Network Jy-Aug 2017 - St. Andrew's · Adrienne Kerwin THE SUMMER FAIR— The St. Andrew’s Summer Fair will be held Saturday, July 1, ... Crafty Critters, but plans have already

ST. ANDREW’S NETWORK NEWS PAGE 1

ST. ANDREW’S July—August 2017

NETWORK NEWS

Birthdays, Register &

Upcoming Events 2-3

A Letter to Consider 4

Sunday School, Faith

Adventures 6

Voices in Counterpoint 7

The Missioner’s

Musing 8

Outreach 9

Transformation at

Epiphany 10-11

Parish Directory 12

Wardens’ Words &

Calendar 5

Inside this issue:

An old missionary advised a young colleague who was anxious about their adequacy: “Do not ask what you do for the work; ask what the work does for you.”

It may be that our partnership with Epiphany, Newport does as much for us as it does for them.

Epiphany is struggling to become a fresh expression of what it means to be church. The New Testament is addressed to Christian communities that are caught up in God’s mission to redeem and restore the world. These writings aim to shape and energize God’s people for mission; the church’s very identity flows out of its participation in the mission of God. It’s an open question whether mainline Protestantism in the United States can recover this sense of urgent purpose. Can Epiphany? Can St. Andrew’s?

Being born again and being on the cutting edge of mission are apt metaphors, not least because of the pain evoked by both. It’s not easy for churches to make the crucial transition from maintenance to mission mode. What do I mean? Here are some pointers:

• In measuring its effectiveness, the maintenance church asks, “How many newcomers have we attracted?” The mission-shaped church asks, “How many members have we sent?”

• When contemplating some form of change, the maintenance congre-gation says, “If this proves upsetting to any of our members, we won’t do it.” The mission-shaped church says, “If this will help us bless and touch someone outside of our faith community, we will take the risk.”

• When thinking about change, members of a maintenance church ask, “How will this affect me?” The missional congregation asks, “Will this help align our activities around the missio dei — the mission of God?”

• The priest in the maintenance congregation says to the newcomer,

Jay’s Say:

I’d like to introduce you to some of our members.” In the mission-shaped church the members say, “We’d like to introduce you to our priest.”

• When confronted with a legitimate pastoral concern, the pastor in the maintenance church asks, “How can I meet this need?” The pastor in the mission-shaped church asks, “How can we meet this need?”

• “The maintenance church is concerned with its organization, structure, finance and committees. The missional church is concerned with the wider culture, with understanding how secular people think and what makes them tick. It tries to connect their needs with the Gospel. Continued on p. 3 . . .


Parish

Birthdays

From the Parish Register

Baptism

June 4

Edward Alexander Jenkyn

Memorial Services

May 30

Carol Jordan

June 3

Charles Stewart

June 25

Adrienne Kerwin

THE SUMMER FAIR— The St. Andrew’s Summer Fair will be held Saturday, July 1, with our traditional fund-raising activities including crafts, baked goods, cheese, barbecue and beverages, books, children’s games, plants, the ever popular dog show and white elephant table. Contact Harvey and Rosie Best if you have questions or to volunteer and plan to attend.

CRAFTS — The fair marks the beginning of a summer break for the Tuesday morning crafts group, Crafty Critters, but plans have already been made to resume in September. Grab your calendar and red marker and circle September 5. This is when the craft group will start up again for the fall session and work on items for the St. Nicholas Fair in December. We meet on Tuesday mornings from 9:30 to 11:30 in the Parish Hall. If you like to knit, sew, stamp, color or do any type of hand work, please come by and see what is happening. We always have coffee and refreshments and great fellowship. When new people join us we find they bring along fresh ideas for craft projects. Everyone is welcome to come by for a visit and/or to join us. If you have questions please call Rosie Best or Barbara Smith.

Tyler Beck 1

John Chiarella 1

Bill Kelly 2

Cris�ne Van Vranken 2

Charles Kane 3

Frances Wilson 3

Jeanne Edwards 6

Rich Snaith 6

Jackie Thompson 6

Shirley Avery 7

Dot Gordon 7

Chloe Midge* 8

Greg Vogt 8

Annie Tilley 10

Neil Atkins 12

Troy Densmore 12

Kate Kelly 12

Ann Denny 14

Stevie Spina 14

Joseph Kun 15

Nonie Reynders 15

Rob Bryant 17

Claire Pace 23

Jerry Coogan 27

Anne Hall 27

Susan Clark 31

Madison Snaith 1

Julie Boardman 2

George Sutherland 4

Alan Deale 7

Se' Ferrell 7

Julia Koumrian 9

Nathan Ferrell 10

Becky Forbes 10

Jeremy Kelle* 10

Libby Phillips 15

Kathryn Po*er 15

Ann Feeley-Kieffer 16

Kathleen Hunter 17

John Tilley 17

Erin Wheeler 18

Priscilla Ohler 19

Janet Miller Haines 20

Tricia Tilley 21

Michele Frenkiewich 22

Jacob Densmore 23

Janie Webster 24

Anne Beck 26

Bobbie Hambley 28

Sunday Morning Refreshments

Wanted: People willing to help with coffee hour following the 8 AM and

10 AM services about once every three months. This time together is enjoyed by

all and it would be helpful to share the work. Please call or e-mail Gail Goddard

if you are interested in this ministry.


Jay’s Say, continued from p. 1

• The maintenance congregation looks at the community and asks, “How can we get these people to come to our church?” The missional congregation asks, “How can these people be led into the heart of God’s love and how can we walk with them in the way of Jesus?”

• The maintenance congregation thinks about how to save their church. The mission-shaped church thinks about how to extend the Kingdom of God.

How can you get involved in the great experiment at Epiphany, Newport?

Worship at Epiphany on Saturday at 5 pm from 19 August 2017. Just turn up on occasion and lend your voice and energy to building up the body of Christ in Newport.

Volunteer with Epiphany 4-H Explorers on Monday afternoons after school or with UpBeat Choir on Friday afternoons.

Pray for Epiphany, and for us.

We have teamed with LifeTouch to produce a new Saint Andrew’s Directory with pictures of our members. A good photo directory is an important resource, particularly for new members.

Portrait sessions are being scheduled on

• Thursday, July 13 from 2-9 PM

• Friday, July 14 from 2-9 PM

• Saturday, July 15 from 10 AM - 4:40 PM

Participants receive a free 8 x 10 color portrait and have the option of buying additional photos in a wide variety of sizes. Reservations can be made at coffee hour on 2 & 9 July and by contacting Bruce directly. Please be ready to provide the following information: your names; number of people being photographed; your phone number (so we can make a reminder call about your appointment); and your email address. If you are unavailable on 13-15 July, please let Bruce know and he’ll give you a call when the alternative date is finalized.

We get a new photo directory at no cost to the church or to you (although LifeTouch will be delighted if you decide to purchase additional prints), so PLEASE SIGN UP.

Reel and Novel Theology

Our exploration of books and film continues: On Wednesday, 12 July at 7 PM we get together to discuss the film Chariots of Fire as part of Reel Theology. On Wednesday, 9 August at 7 PM we are joined by author Tom Vaughan for Novel Theology to discuss his book The Other Side of Loss which touches on many religious themes and is set in New London! These discussions are open to every-one; see the film, read the book, and just turn up.

Proposed for early fall are the film Sweet Bean (September 13) and the book The Light Between Oceans by M. L. Stedman (October 11). Please also plan to join these discussions and offer suggestions for future viewing and reading.


Summer Cookouts: Informal Wednesday night cookouts on the patio continue until Labor Day. Show up at about 5:30 with your own meat to grill and something to share and join the fun.

Phillips Brooks Kids Are Coming: Two groups of kids from inner city Boston and Cambridge will be here 11/12 July and 24/25 July. Sign up to help, or speak with Nola Jordan, Lisa Kelly, or Becky Rylander.

On Memorial Day Weekend our three Eucharists concluded with an Act of Remembrance that honored those who have died for the United States in war. Taps was played, a minute of silence was kept, and the church bell was rung twelve times (one toll for each major conflict) before we sang “O beautiful for spacious skies.” The service was generally well received. But one parishioner took the time to write to me with a dissenting view of such importance that I share an edited version. Please do not allow yourself to be distracted from the issues this letter raises by speculating about who wrote it. The letter included abundant praise of St. Andrew’s and my ministry and was penned to build up the body of Christ. Included below are the points of criticism because we need to hear them. If people would like to carry on the conversation, perhaps our Faith & Issues group could tackle the subject.

In the most recent issue of Plough, the magazine of the Burderhof Communities, the Editor, Peter Morrison, wrote this in a piece entitled “A Time For Courage:” “The extent to which materialism, consumerism--and militarism and nationalism--have polluted our everyday lives (as Christians), the Church has failed to cultivate faithful discipleship within a post-Christian culture.” I agree. Yesterday, militarism and nationalism crept into the Church's Liturgy in so blatant and painful a way that I was physically distressed by its presence and could hard-ly breathe. It was, for me, a moment of failure to cultivate faithful discipleship; it was a fulsome embrace of the militarism and nationalism that is, in my under-standing, totally out of place in the life of any Christian community; it was a be-trayal of discipleship. . . . As Christians, our life is in Christ and through Christ and by Christ, an offering of our whole and entire selves to the Father in the grace of the Holy Spirit. There is no place whatsoever for any other allegiance within the worship of the Church. To engage such worship is idolatry pure and simple, and it was painful for me to be asked to worship false gods. . . .


The Wardens’ Words

At the 21st of April 10 AM service, Bruce made some comments that we thought should be shared with all of you:

“For those of you who know me well, you recognize that I am a person of few words. Every once in a while, something moves me to the point of wandering off the reservation. This is one of those times.

I was recently invited to hear Jay speak at a Country Squires Luncheon. It was a fascinating event. For thirty minutes, during Jay’s talk, you could hear a pin drop in the room. Jay’s message went straight to the heart saying that it is critical to build community relationships and understanding based on what we have in com-mon versus leading with where we have cultural and religious differences.

Ten men of Saint Andrew’s who were in attendance left that luncheon walking taller with great pride in our Rector and our Church. As I was leaving, I found the comments of 2 men walking in front of me fascinating – one expressed surprise at a member of the clergy using sports to build community unity vice the religious approach further saying that he almost did not come because he did not need to hear a sermon on a Thursday. The other man responded that this was an example of religion at its very best – a message of love, caring, and serving. My only comment - AMEN!

Thank you Jay for being - being who you are, being here, and being our leader and spiritual advisor.”

We are truly fortunate to have both Jay and Kelly leading us as we

~ learn to follow Jesus in the way of love!

— Becky Rylander and Bruce Avery

Calendar of Events

July:

1 (Saturday) - Summer Fair (see p. 2)

5, 12, 19, 26 (Wednesday) - Summer Cookouts, 5:30 PM

12 (Wednesday) - Reel Theology: Chariots of Fire, 7 PM (see p. 3)

13-15 (Thursday, Friday, Saturday) - Appointments for photo directory (see p. 3)

26 (Friday) - Friendly Kitchen (see p. 9)

August:

2, 9, 16, 23, 30 (Wednesday) - Summer Cookouts, 5:30 PM

9 (Wednesday) - Novel Theology: The Other Side of Loss, 7 PM (see p. 3)

September:

17 (Sunday) - Service at Camp Coniston, 10 AM, followed by parish picnic

Sundays 9AM Drop-in Choir Monday to Friday 12 Noon Midday Prayer ▼ Mondays 6 PM Meditation

First Tuesdays (of even months) 2:30 PM Pastoral Care Coordinating Team (next meeting 1 Aug.) Tuesdays/Thursdays 9 AM Morning Prayer

Wednesdays 10 AM Music & Memory, 5:30 PM Summer Cookouts


Sunday School

We are delighted to report that Sunday school classes have grown this year with the addition of new families. Our last session was on June 11 when we celebrated Trinity Sunday and The Great Commission. During the service, bibles were presented to older students and bible story books to younger children; teachers and shepherds were recognized for their contributions.

During the summer, 10 AM services will be geared to children and adults through All-age Worship. Sunday school will resume in September. Our younger class is composed of children in kindergarten through third grade, while the older group includes children from fourth grade up and any children not yet confirmed. We have excellent, experienced teachers on board for both groups. Both teachers and shepherds have completed or are in the process of completing the required Safe Church training. The children in 7th and 8th grades who are not yet confirmed are encouraged to join the older class or help out with the younger children as “shepherds in training.” Several members of the older group were confirmed last year and now attend church or help out with Sunday school. Children in preschool and younger go to the Nursery where care is available at both the 8 AM and 10 AM services.

On the last Sunday of each month, Nicole Densmore, our Director of Youth Music, rehearses with the children in preparation for the music/singing that is part of the all-age worship on the first Sunday of each month. She is an extraordinarily gifted teacher, musician, and singer and works her magic with the children whenever they practice or perform. Nicole also directs the Upbeat Youth choir and will host an Upbeat camp this summer with Alison Adam.

We are so grateful for the faithful dedication of all our staff members to the children and our mission at St. Andrew’s.

Faith Adventures

This year, our youth groups (at First Baptist and St. Andrew’s churches, New London, NH) have been focused on raising awareness and funds to benefit refugees who are in crisis. These junior high students have

♦ participated in experiential exercises and watched films to help them better understand what refugees are suffering all over the world;

♦ participated in a walk through town and a sleep-over sponsored by church members and others to raise community awareness;

♦ held a bake sale where they earned over $400;

♦ determined which organizations they wanted to support with the money they earned and what percentage would go to each one;

♦ spoke to the congregations during Sunday services to thank their supporters and to educate them on the services provided by the organizations (Fresh Start Farms—NH, Save the Children, Za’ atari Disability Center, Doctors Without Borders, International Rescue Committee) they had chosen;

♦ hosted members of St. Andrew’s and the First Baptist Church to a rice and bean dinner and movie outlining the journey of a Syrian family from Aleppo and a movie created by two members of the youth group;

♦ volunteered at Fresh Start Farms, a local organization that provides opportunities to refugees in New Hampshire, where they worked in the fields and greenhouses.

We are very proud of the dedication and effort displayed by our young people; they give us all hope in a very troubled world. (See photos, p. 11)— Ellen Yenawine


Voices in Counterpoint— Psalm 86

Dear Friends,

As many of you know, I am a composer: a person who hears music inwardly and writes it down for others to play and sing. I must confess that over the years, I have only applied myself to the craft of composition in fits and starts. For the most part my music has been written for occasions: hymns, anthems, and psalm settings written for specific Sundays and Festivals in the Church year.

I spent time today composing a setting of verses from Psalm 86 for the choir and congregation to sing. It has been a most pleasurable time coming to grips with the text. I chose one verse from the psalm to use as a Refrain. This Refrain is to be sung by the full congregation at the beginning and after every few verses of the psalm. The shape of the melody reflects the words. I recited the text aloud many times before putting pencil to paper: “Turn to me, and have mercy upon me.”

© DLA 20 June 2017

The tune begins with a “humiliation”: we bow deeply as we sing “Turn to me.” A gentle circular motion follows with the rest of the text: “and have mercy upon me.” The tune begins below and crosses above the final note. This melodic “cross” symbolizes the Cross from which Jesus spoke: “Father, forgive them . . .”

This “cross” image arose from the words themselves. I simply refined the idea to make a tune that was both singable and somewhat memorable. I must confess that at dinner I was singing the tune to myself. I realized I couldn’t quite remember how the tune ended. Between the main course and dessert I stole a moment at the piano to refine the tune further by changing one note to make it more easily remembered.

It’s interesting that over time – I’ve refined hundreds of little tunes in the last 60 years – I’ve had various reactions from colleagues and friends. Most of these are gratifying, but I've also been told I'm just “fooling around” at the piano. Recently I heard, “No one really cares whether they sing something new” or hear a new flute descant or fanfare or free accompaniment on a Sunday morn-ing. Even worse are comments like, “It’s a dreadful waste of time” and “Why bother? Most organ-ists use music that’s already composed.”

A few weeks ago, someone came up to the organ after Eucharist and told me they really liked how I was interpolating diminished 7th chords into the hymn accompaniments. I thought to myself: Here is a fellow music-theory geek, someone who knows what dim7 is. And there are the smiles after Nicole and I play a new piece that has touched a few hearts.

Positive reactions like these always gratify me. But in a way I think the negative comments give me the energy to work even harder to refine the music God and nature have provided.

The psalmist gives me my mission and all the inspiration I need:

Sing forth the honor of his name: make his praise glorious. Psalm 66.2 (Authorized version)

Peace and Love, David


The Lord appeared to Abraham by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat at the entrance of his tent in the heat of the day. He looked up and saw three men standing near him. When he saw them, he ran from the tent entrance to meet them, and bowed down to the ground.

I invite you to think back to our readings from Sunday, June 18, when we heard, from Genesis 18, of Abraham and Sarah’s encounter with three strangers. Abraham and Sarah invite these guests into their life, and the guests bring God’s promise—that Abraham and Sarah would, together, be parents of a child—one step closer to fulfillment. Hospitality results in transformation: Abraham says “Come and eat,” and everything changes.

It can be easy to forget, when you’re used to playing the role of host, that hospitality isn’t just about what you can do for your guests. Yes, we work hard to create a welcome for our guests, whether they’re dinner guests or house guests, whether they’re coming for tea or for cocktails: choosing food carefully, thinking about flowers or other decorations; maybe even giving the place a deeper clean or a more thorough tidy than it might otherwise get. We think about guest lists, and about who we’d like to introduce to each other. Nothing wrong with any of that. It’s natural, as a host, to want to craft an experience that will be a good one, maybe even a memorable one, for our guests.

Notice, though, in our story from Genesis, that the power of transformation flows in the other direc-tion: not from host to guest, but from guest to host. It’s the strangers, the unknown guests, who bring the news of impending life-altering change to Abraham and Sarah.

I suspect when we think of inviting guests and welcoming newcomers to church, our thoughts and expectations tend to run in the first pattern: “Welcome here, Guest; be a part of the good things happening here, and be changed for the better!” Nothing inherently wrong with that, either. And yet … How often are we ready for that power of transformation to run in the other direction? How ready are we to be transformed, as Abraham and Sarah found their lives transformed, in the wake of their guests’ arrival?

As you’ll see elsewhere in this issue, Epiphany Newport is making itself ready for a transformation, and not just the sort we can plan for. Yes, we are re-ordering the worship space, and rescheduling the time of worship, and even adapting the style of worship itself. As crucial as all that is, none of it will have its full impact without the as-yet-unknown folks cast in the role of the strangers who arrive at Abraham and Sarah’s tent. Do we hope that a renewed Church of the Epiphany has some-thing powerful and nourishing to offer anyone who comes? To Epiphany’s current faithful? To the UpBeat Singers and their families? To anyone else who might be drawn to (or invited to) Epiphany, even out of mere curiosity? Yes, we do.

But pray, too, that we—Epiphany and St. Andrew’s both—are ready and open to be surprised and transformed by the presence of new life among us.

Please see pp. 10-11 for detailed plans of the transformation planned at Epiphany, Newport.

The Missioner’s Musing: Hospitality and Transformation


Our next visit to the Friendly Kitchen is planned for Friday, July 28. We are learning how to continue in this ministry as we respond to significant changes to the preparation and cooking of meals. By order of the Concord Board of Health, all food served at

the Friendly Kitchen must be prepared in the Friendly Kitchen’s kitchen or in a licensed facility. In the 10-plus years we’ve been volunteering there, we have relied on many of our terrific cooks to prepare much of our menu (especially mac and cheese and desserts) in our home kitchens. It will take a few visits for us to figure out the best way for us to meet these new requirements.

We are hopeful that we can obtain food from their freezer and pantry to plan a menu and with that as a start will request our parishioners to donate specific ingredients to be prepared and cooked there. A few more people may be required to help on the day of our visit, one group to go to Concord early in the afternoon to prep and start the cooking and one to go later to serve and clean up.

Watch for a signup sheet and more information in the Sunday bulletins.

Outreach Corner

Help Re-Stock the KLS Community Food Pantry

July: Cereal

August: Hearty Soups & Stews

Paper towels, toilet paper, coffee (regular, decaf and instant), peanut butter and jelly, cake and brownie mixes and monetary donations are always welcome.

“Deep calls to deep at the thunder of your cataracts; all your waves and your billows have gone over me.” (Psalm 42.7)

Stand with me, if you will, at the foot of a tall, roaring, mountain waterfall and think about the forces of nature at play. Consider the source of the water itself, not just the pool far above and beyond your sight, but the rain that fills that pool and the tributaries feeding it. Then think of the rain itself, a product of the atmosphere, vapor rises from the earth and gathers in clouds. When full, these clouds release their burden and water the earth again.

Now consider the raw power of this waterfall. Whatever lies in its path is vulnerable to that power. Loose rocks and vegetation are swept away. The face of the mountain itself gradual-ly changes over time. This play of power is a mysterious and beautiful thing.

So it is when God directs our lives. Through those around us, God works to change us, to refine our lives to their essence. Our loose ends are cleansed away and in time we become what God intends us to be. Our task is to stand fast, rooted in faith that God will transform us for good. God grant us steadfastness. – David L. Almond, Director of Music, Episcopal Church of Saint Andrew. New London (Reprinted, with permission, from a

recent issue of the Intertown Record)


Epiphany, Newport Some suggestions for its remodeling The Nave It is suggested that any alterations and improvements should focus in the first instance on the nave. The existing area of the nave, excluding the chancel, should be redesigned as a room for the assem-bly of the baptised meeting weekly to break open the word and to break bread together. This room would consist of three distinct spaces;

a) At the west end, the place of the Word, with seating around the ambo on which the scriptures are displayed and from which the gospel is proclaimed.

b) At the east end, the place of the Sacrament, where the altar table stands in the midst of a cleared space, to which the whole assembly moves together after sharing the Peace and at which it stands to offer the Great Thanksgiving and to receive Holy Communion. Minimal seating is provided around the perimeter for those who find it difficult to stand.

c) Between these two places, the baptismal font is set in the midst of the worship space, opposite the entrance, kept full of water as a constant reminder of the baptismal covenant.

Submitted by the Rev’d Richard Giles, the British author of Re-Pitching the Tent who served as Dean of the Episcopal Cathedral in Philadelphia.


To achieve this, there are varying degrees to which the existing interior need be altered and existing furniture re-used, depending on preferred approach and finance. It is suggested that the essential alterations are:

i. The realignment of the seating to enable the assembly to enter into a liturgy of journey when celebrating the eucharist. For this purpose, new chairs could be purchased, or the existing pews (reduced in number) re-used.

ii. The partial screening of the chancel with cloth hangings to enclose the room whilst retaining

a glimpse of the east end and its window.

iii. The relighting of the nave to highlight the three liturgical foci of ambo (lectern), font and altar

table.

Furniture. The existing lectern and font are suitable for use in the new positions described, but a

cubic altar table would be needed for the place of the Sacrament, either new or adapted from an

existing altar table. Appropriate seating for the president and assistants should be provided against

the west wall facing east, from where the liturgy of the Word is led.

Faith

Adventures

(See p. 6)


Parish Office Office 603-526-6344

Fax 603-526-8623

Email [email protected]

Rector

The Rev. Jay MacLeod

Curate

The Rev. Kelly Sundberg Seaman

Director of Music

David Almond

Director of Music for Children and

Youth

Nicole Densmore

Verger

Anne Hall

Parish Administrator

Shelly Boucher

Resident Clergy

The Rev. Patricia Harris

The Rev. Canon Jim Ransom

The Rev. Kathleen Rusnak

The Rev. Charlie Tirrell

St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in New London, NH

P.O. Box 294

52 Gould Road,

New London, NH 03257

The Vestry Wardens

Becky Rylander (expires Jan. 2018)

Bruce Avery (expires Jan. 2019)

Treasurer

Peter Ruth (expires Jan. 2019)

Vestry Members

Term Expires Jan. 2018

Marni Eaton, Clerk

Judy Wallace

Ellen Yenawine


Mark Kellett

Lisa Kelly

Barbara Smith


Harvey Best

Joe Daly

Greg Vogt

Committee Chairpersons Altar Guild Judy Ackroyd Rosie Best

Buildings & Grounds Lyman Smith

Craft Group Rosie Best Barbara Smith

Eucharistic Ministers Anne Hall

Finance & Investments Peter Ruth

Newsletter Alice Perry – Editor

Outreach Becky Rylander

Stewardship Morris and Jeanne Edwards

Documents

Network Jy-Aug 2017 - St. Andrew's · Adrienne Kerwin THE SUMMER FAIR— The St. Andrew’s Summer Fair will be held Saturday, July 1, ... Crafty Critters, but plans have already