Reception After Memorial Service for Jon Fader
The church is planning to honor Jon Fader by providing a reception after the memorial service for Family and friends. We are requesting some type of finger food like small sandwiches, chips, brownies, etc. Please contact Cheryl Windsor at dcwindsor@comcast.net if you are able to bring something. Some folks have received a prior email so please disregard this duplicate message if you have already responded.
Thank you.
Rector – Summer: A vacation “from” – or – setting aside time “for”?
Summer is nearly here! School is almost out, and plans for summer travel have surpassed even the weather in our coffee hour conversations. I hope that you take Flat St. James with you wherever you head in the next few months – and remember to send in your pictures.
As we change up our summer service schedule this year, I also invite you to change up your summer spirituality. Instead of taking a vacation from your spiritual life, what if you set aside time for experiencing it in new ways?
Combining our worship will offer a slightly different texture to worship – blending some of the contemplative, spoken elements of the early service with both hymns and instrumental music from the later service. One service will also give us the chance to go deeper in community, getting to know folks we usually only see in passing.
But attending on Sundays isn’t the only way you can grow your spiritual life this summer. Below is a list of several things you might try, whether you’re home or away, to come closer to God this summer. My prayer for everyone is for safe travels, time for rest and restoration, and spiritual renewal.
Yours in God’s peace,
Kristin+
Summer Spirituality
Read a book
Here are some suggestions:
- Grateful: The Transformative Power of Giving Thanks by Diana Butler Bass
- Crazy Christians: A Call to Follow Jesus by Michael B. Curry
- My Bright Abyss: Meditation of a Modern Believer by Christian Wiman
- Accidental Saints: Finding God in All the Wrong People by Nadia Bolz-Weber
Pray the Daily Office
Whether you grab a copy of the Book of Common Prayer and a Bible, use a website, or download an app, you can pray in the morning, evening, or at night following the pattern Christians have used for centuries. Praying Compline is a great way to end the day as a family. And the Daily Devotions for Individuals and Families are super quick ways to pray even while at work.
- Feel free to grab a Book of Common Prayer from the bookcases at the back of church. Consider using the NRSV translation or Message paraphrase of the Bible
- The Daily Office website from The Mission of St. Clare guides you through the service with music and scripture embedded [http://www.missionstclare.com/english/]
- The Daily Office app from Argyle Software is my favorite of the many apps out there (disclaimer – the creator is a friend & colleague) [http://argyle-software.com/]
Listen to Podcasts
There are so many great podcasts out there (I’d love to hear your favorites), but here are a few to check out:
- OnBeing with Krista Tippett is a series of conversations about the big questions of meaning in 21st century lives focusing on spiritual inquiry, science, social healing, and the arts. [https://onbeing.org/series/podcast/]
- Pray as You Go is produced by Jesuit Media Initiatives and is a daily prayer session designed to go with you wherever you go. It is not a ‘Thought for the Day,’ a sermon, or a Bible study, but rather a framework for your own prayer. Lasting between ten and thirteen minutes, it combines music, scripture, and some questions for reflection. [https://pray-as-you-go.org/home]
- Popping Collars stands at the intersection of religion and pop culture. Hosted by a variety of GenX/Millennial clergy, you’ll find interesting conversations about that Netflix series you’ve been binge watching alongside commentary on movies, music, and books. (another disclaimer – most of the folks who do this podcast are clergy friends!) [https://poppingcollarspodcast.com/]
Formation
SUNDAY SCHOOL NEWS
It’s hard to believe that another Sunday School year has come to an end. At our closing ceremony on June 3rd, thirty-eight students from preschool to high school received certificates of attendance. They have been a joy to work with. We have had a wonderful team of dedicated teachers and parent volunteers. Thank you all!
Did you know…..
…Living the Good News curriculum has been used by all grades. It is lectionary based and the students hear the same lessons at their grade level that are being heard during worship. What a wonderful way to share meaningful conversations together.
… “4th Sunday Fun” group activities are held each month. The older students help the younger children with many outreach projects during the year and they work well together. We continue to support our local Pleasant View Nursing Home and Shepherd’s Staff in Westminster.
…A is for Africa was the recipient of our children’s Lenten outreach mite box donations.
They saved coins amounting to $550.90 which was matched by our Outreach Committee totaling $1,101.90. Thank you all for your support.
We will be recruiting Sunday School teachers and helpers for our fall program. If you are interested in joining our team, please contact one of the following for further information:
Yvette Allen (yallen1952@gmail.com)
Betsy Davis (jbeezd@aol.com)
Joan Fader (faderj1@juno.com)
Music/Choir
We spoke last month about the psalms and canticles that are rarely sung as part of the service in contemporary churches, particularly in the US, but this month we’ll talk about the early Judeo-Christian worship services, and how these songs and others would have been used!
In traditional Synagogue Liturgy, there were four components to each service: (1) a testament of readings/scripture, (2) singing of creeds and beliefs, (3) prayers, and (4) psalms for each day of the week and for special feasts. These early worship services were almost entirely chanted or intoned (often similar to what we experience at Evensong services today).
Early Christians didn’t allow instrumental music or accompaniments into their services, primarily for their association with Pagan rituals and general debauchery. This was also a period of time in which Greek philosophical culture permeated all aspects of society, and its approach boiled experiences down to the bare essentials. Furthermore, early Christians believed that the instrumental accompaniments tended to obscure the text, which was the most important element of the music.
Often, services were filled with changed Psalms in call and response style. Similar to our chanted “The Lord be with you” “And also with you” at St. James’, the leader would sing out a melodic excerpt and the congregation would sing an appropriate response.
In this Arabic Orthodox Chant, you’ll hear a remarkable version of call and response, accompanied not be instruments but by drones in the voices:
Next month, we’ll begin to talk about Gregorian Chant and the early Roman Catholic church, learning about straight chants, plainsong, and the unification of the catholic mass.
WEEKLY ANNOUNCEMENTS
Guest Clergy This Sunday
While Kristin+ and Heather are away at The College for Congregational Development, our guest clergy will be The Rev. Dr. Ann Boyd. Along with her careers as a researcher at the National Cancer Institute‐Frederick Cancer Research Development Center and biology professor at Hood College, both in Frederick, Maryland, she became an ordained priest in Feb. 2005. She is retired from St. John’s in Hagerstown and continues to teach at Hood College.
Kristin+ Away
Kristin+ will be away from Sunday, June 10 through Saturday, June 16. For pastoral emergencies please contact Cheri McClanahan, Senior Warden.
LARGE TRAILER STILL NEEDED!!
The Basket Raffle Committee learned that the large trailer we have used in the past to transport our 60+ baskets and tables has been sold, therefore, we are greatly in need of an enclosed trailer approximately 28 feet long for Friday evening, October 12, through Saturday evening, October 13, 2018. Please contact Don or Cheryl Windsor at (c)301-642-8487, (h)301-865-3195 or dcwindsor@comcast.net if you or someone you know may be able to help us with the use of a large trailer or two smaller enclosed ones.
Reconnect with Your Faith in Nature
Join other Frederick County faithful on an Interfaith Nature Walk! Sunday, June 10th 4-6PM. To register visit http://www.interfaithchesapeake.org/fredericknaturewalk . Questions? Contact Bonnie Sorak bonnie@interfaithchesapeake.org or 443-799-0349.
Take Flat St. James with you wherever you go this summer!
We’re mixing it up a bit this summer, and instead of Flat Jesus, you can take Flat St. James on all your summer adventures!
Pick up supplies to make your own Flat St. James, and instruction sheets for taking and sharing summer pictures with him. We can’t wait to see what our St. James’ community is up to over the summer!
Prayer Rotation
Please join the Daughters of the King in praying for each parishioner in rotation during 2018 by taking this notice home and by posting it where it will remind you to pray on a daily basis for the needs and blessings of:
Matthew and Heather Albertson (Emily, Elizabeth)
Stanley and Yvette Allen
Kate and Timothy Andrews (Lorelei, TJ)
A member of the Daughters of the King will be contacting you this week for special prayer requests.
