THE FOURTH EPISTLE SAINT JOHN’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH MOBILE, ALABAMA The Reverend Thomas Heard, Rector The Protestant Episcopal Diocese of the Central Gulf Coast The Right Reverend James Russell Kendrick, Bishop
Vol. XXVI, Issue 8
August 2016
FROM THE RECTOR: Dear Ones As I write this, we are a little over three weeks from the 51st annual pilgrimage to Hayneville, Alabama. Last year, the 50th, brought lots of celebrity to Hayneville; I doubt that this year will have quite so many. I think that’s OK, though. While marking the Golden Anniversary of a marriage is a joyful and loving celebration, I’m not quite sure that a modern-day martyrdom is anything close to the same kind of celebration. Perhaps we can recall the reasons for the event, the events that led to a senseless loss of life in 1965. This was the year following the Civil Rights Act of 1964. While the ink was dry, the implementation was still in its infancy. People from all over the U.S. came to Selma, Montgomery, Birmingham to work for the manifestation of the rights that congress had enacted. I was twelve and have only vague recollections of that time. Certainly, Saint Louis was no poster child for reform, but it was not a tinder keg like the deep south. Jonathan Myrick Daniels wanted to be in the midst of it. He’d been a seminarian at the Episcopal Theological School at Harvard University in Cambridge, MA. Daniels heard Dr. King’s appeal for help in securing the right to vote in March of 1965. King was asking for workers for the vineyard and Daniels answered the call. He arranged to be sponsored by the Episcopal Society for Cultural and Racial Unity and to be allowed leave from the seminary. For Jonathan, his resolution to be one of the workers was underscored by the words of Magnificat: He had put down the mighty from their seat, and hath exalted the humble and meek. He hath filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he hath sent empty away.
Daniels recognized the call to Love God and Love Each Other in that text. His action to respond to that call by personal involvement was, to my way of thinking, extraordinary. He was in a place of learning, academic challenge; a place where he would do brilliantly. But, he didn’t stay there. From his writings, we know that he felt compelled to take action, to be part of the force for justice. Jonathan surrendered his life to Jesus; that’s what led him to seminary. His discipleship to Jesus Christ, his willingness to leave everything behind for the opportunity to follow where Jesus led him cost him his life. You’d think, that as reasonable human beings, capable of rational thought and the passage of many years, we would have put racial tensions to bed long ago. Remembering back two summers to 2014 and the events in Ferguson, MO are a stark reminder that not everything is A-OK. Our local incident involving Michael Moore and the responses to it point at the problem like a flashing neon sign. Then there’s the incidents in St. Paul, MN, Baton Rouge, LA, and Dallas, TX. It makes me wonder if we’ll ever really learn. Will we ever come to understand that color of someone’s skin, their country of origin, their religion, language, sexuality, doesn’t make a person better or worse? Will we ever entirely manage to see that all are God’s children, deserving of love and respect? Will we ever know that differences are not walls between us? Will we ever see that diversity offers opportunities for greater understanding and creativity? These are all Kingdom of God values. They are what we should be striving for. —Thomas
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HIGHLIGHTS OF THE AUGUST LITURGICAL CALENDAR The Transfiguration of Our Lord We will celebrate the Feast of the Transfiguration of Our Lord Jesus Christ on Saturday, 6 August at 5:30PM. This will be a said mass commemorating Jesus’ physical and spiritual remanifestation. The Roman calendar didn’t include the Transfiguration until just before the Reformation, and in The Episcopal Church, we didn’t include it until the 1892 Prayer Book. It has, however, been in the Eastern church’s calendar for a very long time. In their theology, the Transfiguration prefigures Jesus’ resurrection and ascension. Laurence of Rome Our regular Wednesday Mass on August 10 will commemorate Laurence of Rome, deacon and martyr. Laurence was martyred during the persecutions initiated by Valerian in 257. In this program, all properties of the Church were confiscated and assemblies of Christians were banned. Laurence, in replying to interrogation about the church’s treasure is said to have replied that “the sick and the poor are the treasures of the Church.” Laurence was among seven deacons and Pope Sixtus II who were captured in the catacombs outside Rome. The pope and six of the deacons were executed on the spot. Six days later, tradition holds that Laurence was roasted alive on a gridiron.
Please make the following changes/ additions to your 2016 St. John’s directory: Marion Wallace 351 Conti St., Apt. 1012 Mobile, AL 36602 Bessie Southall c/o Allen Memorial Home 735 S. Washington Ave. Mobile, AL 36603 Don’t have a new directory? Pick one up next Sunday in the Great Hall or call the church and we will drop one in the mail to you.
Saint Bartholomew One of the Twelve, Bartholomew is known only by his inclusion in the list of disciples in the Gospels of Mark, Matthew, and Luke. Some sources credit Bartholomew with the writing of a Gospel that was known to Saint Jerome and the Venerable Bede. Eusebius reports the existence of a copy of the Gospel of Matthew in Hebrew that was purportedly given to the church by Bartholomew. We will celebrate Saint Bartholomew on Wednesday, 24 August, with a said mass at 10:00AM. Aidan of Lindisfarne Aidan was the head of a new mission in the north of England in the early 600s. It was located not at York, but on an island off the northern coast – Lindisfarne, which reminded him of his monastery home on Iona, off the northwestern coast of Scotland. With his monks, Aidan restored Christianity to Northumbria and throughout the midlands and as far south as London. A tireless worker for the Gospel, Aidan died in 651. We will commemorate his life at 10:00AM on Wednesday, 31 August.
EPISCOPAL VISITATION Bishop Russell Kendrick will be visiting St. John’s on Sunday August 14. He will have breakfast with the vestry at 8AM, followed by a general meeting with the parish at 9AM in the Great Hall. All are encouraged to attend this meeting, immediately before the regular 10AM Eucharist.
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Outreach The regular meeting of the Wardens and Vestry of Saint John’s Church was called to order by Fr. Heard at 11:40 AM on Sunday, 10 July 2016.
SCHOOL SUPPLIES FOR LEINKAUF SCHOOL
The agenda was approved as proposed. Connie Anderson was excused. The minutes of the June meeting were approved as submitted.
The Outreach Committee has chosen our local elementary school, Leinkauf Elementary School as our “partner” school this year. The school supplies we are asking you to bring this month will be going directly to the classrooms rather than directly to the children. Many of the children at Leinkauf come from families that cannot afford to provide more than the very basic school supplies for their children; supplies like tissues, paper towels, and hand sanitizer are needed in classrooms, but cannot be put on school supply lists...only on “wish lists”. (Just think about how many tissues a class of 24 children can go through during allergy season!) Yes, the “traditional” school supplies are needed: pencils, notebook paper, crayons, scissors; but remember the “non-traditional” supplies too: paper towels, tissues, hand sanitizer. These are the supplies that, more often than not, teachers are purchasing themselves for their classrooms. Let’s help out our local elementary school!!
The Outreach Committee is contributing to Episcopal Relief and Development for the flooding in West Virginia The Parish Picnic will be held on 24 July. Darren Anderson will be grillmaster James Christiansen reported that the locks on the gates have been replaced. He also requested approval for a replacement surveillance system; the Vestry concurred. Fr. Heard reported that the Deepwater Horizon award was lost by the post office. He has requested that it be reissued.
PARISH LIFE
Nothing to report concerning the comprehensive landscape plan. Roof repairs (Great Hall) are still outstanding.
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August 14th Bishop Kendrick will be coming to visit: We will be having a reception after the service, the sign-up sheet is on the bulletin board.
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No 4th Sunday Potluck in August—we’ll start back up in September.
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St. John’s 60 years at the cannon anniversary will be celebrated on Sunday, October 9th: Sign up for a committee now.
The bishop will visit on 14 August. 60th
Planning continues for the Anniversary Homecoming Celebration. The meeting was adjourned with prayer at 12:20 PM
Be sure to check out the wonderful article about Jim Hayward and Rhonda Clark’s new art gallery in Independence, KS. It is on the bulletin board in the hallway.
8 Dominic 830A MP
15 Saint Mary the Virgin
22 830A MP
7 Pentecost 12 10A HE
14 Pentecost 13 9A Time w/Bishop 10A HE 11:30A Reception
21 Pentecost 14 10A HE 1130 ECW
28 Pentecost 15 9A Telling our Story 10A HE
29 830A MP
Newsletter Deadline
1 Joseph of Arimethea 830A MP
HE = Holy Eucharist MP = Morning Prayer
Rector on Vacation
MONDAY
SUNDAY
30 830A MP
23 830A MP
16
9 830A MP
2 830A MP
TUESDAY
18 William Porcher DuBose
11 Clare of Assisi 830A MP
4 830A MP
THURSDAY
31 Aidan of Lindisfarne 830A MP 10A HE
6 Transfiguration 5:30P HE
SATURDAY
26 830 A MP
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27 Thomas Gallaudet with Henry Winter Syle
20 Bernard of Clairvaux
12 Florence Nightingale 13 Jeremy Taylor 830A MP
5 830A MP
FRIDAY
Omitted: 8/07 – John Mason Neale, Priest, 1866 8/14 – Jonathan Myrick Daniels, Seminarian, Witness for Civil Rights, 1965 8/28 – Augustine of Hippo, 430
25 Louis of France 830A MP
Rector on Vacation
24 Saint Bartholomew 830A MP 10A HE
17 10A HE
10 Laurence 830A MP 10A HE
3 830A MP 10A HE + Unction
WEDNESDAY
AUGUST 2016 AT SAINT JOHN’S
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14 August HE-II, EP-B
21 August HE-II, EP-B
28 August HE-II, EP-B
LECTIONARY AND ROTA FOR AUGUST 2016 7 August HE-II, EP-B
Date Service Lectionary Day
Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost
Sirach 10:12-18 Psalm 112 Hebrews 13:1-8, 15-16 Luke 14:1, 7-14
Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost
Isaiah 58:9b-14 Psalm 103:1-8 Hebrews 12:18-29 Luke 13:10-17
Connie & Budd McLean
Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost Episcopal Visitation
Jeremiah 23:23-29 Psalm 82 Hebrews 11:29-12:2 Luke 12:49-56
Melissa Brown
Budd McLean Geri Moulton
Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost
Genesis 15:1-6 Psalm 33:12-22 Hebrews 11:1-3,8-16 Luke 12:32-40
Connie & Bob Anderson
Kathe Gieseler Cheryl Winters-Heard
Paula Ross
C Proper 17 RCL GC
Lessons
Irene & Butch Yeager
Janet Buckley Denise Dunham
Jan Joseph
Ron Waites Ron Brown
C Proper 16 RCL GC
Greeters Ron Waites Connie Anderson
Pat Fulford
Mary Sheffield Connie Anderson
Ron Brown
C Proper 15 RCL GC
Lectors Ron Brown
Paula Ross Butch Yeager
Ron Waites
Marie Brown
C Proper 14 RCL GC
Intercessor
Geri Moulton Ron Waites
Paula Ross
Connie Anderson Jennifer Anderson
Janet Buckley Eugene Johnston
Color
Eucharistic Ministers
Ron Brown
Connie Anderson Jennifer Anderson
Connie Anderson Janet Buckley
Cindy Gass Connie Anderson
Green
Eucharistic Visitor
Donna Waites Irene Yeager
Butch Yeager Connie Anderson
Marie Brown Butch Yeager
Green
Altar Guild
Geri Moulton Eugene Johnston
Jennifer Anderson Andrew Lee
Green
Vestry Teller
Connie McLean Pat Fulford
Green
Nursery
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PARISH LIFE
PARISH PICNIC LaNeisha Anderson brings out the burgers
Darren Anderson "Grill Master"
The Annual Indoor-Outdoor Parish Picnic was held on Sunday, July 24. The turn-out was great, the food was great, and everyone had a really nice time—and the inside part meant no heat and no bugs!!!
Lots of good food and lots of yummy desserts! (Photos by Irene Yeager.)
Church Work Day Saturday, August 6 8AM-12 Noon Contact James Christiansen for more information.
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Mac Pearce Julia Heard Andrew Lee Kat Velaski Kathe Gieseler James Christiansen
08/01 08/03 08/03 08/03 08/07 08/11
Eugene Johnston Bootsie Cieutat David Rich Marion Wallace David Jones
08/21 08/26 08/27 08/27 08/29
Curtis & Cindy Gass 08/19
Contact Us Staff: The Reverend Thomas Heard, rector rector@stjohnsmobile.org For healing grace and continued strength, we pray for our members: Thelma Lomers, Mary Jones, Bessie Southall, Jayson Chestang, Budd McLean, Joyce Lee, Donna Waites. For our Homebound:
Louis Daniel Organist & Choir Director music@stjohnsmobile.org Lella Lowe Financial Secretary finance@stjohnsmobile.org
Mae Dunn, Nell Kirk, Lorraine Murray, Alice Schablinski, Catherine Warren, Chick Wohlert.
Jack Ruppe Sexton
For victims of war and their families, and members of our Armed Forces and their families: Ellis Garner, Eric Mattoon.
Vestry: Connie Anderson
For our Friends and Family: Jerry Wigfield, Scott Latsch, Karen Davis, David Pearce, Charlie Coles, Joyce Bolden, Marsha Gilmore, Anna Marie Brown, Mary Jo Vinson, Kellie Roberts‑Bryars, David Bryars, Bonnie Jernigan, Troy Fisher, Kaye Turner, Katelynn Tillman, Britney Butler, Ann Hall, John Hawlicheck, Angie Leon, Neal TournÊ, Sandy & Ray Michel, Brenda Bateman, Connor Crist, Blake Bennet, Starley Anderson, Paul Nelson, Barbara Bassett, Krystal Hiatt, Robert Cochran, Sr., Irene Barrow, Elias Bates, Donnie Chestang, Bill Jones, Mark Stiber.
Ron Brown Janet Buckley, treasurer James Christiansen, junior warden Cindy Gass, senior warden Eugene Johnston Geri Moulton Nikki Shaw, clerk Butch Yeager
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Saint John’s Episcopal Church 1707 Government Street Mobile, Alabama 36604
Nonprofit Organization U.S.POSTAGE PAID Mobile, Alabama Permit No. 607
RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED
Come Worship With Us! Monday—Friday: 8:30AM Morning Prayer
Parish Office Monday-Thursday 9:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.
Sunday: 9:00AM Adult and Youth Christian Formation 10:00AM Holy Eucharist
Telephone: 251-479-5474 Fax: 251-473-1230 www.stjohnsmobile.org
Wednesday: 10:00AM Holy Eucharist; Healing on the 1st Wednesday of the month.
Thee Store Episcopal Books Monday Wednesday Thursday 9 a.m.-1 p.m. and by appointment
Other Feasts and Holy Days are observed throughout the year; please see our website for the latest schedule.
Telephone: 251-479-5086
SAINT JOHN’S: THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH IN MIDTOWN MOBILE Grounded in shared sacramental life and moving into the world to be the hands of Our Lord.