The - St George's Episcopal Church · 2017-03-13 · St. George’s Episcopal Church ·...
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The Shield St. George’s Episcopal Church · Advent/Christmas 2013 Receiving • Living • Sharing THE ABUNDANT LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST On Earth as in Heaven Healing Ministry C3 Courageous Conversations God’s Kingdom Born Among Us God’s Kingdom Born Among Us On Earth as in Heaven Healing Ministry C3 Courageous Conversations
Transcript of The - St George's Episcopal Church · 2017-03-13 · St. George’s Episcopal Church ·...
TheShield
St. George’s Episcopal Church · Advent/Christmas 2013
Receiving • Living • SharingTHE ABUNDANT LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST
On Earth as in Heaven Healing Ministry
C3 Courageous Conversations
God’s Kingdom Born Among UsGod’s Kingdom Born Among UsOn Earth as in Heaven Healing Ministry
C3 Courageous Conversations
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St. George’s ClergyThe Rev. R. Leigh Spruill
The Rev. Chris BowhaySenior Associate Rector
The Rev. Dr. Kristine Blaess Associate Rector
The Rev. Michael Blaess Associate Rector
The Rev. Malone GilliamAssociate Rector
The Rev. Sarah Puryear Associate Rector
The Rev. Roger Senechal Priest Associate
The Rev. Timus Taylor Priest Associate
www.stgeorgesnashville.org(615) 385-2150
Letter From the Rector
Luke, however, is too discreet and decorous to give us any actual details of the birth itself. We are simply informed that it was accomplished. The baby was delivered. “And so it was, that… the days were accomplished that Mary should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son….”
Yet, we all know that babies are not accomplished like a household chore or delivered like a UPS package to the front door in December. I have been very near the process three times as a father. One thing I distinctly remember from the delivery room was the occasional groan – the groan of childbirth, of new life.
What is a groan? A groan is a low, inarticulate sound that arises sometimes involuntary as the
The Shield is “God’s kingdom born among us,” containing testimonies of various ministries of St. George’s through which our Lord is bringing the future promise of heaven to bear in our present context. It is actually happening all around us.
St. Paul says “that the whole creation has been groaning in labor pains until now, and not only the creation, but we ourselves” (Romans 8). Yes, “until now.” And in our embrace of the continual coming kingdom of Jesus, may our groans turn to praise: “Glory to God in the highest!”
God’s Kingdom Born Among UsIt is Luke who records the birth of Christ in the New Testament. The evangelist is keen to place the event in historical context: “A
decree went out from Emperor Augustus when Quirinius was Governor of Syria….” Luke wants us to know that this birth, though a
great miracle, is no mere mythic tale. It actually happened, and he relates many specific details in the gospel: the trip to Bethlehem,
the overcrowded inn, the lowly manger, angels and shepherds.
expression of deep emotional sentiment or physical sensation. Surely there are different types of groans.
Several years ago I was at the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem. Our group took fifteen minutes to pray at this most famous prayer site in the world for Christians and Jews. I stood with my hands on those ancient stones and my face right up to the wall, my nose almost touching. There came very close beside me a large, rotund Orthodox Jew. He began to pray aloud but not with words or even with crying. Rather there arose the deepest groan I have ever heard come from another human being. His soul seemed to be breaking, and the stone walls seemed to quake under my hands. And I wondered what depth of grief or pain could this man be carrying that would issue forth in
such a groan. A hymn might express the groan this way: “O come, O come, Emmanuel.”
Yes, there are different types of groans. There is the groan of childbirth. Yet the Incarnation of Christ inaugurates not only the birth of a Savior but of a new creation. In Jesus, God’s kingdom is being born among us anew wherein the grief and pain of the world give way to peace and healing, wherein sin and death give way to forgiveness and new life.
Until the final consummation of God’s plans comes on the last great day, Christians are called to point to the people and places where God’s kingdom is being birthed among us as a witness of our faith. That is why the theme of this issue of
4715 Harding PikeNashville, TN 37205
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ShieldThe
ADVENT/CHRISTMAS 2013
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Letter From the Rector
On Earth as in Heaven: A Priest’s Perspective on Healing Prayer by The Rev. Dr. Kristine Blaess
Healing in the Midst of Hurt: A Lay Healer’s Perspective by Karen Wilbur
C3
Music at St. George’s:It’s the People
Festival of Lessons & Carols
You’re Invited!The Choristers and Lay Clerks Go to Scotland
A Roux of Christian FaithOn Confirmation: A Part of the “Did You Know” Series
The Rev. Malone Gilliam sat down with Ed Powell to talk about Confirmation.
A Beautiful Simplicity:Stewardship Update from Stuart Brunson
New Member Focus Shaila and Brandon Bannock
Table of Contents
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On Earth as in Heaven: A Priest’s Perspective On Healing Prayer
by The Rev. Dr. Kristine Blaess
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I know I didn’t believe that God healed
people anymore. I’m chagrined to
admit that I preached a sermon while
I was in seminary about how Jesus
certainly healed people while he
walked the earth, but that healings and
miracles just don’t happen these days.
During seminary, I met and married
Michael. Even when we first met,
Michael would get terrible, debilitating
headaches nearly every day. It was so
bad that some days I asked him if I
could take him to the emergency room
for pain relief. I always hoped the
headaches would go away, but it never
occurred to me to ask God to take
them away.
I started to be more open to the idea
of God healing people while Michael
and I were on sabbatical in 2009. We
worshiped that summer with people
who believed that God could actually
touch lives. In fact, they expected it of
God! I still wasn’t sure, but who knew
what God might do? Then in January
2010, Michael and I shared a meal
with friends. They offered to pray for
us before we went home and for some
reason Michael asked them to pray
for his headaches. They prayed. And
Michael was healed. The full healing
wasn’t overnight – it took several
months, but something changed that
night and his headaches were never
the same again.
Since then, Michael and I have
experienced healing in a number of
ways in our life together – personally,
emotionally, spiritually, and in our
marriage and our family. None of it has
been dramatic or even slightly out of
the normal – God has just very quietly
gone about his business of bit by bit
making our lives whole. And he keeps
doing it.
And so I was thrilled when I learned
about St. George’s Healing Ministry,
and deeply honored to be asked to
serve our healing prayer team. At St.
George’s, we love to pray for healing.
We trust that God’s will is for his
kingdom, including healing, to come to
earth just as in heaven. We believe that
God yearns for all of us to experience
When I was growing up, my family faithfully
attended a mainline church. Like many of you
all, we prayed every evening at dinner and
every night at bedtime my mom prayed a simple
prayer with me. I went to Sunday school and
accompanied the choir. I’m thankful for how my
parents brought me up. I think I was like a lot
of American Christians – I believed in God, that
Jesus forgave my sins, and I was glad to be saved,
but I didn’t believe God actually did anything
these days. the healing and wholeness that comes
from him. And so we love to pray with
you. We are honored when you trust
us with the parts of your life that hurt.
We are humbled that you allow us to
lift you up in prayer to our Father. And
we give thanks to God when people do
experience healing. It’s not every time
we pray, and it’s not always in the ways
that we expect. But week after week as
we pray with those of you who come to
the chapel after worship, we see God
breaking in with healing and freedom
and joy and peace. Week after week,
God is healing people we love here at
St. George’s.
We have so many special ways to ask
for God’s healing in your lives. You’re
invited to join us for healing prayer in
the chapel any Sunday morning after
the 8:45, 9:00, and 11:15 services,
any Wednesday at 10:00am and also
the last Wednesday of each month at
6:30pm. We’re happy to pray for you,
or for your friends and family members.
You’re welcome to bring a friend, too.
We would be honored to pray with you.
As a lay minister in the Healing Ministry, I lift up petitions to God on behalf of others. I do this because God has a heart and compassion for hurting people and he instructs us to pray for one another. Prayer opens the door for God to work in people’s lives. Intercession makes a difference. Watchman Nee writes, “We stand before the Lord to pray for other people. Actually this is fellowship with the Lord in His high-priestly function. How He Himself intercedes unceasingly for His people and their needs.”
Some might think that they cannot pray for others because they are not completely healthy themselves. However, God can and does use us to help others, even in the midst of our own pain and problems. The Bible has numerous examples of people who prayed for others when they themselves were in the midst of some type of suffering. Abraham prayed for another family to have children when he had not yet received Isaac. Job prayed for his friends while he was in the midst of his own suffering. In both of these cases, God acted.
Recently, a leadership position opened in the Healing Ministry. I had for some time felt that this was where most of my gifts fell, so I began to pray about whether I should volunteer for this position. In the midst of making my decision, I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia. At first this was devastating. Fibromyalgia can be debilitating and I had watched my mother suffer with it for many years. At first I felt I couldn’t possibly take the leadership role for the Healing Ministry since I was sick myself. I realized that the enemy would love nothing better than to stop me from praying for other people. God’s power is made perfect in our weakness, and we trust God to minister to others through us - even when we are hurting. We overcome evil with good. Jesus did it constantly.
I accepted the Lay Leader position for the Healing Ministry and have continued praying for others while I receive prayer for my own healing. I have found that when I reach out to others by offering a simple but heartfelt prayer on their behalf it reminds me that God is near and somehow I, too, will continue to receive the complete healing that I need. While I’m waiting and praying, God will bring good out of this. I have gained a deeper understanding and compassion for people in chronic pain and this allows me to pray more specifically for them. I am also encountering numerous people with Fibromyalgia and am able to offer them information and resources that could be helpful.
We must continue to pray for one another and join Jesus in his ministry of intersession and I have found that the Healing Ministry is a powerful way to do just that.
Healing in the Midst of Hurt: A Lay Healer’s Perspective
by Karen Wilbur
Silent Night: A Service of Remembrance, Healing, and Hope Sunday, December 15 at 6:00pm
For many people, the Christmas season can be a difficult time. We at St. George’s recognize that Christmas is not always merry, and trust that through Christ, God shares comfort and hope with us that is deeper and more profound than even the deepest sadness. Our annual Silent Night worship is an opportunity to experience God’s peace and hope during the Christmas season. Dru Anderson describes what she likes best about the service. “The church is bathed in candlelight and the comforting words and beautiful music provide a welcomed opportunity to enjoy the intended peace of the season. In God’s presence, we are not alone. We can recapture wholeness after loss and we can experience the true joy of Christmas.” Paul Teschan, remembering the service says, “It was a blessed time to feel connected in Spirit with those I’d loved and lost, to remember with thanksgiving and light candles especially in memory of Pat who bore my children and Martha who gave me another family to care for.”
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“American cultural dialogue is frozen. Theologically,
politically, economically, socially, people feel like they can’t
talk about anything for fear of provoking a fight or ending a
relationship. The impact this has on people’s lives is profound.
We’re anxious and we’re stuck.” The Rev. Chris BowhayWe’re excited by this year’s C3 event and the large-scale impact
they envision. The Shield talked with Chris Bowhay, Director
of C3, to discuss the need and the commitment of C3 to lead
courageous conversations with the culture makers and culture
shapers of today and tomorrow.
This is such a deep and important subject
for the time in which we live. I love your
insights on the climate of our culture today
and the heart you have for all of us who feel
so “stuck.” Unpack this a little bit for us.
Honest, clear conversation is the circulatory system of a culture.
Part of the reason that American culture has become fragmented
is that too many people feel too afraid to say anything that might
offend anyone. Is it any wonder that so many people feel so
alone? Is it any surprise that the civic challenges of the past forty
years have not been effectively addressed? We have allowed our
electronic media to balkanize us into a bewildering variety of
ideological camps in which it is easier for us to divide ourselves
from others than it is to connect with one another through
honest, candid, yet respectful discourse. Non-churchgoing folks
find it painfully difficult to have meaningful conversations about
economic, social, or political topics. It is doubly difficult, if
not impossible, to have these kinds of conversations within the
Christian community. This is ironic, because of all people we
ought to feel so secure in our baptismal bonds of charity that we
CourageousConversations
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should be able to talk about anything.
Instead, within the Church and beyond
it, honest conversation has become
frozen. How can we start, or restart,
our ability to talk with one another,
especially with those “of the household
of faith?”
Where does C3 fit in all this? What is C3?
C3 is an event and an ongoing
resource that teaches Christians of all
denominations and the unchurched
how to create courageous conversations
that do not ruin relationships. We hope
to reclaim our calling to be ministers
of reconciliation (II Corinthians 5:18)
within the Christian community and
beyond it. Three years ago, we started
our work by engaging with the creative
Christian community in the Arts.
Through their gifts of intuition and
expression, the artists in our midst
often perceive and respond to the parts
of our culture that are broken and
that demand our response. Since that
time, over 1,000 people from across
the country have come to Nashville to
listen to nationally-prominent speakers,
to discuss how culture is shaped, to
meet other creative, Christian culture
shapers, and to learn how to engage
the world around us with the Gospel.
This year, we will build on that success
by building additional bridges to
creative Christian culture shapers in
science and medicine and education.
If culture is defined by what people
actually do and not merely by what
they think, we need to gather those
people in the Christian community
whose work directly impacts the way
people live their lives in an atmosphere
in which everyone can teach and
learn from others in our shared
calling to “redeem the time.” Our
hope is that by starting courageous
conversations within the Christian
community, and by learning how to
sustain those conversations without the
depersonalizing rancor that we find in
our larger, secular culture, we will help
advance the common good that God
intends for all.
What excites you about this year’s event?
I love the opening Arts Festival on
Thursday evening. I love that we
will gather hundreds of people to
admire a stunning variety of artistic
expessions in a convivial atmosphere,
then enjoy a musical performance
by Phil Keaggy, one of the world’s
best guitarists, and then spend some
time listening to Glennon Melton,
one of the country’s funniest and
most honest author/blogger talk
about brokenness and grace. I love
the variety of speakers, ranging from
Rachel Held Evans, whom Christianity
Today described as one of the top 50
women to watch, to Paul Young, the
author of the heartbreakingly beautiful
novel, The Shack. I love how those we
have invited to speak will give us the
opportunity to think together as we talk
together about what they have to say. I
especially love the Focused Discussion
Groups that follow each keynote
address: trained facilitators guide the
participants’ reactions in a way that not
only adds practical depth to what they
have heard but also anchors the lesson
of how to speak with and listen to
people with varying perspectives. I love
the “tool kit” of conversation that each
participant will receive, open, and work
with as a direct result of C3. Finally,
I love simply spending time meeting
and learning from creative thinkers and
culture-shapers. There really is nothing
like it.
What is most intriguing and exciting to me is that the C3 event is just the beginning. The hope is for a sustainable movement that will change the world.
As important and enticing as the
collection of speakers are, the most
important experience of C3 comes
from spending time with the other
participants, not only at the event but
in an ongoing way. This year, we plan
to launch a series of quarterly and then
monthly gatherings of creative Christian
thinkers who will meet in different
spaces across Nashville to continue the
conversations we start at C3.
We want to mirror and partner with
other similar movements like “Q Ideas
(www.qideas.org),” “Socrates in the
City (www.socratesinthecity.com),”
“UnderCurrent (www.undercurrent.
me),” and “Mockingbird (www.mbird.
com),” who encourage and equip
Christians to talk to one another, to
work with one another, and to find new
ways to pronounce and to release the
Good News of radical forgiveness and
mercy into a world that is starving for
that kind of freedom.
Thinking liturgically, at the close of the
Eucharist, we dismiss the congregation
with the exhortation to “Go in peace
to love and serve the Lord.” We hope
that C3 will become a part of an
already-growing network of Christians
in different cities and across “the web”
Gle
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on M
elto
n
Bax
ter
Kru
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Ph
il K
eag
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Pau
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ng
who take the message of the Gospel
out of the sanctuary and into the world.
The most important thing we can do
is to introduce a variety of Christians
to one another, to start courageous
conversations with them, and then
to watch the Holy Spirit lead these
relationships and their conversations
into practical action to reveal the
kingdom of God in Nashville.
Thursday, March 6 – Saturday, March 8
St. George’s Church, 4715 Harding Road
See: C3Nashville.org for more details
The ordinary. The extraordinary. Bread and wine. Christ’s Body and Blood.
Transcendent. Imminent. Invisible. Visible. God is present here that we may see God is present everywhere.
Already. Not yet. Right now. God’s kingdom is born among is.
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Music at St. George’s:It’s the People
by Nancy G. Reiser, Director of Music
Having been at St. George’s a little over a year
now, I have been thinking about the many
moving pieces that comprise our parish and how
they fit together. Here in the music office, just as
elsewhere in the building, we are ever-changing,
ever-growing and extremely active
In the past year we have welcomed nine new choir members and several more are interested in joining. Our choir is a community made up of people who meet on a regular basis with a common purpose, people who look out for each other, people who worship—not only in structured liturgies but also in rehearsals as we delve into great music from multiple genres, centuries and composers. The St. George’s Choir gathers with visible and audible commitment to musicianship, to liturgy, to the parish, and to each other. This commitment is a palpable indicator of its strength as a community.
When preparing a piece of music we consider its historical context in order to better understand the composition. Do we know something about the composer and what inspired him or her to write this anthem? Was it commissioned for a monarch’s coronation? What was happening in the composer’s country or region at this time in history—war, famine, a new compositional style suddenly in vogue? Music is sometimes inspiring to the listener because it is overtly and undeniably beautiful. But often the beauty deepens after study and hard work and this beauty can be (and
typically is) of far greater and lasting inspiration.
Take the time to listen, read, study: sounds, people, prayers, books. Music at its most spare definition is “sound organized in time.” A community can be observed in its most basic form as well—it is a group of people linked by something. This something can be a common interest, activity, location, ownership, the list goes on. In the St. George’s Choir, we are linked by music, worship, and the parish as a whole. The community - this choir - is, blessedly, a “lively center for sound learning, new discovery, and the pursuit of wisdom” (BCP p. 824). Every week, all year round, the choir room is filled with active minds, grateful hearts, and diverse approaches to interesting questions and fine musicianship.
Frequently in an evening rehearsal or during Choral Evensong, ever thankful for the faithful people present with me, I am reminded of Charles Wood’s marvelous anthem Hail, Gladdening Light: “Now we are come to the sun’s hour of rest. The lights of evening round us shine; we hymn the Father, Son and Holy Spirit divine.” Gladdening, indeed.
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Festival of Lessons & Carols
Sunday, December 8 at 6:00pm
Reception Following
The Choristers and Lay Clerks will be serving as Choir-in-
Residence for one week at St. Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral in
Edinburgh, Scotland. St. Mary’s is the largest Cathedral in
Scotland, and the only one to maintain the tradition of daily
choral worship. When we are not needed at the Cathedral,
we will be sightseeing, including the Royal Mile, Holyrood
House, Edinburgh Castle, Rosslyn Chapel, Stirling Castle,
Inverness, and Loch Ness. The tour, which includes airfare
and most meals, is quite reasonably priced at $2,795 per
person for those lodging at St. Mary’s School. A nearby four-
star hotel is also available for an added fee.
We warmly invite you to join us! Friends who accompany
us on the tour are always welcome to join us for services
and sightseeing but are absolutely free to do as they please.
Please direct any questions to Gerry Senechal or Kim Messer
at the church. More information and a complete brochure is
available through our website at www.stgeorgesnashville.org/
Music/Scotland.
I began attending St. George’s
and singing in the choir in
1997. While there have been
some changes since that
time, one thing that has not
changed is that our worship
is enhanced by offering back
to God the gift of music. The
St. George’s Choir carefully
prepares each week so that
God may be glorified, our
praises better perfected, and
the congregation uplifted in
it’s worship experience. What a pleasant task for a church musician! There
is a “community” among the choir that makes everyone somehow a part of
my family. I encourage the congregation to participate in singing at every
opportunity. How can you hear a hymn well-played and not join in singing?
Every voice is no less acceptable to God’s ears. It’s often said he who sings
prays twice.Kevin Carson
As a relative newcomer to
St. George’s, I have found
that singing in the choir is a
wonderful way to meet people
and to get involved in the
life of the church. The choir
manages to balance high
standards with having fun,
which, in my experience, is
a rare combination. I look
forward to the fellowship of
Wednesday night rehearsals
and to learn new music,
review and refine music we’ve worked on, and to experience the jubilation of
music and worship. It is a delight to be in a choir that is led and sings in a
spirit of reverence, humility and enjoyment to the glory of God. Singing has
always been a part of Christian celebration and it is a joy to help carry on this
rich tradition. It is a blessing to be an integral part of worship at St. George’s.
Catherine Holsen
[Choir Member since early 2013]
You’re Invited!The Choristers and
Lay Clerks Go to Scotland
July 18-28, 2014
The service of Nine Lessons with Carols was first drawn
up by Archbishop Benson for use in Truro Cathedral in
England. In 1918, the Dean of King’s College Chapel,
Cambridge, the Very Reverend Eric Milner-White, modified
the service for use in King’s College Chapel. The service
has been sung by the King’s College Choir each year since
1918, broadcast since 1928, and beloved by millions
worldwide.
Our God, heaven cannot hold him, nor earth sustain;
Heaven and earth shall flee away when he comes to reign:
In the bleak midwinter a stable-place sufficed
the Lord God incarnate, Jesus Christ.
Christina Rossetti (1830-1894)
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The Rev. Malone Gilliam sat down with Ed Powell to talk about Confirmation.
Malone: As I was thinking about your presentation in the Confirmation Inquirers class I wanted you to give me an overall idea about what confirmation is and why we hold it up as something valuable. What’s the idea behind it?
Ed: The way I think about
confirmation, it’s a bit like we are
being confirmed, affirmed, and
commissioned to minister to the world
because just like in creation, the Holy
Spirit hovered over the waters, in our
lives, in our creation, in our beginning
the Holy Spirit comes and infuses us
with gifts. And those gifts are resident
in us, the Holy Spirit is resident in us
- working and willing and encouraging
us to do the things we are to do as
Christians.
In confirmation, the way I understand
it, we are actually being commissioned
for service…for our ministry in the
world. It is, in essence, ordination of
the laity. That is incredibly important
because it shapes everything about
how we live and worship. Worship is
not a spectator sport in this world - in
the world of the confirmed. Everyone
has been commissioned or deputized.
“The Lord be with you, and with thy
spirit.” We are all to worship, not just
the priests, but the whole congregation
in the whole of life. Worship is active
and not passive.
You’re on a roll. So confirmation is an integral part of our understanding of each person’s part in redemptive history.
A Roux of Christian FaithOn Confirmation: A Part of the
“Did You Know” Series
St. George’s has a wonderful history
of adult confirmation. Beginning
January 5th we will offer a fourteen-
session class series for those who
want to explore the Christian faith in
greater depth, find out more about
the Episcopal Church, and learn more
about our community of faith here at
St. George’s. The class will be held
Sundays at 10:05am. Those wanting
to be confirmed in the Episcopal
Church (or be received or reaffirm
their faith) are also asked to attend
the series.
Do you know what a roux is? My mom
grew up on the Mississippi coast
learning to cook the local cuisine
which was heavily influenced by
Cajun culture. A roux is when butter
is melted in a heavy pot and flour is
added while stirring constantly. The
“holy trinity” of Cajun cooking - bell
pepper, onion, and celery - is added
along with some stock. The flavors of
the roux permeate whatever is then
added to the pot.
My hope is that this class will help
you develop a “roux of Christian faith”
that will then flavor each aspect of
your lives. The roux functions as
the base of our existence and then
permeates us with the gospel of
Jesus Christ thereby enriching our
relationships, vocations, parenting,
marriages, recreation, and everything
else in this journey we call life.
This class will give a dynamic
overview of faith, as well as Episcopal
customs and history. It will be for
those who anticipate confirmation in
May, as well as those who have long
been Episcopalians but want to go
deeper in their faith. Call the Rev.
Malone Gilliam at 385-2150 x 215
for further information.
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In terms of how it fits within the
redemptive history of creation,
redemption, and the coming of the
Holy Spirit. It is like a personal
Pentecost. There’s a sense in which
the authoritative laying on of the hands
of the Bishop is like our own personal
Pentecost whereby the Holy Spirit is
in us and with us. In the same way
the disciples were given power and
authority to go forth into the world
and minister. At our confirmation, we
are having those gifts confirmed in us
and are being commissioned by the
representative of the church to now go
forth and give ourselves for the life of
the world being empowered by the Holy
Spirit.
I like what you said about confirming. Speak a little bit about the link between baptism (when in our tradition we believe the
Holy Spirit comes upon us) and confirmation.
We have a lot of God-given natural
abilities and talents wired into us from
the beginning. But over time what
happens – and this is why this idea
of confirmation also needs to be tied
into our Gifts & Talents Workshop – is
that we are discerning God’s call in our
lives. We’re discerning how these gifts
that we’re given at baptism are now
going to find their fruition. It’s almost
like an epigenetic thing. It’s not just
the code that’s in there – it’s how those
get expressed in our personalities, in
our lives, in our physical being. All
those things are analogous to what
happens in confirmation. It is very
authoritative in the sense that of the
seven sacraments, there are only two
that require a Bishop; ordination (for
priesthood) and confirmation. Why
is it so important? It is so important
because confirmation is the ordination
of all believers, of all members of the
church.
As we talked about the link between baptism and confirmation, you mentioned gifts resident, gifts confirmed, gifts discerned. Tell me a little bit about what’s beyond – you said something about Gifts & Talents.
Well, the Gifts & Talents Workshop that
St. George’s offers is really a process of
discerning the gifts that are confirmed
in us. There is a difference between
those gifts being confirmed in us and
those gifts being discerned by us.
While these gifts are resident in us it
doesn’t mean that we know that we
have them. How do we figure this out?
In the 1920’s there was a regimental
The confirmation classes formed new friendships and ways of thinking about our church and world. Because of it I have taken on new facets [spiritual and being active] in our church and feel a spiritual growth as a person for it. As Emerson says, “All I have seen teaches me to trust the creator for all I have not seen.”
Bruce Newland[confirmed in 2013]
test developed called the Johnson
O’Connor test which was developed by
General Electric to provide people with
information about themselves to help
them make decisions about work and
school. The same thing occurred during
World War II with the military. The idea
was that this suite of tests can help
you discern what you are going to be
really good at so the military can put
you in places to maximize the overall
effectiveness of our armed forces.
Confirmation commissions us for
ministry. The Gifts & Talents Workshop
helps us discern within the organic
Body of Christ where those gifts and
talents that have been conferred on us
might find their greatest potential…
where our greatest passion meets the
world’s greatest needs.
In your mind, what’s the relationship of the Holy Spirit and
the gifts that we might discern? Can you separate the two?
It’s much more organic than being
able to strictly separate the two, yet we
do find that within the body the Holy
Spirit nudges us to have desires. We
talked about the Holy Spirit helping to
shape the desires of our heart. What
he’s doing is helping us to discern
where we have these great passions
and at the exact same time helping
us to see where there are needs in the
world and figuring out how the two
paths can intersect.
And because it’s organic, it’s even possible for gifts to change over time.
Absolutely. Because Gifts & Talents
puts into place a means for helping
us discern our God-given gifts, we
can continuously evaluate what God
is calling us to do using the tools
learned in the course. Baptism is
the imputation of and infusion of
gifts. Confirmation is the official
commissioning by the church for us to
go forth into the world. Gifts & Talents
gives us the ability to discern within
that context where we might find joy
and satisfaction while also meeting the
very real needs of the world.
14
A Beautiful Simplicity:Stewardship Update from Stuart Brunson
Our stewardship conversation this year has asked us if we are up to the challenge of doing even more of what Jesus asks of us. And, quite importantly, it has asked if we were prepared to give even more financially to help support our very purpose for being as a church.
For many of our members, the response has been an overwhelming, “Yes!”
So, on behalf of our entire parish, I want to say thank you to the hundreds and hundreds of you who have responded with a pledge for 2014. Your gifts make it possible for St. George’s to pursue its mission!
I also want to say thank you to the 100-plus members of this year’s Stewardship Committee for the thousands of emails, notes, and calls that have supported our effort thus far. Thanks also to the hosts of our cottage meetings as well to the participants in this year’s video (which you can still see at www.stgeorgesnashville.org!). And thanks to our vestry and clergy for providing the leadership we can all trust to make sure our gifts are put to work with an efficiency of purpose.
While there is much to celebrate, there is still much work to be done.
Every single pledge impacts the scope of our work as a church, so we need every St. Georgian who has not yet
made a pledge to consider doing so in the days and weeks ahead.
Believe me; I understand that sometimes it’s easy to forget to follow through on good intentions. The mail can pile up. Our work and family obligations can be consuming. Lots of worthy causes are asking for financial help. Believe me also when I say that every pledge is important. It’s important not only to St. George’s, but it’s also an important checkpoint on every person’s spiritual journey.
If you have not yet made your 2014 pledge to St. George’s, it is not too late. On behalf of our church, I humbly request that you consider what God has done for you and your family and the utter simplicity of what God asks from you in return for those blessings. It’s the same thing he asks of all of us. He asks us, quite simply, to share with him, which, if you stop right there, is a beautiful, perfect formula. (He even tells us how much to share!)
But here’s the kicker: As beautiful and perfect as that formula is, God takes our gifts of thanks and hands them back to us as a church and says use these resources to spread the good news about my son Jesus Christ. In short, he tells us to use the gifts we give the church to go forth and bring people closer to him.
It is truly a formula of beautiful simplicity. So, think about that formula and ask yourself: Is there an easier gift to give than a thank you gift to God? I think not.
My prayer for you and this year’s stewardship campaign is that you too will reflect on the utter simplicity of what God asks of us. And that after giving it your own prayerful consideration, you will give generously to God, so we can fulfill our very purpose as a church and go forth together to bring people in our parish, our community and our world into a closer relationship with Christ. Your gift will impact lives in ways we may never fully know or appreciate, including, possibly, your own.
Let’s go “Forward Together” with and for Christ.
As you know by now, the theme for stewardship this year is
“Forward Together,” and our stewardship conversation has
been focused on how we as a church have embraced the
mission to “go forth” and do God’s work and be lights for
Christ. That conversation has highlighted our successes in
achieving that mission but it has also recognized that we
are capable of doing much more for the city of Nashville,
the broader church, and the world.
“My family and I visited South Africa this year and
saw firsthand our church’s thriving partnership
and friendship with the members of St. Thomas
Anglican Church in Kagiso, a township outside
of Johannesburg. The ministry we do together
with our St. Thomas partners began with an idea
their priest had to create a feeding program for
a nearby school. With support from St. George’s,
St. Thomas provides a hot meal once a week to
more than 100 children from a nearby school who
do not receive regular nutritious meals. If anyone
ever had a doubt about the impact that our gifts to
St. George’s have on changing lives and bringing
people closer to Christ, I can assure them that our
giving matters.”
Jennifer Taylor
“Room In The Inn is an important local ministry
that provides help to Nashville’s homeless com-
munity. Each year, this organization and more
than 180 partnering religious congregations pro-
vide more than 60,000 beds, 50,000 showers,
100,000 meals, and 28,000 bus passes to Nash-
ville’s homeless. St. George’s supports these efforts
with volunteers and with our facilities. Our church
is also an important financial partner, helping pro-
vide the resources that make this Christ-centered
outreach possible. The gifts that we give to St.
George’s make a difference every day.”
Brad Thomason
15
Clergy Book Recommendation
The Book of Common Prayer: A Biography by Alan Jacobs
I am excited by this newly published book by Alan Jacobs,
a professor of the Humanities at Baylor University. It is part of a series by Princeton University Press called Lives of Great Religious Books, a collection of short volumes about the origins and influences of historically significant religious writings. Jacobs recounts the tumultuous context out of which Archbishop of Canterbury Thomas Cranmer wrote the original Book of Common Prayer while also highlighting the text’s rare combination of lyrical beauty and theological conciseness. This is a book for lovers of history and is particularly recommended for those interested in learning more about our Anglican liturgical heritage.
Leigh Spruill
Toxic Charity by Robert Lupton
Provocative and encouraging, in this quick read, Robert Lupton offers bold insights
that challenge the conventional wisdom surrounding how we engage in charity. He leaves me asking, how did I miss what now seems so painfully obvious?
Lupton’s thesis is this: “[While Americans] are very generous in charitable giving, much of that money … actually harms the people it is targeted to help.” Here he outlines strategies to move from charity that is toxic to that which is transformative, producing deep, measurable, and lasting change.
As we seek to make a difference in Nashville and the world, from Missional Communities to mission trips, from the Living Waters Initiative to outreach activities, Toxic Charity is penetrating and is already an important part of our conversation at St. George’s.
Michael Blaess
What brought you to Nashville? How has it been? We met in early 2007 and were
married 8 months later. In 2011, we
decided we wanted to start a family
and always knew we didn’t want to
raise children in Los Angeles. With the
path that Brandon’s music career was
taking, we knew that Nashville was
probably going to be in our future.
Shaila was at a point in her acting
career that she was ready to take
a break and had been focusing on
running our company West Coast
Country. Shaila was supportive of
leaving LA to focus on opportunities
for my music career and loved the
fact that Nashville was much closer
to both our families – Shaila’s parents
being in Ohio and my parents having
relocated to Atlanta. At this same time,
Shaila’s parents approached us with
an opportunity to help them expand a
company based in Wooster, Ohio that
they recently acquired in the oil and
gas equipment distribution field.
So fast forward to July 2012: we’re
here in Nashville and little Ethan
James was born, we bought our first
house, started working for the family
business, and said goodbye to sleep for
awhile – yes this really was all in July!
You could say we came to Nashville
for every good reason: family, career,
cost of living, and quality of life. We’re
happy to report we made the right
move and we absolutely love it here!!
Shaila, any projects you are particularly proud of or on which you learned the most?I moved to LA right out of high school
New Member FocusThe Shield recently sat down with Shaila
and Brandon Bannock to talk about their
lives, what brought them to Nashville, and
what ultimately led their family to decide
on St. George’s as their church home.
and was lucky enough to have very
supportive parents. My first few years
in the business I worked on a lot of
indie films. Five years in I booked the
project I’m most proud of, though it is
one that no one will probably ever get
a chance to see. I had an opportunity
to move to Philadelphia and be a lead
on a teen show called “What Goes
On.” We filmed an entire season and
the show turned out even better than
everyone expected, but unfortunately
we became collateral damage after
our network The N went under and
subsequently became Teen Nick. It was
the first time I felt I had finally “made
it” in my career and the first time I
really had to experience what so many
actors unfortunately experience …
major setbacks. Moving forward from
that experience gave me true humility
and with that I started booking my
most notable roles. (See more at
ShailaVadya.com).
When we decided to start a family I felt
like I was in a place in my career that
if I walked away I would never have
any regrets. I still haven’t decided if
I’ll ever go back to it. Right now I’m
enjoying working with Brandon on his
career and raising our adorable son.
Brandon, tell us about your duo, Cotton Wine. I’ve been in music as long as I can
remember but my most recent project
is an Americana Pop Rock duo, Cotton
Wine. When Shaila & I moved from LA,
I had a friend and fellow songwriter
who moved with us after she signed
a publishing deal on Music Row.
With Shaila flying because she was
pregnant, Femke and I drove out to
Nashville together and it was on that
road trip that we started writing songs
together for what unintentionally and
ultimately turned into Cotton Wine.
Both of us had similar influences
in traditional folk and popular
songwriters like The Beatles. We found
it surprisingly easy to write songs
together that people really responded
to, even though our solo careers
couldn’t have been further from each
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other – country rock & indie pop. What
pushed us together more than anything
was that each of our fan bases decided
that while they liked us separately, in
hearing our voices sing and harmonize,
they loved us more together. (See more
at CottonWine.com).
What brought you to and how did you connect with St. George’s?Much like many of the personal stories
that we’ve heard since becoming
members of St. George’s, the first
reason we visited was because we
drove by each day and we regularly
saw the “Visitors Welcome” sign by the
road. Shaila growing up Catholic with
exposure to her father’s Hindu faith
and Brandon being greatly influenced
by his Anglican all-boys prep school, in
recent years we started exploring what
our faith meant to us as adults and we
both found a strong connection to the
traditional liturgy at St. George’s. More
than anything we feel like we’ve found
friends, a family, and a new home at
St. George’s.
Financials for year to date: October 31, 2013
Pledges
Other
Total Income
Expenses
Excess Income over Expenses
Actual
$2,410,862
360,560
2,771,422
2,914,526
($143,104)
Budget
$1,998,895
825,079
2,823,974
3,030,474
($206,500)
Variance
$411,967
(464,519)
(52,552)
115,948
$63,396
Prior Year
$2,267,292
332,037
2,599,330
2,703,954
($104,625)
Variance
$143,570
28,523
172,092
(210,572)
($38,479)
4715 Harding PikeNashville, TN 37205
Inspired Worshipers
Steadfast Disciples
Passionate Servants for Christ in the World
✤ WE ARE ST. GEORGE’S ✤
www.stgeorgesnashville.org
Christmas Eve
Family Eucharist*(nursery)
Holy Eucharist* (nursery)
Solemn Eucharist with Chorale Prelude*
Christmas DayNo 7am or healing service
Holy Eucharist*
December 24
4:00pm
6:30pm
10:30pm
December 25
10:00am
CHRISTMAS
winterworship schedule
Holy Eucharist
Healing Servicewith Holy Eucharist
Holy Eucharist
Holy Eucharist*with Children’s Chapel
The Table
Sunday School
Holy Eucharist*
Evening Prayerwith Holy Eucharist
7am daily
10am Wednesdays
7:30am
8:45am
9:00am
10:05am
11:15am
5:00pm
WEEKDAYS
SUNDAYS
*Live Video Feed of this service at www.stgeorgesnashville.org
NonProfit OrgU.S. Postage
PAIDNashville, TN
Permit No. 1228
