The Parish of
St. Mary and St. Jude
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Message from the Interim Rector, The Reverend Frances CoxMy Dear Sisters and Brothers, Spring has finally come to the island. Summer cannot be far behind. Signs of life are all around us. The traffic is picking up, boats are going into the water, bicycles and walkers are everywhere. The annual changes are occurring. We are getting ready to open the summer chapels of St. Jude's and St. Mary's-by-the-Sea and to welcome our summer parishioners and visitors. We take these changes pretty much for granted and even look forward to many of them. We human beings don't take all change well or for granted however. We resist many changes, even ones we know will happen and may well benefit us. The days come and go, and no two are the same, although we often do not notice the differences. Each new day is a gift from God and is all that we have at the moment. One day at a time. We have just celebrated the Feast of Pentecost, a day that radically changed the lives of the disciples. The gift of the Spirit given to the Church was a dramatic and powerful occasion in their lives. It took them a while to understand and to live into what these changes meant for them and for God's people. They had to grow into this new life. It meant taking some risks and stepping out where they might rather not be. Jesus sent them into the world to preach the Gospel and to Baptize. They could no longer stay inside their homes safe and secure. We too must grow into this new life. We too are Disciples of Christ and are also sent to be God's people in the world. That means our lives too will change. Are we ready for these changes? Are we willing to step out and be God's people in this world of ours? What would it mean if we really did? The power of God is an awesome power. It enables us to do things that surprise and amaze us (and those around us sometimes too). God's love for us is amazing and we must share it. As this summer unfolds with all its beauty and surprises, may we be more and more aware of the power of the Spirit in our midst, may we welcome that power in our lives and may we go forth to share God's love. In Christ's Joy, Frances From the Interim Rector's Bulletin Board Important Dates this Summer June 16, 2002 --- First Sunday at St. Mary by-the-Sea June 29, 2002 --- Memorial Service for Rosecrans Baldwin, faithful member of St. Jude's summer congregation who died peacefully in Lake Forest, Illinois on October 27, 2001. July 14, 2002 10:30 --- The Rt. Rev'd Chilton Knudsen, Bishop of Maine as Celebrant and Preacher in Celebration of 100 years of worship at St Mary's-by-the-Sea August 25, 2002 --- Celebration of the 100th Anniversary of the Consecration of St. Mary's-by-the-Sea Come and Celebrate with us On Sunday June 9, 2002 our beloved organist and choirmaster, Alan Fernald will retire. Come and "make a joyful noise" with us as we say farewell and Thank You for a job well done and much appreciated. The Music will continue We will welcome Frank Lendrim as organist for the last three Sundays in June and the first Sunday in July. Frank comes to us from Bruton Parish in Williamsburg, VA where he has retired as Associate Organist and Choirmaster. He also taught music history and literature, and directed several singing groups at William and Mary. He summers in Rockport, Maine and loves this island. He will be back with us for a while from the end of September. Labors of Love Outreach. Altar Guild. ECW. Flower Fund. UTO. Worship Committee. You hear these terms mentioned occasionally in church announcements and in after-church coffee hour conversation. But many of us are a bit fuzzy on just what they are and just who's involved in them. In the broadest sense, they are all ministries - ways parishioners give of their time, talent, and treasure to take care of the needs of the church, our congregations, and members of the greater community. And while many members of our congregation are involved in one or more of these ministries, one member is involved in all of them: Kathy Suminsby. A dozen or more years ago (she can't remember exactly) Kathy began her outreach ministry to the Sonogee and Summit House nursing homes. St. Mary and St. Jude and twelve other island churches are each assigned one Sunday per calendar quarter to provide worship for twenty-five to thirty nursing home residents who attend the services. Kathy created a liturgy, an adaptation of Morning Prayer, and conducts these quarterly services accompanied by a small contingent from our church. Sarah Fraley plays the hymns, Charlene Stewart, Jean Fernald, Nancy Stanley, Judy Norwood, Sandi Myers, Jackie Agnese and others, along with nieces and grand daughters, provide support for Kathy and comfort for the nursing home residents. In order to give structure and meaning to the services, Kathy personally put together fifteen spiral bound booklets that she distributes among the residents. Each booklet contains her specially adapted liturgy as well as a selection of prayers and familiar, easy-to-sing hymns. She also writes and delivers a short scripture-based homily tailored for her elderly audiences. Nursing home residents love the booklet because it helps them follow the service and participate. They love having the fresh smiling faces of the children to brighten their day. And they love the service and its content. In fact, Kathy related, one resident was so appreciative that she insisted on making a donation to the church. Reflecting on her own donations, Kathy offered candidly: "I upped my pledge as much as I could, and the rest has to come out of my hide." "I upped my pledge as much as I could and the rest has to come out of my hide."When you consider what comes out of it, it's a wonder she has any hide left at all. She helps the ECW (Episcopal Church Women) cook for suppers and receptions and work on the church fair, among other ministries the ECW performs. She is a vital member of the Altar Guild, a ministry she learned at the age of twelve from her Godmother, Julia Manchester. She has accepted responsibility for providing flowers for the church, including the potted geraniums (lovingly grown from seed in her greenhouse) she gives to the children at Easter. She heads the United Thank Offering program and serves on the Worship Committee of the Vestry. In her spare time she sews - two new chausables for the Holy Eucharist celebrant and the beautiful red frontal we saw on the altar during Passion Week. One wonders how she does it all, and why. If you could see the light in her face and feel the love in her heart when she talks about it, you would know. Giving is its own reward. Kathy is one of the few who truly talks the talk and walks the walk - for the joy it gives to others and the joy it brings her. In granting this interview, Kathy smiled and said: "Sure I'll talk to you about the nursing home program if it'll help recruit more volunteers. And by the way, we could use some men." I got the message. Charlie Tyson Renovation and Repair by Roz Rea On May 21, the Renovation Committee took a final "walk through" of St. Mary's before the site is cleaned up and opened for the summer. During the winter we feared that none of the improvements accomplished during Phase I would be evident to those who missed seeing the open trench around the perimeter of the church, the aqua blue waterproofing sprayed onto the foundation, and the running of new electrical wiring and ventilation duct work into impossibly narrow spaces. But there is plenty to see above ground level! The main entrance is solid and beautiful, the steps to each entrance leveled and given firm footings, new gutters and downspouts grace the eves, and a beautiful retaining wall defines the east end of the property. Thanks to all of the individuals who supported the work at St. Mary's this year we have accomplished the first steps towards full revitalization of this century old building. Members of the committee are looking forward to showing off what has been done and spreading the message about the work that lies ahead. Other smaller projects are also underway. St. Jude's will have a partial facelift before opening in July. The lovely east window has been cleaned and refastened. It will be returned to the church as rotten trim and shingles are replaced. As with St. Mary's, the work at St. Jude's will need to continue over the next few years to ensure the longevity of the building. Routine maintenance and alterations are happening at the rectory and the Winter Chapel as well. Spring is a busy time here. It is the perfect time to be building for the future! Calling All Cooks! Do you have some favorite recipes that you'd be willing to share? Kathy Suminsby and friends are mobilizing to compile, organize, and assemble a selection of recipes for the first St. Mary and St. Jude Parish Cook Booklette. This project has parish profitability potential! It will be done entirely "in-house," as a fund raiser for our Parish Fair, but your participation is needed! Get the picture? Then get busy, ladies. Please send or e-mail your favorite recipe(s) to Kathy Suminsby or to the Parish Office. Don't forget to include your name and the "title" of your recipe. (Note: if using e-mail, please use the cut and paste method, not attachment. Thanks! SCARCITY. Our culture sends us the message that we don't have enough. The marketplace tells us that to live the good life we need "stuff" we don't have. Peer pressure makes us compete for the "things" our friends and neighbors have that we don't have. Even though in our hearts we are generous, in our minds we have become scarcity thinkers. And that makes us less than generous. ABUNDANCE. How can we change from scarcity to abundance thinking? Abundance thinking is not practical, not realistic, nor prudent. It is purely mysterious, relying on faith that God will provide everything we need. Yet we can invite the abundant life by enabling the generosity in our hearts. GENEROSITY. 1 Chronicles 29:14 sets forth the theology of generosity. "All things come of you, O Lord, and of your own have we given you." God blesses each of us with everything we have. He allows us to choose what we do with it while it is temporarily ours. Here are some thoughts: examine your relationship with money; don't let your wants get in the way of your needs; let God's generosity flow through you. |
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The Parish of St. Mary and St. Jude
P.O. Box 105, Northeast Harbor, Maine 04662 Tel: 207/276-5588 Fax: 207/276-3220