Epistle

From the Rector

The Fulcrum of the Year

My dear parishioners and friends of St. Paul's,

June is, in a way, the fulcrum of the year, falling at its very center. It is also a busy and important month for us.

Annual Meeting, June 2
The second day of June will see our Annual Meeting at 6:00 PM. The materials that are required to be sent to you by our by-laws accompany the mailing of this Epistle. You will see that our evening together will begin with Mass, which will include the necrology for the past year. As soon as Mass is finished, I shall call the meeting to order for the appointment of officers, the presentation of nominees by the chair of the Nominating Committee, and the casting of the first ballot. We shall then recess the meeting to enjoy our potluck supper in the dining hall. [Biographical information about Vestry nominees may be found here.]

The meeting will reconvene to cover the necessary business and to hear from our guest speaker, the Rev'd Canon Mary Sulerud. I know that her presentation will launch a new and exciting perspective for the work of stewardship, budget, mission, and ministry in our parish. Phil Schlatter will then outline our new approach to the budget for 2005, and he will be announcing the ways and means that we will all be involved in that process in the early months of the summer. We shall also have a chance to look more thoroughly at the ministries of mission and outreach that we will have committed to supporting at the Feast of Pentecost. Exciting new possibilities will be explored both at home and abroad.

Larry Cook will be announcing special forums to be held for imparting and gathering information in regard to our building project, which now includes not only the construction of the new narthex and elevator, but also the refurbishing of 2422 K Street and the other two K Street townhouses. We shall also honor all those in the parish who give so generously and untiringly of their time and talent, and I think we shall be pleasantly surprised to see the extent of the Honor Roll. I have suggested to the Vestry that the Roll we publish at the Annual Meeting will in fact be provisional, so we can make quite sure there are no omissions before it is finalized.

In other words, our time together will be one of thanksgiving and, I hope, faithfulness as we look forward to the ways in which God is calling us to be the "people on the move with a mission." What could be more thrilling?

The very next week following the Annual Meeting, the Vestry will meet to elect the officers of the Vestry, namely Senior Warden, Junior Warden, Treasurer, and Secretary -- that will be on Monday, June 7, at 6:30 PM.

Jubilee
The very next day after that, Tuesday, June 8, I shall celebrate 25 years as a priest. As you know, there will be a Solemn Mass at 6:30 PM. The Bishop of Washington, John Bryson Chane, is graciously presiding. My old friend, Prebendary David Houlding, from London, will be preaching. He and I went through the various processes of the Diocese of Canterbury and the Church of England together, back in the dark ages -- and I've no doubt that his long knowledge of me will provide grist for the mill for everyone's delight!

We shall have many other visitors from overseas, from the United States, and from our own diocese. I am honored that two of my closest priest friends, Fr. Stuart Kenworthy and Fr. Lane Davenport, have agreed to serve as Deacons of Honor to the Bishop. I am grateful to all who will have worked so hard and generously for this celebration, by which I am humbled. I do hope that many of our parishioners will be able to be with me on that evening, since it is now in the context of this extraordinary parish that I am privileged to exercise the priestly ministry that God has given me.

Feasts in June
June also holds for us some of the great feasts of the Christian Year, just as May will have seen the essentials of Ascension Day and Pentecost. Sunday, June 6, is Trinity Sunday. There will be Solemn Te Deum sung after the 9:00 AM and 11:15 AM Masses, and our preacher will be Fr. David Houlding -- on a kind of "trial run" before June 8!

We shall observe the Solemnity of Corpus Christi on Sunday, June 13. The Masses in the morning will be "of the Holy Eucharist" and I would encourage you to return for the splendid Solemn Evensong, Procession of the Blessed Sacrament, and Solemn Benediction at 6:00 PM. This is one of those wonderful occasions when you can invite your colleagues, friends, and neighbors in the knowledge that this will not conflict with events at other churches!

I do regret that the 2004 budget does not allow us to advertise -- I think it is helpful to do so, particularly on those days when we are offering something unique. Some people after Easter mentioned they would have sponsored the Washington Post ad had they been asked, so if anyone would like to pay for the Corpus Christi ad let me know! Having said that, we had no Post ads for Holy Week and Easter and had the best attendance in many years. Some would say that this confirms their suspicion that the Post ads are ineffective; others would say that had they been there in the Post we would have had even more people! I am inclined to think that our rather poor showing on the Annunciation was in part due to a lack of a Post ad, but the windshield flyers for Easter put out around the neighborhood worked well. Many thanks to Jo Stelzig and those who assisted her in the cooking up and execution of that project! May there be many more!

On Sunday, June 27, we shall observe early the Feast of St. Peter and St. Paul. We have regarded this as a kind of secondary Patronal Feast and the Prayer Book allows us to make such a provision. There will thus be a baptism at 9:00 AM and a procession at 11:15.

The Vestry will go to the College of Preachers June 18 and 19 for our annual workshop. This year, we shall be following up on the Annual Meeting in planning for budget, stewardship, mission, and ministry, as well as revisiting the Long-Range Plan. Please keep our work in your prayers.

Two generous gifts
I am pleased to announce that the Vestry has accepted two extraordinarily generous gifts. The first is a gift of the trumpet stops that were originally intended for the new Schoenstein organ when it was first designed. These have now been ordered and will be in place at the rear of the nave at the beginning of 2005. This will be a very fitting memorial to the late Dora Lewis, and we are grateful to Reilly Lewis, his family, and friends for so generous a gift. These trumpets will add a certain something on special occasions and will make the organists and the manufacturer happy, too.

The other gift is the cabinetry that will be needed to house the pipes as well as the chests that currently sit on either side of the font. The lower portion of the cabinetry will be used for chair and hymn book storage and for the seasonal seemly storage of coats! This will mean that the "jumble sale" look at the rear of the nave will be cleared up, as I promised at the last Annual Meeting! The cabinetry has been designed by Davis d'Ambly of Philadelphia, who has worked so well for us in other furnishings, vestments, and appointments at St. Paul's. The wood will be oak and stained to match the cabinetry on the organ case. In drawings for the design you will notice the font will gain a new cover -- carved in the gothic style -- which I hope will be given as another memorial. The red dossal curtain and the painting of the Epiphany will be re-hung elsewhere, and so the font will become the proper and clear focus at the rear of the nave and the point of entry to the church.

The cabinetry is given by a bequest from the late Stuart Harbour, designated to benefit the music program (in addition to his other bequest to the general endowment), as well as generous gifts from a few parishioners who shared a passion to see this project completed.

We are most grateful for these extraordinary gifts. I hope that we shall all respond with equal enthusiasm and generosity when we begin to look at outreach projects at home and abroad for which there is no funding in the current budget. It would not be good for us to simply "feather our own nests" and fail to be generous to others. I expect the Vestry to authorize fundraising outside the budget this current year to support those outreach projects they will have endorsed. I also challenge the Vestry and the parish, as we begin to look at the 2005 budget, to move toward a tithe -- 10 percent -- of our income next year to go to work outside the parish itself. But more of that in my remarks that will be published for the Annual Meeting.

As usual, we have much for which to be grateful, not least the mission and ministry in and from this place with which Almighty God has seen fit to bless us. May we continue to be faithful to him.

On Sunday, June 20, at the 11:15 AM Mass we shall be saying farewell to Dr./Fr. Kirtley Yearwood. Fr. Yearwood is moving to take up a medical appointment in Pittsburgh. St. Paul's has known Fr. Yearwood as medical student, parishioner, and priest. We are grateful for the generous sharing of his gifts among us and wish him Godspeed in his new venture.

The Barnett family will be taking their annual summer leave and study leave for a month as of June 19 and the last two weeks of August. I shall be taking two weeks of my annual leave starting July 22, and the remaining time plus my study leave at the end of September and the beginning of October.

As always with my love and gratitude in the Lord's name and praise,

Andrew Sloane+

Campus Ministry Update

The St. Paul's George Washington University Campus Ministry continues to develop. Parishioners have suggested some wonderful ways we can interact with college students from GWU and other nearby schools, and a small team of student leaders has given some initial feedback.

We anticipate having a back-to-school kickoff event in the fall, followed by a weekly Bible study/discussion group, as well as social and community service involvement in the life of the parish. Keep those ideas coming -- and please remember to pray for God's blessing on our endeavors and on all students at St. Paul's! Questions? Contact David McGaw, 202-498-5540 or david[at]mcgaw.net. [DM]

New Ministry for St. Paul's Gen Xers

A new St. Paul's ministry is forming for the burgeoning population of parishioners in their 20s and 30s. The ministry -- at press time working under the name Carpe Deum -- is designed to meet the spiritual needs of people in their 20s and 30s through fellowship and formation.

The group hopes that by supporting one another, they can create a community that can reach out and minister to other young adults, help that segment of the parish grow, and provide a doorway for everyone to become more involved in the larger parish life and in outreach beyond our parish walls.

The group is open to all interested parishioners in their 20s and 30s -- married or single, with children or without, new to St. Paul's or here for years, members of the parish or just interested in hanging out with people who are -- who seek a community of peers within the broader St. Paul's community.

During Eastertide, the group has met every Sunday after Evensong -- alternating between less-structured social gatherings and informal Bible study discussions of the morning's lectionary readings.

The group has also designated Wednesday as their day for morning Mass, with several from the group attending Mass at 7 AM and joining the crew upstairs in the parish hall for breakfast afterwards.

In the coming months, the group will continue to provide regular opportunities for fellowship and formation, as well as additional celebrations of the liturgical year.

Future plans/ideas include group outings to sacred music concerts, a possible book study, and providing support for the college outreach ministry for slightly younger adults. Past ad hoc gatherings have ranged from a birthday brunch to a group outing to see and discuss The Passion of the Christ.

The group started earlier this year when one Sunday after Mass a few folks, relatively new to the parish and previously unknown to each other, started chatting at coffee hour. Several doughnut halves later, they discovered in each other new friends who related and could provide support for their Christian journey, and all of the oddities that attend that pilgrimage as a Gen Xer living in Washington, D.C.

It is their hope that others will join them in this walk. If this is a group that appeals to you, we hope to see you at our next gathering!

Check the parish notices and the Epistle for information on the continued development of this ministry.

To get on the e-mail list, contact Robert Eikel at reikel@reikel.org. For other info or suggestions or ideas for the group, feel free to contact Christine Cornelius at cpcor@gmx.net. [AF]

The Wardens, Vestry and People of St. Paul's Parish
cordially request your presence at
The Silver Jubilee of Ordination to the Priesthood of
The Reverend Father Andrew L. Sloane
Tuesday, June 8, 2004, at 6:30 PM
Solemn Mass of the Holy Spirit in the presence of a Bishop
The Right Reverend John Bryson Chane, Bishop of Washington, Presiding
The Reverend Prebendary David N.C. Houlding, SSC, Preacher
Music of the Mass: Haydn's Lord Nelson Mass
Reception following

A Note from the Senior Warden

On June 7, my term on the Vestry and as Senior Warden will expire. Serving in this capacity has been the greatest honor of my spiritual life, and I am deeply grateful to Fr. Sloane and my colleagues on the Vestry for this opportunity to serve this great parish. I also wish to thank Melva Willis, Fred Murdock, Jeffrey Smith, and Fr. Barnett for their cooperation and assistance during the rector's sabbatical last fall. I am especially grateful to each member of the parish for their support. The position has been challenging, demanding and time-consuming, but I have enjoyed almost all of it.

This is an exciting time to be a parishioner at St. Paul's, and Rhoda and I are privileged to belong to its parish family. Our parish will soon be marching in new directions in mission and ministry. We are seeing tremendous growth in married couples with young children and in singles in their 20s and 30s.

The Vestry has recently approved a contract for the design of the long-awaited narthex expansion and the renovation of the 2422 K Street acquisition, as well as the 2424-2426 K Street townhouses. In addition, the Vestry has approved a contract (funded off-budget by generous contributions) for the construction and installation of trumpet pipes for our organ and cabinetry to house them. Within a relatively brief time, we will see these tangible improvements to our physical plant.

Whenever I am asked why I like St. Paul's as much as I do, I always say: "We have the best liturgy, the best music, the best preaching, and most importantly, the best people in this Diocese." May it ever be so! [LT]

Vestry Roundup

Highlights of the April 20, 2004, Vestry meeting:

Jeffrey Smith reported on some exciting plans for refinements to the organ -- which have already been funded!

Plans for the next Annual Meeting (June 2) were discussed, including the process of nominating parishioners for open Vestry seats and the selection of new Vestry officers

The Treasurer's Report showed that expenses are staying in line with budget and the annual year-end audit (scheduled for the first week of May) was expected to go well.

Larry Toombs was designated as the chair of the Planned Giving Task Force, which will work to develop this area of stewardship at St. Paul's.

The Building Improvements Committee reported on the significant progress made by the architectural firm on the already-approved narthex/elevator project. However, they are also developing a broader plan for renovations to 2422 K Street and the existing parish offices, so that the combined plan may be implemented efficiently and without duplicated efforts.

Several Long-Range Plan items were successfully marked "completed," as that document continues to play a valuable role in guiding our efforts. [DM]

June Treasurer's Report

Under Canon 28, Section 4, of the Canons of the Diocese of Washington, every parish in the diocese is required to see that an annual audit is conducted. By the time you read this report, the annual audit of the books of St. Paul's Parish will have begun. We have engaged the firm of McGladrey and Pullen. A copy of the audit must be filed with the Diocesan Comptroller by September 1. Anyone wishing to see a copy of a previous audit can contact Lynne Walker.

We have now completed one third of fiscal year 2004. While pledge and plate income are running slightly over budget, the Easter offering was 29 percent under budget, $7,908 versus $11,000. Total expenses are slightly over budget through the end of April. For additional financial information, consult the Vestry bulletin board in the Pillsbury House hallway, where the monthly Treasurer's report is posted.

As of April 5, 2004, we have received 257 pledges totaling $614,212. Of those 257 pledges, 90 are increases, 105 remain the same as 2003, 25 are new, and 37 are decreases. For 2003, 270 pledges were received for a total of $682,249. [LW/PP]

New Parishioner Profile -- English and Glen Koontz

Many of our parishioners may already know Glen Koontz, since he was baptized at our very crowded Great Vigil of Easter this year. He and his wife, English, have been attending St. Paul's for the past year.

English and Glen come from different religious backgrounds. English, who is from South Carolina and moved to Washington two years ago, grew up Presbyterian. Glen, who is from Virginia and has lived here since 1984, had started attending Episcopal churches as an adult. One of them was the Falls Church in Falls Church, where a friend recommended that Glen and English check out St. Paul's.

"We loved St. Paul's from the first, not only for the services, but the warm welcome we received from all. Fr. Sloane and Fr. Barnett were especially welcoming and introduced us to the Pilgrims in Christ classes, which we have thoroughly enjoyed," says Glen.

English and Glen will "graduate" from Pilgrims in Christ at Pentecost this year. When not attending Pilgrims, English works as a service manager for Merrill Lynch, and Glen is a criminal defense attorney.

Please greet English and Glen Koontz at the 11:15 Mass. [EB]

Planning Ahead: The Pilgrims in Christ Catechumenate

Believe it or not, it's already time to start thinking about next fall's catechumenate class! I know, I know -- when this Epistle is published, we won't even have confirmed the current class of Pilgrims. But this is exactly the right time to be inspired to join Pilgrims' next group and to let us know of your interest!

Our current classes end in mid-June, and we will immediately begin preparing for next year's class. Especially this summer, it would be very helpful to know in advance who may be planning to join us next September.

If you are an adult who fits into any of the categories below -- or if you know of anyone who does (or if you would simply like more information about Pilgrims) -- please contact Fr. Sloane or Edie Davis (edavis008@hotmail.com).

Candidates for Baptism;
Candidates for Confirmation;
Candidates for Reception from the Roman Catholic, Orthodox, or Swedish Lutheran Churches;
St. Paul's parishioners wishing a refresher course in Christian basics and/or to sponsor a candidate;
Anyone interested in learning more about Anglican Christianity and St. Paul's.

Thank you! [ED]

Special Parish Meeting Amends By-Laws

A special meeting of St. Paul's Parish was held on April 18 to consider proposed changes to the parish by-laws. The meeting was called to order at 10:30 AM in the Pillsbury House dining hall. After a prayer, Fr. Sloane introduced the proposed change to the by-laws. The proposed amendment would provide that, if the Vestry fills a vacancy, the person appointed would serve only until the Vestry meeting after the next Annual Meeting. At the Annual Meeting, a successor to the person appointed by the Vestry would be elected.

If the Vestry does not fill a vacancy before the next Annual Meeting, the vacancy would be filled by an election at the Annual Meeting.

Fr. Sloane said that this was merely codifying the current practice in the parish. A vote was then taken, by show of red ballot cards, and the proposal passed unanimously. The special meeting was then adjourned. [AMN]

Our Far-Flung Parishioners -- Clarke Cooper

St. Paul's has many parishioners who are temporarily absent from our parish community due to duties overseas or in other parts of the country. Starting in this issue, the Epistle will have an occasional special section called "Our Far-Flung Parishioners," which will feature parishioners who are currently residing in other parts of the world.

In civilian life, our parishioner Clarke Cooper works for the Department of Interior here in Washington, but in his capacity as a first lieutenant in the Army reserve, Clarke was called up for military duty last year. In January, he was deployed to Baghdad, where he serves in the U.S.-led occupation force as an intelligence officer and aide-de-camp to Brigadier General Charles H. Davidson, IV. As aide-de-camp, Clarke is the head of the general's personal security detail and command chief of protocol. General Davidson is the commanding general for all civil affairs assets in Iraq and the Assistant Chief of Staff for Civil Military Operations for the Multi-National Force.

Though serving in a war zone, Clarke has also found time for worship. In fact, he belongs to a group of 40 or so Anglicans and Episcopalians who gather for Mass every Sunday morning at 7:30 in the Coalition Provisional Authority Palace Chapel. This is a temporary chapel in one of Saddam Hussein's former palaces, where different denominations take turns celebrating Sunday services. At the Easter Day Mass, the congregation was about double its normal size, as Paul Bremer, the head of the Coalition Provisional Authority, had declared it a holiday, explains Clarke.

At Fr. Sloane's request, Clarke has also made contacts in Baghdad for outreach mission opportunities, both with the CPA Palace Chapel and with St. George's Parish, the old Anglican parish in central Baghdad. Clarke recently spoke with the Rev'd Canon Andrew White, the Archbishop of Canterbury's representative in Iraq, regarding St. Paul's interest in outreach to St. George's Parish and its diocese.

"Rev'd Canon White was absolutely thrilled at the idea and said he would be happy to identify mission options for St. Paul's Parish," says Clarke.

Please keep Clarke Cooper in your prayers. For those wishing to contact him, Clarke's e-mail address is cooperrc@orha.centcom.mil. [EB]

Feast Days in June

Trinity Sunday
Sunday, June 6
7:30 AM Morning Prayer
7:45 AM Low Mass
9:00 AM Sung Mass with Incense & Solemn Te Deum
11:15 AM Solemn Mass & Solemn Te Deum
6:00 PM Solemn Evensong and Benediction

St. Barnabas the Apostle
Friday, June 11
6:45 AM Morning Prayer
7:00 AM Low Mass
Noon Low Mass
5:30 PM Devotions at the Walsingham Shrine
5:45 PM Evening prayer
6:00 PM Low Mass

Solemnity of Corpus Christi
Sunday, June 13
7:30 AM Morning Prayer
7:45 AM Low Mass
9:00 AM Sung Mass with Incense
11:15 AM Solemn Mass
6:00 PM Solemn Evensong, Procession of the Blessed Sacrament and Solemn Benediction

Nativity of St. John the Baptist
Thursday, June 24
6:45 AM Morning Prayer
7:00 AM Low Mass
Noon Low Mass
5:30 PM Devotions at the Walsingham Shrine
5:45 PM Evening prayer
6 PM Low Mass

St. Peter and St. Paul
(Transferred -- Secondary Patronal Feast)
Sunday, June 27
7:30 AM Morning Prayer
7:45 AM Low Mass
9:00 AM Sung Mass with Baptism
11:15 AM Solemn Mass with Procession
6:00 PM Solemn Evensong and Benediction

June Birthdays

1 Christine Cornelius
3 Paige Christine Fleckner; J. Douglass Ruff
7 Rhoda Geasland
8 Jean Litwin; Charlotte Simmons
9 David Butler; Elizabeth Sarah Virginia Heron
13 Anita-Louise S. Ward
14 George H. Buzby; Vita Grace Pierzchala
15 Phyllis D. Altrogge; Elizabeth Parker; Carol Hardy Wadsworth
18 Mary Margaret Brady
20 Donald Kaufhold; Shirley Rose Pyke
22 Octavia Leonora Johnson; R. Allen Payne, III; Randall S. Summerfield
23 Robert C. Maddox; Everett Courtland Martin; William John Ramsay; Donald R. Reinecker
24 Kathleen R. Cunningham; Allison Freeman
26 June Barnes; Jeffrey R. Gasta; Kurt Wallner
29 Catherine Eikel; William J. Prather
30 Mary G.A. Brown; Laurel Pyke Malson; Edward Martin

If you have a June birthday that was not included, or if there are any mistakes, please contact the parish office. [MW]

Parish Statistics

Baptisms: Glen Koontz (April 10, 2004)

The Epistle
A monthly publication of St. Paul's Parish
K Street -- Washington, D.C.

Editors Christine Nevius, Alistair Nevius
Assistant Editor Allison Freeman
Desktop Publisher John Walker
Contributors Melva Willis, Andrew Sloane, Lynne Walker, Polly Peckham, David McGaw, Larry Toombs, Edie Davis

Submissions Invited
We welcome the submission of articles, comments, and suggestions. Manuscripts and correspondence can be dropped off at the church office or e-mailed to the editors at nevius@erols.com. Electronic manuscripts are preferred. Articles accepted for the Epistle are subject to editorial revision.

SAINT PAUL'S PARISH
2430 K Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20037-1797
phone 202-337-2020
fax 202-337-7418
e-mail info@StPauls-Kst.com
Web www.StPauls-Kst.com

St Paul's Parish Staff
The Rev'd Andrew Sloane, Rector
The Rev'd Edwin Barnett, Assistant
Dr Jeffrey Smith, Director of Music
Charles Burks, Assistant to the Director of Music
Melva Willis, Parish Administrator
Frederick Murdock, III, Maintenance Manager

The Vestry
The Rev'd Andrew Sloane, Rector
Larry Toombs, Senior Warden
Pat Byrd, Junior Warden
Gregory Capaldini, Secretary
Lynne Walker, Treasurer
Peter Agnew, Ed Loucks; Kenwin Benn, Larry Cook, David McGaw, Marcia Stanford; David Chase, Jeremiah de Michaelis, Cynthia Efird, Phil Schlatter.

Our Mission
St. Paul's Parish seeks to restore all people to God and to each other, through Sacramental Worship and Christlike lives.

Deadline for next issue (July-August): Monday, June 7