Godly Play begins Sunday, September 11th at 9:30am Book Study for Adults begins Sunday, September 11th 11:15am Handbells & Choir begin Wednesday, September 14th at 6pm & 7pm New Inquirers’ Class begins Saturday, September 17th at 9:30am SEPTEMBER 2016 Vol. 7 No. 49 The Rt. Rev. J. Scott Mayer, Bishop of Northwest Texas The Rev. David B. Huxley, Rector The Rev. Tom Burns, Deacon St. Nicholas’ Episcopal Church 4000 W. Loop 250 N. Midland, Texas 79707 432-694-8856 Office Hours: M-Th 8:30am-4:30pm Saturdays 9:00am-12Noon Email: [email protected] Website http://www.stnicksmt.org The Bishop of Northwest Texas The Rt. Rev. J. Scott Mayer Rector The Rev. David B. Huxley [email protected] Deacon The Rev. Tom Burns Vestry Ms. Cindy Manley Sr. Warden Finance Committee Liaison Mr. Robert Norrgard Jr. Warden, Facilities Landscape Committee Liaison Dr. Mary Williams, Clerk Worship Committee Liaison Mr. Joe Cobb. Jr. Greeters, Sound, Ushers, Liaison Ms. Janet Considine Children’s Godly Play Liaison Dr. Pamela Howell Pastoral Care Liaison Ms. Bridget Hyde Adult Christian Education Liaison Dr. Michael Jordan Outreach Liaison Ms. Joan Whitt Gifts & Memorials Liaison Mr. Corby Considine Chancellor Mr. Tom Wurster Treasurer Staff Mr. Darryl Knapp Lay Ministry Coordinator, & Organist/Choirmaster From the Rector…… “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” 1 Thessalonians 5: 16-18 Over the past few months, I’ve become reacquainted with an old friend. Strange as it may seem, the friend is actually a book, one that I haven’t picked up in several years. The book’s title is Hour by Hour, and it features four brief liturgical services for each day of the week. The services are adapted from liturgies found in the Episcopal Book of Common Prayer. The services are divided into morning, noon, evening and bedtime, or compline, as it’s often called. As mentioned, the services are brief and can be read in just a few minutes. The rhythm of the services is somewhat monastic in nature, a reminder of Paul’s words that we each are called to pray without ceasing. Now I have to be honest; I confess that I’ve yet to master that phrase, “pray without ceasing.” Even with the book I mentioned, I don’t always do all four liturgies. The one that really challenges me is compline; it’s extremely hard for me to focus on prayers at bedtime, when I’m already half asleep. But like all of you out there, I’m still a work in progress. And prayer is work of sorts, and it certainly takes some focus. Sometimes I forget to pray, but that’s okay, because I know the Lord still loves me! Perhaps like me, you’re at a time in your life when the demands of work and play consume you. You’d like to be more prayerful, but can’t seem to find the time. Perhaps you want to be in a stronger relationship with Christ, but what you’re doing isn’t quite working. If so, I’d like to suggest this little book as a means of dealing with those feelings. Ms. Cheryl Berzanskis Bookkeeper Mr. Scot Marter Sexton Letters from St. Nicholas’ is published free of charge monthly (USPS 006-770) by St. Nicholas’ Episcopal Church 4000 W Loop 250 N Midland, TX 79707 POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to: Letters from St. Nicholas’ 4000 W Loop 250 N Midland, TX 79707 Our relationship with Our Lord does take some work on our part. Just like all relationships, it requires some investment. We need to devote some time each day to prayers of communication. There must be time set aside to pray to the Lord, and also time spent just to listen. This book of mine reminds me of my need to do that, as I spend my day. It’s a method many souls have used over countless generations. From the Rector…(continued) There’s a Place at the Table for you! The awesome thing is that Christ is always listening. Don’t ask me exactly how he does it, but we have his complete attention. Even our prayers of anger are welcome at his table. In fact, our prayers of anger are often the most powerful prayers of all. Autumn is a great time to focus on prayerful devotions. After the busy days of summertime, the days are growing shorter. The rhythm of our lives subtly changes with the seasons. We begin to think of the coming cooler temperatures. Here in Midland, that will take a while yet, but we do know they’re finally coming! I invite you to pray along with me this autumn. The book I mentioned is just one of many. But it will help you focus on what Christ calls us each to do. I would love to hear about your progress as we walk this walk together. Who knows what Our Lord has in store for us, as we offer up our prayers? There’s that old adage that “prayer doesn’t change things; prayer changes us and we change things.” Are you prepared to be changed with me, as we enter the autumn season? Blessings, Fr. Dave 2016 Fall Inquirers’ Class There’s a Place at the Table for you! Saturday mornings 9:30am-11:00am Church Parlor September 17th& 24th October 15th, 22nd & 29th Saturday, September 17th An Outline of the Faith: Scripture, Creed & Apostolic Succession. Saturday, September 24th The Episcopal Book of Common Prayer. Saturday, October 1st, (No Class) 10:00AM “The Blessing of the Animals.” Saturday, October 8th (No Class). (Fr. Dave at School of Ministry in Lubbock) Saturday, October 15th The Seven Sacraments of the Episcopal Church. Saturday, October 22nd Liturgical Practices: Exploring the Sunday Liturgy Saturday, October 29th Gifts of the Spirit & the Mission of the Church Contact Fr Dave if interested: 262.749.1168 or [email protected] Parish Prayer List Parish Prayer Requests: Jackson, Karen, Jennifer, Joan (Jo-ann), Dylan, Derrill, Phil, Heidi, Fran, Becky, David, Sarah, Ben, Kristi, Emmy, Hudson, Joann, Russell, Nancy, John, Meredith, Andrew, Mary, Jamie, Garrett, Carole, Andrea, Walt, Phebe, Craig, Tanya, Charlie, Kristy, Lesli, Madalen, Terry, Steve, Rick, Twila, Linda, David, Connie, Windel, Betty, St. Barnabas’, Sherilyn, Sue-Bob, Lupe, Brittany, Pamela, Vicki, Bert, Fletcher, Ronna, David, Wanda, Donna, Elena, John, Susan, Paula, Frank, Joel, Shirley, Jesse, Mollie, Tommie, Judith, Chloe, Jude, Gwen. For those in the Armed Forces: Jordan, Robert, Stephen, Karen, Gabriel, Isaac, David, Daulton, Charlie, Luke, James, Mika, Tres, Josh, Daniel, Jacob. For the departed: Bryan “Buster” Berry SEPTEMBER BIRTHDAYS 2 3 5 5 5 7 8 12 14 14 14 20 21 24 24 28 John Meyer Betty Gilmore Thais Ahlstrand Ruthanne Kerr Pool Webb Jeffrey Hewett Lillian Stafford Gwen Burns Kaitlyn Buck Jonathan Jordan Russell Meyers David Morrow Bill Clarkson Kristin Maguire Lynn Rogers James Liggett SEPTEMBER ANNIVERSARIES 10 26 Laura & David Morrow Edna & Mack Hibbitts Book Study Resumes September 11th at 11:15am Jessica will undertake the first study, Meditations with Teresa of Avila by Megan Don. This study will run from September 11th to October 23rd. Starting on October 30th, Bridget will lead a book study on grief. This study will last until November 27th. the grief book study is I HEARD THE OWL CALL MY NAME by Margaret Craven. We felt this would be an appropriate study since so many in our church have lost loved ones. The timing is also good since it agrees with the liturgical time for remembering the dead via All Saints’ Day on November 1st and the Commemoration of All Faithful Departed on the following day. From December 4th through the 18th, Michael Jordan will lead a study on Revelations by Elaine Pagels. This is a cultural/historical study of the book. PINK the BASIN (ECW) ECW is supporting the Pink the Basin fundraiser on Tuesday, October 4th for lunch at the Horseshoe Arena. Tickets are $150 each; some partial scholarships are available. Please send checks made out to ECW to St. Nicholas’ Parish Office, attn: Nancy Hart. Contact Edna Hibbitts for more details. Episcopal Church Women Many of you know that Heavenly Holidays has been cancelled for November. Changes in the date for Diocesan Convention drove the decision. We will meet in January to consider fresh ideas for fund raising as we go forward. Please be thinking of/remembering good ideas from other clubs or places. In the meantime, one suggestion for a voluntary collection to fill our coffers is to donate the amount that each of us would have spent cooking/baking for Heavenly Holidays prior to November. In PTA that was dubbed “No Carnival Dollars”. Our Outreach for 2016 has covered the suggested charities voted in the 2016 discernment meeting held last winter. All agencies have been paid. In January we can review both the list and the means for fundraising and outreach for 2017! Thank you for your participation and your dedication to the parish. If you choose to participate in our No Carnival collection, please send your check to Nancy Hart via the parish office and make it to St. Nicholas’ ECW, indicated for Outreach. We have a substantial remainder in the ECW Account, but this campaign will help us meet all obligations until the 2017-2018 budget campaign. With gratitude for your consideration, ~Edna Hibbitts the Daughters and can be sent to Pamela Howell at [email protected] with the subject line: DOK prayer request. The prayer ministers pray every Sunday with any member of the congregation who has special prayer requests. We are found at the back of the church near the double doors during communion. The Prayer ministers also pray during the week for the congregation, for our clergy, for our church, and for those parishioners in special need. We currently have seven prayer ministers Betty Gilmore, Harris Kerr, Cindy Manley, Kimberly Meyers, Margaret Williams, Stephanie Duplantis, Bridget Hyde, and would welcome inquiries from those who feel called to join this ministry of intercessory prayer. Daughters of the King The Daughters of the King is a national, Episcopal women’s group whose purpose is prayer: thanksgiving, supplication, intercession for others. Prayer requests are kept anonymous unless the sender gives permission to use specific names and privacy respected by Handbells & Choristers Dear All, Handbell and Chorister Rehearsals will begin Wednesday, September 14th, at 6:00pm and 7:00pm, respectively. If you are interested in singing in the choir, or ringing Handbells, and missed Rally Day last Sunday, please talk to me after a Sunday service. We will find a place for you in our music ministry! Organist/Choirmaster, Darryl Knapp The following is a favorite meditation by Nancy Roth. God is Light Perhaps if St. Paul had known about stained-glass windows, he would have included them among his analogies for the Christian community. Perhaps he would have said that each function—choir singer, priest, chalice bearer, altar guild or vestry member—was like a piece of glass tinted blue, red, green, white, or yellow. Paul would have celebrated all those colors. He would have told us that church communities, like the design of our bodies and the art of stained glass, benefit from variety. This variety results from the color and shape of our personalities and talents. In order to best serve God, we do well to offer those gifts in which we have the most skill— to acknowledge that we are blue, yellow, green, or red, and not try to become a color foreign to our native hue. For someone who cannot match tones to sing in the choir, for example, could be as jarring as if red glass were used for the fleece of the lamb cradled in the Good Shepherd’s arms. Each color has its role: choir members should respect those with other gifts, the other colors of the rainbow. A physicist would tell us that the source of a stained glass window’s sparkle is the interplay of the entire spectrum, creating subtle harmonies like those in the music we sing. A stained-glass window is nothing without light. Medieval philosophers compared the light shining through the glorious windows of their era to the grace of God. Whatever our talents, we do not serve the community without that grace. Like the glass transformed by sunlight, we are meant to be translucent to the grace shining through us. Our translucence becomes even more brilliant when we recognize the translucence of others in the church who serve in different ways. Together with us, they create the pattern to which our special gifts lead us, welcoming and sharing God’s light. From Meditations for Choir Members by Nancy Roth Thank you to all who participated in Rally Day. We had a great Registration with many new faces joining the ranks of Ministry Leaders! If you missed last Sunday’s Ministry Fair, please call the Parish Office to register, or speak with Darryl Knapp. You Are a Gift by Linda Buskirk on June 6, 2016 from Episcopal Café.org So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. – Ephesians 4: 11-13 (NIV) This message is a reminder to vestry members, altar guild members, deacons, Sunday school teachers, members of all committees and commissions – property, capital campaign, stewardship, outreach, etc. – and to the head of the food pantry, Stephen’s ministry or the ushers: YOU are a gift to the church. If you are like me, you might not think of your volunteering as a “call.” It might have been your idea, you thought, to use your financial expertise on the endowment board. Or perhaps you just couldn’t say no when asked to serve on the annual school backpack project. But let’s give God some credit and the glory for positioning His people for service. Christ himself has equipped you and GIVEN you to His church! You’ve been called. Let us pray that our work together helps fulfill the mission of the church as found in our catechism, echoing Ephesians 4: 1113: “The mission of the church is to restore all people to unity with God and each other in Christ.” Book of Common Prayer, pg. 855. Your leadership role might not seem to be exciting, but I believe it is to Jesus. Whatever you are doing, do it with the idea that your work should exemplify the Gospel, and bring people to unity with God and with each other. Wow! Now that’s a calling! 1 Corinithians12: 4-6, “Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of services, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone.” Weekly Outreach Plate Offering First Sunday: Rector’s Discretionary Fund Second Sunday: Outreach Third Sunday: Deacon’s Discretionary Fund Fourth Sunday: Millennium Development Goals Fifth Sunday Maintenance Reserve Fund Blessing of the Animals Saturday, October 1st at 10:00AM Please use the North Gate Entrance All furry, feathered, scaled, and stuffed animals: get your heads up and tails wagging as it is time to Celebrate the Blessing of all God’s creatures great and small. You and your humans are invited to St. Nicholas’ Episcopal Church on Saturday, October 1st at 10:00am for the Annual Blessing of the Animals. Each pet will receive a blessing certificate and treat in addition to being individually blessed by Father Dave Huxley. Because we are ALL blessed to be blessings, please bring something to help the less fortunate and homeless animals of the Permian Basin……food, treats, toys bedding, etc. There will also be a donation jar for money and checks with all the monies going to the animal rescue groups of Midland that are 501(c)3 non-profit tax deductible organizations. Please make checks payable to “St. Nicholas’ Episcopal Church” with ‘Animal Shelters’ on the memo line. In addition this year, several animal rescue groups will be in attendance with dogs and cats seeking forever loving homes and families. Please spread the word to all your friends, co-workers, and families……we want everyone to know what a wonderful, accepting, all inclusive, and loving church St. Nicholas’ is! Icon Workshop ~Martha Davis Youth Retreats! The 2016-2017 Youth Council / Youth Exec Committee and retreat schedule has been released by the diocesan Youth Coordinator, Renee Haney. Several of the locations have yet to be determined, but the locations will be announced as they are secured. September 10 - 10:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. - St. Paul’s on the Plains Episcopal Church, Lubbock Lubbock Planning Meeting – Youth Council / Youth Exec Committee October 14-16, 2016 - Fall Retreat, Middle School and High School - Place TBD November 4-6, 2016 - Primary Retreat, Youth in Grades 2-5 - Place TBD January 13-15, 2017 - Midwinter High School Only Retreat - Place TBD March 24-26, 2017 - Spring Fling Middle School and High School - Place TBD July 10-14, 2017 - Episcopal Youth Event (EYE) - Oklahoma City, OK St. Christopher's Episcopal Church in Lubbock, will sponsor an Icon Workshop with renowned iconographer, the Rev. Peter Pearson, from Monday, September 19th - Saturday, September 24th, 2016. Instruction will be held at St. Christopher's, from 6:00pm to 9:00pm each evening, and from 9:00am - 12:00pm on Saturday. If you wish to reserve a spot, send a check for $50 to the St. Christopher’s parish office. Make your check payable to St. Christopher's Episcopal Church. Please put "Icon Class" in the memo line of the check. Be sure to include your email address with your check in order to receive class communications. Class details: $300 total - all supplies furnished. Balance due at first class. Please send to: St. Christopher’s Episcopal Church 2807 - 42nd St. Lubbock, TX 79413-3223 Godly Play Congratulations to Thomas & Mica Cook Newborn, Ethan Cook! Godly Play with Mrs. Morrow Congratulations to Josh Maguire after a “Thoroughly Modern Millie” performance at MCT posing with teachers Scot Marter (Set construction), Judith Giebler (Choreographer), Vivian Moss (voice teacher), and Darryl Knapp (accompanist). Parents are Kristin and Matt Maguire! And then double it. Or you could just sing along. Some verses seem to write themselves on our hearts when we mouth the words, even if we do so very, very quietly. Take this lovely hymn by Fred Pratt Green, one of the best-known of the contemporary school of hymn writers in the British Isles. (Hymn #420) When in our music God is glorified And adoration leaves no room for pride It is as if the whole creation cried: Alleluia! Michael Jordan, “Oh, Shenandoah” July 4th Soloist Sing Once, Pray Twice, or Just Sing Already Lillian Daniel "Praise him with trumpet sound; praise him with lute and harp!" - Psalm 150:3 "He who sings, prays twice," said the great church reformer Martin Luther. I've always thought that was kind of unfair to the people who don't like to sing. But there is a work-around solution. For those of you who prefer to silently stare at your feet when everyone else is singing a hymn, just go home and pray for that same amount of time. That verse explains why church musicians do not take a bow or expect applause. They are not performing for an audience; they are worshiping God. So when the rest of us hear their music, our response is worship too. Sometimes we respond with reverential silence, other times we clap, sometimes our jaws drop and other times we shed a tear. It's all a response to the Holy Spirit, something we do for God, not for other people. Prayer "How often making music we have found, a new dimension in the world of sound, which leads us to a more profound Alleluia!" ABOUT THE AUTHOR Lillian Daniel is the Senior Minister of First Congregational United Church of Christ, Dubuque, Iowa, and the author of When "Spiritual But Not Religious" is Not Enough. facility for weddings and receptions are told to "plan on a long engagement." Diocesan 2016 CONVENTION November 17-19, 2016 Lubbock, TX Written by Nancy Igo The 58th Annual Diocesan Convention 2016 Merket Center When: The 2016 Diocesan Convention of the Diocese of Northwest Texas will be held November 17-19, 2016. Where: The McKenzie-Merket Alumni Center on the campus of Texas Tech University is the location of this year's Convention. The Center is located at 17th and University. According to Wikipedia, "the building was The President's Residence from 1925 until 1959. It was one of the original structures built on campus in 1924. The facility underwent a $4 million expansion in 2010 that added the Bill and Peggy Dean Grand Reception Hall, the McKenzie Ballroom, the Shinn-Wylie Bridal Suite, expanded catering capabilities and an outdoor courtyard with gazebo. McKenzie-Merket Alumni Center is regularly booked for university and community meetings and special events, and is in such demand on weekends that brides wanting to book the While this is a departure from last year's Convention at The Overton Hotel, the Merket Center will provide a more private setting for meetings and for the dinner dance. Blocks of rooms have been reserved at area hotels in close proximity to the Center. Worship this year will be conveniently held across University Ave., at St. Paul's on the Plains Episcopal Church, located at 16th and Ave. X. Registration: Go to the Diocesan website: http://www.nwtdiocese.org/ Various forms will be under “Events”. 2016 SEPTEMBER & OCTOBER 2 ND *The Lectionary Page Website is found at: http://www.lectionarypage.net/ SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 4 SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 11 SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 18 SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 25 SUNDAY OCTOBER 2 GREEN The Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost Deuteronomy 30:15-20 Psalm 1 Philemon 1-21 Luke 14: 25-33 GREEN The Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost Exodus 32: 7-14 Psalm 51: 1-11 1 Timothy 1: 12-17 Luke 15: 1-10 GREEN The Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost Amos 8: 4-7 Psalm 113 1 Timothy 2: 1-7 Luke 16: 1-13 GREEN The Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost Amos 6: 1a, 4-7 Psalm 146 1 Timothy 6: 6-19 Luke 16: 19-31 GREEN The Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost Habakkuk 1:1-4; 2:1-4 Psalm 37: 1-10 2 Timothy 1: 1-14 Luke 17: 5-10 Lector OT & Ps. EM Reader Sherilyn Brown Kimberly Meyers Joanne Weber Corby Considine Edna Hibbitts Patrick Street Russell Meyers Kathy Shannon Bridget Hyde Patrick Street EM Prayers Harris Kerr Kristin Maguire Mary Williams Beth Rubin Mary Williams Scot Marter Eucharistic Visitor Altar Guild Patrick Street Fellowship Flower Guild Vicki Kerr Scot Marter Michele & Joe Cobb Stephanie Duplantis Mary & Nathan Williams Todd, Mills, & Hinton Nicole & Jonathan Jordan Open Norma Viney Joanne Weber Joan Whitt Open Marty Riggs Godly Play No Godly Play Greeters Michele & Joe Cobb Kathy Shannon Cookie Huxley Ann Gett Matt Maguire Mary Williams Marty Riggs Prayer Ministers Newcomer Companion Sound Ushers Margaret Williams Kimberly Meyers Sally Stafford Phillip Stafford Matt Maguire Mike Ellis Margaret Williams Open Stephanie Duplantis Laura Morrow Cookie Huxley Beth Rubin Cindy Manley Cindy Manley Jane Wolf Janet Whitman Janet Whitman Corby & Janet Janet Whitman Joe Cobb Janet Whitman Robert Whitt Michael Jordan Joe Cobb Nicholas McRae Bryan Duplantis Bill Garbelman Robert Norrgard Mary Williams Nathan Williams Peter Berzanskis Mike Ellis Pamela Howell Robert Norrgard John Todd Cecil Preas Robert Whitt Bridget Hyde Cindy Manley Joe Cobb Chris Buck Bryan Duplantis Joe Cobb Janet Considine Vestry 5:30 PM Wednesday Healing Service and Eucharist LEM WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 7 GREEN WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 14 RED Elie Naud Daniel 6: 10b-16, 19-23 Psalm 30 James 1: 2-4, 12a Matthew 15: 21-28 Rick Lopez WEDNESDAY WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 21 RED SEPTEMBER 28 WHITE Holy Cross Day Isaiah 45: 21-25 Psalm 98 Galatians 6: 14-18 John: 12: 31-36a St. Matthew, Apostle & Evangelist Proverbs 3: 1-6 Psalm 119: 33-40 2 Timothy 3: 14-17 Matthew 9: 9-13 Eve of St. Michael & All Angels Genesis 28: 10-17 Psalm 103: 19-22 Revelation 12: 7-12 John 1: 47-51 Mary Williams Rick Lopez Mary Williams ST. NICHOLAS’ EPISCOPAL CHURCH 4000 W. Loop 250 N. Midland, TX 79707 Periodical Postage PAID at Midland, TX 79711 Monthly Newsletter (USPS 006-770) SEPTEMBER 2016 St. Nicholas’ Episcopal Church 4000 W. Loop 250 N. Midland, TX 79707-3419 All are Welcome, Really! Sunday Service 9:30 AM Holy Communion Wednesday 5:30 PM Healing Service & Eucharist Phone (432) 694-8856 E-mail [email protected] Website http://www.stnicksmt.org The Mission of St. Nicholas’ Episcopal Church is to Reflect the Love of Christ and to Respect the Dignity of all People. The Episcopal Church welcomes you!
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