Thursday, September 30, 2004

Web Update

the Dirty Duck

The community page now has pictures of York and the Tea Room (but not of the Dirty Duck - yet!). Look for pictures of the Blessing of the Animals after the Feast of St. Francis this Sunday - and don't forget to bring your pet to church!

The music page now has updated info on the organ by Jane Haman, including a stop list. Updated pictures are imminent.

The sermons page now has three more sermon/poems by Fr. Richards, plus two recent sermons by Fr. Smith. Come have a look!

The ministries page still languishes, except for a bit of Guatamala info. If you're involved in ECW, the Vestry, Social Concerns, Rite 13, Godly Play or any other ministry of the church, how about writing something about it for the web site, hmm?

Karen Funk Blocher
Webmaster

Monday, September 27, 2004

Announcements for week ending October 3, 2004

Casa Maria volunteers well meet this Friday at 6:30 PM in the Parish Center to prepare sack lunches. Your help is needed the volunteers can always use a few extra hands and shelled hard boiled eggs. Join them for fellowship and to help with this good work.

Join us for the annual service celebration of Michaelmas, the Feast of St. Michael and All Angels, Wednesday, September 29th at 6:30 PM. Child care available during service. Following the service, there will be a communal feast in the Parish Center. Donations requested to cover expenses.

****
Come celebrate with us

St. Michael and All Angels Church's Annual

MICHAELMAS

Wednesday, September 29th
6:30 PM Festival Procession & Solemn High Mass

We Remember Our Past & Celebrate Our Future



The Rev. John R. Smith, presiding

Prelude: Oboe Sonata in A minor
by Georg Philipp Telemann
Kay Trondsen, Oboe

Schubert Mass in C with orchestra
Jane W. Haman, organist / choir director

ALL ARE INVITED TO THE COMMUNAL MEAL
FOLLOWING THE HIGH MASS
IN THE PARISH CENTER



Saturday, September 25, 2004

(Almost) Live from the English Faire!


bagpipes!

Here come the pipes and drums!

Oxford

Oxford - books, books, and more books!

cookbooks and collectibles

ECW cooksbooks and metal collectibles at York

York

The York courtyard

More later!

Karen

Friday, September 24, 2004

Come to the Faire! - Town Descriptions

Come to the Faire!
Come one,
come all
to the
English Faire!


Saturday, September 25th
9 AM to 6 PM






Towne Descriptions

Oxford

A person of erudition and learning? This is your town. You love to see the dons in their black academic gowns parading around with books in their arms. Visitors come here searching for old tomes that you long since enjoyed, but for them hold new secrets of the world and beyond! The noise of the pub and band clouds the clearness of your thought for you, a new cup of brew in the Tea Room is what you need. The beauty and repose of good book and afternoon High Tea!

Stratford Upon Avon

To be or not to be, that is the question! Great song, performance, and drink what more can you ask? This is the life in Stratford Upon Avon. Does it get any better than this? The Pub is one of the best in Merry Olde England, and the eats are cheap and filling. Thank your lucky stars that you are a visitor to this place. Remember, no town is far from this watering hole, the Dirty Duck Pub! And, oh the English Tea Room a must on this tour!

London Towne

As a visitor to London, affectionately known as "London Towne," you'll be checking out the Jumble (rummage sale). Just take the tube to Notting Hill Gate and ask for directions from there. The Jumble runs along Portobello Road. You can't miss it! One person's junk that, in the eyes of another person, is pure Gold!! What do Londoner's like to snack on? What are their favorite games? Bring on the kids for a visit to Piccadilly Circus, with lots of activities.

Canterbury

The Bells! The Bells! The sound of the pipe organ'. These are familiar sounds you hear daily in Canterbury. A visit to the Cathedral for a tour a quiet respite on your visit to England. The history that is in this place and the stories to be told! When you enter St. Michael's church, listen to the beautiful sounds of the Aeolian Skinner Pipe Organ, feel the spiritual atmosphere, and see the architecture and special touches, while viewing a slide show the five townships represented at this English Faire, Visitors might take away a holy memento of their visit maybe it is here just for you!

York

Oh, the beauty of this northern towne with its green and fountains! Here our visitors find plants, pictures, and rare things even have your handwriting analyzed. Handmade crafts are honored here as in no place else in the realm! Enjoy working around the finer things of life and your taste buds are well tuned. This is the life you enjoy in York: sophisticated and refined! This is a recipe for the good life even a bake sale.

Sunday, September 19, 2004

Announcements for Week ending September 26th, 2004

Anglican Cycle of Prayer - let us give thanks for the Church of the Province of Southern Africa, the Most Reverend Njongonkuly W. H. Ndungane, Primate, its people and clergy.

Vestry meeting to be held this Tuesday starting at 7:00 PM in the Parish Center. Parishioners are welcome to attend this important parish function.

Habitat For Humanity - construction of the 11 homes continues Wednesday through Saturday of every week starting at 8:00 AM. Site is at Balboa and Laguna (near Glenn Street). Work is still mainly framing, roofing, foam insulating, stucco prep and clean up. Call Byron Brandon for details.

2004 English Faire News

Friday, September 24th
Concert at the 2004 English Faire: Nancy McCallion Band (former singer/songwriter of The Mollys) will perform old Mollys' favorites along with her new material. This will be the band's very first CD release party. Tickets are available in the church office and are $10 per person (free for child under 12). Fish 'n' Chips and beverages and brew will be available at the Dirty Duck Pub starting at 6:00 PM; concert will start at 8:00 PM.

Saturday September 25th
Parishioners will be contacted
by the Mayors of Canterbury, London Towne, Stratford Upon Avon, Oxford, and York to seek your help with this year's one day only faire. Start compiling off your donations for the jumble sale (no clothing, please), books for the used book sale, collectibles for the collectible sale, and items for the art and photo sale (a tax deductible form is available for donations) and bring to the church office. There's a lot to plan and a lot to do; join in on the fun!
If you have not been contacted and would like to help, please call your mayor or the church office.

DRIVE A NEW CHRYSLER CROSSFIRE – FREE!

Chrysler Crossfire Raffle will take place at the English Faire – tickets have been mailed. Our goal is to sell 1,000 tickets. Please turn in your sold raffle tickets, as soon as you are able, into the Sunday offering or bring to the Church office. If you have not received your raffle tickets in the mail or would like more tickets, call Alicia at 886-7292! This year's raffle is for a free 2 year lease, or the option to lease a different vehicle of equal or lesser value, or $10,000 in lieu of the 2-year lease. Seller of the winning ticket will receive $1,000 (in the event that 1,000 tickets are sold). Tickets are $50 each. All proceeds from this raffle will benefit St. Michael's Pipe Organ Fund. Drawing will be Saturday, September 25th, 1004.
Win a new lease on life! Drive a new Chrysler Crossfire free!

English Faire Tea Room - one session at 2:00 PM. Cost is $10 adult, $5 child under 10. Seating limited; reservations needed. Sign up sheet is located on the ushers' cabinet. ECW needs to borrow card tables and teapots for the tea room. Please call Dolores Braren if you can help.

Get your ovens hot!
- Bake sale items are needed for the English Faire. All kinds of baked goodies can be brought in to the church office Friday, September 24, or to the Sunken Garden where the sale will be held early Saturday morning, September 25 (the day of the Faire).

Saturday, September 18, 2004

Sermon: Stewardship Conquers Evil

Stewardship Conquers Evil

Sermon for The Sixteenth Sunday After Pentecost
Sunday, September 19th, 2004
By Father John R. Smith

This morning I’d like to start with a story about a man who collects pearls. One day, while walking through the downtown of his city, he sees in a store window the most beautiful, the largest, most magnificent pearl he has ever seen. Instantly he knows he must have it. So he enters the store and an old guy enters from the door to the rear of the showroom.

The man addresses the storekeeper, "I want that pearl. How much is it?"

The storekeeper says, "How much you got?"

"Well, I have $300 in my pocket."

"Good, I’ll take that. What else you got?"

"Well, I have a Chevy Suburban , low mileage, about two years old, paid off."

"Good, I’ll take that too. What else you got?"

"Well, I have two CDs worth about $18,000."

"Good," says the storekeeper, "I’ll take those too. What else you got?"

This goes on and on. That man gives away his house, his property, even his family. Until finally the storekeeper says, "OK, here. The pearl is yours."

The man turns to leave the store. But as he is walking out the storekeeper stops him and says, "Hey, you know what? That family of yours? I don’t need a family. So I’m going to give them back to you. But remember, they are mine now, not yours. You must take good care of them. And that house in Connecticut, well, I don’t need a house so you can have that back too. Although it does belong to me, I just want you to care for it. And as for the CDs and the stocks and the Suburban and even this $300, you can have it all back too. But remember, it is all mine. Take it. Use it wisely. Care for it for me."

So the man left with everything he had when he walked into the store--plus the great pearl. But there was a big difference. He walked into owning everything he had. He walked out owning nothing. Instead, everything he had before was now a gift.

This story teaches the foundation of Christian stewardship: everything we are and have is a gift to be cared for and used to multiply the love of God the Giver. I like the way St. Vincent of Lerin put it: Do as much good as you can, to as many people as you can, for as long as you can.

Do you think you and I have ever played fast and loose with these gifts? Could we ever be accused, as the Gospel puts it of squandering the rich man’s property? What if an account was made of our stewardship and we heard a Donald-like figure say "You’re fired!"

Quick thinking passion would be put in high gear. Like the fellow did in the Gospel we would sacrifice our own gain (typical 100% mark-up commission) to do everything possible to make our former boss well thought of and endear ourselves to everyone he’s been doing business with. "You owe a hundred jars, quick, make it fifty." "You, a hundred bushels of wheat? Take your bill, make it eighty." The result of this fast action? Everyone realizes the great generosity of the Rich Man and thinks the dishonest steward is a really fine fellow. He’ll never have to dig a ditch or beg for a dime.

When the rich guy returns and sees what’s happened, instead of scolding the former squanderer of his property, he praises him for his shrewd behavior. More people than ever love and respect the Rich Man and so many people in the land have had the burden of their debt lessened dramatically, especially the poor and needy who consistently get trampled on by those having the most.

So the manager is praised for his resourcefulness in dealing with the crisis that came upon him--a crisis like the sudden coming of God’s Kingdom. And the Kingdom is already present, confronting evil on many fronts, so Jesus urges his hearers to action, to do what needs to be done with courage and decisiveness: If anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also; and if anyone wants your coat, give your shirt as well; and if anyone forces you to go one mile, go the second mile.

Now when we hear these words we might think that Jesus is teaching us to be passive in the face of evil, pious doormats trampled upon in silence, and suffering for the "good" of our souls. So we dismiss these words of Jesus as completely impractical, though well-meaning. Deep down they are even dangerous, since they seem to say that evil should be allowed to have the upper hand with no thought of taking any countermeasures for the cause of good. These thoughts and misgivings would be justified if that is what Jesus meant.

Jesus does not teach passivity in the face of evil. On the contrary, Jesus teaches us to respond actively to evil--in courageous and imaginative non-violent ways. These ways have a power in them to stop evil in its tracks when we, the victims, refuse to play by evil’s rules. When you offer the other cheek, and say "Go on, hit me again!" Further insulting slaps have no power to take away dignity and honor. The hitter is shown for what he is- clearly in the wrong. Evil is revealed and disarmed by this creative response. Jesus knew that dignity and honor would be sacrificed when responding to violence with violence.

Same with the giving of the cloak- go ahead expose my nakedness- it is you who have lost and been shamed. Here, Roman soldier, I’ll decide freely to carry your pack a second mile- I’m a human being, not the pack animal you think I am. Jesus knew that actions like these counter evil at its source.

I think Bishop Tutu tells the story of South Africa in the days of apartheid of a black woman walking with her children down a narrow lane and was confronted by a white man going the other way. When she refused to step aside as she was "supposed" to do, the man spit in her face. She looked him in the eye and said, Now, will you please do that for the children, too? The man, ashamed, stepped aside and let them pass. That day the evil of apartheid began to crumble in his heart.

It’s time for us to be shrewd. Let’s put the prophet Amos and the Gospel’s dishonest manager together. The evil that tramples around in our world can best be dealt with by us becoming better stewards, devoting all of our life and everything we have to the Kingdom where God is loved and the lowly are lifted up. Stewardship: personal, corporate, and national is the way to conquer of evil best and make a truly peaceful world. Willingness to give away some of what we think is ours, but is really God’s, makes us, the church, holy and our ministry strong against evil within and without. This is shrewd. This is God’s way. It has to be our way. God will be with us for sure! Amen!

Come to the Faire!

Hear Ye, Hear Ye!
Come one, come all to the
2004 English Faire
Friday, September 24th
Saturday, September 25th
St. Michael & All Angels Church & School
602 N. Wilmot Road (at 5th Street)
886-7292

Proceeds to benefit Tucson Habitat for Humanity

All People of the Tucson countryside are invited to partake of this special fun-filled event for the entire family featuring:

Friday, September 24th
starting at 6 PM with Dirty Duck Pub's
Fish 'n' Chips & English Brew
Concert at 8 PM
featuring Nancy McCallion Band
formerly of the Mollys
CD release party
Concert $10 advance / $12 door

Saturday, September 25th
All day activities
9 AM to 6 PM
FREE ADMISSION

Come visit the English Townes of Oxford, Stratford Upon Avon, London, York Towne & Canterbury:
* Jumble (softly used articles)
* Renaissance Kith
* Traditional English Tea Room
* School Band * Plant Sale
* “All Kinds of Books” Book Sale
* Antiques * Art Gallery
* Photographs * Crafts
* Bake Sale * Graphologists
* 2004 Crossfire raffle 2 Year Lease
* Church Tours with 0rgan Concert .
* Seven Pipers Scottish Society Pipe Band
* Religious Books & Articles
* Dirty Duck Pub with English Brew & Soft Drinks, Fish 'n' Chips, Bangers & Mash, Shepherd's Pie
* Piccadilly Circus for the Kiddies, with Face Painting, Food & Soda, Jumping Castle, Games & Lots of Fun

Wednesday, September 15, 2004

A Message from St. Philip's in the Hills

Subject: St. Philip's 20's/30's Network Invitation

Greetings all,

The 20's/30's Network at St. Philips is hosting a "Meet and Greet" event at St. Philip's (River and Campbell) on October 1 from 6 - 8 PM for young adults, ages 18-39. We would like to extend an invitation to all young people in the Tucson Episcopal community to join us for fellowship. Food is being catered by P. F. Chang's, wine and non-alcoholic beverages will be provided. Please let the young adults in your congregation know they are invited and to RSVP to 299-6421.

Peace,

Scott B. Horton, P.E.

Monday, September 13, 2004

Announcements for Week Ending September 19th

Anglican Cycle of Prayer - let us give thanks for the Province of the Anglican Church in South East Asia, The Most Reverend Datuk Young Ping Chung, Primate, its people and clergy.

Need servers and readers
for the Sunday 5:00 PM Mass. Please call Carol Brandon or contact the church office for more information.

Altar Guild members - no September general meeting. The next general meeting will take place on Saturday, October 9 following the 8:30 AM Mass.

All church women are invited
to ECW's kickoff pot luck luncheon Wednesday, September 15, starting at 11:30 AM, in the Parish Center. Bring your favorite pot luck dish to share. Beverages will be provided. RSVP to Dolores Braren.

All are invited to attend Social Concerns meeting next Sunday following the 10:00 AM Mass in the Parish Center.

Wanted: discarded shoes that are still serviceable.
Please contact Joel Williams. Shoes will be collected until the end of September and will then be taken to Haiti by Airline Ambassadors.

Saturday, September 11, 2004

Sermon: Good News, Bad News, and Finding What's Lost


Sermon for The Fifteenth Sunday After Pentecost
Sunday, September 12th, 2004
By Father John R. Smith

It's been said that the Gospel is bad news before it is Good News. These past few weeks have been full of bad news: the capture by terrorists of the school in Beslan and the deaths of so many children and teachers; the havoc and loss of life caused by hurricanes Charley and Frances in Florida; continuing loss of life by the wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, and the Sudan; so much negative campaigning on the political front; so when you add these things and more to the feeling of our powerlessness, failure, and daily sins of omission and commission it equals a tremendous feeling of disorientation. More than a feeling: we are really lost. What a way to start a sermon! What a downer!

But the Good News of the Gospel has to begin with this feeling of disorientation and lostness or we never quite get it's message of hope and salvation. Henri Nouwen wrote that "one way to express the spiritual crisis of our time is to say that most of us have an address but cannot be found there." We wonder where God is, but we’re never at home. Things are so bad that we don't want to spend time there. We busy ourselves with so many things outside of our home to keep us from admitting how lost we really are and we miss Jesus who has dropped by to visit us. When we hear the Gospel say "This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them." We don’t realize it’s us. God breaks his own law and the law of the Pharisees to reach out and save the lost. If we let Jesus find us at the address where we are really lost and need God, salvation can begin and love, joy, and freedom can break out all over!

The teaching of the Kingdom of God in the Gospel is that God's whole purpose is finding the lost. The parable of the shepherd who leaves the 99 sheep to fend for themselves and searches for the one lost sheep is absurd. This example seemed absolutely crazy to Jesus' listeners. Would a person in the sheep herding business leave ninety-nine untended to go looking for one? Of course not! Cut your losses and stay with the main flock. Forget the lost one! In the parable the shepherd never goes back to the ninety-nine- the focus remains on the joy of finding the one sheep that was lost. The story of the woman with the ten coins is the same. It might be that the ten coins were part of a stash the woman held for a rainy day. Every so often she would pull it out and check it, but one time a coin rolled away. When she finds a coin missing she lights a lamp, using precious oil, and sweeps and searches the whole house until she finds it. When she does she calls all her friends and neighbors to rejoice with her in on finding her lost coin. There is never any mention of the other nine coins. All the effort is in restoring what is lost against all reasonable considerations-- whatever it takes: seek the lost. The Kingdom of God is made up top to bottom and sideways of the lost who have been found!

If this is the case, then I want to get in touch with my lostness, because its only there I find Jesus. That's why I think Jesus had so little interest in the Pharisees and Scribes, but loved hanging out with tax collectors and sinners. (Everyone's favorite sin is something sexual, and the "sinners" most likely were prostitutes.) Jesus spent a lot of time welcoming those people, eating with them, talking with them, visiting them, and otherwise consorting with them, irking the Pharisees and their righteous ilk in a big way.

To get in touch with lostness listen to Paul: "The saying is sure and worthy of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners-- of whom I am the foremost. But for that very reason I received mercy, so that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display the utmost patience, making me an example to those who would come to believe in him for eternal life." It is when we admit our true lostness that mercy can find us. Like the sheep on the shoulders of the shepherd we come home and its wonderful!

Of course admitting that we are lost is no fun. We spend most of our life time trying to make the case to ourselves and others that we're really pretty good: law-abiding citizens and relatively successful at the "game" of life. We stay in constant motion, impatient like Moses’ people at his delay in coming down the mountain. Quick, let's melt all of our gold trinkets down make a calf and worship it. Our impatience means we'll do anything to get away from where we are: our lostness. Even if we become more lost. And what does the Boy Scout handbook say to do when you are lost? It says stay where you are! We, all of us, are the lost one God is seeking. God will find us!

I love St. Michaels because we seem close to our lostness and need for God and the Confession that we'll say in a few minutes appears to contain real contrition most of the time- at least I hope so. But what really governs God's behavior toward us is not our sins. And it's not our problems. It's God's need to find us in our lostness and bring us home. Every Eucharist is a new beginning and a thanksgiving of Joy! Let us live this moment to the fullest, be completely present to it, to taste the Kingdom here and now, and to fully be where we are so God can find us and celebrate through us, with us, and in us, the Spirit's presence in the world. And that, of course, is just the beginning.