ARCHANGEL | SPRING 2024

Volume 7, Issue 1 | Spring 2024

FINDING HOME LOVEY DOVIE THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT THE SUN IN SUNDAY

Cover: original artwork by Sylvia Longo (courtesy Robin Kennedy)

Inside cover: Afternoon light. Photograph by Katherine Poole

THE LIGHT SHINES IN THE DARKNESS, AND THE DARKNESS DID NOT OVERCOME IT.

—John 1:5

THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT

Checking in with our new EYC leaders by Ashley Gitchell and Brett MacDonald

STAND STILL AND WAIT

A symbol of steadfast love by Robert Marshall

THE SUN IN SUNDAY

Renewed energy for creation care by Locke Raper

SETTING SAIL WITH PAUL

Pilgrimage to the Holy Land by Katherine Poole

Meet our newest pastoral caregiver by The Rev. Holly Gloff

Dovie attends a weekly staff meeting. Photograph by Ann Garey

Temple of Apollo in Corinth Greece. Photograph by Frances Penick

CROSSWORD

ACROSS

Seminarian Brett MacDonald likens his work with youth as preparing the _____. St. Michael's new committee cares for _____. 5. 6. 8. 11. 13. 14. 15. 1. 2. 3. 4. 7. 9. 10. 12.

Our gifts are God-given not _____ (contrary to a vanity plate). St. Michael's new power source _____ is the anchor of love and true happiness. Dovie's breed (Hint: she's part love-sponge)

The Rev. Greg Jones is celebrating _____ years of ministry. Proud bird with bold plummage Seminarian Ashley Gitchell learned this practice as a youth.

DOWN

The destination for a pilgrimmage in October 2024. Staff member Evelyn Grizzard's family name originated rom this ancient city in the Middle East. Resort in West Virginia where our EYC likes to ski. City in Jordan where Grizzard's family temporarily settled.

Quality Frances Penick and Jamie Pahl ascribe to the Apostle Paul. Southern writer, _____ O'Connor

WHO, WHAT AND WHERE

1520 Canterbury Road, Raleigh NC 27608 919.782.0731 | holymichael.org

CLERGY

The Rev. Samuel Gregory Jones, Rector ext. 117 | jones@holymichael.org (c) 919.559.2004

The Rev. Holly M. Gloff, Associate Rector ext. 127 | gloff@holymichael.org (c) 919.612.7228

The Rev. David Nichols, Associate Rector ext. 105 | nichols@holymichael.org (c) 803.924.6815

Andrew Raines, Seminarian ext. 129 | raines@holymichael.org

VESTRY

Senior Warden: Steve Rolander Jr. Warden: Tommy Malone Clerk: Leslie de Haven

CLASS OF 2024

Hayden Constance, Leslie de Haven, Sally Duff, Tommy Malone, Steve Rolander

CLASS OF 2025

Phil Lambe, Jeff McLamb, Sally Norton, Mike Penick, Ruth Scott

CLASS OF 2026

Ben Ipock, Molly Painter, Anna Tilghman, Adam Whitesell, Laurie Wood vestryonly@holymichael.org

The answers to this puzzle can be found in ARCHANGEL stories!

STAFF

Stella Attaway, Coordinator of Nursery & Childcare ext. 106 | attaway@holymichael.org

Catherine Fain, Director of Development ext. 121 | fain@holymichael.org

Ann Garey, Publications Editor ext. 103 | garey@holymichael.org

Stefan Dabrowski, Facilities Manager ext. 108 | dabrowski@holymichael.org

Kevin Kerstetter, Director of Music ext. 107 | kerstetter@holymichael.org

Carolyn L’Italien, Coordinator of Children’s Ministry ext. 130 | litalien@holymichael.org

Susan Little, Financial Administrator ext. 113 | little@holymichael.org

Robin Kennedy, Director of Parish Care & Newcomer Ministry ext. 112 | kennedy@holymichael.org

Katherine Poole, Director of Communications ext. 122 | poole@holymichael.org

Brett MacDonald & Ashley Gitchell, Youth Leaders eyc@holymichael.org

Jesus Epigmenio, Groundskeeper Marcela de la Cruz, Housekeeper

PARISH DAY SCHOOL

Mandy Annunziata, Director, Parish Day School ext. 110 | annunziata@holymichael.org

Courtney Alford, Assistant Director, Parish Day School ext. 114 | alford@holymichael.org

FINDING HOME

by THE REVEREND SAMUEL GREGORY JONES, RECTOR

Grizzard and her parents (holding palm fronds) attend Palm Sunday services at Christ the King Church in Amman, Jordan in 1968.

Photograph courtesy Evelyn Grizzard

When I was a missionary in Honduras, one of the more surprising things I discovered was a large and influential Arab community there. Indeed, the nicest private country club in San Pedro Sula, Honduras is called the Honduran-Arab Club. It was built by and for the wealthy citizens of the city who dominate its business and commercial sector, and who are the descendants of Palestinian Arab Christian families who emigrated in the 20th century. Melanie and I became very close with several of these families, whose children were students at the Episcopal School where we taught. Indeed, one family, the Kawases, came to our wedding in Virginia. To this day, we keep in touch with a number of Hondurans whose parents and grandparents came from Palestine.

Many of the hundreds of thousands of Palestinians who have fled their ancestral homeland in the past three generations are Christians, who now live all over the world as successful business and professional people. The last time I was in Bethlehem — five years ago — I stayed in a nice new hotel run by a Palestinian Christian family by the name of Canahuati. I asked the owner if he was related to the Canahuatis of San Pedro Sula, Honduras, and he said, “Yes!” When I pulled up the Facebook profile of one of my former students from that clan, he said, “Yes, she’s my first cousin. Tell her hello from me.” Small world.

among its longstanding Arab population from Galilee to Jerusalem are Christians who have been there since the time of the apostles. Those who recall the story of Pentecost in Acts 2 will remember that among the first believers were Arabs. This should come as no surprise, yet it is often the case that many Americans simply do not know the history.

To bring it all much closer to home, even right here at St. Michael’s, we have long been blessed with members of Arab and Lebanese Christian ancestry — the Saleeby and Courie families being notable examples. Indeed, one of our beloved staff members at St. Michael’s, Evelyn Saffadi Grizzard, who works in our finance department with Susan Little, is a Palestinian Christian. She told me her story and has allowed me to share it with you.

Evelyn’s father was from the coastal region of what is now Israel. His family were Roman Catholics who originated in Lebanon, settled in the ancient city of Safed, and eventually landed in Jaffa. In Arabic, Safed (Hebrew) is Safad, and following Arab naming conventions, her family name became Saffadi. Evelyn’s mother was from a longtime Jerusalem clan of Greek Orthodox membership.

Indeed, in my travels through the Holy Land, one of the things that has always impressed me is that

Historically, of the Palestinian Christian population, many have a primarily Arab ethnic ancestry. But, after so many centuries, there have long been intermarriages with persons of Greek, Cypriot, Armenian, Syrian, Coptic and European origins. Of the ancient Christian communities in Palestine, the major churches are Greek Orthodox, Roman Catholic (or Maronite) and Armenian Apostolic. The Anglican Communion presence is strong, too. Notably, the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem maintains its cathedral in Jerusalem and supports schools and hospitals throughout the region.

The first Arab-Israeli war of 1947-1948 ended with the formation of the modern state of Israel and the immediate expulsion of some 700,000 Palestinians from their homelands. As that conflict raged, Evelyn’s parents fled their homes with little but their clothes. Evelyn’s parents were children then, uprooted from their homes and forced to grow up in circumstances very different from their parents. Her father’s family left Jaffa for Jordan. Her mother’s family fled Jerusalem for nearby Bethlehem — where they stayed briefly — and then to Lebanon. Fortunately, they were able to rent homes there rather than live in refugee camps.

Grizzard and her parents celebrate Christmas in Wilmington, NC in 1969. Photograph courtesy Evelyn Grizzard

Evelyn’s grandfather kept the family in Lebanon but commuted back and forth to Palestine for work as an engineer. Eventually he found work in Ramallah in the West Bank, where they would live for some 20 years. Evelyn’s aunt and uncle went to the United States for college in the 1950s. In time, viewing the United States as a place of opportunity and stability, other family members also moved. One uncle joined the U.S. Army and served in Vietnam.

In 1967, Evelyn’s pregnant mother was staying with her extended family in Ramallah, West Bank, where she gave birth to Evelyn. Just days later, the Six Day War began, and her mother and newborn Evelyn fled the West Bank in a taxicab to Jordan. In 1968,

Evelyn’s parents were finally able to leave Jordan and join other members of the family in North Carolina, where they made their permanent home. This included her grandfather — the engineer — who died that year in the U.S., after he had worked tirelessly to bring many of his family here.

Evelyn and her immediate family have lived in North Carolina ever since, and her son is now on the coaching staff of the Miami Dolphins! They still have family living in Jordan and Palestine.

I keep all of these people in my mind when I read of the ongoing war in Palestine-Israel. I know Evelyn does. It is my hope that all of us will do the same when we think about this terrible crisis.

Let us never forget the humanity that suffers daily on both sides of the current divide. And while I grieve for those Israelis murdered by Hamas on October 7, 2023 and the longstanding suffering of Jewish people throughout history — I likewise remember that every Palestinian refugee has almost certainly lost family members to war, sometimes whole families. I remember that each refugee has been forced to leave behind not only homes, but homelands. Indeed, they are humans created in God’s image, just as we are, and moreover, many Palestinian refugees are also our colleagues, neighbors and fellow Christians.

Grizzard's aunt and uncle take part in her baptism at Latin Parish Church in Amman, Jordan on July 31, 1967, Photograph courtesy Evelyn Grizzard

We sat down with Evelyn Saffadi Grizzard to find out more about her family's incredible and moving story.

(This interview has been edited for clarity.)

What memories does your mother have of being a child during the first Arab-Israeli war (1947-1948)?

My mother was six years old during this unsettled period of time. Her family briefly moved from Jerusalem to Bethlehem, then to Lebanon for about six months, then finally settled in Ramallah, which is in the West Bank. When they fled their house in Jerusalem, she remembers that she left behind her doll and a favorite ladybug bracelet — her parents reassuring her that they would return home in just a few days. Her father did return to their home some weeks later but found it damaged from nearby explosions.

Until they settled in Ramallah, my mother said that it was a very worrisome time. It was hard to see the fear in her parents, to move around, and to adjust to new towns, new schools and new friends. It was especially hard on her father who was gone a lot and struggled to find a job and a safe place for them to settle down. At one point, her mother became quite ill. It was a scary and anxious time for the whole family.

war, there was no communication. My mother had no way of knowing if her mother made it back to Ramallah safely. In Amman, my mother would sometimes hear military aircraft flying overhead and worry about their intentions. About a month passed before she received word from a relative that her mother had safely made it back to Ramallah.

My mother told me that now when she sees the images on TV of the war and devastation in and around Gaza, it reminds her of how she felt around the time of my birth (May 30, 1967). It should have been a time of joy. It was at first, but when the war began soon after my birth — around June 5, 1967 — it became a time of fear and insecurity and survival. What is happening today is a reminder, an unbelievable déjà vu of everything she has gone through — the first time in 1948, when she was a child being protected by her parents; then in 1967, when she was a parent worrying for the safety of her own child.

It was hard to see the fear in her parents, to move around, and to adjust to new schools and new friends.

Just days after the Six Day War began in 1967, your mother fled the West Bank in a taxicab with you, a newborn infant. What does she recall about this experience?

My mom remembers the bravery of her own mother — my grandmother — who quickly got us in the taxi, away from danger and brought us to my dad and his parents in Amman. My grandmother had to leave her 3 youngest children alone in Ramallah while she took me and my mom to Amman. My grandfather had already left for the U.S. the day after I was born. Because of the

Do you still have family in the Middle East?

We have family all over the world, including several states in the U.S., Canada and Australia. We don’t know of any family now living in Jaffa or Ramallah. My dad’s only sister and her family still live in Amman, Jordan.

In 1978, when I was 11, my parents and I, along with some of our family in the U.S., returned for a month-long visit. In Amman, we visited my father’s parents, his brother, and sister and their families. This trip was my first time getting to know these family members, because I was a baby when we left for the United States. The only family we visited in what used to be Palestine was an aunt and some cousins living in Ramallah.

My parents traveled to the Middle East without me on two other occasions. During one of those trips, they returned to what used to be my dad‘s family home in Jaffa. There was a Jewish family living there at that time.

LoveyDovie

by THE REVEREND HOLLY GLOFF, ASSOCIATE RECTOR

Dovie is ready for her close-up. Photograph by Katherine Poole

Each morning as I walk into church and down to my office, Dovie — my nine-monthold Cavapoo (Cavalier King Charles/Poodle mix) — greets everyone with “it’s a glorious day!” It’s part of her “job.” She makes her way from the smiling face at the receptionist desk to the volunteer in the Canterbury Shop and down the hall, running headlong into each office to let everyone know she is on duty. She has trained some very kind staff members to keep treats — Goldfish will do nicely, thank you — that keep her motivated and on task.

I named Dovie for my Scottish grandmother — short, I’m sure for, “Lovey Dovie.” All of her grandchildren called her that. Since she lived in the United Kingdom, I didn’t see her often, but I thought the endearing name should be revived. And, it fits. Her namesake is a total lovey Dovie!

In order to spread her Lovey Dovieness around more efficiently, she has learned to act fast. To reach Robin Kennedy’s lap, it’s easier to go under her desk rather than around. Directness is her modus operandi. She lets you know by her actions and expressions exactly what she wants or needs. With a single cock of the head, she tells me, “You’re kidding, right? You want me to go out in the rain?” Her frisky hops let me know she is ready for a belly scratch or a toss of her little red ball. Dovie, save the occasional whine, silently gets right to the heart of the matter, a gift this priest has learned is valuable in pastoral care.

When I was in seminary, I had to learn that for someone in grief or distress, I could not fix everything. The hard truth is: I can’t fix anything. One must find peace on her own. One must come to her own decision. One has to hear her own voice say what she needs to do. As a faith leader, I can make suggestions until the cows come home, but my petitioner is not going to hear it until she says in her own voice what she needs to hear. My job is to make space for that, to be a quiet presence. One of

my favorite passages is Psalm 46:10, “Be still, and know that I am God.”

It reminds me of the story of Job. When Job experiences his crisis of faith, his friends sit with him in his grief. It all goes well until the friends offer up long expositions on what is wrong with Job. Not helpful. But isn’t that our tendency as humans? It’s a need we have to fix things, especially for those we care most about. We rush to finish others’ sentences, to guess what they're going to say, to hurry them along. We want to find answers. We want for them to no longer suffer, but in filling the space with our own noise, we are really only seeking to comfort ourselves.

Dogs (and, yes, even cats) are experts in being still, in offering nothing but their warm, soft presence, making space for peace and for God. Whether playing with a bit of string or snuggled on a lap, a pet is just letting a person be, giving her time to develop thoughts, think things through and be open to divine intervention.

I certainly know this firsthand. Many years ago, when my husband was very ill, our cat stayed right by his side — an ever present source of warmth and quiet companionship. After Rob passed away, I adopted Percy, a dog of the Lab-ish variety, who brought me such comfort in my own grief. Percy proved to be a steadfast friend and my first four-legged assistant in pastoral care. He accompanied me to the office and on many pastoral visits over the years. Percy was succeeded by Winston, my

beloved Cavalier King Charles, also known as a “love sponge.” When I tragically lost Winston last year, it did not take me long to find Dovie.

I live alone. There is a different energy in the house when only one person lives there, and I have found that with my fur friends, it’s comfortable when we’re at home or work together and can hang out and be.

In fact, as I am writing this piece, I have a cat behind my head on the sofa back, one by my side, and Dovie is making a racket with her squeaky red ball. They may not provide me with divine inspiration, but their presence is most certainly the embodiment of God — ever present, ever a source of comfort.

Even at her young age, Dovie’s pastoral prowess is already evident. The lovely ladies who gather every Thursday morning to knit prayer shawls have discovered Dovie’s healing power. Many of these women live alone, so thrive on our time together. But there is something extra about Dovie’s presence that imbues our mornings and work with pure lightness. She will chase her ball around our feet or crawl from lap to lap, providing “assistance.” Recently, one poor woman completely lost count of the row she was working on and resorted to knit one, scratch Dovie’s belly two, and knit again. Dovie’s antics give rise to such joy and inspire the sharing of stories. I like to think the hum of laughter and happiness are being knit into the very fabric of each prayer shawl.

When I interviewed with Greg for my position at St. Michael’s, I noticed the dog bed in the corner of his office. “Tell me about that dog bed,” I inquired. I knew that a church that welcomed dogs was a special place, one where God was right there roaming the halls, bringing comfort and quietly allowing people to just be.

Dovie offers "assistance" to knitter Barbara Elliott,. Photograph by Holly Gloff

GOD'S GOOD GIFTS

by THE REVEREND DAVID NICHOLS, ASSOCIATE RECTOR

I have never forgotten the vanity plate of a very nice German car which zoomed past me on I-40 a few years ago. It simply said, “EARNED IT.” At the time, it made me chuckle. Weirdly, the boast has stuck with me and I’ve thought about it often over the years. That’s because the question of whether we ought to understand the things we have as things we’ve earned, or as gifts given gratuitously is often on my mind. And the longer I live, the more I see that everything in life I really value is a gift from God, not something I have earned.

Before I go any further, let me say this. To be clear, I know that in some sense, yes, we do earn things. Beyond huge swings in luck — family of origin, place of birth, health, and natural gifts — which tremendously affect our likelihood of earthly success, we do exert some control over life’s outcomes through our talents and through the wisdom of choices we make. Moreover, I think it is important for the human spirit to embrace the idea of control

to an extent. It is important for our happiness and to flourish as human creatures to feel some sense of being able to direct our lives to their proper ends by the choices we make, rather than feeling we are merely victims or passive observers. When circumstances deprive us of the feeling of control, we may perceive we are without hope or worth, even though that loss can bring about liberation and growth.

ALL ISGIFT

So yes, in some sense, the driver of that car earned it. Presumably he earned it by being good at a lucrative job and making good financial choices as opposed to inheriting the money. But dear reader, I want to

suggest that to focus too much on what you have done to earn something is to make a grave error. It is not the path to happiness. And to assert that you are the primary reason for the existence and sustenance of your life — and all that is in it — is ultimately foolish.

My reasons for saying this go beyond the obvious ones that I have hinted at before. I mean more than simply saying that family of origin and place of birth give some of us a huge leg up in finding earthly success, true though this is.

Ultimately, it is not family of origin, a high IQ, good genes, or the corner office on the 80th floor that makes me who I am, and you, who you are. You and I are, because God brought all things into being from nothing. However you understand God to have been working in the so-called “natural” order of the world since the creation of time, God made me. And He made you. The One who is the reason there is anything at all is also the reason

that existence itself is sustained from moment to moment. That same God knows the number of the hairs on your head and knows the hour of our deaths. We are reliant on God's continuing will for the existence of creation and our lives to take even our next breath.

And so, fundamentally, we need to remember that all is gift, because all is God’s. “Without Him not one thing came into being,” John’s gospel declares. But we can think about all being gift on a more personal level, too. What is it that makes us truly happy? There are many ways we could answer this question, but the simplest is that what makes us happy is to love and be loved — to love God and be loved by Him. And through that love, we love family, friends, and neighbors and are loved in return.

be thinking of God’s other blessings in life as gifts, too.

This Lent we have a teaching series on Christians and money and how we should think of and use our money for the good of ourselves but also others. I wonder how differently we would behave if we thought of our wealth or talents, not primarily as things we have earned, but as things that — on a deeper level of truth — we have received from God for stewardship and good works? I suspect our impulse to share and to shower goodness on others would be stronger. And the extent of what is gift goes beyond possessions.

My wife and I were recently blessed with the birth of our second daughter. Our children and families are gifts from God — perhaps the greatest.

I urge you to consider — in the midst of the proper task of making choices and running your life in the best way possible — the great things in our lives to be gifts given and not earned. Our faith, friends, families, and possessions, as given by God are given not for our ownership, but as gifts to cherish, to give thanks for, to steward for the work of God’s kingdom, to treasure while we have them. The fragility of life is such that anything or anyone we love might not be ours for the entirety of our lives. This is hard to accept and devastating in some circumstances. Yet to give up our sense of control and to marvel and rejoice in the gifts God has given us — however long they last — might just help us to think about our lives appropriately. It is the free gift of God’s unending love, poured out for us, and promised to continue pouring

"FORBYGRACEYOU THROUGHHAVEBEENSAVEDFAITH,ANDTHISISNOTYOUR OWNDOING;ITISTHE GIFTOFGOD" EPHESIANS2

THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT

hotograph by Ashley Gitchell

LEADING BY EXAMPLE

by ASHLEY GITCHELL, SEMINARIAN

Participating in my church’s youth group throughout middle and high school in Charlottesville, Virginia proved to be one of the most formative experiences of my life. Every Sunday I would head to church in the evenings for dinner, games and formation, just like our youth at St. Michael’s do. I cherished my time in youth group as a restful place away from the chaos of school, sports and growing up. In the middle of the games, jokes and pizza nights, our leaders showed me where — and why — I needed faith in my life, and how God was already working, sowing seeds and loving me. Youth group felt like home and helped form me as a Christian.

My youth leaders cared about their faith and about the faith of their students. Enthusiastic about their mission, they provided a safe and fun place for us to be ourselves. They sensed when we were stressed and needed to decompress and tailored their talks and games around our needs.

From them, I learned about guided meditation. We would close our eyes and focus our breathing, then they’d ask questions for us to ponder — not to talk or share — just to reflect. How were we feeling? What was occupying our mental energy? What classes were struggles? Was there a relationship with a friend or parent that was tense? Then, they slowly switched gears and asked us to look for the little joys in our week, and where we found God, giving space for those who may not have

felt God’s presence, and letting them know that it was okay. They closed with having us recenter our breathing and focus on the negative emotions we felt, while reminding us of God’s love. The leaders reminded us that our negative feelings were very real and present, and that it was okay to pay attention to them and breathe through them, inviting an awareness of the Spirit in our lives amid the chaos and the joy. We ended with silence and prayer.

I’ll never forget the silence in the room, normally filled with noisy, rambunctious teenagers. Each one of us took the meditation seriously, because we knew we needed it. Our youth leaders developed in us a sense of spiritual need and understanding. It was not until future reflections that I understood they were teaching us spiritual disciplines to help us connect with God more deeply.

I still practice this meditation regularly when I feel overwhelmed or need to pause and reflect on God’s presence. I hope one day to provide this experience for our youth. One they can take with them as a lifelong spiritual discipline and reminder of God’s steadfast love and presence in the craze of our lives.

At the end of last summer, I felt ungrounded. I was new to the Triangle and didn’t have a church home. I knew I was missing the activity and community of a parish. That is when I received the email about becoming a youth minister at St. Michael’s. It felt like a little God wink. The Lord sent me a parish that I love and an opportunity to return to youth ministry and support the faith lives of the students of St. Michael’s, just as my youth leaders did for me.

My co-leader, Brett, and I are blessed with a wonderful church home. We inherited an incredible program from our predecessor, Abby Van Noppen. Junior and Senior EYC are flourishing, with an average of 30 to 40 middle schoolers and more than a dozen high schoolers attending most Sunday evenings.

During the fall semester, Brett, Andrew and I taught a series on the Lord’s Prayer. We slowly journeyed line by line with the help of scripture to explore what it means to pray what we pray. All of our students had memorized the prayer, but very few had spent time thinking about what it meant to say each of the lines. Our study began in Matthew 6:9-13

Forming bonds. Photograph by Ashley Gitchell

which showed our youth that this prayer was taught to us by Jesus as a way of connecting to God.

It is such a gift watching the youth grow more comfortable expressing their thoughts and asking questions in the group as they engage with their faith on a deeper level. The kids made some thoughtful observations, and we fielded tough questions, but I was most amazed by our youth’s reflections on heaven. They shared everything that came to mind when they thought of paradise — from angels and clouds to brightness and pearly gates. One student in particular, asked about their pets and family. Would our loved ones be there, and would we be able to recognize them? Joyfully, we responded that our family and fur friends are beloved and a critical part of how we express the love of God. Heaven will be a place that exemplifies that love. Youth have active imaginations, and it was powerful to witness them joining their musings with the words of the Lord’s Prayer — a moment so beautiful and simple, but creating a connection between them and the kingdom of God.

This semester we are using a variety of New Testament Scriptures to walk through the life of Jesus, including Luke 2 — the story of Jesus as a boy, who was lost and then found in the temple after three days. We don’t talk about this Bible story often, but it is endearing to read about the relationship between Mary and Jesus. We are also going to look at the accounts of Jesus’ baptism, his early ministry and his interactions with those he met on his journeys. We look forward

to the stories, talks and questions that we will encounter as a group.

On the horizon for EYC is the return of our summer mission trip, to Lumberton, N.C. We will partner with a new organization known as TeamEffort and are looking forward to bringing back this experience for Senior EYC members. From June 16-22, we will be painting, landscaping and making other home repairs, while building community. The students are excited about the return of the Mission Trip, and their enthusiasm has been overwhelming. We are hoping to take up to 16 kids and up to four adults on the trip, and we are already brainstorming this year’s T-shirt!

We recently returned from our ski trip to Winterplace in West Virginia with both Junior and Senior EYC. It was a blast! Our students represented St. Michael’s well, not to mention the way they took to skiing. (There was minimal falling and maximal shredding the gnar!) Even more special was their support of one another, giving pointers and helping each other with their gear.

On that Saturday evening, we had a great time watching the UNC vs. Duke basketball game. And, while the wrong team came out victorious, the game-day outfits and face paint made for an hilarious time. Brett, Andrew and I also marveled as the high school and middle school girls connected over card games. While highly competitive, it was also wonderful to witness deeper relationships and friendships build and grow over a deck of cards. We are already excited to start planning our return to the slopes next year!

Being with our students over the last six months has been such a gift from God, a reminder of the importance of youth groups in creating foundations for lifelong Christians. It has been a joy to rediscover that God’s kingdom is vitally present everywhere, from silly games of manhunt to breaking bread with friends from church. I am overjoyed to be contributing to the experience of faith and formation of the St. Michael’s youth, just as my youth leaders did for me. It was in my youth group that I learned that God was present in my friendships, in my quiet times, a quote from a television show, or a smile from a fellow parishioner as we walk out of church.

As a student in my youth group, I learned to seek out God’s presence in the small moments of our daily walk with Christ. I hope that over the next few months and year, our St. Michael’s youth will also find joyful little reminders of God in their daily lives, and that EYC will help them be present to God’s glory on this earth — whether it be through the exploration of Scripture, laughter in silly jokes, or the joy of competition and games.

Selfie with the girls Photograph by Ashley Gitchell

PREPARING THE SOIL

by BRETT MACDONALD, SEMINARIAN

Igrew up in an evangelical church in a small town along the coast of California. Growing up, I dreamed of following in the footsteps of my grandfather and becoming an attorney. However, in college, I discerned that God was calling me to another path — namely ministry. As I studied theology throughout my Catholic education at St. Mary’s College of California, I fell more deeply in love with liturgy, tradition and the study of theology. My desire to find a tradition that matched my interests eventually led me to confirmation in the Episcopal Church.

When I reflect on my faith journey and think about all the twists and turns that led me to seek a seminary education at Duke Divinity School, my time in middle school and high school youth group stands out as particularly formative.

Those six years are full of so much change and uncertainty. It’s a season where minds develop, identities are formed, and a whole host of questions get asked.

Questions like:

Who am I? Do I like who I am?

In times when I had a crises of faith, my youth group was there to remind me that God could handle my questions.

In times when I was questioning my identity, my youth leaders taught me that more than anything else I was God’s child.

God. While we know it’s God’s job to reap the harvest, our aim is to prepare the soil. To do this, we are conducting different Bible studies, creating small groups, planning confirmation material, and organizing retreats and mission trips. In each of these activities and in all of our conversations with the students, our hope is to nurture, support and deepen their faith.

Who is God? Who does God say I am?

I remain grateful to my church youth community to this day, because at an early age it allowed me to realize that these questions are not disparate, but rather intimately related.

When I think about the influential role that my youth group played in my spiritual formation, I aspire to create a similar experience for the youth at St. Michael’s.

More than anything, Ashley, Andrew and I are committed to making sure our EYC students know that God loves them, and that there is a place for them at this church. By sharing God’s love for each of these students, we hope to also cultivate their love for

1 John 4:19 says, “We love because [God] first loved us.” This is where our inspiration for loving and forming these kids well comes from. By loving our students, affirming God’s love for them, and raising them up in the Christian faith, we hope to create a community of young people that can bring God’s love to their friends, their schools and wherever else the Lord may lead them. It has been such a blessing to work with the youth here at St. Michael’s for the past six months. While I’ve worked with youth before, this is my first time leading a youth group. As a youth leader, I expected to teach the students about faith, but I’ve also been amazed by what they’ve taught me. It’s incredible to hear how the Spirit is moving in their lives, their perspective on the world and current events, as well as their curiosity about the core tenets of Christianity. Their excitement and zeal for life has renewed my spirit and has deeply encouraged me about the future direction of The Episcopal Church.

Team St. Michael's Photograph by Ashley Gitchell

and STAND STILL WAIT

by ROBERT MARSHALL

Have you ever stopped to consider the peacock? He is a beautiful bird, and his showy feathers are often a symbol of pride. Male peafowl are known for their piercing calls and their extravagant plumage. In Greek mythology, the peacock was believed to have sprung from the blood of Argos Panoptes, the hundred-eyed giant. According to Ovid, it was Zeus’ wife Hera who had Argos’ eyes preserved forever in a peacock’s tail so as to immortalize her faithful watchman. In another version, Hera transformed the whole of Argos into a peacock. Because of this connection, the peacock has been described as the special bird of Hera.

Beyond beauty, however, there is something deeper, symbolic and perhaps mysterious about the showy bird, especially in the story of Flannery O’Connor’s peacocks. O’Connor, if you are unfamiliar, was an American novelist, short story writer and essayist, perhaps best known for Southern fiction that she injected with humor, imperfect characters, re-

gional settings and religious themes. O’Connor also happened to raise peacocks. In 1930 when O’Connor was just five years old, a photographer traveled on assignment from New York to Georgia to take a picture of a chicken she had taught to walk forward and backward. She began collecting chickens, and birds of many varieties, but eventually “her quest,” as she called it, ended

with peacocks. She would later say that “instinct, not knowledge, led me to them.” Against her mother’s wishes she ordered peacocks, which arrived on a train from Florida — a peacock, a peahen and four seven-week-old peachicks. Over many years O’Connor observed them and learned about their habits and behavior.

Of the peacock, she writes, “For a chicken that grows up to have such exceptional good looks, the peacock starts life with an inauspicious appearance. The pea biddy is the color of those large objectionable moths that flutter about light bulbs on summer nights. Its only distinguishable features are its eyes, a luminous gray, and a brown crest which begins to sprout from the back of its head when it is ten days old. This looks at first like a bug’s antennae and later like the head feathers of an Indian. The cock’s plumage requires two years to attain its pattern, and for the rest of his life this chicken will act as though he designed it himself. For the rest of his life —

and a pea chicken may live to be thirty-five — he will have nothing better to do than to manicure it, furl it and unfurl it, dance forward and backward with it spread, scream when it is stepped upon, and arch it carefully when he steps through a puddle.”

Yes, the peacock seems to be a proud bird for certain, but to fully appreciate his beautiful display might require some patience. O’Connor tells of a time on her farm when the phone company sent a lineman out to repair a telephone. “Before he left, the man tried to coax a cock that had been watching him to strut. ‘Come on now, bud,’ he said, ‘get the show on the road, upsy-daisy, come on now, snap it up, snap it up.’

The peacock, of course, paid no attention to this. ‘What ails him?’ the man asked. ‘Nothing ails him, I said. He’ll put it up terreckly [sic]. All you have to do is wait.’”

O’Connor suggests that when we are in a hurry we might just miss something significant. When asked about the unique behavior of her birds, she described it this way, “When the peacock has presented his back, the spectator will usually begin to walk around him to get a front view. But the peacock will continue to turn so that no front view is possible. The thing to do then is to stand still and wait until it pleases him to turn.

When it suits him, the peacock will face you. Then you will see in a green-bronze arch around him a galaxy of gazing haloed suns. This is the moment when most people are silent.”

STAND STILL. And WAIT. Is there a more powerful lesson than that? The glorious peacock, proud, beautiful, overlooked— and sometimes stubborn— is symbolic of a direct whisper from - God.

Psalm 37:7 reads similarly. “Be still before the Lord, and wait patiently for Him.”

As a colorful symbol, the peacock features prominently in O’Connor’s short story The Displaced Person. The main characters react in different ways to the peacock. Interestingly, most of the characters don’t seem to notice the peacock at all. The protagonist, Mrs. McIntyre, is a widow who owns the farm where the story takes place. Efficient, practical and cost-conscious, Mrs. McIntyre complains that the peacock roaming her farm

“is just another mouth to feed.” The priest, in contrast, who comes to the farm to bring a Polish World War II refugee to work on it, is delighted by the bird. The priest calls the peacock “a beautiful bird with a tail full of suns.” Mrs. Shortly is a jealous, suspicious farm worker who tries to get the Polish refugee fired. Her mind wrapped up in her scheming, Mrs. Shortly fails to notice the peacock when it appears right in front of her.

O’Connor writes “the peacock jumped into the tree and his tail hung in front of her, full of fierce planets with eyes that were each ringed in green and set against a sun … she might have been looking at a map of the universe, but she didn’t notice it any more than she did the sky.”

O’Connor uses these characters to ask a deeper question, to persuade the reader toward introspection. In contrast to the owner of the farm and the farm worker, the priest is patient, observant, and doesn’t allow the mundane to interfere with his spiritual convictions. I believe that God has a message for each of us and will deliver it in a mysterious way. Are we open to hearing it?

She punctuates her message about faith and an open heart toward the end of the story. “The priest let his eyes wander toward the birds. They had reached the middle of the

lawn. The cock stopped suddenly and curving his neck backwards, he raised his tail and spread it with a shimmering, timbrous noise. Tiers of small pregnant suns floated in a green-gold haze over his head. The priest stood transfixed, his jaw slack. Mrs. McIntyre wondered where she had ever seen such an idiotic old man. ‘Christ will come like that!’ he said in a loud gay voice and wiped his hand over his mouth and stood there, gaping.”

Like the world in which O’Con nor’s characters move, ours is also an imperfect place. Our lives of ten mirror that imperfection. We forget appointments, we choose our phones over a good book, we hurry and forget to notice the small things along the way. God has given us a gift, and I believe that gift at St. Mi chael’s to be its people. Our parish is full of individuals with incredible talents, as I have discovered by serv ing alongside them on the Vestry.

Let us get to know our neighbors, to appreciate our differences, to delight in the unexpected encounter at a church supper, a committee meeting, or in the line for coffee on Sunday. We have the power to do so much good, and it begins with an intention toward stopping, listening, and being ready to hear God’s calling.

Robert Marshall served on the Vestry from 2019-2023, and was Senior Warden in 2023. He is married to Lo Benavides and they have two children, Emma Rose (14) and Charlotte (12). Both physicians, Robert and Lo maintain busy work schedules but enjoy skiing with their girls, trips to the beach, and family holidays in North Carolina and Texas. Stand Still and Wait is adapted from his remarks made as outgoing Senior Warden at St. Michael's annual meeting held December 3, 2023.

WORKS

CITED

Brown, Carolyn Julia. “Symbolism in the Stories of Flannery O’Connor.” Causeway Lit. Online Literary Journal, Fairfield University Masters of Fine Arts Program.

O’Connor, Flannery. “The King of the Birds.” Mystery and Manners, Farrar, Straus, & Giroux,The Noonday Press, 1961, pp 3-21. (Originally published as “Living with a Peacock” in Holiday magazine, September 1961)

O’Connor, Flannery. “The Displaced Person.” The Complete Stories, Farrar, Straus, & Giroux, New York.Thirty-first printing, 1990, pp 194–235.

Light show in the Manly Garden.

Photograph by Katherine Poole

THE SUN IN SUNDAY

by LOCKE RAPER

After a seven-year journey, St. Michael’s went solar on October 11, 2023.

As a result, the church now generates almost a third of its total annual power use from a solar rooftop system housed on the roof of the Parish Hall. “The money we save on our power bill through increased efficiencies in lighting and HVAC systems, and the kilowatts generated by our solar panels which we sell back to Duke Power, means more for mission, programs, staffing, and all that we do here for the furtherance of God's Kingdom,” says the Rev. Greg Jones.

The seeds for going solar were planted long ago, some twenty years ago, when the Rev. Greg Jones first came to St. Michael’s.

“When I drove around the back of the building, one of my first thoughts was, ‘Wow, this place is all roof,’” he recalls. “For at least six months of the year – for decades now – I have watched that enormous Parish Hall rooftop, angled so perfectly to the sun, giving off heat as the rays of the sun beat down on it.” And with the sun beating down on that large expanse of roof, the church’s power bills have continued to increase, year after year.

The idea for using the sun to help power St. Michael’s operations was first initiated by former parishioner Bruce Hunn while serving as the head of St. Michael’s Environmental Committee in the winter of 2016. A solar sub-committee jointly led by Bruce, David Knight and Locke Raper was created to pursue the idea. Its first stop was to reach out for help from Baker Roofing, which at the time was still in the solar business.

Baker provided a detailed analysis of what could be built and its potential benefits, inclusive of how much power use could be replaced with solar. The proposal was compelling, but unfortunately at the

time, given its non-profit tax status, St. Michael’s could not take advantage of the valuable tax credits and accelerated depreciation then available to reduce the installation cost of such a project.

In consultation with Greg Jones, the group decided that the project was too expensive for the church to undertake at that time.

“I wanted to make sure it provided enough electricity to truly make a dent in our power bills,” Greg recalls, “and not just be a decorative or political statement of some kind. And I wanted to do it, only when costs of installation in concert with grant money came together to make financial sense.”

Undeterred, the group began to explore other financing options. One avenue pursued was a financing approach, wherein a multi-parishioner funded LLC structure would underwrite the project in a way that the church could indirectly take advantage of the system’s tax credits. Ultimately deemed too complicated, the committee then began exploring whether a newly-passed law (HB 589) in 2017, permitting solar leases, could provide the answer.

The project remained dormant until August 2022. During that month, Congress passed the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). That legislation re-established the 30 percent solar investment tax credit. Even more importantly for tax exempt organizations like St. Michaels, it allows the church to use the tax credit directly, without an intermediary, via a mechanism called direct pay.

newly- reconstituted group’s mission is to positively impact St. Michael’s in four key areas: Capital Improvements to increase church sustainability, Community Involvement projects, Creation Care and Advocacy.

Rather than operating independently, more broadly the Creation Care Committee’s goal is to partner with St. Michael’s many well-established ministries to affect change both inside and outside of the congregation. By design, the committee sees its role primarily as a catalyst and information resource for existing committees that may want to incorporate sustainability awareness and related initiatives as part of their programming.

I wanted to make sure it provided enough electricity to truly make a dent in our power bills and not just be a decorative or political statement of some kind. —the Rev. Greg Jones

By the following summer, a generous Duke Energy solar rebate program for non-profits breathed new life into the project, and with Baker exiting the solar business, the committee found a new partner in Southern Energy Management. The economics finally made sense. The Duke Energy rebate allocation was secured, the project was presented to the Vestry and — after doing additional due diligence — was blessed for funding in March of 2020, just as Covid hit. As with everything else during the pandemic, the project was put on pause.

With the combined project funding impact of the Duke Rebate and IRA, St. Michael’s solar dream was finally set to become a reality and at a net cost that was 60 percent less than originally envisioned. The committee re-engaged and the Vestry robustly supported moving forward. Susan Little, St. Michael’s Financial Administrator, and Bryan Bickley, the church Treasurer, deftly managed the project funding, and parishioner and attorney David Sousa delivered a master class in contract negotiation, resulting in an official project greenlight in May of this year.

Encouraged by the success of the solar project, last summer a group of environmentally-minded parishioners decided to reassemble what had formerly operated as the St. Michael’s Environmental Committee. Re-energized and now operating as the Creation Care Committee, the

To that end, the committee will be holding a regular monthly meeting at St. Michael’s to discuss various topics related to areas of committee focus. All members are welcome and encouraged to come join the group and/or just listen in on specific topics of interest.

Creation Care Committee meetings are held in the Adult Education Room at 6 p.m. on the second Monday of each month.

Locke Raper has served as an active member of the Creation Care Committee since 2015. He is married to Mary Allison Raper and they have two children Locke (9) and Kate (7). Both are busy as development professionals by day, then enjoy watching their children play sports and spending family holidays skiing and at the beach in North Carolina.

Go Boldly

by KATHERINE POOLE

photography by FRANCES PENICK

The ruins of Ancient Corinth.

Give praise to the LORD, proclaim his name; make known among the nations what he has done, and proclaim that his name is exalted. Sing to the LORD, for he has done glorious things; let this be known to all the world.

—Isaiah 12:4-5

Perhaps no man took up this mantle more resolutely than the Apostle Paul, who made delivering the Good News the mission of his life. Paul made two missionary journeys into Greece, and it is from these travels that our former Vicar, the Rev. Dr. Jamie Pahl, and parishioner Frances Penick, have drawn inspiration for Setting Sail with Paul: Proclaiming the Good News of Christ, a pilgrimage by land and sea.

The word Jamie and Frances use to describe Paul is tenacious. He was relentless in his pursuit of spreading the Gospel, and to venture into Greece — a pagan territory mostly uncharted for Christians — took bravery and fortitude and ultimately cost him his life. Such a journey bears exploring, both spiritually and physically, for modern Christians can use a lesson in boldness.

To go boldly, members of St. Michael’s and All Saints Church in Chevy Chase, Maryland (Jamie’s new parish) are invited on a 13-day pilgrimage that combines the luxury of a Mediterranean cruise with walking excursions to important landmarks in Paul’s travels.

the place Mary lived after Jesus was crucified. The Beloved Disciple John was instructed by Jesus to protect and care for her, so he took her to Ephesus, in what is now Turkey.

“It is powerful. You can feel a presence right there,” Frances says of the dwelling. (She visited the site on a previous trip.) In addition to learning the history of each location, she and Jamie will share Scripture, readings and prayers to engage fellow pilgrims in deeper understanding.

“To learn about Paul’s tenacity is inspiring.” Frances says. “The more you learn about him … it’s no wonder God wanted him to spread the word. And, it’s no wonder he was struck down for it. He was a fighting man. I mean, he fought for the cause. He fought for the Gospel. By following in his footsteps and learning about his tenacity, we can have that boldness to go out and proclaim the Gospel, the good news of Christ.”

From October 22-November 4, pilgrims will cruise the Mediterranean Sea, taking in the exquisite surroundings, as well as follow in Paul’s footsteps to the sites where he spread his ministry: Athens, Corinth, Santorini, Ephesus, Mykonos, Thessaloniki and Kavala. Imagine standing at the Areopagus (also known as Mars Hill) — a rock outcropping near the Acropolis — the place where Paul is reported to have delivered a sermon that led to the conversion of many Greeks to Christianity.

“This is real. He was a real man. And this is a real place,” Frances adds. The tour includes a visit to

Aboard ship, pilgrims will gather to further study the teachings of God’s Word, as well as enjoy fellowship, songs of worship and a celebration of the Holy Eucharist. With plenty of down time to soak in the beauty of the Mediterranean — its sparkling blue waters, quaint villages, master artisans and delectable cuisine — this pilgrimage is as pleasing to the senses as it is stirring to the soul. Setting Sail with Paul is an audacious invitation.

“It’s all about getting fired up about proclaiming your faith!” Frances says with a laugh. “The more you learn about Paul, the more comfortable you become in your own faith. And with that comfort, the boldness comes. It comes.”

For more information about Setting Sail with Paul and a link to the travel brochure, please visit holymichael.org/news-events.

Ruins at the Basilica of Philippi

A look back at the Reverend Greg Jones' twenty years of ministry at St. Michael's. Join us in celebrating this milestone on Sunday, April 14 at the 10:00 a.m. service with a reception to follow in the Parish Hall. Photographs by Susan

and

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Catherine Fain

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Offering up a prayer for the Rev. Greg Jones on the occasion of his 10th anniversary as rector of St. Michael's on September 14, 2014. Photograph by Susan

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