April 2007
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Keeping Jesus Company

Recently I led a retreat in western North Carolina. Driving home through the mountains I passed a little country church with this sign in its yard: “Visitors Welcome! Members Expected!”

Visitors welcome; members expected. That is a good message as we begin Holy Week, the most sacred week of the Christian year. The most beautiful and powerful liturgies our church has to offer are this week. The entire drama of the last week of Christ’s life is re-enacted -- from the triumphant beginning of Palm Sunday, to Jesus’ poignant last meal with his friends, to the horror of his arrest and devastation of his death, to the joy of the empty tomb on Easter morning.

During that first Holy Week, many of Jesus’ most faithful followers deserted him. Now we are called to walk with him, to keep him company during this horrible, holy week. Please join us, we’re expecting you.

† Palm Sunday (April 1, 8:30 and 10:30 a.m. ) – We begin the service outdoors (weather permitting) and process into church waving palm fronds, as we remember Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem. At the gospel, the mood of the service changes dramatically from triumph and joy to great sorrow, as we read the story of Jesus’ arrest, trial, and crucifixion. No Sunday School this day.

† Wednesday (April 4, Noon ) – Join us for Eucharist at noon in the church, followed by a simple lunch in the parish hall. No Village Supper this day.

† Maundy Thursday (April 5, 6 p.m. ) – We will begin at 6 p.m. in the parish hall with a simple supper, provided by the church. After supper we will go into church at 7:00 p.m. for the Maundy Thursday liturgy. In this moving service, we remember the last night of Jesus’ life, when he commanded his disciples to love one another. As Jesus washed his disciples’ feet that night, we are invited to participate in washing one another’s feet. The service continues with the Eucharist, and ends as we sit in silence as the altar is stripped. Everything is taken away. Darkness. Emptiness. There is nothing left.

† Good Friday (April 6, Noon –3 p.m. ) – The service for this most somber day of the Christian year begins at noon with the Good Friday liturgy, which lasts about an hour. After the liturgy is over, the service continues until 3 p.m. with meditations and music on the Stations of the Cross. Please feel free to come to any or all of the service, as you are able.

† Easter Vigil (April 7, 7 p.m. ) – This dramatic service begins in the Beech Grove with the lighting of the new fire, from which the Paschal candle is lit. We then process into the church, which is in darkness for the first part of the service, as we hear scripture stories of God’s acts of salvation throughout history. Midway through the service we turn on the lights, and ring bells as we joyously proclaim that Lent is over and Christ has risen. In the early church, the Easter Vigil was traditionally the time when new converts to the faith were baptized. Keeping with that tradition, baptism will also be part of this service. A champagne reception follows this service.

† Easter Sunday – (April 8, 8:30 and 10:30 a.m. ) Come celebrate Jesus’ resurrection on this most festive day of the Christian year. An Easter egg hunt will be held for children after the 10:30 service. No Sunday School this day.

* Child care is available for all services except the Wednesday noon Eucharist.

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Announcements

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Adult Christian Education for Spring

A letter to the editor in Newsweek recently caught my eye. It was in response to an earlier article about Americans’ lack of knowledge about the facts of religion. Here is what the letter said:

“If Americans are ignorant of the facts behind religion, a goodly share of the blame belongs to mainstream churches and their ministers. Despite the fact that Americans are attaining higher levels of education, churches remain places to believe, not places to think. Ministers rarely challenge congregants to ask questions, do research, think deeply or explore other faiths with anything like an open mind. Rigorous thought is suspect. Intellectuals, especially intellectual women, are not particularly welcome. In my experience, ministers just want congregations to believe, obey, and donate – generously.”

The letter writer does not say what churches she has experienced, but I hope the Episcopal Church is not among them. What attracted me back to the Episcopal Church as an adult was the encouragement of a faith that was not threatened by intellectual rigor or questioning. That attitude is best summed up for me in a poster I once had that showed a picture of Jesus with these words – “He came to take away your sins, not your mind.”

The goal of our adult Christian Education is not to indoctrinate, but to educate, that is to invite learning through rigorous thought, questioning, and exploration. In keeping with that goal, the Sunday after Easter we will begin a new adult series called “Thinking the Faith,” which will examine the Christian creeds. The class will be led by Joe Monti. During our discussions of fundamentalism earlier this year, questions were raised about the creeds several times. Those questions were the impetus for this series, which will begin April 15 and go through May 20. Here is the schedule of classes:

“THINKING THE FAITH”
EXPLAINING THE CHRISTIAN CREEDS

Joseph Monti
St. Dunstan’s Episcopal Church
Spring 2007

April 15 “Faith Seeking Understanding:” Questioning With Augustine
In the 4 th century, St Augustine demonstrated that bringing questions to our faith is essential in the lives of Christians. We are, in fact, to be seekers of understanding in our own time and place—always to be both faithful and contemporary. These classes examine faith that seeks understanding and knowledge, and why this has been so important in the heritage of the Episcopal and Anglican traditions.

All six classes make room for your own particular questions of our creeds and doctrines.

April 22 God, the Creator
The next four classes examine the three sections of the Nicene Creed said or sung most Sundays at the Eucharist.

We believe in one God,
the Father, the Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all that is, seen and unseen.

April 29 & May 6 Christ, the Redeemer

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the only Son of God,
eternally begotten of the Father,
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made,
of one Being with the Father.
Through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation
he came down from heaven:
by the power of the Holy Spirit
he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary,
and was made man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered death and was buried.
On the third day he rose again
in accordance with the Scriptures;
he ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end.

May 13 The Spirit and Sustainer

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son.
With the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified.
He has spoken through the Prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.
We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead,
and the life of the world to come. Amen.

May 20 Contemporary Creeds
This class examines a variety of contemporary renderings of our creed both in worship and for “thinking the faith” in everyday life.

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Within Our Walls

Vestry Minutes Summary : The Vestry met on March 13. Attending the meeting were Tricia Templeton, Paul Ruhmkorff, and all the Vestry members except Danny Woodard. Tricia had an article in the latest Pathways on Tanzania and in the AJC on the current direction of the Episcopal Church. Paul reported that money is coming in ahead of the budget and expenses have been controlled well. He has submitted the annual parish report. The leaders of our Building Use, Membership, and Efficiency Task Forces reported to the Vestry. Their reports, and the full minutes of the meeting, are available on request. The Vestry resolved that Richard would write an article for The Bellows on the efforts of the Building Use Task Force and gather response from the congregation. – Bruce Lafitte, Vestry Clerk

Picture Directory Update: Thank you to everyone who signed up to have photographs taken for the new St. Dunstan's photo directory.  The turn-out was excellent and the two Lifetouch photographers, Bryan Washington and George Alford, took some very good pictures of St. Dunstanites.  For those folks who were unable to sign up for a photo session, Lifetouch will accept photographs for inclusion in the directory.  Photographs can be sent to or dropped by the church.  The deadline is April 9, 2007.~Jeanne Taylor, Vestry Communications Chair

Treat yourself to the Music and Services of Holy Week: Earlier this month, Steve and our choir presented A Lenten Meditation, Sorrow, Peace and Joy. The bulletin said it was “… centered on Christ’s monumental life and amplified by the musical and literary poetry of the past several centuries…”  Those are Steve ’s words.  All I know is that it made me feel centered and full of God’s spirit.  It was holy.

We will have another opportunity to come together during the services of Holy Week.  I love Holy Week.  I love the procession on Palm Sunday.  I love singing ‘All Glory Laud and Honor.’ I love making crosses out of the palms.  It is holy.

On Maundy Thursday, I love the simple meal and the foot watching.  Some folks participate while some sit and watch, but it a moving experience either way.  After the Eucharist we sit in silence as the altar is stripped.  We leave in silence.  It is holy.

On Good Friday, the images of the Stations of the Cross are expressed through scripture, music and prayer.  I used to avoid this service.  I didn’t want to sit for so long. I didn’t want to think about it.  I thought it would be morbid, but it was not.  It is like a funeral; a celebration of Jesus’ life.  It is holy.

The Easter Vigil is another opportunity for worship.  We begin in darkness and slowly the lights come up.  Slowly the beauty of Easter is revealed.  It is holy.

So I encourage you, treat yourself to the Music and Services of Holy Week. ~Gilda Morris

Hunger Walk Results: On Sunday, March 11 th, St. Dunstan’s was represented at the Hunger Walk by Vicki Ledet, Meg Withers, Molly Herman-Gallow, and Lucy, Wally, and Jackie Kaltenbach. $28,000 was raised by the Episcopal contingent of the walk alone - $9,000 more than was raised last year. 60% of this amount goes to the Episcopal Charities Foundation; 40% goes to the Atlanta Community Food Bank. Thank you walkers, and thank you to those parishioners who financially supported them! ~Ellen

Outreach Refugee Family Resettlement: St. Dunstan’s will help a refugee family get settled in the Atlanta area. From April 15 to May 15, we will collect items and furnish their apartment, meet the family at the airport and drive them to their new home, prepare meals for their first day, and provide transportation so they can shop for clothing. To volunteer to help, please call Mary Summerville at 404-237-8441.

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Thanks

Passages

Transferred in: Joyce and Henry Stokes from Church of the Atonement.

Our Sympathy to Cinda Walker on the death of her father, Clyde Trueax, March 27.

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From the Organist and Choirmaster