“I have stopped early today in a monastery albergue in Granon, and am finding the simple joy of a comfortable chair beside a cot and a place to charge my phone. It is still early afternoon but my sleeping bag is more than inviting. There is a quiet but robust hospitality here that has attracted pilgrims for hundreds of years and I am learning why. I am so grateful to have been in the midst of magnificent beauty for so long and to have been befriended by so many people that I can't repay. I have met very few Americans on this pil- grimage. English has been rarely spoken except by those who speak with difficulty in order to include me in the conversation. For their effort I am grateful. This is an amazing good journey and I am thankful to all of you who have encouraged me to undertake it. I hope to return the favor by encouraging you to follow your heart. I will sleep tonight in a little bed at the top of the stairs. The frame of the bed is covered with words written by the brothers, prayers and blessings. Chants will be offered by the brothers after the evening meal. Again , I am the only American on this floor. The others, I think, are Danish. I understand nothing, but I feel amazingly at home, and in my heart I understand everything. We are all one, for we all belong to God.” Much love and gratitude, Everett+ September 17, 2016 Hola from the Camino! Hola from the Camino! Hola from the Camino! Hola from the Camino! The Song of Saint Francis The Song of Saint Francis The Song of Saint Francis The Song of Saint Francis It’s a Date! It’s a Date! It’s a Date! It’s a Date! 10/8 Lobster Fest 10/16 The Three Tenors Concert 10/23 Stewardship in- gathering 12/26 Messiah Sing-Along 10/11 Prayer Shawl Ministry 11/18 Book Reading 10/25 Prayer Shawl Ministry Saint Francis by the Sea Episcopal Church ● Salter Path, North Carolina October 2016 More pictures on page 12
Transcript
“I have stopped early today in a monastery albergue in Granon, and am finding the simple joy of a comfortable chair beside a cot and a place to charge my phone. It is still early afternoon but my sleeping bag is more than inviting. There is a quiet but robust hospitality here that has attracted pilgrims for hundreds of years and I am learning why.
I am so grateful to have been in the midst of magnificent beauty for so long and to have been befriended by so many people that I can't repay. I have met very few Americans on this pil-grimage. English has been rarely spoken except by those who speak with difficulty in order to include me in the conversation. For their effort I am grateful.
This is an amazing good journey and I am thankful to all of you who have encouraged me to undertake it. I hope to return the favor by encouraging you to follow your heart.
I will sleep tonight in a little bed at the top of the stairs. The frame of the bed is covered with words written by the brothers, prayers and blessings. Chants will be offered by the brothers after
the evening meal. Again , I am the only American on this floor. The others, I think, are Danish. I understand nothing, but I feel amazingly at home, and in my heart I understand everything. We are all one, for we all belong to God.”
Much love and gratitude, Everett+ September 17, 2016
Hola from the Camino!Hola from the Camino!Hola from the Camino!Hola from the Camino!
The Song of Saint FrancisThe Song of Saint FrancisThe Song of Saint FrancisThe Song of Saint Francis
It’s a Date!It’s a Date!It’s a Date!It’s a Date! 10/8 Lobster Fest
10/16 The Three Tenors
Concert
10/23 Stewardship in-
gathering
12/26 Messiah Sing-Along
10/11 Prayer Shawl
Ministry
11/18 Book Reading
10/25 Prayer Shawl
Ministry
Saint Francis by the Sea Episcopal Church ● Salter Path, North Carolina October 2016
More pictures
on page 12
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Vestry View by Larry CastleVestry View by Larry CastleVestry View by Larry CastleVestry View by Larry Castle
“When you love someone, you do not love them all the time, in exactly the same way, from moment to moment. It is an impossibility. It is even a lie to pretend to. And yet this is exactly what most of us demand. We have so little faith in the ebb and flow of
life, of love, of relationships. We leap at the flow of the tide and resist in terror its ebb. We are afraid it will never return. We insist on permanency, on duration, on continuity; when the only continuity possible, in life as in love, as in growth, in fluidity – in freedom, in the sense that the dancers are free, barely touching as they pass, but partners in the same pattern.
The only real security is not in owning or possessing, not in demanding or expecting, not in hoping, even. Security in a relationship lies neither in looking back to what was in nostalgia, nor forward to what it might be in dread or anticipation, but living in the present relationship and accepting it as it is now. Relationships must be like islands, one must accept them for what they are here and now, within their limits – islands, surrounded and interrupted by the sea, and continually visited and abandoned by the tides.”
Father Stephen shared this quote at the beginning of his first noontime Eucharist, written by Ann Morrow Lindbergh from her book ,“The Gift from the Sea.” These words written in 1955 provide comfort, insight, and give us peace. Recently, I was faced with having to address my Mother’s worsening health and recent strokes. It was during those days that the ‘flow of the tide’ came to mind. These words relate to all situations in life and love.
I reflected on the fact that I love my Mom too much to see her suffer. However, just as I was beginning to think her current health status was permanent at my next visit, just a few days later, she seemed to be progressing not declining. I realized at that moment I should stop “expecting” but instead be ready to embrace the ebb and flow of the tide.
My Mom, Elsie Pace Castle, has had a long, full life. She remained active and happy for much of her life. She loved exercising and swimming, was an incredible gardener and landscaper.
Professionally, she was a woman in a man’s world years before that was the norm. She was an accountant and department manager for Liggett Tobacco Company. Her feisty personality served her well both personally and professionally. As she recuperates, her assertiveness continues to provide her with the drive she needs to survive and progress.
Mom has been a caregiver most of her adult life. She has taken care of her mother, one brother and her only sister in her home, their home, hospital, and rest home. She raised two sons and two grandsons to be strong, caring men. We love and respect her. My wife loves her as much as she loves her own mother.
We are accepting Mom’s mental and physical limits. The passage above depicts Mom. She always enjoyed the beach; enjoyed swimming in the ocean, surrounded by water. The sunshine and air rejuvenated her. The salt air breathed life into her and renewed her spirit.
At times, it is difficult to live in the present, whether it is good or bad! The present tests our faith and beliefs. Life interferes, throws curve balls, or places obstacles in our path. Our nature is to look forward or backwards and not live in the present.
Once we recovered from the initial shock of seeing Mom after the strokes, our faith was renewed. We believe in God and have faith that God is the master healer; all things are in his hands. We continue to pray that she does not suffer nor worsen.
As we continue on this journey, Anne Lindbergh’s words have made us evaluate our marriage, friendships, and family. It has reminded us to slow down, live in the present, accept the circumstances, enjoy the moment, and be more reverent. Our faith has grown.
We will visit Mom without expectations. We accept her as she is in the present moment. We will appreciate the ebb and flow of the tide. We abandon her to the tides so she can shift and flow as she transitions toward Jesus Christ the Lord and the afterlife, where she will be physically and mentally healthy.
Reverently submitted, Larry Castle, Junior Warden
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Grace Notes by Linda Laughton, Music DirectorGrace Notes by Linda Laughton, Music DirectorGrace Notes by Linda Laughton, Music DirectorGrace Notes by Linda Laughton, Music Director
I am excited to tell you about several music events taking place during October at St. Francis by the Sea. But before I begin, I want everyone to know that CDs of the 2016 Summer Concert Series are available at the church office window in the fellowship hall. These CDs are not “for sale,” but are available to our church family and friends for a suggested minimum donation of $5. All donations help perpetuate the series (Please leave your donations in the envelope provided; Cash or checks payable to St. Francis by the Sea with “Concert CD” on the memo line). These CDs contain all the best memories from the 2016 summer concerts. I hope you will enjoy them and thank you in advance for your kind donations.
Sunday, October 2, we welcome the choir of St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Greenville who will join with the choir of St. Francis by the Sea during the 10 AM service. The combined choirs will number over 40 choristers. Andrew Scanlon, Organist and Choir Master at St. Pauls, who is also Professor of Music/Organ Performance at East Carolina University, will provide special organ music.
Saturday, October 8, during the annual Lobster fundraiser from 11am to 4pm, The Manuel Project will provide music outdoors and Charlie McCurry and I will team up indoors to provide easy listening music for our dining guests.
Sunday, October 16 at 5:00 pm the Three Triangle Tenors will perform their “Autumn Rhapsody” concert at St. Francis by the
Sea. We are grateful to Beaufort Grocery, Cape Carteret Aquatic and Fitness Center, Trinity Center, Atlantic Chiropractic and Rehabilitation, and Physical Therapy of Cedar Point for placing ads in the program, and to our remote ticket locations: BluSail Gallery, St. Peter's Swansboro,
St. Paul's Beaufort, and First Citizen's Bank Atlantic Beach. Please help me in thanking Romaine Riddle for chairing this major fundraising event. Please see the concert ad in this newsletter for ticket information, and Romaine Riddle's write-up for a peek into the extensive biographies of these phenomenal performers. You will not want to miss this concert event!
Sunday, October 23, morning worship will be a traditional morning prayer service led by Betsy Randall with The Rev. Carol Eaton, Deacon delivering a sermon. The choir will provide anthems and all your favorite hymns of the day along with full organ and piano accompaniment, and the bells, too! We hope you will join us for morning prayer.
Sunday, October 30 at 5:30 pm Mary B. Safrit will present a recital of art songs, oratorios and arias in the beautiful sanctuary of St. Francis by the Sea. Mary B. is a 2016 graduate of UNC Greensboro with her Master of Music in Vocal Performance, and holds her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Music from Elon University, cum laude. She has extensive
experience in opera, solo/oratorio and musical theater and has been honored with various awards for her singing. Mary B. is the daughter of Leonard and Sarah Jo Safrit of Beaufort, a true “daughter of the diocese” hailing from St. Paul's in Beaufort. Come and hear this talented young artist before she embarks on her professional singing career in New York, New York. The recital is free, open to the public and all are welcome. Donations are gratefully accepted.
From annual events to special events, fund-raising events to worship services, our October gatherings are all to the glory of God and all are welcome. Stay tuned! -LL
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A Stewardship Message by Beth BeswickA Stewardship Message by Beth BeswickA Stewardship Message by Beth BeswickA Stewardship Message by Beth Beswick
October is stewardship month at St. Francis and a time to reflect on our contribution to our church home. Is there something that has been calling you that you have not acted upon? Maybe it is participation in lay ministry or a committee,
singing in the choir, helping with nursery or doing the children's' sermon or increasing your pledge. We all receive so much from St. Francis and we are called to give back.
The church does have many significant needs, not the least of which is funding a reserve account to keep our beautiful church in good condition. Roof replacement, air conditioner replacement, exterior maintenance (has anyone noticed the shutters on the front are no longer there?) are all realities of keeping the St. Francis we love in good working order. The funds to pay for these things come from us and us alone. It is up to us to take care of God's house that has been entrusted to us so that we might minister to our community.
Please consider a pledge if you have never pledged before, and if you have please consider an increase this year. Every little bit helps. Your vestry does everything they can to be responsible
stewards, but we depend on your support to continue our mission. Consider your pledge prayerfully and do what you can to help.
This month we will have members of our church family share their thoughts on the gifts that St. Francis has bestowed on them. The pledge ingathering will be October 23rd and the vestry will provide a home cooked brunch after the service. We look forward to seeing you there!
I want to leave you with a few words to meditate on. A close friend recently lost her 89 year old mother, Jane Kirschner Kellum. I loved Jane and she loved me back. I want to pass on some of her wisdom. She had two sayings that her children heard all their lives- “Joy is God's gift to those who love them" and "Make friends in heaven by bringing heaven to people around you, and trust God to do his work, despite your faults and ignorance. Make the best of all events: Life IS good, and death is a new beginning, and the next world is here beside us." I want you to ponder how St. Francis has brought you joy and then think about how you can demonstrate your love of God through action at St. Francis. Think about how you can bring heaven to the people around you. I see St. Francis as being a little part of heaven on earth and this is created by the joy we all bring to our worship together.
In Peace- Beth Beswick 2016 Stewardship Chair
The Third Annual Handel’s Messiah SingThe Third Annual Handel’s Messiah SingThe Third Annual Handel’s Messiah SingThe Third Annual Handel’s Messiah Sing----Along at St. Francis by the SeaAlong at St. Francis by the SeaAlong at St. Francis by the SeaAlong at St. Francis by the Sea
On Monday, December 26, at 5 pm, the third annual Handel's MESSIAH “Sing-Along” will be held at St. Francis by
the Sea. This day-after-Christmas event presents the entire oratorio including all the arias. Once again the music will be led by Lewis Moore, with David Leahey, organist, and a professional string quartet. Whether you are a singer or a spectator, all are invited to be a part of this exciting evening of fine sacred music in the live acoustic sanctuary of St. Francis.
Advance registration is $16, or $20 at the door. Advance registration for singers helps ensure balanced vocal sections. Make checks payable to St. Francis by the Sea with “MESSIAH” on the memo
line. Indicate your vocal part (S,A,T,B) or SPECTATOR, and include your phone number and email address. Checks may be mailed to St. Francis by the Sea, 920 Salter Path Road, Salter Path, NC 28512. Pre-paid tickets will be held in your name at the door. The deadline for early registration is Wednesday, December 14.
Doors open at 4:00 for registration and singer check-in. The sanctuary doors open for seating at 4:45. The music starts at 5:00. Refreshments are served at intermission.
Registration does not include oratorios. Limited vocal scores are available for check-out. We use the Schirmer/T. Noble edition of the Handel's MESSIAH vocal score and encourage singers to bring their own score. For questions please email [email protected] or call (252) 626-5075.
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Coming into the Home Stretch! by Terry Smith and Meg BradfordComing into the Home Stretch! by Terry Smith and Meg BradfordComing into the Home Stretch! by Terry Smith and Meg BradfordComing into the Home Stretch! by Terry Smith and Meg Bradford
We have reached the point! Your efforts are paying off. If you haven’t signed up we can still use you. Contact Terry or Meg directly or see them on Friday the 7th or during the Lobster Fest on Saturday the 8th. We still need help with traffic
control and in the kitchen upstairs. The more workers we have the less stress and strain on each other?
Have you accounted for your tickets with the office? That part is critical. Eat in meals are
sold out! There are sign up sheets for the upstairs kitchen jobs on the Lobster table in the parish hall.
Also, Friday, October 7, many hands will make light work as we roll silverware, set tables, fill the take-out dishes with slaw and potato salad and begin to cut desserts, lemons, etc. There's something for everyone to do! We will start on Friday at 10am! Just show up and we’ll find a job for you.
Finally: Thank You. You can’t hear that enough Terry and Meg.
13—Pat Jones 14—Bobbie Hill 15—Jeanie Best 24—Clayton Sessoms
25—Anne Lawrence 25—Henry Lawrence 29—Len Thomas 31—Moni Bottlinger
October BirthdaysOctober BirthdaysOctober BirthdaysOctober Birthdays
If you want to fully understand how pervasive the labyrinth is in my life go to Google Earth or maps and zoom in on my front yard; there you will see a labyrinth mowed in the lawn. I’m sure my neighbors all wonder what led me to this eccentric behavior. The simple answer is that I was asked to serve on the St. Francis Labyrinth committee, which then led to a “close encounters” type research and study binge.
Until that time I had no idea of the many designs or purposes of the labyrinth. The closest I had come was several years before when I had purchased a board game named “Labyrinth” for the family. It was my daughter Rachel’s favorite, but it was actually a maze and not a true labyrinth… so what’s the difference?
That was the first thing I learned. A maze gives you choices; left or right, or straight ahead; and it has dead ends, “Oops, gotta turn around and try another path.” To get through a maze you have to remember where you went wrong and try another way. A maze can be confusing.
But a true labyrinth has a single path. It’s not confusing. There’s no wrong way. You can’t get lost. And it doesn’t test your memory. The labyrinth path just allows you to wind your way from beginning to end as fast or as slow as your mood takes you. It frees your mind to meditate, pray or just figure out problems. That’s how I use the lawn labyrinth… a lot!
I found that most labyrinth designs were circular and had paths with varying amounts of twisting and turning. The path starts on the outside and winds inward toward the center or “goal”, which is usually a larger more spacious area for meditation, prayer or resting, gathering with friends, sometimes with a bench. Some labyrinths are verdant gardens with plants and flowers and rocks lining the way.
The St. Francis labyrinth space was carved out of an unused area east of the church building in a swampy bottom area. It was back-filled with earth, leveled and covered with a black silt screen. That gave us the defined space and a flat place to walk but there was no path. It was a blank slate. But where should we go from there and how to get started? My research revealed hundreds of various paths. Some were simple, some very labyrinthine (perfect word in this context).
Given the hundreds of designs I guessed that, like loves and careers, everyone would choose a different path as a favorite so designing a path would be a difficult task. That and committee conversations about path designs were as circuitous as … well … as a labyrinth.
What path would be perfect for St Francis? What path
would everyone appreciate and enjoy? How many circuits? How many turns and switchbacks? My task was to figure out the answer to those questions.
Being a true math and science nerd, I spent many late nights with a computer spreadsheet to help design the St Francis labyrinth. The variables for this problem were the overall diameter of the entire labyrinth, the diameter of the center circle or goal, the width of the path, the width of the stripes (lines between paths), and the number of circuits (layers or concentric circles around the center).
The only thing definite was the space available, which was actually a great place to start. We wanted as much labyrinth as would fit in the allotted space. Fun fact: St. Francis’ labyrinth is actually a larger diameter (but not a longer path) than the famous 11-circuit labyrinth of Chartres Cathedral in France. This fact gave us the overall maximum diameter of forty-seven feet and eliminated one variable. One by one, I addressed the remaining variables.
How wide should the path be? The committee desired that the labyrinth be passable by wheel-chairs. So I found a couple of wheel chairs and measured their widths. About twenty-eight inches would suffice, that was easy; check off another variable. How wide the stripes? That one could wait because it was less important and could be just about any value.
How large a center goal? Work on this variable took me to the labyrinth space with a bucket of shells. I placed shells in circles of differing diameters and meditated on the possibilities. Bigger is better and can fit more walkers or a bench. While doing this another question arose. From which direction of the compass should one enter the labyrinth?
First things first, which direction was north? With no compass handy, my nautical and Boy Scout skills led me to erect a primitive sundial with a stick. Using a watch and the stick’s shadow I easily found north, which should be the shadow at precisely noon, right? Coming back later with a compass I found that true north was quite different from my sundial. Can you figure out what I did wrong? My clock was on Daylight saving time, not God’s time. The sundial at noon was an hour off.
How many circuits? This question took me back to the internet research of various designs. There is any number of circuits from three to about seventeen or more! I found some references to a replicable symbol or “seed” that supposedly had been used by ancient Christians to communicate that fact with each other without risking persecution or imprisonment. This
(Continued on page 7)
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How the Labyrinth Got Its Stripes by Skip KempHow the Labyrinth Got Its Stripes by Skip KempHow the Labyrinth Got Its Stripes by Skip KempHow the Labyrinth Got Its Stripes by Skip Kemp
turned out to be questionable mythology at best but it sounded good at the time and served the purpose for a focal starting point.
The drawing seed has a cross at its center. It has chevrons in each quadrant and dots in its corners. Starting with this seed it’s easy to replicate the same labyrinth anywhere.
Here are the full instructions to draw your own labyrinth:
To draw a classical labyrinth from the seed, start at the top of the cross and draw an arced line connecting it with the next neighboring line or dot to the right. Repeat this process in a concentric manner drawing lines from left to right until all lines and dots have been connected to another. The resulting diagram is a
typical classical seven-circuit labyrinth which can be replicated easily. It also looks like a squashed brain-shaped oval and didn’t really fit our space. But at least this gave us our answer to how many circuits, seven!
Back to the drawing board I went. With a little creativity, I discovered that the design could be rounded out into a circular shape, one that would better fit into our area. And the resulting labyrinth path was not extremely winding and twisting, rather, minimally so. Next, I needed to test the design.
I found myself at the beach, which was a wonder blank slate. What better place to work on the St. Francis path? The beach offered an endless opportunity for trial and error. Our family had rented a beach house for a week, which gave me a lot of in-house testers. I also found many passersby, mostly uninhibited vacationing children, who were willing to try each new path with me.
A shovel makes a great drawing tool for the soft beach sand. So with shovel in hand, a string, a tape measure and a sheaf of printed potential path drawings I headed out to make a few giant crop circles in the sand. The easiest part of making a labyrinth is drawing the concentric circles for the paths. Once that’s done it’s more difficult to draw in the turns and switchbacks and decide where to locate them.
Rather than start with a simple design, of course I drew one with numerous twists, switchbacks, and turnarounds as someone had suggested. It was very labyrinthine and serpentine. The first time I walked it I got a headache and it made me dizzy. That was actually a good thing because the process of
elimination kicked in, which led to the simpler path.
After finding the perfect path design on the beach I took the results home to the computer. A few more hours with the spreadsheet had fine-tuned almost all of the variables. Our labyrinth was taking shape. But there was still one blank space. This is what the spreadsheet looked like:
The next thing to do was try it on a more permanent, well … maybe … semi-permanent … basis. Pulling out the tape measure, white spray paint and string I turned my front yard into a crop circle. An hour with the electric lawnmower made us the talk of the neighborhood and there was no turning back. I actually figured out a lot of problems walking that labyrinth!
Still cautious about making anything permanent I took the labyrinth tool kit back to St Francis, laid out the path on our filter cloth and striped it with shells. The committee was eager to make a permanent path but there was one variable yet to solve. Remember the variables?
Overall diameter = forty-seven feet Goal diameter = nine feet Number of circuits = seven Path width = 28-inches Stripe width = “X”
Although it was not a simple discovery, St. Francis labyrinth got its stripes and simple path by one math and science junkie’s adventure to solve for X. Now it’s your turn to try. Even if you are not a whiz at math you can figure this one out. Better yet, walk the labyrinth and the answer will come (hint: carry a tape measure). But if you want to know right away, see the answer on page 10 (hint: you’ll need a mirror!)
This challenging project was fun and I learned a lot. It allowed me to stretch my mind and my legs at the same time. Who knows, maybe there are problems or questions the labyrinth can help you solve. I hope you enjoy walking the St. Francis Labyrinth as much as I enjoyed finding the path.
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“Reaching out with the Love of Christ to others in need” “Reaching out with the Love of Christ to others in need” “Reaching out with the Love of Christ to others in need” “Reaching out with the Love of Christ to others in need” ---- St. Francis OutreachSt. Francis OutreachSt. Francis OutreachSt. Francis Outreach
Bridges School: Bridges Alternative School serves K-12 Carteret County School students who need sig-nificant intervention and sup-port for academic, social, and personal success. Staff members
work intensively with students and their families with the goal of helping students improve their behavior and their academic skills so they can return to and be successful in traditional school settings. During the month of September we collected $250 for the Bridges Alternative School that helped fulfill many needs by the teachers at the school.
Gulf Coast Flooding: Both a group collection and individual donations were made to Episcopal Relief and Develop-ment’s U.S. Disaster Fund to help with flood relief efforts along the Gulf Coast after parts of that area experienced historic levels of flooding. The St Francis group donation totaled $415. Thank you to all helped support this effort.
Family Promise: Thanks to everyone who con-tributed to our helping hands basket for Family Promise of Carteret County. Special thanks to the Boy Scouts working towards their God and Church badge for assembling and donating so many zip-loc bags filled
with necessities!
The basket of supplies was delivered to Family Promise with appreciation by those who received the items. This is an ongoing collection. You can contribute regularly and the
items will be delivered once a month. Items needed are: men’s & women’s toiletries, Walmart gift card, non-perishable breakfast items, twin sized sheets and blankets, pillows, laundry supplies. In addition, Family Promise is looking for volunteers during the month of October, Wednesday or Friday, 3 hour shift, basically just answering the phone and helping clients fill out forms. If you can help, please call 252-222-0019
This collection will be a monthly, on-going collec-tion. Just look for the Family Promise poster for the collection location in the parish hall.
Firefighters Appreciation Lunch: On Septem-ber 2, we fed the fire-fighters and law enforce-ment offic-ers of Salter Path a deli-cious chili lunch. Beef Chili, Larry Castle’s White Chicken Chili, iced tea and lemonade, chocolate chip cookies, tollhouse bundt cake, brownies, and pecan pie were served to about 10 hungry first responders. Many thanks to Geraline Castle, Judi Matzke, Sue Ingram, Martha Edwards, Lisa Park, Charlie McCurry, Phyllis Makuck, Libba Shelton, Meg Bradford, and Linda Davies for helping out! Everything was well re-ceived and appreciated. Good food, good conver-sation, good people.
With gratitude for all you do!
Serving others in need, with resources of money, time and talent,
Denise & Lee Throckmorton and Your Outreach Committee
Prayer Shawl...Plus!Prayer Shawl...Plus!Prayer Shawl...Plus!Prayer Shawl...Plus! The Prayer Shawl Ministry has resumed! We have changed our meeting day to Tuesdays, and for October we will meet on the 11th and the 25th at 10 am in the parish hall. Come and share your talent, whether or not your item is intended for the Prayer Shawl Ministry. All are welcome to join the gathering to “knit one and pray too.”
Yarn is available free of charge. Beginners are always welcome!Yarn is available free of charge. Beginners are always welcome!Yarn is available free of charge. Beginners are always welcome!Yarn is available free of charge. Beginners are always welcome!
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Kanuga by Linda SealeKanuga by Linda SealeKanuga by Linda SealeKanuga by Linda Seale In mid-August, Richard and I travelled to Kanuga, an Episcopal camp near Hendersonville, NC, so I could participate in the F.A.C.E. Liturgical Conference ( Faith, Arts, Creative Expression). One motivation for me to attend was the chance to sing in a choir under the direction of Mark Schweizer. Mark is a retired opera singer, as well as a church organist, choir director, composer, and author of a funny and fun series of liturgical mysteries. Many of us in the St. Francis choir have read some or all 13 books, the titles of which are choir based, as in The Alto Wore Tweed. Mark and his wife Donis also run a music publishing company to which St. Frances subscribes and which provides some of our choral anthems. You have heard some of Mark’s anthems sung by our choir.
At our Kanuga conference, all who wanted to sing met each day after lunch for 1 ½ hours in the Chapel of the Transfiguration practicing music for the evening services. Our organist was Robert E. Lee from Prospect KY. Robert was a talented organist and composer and we sang one of his compositions as well as two of Mark’s along with all the music for a choral evensong. Mark’s wife Donis sang alto with me and played the violin to accompany several of our anthems or preludes with
the organ. Mark himself is lots of fun and very talented and I really enjoyed my week with him and the other singers and musicians. We also had a talent night where Mark performed as did some of the other talented singers and there was also a sing along one evening after the church service where
Robert and Mark and Donis led us in old songs and camp songs. There was also a morning service held at the lakefront chapel which included contemporary and Taize music led by guitar.
Since this was a liturgical confer-ence, there were morning classes in various forms of art – needlework of all kinds, photography, flower arranging, wood working and painting. An exhibit of work done at the conference was held on the last
evening and there were some very impressive pieces of work shown.
Non-participants, like Richard, were free to hike or wander around the classrooms or fish or read in the rocking chairs overlooking the lake. We were really surprised to meet Carol Eaton there attending a women’s clergy conference and then the following day Rob Skirving arrived for a board meeting.
It was a fun week in a lovely setting.
The Three Triangle Tenors’ “Autumn Rhapsody” by Romaine RiddleThe Three Triangle Tenors’ “Autumn Rhapsody” by Romaine RiddleThe Three Triangle Tenors’ “Autumn Rhapsody” by Romaine RiddleThe Three Triangle Tenors’ “Autumn Rhapsody” by Romaine Riddle
On Sunday, October 16 at 5:00pm, St Francis By The Sea Episcopal Church, 920 Salter Path Road, Salter Path, NC is excited to bring to the Eastern Carolina community an “Autumn Rhapsody” concert, featuring The Three Triangle Tenors. The performers are:
George Deaton, who has been singing professionally since 1961, is a soloist since 2006 at the Assisi, Italy Music Festival. George has performed locally, nationally and internationally. Mr. Deaton formed The Three Triangle Tenors in 2009 and lives in Raleigh.
Wade Henderson, from Cary, appears frequently on regional stages in opera, concert and choral settings. He is known for his “strong, vibrant tenor voice according to Classical Voice of NC, as well as his facility with a wide variety of musical styles.
Timothy Sparks has appeared with opera companies in Europe and the US. With a commitment to contemporary music he has participated in premieres
of new stage works. His performances have been broadcast on PBS and a recent recording was released by Centaur records. Mr. Sparks currently serves as a Lecturer in Voice and Diction at UNC-Chapel Hill.
Catherine Hamner, piano, is staff accompanist at Campbell University and has been performing since the sixth grade. She received a Master of Music in piano from UNC-Chapel Hill, attended Franz-Schubert Institute in Austria, and an opera conducting summer program in the Czech Republic. Catherine lives in Raleigh.
This event is a fundraising effort for St. Francis. Tickets for the concert are $20 and are available in advance at First Citizens Bank, Atlantic Beach; BluSail Gallery, Morehead; St. Paul’s Church, Beaufort; St. Peter’s Church, Swansboro and at the door the night of the concert. For more information, call 919-270-8583.
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Several people have asked me about my small silver cross that I wear every Sunday. It is a Daughters of the King cross which I received when I became a member of the Sarah Lawton
Chapter connected to St. Albans Episcopal Church, Hickory, NC, in 1985. Through many moves and changes in my life being a member of the Daughters of the King is very important to me.
You may be inquiring, What is the Daughters of the King? The Order of the Daughters of the King is open to women of all ages in the Episcopal Church, the Anglican Communion, the Lutheran Church, and the Roman Catholic Church. It is a religious order because women are dedicated to live their life for God through Prayer, Service, and Evangelism. Daughters pray daily for their parish, clergy, and parishioners. They also sponsor various projects that benefit the church such as praying for individual needs and
concerns through prayer requests, sending cards to those in need of healing, knitting prayer shawls, and in many other ways of reflecting God’s love to our church and our community.
The Order was founded in 1885 by Margaret J. Franklin at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in New York City. Within one year six chapters were formed and afer 132 years of growth there are chapters located all over the world. Recently St. Andrews Episcopal Church in Morehead City and St. Anne’s Episcopal Church in Jacksonville NC, each established a chapter and inducted several members. There are also chapters at St. Peter’s, Swansboro and St. Paul’s, Beaufort.
I would like to see a chapter established at St. Francis. Father Everett gave me his enthusiastic positive response for this to happen. To become a Daughter one must go through a period of personal discernment by meeting regularly and completing the National Study Guide. If you are interested in learning more about the Daughters of the King, I would like to host an information session after church in November. We would begin the discernment and study sessions after the Christmas holiday.
The Order of the Daughters of the King by Deacon CarolThe Order of the Daughters of the King by Deacon CarolThe Order of the Daughters of the King by Deacon CarolThe Order of the Daughters of the King by Deacon Carol
ECW News by Bobbie HillECW News by Bobbie HillECW News by Bobbie HillECW News by Bobbie Hill
• Members of ECW have formed
a committee and continue to
work on the cookbook
Openings.
• The Diocese will be having a
Fall meeting but a date has not
been announced as yet.
Solution to labyrinth puzzle:
October 4October 4October 4October 4
Happy St. Francis DayHappy St. Francis DayHappy St. Francis DayHappy St. Francis Day
From KubaFrom KubaFrom KubaFrom Kuba
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One of the most common phobias in the world is fear of public speaking. Have you ever suffered with it? I have. And yet, once a month, children from ages eight through thirteen, stand up in our church service and read scriptures to a sanctuary full of people, mostly adults, many of them strangers.
The leaders of the Kids of St. Francis always try to put an experienced lector with the new readers. That way, the new ones know that there will be a friend up there to let them know if they forget what comes next. Last Sunday, it didn’t work out that way and we wound up with two first time readers. I’m sure you didn’t suspect that because they did such a great job but I wanted you to know about one of our behind the scenes improvisations.
Sofia Mason is one of our really good readers with lots of experience. Jaxon Whitaker is new but eager to participate. He actually said, “Miss Marian, I want a job.” I paired Sofia and Jaxon and made sure they had their readings a week ahead so they could learn any new words and get familiar with their respective scriptures. I encourage all the children not to just read the words but understand what they are reading. I also encourage them to enunciate clearly and SLOW DOWN. They are all growing in knowledge and experience and surely God is pleased.
On Sunday after we were already at church, I received a text from Sofia’s mother saying Sofia had laryngitis. Oops. No way to ask Jaxon, a brand new reader, to do ALL the readings. Our other experienced readers were either away or like Ainsley Horton, already involved as acolytes. Grant Richardson was just finishing up his work for his scout badge for “God and Church”. He had not even had an opportunity to look at the scripture reading. I asked him if he would help us out and he did not hesitate to say yes.
With people all around and noise and confusion in our Sunday School room, Grant read over the
words, then practiced them once with me. Did you notice all the long names in that passage? Upstairs, I took Grant out on the porch for a little more quiet and he had one more opportunity to read his passage aloud to me. Sigh. This is, after all St. Francis and even adults mess up from time to time. Right? I said to the two boys the same words that Father Renfro said to me the first time I served as lector; “Remember, it’s not about you.
This is the WORD OF THE LORD.”
You may have noticed that when two young men in Scout uniforms walked to the podium yesterday, I was holding my breath. Both were reading in church for the first time. It is so important for them to have good experiences lest they develop that “fear of speaking in public” thing. Thanks be to
God! They served Him well and did a fantastic job. I look forward to them supporting other new readers now that they are experienced lectors. What a joy to be part of their spiritual journey!
When you are present on Youth Sunday, please notice all the work, dedication, love and joy that our young people add. Don’t worry about the fidgeting, the bare feet, the uncombed hair,
the inappropriate giggles, mispronounced words or missed cues. Be pleased as Jesus was to “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.” We are so very blessed.
There will be no Youth Sunday in October. However, please plan to be present on October 16 when thirteen Boy Scouts will receive their “God and Church” certificates at the beginning of our service. Five (maybe six) of these scouts are Kids of St. Francis and all are part of our Family of God. If you are a scout of any age, please plan to be there that day and be doubly blessed.
As always, thanks for supporting our ministry.
For the Kids of St. Francis by Marian GoetzingerFor the Kids of St. Francis by Marian GoetzingerFor the Kids of St. Francis by Marian GoetzingerFor the Kids of St. Francis by Marian Goetzinger
Jaxon Whitaker
Grant Richardson
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Hola from the Camino!Hola from the Camino!Hola from the Camino!Hola from the Camino!
