|
June 3,
2008
COVER
STORY
Finding
the Mirrors
by Daniel Quarfoot
 Daniel
Quarfoot is the 2008 recipient of the Nicholas Alvin Johnson Scholarship
Award. The following article is his essay written as part of the
application process. More information about Dan is available below.
Two years
ago Fr. Johnson gave a sermon that has stuck with me ever since.
He compared people to mirrors, and said that while we are all
broken and fragmented, in between the cracks we see ourselves
staring back. His message was that we are not as different as
we think, for God lives in each and every one of us.
To find God
in one and another is one of the hardest things we can do as human
beings. As a society we focus so much on where we differ that
we forget what we have in common. We forget we are all God's children.
Instead of basking in his love we judge who is and isn't worthy
of it.
For me, church
work is looking for the mirrors. My freshman year I began traveling
to Jesus People, a Chicago soup kitchen and day care. I saw His
love in the hopeful faces of those who had been beaten down but
refused to give up. That summer I went on a mission trip to Colorado,
and His love abounded in the houses we rebuilt. I was amazed to
find that by simply opening my eyes, I could find him everywhere.
I have always
enjoyed working with the youth group, and I look back fondly on
my first two years. However after the mission trip, I realized
finding God wasn't always going to be easy. I knew that when I
stepped out of my comfort zone, when I stepped outside of the
church, many people would be skeptical. But I knew I could do
something about it.
I knew I could
bring people together if I helped them find similarities. So I
began taking leadership roles in the areas I was involved in,
and although they varied from marching band to the school newspaper,
my goal was always the same: Promote a group attitude that emphasized
similarities.
In cross country
it meant getting the team to recognize our common desire to run
our best, regardless of skill level or experience. On the newspaper,
it meant open and courteous story revision by both editors and
reporters in order to produce an issue we could all be proud of.
I encountered different challenges in every activity, but my biggest
was teaching Colts.
Colts is a
leadership group at Barrington High School that teaches freshman
how to lead in their respective activities. The program is unique
because all sessions are taught by junior and senior students.
The hope is that more freshmen buy into what we teach. I feel
I had the largest impact on this group because with so many leaders
in one group, I had to teach them to work together. Some were
quiet and some loud, and the kid who played in the band didn't
always feel comfortable working with the football player. By the
end though, I helped them recognize they were all leaders, and
all capable of promoting a very Christian lifestyle, the type
of lifestyle that I had chosen for myself.
Helping others
to find the mirrors is important to me because God intends for
us to find them. He created us all in his image because he loves
and cares for us the most. We all have our talents, but when we
recognize our similarities, we celebrate the love God has for
us. Whenever I struggle to find the mirrors, the church and especially
the youth group have been my safe haven. Still, watching two people
recognize themselves in each others' mirrors is one of the purest
things to witness. Church work is important to me because it continually
reminds me of God's unconditional love for us all.
SCHOLARSHIP
Daniel
Quarfoot Receives 2008 Scholarship Award
 Congratulations
to Daniel Quarfoot, the recipient of the 2008 Nicholas Alvin Johnson
Memorial Scholarship. Dan’s leadership in activities at church,
school, and in the community are numerous. In his service at St.
Michael's, Dan spent two years as a youth representative to the
vestry, three years as a volunteer to Jesus People USA in Chicago,
and was an active member of the Sr. High youth group with the
peak of his involvement at the 2005 summer mission trip to Florence,
CO.
Dan's activities
and awards at Barrington High School included cross country, track,
J. Kyle Braid Leadership Ranch Group, Colts, Barrington Stampede,
Reality, Code Red, Marching and Symphonic Band, and the school
newspaper.
Dan will be
attending Ohio University and plans to study Journalism. His scholarship
essay appears above as this week's cover article.
The Nicholas
Alvin Johnson scholarship amount is $2500 and is renewable for
four years based upon meeting the established standards. The selection
committee, comprised of eight individuals as well as outside consultants,
reviews applications from high school seniors who are active at
St. Michael's, Church of the Holy Apostles in Wauconda, and Church
of the Redeemer in Elgin each spring. Previous recipients of the
award were Lynn Van Eaton (2006) and Adrienne Darrow (2007). The
scholarship honors the life of Nicholas Alvin Johnson, first child
of Al and Vickie Johnson, who was born on August 1, 1981 and died
of leukemia in March of 1989.
Photo:
Youth Minister Kevin Kasper presents Dan Quarfoot with the 2008
Nicholas Alvin Johnson Scholarship award during the 9:30 a.m.
service on Sunday, June 1. Click photo for a larger view.
St.
Michael's ECW is Looking for a Few Good Women!
St. Michael's
Episcopal Church Women's (ECW) Board of is looking for new members
for the 2008-2009 year. Being a board member involves coming to
planning meetings once a month (the second Monday of the month
at 7:00 p.m.) and helping with the various ECW activities. Your
involvement can vary depending on your time availability. ECW
is in need of both longtime and new members of St. Michael's to
provide input for the upcoming year. If you are looking for a
ministry at St. Michael's and you want to meet and get to know
other women in the church, then this is the organization for you!
Please call Marie Schriefer at 847- 719-1012 if you would like
to learn more or if would like to join the ECW board.
The
Little Red Wagon
In 1980, Fr.
Al Leveridge started a food pantry at the Church of the Holy Apostles
in Wauconda. It grew over the years until 1994 when it became
the Wauconda-Island Lake Food Pantry, Inc. Members of various
churches in the area formed its board and volunteer to staff the
important ministry. The pantry is now located in the town of Wauconda
and is open six mornings a week. Each month it serves 80-100 families
in its district.
In June, our
food collection will go to this food pantry. The special needs
at this time are: Canned meats, pasta and sauces, detergent, shampoo,
and toilet paper.
The Little
Red Wagon is located in St. Michael's narthex/front entrance on
Sundays or in the coat area near the Parish Office during the
week.
Vacation
Bible School Explores "Twelve Who Changed the World"
Please don't
forget to include St. Michael's Vacation Bible School in your
summer plans! This year's program will run from Monday, July 14
through Thursday, July 17, 9:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. daily. Registration
forms are available on the website at www.stmichaelsbarrington.org/vbs.htm,
in the Parish Office or the Children's Ministries Office. You
may also call 847-381-2323 ext. 33. The week's faith lessons and
fun will also include a multimedia live performance by the Christian
Youth Theater Praise Team including drama, choreography, music
and testimonies. Come and see 22 of the Christian Youth Theater's
best students from all over Chicagoland perform!
St.
Michael's/Holy Apostles Partnership Picnic
Plan to be
come to the second Partnership Picnic with Holy Apostles on Sunday,
June 22 at 10:30 a.m. The morning will begin with Holy Eucharist
on the Holy Apostles Lawn and will be followed with a picnic full
of food, fellowship, and fun! The event will include a catered
lunch (but please bring a side dish or dessert to share), D.J.,
games and more. Bring your chairs and blankets and enjoy! Kids
can bring swimsuits and towels for water play. This is a great
event for all!
Ruth
Silver Invites You to Join Her for the GCFD Hunger Walk
For 28 years,
the Greater Chicago Food Depository (GCFD) has been the major
source of food and support services for over 600 soup kitchens
and food pantries in Cook County. Unfortunately, food donations
have fallen behind the ever-growing need of those who serve the
hungry. Using other sources becomes very expensive because of
rising food costs.
"Each
year, the GCFD has a hunger walk along Lake Michigan. Supporters
of its many agencies walk to raise funds. Those funds are held
in account at the GCFD and drawn upon with each order," notes
Ruth. "Some of you know that I have been part of this beautiful
walk for many years. On June 14, the route will be from Montrose
Harbor to Foster Avenue and back." If anyone would like to
be a part of the Hunger Walk or sponsor Ruth as she walks for
St. Cyprian Food Pantry, please contact her at 847-381-1871.
Field
Trip to Lawrence Hall to Honor Kevin Callahan
In February
St. Michael's raised $10,000 to name a room at the new Lawrence
Hall Residential Treatment Center to thank Kevin Callahan for
his dedication to St. Michael's youth. Plan on seeing this room
and participating in the dedication ceremony on Saturday, June
7 with a bus trip to Lawrence Hall. The bus will depart form St.
Michael's at 10:00 a.m. and the trip will include lunch cooked
by students' Try Me Café. You can expect to return
to St. Michael's around 2:00 p.m. The cost for this trip is $5
per person.
Ideas
for Father's Day at And All The Angels
Get a jump
on your Father's Day shopping by visiting And All the Angels.
All Father's Day gifts start at $4.50. Some ideas to consider
are mugs, visor clips, key chains, pens in boxes, books and more!
Come check out the great selection. A volunteer will be happy
to help you find just the right gift for your father. The shop
will also be selling chocolate chip and oatmeal cookies on Father's
Day for the dads with a sweet tooth.
Around
the Neighborhood
Holy Apostles
Invites You to Treat Dad to a Fresh Main Lobster for Father's
Day
Church of
the Holy Apostles in Wauconda is having its annual lobster sale.
Enjoy these fresh, Maine lobsters along with a blueberry pie.
Forms are available
at St. Michael's and must be received along with payment no later
than June 10. Lobsters will be available for pickup on Saturday,
June 14.
In
the Parish Family
Baptism
Elena Marie
Heath, daughter of Nicole DalSanto and Andrew Heath, was baptized
on Sunday, May 25.
Those for
whom prayers have been requested
St. Luke's-New
Orleans, Nathan, Andrew, Rick, Kathy, Lisa, Joe, Emma, Kevin,
Krista, Mary, Brad, Patrick Margo, Carol, Helen, William, Wilbert,
Jimmy, Greg & family, Suzanne, Maribeth, Kevin & Marti,
Karin, John, military troops in danger, Kate.
Anniversaries
This Week
Birthdays
- 6.7 Mike
Turcott, Jim LaBarge, Daniel Ingram, Pierce Allord, Matt Sells
- 6.8 James
Hardy, Matt Foos, Michelle Maison
- 6.9 Sue
Barnum
- 6.10 Jaime
Pepper, Michael Burton, Jillian Smith
- 6.11 Victoria
Waring, Daniel Quarfoot
- 6.12 Emily
Bateman, Megan Bateman, Lindsey Boetsch, Makenna Poidomani
- 6.13 Jack
Marcinkiewicz, Benjamin Waller
Anniversaries
- 6.7 Victoria
& Greg Tilly, Virginia & Al Qualiardi
- 6.9 Audrey
& William Poll, Krista & Kevin Kasper
- 6.11 Maribeth
& John Totten, Susan & Jeff Dickenson
- 6.12 Dorothy
& Robert Lick, Kathy & Tony Belcore, Michelle &
Kirk Chan
Deaths
- 6.7 Helene
& Lawrence Dickson
- 6.8 Marguerite
Forrest, Daniel Stauffer
|
|
