The Diocesan Altar Guild of Iowa

A Light in the Sacristy

A newsletter for and about the Altar Guilds in the Diocese of Iowa

Contents: Page From the Bishop……….…1 Director’s Letter……...…..1 Going Places……………...2 Needs………..……..……..2 Ten Reasons To Come..….3 Old Pascal Candles……….4 Women in 1655…….….....4 Stoles for Nzara…….…….5 Altar Flowers for Advent...6 The Bookshelf…...…….... 7 Seasons/Doctrines……….8 The opening of Eyes……..8

Advent 2014 Issue # 26

Published Quarterly

Director:

Martha Hippee 407 28th St. Des Moines, IA 50312-4405 (515)244-5824 hipowls@mchsi.com Newsletter preparation: Jeanne Roland, St. Mark’s, Des Moines JeanneHR@q.com This Newsletter is also available at: www.iowaepiscopal.org

FROM THE BISHOP One of the things I enjoy about returning to England is the sense of “being there” that you get when you attend a parish church. I happened to drop in to see a former parish- ioner from Eagle Rock now living back in Yorkshire on the day that the Bishop of Bradford was visiting. We are at quite opposite poles on the human sexuali-ty issue, and he did not have much time for me during Lambeth. But as far as I could see an Episcopal visitation in the Bradford Diocese which stretches out into the York-shire Dales is about the same as an Episco-pal visitation in Iowa. He arrived unher-alded, carrying his crosier which was a simple shepherd’s crook, which I do re-member him telling me about. His vest-ments were squeezed into a gym bag, which was a little different. His manner was unassuming, and he enjoyed worship. He was very much at home in this small congregation as he might be in his Cathe-dral. I could not help thinking that he and I were more alike in our piety and liturgical styles than we would know if we continue to choose to see each other only through the lenses of the troubles of the Anglican Communion. I am ready to move on and be who we are as Episcopalians in this century. We need that confidence of “being there”, of being who we are by choice and recognizing that the center of that choice is Jesus Christ who has chosen us before we actually knew to choose Him. I can never be a life-long Episcopalian. I have already been a Methodist, a Pentecostal and studied under the Easter Orthodox in Romania. I was once accosted by one of my parishioners who said that he’d been trying to sort me (continued on page 2)

DIRECTOR’S LETTER “Now the shortest days are on us and darkness descends at four o’clock,” wrote the be loved English gardener, Rosemary Verey ,one early winter such as we are experienc-ing. “I can come in from the gar-den….to the prospect of a long peace-ful evening spent with all those books which have been accumulating on the table.” (From “a Country Woman’s Notes.”) Nature is telling us, as the last of the leaves and acorns fall, as the sky turns more gray than blue, as the chipmunks scurry underground, to simply watch and wait, and to be full of expectation. Advent is a time of expectation. It is a time to get ready for Christmas, for Christ’s birth. The word “advent” means “coming” and, as we know, the church year begins with advent. This is a busy time for altar guilds. Poinsettias and wreaths need to be ordered and Christmas linens cleaned and ironed. Soon the nave and sanctuary will be decorated. I’m a bit exhausted just thinking of all that has to be done. My wishes for you all is for a holy, ex-pectant Advent filled with hope, and a blessed, joyful Christmas filled with light and color and loving friends and family.

Martha

FROM THE BISHOP (continued from page 1) out as he listened to me preach and decided that I was a Baptist. In fact the Romanian Communist authorities held up my permit to study under a British Council scholarship (an equivalent to the Fulbright in the USA) because someone had said that I was a Baptist! (I attended a Baptist church for two of my three years in Oxford, I confess). In fact I find myself aspiring to the words of that wonderful Negro spiritual of wanting to preach like Peter or pray like Paul. In other words I wish I had the passion of a Baptist, the eloquence of a Methodist, the freedom of a Pen-tecostal, but I find I don’t have to leave the An-glican/Episcopal home to explore it. I like the temperance and framework that Anglicanism provides for all of that. Our divisions, no matter how strongly felt, are the windmills of Don Quix-ote if we refuse to embrace them. I am sure that if the Altar Guild members of that parish church in Earby were to meet you, you would have a lot to talk about – more in common than not. You see clergy come and go, you see bishops come and go, you see worship styles come and go, and you hear the chatter of the church’s disagree-ments. But none of that is what you are about even though you are not immune from differing opinions and expressing them. Chiefly however, you are about “being there” to serve God at the altar, making sure God’s name is hallowed, and everything we offer in God’s Name is treated with the reverence and respect only God de-serves. For that I am profoundly grateful. Alan+ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

From “The Grapevine”. The magazine of the Diocese of Brechin, Scotland, Winter 2013. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

NEEDS

The Loan Closet has been asked to locate a taber-nacle and a sacrament light (lamp). The request came from The Rev. Sarah Lopez, Church of the Saviour, Clermont. It would be fine if we could locates items for Sarah and her church. Thank you all.

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“Everything that happens, whether big or small, Is a parable whereby God speaks to us. The art of life is to get the message.”

Malcolm Muggeridge

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HOW DO YOU DISPOSE OF YOUR OLD PASCHAL CANDLES? Dolly Bush, Guardian of the Diocese of Fort Worth Loan Closet. When the Diocese of Fort Worth Altar Guild Loan Closet sent items to the Niobrara Convocation in South Dakota last year, President, who has gone to the Niobrara for a number of years, learned that the Episcopal Native Americans, especially on the Chey-enne River Reservation, are in need of Paschal Can-dles. When someone dies, they burn a Paschal Candle from two to four days. A large number of Native Americans in both South and North Dakota die each year (approximately 65 in six months on the Chey-enne River reservation alone, so an individual Pas-chal Candle does not last long. When you are doing your sacristy spring cleaning, please see if you have any old Paschal Candles to help our friends who are in need. Our Diocesan Altar Guild will be sending more vestments and appoint-ments again this year. If you get the candles to us by the beginning of June, we will send them to the Nio-brara Convocation. Please send your used Paschal Candles to:

Mrs. Warren V. Bush 1032 Thistle Meade Circle

Burleson, Texas 78028-6795 Let your parish’s light shine to help our Native American Episcopalians.

WHAT WOULD WOMEN BE DOING IN THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH IN 1655? Provided by Hollie Mitchell, from Diocese of West Virgin-ia’s In the Sacristy In 1655, the Church of England had an active

presence in Virginia and Maryland. Clergy were in short supply ad male lay read-

ers read services. About one-third of the white women could

sign their names and about half could read. Women kept the church alive by teaching the

catechism to children, servants ad enslaved Africans.

Women led daily family prayers. Women gave the church gifts and served as

patrons. Women published poetry and read books on

religion by English women authors. Women visited the sick, and cared for or-

phans and the elderly. Women church members (Native American)

served as important cultural mediators in new settlements.

INTRIGUED? This is art of a traveling and online exhibit offered by the Episcopal Women’s History Pro-ject. The exhibit ships in a single box. The organ-ization reserving the exhibit pays for shipping but there is no other cost. There are 16 foam board panels, each 15 inches wide by 22 inches high. They can be displayed on easels; through mount-ing on a series of ribbons hung from a molding or the sealing; or by the use of removable hooks. (Hanging string ar already attached.) The exhibit can be displayed in a long hallway or in a typical parish hall. To reserve the exhibit, email EWHP at information@ewhp.org. Http//www.ewhp.org/resources/what-coulda-woman-do-in/ Webster Joan R. Gundersen

We need Joy as we need air. We need Love as we need water.

We need each other as we need the Earth we share.

—-MAYA ANGELOU

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STOLES FOR

NZARA

Last summer the Rev. Canon Milton Cole-Duvall contacted me to say that he was planning a trip to Nzara Dio-cese in South Sudan. He explained that Bishop Peni wished the priests in the diocese to wear the appropriate colors (in stoles) for the church seasons and wondered if the Loan Closet might have a supply that he could take to Nzara. Unfortunately the Loan Closet was bare in that regard and so a letter was sent to all. An overwhelming response was returned and I am very thankful and grateful for your generous gifts. Barbara Christie and members of her Altar Guild, st. Paul’s, Council Bluffs, made by hand many beautiful stoles and Diane Rathman, the wife of Fr. Scott Rathman, former rector of St. Pauls’ donated his many handsome stoles. The Rev. Al Aiton, St. John’s-by-the-Campus, Ames, with the assistance of Orvilla Ellerby, Altar Guild Director, gave large boxes of beautiful stoles, as did the Rev. Martha Kester, St. Luke’s, Des Moines with the assistance of Norma Hoos. Your thoughtfulness is very appreciated by the Rev. Milton Cole-DuVall and, I’m certain, Bishop Peni and the priests throughout his diocese.

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WHAT ALTAR FLOWERS TO USE FOR ADVENT B. Ellen von Oustenburg, eHow Advent begins the Sunday nearest Novem-ber 30 and takes in the four Sundays before Christmas. It marks the beginning of the Christian year. Advent in Latin means “coming”. It is a time of preparations and an expectation of Christmas with all that the holi-day symbolically celebrates. In many denomi-nations, flowers are removed totally from the church and instead are replaced with green foliage. There are however, always exceptions to the rule. THE TRADITIONAL USE OF EVER-GREENS Most notably, evergreens are used in the creation of wreaths as decorations for the church during Advent. You can create small wreaths and display them upright on wreath stands on the altar. When creating wreaths out of pine, there is symbolism in the greens being laid flat and in a circle. Evergreens stand for life and, of course, the circle stands for the never-ending, eternal aspect of life. You could also make arrangements out of boxwood and holly and put them into vases. Holly during the advent season symbolizes the crown of thorns. Topiaries made out of greens, especially boxwood, are another beautiful addition to the

altar. The sculptural appearance of a box-wood topiary works well because altar ar-rangements are usually viewed from a dis-tance. A boxwood topiary with ivy trailing off horizontally makes a strong but elegant and understated statement. POINSETTIAS DURING ADVENT Many denominations us poinsettias in the church during advent. They are usually red or white. The “Advent Poinsettia” is deep red with rich green foliage. Poinsettias are used in remembrance of others. Poinsettias may be in order for the church during the season of Advent for three different reasons. An “In Memory” poinsettia symbolically remembers olved ones who have passed. An “in Celebration” poinsettia symbolizes the renewed health of a loved one who has been sick or a happy event such as the birth of a child in the past year. An “In Honor of” poinsettia honors and individual, group or specific deed -- es-pecially those who have sacrificed on behalf of others. Under these circumstances, using poin-settias in church during advent is embraced as a welcome symbol of people’s regard for on another. B. Ellen von Oostenburg has written fea-tures for loal and state newspapers, as well as magazines, including Milwaukee Maga-zine, Wisconsin Trails and German Maga-zine. A graduate of the University of Wis-consin, Madison, she holds a B.S. in fine art.

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THE SEASONS TEACH US THE FOUR MAJOR DOCTRINES OF THE CHURCH

The Doctrine The Seasons The Incarnation The Incarnation means that God became man - Jesus Christ our Lord - and lived on earth to help us. We learn about his birth during the Season of Advent, Christmas and Epiphany. . Advent - we prepare for His first coming - His Birth, and His Coming at the end of time. Christmas - we celebrate His first coming - we celebrate the fact that He was shown forth to all people - Jew and Gentile alike. The Atonement The Atonement means that our Lord Jesus Christ saved us from sin and made us all once more At One with God. Lent - we prepare for Good Friday, when Christ died for our sins ant the sins of all people. Through the Crucifixion, He made all people At One with God. The Resurrection The Resurrection means that our Lord Jesus Christ rose from the dead and saved us all from death. Easter - we celebrate the fact that no grave could hold Christ, the Living God. He conquered death for us. Ascension Day - we celebrate Christ’s return to the World of Eternity. The Holy Trinity The Holy Trinity means that we worship God in Three Persons - the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Pentecost - on Pentecost we see the coming of the Holy Spirit, the Third Person of the Holy Trinity, and during the Season of Pentecost, we learn more about our One God in Three Persons.

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THE OPENING OF EYES David Whyte, from Songs for coming Home (Many Rivers Press, 1984

The day that I saw beneath dark clouds

the passing light over the water and I heard the voice of the world speak out. I knew then, as I had before life is no passing memory of what had been nor the remaining pages of a great book waiting to be read. It is the opening of eyes long closed. It is the vision of far off things seen for the silence they hold. It is the heart after years of secret conversing speaking out loud in the clear air.

It is Moses in the desert fallen to his knees before the lit bush. It is the man throwing away his shoes as if to enter heaven and finding himself astonished, opened at last, fallen in love with solid ground. David Whyte is a poet, author and lecturer who has a reader-ship in three normal mutually exclusive areas: the literate world of readings, the psychological and theological worlds of philosophical inquiry, and the world of vocation, work and leadership. He holds a degree in marine zoology and an honor-ary doctorate, and is an associate fellow at Said Business School at the University of Oxford. The author of seven books of poetry and three books of prose. David has worked as a naturalist guide and has led anthropological and nature-history expeditions. Www.davidwhyth.com