Spirit of the Eagle – September 2012

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. Most times we meet for lunch on the last Thursday of the month. A few times a year we meet for dinner, so those who can’t make the lunches have a chance to share in this fellowship. For our September gathering, we will meet for lunch at 1 p.m. on September 27 at Wertheim’s Restaurant, 514 W. Sixth in Covington.

News from the ACW
The ACW will be sponsoring a coffee hour on Sunday, September 9th after Mass. All women of the parish are asked to bring a treat to share. Immediately following the coffee hour on the 9th, the ACW will convene with a meeting. All women are invited and encouraged to attend. ACW meetings will be held the second Sunday of each month, following an ACW sponsored coffee hour. During the meeting on the 9th, the ACW will be electing new officers that will begin appointment to the ACW in January of 2013. We will also be discussing crafts that can be made for sale during upcoming events such as the luncheon with the Bishop and the parish meeting. Please join the women of the parish for this time of fellowship and come prepared with any thoughts or ideas to enhance the spirit of the ACW.

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.

SJC Picnic at Gil Lynn Park
St. John’s Annual Parish Picnic will once again be held at Gil Lynn Park on Sunday, September 16. Mass will be held at noon, followed by the picnic. Baked and fried chicken will be provided by the Church, so all you will need to bring is a side dish and/or dessert. A sign-up sheet will be available in the parish hall. If you are unable to attend the picnic, you can still attend our regular Mass at 10:30 at the Church. There will be no Bible Study on the day of the picnic.

August Birthdays & Anniversaries
Jim & Joanna Barnett – Anniversary – September 5
Jerri Lenz – Birthday – September 8
Ben Hayes – Birthday – September 8
Gary Blade – Birthday – September 14
Helen Lenz – Birthday – September 15
Rich Seyberth – Birthday – September 16
Kevin & Anna Hess – Anniversary – September 18
Lori Seyberth – Birthday – September 20
Michael & Liz Robbins – Anniversary – September 23
Don Prigge – Birthday – September 24
Louise Becker – Anniversary – September 25
John Lipscomb – Birthday – September 26
Jack & Joyce Murray – Anniversary – September 29
Kathy Wieland – Birthday – September 29

Spiritual Tidbits for September from Father Tim
One must keep on pointing out that Christianity is a statement which, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance. The one thing it cannot be is moderately important. ~C.S. Lewis, God in the Dock: Essays on Theology and Ethics.

To start out September I would like to thank everyone who attends the St. John’s Spirituality Class. Your dedication is commendable, especially since my choice of material is not always something to inspire a rush to the door. I realize how valuable your time is and I am inspired by your commitment. I will do my best to search out and find thought provoking material to always remind us of the “infinite importance” of Christianity. Please pray for the Holy Spirit to guide me.
~Father Tim

Please join us at our next Spirituality Class in September. We just finished discussing “The Hope of Jesus’ Second Coming” and will next be taking on Session Five in Surprised by Hope (chapters 10-12) and discussing “The Hope of Salvation”. Through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, we are saved from sin and death. But, there is more to the story. God is saving and restoring all of creation and he invites us into this work of sorting out what is wrong in the world.

The point of resurrection, as St. Paul argues in I Corinthians 15, is that the present bodily life is not valueless just because it will die. God will raise it to new life. What you do with your body in the present matters because God has a great future in store for it. Please come and join us!
~Father Tim

What Are the Seven Sorrows of Mary?
1.) The prophecy of Simeon.
“And Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary his mother, ‘Behold this child is set for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is spoken against (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that thoughts out of many hearts may be revealed.’” (Luke 2: 34-35)

2.) The flight into Egypt.
“Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, ‘Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there till I tell you; for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.’ And he rose and took the child and his mother by night, and departed to Egypt, and remained there until the death of Herod.” (Matthew 2: 13-15)

3.) The loss of the Child Jesus in the temple.
“And when the feast was ended, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents did not know it, but supposing him to be in the company they went a day’s journey, and they sought him among their kinsfolk and acquaintances; and when they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem, seeking him.” (Luke 2: 43-45)

4.) The meeting of Jesus and Mary on the Way of the Cross.
“And there followed him a great multitude of the people, and of women who bewailed and lamented him.” (Luke 23: 27)

5.) The Crucifixion.
“When Jesus saw his mother, and the disciple whom he loved standing near, he said to his mother, ‘Woman, behold, your son!” Then he said to the disciple, ‘Behold, your mother!’” (John 19: 26-27)

6.) The taking down of the Body of Jesus from the Cross.
“And when evening had come, since it was the day of Preparation, that is, the day before the sabbath, Joseph of Arimathea, a respected member of the council, who was also himself looking for the kingdom of God, took courage and went to Pilate, and asked for the body of Jesus. And Pilate wondered if he were already dead. And when he learned from the centurion that he was dead, he granted the body to Joseph. And he bought a linen shroud, and taking him down, wrapped him in the linen shroud…” (Mark 15: 42-46)

7.) The burial of Jesus.
“Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb where no one had ever been laid. So because of the Jewish day of Preparation, as the tomb was close at hand, they laid Jesus there.” (John 19: 41-42)

The Challenge
St. Simeon’s prophecy gives Mary a glimpse into the meaning of Jesus’ life. That same prophecy reveals to us the meaning of life for all those who are committed to the spiritual life, for living and working and loving as Jesus did. Such a commitment situates us at the cutting edge of life and death, truth and falsehood, decisiveness and passivity, passion and apathy. With Mary, our soul and spirit and self-image will be pierced by our relationship with Jesus, revealing either the integrity or inconsistency between what we profess to be and what we actually do. ~Joel Giallanza, C.S.C. The Seven Sorrows of Mary

But remembering Him, praising Him, asking for His grace, offering Him your troubles, or thanking Him for what He has given you will console you all the time. During your meals or during your daily duty, lift your heart up to Him, because even the least little remembrance will please Him. You don’t have to pray out loud; He’s nearer than you can imagine. ~Brother Lawrence- The Practice of the Presence of God

Thy Kingdom Come
None can guess beforehand with what anguish, what tearing of old hard tissues and habits, the Kingdom will force a path into the soul, and confront self-love in its last fortress with the penetrating demand of God. ~Evelyn Underhill – Abba

Through each of you the Kingdom will reach out to those around you who do not know God, force a path into their souls, and conquer that last fortress which stands between them and God. I pray your September be full of blessings to remember.
~Father Tim

Junior Warden’s Report
With the completion of the Sacristy, the Church painting project is complete. That being said, now is as good a time as any to begin making plans to start painting the Parish hall. If you would be interested in helping out, please contact me. The estimated starting date will be sometime in late September and early October, as we would like to complete the job by November 1 at the very latest.

The members of the Vestry held an emergency meeting on Sunday, August 26 to discuss a very reasonable bid we have recently received for repairing and painting the four louvers in our bell tower, as well as painting the bell tower roof and cross. After a short discussion, it was unanimously voted upon to accept the bid of $400 plus materials. This project will be completed before the end of the year.

THANK YOU JUDY!
After serving as President of the ACW for many years, the shoes of Judy Hulsey will be very hard to fill as a new President will be appointed in January 2013. Thank you Judy, for all of your hard work through the years in always keeping the parish hall tables very tidy and decorated for every season and the kitchen fully stocked for all of the coffee hours you have hosted. Your dedication to the ACW is much appreciated by all of us.

This is a compilation of actual Church Bulletins & Service bloopers…
The rosebud on the altar this morning is to announce the birth of David Alan Belzer, the sin of Rev. and Mrs. Julius Belzer.

This afternoon there will be a meeting in the South and North ends of the church. Children will be baptized at both ends.

Thursday night–Potluck supper. Prayer and medication to follow.

The senior choir invites any member of the congregation who enjoys sinning to join the choir.

During the absence of our pastor, we enjoyed the rare privilege of hearing a good sermon when A. B. Doe supplied our pulpit.

The Rev. Adams spoke briefly, much to the delight of his audience.

The 1991 Spring Council Retreat will be hell May 10 and 11th.

Please join us as we show our support for Amy and Alan in preparing for the girth of their first child.

At the evening service tonight, the sermon topic will be “What is Hell?” Come early and listen to our choir practice.

Ladies Bible Study will be held Thursday morning at 10. All ladies are invited to lunch in the Fellowship Hall after the B.S. is done.

The pastor will preach his farewell message, after which the choir will sing, “Break Forth Into Joy.”

Weight Watchers will meet at 7 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church. Please use large double door at the side entrance.

Bertha Belch, a missionary from Africa will be speaking tonight at Calvary Memorial Church in Racine. Come tonight and hear Bertha Belch all the way from Africa.

Announcement in the church bulletin for a National PRAYER & FASTING Conference: “The cost for attending the Fasting and Prayer conference includes meals.”

Miss Charlene Mason sang “I will not pass this way again” giving obvious pleasure to the congregation.

The church will host an evening of fine dining, superb entertainment, and gracious hostility.

“Ladies, don’t forget the rummage sale. It’s a chance to get rid of those things not worth keeping around the house. Don’t forget your husbands.”

For those of you who have children and don’t know it, we have a nursery downstairs.