St. George’s Episcopal Church November2016
This is a free publication for members and friends Volume 23, No. 10
St. George’s Newsletter November 2016 Page 1
ABOUT THE ELECTIONby Father Daniel Pearson /
As we near the end of our lengthy election season, it seems that it has been more about disappointment than aspiration, more about blistering critique than constructive conversation, and more promotion of uncertainty than realistic promise. Many people are in a bind: personality or policy?
Elections involve transition. In our democratic system, no matter who wins this election change will be a fact of life. Fortunately, we have a stable constitution and although subject to criticism, we have strong institutions set on the foundation of the executive, legislative and judicial branches of government. For me, this structure brings a modicum of comfort as we look forward to welcoming the winner of the two most disliked candidates for President in recent history.
Speaking of being in a bind, it has been of interest to find classic journalists discussing the merits of being objective in how to be fair or give equal time to both Presidential candidates. This concern is, of course, most germane to reporting the front page news as to who gets the space and attention. The Op-Ed page is something else: writers who appear here are expected to take a position, offer insight and opinion. And indeed they have and in some cases with passion and blistering critique. Still, with the prominence of social media and the controversy about some sites actually
being news outlets, one wonders in our increasingly fragmented society about whom listens to whom.
When it comes to elections, clergy have always been in a bind as our constitution calls for the separation of Church and State. In short, a clergy person, a preacher, cannot and should not endorse a particular candidate from the pulpit. This does not mean, however, that spiritual leaders should be indifferent to the political process. The Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is for the world.(John 3:16) The Kingdom to come is one of justice and peace, reconciliation of difference and respect for every human being. Given this conviction, we clergy can encourage ourselves and others to take out the measuring stick of what we believe and place it along side the candidates. We can urge people to vote instead of staying home.
THE SUNDAY FORUMSundays in the Parish Hall
9:15 a.m. – 10 a.m.
by Father Daniel Pearson /
November 6 Celebrating Generosity
andCommitment
Gathering for Prayer and Brunchfollowing the8 a.m. and10:30 a.m.services.
November 13Celebrating the History
of St. George’s
A project of the Discovery & Discernment Team
November 20Sacred Time and
the Liturgical Calendar
Presented by: Fr. Daniel Pearson
November 27Gospel-Based Discipleship
ALL SAINTS SUNDAY
by TomBoe, Stewardship Chair
On October 5, we kicked off our annual Stewardship drive. We hope to complete it successfully this week on All Saints Sunday, November 6. If you haven’t already done so, please take some time now to read the Stewardship letter you received in the mail, pray about it, and act on it with the Spirit’s guidance.
Also, please mark this Sunday, November 6, on your calendar. We will have joy-filled ingathering services at 8 and 10:30 a.m., followed by shared All Saints Sunday meals after each service.
Bless you all for your generous support of God’s mission and community here.
/ EDUCATION UPDATEby Heather Whitesell
Children & Youth Coordinator
Children's Corner
The children have been learning about the beginnings of Christianitythrough the books of the Bible. We have discussed Creation, Adam andEve, Noah's Ark and Abraham and Sarah. We are inching closer to the
season of Advent and have been talking about how difficult it is towait for things you really want!
Youth News
The teens have proposed an outreach project which entails gatheringsupplies to fill backpacks for the homeless. More details are comingas to how you can contribute to the cause. Please notice the display in
the parish hall.
Confirmation
Harper Malone attended the overnight Confirmation retreat and is excited tobegin this important faith journey!
SECOND OFFERING:
November 13. (The second offering is donated to the St. Louis Park Emergency Program (STEP). /
ADDRESING GUN VIOLENCE
Monday, November 14, 7 p.m.
St. George’s Parish Hall
by Kathie Brown /
I don’t know about you, but I am saddened by all the gun violence occurring in this country and I don’t want to live in a place where this is so prevalent. We need to do something. I attended a gathering at St. Mark’s Cathedral in April and heard briefly from the following organizations.
Moms Demand Action (momsdemandaction.org) for Gun Sense in America is a non-partisan grassroots movement to mobilize moms, families and everyday Americans to advocate for stronger gun laws.
Everytown for Gun Safety (everytown.org) is a movement of Americans working together to end gun violence and build safer communities. Gun violence touches every town in America. For too long, change has been thwarted by the Washington gun lobby and by leaders who refuse to take common-sense steps that will save lives.
Please join us to hear from these organizations. We are inviting St. Louis Park residents and members of other St. Louis Park faith communities to join us, as well. Invite your friends and family.
Monday, November 14
7 p.m.
Parish Hall
RSVP is encouraged, but not required, to the church office or sign-up in the Parish Hall:952-926-1646 or
For further information contact Kathie Brown:
612-827-5760 or
FINANCIAL UPDATE for the month of September, the last month for which we have records: /Income$18,099.80 90% of budget
Expenses$20,900.54 94% of budget
Total for month ($2,800.74)
Year to date ($9,983.33)
Budget year to date ($1,675.82)
Average Attendance for September:
8 a.m. – 21, 10:30 a.m. – 64
Total average for both services was 85
/ MAP and Discovery & Discernmentby Tom Boe
During October, St. George’s Discovery and Discernment team continued the work of discerning our gifts as a congregation and discovering the wider community we serve. As part of that work, we joined with the larger Missional Assessment Process team (MAP) on October 5 for our second meeting together.
In that MAP session, Amanda Ziebel Mawanda from the Episcopal Church in Minnesota led us in the Appreciative Inquiry process. The goal of that process is to uncover positive stories of mission at St. George’s and highlight what makes St. George’s unique and valuable to each of us. At the end, each participant also agreed to interview one additional parishioner on these questions, expanding the scope of our input to over 30 parishioners.
Getting a deep and broad perspective on our gifts as a community is necessary to create our Parish Profile, required to call a new rector. So, this inquiry process is a concrete step forward in St. George’s transition journey.
The remaining three MAP sessions—roughly one month apart—focus on the needs and attributes of the wider community that surrounds us in 2016 and on how we’re called to reach out to that community.
As a reminder, the nine members of the Discovery and Discernment Team are:
Bruce Becker, Tom Boe, Katherine Cady, Scott Clark, Carole Leonard, Kristin Malone, Amanda Norman, Arlan Winikoff, and Fr. Daniel Pearson (Discernment Guide).
In addition to the D&D team, our larger MAP team includes the following parishioners:
Randy Egan, Caryl Eschweiler, Deacon Diane McGowan, Lou Michelich, Mary Poulsen, John Rash, Mary Weekes, Sarah Winikoff, and Tom Zaun.
Please take a moment to stop and talk with any of the MAP members. Thank them for their service and share your thoughts with them about the mission of St. George’s. That’s what we’re all about. And thank you all for your support.
/ HOLIDAY PROGRAMS FOR STEP (St. Louis Park Emergency Program)by Camille Schroeder
It is hard to believe that the holidays are here again, but they are. For the St. Louis Park EmergencyProgram this means that food distribution will be extra heavy. Clients will have one appointment during the month of November but will be able to get their usual two-visit food amount as well as an ample supply of holiday food. This means that our donations must increase greatly.
As you shop for STEP, consider what foods you deem important for the holidays. Cranberries, pumpkin, potatoes, baking supplies including flour, sugar, spices, and sprinkles are all desired items. But don’t forget the basics: canned meats, cereal, boxed dinners, mac and cheese. All you have to do to help is to duplicate what you buy for yourself and then donate the duplicate to STEP. Please be generous so that our neighbors in need do not have to worry about having food on the table.
Another area of need is for toys for the Holiday Gift Shop. The gift shop will operate at Peace Presbyterian Church the week of December 11. Toys are provided for children ages 0 to 10 and those 11 to 18 will receive Target gift certificates.
Parents will visit the Gift Shop and pick out toys for their children. STEP likes to see that each child receives a gift worth $40. This may seem like a lot but it really isn’t. So watch the sales and use your money wisely as you shop for these gifts. Target gift certificates are also needed in $10 increments.
Another need is for volunteers. Please speak with Camille Schroederabout those opportunities. Gifts are due at St. George’s no later than December 11.
/ THANK YOU:by Patty Dittrich
Parish Administrator
- Bill Stromberg and Nick Dittrich for unloading 40 bags of mulch for the playground at St. George’s on Friday, September 30.
- Same subject, thank you to Bill Stromberg for opening the bags and spreading it around the playground on Saturday, October 1.
- Carole Leonard for sanding and painting the fascia on the north side of the A-frame the week of October 3.
- Gregg Jacobson, Carole Leonard and Kris Kelley for doing some painting around the outside of our facilities, i.e., two metal doors and the redwood wall on the Toledo Avenue side of the Quonset, as well as scraping and painting the two white brick planters on Minnetonka Blvd.
- Tom Zaun for hanging the large picture and the clock in the conference room.
- The hard workers at the Fall Cleanup Day: Kris and Harry Kelly, Bill Stromberg, Kitty Reese, Geri Alberg, Barb Behrens, Mary and Alan Poulsen, Jim Scheible, Gregg Jacobson, and Carole Leonard.
A PERSONAL THANK YOU
from Patty Dittrich: /
To all the people who sent cards, prayed for, sent emails, called, etc. to express their condolences on the death of my sister, Diana, I can’t thank you enough. The good thing was that Nick and I were able to see her a few days before she died and we had quality time together. Keep the prayers coming; it is harder than I imagined it would be.
A SPECIAL THANK YOU FROMDEACON DIANE /I would like to offer special thanks to Patty Dittrich for taking an entire vacation day to help me begin to sort and organize an attic full of everything you can imagine! Her kindness and caring go above and beyond the call of duty.
/ NOVEMBER BIRTHDAYS8Kendra McGill17Colleen Monroe
Connie Kotula19Odessa Pamonicutt
9Preethy Goonetilleke23Mary Weekes
12Nathan HarmonMaclain Herbers
14Doug Gniot28Jina LeBakken
15Dorothy LeBakken
GIVE TO THE MAX DAYby Camille Schroeder /
Give to the Max Day is on November 17 this year. It is the largest fund raising effort that STEP has and it raised $120,000 in 2015. We all get many requests for money on this day and it’s hard to decide just which ones to support. Please consider supporting STEP at some level. There is a dollar match available that will double your money up to $50,000. Any donation made from today on until 11:59 pm on November 17 will qualify for the match.
STEP is right here in St. Louis Park and in the past year has provided food assistance to 3,960 individuals and families of which 39% were youth and children. STEP distributed 557,857 pounds of food. There were 16,124 social work contacts which provided support and referrals for the clients. 465 students received school supplies and 587 families were able to get holiday gifts for their children. STEP also provided 1,429 rides to STEP, medical, dental, and social service appointments for those with transportation needs.
STEP has provided these services for 40 years and has provided those services with caring and respect. Please consider STEP when you Give to the Max on Thursday, November 17, this year.
YOUR PARTICULAR GRIEFby Deacon Diane McGowan /
The Grief Support Group at St. George’s is off to a good start. Mother Mildred Cox started this group several years ago at St. Mark’s Cathedral and she kindly invited me to work with her when it moved to St. George’s. Currently, our group includes members of St. Mark’s, Gethsemane, Holy Trinity, and St. George’s.
Many people associate “grief” only as it pertains to the death of a loved one. In truth, changes related to one’s health status, loss of employment, family problems, divorce, financial crisis, or the strain of being a caregiver for a loved one are just a few examples of grief and can be equally intense and painful.
Our group incorporates a time for prayer and reflection, individual check-ins, and topical discussions on grief and healing. We adhere to the rule of confidentiality and offer a safe place to share feelings and struggles.
Come join us every other Tuesday from 2-4 pm in the conference room of the Education Building.
If you have questions please call me at (612) 823-7864 or Mother Mildredat (612)529-7221.
FEASIBILITY STUDY SUMMARYby Carole Leonard, Parish Warden /
In the month of August, St. George’s parishioners were invited to participate in a Feasibility Study to determine if it was feasible for our church to hold a capital campaign. 47 households participated.
The results of the survey were positive and demonstrate a willingness of our congregation to conduct a campaign.A summary of the report has been mailed to each household. If you wish to view a copy of the full report, there is a copy posted on the bulletin board in the parish hall nearest the kitchen.
If you wish to receive a full copy of the study, please contact Parish Administrator Patty Dittrich in the parish office (952-926-1646).
CHRIST IS NEAR
(An old classic hymn)
Submitted by Maurine Bernier who remembered this hymn from her childhood /
(In 2016, the first Sunday of Advent is November 27)
Advent tells us, Christ is near;
Christmas tells us Christ is here?
In Epiphany we trace
All the glory of His grace.
Those three Sundays before Lent
Will prepare us to repent;
That in Lent we may begin
Earnestly to mourn for sin.
Holy Week and Easter, then,
Tell who died and rose again;
O that happy Easter day!
“Christ is risen indeed,” we say.
Yes, and Christ ascended, too,
To prepare a place for you;
So we give him special praise,
After those great forty days
Then, He sent the Holy Ghost,
On the day of Pentecost,
With us ever to abide;
Well may be keep Whitsuntide!
Last of all, we humbly sing
Glory to our God and King,
Glory to the One in three,
On the Feast of Trinity.
MEMORY LOSS SUPPORT GROUP:CHANGE OF MEETING DAY /
TheMemory Loss Support Group will now be meeting on the Third Sunday of the month in the Library/Lounge. If you have questions, please contact
Gloria Monroe Johnson at (763)645-2764or Mother Mildred Cox at (612)529-7221.
St. George’s Newsletter November 2016 Page 1
Calendar of Events – November2016
1 / 2
11 am – Bible Study (PH)
6:30-8:30 pm – MAP meeting at Beth El Synagogue / 3 / 4 / 5
6
All Saints Sunday
8 am – HE, Rite I
Brunch to follow service.
9 am - Choir
10:30 am – HE, Rite II
Brunch to follow service.
11:45 am – Education Committee / 7
6 pm – Staff meeting / 8
2-4:30 pm – Grief Support Group (CEB / 9
11 am – Bible Study(PH)
7-8:30 pm – (PH) Discovery & Discernment Team / 10
6:30 pm – AA(LL) / 11 / 12
13
8 am - Rite I
9 am - Choir
9:15 a.m. – Sunday Forum
10:30 am – HE, Rite II
12-1:30 pm – Youth Group
2nd Sunday/2nd Offering / 14
7 p.m. – Moms Addressing Gun Violence
(Parish Hall) / 15 / 16
11 am – Bible Study (PH) / 17
DAYD
6:30 pm – AA (LL) / 18
DAYD / 19
20
8 am - Rite I
9 am - Choir
9:15 a.m. – Sunday Forum
10:30 am – HE, Rite II
11:30 am- Welcoming Committee
11:45 am.– Memory Loss Support Group (LL) / 21
12 noon – St. Mary’s Circle
7 pm - Vestry / 22
2-4:30 pm – Grief Support Group (CEB) / 23
11 am – Bible Study (PH) / 24
Happy Thanksgiving
Office closed
6:30 pm – AA (LL) / 25
Office closed / 26
27
8 am – HE, Rite I
9 am - Choir
9:15 a.m. –Sunday Forum
10:30 am – HE, Rite II / 28 / 29 / 30
11 am – Bible study
(PH)
6:30-8:30 pm – MAP meeting at
St. Louis Park
City Hall
Key:HE – Holy Eucharist
CEB – Christian Education Building
LL – Library Lounge
PH – Parish Hall
DAYD –Dinner at Your Door
Ministers of the Eucharistic Assembly
November 2016
November 6All Saints Day
Twenty-fifth Sunday
after Pentecost / November 13
Twenty-sixth Sunday
after Pentecost / November 20
Last Sunday
after Pentecost
Christ the King Sunday / November 27
First Sunday
of Advent
Readings / Job 19:23-27a
Psalm 17:1-9
2 Thessalonians 2:1-5,13-17
Luke 20:27-38 / Isaiah 65:17-25
Psalm 98
2 Thessalonians 3:6-13
Luke 21:5-19 / Jeremiah 23:1-6
Psalm 46
Colossians 1:11-20
Luke 23:33-43 / Isaiah 2:1-5
Psalm 122
Romans 13:11-14
Matthew 24:36-44
Lectors / Marilyn Clark
Mary Kuhfeld
Jessica Olson
Lindsay Benjamin / Karen Cherry
Steve Harvala
Mary Poulsen
Caryl Eschweiler / Carole Leonard
Maraline Keeling
Kristin Malone
Jim Jenkins / Karen Hurlbert
Cyprian Troyer
Gloria Monroe Johnson
Chalice / Mary Kuhfeld
Jessica Olson
Kris Kelley / Steve Harvala
Alan Poulsen
Leslie O’Donnell / Maraline Keeling
Kristin Malone
Amanda Turgeant / Karen Hurlbert
Cyprian Troyer
Amanda Norman
Ushers
8 a.m.
10:30 a.m. / Bruce Becker
Ron Holbach
Bill Stromberg
Don Janke / Ron Holbach
Scott Clark
Tom Zaun
Lou Michelich / Bruce Becker
Ron Erickson
Jane Jacobson
Bob Jones / Scott Clark
Ron Holbach
Tom Zaun
Lindsay Benjamin
Acolytes: / Harper Malone / Brendon Snyders
Calista Snyders / Ian Rash / Richard Norman
Coffee Hour:
8 a.m.
10:30 a.m. / Ron Holbach
Karen Hurlbert
Gloria Monroe Johnson / Holbach family
Don Janke
Patricia Janke / Betty Bauer
John Carlson
Jane Carlson / Carole Leonard
Geri Alberg
Alan Poulsen
Mary Poulsen