Epistle

Parish Special Meeting Notice

The proposed amendments were approved by the Vestry at a special meeting on August 8. Under the parish by-laws, a two-thirds vote of the voters at the special parish meeting is required to adopt the amendments.

See below for the text of the proposed changes.

From the Curate

Off to a Running Start in September

Dear parishioners and friends of St. Paul’s,
By the time you read this, our rector will have returned from a much-needed and well-deserved vacation in Europe. In his absence, the parish has hardly ground to a standstill, however. Our dedicated lay leaders have been in the planning stages for the fall, and there is much to be excited about at St. Paul’s.

New initiatives and continuing ministries

Chief among our planning has been the formation of a new evangelization taskforce, whose charge is to develop a Commission on Evangelization modeled after our hugely effective Commission on Mission. Evangelization will work hand-in-hand with our Mission, Newcomers, and (newly formed) Publicity Committees to share how St. Paul’s is spreading the Good News of Christ and to draw more people into our community.

A special working group of the evangelization taskforce will be focusing on updating and redesigning our website. Several parishioners have been working on how to bring our sermons to a wider audience through recording, transcription, and posting on the website. Look for developments in this area in the coming months.

Evangelization is particularly important because the West End and Foggy Bottom neighborhoods are expanding with new residential development, and we want to get the word out about the vibrant resource for worship, spiritual growth, and mission situated at the heart of this area. Please contact me if you would like to be involved in these new initiatives.

Planning is underway, as well, in the area of adult and children’s Christian Formation. The Rector’s Forum will resume in September, as will our Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS), Middle School Group, and Ponticus (our high school youth group).

I am happy to report that recruitment is going well in CGS, but we can always use more help. Please see Mark Pierzchala or Lesley Cross is you would like to find out more about this innovative approach to Christian formation. I will be working with lay leadership to tailor our offerings to middle schoolers so that they are well prepared for the fun and learning of Ponticus. And Ponticus itself will continue with its solid work in preparing high schoolers for confirmation and nurturing their faith development after they have made a mature commitment to the Christian faith.

In late September, Carpe Deum—our ministry by, to, and for those in their 20s and 30s—will team up with the Canterbury Club at the George Washington University to offer a kickoff cookout on campus, to which undergraduate and graduate students are most welcome. If you are a GWU student, please let us know so that we can welcome you to the community. Seth Dietrich, one of our seminarians, will also be joining the Canterbury Club team this year in offering a program of spiritual exploration and formation. Carpe Deum will continue to hold social events and have Bible study following Evensong and Benediction on Sundays.

Upcoming special Masses

The busy month of September begins, appropriately enough, with a holiday. The parish office will be closed on Monday, September 4, in observance of Labor Day. Morning Mass will be at 8:00 AM, with Morning Prayer preceding at 7:45 AM.

Three Prayer Book Holy Days fall in September: Thursday, September 14, is Holy Cross Day, Thursday, September 21, is St. Matthew’s Day, and Friday, September 29, is Michaelmas. Masses will be at the usual times.

We will roll right into October with a celebration of the feast of the Dedication of the Church on Sunday, October 1. Morning Prayer and Low Mass will be at their usual times, but we will only have one Solemn Mass and Procession at 10:00 AM. Evensong and Benediction at 6:00 PM will round out our special celebrations that day.

Rites of passage

Saturday, September 9, will be an important day for some well-beloved members of this parish. Choir member Meredith Williams will be marrying Scott Hanoian, the assistant organist at the National Cathedral. The liturgy will be at the Cathedral, with Bishop Chane as celebrant and Fr. Sloane as preacher. Please remember Meredith and Scott in your prayers on September 9.

Later that afternoon at St. Paul’s, Fr. Sloane will be celebrant and preacher at a solemn Mass of the Resurrection for our longtime parishioner and friend, Ruth Brill, who died in late July. Ruth’s husband, Atlee Shidler, has managed our parking lot for several years, and I know that he welcomes your prayers and presence at this celebration of Ruth’s life, as we affirm the blessed hope we have in the resurrection of the dead through our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. The Mass will take place at 3:00 PM; all are invited.

Other special events in September

On Sunday, September 10, the parish will hold a ministries volunteer fair in the dining hall of Pillsbury House after the 9:00 AM and 11:15 AM Masses. This will be an exciting opportunity for parishioners, newcomers, seekers, and friends to see the wide range of vibrant ministry opportunities available through St. Paul’s. You will have a chance to talk to the leaders of these ministries and find out how you can get involved in support of the parish in its mission and outreach.

On Saturday, September 16, we will have a Special Meeting of the parish to discuss changes to the bylaws. We also anticipate hearing an update on the building project. This meeting will take place immediately following morning Mass; further information may be found in the parish notices.

On Saturday, September 30, Anne and I will host a potluck gathering for young and/or recently married couples at our house in Takoma Park, D.C. By then, our yard should be newly landscaped, and we hope the weather will allow us to enjoy the outdoors. Keep an eye on the parish notices for more information about this gathering.

You may be wondering what the definition of “young and/or recently married” is. In my mind, at least, it includes all couples who have been married in the past few years, or who have been married for more than a few years but are still relatively young, or who don’t consider themselves “young” at all, but are nonetheless recently married! The intent is to provide an opportunity for those who wish to gather with others to talk about what it means to live ever more deeply into their marriage vows as Christians. Anne and I hope to host such gatherings at least twice this year, and, depending upon interest, other couples may also wish to host a gathering.

One last thing

Most people have figured out by now that the Anne on the prayer list for a safe and healthy pregnancy is indeed my wife. Our child is due on or around January 4. Needless to say, we will be approaching this coming holiday season with greater anticipation than usual, especially since Anne and I have decided not to find out the sex of the baby until the actual birthday! As always, your prayers and best wishes are most appreciated. Anne and I are grateful for your generous love and support.
Nathan J. A. Humphrey +

Changes to Parish By-laws Proposed

At a special meeting on August 8, the Vestry voted to propose changes to Article 2 of the parish by-laws regarding voter qualifications. The parish will now have a chance to approve or disapprove the proposed changes at a special parish meeting on September 16.

Currently, Article 2 of the by-laws says that to be a qualified voter at an Annual Meeting, a parishioner must have pledged in the year prior to the Annual Meeting and paid that year’s pledge in full and also have made a pledge in the year of the Annual Meeting and be current in his payments on that pledge.

These requirements were approved by the parish at the 2004 Annual Meeting in order to conform the parish by-laws to Canon 25 of the Diocese of Washington, which requires parishes to define who is a “financial contributor of record.”

However, because Article 2 requires payment in full on both the prior year and current year pledges, some parishioners have been unexpectedly dropped from the qualified voter rolls. Under the current language of Article 2, a pledger could pay, for example, all but $1 of his pledge in the prior year, or be just $1 behind in the current year, and be disenfranchised. Parishioners who paid substantially all of their pledges, but inadvertently missed a payment, were finding themselves dropped from the voter rolls.

When the Vestry became aware of this problem, they decided that the by-law should be changed. The point of Article 2 was not to put up barriers to voting or to create an administrative headache—although that has been the result; the point of Article 2 was to define “financial contributor or record” and to ensure that those voting for Vestry members had a financial stake in the parish.

A committee of four Vestry members set about to propose changes to Article 2 that would make it easier to administer and less of a trap for the unwary. The resulting proposal changes the requirement of full payment in the prior year to merely partial payment and changes the requirement of full payment in the current year to merely a pledge in the current year. (The full text of the proposed Article 2 can be found below.)

On Saturday, September 16, at 10:00 AM in the dining hall there will be a special meeting of the parish to vote on proposed changes to Article 2 of the parish by-laws, regarding qualifications to vote at parish meetings. Under the parish by-laws, a two-thirds vote of the voters at the special parish meeting is required to adopt the amendments.

How Pilgrims in Christ Changed My Life

My experience with Pilgrims in Christ has been life-altering. I never expected to find myself at St. Paul’s or to follow in Christ, but the Holy Spirit must have been working to bring me to this place. I started as far away from Christianity and faith as I possibly could, and with the help of the Pilgrims program I gained a new way to live.

I was born and raised on Long Island, New York, in a predominantly Jewish community. My parents are Buddhists. Even though my parents practiced their faith, they never really explained it, and I grew up without faith or religion in my life. The closest I got was the few Jewish holidays I was invited to attend. I was never really exposed to Christianity.

I found St. Paul’s because I went to a couple of the high holidays as an undergrad at George Washington University. Though I did not understand what was going on, I remember thinking that St. Paul’s was the calmest, most serene place in Foggy Bottom. After that, I never thought of it as more than a refuge during a busy college life. For the next four years, I never thought about faith or religion until 9/11 occurred. Then like the rest of the country, I began to ask why it happened and what it meant. It hit close to home since both my siblings were there at Ground Zero and safely escaped from the scene.

After 9/11 and graduate school, I struggled with the questions of why I was here and what I was going to do with my life. I felt like my life was supposed to be a certain way and I was supposed to have a certain type of job. But I found the job-hunting process very difficult and I found myself more and more frustrated and eventually drifting at work and life, until April 2005, when I began to work at Bread for the World, a Christian organization that advocates for the hungry. People at Bread for the World advocate for the hungry not only as a job, but because they feel called to do so. It was eye opening to see faithful people believing in a mission and working toward something greater than themselves, carrying that message on a one-to-one level. It is also a place where denominational differences do not matter and everyone recognizes that they are part of the same body. It is a place where I met the most calm and considerate people, who treat each other as equals and understand that everyone has something to contribute. I cannot say enough nice things about Bread for the World, because it gave me a glimpse of what a group can accomplish. From that experience, I knew I was called to be part of something more.

When I wanted to start my faith journey, I remembered the calm serenity of the pews at St. Paul’s from eight years before and decided it was my place to start. I learned about the Pilgrims program and knew that was what I needed to do. I remember before I began the class feeling inspired by an article written by Jeff Coulter about his experience in the program, and I hoped to find that same inspiration for myself. His article talked about his experience and about moving into a new phase in his life and work, something I was ready to do. I was looking for a guide on how to live. I knew that life was not about material things and others’ opinions of me.

In the Pilgrims class, I experienced a sense of community and a safe spot to ask all those questions about religion, faith, and life that I always wanted to know. I felt like a child again because everything was new to me, from why we kneel to opening the Bible for the first time. Because of my limited experience with Christianity, it was comforting to see all the different people from all backgrounds coming together to renew their faith or to deepen it. It was the feeling that we all shared in the curiosity about God and the nature of the universe. We were all on this faith journey, and it was an amazing evolution to see us all progress.

Early in the Pilgrims year, we were able to share our backgrounds and questions with an interesting exercise and then a retreat. As the year progressed we began to share our ideas and faith and started to delve into the harder questions we have as Christians, questions that are hard to discuss, like homelessness and sin; issues that need to be discussed.

For me, the Great Easter Vigil was the culmination of a lot of searching and finally beginning to feel the greater force of Christ. It was a miraculous moment for me to have traveled so far in a short period of time to feel the grace of my first Sacrament. It was especially meaningful to know that the Pilgrims class members were all there on this journey and giving me a chance to catch up along the way. I felt an even greater joy with my class on being presented for Confirmation with those who were searching as I was.

From Pilgrims, I learned to pray, learned to talk to God, and began to feel loved. Learning that you are loved unconditionally is such a miracle, and being open to this call exposed me to a new way of thinking. When I entered into the Body of Christ through Holy Baptism and was received by the whole community, I became part of something greater than myself: I became part of a class, Parish, Diocese, Communion and part of the Christian community. [CM]

July Vestry Notes

The Vestry met on July 11 for a marathon meeting. David Schnorrenberg reported, on behalf of the treasurer, that as of July 11 the parish had received 276 pledges. However, in reviewing the financial statements, it was noted that with 41.67 percent of the year completed (through May 31), only 37.63 percent of pledge income had been received. The Vestry discussed investigating why there was a shortfall so early in the year (normally, we see a decline in income during the summer months, but not before). Fr. Sloane asked that a report be produced showing the income trend during past years.

Lynne Walker reported that the Finance Committee recommends moving the money from the Carwithen bequest (approximately $35,000) into a money market fund in order to generate income. This was approved by the Vestry.

The Finance Committee also moved that approximately $258,000 from the old endowment, currently in the reserve fund, be moved into the Millennium Fund. This would leave approximately $443,000 in the reserve fund and would consolidate construction monies in one account. The Vestry approved this motion.

The Finance Committee also recommended revising the budget to reflect pledges received since January. Specifically, they recommended increasing the budgeted pledge income to $774,676. This amount would put the budget back in balance. Between unexpected organ repairs and a shortfall in income received, the budget is currently showing a $1,585 deficit (through the end of May).

There was a lot of discussion about whether this was the right move or whether the total amount of pledges (discounted by our usual discount) should be reflected in the revised budget. Finally, the issue was sent back to the Finance Committee for further review.

Then Matthew Leddicotte led a discussion about proposed changes to the parish by-laws. The four Stewardship Vestry stewards presented a proposed change to the voter eligibility by-laws. Fr. Sloane also presented a different proposal.

The parish by-laws were amended a few years ago to conform to a Diocesan canon that requires a parish to define “financial contributor of record.” At that time, the parish voted to amend the bylaws to require voters at the annual meeting be pledgers who had paid their pledge in full during the prior year and were current with their pledge payments in the year of the meeting. This has caused some administrative problems as people have been disenfranchised who substantially meet the requirements but don’t fully meet them (often inadvertently).

The Vestry discussed how to amend the by-laws to make the eligibility requirements less stringent and easier to administer, without violating the Diocesan canon. After the discussion, the issue was returned to the Stewardship Vestry stewards so that they can draft a new proposal. The Vestry agreed to hold a special meeting on August 8 to finalize a proposed change to the by-laws. There will then be a special parish meeting on September 16 to vote on the proposed change.

The Vestry then discussed how it can better communicate to the parish. Several ideas were discussed, and David Schnorrenberg asked Vestry members to send him proposals.

The Building Improvements Committee reported that the architect is finalizing the architectural drawings for the building project and plans to have them done by the end of July. They also reported that the elevator permit had been approved, although we do not yet have the permit itself in hand.

The Vestry made some new committee appointments and corrections to appointments made at the June meeting. Chuck Bruse was added to the Finance and Stewardship Committees, Doug Ruff was added to the Finance Committee (which he had been inadvertently left off), and Naomi DeVries was added to the Planned Giving Taskforce to replace Greg Capaldini. [AMN]

Malawi Mission Update

On June 17, St. Paul’s welcomed the Dean of the Cathedral of Northern Malawi, Fanuel Magangani, and Mrs. Magangani, as well as Mother Miriam of the Community of St. Mary in Greenwich, N.Y., and four Sisters from the Convent in Luwinga, which the parish has been supporting through the Commission on Mission. Our visitors first joined in the celebration of the Mass and in saying the Rosary. Following a festive brunch, they treated us to a presentation about life in their home diocese and at the convent, which was punctuated by their remarkable, joyous singing.

The Dean spoke about the history of Malawi and of St. Peter’s Cathedral on Likoma Island, built to serve as a hub for Anglicans throughout that region of Africa. Mrs. Magangani talked about the work of the Mothers’ Union and St. Agnes Girls, which seek to promote religious values in family life and to provide needed skills to Malawian women. The Dean noted that Malawi suffers from endemic hunger and frequent drought and has been hard hit by the HIV/AIDS epidemic that afflicts southern Africa. The Church in Malawi strongly encourages HIV/AIDS testing and fights against the discrimination that adds to the suffering of those affected.

Most heartening is the story of what has been accomplished in the three years since the Community of St. Mary established a daughter house in Luwinga. With eight Sisters now living in the community, the initial dormitory building is at capacity and other women are waiting to join once Sister Martha, now in training at Greenwich, returns to serve as Novice Mistress. The Community’s farm, now a more secure compound surrounded by a brick wall—which St. Paul’s helped to build—provides food and income for the Sisters and allows them to share their expertise in sustainable agriculture with their hard-pressed neighbors. Living out their vocation to a balanced life of prayer and work, the Sisters also serve as a center of prayer in the Diocese.

Plans for the future include a second dormitory for Novices/Sisters and a retreat center to accommodate visitors seeking spiritual renewal and agricultural training. Over time, a larger chapel, kitchen, and dining facility will be needed as well. The Sisters also feel called to minister the smallest victims of the AIDS epidemic, babies whose mothers are unable to care for them because of the disease. They envision a “crisis nursery,” a facility where they can care for 18 infants from birth until they are weaned, when they can be returned to their extended families consistent with African tradition.

During the June 17 visit, the Parish presented to Mother Miriam a $500 check to help defray travel expenses and an additional check in the amount of $3,700 for the convent in Luwinga. As heartfelt as the gratitude expressed by our visitors was the strong sense among the parishioners present that we had benefited enormously from their presence among us. Their faith, work, and witness shone through in their words, their songs, and their lives. [AKK]

Parish Endowments: Legacy Gifts at Work

In recent months, attention has been given to our parish endowments. These funds have come from bequests and other planned giving, mostly by parishioners, and are managed by a semi-autonomous Endowment Board under Vestry authority using specific policies that have been adopted per guidelines suggested by the Episcopal Church Foundation. Within these policies, earnings are available for use for the purposes of these endowments.

In a strategic decision made last year, the Vestry has set up both a reserve fund and a general endowment fund. The former, begun with the $400,000 invested in the former parish endowment (which actually was being used more as a reserve fund than an endowment), is to receive money from special gifts, undesignated bequests, and fiscal year surpluses and is to be used for emergency situations, operating fund overruns, and the like. The latter is to be a classic endowed fund, with its corpus inviolate and invested and its earnings used for enhancing the work of the parish. It is to be built by legacy gifts from parishioners and other friends of the parish who, if they desire to specify the work of their gifts, may designate the general endowment or any of the current special endowments or (in the case of larger bequests) seek to set up an additional special endowment or fund within the general endowment.

Today, there are four special endowments available to provide additional dimensions and quality to our music program:

Birchby Music Endowment ($35,000), initiated by funds given in the late 1970s in memory of our late organist and choirmaster, E. Douglas Birchby, and used for the support of music in connection with the worship of the parish.

Ritchie Memorial Endowment Fund ($25,000), started by funds given in the late 1980s in memory of our late music director, J. Marcus Ritchie, and used for the support of musical events, such as recitals, concerts, and special services, in St. Paul’s Church.

Matthew Rutkowski Music Fund ($27,000), initiated with a bequest by the late Matthew Rutkowski in the late 1990s and used for instrumental musicians for special services, concerts, and recitals, and for sponsoring instrumental or chamber music recitals to raise money for parish outreach programs.

Bishop Board Music Fund ($77,000), from a bequest in 2003 by the late Robert B. Board and used to support the music ministry of St. Paul’s.

Additional special endowments include the following:

Father Richards Memorial Scholarship Fund ($16,000), started from memorial gifts for our late sixth rector, the Rev’d James Richards, in the mid-1970s and used to fund scholarships for seminarians.

Louise Ward Haskin Christian Education Fund ($44,000), initiated from the bequest of the late Louise Ward Haskin in the early 1990s and used for purposes of Christian education within the parish.

Outreach Endowment ($23,000), begun with funds raised for this purpose as a part of the One Glorifying Voice Capital Campaign in the 1990s, used to support outreach activities.

Each of these funds—general and special endowments—is not only providing support for its purposes but also receiving dedicated contributions to expand its potential. These funds serve as living witnesses of the legacy of those who preceded us and as examples of the legacy work that can be accomplished by all of us when we remember St. Paul’s in our planned giving.

Next month: some specific examples of how the endowments are enhancing the worship and ministry of our parish. [DL]

Pilgrims in Christ Begins September 6

This year’s Pilgrims in Christ begins Wednesday, September 6. Sign up today!

How?

On the parish website (www.stpauls-kst.com), under Christian Formation, Adults.

Or by contacting Fr. Sloane at the church office or Edie Davis at edavis008@hotmail.com or 301-277-6545.

Who?

Adult candidates for Baptism, Confirmation, Reception (from the Roman Catholic or Orthodox Church), or Reaffirmation (of Baptismal vows by those already confirmed in the Episcopal Church). If you need clarification of any of those terms, please ask Fr. Sloane or Edie Davis.

Members of St. Paul’s who are willing to join this year’s pilgrimage as potential sponsors or companions.

Anyone who wishes to learn more about the basics of Christian faith and life, the Anglo-Catholic tradition, and/or St. Paul’s Parish—or to refresh that understanding.

What happens at the introductory dinner on September 6?

A delicious meal at 6:30 PM, upstairs in the dining room (following the regular 6:00 PM Mass), hosted by Pilgrims Alums.

An overview of the year by the Pilgrims teaching team.

A good time by all!

When and where does Pilgrims usually meet?

Wednesday nights at 6:30 PM in the Guild Room. (Please bring a bag supper.)

Sessions begin promptly at 6:40 PM and end by 8:45 PM.

There are also three public rites at the 9:00 AM Sunday Mass and two Saturday retreats.

A full schedule will be distributed at the first class.

Admission to this year’s Pilgrims in Christ will end on September 13! (Newcomers arriving after that time will be invited to join Pilgrims in the fall of 2007, and if desired a “mentor” will be assigned for the interim.)

Is there a special orientation session for sponsors?

Yes! There will be a Sponsors’ Brunch on Sunday, September 24, at 1:30 PM.

This special event will give sponsors an opportunity to receive and discuss information about this important role (which does not require teaching!). [ED]

2007 Walsingham Pilgrimage Itinerary

St. Paul’s fourth parish pilgrimage to Walsingham is being planned for April 16 through May 1, 2007. The 15-day pilgrimage will visit Normandy in France as well as England, ending up at the Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham. The following is the tentative itinerary. For further information, please contact Fr. Sloane or David Eld at DEld@MAGICglobal.com. Reservation requests can be downloaded at www.stpauls-kst.com/walsingham-trip.htm.

Monday, April 16—Depart Washington, D.C., Dulles International Airport, via United Airlines to Paris, France.

Tuesday, April 17—Arrive Paris, transfer to the Grand Hotel du Luxembourg in Bayeux. Afternoon at leisure. Evening welcome wine and cheese reception in hotel.

Wednesday, April 18—Morning tour of Bayeux with visits to the Musée de la Tapisserie and Cathedral of Notre-Dame de Bayeux.

Thursday, April 19—Tour to Caen, visiting the Abbey aux Hommes, St. Etienne, Musée aux Beaux Artes, and the Abbey aux Dames. Evening dining adventure.

Friday, April 20—Tour of the D Day beaches including lunch, visits to Mont-St.-Michel and Chartres.

Saturday, April 21—Coach to Calais and transfer to the ferry crossing the Channel to Dover and Canterbury. In Canterbury, special arrangements have been made at the International Study Center situated within the precincts of the magnificent Cathedral. Evening at leisure.

Sunday, April 22—Mass in Canterbury Cathedral. Afternoon visit to St. Martin’s, Eastbridge Hospital. Evening at leisure.

Monday, April 23—Tour and visit to East Kent and Bar Freston and Patrixbourne. Evening at leisure.

Tuesday, April 24—Drive to London, stopping on route in Rochester at the Cathedral and Restoration House. Arrival in London with Mass at St. Paul’s Knightsbridge. Check into the Millennium Knightsbridge Hotel on Sloane Street. We meet this evening for a wine and cheese reception with invited London guests.

Wednesday, April 25—Mass at Holy Trinity. Day at leisure to see London on your own.

Thursday, April 26—Tour of East End London, including visit to St. Peter’s and Royal Foundation of St. Katherine. Evening at leisure.

Friday, April 27—Depart London for our ultimate pilgrimage destination—Walsingham—with a stop in Thaxted en route. Arrive Walsingham at tea time; first visit to the Shrine and check into accommodations.

Saturday, April 28—Afternoon visit to Houghton Hall (if available) and/or other sites.

Sunday, April 29—Mass at Walsingham, followed by daily schedule and services.

Monday, April 30—Famous local parish churches “crawl,” followed by equally famous tea at Barbara Marlowe’s residence. Evening return to Walsingham.

Tuesday, May 1—Morning departure to London Heathrow for the return flight to Washington, D.C.

For those who have made the Pilgrimage in past years, we are pleased to announce that the coach company based in London will provide service throughout the program. The coach will drive from the United Kingdom to Normandy to pick up our group at the Paris airport and will operate throughout the tour in Normandy and the U.K.

Note: The planned itinerary is subject to change. A finalized version will be published at a later date with additional times and locations of Masses, social times, tours, and visits.

What’s included in the package:

4 nights hotel in Bayeux including full breakfast and taxes
3 nights accommodations in Canterbury including full breakfast and taxes
3 nights hotel in London including full breakfast and taxes
4 nights at Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham
Welcome wine and cheese receptions in Bayeux and London
1 dinner in Bayeux / 1 dinner in Canterbury
All meals in Walsingham
1 lunch in Bayeux / 1 lunch in Canterbury
Tours in Bayeux with guide, as shown
Tours in Canterbury/London with guide, as shown
Coach travel throughout entire pilgrimage

Estimated cost without airfare is approximately $2,690 per person sharing a double room for a period of 15 days/14 nights, and is subject to change based on the exchange rate of the U.S. dollar to the British pound (U.K. travel) and to the Euro (France travel).

Roundtrip airfare from Washington Dulles to Paris and return from London is $795.70 including tax/fuel charge. Tax subject to change at time of issue of air ticket. A $100 deposit per person is required. In the event of cancellation prior to March 1, 2007, the full amount of $100 will be refunded; after March 1, 50 percent will be refunded. [DE]

Proposed Revised Article 2 to Be Voted on at the Special Annual Meeting on September 16

ARTICLE 2 – QUALIFICATIONS OF VOTERS

Sec. 1. Qualified Voter. Only qualified voters may vote at annual or special meetings. A qualified voter is:

a. Of the age of 16 years or older;

b. A communicant of the Episcopal Church in good standing as defined by the national canons of the Episcopal Church in effect at the time;

c. A financial contributor of record to St. Paul’s, as determined by records of the Treasurer showing:

(i) a pledger who has made at least partial payment on a financial pledge to the annual operating budget of St. Paul’s for the calendar year preceding the year in which the annual or special meeting is to be held; and

(ii) a pledge to make a financial payment to the annual operating budget of St. Paul’s for the calendar year in which the annual or special meeting is to be held.

Those who have met the requirements under Section 1.a, b or d of this Article after January 1 of the year preceding the annual or special meeting will be exempt from the requirement of Section 1.c.(i);

d. Enrolled in St. Paul’s for at least sixty days prior to the annual or special meeting. Enrollment is established by:

(i) record that the individual was presented from St. Paul’s for baptism, confirmation, or reception into the Episcopal Church;

(ii) transfer to St. Paul’s; or

(iii) signification to the Secretary that he is a stated worshipper at St. Paul’s wishing to be enrolled;

and

e. In compliance with the requirements of Section 1 of this Article thirty days prior to the date of the annual or special meeting, in accordance with Canon 25 of the Canons of the Diocese of Washington.

Sec. 2. Determination and posting of qualified voter lists. The Rector or Secretary, in consultation with the Treasurer, shall cause a provisional voter list to be posted (see Article 1, Section 1) with respect to an annual meeting. The Rector or Secretary, in consultation with the Treasurer, shall cause the final list of voters to be posted in a conspicuous place at least two weeks (including two Sundays) before the date of an annual meeting or special meeting.

Each parishioner is responsible for verifying the presence of his name on both the provisional list and the final list, and bringing questions to the attention of the Rector, the Secretary, or the Treasurer if there is any discrepancy. The Sunday “Order of Service” shall include a notice for at least three weeks after the provisional list has been posted concerning the importance of verification of the provisional list, and for both Sundays while the final list is posted. In addition, a copy of the by-law requirements for voting shall be posted along with the lists.

Sec. 3. Challenges. Those Vestry members present at an annual or special meeting shall judge the qualifications of voters and the election of the Vestry.

Pilgrims in Christ Alumni Reunion

This year’s Pilgrims in Christ Introductory Dinner and Alum Reunion will be held on Wednesday, September 6, at 6:30 PM in the dining hall. Please do come, bring a potluck offering to share, greet our new Pilgrims, and catch up with all your fellow Pilgrims!

Kindly RSVP to Candie and Chuck Bruse at CCBInteriors@aol.com or 703-237-4950. Let us know if you will be coming, and what you can bring or send.

Can’t wait to see all of you again! [ED]

Plant Sale Benefits Honduras Clinic

On May 13 and 14, the Commission on Mission hosted its annual plant sale, with the proceeds going to benefit the medical clinic in Protección, Honduras. The plant sale was a great success, clearing $2,835.

The sale proceeds are matched by the Carwithen charitable trust fund. This year, with the matching funds and other donations, a total of $10,457.39 has been sent to the clinic, and over two years, we have sent a total of $16,057.39.

The members of the Honduras Committee wish to thank all who contributed their time, treasure, and talent to make the plant sale such a success.

Leading a Life Worthy of Our Calling

This sermon was preached by Fr. Humphrey on July 30 at St. Paul’s.

These past few weeks, we have been focusing on the theme of evangelization. What does it mean to live and proclaim the good news? How does this parish equip you to do this, and how are you taking the responsibility for equipping yourself for this vital work?

In our Epistle lesson this morning [Ephesians 4:1-7, 11-16], Paul, true to form, goes straight to the heart of the matter, begging the church in Ephesus—and, by extension, us—to “lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called.” This exhortation raises the question, of course: To what life have we been called? If we are unclear what our call is, after all, it will be well nigh impossible to lead a life worthy of that calling.

The first clue as to the shape of our common call comes a few verses into the passage, where Paul speaks of our unity, our oneness, in Christ. The 1979 Book of Common Prayer picks up on Paul’s words: “There is one Body and one Spirit; there is one hope in God’s call to us; one Lord, one Faith, one Baptism; one God and Father of all.” As a dialogue between Celebrant and People, we echo these words when we welcome new members into Christ’s Body through baptism, and we reaffirm them when those members make a mature commitment to the Faith at confirmation. Our prayer book liturgies are clearly designed to indicate that our call to the Body of Christ in the Church is first of all a call to unity.

Further, that unity is not built upon our subjective, human agreements about what we perceive to be true, but upon our common participation in God’s very Life. And how do we participate in God’s Life? Through our union with the one God and Father of all in the power of the Spirit, through the Body of Christ that is the Church. It is the Church that calls us to hold fast to the Faith once delivered to the saints. It is the Church that keeps us grounded in the hope that Faith gives us.

But why should this be? Why should the Church be so important to God’s call to us? Are we not each of us called, individually, to work out our own salvation in fear and trembling? Does not Christ offer salvation freely to all, without requiring institutional membership? And isn’t it dangerous to bind salvation too closely to the institutional Church, as if God had no power to save us except through the Church?

Certainly, the history of the Church is replete with examples of how its human leaders have confused submission to their personal authority with access to God’s salvation in Christ. Whenever we conflate the powers and principalities of this world with the Kingdom of Heaven, we in fact make an idol out of the Church—or more precisely, our concept of the Church becomes idolatrous, for the Church is neither merely a human institution nor coterminous with the Kingdom. Rather, the Church is that place where Heaven and Earth are joined, just as the Divine and the Human are joined in Christ. The Church can be both the sinless Body of Christ and the sinful People of God because it is the medium—the via media, if you will—through which imperfect human beings are conformed to the perfection of divinity. But how does this saving conformation to God in Christ happen, in practical terms? The answer, I believe, is really quite simple to grasp, and yet—like many simple truths—very difficult to practice.

There is one word in Paul’s letter to the Ephesians that is key to discerning between an idolatrous and false notion of the Church and the orthodox and true participation in the Church, and that word is “edify.” (In the translation we use at St. Paul’s, the Greek term is translated as “building up” or “upbuilding.”) The litmus test for whether or not one is persisting in the one Church and in the one Faith is simply this: Are my actions edifying to others, and do they have an edifying effect on me, as well?

“Is it edifying?”

If we take a close look at this morning’s passage with this question in mind, we can see clearly why Paul singles out particular character traits and gifts. We are edifying to ourselves and others if we learn and practice what it means to live in “all lowliness and meekness, with patience, forbearing one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” After all, you cannot tear down others or do damage to yourself by being peace-loving and unpretentious. False humility and appeasement, passive-aggressive behavior, or just plain passivity, on the other hand, are bound to harm both you and your community. Whenever we find such unhealthy and sinful ways in the Church, it is our duty to counter them not with hard-hearted exclusion or self-righteous censure, neither of which is edifying to anyone, but with more genuine humility and, ultimately, with the vulnerability that comes from risking to love others as we have been loved by Christ, a risk that cannot be anything other than edifying, for such actions build upon the cornerstone of Christ Jesus himself.

So, too, with the formal ministries of the Church: apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers—each function is intended to build up the whole Church, “to equip the saints for the work of ministry . . . until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God . . .” If someone claims to be engaging in prophetic action, and yet that action tears down the Church, such a one is a false prophet. On this criterion alone there are many false prophets, both on the left and on the right, who despite their love of God, run the risk of re-fashioning the Church in the image of their own limited imaginations, thereby placing limits on the reach of Christ’s saving embrace. If your evangelical outreach is limited to some and not to all, then you are not proclaiming the whole gospel. Likewise, if you preach inclusion without conversion, your proclamation is incomplete.

The goal of equipping the saints for ministry, for building up the body of Christ, is that all might come to maturity, “to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.” Paul then fleshes out what he means by “maturity” in calling us away from our childish ways. The phrase “tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the cunning of men, by their craftiness in deceitful wiles” has traditionally been interpreted as a caution against false doctrine, but I would like to propose an even more radical, and yet I believe more accurate and faithful, construal of this famous turn of phrase. For if the criterion of Christian behavior is nothing less than edification, then we must beware of being tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of true doctrine, as well.

By this I mean that we cannot privilege one truth over another, for when we privilege any truth with a small “t,” we enthrone it in the place of the Incarnate Truth, with a capital “T.” All too often, we get stuck on our favorite truths, such as “The Church must be One.” Yes, the very topic of this sermon can be used idolatrously to toss us to and fro, if we do not understand this truth as functioning in service of Jesus Christ. If we insist on a false unity that does not have Jesus at its center, then we have cast Jesus from the throne of our hearts and replaced him with something paltry and unworthy of our call.

If, on the other hand, every truth we hold dear is treasured not for its own sake but for the fact that each truth reflects, partially, the light of the Incarnate Truth, then we can keep our doctrines in perspective, remembering, as Paul says elsewhere, that “we see in a mirror, dimly.” The conflicts that we face in the Church today, I believe, are due in large part to the fact that we are allowing ourselves to be blown to and fro even by true doctrines—true doctrines that have been divorced from the Truth—capital “T”—and that in turn divorce us from each other.

How, then, are we to live a life worthy of our calling in Christ Jesus our Lord? Paul’s answer is that edification comes about through the process of “speaking the truth in love.” One commentator I read noted that the word for “speaking the truth” is more accurately translated “living the truth” or “doing the truth.” In this sentence, the Greek verb with this object literally means “truthing in love,” so that it is not merely a matter of speaking, or of doing, or even of a “lifestyle,” but a very way of being in relationship to the world in the Church. So, in my own translation, I would render this verse: “Rather, truthing-in-love, we are to grow up . . . into Christ, from whom the whole body . . . when each part is working properly . . . edifies itself in love.”

In closing, I would like to emphasize the crucial condition in that last sentence: “when each part is working properly.” Raymond Brown points out in The Churches the Apostles Left Behind that Ephesians is all too often read as an idealistic (and therefore unrealistic) picture of the Church. But I believe that the corrective to its heady idealism is to be found within the text itself. Paul recognizes that the Church does not always work properly. Most of his epistles were written in response to some dysfunction or conflict in the churches. If the Church were perfect, he would have no need to beg us to live a life worthy of our call as members of the Church. His message is that we will know when each part is working properly, when each part is doing his or her part to edify the Church.

In the midst of every conflict and uncertainty, we can hold fast to this one principle, this measure of who is a Christian leader, what is a Christian community, whether what I am doing is a true proclamation of the Gospel, and whether the work I am doing is truly evangelization on behalf of the whole Incarnate Truth, as opposed to my own idolatrous tendencies: Is it edifying? And is it edifying to all—myself included? If leaders and their communities tear down, they may still be a part of the One Church, but they have a long way to go before they can say with integrity that they are leading a life worthy of their calling. On the other hand, if a leader is edifying, that leader represents the One Church, and if the community is edifying, that community is participating in the One Church (regardless of what brand name happens to appear on the door). Such a community is indeed living a life worthy of its calling. But the final question is: Are we? [NJAH+]

Feast Days in September

Holy Cross Day
Thursday, September 14
7 AM Low Mass
6 PM Low Mass

St. Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist
Thursday, September 21
7 AM Low Mass
6 PM Low Mass

St. Michael and All Angels
Friday, September 29
7 AM Low Mass
6 PM Low Mass

Feast of the Dedication of St. Paul's Parish
Sunday, October 1
7:45 AM Low Mass
10:00 AM Solemn Mass
6 PM Solemn Evensong and Benediction

Combined Mass on October 1

The 9:00 AM and 11:15 AM Masses will be combined into one 10:00 AM Solemn Mass on Sunday, October 1, to celebrate our Feast of Dedication.

September Birthdays

1 Eamon Boylan
2 John Presley;Ann Schnorrenberg
3 Wallace Spaulding; Susan Granum
4 Herschel Abbott, Jr.; Barbara Jorgensen
5 Cornelia (Connie) Landis
6 Katherine Dirks; Shelley Thompson; Theodore Pawlik; English Koontz
7 Virgil Benn
8 Elena Darden
9 Geoffrey Peckham
10 Geoffrey Suiter
11 Diane Ogilvie
12 Jeffrey Smith; Nathaniel Marks
13 Candice Bruse; Scott Hardy
14 Phyllis Laumaillet
15 Lila Marks
16 Julia Marks
17 Kimberly Browning; Ryan White
18 Sidney Bakke, Jr.
21 Austin Bakke, III
22 Jonathan Doster; Alisha White
23 Julia Kriz
24 Linda Robinson; Benjamin Coleman; Enoghene Ajueyitisi
26 Hugh Shawen; Barry Valentine
28 Cynthia Leenerts; Monique Grant; Ryan Jackson
29 Chip Heath

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

Parish Statistics

Deaths: Ruth Brill (July 26, 2006); Carol Niswander (August 8, 2006)

Ministries Volunteer Fair

Looking for a way to help St. Paul’s Parish with your time and talent? On Sunday, September 10, there will be a parish ministries volunteer fair during the coffee hour between the Masses.

Come learn about the many opportunities to volunteer. The various areas of parish ministry and mission will have booths at the fair, staffed by parishioners who can answer your questions. You are sure to find a niche that fits your unique talents and interests.

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

Editor Alistair Nevius
Assistant Editor Allison Freeman
Desktop Publisher John Walker
Designer David McGaw
Contributors Edie Davis, David Eld, Rhoda Geasland, Nathan Humphrey +, David Lewis, Ann Korky, Charlene Mui, Bill Ryon, Melva Willis

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
Washington, DC 20037-1797
phone 202-337-2020
fax 202-337-7418
e-mail info@StPauls-Kst.com
Web www.StPauls-Kst.com

Parish Staff
The Rev'd Andrew Sloane, Rector
The Rev'd Nathan Humphrey, Curate
Mark Dwyer, Music Director
Scott Dettra, Assistant Music Director
Melva Willis, Parish Administrator
Frederick Murdock, III, Maintenance Manager

The Vestry
The Rev'd Andrew Sloane, Rector
Linda Wilkinson, Senior Warden
David Schnorrenberg, Junior Warden
Greg Capaldini, Secretary
Polly Peckham, Treasurer
Lucky Ajueyitsi, Rhoda Geasland, Matthew S. Leddicote, Lynne V. Walker; Alistair Nevius, Geoffrey Peckham; Roy Byrd, Catherine Eikel, Brian Hoyle, Ann Korky

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
Monday, September 11