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MESSENGERMESSENGERMESSENGER Volume 33, Number 4 January 25, 2013

January 27, 2013 The Third Sunday after the Epiphany

Septuagesima 8:00 a.m.

Holy Communion

9:20 a.m.*

Prayers for the Church

10:00 a.m.

Morning Prayer*

10:00 a.m.

Preschool & K Chapel*

10:30 a.m.

Preschool & K

Sunday School*

10:40 a.m. Grades 1-4 Sunday School*

11:15 a.m.

Grades 5-6 Sunday School*

11:15 a.m.

Children’s Program &

Entertainment in Guild

Room*

11:15 a.m.

ANNUAL PARISH

MEETING*

12:00 p.m.

Children’s Choir*

Sunday Scriptures The Lectionary

Nehemiah 8:2-10

1 Corinthians 12:12-27

Luke 4:14-21

Psalm 113

This past Sunday we had as our gospel text one of my favorite Epiphany texts, the incident of the changing of the water into wine at the wedding in Cana. The pertinence of this text to Epiphany is many-layered, but principally drawn from two facts.

1. In the ancient world January 6th was regarded as the Winter’s Solstice and as such was the feast day of the pagan god Bacchus, the god of the vine.

2. This is the first recorded miracle in John’s gospel. This, the first of his signs,

Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory; and his disciples believed in him. (John 2:11)

With respect to the first point, the early church showed itself quite unwilling to let the fundamental structures of our lives within time be shaped primarily by pagan influences rather than truth, so it was time and time again wrestling back away from paganism days previously baptized within that darkness. This was not syncretism; this was an in your face denial of paganism’s false claims about the nature of human existence and its meaning. With respect to the second point, this is the first great miraculous sign recounted in John’s gospel and as such the first very dramatic and clear demonstration of Jesus’ divine glory and nature. Now at some level, this is all about the power implicit in this great

Wine, Good Wine and Lots of It!

By The Rev’d Dr. R. William Dickson

Please join us for the St. Andrew’s

Annual Parish Meeting

Sunday, January 27

after the 10:00 a.m. service

in Moncrief Hall

Cont’d. from page 1

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The New Broom

By Fr. Richard Clark Fr. Harrison Beste, of blessed memory, for whom I was the Curate at St. Alban’s in Arlington some forty-plus years ago, had a favorite saying he would pull out whenever I had an upstart’s idea. He would say, “Ah, the new broom sweeps clean...but the old broom knows where the dirt is!” It’s been a long time since I had the temerity to think I had a startlingly new and revolutionary idea, and as I begin working in the area of Seniors Ministry I know for certain I do not have the knowledge or skills that Rita Palm brought to this ministry these last seven years. Still, I do have a natural attraction to, and love for, “seniors” - and not just because I have moved into that category myself. So, I look forward to building on the fantastic work Rita has begun which has highlighted in so many ways the presence at St. Andrew’s of seniors, as well as their friends. St. Andrew’s Parish would not be the same were it not for the work of the now-seniors through years past, nor for the continuing ministry of a multitude of seniors today. New, and younger, people are vital to the present

and future operation of the congregation, but no less vital are the ongoing presence and work of those of more mature years. My hope is that together we can intensify our awareness of each other, highlight the contributions we seniors are making to parish life, support each other, and enjoy the journey as we grow in the Lord on our way to the Kingdom. I think of it as :ministry by the Seniors, for the Seniors, and with the Seniors. Anyone, young or old, who has thoughts or ideas (even revolutionary) about Seniors Ministry should contact me directly on my cell (817-332-3191. ext 207) or by email at rclark@st-andrew.com. What a great ride we will have!

miracle of creation. But at another level, and one which speaks very deeply to my own heart, it is about Jesus laying bare the bankruptcy of any and every religion centered around any and every notion of spiritual hygiene and disclosing the sharply contrasting understanding of true religion as an encounter with and celebration of true joy.

Consider the original purpose of the six large water pots – “for the Jewish rites of purification.” The Jews of that period were always washing themselves, making every effort to avoid ritual defilement because of the ever-present risk of having bumped into something which was unclean. During the flu season perhaps many of us are careful to wash our hands more often than usual. We can’t be quite sure when we might have had contact with someone with that highly infectious virus. Similarly, a highly nervous view about contact with the unclean coupled with a highly tangible view of the nature of cleanness/uncleanness had many First Century Jews very preoccupied with their ritual cleanness. One couldn’t be too careful. Thus, one was always scrubbing here and scrubbing there. And experienced in this manner, religion is at its heart about the fear of having been made spiritually dirty and the hope of somehow through constant vigilance and care washing it away.

The inevitable result of a religiosity centered around the notion of cleanness is an aversion to others who might render you unclean and an uncertainty about one’s purity. Thus it unravels community by making others the context of risk and it undermines assurance and joy by leaving always uncertain the issue of the adequacy of one’s self-cleansing. Jesus confronts this approach to religion and turns it on its ear. Through this glorious miracle he shows an entirely different attitude toward religion – the attitude of joyous celebration. We should ask ourselves during this season of Epiphany, is our fundamental experience of Christian piety one of nervous anxiety and judgmentalism or of joyous celebration and of invitation? The

one is the real thing while the other is a cheap counterfeit. As Sheldon Vanauken wrote so well in his great book A Severe Mercy,

“The best argument for Christianity is Christians: their joy, their certainty, their completeness. But the strongest argument against Christianity is also Christians – when they are somber and joyless, when they are self-righteous and smug in complacent consecration, when they are narrow and repressive, then Christianity dies a thousand deaths … Indeed there are impressive indications that the positive quality of joy is in Christianity – and possibly nowhere else.”

We are approaching a different season with a different thrust and different tone. But we are not there (Lent) yet and won’t be for a number of weeks. We are in the season of the glorious manifestation of Christ. And he invites us to a party (the Messianic banquet). And he invites us to experience a true joy, and overflowing. Let us repent of all hygienic-oriented religiosity and embrace the wonder of a new creation. The Lord has made wine, good wine, and lots of it. It would be rude and unseemly to decline his invitation.

(To echoes of Kool and the Gang )

Celebrate good times come on ! - Let's celebrate

Celebrate good times come on ! - Let's celebrate

There's a party going on right here a celebration to last throughout the years. So bring your good times and your laughter too we're gonna celebrate your party with you !

Come on now, celebration let's all celebrate and have a good time

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“WE MUST OBEY GOD RATHER THAN MEN”

From Sunday evening’s sermon by Dr. Timothy Watkins

… Peter and the other apostles were clear on one matter: no claim of political, civil, or religious authority trumps God’s authority. Their reply to the charges against them is summarized in one short but stunningly powerful sentence. “We must obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29). The great church historian Jaroslav Pelikan said, “the unambiguous monotheism of the Christian confession, even and especially of the confession of the ‘one God’ and ‘One Lord’ in the Trinitarian formula of the Nicene Creed carried with it this affirmation and obligation, ‘We must obey God rather

than men.’” Unambiguous allegiance to God above all human authority is the unanimous teaching of both Old and New Testaments. Moses before Pharaoh, Elijah before Ahab and Jezebel, John the Baptist before Herod, Paul before the Sanhedrin and Festus, all proclaimed they owed allegiance to God rather than men. The Church—when it has been true to its apostolic origins—has always demanded allegiance to God rather than to ethnic, social, political, or even ecclesiastical identity. In the fourth century St. Ambrose proclaimed his obedience to God rather than to Emperor Theodosius, condemning the Emperor for breaking God’s law and insisting he should imitate King David in his repentance as he had imitated him in guilt. Martin Luther defied both civil and ecclesiastical authority in 1521 before the assembly of the estates of the Holy Roman Empire known as the Diet of Worms, presided over by Emperor Charles V, the most powerful ruler in the entire world. Luther refused to recant his belief in the plain teaching of Holy Scripture, reputedly stating defiantly, “Here I stand. I can do no other. God help me.’” The great English bishops Hugh Latimer, Nicholas Ridley, and Thomas Cranmer, along with other Reformers, stood valiantly against both Queen and Pope in the 1550s, contending for the biblical doctrines of the Reformation and insisting that their ultimate allegiance was to no human authority, whether political or ecclesiastical, but to God. In the spirit of this declaration, “we must obey God rather than men,” the heroic movement known as the German Confessing Church reaffirmed the Christian faith against Nazi nationalism, neopaganism, and anti-semitism. In 1934 in the so-called “Barmen Declaration,” it rejected the claim that the Church should be subordinate and subservient to the state or any earthly Führer (that is any earthly leader), and insisted instead that Christians must render allegiance to Christ—who, in the words of the Apostle Peter, is the One who“God exalted as Leader and Savior.” Martin Luther King Jr., whose life our nation commemorates this week, was just as clear and unambiguous in 1963, in his reply to fellow clergymen who objected to his breaking of unjust human laws. Echoing St. Augustine’s famous fourth-century declaration that “an unjust law is no law at all,” he wrote, “a just law is a manmade code that squares with the moral law or the law of God. An unjust law is a code that is out of harmony with the moral law.” King boldly proclaimed that while “one has a moral responsibility to obey just laws. . . one has a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws”—one has a moral responsibility, that is, to disobey edicts by human authorities that stand in opposition to God’s eternal law. The call to obey God rather than man is not, of course, confined to earlier historical periods (even as recently as the 1960s) or to Christians in other parts of the world. As Sam Negus pointed out last Sunday in his study of the 39 Articles, according to Peter Kreeft and Ronald Tacelli, “a Georgetown University professor polled hundreds of his Catholic students and found that the overwhelming majority said they thought of themselves as Americans who happened to be Catholic rather than Catholics who happened to be Americans.” Along with Kreeft and Tacelli, I “suspect the percentage would be at least as high among Protestants, since

Protestantism has been at the center of American ‘civil religion’ for two centuries.” How tragic that such a large majority of those claiming to be Christians would identify themselves primarily in terms of nationality, of their civil allegiance, rather than in terms of their faith. How likely is it that those who identify themselves primarily in terms of their earthly citizenship rather than as citizens of God’s kingdom would be willing to say with the prophets and with the apostles, with the martyrs of the church through the centuries—“we must obey God rather than men?” Let us make no mistake, however: the moment we commit ourselves to this most fundamental of claims—the moment we too decide that “we must obey God rather than men” –we must expect to suffer the consequences. The cost of the apostles’ commitment to obey God rather than the Sanhedrin was a high one. Luke as gospel is clear that the much of the Sanhedrin wanted to put them to death. While that was not to be the case on this occasion, after issuing them a second warning, the Sanhedrin ordered them to be flogged. With bared chests and in a kneeling position, the apostles were beaten thirty nine times with a tripled strap of calf hide across both chest and back, two lashes on the back for each stripe across the chest. Such a horrendous, bloody torture was flogging that people sometimes died from the ordeal. After being savagely beaten, the apostles still refused to acquiesce to the demands of the Sanhedrin, and, we are told, “left the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name. And every day in the temple and at home they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ.” Though the apostles survived the flogging, their insistence on obeying God rather than men would eventually bring almost all of them to their deaths at the hands of the authorities. The Prophet Elijah, who had valiantly faced down Ahab and Jezebel, was forced to flee for his life shortly afterwards. John the Baptist was beheaded for daring to obey God rather than men. The apostle Paul was imprisoned and, tradition has it, was also beheaded. Martin Luther was excommunicated. Latimer, Ridley, and Cranmer were burned at the stake. The drafters of the Barmen Declaration also paid a heavy price for adhering to the Gospel rather than nationalism: Karl Barth, refusing to pledge allegiance to Hitler, was forced in 1935 to resign from his prestigious teaching post at the University of Bonn. Martin Niemoller, having written a book entitled Christus ist Mein Führer (Christ is My Leader), which he fully intended to be understood as “Hitler is not my Leader” spent seven years in a concentration camp and barely escaped execution. Dietrich Bonnhoeffer was also sentenced to the concentration camp, and was hanged three weeks before the war’s end for acting on the belief that allegiance to God superseded allegiance to his country and obedience to its laws. And Dr. King, who penned the letter I quoted earlier, did so during an eight-day imprisonment in the Birmingham City jail, a few short years before being assassinated in Memphis.. Even today, every year thousands of Christian men and women in other parts of the world suffer and are martyred for obeying God rather than men. We should not be surprised when, if we dare to do as they do, if we do as the prophets of old did, if we do as the apostles, as the saints through the ages, as the Reformers did; if we follow the example of the Confessing Church in Germany, if we follow the example of Martin Luther King—if we dare to obey God rather than men—we should not be surprised when we too must pay the price. May God grant us the courage to obey God rather than men, and when called to pay the price for that obedience, may God grant us the grace to respond as the apostles did, rejoicing that we are counted worthy to suffer dishonor for his name, and continuing to preach Jesus as the Christ. Amen.

Dr. Timothy Watkins

Attention to detail (ATD) is that unique gift of thoroughness in accomplishing a task with concern for all areas involved, no matter how large or how small. ATD individuals will never overlook what needs to be done and can be depended upon to perform each task accurately and completely. Some are just born with ATD. It is part of their DNA. You can depend on them always to dot the i’s and cross

the t’s. Always grammatical with punctuation in place, everything is in perfect order. Nothing is overlooked. The checklist has been checked more then once and more then twice with a fine toothed comb. There is rarely a flaw. Such are Joan’s Rules of Order. No one, including her family and close friends, had anticipated Joan’s sudden departure a few weeks ago on January 6th. It had been only eight months since Joan had made the preparations for the Memorial Service for her beloved husband, Eddie Ryan. But then Joan was a woman of order. How fitting that after having spent a glorious Christmas and New Year with her family, she would depart the first day of Epiphany beginning her “new life” following the star, so very Joan. Joan’s light will always be present in the lives of her dear family. She taught them well or perhaps ATD is in their genes too. As preparations began for her Memorial Service, Joan’s Rules of Order was readily in place with family member’s attention to detail. She would have been so proud. Joan’s light will also continue to be present in the lives of her friends and others who had the privilege of knowing her. There was rarely a question she could not answer. She knew Robert’s Rules of Order backwards and forwards as well as the by-laws for every organization in which she participated. She had an opinion or two on what the right ingredients might be for this or that recipe and always seemed to know the source for the best this or that. Joan was a world of information. Just call Joan and one would have the answer. It has even been rumored that all her Christmas orders and preparations were completed by the end of July. Joan paid attention to detail. Joan was always focused. Joan was a woman of order. It was an honor to have worked behind the scenes with the St. Andrew’s staff, helping to prepare for Joan and Eddie’s services, observing and learning first from Joan and then from her family the importance of attention to detail. My eyes have been opened to areas that were sometimes overlooked. I have seen the importance of paying attention, of checking that list more then once, and of the importance of order. As the final preparations were being put into place for Joan’s reception I had to smile as I wondered what Joan would have done

when the coffee urn that had been ordered arrived, not as a visually pleasing vessel but as a cardboard box with a spout! With no time to spare, an ivy plant was plucked from the centerpiece and positioned atop the cardboard urn with a few cascading vines, not perfect but helpful. Attention to detail. I would like to think Joan would approve or at least be amused. St. Andrew’s has had to say good-bye to several beloved women this past year and at the beginning of this New Year. Each woman had her own gifts that were reflected throughout her service to St. Andrew’s, and while we are sad their voices are no longer heard, let us pay attention to what we learned from each one... be it love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control, compassion, grace or organization. We can be women of action if we just pay attention and stay focused on the important details. The Thursday Morning Women’s Bible study will begin Kelly Minter’s study of Nehemiah, A Heart that Can Break on January 24th. This is a seven-week study that will take us through the Book of Nehemiah. It is the last of the Old Testament historical books. It records the

history of the third return to Jerusalem after captivity, telling how the walls were rebuilt and the people were renewed in their faith. The study will show us a leader who took charge, organizing, managing, supervising, encouraging and paying attention to details, God’s details. He rose above opposition and overcame heart break. Nehemiah was a man of action. He was a man of order, God’s order.

“Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” Nehemiah 8:10

PLEASE JOIN THE THURSDAY MORNING WOMEN’S

BIBLE STUDY KELLY MINTER’S NEHEMIAH, A HEART THAT CAN

BREAK THURSDAY, JANUARY 24TH

9:30-11:30 MONCRIEF HALL

Child care provided

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WOMEN’S MINISTRY

ATD…...Attention to Detail by Marsland Moncrief

My name is Jason Cauble and my wife Holly and I moved to Ft. Worth with our family in the summer of 2011 from Houston, Texas. We have four children, Grace Elizabeth (10), Mary Margaret (7), Charlie (3), and George Henry (13 months). I work in the medical device industry and currently as Vice President of Sales for a California based start-up device company (San Jose, Ca). My parents raised our family in the baptist church in Odessa, Texas and I graduated from TCU in 1991. Holly and I were first exposed to the Anglican Church when we lived in London, England back in 2006-2007, where I first developed an appreciation for the traditions and the liturgy of the church. We joined St. Andrew's after moving to Ft. Worth and our youngest son, George Henry, was baptized here at St. Andrew's this past year. I currently serve as an usher in the church and have also been actively involved in Bible Study Fellowship (BSF) for the last several years. St. Andrew's is a church my family and I have truly come to love. I especially appreciate the 1928 prayer book and the historic evangelical Anglican tradition here at St. Andrew's. It is my sincere desire to serve in any way the holy spirit leads me. My family and I believe and affirm the credo enthusiastically and without reservation.

Jason Cauble

My late wife Jan and I were confirmed in 1984 or 1986 and we jointly attended Saint Andrew’s until she went to Christ's bosom . Kairos Prison Ministry is the mission I serve and try to be a conduit of Jesus' love to those who are victims of their own bad choices and decisions . I truly believe that Christ took all of our sins upon Himself in order for us to repent and have a hope of Salvation, that He suffered and died on the Cross of Calvary and that on the third day He arose , ascended into Heaven and sits on the right hand of God the Father and that He will come again to judge the quick and the dead . Finally, I believe that we should take a stand for Christ, the Church and our Christian beliefs, no matter what the cost !

Duane McDaniel

The beginning of my faith was fostered by my parents through the Roman Catholic Church which taught me the discipline of reverence in worshipping the Lord, strengthened my belief in the sanctity of all life and shaped my firm spiritual “work ethic.” After marrying in 1998, Dave and I joined the Episcopal Church in Fort Worth. We came to St. Andrew’s in 2009 knowing that here, the true meaning of the gospel and Christ crucified would be taught and lived. Since we began our family walk here, I have come to a much deeper understanding of justification by faith and God’s grace alone before works. Dave, our daughter Julia, and I are grateful for St. Andrew’s. We believe the church’s intentionality, sincerity and orthodoxy of worship and belief are the ultimate gifts to God. The daily life lived here is contagious and fruitful! I love remaining open to all of the ways there are to worship, pray to and serve the Lord in our church through its variety of services and ministries. I can always find an opportunity here to exercise my spiritual passions: learning and teaching the love of God through Christ and encouraging, cooking for and eating with people. I am happy to say that I have been able to indulge these at St. Andrew’s through teaching all ages of Children’s Sunday School, being Senior Warden of the Associate Vestry and ex-officio on the Vestry, X Connect , Women’s Council, Prayer Troop, Thursday Women’s Bible Study and teaching the children during VBS and Wednesday Night Family FX Experiences. Outside St. Andrew’s, I am a teacher by calling; I loved working in the elementary classroom for ten years before the further reward of currently staying at home with Julia. I also enjoy volunteering through the Fort Worth Junior League at Cook Children’s Hospital, on my HOA Board, and at my daughter’s school. As a member of St. Andrew’s, I wholeheartedly embrace our Credo without reservation.

Molly Bryant

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Please prayerfully consider this fine slate of nominees for election to the Vestry of

St. Andrew’s. At the Annual Parish Meeting, four of the six will be elected to a three-year term.

Please plan to be present this Sunday, January 27, immediately following the 10:00 a.m.

service, for a light lunch, to hear reports of parish ministries, and to vote.

Cont’d on page 6

Betty and I have been members of St. Andrew’s Parish since 2009, having moved our membership from St. Alban’s in Arlington where we worshiped beginning in 1992. We have enjoyed being a part of the St. Andrew’s Parish and the opportunity to join with many others in the various ministries of the church. We are especially fond of the liturgy as it is presented from the 1928 Book of Common Prayer. More over we are happy to worship in a parish that upholds the Holy Scriptures as written, to be the inspired word of God. I vow to uphold the credo of St. Andrew’s and pledge my unwavering support of the Doctrine, Discipline, and Worship of the historic Anglicanism and St. Andrew’s Parish as represented in the 39 Articles of Religion. During my years at St. Alban’s, I served on the Vestry, the School Board and was an usher and sang in the choir. I was introduced to the Kairos Prison Ministry in which I have worked for the past five or six years. Since I have been at St. Andrew’s, I have had the honor and pleasure of being a Greeter, an Usher, a Chalice Bearer, a Men’s Fellowship Member and honored to serve on the Associate Vestry. One of my great blessings is to work with Judy Mayo and her children by dressing as St. Nicholas at Christmas Time. It is through my participation in Bible Study Fellowship the past eight years and my Cursillo experience that I have found God’s purpose for my life. I feel His strong call for me to serve my fellowman at every opportunity and to witness to others of His great love for all His people, no matter where they are in life. He has prepared me for His work by giving me discernment of His word that I might serve Him in a loving and caring way. I have been blessed to have owned two successful businesses and to have the formal education and life experiences to make informed

Jim Rhea

I am honored to have been asked to stand for election to the St. Andrew’s Vestry. My wife, Karen, and I have been members at St. Andrew’s since shortly after we moved to Fort Worth in August of 2009 when I accepted a faculty position in musicology at TCU. I grew up in Paraguay, where my parents were Baptist missionaries. Hearing the gospel presented clearly and seeing it lived out on a regular basis, as a pre-teen I committed myself to do whatever God would show to be his will. After an undergraduate degree in music, a seminary degree, and ordination, I served several Baptist churches as a minister, and the responsibility for worship planning led me to appreciate the historic liturgy found in the Book of Common Prayer. After a number of years learning more about Anglicanism and attending worship at Episcopal churches, Karen and I became founding members of a church in Memphis, TN that was under the oversight of the Anglican Church of Kenya.

My family is glad to call St. Andrew’s home. Karen has served as a greeter, our daughter Caroline sings in the children’s choir, and our son Adam is an acolyte. I have been privileged to serve as a lector, an usher, and as Clerk and Junior Warden for Music/Liturgy of the Associate Vestry. I affirm St. Andrew’s credo without reservation.

Tim Watkins

I am Debbie Mitchell and I have been attending St. Andrew’s for 27 years. I grew up in a large Catholic fam-ily in Indiana. After graduating from Culver Academy for Girls, I attended Southern Methodist University receiv-ing a B.S. in Economics. During my professional career, I have worked for Atlantic Richfield Company, Ameri-can Airlines and Burlington Northern Railroad. My husband, Paul, and I were married at St. Alban’s Episcopal in 1980. Our marriage began one of the greatest gifts a marriage can bring, my fellowship at St. Andrew’s. The beau-tiful worship and the guiding spiritual truth of scripture in the 1928 Prayer Book brought me the loving grace of a closer relationship with God and Jesus Christ. My favorite hymns are: All praise to thee, for thou, O King divine, Let all mortal flesh keep silence, Dear Lord and Father of mankind and All creatures of our God and King. My trust is in Jesus Christ and in the truth of scripture. I follow the time tested habits of “committed Christians”: quiet time, accountability, memorizing Scripture, involvement with the church body, studying Scripture and tithing commitment. I strive to put on the skin of Jesus Christ to carry out his instructions by putting my feet into action. I enthusiastically do affirm St. Andrew’s Credo without reser-vation. During the years of raising our daughter, I taught Sunday school classes and led grade school classes during Vacation Bible School. The last few years of Vacation Bible School I have co-chaired the registration table. My first women’s ministry was with St. Martha’s Guild. I com-pleted St. Andrew’s Women’s Discipleship Class in 1999. I have participated in the Women’s Ministry bible study classes since 2008. During my 2 years on the St. Andrew’s Associate Vestry, I served as Clerk. I am a member of the GRACE Guild. Recognizing the truth that God de-sires I put my life into service, I have been a mentor in the Kids Hope USA program for 6 years and now for the last 2 years also Director of the Kids Hope USA program at St. Andrew’s. I have also become the Campus Coordinator for the Read 2 Win program at St. Andrew’s. I believe the Holy Spirit has gifted me with administration, coaching, mentoring, directing and implementing skills.

Debbie Mitchell

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Cont’d from page 5

CHILDREN’S MINISTRY

“Who Do You Say That I Am?” by Judy Mayo

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Peter’s Confession… and Ours! Many of you will recognize the above words from the 16th chapter of the Gospel of Matthew. “When Jesus

came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, ‘Who do people say that the Son of Man is?’ And they said, ‘Some say John the Baptist; others, Elijah; still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.’ ” “’But you,’ He asked them, ‘who do you say that I am?’ Simon Peter answered, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God!’” - Matthew 16:13-16 One of the great themes and messages of the Epiphany season is that Jesus Christ IS indeed the Son of God, the “Anointed One,” the Messiah, and the Savior of the world. In the words of the beautiful hymn, “At the Name of Jesus every knee shall bow, every tongue confess him King of glory now.” (Hymn # 356) In Children’s Sunday School the next few weeks, we shall be asking the above question and seeing how Scripture answers that question, over and over. However, it is up to each one of us, whether children or adults, to answer that question for ourselves, with belief and conviction, as we seek to follow the King of Kings and Lord of Lords! Thus, our children’s studies the coming month will be focused on some of the great miracles and healings of Jesus, as well as on some of His very important teachings, including several of His memorable parables. These include some wonderful Scripture verses and short passages to commit to memory. Parents, look for handouts which your children will be bringing home, and help to review and reinforce our Sunday School studies and teachings at home! Remember, we are a team in this great venture of “training up our children in the ways of the Lord.” (Proverbs 22:6)

Special Schedule This Sunday This Sunday, January 27, is the Parish Meeting Sunday. Please note our children’s program and schedule: Children’s Sunday School for all ages WILL be offered as usual, until 11:30. From 11:30 until 1:00 (or as long as the Annual Parish Meeting lasts), there will be an exciting program offered for children of all ages in the Guild Room upstairs in Ryan House. I have lined up a wonderful visiting team of children’s ministry workers (who love the Lord and love children) to staff our children’s program, so that you parents can be a part of the important Parish Meeting, knowing your children are in excellent hands. These families have visited here before and have been involved in children’s ministry in their own churches, and in missions trips, VBS’s, and Backyard Bible Clubs. They are delightful! They will be offering Christian songs and fun games as well as face painting, balloon sculptures, cookie decorating, and an array of arts and crafts. We will also have lunch provided for the children (sandwiches, chips, cookies, etc.). For the

very young, the nursery will be open throughout the Parish Meeting. It will be a great day, all the way around.

In the Mailbox This past week I received this very nice letter from the Rev’d Stanley Maneikis, chaplain at the Union Gospel Mission, concerning the Christmas gifts which were offered symbolically to the Christ Child and gathered in at the Family Creche Service on Christmas Eve:

Dear Judy: Please accept my apology for not being here when you brought the Children’s Manger Gifts after the Christmas Eve Service at St. Andrew’s. I remember that beautiful and meaningful children’s service, and the children bringing up their gifts to the Christ Child. Indeed, the gifts will be used throughout the year and around birthdays for the children. Also, I appreciate the personal note to Betty (Betty McIlroy) and to me. For our residents, Christmas here was a season of anticipation for the celebration of the Birth of Jesus and an expectation that this Christmas was going to be the best ever for them. I would say it was. On December 19th the residents experienced a concert in the chapel of Christmas music led by Jim and Marsha Hodges, and musician friends. There was a party with good food and a photo booth following. Through the work of our volunteers and many donations, our 50 or so children received gifts parents shopped for and wrapped in our in-house Christmas store. Every adult resident received a gift bag full of personal items, and a gift card. The Christmas Eve dinner included a t-bone steak and shrimp. Santa and Mrs. Claus came on Christmas morning for a visit with our families. Also, on Christmas morning, the residents attended an 11:00 Chapel Service. Even today, there is a spirit of Christmas joy in the place. Again, thank you for keeping us in your thoughts, activities, and prayers. We look forward to a blessed year in 2013. In Christ, The Reverend Stanley Maneikis, Chaplain Union Gospel Mission January 9, 2013

SAVE THE DATE!!! VBS Lunch Planning Meeting Sunday, February 3, 12:00 to 1:30 p.m., Koslow Library Nursery provided (lunch for children & adults) Come help us start planning for VBS 2013, to be held in late June!

Jesus Calls Us…Outreach and Serving Opportunities A regular column featuring information about St. Andrew’s Outreach and current Serving Opportunities

Sarah and Philip Murrin and their children just returned

from a mission to The King’s Children’s Home (KCH) in

Belmopan, Belize (see article and photos in January 18th

Messenger), bringing back LOTS of enthusiasm for this

wonderful ministry of God’s love to needy children. With

a brand new home currently under construction, there is

great excitement among all those involved with KCH.

Many supplies and equipment are needed in the coming

months, as the new quarters are completed and furnished

for the children to move in. Of course, there are also many

ongoing needs for keeping about 75 children housed,

clothed and fed.

Not everyone can travel to KCH on short term mission to

help there at the Home. But there are other ways that St.

Andrew’s parishioners can help support this special minis-

try. KCH is always in need of monetary donations (see

the KCH web site for information

www.kingschildrenhome.org ).

But individual parishioners, or perhaps parish ministries

such as the Men’s, Women’s or Student Ministries, can

share their love in a more hands on way by collecting any

of the following items:

Tennis shoes and work boots in men’s sizes

Flip Flops for all sizes (child to adult)

Boys and Men’s sized boxer shorts

Girls and women’s white ankle socks

6 crib size sheet sets

30 locks with keys for footlockers.

These are just some of the items on the needs list that

might be appropriate for parishioners to collect. Sarah

Murrin and Frank Bailey will be delighted to talk with you

further about KCH, as well as ideas for collecting needed

items. In the coming months, we hope to help other pa-

rishioners plan

visits to KCH,

and future mis-

sioners may be

able to help

transport items.

I’ll be glad to

develop a flyer

or communiqué

for any groups

interested in

spreading the

word by email or

handout, so feel

free to contact

me

(nkomatsu@st-

andrew.com). To find out more about collecting needed

items or planning a mission to KCH, please contact Sarah

Murrin at sarah@sewhelessfineart.com or Frank Bailey

at fbailey@baileygrain.com . St. Andrew’s continues to

be a blessing to KCH Director Leonie and the children –

just as they have blessed us with their witness to the power

of Jesus’ love!

8

How Can

We Help?

9

The flowers for Sunday, January 27

are given to the glory of God

at the Church altar in loving memory of

Margaret & James White

at the Chapel altar

in memory of Bob Rhoads

and at the Children's Chapel altar in honor of & thanksgiving for the

seventh birthday of Ryan Dickey

The flowers for Sunday, January 20 were given in memory of

Howard Overbeek, father-in-law

of Caron Overbeek,

our parish administrator

Weekday Worship Schedule Tuesday 10:00 a.m. Holy Communion Thursday 7:00 a.m. Holy Communion

Daily Schedule Monday, January 28 11:50 a.m. Don Anderson, Moncrief Tuesday January 29 6:30 a.m. Men’s Bible Study, Chapel & Koslow 10:00 a.m. Holy Communion, Chapel 1:30 p.m. Staff Meeting, Koslow Wednesday, January 30 12:00 p.m. Rector’s Bible Study, Koslow 6:00 p.m. FX Family Experience,* Moncrief 7:00 p.m. St. Andrew’s Choir,* Choir Room Thursday, January 31 7:00 a.m. Holy Communion, Chapel 9:30 a.m. Children’s Latin Class, Confirmation Room 9:30 a.m. Women’s Morning Bible Study,* Moncrief, Koslow & McFarland 7:00 p.m. Greek Class, McFarland 11:30 p.m. Messenger Deadline Friday, February 1 5:00 p.m. Staff Retreat, Offsite Saturday, February 2 8:00 a.m. Staff Retreat, Offsite Sunday, February 3 The Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany Sexagesima 8:00 a.m. Holy Communion, Chapel 9:20 a.m. Prayer Troop Service,* Chapel 10:00 a.m. Holy Communion* Church 10:00 a.m. Preschool & K Chapel Service, Children’s Chapel 10:30 a.m. Preschool & K Sunday School,* Preschool Area 10:30 a.m. Grades 1-4 Sunday School,* Koslow & Elementary Area 11:15 a.m. Grades 5-6 Sunday School,* Confirmation Room 11:15 a.m. Grades 7-9 Sunday School,* Youth Lounge 11:15 a.m. Grades 10-12 Sunday School,* Youth Café 11:15 a.m. Fellowship Sunday Celebration* Moncrief 12:00 p.m. VBS Lunch Planning Meeting,* Koslow 12:00 p.m. Children’s Choir,* Choir Room

January 27 Debbie Mitchell Arthur Clayton Melissa Shahbaz Lukasz Chandler January 28 Ann Ryan Billy Egger Whitney Wynne Ryan Dickey Thomas Stockton Lange SandaWarren January 29 Linda Rutledge J.T. Aughinbaugh

Meredith Arasaratnam Brian Gallagher Julie Kleberg Hunter Floor January 30 Kenneth Riddle Doug Batchelor January 31 February 1 Woodrow Walter Jim Stouffer Audrey Long Ian Garcia February 2 Bill Penny Millie Padron

10

Saint Andrew’s Episcopal Church

917 Lamar Street

Ft. Worth, Texas 76102

817-332-3191, Fax: 817-332-9724

Email: church@st-andrew.com

SAINT ANDREW’S MESSENGER is published weekly, except bi-weekly during the summer and the week after Christmas, by St. Andrew’s Parish. Periodical postage is paid at Fort Worth, TX. USPS 5898-90.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to 917 Lamar Street Fort Worth TX 76102.

The Rt. Rev’d Jack L. Iker, D.D. Bishop The Rev’d Dr. R. William Dickson Rector The Rev’d Richard Clark Pastoral Care The Very Rev’d William N. McKeachie Vicar Kendall Felton Director of Youth Ministries Jason Runnels Choirmaster Glenda Robinson Organist Elisabeth Gray McKeachie Harpist Judy Mayo Director of Children’s Ministries Marsland Moncrief Liaison to Women’s Ministries Angie Felton Nursery Facilitator Peggy Rush Editor/Publications

Mission Statement St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church exists to worship God in the beauty of holiness and in Spirit and truth; to win the lost to Jesus Christ and disciple every believer; to equip and empower every member for ministry; and to spread God’s kingdom through charitable, righteous works locally and globally.

THIS WEEK IN THE PARISH

Prayer Chain Requests:

Names may be submitted to Carrie Brent at 817-738-6496. Permission should be obtained before submitting the name of someone other than oneself.

Gathering with

Summer Twyman Benton

The World Mission Committee of the Diocese of Fort Worth is hosting a time of “tea and conversation” with Summer Twyman and Guy Benton, a remarkable young couple who were married just three weeks ago, on Friday, February 1st, from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., at the Diocesan Center for Ministry, 2900 Alemeda Street, in far west Fort Worth. The daughter of Lollie Twyman and the late Rev. John Twyman, Summer has for the past few years been our diocesan mis-sionary in Cambodia. She has an amaz-ing and beautiful story to tell! Her hus-band, Guy, also has a strong heart for mission and a passion for sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ with others. They will be returning to live in Cambodia in early April. Come enjoy this time to visit with them. If you can attend this gather-ing, please call Judy Mayo at 817-988-8170 by January 28.

SAVE THE DATE for “DISCO” CLASSES

The Rector’s DISCO Class (short for “DISCOvery”) is a great opportunity! The

class will meet from 8:30 am to 3:00 pm on Saturday, March 16 and

Saturday, April 13 in a casual setting, with time to cover an array of topics of

interest to every St. Andrew’s Parishioner.