in many ways, from the call to stewardship of the Earth in Genesis and the Psalms, to the call to strive to safeguard the integrity of creation and sustain and renew the life of the earth as part of our Episcopal tradition. Hearing that call and believing that as stewards we are to use the Earth’s re-sources rightly in the service of others and to God’s glory, the Environmental Stewardship committee has decided to take a first step in developing a proposal for a solar project at Nativity. An exploratory committee will be formed. Parishioners are invited to participate. Please contact me, if you would like to do so. [email protected]. Right: a bishop blessing solar panels
On saving the environment from a teen perspective
How Big is Your Carbon Footprint? Bridget Knapp
The level of impact that we have on the environment as individuals is called a carbon footprint. A small carbon footprint means that you have little impact on the environment, while a big carbon footprint is the opposite. Answer the following questions with a “Yes” or a “No”. Then see how you did! 1. I compost my leftovers and use the compost to help my flowers grow. I know that the nutrients from compost don’t get washed away like fertilizers. Yes___ No___ 2. I try to eat more plant-based food than meat. I know that there is more energy in plant-based foods and I know that producing meat takes a lot of land, fossil fuels, and time to produce. Yes___ No___ 3. I buy organic food. I know that using pesticides and fertilizers can harm many ecosystems, aquatic and terrestrial. Yes___ No___ 4. I try to use natural methods for ridding pests. I know that pesticides aren’t made to kill just one pest. Pesticides, such as dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane or DDT, can throw-off entire ecosystems. Yes___ No___ 5. We carpool together to save fuel and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. It is more efficient to transport many people in one car than to drive a few people in many cars. Yes___ No___ 6. I turn off my sink when I brush my teeth because I know that saving water is important. Yes___ No___ 7. I don’t pour pesticides, paints, etc. down the drain or on the ground. I know that these products can go into our drinking water supply and make the purifying process harder. Yes___ No___ 8. I use a reusable grocery bag when I go grocery shopping because I know that using reusable bags saves plastic. Yes___ No___ 9. I buy products made from recycled material because I know that buying these products will promote recycling. Yes___ No___ 10. I do my best to plant and/or take care of trees because they turn carbon dioxide into oxygen for all living things. Yes___ No___ Let’s see how you did! 8 to 10 questions answered “Yes” = a footprint with a shoe size of a toddler’s 4! Keep up the good work! 4 to 7 questions answered “Yes” = a footprint with a shoe size of a women’s 9. You have a good start. Keep working at it! 1 to 3 questions answered “Yes” = a footprint with a shoe size of a men’s 15 (which is also the shoe size of LeBron James)!You really need to work on it! See how many planet Earth’s it would take for everyone on Earth to live just like you: http://footprintnetwork.org/en/index.php/GFN/page/calculators/.
Nativity Community Gardens (NCG) Report
Emilie Sigel
The gardens are looking lush. Warmer sunny days have made dramatic changes in the fenced landscape next to the Education Building. Tomato plants stand tall, cucumber vines are reaching for their supports. Frilly heads of lettuce in shades of green and bronze, and bunches of fat red radishes have been harvested, and this first produce donation of the season has gone to clients served by the Inter-Faith Food Shuttle. Visitors to the gardens are welcome, but please close BOTH gates as deer are NOT welcome in the gardens.
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Glad tidings june 2015
Outreach
More pictures of the Rite-13 group are on page 7
Monthly Food Drive for Leesville ES Pride Packs Cheryl Waechter
Sunday, June 7, is our last monthly food drive for the current school year. We will begin collections for the new school year on the first Sunday in September. Our goal for June is to help stock the shelves for when hungry children return to school August 24. Some suggestions for child friendly food items: · Whole grain cereals (no sugar added), instant oatmeal, instant grits · Canned fruits (packed in 100% juice) and veggies (no salt added) in 15 oz. cans · Meats, canned tuna, chicken, stew, soups (no Spam, Vienna sausage or potted meats) · 100% juice and milk in individual serving size, shelf sable packaging · Noodles, ramen, and mac & cheese · Healthy snacks, raisins, dried fruits, granola bars, peanut butter crackers, pretzels (no chips, puddings, cookies, other sugary items) · Please check expiration dates on food donations as they need to last a number of months I want to thank everyone for helping to support our Outreach Ministry to feed children who are uncertain of being fed on the weekends. Since the first Sunday in January, when we began our monthly food drives, we have received over $1200.00 in donations in addi-tion to many, many bags and boxes of food items. Contact Cheryl Waechter at [email protected] with questions.
A 'Day Out' in Raleigh Fran Kenney
The Rite-13 class enjoyed a “day out” in down-town Raleigh on May 2. We filled our day with outreach, visiting downtown Raleigh landmarks (and other fun and interesting locales) while on a photography scavenger hunt, enjoying time to-gether back at the church after our excursion for dinner and team building games, and finishing with prayer and reflection in the Nave. Our day was directly tied to the mission of the Rite 13 class, which is to build community, establish re-lationships, and listen for God's call to each of us.
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Everest-Conquering Challenges with God’s Mighty Power
Bobbie Feraco, Vestry
Are you ready for an adventure? On July 17-19, we will be embarking on an icy expedition where kids will learn to overcome obstacles with God's awesome power! This ex-pedition is possible because of the wonderful volunteers that give their time to help kids grow in Christ. From regis-tration, crew leaders, and teaching, there is a place for eve-ryone to serve. If you would like to volunteer, please con-tact Bobbie Feraco, [email protected], or Sarah O'Con-nor, [email protected], today!
Glad tidings june 2015
Parish Life
Vacation Bible School Is Coming!
Parish Life in Pictures
Baking communion bread for Youth Sunday
Rite-13 on the town! See article on page 6
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Glad tidings june 2015
Parish Life in Pictures
Spirituality in the Arts dinner
Food in the Time of Jesus
The choir bids a fond, festive, musical farewell
to Susan Clifford. She and Father George are
moving to Hawaii. We wish them Godspeed;
they will be dearly missed.
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Glad tidings june 2015
From the Office
Our congregation extends its sympathy and prayers to:
Jane Heyward and her family on the death of her mother Veda Morin Ames Ashley Clos on the death of her uncle Grayson Taylor
May their souls, and all the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.
Prayer Chain: To begin a confidential prayer request, or to have names added to the Prayers of the People
list for Sunday services, please contact the church office 919-846-8338.
If you have an illness, hospitalization, or death in your family, please contact the church office or Stepha-
nie directly. If you have a pastoral emergency, please contact Stephanie on her cell: 919-744-1663.
Please note: we are charged by the post office for
returned mail if you change your address and do not
notify the church office! Please call or email Jennie
[email protected] with your change of
address.
Connect • Like us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/nativityonline
• Follow us on Twitter @NativityOnline
• Join our email group. Log on to http://nativityonline.org/community/keep-informed/
• Read Glad Tidings online, in color, at www.nativityonline.org
Job Postings—to receive daily job postings from Caring Con-nections, contact Karen Ridout at [email protected].
Congratulations Graduates!
High School
Susannah Bloom — Leesville — UNC Chapel Hill Tom Gordon — Enloe — Emory University: Business Grayson Holmes — Millbrook — UNC Chapel Hill: History Steven Hughes — Leesville — NC State Lyanna Martin — Millbrook — UNC Pembroke: Nursing Tommy Robjohns — Warren Co. Tech HS (Washington, NJ) — college Post Graduate Studies Jackson Bloom — BA in drama and political science, with honors, from UNC Chapel Hill Jessica Bodford — Masters in social psychology from Arizona State University; she will continue at ASU in the doctorate program. Erin Burke — Masters of Science Analytics from NC State; she has accepted a position as Technology Consultant with Deloitte in Chicago Morgan Burke - double major in Political Science and History from UNC Chapel Hill Dillon Carter — Campbell University School of Law Bailey Maloney — Summa Cum Laude with a BS in Biological Sciences with a minor in Biomanufacturing from NC State; he currently works as an Emergency Medical Technician and plans to enter medical school. Claire McLaughlin — degree in public policy and economics from UNC Chapel Hill; she will join the UNC Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention as a researcher and plans to pursue graduate studies. Kate Oldham — BA in Public Relations with a minor in Psychology from USC; she will be the Program Director for the High Point YMCA. Will Suk — BS in Agricultural Business with a double minor in Business Administration and Leadership Development from Louisiana State University
Moving
George and Susan Clifford to Hawaii
Ben and Kay Heacock to Maryland
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Address Service Requested
8849 Ray Road
Raleigh NC 27613
Phone: 919-846-8338
Email office: [email protected]
Visit us on the web at: www.nativityonline.org
Glad Tidings Team
Stephanie Allen
Jennie Herrick
Emilie Sigel
Ailsa Tessier
NONPROFIT ORG US POSTAGE
PAID RALEIGH, NC
PERMIT NO. 2464
Tosca, Tunes and Tofu: Take 11 Waltye Rasulala, Choirmaster
Mark your calendar to attend Tosca, Tunes and Tofu: Take 11. This ever-popular Spirituality in the Arts event will present a concert of music from voice to instruments, from opera to folk songs, performed by various members of the church and their friends. Be there to cheer our performers on as they entertain you on Sunday, June 7, at 4 pm in the Nave. After the concert, a won-derful reception will be held in Corlett Hall where you can greet the performers and dine on various succulent tofu dishes prepared by Chef Zach. Please join us for this fun event.
Chef Zach
Scenes from Tosca, Tunes and Tofu: Take 10 last year
