The St. Augustine's Episcopal Parish Mission Statement
Our mission is to worship God, witnessing to Jesus Christ by serving the
community and the world in which we live, all through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Upcoming at St. Augustine's
The Adult Forum schedule for December is here.
Good Cheer Food Bank Sends "Thank You"
In the month of October, St. Augustine's contributed 203 pounds of food to the Good Cheer Food Bank. Many thanks from Good Cheer.
Building Program News
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| View of Parish Hall looking south from Narthex |
Here’s some information covering the last month or so since we selected our contractor, Pearson Construction of Bellingham.
Currently we have approximately $1.3M pledged to construction. In addition, combining one recent unrestricted gift and two bequests we have between $100,000 and $150,000 in additional funds dedicated to building.
We are still waiting for a final figure from our contractor. The delay is largely because we said we wanted Pearson to use local sub-contractors where competitive, and they are therefore seeking bids from local subs, some of whom are taking their time in responding. In addition, the architect needed to make some more detailed drawings of the electrical design. We anticipate a figure early in November. Until we receive this figure no more financial planning is possible.
It is possible, however, to do some contingency planning. We have:
- Established Construction Management Committee
- Asked our architect to re-work our electrical plan to recover any further savings
- Arranged for construction insurance coverage
- Arranged for temporary structures
- Identified four items that can be postponed to save up-front costs: Light Tower, parts of basement under new parish hall, parts of undercroft remodel, back deck off of parish hall.
In addition, our Building Application has passed Site Plan Review and our Building Permit is on desk of County Planner for final approval.
When we receive the quote from our contractor we anticipate the need for implementing some of the deferrals listed above; The vestry cannot make these decisions alone - this will be a task for the whole congregation. We will therefore schedule an All-Parish Meeting to discuss how to proceed.
Our architect has provided these renderings of the new Narthex and Parish Hall. More of these are here. Further details about our building program are here.
South Whidbey Interfaith Peace Vigil: Seeking Peace in Community
On Sunday afternoon, October 18, the 6th annual community interfaith peace vigil was held at St. Augustine’s-in-the-Woods. The theme of this year’s peace vigil was “Seeking Peace in Community.” Over one hundred persons filled the St. Augustine nave. The lead organizer from St. Augustine’s Episcopal Peace Fellowship, who again hosted the event, was Shantina Steele.
After “Maybe Someday” a song composed and sung by Karl Olsen, The Rev. Nigel Taber-Hamilton welcomed the community to St. Augustine’s.
The welcome and opening prayer the sacred space was cleansed through a First Nations Smudging Rite led by Shantina Steele.
The Rev. David Vergin of Langley United Methodist then defined the theme of “Peace in Community.” Pastor Vergin also set the interfaith tone for the service when he read peace and justice messages from the sacred texts of Islam (Qu’ran 60:7-8), Judaism (Isaiah 2:4-5), Buddhism (The Dhammapada), Christianity (Matthew 5:7-9) and Hinduism (Taittiriya Upanishad).
The service continued with stories of peace and justice from South Whidbey. Witnesses were given by Beverly Graham (Operation Sack Lunch program), Linda Morris (reconciliation and understanding during a Whidbey workshop on preventing drug abuse) Anne Metlock (reconciliation between two families - one Christian and the other Muslim - one family a victim of homicide and the other with a family member who was the perpetrator of the homicide) Interspersed between the stories were Sufi Islamic meditation exercises.
Silent meditation followed by the chanting of Torei Zenji’s Bodhisattva Vow led by the Tahoma One Drop Zen Buddhist monastery recentered the gathering toward the next stage of the service.
Rabbi Zari Weiss speaking to the gathering referred to Jewish wisdom to make the point that many moral decisions may be thrust upon the individual by “what comes your way.” However, peace is different. One is obligated to continually pursue peace. She then charged the gathering with the responsibility of putting in writing personal obstacles to seeking peace in the community.
The Rev. Kit Ketcham of the Unitarian Universalist Whidbey Congregation raised up examples of South Whidbey service and advocacy organizations. Individuals were invited to make a written commitment to the cause of justice and peace in the community. Other groups were lifted up in intercessory prayer.
The service closed with song and dance from the Sufi Muslim traditions and the First Nations Rite of “Releasing the Directions.”
More pictures are here.
United Thank Offering
We invite you all to pick up a blue United Thank Offering box and join with the many who use them. Put your box in a convenient place. Take a moment each day to say thank you to God and put a coin in the box. Then, bring the amount of your daily thanksgiving for the ingathering, where it is combined with the offerings of hundreds of thousands of other Episcopalians to become the United Thank Offering. Let us not be passive receivers; rather let us be active participants in God's work in the world.
Christmas Bazaar - December 13th following both services
The ECW is sponsoring a Holiday Bazaar for the Parish, as a fundraiser, donating the proceeds toward the cost of the new kitchen. In order to be successful, we need YOUR participation!
You can make decorations, ornaments, wreaths, small quilting, needlepoint or sewing gifts. Artists can decorate some holiday note cards and woodworkers could make small toys. Whatever your special project might be, all handiwork would be gratefully received.
Also, there will be a "bakery" section. Do you have a special holiday treat, or a favorite cookie recipe, etc., that you could make? Please think about what you might contribute.
A sign-up sheet has been posted in the Narthex so that we will have an idea of the offerings.
Adult Forum Schedule - November
The Adult Forum schedule for November will kick off with a special presentation by John Hastings from the WSU Extension on Energy Efficient programs for Whidbey residents. Next, we will continue our Bible-study series on “Exploring the Old Testament.” This month features lectures on the Hebrew Kings and then moves into an examination of the prophets.
Specific dates, subject matter, and presenters are listed below:
1 November - Energy Efficiency & the Home. John Hastings, Energy Education Coordinator for the WSU-Island County Extension Service, will make a presentation entitled A Kilowatt Saved is a Kilowatt Earned. John is creating a program of education and outreach to support a residential energy audit program by Puget Sound Energy called HomePrint. He will present information regarding our need to save energy and suggesting several important ways homeowners can help this effort succeed. John comes with an extensive background in construction and building energy efficiency. Ted Brookes hosts.
8 November - The Hebrew Kings, Part I, Samuel & Saul. In this presentation the tribal confederacy under the leadership of the Judges has disintegrated. There is an urgent need for a centralized government to meet the increasing threat of Philistine power. The lecture begins with Samuel, who represents the transition from charismatic leader to prophet. It concludes with the tragedy of King Saul, which reveals the benefits and liabilities of a monarchy. Ted Brookes presents.
15 November - Spirituality and Human Development.The Rev. Rachel Taber-Hamilton will present a special adult forum on a very thought provoking topic. The essence of the presentation is as follows.
Neither individual spiritual development nor community development occur in isolation. How we relate to others and identifying what is meaningful to us as we journey through cultural changes and psycho-social developmental tasks of life is the work of human spirituality. Relationships and meanings change and develop with experiences that inform us; reflecting on why we are who we are and the personal/communal direction we want to take toward the future is best recognized within the backdrop of the nature of emergence and change characteristic of the physical nature of the universe and authentic to the history of the evolution of life on earth and the development of human societies. To know where we are in space and time is essentially a spiritual quest in personal and interpersonal development. Rachel Taber-Hamilton hosts.
22 November - The Hebrew Kings, Part II, King David. David’s accession anticipates a period of trbal unification, prosperity, and peace with neighboring kingdoms. The royal grant by which God adopts David and guarantees that his descendents will hold the throne of Israel in perpetuity appears to confirm this promise. However, David’s own failures lead to familial strife, civil war, and the bloody route to Solomon’s throne. The lecture begins with a quick overview of David’s status in history. It then moves to his relationship with Bathsheba, a complex story that combines the personal and political ramifications of their liaison. It also reveals the king’s personality, showing his charm, ruthlessness, and faith. Ted Brookes presents.
29 November - The Hebrew Kings, Part III, King Solomon to Pre-Classical Prophecy. Prophecy and its inseparable role in politics and the concern for social justice is the centerpiece for this presentation. Abraham, Aaron, Moses, and Miriam are all called “prophets.” However, biblical scholarship traditionally speaks of the formal role of the prophet as beginning with the monarchy and gradually ending with the rise of the theocratic state. This lecture begins with Solomon to establish a picture of the type of king agaist which the prophets inveighed. It explores divine human communication, turns to the phenomenon of “ecstatic prophesy,” and comes to focus on the non-writing prophets with emphasis on Elijah. Ted Brookes presents.
Adult Forum Schedule - December
The Adult Forum schedule for December will primarily focus on continuing our Bible-study series of "Exploring the Old Testament." First, however, we will have a special guest speaker, Dr. Robert Pelant, to discuss the Au Sable Institute for Environmental Studies. This institute has its Pacific Rim campus in Coupeville at the old State pheasant farm. It is struggling to survive, but may find new life through partnering arrangements with other groups such as WA State Parks, Nature Conservancy, and the University of Washington. Subsequently, we will move forward with our coverage of the Hebrew Prophets. The chronological lectures will examine Amos, Hosea, Isaiah 1, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Isaiah 2, featuring the impact these prophets had on Jewish history from the fall of the Northern Kingdom, through the reforms of the Southern Kingdom, to the Babylonian Exile.
Specific dates, subject matter, and presenters are listed below:
6 December - Au Sable Institute for Environmental Studies. Dr. Robert Pelant, Director, will present an overview of the institute. Plan to attend and learn about the current status and future plans concerning the campus property in Coupeville. Purchased by Au Sable from the WA Department of Fish and Wildlife ten years ago, this precious property is now facing another transition. Further, learn about the Pacific Rim Institute and their plan to purchase the property from Au Sable, obtain a conservation easement, and transform the site into a sustainable enterprise. Ted Brookes hosts.
13 December - The Prophets & the Fall of the North. Amos and Hosea, the first two classical prophets, whose words are preserved in the cannons, proffer critiques expressed in poetic form against the government of Israel, the priesthood, and the rich. Despite their warnings concerning personal behavior and political machinations, the Kingdom of Israel falls to Assiyria in 722 B.C. Following brief comments about Elijah and Elisha as well as an introduction to the “minor prophets,” this lecture examines the rhetoric used by Amos and Hosea, and describes the setting in which they delivered their oracles. We conclude by examining the fulfillment of their warnings: the fall of the North. Ted Brookes presents.
20 December - The Southern Kingdom. The Northern Kingdom has fallen, but its memory and configuration continue to affect the identity of Judah. This lecture picks up with the foundation of the new northern Kingdom It then turns to the Southern Kingdom's response to Sennacherib's threat. This establishes the context in which Isaiah issued his oracles and Hezekiah, prompted by those oracles, promoted religious reform. We then examine the second southern reform, sponsored by King Josiah and promoted by the implementation of the Book of Deuteronomy. Ted Brookes presents.
27 December - Babylonian Exile. The royal court and upper classes of Judea are taken into exile in Babylon. However, they are able to preserve and enhance their identity as a people through prophetic support, the development of a theology of catastrophe, and the consolidation of their historical and legal traditions. The lecture begins on the eve of the exile, with the collapse of King Josiah's reforms and the prophetic warnings of Jeremiah. It then introduces the prophesies, narratives, and laws by which the Judean exiles promoted and maintained communal identity. Ted Brookes presents.
Blessing of the Animals
 On October 4th, we held our annual service of the Blessing of the Animals. The Reverend Fletcher Davis presided. The Reverend David Vergin of Langely United Methodist Church assisted and delivered a homily. If you missed this event this year, please check about this time next year for date and time.
More photos are here.
Trash and Treasure Sale
 The annual Trash and Treasure Sale was held on October 10. New this year was a lottery featuring gift baskets and other merchandise generously donated by South Whidbey businesses. Our preliminary estimate was that the sale raised over $5800.
More pictures of the event are here.
St. Augustine's Receives Award from The Episcopal Network for Stewardship
 Nigel accepts one of three awards given only once every three years at the General Convention of our Church by the Episcopal Network for Stewardship. The other recipients are from St. David’s Episcopal Church, Beanblossom Indiana (the next parish over from Nigel when he was vicar of Seymour) and the Stewardship team from the Diocese of Michigan. More information about the Network is available here.
St. Augustine's Receives Earth Ministry Greening Banner
 The Greening Banner designates St. Augustine's as a Greening Congregations Partner for all of our environmental work over the past three years, sponsored by Earth Ministry. Presented by Meighan Pritchard, an Earth Ministry intern and seminary student. St. Augustine's is the second congregation (after Langley Methodist Church) to be so designated on Whidbey Island. More pictures are here.
Greening Committee Meeting
The Greening Committee meets in the Undercroft after the 10:30 a.m. service on the third Sunday of each month. They appreciate suggestions as to how the Parish can be more environmentally responsible. If you see an area where we can improve, please contact the Parish office.
Celtic Cross
 Please take a moment to visit the area of the Spreading Garden and see our beautiful Celtic Cross. This long awaited addition to our facility was donated by Emily Seaman in honor of her husband, Arthur J. Seaman.
Pictures of the installation of the Cross are here.
Sabbatical Material
A summary of the conclusions of the second workshop, "Living into the 8th Day", is
here.
Nigel's journal and an index to his photo galleries from his travels remain online, but they have not changed since his return.
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