January 2018
St. Mark’s News Volume 22/Issue 1
From Father Bill: A Deacon Comes Among Us We will have an exciting addition at St. Mark’s this January. Our seminarian, Brian Prall, will return to us from the Diocese of Chicago as a deacon. Brian was ordained during the Christmas break on December 16. For Brian, this is a “transitional” phase, since we anticipate he will be ordained priest next summer after graduation. Accordingly, he will be considered a “transitional deacon.” What is a deacon? Well, it is the first of three orders in our Church, and is the foundational order. When I was ordained deacon, even though I was to be subsequently ordained priest, my Bishop told me that the first ordination, as deacon, would be the one that would change me. He was right. It changed everything. More than just wearing a collar or a stole, it meant an entirely different life in service to the Church. Brian will undertake subtle changes in his role: he will read the Gospel, for instance, and set the Lord’s Table and sometimes administer the paten. But more of substance, he will be in service in a wide variety of roles to the Church, as God guides him forward. Some persons are called to be permanent deacons, as opposed to those like Brian who are “in transition” to the priesthood. This is also an important role in the Church, which was strongly revived by Bishop Wimberly in our Diocese some years ago. Today we have many distinguished permanent deacons serving parishes in Texas and enriching life in worship and in outreach. We recently saw the involvement of Deacon Victoria Mason who guided the discernment process for our own Christine Brunson here In this Issue at St. Mark’s. At Diocesan Council, permanent deacons play a very visible role in the worship and From Fr. Bill ............................... 1 conduct of our diocesan life. Parish Life ................................. 2 Outreach.................................... 3 Music Notes ............................... 4 Day School News ...................... 4 Christian Formation ................... 5 Parishioner Highlights................ 6 Celebrations .............................. 7 ROTA ........................................ 8
Let us welcome Brian as a deacon comes among us! Thanks be to God. - Fr. Bill
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January 2018
Parish Life Upcoming Events Adult Formation classes will be held on January 14th & 28th. Stay tuned to weekly announcements for more information. January 7: No adult formation. Instead, please join us in the Parish Hall at 10 a.m. for King Cakes as we mark the Feast of Epiphany with a celebration. Sunday, January 21, is the Annual Parish Meeting at 10 a.m.: a time to thank outgoing vestry members, elect five new vestry members, approve the 2018 budget, and enjoy fellowship with one another. On Sunday, February 4, Bishop Harrison will be with us at the 11:00 a.m. service for our annual Bishop’s Visitation and service of Confirmation/Reception and Baptisms. If any adults are interested in being confirmed or received in the Episcopal Church, or if you want a refresher class on the Episcopal Church, please contact The Rev. William Fowler: wfowler@stmarksaustin.org.
Thank you You have been incredibly generous to your clergy and our staff members. Thank you so much for the financial gift that we received during the Lessons & Carols service. Thank you as well for your generous gifts to the wider Austin community during the holiday season: $1,100 for El Buen Samaritano’s Hands for Hope Thanksgiving Basket Project; 54 “Coats for Kids” coat drive, sponsored by the Daughters of the King; and numerous Angel Tree Gifts for the SAFE Alliance. Thanks to Mark and our amazing choir and musicians for an outstanding service of Lessons and Carols, and for a lovely choral prelude on Christmas Eve. And thanks to the staff for all the extra work during a most busy time of year: year-end financial reports, a lively Christmas Pageant, extra music, and additional service bulletins!
The Page Turners Book Group: 11 a.m., First Friday of Each Month January 5 February 2
March 2
News of the World by Paulette Jiles (Amazon 4 1/2 stars) Set in the aftermath of the Civil War and a National Book Award finalist. The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen (Amazon 4 stars) Set in Viet Nam, the narrator is a Communist double agent. This is a sweeping novel of love and betrayal. It is a 2016 Pulitzer Prize winner for fiction. Shrouded by Meredith Lee (Amazon 4 1/2 stars) American graduate student Crispin Leads arrives at the Vatican to study the Shroud of Turin and becomes a witness to a murder and is subsequently drawn into the investigation of multiple homicides.
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January 2018 Monthly Men’s Group Meeting Then Men's Group meets the Second Monday of each month @ 6:30 p.m. for dinner and fellowship. Dinner is prepared by cooking groups that rotate each month. Men's Group is open to all men of St. Mark's. To get on the email list, contact Bob Peterek: rpeterek@austin.rr.com. Women’s Group Bunco Night The Women’s Group will meet on Monday, January 29, at 6:30 p.m. for Potluck & Bunco. All women of St. Mark’s are invited to come chillax after the holidays!
Outreach Thanks to you, this year's Angel Tree was a success! We provided 120 individualized gifts to 7 families that receive services from SAFE Alliance. We pray that these families could feel love and hope wrapped up with their gifts. As we begin this New Year, we are excited to share that the vestry approved a $1,000 donation to Cenikor Foundation, which provides services for substance use disorders and behavioral health treatment. Cenikor Foundation has facilities across Texas and Louisiana, including Baton Rouge, Houston, Fort Worth, San Marcos, Killeen, Temple, Waco, Tyler, and now north Austin. Beverly Hamilton, who started the Austin Diaper Bank, is now consulting for other local non-profits and approached St. Mark's about Cenikor's current needs. Beverly remembered our financial support of the Austin Diaper Bank when it was first starting. Cenikor Foundation provides a wide range of services for adolescents and adults, including detox services, adult short-term and long-term inpatient treatment, counseling (individual and group), and prevention. One of goals of Cenikor of Austin is to raise funds to pay for a part-time registered nurse, who would be able to administer specific medications to individuals currently detoxing. The timing of Beverly’s request seemed so significant as stories about the opioid crisis flood the news and media. Here are a few details shared from the NPR article ‘They Need Help’: Trump Faces Backlash for Slow Response to Opioid Crisis. In 2016, more than 64,000 people died from drug overdoses, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Center for Health Statistics. From March 2016 to March 2017, drug overdose deaths increased 40 percent in the state of Pennsylvania, 65 percent in Delaware and 114 percent in the District of Columbia. In late October, President Trump declared the opioid crisis a public health emergency, which gives states more leeway to use funds to address druginduced deaths in their state. Cenikor of Austin was very appreciative of our donation and has shared 2 tickets to their upcoming luncheon fundraiser, where professionals and people who have gone through treatment at Cenikor share their stories. To read more about the opioid crisis, click here and here. To learn more about Cenikor Foundation, please visit their website at www.cenikor.org. We look forward to maintaining a relationship with Cenikor and learning about their work here in the Austin area. El Buen Food Pantry collection: dried beans, 1 to 2 lbs. (No bulk-sized bags, please.)
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January 2018
Music Notes It’s that time of year again! We’re making New Year’s resolutions to live healthy lives and make the most of 2018. As we approach the season of Lent, many of us also resolve to focus more of our attention on faith and spirituality. Choir members tell me that the time they spend making music in the company of friends helps to fight stress, to put things in perspective, that it deepens their faith, and that it makes them feel better. Singing in a church choir is way to be physically and spiritually health. There is a special joy that comes from working as a team to create beautiful music. The awesome thing about a choir is that the whole is truly greater than the sum of its parts. Very few members of our St. Mark’s choirs have professional training or solo experience, but by joining our voices together we can do something none of us could do alone. We love music, we love to sing, and we love the friendships we make in choir. We warmly welcome you and your children to join us in one of our three choirs. January is a great time to start as we begin new music for winter and spring. Make MUSIC one of your resolutions! Choristers: This choir is for children in Kindergarten and Elementary school. This fun and friendly group of kids practices Wednesday evenings from 6-6:45 in the Common Room. Join us beginning on Wednesday, January 10th. Youth Ensemble: This group is for middle and high school youth. We practice about twice a month following the 11 a.m. Sunday morning service. This spring, we will be learning fun, challenging, and energetic pieces for performance in the Easter season. Contact Mark Reed (music@stmarksaustin.org) for more information about the rehearsal schedule. Adult Choir: The Adult Choir sings for the 11 a.m. service during the academic year. We are a welcoming, fun, and caring group who enjoy working on a diverse repertoire of sacred music. We are always excited to welcome new members, and there is no audition. We rehearse on Wednesday evenings from 7:00 to 8:30 in the Parish Hall. Join us beginning on Wednesday, January 10th. Please contact me (music@stmarksaustin.org) for information about our choirs and how you and your children can participate. Best wishes for a very Happy (and Music-Filled) New Year! Mark Reed Organist and Director of Music
Day School News The Head of School Search Committee is actively seeking qualified candidates for the Head of School position. Anne Wingler will be retiring this summer and the Day School is looking for a dedicated leader to follow in her footsteps. The job description is posted on the Day School’s website (stmarksdayschoolaustin.org). Please share with interested candidates who would lead this school with passion and excellence! St. Mark’s Day School Enrollment for St. Mark’s Parishioners begins on January 21st through February 4th! St. Mark’s has a wonderful, accredited (SAES: Southwestern Association of Episcopal Schools) Day School for children between the ages of 2 and 4 (pre-K). The Day School provides a safe, nurturing, and joyous community for children to experience and develop compassion, empathy, and creativity; to learn about and engage with the natural world, and to build a foundation for a life-long love of learning. The curriculum supports the healthy growth—mentally, physically, and spiritually—of children. Look for the applications in the Parish Hall!
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January 2018
Christian Formation, by Cindy Cabler, DRE As one year ends and another begins, it is often tempting to hasten ahead: put away the presents, clear away the Christmas decorations, throw away the wrappings and trims that looked so festive but are now just so much clutter. A new year means it’s time to get back to school and work, time to forge ahead. However, in our rush forward, we should not forget that there is still more to remember and celebrate. On January 6, the Church marks the Feast of the Epiphany, when Jesus, the Messiah of the Jews, is made known to all as the Savior of the world. During this season of Epiphany, we remember the magi, the strangers from the east, who followed a star to Bethlehem to find Jesus, the child who was born to be king of the Jews. We understand by the luxurious gifts they present to the child – gold (for royalty), frankincense (burned during worship and prayer), and myrrh (for anointing bodies prior to burial) – that the magi recognized the significance of Jesus’ birth. We also learn the story of Jesus’ baptism, and we can consider our own baptismal vows. We reflect on the various manifestations of Jesus as he was recognized as the Messiah by different people. I have to be frank here: after all the excitement surrounding the birth of Jesus, the tale of the three wise men or the baptism story sometimes seem a bit like a postscript, a coda to the “main event” of Christmas. However, I have found the following illustration helpful for placing Epiphany into the correct context. In Welcome to the Church Year: An Introduction to the Seasons of the Episcopal Church, educator John Russell is quoted, “Advent begins in darkness and moves toward the light with the lighting of the Advent candles. Christmas proclaims the presence of the light. Epiphany calls us to spread the light.” By focusing on the theme of expanding light, we see Epiphany, also called the Feast of Lights, as a continuation of our celebration of Christ as the light of the world. On Sunday, January 7, at 10 a.m., everyone is invited to ponder the mystery and wonder of this season as we enjoy King cakes and look forward to the new year and events to come: January 7 – Christian formation classes for children will meet. January 14 – Christian formation classes for children will meet. January 21 – Annual Parish Meeting – no classes will meet, but children will gather in the Common Room for activities while the adults attend the meeting. January 28 – Christian formation classes for children will meet. I would be remiss if I ended this article without acknowledging how St. Mark’s families have made this passing Advent so memorable. Your participation in everything that goes on around here—wreathmaking, share-a-sweet, choristers and youth ensemble, pageant, youth lectors, Angel tree—is what has made these programs successful. Your contributions have made an impact and are appreciated. Thank you! I especially want to thank Becky Nolan for her advice about wreaths and Ellie Reshetnikov, Nancy Kibler, Mark Reed, Pam Johns, and Nancy Bachschmid as well as all the “pageant parents” and our youth who stepped up to help stage the pageant. I could not have done any of this without you! And looking ahead, I want to express my continued appreciation for the teachers, parents and other adults who work with our children and youth. I look forward to working with you in the new year!
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January 2018
Parishioner Highlights It is my pleasure to share with you this article which was written by Melissa (and I’m sure approved by Chris). I understand that the Blanding’s met on eHarmony, so it seems that dating sites can indeed assist in creating wonderful relationships! I can certainly equate with the “fun” time they are having raising 3 close-in-age daughters since my parents did the same, with shared tales of our “fun and games” upbringing. Melissa has served as our Junior Warden this past year, and we look forward to her leadership as Senior Warden in 2018. We thank you, Chris for your service with the Army. St. Mark’s acknowledges and thanks both Melissa and Chris for their involvement in leadership and guidance not only in the community but also in helping to make St. Mark’s a most wonderful place of worship! Beth Chenoweth
Melissa and Chris Blanding and their 3 daughters (Ella, Caroline, and Abigail) Chris was born in Temple, Texas. He moved to Bagdad, Arizona, as a young child and then to Pueblo, Colorado, in junior high. After high school, he moved to Pennsylvania for a few years before moving back to Texas to attend the University of Houston. After graduation he joined the Army, serving around the globe, culminating in a deployment to Iraq in 2005-2006. Chris currently works in technology sales for Cisco Technologies. Melissa was born and raised near Kerrville, Texas. She moved to Austin to attend The University of Texas and has remained. Before becoming a stay-at-home mom, she worked in state government. In her last position, she was the Deputy Director of Policy for then-Governor
Perry. For the past two and a half years she has volunteered as an appointee on the City of Austin Water and Wastewater Advisory Commission. Chris and Melissa started attending St. Mark’s in 2012 soon after getting married and were confirmed by Bishop Harrison in 2013. Since that time, they have both served as Lectors at the 11 a.m. service. Chris is currently involved in Men’s Group and is the Golf Committee Chair for 2018. Melissa is beginning her third year on the Vestry and currently serves as Junior Warden. She has also coordinated the Families with Young Children activities for the past two years. Their oldest two children were baptized at St. Mark’s, and they look forward to Abigail’s baptism soon. Chris and Melissa spend most of their time raising their three girls. They also enjoy wine, traveling, cooking, new restaurants, and reading. The Blandings: Chris, Melissa, Ella (4), Caroline (2), and Abigail (born in October) live in Circle C, but will soon be moving to their new home in Rim Rock, just outside of Travis County near the Salt Lick.
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January 2018
January Celebrations Birthdays Kerry Ascher James Nelson Charlie Ripoll Ann Rowe Jack Wilson III Tricia Dew Stephanie Grayson Walker Harris Bob Peterek Susan Willis Philip Denniston Philip Dixon Mark Breen Alyson Flynn Kathryn Camp Seth Randle Anika Minne Camila Minne Claire Ripoll Willow Aja Cecily Bennett Amy Bierbower Jim Jennings Matt Joyce
Jan 1 Jan 1 Jan 1 Jan 1 Jan 1 Jan 2 Jan 2 Jan 4 Jan 5 Jan 6 Jan 8 Jan 8 Jan 9 Jan 9 Jan 10 Jan 10 Jan 11 Jan 11 Jan 11 Jan 12 Jan 12 Jan 12 Jan 12 Jan 14
Beth Greenlee Martha Andre Robin Bridgewater Helen Randle Thorin Uwague Kevin Childs Wesley Cooper Amy Randle Kendra Roloson Belinda Romero Kay Slepr Xander Stockstill Dave Thiessen Evelyn Allen Vanessa Gonzalez Julia Grayson Carey Stangl Kevin Brady Laura Dannenmaier Carolyn Foote Carson Johnson Jack Steinberg Bill Kibler David Bowman
Jan 15 Jan 16 Jan 16 Jan 16 Jan 16 Jan 17 Jan 17 Jan 17 Jan 17 Jan 18 Jan 18 Jan 18 Jan 18 Jan 20 Jan 20 Jan 20 Jan 20 Jan 21 Jan 21 Jan 21 Jan 21 Jan 21 Jan 22 Jan 23
Glenn Dody Elizabeth Rogers Riley Russell Emma Genet Cheryl Smithers Georgia Farley Mark Mazac Soren Peters Maren Roloson Sarah Tso Henry Olivas Lloyd Schwartz Stephanie Young Alexandra Aboussie Decker Ayers Lucas Breen Kevin Francis Scott Lubeck Brenda White Rich Oppel Cristi Gehlken Alan Gomez Emily Peterek
Jan 23 Jan 23 Jan 23 Jan 24 Jan 24 Jan 25 Jan 25 Jan 25 Jan 25 Jan 25 Jan 26 Jan 28 Jan 28 Jan 29 Jan 29 Jan 29 Jan 29 Jan 29 Jan 29 Jan 30 Jan 31 Jan 31 Jan 31
Anniversaries Laura & Chris Delfausse Jennifer Pollard & Nick Ruiz Trish & Robert Dew Emily & Clint Rogers Laurel & Ron Kelly Lindy & Lee Siegismund Anjuli & David Martinez Kelly & Jonathan Vande Streek Resa & Sam Dunn
Jan 1 Jan 1 Jan 1 Jan 6 Jan 10 Jan 17 Jan 21 Jan 23 Jan 25
Caffeine Ministry Vestry Contact: Laura Merritt Jan 7: Danielle Adkins Jan 14: Susan & Rick Albers Jan. 21: Annual Parish Meeting: Grace Arsiaga & Nancy Bachschmid Jan. 28: Susan Baxter- Harwell & Phil Harwell
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January 2018
January ROTA
ALTAR GUILD
11:00
9:00
7:30
TIME
MINISTRY
January 7 Celebrating Epiphany
January 14 Youth Sunday
January 21 Annual Parish Meeting
January 28 Youth Sunday
February 4
LECTOR
Amelia Sondgeroth
Jon Dullnig
Jonea Raney
Nancy Middlebrook
Pattie Rose
LEM / ACOLYTE
Margarita Moreno
Nancy Middlebrook
Pattie Rose
Wes Raney
Jill Collins
USHERS
Beth Chenoweth Mary Smith
Judith & Jon Dullnig
Jonea Raney Jill Collins
Ed Shipsey Al McKinney
Danielle Adkins Stephen White
LECTORS
Penny Considine (1) Chris Considine (2)
Emma Kloninger Henry Janes
Brian Kelly (1) Mary-Alis Kelly (2)
Beatrice Reshetnikov Meredith Shaw Ryan Dempsey
Dodie Wells (1) Ariston Awitan III (2)
LEMS
Mike Thomasson Kim Buckner
Brian Prall Carol Oppel
Bill Kibler Becky Janes
Brian Prall Pam Castles
Christine Brunson Kim Buckner
ACOLYTES
Will Kelly Nora Kelly Lucas Breen Mairin Bachschmid Nancy B.
TBD Hunter Rogers Henry Janes Beatrice Reshetnikov Carol O.
Clay Buckner Matthew Awitan TBD Mairin Bachschmid Nancy B.
Ryan Dempsey Karen Milton Beatrice Reshetnikov Meredith Shaw Carol O.
Will Kelly Nora Kelly Lucas Breen Mairin Bachschmid Nancy B.
USHERS
Mark Breen Dee Ann Thomasson Dodie Wells Amalia de la Rosa
Mike Brode Phil Aboussie Ross Ramsey Stephanie Young
Ken Whalen Barbara Wilson Stephen Wilson
John Cooper Dan Bogard Lindy Siegismund Lindy Siegismund
Mark Breen Dee Ann Thomasson Dodie Wells Amalia de la Rosa
GREETERS
Yvette Webb
Diana Stangl
Laura Merritt Ellie Reshetnikov
Michael Meigs
Yvette Webb
LECTORS
Phil Aboussie (1) Barbara Dody (2)
Jennifer Jones (1) Mehron Azarmehr (2)
Michael Meigs (1) Karen Milton (2)
Andrew Poynot (1) Christie Stockstill (2)
Ann Seyler (1) Roger Seyler (2)
LEMS
Brian Prall Liz Davis
Dru Cabler Rex White
Rex White Liz Davis
Barbara Dody Jay Brown
Brian Prall Rex White
Matt Forrest Sam Forrest Ben Forrest Nick Forrest Jay
Emmaline Baxter-Harwell
ACOLYTES
Ryan Dempsey Jay Brown Clara Baumgart Josie Baumgart Cindy
Jay Brown Morgan Dew Xander Stockstill Jay
Luke Thiessen Claire Cabler Asher Poynot Emma Kloninger Cindy
Josef Genet Sam Forrest Clara Baumgart Josie Baumgart Jay
USHERS
Carolyn & James Wier JP Kloninger Bo Overstreet Rick Tennant John De Marines
Charles Brewer Bob Peterek Manuel de la Rosa Jim Nolan Ryan Marquess
Henry Olivas Yvonne Chavez Darlene Goodnight Debbie Thornal
Jodi Doran Jay Doran Pam Johns David Johns
Carolyn & James Wier JP Kloninger Bo Overstreet Rick Tennant John De Marines
GREETERS
Barbara Dody
Steve Niemeyer
Shelly Botkin Ryan Marquess
Jean & Frank Severn
Barbara Dody
Sat. 9:00
Jonea Raney-TC Jill Collins Carolyn Wier Pat Bullock
Diana Stangl-TC Evelyn McMillen Karen Milton Clara Bogard
Henry Olivas Tina Stonebarger Dodie Wells
Judy Elkins-TC Darlene Goodnight Karen Milton Susie Baxter-Harwell
Jonea Raney-TC Jill Collins Carolyn Wier Pat Bullock
Dee Ann Thomasson-TC
DEPOSITOR
Jim Nolan
Shelly Botkin
Al McKinney
Cecily Bennett
Megan Ching
WED. 6 p.m.
January 3
January 10
January 17
January 24
January 31
LECTOR
Pattie Rose
Dodie Wells
Jonea Raney
Rex White
Jay Brown
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January 2018
Vestry Clarence Bonnen, Sr. Warden Melissa Blanding, Jr. Warden
Vestry members: Dan Aja, Mike Brode, Dru Cabler, Jill Collins, John Cooper, Scott Forrest, Marjie Lawrence, Ryan Marquess, Laura Merritt, Becky Poynot, Pattie Rose, and Ann Seyler.
To view the monthly calendar of events at St. Mark’s, visit our website: www.stmarksaustin.org.
Committees
Staff
Acolytes: Jay Brown, Carol Oppel, Cindy Cabler, Kim Kiplin, and Nancy Bachschmid
Interim Rector The Rev. William Fowler
Altar Guild: Karen Milton Building Committee: Amelia Sondgeroth Christian Formation: Cindy Cabler Communications: Pattie Rose Daughters of the King: Judy Elkins Women of St. Mark’s: Diana Stangl Facilities: Ray Smith Finance: Diana Stangl Outreach: Laurie Mayor
Deadline for the February 2018 St. Mark’s News is Monday, January 15, 2018. Please submit your article by email as an attachment to: stmarksaustin@gmail.com.
Parish Life: Brenda White Pastoral Care/Health Ministry: Jonea C.S. Raney Stewardship: Amelia Sondgeroth, Dru Cabler
Associate Rector The Rev. Dr. David W. Peters Director of Religious Education Cindy Cabler Organist/Director of Music Mark Reed Seminarian Brian Prall Head of Day School Anne Wingler Parish Administrator Joanne Foote Newsletter Editor Becky Janes
Ushers: Ryan Marquess St. Mark’s Episcopal Church 2128 Barton Hills Drive Austin, TX 78704 512.444.1449 www.stmarksaustin.org office@stmarksaustin.org
CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED
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