The E-pistle - Holy Spirit Episcopal Churchholyspiritwaco.com/wp-content/uploads/June-2016.pdf ·...

One Sunday Study, New Curriculum, Wednesdays back!dult Christian Education at Holy Spirit is trying some new things this summer that I want to share with you.

First, during the summer we are going down to one Sunday School class, a study of the Gospel according to John. We meet in the Library and start at 9:10 am, so catch some coffee and come on down!Second, we’re trying out a new curriculum: N.T. Wright for Everyone Bible Study Guides. Wright is a retired bishop in the Church of England with a passion for translating his extensive learning about the New Testament into easily accessible but theologically rich teaching. We’ll have a trial run on Sunday mornings for the John study. We ask participants to chip in money as they are able to buy their own Bible study guide so they can write their thoughts down, study in preparation for class sessions, and otherwise make their booklet their own. After all, Christian education isn’t just something we do on Sunday morning; our encounter with the Word of God goes with us throughout the week as we read, meditate, and pray on it. We hope that this new curriculum will aid us as we grow each day in the Lord, meditate on His Word both day and night, and work through the basics of our Christian faith together.Third, there was talk of taking a break from Wednesday night Bible study for the summer, but many people involved urged me to continue it. So, by popular demand, we will be continuing Bible studies on Wednesday nights for the summer! The study will start at 7 pm, following a Eucharistic service beginning at 6 pm. We will be using an N.T. Wright Study Guide for that as well, covering the book of Philippians for an 8-week study through June and July.I wish you all a blessed and eventful summer!

- Brendan Payne

The E-pistle T H E N E W S L E T T E R O F T H E C H U R C H O F T H E H O L Y S P I R I T

Episcopal Church of the Holy Spirit | Waco, Texas | www.holyspiritwaco.com | Facebook: /holyspiritwaco | Twitter: @holyspiritwaco

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TABLE OF CONTENTSSummer Adult Education 1From the Rector's Desk 2Parish Life 3Celebrations 3Parishioner Spotlight 4More Parish Life 5Anglican Communion News 6Our Liturgical Life 8Youth & Family Ministries 9Camp Allen Corner 10

SUMMER ADULT EDUCATION

The 2016 Big Goal: Strengthen our Family and

Welcome People Home.

How We're Getting There:

• Put out the welcome mat

• Be a good neighbor

• Invest in quality time

• Fix the plumbing

The Numbers We're Watching (for May):

# of people involved in Circles: 11

# of guests introduced to the Rector: 6

# of service contacts with neighbors: 3

# of blessings: 4

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What is the Living Compass?ecently, I emailed the congregation with a link to the Living Compass Assessment. I only talked a little about it in my email. Here are some more details!

What is the Living Compass?The Living Compass is a wellness assessment tool developed by The Rev. Dr. Scott Stoner, an Episcopal priest. According to their website, “Living Compass, grounded in Scripture and the tradition of the Church, is a faith-based wellness ministry that provides resources, coaching, education, training, and support to individuals, families, and congregations as they seek to live the abundant life God intends for them.”Why is Fr. Jason asking us to take the Living Compass Assessment?Because we are called not only to share but also to become the Good News of Jesus Christ. Becoming good news is about becoming more like Jesus by becoming the people God created us to be. A wholistic wellness assessment provides us a jumping off point for deeper exploration of our individual callings.What good does it do me?When you take the assessment, you are given an individualized snapshot of your current spiritual wellness in each of the four areas in which Jesus commended the love of God: heart, soul, mind, and strength. Together with the snapshot are some practical resources for growing as a follower of Jesus.What good does it do the church?By taking the assessment, your completely anonymous results are compiled with the results of the rest of the congregation. Together, they help us see shared needs and allow us to plan for Sunday and Wednesday adult education to meet those needs. By participating, you are helping Holy Spirit form faithful followers of Jesus who are becoming and sharing his good news.What good does it do our neighbors and city?We believe that faithful followers of Jesus change the world. Those who become and share Jesus’ good news cannot help but work for the good of their neighbors and city. Faithful Jesus followers bring the Kingdom wherever they go, and the world is blessed.How do I fill it out?Visit http://www.livingcompass.org/wellness-intro.html and use the group code holyspiritwaco, or call the office and ask for a hard copy!

- Fr. Jason

FROM THE RECTOR'S DESK

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2 B e c o m i n g a n d s h a r i n g t h e g o o d n e w s o f J e s u s C h r i s t

PARISH LIFEUpcoming Parish Events in JuneSunday, June 5• Daughters of the King monthly meeting, 12:30 pmThursday, June 9• "Invite Your Friends" - Board Game Night, 6:30 pmSaturday, June 11• ECW Gathering, 10:30 amSunday, June 19• Vestry Meeting, 1:30 pmThursday, June 23• "Invite Your Friends" - Homemade ice Cream Night, 6:30 pmFriday, June 23 - Feast of St. John the Baptist• Holy Eucharist, 6 pmWednesday, June 29 - Feast of St. Peter & St. Paul, Apostles• Holy Eucharist, 6 pm

A N N I V E R S A R I E S

Marcia & Pike Anderson 06/01

Jill & Sean Stout 06/01

Stephanie & Steven Kucera 06/02

Mindy & Mike Wilkins 06/05

Betty & Clarence Dierking 06/08

Sharlie & Larry Guthrie 06/09

Kay & Harold Wellbaum 06/11

Brittany & Brennan Michaels 06/12

Gerry & Bill Milnor 06/19

Clara & BJ Attaway 06/19

Kari & Greg Behm 06/20

Peggy & Jeff Powlus 06/25

Karen Colson & John Gay 06/26

B I R T H D A Y S

Buddy Himes 06/03Gerry Milnor 06/07Scott Kolb 06/07Louise Van Zandt 06/08Kelley Gipson 06/08Aubrey Guy 06/12Kyle Fallon 06/15Liz Haddad 06/15Lashay McKeel 06/17Joel Ritch 06/20Melinda Saffell 06/21Linda Walley 06/25Monique Ingalls 06/25Jill Stout 06/27Maureen Bilbrey 06/28Merri Ann Bailey 06/28Conrey Guy 06/28

CELEBRATIONS

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Get to know Caren & Tom Phillipsom grew up in the Lutheran church in Wellsville NY. I was Catholic and attended church schools in Houston

TX through ninth grade. In 17 years of marriage we've attended various churches with our families but never joined one until now. After moving to Waco in March of 2014, we began discussing our individual religious foundations and exploring the bible together. Last December we started visiting several churches in Waco. The people of Holy Spirit and Fr. Jason are the reason we are new church members. After attending confirmation classes Tom was received into the Episcopal church, and I reaffirmed being received in 1972.In retirement our main focus is keeping in touch with our immediate families living in

PARISHIONER SPOTLIGHT

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Tom & Caren Phillipsnine states. Tom is the eldest of six brothers and has three sons. My father is 93; I'm the eldest of five siblings, with one sister and three brothers; and I have four sons. Our blended family includes 21 grandchildren and 18 great-grands---soon to be 21 by February 2017.Both of us retired in 2009 from ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company in Houston. Tom spent 20 years in Navy diesel submarines and retired as Senior Chief Petty Officer and Chief of the Boat on the USS Darter. Then he went to University of Vermont while working as an electrician and government subcontractor. He was a geologist at ExxonMobil and worked on research projects for 17 years in laboratories, in the field, and onboard a research ship. After teaching business courses in high school for a year, I had my own school of baton twirling for 20 years as a teacher/coach, judge and contest director for a national organization. Teaching two generations, hundreds of girls and a handful of boys who performed recreationally, for high school and college bands, and in competitions was very rewarding, but still part-time until my boys were all in high school at the same time. In 1985 I started working at Exxon's research company as an administrative assistant and retired as executive assistant to the VP of

engineering after 24 years there, including three years at Exxon Chemical Company before the merger with Mobil in 2000.Tom's hobbies now are music, reading and freshwater fishing. He's retired from woodworking but the clocks and furniture he's made are in every room of our house. I enjoy reading, music, and our two dogs. Together we enjoy bowling league, volunteering with World Wide Wisdom United, and adventure vacations. We stayed at Fort Lewis College in Durango Colorado for a Geo Hostel field course on the geology of the Four Corners states. We took a microbiology field course in Yellowstone National Park and actually received one hour of lab credit from the University of Portland, Oregon. Our honeymoon was a Mississippi River cruise on the Delta Queen paddle wheel, the only mobile unit of the national historic registry. Using two weeks of our vacation for 10 years while tent camping, we built ourselves a one room cabin on our property in Colorado's Pike National Forest. Until we got a small RV in 2014 we lived entirely off the grid every summer there with a composting outhouse, no electricity or running water, no cell signal and no TV. As we age together into our eighth decade, every day is still an adventure for us.


Operation Christmas Childe may just be on the doorstep of summer, but it's a perfect time to be thinking about Samaritan's Purse Operation Christmas

Child. Our church will once again be participating in this meaningful project that puts "shoeboxes" filled with gifts in the hands of children around the world. While the actual drop-off date is several months away, this is the perfect time to begin gathering items for the shoeboxes. Summer is a fun time to do lots of different projects with our children, and what a fun way to teach children the gift of giving and serving others! My "children" are now 20 years old, but they will be filling 20 boxes this summer. For a list of suggested items for children of all ages go to http://www.samaritanspurse.org/operation-christmas-child/pack-a-shoe-box/. Contact Stephanie Kucera at 254.498.6371 or [email protected] if you need additional information.

- Stephanie Kucera

Episcopal Church Womenhe ECW had a very good meeting in April. Choirmaster Brennan Michaels was our speaker and he told us how he came to

Waco, Baylor and Holy Spirit. He also told us how he got started with his singing education and how he met and married his beautiful wife, Brittany. It is so nice to hear people's stories, and everyone has a story! We also had a great lunch of tacos from Rosita's, provided by Susi Canuteson and Joan Wood.We had a new family living at Compassion Ministries, but she and her two little girls moved out after two months, because she had a good family situation. She left the apartment immaculate, which is unusual. Because of that, we didn't have to replace a thing.In June, we will be going to Salado for a field trip to see St. Joseph's Episcopal Church. See the May Epistle for information about our trip. You can also see pictures in the Parish Hall on the bulletin boar. We will meet at Holy Spirit on Saturday, June 11 and carpool down so that people that want to stay and shop can ride together. We will tour the church and have lunch, then either shop or head back. Join us, it should be fun!

- Mary Gresham

Daughters of the KingBecause of the church-wide garage sale, we skipped our May meeting. The sale was huge success, so we were able to donate

to some very worthy causes. After we have our meeting next month we will give a full report. Our meeting on June 5, will be a luncheon meeting at World Cup Cafe at 12:30 instead of 1:00. We we will discuss chapters 8 and 9 of the book we are studying, Desmond and Mpho Tutu's Made for Goodness.We have been praying for fifty people this month. Some of the people we are praying for are ill, some prayers are for safe travels, some for families that have lost loved ones and some for guidance. That is about 19 or 20 people praying every day for 50 people. I think we are an organization well-worth belonging to, don't you? It takes only 10 minutes out of your day. Come join us.

- Mary Gresham

Pastoral & Shut-In Ministryaugh!"A cheerful disposition is good for your health; gloom and doom leave you bone-

tired." Proverbs 17:22 MSGLaughter is medicine for the soul, but sometimes amid the stresses of the day, we forget to take our medicineToday, as you go about your daily activities, approach life with a smile on your lips and hope in your heart. And laugh every chance you get.

- "100 Days of Grace for Women"

There is nothing like a good, deep "belly" laugh to make you forget your troubles for little while. When we go to visit our "shut-ins," we try to keep it light-hearted and let them do the talking. If we can make them laugh, it is even better.We are lucky - right at the moment, we don't have that many shut-ins that we know of. If you know of anyone that needs a visit, or phone call, let us know. And if you are missing someone that you haven't seen in awhile, give them a call. Sometimes that's all it takes. Everyone likes to know they are missed!

- Mary Gresham

MORE PARISH LIFE

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‘Building Bridges’ in Baltimore: Diocese of Maryland seeks to bring together police and communitieshe chasm separating police and the communities they serve

can be bridged, but it will take a determined effort led by people of faith.That sentiment highlighted a forum organized by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of the Episcopal Diocese of Maryland. “Building Bridges,” as it was called, brought together a wide range of police, religious and community leaders. The conversation was part of the diocese’s on-going response to the violent uprising that convulsed Baltimore last year after the death of Freddie Gray in police custody.“I’ve never seen it as bad as it is today,” said Lt. Col. Melvin Russell, of the Baltimore City Police Department. “I see a collective collapse of the relationship between the police and the community.”Russell, chief of the department’s Community Collaboration Division, brought a decades-long perspective to his statement. He started his career in 1979 and can remember when police officers were seen as an integral part of the communities they patrolled. They were often friends and neighbors, not enemies and outsiders, he said.The resulting paradigm shift and rupture of the positive relationship between the police and the community is often echoed in the way churches interact with their neighborhoods.“We’re not community churches anymore. We’re commuter churches,” said Russell, adding that one of his goals is “to bring the churches out of their four walls and back into the

community.”The Rt. Rev. Eugene Taylor Sutton, bishop of the Diocese of Maryland, challenged the overflow crowd attending the forum to engage with their neighbors, encounter the people in their communities, to pray and to organize.

“If we are not encountering Christ in our communities, then we are falling down on our responsibilities,” he said. “We can’t say we love our neighbors when we don’t even know our neighbors.”Sutton also bemoaned what he called “the unholy trinity of racism, poverty and violence.” These factors are endemic throughout American society and constitute a social sin for which there must be a reckoning, he said.“While we may not be participating, we allow a social sin to be done on our behalf,” said Sutton, adding that the country’s relationship with firearms amounts to a form of “ idolatry.” “We have worshipped too long at the altar of the gun as the answer to our problems.”The suffering and destruction caused by firearms is enormous. Sutton said more than 30,000 people are killed each year in America by guns and rifles, with another 80,000 injured.Though the challenges seem daunting, Sutton and Russell

mentioned several programs throughout the city aimed at improving relationships, providing opportunities and helping people cope with some of the stresses brought on by the “unholy trinity.” The diocese is launching a summer scholars program to teach life skills for 30 ninth graders at Morgan State University. The police department is expanding its chaplain program to help officers talk about their struggles in a confidential setting. More than 100 ex-offenders got jobs last year through a new prison-to-work program.Merrick Moise, a parishioner at the Church of the Holy Nativity in northwest Baltimore, said he would like to have a local police officer attend his church once a month and see the neighborhood in a different setting. This would help improve the relationship between the police and the people they serve.He also hoped those attending the forum would be inspired to turn the evening’s conversation into action. This desire was one aim of the event, said the Rev. Canon Angela F. Shepherd, commission chairman. She wanted people to be “motivated to go back to their churches to build a bridge with the police in their communities.When they do, they will be challenged to live out the prayer with which Bishop Sutton ended the meeting: “Will you strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being?”And the people responded: “I will, with God’s help.”

- Reprinted from the Episcopal News Service

ANGLICAN COMMUNION NEWS

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We can’t say we love our neighbors when we don’t even

know our neighbors.


Tapping Memories Adds Joy to Lives of Older People first encountered the idea of memory boxes from articles written by caregivers of people with dementia. Caregivers,

including family, friends and professionals working in nursing homes, described how items, such as photos and other mementoes, provided cues that helped those with dementia access memories from their childhoods.Music also has been found to have extraordinary powers to soothe troubled spirits and elicit memories of deep joy. This youtube clip, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QG7X-cy9iqA, describes that power through a man named Henry. The narrator describes it as “Henry being restored to himself.”About the same time that I was reading about memory boxes, I was co-teaching a course about aging at Virginia Theological Seminary. During class we talked about how the writing of spiritual autobiographies unlocked memories of older people and gave them new understandings of their pasts.Two of our students introduced the idea of spiritual autobiographies to groups of older parishioners at their churches. In both cases, the older people rejected the idea as being too personal and too difficult.Not long afterward, I was asked to lead a weekend retreat in North Carolina by an ecumenical group of women who wanted to look more deeply at spirituality through the lens of aging. Part of me wanted to introduce the idea of spiritual autobiographies to the group, but I kept hearing my students’ voice of caution.I can remember being lost in prayer as I walked across campus one day, when the Holy Spirit broke through. What if I used memory boxes as a gentle tool in helping these women to share their stories, their joys and their losses, their strengths and their fears?Before going to North Carolina, I tried out my idea with a group of people who gathered weekly at a retreat center on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. The experience gave me insight about what worked and what didn’t.One participant whose mother had dementia told me that gave her hope to counteract her fear about losing control of her life. “A memory box,” she said, “would let me decide which memories from my childhood give me the greatest pleasure.”

Making a Memory BoxMemory boxes aren’t just for people with dementia, although they are useful for caregivers and family members.The creation of a collection of mementos can help us all recall the stories of our lives and the joys and sorrows we’ve experienced.When making a box for others, include them in your quest for items and talk openly about what you are doing. Share photos with them to see which elicit a response. Play music that you think might speak to them and see if it does. As wires reconnect, even momentarily, you might see them “restored to themselves.”When my father who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s moved across the country to be with me, I carefully packed the items I thought he would most like to have around him. The certificates and honors that were so important to him as an adult were meaningless. Even photos of my mother, to whom he was married for over 50 years, sparked no memories.However, his painting of the house where he lived as a child, a battered photo of students who attended his oneroom schoolhouse in rural Oklahoma, which included his neighbors and two brothers, and stories I had compiled of his cousins would always bring a smile to his face. He often added stories of his own from that long-ago time. My final advice: Find mementos from very early childhood for memory boxes for yourselves or people you love.I often add or subtract items from my own memory box, which includes a beat up Baptist hymnal, photos, an ipod, and stories. I’ve even included specific instructions to accompany stories I’ve written or photos I’ve selected. I ask, for example, that my caregiver set a bowl of fresh raspberries in the sun before reading a certain story and sharing with me the taste and scent of the warm berries.

What will you put in your memory box?- Dorothy Linthicum, reprinted from the Episcopal Teacher, summer 2016

ANGLICAN COMMUNION NEWS

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From the Altar Guildave you ever been sitting in the congregation and noticed the office lights were burning unevenly? And your group was responsible! Did you “flip

your wig?” Or did you slip out to the sacristy and resolve the situation? The solution could be as simple as adding oil or we may need to become “wick wizards” and learn how to care for or replace the wicks.C. M. Almy includes Candle Use and Care instructions with each package of new wicks. The information can be very helpful—the ideal wick height is 1/8” and that can be achieved by using the attached T-pin (like is used to hold the wig that you flipped to its Styrofoam form), inserting it into the wick loop and gently pulling the wick down until the wick is snug around the pin at the top of the brass wick holder. That insures the correct height for the wick and flame. Likewise, when replacing a wick, after inserting the tiny copper wire with attached wick from the bottom of the brass top, adjust the wick and then wait for 2 minutes or so before lighting as a dry wick takes a few moments to draw the oil from the candle and become completely moistened. Do not throw away the copper wire; attach it to another new wick.Another important piece of information says, “Never trim or cut QuickWicks.” Unlike the lamps used during biblical times, liquid candles don’t burn down and neither do the wicks as they are made of pure fiberglass and they are designed to burn for at least 1,000 hours. The candle oil evaporates from the wick and it is the vapor that ignites when the candle lighter is placed near the wick. Ideally, when testing the candles before returning them to their location, each steady flame should be about 5/8” high; increasing the wick height increases the rate at which oil is consumed and produces unwanted soot.We have entered Ordinary Time, the numbered Sundays of Pentecost; no prefaces are marked for Wednesday except for Wednesday, June 29. There are two feast days in June that will be celebrated with incense:Friday, June 24: The Nativity of St. John the Baptist (Group 1) – color is White; proper preface is AdventWednesday, June 29: Saint Peter and Saint Paul, Apostles (Group 2) – color is Red; proper preface is Apostles

- Norma Thonburg

OUR LITURGICAL LIFE JUNE SCRIPTURE & PRAYERSJune 5First Lesson: Acts 16:9-15Psalm: Psalm 67Second Lesson: Revelation 21:10-22:5Gospel: John 14:23-29

Diocesan cycle: All Saints', Crockett; Christ Church, Jefferson; Christ Church, NacogdochesAnglican cycle: The Church of the Province of Myanmar (Burma)

June 12

First Lesson: Acts 16:16-34Psalm: Psalm 97Second Lesson: Rev 22:12-14, 16-17, 20-21Gospel: John 17:20-26

Diocesan cycle: Christ Church, Tyler; St. Cyprian's, Lufkin; St. Francis, TylerAnglican cycle: The Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion)

June 19First Lesson: Acts 2:1-21Psalm: Psalm 104:25-35, 37Second Lesson: Romans 8:14-17Gospel: John 14:8-17, 25-27

Diocesan cycle: St. John's, Carthage; St. John's, Center; St. John's, Tyler;Anglican cycle: The Church of North India (United)

June 26

First Lesson: Proverbs 8:1-4, 22-31Psalm: Psalm 8Second Lesson: Romans 5:1-5Gospel: John 16:12-15

Diocesan cycle: St. Luke's, Lindale; St. Matthew's, Henderson; St. Michael & All Angels', LongviewAnglican cycle: The Church of Pakistan (United)

Find the readings at: http://bible.oremus.org

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"The very fact that the church has a time called “Ordinary” is a profound theological statement. It is a reminder of the presence of God in and through the most mundane and ordinary seasons of our lives. God is not only on the mountaintop or in the valley, but walking alongside each of us when the flat road stretches interminably into the horizon." - Melody Wilson Shobe


June 9

Board games

June 23

Homemade ice cream

July 7

Movie night

July 21

Craft night

August 4

Lawn games

Summer Fun Series Continueshe Summer Fun Series will take place this summer on the second and fourth Thursday of each

month at 6:30 pm. Please invite your friends and family to these fun activities!

Youth Fundraising Updatehe Youth carwash on Pentecost sunday raised $207, for a total of $744 during the month of May.

Their goal is to raise $1000 for the youth mission trip to Houston this summer.

- Liz Haddad

"Ordinary Time" - Liturgical art by Patia Rarick, Indianapolis, IN | https://flic.kr/p/xBAWo

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YOUTH & FAMILY MINISTRIES

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PARISH LEADERSHIP

Rector, The Rev'd Jason IngallsPastoral Associate, Fr. Tom RardinSenior Warden, Karen ReynoldsJunior Warden, Harlan WilliamsTreasurer, Paul ThronburgAdult Christian Education, Brendan PayneCommunications, Ellen FilgoCommunity Life, Karen O'BricMusic Coordinator, Brennan MichaelsParish Administrator, Shari PauleyYouth & Family Ministries, Liz Haddad

Altar Guild, Norma ThronburgBereavement, Nancy BanksBible Study, Joyce StokesDaughters of the King, Mary GreshamEpiscopal Church Women, Barbara BurrFamily Life, Carol StukenbroekerLiturgical Ministry, Church OfficeMen's Fellowship, Easton AllenNewcomers, Barbara BurrPastoral Care, Mary GreshamVestry Clerk, Jan Attaway

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CAMP ALLEN CORNER


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