Trinity Episcopal Church, Parkersburg, West Virginia
Week of January 11, 1999
(Last updated 09/12/99)
The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity
The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity always begins with the Feast of the Confession of St. Peter and concludes with the Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul. Don’t know when those dates are? Well, we should challenge you to go to the Prayer Book and look them up. (In fact, we will. The first person who can tell Fr. Hunter the page where the dates of these two feasts can be found in the Prayer Book wins big prizes. Remember tell us the page number.)
For those not having a Prayer Book handy or who simply opt out of this hot contest, the Feast of the Confession of St. Peter is January 18 and the Conversion of Paul is on January 25.
Now is a good time to mark your calendar so that you will remember to pray each day of that week for:
What other unifying prayer concerns can you add?
Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,
New vestry members have been installed and all vestry members have been commissioned. So you say, it is now up to them and to the person in the funny shirt with the round collar to get going — there is work to be done!
Let’s see…. We have to grow our membership. We must increase our youth ministry. The stonework needs work. The buildings "got to" become accessible to all. Do outreach!. We are a downtown church, too, so you know that we have to minister in our "neighborhood." More people should come to the mid-week services, so you have got to get on that. Our congregation is aging, so get some young blood in here. And the list goes on and on.
How do you look at this list? It is a list of obstacles or opportunities? It is a "To Do" list for the vestry, clergy and staff or is a list for all of us.
Answers to this can be found in many places. One way is to ask, "What business the church is in?" Is it in the manufacturing business … make as many new Christians as possible? Is it a service industry … attend to the needs of the people who pray and pay here? Or, is it a servant business … huh?
A servant business? Yes, are the doors to our buildings and our hearts open to serve God in any place and any way that God might ask of us? That is what a servant business is! A church finds its call to be a servant business in the heart of our statement of belonging and believing — in the Baptismal Covenant.
Do you remember the line from the Covenant (think back to last Sunday or look for it on page 305 of the Prayer Book). The words are, "Will you seek and serve Christ in all persons...." These and the other words of the Covenant are part of a lifelong, everyday-in-every-way, commitment. What you see in the list above is the work of the clergy, vestry and staff, and it is the work of every person who has said, "I believe."
One of the most troubling statements I have heard in my now year plus at Trinity is, "Boy are we glad you are here. We are tired." (And, I have heard it from more than one person.) Well, God truly knows that we all need a breather, and always provides us with time enough for rest and refreshment, even if we don’t take it. But, we never get to take ourselves out of the match.
If you believe that all or even part of the list at the top is to be addressed by Trinity, then it is to be addressed ACTIVELY — by ALL of us — by doing.
Pray about your servant role and tell a vestry person or staff member the ways you want and will serve God in these opportunities.
Your Priest and your Brother,
Scott
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Supper Club!!!
Supper Club will be held at La Verne Marshall's home Friday, January 15th at 6:30pm. Please let La Verne know what you will be bringing by Tuesday, January 12.
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ECW Winter Luncheon
The Winter Luncheon will be held at Parkersburg Country Club on Friday, January 22nd,
beginning at 11:30 a.m. Our guest speaker will be Debbie Short, Deputy for Program,
Diocese of West Virginia. Invitations have been mailed, so if, for any reason, you do not
receive yours, call Shirley Lawrence-Berrey or Pat Fritch.
OTHER WOMEN’S NEWS:
The installation of ECW officers and St. Anne's leaders will take place during the 10:30 am service, Sunday January 24.
MEETING DATE CHANGE: The ECW Board will tentatively meet at 1:30 pm Wednesday January 13, rather than the 14th, as previously listed. More information will follow.
Hey, it is the new year. Why not get up, get out and do your mind and your faith a favor — plan to be a part of the Adult Education Class at Trinity. We begin at 9:15 in Trinity Hall.
The class continues on January 17th with part two of the Reverend James Forbes’ address to General Convention. The Rev’d Mr. Forbes is Senior Pastor of Riverside Church in New York City, and is one of the most compelling preachers in American Christianity today. His focus will be —
"In the Name of God and of this Congregation,
I commission you …"
New Vestry members -- Jim Full, James Wright, Julie Gyongyosi, Diana Everett Ruley, and Diane Hensley were installed Sunday, January 10. All Vestry Members (see the front cover for a complete list) were commissioned. Also installed and commissioned was new Treasurer, Sandi Lawson. Retiring Vestry member and Junior Warden Craig Curry presented the candidates. The January Vestry meeting will be held Monday, January 25. Going forward, the Vestry will meet the third Monday of each month.
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Instructed Eucharist
A special two-part Instructed Eucharist will be held on Sunday, January 31st and Sunday, February 7th. This Eucharist with narration will offer theology and history about this most precious Sacrament. The first Sunday the narration / instruction will focus on everything from the beginning of the service up to and through "The Peace." The second Sunday the focus will be on all that follows The Peace through to the Dismissal. Of course, each Sunday the service will be done in its entirety.
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Good Sam Food
Anyone interested in providing a light supper for the volunteers at the Good Samaritan Clinic please call Carol Olson! By light supper, we mean sandwiches, soup, cookies, fruit and/or cheese trays. Our Outreach program provides this meal on the second Thursday of each month.
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Pairs & Spares
Is Knockin’ em Down
Mark your calendars now for the Pairs and Spares Bowling Party scheduled for February 21st! This is an open invitation to all bowlers and non-bowlers. More information will follow on location and time.
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"We Welcome You to the Household of God"
On the Feast of Our Lord’s Baptism, we, in fact, welcomed Alyssa Marie Johnston, daughter of Jim and Debbie Johnston, and grandaughter of Jim and Rose Ann Johnston into the household of God at her Baptism. It was a joy-filled day, and we congratulate them all.
HELP!!!!
HELP!!!!
HELP!!!!
Please be kind and courteous and avoid parking in the actual lanes of the drive-thru’s at the banks. Blocking these lanes poses a real problem if some one needs to leave in an emergency, and a hazard if there is an emergency, such as a fire, at Trinity or any of the other buildings around us.
Your assistance in this matter would be helpful. And, you know we wouldn’t be asking if people were not doing it.
| Connie’s Corner I’d like to share with you some information I read in an article called "Cultivating the Faith" by Thom and Joan Schultz. The article shares information discovered through a study produced by Search Institute, which gathered information about Christian Education. Among the results it was found that one of the most powerful factors that affects one’s maturity of faith was conversation about God with one’s mother during the ages of 5-12. Unfortunately, 40% of 16-18 year olds from the five mainline denominations say this rarely or never occurred. Another strong factor in faith maturation was talking with one’s father about God at the ages of 13-15. 56% of teens say this rarely or never occurred. This information, however, does not diminish the role of the church in Christian Education. In fact, it should be a clue that the church should equip families with the information and skills they need in order to provide a nurturing atmosphere for the faith-building of the entire family. Please let me know how we can support and serve the families of Trinity Parish. Meanwhile, check out a book entitled "The Dirt on Learning" by the same authors as the article from which this information was gathered. *The church school needs dress up clothes! If you have old hats, clothes, costumes and so forth, please bring them by my office. Peace, Connie |
Please hold these people, events and circumstances in your daily prayers. Also, we encourage you to always say a prayer for those unknown persons who have no one to pray for them. By-the-way, please remember to renew prayer requests weekly.
Tom Patrick, Charlotte Martin, Larry Bellew, Nellie Taylor, Terri Hindman, Alex Northrup, Mary Carolyn & Bill Mildren, Sr., Donna Tyo, Ruth Greer, Ray Hofmann, Dorothy Wulfers, Mazie Smith, Betty Rodda, "Butch" Shaver, Mary Glen Rice, Bob Lawrence-Berrey, Carr Leavitt, Maggie Crofton, and Jim Bailey.
This week your prayers are asked for the work of the South American Missionary Society, and the mission and outreach work of the Episcopal Church in Central America..
| Ministers for
Sunday, January 17, 1999 Chalice Bearers:
Charlotte Bee, Susie Fitcher, Hampden Fitcher, Eric Lawson Proper for the Epiphany 2 Altar Guild for January: Lynette Neilson, Emily Dowling, Charlotte Bee, Helen Roberts, Cara Bowen, Charlotte Muse |
| Thank
You, Thank You Many thanks to Connie Waterman and Barbara Full who provided beautiful music for our 10:30 a.m. services with guitar and piano respectively the past two Sundays. Old man winter (and the Ohio State Police) has kept organist Arlene Wetzel off the roads.
WORSHIP |
Congratulations Congratulations to Kevin and Aimee Phillips on the birth of their grandson, KEVIN JACK, born December 29th weighing eight pounds and four ounces at 22 inches! And to Kerry & Cara Bowen on the birth of Devann Leigh McCoy. She was born Jan. 11, 8lbs., 2 oz. and 20". Parents are Terri and Bill McCoy. DID YOU KNOW? 80% of the people who come to a new church and |
make it their parish home, came because
someone in that church invited them!
Outreach
Please place in basket at the back of the church |
THE RIGHT TIME
When is the right time to PRAY?
ALWAYS
When is the right time to PLAY?
SOMETIMES
When is the right time to DISOBEY GOD?
NEVER
When is the right time to READ GOD’S WORD?
ALWAYS
When is the right time to HELP OUR PARENTS?
WHEN THEY NEED YOU
When is the right time to MAKE THEM SAD?
NEVER
When is the right time to LOVE OTHERS?
ALWAYS
When is the right time to LOVE OUR PARENTS?
ALWAYS
When is the right time to LOVE GOD?
ALWAYS
Those who are tardy
May miss the party.
The "right time" is now. 2 Corinthians 6:2
as printed in God's Little Devotional Book for Kids, by V. Gilbert Beers
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