June 2011 - Episcopal Diocese of Tennessee

Connections:home… parish… diocese
Middle Tennessee Floods, May 2010 Vol. 4, No. 6 June 2010
Bishop’s Notebook… page 3 ● Feature Story… page 4 ● Diocesan News… page 6
From the Field… page 8 ● Around the Diocese… back cover
The Mission of the Episcopal Diocese of Tennessee
is to encourage and equip one another
as baptized people of God, to witness
to the transforming and reconciling power of Jesus Christ.
The Episcopal Church
In the Anglican Communion
A global communion of
77 million Anglicans in
25 member provinces
Archbishop of Canterbury
The Most Rev. and Rt. Hon.
Rowan Williams
Anglican Consultative Council
Partnership House
157 Waterloo Road
London, England
Episcopal Seat:
Canterbury Cathedral
In the United States
A communion of 2.5 million
members in 112 dioceses
in the Americas and abroad
Established 1789
Presiding Bishop
The Most Rev.
Katharine Jefferts Schori
Episcopal Church Center
815 Second Avenue
New York NY 10017
800-334-7626
Episcopal Seat:
Washington National Cathedral
Mount St. Albans
Washington DC 20016
Welcome to the June 2010 issue of Connections: home… parish… diocese.
We will accept submissions for Connections from throughout the diocese.
As space permits, we will use as much content as possible, subject to
editorial revision. Short announcements of 100 words or less may be sent
via email to connections@episcopaldiocese-tn.org. For feature-length
stories, contact us in the diocesan office at 615-251-3322.
Digital photos can be submitted as above and must include activity, date
and identities of everyone in the photo.
Submissions are accepted until 12:00 Noon on the 15th of the month
prior to the upcoming issue and will be given consideration on a first
come/first served basis.
Protecting children from sexual abuse. Preventing adult sexual misconduct. A diocesan workshop for vestries,* nursery workers, Sunday school teachers, volunteer youth leaders and employees, part‐time and full‐time, anywhere in the diocese. September 21
6:00-9:00 PM Christ Church Cathedral Nashville Please call the diocesan office at 615‐251‐3322 to sign up. *Newly elected vestry members should attend. Safeguarding God’s People is a curriculum provided by the Church Pension Group. Receiving Connections - three ways, your choice.
In the Diocese of Tennessee
A communion of 16,000
Episcopalians in
48 congregations
in Middle Tennessee
Established 1828
Online Edition: Connections is posted on the diocesan website for viewing, reading or printing! Visit
www.episcopaldiocese-tn.org for the Online Edition of Connections. Past issues are archived.
Bishop
The Rt. Rev. John C. Bauerschmidt
Episcopal Diocese of Tennessee
50 Vantage Way, Suite 107
Nashville TN 37228
615-251-3322
Print Subscription: If you do not have Internet capabilities, or you simply prefer the Print Edition of
Connections, call the diocesan office at 615-251-3322 to subscribe. Connections will be mailed to
your home.
Episcopal Seat:
Christ Church Cathedral
Published by the Diocese of Tennessee.
Publisher: The Rt. Rev. John C. Bauerschmidt
Editor: Cathy Hendrix
Email Updates: If you would like to be added to the diocesan Email Distribution List, visit the diocesan website and subscribe. A reminder will be sent to you when the latest Connections is posted.
Connections: home… parish… diocese
The Flood of 2010
Today I did a double-take, as I pulled
up behind a city bus on my morning
commute and noticed an ad for a
Cincinnati company on the back.
For a moment I
wondered
why
Nashville
was
such an attractive
market for business, marveling at our
scope and reach, and then I realized
that the bus had Ohio plates, and was
clearly “on loan.” The MTA took
losses in the Great Flood, and Nashvillians still have to get around.
Thank God for the Queen City.
Some of the effects of the Flood of
2010 will be around for longer than
those buses. There has been heartbreaking loss of life, and significant
damage to public and private property
in Middle Tennessee, especially to
people’s homes. There has also been
an outpouring of aid from across the
United States, and especially within
our own communities as people have
lined up to help their neighbors.
Within our own Church, St George’s
Church experienced significant damage, but has also been able to step up
to the plate and move into recovery
with the help of many friends, and
other local churches and synagogues.
St Luke’s Community House has
been the critical helping institution in
West Nashville in the first week after
the Flood. Episcopal Relief and Development made emergency grant
money available to meet some immediate needs known to parish
clergy. If the challenge has been
significant, so has the response.
Many of us in the Diocese will need
to take stock over the next few weeks.
It’s a curious effect of disasters like
Dismas Forgiveness Breakfast
Bishop Bauerschmidt gave the invocation at the Dismas,
Inc.’s Forgiveness Breakfast held at the Millennium Maxwell
House Hotel on May 19, 2010. Pictured left to right: Bill
Coleman, CEO of Dismas, Inc.; Robyn Smith, St. Ann’s
Church Nashville; George Barnard; St. Michael’s Church
Cookeville; Bob Allen, Christ Church Cathedral Nashville;
Barbara Reynolds, St. Michael’s Church Cookeville; Bishop
Bauerschmidt; Ann Olsen, Christ Church Cathedral
Nashville; Mark Alan Burnett, Christ Cathedral; Tony Garr,
Tennessee Health Care Campaign; Liz Melcher and John
Melcher, St. Joseph of Arimathea Hendersonville. Founded in
Nashville in 1974 by Father Jack Hickie, a
Jesuit chaplain involved in the Prison Project at Vanderbilt,
this that many folks, even those who
have not been directly affected by
the Flood, may experience some
feeling of disorientation. We don’t
know “where we’re coming from,”
because this experience is beyond
the limits of the “normal” for most
of us. People have had different experiences, but we have all been affected, even some of us who may not
be very aware of the stress. We
need to be patient with each other.
We need to take time to mourn.
Our community is already moving out
of the relief phase and into recovery,
as we begin to address the short-term
and long-term needs that will emerge.
How will the Episcopal Church be
involved? How will the Diocese of
Tennessee reach out to help our
neighbors? There are opportunities to
give listed on our web site, and I encourage you to be generous.
But most importantly, we will be
looking for practical ways that we can
be part of recovery in Middle Tennessee. I look forward to the days ahead
because they will be full of opportunity for the Church. — Bishop John
Dismas is a program to provide transitional housing for exoffenders to re-introduce them into society. An important
aspect of the Dismas House Program includes university
students living in the houses with the residents. There are two
Dismas Houses in Tennessee in Nashville and in Cookeville.
The board and staff of St. Luke’s Community House
invite you to the RESCHEDULED Bishop’s Breakfast
with the Rt. Rev. John C. Bauerschmidt,
Wednesday June 9 from 7:30 AM to 8:30 AM.
No charge, but RSVP by May 3 required.
Contact Chris Sanders at 350-6936
to RSVP or receive more information.
www.episcopaldiocese-tn.org
Connections June 2010
3
Were You Prepared?
Just two issues ago, the headline on the
cover of this publication posed the following question: ARE YOU PREPARED? The cover story addressed
emergency preparedness, especially
focusing on tornado season. But on the
first weekend in May, when the rains
came down and the creeks and rivers
came up, unfortunately in many cases,
the answer was a resounding no.
“It happened so fast.” “This area has
never flooded before.” “No one thought
it would be this bad.” “I didn’t know
what to do.” How many of you heard
comments like these in the last month?
Homes were destroyed; lives were lost.
And while it’s true that the people of
Middle Tennessee, the people of the
Diocese of Tennessee, are very resilient,
it is also true that hearts are broken and
families are still in shock.
Since the flood, there have been telethons, benefit concerts and other fundraising efforts - all worthy in their own
way. Bishop Bauerschmidt has chosen
three entities that he is recommending
to those who want to help.
In a letter to the people of the diocese,
the bishop writes, “Those desiring to
support Recovery Work by financial
gifts through the Diocese of Tennessee
are encouraged to give in these ways:
1. A gift to Episcopal Relief and Development, which is committed to supporting recovery work sponsored by the
Diocese of Tennessee.
2. A gift to St Luke’s Community
House, which is actively engaged in
recovery work in its heavily impacted neighborhood.
3. A gift to the Dandridge Trust,
which will support recovery work
through its own grant funding process.
All gifts so designated will be disbursed for short and long term flood
recovery in Middle Tennessee.”
4
Connections June 2010
The office of the Diocese of Tennessee
was closed due to mandatory evacuation of Metro Center from Monday
May 3 to Thursday May 6. The bishop,
canons and staff stayed in constant
communication and worked from remote locations. It was important to
remain connected to each other and to
the clergy and parishes in the diocese.
What follows here is a breakdown, by
location, of the stories from throughout
the diocese, not only of the flood and
destruction but of the rebuilding - of
churches and of hope.
St. George’s Church
Undoubtedly the hardest hit parish in
the diocese, St. George’s Church Nashville took on water when Harding Pike
flooded. According to Larry Trabue,
every inch of the ground floor - the
sanctuary, chapel, kindergarten, kitchen,
bookstore, administrative offices, library, Johnson Hall, Hampton Hall saw at least 3 inches and at most 18
inches of water. The parking lot became
a lake and the current was so strong, the
pressure of it blew out a window, allowing even more water to come in.
During the early service, Sunday May 2,
at the first sign of water creeping into
the sanctuary, those who were able
helped move all they could to higher
ground. Some items were placed on
tables and desktops, some things were
taken to the second floor. Once the immediate need was met and later, after
the water had finally subsided, professionals movers and cleaners were called
in. The idea was, of course, to get back
to normal as quickly as possible.
Although the building remained damaged and the parking lot was unusable,
on Sunday May 9, the parishioners of
St. George’s attended service. What
should have been a happy occasion of
homecoming
was
marred by the fact that
the 11:15 service that
day was a funeral for
two members, Bill
and Frankie Rutledge,
who died in the floodwaters while on their
way to church the previous Sunday. They
were interred in the
columbarium.
Yet St. George’s has another story to
tell: the story of the parishioners who
worked late into the night that first
week to remove debris and relocate
what could be saved, the story of the
more than 200 members who volunteered in the community to help their
neighbors, the story of a church family
carrying and supporting one another in
a time of unexpected hardship. As the
Rev. Leigh Spruill, rector of St.
George’s, wrote in one of his updates,
“We remember who we are by remembering who God is: ‘Alleluia, Christ is
risen!’”
St. Bartholomew’s Church
Pam White, Director of Operations for
St. Bartholomew’s Church Nashville,
reported minimal damage, with some of
the rooms in their basement flooding rooms used for Sunday School and PreSchool. They managed to get the water
pumped out and used fans to further dry
the carpet, and were up and running by
Mother’s Day Out at the end of the
week. However, they did have several
church families displaced by the flood
and the parish is working with them to
assist in the recovery process.
St. Philip’s Church
News reports of the flooding around
Opry Mills caused a great deal of concern regarding St. Philip’s Church
Nashville. Located just off Briley
Parkway, this area appeared to be in
great distress.
www.episcopaldiocese-tn.org
The Rev. Vicki Burgess says, “We canceled our second service Sunday morning and made the decision to send out a
One Call Now (our automated phone
tree) to tell everyone to stay home. We
only had a very little water come in our
building - a little soaked carpet and water on the linoleum. Most of our parishioners are fine. They have a few issues
with wet basements that have never
been wet before; one family evacuated
from the Old Hickory area (their whole
first floor was under water).”
She also explained that, as a new Second Harvest distribution center, they
were giving out food to anyone who
came by and shared a need.
All Saints’ Church
All Saints’ Church Smyrna experienced severe flooding of the fields and
property used by Kurios Farm, the
ministry begun two years ago as a cooperative venture between the congregation and its Karen parishioners from
Myanmar. Ironically, the farm’s two
pumps floated away.
A memorial gazebo was relocated to a
tree. Happily, workers were able to retrieve it and put it back where it belongs. While the floodwaters may have
been good for the fields, the loss of
equipment is problematic. Insurance
will help with replacing what was lost.
Rectory, which made it difficult to be in
touch with parishioners.
Church of Our Saviour
Parishioners of Church of Our Saviour
Gallatin worked all weekend to the
keep the church buildings dry. On Sunday, they were pumping and mopping
away water and getting furniture and
other items to higher ground. But wet
and dirty, they stopped briefly for the
Eucharist… and then went right back to
work. They spent Monday May 3
cleaning up the damage left behind.
The Rev. John Bender says, “Small
church ministry benefits in times like
these from having a dedicated congregation of folks who are used to doing
most of the cleaning, maintenance and
repairs without benefit of paid staff or
outside contractors. We are pretty selfreliant and when we are in trouble and
need help, a couple of phone calls always generate immediate response.
What a blessing!”
Mindful of the needs of their community, parishioners joined together with
other local congregations to help families whose homes were damaged in an
area called Hollywood Hills. They have
also reached out to residents of a trailer
park on Steam Plant Road. These families lost almost everything. A collection
of easy to prepare food, clothing and
baby needs was called for and the members of Church of Our Saviour answered. The need is still great in this
area and will be for some time to come.
St. John’s HomeChurch
There is good news to report. The Rev.
Michael Spurlock says, “Our parishioners are all okay and their homes seem
fine too. No damage to the church.”
Church of the Advent
Church of the Advent Nashville had
some basement flooding and other minor storm damage. They lost power and
phone service at both the Church and
www.episcopaldiocese-tn.org
Mission Clarksville, the outreach of the
St. John’s HomeChurch Clarksville,
saw youth workers whose own homes
were damaged reaching out to help oth-
ers. Many businesses have months of
recovery ahead but in the short term, a
work day was organized and the youth
cleaned the Salvation Army Thrift Store
and Shelter.
Church of the Epiphany
The town square in Lebanon was under
several feet of water with literally every
business there damaged. While Church
of the Epiphany Lebanon was untouched, some of the parishioners were
not so fortunate. The Rev. Anne Fraley
has a way neighbors can help neighbors
restore their homes to some sense of
normalcy - see page 10 for details.
In other areas of the diocese, the news
is varied. Christ Church Cathedral and
Holy Trinity Church both were spared
from the waters of the rising Cumberland River as was St. Ann’s Church on
the east side. The Rev. Rick Greenwood of St. David’s Church Nashville
was unable to get from the church to
his home (and a large family gathering) until late in the day on Monday.
The Rev. Joe Davis of Church of the
Resurrection Franklin had a similar
situation. The Rev. Rob Courtney’s
home sustained quite a bit of damage
from the water.
The clergy of parishes in areas not affected by floodwaters reported that they
and their congregations were fine. They
sent prayers out to their fellow clergy
members who were affected by the water. And some of them started raising
relief funds immediately. At Calvary
Church Cumberland Furnace, with a
total of 20 members in attendance,
$2500 was collected for people in the
area who had flood damage.
On Monday May 3, the rains were
gone; Tuesday May 4, the high water
was starting to recede. But this disaster
is not over, not for the people who are
wondering where they will go and what
they will do with virtually nothing left
of their homes. One thing is for sure:
houses and churches will be restored
and the people in the Diocese of Tennessee will grow closer to each other,
and to God.
Connections June 2010
5
Clergy News Condolences to the Rev. Lane Denson of Calvary Church
Cumberland Furnace and his family on the recent death of his
brother, Thomas Denson of Temple TX. Wishes for a speedy
recovery go out to the Rev. Tony Welty of St. George’s
Church Nashville as he recovers from a torn calf muscle. The
Rev. Ann Walling was recently nominated for the Mary Catherine Strobel award in the category of Community Impact for
Parish News Recent confirmations: Roberto Coco Jr., Don Mabry, Sue
Raulston, Keith Sorrels, Jay Joyner, St. Augustine’s Chapel
Nashville; Heather Stanton, Hillary Williams, Amy Pugh,
Madeline Welch, St. Philip’s Church Nashville; Jenifer
King, Lana Suiter, Taylor Suiter, Thomas Broussard, Jacob
Grams, McClellan Kirkpatrick, Maureen Kirkpatrick, Grace
Wholley, Church of the Good Shepherd Brentwood; James
Aiello, Sarah Goss, Hannah Hopkins, Jennifer Horton, Grace
Oberholtzer, Mary Roth, Jackson Turner, St. Paul’s Church
Franklin. Recent receptions: Michael Davis, Melissa Davis,
Adam Rennhoff, Christina Rennhoff, Church of the Good
Shepherd Brentwood. Recent baptisms: Tucker Bock, St.
Philip’s Church Nashville; Elizabeth O’Reilly, Benjamin
Bartsch, Timothy Bradford, Ruby Gaither, Shelly Watson, St.
Paul’s Church Murfreesboro, Emma Peterson, St. Paul’s
Church Franklin; Basil Zaher, Audrey Weedman, Emmaline
Weedman, Margaret Weedman, Clara Weedman, Kellie Gollapudi, St. Bartholomew’s Church Nashville; Rider Recla,
St. Mark’s Church Antioch.
the Mekong Blue Project. The Rev.s Tim and Jill Zook-Jones
led the recent St. Bartholomew’s Women’s Retreat at St.
Mary’s Sewanee. The Rev. Tom Hutson, chaplain to the retired clergy, spent several days in a New Orleans hospital following a fall and a head injury. His wife Shirley and their
daughter were in New Orleans as well. He was finally released
and returned to Nashville to recuperate at home. Prayers go out
to the Hutson family.
Michael’s Church Cookeville will have elementary-age summer Sunday School, beginning June 2. And although there is no
Sunday School at Church of the Good Shepherd Brentwood
during the summer months, there is Children’s Worship Time
during the 9:00 service. The Young Adults of St. Paul’s
Church Franklin will gather at Arrington Vineyards on June 6,
for a picnic and wine tasting. For more information, contact the
Rev. Monna Mayhall at monna@stpaulsfranklin.com. St. Bartholomew’s Church Nashville recently celebrated two years in
partnership with Mobile Loaves and Fishes. In that time, members of St. B.’s team have served over 2500 meals to the homeless and impoverished. On May 13, Church of the Resurrection Franklin held their Ascension Day service followed by an
old fashioned Ice Cream Social. The St. Catherine’s Chapter of
the Daughters of the King of Christ Church Cathedral Nashville placed a memorial crabapple sandstone bench in celebration of the lives of several beloved members of the chapter. St.
Barnabas’ Church Tullahoma will, on June 13, celebrate St.
Barnabas Day with a 9:30 service followed by a potluck picnic
lunch in the parish hall. They will also bless and dedicate the
new signage that has been recently installed.
Church of Our Saviour Gallatin is engaging in Food Fight II
with Lambuth United Methodist Church and Indian Hills Baptist
Church, a 30-day food drive to benefit Gallatin C.A.R.E.S.
Trinity Church Winchester has a new website at www.trinitywinchester.org. St. Peter’s Church Columbia has announced
their summer worship schedule. From June 6 through August 8,
they will only have two services each Sunday: 8:00 and 10:00
AM, with no children’s Sunday School during the summer. St.
Youth News On May 12, the Sr. EYC of St. Peter’s Church Columbia spent
the evening loading backpacks with school supplies to give to
students in need for the 2010-2011 school year. The EYC of St.
Michael’s Church Cookeville made their annual camping trip to
Fall Creek Falls in May. Student Ministries of St. Paul’s Church
Murfreesboro will be attending ReCreation Experiences in Asheville NC, July 11-17. They will make a difference in the lives of a
family in rural North Carolina. The Youth of Church of the Advent Nashville are attending as well. For more details, visit
www.stpaulsyouthonline.com. The GODownstairs Children’s
Group of Trinity Church Clarksville is a parent-led class for elementary school-age children which meets on the second and
fourth Wednesday evenings. The children learn music, crafts and
Bible stories.
6
Connections June 2010
www.episcopaldiocese-tn.org
St. Bernard’s Church
To Close in June
The Episcopal Diocese of Tennessee
announces the closing of St. Bernard’s
Church Gruetli-Laager. While there is
sadness in this announcement, there is
also the joy of knowing that St.
Bernard’s has had a full life of ministry
and service in this community. It is the
nature of all of God’s creation that
there is a natural cycle of birth, growth,
maturity, and death, and individual
churches are no exception.
St. Bernard’s has over the years been a
training ground for countless clergy of
the Episcopal Church, often giving
them their first experience in assisting
with pastoral care, pre-marriage
counseling, weddings and funerals.
There were other experiences as well.
One current Episcopal priest and
former seminarian, Fr. Hugh Jones,
remembers working on the Parish Hall
that was built in the mid 1970s, sitting
on top of the newly erected concrete
block walls and filling the walls with
insulation. The Parish Hall served the
entire community for many years.
and available to all members of the
church. Two other Episcopal churches
in Grundy County, Christ Church in
Tracy City and the Church of the Holy
Comforter in Monteagle continue to be
open and grow. The Rev. Bill Barton
may be reached at 931-598-9267.
Individual congregations may come to
an end, but the Church continues.
The final service is scheduled for
Wednesday June 16, at 5:00 PM with
Bishop Bauerschmidt celebrating.
St. Mary’s Sewanee
2010 Fall
Programs & Retreats
September 5-6, 2010
The Language of Loss:
Putting Grief Into Words
Presenter: Amy Lyles Wilson
St. Bernard’s was founded in 1931
after the closing of St. Alban’s in
Coalmont. The land was donated by
Fred and Lisette Ruch Born and the
church was dedicated on October 2,
1932. Many of the furnishings came
from St. Alban’s. Mary Suter, one of
the earliest members remembered that
there were deep snows and hard
winters on the mountain in the 1930s.
She told stories about heating flat
rocks on her hearth and putting them
in the farm wagon that brought many
members to church, to keep the feet of
the children warm. St. Bernard’s
historically has had roots deep in the
Swiss community of the area. Until his
death, Jake Suter practiced the art of
wine making, providing the church
with homemade wine for Communion,
as well as giving bottles of wine as
gifts to visiting seminary professors.
www.episcopaldiocese-tn.org
Much has changed from those early
days of wagons and warmed rocks,
and homemade wine, but through it
all St. Bernard’s has continued to be
a place of welcome and hope in an
often difficult world. St. Bernard’s
has been the spiritual home for many
people in this part of Grundy County,
with Sunday worship, baptisms,
marriages, funerals, and good meals
shared by friends. Over the years the
church has been the site of many
quilting groups, community meeting,
Christmas dinners and summer
dinners on the ground.
While the church building will no
longer be used, the Episcopal Diocese
of Tennessee and its Bishop, the Rt.
Rev. John Bauerschmidt continue to
be committed to being an active part
of the life of Grundy County. The Rev.
Bill Barton will continue to be present
September 10-12, 2010
Why Pray?
Presenter: Dr. James L. Crenshaw
September 10-12, 2010
Celtic Spirituality and
Jungian Psychology
Presenter: Jerry R. Wright
October 8-10, 2010
The Buddha’s Four Noble Truths:
A Blueprint for Dancing with Life
Presenter: Phillip Moffitt
October 29-31, 2010
All Things Made New:
On Being a 21st Century Christian
Presenter: The Very Rev. Dr.
Samuel T. Lloyd, III
For more information
please check our website:
www.StMarysSewanee.org
or telephone us at (931) 598-5342
Connections June 2010
7
day Evening Club Award in Preaching.
The organization produces 30 Good
Minutes, a weekly television broadcast
that explores topics of faith.
Alpha USA’s “The Marriage
Course” at Good Shepherd
The Rev. Cynthia Seifert will present
“The Marriage Course” from Alpha
USA on Wednesday nights in June
and July, at the Church of the Good
Shepherd Brentwood.
“The Marriage
Course,”
for
couples who
want to reinvest in their
relationship, is
seven sessions set in a relaxed atmosphere. Couples will be served a candlelit
dinner while listening to practical talks
that are both informative and fun.
For more details or to sign up, call the
church at 615-661-0890.
Magdalene Graduates
Eleven Women in May
On May 21, eleven women proudly
completed the Magdalene program, a
two-year residential community, helping women overcome their struggle
against drug addiction and prostitution. On that same day, Thistle Farms,
Magdalene and their supporters celebrated the completion and opening of
the Arthur House. The home, rebuilt
by Borntrager Homes and Taylor
Made Plans is the newest residence
for the women in Magdalene.
The Magdalene program is supported by
sales of Thistle Farms products. These
wonderful body lotions, healing oils,
candles and more, can be purchased
online at www.thistlefarms.org.
8
Connections June 2010
IN MEMORIAM: John Allen
Long-time Trinity
Church Clarksville
parishioner John M.
Allen died on May 9
and was interred on
May 13 at the church’s
columbarium.
A veteran of the wars
in Vietnam and Korea, John was an ordained Baptist minister before he and
his wife Betty were confirmed into the
Episcopal Church.
After the tornado of 1999, in which
Trinity Church was badly damaged,
and following the sudden death of the
Rev. David Murray, John was asked to
take over many of the daily tasks of
holding the congregation together. For
the next two years, he performed pastoral care duties and welcomed new
people to Trinity. After a new rector
was called and a new assistant rector
was hired, John continued to serve,
especially relating to military persons
visiting Trinity.
John’s style was unique and so was
his perseverance in bringing people to
a place of service. Condolences go out
to his family and to his friends at
Trinity Church.
The Rev. Gene Manning
Receives Preaching Award
In May, the Rev.
Gene Manning of
Christ Church Cathedral Nashville
received
her
D.Min. degree from
Seabury-Western
Theological Seminary in Evanston
IL. Her thesis topic was “A Wandering
Storyteller Was My Ancestor: Listening
to and Preaching God’s Story.”
She also had the distinction of being
awarded the first annual Chicago Sun-
The Rev. Dr. Ted Curtis, her D.Min.
advisor, says, “Gene presents well,
speaks distinctly and forcefully, and
brings her heart to the most uncomfortable, for her and her hearers, sermonic situations. She is bold, prepared, passionate, composed and a
powerful communicator.”
St. George’s Nashville
Celebrates Earth Day
In observance of Earth Day 2010, St.
George’s Church Nashville held an
event on April 25 to celebrate God’s
creation. Approximately 100 reusable
grocery bags were distributed along
with sticker images of the world,
bookmarks with the prayer, “At your
c o m ma n d a l l t h i n g s c a me t o
be…” (BCP, p.370), lists of “Seven
Easy Things You Can Do” and on-site
recycling information.
The Rev. Marcia King, coordinator of
the event says, “In Genesis 2, humans
are charged with caring for creation. In
recognition of this as God’s will, St.
George’s has a “Green Team” which
emphasizes renewing and reusing.
There are recycling bins located
throughout the building as well as in
every office. Each day, another step
closer to replenishing the Earth.”
A display was created with books
from St. George’s gift shop relating to
environmental subjects and God’s
creation, produce to promote buying
locally or planting a garden, a
sign-up sheet for
volunteers to the
Green Team and
other elements.
Douglas Graham
won the “Name
the Dumpster”
contest with his
entry: Bumpster
Dumpster.
www.episcopaldiocese-tn.org
Icon Writing Workshop at
Christ Church Cathedral
i s f r a me d w i t h p r a y e r a n d
reflection. No artistic ability is
required to participate.
There will be a weeklong Icon Writing Workshop held at
Christ Church Cathedral Nashville, June 14-18. The daily
sessions run 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM.
“It is humbling to experience this
process and to realize that it has less
to do with the ability to paint than
with a willingness to let go and
trust,” says Teresa.
As part of the Sacred Space for the City Art Series, the
workshop will be led by Teresa Harrison. Participants will
create an icon of Christ Pantocrator in an atmosphere of
contemplation, creativity and fellowship.
In the Orthodox tradition, an icon is a link between
human and divine. The act of creating, or writing, an icon
To register online, visit
www.christcathedrdal.org/
sacredspace/ticketsales or call the
Cathedral at 615-298-2711 for
more information on the workshop.
God’s Green Earth…
… and by “green” we mean mold! Yes, the recent flood in Middle Tennessee touched many aspects of daily life, and
those are addressed elsewhere in this issue. But the environmental damage to our area cannot be overlooked.
The most obvious issue is mold: if you see a discoloration on walls, floors or other hard surfaces, that’s mold. If you
smell a musty or sour odor in carpets, upholstered furniture, towels and bedding, that’s mold too. When cleaning areas
of mold, protect yourself by wearing a mask, gloves and boots if necessary. Open windows, if possible, to air out the
affected area and remove drywall, carpet and furniture that was in water for more than 48 hours. To remove or prevent
mold growth from hard surfaces, wash them with a bleach solution - no more than 1 cup of bleach to 1 gallon of water.
For more information, call Metro Public Health Department at 615-340-7775.
People working on homes should also be aware of the possibility of the presence of asbestos and proceed with caution.
The local news has been full of pleas to conserve water. With one Nashville water treatment plant down, it is imperative to conserve - in a big way. Residents are asked to cut water consumption in half, do laundry only when necessary,
refrain from watering lawns and turn off automatic sprinklers, let that car wash wait. Volunteers have been out at designated locations with cases of water available to those trying to conserve even more. Metro Water has prepared a very
helpful document which can be found at http://nashville.gov/flood/docs/waterusetipsheet.pdf. Once you get in the habit
of conserving water, you might not go back - even after restrictions are lifted.
With so many homes in ruins, waste management is an issue. Appliances line the streets of affected areas - those are
being collected for recycling where possible. EarthSavers recycling company has collected more than 95,000 lbs. of
carpet and padding for recycling, however just as much was merely sent to landfills. Home owners are asked to separate their debris on the curb to ensure proper sorting and placement of the detritus.
Another big problem is contamination. The floodwaters contained sewage and other contaminants. Any items that cannot be thoroughly cleaned should be discarded immediately - even canned food. When in doubt, throw it out!
The issue of most concern is likely to be the true toxic waste. Some of the river area locations which were flooded were
storage areas for fuel, oil and other chemicals. As the warehouses flooded, the containers were compromised and spills
were easily observed with the naked eye. Automobiles overtaken by flood waters leaked oil and gas and other fluids.
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has a website with lots of information on what to look for, how to
report spills and instructions for clean up and restoration: http://www.epa.gov/oilspill/oilhow.htm. Do not try to handle
these substances on your own.
There are many resources and experts available to assist you. Be careful, be smart and be safe. But also be mindful of
the impact on the earth as you are putting your world back together.
www.episcopaldiocese-tn.org
Connections June 2010
9
Rebuilding...
One Kitchen at a Time
St. Luke’s Community House - Caring People
Help Them So They May Help West Nashville
Many of us have friends, family or
neighbors who suffered extreme losses
as a result of the recent flooding in
Middle Tennessee. We are blessed that
our communities are filled with giving
people who are reaching out to help
those who have suffered loss and
damage to their homes and property.
Many of us are unable to be there in
person to lend a hand, but we can help
in other ways.
One of Bishop Bauerschmidt’s designated relief recipients, St. Luke’s Community
House is well known throughout the diocese. Many parishes perform outreach to St.
Luke’s and the people of West Nashville. The area was flooded and homes were
damaged. Many residents held jobs at Opryland and Opry Mills; those jobs are
gone. Morale is low and the people are vulnerable - real estates agents are already
trying to buy properties for redevelopment, which would change the neighborhood.
Do you know
someone who
has
been
forced from
their
home
and lost their
possessions?
Would
you
like to help
victims of this
flood restock their kitchens? The Rev.
Anne Fraley, Priest-in-Charge at the
Church of the Epiphany Lebanon and a
part-time consultant with The Pampered
Chef, has a suggestion. Consider
hosting a “kitchen shower” to help
individuals and families replace what
they have lost with new pots and pans,
utensils and other necessary items.
A kitchen shower works much like a
wedding shower. A wish list is
prepared by the guest of honor and
items are purchased from that list by
shower guests. As the purchases add
up, so do the benefits for the guest of
honor, including free, half-price and
discounted products. There is no cost to
the recipient. Replacement kits of basic
equipment may also be purchased and
donated to families in need. Showers
may be hosted by individuals or an
entire parish.
For more information or to schedule a
kitchen shower, please contact Ms.
Fraley at 615-453-9620 or via email at
wolfdance9@gmail.com. She will work
with you to find a convenient date for
you or your parish to host a kitchen
shower for flood victims. It will make a
world of difference in someone’s life.
10
Connections June 2010
As soon as the area was cleared for re-entry, help was on
hand. St. Luke’s kitchen cooked meals for those who
needed them and volunteers on site. The West Nashville
Partnership conducted a thorough survey of the homes,
checking on the residents, helping them leave if they
wanted to and informing those who stayed about relief
services available. Hands on Nashville sent work groups
out to help with demolition of homes. FEMA set up a
station to assist residents with filing for aid. Individuals
brought clothes, cleaning supplies, baby needs, toys and
food, and residents of the area gratefully accepted.
The children served by the pre-school and other school programs got back on
schedule pretty quickly. Within just a few days, all classes were in session.
As the news of flooding spread, so did the offer of aid. A radio station in Maryland
conducted a supply drive, spearheaded by a DJ originally from West Nashville who
wanted to help his neighbors. A truck, loaded with school supplies, toys, toiletries
and more, pulled up to St. Luke’s and the items were distributed immediately.
The Rev. Maggie Zeller,
rector of St. Christopher’s
Church Kingsport TN and
her congregation there
wanted to collect items to
send. She and the Rev. Chris
Harpster of St. Paul’s Church
Kingsport drove the supplies
to St. Luke’s themselves, unloaded the van and visited with some of the
neighborhood residents.
Fourth grade students at the
Episcopal School of
Knoxville held a walkathon
during Phys.Ed. class. Funds
pledged will go directly to
St. Luke’s. Since the class
was coming to Nashville for
a field trip, they brought
cleaning supplies and toured
St. Luke’s pre-school to meet some of the area kids they are assisting.
Nashville’s Mayor Karl Dean appointed St. Luke’s a formal Distribution Center for
items such as mattresses, furniture and new clothing and toys. St. Luke’s biggest
immediate call is for food to stock emergency food boxes. There is still much work
to be done in West Nashville. To get involved, contact Christie at 615-350-6937.
www.episcopaldiocese-tn.org
TENS July Conference
On Stewardship
TENS, The Episcopal Network for
Stewardship will hold their 2010
Stewardship Conference on July 30-31
in Indianapolis IN.
Clergy and lay leaders, diocesan and
parish staff, lay ministers and seminary
students concerned with deepening the
commitment to discipleship, enhancing
evangelism efforts and sharpening
skills for stewardship are all
encouraged to attend.
E p i sc o p al - S t y l e s p e ak e r s b o th
addressed issues of congregational
development. The speakers talked
about such things as how to make it
easier for newcomers to find a place of
involvement in a parish and how to
watch for members that might be
slippin g away. Congregational
Development has become an important
part of the overall work of the Diocesan
Evangelism Committee.
If one combines the broader focus of
the committee with the typical
Episcopal allergy to the word
“evangelism,” then it makes sense to
change the committee’s name,
slightly. Therefore, with the bishop’s
approval, we present our new name:
three
dioceses
operating as one
state-wide
organization. The
E p i s c o p a l
Churchmen
of
Tennessee raise
money through
offerings at the
conference and
through the sale
of shirts and caps
displaying
E p i s c o p a l
symbols.
The
funds raised are
used to cover
expenses and to
support outreach efforts.
The Evangelism and Congregational
Development Committee of the
Diocese of Tennessee (or ECDC for
short.) This will be easy for fans of the
band AC/DC to remember.
The program this year features the
Rev. Dr. Daniel Matthews, Fr.
Charles Strobel and Larry Gates.
The bishops of the three dioceses
will also be at the event.
Visit www.episcopalchurchmen.net
for more information and
registration forms.
The conference, held at the Sheraton
Indianapolis City Centre, will offer two
full days of workshops and keynote
speeches from the Rev. Dr. Walter
Brueggemann, Kate Gillooly, the Rev.
Bob Honeychurch and Richard L.
Kloop, as well as networking
opportunities and social interaction.
Please pray for us as we seek to
help parishes in their work of
evangelism and congregational
development. — The Rev. Cynthia
Seifert, Chair, ECDC
For more information on the conference
or to register, go to www.tens.org or
call 800-699-2669 ext. 1.
Churchmen of TN
Laymen’s Conference
Name Change for the
Evangelism Committee
The 2010 Conference of the Episcopal
Churchmen of Tennessee will be held
at the DuBose Conference Center
Monteagle, during the weekend of
August 27-29. The annual conference is
said to be the largest gathering of its
type in The Episcopal Church.
At a recent meeting, the Diocesan
Evangelism Committee decided to ask
Bishop Bauerschmidt if it may alter the
name of the committee. It has been
noticed by committee members that the
true scope of said committee is often
quite larger than evangelism.
The Magnetic Church and Evangelism
www.episcopaldiocese-tn.org
The first Churchmen’s conference
was held at DuBose in September
1947. After the creation of the two
dioceses in West and East Tennessee
in 1983 and 1985, the organization
continued with the laymen of all
Editor’s Note
As you know, Connections is published
11 times a year with online editions
available at www.episcopaldiocesetn.org. The issues for January, March,
May, July, September and November/
December are printed and mailed to
those who have subscribed.
However, due to the importance of the
story of the flood, the relief and
recovery, and information to share, this
June issue is a print/mail issue. To
offset the cost, the July issue will be
online only. After that, the print/online
schedule will resume as normal.
Please see the inside cover (or page 2)
for the various ways to receive
Connections, whether with an email
notice or a print subscription.
The cover photo was taken by Jan Pate
and is used with permission.
Connections June 2010
11
50 Vantage Way, Suite 107
Nashville Tennessee 37228
Non-Profit Organization
U.S. Postage Paid
Nashville, Tennessee
Permit No. 431
June 2010
-2
3-6
5
6
9
12-19
13
13
14-18
20
20-26
27
Vacation Bible School, various parishes in the Diocese of Tennessee
Family Movie Night, St. Barnabas’ Church Tullahoma
Camp Gailor-Maxon Pre-Camp, DuBose Conference Center Monteagle
Ordination to the Diaconate, Christ Church Cathedral Nashville
Bishop’s Visitation, St. Bartholomew’s Church Nashville
Breakfast with the Bishop, St. Luke’s Community House
Camp Gailor-Maxon Camp I, DuBose Conference Center Monteagle
Bishop’s Visitation, St Luke’s Church Springfield
Bishop’s Visitation, Grace Chapel Rossview
Icon Writing Workshop, Christ Church Cathedral Nashville
Bishop’s Visitation, Grace Church Spring Hill
Camp Gailor-Maxon Camp II, DuBose Conference Center Monteagle
Bishop’s Visitation, St. Ann’s Church Nashville
Italics denote Bishop Bauerschmidt’s visitations
For a complete listing of events throughout the diocese,
see the Calendar of Events at www.episcopaldiocese-tn.org
This document was produced on Anthem Gloss by New Page.
It is very earth-friendly and is 10% post-consumer recycled fiber.