Who We Are

March 2010 Epistle

Download the March issue of our newsletter: The Epistle, March 2010

Inside this issue:

• Elevation: From Discernment Into Action by Wallace+
• Elevation: Stage 1 - Implementing Our Vision from Such Great Heights
  
• What Brings You Into the Lenten Desert by Kate+
• Reflections on "The Good Samaritan" and School Integration
• Why Bible Study? by Harry Burt
  
• Groundhogs, Lions & Lambs by Sue Bland
• Oasis by Bryan Appel

and much, much more! Download the PDF to read the full issue.

On the Cover:

Elevation: From Discernment Into Action

Of the things that were immediately clear to me about St. Paul’s, nothing was clearer than that we are a church that hungers for action. We are doers. Lenten Lunches, Micah, Emmaus, Mwitikira, Haiti, Lay Eucharistic Visitors, Altar Guild, Tour Guides, and the list goes on. And this has always been true. It is in St. Paul’s DNA. 

Just the other day I came across reference to a paper being published this summer, “Bringing Social Christianity to Virginia: Walter Russell Bowie, 1912-1923,” which will present a study of how, during Dr. Bowie’s tenure as Rector of St. Paul’s Church, our parish became a hub of spirited progressive ministry, and how, during that time, the parishioners of St. Paul’s “launch[ed] a city-wide campaign for better housing conditions.” This is just the latest example I have learned about, of St. Paul’s long, strong tradition of Christian action, stretching back over generations.

From Discernment

During our recent Such Great Heights movement, we spent several months in discernment, focusing on two central questions, “Who is God calling us to be?,” and “What is God calling us to do?” Naturally, and not at all surprisingly, as we prayed and studied and reflected our way through the summer and fall, our longstanding commitment to action shone through steadily and clearly. St. Paul’s Church is as committed as ever to action in the name of Christ.

What also emerged very clearly through our Such Great Heights movement is that, even while we are determined not to miss a beat, in terms of outwardly-directed Christian action, there is, at the same time, a deep desire to see our parish do some interior work, if you will; or, to put it another way, borrowing from the language of fitness, there is a sense that this a time for us to build our “core strength,” so that, in turn, we are all that much more prepared to carry on with the outwardly-directed action to which we are so dedicated, and for which we are so well known. We want to go deeper together; we want to grow closer; we want a fuller, warmer sense of belonging to and caring for one another.

Into Action

On Page 3, you will see “Elevation: Implementing Our Vision from Such Great Heights,” which lays out a plan of action for 2010. Most, but not all, of the plans for this first stage of Elevation are dedicated to the building of our core strength. It is important to understand that this is only the first stage in a series of stages. (“Elevation 2.0,” “Elevation 3.0” will come later.)  It is also important to understand that this is a plan of action for the whole of St. Paul’s Church, for every single member.

On Sunday, March 14, we will celebrate “Elevation Sunday.” The sermon and the entire forum for that day will be dedicated to rolling out Elevation. Specifically, the day will be dedicated to making sure that all the people of our parish are engaged in the plans for the coming year: What sort of small group might you be interested in joining? Would you be willing to welcome visitors to St. Paul’s, and, not just greet them, but actually help them find their place in our midst? Have you ever considered that you might have a call to pastoral ministry? Would you consider joining a “mission team” dedicated to taking the Gospel to the growing number of people now living in downtown Richmond? Those are just some of the plans that we will be putting into action in this first year of Elevation. What part will you play? What ministries will you claim for yourself? What is God’s call for you, for the coming year, at St. Paul’s Church?

Please mark your calendar for Sunday, March 14, and please plan to be in church that morning, as we move from the discernment of Such Great Heights into the action of Elevation. I know God has great things in store for St. Paul’s Church, and great things in store for each and every one of us as we claim our part in God’s future here on Grace Street.

With prayers, and with thanks,
your brother in Christ,

Wallace+

Stage I: Implementing our Vision from “Such Great Heights”

For more information about the following outline, read the letter from Wallace+ on the cover, “Elevation: From Discernment into Action.”

Worship

New Minister of Music arrives after Easter.

A series of meetings—“Refreshing the 9:00”—was recently completed, and a timetable is now being laid out to implement some true liturgical “refreshment” in the 9:00 service over the next few months.  A similar series of open meetings will be held for the 11:15 service after the new Minister of Music arrives.

Recruitment of additional volunteer choir will take place after the arrival of a new Minister of Music.

By the start of the summer worship schedule, the Clergy, in consultation with the Worship Reflection Group, will refine plans for a “refreshed” summer service.

The addition of a fourth service is under consideration.  (See see below under Evangelism/Ministry to our Downtown Neighbors.)

A consistent theme for the year, in preaching and teaching, will be the centrality of worship in the life of the Church.

Welcoming & Incorporation

The Welcoming Committee continues to work with the Clergy to establish a regular process of welcome/incorporation for newcomers; including prompt contact from Rector; the maintenance of a newcomers database; and a regular schedule of newcomers gatherings.

A larger pool of parishioners will be recruited to take part in welcoming and incorporating newcomers, and the Clergy will work to cultivate and empower that ministry.

Nametags will be made available to all parishioners within the next two months; and the Rector will regularly encourage parishioners to wear them.

Our new “Exploring the Faith” series for newcomers will be offered multiple times during the course of the program year.  Led by the Clergy, in an open, conversational format, this series explores basic questions regarding our identity, mission, and ministry.

Building Stronger Connections

The Parish Life Board is being reconstituted. A preliminary meeting has been held, and a full meeting will be held in March. In a word, the purview of the Parish Life Board is belonging and caring. (Any functions formerly included under the heading of “Congregational Development” will now come under Parish Life.)

The Clergy are exploring the establishment of a lay pastoral care ministry program that incorporates and empowers a cadre of parishioners to share in the pastoral ministry of the parish. The program will include training and oversight. The hope is to do the first training in the fall of 2010.

The Clergy are exploring a successor to “Stephen Ministry,” a pastoral care ministry that incorporates and empowers a cadre of parishioners to share in pastoral ministry.  The program will include training and oversight.  The hope is to do the first training in fall 2010.

We will continue to build on “Themed Days” such as Earth Day and Mardi Gras Sunday. Staff is reviewing a list of possible additional offerings.

Starting this summer, we will begin offering parish-wide invitations to take part in a “Parish Read,” where we announce well in advance that a certain book will be discussed on a certain night; and then we invite everyone for coffee and dessert, fellowship and informal discussion.

Small Group Ministry

Building on the success that we have seen in recent months with several small group offerings (Jenny Bliley’s group, and the book group for parents), this spring we will survey the parish to get a better sense of what small group offerings would be the most attractive.

In the meantime, Bryan Appel and Leslie Choplin will offer one or two additional small group offerings as pilot projects.

Also, in the next couple of months, we will publish a brochure listing the small groups already in existence at St. Paul’s, including brief summaries, contact information, and meeting times and places.

Evangelism/Ministry to our Downtown Neighbors

We will establish a “mission team,” specifically dedicated to reaching out to downtown Richmond.  This team will build on the work done by Group D and the Downtown Neighbors Task Force. The team’s chief work for the first year will be building the team; praying; building a sense both of community and mission within the team; and going out into downtown Richmond, primarily east of 9th Street, to meet people and build relationships. 

This mission team will work intimately with the Clergy Missioner (see below), if/when such a position is filled. In due course, the mission team will explore the possibility of establishing a fourth worship service.

The Rector, with the support of the Wardens & Vestry, will explore finding funds to support a full-time clergy position, a “clergy missioner,” to be dedicated entirely to mission in downtown Richmond, primarily east of 9th Street.

With the help of our communications director, continue to maximize exposure through media and the web, and in downtown Richmond, especially around such major events as the Lenten series.

A consistent theme for the year, in preaching and teaching, will be the call to evangelism.

Other

By Skylark, the Rector, in consultation with the Wardens, the Associate Rector, SGH leaders, and others, will lay before the Vestry recommendations regarding the next stages of SGH implementation: Elevation 2.0, Elevation 3.0, etc., including, where appropriate, budgetary forecasts.

The Wardens will establish a sub-committee of the Vestry to review the Vestry Bylaws and to make recommendations to the Vestry, by the end of the program year, for amending and improving Bylaws.

The Clergy & Wardens will tighten up ministry leadership succession planning so that it occurs throughout ministries of the parish and on a regular basis. By the fall, reports from all boards and committees will be gathered laying out succession plans for the coming year.

A Shaping Public Discourse leadership team will be formed by the end of the program year, to carry forward the work done during SGH. The Rector will work with the co-chairs of the SGH Shaping Public Discourse team, and the Faith in Action Board, to establish this new permanent team, which will report to the Faith in Action Board.

In consultation with the Wardens, the Associate Rector, and others, the Rector will draft a report for the Vestry by Skylark to update the Vestry on plans for St. Paul’s Church vis-a-vis the upcoming Sesquicentennial of Emancipation and the Civil War.

What Brings You Into the Lenten Desert?

by the Rev. Kate Jenkins, Associate Rector
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Most of the disciplines of spiritual formation that we find in the Hebrew Scriptures and in the Gospels, disciplines like solitude, silence, fasting, meditation, prayer, and waiting in stillness, still seem to emerge out of a desert spirituality. A desert pilgrimage or a spiritual quest on some remote, wilderness mountain is a frequent theme in both Judaism and Christianity.

Immediately after his baptism, Jesus is “led” by the Holy Spirit into the desert where he is tempted, or tested. From a slightly different perspective from that of Luke, the Gospel of Mark says that the Spirit “drove” Jesus into the desert. Taken together, the two accounts suggest that those who go with Christ into the desert are both driven and drawn there.

At one time or another, we all find ourselves in the desert

On the one hand, we may be driven to the desert by our own physical limitations, by illness, injury, or some chronic physical pain. We may be driven there by depression or anxiety. The betrayal of a friend or an unfulfilling relationship may be the compelling factor. Vocational issues or financial problems often precipitate a wilderness journey. We may be driven there by the pain of an addiction or by an old wound, or by the sense that our lives are not as they were intended to be.

On the other hand, we may be drawn into the desert by its centering silence, reassuring stillness, and healing emptiness. At some critical juncture in life it may be the clarity of the desert light and its far-ranging visibility that attract us. The desert suggests some mysterious realm beyond itself, some unknown, transcendent reality that we may hope to experience. Perhaps more than anything else, the desert is a call to communion, and we are drawn there, sometimes unconsciously by the desire to be drawn into the presence of God.

Driven or Drawn?

I invite you in the coming month to quietly and gently ask what it is that brings you into the Lenten Desert. Are you driven or are you drawn there? What is it that gives you the sense of either being sent or drawn into the desert wilderness? In whatever drives or calls you, where do you see God’s hand at work? Whether we are sent or drawn into the desert, it is to prepare us for some work of love; therefore, a third, and parting question is, to whom can you show responsible love right where you are?

"The Good Samaritan" and School Integration

On Sunday, January 17, St. Paul's hosted a "Documentary & Dialogue Night," screening the PBS documentary Locked Out: The Fall of Massive Resistance followed by small group discussion of the period of Massive Resistance in Richmond and the question "What am I walking by?" when it comes to the integration and success of Richmond Public Schools. Following are reflections offered by three of our small group dialogue facilitators: Don Cowles, Michelle Whitehurst-Cook, and Rob Corcoran.

Shaping Public Discourse
A Reflection by Michelle Whitehurst-Cook

Shaping Public Discourse is a new term for us at St. Paul’s but the theme is not new. St. Paul’s has been intimately involved in social justice issues, it is one of the reasons that attracted me to the church. On Sunday, Jan. 17 a large group of members, friends, and folk with interest were drawn together to view the documentary Locked Out. I was moved as Don Cowles led the opening discussion with the Good Samaritan story from Luke. The room was silent as we watched the effects of massive resistance on real people not so long ago. It brought back memories of being very young and trying to understand why I could no longer go to the only movie theater for 30 miles because we were boycotting a place of business where Whites and Blacks were separated in the seating.

During the movie documentary I also thought about the conversations that occurred after total integration in my county. The races were brought together to discuss perceptions and misunderstandings, through teen groups at the high school. The prejudice that had been marketed to children was pretty incredible.

After the movie our small group discussion was very meaningful. This brought me full circle. It was a relief to speak openly about the injustices of racism and segregation within a diverse group. It was important to view this as a Christian effort to involve all people, including non-Christians, in our calling to serve the poor and downhearted. This evening reaffirmed the importance of bringing people together to discuss and problem solve current issues for the greater good.

Do we really trust God?
A Reflection by Rob Corcoran

A striking fact about Locked Out is that the history it depicts is really very recent. And, even after the fall of Massive Resistance depicted in the film, Richmond continued to resist integration, leading Judge Merhige to introduce cross town busing in 1970.  In 1972, some 3,000 county residents drove to Washington to protest the proposed merger between Richmond and Henrico schools, which was struck down by the Supreme Court, thus maintaining institutional inequity. 

Reflecting on the film, the participants in my dialogue group said they were struck by the hatred expressed by whites; in contrast they noted the dignity with which the black students conducted themselves. African American students were carefully prepared and trained by their families and community leaders and they knew that they were making history. Some dialogue participants reported feelings of guilt. Others remarked that white students also suffered because in some cases their schools were also closed.

The documentary focused almost exclusively on the experiences of the black students; it would have been interesting to learn more about white experiences – what they were thinking and feeling. The dialogue also revealed that it is easier to talk about issues than about personal choices. Many people want to be part of the solution, but what role does our faith play in determining where our own children attend school? Do we really trust God with the things most dear to us?

Painful, Personal Questions
A Reflection by Don Cowles

The painful, personal questions came well into our small group discussion.

We had watched the PBS documentary on Virginia’s massive resistance to school integration and seen the anger and the fear, the cruelty and the courage. It seemed like another world, another people, another time.

We had read and reread Luke’s incredible story of Jesus’ encounter with the legal scholar who asks “Who is my neighbor?” and to whom  Jesus responds with the parable of the “Good Samaritan.” “Who,” Jesus asks, “was neighbor to the man who fell among thieves”—the priest or lay leader who rushed by or the foreigner who stopped and cared for the man?

We had gathered in small groups and introduced ourselves, men and women, African- and European-American, Episcopalians and Baptists. And, around the table, we shared our reactions to Virginia’s story of massive resistance and then our stories of educating our children, sometimes in public schools, sometimes private, sometimes both. Because our children attended schools that were racially integrated, to greater or lesser extents, we felt removed from the years of massive resistance. In caring for our children, we had much in common.

But, then came the painful questions. As we revisited Jesus’ story of the “Good Samaritan”, many asked, “What might I have overlooked in my rush to get the best education for my own children?” And, a few asked “Might I have overlooked my own children as well as other’s children?”

One European-American woman painfully asked, “Wasn’t I supposed to help my child get the best education possible?” A European-American man shared, “Unfortunately, my wife and I made decisions based on misinformation that was widely circulating about our schools.” An African-American woman shared the journey of her son from public elementary school, to private middle school, and back to public high school, as he sought to be both intellectually challenged and socially accepted.

For me the miracle moment came when I saw each person reaching out to the other.  No one had a simple formula for what’s “right.” Each was struggling to balance many competing, legitimate interests. Yet, by coming together and sharing their personal stories, this diverse group of strangers began to care for one another.

Each person became a “Good Samaritan.”

What a ministry, St. Paul’s!  Thank you!

Why Bible Study?

By Harry Burt (.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address))

Bible study offers historical and intellectual context that I think enhances our grasp of Christian identity. All of us expect the Lection to be read from the Bible during services. Certainly we "hear them, read, mark, learn and inwardly digest" as Proper 28 bids us, with reverence and piety, but formal Bible study can add background and breadth that affirms our faith.

Our Anglican tradition cites XVIth century Richard Hooker's insight that religion stands upon a three legged stool: scripture, reason and tradition, preeminent being scripture. So we hear and read "Holy Scripture which containeth all things necessary to salvation" as proclaimed in our VIth Article of Religion. But, among many other things, the Bible is a document, and has a history, elements of which are dates of composition, authorship, place of origin, language of composition, the community from which it came in their historical context, cumulative editings, its literary forms and qualities. To a book of the Bible these constitute "Introduction" and exposure to them in Bible study gives readers a perspective greatly enriching their experience. We can have "Ah, hah!" recognition as familiar passages are reencountered in a broader context.

The many cross references, allusions, common themes, and even direct quotations linking Old and New Testament books represent ancient fibers of continuity in our Judeo-Christian tradition. They often highlight the significant in our religious lives, individual and shared. Such connections point to profound questions: righteousness and wrongdoing; what is revelation; from whence comes authority; the nature of inspiration; relationships with God and man; and aspects of divinity itself. Centuries of biblical scholarship cast light on these issues and we are exposed to it in Bible study.

Our personal stories can be told over a backdrop of Biblical tradition, a "remembering" that is spiritually meaningful today within our church community, and hopefully can attract the unchurched or unbeliever. We hear contemporary news that connects with Biblical accounts. We can have a little fun with Bible trivia, esoterica noted in passing in Bible study can be conversation starters. This rich heritage was once commonplace, say a century or so ago, but is sadly sparse today. A way to return this richness to our lives is to participate in Bible study. I am grateful to be taking part in St. Paul's Bible study, and invite you to join us.

Groundhogs, Lions and Lambs

By Sue Bland (.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address))

 

Remember the silly movie, Groundhog's Day, where the guy gets to start his same day over and over until he gets it right? That's how I feel about March because the dates are the exact same as February and, thanks to repeat weekend snows, one of the events is the exact same event but on a different date. Hopefully, February stole March's lion, and we've kept this month's activities to a minimum as we prepare for April's Lamb. Please join us for any and all our events. If you have any questions or if your family is interested in participating, please contact Leslie Choplin or me

The Children's Committee will meet Sunday, March 14, 12:30-1:30 PM, to discuss upcoming children's activities, including Earth Day, the Easter Egg Hunt, book club, Family Fun Day, Shrine Mont and choir reception. Lunch will be provided, please let Leslie know if you would like to attend.

Parish retreat registration closes March 14. Lift thine eyes to the hills...and ask any Saint Paul's kid who has been to Shrine Mont, they'll tell you how much fun it is. The retreat is Friday, April 16 - Sunday, April 18.

Come listen to a sermon by Julia Wingfield and readings from a fresh perspective as our young people lead us in worship on Youth & Children's Sunday, March 21, at 9:00 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. Children will usher and sing at both services and there is a role for every child wishing to join in.

In Sunday School we continue exploring St. Paul's through a great range of learning experiences. In January, elementary schoolers used digital cameras to photograph St. Paul's and in March we will continue using their work to show the people, spaces and traditions of St. Paul's to create their personal story of What Makes My Church Special.

Our monthly Moms' dinner will be at the home of Tris Biddison (7709 Boxwood Court) on March 12 beginning at 6:30 p.m. We welcome all mothers (infants on up through high school age) to take an hour or two to gather together to refresh body and soul. Please RSVP to Tris by Wednesday, March 10 at 553-1211 or .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

Grab a friend and come on down: The ever-popular Third Friday Fun for fourth and fifth graders rolls again on March 19 6-8:00 p.m. We will meet at St. Paul's, then go bowling. Contact Bryan Appel at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or 545-5419 for details.

Oasis: Youth Ministry at St. Catherine's

by Bryan Appel, St. Paul's Youth Minister
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Rest. Not sleep, but rest. Rest may be one of the most important aspects of any one person's spiritual journey. Rest may also be the least available aspect of anyone's practical, day-to-day, life.

In the last month, in partnership with St. James' and St. Stephen's Episcopal churches, St. Paul's has recently helped begin a new ministry at St. Catherine's Episcopal School.

Oasis is a time, every Thursday from 11:30-12:25, for 7th and 8th grade students to come together and take a break for simple spiritual rest. During Oasis, students are invited to take a step back within the midst of the school week, check in, have some fun, take a moment to reflect, and share a meal together before jumping back into action. Oasis provides spiritual time and space for young people in the midst of the ‘busy-ness' of life, a time that is wholly separate from school.

It is exciting for St. Paul's to be a part of this new Episcopal ministry. The first month of Oasis has been full of energy, fun, and refreshment. Please feel free to talk to Bryan Appel about St. Paul's role in the Oasis ministry.

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