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Major Announcements
Concert Under the Stars at St. Timothy's, Creve Coeur Featuring the swinging music ao the Gateway City Big Band
Proceeds benefit the Outreach Program...Doors open at 6 p.m., concert 7-9:30 p.m. Reserved tables of 8 - $175
includes pre-concert cocktail party
Lawn seating $7 in advance, $9 after June 16th
Concessions-brats, hot dogs, desserts and more
808 N. Mason Rd. 1 mile west of 270 & Olive 1/2 mile South of Olive and Mason
Experienced Mission Trip leader, Donna Erickson, reflects on what she witnessed in New Orleans. This article has been shared with other churches in the Diocese. Until I Met Shirley I suspect most people who know me would agree that I'm a 'tough cookie' - at least on days when they're being kind that's the phrase they would use! Both personal and professional experiences have revealed human brokenness to me in strange, disturbing and profoundly beautiful ways. Urban settings and situations are not foreign to me as I was raised outside of NYC in New Jersey and have worked for nearly 3 decades in St. Louis, a city once dubbed 'the most dangerous in the country.' It is against this backdrop that I ask you to believe that nothing in my experience could have prepared me for the devastation I witnessed on our recent Mission trip to New Orleans; devastation that is truly of biblical proportion. I, along with most of the country and certainly many of you, watched in horror as the dramatic events of August 2005 unfolded. The human misery, futility, and desperation escalating as whole communities in the Southeast were swept away; communities of ordinary men and women who lost places to live and and work, family members, beloved pets, ways of life, points of reference, familiar landmarks and any semblance of normalcy. A combination of denial, personal bias and media misinformation allowed me to believe that the flood and its aftermath, especially in New Orleans, happened 'to them' - people significantly different from me by every measurable marker: economic, racial, cultural and geographic. I continued to believe that .....until I met Shirley. On Wednesday morning of Mission week, I was asked to accompany 'The Finisher' to a work site. While the nickname seems to come straight fromthe World Wrestling Federation, it actually belongs to a young woman named Liz who is employed by the Office of Disaster Relief/Episcopal Diocese of LA. Liz specializes in putting finishing touches on homes that have been restored by the program and her appearance means that owner re-occupancy is imminent. A day had been planned for the two of us to install one final section of molding, and then caulking and doing final paint touch ups in the home of one of the program's clients. (A client incidentally who contacted the program after an unscrupulous contractor had taken her state "Road Home' money, started repairs - and then vanished. Apparently not an uncommon scenario in New Orleans these days.) As we pulled up to the house, the homeowner, Shirley, came out of her FEMA trailer to welcome us. There was an immediate sense of familiarity; an impression that was reinforced throughout the day as we shared work, lunch and exchanged stories and insights about our lives. We later acknowledged that we each recognized our 'sisterhood' within 5 minutes of being introduced. The similarities in our lives were uncanny. Both of us were single working mothers, (me in social work for 33 years, Shirley as a middle school teacher for 32 years); each with 2 sons the exact same ages and our sons had lost their fathers to death in the exact same year; each of us have an elderly mother, now in assisted living, yet still dependent on us for support and daily routine appointments/management. Shirley just painted her restored master bedroom the same shade of purple I had chosen in the fall for my sunroom. Shirley finished paying off her home and retired from her job 3 months before Katrina struck and, while that day is still a few years off for me, as she spoke of the retirement she had planned, filled with walks with friends, church work, book groups and gardening, I recognized, and heard, my own hopes for a future free from job demands. With tears in her eyes, Shirley acknowledged that her planned for life and all those dreams have been irretrievably lost. She spoke honestly about the difficulty in reaching out for help especially after being 'swindled,' the reluctance to accept assistance 'because folks like you and me don't take help, we take care of others; we soldier on; single moms take a breath, pick ourselves up and do what has to be done.' She spoke fo hopelessness and the reality that papers in New Orleans have stopped publishing cause of death in the obituaries 'because the number of suicides is so staggeringly high it would depress those of us trying desperately to hang on.' Shirley now walks the neighborhood everyday, along with her memories, assessing physical damage, calling former neighbors now relocated throughout the South, telling them about their properties, encouraging them to return, discussing local politics/happenings, trying to stay connected; in essence, assessing emotional damage as well. She will be one of the first on her block to stop living in a atrailer and return to living inside her home. (One of the first - - 2 1/2 years after the flood!) So far, the only furniture she has accumulated is a table for her bedroom and a bed. Upon the table is a Celtic cross, a candle and a resin figurine of a black preacher holding a small child by her hand. Shirley said that 'with a place to rest my head, a cross to remind me of Jesus and the church to help lead me home, I know everything else will fall into place." At the end of the day, as we embraced and exchanged phone numbers, addresses and promises of staying in touch, she held my shoulders and said, "Donna when that tornado rips through St. Louis and takes out your house, you call me; I'll get friends from church together and we'll be there to help you rebuild.' I was finally able to grasp, on a wrenching, take your breath away, gut level that this tragedy did not happen 'to them;' it happened to people exactly like me. It happened to brothers - and sisters - in Christ who are exactly as beloved by God the Father as we are. Our lives had been parallel in SO many ways and yet her faith and courage brought me up short. I found myself wondering how I would be 2 1/2 years after losing everything familiar and beloved through forces over which I had absolutely NO control. Would I be able to begin again, to keep on keeping on? (Would you?) I knew precisely what a gift it had been that I was chosen to accompany 'the Finisher' to Shirley's house. It may have been a blessing for her, she kept saying it was; if that was the case, it was just another way we were exactly alike because it was a blessing for me as well. It was a powerful moment of grace; a chance for me to be reminded that I was not just there with 'the Finisher' but, more importantly, I was there with the God of all new life - the God of beginnings. "But forget all that - it is nothing compared to what I am going to do. For I am about to do a brand new thing. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? ' Isaiah 43: 18-19 There were MANY moments of grace on this trip. None of these experiences would have been possible without the ongoing support of Emmanuel parish. We (Lou Clauss, Mary Ann Cook and RIchard Byrnes and I) are very grateful. Please consider joining the Diocese of Missouri Mission Trip to New Orleans in August 2008 to continue the work. Donna Erickson
Director of Communications Position for the Diocese of Missouri Becomes Available June 18th Sandy Coburn, Canon for Communications announced that she is resigning as of June 18th, 2008, in order to dedicate more time to her family. The job description for the position of Communications Director will be posted tomorrow on the diocesan website. The primary responsibilities for the position include: Editor of Seek Magazine, iSeek the weekly news bulletin, web updating and innovations on www.DioceseMo.org, media relations for Bishop Smith and the Diocese of Missouri, and Budgetary and Personnel Management in the Communications area. Coburn will assist whomever takes over the position during a transition period. Those interested in the position, should contact Rev. Canon Dan Smith at the Offices of the Bishop, edsmith@diocesemo.org.
We are seeking an individual who can communicate effectively in writing, speaking, and through our website www.diocesemo.org to all people in the Diocese of Missouri and beyond it. Primary responsibilities include the development twice a year of a diocesan magazine, SEEK. The editor has a teleconference with the Editorial Board prior to each issue, and sets an agenda according to the categories set in the table of contents (see SEEK magazine); coordinating and assigning articles with reporters, our ministry partners, campus ministers, Bishop Smith, and photographers necessary to create the magazine. Next, the editor works with a graphic arts company to make the copy camera ready for printer. After intense copyediting, editor coordinates distribution chain of the piece to the Diocese and beyond. Another responsibility is circulation of the weekly news bulletin, iSeek, which goes out each Wednesday, to keep News and Special Calendar Events up-to-date for congregations and parishioners - and anyone requesting to be on the emailing list. A third major responsibility of the Communications Director is the website updates for all areas of the website; those performed directly by the director in addition to those coordinated with Youth Ministry, Deacons, Campus Ministry, ESM, and all others who update stories, documents, facts, and figures --and must be edited and rendered by the director who is considered managing editor. In addition this person must maintain relationships with the webmaster, technical assistant for the site, Content Executive, the agency working with several congregations' websites; and SLC Innovations which provides form-building, and donations links assistance to the Diocese. A fourth important role of the Communications Director involves Media Relations for Bishop Wayne Smith and the Diocese. This person must develop relationships with reporters and producers from print and radio/tv media; and consistently distribute news releases about events involving the Diocese of Missouri. At times, press events must be developed and/or covered. The Director also must attend and cover and photograph events happening around the diocese. Going forward the Director must have the ability to podcast and stream video for various events around the diocese. Finally, this person must manage the budget and staff in the Communications Area. This includes publications and services provided for Communications, Advertising, and consultation for marketing/communications for various congregations and/or committees for ministry. Further, the receptionist/assistant Tracy Grigsby, and the Archivist, Susan Rehkopf report to this director. Please send inquiries and resumes to the Rev. Canon Dan Smith at edsmith@diocesemo.org, or call 314-231-1220. Thank you for your interest.
The Rev. Canon Dan Smith is named as one of Five Nominees Presented for Election as Bishop of Southern Virginia The One Hundred and Sixteenth Annual Council of the Diocese of Southern Virginia will elect the Tenth Bishop of Southern Virginia on September 27th, 2008. The Nominating Committee that was formed in August 2007 is presenting five priests as nominees for election as Tenth Bishop. The Rev. Canon E. Daniel Smith, Canon to the Ordinary, the Diocese of Missouri, is one of them. The other four priests will be posted tomorrow, on the Southern Virginia's Bishop Search web page [www.svabishop.org]. This page can also be reached through a link on the Diocesan web page [www.diosova.org]. Over 50 potential nominees from 36 dioceses were brought to the attention of the committee. Over the months through prayerful and careful consideration, the committee selected the five whose gifts most closely matched the needs and hopes of the diocese as explained in the Diocesan profile. The next major step in the process is the Diocesan Walk Abouts. The Walk Abouts are a series of five meetings across the Diocese for delegates to the Council and other interested persons to meet and get to know the nominees as part of the discernment process leading up to the election. These events will begin on Friday, September 12 and conclude on Monday, September 15. The election will take place September 27th, and the new Bishop, when confirmed and consecrated will officially begin in February 2009.
Archdeacon Susan Naylor is requesting that at least 70 parishioners get involved with all of the deacons, aligned with Bishop Smith's Missional Direction for the Diocese, and join in this wonderful opportunity for mission in New Orleans this summer. The Diocese is conducting this trip so that parishioners may join the Bishop in working to rebuild houses and lives in and around New Orleans after Katrina. It does require a few forms to be filled out, and sent in with a $10 application fee to Deacon Mark Sluss, 1210 Locust Street, St. Louis, MO 63103 (Those chosen for the trip will be asked to pay an additional $490 to cover the costs involved with the trip, including housing and meals: Volunteer Release Form Mission Introduction Letter NOLA Medical Form NOLA Release Form
Don't forget the Bishop's Habitat Workday will be held Saturday, June 28th. And now, for the entire schedule: Habitat Work Schedule
The Bishop's Staff and member congregations contribute hundreds of hours each year to Habitat for Humanity. See the progress on this year's build at The Episcopal Habitat for Humanity Web Site Habitat Volunteer Brochure
Directions to Habitat Work Site
Habitat Episcopal Church Waiver The Bishop's Workday this year is Saturday, June 28th. These are the workdays the churches will be responsible for either entirely or in part: Blitz Friday 6/6
Saturday 6/7.
Saturday 6/28
Saturday 7/12
Saturday 7/19
Friday 7/25
Dedication Day - Saturday 8/2. Our homeowner is Mario Ware. She as four children: Mario (boy) age 18, Shante (girl) age 16, Michael, age 15, and Crystal, age 7. We are House #6 at 3043 Thomas, 63106. I am enclosing a map with directions, a waiver for you to have your volunteers sign and bring with them, and a brochure for first time volunteers. Let me know if you don't have easy access to a printer and i would be more than happy to get paper copies to you of all of these. Our house is south of where we built in '04 and '06, and a little farther east. Make sure everyone is aware of the parking situation. There will be a security guard there while we are working, but use common sense and don't leave anything of value on the seats. Claudia Moran and Rick Simoncelli
Episcopal Habitat for Humanity Project
314-725-0575
News
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Special Events
St. Mark's Episcopal, St. Louis will have a flea market, book and estate sale June 20-22 at 4714 Clifton with antiques, housewares, books, furniture, jewelry, tools, electronics, and more. Early birds may get a preview on Friday, June 20th, from 6-8 p.m. with the purchase of a $5 ticket. Admission to Saturday and Sunday's sales are free. Sunday's sale will feature clearance prices. Call 314-832-3588 for more details.
A Program on Benedictine Spirituality Saturday, July 12, 2008 10:00 a.m. - 1:30 pm.
St. Timothy's Episcopal Church, 808 N. Mason Road, Creve Coeur, Missouri 63141 You are invited to learn about and experience Benedictine spirituality. The program will feature Fr. Ralph Wright, a monk from St. Louis Abbey. He will share his thoughts and insights on how St. Benedict offers a model of spirituality and a pathway to God which speaks to Christians in the 21st century. Prayer in the Benedictine tradition will be offered. A panel of three Community of Hope chaplains will briefly share stories of Benedict's impact on their lives. We will end with lunch in the Benedictine tradition - a simple meal and a reading from literature about the Rule of St. Benedict. There will ample opportunity for further discussion about resources available to implement Benedictine spirituality personally or in your parish. This program is open to all interested persons in the Diocese. There is no charge. However, to plan well for lunch we do request reservations. Please call or e-mail Nancy Ferriss at 314-727-7655 or nancyferriss@hotmail.com by July 7th.
Sisters and Brothers of the Diocese of Missouri The Episcopal School For Ministry invites YOU, Your Wardens and Vestry, Your Every Member Canvass people, Your Stewardship people- To a Saturday afternoon presentation and discussion: A Spirituality Called Stewardship The Eucharist: 11:15 a.m. (in the 2nd floor Chapel - Press Building) Lunch: 12:00 Noon (in Schroer Commons) Presentation/Discussion: 1:00 - 3:00 p.m. (Room 110 - Press Building) Saturday, June 28th, 2008 Eden Theological Seminary 475 E. Lockwood St. Louis, MO 63119 The whole package costs $20.00 per person (including lunch). The Presentation/Discussion only will cost $10.00 per person (without lunch). Registrations must be made through Cory Hoehn in the Offices of the Diocese or by Email choehn@diocesemo.org or by phone at (314) 255-1383. The deadline for registration is Tuesday, June 24th 2008. Stewardship describes how we live in the world in response to the GOOD NEWS of our salvation in Jesus Christ. Because we are concerned with allowing God to direct and govern our lives it is logical for us to think in terms of "A Spirituality Called Stewardship".
The Episcopal Church of the Holy Communion in University City has an informal Eucharist at 5:00 p.m. on the 3rd Saturday of each month. This service is designed to be especially appropriate for families with children. For more information please call 314-721-7401 or go to www.holycommunion.net.
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