THE MESSENGER - St Andrew`s Episcopal Church

THE MESSENGER
Growing Together in God’s Love
ST. ANDREW’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH, MADISON, CONNECTICUT
A Priest's Perspective
The New Year Brings
New Directions
Annual Auction
and Spaghetti
Supper
Save the date for
St. Andrew’s annual
Spaghetti Supper and
Auction — set for
Saturday, March 24!
2012 Pledge
Envelopes
Don’t forget your
2012 envelopes —
they are located in
the Narthex. If you
want envelopes and
don’t see your name,
contact Barb Gibbons
and she will put them
out for you.
Pastoral Care
For pastoral care
needs, please call
Father Steve at 203641-2068.
As we settle into the second month of 2012,
you may have noticed or heard about some
new things that are happening at St. Andrew’s.
For instance, our Faith-Based Pledging has
brought about a change in the way we record
and report all the financial gifts that are given
to this church. Whether you use envelopes or
just drop a check into the offering plate, every
donation you make is being recorded, and
everyone will receive a financial statement at
the end of every quarter and at the end of the
year. In addition, there is a newly formed
finance committee
continued on page 4
Bauer Lecture Series
St. Andrew’s Church and the Friends of
Hammonasset will sponsor the Bauer Lecture
Series at 10:00 am on Saturdays in February.
• February 4 – Live bird presentation by
“A Place Called Hope” will be presented by
Christine Cummings-Secki and Todd Secki.
• February 11 – Live Amphibian Show
presented by Ranger Russ Miller, Director,
Meigs Point Nature Center.
• February 18 – Exotic & Tropical
Creatures presented by Beardsley Zoo.
• February 25 – Guided Geology and
Native American Land-Use Hike (Note:
Meet at Meigs Point Nature Center at 10 am)
Led by Gary Nolf, World Atlatl Association,
and Don Rankin, Docent of Meigs Point Nature
Center. An Archaeology Roadshow will be in
the Nature Center until 2pm. Bring artifacts
for identification.
These free programs are open to the public
and appropriate for all ages. For more information, call Don Rankin at 203-245-9192.
FEBRUARY 2012
Lenten Series Offered
Start your Lent off with a BIG BANG!
• February 29, 7:00 – 9:00 pm — the
documentary “Journey of the Universe” will
be shown; this is open to the public and will
be moderated by Don Rankin. (see page 2)
• March 7, 6:30 – 8:30 pm — explore
the impact of gratitude on our lives.
Discussion led by Don Rankin and Fr. Steve.
• March 11, 12:30 – 2:30 pm — focus
on our journey as Pilgrims throughout
life, facilitated by Steven Rawlings.
• March 14, 6:30 – 8:30 pm — reflections
on faith development as a Pilgrim, led by
Sue and George Morris.
• March 21, 6:30 – 8:30 pm — continued
exploration of our lives as Pilgrims, led
by Fr. Steve.
• March 28, 6:30 – 8:30 pm — our faith
journey as Pilgrims leads us to Calvary
and Easter. Session facilitated by Fr. Steve.
Every session EXCEPT the first one on
February 29 will begin with a simple meal
of soup and salad. Please sign-up if you are
able to assist with food. Each session stands
alone so you do not need to worry if you are
unable to come to all of them.
50th Anniversary News
For the next few months, much of the work
of the committee will be behind the scenes.
We will focus on the history document and
the service in June that will commemorate the
laying of the cornerstone and the first “service”
in our church building some 50 years ago. The
absence of frequent Sunday morning presentations allows a bit of time to reflect on what
we’ve learned about St. Andrew’s.
The St. Andrew’s journey has had challenging moments and
continued on page 2
Our Mission — To deepen faith and transform the world as Christ calls us
through joyful worship, music, study, and service to others.
Journey of the Universe:
An Epic Story of Cosmic, Earth,
and Human Transformation
One day on a Greek island, and
your view of the universe will
change forever...
Ask acclaimed author and evolutionary philosopher Brian Thomas
Swimme about our role as humans
in this awe-inspiring universe, and
his insights will light up the night
skies. He shares his infectious
curiosity about life’s biggest questions in this documentary film.
A masterful storyteller, Swimme
connects such big picture issues as
the birth of the cosmos 14 billion
years ago — to the invisible frontiers
of the human genome — as well as
to our current impact on Earth’s
evolutionary dynamics. You will
discover the profound role we play
in this intricate web of life.
From the Big Bang to the epic
impact humans have on the planet
today, this film is designed to inspire
a new and closer relationship with
Earth in this period of growing
environmental and social crisis.
Beautifully filmed in HD, the
story begins on the Greek island of
Samos, birthplace of mathematician
Pythagoras. Disembarking on the
island at dawn, Swimme expertly
guides us on an exhilarating trek
through time and space, sharing a
wondrous view of cosmic evolution as
a process based on immense creativity, connection, and interdependence.
At midnight, he sets sail into the starlit waters of the Aegean Sea, leaving
audiences with a sense of wonder at
the mystery, complexity and connectivity that permeates the Earth and
universe from the very beginning.
This film was written by Swimme
and Yale University historian of religions Mary Evelyn Tucker. They draw
together discoveries in astronomy,
geology, biology, ecology, and biodiversity with humanistic insights concerning the nature of the universe.
The film was produced and directed
by Patsy Northcutt and David
Kennard. View the trailer online at
www.journeyoftheuniverse.org.
2
Team Uganda Update
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results, and also to “come back
perform we all. God bless you.
with enough books, pens, and
Thank you
Mary
other supplies.”
Anigo Joyce
Did you know that besides paying the school fees, children are
expected to bring their own pencils, erasers, crayons, toilet paper, handkerchiefs, soap,
exercise books, photocopying paper, 3 or more books, one school bag, one bottle/
dish/and fork set, and one play toy. Their uniform requirements are to own 2 class
uniforms, 2 pairs sportswear, 1 sweater, 4 pairs of socks, and 1 pair of school shoes.
Now, if you read the letter again, you will hear a young girl hoping to do better in
school, but also needing our resources. Please help our church support these children
by participating in various small Team U fundraisers during the year. A little bit of
our combined dollars can go a long way in Uganda. As a team together, we make a
world of difference in the lives of Josephine, Calvin, Cathy and Timothy!
— With grateful hearts, Team Uganda
50th Anniversary: Be Part of This Special Time
continued from page 1
memorable triumphs. The fortitude of
some 50+ individuals and families who
pursued a vision of an Episcopal parish
in Madison literally began with a prayer.
The physical expansions of the church
building, as a result of growth, were all
accompanied by faith that the members
of the church would support the necessary changes, rather than choose a path
of limiting the vision of God’s message
through reduction of our ministries.
Being a founding member of safe and
affordable housing in Madison for those
with financial and physical limitations,
the repeated support of refugee families
fleeing war or natural disasters, building
homes through Madison Cares, or helping our neighbors with home repairs or
donations of food, all began with a hope
that was turned into a possibility. When
visitors enter our doors, we want them
to know the depth of our belief that
what we have is a blessing and what we
do is in thanksgiving for it.
St. Andrew’s always has been at its
best when we stretch beyond ourselves
as individuals and collectively respond
to the mission of doing God’s work.
Thank you to all those who have gone
before us and, having taken care of this
place, passed it on to us to do the same.
And SAVE THE DATE — Saturday,
June 16, 2012!
— Maggie & Charlie Walden,
Co-chairs
50th Anniversary Committee
203-318-5045
mccwalden@yahoo.com
THE MESSENGER
•
FEBRUARY 2012
Treasurer’s Report
December was an excellent financial
month for St. Andrew’s, with pledge
income of $34,049 and loose offerings
of $3540. We are finishing the year
with a deficit of $13,856, which is far
better than November’s year-to-date
deficit of $27,816. The 2011 pledges
were $277,060 and we have received
$274,130, short $3930.
Hopefully 2012 will continue like
December of 2011.
— Helen Van Antwerp, Treasurer
Church School
and Youth News
On January 15, the students in the First Informed Holy Communion
Class met with Altar Guild members for a tour of the sacristy and church.
The students (pictured above) learned how the church is prepared for
communion and how to set the altar. In photo at right: Zachary Preikszas,
a student in the class, participated in the tour and learning session but
missed the group photo because he was preparing to acolyte.
Upcoming events include:
• February 11 – Middle School
and High School Youth Groups —
Ski Trip, open to everyone in
church — we are scheduled to go to
Butternut Basin.
• February 21 — Shrove Tuesday,
Parish Pancake Supper.
• February 24-25 — Homeless
Immersion Project (YSOP) in
New York City for High School
Youth Group.
Join other high school students
(Grades 9th-12th) on an overnight
to New York City to serve and learn
about the homelessness. The trip
leaves at 10:30 am Friday and returns
by 9:00 pm Saturday. Sign up now!
The cost is $75 and scholarships are
available. Don’t miss this amazing
experience! Send an email to
stazyouth@gmail.com for more information. Forms are available outside
the church school office and online.
• February 26 — Have lots of fun
during this family event where we’ll
make Lenten Pretzels.
• March 18 — High School Youth
Group Progressive Dinner, 4-7 pm.
THE MESSENGER
•
NOVEMBER 2011
Dinner Invitation for
Our Newcomers
The Welcoming Commission will
host an evening for everyone who has
come to our parish in the last year or
two, to provide an opportunity to meet
some of the staff and lay leadership of
our church.
This is a great way to find out what
makes our congregation special and
have your questions answered. Representatives from our ministries also will
be invited, so it’s a wonderful chance to
find out all about our church school,
music programs, stewardship, outreach,
and much more.
This Newcomers’ Dinner will be held
on Sunday, March 18, from 5:30 to 8
pm. Invitations will be mailed soon,
and a member of the Welcoming Commission will call you to confirm your
attendance and answer questions.
Child-friendly food and child care will
be provided, so please let us know the
ages of the children you will bring with
you. We look forward to getting to
know you better.
— Martha Stewart,
Welcoming Commission Chair
‘Bowling Over
Hunger’ Event
Save the date for a great
event — Bowling over Hunger
One Pin at a Time! Join us
on Sunday, March 4 at 2 pm.
Bring a bag of groceries for
the food bank and come have
fun bowling in Old Saybrook!
Details to follow.
Prayer Shawl Ministry
According to the Prayer Shawl
Ministry founders, “these lovingly knitted
wraps are made for anyone and for
nearly any occasion.” At St. Andrew’s,
we make the shawls to give to anyone in
need of a blessing from our community.
The shawls are blessed by Fr. Steve before
given to the recipient. We are looking
for new members — no knitting
experience needed. Call Judy Albright
for details at 203-245-1287.
3
The New Year Brings New Directions
continued from page 1
that monitors our budget and will report
monthly to the parish about our
financial health.
Another change has to do with our
music program. As we were looking for
someone to replace Joy Weaver as the
Director of the Spirit Choir at the 9:15
service, it became apparent that what we
really needed was to have one Director
of Music who would oversee the entire
music program, rather than two separate
directors. To this end, St. Andrew’s is
beginning a search process to hire this
person. Paul Jordan, who has been our
faithful Organist and Chancel Choir
Director at the 11:00 service, has graciously agreed to stay until February 19.
The search may take several months, so
during this time we will engage an
interim organist, and the chancel choir
will take a well-deserved break — but
will be back in full voice as soon as the
new person is on board.
You also have seen some other new
faces working behind the scenes with
our youth. Lisa Preikszas is now the
Director of our Sunday Church School,
while Mary Potenziani and Dick Johansen
are working with our high school youth
group. Dick also coordinates the
H.O.M.E. mission trip with Tracy
Zachos. Lynn Milner has taken on the
middle school youth group.
Our newly elected vestry will begin
their work this month. I want to thank
all of the retiring vestry members who
gave so freely of their time and talent to
serve on this leadership team during the
transition and clergy search process
prior to my arrival.
Finally, our Lenten series starts this
month, and it will also have a different
look. Please see the schedule box entitled “Lenten Series” on page 1 of The
Messenger for dates and times. The focus
Those who bring sunshine
to the lives of others cannot
keep it from themselves.
— James Barrie
4
this year will be on our journey of faith
as pilgrims on this beautiful planet, and
there will be several different facilitators
sharing their faith experiences with us.
We will kick-off the series on Wednesday, February 29 from 7:00 – 9:00 pm
by showing the acclaimed documentary
“Journey of the Universe.” This screening will be open to the public so there
will not be any dinner served that
evening. Our own Don Rankin will
moderate a conversation afterwards.
(See article about the film on page 2.) We
will then meet the next four consecutive
Wednesday evenings from 6:30 – 8:30
pm beginning on March 7. The
evenings will begin with a simple soup
and salad supper — please sign-up to
bring something if you are able. In addition, we are adding one Sunday afternoon session on Sunday, March 11 from
12:30 – 2:30 pm — this will begin with a
pot-luck lunch. Each session stands
alone — so come for one or all six!
Blessings,
Fr. Steve
Remembrances
Memorial Services
On December 10, 2011 a
Memorial Service celebrating the life
of David Robinson Rice was held
at St. Andrew’s. The Rev. Steve
Domienik presided over the service.
David was the husband of the late
Leah Rice, a very active and longtime member of the Parish. He is
survived by three children and two
grandchildren.
A Memorial Service celebrating
the life of George Straffin Stirling
Jr., took place at St. Andrew’s on
January 4, 2012. The Rev. Steve
Domienik officiated at both the
interment at West Cemetery and
the church service. Mr. Stirling is
survived by three daughters and two
sons, one of whom is Dean S. Stirling
whose family are parishioners at
St. Andrew’s. He also leaves 14 grandchildren and one great-grandson.
Greeters Wanted
The Welcoming Commission is
looking for friendly people to help
greet people as they enter and leave
church, make them feel welcome,
help them find their name tags, and
accompany newcomers to coffee
hour. A fun new responsibility for
greeters is to give a jar of chocolate
sauce to visitors, along with our
visitor brochure and visitor information card. If you would be willing to
do this every month or two, or have
questions, please contact Martha
Stewart at 203-245-3220.
In addition, the Welcoming
Commission also “welcomes” new
ideas as well as additional people to
help us plan this important ministry.
— Martha Stewart,
Welcoming Commission Chair
Fellowship and Coffee
Join us for refreshments and fellowship after the 9:15 service. And please
consider volunteering to make coffee
and provide refreshments. A plate or
two of goodies is usually enough. Come
at 8:45 am to get the coffee started,
(there are directions for making the
coffee — it’s really easy). Sign up at
church on Sundays, call 203-245-6729,
or send an e-mail to Donna Johansen at
dmjarm@snet.net.
Easy Way to Contribute
Help support our many missions
and ministries while you buy your
groceries.
Just by using Stop & Shop cards —
5% of all purchases go to
St. Andrew’s!
The cards are convenient and easy
to use. Buy Stop & Shop cards after
each service or during the week in
the church office. Visa, Mastercard,
and Discover cards are accepted.
THE MESSENGER
•
FEBRUARY 2012
Serendipity to Close its Doors in March
Green Matters
On January 5, an open meeting was
held and attended by approximately
30 people interested in the future of
Serendipity. The lease at 200 Boston
Post Road expires in March 2012 and it
was determined, after prayerful consideration, not to renew the lease. We will
close the store as of March 3, 2012.
When Serendipity opened in 2006, a
group of volunteers became known as
Managers. They explored the options of
renting space and designing it, buying
consignment software, investigating
consignment store practices in the area,
creating brochures and forms, and
gathering ideas for a successful launch.
There were five: Laura Downes, Kristen
Garnett, Nancy Karas, Sue Morriss and
Doreen Sproule.
After the store opened, the Managers
worked weekly, often behind-the-scenes,
on pricing and sale schemes, delivering
furniture, changing the layout of items
for sale, determining which items would
be acceptable for sale and disposing of
others, buying supplies, updating the
computer, managing publicity, among
other things. In the meantime, a steadfast group of volunteers worked in the
store during its open hours.
After several successful years of raising
money for Outreach and the Operating
Budget for St. Andrew’s, an attempt at a
succession plan was made in order to
eventually replace the Managers, who
were being called to other opportunities
at St. Andrew’s and the wider world. A
group of Managers-in-training (MITs)
were designated and they offered to
learn the back office procedures: Helen
Kitzman, Sue McCann, Lisa Tenny, and
Amy Jamison. They too, were pulled in
many directions, both inside and outside the church. Still, the weekly volunteers worked tirelessly to keep the store
open during its hours.
The Managers and MITs gradually
and increasingly fell into two categories:
those that work outside the home and
those that spend months of the year
away from Connecticut. It became
clear that there were few, if any, volunteers willing to become Managers and
make the decisions necessary to run a
successful retail operation. As the
As stewards of our land and our
world, the items below give us much
to think about. The articles are courtesy of The Forum on Religion and
Ecology, news@religionandecology.org,
from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
THE MESSENGER
•
FEBRUARY 2012
Managers and MITs had less time and
focus for Serendipity, the profits of the
store declined. Some of this decline can
be attributed to the economy and the
competition from other new consignment stores in the area.
The decision to close the store was
not made easily. It is important to
recognize not only the history of a
St. Andrew’s retail store in the community but also the effect on the volunteers.
The St. Andrew’s Thrift Shoppe operated
for years in Madison’s downtown and,
for the past six years, Serendipity has
been open at 200 Boston Post Road.
This has given St. Andrew’s a constant
face in the community, where customers
came in to socialize as well as shop.
There are many generations of
volunteers who have worked shifts at
Serendipity, often together. Women of
all ages, not necessarily related, have
worked together, and some boys and
men too. There are many who feel a loss
at Serendipity’s closing.
Thank you to the volunteers who
rearranged their schedules weekly to fill
their shifts. You changed doctor
appointments, social obligations and
family gatherings in order to open the
store. You watched the snow and ice
fall, wondering if it was safe to travel,
and kept the store open. You dealt with
endless questions from customers and
consignors about prices and stuff,
always with a smile, and an eye toward
the goal of raising money for Outreach
and representing St. Andrew’s. You have
done well. We thank you.
— Laura Downes
P.S. A “Winding Down Committee”
will meet periodically to prepare for the
March 3 closing. Please contact Laura
if you have any interest in helping.
And there is a “New Beginnings
Committee” forming to pursue options
for the future. Please contact Helen
Kitzman, Cindy Tichy or Ray Hencir for
information.
Vatican Issues Major Report on
Science of Climate Change —
Catholic Climate Covenant
A working group of the Pontifical
Academy of Sciences, one of the oldest scientific institutes in the world,
issued a sobering report on the
impacts for humankind as a result of
the global retreat of mountain
glaciers as a result of human activity
leading to climate change.
In their declaration, the working
group calls, “on all people and
nations to recognize the serious and
potentially irreversible impacts of
global warming caused by the anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse
gases and other pollutants, and by
changes in forests, wetlands, grasslands, and other land uses.” They
echoed Pope Benedict XVI’s 2010
World Day of Peace Message saying,
“…if we want justice and peace,
we must protect the habitat that
sustains us.”
For the full story, visit http://org2.
democracyinaction.org/o/5256/t/0/
blastContent.jsp?email_blast_KEY=
1163273
Uganda Religious Leaders Act
on Deforestation
In Kampala, Uganda (AlertNet) —
when Anglican bishop Nathan
Kyamanywa was appointed to his job
in 2002, he decided that climate
change should be a matter of concern
for Christians. Kyamanywa bought
55 tree seedlings and gave one to
each of the parishes in his diocese
of Bunyoro-Kitara in western
Uganda.
For the full story, please visit
http://www.trust.org/alertnet/news/
uganda-religious-leaders-act-ondeforestation
5
F E B R U A R Y
SUNDAY
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
1
Check St. Andrew’s weekly eNews for the most up-to-date
announcements. To receive our eNews, go to —
www.standrewsmadison.org — and sign up on the home page.
5
8:00, 9:15 and 11:00 am
Holy Eucharist
6
7
‘Souper Bowl’ Fundraiser
7:00 pm
Madison Cares
Meeting
12
13
14
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
3
2
4
10:00 am
Bauer Series
(see page 1)
6:00-7:00 pm
Spirit Choir
9
10
11
9:00 am
Holy Eucharist
10:00 am
Bauer Series
6:00-7:00 pm
Spirit Choir
15
Ski Trip (see p. 3)
16
17
18
9:00 am
Holy Eucharist
8:00, 9:15 and 11:00 am
Holy Eucharist
Deadline for
The Messenger
19
THURSDAY
9:00 am
Holy Eucharist
8
7:00 pm
Worship
Committee
Meeting
2 0 1 2
20
8:00, 9:15 and 11:00 am
Holy Eucharist
No Church School
Parish Office
Closed
26
27
21
22
Shrove Tuesday
5:00-7:00 pm
Pancake Supper
7:00 pm
Exec.Comm.Mtg.
Ash Wednesday
Services at
7:00 am, Noon,
and 7:00 pm
28
29
8:00, 9:15 and 11:00 am
Holy Eucharist
7:00 pm
Vestry Meeting
10:00 am
Bauer Series
6:00-7:00 pm
Spirit Choir
23
6:00-7:00 pm
Spirit Choir
24
25
YSOP Trip
(see page 3)
10:00 am
Bauer Series at
Meigs Point Nature
Center
9:00 am
Holy Eucharist
6:30-8:30 pm
Lenten Series
(see page 1)
St. Andrew’s
Spaghetti Supper
and Auction
is set for Saturday, March 24,
which means we've got work to do.
If you are willing to help with the
planning of this great event,
contact Kristen Garnett.
6
THE MESSENGER
•
FEBRUARY 2012
Feed Thy Neighbor, Help at Food Pantry
Natty Bumppo and the
“Wasty Manner” Part 1
As the Madison Community Services
Food Pantry is planning a pilot expansion program, it is worthwhile to reflect
on the growth of this food assistance
program for our Madison neighbors.
The story of that growth mirrors the sad
truth that being in need of assistance
knows no limits or community barriers.
Food assistance began by the volunteers of Madison Community Services
in the late 70’s - early 80’s through the
Federal government surplus food program. With only a donated refrigerator
in the old Madison VNA building on
Durham Road, volunteers would distribute surplus food to members in the
community known to the Social Services
Department of Madison. Often this
surplus arrived in the form of multipound blocks of cheese which were
divided prior to distribution to extend
the “bounty.” Maybe not loaves of
bread or fishes, but you get the idea….
As the need grew, a closet in the
office of the town Social Worker was
designated as a “Food Bank” and again,
MCS volunteers oversaw the program
under the guidance of the Social Worker.
The Food Bank was stocked by individuals,
as well as civic group and church donations. The clients of the Social Worker
were the clients of the Food Bank.
More than five years ago, the Social
Services Department of Madison,
informed MCS that the need within our
community for food assistance (as well
as fuel, rent, and utility assistance) was
growing at an alarming rate. The closet
Food Bank was no longer able to meet
that need. The leadership of MCS began
a quest to investigate food pantries in
the area and the feasibility of sponsoring
an independent program. In the meantime, a slightly larger closet was used to
house the food donations and MCS
made it available to those neighbors in
need through the oversight of volunteers
several hours a day, two to three days a
week. The observations of these volunteers convinced MCS that a larger distribution process was clearly needed.
The First Congregational Church in
Madison offered free space and The
Connecticut Food Bank provided the
guidance for operating a fully function-
Natty Bumppo, hero of James Fenimore Cooper’s five “Leatherstocking
Tales,” has an unforgettable name, but
he was also called Hawkeye, Leatherstocking, and Deerslayer. A scout in the
French and Indian War (1754-64), Natty
was an adopted son of the Delaware
tribe and learned wilderness survival
and sustainability from these Native
Americans. While illiterate, he was a
Christian of the Moravian denomination. (In 2010, the Moravians and the
Episcopalians came into communion.)
In The Pioneers: Or The Sources of the
Susquehanna (1823), Natty is old and
living in a hut on some 200,000 acres
belonging to Judge Marmeduke Temple,
founder of Templeton on Otsego Lake,
west of Albany. Temple is a fictional
William Cooper, founder of Cooperstown
and the author’s father. According to
Temple’s daughter Louisa, the Judge is
involved in “taming the very forests!”
As a hunter-trapper living on this vast
estate, Natty believes there should be
neither game laws nor farmers’ fences to
impede his livelihood. It was an era where
trees were cut with abandon to clear land
for farms, construct buildings, and to
provide fuel. The woodcutter Billy Kirby
declares stumps are more beautiful than
trees. Natty proclaims he would “set out
six trees afore I would cut down one.”
Judge Temple is concerned about the
rapid decline of forests and seeks an
alternate fuel, hopefully coal in the nearby
mountains. Today, the quest is for an
alternative to coal, and in this region
many challenge the safety of tapping the
large natural gas deposits using hydraulic
fracturing technology (fracking).
As spring arrives in Templeton, less
wood is burned, and the villagers eagerly
await the spectacular return of vast flocks
of pigeons. The response to this migration is to use a small cannon with duck
shot to bring down thousands of birds,
most of which are wasted. Natty Bumppo
refuses to aim his famous long rifle at
even one bird and says, “It’s wicked to
be shooting into flocks in this wasty
manner.” (The passenger pigeon was
hunted to extinction by 1914.)
(To be continued…)
— John Fuller
THE MESSENGER
•
FEBRUARY 2012
ing Food Pantry that would be in partnership with them. The first month the
Pantry opened it served an average of
22-28 clients and distributed a few
hundred pounds of food per week.
This past December, the number of
clients exceeded 90 and the weight of
distributed food exceeded 2,800 pounds
more than once. It is open four hours,
once a week, in a new and larger facility
on Mungertown Road.
Obviously this kind of growth required
huge manpower efforts to affect and
oversee donations, collections, purchases,
storage and distribution. Volunteering
at the Food Pantry is a privilege and a
lesson in humility. If you have any
preconceived notion of what it looks
like to be an individual or family in
need, you quickly lose it. The clients are
our neighbors with whom we share this
town as our home. We all love our
children and our parents and share the
desire to provide the best for them.
Sometimes, life gets in the way and stuff
happens — stuff like a medical crisis, job
lay-offs, and divorce.
As Christians we are reminded,
“there but for the grace of God, go I”
and so those who have, are called to
help those who don’t. Our monthly
food collections have averaged 200
pounds. Can we, shouldn’t we, be
doing a little more? Do you have two
hours (day) or 1½ (evening — to help
with the pilot program) once a month?
Please think of the Food Pantry, and
your neighbors, with whatever you have
to share. Many thanks!
— Maggie Walden
Our Music Fund
Did you know that St. Andrew’s has a
Music Fund that you can donate monies
to for the use of the Music Committee
to buy instruments and music? If you
would like to make such a donation,
please call Barb Gibbons, Parish Administrator, at 203-245-2584.
7
St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church
232 Durham Road, Madison, Connecticut 06443
Telephone: 203-245-2584 • Fax: 203-245-2601
E-mail: welcome@standrewsmadison.org
Web site: www.standrewsmadison.org
Parish Hours: Monday - Friday 9 am - 4 pm
The Parish Staff
Priest-In-Charge
Parish Administrator
Preschool Director
Church School Director
Organist & Chancel Choir Director
Director of Musicals
Guitarist
Sexton and Verger
Rev. Steve Domienik
Barbara Gibbons
Judy Goldberg
Lisa Preikszas
Paul Jordan
Joy Weaver
Jim Olden
David Mikus
The Parish Vestry
Senior Warden
Junior Warden
Treasurer
Clerk of the Vestry
David Karas
Kristen Garnett
Helen Van Antwerp
Michael Greene
Chris Abbott, Sandra Butler, Art Criddle, Florie Earle,
Susan McCann, Brenda Naegel, John Paulson,
Martha Stewart, and Robert Stimpson
Choir Rehearsal Schedule
Spirit Choir — Thursday Rehearsal 6:00 - 7:00 pm
Sunday Rehearsal at 8:30 am
This choir is for everyone — age 6 through adult — and
sings each Sunday morning at the 9:15 am service during the
school year. The selections include a varied palette of musical
styles, including gospel, jazz, folk, and contemporary music.
The Easiest Way to Give
When using Stop & Shop cards, 5% of all purchases go
directly to St. Andrew’s! Buy these cards after each service,
at coffee hour, or during the week in the church office. Visa,
Mastercard, and Discover credit cards are accepted.
THE MESSENGER is a monthly newsletter of St. Andrew’s
Episcopal Church. Contributions are always welcome. The
deadline is the 15th of the preceding month. Please send an
e-mail to messenger@standrewsmadison.org. All articles may be
edited for space, style, and content.
Editor: Denise Forrest
NON-PROFIT ORG.
U S POSTAGE
PA I D
Permit No. 45
Madison, CT 06443
THE MESSENGER
St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church
232 Durham Road
Madison, Connecticut 06443
FEBRUARY 2012
Parish Office: (203) 245-2584
Editor: Denise Forrest