St. Luke's Episcopal Church
224 Northwest D Street
Grants Pass, Oregon 97526
(541) 476-2493
March 2007 Luke's Log
My dear friends,
I have several topics to offer this month:
First, Lent is well started. Thanks to John Kirschner and many men for an outstanding Shrove Tuesday pancake supper, and to Pam Boston and a number of women and children for a terrific kids Carnival. Thanks to many more parishioners for a high attendance, about 80. As always, Ash Wednesday services were moving, but not so well attended as I would hope, less than 50 total.
In a few days we have our first Wednesday preaching service, with our good friend Pastor Keith Heck of the Gospel Rescue Mission. I am grateful to note that we have a least three volunteers signed up for each of the “Soup and Bread” lunches which will follow, and as well as volunteer organists for each service. Linda Vickoren did a great job with this year’s poster.
Second, your vestry met for our annual overnight planning retreat on February 16-17. Besides celebrating and commending many ministries and many accomplishments, especially our handicap access project, we adopted three major focuses for our energy in the coming year:
Each of these teams will need additional members from outside the vestry. Please be responsive if you are asked to help, and please let someone know if you feel called to help in any of these areas.
FROM OUR PARISH NURSE
Frances Osborne
FITNESS FOR KIDS
As we start to learn more about our bodies and what makes for healthy adults, we are learning that what we do as children will greatly affect our health as adults. Therefore, as parents it is important to look at the level of physical activities of our children. Be aware of what and for how long your children watch TV or use computers as opposed to the time spent in physical activity. However, let the children set the pace. Some children do well in team and interactive sports; while others do better in individual sports such as swimming or bicycling. Your goal is to give your children an enjoyment of physical activity that will carry on into their adult life.
Join your children in physical exercise. You will both benefit. Bicycling, hiking and swimming are good examples of sports you can share with your children and they are also sports that will carry over into adult life. Not only will it help you and your children physically but also it will give you an opportunity to talk and get to know each other better.
Along with the well-documented physical benefits of sports and games there are many other reasons to encourage them to be physically active. The discipline of learning a sport and learning to work with others in a team situation can vastly improve your child’s ability to function as an adult. Balance is the key to healthy physical activity. So beware of an obsession to win or excel at all costs. Like all things with children, it is best to teach by example. So, when you get out with your children and play you are setting a powerful example for them.
Healing Ministry
Our healing prayer team offers prayers for individuals and families each Sunday in the baptistery at the conclusion of both the 8:30 and 10:30 church services. Many have already found this renewed prayer resource a blessing. Just approach them and ask.
If you are interested in joining the Prayer team, contact Lynn Hughes at 476-4671 or the Church office.
Finally, you may have seen news reports about the recent meeting in Tanzania of the primates of the Anglican Communion. It appears that the leaders of the member churches of the Communion have found a way that may allow us to maintain our unity, while leaving room for further developments. It is too soon to know if the House of Bishops will accept the limits it is being asked to observe for the time being. The debate will be lively, to put it gently. The best source for news is probably the Episcopal News Service, which I access through the Church’s web site: www.episcopalchurch.org.
I have printed up a few copies of a speech by the Archbishop of Canterbury which lays out some of the work which lies ahead for the Anglican Communion: work in biblical understanding, theological discernment, listening to minorities and addressing the needs of the world. He takes clear note of the deeply held convictions of all sides of these debates, noting our temptation to demonize those with whom we disagree, and calling us to faithfulness to both God and one another.
At St. Luke’s and thousands of other Episcopal Churches we will continue to be faithful to God and one another, and to those beyond the Church to whom Christ sends us. God’s love is sure. Our opinions are not. And so I rely on that love and invite each of you to do so as well.
May the remainder of this Lent be a season of prayer, learning, service and peace, and may we all dwell secure in the knowledge that the cross of Jesus, and His resurrection, guarantee our redemption and our lives. Forever.
Faithfully yours in Christ,
DAILY PRAYER – ANGLICAN STYLE
The Book of Common Prayer contains guides for daily worship, morning, noon, and night. These services can be done in churches, cathedrals, seminaries and monasteries, as well as at conferences and retreats. They can also be used for private and family devotions. In response to a request, Fr. Jim is offering a two session class on the Daily Offices, Morning Prayer, Noonday Prayer, Evening Prayer, and Compline. The class will be at 11:00am to noon on Monday, March 8th and 15th. All are welcome to explore the meaning, history and use of the valuable tools for Christian living.
LENTEN PREACHING SERIES 2007
Luke 4:18-19, quoting Isaiah 61:1-2
JESUS:
The spirit of the Lord is upon me because ….
He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives
March 7 – The Rev. Peter O’Brien, St Anne Roman Catholic Church
And recovery of sight to the blind
March 14 – The Rev. Melissa Haugen, Newman United Methodist Church
To let the oppressed go free
March 21 – Chaplin Sandi Richard’, Three Rivers Community Hospital and
Hospice
To proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor
March 28 – The Rev. Randel Livingood, St. Luke’s Church
Service Begins at 12:00 Noon followed by “Soup and Bread” lunch
ALMSGIVING: This is giving beyond your regular tithe or pledge for the advance of the Gospel or the relief of those who suffer. It may be made possible by the next item.
SELF-DENIAL: Make it possible to add these changes by cutting back elsewhere, maybe giving up a TV show, or hot-fudge sundae. Simple measures, such as meatless Fridays (a fine and ancient custom), prepare us for more productive forms of Self Denial. Our Church particularly asks the faithful to fast (which means to eat less than usual) on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. Other days are okay, too, health permitting.
A word of caution: You may not succeed fully in keeping your Plan for Lent. The point of Spring Training is to grow, not to feel guilty. Assess your progress as you go, and just keep at it, making adjustments as necessary. Have a happy and blessed Lent.
BIBLE STUDIES FOR ADULTS:
Isaiah
The Monday 4 pm Bible Study is beginning a study of the high points of Isaiah. Isaiah, the son of Amoz, wrote to a society which had become corrupt. People were proud of their possessions and neglected the poor. Many parallels can be found between the people of his time and our time. You are invited to come and explore Isaiah’s relevance in the Guild Room.
Psalms
Deacon Joani’s Wednesday morning Bible study is at 10:30 in the Guild Room during Lent. All are welcome.
Revelation
The Wednesday night Bible study group will be meeting at Dan and Joan Collins home at 7:00pm. Call them at 476-6169 if you need directions or you have any questions. Caroline Pitts is doing a wonderful job of leading the group in some very interesting discussions.
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
We have received an opportunity from St. Vincent DePaul for volunteers to help them in their ministry to and with those in need. Training is available for 21/2 hour shifts as part of a 2 person team. Call the office to learn more.
LENTEN PREACHING SERIES, 2007
In 1993 St. Luke’s hosted the first of what has become an annual gift to the Grants Pass community: a series of services at noon on Wednesdays during Lent. The pattern has been consistent: the series is always about Jesus; the variety of speakers illustrates the depth and breadth of our unity as Christians; posters with the theme and weekly topics in churches and store windows give a powerful message about our Lord, even to those who don’t attend the services; and our parish offers Christian hospitality to all who come. This year’s series begins February 28, and concludes March 28. The services begin at 12:00 noon and last about 40 minutes. They include hymns, prayers and intercessions, and a sermon by a local clergyperson. Afterward a simple lunch of soup and bread is served. An offering plate is available in the church and the parish hall. All gifts placed in it go to Christian Service Network.
Lent is like Spring Training for Christians—a time to do things, and to give up others, in order to strengthen our relationship with God. As with athletes, we begin training by making a plan. We all have, consciously or unconsciously, a “Rule of Life,” a pattern by which we fulfill our religious duty to ourselves, to God, the Church, and our neighbors. Lent offers the opportunity to review one’s “Rule,” and to make it more deliberate. A prayerful assessment of your present Rule will help you determine what, if any, changes will draw you closer to God during these weeks. Whether you need a more challenging rule, or a more relaxed one, here are some basic elements for Lent:
WORSHIP: You may change your pattern of worship, perhaps coming more regularly on Sundays, or adding a weekday service. You may offer worship alone, too, at the church and at home, using resources available in the Narthex. Of course, we never really worship alone, but in union with the whole Church, in Heaven and on earth.
PRAYER: Perhaps you will pray more often, or just a little more quietly and thoughtfully. Having set times can encourage daily prayer. So can having a friend with whom you can share your spiritual journey.
STUDY: Read the Bible, or a spiritual book. (The library has lots of good ones.) Join a study group, or start one. Use Forward Day by Day. Read a book to young children, such as C.S. Lewis’s The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. Listen to the sermon. Think and talk about it.
SERVICE: Volunteer, at church or in the community. Do something kind—perhaps for someone with whom you live or work, one to whom you owe an obligation (such as a letter or a kind word), or even someone who annoys you. Examine the result and repeat.
ST. LUKE’S GUILD
St. Luke’s Guild’s Spring Rummage sale will be Saturday, March 10 from 9am until 2pm. We will be setting up on Friday, march 9th starting at 11:00am. This will be the Guild’s final Rummage Sale; we just don’t have the membership to keep this event going. So, until another group takes over, this is your last chance to clean out those closets for St. Luke’s. Thank you to everyone who has donated items to all our sales and to those who have come to help set up and also work the day of the sale over the years.
We are going to start concentrating on smaller parish events that our personal schedules can accommodate. We will be discussing the Guild’s new direction at the Gold Miner Café at the corner of 7th and “M” Streets on Wednesday, March 7th at 9:00am. Please join us for breakfast and brainstorming. For more information please call Crista at 659-9208. Remember that all women of St. Luke’s are Guild members, see you then.
---Crista Yilek, President
MUSIC NOTES
Choir
The Choir rehearses Wednesday evenings from 5:30 – 6:30. Please come and sing with us. We hope to be able to do some a cappella pieces, as well as things incorporating other instruments, such as handbells, drums, strings, praise band, flutes, guitars, etc. Please be encouraged to come join us. Our potential new organist, Don Corbett, has sold his home in California and will join us after Easter.
Bell Choir
The Handbell Choir will continue to meet on Wednesday from 4:30 – 5:15 with new members being added on a continuing basis. We hope to get bigger and better. Children are encouraged to join us. We have a lot of fun. Call Dr. Edla Stephenson at 761-6490 to learn more.
Praise and Worship Musicians
If you are interested in participating, please contact Ulf Bjorklund at 476-5012 for practice times.
Choir Festival
This year Choir Festival is Sunday, march 11th at Bethany Presbyterian Church at 3:00PM. Make plans to attend to hear St. Luke’s Choir and others from the local churches.
Children Choir
Our Children’s Choir has been learning together after the 10:30 service. They sang publicly for the first time on Sunday, February 25th. New singers are welcome
WHAT’S ON THE CALENDAR FOR MARCH
March 9 : Set up for Rummage sale @ 11:00
March 10 : Rummage sale 9:00 – 2:00
March 11 : Daylight Savings Time Begins
March 11 : Choir Festival @ Bethany Presbyterian Church 3:00PM
March 17 : St. Patrick’s Day
March 21 : First Day of Spring
INFORMATION ON SOME UP COMING HAPPENINGS!
Taize Services at St. Mark’s in Medford
Sunday, April 1 @ 8:00pm Holy Week
These are quiet service of meditation, reflection, readings, silence, prayer, candlelight, and musical chants from the Taize tradition, focusing on themes of each season.
April 1 : Palm Sunday (10:30 service starts in the Parish Hall)
April 5 : Maundy Thursday (Dinner & Eucharist at 6:00pm)
April 6 : Good Friday (St. Luke’s at 10:00am & 7:00pm. Newman United Methodist Church at 12:00 noon)
April 8 : Easter Sunday (Great Vigil at 6:00am, Festival Eucharist at 10:30am)
May 17-20 : 2007 Women’s Cursillo @ Church of the Good Shepherd
Vancouver, Washington
May 26 & 27 : Sisters of the Transfiguration @ St. Luke’s
May 28 : Memorial Day Office will be closed
DAUGHTERS OF THE KING
Daughters of the King met on the second and fourth Mondays of the month at 7:00pm at the home of Marlies Wilson, 119 Briarwood Way. All women of the church are welcome. For more information, please contact Marlies at 474-1090.
MEN’S MONDAY MORNING BREAKFAST
The Men’s breakfast meets on the 1st and 3rd Mondays of the month and occasionally on a 5th Monday. Breakfast is at the Gold Miner Cafe on the corner of 7th and “M” streets at 8:15. If you have any questions, you can call the office at 476-2493.
Help Wanted: A caller for the intercession list.
Visitors for the youth prison.
Helpers for the Park Ministry.
WHERE’S YOUR NAME TAG??
Wearing our name tags is a way to say we’re willing to get acquainted with others! As you leave the church after services, stop and collect your tag from the boards before going into the Parish Hall. (They are posted only semi-alphabetically, so you may have to search a bit!) If you do not have a tag yet, please look for a sign-up sheet in the Narthex. Be sure to print or write clearly to be sure your name will be spelled correctly! If your tag has disappeared, use the sheet to request a replacement. Thank you for using this tool to make St. Luke’s an even friendlier place to worship!
PARISH RECORDS
If you have changed your address, telephone number, e-mail address or made any major changes, please call the office at 476-2493 and let us know so that we may update our records.
VESTRY NOTES:
Budget and Annual Meeting: If you did not get a copy of the Annual Report for 2006, please pick one up in the Narthex or the office, or phone the office and one will be mailed to you. It has reports on our ministries and finances for 2006, and the budget for 2007 that was adopted by the Vestry at their January meeting. Of note is the good news that the operating fund ended the year with a surplus of 2006 income over expense of over $3,000, which reduced its cumulative year end deficit to just a little over $9,000. “Well done to all our members!” says Treasurer Mike Dawson.
MARCH BIRTHDAYS
Emily Calvert – 3/18 Tikka Svendsen – 3/4
Travis Defilippo 3/16
If during the past year we have missed any child’s birthday, we apologize. However, we do need to update our birthday list. So, please call the office with the child’s name and birth date. Thank you.
DEREK SEALS
Please continue to keep Derek Seals in your prayers while he goes through Chemotherapy at Dornbecker Children’s Hospital in Portland. If you would like to help the Seals family, an account has been set-up at US Bank in Derek’s name.
FROM THE ALTAR GUILD
If you are interested in donating a Sacristy Light as a memorial for someone or a thanksgiving, there is a sign-up sheet on the kitchen door. The donations for the lights are $5.00 each.
No flowers are used at the altar during Lent, but after Easter the Flower Calendar has openings on April 15, 22, May 13 and several other dates throughout the year. The Calendar is hanging on the door to the Parish Hall if you would like to sponsor flowers. If the flowers are for a special occasion or in honor of or memory of someone, please let the office know so that it can be noted in the Sunday Bulletin. If you have any questions, you can call Flo Graham at 479-1493.
PETAL PUSHERS
About 8 or 10 people are needed to be Petal Pushers. These would be people who are able to take the floral arrangements to our shut-ins and those who are in nursing homes. Please talk to Bob or Flo Graham or call them at 479-1493
LANDSCAPE GIVING OPPORTUNITIES ARE NOW OPEN!
The landscaping has been finished except for the memorial garden. We have had several comments from people who pass by telling us that it looks great. Members of St. Luke’s are invited to make contributions and pledges for the new landscaping. Pledge cards will soon be available in the Narthex, Parish Hall, and the Office. Gifts and pledges may be mailed to the office or placed in the offering plate. Be sure to note “landscaping” on any checks. This is a wonderful opportunity for those who felt unable to participate in the larger capital funds drive for the Handicap Access Project.
We hope to make a major part of the work a memorial to Bob deFreitas. Another portion we know will be in memory of Fr. Chet Shulda, Rector of St. Luke’s from 1974 to 1986. Members are invited to make other memorial gifts.
A chart of plantings will be available in a few weeks on which memorial designations of trees and bushes will be made. Larger gifts are welcome for irrigation, sod, and planting expenses. Individual and clusters of bushes may be sponsored for $25.00 to $50.00 per bush, and we can use sponsors for several trees, probably at $100.00 each.
Avery large thank you goes out to John Kirschner and his crew for a wonderful Shrove Tuesday Pancake Dinner. Dave, Collin, & Duncan Fuller, Bob Graham for the being a master of the milkshakes, Richard Hughes for the marvelous “Beer Batter” pancakes, Mike Anzalone, Bill Menke, & Don Edmon for cooking, Chuck Schippers & Dan Collins for those scrumptious scrambled eggs, Fr. Jim, Dick Kyle, David Sloan, and Sam Marsh whose help is greatly appreciated, and last but not least John for the wonderful bacon and sausage that made the meal extra special. Thank you to the clean up crew who did a superb job.
A wonderful time was had by all the children, thanks to Pam Boston and all who helped her put together the carnival.
CURSILLO
Up coming Cursillo:
April 19 – 22 : Men’s Spring Cursillo Salem, Oregon
May 17 – 20 : Women’s Spring Cursillo Lake Oswego, Oregon
October 4 – 7 : Co-ed Weekend Cursillo Eugene, Oregon
If you are interested in any of these, please contact the office at 476-2493.
It’s not too early to begin planning for the 2007 Women’s Cursillo, May 17 – 20 at Christ Church Lake Oswego, Oregon.
If you are planning on sponsoring a candidate, please get the applications in soon, as spaces are filling up fast.
Applications can be found at www.oregoncursillo.org for additional information, please contact Tracy Esquerre tracyesg@aol.com Communications Chair 2007 Women’s Cursillo.
St. Luke’s Episcopal Church
224 NW “D” Street
Grants Pass, Oregon
541-476-2493
CLERGY
The Rt. Rev. Johncy Itty, Bishop of Oregon
The Rev. James T. Boston, Rector/President 479-0452
The Rev. Randel Livingood, Curate 218-4347
The Rev. Joani Bristol, Deacon 773-7808
STAFF AND OTHER OFFICERS
Parish Administrative Assistant : Jean Middleton 474-0760
Altar Guild Directress : Florence Graham 479-1493
Choir Director : Edla Stephenson 761-6490
Organist :
Memorial Trust Board President : Mike Dawson 479-4459
Parish Nurse : Frances Osborne 955-8777
St. Luke’s Guild President : Crista Yilek 659-9208
Senior Warden : Dennis James 476-8126
Sexton : Dave Flick 862- 2698
Treasurer : Mike Dawson 479-4459
MEMBERS OF THE VESTRY
CLASS OF 2008
Ulf Bjorklund 476-5012
Laura Dunwald 479-9076
Carmella Menke 956-1934
CLASS OF 2009
Dennis James 476-8126
Theron Middleton 474-0760
Tim Roberts 955-0209
CLASS OF 2010
Bev Kane 955-9897
Pat Murray 956-9999
Diane Leonard 832-2979
A LENTEN QUIET DAY with
Sam Portaro
WELCOME TO THE JOURNEY
The Rev. Dr. Sam Portaro has served as parish priest and as college chaplain (having recently retired after 22 years as chaplain at the University of Chicago). He is a popular retreat leader and speaker across the United States and England.
Father Portaro has written a number of books, including Brightest and Best: A Companion to Lesser Feasts and Fasts; Crossing Jordan: Meditations on Vocation; Daysprings: Meditations for the Weekdays of Advent, Lent & Easter; Conflict and a Christian Life; and Sheer Christianity: Conjectures on a Catechism.
He will speak with us about the meaning of our own spiritual lives in this modern world. In his own words:
… all life is actually built upon faith – a constant and ongoing conjecture, a
succession of tentative judgments made of partial knowledge, the only kind of
knowledge humans are allowed. I have sometimes suggested to friends, only
partly in jest, that an apt epitaph for my gravestone would be, “It was a valuable learning experience.”
Welcome to the journey.
Saturday, March 4, 2007
9:00am – 3:00pm
(lunch provided)
St. Mark’s Episcopal Church
5th and Oakdale
Medford, Oregon
Ph. 541-773-3111
e-mail: stmarks@connpoint.net
JOE HUNGATE’S STORY
Joe Hungate, along with his wife, Starr, joined St. Luke’s in 1997, after moving to Grants Pass from Ojai Valley, California in 1996. Joe retired after practicing law for 25 years. He also served on active duty in the U.S. Navy for three years and then for 26 years in the U.S. Naval Reserve; retiring as a captain in the JAG Corps in 1991.
Joe was born in Oberlin, Ohio, a small college town in northern Ohio, about 35 miles from Cleveland. He graduated from Oberlin High School and attended Princeton University, where he was commissioned an ensign in the Navy upon graduation.
After his active duty, Joe attended the University of California at Berkeley. He was married to his first wife, Rita, after his first year of law school. After Joe’s graduation, they moved to Cleveland, Ohio, where Joe practiced corporate law for 17 years and they had their two children, Joe Jr. and Kara. When Kara was four, Rita went back to school to become a doctor.
In 1983 Joe accepted a corporate legal position with Cyclops Corporation in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. His family remained in Cleveland and he commuted back and forth on the weekends. Joe and Rita were divorced in 1990 and that same year Joe left his position at Cyclops. In 1992 Joe purchased a local office of a national law firm, but he closed it at the end of that year when it became evident that the office would not be profitable.
Closing the office turned out to be a blessing because in 1993 Joe’s mother became terminally ill and he was free to move to Hilton Head, South Carolina to help her. Joe’s older sister, Nancy, also moved there in 1994. It was there that Joe met Starr, whose mother as well as Joe’s lived in the same retirement community. Joe and Starr were married on New Year’s Eve in 1994. Joe moved to Starr’s small ranch in Ojai, California in 1995
Joe’s enjoys reading, camping and art. He and Starr have two dogs, two cats and three donkeys. Their caretaker on their 5 acre “ranch” has a horse, a dog and two cats. Life is good. The animals (and Starr) tend to keep Joe humble and very aware of the many treasures God has granted him.
Juliette Fischer-Melia
CONSTRUCTION
We are now in the process of doing the upstairs rest rooms. There will always be at least one restroom available for use during the construction. There is still much work to be done to complete this project. The framing for the Ladies room is up and within the week the contractors will be insulating and doing the drywall. The new handicap accessible rest rooms will be a wonderful addition to St. Luke’s. Many thanks to all who have helped make it all possible, especially Don Kane, our construction manager.
GOOD ST. PATRICK
On March 17th, many churches, especially thise with a large Irish population, will celebrate the life of St. Patrick. He grew up in a Christian home in Britain, but wasn’t very religious until a major event changed his life. As a teen, he was captured and sold into slavery in Ireland, but escaped to Gaul (France) after six years. The years of enslavement strengthened his faith. He later wrote, “In that strange land (Ireland), the Lord opened my unbelieving eyes.” He was led by God’s voice to return to Ireland where he converted people to Christianity tribe by tribe.
Because Ireland is called the Emerald Isle, those who celebrate St. Patrick’s Day will wear something green. Some will even color food or drink green. Many will also eat corned beef and cabbage and decorate table with shamrocks. Shamrocks are actually three-leaf (not four-leaf) clover plants. Legend has it that St. Patrick used the three leaves to teach about the Holy Trinity: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
DAY LIGHT SAVINGS TIME
Day light savings time is early this year. So remember to set your clocks AHEAD one hour Saturday night, March 10th or Sunday morning, March 11th.
NEW GROUP
A new group called “Over eaters Anonymous” meets in the Guild Room on Mondays at 12:00. Everyone is welcome to come and participate with the group.
BIBLE QUIZ
In Luke’s gospel, as Jesus prepares to enter the city Jesus said that he thought many in Jerusalem would not accept him and his ministry. Even so he said that he had the desire to “gather your children together as a _________________________________, and you were not willing!”
Which statement below belongs in the blank above?
(The answer is in Luke 13:34, NRSV)
TRAVELS WITH THE VAGLES
On February 23rd the office received an e-mail from Connie & Nick Vagle. Here are some highlights to let you know and what they are doing.
Dear Friends,
After touring Florida in December, we headed west and south along the Gulf Coast. Our first stop was outside Mobile, Al. We were unable to miss the bad weather and s our tour was somewhat wet.
Then headed for Mississippi and saw a lot of devastation left by Katrina. IT is sad to see how much has not been rebuilt. However, the casinos are up and running. At one casino we were able to see Pete Fountain and enjoyed his music very much.
The next stop was Louisiana to enjoy Cajun food and dancing. There is so much to do and see. The Cajun people are so friendly and warm hearted and are very happy for us to learn about their culture. They told us how to make Gumbo with the proper ingredients.
Then we are off to Texas to spend some time with Nick’s Dad and brother who are spending the winter at South Padre Island. We enjoyed walking on the beach and spending two days in Mexico going to the dog races. Nick went fishing with his Dad and brother and had very good luck.
We are heading west and will see you soon.
Connie & Nick