PASTOR'S MESSAGE
"For everything there is a season,
and a time for every matter under heaven"
(Ecclesiastes 3:1).
I had written only the first line of my pastor's message for this newsletter when the late-night phone call came. That pastor's message will not be written. The phone call was the veterinarian telling me that my little dog, Zippy, was dead. Don't know why, maybe poison.
I won't try to make a message out of the phone call. I brought her home and buried her in the yard. I will plant an apple tree over her, remembering and giving thanks that there was a season for a merry little beagle who was a blessing for many.
Peace! pat +
MEET OUR MINISTRY TEAM
Pete Wilson
Good Samaritan, Sauk Centre
Called to be a Minister of Stewardship and Administration.
Hi, I'm Pete Wilson - Minister for administration., stewardship, structures, whatever. Although we are 30 years semi-natives at little birch lake, last year was our first in full time retirement - albeit as a snow bird. we winter in mesa, arizona.
We have lived almost everywhere in our nomadic family/career life. From Boston to Rochester, NY, to Minneapolis, Oklahoma City, and Northern and Southern Cal. I started in aerospace, gravitated to facsimile at xerox, then entered into the world of disk drive manufacture and repair for the computer industry. I've managed companies, big and startups. my last eight years were owning and operating a pool building business in Edmond, Oklahoma. I believe, finally, we are here to stay in our 50/50 locale selection.
I grew up as a congregationalist, converted to Episcopalian (my wife, Lucia's original relationship) in Rochester and have become active in church starting in oklahoma. I really find the Episcopal faith fits me with it's participative structive. My role in my church life has always been to do direct action to provide financial and facility support so the others - pat+ and Lay Litergists and Sacrementalists can freely guide us in our spiritual goals and pursuits. I personally find that the church - the building - is the very best place for me to communicate to God
Hopefully - through total ministry- I can help quietly to provide the optimum "space" for all of us to likewise "communicate."
WHERE'S OUR TEAM?
The team is together in fact as well as spirit as the snowbirds are back from winter habitats. The May team meeting was a good time to meet in fact as well as electronically and to do some work on styles of dealing with conflict, change and reconciliation.
We also heard from Roger and Rosemary Phillips about their experience with the ALPHA program and are considering the possibility of beginning the program here in the Spirit of the Heartland.
We are planning an all night get together for fun and relaxation June 2. Plan to attend the next team meeting - open time 2-4pm on June 10 at St. John's in St. Cloud.
TEAM MEETING
All are invited to attend the open session of the Team Meeting at 2pm on Saturday, June 10th at St. John's in St. Cloud The topics under discussion will be Cheerleading and Traditioning: Building up the Church.
BIBLE STUDY
Love Letters: The Epistles of John. At Good Samaritan, Sauk Centre.
Tuesdays, June 27 and July 11& 25, at noon.
FAMILY ROOTS
Interested in finding your roots and tracing your ancestry, both personal and spiritual? Join Jan ("Zippy") Zeman and Pat Gillespie for an introduction to genealogy and how our ancestry affects our self-identity and spiritual journey. Wednesday nights, May 31 and June 28, at The Black and White Hamburger Shop in Little Falls.
PRIEST'S CONTINUING EDUCATION
Pat will be away on continuing education June 5-19. She will be traveling in the Holy Land, Egypt, and the Aegean and considering options for leading a future Holy Land Trip for people from Spirit of the Heartland and others interested. In the event of a pastoral emergency in her absence you may contact any of the following:
The Rev. Josie Martins, Eden Prairie, 612-937-1309
The Rev. Connie Claxton, Litchfield, 320- 693-6399
The Rev. Dick Bormes, St. Cloud, 320-251-8524
ROGATION DAY
Our Saviour's (May 28) and Good Samaritan (June 4) celebrate Rogation Day this year with drumming, chant, outdoor procession, and blessing of the soil.
Rogation Day observances trace their roots back to the fifth-century church of France when special prayers were offered just before the Feast of the Ascension because of a devastating earthquake and poor harvests.
The early Roman Church celebrated Rogation Days with a Christian procession around the fields on the Feast of St. Mark to suppress the ancient pagan Roman celebrations honoring the god "Mildew" and the goddess "Rust."
The celebration became part of the liturgy of the ancient Church of England. When our English and Celtic ancestors arrived in the New World, they brought the observance of Rogation Day with them. The Rogation Procession moves from a recognition of the sacred earth and Christian roots to prayerful hope for fruits of the earth and fruits of the Spirit. The service celebrates the roots of the Church in the earth and in our life-giving groundedness in Christ.
ASCENSION DAY
Ascension Day Worship service, Thursday, June 1, 7:00pm at Our Saviour's, Little Falls.
JUNE BIRTHDAYS & ANNIVERSARIES
Church of Our Savior
June 3rd Luci Youngblood
June 5th Johanna Morrigan
June 10th Tim Wright
Dorothy Johnson
June 12th Jon & Carol Lovdahl
Bill & Marcie Cheeseman
June 19th Denny & Micky Doucette
June 27th Hollie Wright
Church of the Good Samaritan
June 10th Archie & Dorothe Lane
June 22nd Jon & Sarah Coltvet
St. Stephen's Episcopal Church
June 13th Peggie Jerabek
JUNE 2000 REGIONAL MEETING
Region III Newsletter
Our spring Region III meeting was canceled. If you have agenda items for our next meeting (as yet unscheduled) contact our Region Dean, Myra King, at 218-894-1195. Contact Noel Rich at ndrich@rea-alp.com or 320-763-3201with feedback from Emmanuel Church's work on the Canons.
BOUNDARY WATERS RETREATS
Escape to the wilderness for spiritual reflection, relaxation, and fun. Region III's Fourth Annual Region Wilderness Retreat July 18-21. Women's Retreat, September 19-22. Both trips will enter from Poplar Lake and set up base camp on Gaskin Lake. An easy trip, but far enough in for solitude. Cost will vary from $65-95 per camper according to what equipment participants have. Space is limited.
Contact Pat (below) for details.
REGIONAL MINISTRY TRAINING
Opportunities for new ministers to receive training and experienced ministers to have a refresher and share their experience. Lay Readers, LEMs, and LEVs require training to be licensed by the diocese. Contact your parish priest if you have questions about your licensing.
Lector and Lay Readers Training
For those who read the lessons (lectors) and those who lead services, e.g., Morning Prayer, (lay readers).
Thursday, June 1, evening at St Luke's, Willmar
Contact: Connie Claxton 320-693-6035 claxton@willmar.com
LEM and Acolyte Training
For those called to assist with Holy Communion as Lay Eucharistic Ministers (LEMs, a.k.a "chalice bearers") and acolytes. Saturday, June 3, 10 am-noon at Our Saviour's, Little Falls.
Particularly for those who will be serving in the Spirit of the Heartland, though open to all. In preparation for our Spirit of the Heartland sacramentalists, we're working toward consistency in altar service among our four churches.
LEV Training
Lay Eucharistic Visitors (LEVs) take Communion to those who are homebound or hospitalized. Those attending the LEV training should have some experience as LEMs/chalice bearers, whether or not currently licensed.
Saturday, June 24, 9 am - 2 pm. St. John's, St Cloud.
Coming Soon: Altar Guild
Particularly for those who will be serving in the Spirit of the Heartland, though open to all. Emphasis on the spirituality of this ministry and the sharing of experienced ministers. In preparation for our Spirit of the Heartland sacramentalists, we're working toward consistency in altar service among our four churches.
Probably a Saturday in July or August at St. John's, St. Cloud.
EFM Open Session
Seeking growth in your spiritual life? Wanting to know more about scripture and tradition? Education for Ministry (EFM) is an opportunity to grow, learn, and worship with a small community of Christians. Twice monthly gatherings for nine months of the year; schedule and location according to those interested.
Find out more about Education for Ministry by attending an open session with one of our EFM groups.
Thurs, June 1, 7:00 pm at Our Saviour's in Little Falls
Thurs, June 22, 9:00 am - 1:30pm at St. Stephen's, Paynesville
Intro session: Thurs, June 29, 7:00 pm at St. John's, St. Cloud
Ask any EFM member for more information.
Check for updates on scheduled trainings at
www.MotherFlash.com/spirit/trainings.html
E-MAIL REGION NEWSLETTER
Receive this newsletter and other region news by E-mail. Send request to news@MotherFlash.com
To add your parish news contact The Rev. Pat Gillespie
29717 Island Lake Road, St. Joseph, MN 56374
320-363-7422 or by e-mail pat@MotherFlash.com
"BIBLICAL TOTAL MINISTRY DISCERNMENT?"
TO: Jesus, Son of Joseph
The Woodrcrafter's Carpenter Shop
Nazareth 25922
FROM: Jordan Management Consultants
Jerusalem 26544
RE: Personnel Evaluations
Thank you for submitting the resumes of the twelve men you have picked for managerial positions in your new organization. All of them have now taken our battery of tests, and we have not only run the results through our computers, but also arranged personal interviews for each of them with our psychologist and vocation aptitude consultant.
It is the opinion of the staff that most of your nominees are lacking in background, education and vocational aptitude for the type of enterprise you are undertaking. They do not have the team concept. We would recommend that you continue your search for persons of experience in managerial ability and proven capacity. We have summarized the findings of our study below:
Simon Peter is emotional, unstable and given to fits of temper.
Andrew has absolutely no quality of leadership.
The two brothers, James and John, the sons of Zebedee, place personal interests above Company loyalty.
Thomas demonstrates a questioning attitude that would tend to undermine morale.
We believe it is our duty to tell you that Matthew has been blacklisted by the Greater Jerusalem Better Business Bureau.
James, the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddeus, definitely have radical leanings. Additionally, they both registered high scores on the manic depressive scale.
However, one of the candidates shows great potential. He's a man of ability and resourcefulness; he is a great networker; has a keen business mind; and has strong contacts in influential circles. He's highly motivated, very ambitious and adept with financial matters. We recommend Judas Iscariot as your Controller and Chief Operating Officer.
All the other profiles are self-explanatory. We wish you the utmost success in your new venture.
What if Jesus had chosen the twelve based on the modern methods of leadership selection? Most of them would have never had a chance to participate. Jesus chooses people not for who they are, but for what they can become in Him. Aren't you glad that when Jesus looked at you, He didn't take you for what you were (a sinner); but He took you for what you could be? Jesus sees the potential in all of us, and has called us to be disciples. Jesus is still saying, "Follow Me!"
-- Author Unknown
Christ giving the Keys to Peter
Commissioned by Sixtus IV from
Pietro Perugino for the right wall of the Sistine Chapel, Rome.
1481-82.
WHAT NEXT?
Team Ministers
Christian Education Minister:Possible New Team Ministries:
Communication Coordinator:
Evangelism/Outreach Minister:
Liturgist:
Local Deacon:
Pastoral Care Minister (Visitor):
Preacher:
Sacramentalist (Local Priest):
Stewardship/Administration Minister:
Intercessor (Pray-er):Support Ministries:
Lay Ministry Coordinator:
Prophet (Justice and Change):
Visioner (Long Range Planner):
Acolyte (Adults and/or youth needed):Other:
Altar Guild Minister:
Christian Education Teacher/Minister:
Intercessor (Prayers of the People):
Lay Eucharistic Minister (Chalice Bearer):
Lay Eucharistic Visitor (Communion Visits):
Lay Reader (Leads worship: MP, EP, ...):
Lector (Reads Lessons):
Vestry Minister:
Send your suggestions for people who might serve in these ministries to pat@MotherFlash.com.
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