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January
22, 2008
COVER
STORY
Next
Steps to Becoming a Pilgrim
by The Rev. Alvin C. Johnson, Jr.
 Dear
Pilgrims,
Lives formed
and changed through deeper intimacy with Jesus Christ. As
I said last week, the pieces are slowly coming together. Now,
time for you and me to make a "next step" decision in
the process of our own transformation from being a tourist to
becoming a pilgrim; becoming someone new. Here are ten signposts
of parish renewal: hospitality, discernment, healing, contemplation,
testimony, diversity, justice, worship, theological reflection
and beauty. No one can fire on all cylinders at one time, but
you and I can choose one direction and then act.
This coming
Saturday, January 26, at 8:00 a.m., I invite you to join as we
gather to explore contemplation, testimony and theological reflection
as they relate to our community now and most especially for the
season of Lent. Transformation is an ongoing, lifelong, process
which begins and continues with several small steps. All over
the church buildings, all over our website, all over The Sword,
all over you will see The Window of Opportunity, the window
of multiple opportunities for participating in experiences that
hold the potential to be used by God to transform our lives and
our community. This experience begins this coming Saturday morning
when all are invited to come and grow, learn and commit to our
own transformation in the Spirit of Jesus. You will not only experience
a time of spiritual teaching and prayer, but also learn, from
the leaders themselves, of the wonderful offerings for transformation
this coming Lent.
I invite,
no, I challenge you to commit to some opportunity to place yourself
more fully in the presence of God who can transform your life
and mine. Try a prayer group, or God in the Movies, or a Bible
Study, or simply commit to worship. Begin by joining us this coming
Saturday. You will be inspired.
Love and Blessings,
Alvin, a pilgrim
and seeker ready to commit…
FORMATION
A
Journey of Transformation
by Sally Smith
Transformation...so
Father Johnson entitled the cover story he wrote for "The
Sword" on January 8. He declared, "transformation is
the purpose of our plan; the transformation of our lives as Christian
pilgrims." He also proffered the hope that these simple words,
thoroughly imbued with deep significance for our lives, would
rouse some curiosity within us. But I can't help but wonder if
his "hope" is more of an invitation, perhaps even a
challenge, for us to step into the mysterious, whirl pooling waters
of transformation. If so, how do we begin? When do we begin? How
do we accept the invitation?
You may already
have an idea and a plan, but if you are casting about for a place
to start, to enter in, you may want to consider attending the
Lenten Discovery Day for Transformation that will take
place in the St. Michael's Community Room on Saturday, January
26 from 8:00-9:15 a.m. Come discover the many Lenten opportunities.
Light breakfast, music, prayer and program sampling. Childcare
will be available.
Further details
about these transformational opportunities are printed in The
Sword and in the 2008
Lenten Opportunity Guide. And be sure to check the "Window
of Opportunity" at church where new posters will be added
weekly.
On Sunday,
you'll find cards in your pew that can be used for making the
commitment to one or more of these opportunities. Be sure to complete
a card and include it in the offering plate.
PARTNERSHIPS
A
Bishop in Sudan
by Marie Schriefer
This is
the second in a series of articles about life in Sudan and the
first of two parts about Bishop Daniel Deng Bul. This series is
offered by members of St. Michael's Renk Ministry Partnership.
An official delegation from St. Michael's had planned to travel
to Sudan in early February, however the trip has been postponed
for security reasons.
In the Bible,
we read about the disciples and followers of Jesus being harassed,
imprisoned, and even killed for their beliefs. To us in the United
States, this seems like something that only happened a long, long
time ago. In the Sudan, it is an ongoing way of life for Christians.
One of the leaders of the church who has experienced many trials
and hardships in his ministry is the Bishop of Renk, the Rt. Rev.
Daniel Deng Bul.
Bishop Daniel,
as he is known to us at St. Michael's, was born in 1950 in Bor,
the land of the Dinka tribe in southern Sudan. He was baptized
into the church in 1967 and shortly after was forced to flee north
to Khartoum to escape war and the flooding of the Nile River.
(The flooding, which occurred to the east of the Nile for 10 years,
was caused by the building of the Aswan Dam in Egypt.) In Khartoum,
Bishop Daniel joined an Episcopal Dinka congregation and became
their Evangelist. Evangelists in the Episcopal Church of Sudan
are church leaders who have the gift of preaching the Word and
spreading the Gospel, and whose ministry is to convert non-believers.
While in Khartoum, Bishop Daniel chaired the first Dinka Youth
Conference with emphasis on taking the Gospel back to the Dinka
people in southern Sudan.
In 1975, during
a brief period of peace, Bishop Daniel was sent to Bishop Gwynne
Theological College in the Bor region of the south to become a
priest. While at the seminary, he continued his evangelism. He
established a Youth Council, converted over 200 people to Christianity,
and helped to establish 13 parishes in Bor.
After being
ordained in 1978, he went to serve as a priest in the hostile
Muslim environment of Port Sudan in eastern Sudan. Wherever Bishop
Daniel went, evangelism and spreading the good news of Christ
went with him. During his 13 years in the Port Sudan area, Episcopal
Churches were established in six towns, two primary schools were
built, and over 7,000 individuals were baptized into the Christian
faith. The schools, which started with 20 children, had an enrollment
of 5,500 when Bishop Daniel left.
None of the
above feats was accomplished without hard work, a strong faith,
and the grace of God. Bishop Daniel had to stand and hold his
ground against the Islamic fundamentalist government many times.
When he first arrived in Port Sudan, a Muslim man claimed the
previous priest had sold him the rectory. It took three years
to win back the house for the church. In Kassala, headquarters
of the Eastern Government, Bishop Daniel bought land and built
a small church for 100 people. After only six months, it had been
destroyed. Bishop Daniel took a letter of complaint to the governor
who refused to see him, but read the letter. Within three days
the government recognized the Episcopal Church, paid 5,000 Sudanese
pounds, and the Minister of Religious Affairs had apologized to
the Episcopalian community. This was a first in the Sudan. Surely,
a miracle had taken place!
Because of
his successes in the Islamic area of Port Sudan, Bishop Daniel
was elected to lead the new Renk Diocese in the south where Islamic
invasions were weakening the church. He became the first Bishop
of the Diocese of Renk in 1992.
To be continued
next week.
CHILDREN'S
FORMATION
Parables
of Life
by Nerissa Brueckbauer
Sofia Cavalletti
writes, "The parable is a method of teaching; we can even
say it is the method of the teaching of Jesus. The secret resides
in its concealing what it wants to teach; the parable does not
explain, clarify, or 'define'; it offers an element for meditation."
Another author, Paul Ricoeur, writes that the parables are like
paradox. They are stories about people precisely like us —
"ordinary people doing ordinary things." And yet, for
example, the Kingdom parables reveal something about the Kingdom
of God in precisely this way. He goes on to say, "the paradox
is that the extraordinary is like the ordinary". While these
scholarly descriptions of the parable method may confound the
adult, the child, I have found, really has no trouble discerning
the essential contents or meaning of Jesus' parable teachings.
It is as if a child can rapidly strip away the many layers of
paper surrounding the box which encases the jewel inside, as Cavalletti
describes a parable. As the child strips away each layer, he comes
closer and more enthused about the treasure within. The child
will verbally share the impressions that each layer reveals to
him, and the adult cannot help but be swept along in the hunt.
Last week,
we were meditating on the Parable of the Talents, Matthew 25:14-29.
Briefly, the master is going on a long journey. Before leaving,
he calls his slaves to him and gives to one slave five talents,
another two, and the last slave one talent. Upon his return, he
finds that the two slaves to whom he gave five and two talents
have doubled their talents. He is pleased and promises them good
things. The slave to whom he gave one talent was fearful and hid
his talent in the ground. The master is angry with this slave
and gives the one talent to the slave with ten talents. We talked
about this parable for a few minutes before pondering who, in
the Kingdom of God, could the master be, and who could the slaves
be? Lyle very quickly responded that he thought that the master
must be God, all good things come from God. He then went on to
explain that the slave with five talents who ultimately ends up
with eleven talents must be Jesus because "he definitely
did the very best and most with what he was given." I can't
think of a more precise description of Jesus, who at once is truly
human and truly God. When I asked Lyle about the "talent"
that he feels that he has been given, he told me that the "talent"
he uses for the Kingdom of God is his "niceness." He
tries to be kind and accepting and, well, nice, to others, even
when it is not always easy. I
don't doubt it for a minute.
St.
Michael's Annual Meeting
St. Michael's
2008 Annual Meeting will take place on Sunday, February 3 at 10:30
a.m. This is a wonderful opportunity to hear first hand how St.
Michael's has impacted not only the lives of those within her
community, but the lives of those in the broader community and
in other corners of the world. Light refreshments will be offered
by Java Jam hosts, the members of St. Michael's Vestry. Worship
on that morning will be at 7:45 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. only although
Communion will be available in the chapel at 10:30 a.m. Church
School will meet only at 8:45 a.m. on that morning. The meeting
will end at noon.
For those
interested in detailed budget information, there will be a Budget
Review Meeting on Thursday, January 31, at 6:30 p.m. If you are
interested in attending this meeting, contact Kim Lessner at 847-381-2323
ext. 16 or klessner@stmichaelsbarrington.org
by 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, January 31.
Praying
in Color
Maybe you
love color. Maybe you hunger to know God better. Maybe you are
a visual or kinesthetic learner, a distractible or impatient soul,
or a word-weary pray-er. Perhaps you struggle with a short attention
span, a restless body, or a tendency to live in your head. There
will be a demonstration of a new prayer form in the Community
Room between the 9:00 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. services on Sunday,
January 27. Chris Robinson and Robin Darrow from And All the
Angels gift shop will present the prayer form described in
Sybil MacBeth's book, Praying in Color, Drawing a New Path to
God. There will also be materials and the opportunity for the
audience to try this prayer form during the demonstration. Come,
and learn to pray with the right side of your brain!
Renk
Ministry Partnership Offers Lenten Meditation Booklet
The Renk Ministry
Partnership has compiled a Lenten meditation booklet with readings
taken from the Revised Common Lectionary for the 2008 church year.
The booklet is the result of the combined efforts from our partners
in Renk and the people of St. Michael's. How better to reach out
to each other and our surrounding communities than by taking time
to read, reflect and pray! Let us pray for peace and for the deepening
and strengthening of our companions' faith as we journey side
by side on the road to Easter. Booklets will be available for
each household and can be picked up outside the Community room.
St.
Michael's Little Red Wagon
Thanks to
the many that contributed so generously to the 2008 by 2008 campaign!
The need for food doesn't end with the campaign, however. During
the month of January, Church of the Redeemer in Elgin will benefit
from food donations made to the Little Red Wagon. Church of the
Redeemer provides for the short-term needs of local families through
its "Families in Crisis" program and also provides meals
to the community once each week through its soup kitchen where
many different groups, including from individuals from St. Michael's,
take turns volunteering to prepare and serve the meal to 50 to
100 people. Please consider the needs of those that our partner
parish serves the next time you are visiting your favorite grocery
store! The Little Red Wagon is located in St. Michael's narthex/main
entrance each Sunday. Cash donations are also accepted. Checks
may be made payable to St. Michael's with a notation that the
funds are for the Little Red Wagon.
A
Note of Thanks
 The
following letter was received from Barrington Township as thanks
for the outpouring of food donations in December. (Click the letter
to enlarge.)
Dear Parishioners,
WOW! Saying
"Thank You" just doesn't seem like enough. The overwhelming
generosity of the donation of food from the parishioners of St.
Michael's Church to the Barrington Township food pantry was exceptional!
Please know that this food will go a long way to help those who
are less fortunate.
Your contribution
will help to keep your pantry shelves stocked and the people who
use the pantry know they can come to us when they need help because
of the kindness of people like you. We really appreciate you thinking
of the Barrington Township food pantry.
Again,
thank you so much for your excellent service to your community.
Sincerely,
Eugene R. "Gene" Dawson, Barrington Township Supervisor.
Around
the Neighborhood
The Ordination
and Consecration of the New Bishop of Chicago
The ordination
and consecration of the Rev. Jeffrey Lee, bishop-elect of the
Diocese of Chicago, will be held at 1:00 p.m. Saturday, February
2 at the House of Hope Arena in Chicago's Pullman district (Far
South Side). As the arena holds 10,000, all clergy and lay members
are enthusiastically invited to participate. Because of security
policies at the House of Hope Arena, this will be a ticketed event.
Tickets are free but reservations will be required. St. Michael's
is hoping to arrange bus transportation but needs to have an idea
of how many people will be attending. If you are interested in
attending, please contact Pat Raymond in the Parish Office at
847-381-2323.
Invitation
to Meet Bishop-Elect Jeffrey Lee
A Pre-Consecration
Reception to meet Bishop-Elect Jeffrey Lee will be held on Friday,
February 1, at Church of the Atonement, 5749 N. Kenmore Avenue,
Chicago, from 6:30 to 9:00 p.m. The Reception is open to all members
of the Diocese of Chicago. As capacity is limited to 350, RSVPs
will be accepted on a first come, first served basis, and reservations
are required. A minimum donation of $20 per person is suggested.
Your request to attend, accompanied by your check payable to Church
of the Atonement, should be sent by the deadline of January 21
to: Mrs. Connie Silvester, 1102 Timber Lane, Lake Forest IL 60045.
Please include attendee name(s), the name of your parish, and
your email address so that we may confirm your reservation.
Limited parking
is available across the street from Church of the Atonement, and
nearby. Information on alternative parking will be available when
you arrive at the Church. Any questions can be directed to Colin
and Connie Silvester at 847-234-3015 or conniesilvester@comcast.net.
Diocese
of Chicago Offers Camp Preview Day
With frigid
temperatures and predictions of snow, what better time to start
thinking about summer and specifically summer camp. The Diocese
offers a camping experience each year at Camp Algonquin in Algonquin.
This year's preview takes place on Sunday, March 9 at Camp Algonquin
from 3:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. in the Save Building at the camp. 2008
camp sessions will include:
- Session
I: Introduction to Camp - June 29-July 1, for children entering
grades two & three
- Session
I: Mixed Age Camp - June 29-July 4, for children entering grades
three to seven
- Session
II: Middler Camp - July 6-11, for children entering grades three
to six
- Session
III: Junior High/High School Camp - July 13-18, for youth entering
grades seven to ten
- Mini (Day)
Camp Session I - June 30-July 4, for children ages three to
seven, mornings only
- Mini (Day)
Camp Session II - July 7-11, for children ages three to seven,
mornings only
This is an
opportunity to " See the Camp & hear more about the camp
program, and meet camp staff and returning campers and their parents.
Discounts offered to those who pay the camp fee in full March
9. For more information, contact Sue Cromer at 312-751-6722 or
scromer@episcopalchicago.org.
In
the Parish Family
Those for
whom prayers have been requested
This week
prayers are asked for: Military troops in danger, Bp. Persell,
John, Mary, Sarah, Margo, Church of the Redeemer, Sara, Jim, Nathan,
Sue, the Callahan family, Bob, Norman, Ray, Maribeth, the Moon
family, Patti, Carol, Kathy, Teri, Sue, Shirley & Bob, Mary
Beth, the Galasso family.
Anniversaries
This Week
Birthdays
- 1.26 Michael
LaBarge
- 1.27 Ruth
Silver, David Harris, Art Hagg, Les Olds, Tina Korzun
- 1.28 Nicole
Anetsberger, Timothy Okonek, Zane Okonek
- 1.29 Zachary
Johnson, Buck McGugan, Joy Stauffer
- 1.30 Katie
Dickerson
- 1.31 Jay
Younger, Liam Nance
Anniversaries
- 1.28 Kristin
& Jean Louis Lafon
- 2.1 Cyndi
& Andy Davis
Deaths
- 1.26 Catherine
Silver
- 1.27 Sarah
Jane Allen
- 1.28 Edwin
Tukey
- 1.29 Patricia
Magnuson
- 1.30 Alice
Peto
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