St. Mark's News

June and July 2018

St. Mark’s News Volume 22/Issue 6

What is General Convention and Why Should I Care? By David W. Peters There is a tiresome but somewhat true Episcopalian joke that goes something like this: When you go into a Roman Catholic sacristy, there will always be a picture of the Pope displayed on the wall. When you go into a Presbyterian sacristy, there will always be a picture of John Calvin holding his Institutes. When you go into an Episcopalian sacristy, there will always be a full-length mirror. Yes, we clergy types do enjoy fine vestments at times. I don’t know about you, but when I watched the Royal Wedding at the St. Mark’s Watch Party, I kept wondering who made the vestments and why the commentators weren’t saying much about them.

The reason we don’t have a picture of the Pope on the wall goes back to the 16th Century English Reformation, where King Henry VIII (Prince Harry’s real name) separated the English Church from the authority of the Pope in Rome. Henry placed himself at the head of the English Church, with the assistance of the Archbishop of Canterbury, and the rest is history.

Many colonists who came to the new world were Anglicans, especially in Virginia (named after our favorite Church of England Queen) and in the other southern colonies. Anglicans also began to occupy cities in the northeast, much to the consternation of the Congregationalist and other non-Anglicans. The main gripe about Anglicans was always that they wanted to be the only legit Church in a given area. We had this privilege in merry olde England, and we have never really gotten over losing this privilege.

In this Issue I’ve heard Episcopalians call other churches “Brand X” and “Free Churches” at coffee hours in every parish where I’ve served. We brag From the Associate Rector......... 1 about how many US presidents’ souls we counted among us (Washington, Vestry Highlights ........................ 3 Jefferson, sort of, Monroe, W.H. Harrison, T. Roosevelt1, Tyler, Taylor, Transitions ................................. 4 Pierce, Arthur, Wilson2, FDR, LBJ’s wife and kids, Ford, Nancy Reagan, Diocesan News/GC Updates ..... 5 G.H.W. Bush, and Donald J. Trump). Ok, I know President Trump isn’t a Parish Life .................................. 6 confirmed Episcopalian, but he and his wife have exclusively attended The Outreach .................................. 10 Episcopal Church of Bethesda by the Sea, just 2.5 miles from Mar-a-Lago, Parishioner Highlights .............. 11 for many, many years. He married the First Lady there in 20053, and June Celebrations .................... 12 Barron was baptized there the following year. At Christmas Eve 2017, the July Celebrations...................... 13 Trumps received a standing ovation as they took their seats before the Caffeine Ministry ...................... 13 service began.4 Other celebrities seem to show up there on occasion too. In ROTA ....................................... 14 2013 Michael Jordan tied the knot there, and last Christmas Eve, Rod Stewart was seen celebrating the miracle of the Incarnation. Check out the Episcopalian gossip websites for more celebrity sightings at Episcopal Churches.5 Teddy Roosevelt frequently attended Episcopal Churches, married an Episcopalian woman, and had his funeral at an Episcopal Church.

2 Not Episcopalian but entombed at the Washington National Cathedral 3 While not similar in temperament or style to DJT, Lincoln was married by an Episcopal priest in the Diocese of Springfield, IL. 4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=De32m0M32D0 5 I would be interested to know who the most Famous Person to ever visit St. Mark’s was. If you have any info, please let me know.

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June and July 2018 Ok, what were we talking about? Oh, that’s right, the Episcopal Church’s legacy of being a state church. The truth is, we are all Free Churches in the USA. No one church since the First Amendment was written can claim any exclusivity as being the Authorized Church.

I’m reviewing this background because I think it informs how we got our present Church’s government.

Before the American Revolution, there were no bishops or dioceses in the USA—none, nada, zilch. If someone was to be ordained or study for the ministry, they had to get on a ship and go to England for all that. In spite of many pleas for a bishop to come to America, no one came. The reasons I’ve heard were financial in nature. A bishop cost a lot of money and bishops made a lot of money off of renting their land in England. They were also members of the House of Lords, so they didn’t want to be far from their powerful political positions.

These reasons sound quite cynical, I know, but life was not easy in the colonies during the years leading up to the Revolution.

So, when the American Revolution happened, it spun the Church of England in the American Colonies into a major crisis. All the priests had taken an oath to the king, and many of them also felt loyal to the people in their parishes and town and state government. In short, many went to Canada, many went back to London, and many renounced their oath to the king and became army chaplains and supporters of the Revolution.

When the war was over around 1782, William White, Rector of Christ Church, Philadelphia, wrote a paper outlining a form of government for these American churches formerly known as the Church of England. White was the perfect person to do this, since his parish was right down the street from where the US Constitution was written.

White served as chaplain to the Continental Congress, and later to the US Senate. He was the Rector of Christ Church for 57 years. Incidentally, he is the main source that confirms that George Washington never took communion. Washington attended Christ Church for around 25 years, and White wrote a letter telling a colleague that he never once observed George taking communion. He did write that Martha Washington took communion. I respect this, since I cannot remember who has or hasn’t taken communion here at St. Mark’s during my time here and, if I could remember, I probably wouldn’t write a letter about it.

White’s paper, The Case of the Episcopal Churches in the United States Considered, became the blueprint for a new way of being a national Church. White made the case for a representative church government that functioned very much like a democracy. Every facet of American society was transforming during this period, and so the Church of England in America transformed along with it.

In 1785 the first General Convention (GC) of the Episcopal Church met in Philadelphia. While William White presided over it, he was not the sole authority. From the very beginning, General Convention was to be the head of the Episcopal Church. Local conventions were to meet prior to general convention to elect clergy and lay people as deputies to send to GC. It was church democracy writ large, truly unlike any other Church governance. It was an experiment that was tweaked over the years, resulting in what we will experience here in Austin this summer.

In the absence of any bishops, this 1785 GC plan worked well. But, as William White was consecrated as a bishop, and other bishops were consecrated, GC had to change with the times. By 1789 GC had a constitution that advocated a House of Deputies and a House of Bishops. The House of Bishops (HOB) was to meet every year, and could call a special session of GC. GC was to be a uniquely American Democratic institution, mirroring in many ways Congress, with its two houses.

This is how our Church is governed. As awesome as Presiding Bishop (PB) Michael Curry is, he is not the head of The Episcopal Church. GC is. The office of Presiding Bishop originally rotated geographically, and then, it simply was held by the most senior bishop in the HOB. In 1938, GC decided to pay a salary to the PB and mandated they resign their current job to fulfill the widening scope of the PB’s ministry. Even though we have a PB, the emphasis of our Church’s governance is on shared authority and representational government.

Bishops Doyle, Harrison, Fisher, and Monterosso, sit in the House of Bishops, alongside retired bishops and other active bishops in the Church. The house of Deputies is made of up deputies from all over the Church.

Many historic decisions in our Church have happened at GC over the centuries. In 1865, GC voted to continue in fellowship with the dioceses who had “split off” during the Civil War. Unlike most North American

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June and July 2018 protestants, The Episcopal Church did not form northern and southern denominations after the war. Somehow, we stayed together. I believe this is the work of the Holy Spirit, working in bishops and deputies throughout the Church. Jesus’ prayer that we all may be one can be seen during other critical moments of GC. God willing, if you go to GC this year you will sense the Spirit moving in our midst, guiding us into all truth.

This summer GC is gathering here in Austin for its once-every-three-year meeting. I encourage you to drop everything, take some vacation, and follow me to GC! I’ll be there with our Episcopal Veterans Fellowship booth and many of you will be there serving in various ways. The must-see event of GC is the Saturday, July 7th Revival at the Palmer Events Center. Bishop Curry will preach, there will be great music, and then the Diocese of Texas will host a giant BBQ for everyone who has gathered from the entire national and global Episcopal Church. It will truly be a sight to behold and you don’t want to miss it.

Reflection: We can see him now, William White, a 30-something parish priest dipping his quill into the ink, and writing his thoughts about how to structure this post-revolutionary Church. We can see him looking out the window and seeing wounded veterans visiting their dead comrades in the parish cemetery in his war ravaged city. We can see him praying and dreaming of a Church where no one person has power over another, where all decisions are shared, and everyone has a seat at the table.

Vestry Highlights The Vestry met on Tuesday, May 22, for the last time with Fr. Bill. We thanked him for his ministry to our Parish and wished him well in his next endeavor. There will be a reception on his last Sunday, June 10. The Vestry will not meet in June, but will meet on July 17 after Fr. Zac’s arrival.

The Vestry considered a proposal to earn additional revenue for our general fund by sell parking spaces in our lot during the ACL Festival in the fall. After much debate and discussion, the Vestry voted to move forward with the proposal on a one-year trial basis. Mike Brode will be putting together a committee to work on logistics and advertising. If you are interested in helping, please contact him.

For the four Sundays between Fr. Bill’s departure and the arrival of Fr. Zac, the Vestry assigned two Wardens of the Day who will be on call in case of any emergencies. The Wardens for each Sunday will be printed in the announcements.

The Vestry is seeking interested persons to serve on the Endowment Committee. If you are interested or know anyone else who may be willing to serve in this capacity, please contact Melissa Blanding (mkblanding78@gmail.com), or Scott Forrest (sdforrest@yahoo.com).

Finally, the Vestry received an update from the Facilities Committee and approved a recommendation to have a full inspection of our facilities completed as soon as possible. This activity will create a current list of assets, as well as help prioritize impending maintenance. This information will help give Fr. Zac a comprehensive view of our physical plant. Thank you to Clarence Bonnen, Mark Breen, and Scott Forrest for taking on this task.

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Transitions Fr. Bill’s Last Day at St. Mark’s: June 10 Sunday, June 10, will be Father Bill’s final Sunday at St. Mark’s. Come to church at either 8 a.m. or 10 a.m., for his final Sunday to preach. Following services, there will be cake in the Parish Hall to celebrate his ministry. Father Bill began at St. Mark’s in July 2017. We thank him for his guidance, insight, leadership and presence during our year of transition.

July 15: The Rev. Zac Koons begins his ministry at St. Mark’s Come celebrate with us on Sunday, July 15th, when we will welcome Father Zac and his wife Anna, to St. Mark’s, as they begin their new ministry.

Worship services are at 8 & 10 a.m. Following the 10 a.m. service, you are invited to the Summer Salad/Sandwich Potluck luncheon. Please bring enough for your own family, plus extra to share! Desserts and beverages will be provided! A more formal celebration will take place during the official Installation & Celebration of New Ministry service in the fall.

Dear St. Mark's family, Following enthusiastic discussions and unanimous votes by the Search Committee and the Vestry, we are thrilled to announce that the Reverend Zac Koons has accepted the call to become our new Rector. His first Sunday at St. Mark's will be July 15.

Father Zac comes to us from St. Richard's in Round Rock, where he has served in an associate role for the past three and a half years. He received his BA in Biblical & Theological Studies at Wheaton College and his Master’s in Divinity from Duke Divinity School. After graduating he served as Executive Assistant to the Dean of Duke Divinity School, and researcher for the Archbishop of Canterbury, among other duties.

Father Zac is a gifted writer, teacher, and preacher, with the ability to bring all ages into discussions. We invite you to listen to Father Zac’s sermons, which are available at the St. Richard’s website, and to read articles he has published. Father Zac’s writings can be found at this link. According to our established search criteria, Father Zac will lead with a progressive theological perspective, and will provide us with leadership and focus. His theological knowledge, combined with being a conceptual thinker impressed the committee, as did the fact that he was both eloquent and humble, and his behavior and attitude were consistent: energetic but calm.

Father Zac, his wife Anna, and their dog, Watson, are excited about joining our St. Mark's family. We are confident that you will appreciate Father Zac's attentiveness as well as his personal and deeply theological approach to his ministry.

Sincerely, Melissa Blanding, Senior Warden Scott Forrest, Junior Warden Michael Meigs, Search Committee Chair

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Diocesan News Seeking spiritual directors. With an increasing demand for spiritual directors, applications are being accepted through June for FIND (Formation in Direction), the school for spiritual direction and formation.

Information and applications can be found www.f-in-d.org or contact Kathleen Phillips, director, at 979324-4302.

First, second, and third year classes meet concurrently at St. Andrew's Episcopal Church in Bryan, Texas. Classes are once a month, usually the third Saturday, from September through May. A class day begins at 9:30 a.m. with coffee, and classes begin at 10 a.m. and end by 4:30 p.m. FIND focuses on five areas: Spiritual Formation, Psychology of Spirituality, History of Christian Spirituality, Prayer, and Practicum.

General Convention Updates Volunteers at General Convention and the ECW Triennial. Volunteer opportunities are available at the Episcopal Church 79th General Convention, Thursday, July 5 to Friday, July 13, at the Austin Convention Center. General Convention, along with the Episcopal Church Women (ECW) who meets concurrently, requires the hospitality of volunteers to operate efficiently. There are a variety of volunteer opportunities available for many skills and talents. Daily schedules range from half-day to multiple shifts over many days. To register for volunteer shits shifts, go here.

General Convention Children's Program & Youth Volunteer Opportunities! General Convention will offer a daily program for children ranging in age from newborn to fifth grade. Volunteer opportunities are available for adults & youth to serve as counselors and junior counselors in the General Convention Children’s Program. The children's program will begin on July 4 and conclude on July 13 at the close of the last business session. Adult applicants for counselors apply here. This is your opportunity to participate in our larger church community, please consider volunteering.

Youth applicants must meet the following criteria; applications are due June 17th: Currently in 6th-12th grade and between the ages of 12 and 18.

Have parent(s) already registered for General Convention as a bishop, deputy, exhibitor, or volunteer (and parents agree to take responsibility of their teen while not on duty).

Be willing to work various shifts during General Convention.

Attend an all-day training in Austin on July 3.

Youth Volunteers for Jr. Counselors apply here.

A recommendation from the applicant’s clergy person and one other adult with whom the applicant has worked is required.

Applications will be accepted through June 17th.

Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people…Ephesians 6:7

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Annual St. Mark's Fishing Trip, June 17 – 19, 2018 Deep Sea Headquarters, Port Aransas, Texas We will depart St. Mark's after the 10:00 a.m. service and the traditional blessing of the fleet!

Accommodations at Alister Square Inn, and set sail Monday morning for the deep blue sea.

The hotel is $60.00/night for double occupancy.

Fishing prices: $150.00/ person for off shore fishing or $225.00/ person for the bay trip We will gather crew tip on the boat (so remember to bring some extra cash).

Bring/send your check to the church with a memo for fishing trip.

Please sign up in the Parish Hall ASAP! The more that go, the lower the fees! If you have questions, contact Mike Brode at 512-422-8420.

Parish Life Page Turners First Friday Book Group Book group will continue through the summer months. The July meeting will be a week later since the first Friday is during the week of July 4th. Book group is open to anyone at St. Mark’s!

June 1, 11 a.m.: Discussion of The Keeper of Lost Things, by Ruth Hogan (Amazon 4 1/2 stars) .

July 13, 11 a.m. A Gentleman in Moscow, Amor Towles, (Amazon 4 1/2 stars) From the New York Times bestselling author of Rules of Civility—a transporting novel about a man who is ordered to spend the rest of his life inside a luxury hotel. For those who appreciate the writing of columnist Ken Herman, this is also on “Jetty’s List.”

In 1922, Count Alexander Rostov is deemed an unrepentant aristocrat by a Bolshevik tribunal, and is sentenced to house arrest in the Metropol, a grand hotel across the street from the Kremlin. Rostov, an indomitable man of erudition and wit, has never worked a day in his life, and must now live in an attic room while some of the most tumultuous decades in Russian history are unfolding outside the hotel’s doors.

The books which lie in wait for us have a devoted following of appreciative readers. Again, thanks to Pam Wood for her wonderful suggestions.

See you in June! Diane Brewer

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Youth Group Summer Calendar Youth Group is open to youth in grades 6 - 12 and meets on Sundays after the 10 a.m. service. For more information, contact Eric Panter at stmarksflions@gmail.com.

June 3: June 10: June 17: June 24:

Care package ministry (using Taco Sale $) Barton Springs Father's Day - NO YOUTH GROUP (Flex) Current suggestion is Blanton Museum Austin Chapel

July 1: July 8: July 15: July 22: July 29:

Independence Day Weekend - NO YOUTH GROUP Bowling @ Westgate Lanes Movie Outing Contemplative Prayer TBD Service Activity

August 5: August 10:

Tentatively set to Youth Planning Meeting All-Day Outing (Friday)

Day School News Summer camp for ages 2 - 5 runs from June 11 - July 27. There are still spots for some weeks as well as for the 2018-19 school year! Visit https://stmarksdayschoolaustin.org or call the Day School office: 512-444-9401 for information.

New Playground feature coming in June! A music feature will be added to the playground in honor of our retiring Head of School, Anne Wingler. The music feature will allow children to experience music, one of Anne's passions in life, and serve as a reminder of her many contributions to the school.

Pre-July 4th Tradition: The Reading of the Declaration of Independence on July 1 On Sunday, July 1, at 9 a.m., Rex White will read the Declaration of Independence in Grace Chapel between services.

Barton Hills July 4th Neighborhood Parade!

Small town in the big city! Barton Hills Neighborhood July 4th Parade is a great way to kick off the morning!

The Parade lineup starts at the Barton Hills Market at 8:30 a.m., and the parade begins at 9 a.m.

Decorate your wagons, bikes, dogs, and march in the parade, or find a sweet spot along the route and cheer on the crowd! Post-parade festivities at the Barton Hills Elementary School playground!

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Women of St. Mark’s Summer News The Women of St. Mark’s includes all of the women of the church. We invite you to join us in fellowship as we grow to become a true community of women, walking in God’s love.

We will start the summer by meeting up for lunch at Olive Garden, 3940 S. Lamar, on June 14 at noon. Please RSVP to Lisa Martin at lisafromlsu@gmail.com or by signing up on the bulletin board in the Parish Hall, so we can have an estimate of how many to expect. We had a great turnout at the last luncheon at Red Lobster, with 16 women in attendance, and had a grand time. It was a nice way to catch up and get to know people other than over a cup of coffee in between services. Please come make new friends or just chat with your old friends and enjoy a great lunch.

Separate checks will be provided.

Next Bunco: Our potluck bunco will be held on June 25 at 6:30 p.m.

Bunco is a very simple dice game to learn, so please don’t let it hold you back if you’ve never played. We’ll teach you! We ask that you bring a dish or beverage to share and $3 for the kitty. We promise that you’ll have a great evening.

Chick Flick in July: Should we stay or should we go (out, that is!)

We are planning a chick flick and potluck at the church on July 22 at 6:00 p.m. It is possible we may meet out for a movie, instead of or in addition to, an event at the church. Stay tuned for details as the event gets closer!

General Convention, July 5 - 13, in Austin: General Convention of The Episcopal Church takes place every three years, and this time we are lucky to have it in our own backyard! If you want to learn and understand more about the inner workings of the Episcopal Church, then this is the place for you! We hope that all of the Women of St. Mark’s will be able to attend General Convention at the Austin Convention Center sometime between July 5 and July 13. To register as an individual, please go to: https://registration.generalconvention.org.

Registration Information: The registration fee for the entire time is $130 in advance, or $150 at the door.

One day registration fee: $50.

You may also volunteer to help with General Convention, which allows you to visit for free for the day you are volunteering. Volunteer information can be found elsewhere in the newsletter.

I have attended two prior General Conventions and can tell you that this is a once in a lifetime event that you don’t want to miss, so please volunteer or register today.

May you be safe in your summer adventures!

Lisa Martin President, Women of St. Mark’s

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: rpeterek6468@att.net.

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Summer Music at St. Mark’s We hope you’ll join us in worship Sunday mornings at 10:00 this summer! Soloists from the choir will provide special music, and we will sing some of your favorite hymns.

If you have a favorite hymn you’d like us to sing this summer, email it to me at music@stmarksaustin.org. Some less familiar hymns might have to wait until the choir returns, and some seasonal selections might not work; but I will make every effort to include your favorites in the summer rotation!

Interested in singing but not sure where to start? I often hear from current choir members that they had always thought choir was just for folks who “can read music.” They thought that even though they loved to sing they “weren’t good enough” for the choir. Once they joined us, they realized that there are many singers without any formal training in the group.

Let me know by email, phone, or in person if you’re interested in the choir but not sure if it’s right for you. I would be happy to schedule 1 - 3 sessions to discuss the basics of singing, beginning music reading for choir, and what’s involved in singing at St. Mark’s.

The St. Mark’s Choir is open to high schoolers and adults of any age. We have a Youth Ensemble for middle and high school students. We also have Choristers for children in grades K through 6. I’d be happy to offer a few simple free music lessons to anyone who thinks they might be interested in singing with us.

Email: music@stmarksaustin.org Phone: 512-203-1780 You’re always welcome to stop by the choir loft after church on Sunday!

Mark Reed, Director of Music

The Altar Guild Corner So much goes on in the sacristy and on our altars that it seems a shame not to share some of the news. The mystery of the Altar Guild terminology is revealed. It’s like peeling an onion—there are many layers to the process!

The fair linen is the white cloth that covers our altar. Traditional, it is even mentioned in the 1552 Book of Common Prayer. A year ago we ordered a fair linen for Grace Chapel since our previous one had so many holes it couldn’t be repaired. There was some confusion between the manufacturer and our supplier Almy, but eventually we received it. This came out of St. Mark’s memorial funds. On Easter of this year, the 7:30 service attendees may have seen the fair linen on the altar in the Sanctuary blessed. It was new at that time and also came out of the memorial funds.

Brass and sealants. Often brass items arrive with a sealant to prevent tarnishing. The concept sounds great unless the item is handled. Human hands have oils that break down sealants over time. The result of sealants peeling is not a pretty sight. A Houston professional took off the nasty old sealant from our Paschal candle stand and our missal stands, upon which rests the liturgical texts. They look so much nicer. Of course, this gives altar guild members more to polish, but at least everything looks nice. And you may be wondering what is Paschal candle? It is a large candle, which is lit on Holy Saturday, just before Easter, and stays in its designated spot until Pentecost.

(Our designated spot is next to the pulpit, where sermons are preached.)

Altar Guild members. Recently Emma Kloninger joined us, meaning that we are able to maintain our “junior” portion of our guild. Clara Bogard has been with us this past year, but she is off to college. We will miss her! We welcome Laurel Kelly, who has just joined us this month.

If you’re curious how we do what we do in the sacristy, don’t hesitate to contact me by phone or email (ksmilton@gmail.com). We tend to be a bit rushed in between services, making it hard to talk then, but we’re happy to share outside those duty times.

Karen Milton, Altar Guild Coordinator

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Outreach Thank you all so much for your support of the Women's Shower Ministry and the Women's Storybook Project during the month of May! It was such a success! Be on the lookout this fall for more activities supporting these ministries that are so near and dear to St. Mark's.

Summer Fan Drive: Dog Days of Summer are here!

This summer we will be collecting donations for the Summer Fan Drive. Family Eldercare’s Summer Fan Drive's goal is to meet a critical basic need: relief from life-threatening heat for those who do not have or cannot afford a fan or airconditioning. Stop by the FAN in the Parish Hall to cool off and make a donation, or learn about the great work that Family Eldercare is doing in Central Texas.

How can you donate? Donate Fans or Funds!

Make checks out to Family Eldercare and place them in the locked box on the table by the FAN in the Parish Hall. We will send checks in on your behalf.

Donate online here: https://www.summerfandrive.org/ Donate fans! NEW 20” box fan, or a NEW 12” oscillating fan More than just a Fan Drive! Here are some ‘fan’tastic tidbits about the program!

“Fans Open Doors.” Fan Drive recipients receive outreach “kits” including basic needs resource information (nutrition, utilities, transportation, etc.), heat relief tips and other help. Volunteers delivering to homebound seniors and adults with disabilities are trained to watch out for signs of neglect, abuse or other dangerous conditions.

In 2017, Family Eldercare distributed over 6,500 fans across 14 counties!

Thanks to community support, the Summer Fan Drive provides outreach and relief services for FOUR of the hottest months of the year (May 1 – August 31), and is an important source of support for our year-round programs and services.

The Austin-Round Rock metro area has the fastest population growth for pre-seniors (55-64) in the nation, and the second-fastest growth rate for seniors 65 and older! Your support has never been more important.

Community Event: Summer Fan Drive Kickoff, June 15th, 2018 What happens when Austin’s favorite music, food and on-air talent come together for a day-to-evening event? For almost twenty years, Family Eldercare has been fortunate to benefit from that unforgettable combo we now call Fans from Fans – our largest and most critical event of the year! Join KXAN’s Jim Spencer and a fantastic roster of local musicians starting at 7:00 a.m. at the iconic Threadgill’s World Headquarters in downtown Austin. Drop off fans or funds and stick around for great food, live music and fun for all ages!

Save the Date! We will be hosting a Blood Drive on Sunday, September 16th, 9 a.m. - noon. Our goal this year is to fill our 18 slots. Start telling your neighbors!

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Parishioner Highlights What a “fun read” this article is! It centers on children and more children as Barbara speaks to her and Stephen’s interests, not only in raising their own children, but being active with grandchildren as well as devoting their career or a portion of it to children. To know this couple is to admire them with their smiles, sense of humor, many talents and great personalities! We are so lucky that they chose us and thank them for all that they do for St. Mark’s. And by the way, I’m not sure that I know a couple that has visited nearly ALL the states! ~ Beth Chenoweth

Barbara and Stephen Wilson Stephen and I met in Pennsylvania at East Stroudsburg College. He was on the gymnastic team pursuing a teaching degree in health and physical education. I was studying for my dream job of teaching young children. After graduation we were married at my family’s church - St. Dunstan’s Episcopal Church in New Jersey. Stephen had a construction business and I worked at a day care, and then eventually got a job as a kindergarten teacher in an Episcopal school.

Stephen had purchased his family’s home in Levittown, Pennsylvania, before our marriage. It was a little too built up for my taste and by some coincidence (or as Stephen says - God moments), an old friend called him to do work on a rental property.

The house was a super duper handyman special that became our home of 37 years in Lambertville, NJ. The house underwent many renovations—mostly by that handy husband of mine—with a major addition in 1998 that gave me my dream kitchen, and other space that really let family and friends gather. We always felt blessed to be in this beautiful, rural town along the Delaware River. It is where we raised our two daughters, Cory and Katelyn.

In 1981, Stephen was hired by General Motors, just before Cory’s arrival. This was one of many different positions during his career, from supervising in maintenance, to worldwide purchasing and then a training coordinator. He took an early retirement in 2008. In 2009 he became the Director of Youth Ministries at Trinity Episcopal Church in Solebury, PA. This was a natural fit since he had been a volunteer sponsor for the preceding 15 years and really treasured working with teens.

While the girls were young I was a stay at home mom and nursery school teacher. Eventually I became the kindergarten teacher at the local school. It was especially fun when a former student would say,

“Hello Mrs. Wilson!” and find my mind scrambling for a name to go with this grown up face. With the arrival of our first grandchild in 2012, we began to contemplate retirement and what our next step in life might be. I retired in 2013 and Stephen stepped out of his position 2014. We decided to come to Austin to be closer to our kids. We “officially” arrived in July of 2015, and found a house in deep south Austin, close to our eldest daughter Cory and her husband Brandon. We are currently “grand parenting” for 6year-old Betty and 2-year-old Julian, 4 days a week.

There are many evenings when we fall onto the couch and comment that there is a reason you have kids at a younger age.

We do frequently return back east to visit family and friends. Our daughter Katelyn and husband Jack live in NYC. She was a graduate student at UT around the time we were thinking of moving here, but after college, she opted to return east.

During our daughter and son-in-law’s time at UT, we were frequent visitors to Austin. We worshiped at a number of Episcopal churches around town. When we all finally bought a house in south Austin we found St. Mark’s. Driving up and down the hills and seeing the view as you approach the parking lot reminded us of our drive to our previous church. Our first visit included walking the Meditation Trail, which we loved.

Elizabeth and other church angels really welcomed us and we soon made many new friends and became involved with various groups. A first outing for me was with the ladies to Gruene, and soon I was learning how to play Bunco. Shower Ministry and the Martha’s are now on my schedule too.

Stephen naturally gravitated to the Youth Group where he now enjoys a new bunch of teens. He has attended Men’s groups, helped out this year at the golf tournament and is looking forward to another fishing trip. We both usher and have assisted at the Day School.

As mentioned earlier, Stephen likes to tinker with tools. He is happiest in the garage or in the yard with

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June and July 2018 a project. He is well known as Mr. Fix It. I’m more of a kitchen person. I do like to cook and do projects with my grandkids. We enjoy traveling and have been to 49 states with intentions to go to Alaska to make it 50. National Parks are a favorite and in 2008 we spent 40 days camping (and hoteling) across the

country. Almost every summer we have had large family gatherings on Lake Maranacook in Maine.

We are very thankful to have found St. Mark’s and this wonderful community of people. It has provided new friendships, spiritual support and a big Texas welcome to us! Thanks y’all!

June Celebrations Birthdays Bradley Johnson

Jun 1

Joseph Peers

Jun 9

Deborah Portman

Jun 18

Brad Crowell

Jun 2

Cathy Nelson

Jun 10

Abigail Lehrach

Jun 19

Abbe Kelly

Jun 2

Jennifer Shaw

Jun 10

Andrew Borel

Jun 20

Elizabeth Maupin

Jun 2

Leah Berndt

Jun 11

Ron Kelly

Jun 20

Robert Russell

Jun 2

Tim Green

Jun 11

Valerie Walker

Jun 21

Selene Schroeder

Jun 2

Gene Main

Jun 11

Will Schulz

Jun 22

Ben Bonnen

Jun 4

Bill Pugsley

Jun 11

Anne Wood

Jun 22

Ian Considine

Jun 4

Wade Buckner

Jun 12

Becky Brownlee

Jun 23

Katherine Holmes

Jun 4

David Pugh

Jun 12

Elijah Rudy

Jun 24

Elizabeth Wellman

Jun 4

Oliver Portman

Jun 13

Yvette Niemeyer

Jun 25

Nathan Yeager

Jun 4

Lee Wagner

Jun 14

Susie Ragland

Jun 27

Meghan Hack

Jun 6

Flo Weiershausen

Jun 14

Judith Dullnig

Jun 28

Laurel Kelly

Jun 6

Maria Elliott

Jun 16

Glenna Martin

Jun 28

Sophie Lawrence

Jun 7

Helen Anderson

Jun 17

Juan Ruiz

Jun 28

Sloane Shaw

Jun 7

Charles Brewer

Jun 17

Jack Stephenson

Jun 28

Dru Cabler

Jun 8

Darlene Goodnight

Jun 17

Travis Phillips

Jun 8

Calla Pitt

Jun 18

Anniversaries Amber Featherstone-Uwague & Ted Uwague Sarah & Jaylon Loyd

Jun 1

Jack & Dolores Minor

Jun 1

Briana & Matthew Shepard

Jun 1

Sarah Fortt & Daniel Lawson

Jun 4

Dorothy & Jim Ramsey

Jun 4

Ellie & Max Reshetnikov

Jun 5

Cheryl & Roy Smithers

Jun 6

Becky & Andrew Poynot

Jun 7

Ashley & Travis Phillips

Jun 9

Jun 1

Misty Stafford & Ryan Yard

Jun 9

Judith & Jon Dullnig

Jun 10

Karen Milton & Michael Meigs

Jun 11

Anna Bryan-Borja & Rob Borja

Jun 14

Betty & Ronnie Lee

Jun 15

Susan & Clarence Bonnen

Jun 18

Elizabeth & John Minne

Jun 19

Maria & Christopher Elliot

Jun 21

Susan Slattery & Ted Smouse

Jun 22

Selene & Gary Schroeder

Jun 26

Nancy & Bill Kibler

Jun 29

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June and July 2018

July Celebrations Birthdays Coan Grayson

Jul 1

Walter Geraci

Jul 13

Ryan Marquess

Jul 20

James Sondgeroth

Jul 1

Charles Katner

Jul 13

Daniel Zuniga

Jul 22

Shirley Sullivan

Jul 1

Hilaire Thornal

Jul 13

Tommy Bryant

Jul 23

Matthew Sepos

Jul 2

Bill Willis

Jul 13

Mary-Alis Kelly

Jul 25

Michele Bonner

Jul 3

Luke Thiessen

Jul 14

Audrey Doidge

Jul 27

Chris Blanding

Jul 4

Blake Cooper

Jul 15

Megan Ching

Jul 28

Jeff Crozier

Jul 4

Sam Greer

Jul 15

Mayra LInderman

Jul 28

Dennis Millirons

Jul 4

Sarah Lee

Jul 15

Michael Loyd

Jul 28

Carlos Kempff

Jul 5

Haley Russell

Jul 15

Colt Aja

Jul 29

Bridget Black

Jul 7

Frankie Caine

Jul 16

David Genet

Jul 29

Henry Ripoll

Jul 7

Lindsey Gehrig

Jul 16

Sofia Mickler

Jul 29

Quinn Loyd

Jul 8

Graham Grulke

Jul 16

Jordan Sondgeroth

Jul 29

Jesse Martin

Jul 8

Dorothy Ramsey

Jul 16

Lily DeAnda

Jul 30

Arlo Stockstill

Jul 8

Margarita Moreno

Jul 18

Philippa Dixon

Jul 30

Jennifer Ritter

Jul 9

Rick Stonebarger

Jul 18

Ariel Smith

Jul 30

Philip Tso

Jul 9

Julian Sullivan

Jul 18

John Cooper

Jul 31

Paxton Delfausse

Jul 10

Miranda Sullivan

Jul 18

Allison Joyce

Jul 31

Mary Walpole

Jul 11

Mateo Yard

Jul 18

J.P. Kloninger

Jul 31

Valerie Olivas

Jul 12

Grace Arsiaga

Jul 19

James Wier

Jul 12

Natalie Duffin

Jul 19

Anniversaries Ali Ashley & Matt Friedlander

Jul 1

Darlene & Kevin Sullivan

Jul 13

Diane & Charles Brewer

Jul 3

Pam & David Johns

Jul 14

Lilly & Greg Parker

Jul 6

Kim & Wade Buckner

Jul 16

Becky & Rich Janes

Jul 9

Ann & L.A. Williams

Jul 16

Maria & Scott Lubeck

Jul 9

Cilla & Brian Parkison

Jul 25

Caffeine Ministry June: Vestry Contact is Marjie Lawrence June 3: TBD June 10: George & John De Marines June 17: Terry Dempsey & Marsha Topham June 24: Trisha Dew & Dylan Lewis

July: Vestry Contact is Laura Merritt July 1: Trish & Robert Dew July 8: Jeff Doidge & Lisa Leach July 15: Marthas & Father Zac's first Sunday July 22: Jodi & Jay Doran July 29: Resa & Sam Dunn

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June and July 2018

June ROTA Please note: The July ROTA will be published in a future weekly Enews notification.

MINISTRY

June 3 Graduation Sunday @ 10 a.m. Ice cream truck @ 11 a.m.

June 10 Father Bill’s Last Sunday at St. Mark’s Reception

June 17

June 24

July 1

LECTOR

Jonea Raney

Amelia Sondgeroth

Jill Collins

Jonea Raney

Amelia Sondgeroth

LEM / ACOLYTE

Wes Raney

Margarita Moreno

Nancy Middlebrook

Wes Raney

Pattie Rose

USHERS

Beth Chenoweth Mary Smith

Danielle Adkins Stephen White

Ed Shipsey Al McKinney

Jonea Raney Jill Collins

Beth Chenoweth Mary Smith

LECTORS

Michael Meigs (1) Karen Milton (2)

Ariston Awitan III (1) Nancy Kibler (2)

Penny Considine (1) Chris Considine (2)

Ken Whalen (1) Dodie Wells (2)

Mike Thomasson (1) Jennifer Jones (2)

LEM

Brenda White Rex White

Carol Oppel Bill Kibler

Christine Brunson Dru Cabler

Jay Brown Barbara Dody

Becky Janes Liz Davis

ACOLYTES

Carol Oppel Henry Janes Josie Baumgart Clara Baumgart Carol

Matthew Awitan Jay Brown Morgan Dew Mairin Bachschmid Jay

Jay Brown Ryan Dempsey Emma Kloninger Mairin Bachschmid Jay

Claudia Janes Josef Genet Henry Janes Meredith Shaw Nancy

Matt Forrest Sam Forrest Nick Forrest Ben Forrest Carol

USHERS

Carolyn Wier James Wier JP Kloninger Bo Overstreet Rick Tennant

Charles Brewer Bob Peterek Manuel de la Rosa Jim Nolan Ryan Marquess

Henry Olivas Yvonne Chavez Darlene Goodnight Debbie Thornal

Jay Doran Jodi Doran Pam Johns David Johns

Mark Breen Dee Ann Thomasson Dodie Wells Amalia de la Rosa

GREETERS

Shelly Botkin Ryan Marquess

Michael Meigs

Barbara Dody

Laura Merritt Ellie Reshetnikov

Steve Niemeyer

Sat. 9:00

Jonea Raney-TC Jill Collins Carolyn Wier Pat Bullock

Diana Stangl-TC Debbie Thornal Dodie Wells Evelyn McMillen Tina Stonebarger

Dee Ann Thomasson-TC Henry Olivas Pat Bullock Emma Kloninger

Judy Elkins-TC Darlene Goodnight Laurel Kelly Karen Milton

Jonea Raney-TC Jill Collins Carolyn Wier Pat Bullock

Depositor

Al McKinney

Bo Overstreet

Jim Nolan

Shelly Botkin

Al McKinney

Caffeine Ministry Before/After 10 a.m. service

Amalia & Manuel de la Rosa

George & John De Marines

Terry Dempsey & Marsha Topham

Trisha Dew & Dylan Lewis

Trish & Robert Dew

WED. 6 p.m.

Eucharist

June 6

June 13

June 20

June 27

July 4

Lector

Jill Collins

Jay Brown

Pattie Rose

Dodie Wells

Rex White

ALTAR GUILD

10:00

8:00

TIME

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June and July 2018

Seen Around St. Mark’s

Mary Carole Sitzes, Dee Ann Thomasson, Beth Chenowith, Brenda White, and Carol Oppel at Chicken BBQ Britt Sitzes, Pit Master at Chicken BBQ

Dan Bogard, Dru Cabler, and Rex White at Chicken BBQ

Eric Panter at Chicken BBQ Day School students perform at the spring concert.

Congratulations to all our graduates!!

Brian Prall was awarded his Masters of Divinity from the Seminary of the Southwest on May 22.

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June and July 2018

Vestry Melissa Blanding, Sr. Warden Scott Forrest, Jr. Warden Vestry members: Phil Aboussie, Dan Aja, Mike Brode, Dru Cabler, Meredith Childs, Kathy Genet, Marjie Lawrence, Ryan Marquess, Laura Merritt, Jennifer Payne, Becky Poynot, Susan Randle, and Pattie Rose.

To view the monthly calendar of events at St. Mark’s, visit our website: www.stmarksaustin.org.

Committees Acolytes: Jay Brown, Carol Oppel, Cindy Cabler, Kim Kiplin, Kim Buckner, and Nancy Bachschmid 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: Lisa Martin Facilities: TBD Finance: Diana Stangl Outreach: Laurie Mayor

Deadline for the August 2018 St. Mark’s News is Monday, July 16, 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 Ushers: Ryan Marquess

St. Mark’s Episcopal Church 2128 Barton Hills Drive Austin, TX 78704 512.444.1449 www.stmarksaustin.org stmarksaustin@gmail.com

Staff Interim Rector The Rev. William Fowler Incoming Rector (July 15) The Rev. Zac Koons Associate Rector The Rev. Dr. David W. Peters Interim Director of Religious Education Cindy Cabler Organist/Director of Music Mark Reed Parish Administrator Joanne Foote Head of Day School Anne Wingler Newsletter Editor Becky Janes

CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED

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