In This Issue:
By Diana Klein, Vestry Clerk
The Communications Committee is working on new hangings for the stairwell, replacing the bulletin boards. They also plan to paint the undercroft and stairwell before November 17.
Bill Smith is now our Treasurer and is working on our accounting system.
Changes have been made in the Sabbatical events. Note new information.
Repairs have been made to the deck & administrative building.
We need to prioritize Christian Education and hire a director.
A search committee is in the process of locating a new organist/choir director.
The new Building Committee is meeting and working out plans to fulfill our long range building plan.
The entire minutes are posted in the undercroft.
Diana Klein, Vestry Clerk
Rev. Morrie Hauge & Paster Eldon Olson led a discussion of what would be important for the upcoming Workshop on November 4.
Expenses for undercroft paint, stairwell hangings, piano tuning & substitute pianist and flutist, were all approved.
A money market fund with Vanguard Institutional will be established to earn higher interest than we are currently receiving.
2006 MSO recipients have been paid to date and recipients for 2007 were approved.
A policy for building use by outside groups will be established.
A procedure on handling cash gifts to the church was presented from Ray Haman.
The entire minutes are posted in the undercroft.
Diana Klein, Vestry Clerk
Veterans Day has its roots in what was called Armistice Day, the day when a peace agreement was signed with Germany ending World War I. Armistice Day was established with a proclamation by President Woodrow Wilson which reads in part: “Armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in heroism of those who died in the country’s service and with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of the nations.” On June 1, 1954, Armistice Day was renamed Veterans Day to honor all U.S. veterans.
On Veterans Day this year, November 11, let us remember and honor those men and women who gave of themselves, and let us continue to pray for our men and women currently serving in the military.
by Nancy Paris
More than ninety people attended the Third Annual Community Interfaith Vigil of Peace and Hope on September 23. The event, sponsored by St. Augustine’s Episcopal Peace Fellowship, was held at St. Augustine’s. The huge white ‘peace dove’ belonging to the Coupeville Peace and Reconciliation group welcomed participants at the door.
The gathering featured participants from a wonderful variety of faith groups, including Buddhist, Muslim, Jewish, Roman Catholic, Choctaw Native American spirituality, Methodist, Unitarian Universalists, Society of Friends, Lutheran and Episcopal. Each gave short readings and/or observations from their particular faith tradition, sharing the universal oneness of the desire for peace and nonviolence among the world’s religious communities and the traditions from which they draw that conviction.
Members of St. Augustine’s Episcopal Peace Fellowship provided the theme for the evening with a variety of statements from Mohandas Gandhi speaking to the principles of organized nonviolence - Satyagraha or soul force. The words of Gandhi, interspersed with historical narration, were in commemoration of his introduction of the nonviolent activism of Satyagraha in 1906 - first in South Africa, then in India, and thence throughout the world.
The vigil opened with the gathering reading in unison the International Peace Prayer, followed by a sung version of the prayer attributed to St. Francis, “Lord Make Me an Instrument,” led by the Dances for Universal Peace (Lisa Fladager, Lisa Strickland, Michael Sheehan), who provided music throughout the program.
For the second year, Muslim Sufi Minister Jamal Rahman of Seattle’s Interfaith Community Church, spoke, with chants and commentary from the Qu’ran.
Following the Qu’ran reading was a reading in Hebrew of passages from Micah and Isaiah by Jerome Rosen and a reading of the Beatitudes with commentary by Rev. David Vergin of Langley United Methodist. A peace witness was given by Peter Bennett of the Society of Friends and testimony offered by Conrad Von Doran of St. Huberts.
At the end of the program Bill Graves of Unitarian Universalists led a petition for intercessory prayer. Following the listing of the names of individuals who, known or unknown, have worked for peace, the gathering was led in song and dance by the members of Dances for Universal Peace; all with joined hands and voices around the nave of the church.
By Ray Haman
Please mark your calendar for Thursday, November 16, the date of our Annual Stewardship Dinner. This year has special meaning, because it is also the day that Nigel will return from his sabbatical. The evening will be especially festive; as Bishop Nedi Rivera will join us in welcoming Nigel and Rachel. The evening will begin with a few minutes of fellowship at 5:30 p.m. and dinner at 6:15 p.m. The evening will close with Compline during which we will place our commitments of time, talent and treasure on the altar.
This traditionally has been a fun-filled and inspiring evening; and this year should be even greater.
Please remember the date - November 16.
Let's make this the biggest and best ever! Please use the sign-up sheet in the Narthex to make a reservation for the dinner.
Neighbors Near and Far was the October theme at St. Augustine's Preschool. The preschoolers made delightful St. Augustine's bookmarks which Joan took to Russia and gave to the children in the hospice in St. Petersburg and to the children at St. Nicholas Cathedral, our sister church in Pavlosk. We also learned how to say a few words in Russian and had fun playing with Russian toys.
On October 30 and 31 we celebrated Halloween with lots of delightful costumes, a pumpkin hunt, and special treats.
Forty-two students are enrolled for the 2006-2007 school year, so the
Educational Building is a very busy place!
Parishioners are always welcome to visit.
Good Cheer Food Bank announces a fun, convenient way for people who work during the day to volunteer an hour a week at the food bank. Starting Halloween night and continuing until December 19, Good Cheer in Langley will host work parties on Tuesday evenings from 5 to 8 p.m.
Good Cheer staff invite everyone to take an hour and come with family, friends or by themselves to sort and tag clothes, stock food bank shelves, polish silver, data entry, or organize thrift store racks. Additional information can be found online at www.GoodCheer.org.
By Trevor Arnold, Editor
The St. Augustine’s entourage to visit our sister parish, St. Nicholas Cathedral in Pavlovsk, Russia is pleased to be back with all of you.
We found Fr. Valery, his wife Ziniada, their daughter Anna and husband, Fr. Dmitri and darling son, Serge, all to be in good spirits and health.
We also had the privilege of visiting Tikhvin with Fr. Alexander Tkachenko and a group of his mobile children from the Hospice.
The hospitality shown us was wonderful. Communication at times was difficult, but a smile said a lot.
There are so many stories to share; a few hundred pictures, too. In order to prepare a presentation for you, we will be ready after the holidays when activities have slowed down.
Our mission of ‘good will’ representing the Diocese was successful.
Wednesday, November 1st is All Saints Day and we are privileged to have Dr. Ann Crutcher as our speaker. She is the Director of Enso House and will tell us about its daily workings. We will also be electing new officers for the coming year! Do join us for a wonderful time. The meeting begins at 11:00 with lunch following at 12:00. Bring a sandwich to share and soup, coffee, and cookies will be provided. Dr. Crutcher ‘s program will follow. See you there!
This year’s Trash and Treasure event, held on September 30, was an unqualified success on many levels, and there are a great many people to recognize for our accomplishments. The women of the parish were tireless the week before the sale working to set up, price and clean the donations, and in the selling and cleaning up at Saturday’s event. A special thanks goes to the folks who provided the delicious lunches for the 25 or so workers at the church each day, and to the kitchen crew who cleaned up after each meal.
This year, several men of the parish were involved in almost all aspects of the sale, right from the initial planning sessions last spring; their input and assistance were invaluable. From lifting, moving and hauling, to the multiple dump runs, the work was done with expertise, grace, and fantastic humor. We might have been able to do it without you, but not nearly as well and efficiently, and it wouldn’t have been nearly as much fun! Thank you from us all.
Financially, we did extremely well, even though both donations and turnout were less than in previous years. We netted approximately $6,500!
Thank you again for all the hard work. It was fun, profitable, and we can be proud knowing that St. Augustine’s is making a difference in our community.
Respectfully Submitted,
Isabel Neddow, Barbara Strom, and Lucy Sharp, Co-Chairs
By Isabel Neddow
If you’re a Bill Bryson fan you’ll enjoy “The Lost Continent” and “Neither Here Nor There”. If you haven’t read “A Light in the Attic” lately or not at all you’re in for a treat. Shel Silverstein’s poems cry out to be read aloud. These three books were in Janice Wright’s collection.
When Pat Hoelting recommended “Hannah Coulter” by Wendell Berry I told her that the first book I reviewed for the St. A library was Berry’s “Jayber Crow”. There is such an easy flow to his writing that you never get the feeling of a writer at work. Hannah’s life is bisected by World War
II, which became her line between olden times and modern times. The hard work and freedom of the small farmer was not to last, but her husband, Nathan, sums up their lives – “Don’t complain about the chance you had” After you’ve read “Hannah Coulter”, try “Jayber Crow”.
We in the North American Episcopal Church are so focused on our own changes that we forget that the largest changes in the Christian church are in the “southern world”. By 2025 it is projected that Latin America and Africa will be the most Christian areas in the world. “The New Faces of Christianity” (280 JEN) by Philip Jenkins describes a much more fundamentalist Christianity in the southern hemisphere by Christians closer to drought, famine and poverty than we in the western world. Our tolerance for different behaviors will continue to bump up against a strict interpretation of the Bible in those countries with a growing Christianity.
Each of these books may be found on the rolling cart in the library.
The Sunday readings for November 2006:
November 5
Deuteronomy 6:1-9
Psalm 119:1-8
Hebrews 7:23-28
Mark 12:28-34
November 12
1 Kings 17:8-16
Psalm 146:4-9
Hebrews 9:24-28
Mark 12:38-44
November 19
Daniel 12:1-4a (5-13)
Psalm 16:5-11
Hebrews 10:31-39
Mark 13:14-23
November 26
Daniel 7:9-14
Psalm 93
Revelation 1:1-8
John 18:33-37
By Judy Yeakel
Here is your chance to share a favorite prayer, story, Bible verse, Psalm, or other writings or meaningful experiences with members of the St. Augustine community.
In the works is a new parish project for Lent, 2007: a meditation booklet for daily use during Lent. What we will need are submissions from YOU. The details are yet to be worked out. But keep this in mind. This will be a community project.
Watch the LIGHT and Sunday bulletin to find out how you can participate.
By Judy Yeakel and Gretchen Wood
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2006. Right after the coffee hour in the undercroft. Come and make your own Advent wreath to take home and use during Advent. We will provide most of the materials (a circular base, candles and candle holders, as well as greens) but you may want to bring some of your own greens cut from conifers, holly, sweet bay, laurel or other plants. Perhaps you would like to use nuts (in the shell, of course), artificial fruit, cones from evergreens. Anything to make the wreath your own family creation.
A booklet of prayers to use for your candle lighting ceremony at home each week will also be available.
MARK YOUR CALENDAR NOW!
Why were saints, saints? Because they were cheerful when it was
difficult to be cheerful, patient when it was difficult to be patient; and because they pushed on when they wanted to be still, and kept silent when they wanted to talk, and were agreeable when they wanted to be disagreeable. That was all.
It was quite simple, still is, and always will be.
“I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me” Matthew 25
When learning about the work of the Episcopal Charities Appeal its almost impossible not to be reminded of Jesus’ words to his disciples. Among the 33 ministries funded during 2005 are several that serve the homeless, some that provide food, others that minister to prisoners and even one that provides outreach to seafarers. The committee’s choices reflect both the diversity of our state and the need within our communities.
Organizations such as Helping Hand of South Whidbey and Northwest Harvest provide direct benefit to our local community. Donations also benefit the Refugee Resettlement Ministry and Babies In Need. Groups like AIDS Housing Association of Tacoma and La Iglesia Santa Isabel, which reflect our congregation’s values of reaching out to a larger, more inclusive definition of “community”.
Since its creation by the Diocese of Olympia in 1988, the Episcopal Charities Appeal has distributed over $1.5 million to Western Washington. With an operational cost of 6% it is also an efficiently run organization. Most charitable appeals have an overhead in excess of 20%. Last year’s fund distribution totaled $117,054. This was an increase of 20% over 2004.
During this time of Thanksgiving, please show our gratitude for all that we have, by helping our neighbors receive what they so desperately need. Please support the Episcopal Charities Appeal.
By now you have certainly noticed the fabulous new color in the undercroft. It is warm and vibrant, much like the people of this parish!
Our thanks to the people who worked so hard to make it possible: Bill Carruthers, Joan Focht, Jody Heiken, Jim Langler, Jean Lewis, Isabel Neddow, Jay Ryan, and Steven Schwarzmann.
The Rev. Jo Beecher has asked us to once again participate in the Christmas Gift program. This program provides gifts for the Hispanic children that the parish in Skagit Valley serves. Many of these children come from families whose income comes from migrant farm labor and who have little to no income during the winter months.
Look for more information in the bulletins and December Light.
You are invited to
St. Augustine's Thanksgiving Dinner
DATE: Thursday, November 23rd
PLACE : St. Augustine's Undercroft
TIME: 1:00 PM
RSVP's ONLY, Please.
Look For Sign-Up Sheets on Sundays
at St. Augustine's.
VOLUNTEERS needed for:
meal preparation, set-up & clean-up
Contact Laura Valente
Act of Thanksgiving
From the depths of my heart
I thank You, Dear Lord,
For Your infinite kindness in coming to me.
How good You are to me!
With Your most holy Mother and all the angels,
I praise Your mercy and generosity toward me,
A poor sinner.
I thank You for nourishing my soul
With Your Sacred Body and Precious Blood.
I will try to show my gratitude to You
In the Sacrament of Your love,
By obedience to Your holy commandments,
By fidelity to my duties,
By kindness to my neighbor
And by an earnest endeavor
To become more like You in my daily conduct.
Amen.
By Nancy Langler
Beth and Dan Sizer
Dan and Beth Sizer came to Whidbey in 1985. Dan was born in Springbrook, Wisconsin. He decided to move to Washington State in 1941 when Boeing offered jobs and training when they stepped up production due to WWII efforts. There was a tremendous population influx. There was, literally, “no room at the inn.” Dan even went to the police station trying to find shelter. He spent his first three nights in the Northwest in an all night theatre slumped down in the seat trying to catch a few winks.
He worked at Boeing on the first B29s. He remembers that the first one to be tested crashed. When Portland shipyards offered better pay he moved there and then was drafted. He was sent to New York to be deployed to North Africa in the infantry. The night before he was to leave he was awakened by an officer who said they needed someone in the John Deere unit in Europe and he might be just the person. This was the unit charged with keeping heavy equipment in running order. He served in England, France and Belgium. He was part of a group who rescued General Patton in the Battle of the Bulge when the equipment failed due to the lack of fuel and maintenance.
After the war he bought a farm in Forest Grove, Oregon. He began to raise hazelnuts. It was here that he met Beth. Beth was born in Bellingham and had moved to Oregon to attend college. She stayed on to teach first grade.
They spent the next 41 years in Forest Grove. Beth says it was a wonderful life. She taught and Dan farmed.
When time allowed he built homes on the side. He spent lots of time fixing things, saving lots of time and money. Inevitably equipment would fail during harvest. It was no problem, as Dan could fix anything.
Upon retirement they moved to Whidbey and decided to visit St. Augustine’s. They had attended the Presbyterian Church in Forest Grove and Beth had belonged to the Methodist and Congregational churches before that. However, once they were greeted by Fred and Elaine Ludtke the choice was made.
They both joined the choir and Dan was asked to fill in as Junior Warden. He was then elected to two more terms as Junior Warden. Then, Beth was elected as Junior Warden which meant that St. Augustine’s benefited from Dan’s fixit abilities for years to come. As one person said “Just ask Dan and it will be done”. Beth was later elected as Senior Warden but the position she enjoyed the most was being a delegate to convention.
As there is no assisted living on South Whidbey, the Sizers have decided to move to Bellingham. They have rented not one but two apartments. There was a long waiting list for a large unit so when two, across the hall from each other, became available it seemed a good choice, especially since each came with its own parking space. Dan painted his off white with a water theme and Beth, hers, a deep velvet red. Much to their amusement this arrangement has caused much speculation among fellow residents. “Perhaps he snores.” Or “What sort of a chick would want her own place?’ are comments they have heard. Beth and Dan enjoy sharing these stories with the rest of us.
They love St Augustine’s: the people, the choir, the music and the Liturgy. Beth’s favorite project is the wonderful Christian preschool. We may not have many children in our congregation but under the guidance of Joan Johnson the preschool is a wonderful influence in the early childhood development of the children on Whidbey. It is truly a gift to the community which Beth hopes will continue forever.
We will miss the Sizers: their talents, their humor, their enthusiasm and willingness to share. We wish them the best for their future in Bellingham, just two blocks from where Beth grew up.
We apologize, as the following paragraph was left out of the column in the October issue, introducing Larry & Gayle Childs:
Gayle is employed as Executive Assistant, Administration, with Swedish Health Services in Seattle. Larry is retired from his position as Finance Director for the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe. He especially enjoys hunting, reading, gardening and cooking.
UTO is very different from other groups. We are not fund-raisers and we do not collect contributions or donations. We do not think of UTO only once or twice a year.
Thanks through Prayer and Offering
What we do in the United Thank Offering is first to offer our prayers of thanks to God. This is the major difference between us and other groups. The United Thank Offering is prayer oriented. Then we give tangible thanks for the blessing in the form of coins or bills. This money is an offering, not a donation.
This is the word we always use - an offering. An offering is not the same as a donation or a contribution. An offering is a thanksgiving to God - always. We do this every day - not just once in a while. Thanks be to God.
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