January 2009 - St. Alban`s Church

the Wit
Witness
the monthly newsletter of st. alban’s episcopal church, murrysville, pa
January 2009
Mission Statement for St. Alban's Episcopal Church “Committed to sharing Christ’s Commandments: To
love God and to love your neighbor as yourself, through worship, education and outreach.”
Music Director
Search
Committee
Music Director Search
Committee report
The Music Director Search Committee
wants to keep the parish informed as to
our progress. As you know, as October
ended, Hazel Braun had to resign after 2
years of wonderful music ministry here
due to scheduling conflicts in her school
teaching schedule and her other church
music ministry in Salem Township. She
really misses us but had to let go of working with our church.
Linda Banks Grissom has stepped forward
to plan the weekly hymns and share her
gifts on keyboards and choir leadership
since then, and I have been privileged to
help out on guitar and mandolin, especially on Sundays where Linda is required to
be at her Sunday work at Ethan Allen by
noon. We all feel that working with the
choir in its new configuration is another
growing experience in our lives and the
words of appreciation from the parish are
wonderful. We will continue to work this
way for Sunday worship until a new music
director is hired.
Dave Grissom convened a new music
search committee on November 30. The
committee is: Jeff Pilant, Hope Huntington, David Grissom, and myself. We are
executing an outreach to all the universities and colleges in the area as well as the
American Guild of Organists' Chapters to
line up new candidates. As of this date we
have two prospects we will be interviewing in January. Please pray for our search
committee work, our weekly music ministry, our choir and our unity in praise to
Christ. If you are feeling called to join us
in this music ministry please know you are
welcome and should just speak to Linda!
Please add cans of soup to your
shopping list each week in January to stock up for the Sunday
School “Souper Bowl Soup
Drive”, culminating on Super
Bowl Sunday, February 1st. The
children will be collecting canned
soup in the narthex each Sunday,
beginning on January 11th. The
local food pantries face record
shortages of food! The Sunday
School decided to collect food after the holidays when the need is
often greatest.
Fred Carlson for the music
search committee
Contents
Page 2 Sunday School
St. Alban’s Youth
Page3 Adult Education
Page 4 Treasurer’s Report
Ministry Groups
Page 6 January Activities
Serving Schedule
Page 7 January Celebrations
2
Sunday School News
After the eager anticipation of Advent and
the excitement of Christmas morning,
children often feel that the holidays are
“over” when they return to Sunday School
on the first Sunday in January. Thus it
always seems so wonderful that our first
lessons after Christmas are the stories of
the visit of the magi and the account of
John’s baptism of Jesus as he began his
ministry on earth. There are always special
events to celebrate and for which to give
thanks!
Returning to Sunday School on January
4th, the children will celebrate Epiphany in
Children’s Chapel, read the story of the
visit of the three wise men, and discuss the
importance of thankfulness as they reflect
on their lesson that all good things come
from God.
Father David will be with the children in
Children’s Chapel on Epiphany Sunday to
bless the Mitten Tree and to pray for the
homeless children will receive these items
of warm apparel. The mittens, scarves,
hats, and gloves, as well as the personal
care items donated as “white gifts” on
Christmas Eve, will soon be on their way
to the Blackburn Women’s shelter in
Greensburg to help families seeking shelter there from domestic abuse.
During the following weeks in January,
our youngest children will study the early
ministry of Jesus, beginning with his baptism on January 11th, his encounter with
Nathanael on January 18th, and his calling
of his first disciples to be “fishers of men”
on January 25th.
Middle and High School students begin
their study of Old Testament Major
Prophets, concentrating on Jeremiah before and after the fall of Jerusalem for the
first three weeks of January, and reading
the book of Lamentations on January
25th.
We are so pleased to welcome a new rotation of teachers to our staff during the
the Witness
winter semester. Andrea Bach will be
teaching the Pre-school class, while Ellen
Cappelli teaches the Primary children (in
grades one, two, and three), and Hope
Huntington and Myra Mamo teach the
Elementary Class of fourth and fifth graders. Dave and Anita Little will be working
with the Middle and High School students.
Please add cans of soup to your
shopping list each week in January
to stock up for the Sunday School
“Souper Bowl Soup Drive”, culminating on Super Bowl Sunday, February 1st. The children will be collecting canned soup in the narthex
each Sunday, beginning on January
11th. The local food pantries face
record shortages of food! The Sunday School decided to collect food
after the holidays when the need is
often greatest.
Blessings,
Diane Kaufmann
For the Sunday School
St. Alban’s Youth
2008!!! What a year the Youth of St.
Alban’s have had. At the January 18th,
SAY Club meeting, 14 of us sat around
children's tables in the fellowship hall eating spaghetti that we prepared together.
We shared our lives, we worshiped God
by singing and praying, we listened to
each other and ate football salad. We
talked about how God is always with us,
just as he was with the Israelites every step
of the way as they left Egypt.
We encourage all the teens to participate
in the Lenten Studies which began
Wednesday, February 13th and ended
March 19. The theme was The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and
The Wardrobe In April, the youth sponsored a meal for
Shepherd’s Heart in Uptown. We had a
great turnout as usual and a few first time
youth.
In May, the SAY Club went to see "The
Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian" on
Friday, May 16, 2008 (opening day!).
We meet at Panera Bread in Murrysville
for dinner and fellowship before the movie.
In June there was to be a bonfire/picnic at
Kim and Dave Louis's home but in was
rained out and was planned for later in the
summer.
On June 2nd, the youth helped with the
planting of the Hunger Garden. It was
great because they were able to plant
beans , tomatoes, cucumbers and other
vegetable for the food bank.
The youth helped out with Vacation Bible
School that was held on June 16th
through the 20th. Mrs. Kaufmann was
very happy for all the help..
In July, the youth did a Service Project at
Friend's Thrift Shop.
In August, the weather decided to cooperate and the bonfire/picnic was held. Our
new 6th graders really enjoyed their first
Youth Group activity.
September came along and we lost old
friends and new ones came in. In the
process Myra Mamo step down as a leader
and Ellen and Guido Cappelli step up to
the plate to be new leaders along with
Shannon and Charlie Hach. Plans for a
new season were on their way.
October 10th, our first meeting back from
the summer break was held.
On November 21st’s meeting the planning
for Interpretations of Christmas and
Shepherd’ Heart meal were on their way.
Also beginning in November, pre-teens
and teens will be participating in a series
on relationships at St. Martin's Church in
Monroeville. The book, I Kissed Dating
Goodbye will be explored. Joshua Harris's
first book, written when he was only 21,
turned the Christian singles scene upside
down...and people are still talking. More
3
than 800,000 copies later, I Kissed Dating
Goodbye, with its inspiring call to sincere
love, real purity, and purposeful singleness, remains the benchmark for books on
Christian dating. Honest and practical, it
challenges cultural assumptions about
relationships and provides solid, biblical
alternatives to society's norm.
On December 7th, the youth fixed a meal
to serve at Shepherd’s Heart. We had
more youth than food to serve so we had
to have them rotate in shifts so all could
participate. The folks had Shepherd’s
Heart said that the were glad that we came
and were happy to see so many youth
there.
On December 12th, the youth participate
in the Interpretations of Christmas with
sing, playing of instruments and a great
play based on Fred Carlson’s book “The
Hope Of Christmas”.
As the New Year begins, our first meeting
of the year will be January 23rd at 6:30
p.m. with a meal together and the planning of the Lenten Study meetings.
During the Lenten season, the youth will
participate in the weekly Wednesday series with a program devoted to them.
Outreach projects this year will include
serving a meal at Shepherd’s Heart, participating in a local mission trip with Global
Impact and planting and harvesting food at
the Hunger Garden.
In the spring, we are kicking around the
idea of a family retreat for all of the youth
and their families, details will follow.
Finally, we plan to attend a Christian concert or festival to experience the power of
contemporary Christian music.
For the parents of our youth, we will be
exploring a study called Visionary Parenting, details on that will follow.
We look forward to working with the
teens and youth as well as with their parents this year!
the Witness
“Let no man despise thy youth, but be
thou an example of the believers, in word,
in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in
faith, in purity." I Timothy 4:12
thority on the life and letters of Paul-and
the author of over 20 books.
Youth Ministry Team
Charlie and Shannon Hach, Ellen & Guido Cappelli and Kim Louis
A Q&A outline from the producer will
spark our discussions each week. The
segments are 25 minutes long leaving 20
minutes for Q&A and comments from the
pews! We may wrap the 6 segments into
February if the class is up for all of the
material!
Adult Education
2009 Adult Forum Schedule
January Sundays 9:30am sharp!
ADULT EDUCATION NEWS
JANUARY 2008
JESUS’ RESURRECTION:
THEN AND NOW
An In-Depth Series of Video Lectures and Discussion Groups
Featuring N.T. (Tom) WrightBishop of Durham and
Canon Theologian of
Westminster Abbey
EVERY SUNDAY at 9:30am in
the pews between services!
We encourage all members of the parish
to come to any and all of the adult forum
classes as they can; all lessons are ‘stand
alone’ presentations within the series setting but the discussions and informal conversation make each class a chance to
deepen your relationship with the Lord
through study of His Word, His doctrine,
His life applications, and His church’s
history. Take advantage of this January
series to deepen your understanding of
Jesus’ Resurrection. As “Resurrection
people” in the Lord this momentous reality is the hallmark of our faith and has
many fulfillments in our own lives as
Christians.
For the four Sundays in January, we will
join N.T. (Tom) Wright in these informal
video discussions. Tom is Canon Theologian of Westminster Abbey in London and
a New Testament scholar of enormous
renown-probably the most noted Jesus
scholar in the UK and the recognized au-
The Historical Jesus, The Resurrected
Messiah, The First-Century Jewish Understanding of the Resurrection, Paul’s Understanding (He never met the human Christ on earth) of Jesus’ Resurrection, The
Gospel Writer’s Understanding of the
Resurrection, The Meaning of Jesus’ Resurrection for Today
Looking Ahead: Winter-Spring
2009
Building the 2009 Lenten Study Guide
TBA
February TBA Jesus & Women (Bailey
Book Part 5 pages 189-279) led by female
parishioners TBA
March 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 The Cross and Its
Power (led by Jim Hewitt and others from
adult ed team)
No class Palm Sunday April 5 or Easter
Resurrection Day Sunday April 12.
April 19, 26, May 3, 10, 17 The Lord’s
Prayer, or The Dramatic Actions of Jesus
(from Bailey book, TBA)
Recognition Sunday May 17!
Lenten program with potluck dinners will
be offered Wednesdays March 4, 11, 18,
25, April 1, 8 with content TBA.
NEWCOMERS & ADULT
CONFIRMATION OR
RECEPTION
If there are any adults interested in the
confirmation or reception rite at the Easter
Vigil evening service on Saturday, April
11, 2009 downtown at Trinity Cathedral,
4
please discuss confirmation/reception for
adults with Father Dave. All baptized
Christians already confirmed by a bishop
in the Eastern Orthodox, Catholic, or Lutheran denominations can be received into
the Episcopal communion by coming forward for reception or confirmation by
Bishop Duncan at this liturgy. You will be
received into the worldwide Anglican
Communion by stepping forward at this
rite.
We can schedule our 6-session Newcomers Class at the convenience of those
adults interested in these classes. Ron
Ranier, our new vestry chair of the Newcomers & Congregation Ministry, is excited about drawing together the next class
of newcomers. After the newcomers class,
you could then go ahead with confirmation
or reception at next year’s Saturday evening Easter Vigil service April 11, 2009 if
you are not already confirmed or received
in the Episcopal Church/Anglican Communion. If you are a newcomer desiring a
deeper look at Saint Alban’s and the wider
Anglican Communion within all of Christ’s Church worldwide, you would find
this series satisfying-we just need to know
who you are!
Please communicate this desire to come
forward in our church family by communicating with Father Dave, adult ed chair
Fred Carlson, or vestry member Ron
Ranier, chair of the Newcomers and Congregation ministry. We expect to have the
next youth confirmation class series in
January-April 2010 culminating in the
Easter Vigil confirmation rite Saturday
April 3, 2010.
Fred Carlson
for the Adult Education Commission
the Witness
regarding our operating expenses...electric, gas, rector’s pension,
withholdings, telephone, insurance, staff,
plowing, water/sewer, maintenance, music, education curriculum, copier... Additional pledge monies and faith pledges are
always welcome with our deficit budget
too!
When donating to Flower Fund or any
other Designated Fund (e.g. Technology
Fund, Adult Ed/Library, Bible/BCP Fund,
Memorial Fund, Scholarship Fund, Youth
Ministry, or Rector’s Discretionary Fund)
apart from pledge please designate that
memo clearly on checks you prepare so it
gets accounted for in the correct way.
FINANCIAL STATUS REPORT
YEAR-END 2008
Unofficial Figures through 31
December 2008
Plate Income $4,453.86
Pledge $133,160
Total Income $137,613.86
Budgeted Income $139,000
2008 Inc. v. Budget -$1,386.14
Expenses $154,867.33
Budgeted expenses $156,944
2008 Exp. v. Budget -$2,076.67
Surplus (-deficit) YTD -$17,253.47
Budgeted surplus (-def) -$17,944
Net positive to budget + $690.53
Fred Carlson
Treasurer
Ministry Groups
“INTERPRETATIONS OF
CHRISTMAS”
Treasurer’s Remarks and
Reminders
Please be mindful that the obligations of
the church are constant month-to-month
OUR ANNUAL GIFT TO THE
PARISH AND THE MURRYSVILLE
COMMUNITY
IN THANKFULNESS FOR JESUS’
BIRTH
A Musical and Spoken Word
Celebration of the JOY of
the Christmas Season
FRIDAY NIGHT, DECEMBER 12
2008, 7PM was our best ever this year!
I want to thank everyone who helped with
Interpretations of Christmas this year.
With everyone pitcing in and being excited about trying new things, it was snap
to pull it together. We just need to continue to be focused and energetic and complete in our outreach to the Murrysville
community-in time, it will grow!
Everyone knows the SAY dove in head
first with this year’s edition! Youth facilitator Kim Louis and her family were
present and Kim’s singing was a knockout
and we look forward to growing that participation down the road! Shannon and
Charlie Hach and Patti Hicks kept the
youth focused on their rehearsing (while
they were waiting to feed the homeless at
Shepherd’s Heart December 7!). The
youth formed the skit and practiced their
music, and this was a huge relief to me so
thank you Patti and Hachs! Ellie Pierce,
Tania Kinsel, Bethany Cappelli, Harold
Hicks (cough), Lauren Bitsura, Sanjar
Birdseye, Celia & Cy Hach, Becky Birdseye all did yeoman’s work in the skit
adaptation of my children’s book “The
Christmas Book of Hope.” Bethany, Patti,
the Birdseye sisters, Linda Banks Grissom, Laura Mamo, Ellen Cappelli, Sarah
Bitsura, and the Louis Brothers (Sam &
Evan) all had on-stage roles so THANK
YOU ALL. And thanks Dave for the prayers!
A freewill donation benefitting the church
music ministry collected $82.05-PRAISE
GOD in CHRIST! Thanks to Bonnie and
her crew for refreshments and for the encouraging words from everyone who attended--
-Fred Carlson
for the Interpretations of Christmas
project
5
the Witness
NURSERY
NEWS
We are very excited about a few changes
to the nursery. We have been able to
eliminate a few dangerous pieces of furniture and broken toys. The new toy bins
and some new colorful blocks and toys
have given the room a facelift. The nursery schedule is posted on the door.
We are focusing on keeping the nursery
for ages 3 and under. Recently there has
been some damage to the wall and toys
that is of concern, so please help us be
diligent in our efforts to keep the nursery
safe and clean for the youngest members
of the congregation.
Newcomers
If you are new to St. Alban’s or are a
member who would like a refresher on the
history of the church, our use of the Bible
and the Book of Common Prayer, and a
general overview of our mission and values, please mark your calendar for the
upcoming Newcomers Class Series, which
will be held on Sundays, beginning 15
February through 15 March. This is a
friendly and informative series held following the 10:45 service beginning at
noon to 1:30 pm. Please register by
emailing, secretary@stalbanchurch.net,
or calling 724.325.2727.
Ron Ranier
Newcomers and Evangelism committee
SAM’
SAM’s (Saint
Alban’s Men) NEWS
Kathy Pierce has been leading a devotional in the nursery during the Sunday School
hour. In between cooing babies and diaper changes, the opportunity to grow in
our faith is greatly appreciated.
We look forward to continuing to create a
space that is enjoyable for current member
and welcoming to visitors.
Lisa Evans
for the nursery
“Beyond Opinion” Book Study
Continues on Fridays in January
ALL Men of the Parish Invited
for Fellowship, Prayer,
and Discussion
Since October 2006, Saint Alban’s Men
(SAMs) has continued a weekly breakfast
fellowship meeting Friday mornings at
Dick’s Diner. The breakfast meeting and
fellowship starts promptly at 7am. All men
of the parish who can come to a majority
of these Friday mornings are invited to
attend!
SAMs is now reading the book resource “
Beyond Opinion: Living the Faith We
Defend” by distinguished evangelist and
apologist Ravi Zacharias of RZM Ministries Worldwide and other members of his
worldwide ministry. Ravi, from a Hindu
background coming to Christian faith in
his late teens, is one of the most widely
read and articulate Christian defenders on
earth. Ravi’s purpose with this volume is
to convict us that Christian apologetics is
not just for “experts” and that we can all
be seed-sowers on the spiritual journeys of
others around us. Wewill continue with
this resource into 2009, along with some
other Christian spiritual exercises, so if
you want to join us, let us know and we’ll
get you the book! We’ll be looking at
chapters 8 (Broader Cultural and Philosophical Challenges), 9 (Challenges from
Evil & Suffering), and 10 (Cross Cultural
Challenges) through January.
If you wish to join the men’s breakfast
series at ANY time, please speak with
Father Dave or Fred Carlson, or just show
up! All men of the parish, new or experienced, young or old, are welcome. We
are out the door by 8:30am. to resume our
Fridays. Strengthening your Christian belief system is a great way to start your
Friday!
Fred Carlson for SAMs
6
the Witness
January Activities
January 1 – HAPPY NEW YEAR
January 2,9,16,23, & 30 –
St. Alban’s Men’s Group
Meetings at Dick’s Diner
7:00 a.m.
January 9,16,23& 30 –
St. Alban’s Women’s Prayer
Meeting at Chaye Tea: 9:15 a.m.
– 10:00 a.m.
January 6 – Book Club – Hope
Huntington is hosting –
Cardwell Room: 7:00 p.m.
January 8.15. 22 & 29 –
Choir Practice
7:30 p.m.
January 19 – Vestry Meeting
7:30 p.m.
January 12-16 – Father David has
class and will be out of the
Office
January 19-23 – Father David has
class and will be out of the
Office
January 16 & 17 – Girl Scout
Troop 4125 Sleep over
Meeting:7:00 p.m. – 10:00 a.m.
January 23 – SAY Meeting
6:30 P.m.
January26– Witness Articles
are due: 10:00 a.m.
January 18 – SAY at St. Martin’s
I Kisses Dating Goodbye
4:00 p.m. -6:30 p.m.
January 27 – ANNUAL REPORTS
ARE DUE
January 19 – Church Office Closed
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
SERVING IN JANUARY
January 4
CHALICIST
8:30
CHALICISTS
10:45
LECTOR
8:30
LECTORS
10:45
ACOLYTES
8:30
ACOLYTES
10:45
January 11
January 18
January 25
Bonnie Conway
Sarah Novak
Kathy Pierce
Craig Huntington
Sarah Novak
Kathy Pierce
Rosemary Lyon
Craig Huntington
Bonnie Conway
Nancy Frost
Bonnie Conway
Craig Huntington
Rosemary Lyon
Kathy Pierce
Sarah Novak
Nancy Frost
Fred Carlson
Ellen Cappelli
Bradley Stickel
Hope Huntington
Ron Sampson
Heather Wagner
Nancie Pajan
Craig Huntington
Eric Pierce
Caroline Murray
John Bitsura
Bradley Stickel
Claire Murray
Jordan Sciurba
Chris Bice
Brendan Cappelli
Charlie Hach
David Little
Bonnie Conway
Ellen Cappelli
Hope Huntington
Myra Mamo
Myra Mamo
Sarah Hewitt
Bradley Stickel
Melissa Wagner
Hayley Treml
Ryan Stickel
Mark Popovic
Jane Popovic
Anita Little
Kathy Pierce
Bob Birdseye
Bo Pierce
Bernie Faison
Sharon Mack
Becky Novak
Ellie Pierce
Danny Birdseye
Jordan Sciurba
Jo-Anne Bice
John Kaufmann
Jane Popovic
Mark Popovic
Sarah Bitsura
Ron Sampson
Pam Novak
Coleen Hofscher
GREETERS
Laura Mamo
Becky Birdseye
Danny Birdseye
Sanjar Birdseye
John Kaufmann
Ron Sampson
Jo-Ann Bice
Kevin Bice
Guido Cappelli
Jeff Pilant
Sharon Mack
Nancy Frost
Jean Gunson
Ron Sampson
NURSERY
Lisa Evans
Jennifer McKenna
Anita David
Little
Lori Pisani
USHERS
FELLOWSHIP
COUNTERS
ALTAR GUILD
Hope & Craig
Huntington
Andrea Bach
7
the Witness
JANUARY CELEBRATIONS
BIRTHDAYS
1 – Tom Novak
3 – Diane Kaufmann
3 – Tooty Schreiber
5 – Rebecca Novak
6 – Sharon Lawrence
7 – Matthew Hicks
10 – Kayla McKenna
14 – Laura Dougherty
19 – Paul Treml
20 – Kaitlyn McKenna
26 – Sarah Hewitt
27 – Jonathan Ellis
29 – Hope Huntington
ANNIVERSARIES
2 – Robin & Gretchen Murray
13 – Robert & June Eazor
Many happy returns! If we do not have your birthday or anniversary listed, or if we have them listed incorrectly, please let the office
know so that we may keep our records up to date.
St. Alban's Episcopal Church
E-mail Addresses:
The Rev. David H. Grissom
rector@stalbanchurch.net
or
davegrissom@comcast.net
Senior Warden: Bob McMarlin
warden@stalbanchurch.net
or
arm12mac@windstream.net
Witness Article Submittals
secretary@stalbanchurch.net
Patti Hicks
secretary@stalbanchurch.net
or
PattiACC@aol.com
8
St. Alban’s Episcopal Church
P.O. Box 466, Murrysville, PA 15668
Webpage: www.stalbanchurch.org
the Witness