Announcements for Week Ending February 6th, 2005

Please join the Society of Mary next Saturday at 7:45 AM, to recite the Rosary in church in honor of the Purification of Saint Mary the Virgin.

ECW Casserole / Bake Sale Sunday, February 13th, following the morning service near the Parish Center. Purchase delicious dishes while supporting the many ECW funded projects.

A support group - formed for those who have experienced a loss at some time - meets monthly. Next meeting Monday, February 14, at noon, at the City Grill restaurant located at 6464 E. Tanque Verde Road. Please call Peggy Speese for reservations at least three days prior to the meeting.

Epiphany gifts for Primavera - our treasure chest is now available for those who would like to donate warm clothing, blankets, and sleeping bags to help homeless men, women, and families throughout this winter season. The Primavera chest will be available through Sunday, February 6th.

The Coexistence Project - a unique outdoor exhibit will be on display in Tucson the month of February on the mail at the U of A. This exhibit is internationally acclaimed having traveled the world since 200 1. It is brought to Tucson by a community coalition that is being led by The Inner Connection. The exhibit, "Coexistence: The Art of Living Together" was initiated and created by the Museum on the Seam in Jerusalem. It is comprised of 43 billboard-sized posters designed by artists from around the world. There is an Opening Celebration this Thursday, February 3, at Centennial Hall, featuring a wide array of speakers and music. Tickets (no charge) are available at the church. Look for St. Michael's poster (in coalition with other Tucson Episcopal churches).

Confirmation Class continues Saturday mornings, February S. 12, and 19, from 9:00 AM to 10: 15 AM. All participants are urged to attend the 8:30 AM Mass prior to class. For more information, please see Fr. Smith or call the church office. Confirmation and receiving parishioners who are prepared for confirmation will take place Sunday, February 20, with Bishop Smith.

Announcements for Week Ending January 30th, 2005

Father Smith will celebrate a Mass in the Parish Hall (near Godly Play program) next Sunday at 9:05 AM for families with school children. All are invited.

Social Concerns House Mass / Quarterly Meeting / Potluck Saturday, January 29, at the home of Robin Jorstad (call Robin for directions). Singing, 5:45 PM, House Mass, 6:00 PM, potluck and meeting following Mass. Topic for thought: "Religion and Revenge." Read Psalm 137 then bring your own thoughts/scripture references about how people of the "new covenant" can respond to this very human urge in individual and national life. Everyone is always welcome to Social Concerns meetings.

Epiphany gifts for Primavera - our treasure chest is now available for those who would like to donate warm clothing, blankets, and sleeping bags to help homeless men, women, and families throughout this winter season. The Primavera chest will be available through Sunday, February 6.

Confirmation Bishop Smith will be visiting our parish on Sunday, February 20, and will be confirming and receiving any parishioners who are prepared for confirmation. Confirmation Class continues Saturday mornings from 9:00 AM to 10:15 AM on January 29th, and February 5th, 12th, and 19th. All participants are urged to attend the 8:30 AM Mass. Please contact Fr. Smith or the Church office. or sign up on the interest sheet located on the ushers' cabinet.

Episcopal Relief for Tsunami Victims

Please help families at risk from disease and food shortages.

While the extent of the damage crosses continents, for those who have lost a child in this disaster, the suffering is intensely personal.

On December 26, a massive 9.0 earthquake struck deep beneath the ocean off the coast of Indonesia. Tsunamis, huge tidal waves generated by the earthquake, have killed tens of thousands and affected millions in coastal communities throughout South Asia and as far away as Africa.

Episcopal Relief and Development needs your help to provide emergency relief in the countries of Indonesia, India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Malaysia, Bangladesh, as well as Somalia and Kenya as part of what the United Nations is calling the greatest relief effort in history.

Estimates continue to grow regarding the number of casualties, the largest proportion of which is children, many of whom could not run away fast enough to escape the enormous waves.



The Rt. Rev. Thomas Samuel, Bishop of the Diocese of Madhya Kerala, Church of South India (one of the hardest hit areas) says that many people were crushed and washed away before they even knew what was happening. Families now struggle with basic survival needs.

The spread of disease now threatens hundreds of thousands who are homeless and have lost everything. In response, ERD is partnering with affected dioceses to provide food, clean water, shelter, hygiene materials, medicines and other critical supplies. Your help is greatly needed.



If this project is overfunded, ERD will use these funds for other life saving projects.

DONATE NOW 1-800-334-7626 ext. 5129 www.er-d.org

Vestry Candidate Profiles

St. Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church
VESTRY CANDIDATE PROFILES
January 2005

Richard Childs was born September 23, 1969, at St Vincent's Hospital In Portland, Oregon and was adopted at birth and moved to Tucson in 1973. Richard grew up on the northeast side of town and played baseball for The Tanque Verde little league and tennis for the Tucson Country Club. Richard attended St. Michael's Parish Day School from 1975 to 1983. He graduated from Salpointe Catholic High School in 1988 where he participated in basketball and tennis. He graduated from University of Arizona in 1993 with a Business degree. In 1997, after daughter Makinzie was born. The family moved to Sacramento, CA.

Richard worked as Mortgage Broker until moving back to Tucson in 2003 and is currently working as a Mortgage Banker for M&I Bank. Richard has been very active in his daughters' school district as a volunteer and this year as President of the Educational Enrichment Foundation for the Tanque Verde School District.

Richard has been attending St. Michaels Parish since September of 2003 and would like to become more involved. He would like to be proactive in recruiting younger families to our parish and promoting expanded education in the Sunday school program.

Karen Smith grew up in Philadelphia, attending both the Catholic and Episcopal Church. Her undergraduate degree is in Classical Archeology from Princeton, and her M.D. is from Georgetown. Karen's subspecialty in medicine is Rheumatology (RA and lupus, etc.). Her husband is from a rural/ranch community in New Mexico. They chose to live in Tucson because, on some level, it is a cross between Philadelphia, D.C., and Hobbs, New Mexico.

Karen has no vestry experience but has been an active speaker with the Tucson hospitals and the Arthritis Foundation for ten years. Karen was philanthropist of the year for the Arthritis Foundation.

Karen's daughter is in the first grade at St. Michael's. She would like to be on the vestry in order to be an advocate for children and young adult programs.

Carolyn Schlager was born and raised in western Nebraska, the second of three girls. She attended Mount Marty College in Yankton, S.D., where she earned a B.S. degree in Respiratory Therapy. Carolyn has been in the field of Respiratory Therapy for 25 years. She worked in Scottsbluff, Nebraska, Omaha, Nebraska, and Bloomington, Indiana before moving to Tucson in 1990. Since moving to Tucson, Carolyn has worked at St. Mary's Hospital and is currently a supervisor in the Respiratory Therapy Dept. She has been an adjunct faculty member for Pima Community College off and on for the last ten years, teaching various subjects related to Respiratory Therapy. She is also on the advisory boards for the Respiratory Therapy programs at Pima Community College and Pima Medical Institute.

While she was raised in the Lutheran church, Carolyn had drifted away from any organized religion during her college years. She became interested in the Episcopal Church through her sister and niece. When they moved to Tucson after her sister's husband died, Kathy started attending St. Michael's. Since both sisters were living together, Carolyn thought it would be a good model for niece Mariah if they all went to church together. To her surprise, what began as something she was doing for her niece, became something she did for herself. She discovered her faith at St. Michael's. Since then, through the fellowship Carolyn has found at St. Michael's, her faith has grown stronger and deeper. It has become something she depends on when faced with life's challenges. She finds comfort and peace whenever she walks through the doors. As Carolyn has become more involved at St. Michael's, new dimensions have been added to her faith.

Currently, Carolyn is blessed to have her mother living with her. Her younger sister, Edella Schlager, also lives in Tucson and is an Associate Professor at the U of A.

Sermons Page Updates

The Sermons page has now been updated with Father Smith's sermon of January 16th. I've also added a link to the sermons page in the list of links on the right side of this blog. The page features sermons by Father Smith, Father Douglas, and Father Richards.

Because the Sermons page was getting quite long, I've added a second page for sermons more than a year old. They're at http://smaa.mavarin.com/sermonold.html.

Check 'em out!

Karen

Announcements for Week Ending January 23rd, 2005

Mark your calendar for the Annual Parish Meeting to take place at the 9:00 AM service this Sunday, January 23rd. Please note that there will be only one Mass this day. A brunch will follow the Mass and meeting in the Parish Center.

Parish Office closed this Monday - Martin Luther King, Jr., Day.

Parishioners are invited to attend this Tuesday's Vestry meeting – it starts at 7:00 PM in the Parish Center.

Epiphany gifts for Primavera - our treasure chest is now available for those who would like to donate warm clothing, blankets, and sleeping bags to help homeless men, women, and families throughout this winter season. The Primavera chest will be available through Sunday, February 6.

St. Barnabas Group, a group formed for those who have experienced loss, will meet Monday, January 10th, at noon, at the City Grill restaurant located at 6464 E. Tanque Verde Road. Please call Peggy Speese for details.

Casa Maria volunteers will meet next 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.

Service for Savada Peters this Saturday - Mass starts at 8:30 AM, followed by interment in St. Michael's burial garden and reception in the Parish Center. Please consider parking in the north area of the parking lot (the Parish Day School will have admission testing and open house at the same time).

Anglican Cycle of Prayer - let us pray for the World Council of Churches and all institutions and organizations promoting unity and for the healing of all schisms within the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church.

Social Concerns House Mass / Quarterly Meeting & Potluck Saturday, January 29th, at the home of Robin Jorstad (call Robin for directions). Singing, 5:45 PM, House Mass, 6:00 PM, potluck and meeting following Mass. Topic for thought: "Religion and Revenge." Read Psalm 137 with its beautiful metaphors and ritual curse, then bring your own thoughts / scripture references about how people of the of new covenant" can respond to this very human urge in individual and national life. Everyone is always welcome to Social Concerns meetings.

Confirmation Bishop Smith will be visiting our parish on Sunday, February 20, and will be confirming and receiving any parishioners who are prepared for confirmation. Confirmation Class will be held Saturday mornings from 9:00 AM to 10:15 AM on January 15th, 22nd, and 29th, and February 5th, 12th, and 19th. All participants are urged to attend the 8:30 AM Mass. Please contact Fr. Smith or the Church office. or sign up on the interest sheet located on the ushers' cabinet.

Announcements for Week Ending January 16th, 2005

New Sermons have just been posted to our Sermons page. Father Douglas' sermon of 1/9 and Father Smith's sermon of 1/3 have both been added.

Epiphany gifts for Primavera - our treasure chest is now available for those who would like to donate warm clothing, blankets, and sleeping bags to help homeless men, women, and families throughout this winter season. The Primavera chest will be available through Sunday, February 6.

St. Barnabas Group, a group formed for those who have experienced loss, will meet Monday, January 10th, at noon, at the City Grill restaurant located at 6464 E. Tanque Verde Road. Please call Peggy Speese for details.

Open House at St. Luke's Home - all are invited to visit this 64 unit assisted living facility located at 615 E. Adams Street on Wednesday, January 12th, from 2:00 to 4:00 PM, and Thursday, February 17th, from 10 to 11:30 AM. Complimentary refreshment will be served; musical entertainment will be included. For more information, call 623 1512, ext. 208 or see the bulletin board for more details.

Confirmation Bishop Smith will be visiting our parish on Sunday, February 20, and will be confirming and receiving any parishioners who are prepared for confirmation. Confirmation Class will be held Saturday mornings from 9:00 AM to 10:15 AM on January 15th, 22nd, and 29th, and February 5th, 12th, and 19th. All participants are urged to attend the 8:30 AM Mass. Please contact Fr. Smith or the Church office. or sign up on the interest sheet located on the ushers' cabinet.

Mark your calendar for the Annual Parish Meeting to take place at the 9:00 AM service Sunday, January 23. Please note that there will be one Mass this day. A brunch will follow the Mass and meeting in the Parish Center.

New Testament Greek Class continues this Wednesday 8:45 AM in the Parish Library.
Adult Bible Study and Pot Luck continues this Wednesday at 6:30 PM in the Parish Center.

Guatamala Project - Pictures & Update

Summer Work, 2004.
Ila Abernathy & Nurse Sarah Roberts.
Photos: Ila Abernathy

Auxiliary mayor of Cabá presents an Ixil huipil (handwoven
women’s blouse) to Ila, with thanks from the community. In
addition to helping meet health needs in the communities, the
Project purchased 100 pounds of beans, rich in iron and
protein, for distribution in impoverished Cabá and Tsicusalá.

Sarah uses a hemoglobinometer purchased with funds from
Episcopal Community Services in Arizona to check for
anemia. “Sharps” safety container and other items were
donated by WorldCare. Carondelet St. Marys added
prenatal and children’s vitamins, other medicines.



Francisco (homemade violin) and Angel (guitar) play for
us in front of the little clinic, Cabá.



Pedro helps Juana to cross the river between Pal and Santa Rosa.


Two invitations:
Join a St. Michael’s Lenten work detail March 1st -11th.
“Adopt” one of the communities and cover Project costs in
that location.

St. Michael’s Guatemala Project / CPR Sierra
Lenten Work Detail March 1st - 11th, 2005
[extended visit option March 1st - 15th]

What we’ll do: Lead Health Promoter Pedro Bernal has asked for help in refurbishing the clinic at resettlement community Unión Victoria. We’ll repair the roof, paint, and assess other repair needs with the health promoters. Most important will be interactions with health workers, teachers, leaders, and others in this 86 family resettlement community.

Upon arrival in Guatemala City, we’ll meet with CPR leaders and Episcopal Church representatives, and receive in country orientation. We’ll stay in a modest, clean, and secure hospedaje much used by U.S. delegations. In the community, we’ll sleep and eat with families or in the clinic.

Fr. John R. Smith of St. Michael’s and Coordinator Ila Abernathy nominally will lead the group, but all our work with the CPR Sierra is collaborative.

Team size: Small is good. Six to 12 people would be ideal. You’re invited.

Basic needs: reasonably good physical and emotional health; a modicum of self awareness; comfort in working with a non proselytizing, faith based group; respect for indigenous cultures and self determination; patience, flexibility, curiosity, more patience. Functional Spanish helps. Passport. Current tetanus booster (within last 10 years). Sleeping bag, etc.

Everyone will need to help courier medicines and supplies.

Costs: Approximately $530 reduced fare airline ticket (from Tucson); $200 in country expenses; $100 project costs; $200 reserve / personal backup.

Unión Victoria is a coffee finca located in a temperate, mountainous area of Chimaltenango southwest of Guatemala City. Public transportation, a pickup ride, and an optional 6K walk or second pickup ride will get us there. The setting is visually spectacular, but the finca is old, coffee prices plunged at the time of resettlement, and corn, central to Mayan diet, culture, and religion, doesn’t grow well. People are struggling to survive.

Project Coordinator - Ila Abernathy. St. Michael & All Angels Episcopal Church 602 N. Wilmot Road, Tucson, AZ 85711, (520) 886-7292, church@stmichael.net

St. Michael’s Guatemala Project is an ongoing, non sectarian informal partnership with the Maya of the CPR Sierra [Communities of Population in Resistance of the Sierra] that continues a relationship begun in 1993. Focus areas include community health and health education, advocacy, arts and culture, mutual learning, and commitment to indigenous self determination.

Announcements for Week Ending January 9th, 2005

(I can't believe I forgot to post announcements onto this page on Sunday night when I updated the schedule page. You folks do know to check there for more announcements, right? Sorry!)

St. Barnabas Group, a group formed for those who have experienced loss, will meet Monday, January 10th, at noon, at the City Grill restaurant located at 6464 E. Tanque Verde Road. Please call Peggy Speese for details.

Epiphany Gifts for Primavera - our treasure chest will soon be available for those who would like to donate warm clothing, blankets, and sleeping bags to help homeless men, women, and families throughout this winter season. The Primavera chest will be available through Sunday, February 6.

Open House at St. Luke's Home - all are invited to visit this 64 unit assisted living facility located at 615 E. Adams Street on Wednesday, January 12th, from 2:00 to 4:00 PM, and Thursday, February 17th, from 10 to 11:30 AM. Complimentary refreshment will be served; musical entertainment will be included. For more information, call 623-1512, ext. 208 or see the bulletin board for more details.

Confirmation Bishop Smith will be visiting our parish on Sunday, February 20, and will be confirming and receiving any parishioners who are prepared for confirmation. Confirmation Class will be held Saturday mornings from 9:00 AM to 10:15 AM on January 15th, 22nd, and 29th, and February 5th, 12th, and 19th. All participants are urged to attend the 8:30 AM Mass. An Interest Sheet is located on the ushers cabinet. Or contact Fr. Smith or the Church office.

Mark your calendar for the Annual Parish Meeting to take place at the 9:00 AM service Sunday, January 23. Please note that there will be one Mass this day. A brunch will follow the Mass and meeting in the Parish Center.