cross roads
DESCRIPTION
March 2012TRANSCRIPT
Cross Roads
Journal of the Chapel of the Cross X March 2012
What the ABC Sale is All AboutConvention Through a Youth’s Eyes
Relocating a Church BuildingLoving our Neighbors at Inter-Faith Council Community Kitchen
TEDxFranklinSt
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[ Contents ]
For a service schedule and information about the various ministries of the Chapel of the Cross visit:www.thechapelofthecross.orgOn the Cover: The line to get into the parish for the ABC Sale.
4 Convention Through a Youth’s Eyes
6 Relocation a Church Building
8 Newcomers’ Gathering
10 What the ABC Sale is All About
12 50th Annual ABC Sale
13 Environmental Stewardship
14 Loving our Neighbors at Inter-Faith Council Community Kitchen
March 5 Spring Break - No Adult Inquirers
Class
March 7 - 10 Consortium of Endowed Episcopal
Parishes Annual Conference in Charlotte
March 11 Daylight Savings Time Begins
March 17 St. Patrick’s Day Dinner
[ Dates to Remember ]
15 TEDxFranklinSt
16 New Vestry
18 Adult Education
20 Parish Register
23 Vestry Actions
23 Easter Flowers
March 18 Newcomers’ Reception at Stephen
and Betsy Elkins-Williams’ Home
March 23 - 25 Women’s Retreat at Trinity Center
March 23 - 26 Spiritual Life Retreat at St. Francis
Springs
March 25 CROP Walk
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Dear Friends,
In two months, we and all the voters of North Carolina, will be asked to vote on Ammendment One, also known as the Marriage Amendment. Despite laws already in effect prohibiting same sex marriage, this amendment would
add to our state’s constitution the statement that “marriage between one man and one woman is the only domestic legal union which shall be valid or recognized in this state.”
If only from the viewpoint of constitutional law, this is a very bad idea. Constitutions by their nature are to ensure and protect rights, not take them away. Even for those opposed to same sex marriage, a constitutional amendment is not the answer.
And for those who uphold the civil rights of gay and lesbian people and endorse extending to those in domestic unions the protections available to all married couples, this is clearly a step in the wrong direction.
The Episcopal Church, through its General Convention, has for many decades supported gay and lesbian persons as children of God and entitled to full civil rights. In 1994, it spoke out in favor of local, state, and national bodies extending benefits and protections to committed couples. In 2006, the General Convention opposed state or federal constitutional amendments prohibiting same-sex civil marriage or civil unions.
Dear Friends,At our recent annual Diocesan Convention, we passed (with the unanimous support of our Parish’s clergy and lay delegates)the following resolution articulating and reaffirming these stances:
Resolved, that the 196th Convention of the Diocese of North Carolina reaffirm the Episcopal Church’s historical support of gay and lesbian persons as children of God and entitled to full civil rights; and be it further
Resolved, that the 196th Diocesan Convention reaffirm the action of the 71st General Convention of The Episcopal Church, which in 1994 called upon “municipal council, state legislatures and the United States Congress to approve measures giving gay and lesbian couples protection[s] such as: bereavement and family leave policies; health benefits; pension benefits; real-estate transfer tax benefits; and commitments to mutual support enjoyed by non-gay married couples”; and be it further
Resolved, that the 196th Diocesan Convention reaffirms the action of the 75th General Convention of The Episcopal Church (2006) in opposition to any state or federal constitutional amendment that prohibits same-sex civil marriage or civil unions.
I have informed the Vestry that at its March 15th meeting, I will ask them to endorse this same resolution as a body and to publicize that stance appropriately. This action would be not only be in keeping with our parish’s long and recent history of witnessing on behalf of justice and integration, but it would also unite us to the actions of our diocese and the Episcopal Church. I want to let you know my intention now so that if you wish to speak to any Vestry members about this resolution before then, you have the opportunity to do so.
Stephen
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of sorts. I was thrust into a group of around twenty other
youth from around the diocese, all of us a conglomeration of
representatives, delegates, and pages, but all of us as equally
passionate about the Episcopal Church. That first night we
learned our ‘jobs’, which for me consisted of sitting at table in
the front of the convention hall, being quiet, and not making
funny faces at the other youth pages stationed around the
hall. As we bonded as youth that night, it became apparent
just how cool it was to have youth from all over the state come
As I drove to Winston Salem on Thursday evening, January
19, I could only have imagined what the next day and a
half at our 196th Convention of the Episcopal Diocese of
North Carolina was going to be like. Upon returning home
on that Saturday I was far wiser on the inner workings of
our Episcopal community and far wiser on the part that our
wonderful parish plays within this community. Being the
youth representative for our convocation, I was told to arrive
the evening before convention officially started for a training
Convention Through a Youth’s EyesBy Anna Sumner Noonan
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together and share in this wonderful experience within the
Episcopal Church.
Convention started off with a bang the next morning as
we were given a front row seat for Bishop Curry’s opening
address that moved all of us in the audience about as much
as he moved around the stage throughout the speech. This
convention we were given a special treat since we had the
Presiding Bishop, Katharine Jefferts Schori visiting our
diocese; so after lunch we were given the special opportunity
to have a question and answer session with her when the floor
was open to all questions. Throughout the day in various
meetings and on the convention floor, any time a delegate
or member of the clergy of the Chapel of the Cross was
mentioned, asked to speak, up for nomination, or stood up
to the microphone I would lean over to my friend Ben and
whisper “they are from my church”, with so much delight in
my voice. This happened so often that he eventually had to
ask me to stop; but in my mind, that was a good thing!
One of my favorite parts of the entire weekend was when
most of the convention delegates headed over to St. Paul’s
Episcopal Church down the road from the convention center
for a 5:00 evening mass on Friday. It was very neat to compare
and contrast our church’s traditions to those of St. Paul’s, for
example the words to the Lord’s Prayer deviated from ours
a bit, but on the other hand, the woodwork above the choir
stalls in St. Paul’s was the exact same as ours here in Chapel
Hill.
That night the youth of the diocese were given a special
opportunity to meet personally with the Presiding Bishop,
so from 9:00 to 9:45 Friday night, youth from all over
the diocese joined us representatives in having a personal
conversation with Bishop Katharine. It was an amazing
experience to talk to the Presiding Bishop on such an
intimate level and about issues specifically affecting the
youth within the Episcopal Church.
The next day was filled with legislative sessions which
helped set the agenda for our next year within our
Episcopal Diocese, an often long and tedious process,
but at times riveting. One thing I did draw from it was
that as a church body, we strive to do what is best for
the world at large as well as the members of our larger
church community. As we were singing and saying our
departing prayers for the 196th convention, I could not
help but feel a devastating sadness pass over me, as I knew
this experience was going to be one in a lifetime and it
was coming to an end. I was made aware of the inner
workings of the Episcopal Church, how our parish is such
an active member of this process; and I made incredible
friends along the way who can share in my pride of calling
myself an Episcopalian. X
Anna Sumner is a junior at East Chapel Hill High School. She was a member of the Junior Choir for 8 years, has been an active member of the parish Episcopal Youth Community since 8th grade, has attended three summer mission trips, and currently serves as a Lay Eucharistic Minister.
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Travel metaphors are often useful in describing Christian faith. Images of roads, paths, and journeys are invoked to help get at the evolving, unfolding nature of our lives with God. Generally in such uses, these ideas ground our abstract grappling with the mysteries of faith. At the Advocate though, recent talks of roads and journeys in our communal life have taken on an arrestingly direct tone. For we are planning to move a church building - literally. The journey starts in Forsyth County, and the roads are the by-ways of the Old North State. And when it gets here, the building will be a
major milestone in our community’s journey. The story is already a good one.
In January, 2011, the Advocate completed the purchase of 15 acres of land at the intersection of Merin and Homestead roads in Chapel Hill. This purchase reflects years of committed work on town permits and fundraising by the people of the Advocate, as well as generous sharing from donors, including many members of the Chapel of the Cross. The land is a beautiful space, and our congregation is deeply thankful for,
Relocating a Church Building: The Latest Part of the Advocate’s Moving TraditionBy Sam Laurent
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and inspired by, the opportunities it affords us, and for the community of faith that makes it possible for us to establish a physical presence there.
Just as the people of the Advocate were turning their attention to the next step, that of building a place of worship on the land, the Historic Properties Commission of the diocese alerted us to a unique opportunity. St. Philip’s church in Germanton (8 miles northeast of Winston-Salem) is an Episcopal church building without a congregation. Built in 1891 and listed on the National Registry of Historic Places, St. Philip’s has in recent years fallen into disuse, but thanks to the stewardship of the diocese and the churches of the Winston-Salem convocation, not into disrepair. The only obstacle in place is that the building sits 87 miles from the Advocate site. But grace is at work.
Blake Moving Company, of “Moving Midway” fame, has confirmed that they can move St. Philip’s to the Homestead Road site for $233,000—considerably less than the cost of building a comparable worship space anew. Architect and Chapel of the Cross parishioner Jim Spencer has confirmed that the building not only is sturdy enough to move, but bears intangible charm. “First, the simplicity and beauty of St. Philip’s has seduced everyone who has seen it or visited it,” Spencer said. “It’s simply a great example of a southern carpenter gothic church building that is worth saving. Second, the idea of giving a new liturgical life to an old worship structure appeals to me and I believe to the congregation of the Advocate.”
In what vicar Lisa Fischbeck calls a “confluence” of possibilities in the Advocate’s life, the once-wishful suggestion of moving St. Philip’s has become a very feasible project, moving ahead with approval from the Advocate vestry and with modifications to our site plan submitted to the Town of Chapel Hill for it’s approval. Moving St. Philip’s will be a blessing on many levels, reflecting the commitment of the Advocate and the wider Episcopal community to principles of sustainability and tradition. In the words of Syd Alexander, Chapel of the Cross member and Secretary to the Trustees
of the Diocese, “the willingness of the parishioners of the Advocate to undertake moving this church preserves a terrific piece of our heritage as the Episcopal Church, and is a real gift to the whole Episcopal Diocese.”
The fact that a unique opportunity for the Advocate may also be a gift to the diocese is a multivalent form of grace. “Maybe the possibility of an old historic church building becoming a place of worship for an emerging, new and young congregation can be one answer to a prayer that we pray every Good Friday, at every Easter Vigil and whenever someone is ordained,” said Bishop Michael Curry, “‘Let the whole world see and know that things which were cast down are being raised up, and things which had grown old are being made new....’ Maybe in doing this the Church of the Advocate can remind us that making new creation from the old is precisely the missio dei, the mission of God in the world.”
The Advocate bids your prayers and support in this exciting time. For more information about moving St. Philip’s, visit http://theadvocatechurch.org/?p=2721. X
Sam is a former participant in Episcopal Campus Ministry at the Chapel of the Cross and a current member of the Church of the Advocate.
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A few months after they moved to Chapel Hill, John Grishin
and Leslie Bryan began looking for a home church. They had
different frames of reference – Leslie was raised Presbyterian
and John grew up attending the Greek Orthodox Church.
But they were in complete agreement about the need to find
a church where they felt comfortable.
The couple attended a different church every Sunday during
Advent, visiting the Chapel of the Cross on the second
Sunday. The connection they felt was immediate, John said.
“We weren’t familiar with the liturgical calendar of the
Episcopal church, and Stephen’s sermon that day really got us
interested in Advent and what it represents,” he said. “Also, we
really enjoyed the tradition of the service.”
Afterward, John and Leslie stopped by the newcomers’ table
in the dining room and were greeted by long-time parishioner
Newcomers’ GatheringBy Patty Courtright
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Barbara Pipkin, who immediately introduced them to the
many ways in which they could become involved.
“There was so much we could sign up for,” John said, “so
we started going to things right away. After that, we never
wanted to attend church anywhere else.”
That was in 2010. Since that first visit, the couple has
participated in the Inquirers’ Class for newcomers led by
Stephen Elkins-Williams, met many of the chairs of the
church’s various ministries (thanks to Gretchen Jordan),
participated in a Lenten Quiet Day at Camp New Hope and
regularly attended the weekly adult education programs. In
fact, Leslie now serves on the committee that helps plan adult
education offerings.
John and Leslie also attended the newcomers’ gathering at
the home of Stephen and Betsy Elkins-Williams last spring.
“That was such a comfortable situation. It reaffirmed the
connections we had already made and gave us a chance to
meet other newcomers plus several people who were well
established in the church,” John said.
Twice a year, the parish hosts a get-together for newcomers
so they can meet other people who are new to the Chapel of
the Cross and chat with members of the clergy and the vestry.
It’s also a chance for newcomers to meet with their shepherds,
established church members who welcome the newcomers
and help them become involved in the life of the church.
In effect, the newcomers’ gatherings make the church a
little smaller. People have an opportunity to get to know
one another and form – or deepen – connections outside the
regular activities of the church.
“Everything we did as newcomers seemed custom-made for
us,” John said. “The classes, the social event – it truly seems
as if all the stars in the church had aligned for us. We knew
we were home.”
The next newcomers’ gathering will be held on Sunday,
March 18 from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. at the home of Stephen
and Betsy Elkins-Williams. For additional information
about the event, please contact Patty Courtright, 408-3099
or [email protected]. Patty also coordinates the
Shepherds Program, and if you would like to know more
about becoming a shepherd, she can provide that information
as well. X
Please Join Us for a Newcomers’ Gathering
For all Newcomers or those who feel like Newcomers
Sunday, March 183:00 to 5:00 p.m.
At the home of Stephen and Betsy Elkins-Williams
100 Black Oak Place
RSVP - [email protected]
10
If you’ve ever helped with the Chapel of the Cross ABC Sale,
you’re likely to say the sale is all about ridding your home
of things you don’t need, use, and love. You’re also likely
to say it’s about a wonderful week of fellowship with fellow
parishioners—working together as a team to tackle a huge
job and having a lot of fun along the way. You may describe
it as a super-hard week of work or a week where you met a lot
of new people. And finally, you might add that it’s a place to
find a great bargain on sale day! All of these things are true
and more.
For the past several years, we’ve worked on the sale in a
number of capacities (MaryBeth on the Clean Up crew and
co-chairing the Garden Department and Perri co-chairing
Clean Up and Co-chairing the entire sale). We’ve also taken
on a behind-the-scenes role, working on the Disbursement
Committee that meets after the sale to give away the funds
raised during the sale. Both of us would agree that all of the
work we put into the ABC Sale is rewarding, but nothing
compares to funding worthy organizations in our community
and helping them help others by sharing the profits of the sale.
What the ABC Sale is all About...By Perri Kersh and Mary Beth Grealey
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The Disbursement Committee meets after the sale is complete
and receipts are tallied and we have a “grand total” – an
amount raised during the ABC Sale minus the expenses of
the sale. This amount is truly an amazing thing to behold
(topping $30,000 most years!).
The Outreach Committee receives numerous applications
from worthy organizations and appoints a group of
individuals (the Disbursement Committee) to sort through
them and decide which organizations will receive the funds.
Unfortunately we can’t help everyone (as much as we’d like
to!). During past years, we’ve received requests totaling close
to $90,000 but only have roughly a third of that to give
away. This makes for a long meeting filled with passionate
discussions! But in the end, we all walk away, feeling very
good about those organizations that we have helped.
Examples of funded projects include:
• Source Force (http://www.source-force.org/) serves
below poverty-line clients living with HIV/AIDS and/or
cancer. They provide monthly picnics with a hot meal,
take-home groceries, and entertainment as well as yearly
bushel-sized Easter baskets with personal items such
as toiletries, towels, socks, and food items. The picnics
offer clients a chance to get out and socialize, something
that many rarely get to do. Most of the items provided
in the yearly baskets cannot be bought with government
assistance such as food stamps.
• Fuel Up Perry Harrison (http://www.fuelupkids.org/)
and Farmer Foodshare (http://www.farmerfoodshare.
org/) both address food insecurity issues. Fuel Up
provides food during weekends and holidays for 40-50
students at Parry Harrison Elementary School and has
successfully cloned four other programs at local schools.
Farmer Foodshare raises funds and donations of fresh
food at eleven different farmers’ markets for those at risk
of hunger or malnutrition and since 2009 has donated
90,000+ lbs of fresh food.
• The Student Health Action Coalition at UNC (http://
www.med.unc.edu/shac/) applied for and received a grant
to buy first aid kits for refugee families. With the families’
focus on more immediate needs such as food and shelter,
simpler needs like first aid kits can be overlooked.
Once the Disbursement Committee finalizes our decisions,
the list of projects to fund goes before the Outreach
Committee for approval, and finally, to the Vestry for final
approval. Work on this committee has helped us both to get a
better sense of the needs of our community and the wonderful
organizations who are truly doing God’s work in and around
Chapel Hill. We were so inspired by this task that we decided
to join the Outreach Committee so we can further learn
about the organizations supported by our church and increase
our own involvement in the community.
We hope you’ll all join us this year during ABC Sale week
as we gather together to collect and price goods, sell them
at bargain prices, and most importantly, raise funds to share
with those who need the most help in our area. If you’d like
to serve on the ABC Sale Disbursement Committee, please
contact ABC Sale Co-Chair Sandy Gerow at sgerow1@gmail.
com. X
Perri serves on the Outreach Ministry Committee, the Children and Family Ministry Committee, the ABC Sale Disbursement Committee, as a 2nd Grade Church School Teacher and has served as an ABC Sale department chair for more years than she can count.
Mary Beth serves on the Outreach Ministry Committee, the Website Committee, the Children and Family Ministry Committee, the ABC Sale Disbursement Committee. She has also co-chaired the Garden Section of the ABC Sale for four years and has served on the Parish Communications Committee.
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Saturday, April 21
9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
When I tell friends that a group of volunteers makes about
$30,000 in five hours to give to local outreach organizations,
they’re always amazed. Selling items from parishioners’
Attics, Basements, and Closets doesn’t sound that profitable,
but the ABC Sale is the ultimate in recycling! In five days,
every available space in the building will be turned into a
specialty store; items sorted, priced, and displayed; and the
doors opened to an eager public at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday,
April 21.
Fifty years ago, the Episcopal Churchwomen’s group, led
by Mary Harris, began what has grown into the ABC Sale
based on an idea Mary got at a Kanuga conference. From
the first, all profits were given to outreach organizations
outside the parish, and that continues to be the policy today.
When the ECW disbanded in the 1990s, what is now the
Outreach Ministry Committee took over the reading of grant
applications and allocation of funds. At that time also, the
Rector was “given” the task of finding co-chairs to run the
Sale each year. As the event grew, it became more parish-
wide, with the Boy Scout troop handling parking and the
Youth Group raising funds for their activities by providing
lunch for shoppers.
As the church building was added onto, the Sale was able
to grow as well. “We used to be thrilled with $10,000,” said
Rector Stephen Elkins-Williams. He expects the proposed
50th Annual ABC Sale!By Sandy Gerow
addition to enable the Sale to continue to expand to meet the
needs of the community.
Volunteers serve in donating, sorting, arranging, picking-up,
pricing, and selling merchandise, and in preparing the church
building for, and cleaning up after, the sale. Volunteers who
return year after year to participate really make the sale
possible. Please join this enthusiastic and dedicated group of
parishioners.
We will be posting specific opportunities in upcoming Sunday
Announcements and in the dining room between services.
We need volunteers in all departments, a few vans and trucks
with drivers for pick-ups, a strong and hardy clean-up crew
as well as plants to fill our garden shop. On April 16 we will
need a few strong arms to start set-up for the sale. Most of all,
we need everyone to help spread the word of this worthwhile
event.
Nancy McGuffin and Sandy Gerow are co-chairs for this
year’s sale. Please contact Nancy ([email protected] or 969-
8111) or Sandy ([email protected] or 542-6160) if you
have a specific interest or wish to find out more about the
sale. There’s room for everyone! X
13
Believing that all creation is interconnected and a gift from God to us; we commit to take an active and holistic approach to environmental stewardship through education, service, and sustainable practices.
Environmental Stewardship is an interesting and meaningful combination of two words. The combination is not meant to convey the meaning “Stewardship of the Environment”, but, rather, “Stewardship of all Environments” simply because there is not one environment but many inter-related and inter-dependent environments! Read Genesis to see where God made all and many interacting environments, among them: the earth, the sky, the waters, and the seas, vegetation of all kinds, the fish, the birds, both wild and domestic animals, and every living creature, including mankind. There is a very definite mention of man, made in his own image, who would rule over all of this majestic and wonderful creation we live in. By rule, I do not believe we were meant to have a capricious, willful, or detrimental effect on any of the inter-dependent and inter-related environments, rather, we were charged to protect and to live in harmony with all environments to enhance the whole of His creation.
Behaviors that we must avoid yet have difficulty doing so are summarized in Ezekiel (34:17-18) “Is it not enough for you to feed on good pasture? Must you also trample the rest of your pasture with your feet? Is it not enough for you to drink clear water? Must you muddy the rest with your feet?”
This does not mean that we cannot use our God given human talents of creativity and the abundant supporting resources that we have available to us to develop technology, arts, literature, etc. for the advancement and benefit of the whole human race, but we have to be cognizant of the impact our actions may have on all the environments with which we interact. Too often through the ages, (and we all have examples) we have trampled the pastures and muddied the waters in an ill-considered rush to implement our “great ideas”
Environmental Stewardship: What are the Christian Implications for All of Us?By Graham Swift
to change and enhance our lifestyles without due regard for the impact on other species and environments.
Technologically, we have made great strides resulting in human comforts beyond the dreams of our ancestors, we are far removed from the days of Christ, but have we travelled so far that our worldly responsibilities and interactions with our environmental neighbors are not the same? Have they changed in some way since the wisdom of Ezekiel? I think not. All the wonderful advances we have achieved perhaps have given us creature comfort and have made life easier, but some of the choices we have made have denied our analytical reasoning, and we have succumbed to the ‘Ezekiel’ temptation resulting in gross and devastating environmental effects.
Scripture clearly states that God created, blessed, protected, and made a covenant with the different species, including us. As stewards of His creation, given our precious gift of intelligence, we are called to a very high standard. It is our scriptural and moral duty to protect all environments, all living species and their habitats, ourselves included. This may at times lead us to painful decision points, but we are blessed with powers of reasoning and have the ability to collectively make the ‘right’ decisions – I hope and pray! Right decisions do not deny our enjoyment of our creation, but satisfy our role as Environmental Stewards.
It is the stated mission of the Environmental Stewardship Committee of the Chapel of the Cross to offer you programs with unbiased information on some of the major issues we face in all our shared environments today. We do not intend to be judgmental, but we will try to offer you information so that you may balance risk and reward in your own life style and lessen undesirable environmental impacts. Ezekiel would want nothing less! X
Graham Swift is chair of the parish’s Environmental Stewardship Committee.
14
“For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me.” Matthew 25:35
The Inter-Faith Council for Community Service’s Community Kitchen serves three meals a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year to the hungry and homeless in Chapel Hill and Carrboro. The hands that prepare and serve the food belong to the many congregational and community groups that send volunteer teams to the kitchen. The Chapel of the Cross sends three such teams to the Community Kitchen.
Mary and Bob Chase lead a Tuesday lunch team that has been serving at the kitchen for over thirty years. Jean French recalls being part of this group from the 1980s until 2003. Unlike some groups which prepare food beforehand and bring it to the kitchen to serve, the Chapel of the Cross Tuesday lunch group works with the donated food on hand. Sometimes that food has been appetizing and plentiful and sometimes less so, requiring creativity on the part of the team to provide a tasty and satisfying meal.
Ann Baker and Michael Lienesch lead a Friday dinner team that has been in existence for quite some time, though perhaps not for as long as the Tuesday lunch group. Martha and Larry Hart were team leaders at one time and perhaps were the team’s founders. Ann notes that the meal preparation and serving requires a myriad of talents, not the least of which is learning to use intimidating appliances—notably the steamer—that aren’t found in the typical home kitchen.
Trenna Corey leads the Tuesday dinner team that Gale
Loving Our Neighbors at the Inter-Faith Council Community KichenBy Maggie Silton
Gilchrest started around 2008. Like the other two teams, the Tuesday dinner team creates a delicious meal from the various donated food that’s available. Participants have an opportunity to utilize their individual gifts, whether they involve the artful presentation of a fruit salad or the muscle power to lift the heavy pans out of the steamer and move them to the serving area.
All of our teams have become well-known to guests and kitchen mangers over the years as reliable and pleasant folk who can be counted on to provide a warm welcome as well as a complete meal to those who arrive hungry. Many of the members have expressed the sense that their work in the Community Kitchen is truly a ministry, that they are doing the work both of filling empty stomachs and of tending yearning souls. Some have mentioned feeling humbled by the gratitude shown by some of the guests. Others have witnessed powerful moments of grace when someone who has little shares what little he has with someone else. Still others have mentioned a sense of fellowship within the team as they go about preparing and serving meals together month after month, year after year. Everyone who volunteers at the kitchen goes there expecting to feed those who are hungry, and most come away with the joyful surprise of feeling spiritually fed themselves.
If you think you may be called to this ministry, please contact one of the team leaders through the parish office. X
Maggie is one of the two deacons assigned to the Chapel of the Cross. Her particular ministry focuses on the homeless and the needy.
15
TED is a nonprofit organization devoted to Ideas Worth
Spreading. It began in 1984 as a conference bringing together
people from three worlds: Technology, Entertainment, and
Design. Since then its scope has become ever broader. Along
with two annual conferences where admission charges are
steep, TED allows select communities to produce a suite of
brief talks, each focused on an “idea worth sharing” to engage
communities in deeper conversation.
The Chapel of the Cross serves as the TEDxFranklinSt venue
due to our mutual interest in building “beloved community,”
the conference’s theme. By inviting TEDx to our chapel, we
share our history of social breakthrough innovation with
people who have never heard our story, nor ever visited our
church. TEDxFranklinSt has posted information about our
role in building community both on its website as well as on
the TEDx broader facebook page, a page ‘liked’ by 59,000
people. In addition, information about our parish’s role in
the civil rights movement has been circulated to an additional
3,200 local people via the TEDx organizers, most of whom
have not known our history.
The TEDxFranklinSt event will be held on Saturday, March
3, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in our historic chapel. Catch
a glimpse of the rare in our own community. Living and
working among us are some of the world’s most innovative
people, building communities across the globe and living
lives of success and significance. Come network with people
who engage life’s “unchangeable realities.”
Located in our chapel where the dynamic African-American
TEDxFranklinSt: An Invitation to Share New IdeasBy Allegra Jordan
civil rights pioneer Pauli Murray changed the world (yet
again), TEDx offers a suite of brief and varied talks from
experts in our community. Chapel of the Cross parishioner
Margaret Gifford will discuss Farmer Foodshare’s innovative
new systems approach to eradicating North Carolina’s food
deserts, and business ethicist Ted Ryan will talk about the
topic “What do dogs need?” We’ll learn what hope looks like
to a dying child; and visit, via a new documentary, the tennis
courts of San Quentin Maximum Security Prison. Join us in
talks by significant outliers from the world of commerce, film,
advertising, food, and international health and development
on March 3, on Franklin Street, the living room of Chapel
Hill. Come for two and a half hours that will encourage and
expand your mind and heart.
While this is a free event, brief applications are required.
To obtain an application, please contact Allegra Jordan at
[email protected] or go to the TEDx website at
http://www.ted.com/tedx/events/3982. X
16
New Vestry Members
Carter Kersh
1. Our family joined the Chapel of the Cross in 2002 after returning to North Carolina from California where we were members of St. Luke’s in Los Gatos. Other parishes in which our family has been a member include St Francis in Greensboro, the Church of the Good Shepherd in Lexington, KY, and I grew up in St Philips in Brevard, NC.
2. I am currently on the Vestry, finishing out the term for a former Vestry member. I began this interim term in December 2011. I have not previously been on the Vestry.
3. Currently, I am on the Parish Discernment committee and the Stewardship Formation committee.
4. I taught the Senior High Sunday School for four years, volunteered with EYC for five years, and have also served on the Personnel Committee, assisted with the ABC Sale, helped with the Capital campaign and annual giving campaign and served as one of the adult leaders on a Youth Mission Trip.
5. In previous parishes I have served as a lay reader, usher, founder of the Young Adult Ministry, acolyte, and annual giving campaign volunteer.
6. I lead Field Marketing for Juniper Networks, a technology company and am a member of the Marketing leadership cabinet. I am actively involved in the life of my children in Chapel Hill including coaching Pacers with my son, Hamner, and taking a writing course with my daughter, Phereby.
Scott Beddingfield
1. August 2008
2. During the late 1980s, I served a full three year term as an Elder on the
Session of a 10,000+ member Presbyterian Church in Atlanta. My committee
involvement included Christian Education and Stewardship.
3. Member Stewardship Formation Committee, Chair of 2012 Annual
Campaign, Usher, active Foyer Group member
4. Habitat for Humanity builder/volunteer, Usher (9:00 and 11:15), Lay Reader
(7:30, 9:00, 11:15, Good Friday Services), ABC Sale volunteer
5. Durham Rescue Mission (benefactor, volunteer), CROP Walk, Post-Katrina
home rebuilding in Gulf Port, Mississippi
Questions:
1. When did you become a member of the Chapel of the Cross?2. Have you ever been on the Vestry, either at this or any other parish? If yes, please note dates, parish(es),
and positions held (if applicable).3. What are your current activities (groups, committees, etc.) within the parish?4. In what activities have you been involved in the past at the Chapel of the Cross?5. In what activities are you involved in the greater community outside the parish?
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Margaret Gifford
1. Our family joined Chapel of the Cross as communicants in 2011. We have attended Chapel of the Cross since returning to Chapel Hill in 2008.
2. No, I have never held a Vestry position.3. I currently serve on the Parish Communications Committee and have been
working with that committee for approximately three years.4. I have taught Church School (2 and 3 year olds) and taught a Vacation Church
School lesson on seeds and hunger. My family and I attend services regularly, and we also participate weekly in all of the wonderful children’s activities at the Chapel of the Cross.
5. I am the founder and executive director of Farmer Foodshare (www.farmerfoodshare.org). Farmer Foodshare is a parish-supported ministry that provides fresh local food to agencies that serve people at risk of hunger in Carrboro, Chapel Hill, and other communities around the state. Since its founding in 2009, Farmer Foodshare has provided over 90,000 pounds of top quality local food to these agencies. Our family was inspired to start Farmer Foodshare after attending a Chapel of the Cross event on hunger. I also serve on the Board of Directors of the Inter-Faith Council for Social Service, the North Carolina Conservation Network and, like every parent, as a volunteer at my child’s school! In addition to working with Farmer Foodshare, I provide marketing and communications consulting services to mission-driven businesses and nonprofits, including Locopops, Carolina Farmer Stewardship Association, and many others. Please contact me if you have any questions at [email protected]. More information on my professional background can be found at: http://www.linkedin.com/in/margaretgifford.
Neil Pedersen
1. 19882. No, I have not previously served on a vestry.3. For many years I have served as an usher at the 9:00 a.m. service. Within
the past year I served on a “sounding” group convened by the Reverend Dr. William Morley who was asked by the Vestry to develop recommendations for re-organizing the positions associated with the administration of the church.
4. In addition to serving as an usher and greeter, I have served on several planning committees that developed long-range plans for the church, including the early planning associated with the renovation and expansion of the facilities. In some years I have assisted with the stewardship campaign. I also have been fairly active in strengthening the relationship with our sister church, St. Paul AME.
5. From 1987 until my retirement in June, 2011, I served first for 5 years as an Assistant Superintendent and then for 19 years as the Superintendent of the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools. I have had many opportunities to become involved in the community during this time. I was a charter member and president of the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Exchange Club. I served on United Way committees and served on the Boards of the CH-C Chamber of Commerce, the Orange County Partnership for Youth, the CH-C Public School Foundation, and the Orange County Communities in Schools. I was in the first cohort of mentors in the Blue-Ribbon Mentor Advocate program, and have continued to mentor the same young man for 16 years.
Editor’s Note – Prior to the Annual Parish Meeting on February 19, 2012, Mary Anne Handy withdrew from this year’s vestry election. The remaining four individuals were elected by acclamation at the Annual Meeting. We include this information to introduce them to the entire parish. They will take office at the vestry retreat in mid-May.
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Adult EducationMarch
Sunday Mornings, 10:20-11:05
March 4Power and Passion: Six Characters in Search of Resurrection, led by Christopher Hogin
Growing with Our Aging Parents, a monthly support group led by Zoe Ulshen
Parent Gathering - Divorce, Remarriage and Stepfamilies: A Conversation with Betty PristeraIf your own life or someone close to you has been touched by these family transitions, please join us as we gather to discuss issues relating to these life events and their aftermath. These meetings will provide a venue for concerns regarding relationships among all involved parties including challenges around re-coupling, parenting, young and adult children, money, ex-spouses, relatives, and grand-parenting. We will explore possibilities for resolution and for the sustenance of these new life paradigms.
Newcomer Welcome/Orientation Session, led by the Rector
March 11Power and Passion: Six Characters in Search of Resurrection, led by Gretchen Jordan
NOOMA Series, a thematic DVD discussion series for those in their 20s and 30s
Parent Gathering - Divorce, Remarriage and Stepfamilies: A Conversation with Betty Pristera
March 18Theories of the Atonement, led by the Rev. Tammy Lee
March 25Conversation with the Master Plan Steering Committee, an opportunity to ask questions about the renovation and construction plans
NOOMA Series, a thematic DVD discussion series for those in their 20s and 30s
Morning and Evening Opportunities
Every Tuesday, 5:00-6:30 p.m.Centering Prayer - This method of silent prayer in the Christian contemplative tradition is designed to help us consent to the presence and action of God in our lives. The group is facilitated by the Rev. David Frazelle.
Every Thursday, 6:00-6:30 p.m., at Binkley Baptist ChurchVeni Spiritus - Co-facilitated by the Rev. Susannah Smith and other women clergy - This open group offers opportunity to join others in the practice of silent meditation that deepens the qualities of wisdom and compassion.
Tuesdays, 12:00-1:00; Wednesdays 11:00-12:00; or Wednesdays 12:30-1:30Lectio Divina Prayer GroupsThree of our clergy will lead weekly prayer groups during Lent using the ancient practice of lectio divina. The groups will begin during the week of February 26 and end the week before Holy Week. Each group will be limited to twelve participants. You may sign up on the Adult Education bulletin board in the dining room.
Thursdays, 9:15-10:30, January 12- April 5Yoga as Spiritual PracticeParishioner Rebecca Rogers will offer three series of yoga classes. The sessions will cover a range of the basic poses and
19
proper breathing techniques, as well as yoga philosophy, centering, and developing a personal discipline as a means of connecting more fully with yourself, with others, and with God. The class will be held in the parish dining room. Sign up on the bulletin board in the dining room for each series of classes is necessary, as there is a maximum of 20 students. The fee is $60 for the 12-week series, prorated from time of joining; participants will need to provide their own mats. Contact Rebecca at: [email protected] with questions.
March 7, 9:00-10:30 a.m.Women’s Bible Study on the Letter from James, final session
March 10, 9:00-10:30Awakening HeartThis contemplative prayer group is open to anyone who engages in a regular practice of contemplative prayer, is developing a listening prayer practice or any type of meditation designed to keep in the present moment with loving attention. We can help one another support and encourage that effort. Please contact Jane Dyer at [email protected].
March 17, 6:00 p.m.St. Patrick’s Dinner, followed by a film titled The Book of Kells: The Work of Angels?. Register in the parish office.
Celebrate our Celtic heritage by gathering for a traditional St. Patrick’s Day dinner on Saturday evening, March 17. We’ll gather at 6:00 p.m. for supper and later view a film titled The Book of Kells: The Work of Angels?.
Dinner will be cooked by the members of Naomi’s Network, the parish widow’s group....and a fine bunch of cooks they are! Corned beef, braised cabbage, Irish soda bread, potatoes with parsley, carrots, Irish whiskey cake, and perhaps a taste of green beer are on the menu. The cost will be $8.00 per person. Any excess money from the dinner will be directed toward this year’s Lenten Offering for Episcopal Relief and Development’s work in Haiti.
The Book of Kells, sometimes called the world’s most beautiful book, was created in the 700s and 800s when native Celtic artists took the great Gospel symbols of the Eastern Church - the four cherubim – lion, calf, eagle and man – and transformed them into some of the most beautiful and imaginative illuminated decoration and calligraphy the world has ever seen. The film runs about an hour.
As we all know, space is limited and the cooks need to plan how much food to buy, so you must reserve your spot by either signing the list in the parish office or calling 929-2193 during office hours. X
Nancy is the founder of Naomi’s Network. Among many other
parish activities, she currently serves on the Vestry and for 13 years
served as Chair of the Adult Education Committee.
Celebrate Our Celtic HeritageBy Nancy Tunnessen
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Baptisms
Clark Matthew Adams
David Lawrence Aylor
Henry Banks Aylor
Kevin Wray Bowles II
Annyce Claire Braker
Evelyn Jane Braker
Pamela Dory Braker
Henry Douglas Brooks
Harrison Bailey Boyle
Reese Ann Casey
Tripp Chapel Casey
Albert Emile Dasher
Harold Francis Davis
Madeleine Cole Deitz
Lance Christopher Dobler
Mary Jane Esther
Emma Nicole Gross
Emmaline Olivia Guffey
Samuel Christopher Adams Guffey
Vivian Case Gustafson
Beau Duckworth Harward
Beatrice Lee Jensen
Alexander Robert Kerr-Ritchie
Grace Rachel Knowles
Benjamin John Koomen
Charlotte Elyse Lyczkowski
Charles Patton Lyerly
William McAllister Lyerly
From the Parish Register April 2011 – January 2012
Olivia Blume May
Deborah Lois Monahan
Eleanor Grace Nicholas
Peter James Nicholas
William Andrew Petersen
Brooke Lois Pugliese
Chloe Rosalie Pugliese
Gwyneth Misayo Reece
Erin Lucille Schultz
Logan Jeffrey Stach
Noah Adrian Suczynski
Victor Parks Turchi
Presley Anne Wagoner
Eloise Genevieve Warner
Confirmations and Receptions
Isaac Barlow Chelminski
Margaret Bowden Dondero
Karl Neimann Hill IV
Matthew Lawrence Howes
Cole Davenport Jenson
Emery Hawkins Jenson
Helen Anne Schutz Lo
Henry Robbins Mandeville
Casey Michael Mickunas
Heidi Leigh Mickunas
John Lennox Page
John Andrew Pate
Michael Robert Ruch
21
David Lawrence Aylor
Leslie Jane Bryan
Lance Christopher Dobler
John Grishin
Abigail Elizabeth Terry
Rebecca Zoe Ulshen
Margaret Ann Gifford – Received
Martha Jane Stucker – Received
Weddings
Charlotte May Smyth Jacobsen and Gerald Martin Estes
Erin Lucille Schultz and William Chapin Campbell
Janet Elaine Seabock and Matthew Thomas Terribile
Jennifer Sue Dyer and Bryson Moore Aldridge
Kelly Ann Veley and Lance Christopher Dobler
Sarah Elizabeth Marsh and Matthew Thomas Reeder
Marie Andrea Sanchez Ong and Joseph Patrick Tighe
Dianne Stabler and Leonard Robert Rosenbluth
Samantha Carole Buckner and Graham Mandel Terhune
Jessica Taylor Southerland and Johnnie Wilfred Walker
Rebecca Rodriguez and Emilio Jose Power
Julia Catherine Boyette and Douglas Reilly Monroe
Emily Catherine Runge and Derek Martin Bust
Margaret Lindsay Sams and David Hodnett Mathews
Laura Anne Dickson and James Barbour Rixey II
Ann Peden Burke and Derek Martin Gatlin
Elizabeth Carrison Thomas and Derick David Joseph
Josie Chandler Johnson and Edward Winborne Malone
Kathryn Louise Spotts and Nicholas Baker Lienesch
Evelyn Hanker Wagner and John William Sinwell
Robin Elizabeth Deloach and Thomas Fredrick Koonce
Transfers In
Jennifer Kramer Roberts from Christ Church, Charlotte
Barbara Smith Irwin from Christ Church, New Brunswick,
NJ
Earl Bryson Powell, Jr. from St. James’, Richmond, VA
Wilton Grey and Julia W. Burns from St. James’, Clinton, NY
Katherine Baer from St. Philip’s, Brevard
William M. and Erin S. Langston; Carter and Owen Langston
from Trinity, Fort Worth TX
W. Wallace Hill from Binkley Baptist Church, Chapel Hill
Barrie Elizabeth Hayes from St. Mark’s, Jacksonville, FL
Richard Scott and Deborah Hinson Beddingfield from St.
Paul’s, Summerville, SC
John Clement and Harriet Emmons Pegram from St. Francis,
Goldsboro
Julia Jordan Holt from St. James’s, Monkton, MD
Betty Bradley Aldridge from Christ Church, Raleigh
Katherine Rody from Church of the Ascension, Knoxville, TN
Christopher Lee Ringwalt from Church of the Advocate,
Carrboro
Tom and Kelley Waicus O’Connell from United Church of
Chapel Hill
Alexandra Vail Smith from St. Paul’s, Greenville
Mark Biggers from St. Timothy’s, Winston-Salem
James Polk and Laura Rinker McDaniel, Leighton Polk, and
Parker Franklin from St. Paul’s, Winston-Salem
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John Ives and Anita Fay Lewis Howell from Church of the
Advocate, Carrboro
Transfer Out
Thomas Blick Alexander to Christ Church, Raleigh
Anna Richmond Malone to Christ Cathedral, Nashville,
TN
Dania M. Ermentrout and Daniel Smith to St. Luke’s,
Durham
Marvin McCauley to Trinity, Fuquay-Varina
Karl Frederick von Allmen to Church of the Redeemer,
Cincinnati, OH
William Lars Anderson to St. Thomas, New York, NY
Lemaul and Jane T. Costa to St. Michael’s, Raleigh
Ellen Louise Summers to Holy Trinity, Greensboro
Annie Green Howard to Christ United Methodist in
Chapel Hill, NC
Edward and Bonnie Griffith to St. Bartholomew’s in
Pittsboro, NC
Claudia Anne Carter to Holy Trinity in Greensboro, NC
James Donald and Carolyn Folds to All Saints, Hilton
Head Island, SC
Judy Quay to St. Philip’s, Beulah, MI
Paul Thomas and Nancy Rebecca Haley to St. Mark’s,
Seattle, WA
Jan Barry and Judith Schmidt Kyle to St. John’s, Tallahassee,
FL
Jacquie and Jack Scarborough to St. Luke’s in Durham,
NC
Linda Gladys Gaines to St. John’s, Washington, DC
Deaths
Bruce Herbert Barnes
Laura Palmer Benedict
Martha McCaig Chapman
Robert Tearle Comey
Elizabeth Gaskill Coombs
Edward Heath Devaney
William Ewart Easterling
Christine Ann Egan
Raquel Prado-Totaro Goldberg
Janet Wheless Hudgens
William Seddon Lee
Rachel Elizabeth Long
Shirley Coggins Mason
Pembroke Graves Rees
Parker Cramer Reist
Irene Andresen Scatliff
Mary Anne Tanner
William A. Williams
Andrew Vaughan Witherspoon
William Pharo Wiltsee Young
From the Parish Register cont’dApril 2011 – January 2012
23
Vestry ActionsAt its meeting on January 26, the Vestry:
• Adopted an amended 2012 Budget and Pay Plan, with the understanding that the budget
will be reviewed in April
• Approved the 2012 clergy housing allowance resolutions
• Approved the recommendation of the Outreach Ministry Committee for disbursement of
$1000 from the Community Organizations line item to the Augustine Literacy Project
• Learned that the Episcopal Church of the Advocate has plans to purchase and move a
church (St. Phillip’s, Germantown) in Forsyth County, that no longer has a parish.
Easter FlowersOfferings of flowers for the altars of the Church and Chapel are especially appropriate as memorials or thanksgivings at Easter. If you wish to contribute, please complete this form and bring or mail it to the parish office by Wednesday, March 28.
A check in the amount you wish to contribute should be made payable to The Chapel of the Cross with “Easter Flowers” in the memo line.
Mailing Address:
St. Hilda’s Altar Guild – Easter FlowersThe Chapel of the Cross304 East Franklin StreetChapel Hill NC 27514
Enclosed is my check for $ ___________
Please print in ink (full names, no titles):Memorials _______________________________________________________________________________________Thanksgivings _____________________________________________________Your name ________________________Your email address __________________Your phone number: _________________
The vestry regularly m
eets on the third Thurs-
day of each month. A
ssignments, contact
information, and photos of the vestry m
embers
may be found on the parish w
eb site (ww
w.thechapelofthecross.org), and on the board across the hall from
the parish office.
The Vestry
Terms end 2012
Carter K
ersh Jam
es Moeser
Linda Rim
er (Junior Warden)
Ford Worthy (Senior W
arden) Term
s end 2013A
lice Cotten
Nancy M
cGuffi
nD
ick TaylorJoel W
agonerTerm
s end 2014Joe FerrellH
ugh Morrison
Alan R
imer
Nancy Tunnessen
David Joseph, Treasurer
Nancy K
elly, Clerk
Eugene Dauchert, C
hancellor
The C
lergyTh
e Rev. Stephen Elkins-W
illiams, R
ectorTh
e Rev. Tam
bria E. Lee, Associate for U
niversity Ministry
The Rev. Victoria Jam
ieson-Drake, Associate for Pastoral M
inistryTh
e Rev. D
avid Frazelle, Associate for Parish M
inistryTh
e Rev. D
r. William
H. Joyner, D
eaconTh
e Rev. M
argaret Silton, Deacon
The R
ev. Dr. R
ichard W. Pfaff, Priest A
ssociateTh
e Rev. D
r. William
H. M
orley, Priest Associate
The R
ev. John M. K
eith, Priest Associate
The Staff
Dr. W
ylie S. Quinn III, O
rganist/Choirm
asterG
retchen Jordan, Associate for C
hristian Formation
Boykin Bell, Associate for C
hristian Formation
Caren Parker, Youth M
inistry Assistant
Barbara Hastings, Interim
Parish Administrator (until 3/14)
Walker M
abe, Chief Adm
inistrator (beginning 3/15)M
arsha Pate, Parish Administrative A
ssistantN
ick Jaeger, Com
m. and Tech. M
anagerD
ebby Kulik, Parish Accountant
Ron M
cGill, Facilities M
anagerJoy G
attis, Sunday Morning C
hild Care D
irectorElizabeth Terry, C
antus Choir D
irectorSarah M
cRae
Anna Lorenz
Rebecca R
ogers Susan G
ladin, Johnson Intern Program D
irector
Wedding C
oordinators
Parish Offi
ce hours: Mon.—
Fri., 9 am to 5 pm
. Phone: 919-929-2193Fax: 919-933-9187 W
eb: ww
w.thechapelofthecross.org Em
ail: [email protected]
Facebook: https://ww
w.facebook.com/pages/Th
e-Chapel-of-
the-Cross/270669602957966
The R
t. Rev. M
ichael Bruce Curry, Bishop
The R
t. Rev. W
illiam O
. Gregg, A
ssistant BishopTh
e Rt. R
ev. Alfred C
. “Chip” M
arble, Jr., Assisting Bishop
A Parish in the Episcopal Diocese of N
orth Carolina
304 East Franklin StreetC
hapel Hill, N
orth Carolina 27514