Summer at St. Mary’s...Then and Now

SAINT MARY'S

EPISCOPAL

CHURCH

August 2020 The Season of Pentecost

The Messenger

Inside this issue:

St. Mary’s Then

and Now

1

Vestry Notes &

Usher/Cleaners &

2

A Letter from

Father Julian

3

Birthdays and

Anniversaries &

School and Pantry

Donations

4

Sunday School

News

5

Transition Notes,

Women of St.

Mary’s

6

Notes from the

Bench

7

Welcome One 8

Then Now

Amazing how much has changed over the past few months! Here’s a look back some past summer

fun we’ve had at St. Mary’s. And a few pictures of what is going on right now.

VBS 2015 Little Free Library

Lemonade on the Lawn 2018

Rummage Sale 2018

Church Entrance with Social Distance Guideposts

Rummage Sale Cancelled

This month’s vestry meeting

covered in detail the issues

regarding re-opening the

church. Usher and cleaning

protocols were distributed and

discussed. There will be a

team of three people per

service who will be responsible

for the ushering and cleaning

duties. The vestry will be performing all these duties for

the month of July. When we

move to two services (8:00 and

10:15) in August we will need

volunteers to help with each

service. Please consider

volunteering to help – sign up

is easy via our website!

Approval was given for

installing a new keyless access

system (which will include a

video cam and intercom) for

the Parish House. Financially

speaking, income has been

steady. Many are paying their

pledges via bill pay or online

giving. We are halfway through

the fiscal year and pledged YTD

income is at 50% of budget.

The shop had been our reliable

florist for almost 20 years and

it was sad to see it gone. While

searching for a new one, the

Altar Guild teams have been

using garden flowers each week

and it is working well.

Last week we discovered

Flowers by Lucy on Emmorton Rd. and they will be able to

arrange our vases for $36.00,

the same as we paid Mrs.

Flowers. Sallie Parker is calling

the donors on our list to

The Altar Guild began

functioning again when services

resumed in the church in June.

Sadly, we are without our

longtime member and friend,

Carolyn Mitchell, who passed

away in May. She was a

dedicated servant to the Guild

as well as to the entire parish

and will be greatly missed.

During the course of the

pandemic shutdown, Mrs.

Flowers, Inc. was forced to

close and unable to reopen.

explain the situation and to see

if they are still interested in

doing their Sunday. Times have

changed and not everyone is

back in church yet, so don’t

feel obligated to donate. For

more info, call Sallie 410-838-

3677.

July Vestry Notes

Flowers for the Altar

Ushering and Cleaning as we Regather

We will teach each volunteer

the protocols for ushering and

cleaning. An electronic signup

is available on our website. If

we are unable to fill all

volunteer positions, we will be

required to reduce the

number of church services as

we are required to meet

standards set by the State of Maryland and the Diocese of

Maryland.

Your willingness to volunteer

for these ushering and

cleaning tasks will ensure we

can continue to be together as

a congregation.

In order for the congregation of

St. Mary’s Episcopal Church to

regather, it is imperative that we

all, as able, participate in ushering

and cleaning the church after

service.

We will be continuing with ONE

service through September due to

lack of volunteers.

Sign up by clicking the link to the

right, or on our website, or call

the office!

We Need YOU!

Page 2 The Messenger

Where We Stand

Page 3 The Season of Pentecost

Based upon some comments recently made, I thought it might be helpful to clarify where we stand regarding transition,

as well as Mother Meredith’s role.

Last fall we began what is typically referred to as the “Self-Study” or “Discernment” phase of transition. This is typically

the longest phase of the process. We are invited to delve deeply into our past and present to gain some clarity as to

who ware as a congregation and what we are called to do as we move forward into the future in both calling and

partnering with a new rector.

As stated many times, our focus is on the twin questions of Identity (Who are we? Who is my neighbor?) and Vocation.

We engaged in a number of exercises to begin to get at some answers. Among those were graveyard walks, timeline

exercises, story sharing and the CAT (Congregational Assessment Tool).

All too often congregations rely on subjective tools to garner opinions. Whereas these tools have a time and a place,

they are not the most helpful tools for clergy transitions. The CAT is objective and gives us a snapshot or an x-ray of

the congregation in a moment of time. It moves beyond subjective data to information about us benchmarked against

congregations which have a highly focused mission and an engaged membership. We received our assessment in January

and the transition team made plans to present the finding to the congregation in two congregational meetings. The first

meeting was held at the beginning of March with a second meeting scheduled for mid-March.

Then COVID 19 hit and with it in person gatherings. And our process came to a grinding halt for two months. The

transition team began meeting via Zoom after Easter to make plans for moving forward in the new normal. We decided

to move forward using Zoom.

The second congregational meeting was held in the beginning of May. Zoom cottage meetings were scheduled from Mid

May through the end of this month. The purpose was to delve deeper into the CAT by means of a focused

conversation around four topics: change, conflict, diversity and mission.

The next step is for the transition team to compile the rich feedback we received. Once that is done, we will share the

insights gained with the congregation. I expect that this phase of the process will take us through the fall. The transition

team will need to determine if further conversations are needed.

At this point, I anticipate that a profile should be complete by the end of the year. The Search phase should start after

the New Year with a call issued sometime in the spring of 2021. I will remain with you until a new priest is called.

Mother Meredith is our long term supply priest. Just a reminder, my position is part time consisting of two Sundays a

month and two days a week. Mother Meredith is filling the Sundays Father Don covered and is available for a pastoral

emergency. She is not the new rector and I am not leaving—yet.

COVID 19 has thrown a wrench it much of what we do and you might feel at times that this process is taking forever.

Normally, an interim time is 15-18 months. We needed some time to deal with the trauma of Fr Allen’s departure.

COVID cost us an additional three months. However, we are back on track and the end is in sight.

Gratefully,

Fr Julian

CAAs reach out to low-income

individuals in their communities

and work to address their

needs through a comprehensive

approach.

They develop partnerships with

other community organizations,

involve low-income clients in

the agencies’ operations, and

administer a wide range of coordinated programs designed

to have a measurable impact on

poverty.

The Harford Community

Action Agency, Inc received a

large donation of pantry items

on July 15th thanks to all the

“Stay Put Pantry” food and

hygiene items we collected.

Thank you to everyone who

contributed to this great cause.

Want to learn more about the

Harford Community Action Agency? Click the logo!

August Birthdays

Stay Put Pantry

August Anniversaries

John & Martha Nichols

David & Judy Whitaker

Lee & Stephanie Jones

Fran & Pam Butler

Ann & Ed Weaver

Page 4 The Messenger

8/1 Sandee Carlson

8/5 George Pfeiffer

8/6 Michael Diem

8/10 Dagmara Duruamaku

8/10 Ruth Mewborn

8/16 Dick Schwanke

8/17 David Whitehurst

8/19 Sandy Kern

8/21 Robert Childs

8/22 Francis Butler

8/23 Michael Duruamaku

8/23 Adam Paye

8/24 Glenn Weaver

8/29 Pamela Butler

School Supply Donations

Help the Women of St. Mary's

support the Harford County

Education Foundation as they

"Stuff the Bus" and provide

"Tools for Schools" This year, during the month of

August, the Women of St. Mary's will collect school

supplies and money for school

supplies and technology to be

donated to the Harford County

Education Foundation. This

organization supports Harford

County Public Schools teachers

and students in many

ways. Read all about it

at https://harfordeducation.org/

and like their Facebook page.

Even though students will be

attending school "online" for the

first few months of the year,

some students will be attending

"Learning Stations" located in

some schools. Many of these

students may need supplies in

order to complete their work.

School supplies (see list below)

can be left in the box that will

be put outside the Parish House

door on Sunday, August 2, 9,

16, 23, 30 from 8:45 - 11:15 am.

If you prefer to donate money,

checks payable to the Women

of St. Mary's may be given to

Gabbie Taylor, Beth Hunsinger,

or Ana Jakse or sent to the

church office. Please note

"school supplies" in the memo

line. In early September, we

will write a check from the

Women of St. Mary's and take

it, along with the school

supplies to the Foundation

Office in Bel Air.

Thanks for your generous

support of the many school

students who need help with

supplies and technology,

especially in this challenging

year.

Pencils

Pens

Paper - looseleaf Folders (with and without

brads)

Backpacks Personal care items - tissues,

hand sanitizer

New and used books

Binders - 3 hole, 3" Hard case and zipper pencil

cases

Glue sticks

Index cards

Crayons

Colored pencils

Washable markers

Graphing Calculators

Composition Books Arts and crafts supplies

including scissors

Sunday School News: Nina Mullenax, DRE

Page 5 The Season of Pentecost

We are now several weeks into the summer and we are now slowly coming back to church though

somewhat at a distance (6ft) and wearing our lovely masks! It is a wonderful feeling to be able to worship in

Gods house again and to see some faces of my St. Mary’s family. We are beginning to celebrate life again

ever so slowly but moving in that direction! Hope is alive and we are getting through this difficult time as

His light is guiding us there and will see us through to the end when we will be with loved ones, friends and

finally worship altogether to celebrate our risen Lord!

"I am making all things new” (Rev. 21:15)

Update: Easter Chocolate Candy Due to Covid 19, our Lenten Project with "We Cancerve Movement" had to be cancelled with a lot of

donated Easter chocolate candy and activities for the bags kits to be determined how to use them. After

talking to Grace, we have decided to keep the activity donations to jump start our Easter bags kits for next

year as well as the wonderful coloring pictures that will be attached to the bags next Lenten season. Grace

and I met this week and she picked up all the candy to be used in “Brunch” bags to be taken to a foster

home for teenage girls. Remember this quarantine may be even harder for those in a shelter who may not

be able to go anywhere else except the room they are living in, or foster care where you might have to be

separated from others. Grace and her team recently found out that many children in these situations do

not get many opportunities for fun snacks and decided what a treat Easter candy would be this year! The

Good Lord had an alternative reason for all of that chocolate candy! https://www.wecancerve.org/ “Bringing

swift solutions to children in sad situations because happiness shouldn't have to wait!”

Sunday School Startup ( More info to come in early September!!)

We are developing an in person protocol for Sunday school to begin on Sunday, September 20!

Sunday school teachers for 2020-2021:

Pre-K – Kindergarten – Tracey Hollis Middle school – Bob Wallace

4th -5th - Giulianna Wallace High school – Kimberly Ercole

Stay Home Stay Connected Stay Church

New Door System in the Education Building

Page 6 Newsletter Title

Due to a couple of late starting

groups, all Cottage Group

meetings will be completed by

the end of July. In all, the

Transition Team contacted 125

congregation members. Nine

groups consisting of about six

to eight members per group

were formed for an average

participation of 55-65

congregation members across

all the groups. There were five

separate discussion topics

exploring our perspectives on

change, conflict, diversity and

mission for each group for a

total of 45 Cottage Group

meetings.

Transition Team

Crest Lock, Co. is currently

installing a video doorbell

system on the front door of

the Education Building. This will

give the office and the

counsellor a way to monitor

and converse with who is at

the front door.

Keyless entry will also be

engaged in the next month.

This will allow us to keep data

on who enters and exits the

building and increase our

security by eliminating the

circulation of keys. More

information on this system and

how it effects those who have

keys will follow. Please keep

your eye on the Messenger and

emails to be alerted.

Welcome One Emergency

Shelter News

The Women of St. Mary’s has

continued to support the

shelter as they remained

closed. We missed our last two

times and have sent them two

checks for $150.00. Our next

date is September 10th and it is

still not known when the

clients will be allowed back or

if we will feel safe in going back to serve. Time will tell. It is a

wonderful service and very

rewarding to those who go.

As you might be aware, I love

to compose and arrange

music...and this consumes much

of my time. Especially when

I'm commissioned as I was by

performing ensembles and

soloists before the onset of the

COVID-19 pandemic. I enjoy

sitting at the Kawaii grand

piano or the Rodgers organ in my home and spending time

just improvising...mostly on

hymns, and transposing them

to all keys. Transposition and

improvisation are both key

aspects for any real organist to

utilize whenever and wherever

the need arises. I remember

one moment as a professional

accompanist for a New York

soprano cantor – we had only

15 minutes prior to the

concert to talk the music

through because traffic had

delayed her arrival. As she

walked on-stage for one set,

she whispered, “Transpose this

one down a third – it's too

high!” Well that did not phase

me one bit because I had

learned her music by memory

and the transposition fit right

in! And not every organ in

churches across the globe will

have Transposer buttons for

accompaniments that are either

too high or too low for a

soloist or choir to sing

comfortably and sound great,

and there is not always music

available at ones fingertips for

filling in a minutes time or

longer after a homily or special

prayer as requested by the

priest just before the service

starts. The American Guild of

Organists espouses high ideals

of transposition and

improvisation, and my

membership with them would not be meaningful without

regular practice in those areas.

So...that is what I do with

particular attention to the fact

that my Adult Choir wants me

to audition for Certification

with those two areas figuring

heavily in my overall grading.

After I have sat and transposed

or improvised on a hymn tune

that I have chosen for one of

the upcoming weekly services, I

sometimes sit at my computer

and write down what I at that

time consider to be a suitable

look-a-like arrangement of what I played. Although this

may be labeled Improvisation, it

is really an arrangement, for a

true improvisation is done only

in the spur of the moment and

is unwritten. Since there is

currently NO hymn singing at

St. Mary's, I have endeavored

to create an interesting

composition based on those

selected hymn tunes and do

eagerly play them on those

Sundays. Sometimes I hear soft

humming...and THAT is great. I

feel that hymns ARE prayers,

and pieces on hymns when

played with praise and

thanksgiving to our great and

loving God are just that as well!

What do I do with the music

afterwards? I have arranged

much into “books” that are

available for sale on a

publisher's website. Do I

compose secular music? Of

course! Even lesson pieces for

students like Dakara Bon,

Amelia Hollis, Kat Parker, Jim

and Rita Gribbell's

granddaughter Sophia, and

more. I am composer-in-

residence for the Brandywine

Brass, Delaware's premiere

brass quintet that has

performed over a hundred of

my arrangements in all venues

during the last 3 years. My

arrangements have been

published through Tara, Cimarron Music Press,

BVDPress, A.K. Brass Press,

Sheet Music Plus, and Robert

King Library in the United

States and Spaeth / Schmid -

Brass Wind Notes serving

Germany and the United

Kingdom in Europe, and Sheet

Music Press. They have been

performed by Capitol Brass,

Atlantic Brass, Empire Brass,

Johannes Brass, soloists from

the New York Philharmonic,

San Francisco City Chorus and

the Old First Presbyterian Church (Both of San Francisco,

CA), for Brazilian concert

organist Jonatas Andrade, for

A.N.I.M. (in Kabul Afghanistan),

and by the local Brandywine

Brass Quintet. How many

pieces have I composed and

arranged? To date, the count is

approximately 2,142 piece. I'd

say that's pretty prolific! I even

wrote our own wedding

processional and recessional

back in 1977. Many of my

arrangements have been

premiered not only by our

wonderful St. Mary's Adult

Choir as well as the Festival

Choir of St. Andrew's in Lagos,

Nigeria.

I thank the Holy Spirit deeply

for the inspiration given me to

be a composer. Music might

not make me wealthy, but it

has made me rich in friends

across the world and in song

on my lips and hands and feet.

The song of my soul as I praise

my generous and loving God. I

am told by our daughter

Giulianna that as I lay near

death in the Christiana Care

shock-trauma unit, that I

whispered the words to our

hymns – Praise, My Soul, the

King of Heaven, Amazing

Grace, Abide with Me, and

more. I do believe that I have

been called to this amazing and

full lifetime of music. And to that I say, Praise God from

Whom ALL blessings flow!”

Notes from the Bench by: Robert Wallace, II

Page 7 Volume 1, Issue 1

Director of Music, Robert Stephen

Wallace, II

1 Saint Mary’s Church Road Abingdon, MD

Phone: 410-569-0180 E-mail: office@stmarysharford.org

Website: stmarysharford.org Facebook: stmarysabingdon

SAINT MARY'S

EPISCOPAL CHURCH

A place where the Gospel thrives!

Remember that the parking lot

bins are for clothes, shoes and

linens only. Do not deposit

household items in the bins and

do not leave anything outside

the boxes.

Thanks for your

cooperation. Let's hope that

next year we will be able to

resume many of our usual

activities!

As you all know, the annual

September Rummage sale has

been cancelled this year.

It has been decided that we will

NOT be holding a parking lot

furniture sale this fall.

Therefore, we WILL NOT be

able to collect and store

furniture of any kind. If you

have items to donate, please

consider sending them

elsewhere.

Rummage Cancelled and No Furniture Sale