Vol. XXIII, No. 4                                Universal City, Texas                                           April 2008

A Priest’s Point of View

By Father Ed Dohoney

 

 

Several years ago, a retired priest was appointed to serve as the interim rector of a large, rather contentious parish in San Antonio. Many people in the parish had a particular way that they liked to do things and they wanted to be in control. As he began his first sermon, he said . . . “There is bad news and good news. The bad news is that we are going to do things the way I want while I am your interim rector.  The good news is that I am not going to be here very long.”

 

I have good news and good news. Having been honored by Fr. Tim to serve as your sabbatical interim rector, I am committed to doing things as closely as possible to the way you are accustomed to doing them. I think that is good. However, I know that I have probably blundered into a couple of faux pas on my recent visits when I supplied on Sundays in February and March. The good news is that you will only have twelve weeks to be put off by my mistakes.

 

In case you have not heard the terms of my appointment, please allow me to explain that the arrangement between Fr. Tim, Bishop Lillibridge, and the Vestry calls for me to serve on Sundays and to be available as needed at other times during the week to serve the pastoral needs of St. Matthew’s that require a priest. The day-to-day business of running the parish is the responsibility of the Vestry, the Wardens, and the office staff. In case I am needed during the week, please contact Pat or Joyce in the office and one of them will contact me. It is very important to keep Pat and Joyce in the loop.

Another term of agreement in our arrangement allows me to be gone on occasion, either on Sunday or during the week. I share this point with you because, as my wife and I are both retired, we already had some travel plans on our calendar when I accepted the appointment to be your sabbatical interim. When this occurs, other provisions for pastoral and liturgical services will be made by Pat and/or Joyce. 

 

Having reviewed the above, let me repeat . . . I am honored to be your sabbatical interim priest. I am excited about serving you in the three months of Fr. Tim’s absence. It will be fun to get to know you and to be a part of your lives in Christ.  I will need your help in several ways. Please tell me your names over and over again until I can call you by name first. For the ministers of the liturgy, whether acolytes, lay readers, or Eucharistic ministers, please continue to help train me in the customs of your liturgy.  It is easier to train me to your ways than to ask you to do something differently. (See above re: faux pas.)

 

Finally, let us together continue the ministries of St. Matthew’s in such a way that Fr. Tim can have a truly restful sabbatical with no worries or anxieties about what is happening back home. He deserves it.

 

Thank you for allowing me to serve Christ and you at St. Matthew’s. 

(See Priest’s point of view, page 3)

    

Report on Sabbatical Activities

By Barbara Duffield

 

It’s hard to imagine. By the time you read this, Fr. Tim will have begun his sabbatical, we will have begun learning some new ways to rely on one another, and we will have begun to join in his travels as we are able. This plan has been so long in the making; finally it is here.

The tempting thing may be for us to look at the calendar and just count down the 12 weeks until his return, but that is not what we have planned.  Your sabbatical committee has worked long and hard to make certain that this is a growing time for all of us, not just for Fr. Tim and Ann.  We want to find different ways to grow closer as a family—to see and experience some of the same things they will enjoy.  First, we will have a poster available in the narthex at the church each week showing where Fr. Tim will be that week and a “verbal snapshot” of what he will be doing.  As a family, we will focus on two major portions of his sabbatical: the time he and Ann spend at Taize, France, and their time in the Holy Land.  So please, pull your calendars out and mark the following dates.

On Wednesday, April 23, we are going to gather for a supper of soup and salad and then watch a video about the special form of worship service that is used at the Taize community.  We will have a visitor with us to share in person some of the ways a Taize service could be held here at St Matthew’s.  The following week, on Wednesday, April 30, we will hold an actual Taize service in the sanctuary. 

Then on Wednesdays, May 28 and June 4, we will have two evenings of presentations about the Holy Land.  There will be a presentation showing photos of different things Fr. Tim and Ann will be seeing, and several of us who have been there before will share a few memories of our trips.

 

Each of these evenings will begin at 6:30 and will end no later than 9 pm; we will hold firm to that ending time.  Many of us have to get up and head for work the next morning, so we want to be careful about  holding to that promise.  It is also important, however, for all of us to do our best to attend these evening events in order to strengthen our fellowship during  Fr. Tim’s absence.  Any who would like to attend but prefer not to drive after dark should let a member of the sabbatical committee know; we will find a way to provide transportation for you to come.  Childcare will be available for each evening by reservation; just let us know how many children you will bring in order that we can plan for their care.

If you have any questions, please contact a member of the committee or the church office.  We look forward to seeing you on Sundays and at the special events we have planned. Then, when the twelve weeks have passed, we will gather to share our experiences with Fr. Tim and Ann.

 

RACAP NEWS

By Kathy Ercoline

 

A Special Invitation: On Sunday, April 27, at 2:30 pm, RACAP Board of Directors will host a 25^th Anniversary Celebration at Resurrection Baptist Church to honor our wonderful mission and recognize the volunteers and the current 22 member churches for their contribution to our pantry. Without the support of the church congregations, the food pantry could not function. The nine charter member churches of RACAP will also be honored. Their foresight and dedication in the early years sustained RACAP’s mission. St. Matthew’s is one of the nine charter members. We hope that many of you will attend this event. Entertainment will be provided by the UC Baptist Church Jazz Band, and a reception in the fellowship hall will follow the program.

 

Members of the Board/Volunteers: St. Matthew’s has added a new member to the RACAP board.  Susan Hawkinson has volunteered to be a board member, joining Kathy Ercoline and Glenda Graves.  Glenda is serving as the board vice president, and she and Jan Bonner volunteer their time every month working in the pantry. 

 

A Good Way to Support RACAP: Nick Blumenthal’s Eagle Scout Court of Honor will be held on Saturday, April 5^th at 3:00 pm in Creasy Hall.  The St. Matthew's congregation is invited and the Blumenthals hope you can join them. This is a momentous occasion in Nick’s life, and to honor his accomplishment, he has asked that donations for RACAP be brought to the church. Nick’s Eagle Scout project was planning and implementing a successful neighborhood food drive with all proceeds going to RACAP.  His continual commitment to serving others is to be commended.  Please honor Nick by contributing canned goods and/or paper products.  There is a designated box for your donations in Creasy Hall. 

 

Pantry Needs for RACAP

By Kathy Ercoline

 

Cans of meat

Spinach, mixed vegetables & carrots
Spaghetti Sauce/pasta

Hot & cold cereal

Fruit juice

Cornbread/muffin mixes

Boxed rice mixes & boxed potatoes

Bags of rice

Shampoo, feminine hygiene products

Bars of soap & toilet paper

 

“Thank you for helping us help others.”

 

 

Confirmation Class News

By Wilma Heberling

 

The Confirmation class at St. Matthew’s is winding down. The six confirmands are studying for their final test in preparation for their “big day.”  On May 18^th,  Bishop Folts will be here at St. Matthew’s, and Mitch Hopkins, Kylie Kahn, Allison Schramm, Jessica Sine, Sarah Sine, and Samantha Steverson will be ready.  The next time you see any of these young people, be sure to tell them that you are proud of them for working hard to learn more about their faith and their church.

 

 

 

March Vestry Meeting Highlights

 

·   February Minutes and Finance Report approved

·   Website discussed

·  Accepted resignation of Gary Howard from Vestry; appointed Suzi Hopkins to serve              remainder of his term

·   Spiritual Leadership:  Discussion of transfer from Fr. Tim to Fr. Ed

·   Sabbatical Update (Financial):  Total cost of the sabbatical to be $26,629.  Donations still to be solicited to cover the cost

·    Sabbatical Expectations:  Review of procedures

·   Organ Update: Installation nearly complete; overhead light still to be installed; lessons to be provided by donor; dedication of organ by Bishop on May 18^th

·    MDO Report: New teacher and three new students in program

The complete minutes of the Vestry meeting will be posted in the Narthex after their approval in April

 

 

The Adult Inquirers’ Class is meeting each Thursday evening at 7 pm in the library in Creasy Hall from now through May 15^th.  Anyone interested is invited to attend. Please contact the office or Hope Ince for more information.

                                                                            

Coming Events

 

Saturday, April 5:        Eagle Scout Court of Honor for Nick Blumenthal, 3:00 p.m., in Creasy Hall.

 

Sunday, April 6:           Covered dish luncheon, 12:15 p.m., Creasy Hall.

 

Sunday, April 6:           Healing Service, 6:30 p.m., in the Sanctuary.

 

Thursday, April 10:      Lunch Bunch, 12:15 p.m., Creasy Hall.

 

Tuesday, April 15:        Vestry Meeting, 6:30 p.m., Library.

 

Wednesday, April 23:   Sabbatical Soup and Salad with video about Taize community @ 6:30 pm Creasy  Hall.

 

Thursday, April 24:       Dining Out, 6:30 p.m., restaurant TBA.

 

Wednesday, April 30:   Taize Service; 6:30 p.m., in the Sanctuary.

 

 

Thursday, March 27:    Dining out, 6:30 p.m., restaurant TBA.