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July - August 2014
Advent’s Staff Rev. Dr. Tim Mitchell, Rector
[email protected]
Rev. Dr. Dru Kemp, Deacon
[email protected]
Mr. Bryan Hoover
Parish Administrator
[email protected]
Organist-Choirmaster
[email protected]
Ms. Joy Rueff, Children’s Minister
[email protected]
Ms. Erendira Jimenez-Pike,
Young Adult Minister
[email protected]
Mr. Leo Simon, Custodian
Office Hours Tuesday & Thursday 9-4
Wednesday 9-1, Friday 9-2
In this Issue Altar Guild, p. 5
Child Care & Sunday School, p. 3
Dates to Note, p. 2
Earth & Spirit Center, p. 3
Education for Ministry (EfM), p. 4
Familiar Faces, p. 6
Flowers. p. 4
Habitat for Humanity, p. 5
Parish Office, p. 2
Taizé Meditation, p. 4
Treasurer, p. 5
Young Adults Ministry, p. 3
From the Rector…
When Maya Angelou died in May, there were many tributes to her
inspiring life and to her enormous contributions to African-American culture
as well as to the conscience of our country. The image seared in my memory
of Maya Angelou was when at President Bill Clinton’s inauguration in 1993
she recited her poem On the Pulse of the Morning. She was the first poet to
make an inaugural recitation since Robert Frost at President John Kennedy’s
inauguration in 1961.
Her poem When Great Souls Die, ends in this way:
And when great souls die,
After a period peace blooms,
Slowly and always
Irregularly. Spaces fill
With a kind of
Soothing electric vibration.
Our senses, restored, never
To be the same, whisper to us.
They existed. They existed.
We can be. Be and be
Better.
For they existed.
Maya Angelou gave a rare, precious witness with her life, looking through
a lens of hope even amid much suffering. She witnessed to a great soulful
pulse. I am thankful she existed so we all can be better. She whispers to our
senses, as with all the saints who from their labors rest. We can be, be and be
better.
Faithfully yours,
Tim+
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Advent’s Vestry Chad Keinanen, Senior Warden, 2013
[email protected]
Nelson Jackson, Junior Warden, 2014
[email protected]
Brian Funk- Kinnaman, Clerk, 2015
[email protected] Andie Camden, 2015
[email protected]
Amanda Gissendaner, 2015
[email protected]
Jared Hulstine, 2014
[email protected]
Amy Noon, 2014
[email protected]
Mark Robinson, 2015
[email protected]
Bob Bratcher (2016)
[email protected]
Holly Hinson (2016)
[email protected]
Kathy Jones (2016)
[email protected]
Jeff Stodghill
[email protected]
Dates to Note Sundays – Holy Eucharist, 8:30 & 10:30 a.m.
Thursdays – July 24 & August 21,
Food Pantry Boxing, 6:00 p.m.
Saturdays – July 26 & August 23,
Food Pantries, 9-11 a.m.
Tuesdays - July 22 & August 26,
Finance Committee Meeting
Thursdays - July 24 & August 28, Vestry Meeting
Prayer List Please email the parish office ([email protected] )
or call 502-451-6066 by Thursday afternoon to place a
name on the prayer list and in Sunday’s Prayers of the
People. Include your own contact information with each
request and please check with the person whose name is
being submitted before sending us his or her full name.
In order to keep the list updated, names will remain on
the list for one month.
In Our Prayers Advent Prayer List: Susie Hallenberg, David Neely,
Jody Keinanen, Ken Kohler, Maria Accardi, Michelle
Gargotto
Prayer Calendar
Our prayers are asked each week for the Church in
the Anglican Communion, in the Diocese of Kentucky,
and in the Highlands Community Ministries.
July 6 – The Church of Pakistan; Grace Church,
Hopkinsville; Douglass Boulevard Christian
Church
July 13 – The Anglican Church of Papua New Guinea;
Urban Spirit Ministry, Louisville; Highland
Baptist Church
July 20 – The Episcopal Church in the Philippines;
Trinity Church, Russellville; Highland
Presbyterian Church
July 27 - The Province of the Anglican Church of
Rwanda; St. James’, Shelbyville; Highland
United Methodist Church
August 3 – The Scottish Episcopal Church; St. Paul’s
Henderson; Immanuel United Church of Christ
August 10 – The Church of the Province of Southeast
Asia; St. Peter’s, Louisville; Metropolitan
Community Church
August 17 – The Church of South India; St. Mary’s,
Madisonville; St. Agnes Catholic Church
August 24 – The Anglican Church of Southern Africa;
University of Louisville Campus Ministry;
St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church
August 31 – The Anglican Church of the Southern Cone
of America; St. Andrew’s, Glasgow; St. Brigid
Catholic Church
Parish Office Parish Office hours have been changed slightly for
the summer: Tuesday 9-4, Wednesday 9-1, Thursday 9-4,
Friday 9-2. Regular hours will resume on Tuesday,
September 2.
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Young Adults Ministry Lived Faith+Practical Spirituality: A yearlong series.
Are you interested in finding ways to deepen your faith
and to know God through new experiences in your daily
life and who want to be part of a community that
questions and grows together? This monthly series
explores our spirituality and faith in the context of art,
justice, eco-spirituality, and spiritual disciplines. For
more information please contact Erendira Jimenez-Pike
at [email protected] .
Bloody Marys at Advent Join us every 2nd Sunday of the month for the popular
series Bloody Marys with Advent (BMA). We get
together at DiOrio’s Pizza and Pub (just a few doors up
from Advent) after the 10:30 a.m. service. We’ll gather
for a brunch buffet to meet and get to know better other
parishioners and visitors to Advent. From time to time
we invite guest speakers which we’ll announce ahead of
time. No reservations necessary. The cost is $9 per
person. See you there!
Online Giving If you manage your bills online, we’re sure you’ll like
giving to your church online. It’s safe and secure, and
you decide exactly when your gift is made and where it
goes. Online Giving lets you set up a recurring pledge or
a one-time gift to our offering and special collections, so
you’ll be able to give the way you want—even if you’ve
forgotten your envelope. Please visit AdventKY.org, and
click on [Support Advent] then the [Give Online] link to
get started with this convenient giving option.
Sunday School & Child Care Sunday School at Advent is on a summer break and
will resume on August 10. Nursery care will continue
through the summer, with activities for older kids. From
Joy Rueff, our Children’s Minister: “I have really
enjoyed working with and learning from Advent’s
children. Thank you to all the volunteers who have
assisted.”
Earth and Spirit Center Pilgrimage to India Pilgrimage to India - January 7-24, 2015 - Spiritual
seekers have been drawn to the vibrant energy of India
for thousands of years. Now there is an opportunity to
explore India on a pilgrimage led by Fr. Joe Mitchell, CP.
A pilgrimage is significantly different from a tour. The
focus is not primarily on tourist attractions, but on
experiencing the spiritual vitality and daily life of India
from within. We stay at traditional ashrams, meet
resident spiritual teachers, explore exotic temples,
connect with Passionist ministries in remote villages,
visit local families, and dine on regional foods. Register
by August 1. Detailed information available at
www.earthandspiritcenter.org or call 502.452.2749.
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Taizé Meditation Taizé Meditation is taking its traditional summer
break from now until Thursday, September 11. If you
would like to be on the Taizé Community at Advent e-
mail list, please e-mail the parish office at
[email protected] .
Altar Flowers You can’t help but have noticed the lovely flower
arrangements that grace our altar on Sunday mornings.
These are the work of our wonderful Flower Guild,
Becki Masden and Susie Hallenberg who give
considerable time each week to this project.
The cost of the flowers is $50 per week and you may
dedicate them in memory of someone or in honor of
something or someone near and dear to you. There are
two open dates remaining in 2014, August 3 and August
24, but it’s never too early to think ahead. A new
calendar for 2015 will be posted in the Ambulatory soon.
To reserve either of the remaining dates for 2014
please contact the Parish Office at 451-6066 or
[email protected] .
Education for Ministry (EfM) Education for Ministry (EfM) is a four-year program
providing laypersons with a comprehensive theological
education and enabling baptized Christians to relate
their faith to their lives and ministries in the world.
The Diocese of Kentucky is currently seeking mentors
to lead groups here in Louisville and elsewhere in the
diocese. A mentor training session has been scheduled
for August 21-23 at All Saints’ Center. If you have
completed the EfM program, or are nearly finished, and
would like to become a mentor please contact the Rev.
Mary Abrams, Diocesan EfM Coordinator at 502-245-
7819 or [email protected] .
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From the Treasurer Dear Parishioners,
In our on-going efforts to raise funds for our
missions, the properties committee has been remodeling
the apartment in the back of the Parish House. We’ve
had in the past some bad luck with tenants and keeping
the apartment in livable condition so we have instituted
a more rigorous rental agreement and performed
background checks on prospective tenants.
A lot of you may not even know we have an
apartment back there, but it is through the little porch
back by the parking lot. We had a lot of sweat equity
put in by Chad, Nelson, Amy, Jay, Denise, Jimmy,
Cathy, Lewis, Amanda, & Kirby! Please forgive me if I
forgot anyone. The result is a much more modern and
clean apartment. We have been able to raise the
monthly rent from $600 to $825. The new renters are a
young couple with a baby and will move in this week.
They couldn’t be happier, nor can we.
Douglas Pfendler, Treasurer
Habitat for Humanity - Lunches 2014 We all know what amazing work Habitat for
Humanity does for our community. Habitat volunteers
from around the community help build houses for those
who otherwise might not be able to afford their own
home. We at the Church of the Advent take a different
approach to helping Habitat…we feed their volunteers!
For the third year in a row, we are providing lunch on
four different Saturdays in 2014 (remaining dates are
August 9, and November 1). The lunches normally
consist of a main course (soups, sandwiches, casseroles,
etc.), a side dish or two (tossed salad, chips, cole slaw,
etc.) and usually some dessert, beverages, and
condiments. We cannot make these lunches happen
without your help! Your can help by:
- Signing up to prepare food for the lunch
- Bringing food and coming to the lunch to help serve it
- Donating money to help purchase the food
Each lunch usually lasts around an hour, including
set-up and clean-up time. We are looking for a handful
of volunteers to help out on the remaining Saturdays for
2014. If you are able to spare either time, money, food,
or any combination of the above to help us out, please
let us know! Sign up on our website at
www.adventky.org/ministries/habitat-lunches.html via
the embedded webform. Or talk to Holly Hinson or
Michael Seewer and let them know you can help! Thank
you!
Altar Guild The Altar Guild is very please to welcome Kathy
Pagles, Chad & Ashley Keinanen, and Michael Seewer to
the team. Thank you all for joining this important
ministry!
Photos of Advent’s windows in this issue of
The Messenger courtesy of Greg Phipps.
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Donald Vish
Parishioner Sees World through the
Lens of Compassion
Advent parishioner Donald Vish said he believes in
the adage, ‘Let your life be your sermon,’ and those who
know him would wholeheartedly agree that Don’s life is
a sermon of service and distinction.
Some parishioners may know Don as the unofficial
photographer of Advent, volunteering his artistic skills
taking portraits of the vestry as well as all variety of
community events and activities at Advent. But what
some may not realize is that Don is regionally
recognized for these noteworthy talents. One of his
many significant projects was as official photographer
for the Drepung Gomang Institute during the Dalai
Lama’s 2013 visit to Louisville. He has also contributed
his photographic services to many other non-profits in
the community beyond his work at Advent, including
Little Sisters of the Poor, CASA (Court-Appointed
Special Advocates) and St. George’s Community Center,
where he taught photography to inner-city children for
five years.
It is this generous sharing of his gifts that prompted
Mayor Greg Fischer to name Don as Louisville’s first-
ever Compassion Laureate in June. The new title was
bestowed as part of a resolution the mayor made in
November 2011 to commit the city to a multi-year
Compassionate Louisville campaign. The mayor’s office
gave this distinction to Don for his service to the non-
profit community and the reflective compassionate
quality of his images, recognizing him as “someone who
embodies the practice of compassion.”
Don, also a lawyer with Middleton Reutlinger, no
longer earns his living with the firm, intentionally taking
on just a few cases of social justice where he feels he can
make a difference.
Born in Ft. Benning, GA, the 69-year old was just a
small child when his family moved to Louisville. He
grew up in St. Matthews and attended St. X. Later, Don
lived in Lexington and in Washington, DC before
returning to Louisville as a permanent denizen of the
Derby City in 1995, where he began his search for a new
church. Having attended the Church of the Good
Shepherd in Lexington, he knew Father Bruce Boss from
there. It was Father Boss and Stan Wetzel, “an excellent
ambassador for Advent,” according to Don, who drew
him to join Advent in March of 2000.
“I believe it is Advent’s diversity that makes it so rich.
I love the way everyone is made to feel so welcome.
There is a place for everybody here,” said Don.
One of the many highlights of Advent for Don was
the arrival of Father Tim Mitchell six years ago. He said
he remembers vividly one of his favorite moments at
Advent. “We wanted our granddaughters to be
confirmed at St. Mark’s on Frankfort Avenue by Father
Charles Hawkins. We were going to be leaving for about
10 months to do this. Tim held this big blessing and
farewell ceremony for us. It was very thoughtful. It
seems like a small thing, but it really sticks out in my
mind. It is these little acts of kindness and
thoughtfulness that are the hallmarks of Advent.”
As for his passion for photography, Don said that
now he feels his love for photography is “limitless, like
the universe, I can’t see the end of it.” But developing
this passion has been an amazing odyssey.
He first realized photography was special to him
when he was on vacation in 1978. “I shot 12 rolls of film
in the first two days, but none were traditional vacation
shots of my children and their mother. They were
butterflies or flowers,“ he said. “That was when we
realized I needed a more serious camera – I couldn’t take
the kind of pictures I wanted with an instamatic, so I got
a good camera as a gift for Christmas that year.”
At first, Don said, he took photos of gardens and
houses and children and gave them to people as gifts.
When he traveled, he brought pictures back and then
they wanted him to put them up on the walls at the law
firm where he works.
However, it was when the firm asked him to take one
of the photos down because it was making people dizzy
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that he learned “how photography could impact people
– that it had power.“
“When I moved to Washington, DC the following
year, “he said, “I was shocked by how many people
started identifying me by my photography.”
But it was one photo that Don took for the nonprofit
group CASA (Court-Appointed Special Advocates) that
was truly transformative for him. The organization is an
advocacy group for abused and neglected children in the
legal system.
He was asked to photograph CASA – but said he
wasn’t sure how to capture the essence of CASA. He
visited the CASA office and didn’t find much
inspiration; and then the courtroom but it wasn’t legal to
take photographs there.
“It was really a challenge,” said Don. “I knew how to
photograph a face or a flower but this?” Don said he
realized he had to become a child – pretend he was a
CASA kid. “So I went and sat in the court benches and
felt what is was like to be a kid. There was this
Dickensian architecture, it seemed larger than life and
cavernous. It made me feel small and helpless,” he said.
At the time, the Hall of Justice was under
construction and a fence was blocking access to court,
Don explained. He envisioned a CASA kid and
volunteer on way to court facing court justice alone.
When he took the shot, the CASA volunteer had a shirt
on that said ‘Be the difference.’ “This photo was very
powerful to me,” said Don. “It changed my photography
forever and it changed me. It was the first time I had
used the camera for a metaphor; for a message. I believe
the essence of compassionate action is to eliminate
suffering - that photo said it all – it truly depicted a
narrative of compassion.”
Currently, Don is working on the installation of an
extraordinary project of his nature photos at Norton
Hospital. The collection features photos from all four
seasons at 47 Louisville parks that Don visited. “I did
scientific research on the power of nature and I had been
looking for pictures with the ability to heal, to capture
pictures that evoke healing and connection.”
Don now says the larger part of his mission is to use
photography to help nonprofits, who often don’t have a
budget for photography, but may need pictures of their
volunteers or events for their newsletters or as a record
or archive – a perfect example is Advent. He continues
to choose photographic projects that are close to his
heart, such as the recent Kentuckiana Pride Parade,
capturing a healthy contingent from Advent as well as
dozens of other organizations participating in or
supporting the parade. The Pride Parade photo gallery
has already been viewed 12,000 times.
As for his new title of Compassion Laureate, Don said
he doesn’t think of it as an award, but rather prefers it be
regarded like a commission. “Every one of us likes to be
thanked, but it’s about the people I’m doing work for.
Back in 2004, when I was in EfM (Education for
Ministry), I said I’d never been able to find my ministry
but I did find it. I found it by supporting the people who
love, by helping the helpers. What this award says to me
is we have this mission. We need to pitch in to help
everybody ‘be the difference.’
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Lectionary Readings July 6 – 4 Pentecost, Proper 9A
Zechariah 9:9-12; Psalm 145:8-15; Romans 7:15-25a; Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30
July 13 – 5 Pentecost, Proper 10A
Isaiah 55:10-13; Psalm 65:1-14; Romans 8:1-11; Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23
July 20 – 6 Pentecost, Proper 11A
Isaiah 44:6-8; Psalm 86:11-17; Romans 8:12-25; Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43
July 27 – 7 Pentecost, Proper 12A
1 Kings 3:5-12; Psalm 119:129-136; Romans 8:26-39; Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52
August 3 – 8 Pentecost, Proper 13A
Isaiah 55:1-5; Psalm 145:8-9, 15-22; Romans 9:1-5; Matthew 14:13-21
August 10 – 9 Pentecost, Proper 14A
1 Kings 19:9-18; Psalm 85:8-13; Romans 10:5-15; Matthew 14:22-33
August 17 – 10 Pentecost, Proper 15A
Isaiah 56:1, 6-8; Psalm 67; Romans 11:1-2a, 29-32; Matthew 15:10-28
August 24 – 11 Pentecost, Proper 16A
Isaiah 51:1-6; Psalm 138; Romans 12:1-8; Matthew 16:13-20
August 31 – 12 Pentecost, Proper 17A
Jeremiah 15:15-21; Psalm 26:1-8; Romans 12:9-21; Matthew 16:21-28
The Church of the Advent
901 Baxter Avenue
Louisville KY 40204
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