Dragon

SAINT GEORGE’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH Summer 2020 The Episcopal Parish of Belleville

The

News and Notes

Taking Turns in Worship Our first step toward a regular schedule of worship has finally arrived. It’s a small step but a very important one.

Bishop Martins, and the regional Lutheran bishop, have given their congregations permission to meet in groups of up to 10 people for various denominational gather-ings. All attendees must be masked!

We are restricted by our bishop to have no congrega-tional singing, as the virus can be easily spread through singing. Thankfully, having music is not the issue and one of ten in attendance will be our organist and music director, Nancy Ypma. As Nancy plays the hymns, at-tendees may speaking the hymn texts while masked. A remote option for a soloist, singing hymns on livestreams, is being considered.

Attendance at Eucharists will be arranged through INVITATION ONLY. An RSVP is required. A sched-ule will be established with the goal of providing all parishioners with the opportunity to worship every three weeks.

Upcoming Worship Schedule Sunday Mornings

8:00 a.m. 10:30 a.m.

Monday Morning (new) 10:00 a.m.

(10 person limit with attendance through invitations)

We are pleased to welcome you back to worship, and thank you for your patience and participation during these uncertain times.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Better Late Than Never! Due to the Coronavirus and current state mandates, our parish picnic has been postponed. Plans are being made to hold the picnic at a later date. Please watch the newsletter and announcements for updates.

Book Club Reads... The May meeting has been rescheduled for Thursday, June 4 at 5:30 p.m. Roz Holden will lead a discussion of Keep Quiet by Lisa Scottoline. On June 25 Henry Evans will present Daphne du Maurier’s book, Jamaica Inn. Depending on state mandates and the status of the Coronavirus pan-demic, these meetings could be held online or, if restrictions are lifted, in person. New members are always welcome and please watch the an-nouncements for additional details. For more in-formation, Contact Sue Vaughn.

Interim Heedings

The Interim ministry for a parish in transition is very often (tragically for the Body of Christ) a work and ministry of healing. The following are examples, but certainly not an exhaustive list.

The parish or mission may have been struck by the tragedy of a vicar or rector who died suddenly and “unawares,” as has taken place in my hearing several times across the Church, just in the last few years. Life is frag-ile; handle with care. This kind of sudden blow forces a congregation (and any family system) into shock and grief. The grieving will subside, but besides assisting the congrega-tion to grieve in a healthy manner, an

HEEDINGS–p. 3

2

Parishioners: Tom Boschert, Jorge Fernandez, Audrey Fouts, Barbara Gates, Don Gillen, Nolan Haefner, Eva Jarvis, Beverly Lee, Carol Ludwick, Mary Mohrman, Ronald Rauh, Liz Stelling, Jean Vaughn, Charles Wilson;

Family & Friends: Tina Anshus, Pat Bennett, Sue Buckley, Mary Cafferata, Fr. Gary Dalmasso, Hope Doering, Joe

Fitzpatrick, Grace Fox, Heather Holden, Debbie Hobbs, Paula Holmes, Julia Hozian, Dennis & Beata Kelley Maeve Kincaid, Robert Laedlein, Clara Laing, Sandy Langenbach, Kim Levick, Ismael Lopez, Jon Ludwick, Donna Lynk, Magdolna Magyarkuti, Brenda Martins, Charlene McCormick, Carol McCrary, Diane Metzger, Kristi Meyer, Eileen Montgomery, Rena Moody, Peggy Mueller, Gabby Murillo, J.W. Oglesby, Thomas and Helen Par-tridge, Maggie Phillips, Trina Pierce, Bo Pritchard, Betty Radzik, Darnell Rideout, Larry Rigsby, Anne Rosanswank, Diane

Sesson, George W. Sesson, David Sheard, Susan Sleaford,

Andrew Smith, Bob Spellman, Sue Spring, Thomas Stallone, Bar-ry Streeter, Sarah Steinhardt, Jemma Sullivan, Marisa Sullivan, Stacey Toenjes, John Ziegler Paul Travous, Robert Weikert, Kelly Whitney, Maverick Williams, The Winchester Family, Grace Ziegler, Jamie Ziegler, Jason, Rachel, Kylie;

For those in service of our country: Joshua Arbogast, Sean

Arbogast, Neal Ballas, Jeff Boschert, Dan Durbin, Steven Gates, Daniel Gearhart, Kenneth Gearhart, Beth Graboritz, Gene Hart, Dustin Kelley, Dan Kitchell, Eric Lunan, Jacob Marler, Ryan Marler, David Moses, Nathan Scott, Ryan Smith, Philip Surrey, Creighton Worley;

Those celebrating June birthdays

1 Stevi Price 4 Steven Bender Katie Kammann 5 Ruth Ann Weber 8 Christopher Buckley 10 Audrey Fouts 11 PK Johnson 14 John Lynch 16 Abigail Skaff 18 Kim Christ 20 Rebecca Rea 22 Joe Hooten 28 Brooke Carroll 29 Susan Fellner 30 Dakota Lavely

Those celebrating June anniversaries

2 Stephen & Kelly Skaff 11 Guy & Susan Cantonwine 13 John & Pat Ledden 24 Chris & Lisa Treadwell

Those celebrating July birthdays

2 Eliza Kammann David L. Lavely Anna Rauh Elizabeth Stelling 4 Jonathan Hall 8 Bette Givens Gina Maves Gary Rea 9 James Viguerie 11 Betty Massey 13 Nicole Carroll Stephen Korte 15 Jean Vaughn 17 Abigail Scott 22 Daniel Massie Collette Parsons 30 Diane Johnson 31 Stephen King Jenna Maves

Those celebrating July anniversaries

2 Michael & Debra Harres Nathan & Mae Scott 7 Stephen King & Diane Earhart Wayne & Dawn Jung 9 Travis & Kate Welborn 22 Robby & Winter Hall Frank & Betsy Rogers 30 Bob & Sue Vaughn

We celebrate: the wedding of Michael Meyer And Kristin Rauh who were married on May 16.

Robert Walter “Bo” Resner, born on May 30, to Paul and Beth (Vaughn) Resner. Bo is the grandson of parishioners Bob and Sue Vaughn.

We Extend Heartfelt Sympathy to: the family of Douglas Lee who passed away on May 3. Doug was the husband of parishioner Beverly Lee.

the family of Mary Mueller, who died on May 4. Mary was the mother of parishioner Steve Mueller.

the family of parishioner Ed Parsons, who died on May 18. He was the husband of parishioner Kathy Parsons.

the family of Anthonysamy Pannirselvam, who died on May 28 in Chennai. He was the father of Trudy Pannirselvam (Chris Buckley’s wife).

St. George's Prays for:

3

Financial Report

Don’t forget to “bring your offering,”

by mail or electronic giving, to St. George’s.

HEEDINGS–from cover

interim minister can assist the healing process by allowing natural grieving to not be driven under-ground by impatience, as well as to not allow the grieving to completely stall the process of eventu-ally moving the search process forward.

A rector or vicar may decide after only a few years in office that this was the “wrong place” to be for them (financially, emotionally, spirit-ually, family-wise, failed promises from leader-ship, etc.), and announce they are leaving, or moving on. Whereas some in the congregation might respond by saying, “Good! Now let’s find someone who doesn’t make that kind of mistake.” Another common response, “It was-n’t the clergy person who made the discern-ment mistake, rather “It was our fault.” The healing necessary for relieving self-inflicted condemnation and guilt is hard to chip through. But with the Holy Spirit’s work, lead-ers and a whole congregation can come to a more healthy response, do a review on their own process with the interim, and make any changes desired.

A rector or vicar may have gotten themselves “into trouble” in some way, and a departure from the congregation became the conse-quence. Although, a congregation might de-cide somehow it was the fault of the context and environment that the ordained leader “got into trouble” (a very un-healthy response), more than likely there will be an underground fissure that will need serious attention in terms of reconciliation (among members!), for the ability of the congregation to go forward “all on the same page.” The fissure mainly would be between those who think the ordained per-son should have stayed and worked it out with a supportive, forgiving congregation, and those who thought accountability meant im-mediate loss of position.

There may have been a breakdown of ministry

trust for other reasons (personality, ministry priorities, abrasive interaction between leaders,

mental health issues, leadership decisions such as too much too soon, or too little too late, or many other scenarios), an attempt at mediation

HEEDINGS–p. 4

4

(or the Church) for healing help because they finally realize being unable to control their own situation, will be viewed by Jesus as exhibiting enough faith for their prayer and petition to be answered.

But to think that you must become worthy to actu-ate the holy is faulty theology and thus faulty think-ing in the New Testament, the New Covenant. You or your congregation could be viewed spiritually as the most un-worthy of receiving divine grace. But prayer actuates your faith. And it could be someone else’s faith on your behalf!! Of your faith for some-one else’s healing. This is one reason we MUST CONTINUE to pray and intercede for others. And that also means one congregation praying for anoth-er, especially those in transition. For instance, who else is in transition besides St. George’s? We need to be praying for that congregation, as a congregation.

You come praying for healing, believing, and our heavenly Father receives you and your pray, through the work and mediation and reconciliation provided for you by Jesus Christ.

“Things” are so shut down in normal processes due to this COVID-19 pandemic, and that includes the process of looking for a new rector. Thanks be to God; we are keeping a thread of momentum going here at St. George’s.

Please pray then for healing for St. George’s, as you may have already. If you’re not clear that there is any healing to do, then pray that way, still praying for healing, believing in Jesus Christ as our overcomer. Please pray for me as your Interim Rector, for each person on the Mission Leadership Team, for those being called to the Rector Search team, pray for our own healing as needed, and for our spiritual protec-tion in order to Stand Firm (see Ephesians 6:10-20).

Will you do that, please, for a good, healthy, and blessed season of transition.

–Fr. Rob Eaton

HEEDINGS–from p. 3

failed, and the pastoral relationship was formerly dis solved. The need for healing can be both ways, but also internal rifts, mainly between clergy supporters and clergy critics. This can be tricky for ministry, since the breakdown may not be common knowledge for the whole parish.

There hopefully is no overt healing ministry needed, but still be the challenge of how to move on having a good and fruitful ministry! Who could ever take their place?

I want to share this concept of healing in an Interim min-istry so that you all in St. George’s family know how to support the ministry that your Mission Leadership Team, the bishop, and I have undertaken.

One thing is for sure, as I shared with you from the be-ginning: the first and most precious support ministry are your prayers. For instance, if there is healing to be ac-complished, then pray for it to be accomplished. You may not know if that is the case, but that “not knowing” becomes the basis of your petition: “Lord Heavenly Fa-ther, I lift up to you our interim ministry team: our MLT, our Search team, our Interim Rector, and our bishop. I don’t know if there is any healing that has to be done, but I sure pray that You will make it known if it does. And help them, and especially our Interim Rector, to have that knowledge, and then the wisdom to identify and work for the healing amongst us.”

The second thing that I’m leading up to is this: one of the things you would learn by going through all the heal-ing stories of Jesus is that the initiative for the healings so often is on Jesus making the first move. After 4-score stories of healing, we also know so many times the simple action of bringing someone or the concern about some-one to Jesus was enough for Jesus to say, “Go, it has been done as you have asked.” Or, “Your faith has made him (or you) well.”

But what is not seen at all beyond those understandings is the overlay of “show me how worthy you are, and I will do a healing for you.” I certainly understand the precept of “keeping the faith, to keep the healing”, as Jesus him-self warned at least two individuals, “Go, and sin no more, or else something worse may befall you.” Howev-er, contrary to some teaching on healing, this is not the approach to the divine healing in the first place.

Why do some healings not take place, even when gifts of healing are “in operation?” Hardness of heart? Stiff-neck-ness? Overt skepticism? Dis-belief? Yes. But even a per-son with a hard heart, desperate enough to ask Jesus

5

Saint George’s Episcopal Church Clergy & Staff

Bishop of the Diocese of Springfield The Rt. Rev. Daniel H. Martins, D.D

Interim Rector The Rev. Robert G. Eaton

Senior Warden Brian Maves, Senior Warden

Junior Warden Chuck Evans, Junior Warden

Treasurer Dan Duncan

Music Director Nancy S. Ypma, D.Mus.

Parish Administrator Henry Evans

Sexton Mike Cardoza

Rector Emeritus The Rev. Canon Elliot H. Blackburn

Mission Leadership Team

Class of 2021 Class of 2022 Joan Barnes Margaret Brown Maryann Fernandez Chuck Evans Brian Maves Sue Vaughn

Class of 2023 Jim Gillispie Vicki Hall Dawn Jung

Duffy Walters, Clerk

Schedule of Weekly Liturgies

Sunday 8:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist (said) 10:30 a.m. Holy Eucharist (sung) Monday 10:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist (said)

Office Hours Monday - Friday 9:00 am - 3:00 pm stgeorgeoffice@sbcglobal.net 618-233-6320

Workday Wonders I want to thank everyone who participated in the May 9th workday. It was by far the most successful of the past few years! We had upwards of 25 participants - and im-portantly both congregations were very well represented. The "before and after" status could not have been more stark as we finished our workday. But then as I was pack-ing up to leave, the grass cutter hired by St. Mark arrived to address the only key effort not accomplished.

When I arrived at the Church late Monday morning, I was stunned by the complete transformation of the "Church presence" as a result of Saturday's efforts. The Church now presented a much more impressive and wel-coming presence.

Thanks be to God and all our many volunteers!

–Chuck Evans

A Cut Above Volunteers are needed to mow and trim in June and Au-gust. For information or to volunteer, contact Joe Hoot-en at 618-567-9693.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A Gap Year for Cursillo Cursillo 38 has been rescheduled for June 10-13, 2021 and Vicki Hall will be the rector. This postponement provides ample time to recruit candidates and continue with planning. If any member of the current team is una-ble to serve in 2021, please contact Vicki. Any Rollista who is serving on the next weekend is asked to keep the outline booklet in a safe place. Everyone is asked to pray for the team and the upcoming weekend.

6

Saint George’s Episcopal Church 105 East D Street Belleville, IL 62220