Spirit of the Eagle – April 2012

From the desk of Fr. Bryan K. Newman
Easter is almost upon us, the most import feast of the Christian year and the day that epitomizes the Christian message, the promise of life beyond the grave. The term for the day on which we celebrate our Lord’s Resurrection was, (and still is in the Eastern Church) known as ‘Pascha’ in the early Church. Pascha was a Greek word that comes from the Hebrew word ‘pesakh’ or Passover. The name Easter comes from the old Anglo-Saxon festival in honor of their goddess named ‘Eostre’, and has been used in English speaking countries for centuries. For us Easter represents new beginnings and new hope, as we celebrate Easter let us keep in mind the new beginning we have made together and the hope we have for our future.

+++Yours-In-Christ+++
Fr. Bryan Newman

Healing Service for April
Our monthly Healing Service will be conducted on, Sunday, April 29th, after Mass. It is inspired by St. James words, in his New Testament Epistle, “Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. Pray for one another, that you may be healed.” If you wish to be Anointed and offer your prayers for any that are suffering or are ill please join me after Mass on the 29th for this rewarding and reassuring service.

The Flight of the Eagle
In Fr. Stork’s original newsletter ‘The Spirit of the Eagle’, he had a section called the ‘Flight of the Eagle’ where he related his activities for the past month. Below are the visits I made in the month of March. I prayed with them and gave them Holy Communion and anointed them when needed.
+++Fr. Newman+++

3/4 Visited Shirley Tucker at Christ Hospital.
3/11 Visited Helen Foster in her home.
3/18 Visited Ethel Fahlbush at Villa Springs
3/21 Visited Helen Lenz at St. E’s Edgewood.
3/25 Visited Helen Lenz in her home.

+Holy Week Schedule+

4/1 Palm Sunday Mass: 10:30 a.m.
4/5 Maundy Thursday Mass: 7:00 p.m.
4/6 Good Friday Liturgy: 12:00 p.m.
4/6 Evening Prayer/Stations of the Cross: 3:00 p.m.
4/8 Easter Sunday Mass: 10:30 a.m.

April Vestry Meeting
Our Vestry meeting for April will be held on Thursday April 26, at 6:30 PM. If you are a member of the Vestry please make plans to be present. If you are a parishioner with particular business you would like discussed or would like to attend yourself, please approach any member of the Vestry or Fr. Newman and let us know that you will be attending.

Parish Prayer List
There are many, either by illness, infirmity, or adversity, both within and without our parish that are in need of our prayers. Some ask for prayers and others are suggested by loved ones but all are in need of petitions and intercessions for restoration of good health and peace of mind. Please pray for the following:
Ethel Fahlbush, Louise Becker, Helen Foster, Madeline Wright, Trudy Bauer, John Bogenschutz, Helen Lenz, Kevin & Donna Davis, Howard & Shirley Davis, Eileen Hanson, Juanita Marvin, Wilma Herklotz, Robert Hooks, Amy Petrie Shaw, Shirley Tucker, Donna Colyer (back surgery), Larry Funk (cancer), Agnes Harp, Carolyn Holland (Adam Cooks aunt), Donna Lipscomb, Sharon Watt, Lena Hughes, Carson Williams and his father, Fr. Al & Kathy Hougham, Fr. James Ryerson and Dom Benedict Thomas.

St. John’s Tee Shirt Orders
There is a sign-up sheet in the Church hall for the tee shirts we plan on sporting for the Dayton-Bellevue Memorial Day and Ft. Thomas 4th of July parades we will be marching in to promote SJC to the area. We have ordered six sample shirts for you to see them firsthand, so please get your order and money in by Sunday April 29 so the final shirt order can be made in order to receive them in time for the Memorial Day Parade. Make checks payable to St. John’s A.C.C.

Spiritual Tidbits for April from Father Tim

From the time that Christ came to dwell with us, man created according to God’s image and likeness is truly renewed through the grace and power of the Spirit, attaining to the perfect love which “casts out fear” (I John 4: 18) – the love which is no longer able to fail, for “love never fails” (I Cor. 13: 8). Love, says John, is God; and “he who dwells in love dwells in God” (I John 4: 16). The apostles were granted this love, and so were those who practiced virtue as they did, offering themselves completely to the Lord, and following Christ with all their heart throughout their lifetime.

So you should continually keep in mind the great humiliation which the Lord took upon Himself in His ineffable love for us: how the divine Logos dwelt in the womb; how He took human nature upon Himself; His birth from a woman; His gradual bodily growth; the shame He suffered, the insults, vilification, ridicule and abuse; how He was scourged and spat upon, derided and mocked; the scarlet robe, the crown of thorns; His condemnation by those in power; the outcry of the unruly Jews, men of His own race, against Him: “Away with him, away with him, crucify him” (John 19: 15); the cross, the nails, the lance, the drink of vinegar and gall; the scorn of the Gentiles; the derision of the passers-by who said: “If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross and we will believe you” (cf. Matt. 27: 39-42); and the rest of the sufferings which He patiently accepted for us: crucifixion; death; the three day burial; the descent into hell.

Then keep in mind all that has come to from these sufferings: the resurrection from the dead; the liberation from hell and from death of those who were raised with the Lord; the ascension to the heavens; the enthronement at the right hand of the Father; the honor and glory that is “far above every principality and power . . . and above every name that is named” (Eph. 1: 21); the veneration of the Firstborn from the dead by all the angels, because of the sufferings He had undergone. As the Apostle says: “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus. Though He is in the form of God, He did not insist on clinging to His equality with God; but He emptied Himself and took upon Himself the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of man. Being in this likeness, He humbled Himself and became obedient to death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God has highly exalted Him and given Him a name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, things on earth and things under the earth” (Phil. 2: 5-10). See to what a height of glory the Lord’s human nature was raised up by God’s justice through these sufferings and humiliations. St Mark the Ascetic – Letter to Nicolas the Solitary c. 400 AD.

St. Mark the Ascetic sure new how to sum up the life, and especially the Passion of Christ, along with what humanity gained from this “Perfect Love”. You may have noticed that St. Mark the Ascetic never mentioned Easter Eggs or the Easter Bunny. Now I personally have no quarrel with colored eggs or rabbits. Janet and I always enjoyed watching our girls enjoy this particular part of the Easter and spring season. Colored Easter Eggs actually have quite an ancient history entwined within Christianity. However, we need to be careful to make sure we do not get caught up in the non-Christian view of this holiday. Our young ones we love find it much easier, especially because of so much media, to identify with Easter bunnies and their chocolate eggs during this most Holy Week. Actually I know a few adults who are pretty partial to the chocolate aspect of Easter as well. It is left up to us Christian parents and grand-parents to make sure that the REAL focus remains on Christ. We must teach our little ones that without Christ the eggs and bunnies will tragically lose everything that makes them special. The following quote from C.S. Lewis sums this up eggceptionally well:

“There is a stage in a child’s life at which it cannot separate the religious from the merely festal character of Easter. I have been told of a very small and very devout boy who was heard murmuring to himself on Easter morning a poem of his own composition which began ‘Chocolate eggs and Jesus risen.’ This seems to me, for his age, both admirable poetry and admirable piety. But of course the time will soon come when such a child can no longer effortlessly and spontaneously enjoy that unity. He will become able to distinguish the spiritual from the ritual and festal aspect of Easter; chocolate eggs will no longer seem sacramental. And once he has distinguished he must put one or the other first. If he puts the spiritual first he can still taste something of Easter in the chocolate eggs; if he puts the eggs first they will soon be no more than any other sweetmeat. They will have taken on an independent, and therefore a soon withering, life.” ~C. S. Lewis

I pray that you have a blessed and most Holy Easter,
Father Tim

Spirituality Class
St. John’s next Spirituality Class will be starting soon. Shortly I will start putting together some material pertaining to what in the Church is called the “Four Last Things”. If you have never heard of this term, the Four Last Things are death, resurrection, judgment, and heaven (or hell depending on one’s acquired taste during our short earthly tenure). We had so much discussion during our class on the Intermediate State (which would fall between death and resurrection) I feel it may be helpful to cover some ground around it. Please watch your bulletin for further information. Father Tim

St. Catherine of Siena, VD +++ Feast Day April 30th

The 25th child of a wool dyer in northern Italy, St. Catherine started having mystical experiences when she was only 6, seeing guardian angels as clearly as the people they protected. She became a Dominican tertiary when she was 16, and continued to have visions of Christ, Mary, and the saints. St. Catherine was one of the most brilliant theological minds of her day, although she never had any formal education. She persuaded the Pope to go back to Rome from Avignon, in 1377, and when she died she was endeavoring to heal the Great Western Schism. In 1375 Our Lord give her the Stigmata, which was visible only after her death. Her spiritual director was Blessed Raymond of Capua. St, Catherine’s letters, and a treatise called “a dialogue” are considered among the most brilliant writings in the history of the Catholic Church. She died when at age 33, and her body was found incorrupt in 1430.

Bible Study Class
We are still early in our study of Genesis that we began back in September. While we are taking Easter Sunday off (no Bible Study on that day), other than that we will gather together every Sunday, at 9:30 AM. The book of Genesis is the key that opens the mystery of our Christian faith. So please join me FOR this thought-provoking look into our origins. Our knowledge of God and what He wants for each one of us, primarily comes from Sacred Scripture. If you are still on the fence as to whether to participate keep in mind the words of the words of St. Jerome, “Ignorance of the Scriptures, is ignorance of Christ.”

Altar Guild
The Altar Guild is responsible for making the sanctuary ready for all services. Its members maintain the church’s liturgical requirements for services by preparing the altar, laundering linens, preserving the sacred vessels, and arranging the floral displays that beautify the church. If you would be interested in serving on the Altar Guild, or if would like to give flowers for a Mass in memory of a loved one, please contact Joyce Murray.

Choir News
Our choir member ages now range from ten to eighty-seven. If you would like to sing in the choir please join us on Wednesday evenings. The choir and Chuck our organist would love to have you join us. We are now in the process of preparing for Palm Sunday and Easter and we need voices! Don’t forget to memorialize a loved one by paying only $5 for the cost of making one of the new 1940 spiral Hymnals for our church pews. The sign-up sheet is in the Church hall.

End of the Month Club
The End of the Month Club is a chance for parishioners and friends to meet at a local restaurant to share a meal and fellowship. All are welcome. The only requirement is that you like to eat out and want to socialize with and get to know your fellow parishioners better. Most times, we meet for lunch on the last Thursday of the month. A few times a year we meet for dinner, so people who can’t make the luncheons have a chance to share in this fellowship. Our next gathering will be Dinner at 6:30 on April 26 at Longhorn Restaurant in Cold Spring. Call Fr. Al and Kathy Hougham at (859)331-2951 to make your reservation. If you want to come, but need a ride, please call them. Usually, we can make arrangements so all who want to attend can come.

Easter Egg Hunt at Gil Lynn Park
As part of our community outreach, we will once again be helping out at the Easter Egg Hunt at Gil Lynn Park. If you would be interested in helping out this year’s event, please arrive at the park by noon on Saturday, April 7. Rumor has it that Fr. Bunny Newman will once again be hoppy to make another grand entrance and pose for pictures with the children!

Anglican Church Women

We are working on items to sell or raffle at the Spaghetti Dinner to be held April 28, 2012, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Currently for sale or raffle are plants – hostas and violets. If you have a craft or want to help with plants, please see Judy Hulsey. Attention ladies: The ACW will be having a retreat at Judy Hulsey’s on May 19, 2012 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Just a note in closing…..When you are taking a cup of coffee and a couple of cookies, please remember to leave a little money to help pay for these items. Remember only the hole in the donut is free!

April Birthdays & Anniversaries
Brittany Butler – Birthday – April 13
Ethan Whalen – Birthday – April 15
Carol Petrie – Birthday – April 22
Robert Hooks – Anniversary – April 22
Ashley Bouldin – Birthday – April 23
Wilma Herklotz – Birthday – April 25
Mike Murray – Anniversary – April 28

Happy Retirement to Jim Barnett!
Congratulations to Jim Barnett, who officially retired on March 31 from the Transportation Security Administration / Homeland Security. Jim is very excited about reaching this milestone and he is especially glad his days of early exits and dashing down the vesting room steps to report for work on Sundays are over. May you have a long, healthy and happy retirement Jim!

Interfaith Hospitality Network News
The Family Promise Golf Marathon is only 6 weeks away (May 11, 2012). I am proud to be playing as the representative of our Interfaith Hospitality Network host and support churches this year. I have set a rather high personal fundraising goal, but believe with your help, the goal is well within reach. Please consider going to the golf marathon website: www.nkyihngolf.org and making a pledge or donation; either for your church or personally. I am also in need of some support the day of the event at AJ Jolly Golf Course, such as a cart driver. This is our biggest fundraiser of the year, and your support is greatly appreciated.

Bill Hobstetter
Program Manager
Interfaith Hospitality Network of Northern Kentucky
P.O. Box 72136
Newport, KY 41072

Junior Warden Report
Rather than continuing to lose the ‘Battle of the Killer Weeds”, the open area of the Church yard will get a nice layer of top soil and then K-31 grass seed will be planted. This nice thick grass should prevent the washout of soil that occurs during a hard rain, once it’s established. Thanks to Katie and Sam Longshore, Jim and Kim Marshall, Tina Smith and Judy Boughner for stepping up to help out. Welcome to the St. John’s Garden Club.

At our last Vestry meeting it was decided that we would attempt to fix the back door of the Church hall at a cost of $100+ rather than spend $1200 on a Pella steel door that would last forever. We were forced to do so in order to comply with our budget since we just paid $3400 for new windows. But the Good Lord works in mysterious ways… and I think I know how we can get that new door.

The City of Dayton will be holding their annual City-Wide Yard Sale on May 12 from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. The last time we participated in this event, we made $600. If you are interested in helping out a good cause by donating any or many usable items you may find as you do your spring cleaning, please drop them off at the Church hall in the open area of the furnace room. You will be surprised at how many nice items you have laying around that you do not use. We’ll take them.

We are a million dollar Church with a twenty dollar door. If we can make $700 on the yard sale, I am hoping the wonderful women of the ACW will consider splitting the remaining balance of the cost of the door with the Church, by donating a portion of their spaghetti dinner profit. Did I mention how wonderful they are?