January and February 2010 Contents
“Then there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake.” This verse of scripture has been in my mind ever since the devastating earthquake hit Haiti last week. In the story from First Kings, God tells the prophet Elijah to stand on a mountain and wait for the Lord to pass by. As Elijah waits, the mountain is buffeted by strong wind, an earthquake, and a fire. But God, the Bible says, was not in any of these natural disasters. Then there is “a sound of sheer silence,” and in that silence God is present. In the days following the horrific quake that shook the poorest country in our hemisphere to its core, causing untold death and destruction, faithful people of all religions have asked, “Where was God in the earthquake?” Some, like televangelist Pat Robertson, have suggested that God allowed the earthquake because of Haiti’s sins. Such talk is blasphemous, insulting to God and to all who believe in a loving creator. A God who would willfully cause such anguish and suffering would be a cruel and sadistic tyrant worthy only of contempt, not worship. That is not the God in whom I believe. So where was God in the earthquake? God was present in the brief, stunned, sheer silence that followed the earth’s rumbling. God was present in the cries of the wounded and dying. Their cries were God’s cries; their suffering is God’s suffering. God was present in those who immediately went to work trying to rescue their family, friends, colleagues, and complete strangers. God was present in those who shared scarce food and water with those who have none. God is present in the rubble and the unmarked graves of the thousands who died. As news of the quake spread from the tiny island across the world, God was present in the relief workers from every corner of the globe who began packing their bags to go help their brothers and sisters in Haiti. God was present in the journalists who headed for airports so that they could bring the story of Haiti’s suffering to those who can help. God was present in governments that mobilized for action. God is present in those who reached for their credit cards, checkbooks and cell phones to send money to the relief effort. God is present in the young boy who watched the news, then went to his room and came out with $20 to send to the children in Haiti. God is present in the prayers offered up in churches, synagogues, mosques, temples, and living rooms around the world. God is present with all who grieve and mourn and wait for news of those they love. Seeing God’s presence in all of these places does not answer our questions of why the earthquake happened, or why the people of Haiti have been inflicted with so much suffering for so long. We cannot finally know why suffering exists – from natural disasters like earthquakes, hurricanes, and tsunamis, and from the human evils of war and violence, corruption, neglect and abuse. But people of faith trust that evil and suffering are not what God intends. When God’s people suffer, God suffers; when our hearts break, God’s heart breaks. God was not in the chaos of the earthquake. But God has been present ever since and will continue in the weeks, and months, and years ahead to be with the people of Haiti. We, the people of God, need to be with them, too.
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Announcements
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| 12:00 – 12:30 | Senior Chorister Girls |
All rehearsals are in the Yates rehearsal room.
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A Prayer for Haiti
God of compassion,
please watch over the people of Haiti,
and weave out of these terrible happenings
wonders of goodness and grace.
Surround those who have been affected by tragedy
with a sense of your presence and love,
and hold them in faith.
Though they are lost in grief,
may they be comforted by your love.
Guide us as a church
to find ways of providing assistance
that heals wounds and provides hope.
Help us to remember that when one of your children suffers
we all suffer.Amen
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Adult Christian Education
Epiphany: Working for Justice
Last fall in Adult Sunday School we studied the Biblical mandate for justice and what that means for social policies and our life as a church and individuals. During the season of Epiphany, when we celebrate the light of Christ coming into the world, we will hear from parishioners and some outside our congregation who work for justice in their daily jobs. Come join us! Here is the schedule:
- January 24: John Chandler, pro bono attorney for Guantanamo Bay detainees
- January 31: Representatives from Kids 4 Peace, an organization working with children to promote peace in the Middle East
- February 7: Suttiwan Cox, founder and director of Path Academy, a DeKalb County charter school primarily serving children of immigrants and refugees
- February 14: Craig Withers, director of program support for health programs at the Carter Center.
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Lent: Walking the Path of Jesus
For centuries Christians have followed the Stations of the Cross, an ancient rite depicting the final hours of Jesus’ earthly life. The stations help us participate in Jesus’ suffering by making a prayer pilgrimage to the places he walked on his way to the cross. This year, St. Dunstan’s will again have stations made by parishioners set up around the church grounds during Lent. In adult Sunday School, Tim Black will lead a series of classes on the meanings of the 14 different stations.
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Ash Wednesday:
The penitential season of Lent begins February 17. We will have services that day at noon and 7 p.m. The Ash Wednesday service is one of the most somber of the year. It reminds us that “we are dust and to dust we shall return.” But it also reminds us that our hope is in the one who came to live among us and die for us, and whose resurrection conquers death.
In Lent the green altar hangings are replaced with starker burlap and purple. Instead of colorful and cheerful flowers there are simple and subdued arrangements. The gleaming silver chalice and patens are replaced with earthenware pottery. The processional cross and cross above the altar are draped in purple cloth.
The liturgy changes, too. The opening sentences and service music change, becoming more somber. The confession is moved to a more prominent place at the beginning of the service. No alleluias cross the lips of good Episcopalians again until the Easter Vigil.
These visible signs are reminders that we are in a season set apart, a season that the prayer book instructs us is a time of “self-examination and repentance; of prayer, fasting, and self-denial; and of reading and meditating on God’s holy Word.”
Beginning this month, I have new responsibilities in the diocese as president of the diocesan Standing Committee. The Standing Committee is made up of three priests and three lay people, elected by the annual diocesan council for three-year terms. The committee has several responsibilities. We serve as a “council of advice” for the bishop, and meet with him monthly. We also must approve all candidates for ordination to the diaconate and priesthood in the diocese. We must give or withhold consent to the consecration of all bishops in the Episcopal Church. Those are the routine matters. The committee also may be called upon to decide whether a case of clergy misconduct should be referred to an ecclesiastical trial. And in the absence of a bishop, the Standing Committee is the ecclesiastical authority in the diocese. As the senior clergy member of the committee, I will serve as president for this calendar year.
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I was delighted when a new “taqueria” opened in my neighborhood. This place has the best taco I have ever eaten with just the right combination of ingredients: smoky grilled chicken, fresh lime, fried jalapenos and fresh avocados—pure taco genius! I must have told 10 people about the tacos there. In fact, I wrote a review of the place on a popular restaurant review website that I like to use. I noticed the other day while on this site that there is now a category for churches. People can now write reviews of churches and rate them from 1 to 5 stars.
I realized, while looking at the website, how I am willing to review a restaurant and tell 5 people about it, but do not do that very often for the Church. What we have here in this community is, like the fabled tacos at this restaurant, a delight. As evangelists, (sharers of “the good news”), we have the opportunity to share with others about this community. In the New Year, I hope we can think more about what it truly means to be “evangelists” and Episcopalians.
A review of St. Dunstan’s might say, “Wonderful, vibrant community in gorgeous surroundings. A great church family for those who are ready to be a part of a church that works hard to be the body of Christ.” How would you describe the good news of God in Christ as seen in St. Dunstan’s? What kind of “review” would you write?
In the coming months, we are going to have many opportunities to share Christ with others through this community. The Stations of the Cross will be put up again on the grounds for Lenten prayer and reflection. Get a group of folks together to pray the stations on a Saturday before Brunch. Justin Yawn (a fellow seminarian soon to be ordained a deacon) and I are offering a Lenten Quiet Day retreat in March. Find someone who could use a break and experience some holy silence together. Or, invite a friend to come with you and experience the ancient prayer and liturgy of Holy Week.
Being an evangelist is as simple as telling others about a good thing. St. Dunstan’s offers a great church to the Atlanta community and world, so spread the good news and experience what it is like to be an “Episcopalian Evangelist.”
~ Tim
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Treasurer's report
for the month of December
Well, we finished the year in the black, thanks to a number of people who always contribute after they know how their year ended (but always contribute), and to a couple of exceptional contributions beyond what was pledged, and all of you who met your marks, or did what you could in this economy. Plate income (i.e., cash not from a known individual) was half again what we expected -- also a great help. So we are moving into 2010 without having to deal with a lingering deficit.
Some remaining 2009 pledges are still coming in, and that is appreciated. And if you have not yet sent in a pledge for 2010, please do so as quickly as possible so we can finalize the budget.
Here’s how we stood at the vestry meeting January 12:
December |
YTD |
Annual Budget |
% Difference |
|
| Income | 35,986 |
329,158 |
318,260 |
103% |
| Expense | 30,257 |
308,595 |
318,232 |
97 % |
| Difference | 5,729 |
562 |
21 |
~ Dick Harris
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Thanks to Pat Berman, Beth Clinton, Ellen Gallow, Beverly Hall, Betty Loud, Margaret Michaelides, Gilda Morris, Lee Morris, Bill Pruett, Betty Whittier, Rhonda Woodard and Nancy Young for their work on the December Art Show that raised $900 for outreach.
Thanks to all who cooked and served dinner at Holy Comforter: Pat Berman ; Tim Black; Barbara Bradshaw; Christie Brown; Nancy Dillon; Penny France; Claudia Gimson; Maggie Harney; Lucy, John, Jackie and Wally Kaltenbach; Keith Latimore; Sue Martz; Margaret Michaelides; Joe and Joseph Henry Monti; Gilda Morris; Jeanne Taylor; Patricia Templeton; Betty Whittier; Nancy Young.
Thanks to Gilda Morris for coordinating the reception following the Advent Lessons and Carols service.
Thanks to Claudia Gimson for coordinating the reception celebrating Tim Black’s ordination to the diaconate.
A special thank you from the staff to the congregation for your generous Christmas gift. We can assure you that it was much appreciated and well used by all of us. – Tricia, Ellen, Tom, and Susan
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Our sympathy to Elizabeth Wong Mark , Steve and Connor Mark on the death of Elizabeth’s mother, Elaine Wong.
Our sympathy to Claudia Gimson on the death of her brother, Rodney Weaver, and her mother-in-law, Florence Gimson.
Our sympathy to Nancy Elliott on the death of her uncle, Preston Sewell.
Our sympathy to Geoff and Cinda Walker on the death of Geoff’s stepfather, Winston Nelson.
We welcome new members Mary Everitt-Little Vance and Ron Vance from Roswell Presbyterian Church.
Our congratulations to Heather and Joel Bergstedt on the January 14 birth of their son, Oliver Edward.
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Soul Journey, Soul Journal for 2010
Saturday – 1/23 - 9:30 am – noon
Cost: $35 ($30 MMP members)
Pausing to listen taps our innate wisdom and clarifies our hopes and intentions.
Kathleen Michaud* (MA, LMFT) will guide us in accessing that wisdom through meditative reading and silence. We will create a collage for the front cover of our 2010 journals (or on poster board if you don't journal). This artistic exercise, in the company of fellow travelers, focuses our intentions for the new year. You'll be impressed with what intention will bring to 2010.
Bring: A spiral bound, unlined journal/artist's notebook in a size you prefer to journal. (Standard sizes are 4x6 or 5x8, but if you prefer an 8x11, that is fine.) Notebooks can be found at most craft shops such as Michael's or art stores. There will be a few notebooks for purchase.
Provided: Hot drinks, snacks, art materials.
Facilitated Book Study
February 23 – 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm
Let us know if you’re coming & we’ll provide details about this class.)
Workshop, February 27
Reframing Your Story, featuring Barbara Findeisen
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Deadline for articles for the March Bellows is February 15.
Please email your articles or leave them in Susan Teat’s
mailbox in the church office.
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Sundays
Holy Eucharist at 8:30 a.m. and 10:45 a.m.
Christian Education for all ages at 9:30 a.m.
Wednesdays
| 4:30- 5:20 PM | Senior Choirsters (3rd grade and up) |
| 5:30- 5:50 PM | Junior Choirsters (ages 4 - 2nd grade) |
| 6:00- 7:00 PM | Village Supper |
| 7:00- 9:00 PM | St. Dunstan Adult Choir |
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Craig Withers—Senior Warden |
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Wayne Hood—Junior Warden |
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Christie Brown |
Sibley Fleming | |
Claudia Gimson |
Bill Hancock | |
Reneé Kastanakis |
Nancy Knight Latimore | |
Steve Mark |
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Our Staff
The Rev. Patricia Templeton, Rector
The Rev. Maggie Harney, Priest Associate
Tim Black, Seminarian
Ellen Gallow, Director of Christian Education
Thomas Gibbs, Parish Musician
Susan Teat , Parish Administrator
Dick Harris, Treasurer