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August 21, 2007
COVER
STORY
Transitions
in St. Michael's Music Ministry
by The Rev. Alvin C. Johnson, Jr.
Dear St. Michael's
Family and Friends,
 Besides
a wonderful celebration of education this past Sunday, we also
welcomed back from sabbatical our Director of Music, Marjorie
Johnston. As you heard via email and mail notices that were sent
last weekend and in the announcements on Sunday, her return is
bittersweet in that upon her return she tendered her resignation.
As noted before, it will take time for us to process our many
individual and community feelings about this and to heal from
the loss of her leaving.
Where are
we today in terms of the next steps of our music ministry? Bob
Lind has been asked to continue in his role as Interim Director
of Music and he has agreed to continue in that role. Within the
next few weeks, I will be procuring the services of a facilitator
to lead a visioning session on where our ministry of music is
at this time and what direction we'd like to see the ministry
move in the next several years. This activity was intended before
Marjorie's resignation. Once this vision has been articulated,
we will then formulate a team of people to search for candidates
to fill the ministry positions as they are defined from this work.
(Remember that Kay Lewis, Cantor Choir Director and music leader
of our 9:00 a.m. service, also resigned earlier this year).
We will also
be planning on ways to give thanks to God for Marjorie's time
of ministry and service with us. This celebration will take place
sometime in late September or early October. More news as the
details become clear. Margie will also continue to be present
as our various music ministries begin this fall.
In the meantime,
keep Marjorie, our ministry of music and our parish community
in your prayers. Thanks.
Love and Blessings,
Alvin+
OUTREACH
Prayer
and Statistics
by The Rev. Martha Gillette
Third part
of a series.
"Give
bread to those who are hungry; give hunger for justice to those
who have bread. Amen." — South American table grace
Shocking statistics
abound: Over one-sixth of the world's population lives on less
than $1 per day; there are now over 6.5 billion human beings,
one in seven of whom is hungry, one in seven of whom lives in
an urban slum, one in six of whom lacks potable water, one in
three of whom lack basic sanitation; the highest earning 1% of
people on earth earn more than the poorest 50% combined. Unfortunate,
surely - but didn't Jesus himself say "You will always have
the poor with you?"(Matthew 26:11) Well, yes. And, he demanded
that his followers respond with compassion and mercy, feeding,
healing, serving, and mitigating human suffering where, and as,
they could.
The first
chapter of the book What Can One Person Do? speaks about
the eighth, and final, Millennium Development Goal. The book focuses
on the last goal in the first chapter because that is the only
goal — "Develop a global partnership for development"
— which addresses the world's wealthy countries. 'Goal 8'
urges us to:
- Increase
overseas development assistance and improve the aid we give
- Change
unjust trade policies
- Support
all countries in moving to sustainable debt burdens
The benchmark
the MDGs use for giving is 0.7% of a country's gross national
income (GNI). This figure was initially accepted in 1970, and
was based on careful calculations of the amount of financial aid
needed to significantly reduce poverty. The 0.7% figure was reaffirmed
in 2002. In case you're wondering what percentage of GNI the United
States contributes — the figure for 2004 was 0.16%. That
remarkably low figure could be rationalized in numerous ways,
but the number doesn't go away, and it leaves us far behind other
industrial nations. The good news is that the money that is contributed
is increasingly more wisely and productively spent. Development
agencies, NGOs, governments, and civil society groups have made
numerous advances in aid provision over the last couple decades,
changes which include abandoning projects that don't work, putting
resources directly into the hands of the poor through micro-credit,
and tracking progress by collecting accurate social and economic
data. But still, extreme poverty continues to exist, causing untold
misery.
A middle-aged
woman in Bulgaria writes, "A normal person has…some
self esteem, to take a holiday, read a book. While now —
you work here or there all day in order to have something to eat,
and at night you can't even exchange a couple of words like normal
persons, you drop off asleep as if you were dead. It's as if you
were dead while you were still alive." A blind woman in Moldova
writes "We are like garbage that everyone wants to get rid
of." A child in Tanzania, malnourished from birth, says nothing
at all, unable to speak at age four. What does it mean to us that
these human beings, children of God created in the divine image
just as we are, live these lives? It means we have a great deal
of work to do, work we must undertake now. It means we must allow
ourselves to be moved, rather than attempt to isolate ourselves
from the misery of our brothers and sisters in need. It means
we must accept that we can serve others in new and radical ways.
It means we must concede that the Christian calling requires us
all to care for the poor, even if our primary vocation lies elsewhere,
and that we may not abrogate our responsibility to do so by saying
such things as "Leave it to the experts," "We should
focus on the problems in our own back yard," "It's not
my vocation," and "Poverty can't be solved." It
means we must learn to work effectively and to fail gracefully.
It means we must pray.
Prayer is
something one person can do, and I would encourage us not to automatically
discount its potential effectiveness. We may not understand how
or why, but God does work in the heart of the individual or community
that prays. American theologian Walter Wink has written, "History
belongs to the intercessors, who believe the future into being."
There isn't a 'right' way to pray for the relief of extreme poverty.
The 'right' way depends on you. Pray contemplatively, stilling
your heart and mind long enough to hear God's word to you. Pray
while you wash the dishes or wait for a website to download or
stand in line at the grocery store, naming those for whom you
wish to intercede, and asking for God's blessing on them. Pray
as you walk down the street, as if you were having a conversation
with God. Pray as you watch the news, holding the subjects of
each story up before God. True, prayer is more than simply saying
words with the lips, it requires an earnest turning of the heart
to God. The temptation in knowing this is to say "it takes
too much time." But as Martin Luther said, "…No
one is so heavily burdened with his labor that if he will he can,
while working, speak with God in his heart…."
Bryant Myers,
a vice president of World Vision, has written: "We are the
sixty-seventh book of the Bible. People read our lives, our actions,
and our words and believe they know what being a Christian means."
Amen.
This is
the third in a series of articles based on, and featuring excerpts
from, the book What Can One Person Do? - Faith to Heal a Broken
World by Sabina Alkire and Edmund Newell, (Church Publishing,
New York, NY, 2005). To contact The Rev. Martha Gillette, call
847-381-2323 ext. 39 Mondays or Wednesdays, or email her at mgillette@stmichaelsbarrington.org.
PARTNERSHIPS
Facing
Sudan: Documentary Traces the Lives of Those Struggling in Sudan
by Jackie Krause
 Facing
Sudan is the winner of the Best Documentary at the 2007 Landlocked
Film Festival and tells the stories of what ordinary people can
do as individuals to make a difference. It will be shown on September
30 at 5:30 p.m. in St. Charles at the Illinois International Film
Festival, Arcade Theater. More information about the film as well
as previews
are available on filmmaker Bruce David Janu's website at www.bellbookcamera.com/sudan.html.
John Kuol
(Akuak Dut), Salva Dut (Water for Sudan) and I had the privilege
of being part of this production and working with Bruce Janu who
directed and produced the film. Bruce teaches Social Studies at
Hersey High School in Arlington Heights. This is a testimonial
of his passion and response to a too-often-neglected tragedy —
the 21-year-old civil war between northern and southern Sudan,
plus the most current genocide in Darfur. The film also features
stories of other volunteers from around the United States.
EDUCATION
Celebrating
Education
 This
past Sunday, August 19, St. Michael's recognized over 100 individuals
connected with the parish who have given of themselves, living
out their love for God, through service in the ministry of education.
June Kramer, English teacher at Barrington High School, who also
offers the school's Religious Quest course, delivered the homily
and members of the Barrington High School Choir offered their
gifts of music. Other in attendance included Barrington School
Board President, Brian Battle and board members (and St. Michael's
parishioners) Penny Kasmier and Tim Hull. Be sure to visit St.
Michael's website for June's homily as well as an opportunity
to listen to the Barrington High School Vocal Ensemble's offering
of Ride
the Chariot by Undine Smith Moore.
The
Book Corner
 And
All the Angels Book and Gift Shop would like to introduce you
to The Morning Tree by Austin Reams. This is a fictional
story supporting the author's belief that war and violence will
never beget peace. Austin Reams was deeply affected by President
Bush's public announcement that he had prayed before his decision
to declare war on Iraq and the image it invoked for Reams of God
answering by telling him to go to war. Reams believes, and demonstrates
through this book, that Jesus never taught that killing
was the answer to anything.
In Reams'
story, days after the crucifixion, a centurion, Ras, is tasked
by the disciples of Jesus to find the missing scroll of the man
from Nazareth who would be called the Christ. Although sunlight
can kill him, Ras, a man of war, searches from the wastelands
of Galilee and Judea to the secret dungeons of the temple in Jerusalem.
But Ras has been deceived. People are not who they seem to be.
A hidden truth is revealed under the morning tree at the tip of
a blade: to serve Jesus with violence is to destroy his teachings.
Be sure to
visit And All The Angels for this and other titles. During the
months of August and September all children books are on sale
for 25% off. Also, be sure to check out the books on the sale
cart being offered for 30% off. And All The Angels is located
on St. Michael's lower level.
Don't
Miss the Barrington Area CROP Walk!
 The
Barrington Area will hold its 25th Anniversary CROP Hunger Walk
on Sunday, October 14. Churches, civic organizations, and people
of all ages are getting ready to fight hunger. Recruitment for
the Walk begins at St. Michael's on Sunday, September 23. The
Walk and all of its festivities will begin and end at Barrington
Middle School Station Campus. There are many ways for you to be
involved: be a walker, be a sponsor, provide chili, provide cookies,
and pray for hungry people and those involved with fighting hunger
throughout the world. Last year St. Michael's walkers collected
just over $800. To participate in any of the ways listed above
call Catherine Koelling, 847-304-1284 or Lori Boice, 847-462-9195
or visit http://barringtoncropwalk.freehostia.com.
St.
Michael's Angels Celebrates a "Winning" Season
 All
teams were winners as the Barrington Area Christian Women's Softball
League recently presented the Wool Street Bar and Grill with a
special thank you gift for it sponsorship of their season: a photo
of the entire woman's league with each team forming a letter (St.
Michael's Angels makes up the "A" and "K".
Wool Street is located at 128 Wool Street (at Station Street)
in Barrington.
Stats for
St. Michael's Angels: ONE win and it was sweet!(Click on the photo
to view a larger version.)
Renk
Ministry Partnership updated
8/21/2007 11:52 a.m.
Due to a delay
in the processing of Fr. Joseph's documents by the American Embassy,
he will not be arriving on Wednesday, August 22, as planned. His
visa application was approved, but the process between Sudan and
Washington, DC, has caused the delay. Although the exact date
is not known at this time, it is expected to be after August 29.
Fr. Joseph also asks for prayers for daughters Grace and Michelle,
who are again struggling with malaria. He adds that they are fortunate
to be in Khartoum, where they are receiving good medical care.
Around
the Neighborhood
Citizens
for Conservation Plans Workdays for Upcoming Months
Interested
in keeping your world clean? Citizens for Conservation depends
on Chicagoland volunteers to work on Barrington-area properties
that are owned by CFC or by other local conservation entities,
such as the Forest Preserve Districts of Lake or Cook Counties.
Volunteers remove weeds, gather seeds of native prairie plants,
perform prescribed burns, sow seeds, and clear European buckthorn
and other invasive plants, brush or trees. These invasive alien
plants choke out the native vegetation, often with a loss of diversity
and native animal species. Seasonal monitoring of plant and animal
life, nature education for children and adults, a spring plant
sale, special events, computer and office work round out their
schedule. Groups can schedule workdays or individuals can participate
as part of the regular schedule. For more information or to schedule
a workday, contact Donna Bolzman at CFC by phone at 847-382-7283
or visit www.citizensforconservation.org.
In
the Parish Family
Those for
whom prayers have been requested: Sallie, Ken, Carrie Ann,
Paulette, Jim, Jane, The Cuba Township Food Pantry, Kim, Michael,
Emily, Adrienne, Lynne, Emily, Luke, Joe & Thelma, Ralph,
Minerva, military troops still in danger, Amy, Craig, and Bp.
Persell.
Anniversaries
This Week
Birthdays
- 8.25 Anne
Cross, Michael Crews, Pete Douglas
- 8.26 Andrew
Ryba, Jim Galasso, Thomas Sell, Michael Romer
- 8.27 Sarah
Erker, Dennis Malec, Shane Allord
- 8.28 Caitlin
Donohue, Karen Gallagher, Melissa Buckley, Lora Gier, David
Perrine, Donna Holshouser
- 8.29 Stanley
Pepper, Charlotte Stretch, Bruce Keclik, Brooke Gunderson, Mason
Darrow, Sarah Schultz, John Cesario
- 8.30 Ceres
Locher, Gwynne Johnston, Steve Jaenicke, Paula Tipton, Janel
Ami, Anne-marie Kampert, Christian Widelski
- 8.31 Elizabeth
Foos, Steve Mathison
Anniversaries
- 8.25 Debbie
& Bob Stanton
- 8.26 Jane
& Daniel Eftax, Anne & Steve Jaenicke
- 8.28 Susan
& Joe Madonia, Christine & Scott Segin
- 8.29 Karen
& Terry Gallagher, Kim & Mike Samuel
- 8.30 Dorothy
& Ralph Holvay, Susan & Bill Ferry, Jin & James
Park
Deaths
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