St. Michael's, Easley, consignment sale scheduled for August 22, 23

Twice a year for the past several years St Michael's, Easley, has sponsored a children's consignment sale to benefit outreach in the community. The fall sale at St. Michael's will take place this year on August 22 and 23. Consigners please contact Shannon Keyes (864.442.6505) or Anne Martin (864.859.2407) as soon as possible. For details about the sale, contact the church at 1200 Powdersville Road in Easley, 864.859.6296.

St. Thaddeus', Aiken, presents "Contemporary Music Within Traditional Churches" workshop, August 30

St. Thaddeus' Episcopal Church of Aiken is honored to sponsor a musicians' workshop entitled "Contemporary Music for Traditional Churches" that will feature Robin Mark. This workshop is designed for church musicians (1) who want to begin to include contemporary Christian music in their existing services, (2) those who want to begin a contemporary music service, and (3) those who already use contemporary music within a traditional church setting.

Robin Mark is an Irish singer and song writer from Belfast whose worship and praise songs are often sung in traditional and contemporary churches. Some of his most famous songs include "Days of Elijah," "In the Beauty of Holiness," and "Take Us to the River." He has published 13 albums and has won many awards in the UK, Canada, and the United States. Those who have been to Cursillo are very familiar with his songs.

The date of the workshop is August 30, 2008, and it will be held at St. Thaddeus', Aiken.  Please contact Gregory MacDougall with any questions at macdou_g@earthlink.net or 803.646.3948.

DOK annual diocesan business meeting, September 13, St. Bart's, N. Augusta

The Daughters of the King Diocesan Annual Business Meeting will be held on Saturday, September 13, at St. Bartholomew's, N. Augusta. Registration begins at 8:30a.m., the business meeting  at 9.

Following the business meeting, there will be workshop, "Designing Prayer Cards."  Lunch will be served and the guest speaker is Sister Carol Andrew from the Convent of St. Helena. The cost for the day is $12.00  Please RSVP by Wednesday, September 10, 803.279.4622, ext 307.

Seminar on backyard habitats at St. Matthias, Rock Hill, September 20

Tony Esposito of the SC Wildlife Federation stands with St. Matthias' vicar Alice Haynes and bishop's warden Julie Patterson after certifying the wildlife habitat at the church.

St. Matthias', Rock Hill, is hosting a community seminar on developing Backyard Habitats on Saturday, September 20, from 9-12. St. Matthias' was recently certified as a Backyard Habitat by the SC Wildlife Federation.

To achieve certification, the church set aside part of its property to “provide the four basic habitat elements needed for wildlife to thrive: food, water, cover, and places to raise young.” Lynn Cooler has chaired efforts to develop the church habitat and encourage the surrounding community to do likewise.

Backyard habitats are becoming increasingly popular as people attempt to recover natural habitats for wildlife. Wildlife habitats are disappearing at an alarming rate due to development and the often-used practice of clear-cutting.

Mr. Tony Esposito of the South Carolina Wildlife Federation will be the principal speaker. His Power Point presentation will encourage and inform, helping all who attend to learn about and implement a backyard habitat on their property. Grass seed native to the area will be sold by Carolina Wild at the seminar; these grasses are helpful as food and ground cover, and require little attention on the part of the property owner.

St. Matthias' will also offer lunch for purchase. Proceeds will support further efforts to return part of the church land to its natural state. The church is located in northwest Rock Hill at 535 Hollis Lakes Road, 29732; 803.981.5334; www.saintmatthiasrockhill.org.

Next diocesan Continuing Ed Training Day is October 4

The next Continuing Ed Training Day will be October 4, 2008, at St. Christopher's, Spartanburg, and St. Martin's-in-the-Fields, Columbia. The registration form is available at www.edusc.org/ChristianFormation/ContinuingEdDayRegistrationForm100408.pdf

The following courses will be offered, but must have at least 6 participants per workshop. Workshops may be cancelled because of low registrations.

Worship Leader Basic

Worship Leader Continuing Education

Eucharistic Visitor Basic

Eucharistic visitor Continuing Education

Safe Church Training

Race Relations Training

Go to www.edusc.org/ChristianFormation/SafeChurchChart.pdf to see who needs Safe Church training. Contact Roslyn Hook ( rhook@edusc.org, 803.771.7800, ext. 20) with questions.

Partnership Cange Symposium, October 11-12—Save the dates!

The 2008 Partnership Cange Symposium will take place on October 11 and 12 at Holy Trinity, Clemson. Following a World Mission Committee meeting  in the morning, the symposium begins at 1 p.m. in the Holy Trinity Parish Hall, offering an overview of our diocesan ministry in Haiti, with an emphasis on the urgent needs to be supported by the Gifts of Bread and Water Campaign.

In the early 1980s the lack of safe drinking water was identified as the most critical issue facing the people of Cange. The Cange water system, designed, funded, and built by the Upper SC in 1984, remains the single most important element sustaining our ministry in Haiti’s Central Plateau, and it is in crisis!

After more than 25 years of use and increased demands repairs and upgrades are urgently needed. The water system was built for a small village of fewer than 1,000 residents. The current population is more than 8,000 and growing. Learn how your support of the Gifts of Bread and Water Campaign can ensure the viability of this vital system and benefit agricultural projects and the creation of a vocational school as well.

Special guests at the seminar will include Fr. Fritz Lafontant, Episcopal priest at Cange, and Dr. Paul Farmer, founder of the nonprofit organization Partners in Health, which works around the world to provide a preferential option for the poor in health care. On October 11, at 7 p.m., Dr. Farmer will deliver the first William H. Hunter Memorial Calhoun Lecture at Clemson. Please contact Dr. Reggie Brooker, diocesan World Mission chair, with questions: pbroo10157@aol.com.

St. James Center for Spiritual Development announces schedule through June '09

The St. James Center for Spiritual Development at St. James's, Greenville, has announced special programs through June 2009. The brochure is available on the Center Web site http://stjamesspiritualitycenter.org.

Here are some highlights.

October 12 (5:30-9 p.m.): we are presenting the documentary film Constantine’s Sword, about the Church’s involvement in the persecution of the Jews in Europe. Dinner, film, and panel discussion. Children welcome.

December 6 (9 a.m.-4 p.m.): Advent Quiet Day with Thomas Portney, "The Light Is On, But No One Is Home," an experiential workshop about presence and accepting the reality of what is. In April 2008 Thomas Portney led his highly acclaimed workshop "Illuminating Darkness: Befriending the Shadow" at St. James's.

Beginning January 16-18, 2009: Women's Retreat Series led by Victoria Chance. The series begins on January 19  with a weekend retreat at a beach house on the South Carolina coast. There will be two follow-up sessions on Saturday, March 2, and Saturday April 18.

June 15-18, 2009: Three-night retreat at Mepkin Abbey, Moncks Corner, SC. Space is .imited to 6 participants, so don't dawdle.

Cursillo weekend coming October 23-26

The dates for the upcoming October Cursillo are October 23rd-26th (this is the weekend following the Diocesan Convention). Lisa Koehler, Christ Church, Greenville, is the lay rector for the weekend. The deadline for candidate registration is Wednesday, September 22, 2008. Please visit www.edusc.org/Cursillo/ for application forms.

Ordination Discernment Conference scheduled for November 22

For those discerning the ordination process in tour dioceses the next Ordination Discernment Conference will be held on November 22 at St. David's, Columbia. The conference will begin at 9:00 a.m. with Morning Prayer and conclude by noon. To register contact Deacon d'Rue Hazel at 800.889.6961, ext. 24, dhazel@edusc.org..

All individuals in the ordination process are required to attend one Ordination Discernment Conference along with their sponsoring priest and a potential and/or current member of their local discernment committee. (Handbook [www.edusc.org/Diocese/Commissions/Baptized.shtml]  for Discernment for Ministry and the Ordination Process, p. 19.)
 

Opportunities

Trinity Cathedral Shoppe has a deal for you!

Gastonia, NC, Episcopal church seeks choirmaster/organist

All Saints’ Episcopal Church (1201 South New Hope Road, Gastonia, NC, 28056, 704.864.7201, 704.864.7212 (fax), www.allsaintsgastonia.org seeks 3/8 time (15 hours) choirmaster / organist for one Sunday morning service, one adult choir, and one handbell choir. 300 member parish. Allen Organ MDS-16, 2 manual, 3 octaves. Working knowledge of liturgical traditions desirable. Compensation $14,000 - $16,000 / year commensurate with education and experience. Additional honoraria for weddings. Letter of Agreement and Annual Review. Position available October 1. Please contact The Rev. Ben Robertson, Rector (704.864.7201 or benrobertson@allsaintsgastonia.org).

Clergy News

Deployment update

Christ Church, Greenville: The Rev. Harrison McLeod, rector, August 11. Fr. McLeod comes to us from the Diocese of Texas.

St. Christopher's, Spartanburg: The Rev. Alex Barron, priest in charge. Fr. Barron is a retired priest of the Diocese of South Carolina.

St. Simon & St. Jude, Irmo: The Rev. Mark Abdelnour, priest in charge, September 2. Fr. Abdelnour, who served most recently at St. Bartholomew's, N. Augusta, succeeds the Rev. Charles M. Davis, Sr., who will retire on August 31.

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In the Moment—One Pilgrim's Attempt to Be Present

By Amy Sander Montanez, D. Min.

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Amy Sander Montanez is a writer, teacher, therapist, retreat leader, and spiritual director who attends Trinity Cathedral, Columbia. She is the winner of two 2008 Polly Bond Awards for Devotional / Inspirational Writing from Episcopal Communicators You can access an archive with her award-winning reflections on the diocesan Web site at www.edusc.org/ArchiveElectronic/.

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Change is the answer

Now it is on the mirror in my bedroom. For twelve years it was on the refrigerator. Before that is resided in my daytimer, where I would reference is almost every day. It is this quote:

If you always do what you’ve always done,
You’ll always get what you’ve always gotten.
Change is the answer.

This quote first became important to me at a time when my marriage was fragile and I was trying mightily to do some things differently. Easier said than done, but worth it, for sure, and worth it over and over again. I think about this quote almost every day as my own life evolves, as my daughter and husband evolve, as my extended family changes, as clients seek to heal, in short as every thing around me keeps changing.
 

©Luchschen / Dreamstime.com

As I left for my morning walk yesterday, the air was cool and the leaves were vibrating with a gentle breeze. It was still dark, the almost full moon was bright and high in the sky, traffic noise was at a minimum, and other than the sound of a sprinkler going off, there was a distinct stillness in the air. Thirty minutes later as I made the turn to head back home, the sun was coming up and turning the streets a shade of peach, lights were on everywhere, a few people were sipping coffee and talking on their front porches, cars and busses were moving through the streets, birds were calling and dogs were barking. Clearly things had changed.

Change can be positive or negative, and it happens in all sorts of ways. Sometimes it happens quickly, and it happens to us. We get a job. We lose a job. We get sick. Someone we love dies unexpectedly. We are betrayed. We inherit money. Our children get in trouble. This type of change shocks the system, and we are forced to adjust and adapt, to figure out some new ways of looking at things and some new ways of behaving. Very often, people will say that even though they wouldn’t have asked for it and they weren’t looking for it, forced change was the best thing that ever happened to them. They needed to change, and they wouldn’t have done it any other way. Homeostasis is powerful, and it would have been easier to just keep being the same.

Sometimes it happens slowly over time. Step by step, we open up to new possibilities and we embrace a new perspective. Or, slowly and insidiously, we shut down and clam up. We don’t notice the changes from day to day. We may be slowly finding our voice, or beginning to use our gifts, or slowly getting sick, or passively giving up, or quietly working for peace, or slowly starting a new group. Of course the sun didn’t suddenly appear in the sky yesterday morning, even though it seemed like that at first. It had been gradually coming into view, changing the night into morning, lighting my way.

Suddenly or gradually, and sometimes even both ways, everything changes. We can be active participants in those changes, or we can let the changes happen to us, or both. But trying to prevent change is usually an exercise in futility.

My mother often said to me, “Things must change.” And my father said, “Some things never change.” The opposite of one profound truth is another profound truth. Friendships change, marriages change, children change, the economy changes, schools change, technology changes…the list is infinite. I think even God changed after the earth was flooded and he said, in essence, “I’ll never do that again.” In our gospel lesson this past Sunday we watch Jesus change his perspective about the Canaanite woman and his idea about who was in and who was out. And yet, history repeats itself, the same things that bother me today bothered me yesterday, there is a predictability to life and tradition and history that we love and want and need.

Why do we think, then, that the church shouldn’t change, and why should the church change? The tension in that question is difficult to hold and takes some effort to answer. But surely we are in the thick of that very issue again, just like the church has been every 500 years or so. And, just like in the past, those two questions need to be answered. What needs to change, and what needs to stay the same? What are the roots and the foundation? What needs pruning so new growth can be welcomed? What deep “Truths” do we hold on to so that new “truths” can evolve? My own observation is that we fight over “little-t” truths without looking at the “capital-T” Truths. Or sometimes we actually disagree about the capital-T Truths.

“You’re either changing or you’re dead.” This is another quote I’ve remembered over the years. We’re all afraid of changing. We seek homeostasis. We cling to the familiar. AND….change is inevitable. And necessary. Or we will be dead.

©Amy Sander Montanez, D.Min.