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St. Mary’s News

October, 2012 Volume 3 Issue 9

Contents

1 - Rector’s Message

3 - Outreach

4 - Christian Educa -

ion

Knitty Gritty

5 - Hospitality

Miles of Pennies

6 - Birthdays/

Anniversaries

7 - Daughters of the

King

Basket Auction

Wellspring of Life

And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was

there alone Matthew 14:23

A generation ago, it was hoped that advances in technology would help

humans work more efficiently. The cartoon TV show The Jetsons por-

trayed that world of the future where a push of the right button could

handle any task from preparing meals to cleaning the house. Now we

find ourselves living in something very different from that rosy forecast

of the future. Rather than make more time for leisure, advances in tech-

nology have increased the workload. More and more people work long-

er and longer workweeks as smart phones and the internet keep us con-

stantly tied to our workplaces with one more email, tweet or voicemail

to answer before going to sleep.

Imagine the rush of business suddenly stopping in the middle of a busy

workday. The incessant rattle of keyboards ceasing. The tap, tap tap-

ping stops. Underneath the clatter and the clutter of our lives, the Holy

Spirit is seeking to call us home to the lives for which were created.

The call is to live in relationship to God and each other and it is through

this call that we experience shalom. We translate this word as “peace”,

yet shalom is much more than the antonym for war. Shalom is

“wellbeing” and “wholeness.”

The wholeness of shalom stands in opposition to lives pulled apart by

distractions. Our loving creator knew we needed to stop and just "be"

and so built rest into the very foundations of the universe. Within

Christian tradition, the story of creation has been viewed as culminating

in the creation of humankind in the image of God. In Judaism, the Sab-

bath is the pinnacle of creation. On the seventh day God rests. Humans

and animals were to rest as well. Master and servant alike were com-

manded to observe the Sabbath.

We were created to be stewards, not just of things, but of the gift of

time as well. So serious was this prohibition against working on the

Sabbath, that the Torah made Sabbath breaking a capital offence. By

the time of Jesus' life and ministry, the Sabbath laws were so deeply

ingrained in the lives of faithful Jews that even Jesus’ acts of bringing

health and wholeness to someone in need of healing were seen by some

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as sin when performed on the Sabbath.

The idea of taking time away is woven throughout the Gospels’ portrayal of Jesus. Jesus is always re-

treating to a place of rest and prayer. In the fourteenth chapter of Matthew, we see Jesus seeking time

alone. He has just learned of the death of John the Baptist and we are told, “He withdrew from there in a

boat to a deserted place by himself.”

Peace was just out of reach as the crowds followed him, watching where his boat came to rest and pursu-

ing him on foot. Jesus felt compassion for the people, taught them and fed their physical hunger with

five loaves of bread and two fish. The story continues, “Immediately he made the disciples get into the

boat and go on ahead to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. And after he had dismissed the

crowds, he went up the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone.”

Rest and prayer were the constant refrain of Jesus’ life. If he needed this time for rest, how much more

do we need to make the time to be re-created? The Sabbath was created for us to stop our frenetic activi-

ty and find renewal in being rather than doing. It is in this stillness that we can be open to the silence and

the stillness of God.

While the sunrise over the water may be just as breathtaking when viewed from the line of cars grid-

locked on the bridge during a morning commute, it is more deeply appreciated from a rocking chair or

hammock. Stopping to rest makes space for reflection and gratitude. From that place of rest, the activity

of our lives comes into proper perspective.

As one given to workaholism in my former life, it took a long time to build in periods of intentional rest;

it does not feel like my natural state. I was the object in motion that tended to stay in motion. Yet, I

wanted the wholeness that comes from resting in God. I wanted that peace and well-being. I wanted that

place of gratitude. And with the help of some wise teachers & spiritual guides I found these gifts came

solely when my life is balanced with rest in its right proportion to work.

The same is possible for each and every one of us when we follow Jesus’ example of seeking time for

Sabbath, for peace and prayer. The people in our lives need us to find the space for renewal. Not only

the people in our lives but our creator longs for us to have life and have it abundantly; to find the rest we

need, to be re-created so we may serve him and the world around us in Jesus’ name. From this Sabbath

rest comes a well spring of generosity of life and spirit for which our frenetic world deeply longs.

The Rev. Dewey E. Brown, Jr.

Rector – St. Mary’s Episcopal Church

(352) 567-3888

www.stmdc.com

Glory to God whose power, working in us, can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine: Glory to him from generation to generation in the Church, and in Christ Jesus for ever and ever. Amen. Ephesians 3:20, 21

P a g e 2 S t . M a r y ’ s N e w s

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Outreach

Love One Another – Food and more

October 14th

It is time to begin putting together our next Love One Another meal on the 14th of October. The menu, cooks, servers for the kitchen, servers for the dining room, helpers at the craft table, someone to make music, ‘librarians’ to hand out children’s books and offer to read.

The menu is one of our favorites; Mojo pork, yellow rice, black beans, green salad, rolls and a desert to be decided later. Of course we will offer our very special peeled hardboiled eggs to get the meal started.

The wheelbarrows will be at the entrances to church on the 14th to receive any donations of clothing, shoes, household items, toys, bedding, towels, and pet food. We will also be taking any toiletries you wish to bring that morning. Children’s books will be a part of what we want to offer that Sunday.

How can you help? Cooking? Serving? Crafting? Reading? Boiling? Making music? Donating items? Help underwrite this outreach effort?

Call or e-mail Margaret Thompson at (352) 567-7449 or afoolforflavor.2 @ Hotmail.com

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Christian Education

If you didn't make it to the Parish Game Night, you really missed out. It was awesome! Father Brown and some of the kids played Monopoly which made Debi Brown and I happy. She and I knew it would save us from being asked to play at home in the near future. The food was wonderful. You know we Episcopalians don't mess around with that. Just ask anyone that attended about the fresh garlic knots. It was also a perfect opportunity to settle in for some good conversation and also get some input on how to deal with critters getting in your bird feeder. This may be an event hosted by Christian Education, but everyone is invited. We would love to have more in attendance. I know we have Bridge players itchin' to bid, Chess players waiting to make the next move, and some kid who wants to tell his opponent (preferably a sibling) “SORRY!”. The next one is scheduled for January 27, 2013. You should definitely plan to come. *********************************************************************************** Our first day of Sunday school went well. It was so nice to see everyone again. And from what I hear the only real problem was the Middle/High school class was running out of chairs and Prayer books. That's not a problem, though—that's a blessing! *********************************************************************************** In honor of Veteran's Day, Christian Education will begin collecting donations for the Wesley Chapel or-ganization Support Our Troops. Please watch our Freeman Hall bulletin for news and updates.

Another Way To Love

The Knitty-Gritty Group, which began last year under the tute-lage of Barbara Barber and Sandi Morgan, is again meeting weekly on Wednesdays. Last winter we produced a bounty of hats and scarves for our local homeless; during the summer we worked on lap robes for area rehab and nursing centers. We’ll continue both projects but are always looking for new needs to address, other ways to reach out and witness, another way to show our love through our needles and hooks. Your idea may be just what we’re looking for. Come and share it. If you knit or crochet – or if you’d like to learn – please join us on Wednes-day afternoon from 3 to 5 p.m. at the Lock-Evans House. We pray a little, knit a lot, ask and answer questions, and in the pro-cess learn more about our craft, ourselves and each other. You will be most welcome.

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Wanted Hospitality Coordinator: One, organized, hospitable person to coordinate the Coffee Hour calendar.

Our parish family needs someone to coordinate the schedule for coffee hour and support coffee hour hosts. This valuable ministry helps our parish to become a more closely knit church family. The person who coordi-nates the coffee hour schedule would make sure that each week someone is signed up to host coffee hour, give them guidance and assistance, and direction if needed. Duties may involve making phone calls, recruiting hosts (or groups of hosts) and making announcements in church. This person does not need to host coffee hour, or make sure there are adequate supplies. That is already done. If interested, please contact Carol Jennings, at 813-245-3790 to discuss it.

Coffee Hour Hosts Needed: The following openings remain for coffee hour for the rest of 2012:

November 25

December 9

December 16

December 23

December 30.

Coffee hour is a great opportunity to make friends and catch up with old friends. It also gives us a chance to welcome new members. It doesn’t have to be fancy, or take a lot of time. The church purchases coffee and there are usually frozen pas-tries from Publix in the freezer. The hosts’ responsibility is to make coffee, put pastries out, and then straighten up after coffee hour. If someone wants to do more, that is always welcome, but the point is to give our church family a chance to chat with each other over coffee. Please consider getting together with one or two other people to host coffee hour and sign up. See you at coffee hour!

Almost Thirteen Thousand Pennies.....

......nickels, dimes, quarters, even three dollar coins plus two check and numerous bills: Over the summer we saved $450.00 for the Church Periodical Club’s Miles of Pennies campaign. And we’re not through yet. Banks of coins are still coming in. All that thriftiness will help the CPC provide grants for book and other media material for children. Many thanks to all who participated. Needy children we may never know will read, learn and explore because we cared and shared.

(No information yet on whether St. Mary’s request to the CPC for a grant in support of Cox Elementary’s Media Center has been successful, but we are

hopeful.)

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October Birthdays October Anniversaries

1 Janet Wing 23 Sally Collins 3 Gene and Elaine Morgan

Maddox Foreman Jennifer Germain 8 Dwight and Barbara Ann Carson

2 Roy Crippen Ruby Wilson 16 Michael and Elaine Moorman

4 Teena Avadikian 25 James Evans, Jr. 17 Michael and Elizabeth Mitchell

Jean Pelc Ralph Sailer 20 Randy and Kathy Phillips

Karen Phillips 27 Bebe Cain 27 Davis and Sandra Henley

5 Joyce Owens Debbie Parks

Virginia Crippen Alyssa Lehman

Steve See 28 Faye Schnedler

6 Mena Thompson Dorrie Stocking

7 McKenzie Williamson Jack Morgan

8 Mildred Jones 29 Davis Henley

Virginia Warner Ed Jennings

9 Jon Auvil 30 Louise Hatton

Sydney Wolfenden Terry Smith

11 Leon Milton Breanna Teston

Ryan Phillips

14 Reid Auvil

Marjorie Webb

15 Jackie Watson

Josie Tomkow

16 Don Webb

20 Jeff Alston

Claudia Betten

21 Rob Jennings

22 Phillip Barber

Lois Wiseman Robinson

BIRTHDAYS AND ANNIVERSARIES

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Daughters of The King

St. Mary’s departed Daughters of the King would be very happy with the new life and enthusiasm in the re-emerging Martha Chapter. Eight candidates have began preparation for membership in this world-wide Order that had its beginnings in our Episcopal Church. Once each month they join Diane Linindoll and Virginia Crippen, transfer Daughters from other parishes, in reflection on what it means to be a Christian woman with a life-time commitment to an order dedicated to prayer, service and evangelism. Emphasis is on how each woman lives out these commitments in her individual life, how who you are informs what you do in the world.

What is the Basket Auction

The Basket Auction started several years ago as a project of the Episcopal Churchwomen. The pro-

ceeds are given to various community groups. These ministries are: Daystar, Lighthouse Mission,

Habitat, Hospice, and Spouse Abuse. The funds are divided equally and none of the proceeds are kept

by St. Mary’s.

It is time to use your imagination and create a one of a kind

basket. It could be a craft project, centerpiece, baskets with

food items such as coffee, teas, homemade breads, etc. It

could be baskets with a theme such as pets, car care, Christ-

mas, Thanksgiving, children’s baskets, etc. There are unlim-

ited possibilities. You could even made a basket with service

such as housecleaning, shopping for someone or cooking a

special meal. Many people do their holiday shopping at this

auction, so think of items that would make nice gifts.

This year the Auction is on Sunday, November 18th.

For further information contact Carol O’Connell.

The auction is our way of sharing Jesus’ love in a tangible way within our community where

there are needs.

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St. Mary’s Episcopal Church

37637 Magnolia Avenue

Dade City, Florida 33523

352-567-3888

Check out our Website…

www.stmdc.com

Upcoming Events

Thru October 3 - Bring Cookies for Kairos

October 14 - Love One Another

November 18 - Basket auction

December 9 - Love One Another

January 27,2012 - Parish Game Night