The Crucifer

I have said these

things to you that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete.

John 15:11

From the Rector: In 610 A.D., a middle eastern man named Muhammad (570-632 A.D.) intro-

duced Islam in the polytheistic Arabian peninsula after experiencing what he claimed to be an angelic visitation from the Archangel Gabriel. Muhammad dic- tated the Qur'an, the holy book of Islam, which Muslims believe to be the pre- existent, perfect words of Allah, or God.

By the time Muhammad died, Islam had united nearly all the people of the Arabian peninsula into a single polity with common beliefs and purpose. By 644, most of Syria, Egypt, Palestine, and Iraq was Muslim. By the early eighth century, Muslims had spread Islam beyond the Middle East and North Africa, spreading across modern-day Spain toward France, until Muslim armies were defeated by the Frankish Catholic Charles Martel, at the Battle of Tours in 732.

At its simplest, a Muslim is a person who professes the shahadah, confessing that "there is no god but God, and Muhammad is his prophet." The fundamental practices of Islam are the Five Pillars, which include a profession of faith, ritual prayer, the zakat (charity), fasting, and the hajj (a pilgrimage to Mecca). More- over, Muslim faith is expressed through disciplined prayer, exemplified by their commitment to praying to Allah five times a day.

According to David Bentley, “Muslims repudiate the Christian doctrine of the Trinity and divinity of Jesus, but accept Jesus as a prophet. God is described and referred to by certain names or attributes, the most common being Al-Rahmān, meaning "The Compassionate" and Al-Rahīm, meaning "The Merciful" (The 99 Beautiful Names for God for All the People of the Book, 99).

Unlike the Bible, which teaches that Isaac was the ‘child of promise’ to Abra- ham from God (Genesis 15), the Qur'an teaches that Ishmael was the child of promise (Sura 19:54; compare Sura 37:83-109 with Genesis 22:1-19). Therefore, Muslims believe that God's covenant promises were meant for Ishmael's descen- dants, not Isaac's. Muhammad taught that the Arabs were the descendents of Ishmael. Therefore, Muslims believe that they, rather than Jews or Christians, have a covenant relationship with God.

Today, over 22% of the world’s population is Muslim. In addition to its reli- gious role, Islam continues to influence global politics and economics.

Join the Rev. Stephen Stine, as he begins a four-part teaching series on Islam this Sunday June 17 in the Ascen- sion Room of the Grelling-Spence Building.

Yours faithfully in Christ,

Experiencing Epiphany 3 Spirituality 4 Calendar 4 Choir School of East Texas 5 Youth Ministries 6 Fellowship & Outreach 7

I N S I D E

June 12, 2012 Vol. XIII, No. 13

In Our Prayers Please consider including the prayer list

in your daily devotions.

Wanda, Lindsey, Scott, Clay, Paula, Amy, Leo, Neil, F.S., Joan & Glenn, Mike, Sonja, Alan, John, David, Meredith, Kolbe, Jennifer, Joshua, Cody, Evan, Billy, Carolyn, Gipsy, Matt, Marian & Stephen, Leigh, Luki, Bill, Nixon, Austin & Brittany, Dennis & Natalie, Robin & Peggy, Joe, Heather, Christie, Trey, Tim, Kurt, Charlotte, Clay, Martha & Bob, Charles, Lynda, Mickey, Richard, Bill, Kathy, Sally, Bill.

Prayer List Requests If you would like to add or remove a name on the prayer list, please contact The Rev. Stephen Stine at 903-530-8168. To pro- tect the confidentiality of those in the prayer list, we will use first names or initials only.

Clergy and Staff The Rt. Rev. Andrew Doyle Bishop of the Diocese of Texas

The Rt. Rev. Dena Harrison Bishop Suffragan

The Rev. David Luckenbach Rector The Rev. Matt Boulter Assistant Rector The Rev. Brandon Peete Curate The Rev. Stephen Stine Deacon The Rev. Suzanne Tubbs Assisting Priest

Mr. Jeffrey Ford Organist/Choirmaster Mrs. Rachel Gucker Interim Assistant Organist Mr. Vance Garvey Director of Sr. High Ministries Mrs. Denise Jarrett Director of Middle School Ministries Ms. Tina Ridley Director of Children’s Ministries Mrs. Diana Keesey Parish Administrator Mrs. Carolyn Velleca Parish Secretary Mrs. Lee Hensarling Publications/Membership Mr. Robert Finney College Minister Mr. Ledell Reed Sexton Mr. Kendric Milton Assistant Sexton Ms. Jennifer Ducote Office Assistant & Housekeeper Ms. Mary Manson, Yessenia Salas, Ms. Clovis Garibay, Nursery

The Vestry Mr. Trey Yarbrough, Sr. Warden, Class of 2013

Mr. Steve Hardy, Jr. Warden, Class of 2013 Mrs. Mary John Spence Pro Vita Mr. Peter Boyd Treasurer Mr. Tom Ridley Clerk Mr. Bret Berry Class of 2012 Mrs. Dee Dee Bufe Class of 2012 Mr. Clyde Davis Class of 2012 Mrs. Mary Ruth Greenwell Class of 2012 Mr. Bryan Rossman Class of 2012 Mrs. Laurel Beaty Class of 2013 Mrs. Mardi Byrd Class of 2013 Mrs. Frances Swann Class of 2013 Mr. John Carr Class of 2014 Dr. Roger Fowler Class of 2014 Mr. Ken Ruether Class of 2014 Mrs. Libby Seago Class of 2014 Dr. Clayton Whitney Class of 2014

Scripture Readings for Sunday 3 Pentecost, Proper 6, June 17

First Reading: Ezekiel 31:1-6, 10-14 Psalm 92 or 92:1-4, 11-14 Second Reading: 2 Corinthians 5:1-10 Gospel: Mark 4:26-34

4 Pentecost, Proper 7, June 24 First Reading: Job 38:1-11, 16-18 Psalm: 107:1-32 or 107:1-3, 23-32 Second Reading: 2 Corinthians 5:14-21 Gospel: Mark 4:35-41; (5:1-20)

Pastoral Emergency Contacts In the event of a pastoral emergency, you may reach The Rev. David Luckenbach, Rector, at 903-279-8777, The Rev. Matt Boulter, at 903-944-8494, or The Rev. Stephen Stine at 903-530-8168. You may also call the church office, 903- 597-9854, during normal business hours.

Additional Contact Information

The Rev. David Luckenbach dluckenbach@christchurchtyler.org Tina Ridley tridley@christchurchtyler.org

The Rev. Matt Boulter mboulter@christchurchtyler.org Denise Jarrett djarrett@christchurchtyler.org

The Rev. Stephen Stine ssti@tjc.edu Vance Garvey vgarvey@christchurchtyler.org

The Rev. Brandon Peete bpeete@allsaints.org Carolyn Velleca office@christchurchtyler.org

The Rev. Suzanne Tubbs priest2@att.net Lee Hensarling lhensarling@christchurchtyler.org

Jeffrey Ford jford@christchurchtyler.org Robert Finney epiphanyttx@gmail.com

Diana Keesey dkeesey@christchurchtyler.org Church Web Site: www.christchurchtyler.org 2

In Memoriam

Our sympathies to the family and friends of Anne Mercer Kornegay, sister of Marilyn Luckett.

Our sympathies to the family and friends of Richard Disney Warfield.

Our sympathies to the family and friends of Esther Pyron, long time parishioner and former

assistant organist at Christ Church.

May the souls of the departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.

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Experiencing Epiphany

A Christ-like Approach to Christian Ministry

One of the things Episcopal priests get to do is to pray for and discern folks who God might be called to ordained ministry in the church from our local congregation. We need more priests and deacons! With that prayer in mind, and in expectation that the Holy Spirit is raising up and equipping new leaders for the Church, I offer these thoughts on pas- toral ministry.

Christian ministry should be incarnational. What is the incarnation? It is God moving into our neighborhood. It is God, in the person of Jesus Christ, becoming one of us. It is God beginning to look like one of us. Where is Jesus now? Yes, he is seated, according to the Creed, at the right hand of the Father. But he is also here with us, present to the world and in the world in the form of his Body, the Church. Incarna- tional ministry means continuing the mission of Jesus in all of its downward mobility (Phil 2). A particular leader in this area is John Perkins.

Christian ministry should be rooted in the heart. Proverbs 4:23 tells us that “out of the heart flow the issues of life.” In a world racked by addictions and bondage of all kinds, the Church must resist the temptation to preach a counterfeit gospel of quick-fixes and of self-help, a merely external and moralistic perversion of the truth. Instead, we must preach the reality that when the heart changes, everything changes: where your feet take you, what your eyes look at, what your imagination is captured by. The reality and the hope of real change, from the inside out. A strong pioneer in this area: Larry Crabb.

Christian ministry should be subversive, resisting and chal- lenging the world’s confusion of status quo religiosity with the visible, communal life of the Church. What is assumed here is that religiosity is the basic commitment of the human heart: the urge to compare oneself with others, the tendency to

garner self-esteem through one’s own status or accomplish- ments, the drive to worship oneself as hero. The church must challenge these assumed and habitual patterns in both the individual and in the larger society, deeply mired in what one thoughtful psychologist describes as “the standardized heroics of mass culture.”* Leaders in this area: Tim Keller, Rowan Williams, Eugene Peterson.

Along these same lines, Christian ministry should be pat- terned after the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Suffering is not optional for the Christian (Acts 14:22). At the same time, it is not an end in itself, embraced merely for its own sake. Suffering is the darkness before the light, the pruning before the beautiful rose blossoms. It is God’s way of turning us sin- ners into something great. As in the very life of Christ, it is the prerequisite for new life. According to Walter Bruegge- man, the Psalter shows us the Gospel pattern of “orientation – disorientation – new orientation.” Only this kind of think- ing, embracing the darkness of Good Friday, the death of the grave, can we give the world a compelling and liberating way to cope with, indeed to triumph over, the evil, brokenness, and nihilism which plague us. Some pioneers in this area: Soren Kierkegaard, Martin Luther, and St. Francis of Assisi.

Christian ministry should be cosmic in scope. The good news of Jesus is not intended simply to make us feel better about ourselves. Its primary purpose is not to show us how to “go to heaven when we die.” Our articulation of it must not imply that the “real action” of the Christian life is having a private relationship with one’s own, personal Jesus. Not less than this, the Christian faith is much more: it is an eschato- logical hope for the human race and the entire world. In the cross of Jesus Christ, God has proven himself faithful to his own promises, promises to “fix the Adam problem,” to heal humanity and the entire cosmos of the ravages of sin and death. These promises take the form of a covenant, and the “real action” of the Christian life must be portrayed as a lived response to the question “How can we find our place, how can I find my role, in God’s grand drama of bringing salvation to this hurting world?” remembering all the while that “out of the heart flow the issues of life.” A pioneer in this area: Bishop NT Wright.

Christian ministry should be contemplative. Not only does this way of being help to identify distractions for ministry (my own attitudes, assumptions, agendas, etc.) but it also brings God’s healing presence to my tendency to rely on my self- constructed identity, what some theologians would call “my false self.” Pioneers in this area are Thomas Keating, James Finley.

The Rev. Matt Boulter, Asst. Rector

* Sam Keen, in his foreword to Ernest Becker’s The Denial of Death.

Spirituality Calendar

SUNDAY CHRISTIAN EDUCATION CLASSES 9:00-9:50 am

Adult Christian Education, Ascension Room, 3rd fl. Grelling-Spence Bldg.

Global Faiths June 17-July 8, Deacon Stine-Islam July 15-General Convention Review July 22-August 12, Father Matt-Eastern Religions August 19, Father David-Review and Tying Together

Children and Youth Nursery: 8:45 am till end of 10/10:05 am services, infant-1st grade.

2yr-4K: Play & Worship in Nursery. Each week, children will hear a Bible story, sing, and do activities that will help them remember the story.

5K-4th grade: A Summer with the Saints, Garden of Eden classroom. Each week we will learn about a different saint, some well known, others who are not as well known but who have amazing life stories to be told.

Grades 5-8: Light breakfast, snacks, fellowship. Our Study: Books of the Bible, 4th floor

Grades 9-12: Light breakfast, snacks, fellowship. Our Study: Character, 4th floor

Weekday Adult Christian Education (All Welcome!) Men’s Bible Study, Lectionary-based study, Gospel Reading: Wednesdays, 7:15-8:15 am, Undercroft.

Summer Women's Bible Study Group, facilitated by Joyce McGee, a lectionary-based study with Gospel Reading. Meets Thurs- days at 10:30 am in the Epiphany Room.

Children & Youth Summer Activities

• Camp Redcloud: Saturday, June 16-Saturday, June 23. 7-12th

graders travelling to Colorado for an amazing “Personal Mission” trip as a culmination of our study on “Character” this past year in Sunday school.

• Monday, June 25-Friday, June 29 (4k-4th grades), Vacation Bible School, at All Saints Episcopal School. To register http:// www.christchurchtyler.org/childrens.htm/Vacation Bible School tab. Click on the link. Questions? Contact Tina Ridley at 903-597 -9854, Jimi Sue Sudduth, jimi.sudduth@tylerisd.org or Elaine Phillips, elainep2000@gmail.com. Youth and grown ups, Contact Ms. Tina if you are able to help in any way!

• Wednesday, June 27, 1:00-3:00 pm, 5th/6th grade, Pool Party at the White’s house.

• Wednesday, June 27, 5:30 pm, 9th-12th grade, Faith in Film, 4th floor, “Unbreakable”

• Tyler Mission Week: July 8-13. This year we are proud to host youth and adults from St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Waco They are coming to Tyler to help our youth serve in our local mission efforts. We are so excited to have this opportunity to show them Tyler, and invite them to partner with us in ministry!

SUMMER SCHEDULE AT CHRIST CHURCH Sundays

7:30 am Holy Eucharist Rite I 8:45 am Gift Shop Open till 10:00 am 9:00 am Christian Education Classes 9:00 am Canterbury Choir Rehearsal 9:30 am Epiphany Praise Team Rehearsal

10:00 am Holy Eucharist Rite I 10:05 am Epiphany Eucharist, 4th floor 5:30 pm Holy Eucharist Rite I

Tuesdays 8:30 am Morning Prayer in the Chapel 9:00 am Staff Meeting

Wednesdays 7:15 am Men’s Bible Study 9:00 am Yoga Class 6:30 pm Chancel Choir

Thursdays 10:30 am Gift Shop Open till 1:30 pm 10:30 am Summer Women’s Bible Study 12:00 pm Holy Communion, 1928 Prayer Book 6:00 pm Loaves & Fishes

UPCOMING EVENTS Saturday, June 16 Youth leave for Redcloud, CO trip Sunday, June 17

10:30 am Bus leaves for Rangers game Monday, June 18

10:00 am Guild of the Nativity Thursday, June 21

7;00 am Brotherhood of St. Andrew Saturday, June 23 Youth return from Redcloud, CO trip Sunday, June 24

11:15 am Reception for Rachel Gucker, Asst. Organist Monday, June 25

5:30 pm Vestry Meeting 5:30 pm Community of Hope

Wednesday, June 27 9:30 am Paper Guild 1:00 pm 5th/6th grade Pool Party at White’s 5:30 pm Sr. EYC Faith in Film Series, 4th floor

Sunday, July 1 10:00 am Independence Day Eucharist 11;30 am Picnic in Parish Hall

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ON THE WEB

To hear the Sunday Summer Adult Christian Education Global Faiths Series:

fathermatt.libsyn.com

To hear the Epiphany service sermons: epiphany.libsyn.com

Choir School of East Texas 

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Choir School of East Texas Guest Choir at 

Trinity Church in the City of Boston Sunday, June 10, 2012 

Lead me, Lord  Samuel Sebastian Wesley Give thanks and praise  G.F. Handel Panis angelicus  Cesar Frank

When summer begins, the youth program

gets to welcome a brand new group to the 4th floor! Our rising 5th graders get to move into our “Youth” program and sometimes things might be a bit confusing at first. So, whether you are new to our church community or a rising 5th grader, here are the “Fast Facts…”

Our Names

EYC Fish Current 5/6th graders

Jr. EYC Current 7/8th graders

Sr. EYC Current 9-12th graders

“Youth” Indicates all 5-12th graders/distinction is made in each event advertised

4th Floor Where we meet on Sunday mornings and for EYC activities

9 am/4th floor Time/Place Sunday School begins during the summer—for all 5-12th graders. Light breakfast is served each Sunday.

The Ways We Communicate

• I will send out an email once a week detailing our events for the coming week. Please keep up to date with these emails… any extra notifications will be sent via email too. If you do not communicate via email, please let me know!

• Monthly calendars are sent out at the beginning of each month via email and are posted on our website.

http://www.christchurchtyler.org/Jr.EYC.htm

• FACEBOOK is a great tool I use to communicate as well. Our page is titled CHRIST CHURCH YOUTH—please send me a friend request. All activities and calendars will be posted on Facebook as well.

• What I need from you…A good email address, child’s birthday, parents’ cell phone number, child’s cell phone number, street address/home phone number.

Welcome to the 4th Floor! Denise Jarrett,

Director of Middle School Ministries 

Youth Ministry 

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Children’s Ministry 

June 25‐29, 2012 9 a.m. –12 p.m.

All Saints Episcopal School www.groupvbspro.com/vbs/ez/CEC or

Www.christchurchtyler.org

Hi, My name is Orville. That’s my plane in the picture.

There is still room for kids to partici‐ pate and for volunteers!

I hope you can come, we will have so much fun!

Children ages

4k‐4th grade

Fellowship & Outreach

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Kids Corner—Happy Birthday! 6/16 Adeline Felsenthal; 6/17 Mick Jarrett;

6/18 Smith Reynolds, IV; 6/22 Jake Lohman; 6/24 Luke Bailey; 6/25 Taylor Holliday,

Ford Wooldridge; 6/28 Alex Lisso; 6/29 Paul Hibbs.

The Crucifer Deadlines

Monday, June 18 for June 26 publication **Monday, July 9 for July 17 publication

**There will only be 1 Crucifer published in July.

New Member

Welcome to Rita Upshaw, wife of Bobby Upshaw. We are grateful she has chosen to make Christ Church her home.

Christ Church Summer Office Hours:

Monday-Friday: 8:30 am-4:00 pm

Gift Shop Hours—Summer

Open every Thursday 10:30 am--1:30 pm

Every Sunday 8:45 am—10:00 am

Farewell Reception

You are invited to a Farewell Reception for our Assistant Organist, Rachel Gucker on Sunday, June 24 at 11:15 in the Parish Hall. We are grateful for her contributions to the Music Ministry at Christ Church.

A letter from Amani Development Organization in Dodoma, Tanzania

“Thank you for your support for the children. They are a happy band of children and students and so very thankful for the assistance extended by their sponsors. The fact that Amani commenced here with a Teacher Training Sponsorship Program has greatly blessed the work as all of “our” children are taught by trained teachers! That is more often not the case in this society.

May God bless you and keep you safe in His care.”

Fr. John (Naumann)

Please join us for

Our Annual Parish Picnic

Sunday, July 1 Immediately following 10 am Patriotic Eucharist

In the Parish Hall

Reservations Requested

Please contact church office for reservations by Friday, June 29

903-597-9854 or office@christchurchtyler.org

RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

Summer Worship Schedule at Christ Church

Sunday 7:30 a.m. The Holy Eucharist, Rite I

9:00 a.m. Christian Education Classes

10:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist Rite I

10:05 a.m. The Epiphany Eucharist, 4th floor

5:30 p.m. The Holy Eucharist, Rite I

Tuesday 8:30 a.m. Morning Prayer, Rite II (in the Chapel)

Thursday 12:00 p.m. Holy Communion from BCP 1928

Church Web Site: www.christchurchtyler.org

The vision of Christ Episcopal Church is to be recognized as a joyful, spirit-filled community of apostles reaching out and

transforming lives for Christ.

Please Note: The Crucifer is published twice monthly and mailed out on the second and fourth Wednesday of each month. If you have something you would like to see published in The Crucifer, the deadline for submission is on the first and third Monday of each month.