Epiphany to Lent 2019(Lent starts on Ash Wednesday, March 6)

• Kristin Wickersham to be ordained March 2nd

• Say goodbye to the pink tile

• Inspiration from Spin Class

• A Message from Hilary +

• Let’s Make Music Together

• Keri Abrams from the Transgender Speakers Bureau

• Men at the Movies – The Horse’s Mouth

• Pancakes on Fat Tuesday & Ashes to Go on Wednesday

• Book Club for February

• CARITAS 2018 – 82 volunteers, 300 hours - Interview with the Rev Joe Klenzmann, Deacon

• The ONE Campaign - the vote is in

• Carnaval

• Virginia’s Chance at “Poetic Justice”

• Episcopal Migration Ministries

• Six Months in an English Country Parish (Part 9)

• The Back Page

News of The Church of the Holy Comforterin the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia

Richmond, February 2019

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Kristin Wickersham to be ordained March 2ndBy Bruce MacAlister

She has assisted at Holy Comforter since January 2018. She graduated from Union Presbyterian Seminary with a Master of Divinity

in May 2018. Currently she is studying for a post-graduate diploma in Anglican Studies at the Virginia Theological Seminary [Episcopal] in Alexandria. As the invitation will probably say “God willing and the people consenting” she will be ordained at 10:30am on March 2nd at Church of the Good Shepherd, 9359 Braddock Rd,

Burke, VA 22015. She will be a Deacon for about 6 months and then “God willing” she will be ordained a priest on September 7.

Say goodbye to the pink tileBy Hilary Smith

We have received an anonymous gift to remodel the women’s bathroom in the parish house. When completed, it will be

ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) compliant and for everyone. In place of the two toilets, there will be one. We had estimates done with other rooms but the only real option when considering structural issues with the building was to remodel this bathroom in order to have an ADA compliant restroom. Because of city requirements, this remodel may take up to

two months. You may use the restroom right next to this one, the one upstairs in the parish house, the ones in the church, and, on Sundays, I will leave my office open so you can use the bathroom connected to my office. Thanks for your patience and understanding while we complete this project.

Inspiration from Spin ClassBy Hilary Smith

About four months ago, I started doing videos live on Facebook following my spin classes. Spin classes are intensive workouts on a bike in a class with others and an instructor. The music is loud and the instruction is inspiring:

“You can do it!” “Keep going.” “You are stronger than you think you are.”

During these classes, I started thinking about how church and spin

class are alike or that it would be good if we could understand church as being as supportive and affirming as a spin class. St. Ignatius of Loyola was on to this long ago; in the 16th century, he wrote the Spiritual Exercises as a way to provide a sort of prayer workout. In the videos, my goal is to connect the way of the Spirit to our everyday lives. I hope to reach people who have no spiritual practice or church experience so as to introduce faith in an understandable way. I’ve been having great fun with it. I have felt God in it. I plan to keep doing it until you tell me - “ok, Hilary, that’s enough.” Thanks to all of you who have been watching, “liking it” and commenting.

Photo by George Collier

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A Message from Hilary +

Dear Friends and Companions in Ministry,

We continue in this season following the Epiphany throughout February until Ash Wednesday, which is on March 6 this year.

“Epiphany is a Greek word meaning manifestation, showing forth, revelation.” This feast proclaims our faith that in Jesus, God is revealed to all people – not just to an inner circle or a chosen few, but to all people, in all places,

and throughout all time. Christians believe that in the person of Jesus we see who God is, and in the words and actions of Jesus we see God at work in the world….The feast of the Epiphany and the weeks that follow are a time when we reflect on several ‘manifestations’ of Jesus, as

he was recognized as the Messiah (or Christ) by many different people. (Daily Prayer For All Seasons, by the Office of the General Convention of The Episcopal Church, Church Publishing, New York, 2014.)”

During this season of the church year, we may wish to consider where we see God. How do we recognize the work of God in our lives, in our church, and in our world? Moments of epiphany can be life-changing and dramatic. Sometimes, a realization grows in our hearts and minds. For me, the realization of the importance of our ministry in the world, how we make God known through our words and deeds grows and grows. Sometimes it is the conflict in the world and the great contrast offered by our faith community that fills my heart with peace and determination. You are so important to our world and to God, and, when we join together in prayer and action, we are a force for goodness and grace. You are God’s epiphany; you are the way God has been known to others. Our church is God’s epiphany; we are the way God has been known to others. When you see newcomers during our connection-fellowship time after church, you might ask them what they are

looking for in a faith community; what brought them to HoCo; what are their hopes and dreams; and what are they seeing of God here. You don’t have to use those words, but our newer members in what they say to us help us to remember that sometimes it is through our community that God is known in powerful and life-changing ways. What brings people to us? What keeps us coming back? How is God calling us to share our vision of what a community that walks in the Way of Love, the Way of Jesus, looks like? May we know God in life-giving ways, and may we make God known.

Peace and Grace,

Hilary+

Let’s Make Music TogetherBy Hilary Smith

Let’s Make Music Together will be offering the winter semester of Music Together classes from Feb. 7 - March 28. Classes are every Thursday morning from 10:30 - 11:15 in the Community Room (parish hall, CM Room). Newborns through 5-year-olds with their parent or caregiver are welcome to come and join in the fun! We will make music together with songs, dances, drama, and instruments using the rich and developmentally appropriate Music Together curriculum. Please email Clara O’Brien at rvamusictogether@gmail.com to sign up and for further details. Clara hopes to offer this 8 week winter semester starting in February, followed by the spring semester and then the shorter 4-6 week summer semester.

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Keri Abrams from the Transgender Speakers Bureau

By Bruce MacAlister

On February 10th, Keri Abrams from the Transgender Speakers Bureau (www.equalityvirginia.org/transgenderequality/speakers-bureau/), will speak at Holy Comforter.

“Advocates in the speakers bureau are trained facilitators and are connecting ... in an effort to build a better understanding of transgender life experiences through storytelling and open, candid dialogue. This is an Equality Virginia program,” - Equality Virginia website. Holy Comforter has been involved with Equality Virginia for decades.

Keri Abrams is from Akron, Ohio and now resides in Richmond. Keri works as a sales associate at Lowes, is also a board member of Diversity Richmond, and the founder of “Let’s Talk,” a local gender support group. In her spare time, Keri enjoys playing with her dog, Madison, motorcycling, and making repairs around the house.

Men at the Movies – The Horse’s MouthBy Steve Van Voorhees

“Men at the Movies” is a monthly gathering of male-identifying members of the HoCo family. We come together and check in with each other. Some bring their dinner, others have drinks and popcorn, while we watch a noteworthy film, connect our stories and any biblical stories with

the movie, and enjoy each other’s company. This relatively new feature of HoCo life has been attended by a dozen or so “regulars” for the last couple of years and has been rewarding in many ways for all participants. You are invited to join us on the 4th Tuesday of the month—we gather at 6:00pm, movie and discussion start at 6:30pm.

The February 26th movie is The Horse’s Mouth - the only film written by Alec Guinness, in which he stars as an outrageous expressionist painter of the “kitchen sink” school in England. The story is a tribute to obsession and the greatness it can yield. The lead character was originally based on the real life poet Dylan Thomas. This is reputedly Alec Guinness’ funniest film and his most personal. He started the entire project, wrote the screenplay based loosely on Romaine Gary’s novel of the same name, recruited the cast and crew, and played the lead role.

See you at the movies! For more information, contact me.

Pancakes on Fat Tuesday & Ashes to Go on WednesdayBy Bruce MacAlister

“In many liturgical Christian denominations, Good Friday, Holy Saturday, and Easter Sunday form the Easter Triduum. Lent is a season of grief that necessarily ends with a great celebration of Easter. ... It is a season of sorrowful reflection which is punctuated by breaks in the fast on Sundays,” Wikipedia.

It’s not easy for most modern Christians if only because, at 40 days, it is so long. The Jewish equivalent, Yom Kippur, also known as the Day of

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Book Club for February By Stephanie Roberts-Turner

Our book for February is Washington Black by Esi Edugyan. Please contact me with any questions you might have.

It’s going to be a great year for reading! Please come and join us. We meet the third Wednesday of the month at 7:30 in the evening in Holy Comforter’s parlor.

Atonement, is one day with maybe a week or so of preparation.

Before Lent there’s Mardi Gras, aka Shove Tuesday, Carnival, Fat Tuesday, on March 5th this year. It’s party time before 40 days of beating yourself up. The “fat” part of the Tuesday means using up all the fat in the kitchen before the fat-less food of Lent. Oh, joy!

Fat Tuesday at Holy Comforter is pancakes, cooked apples, and sausage served in the evening. This year it coincides with the monthly Community Meal aimed at the users of our Food

Pantry so it will be a combined meal.

Ash Wednesday is March 6: “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you

shall return.” Now there’s an upper. HoCo has a mid-day and evening service. For those too busy, Ashes-to-go will be offered curb-side in front of the church. It gets lots of attention from passers-by on Monument Ave.

Buckle up Buttercup, Lent is coming.

At the front of the nave on the pulpit side is a new place for wheelchairs.

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CARITAS 2018 – 82 volunteers, 300 hoursInterview with the Rev Joe Klenzmann, Deacon

“CARITAS in December was livelier than most. With children running around it was more joyful; the kids kept it alive. It made for early nights because of the kids. We averaged 28 people, 7 to 9 families. The largest was six, mom, dad, and four kids. We ranged from single parents to full households.”

“We had good support. The VCU Muslim student group and Kathy Hayfield’s office team were the two “outside” groups. The other five nights were by HoCo teams. There were a total of 82 volunteers who put in over 300 hours.

“2019 will be the last family CARITAS and maybe the last CARITAS as we have known it. A new permanent shelter will be up in 2020.”

The ONE Campaign - the vote is inBy Patty Galdun

On Sunday, January 20, 2019, the vote for our annual ONE Campaign was finalized. Three worthy organizations, Women for Women International, The Global Fund, and Heifer International were in the running. Forty-six people voted and Heifer International was the winner with 39.1% of the vote. The other two

organizations tied with 30.4% each. On Sunday, February 17, 2019 our loose plate offering will be collected for Heifer International. If you want to use your donation for tax purposes, you may write a check to Holy Comforter and designate “ONE” or “Heifer” in the memo.

According to one of the bookmarks which Heifer made available to our parish for our First Sunday of Advent Fair, “Heifer International’s mission is to end hunger and poverty while caring for the Earth. For more than 70 years, Heifer has provided livestock and environmentally sound agricultural training to improve the lives of those who struggle daily for food and income. Heifer currently works in 25 countries, including the United States, to help families and communities become self-reliant.

“The hallmark of our model is Passing on the Gift, in which each family that receives an animal gift passes on the first female offspring to another in need. Whether farmers pass on animals, time, money, or knowledge, the practice doubles the impact of the original gift, transforming recipients into donors.”

We will celebrate Valentine’s Day the week of our collection. Please consider opening your heart to the world and give generously to this worthy cause. In this way you will be joining our Holy Comforter “ONE Campaign” and the “more than nine million people around the world taking action to end extreme poverty and disease, …” www.ONE.org

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CarnavalBy Bruce MacAlister

In Europe and North America it’s mid-winter, a cold, dark, depressing

time. So why not a cold, dark, depressing season; Lent.

Before that let’s celebrate. Being calm and not overly enthusiastic, we Episcopalians and our Anglican antecedents went with pancakes on “Shrove Tuesday.” But in the warmer climes of the Roman Catholic Mediterranean lands and Latin America there is no such restraint. It’s “carnival” with all the revelry that name implies. That includes New Orleans that my wife, a native of that land, refers to as the northernmost province of Venezuela. Revelers wear costumes, eat rich foods, sing, drink too much, dance, and generally do things that need forgiveness.

“The word [Carnaval] is said to come from the Late Latin expression carne levare, which means ‘remove meat’; a folk etymology derives it from carne vale, ‘farewell to meat’. In either case, this signifies the approaching fast [the 40 days of Lent],” Wikipedia.

A lesser know celebration is “Courir de Mardi

Gras.” It’s celebrated in the “Cajun” part of

southwest Louisiana. It translates to “Fat Tuesday Run.” “The rural Mardi Gras celebration is based on early begging rituals, similar to those still celebrated by mummers, wassailers and celebrants of Halloween. As Mardi Gras is the celebration of the final day before Lent, celebrants drink and eat heavily, and also dress in specialized costumes, ostensibly to protect their identities. Popular practices include wearing masks, capuchons, and costumes, overturning social conventions, dancing, drinking alcohol, begging, feasting, whipping. Mardi Gras is one of the few occasions when exceptions are allowed, as are Halloween celebrations and religious observances,” Wikipedia

To be correct, Carnival is also celebrated in the colder northern climes with a long history of Roman Catholic dominance. It just seems that the most outlandish costumes, parties, and music are in the warmer places.

At Holy Comforter, good Episcopalians that we are, we serve pancakes on Carnival Tuesday. But not just pancakes; we have sausage and sautéed apples!

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Virginia’s Chance at “Poetic Justice”By Bonnie Atwood

What would demonstrate “poetic justice” for the Commonwealth of Virginia? According to one lawmaker, passage of the Equal Rights Amendment. Senator Jennifer McClellan was referring to a short, but controversial, proposed amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which requires ratification by a certain number of states. Virginia has not yet ratified, although, as this reporter writes, we are darn close, and

emotions are running high. For those who might have questions about this amendment, here are a few frequently asked questions:

Why do people think we need this? Don’t women already have the right to do everything they want?

Sometimes it appears to be so. In the past 30 years or so, women have joined men in virtually every occupation, from coal mining to the space program, from combat to a serious run for the U.S. presidency. However, those who want the ERA argue that women have still farther to run. All of the laws, ordinances, rules, and regulations can be swept away without a Constitutional guarantee to hold them fast, once and for all.

Why would anybody be against that?

Some people are afraid of “unintended consequences.” Two issues in particular, always

come up. (1) Will women lose “privileges” that are sometimes given to women, and (2) In the event of a military draft, will women be required to register and to go to war?

How do the supporters argue against that?

These are legitimate concerns. This reporter is inclined to think that many of the so-called privileges are not, in fact, of any advantage. I also think that, even with an ERA, commons ense will prevail, and institutions will still make special allowances for women’s needs, such as those involving childbearing. The draft question is a tough one for me. I am wholeheartedly against the draft for everyone, man or woman. It is highly unlikely that a draft will be re-instated in our lifetimes. If it were to come back, women can apply for exemptions, just as men always have. Women, also like men, have the option of applying for conscientious objector status.

States where ratified in blue.

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I’ve heard that the time for ratification has expired. How can Virginia sign an expired amendment proposal?

The expiration date is arguable. Lawyers can make cases for both sides. If Virginia signs, this question will probably be settled in court.

How would passing the amendment be “poetic justice”?

This reporter is not fond of that concept, because she remains proud of the state in which she was born and raised. But some say that Virginia’s scars from the Civil War, racism, and massive resistance make this the perfect state to say to the world: “We stand for equal rights.”

Why is Virginia’s vote important?

The Equal Right Amendment has been ratified by the requisite number—minus one. Virginia would be the tipping point. We are witnesses to history.

Episcopal Migration Ministries, 8 other agencies awarded new contracts to resettle refugees

By David Paulsen, Episcopal News Service, posted Dec 3, 2018

The State Department, despite the Trump administration’s decision to drastically reduce the number of refugees allowed to be resettled in the United States, has renewed contracts with all

nine agencies that long have facilitated resettlements for the government, including Episcopal Migration Ministries, or EMM.

The decision, communicated to the agencies on Nov. 30, allows them to continue their resettlement activities for another year, though at a greatly diminished capacity than under the Obama administration.

“We are thankful we will continue to resettle refugees in the coming year,” the Rev. Charles Robertson, canon to the presiding bishop for ministry beyond the Episcopal Church, said Dec. 3 in a press release announcing the State Department’s decision. “We still face the challenge of transitioning to a much smaller resettlement program. This, at a time when there are more than 25.4 million refugees, over half of whom are children. With everyone’s support, we will continue to welcome refugees to a place of safety and welcome.”

Robertson also invited Episcopalians to support this ministry financially by making a donation at episcopalmigrationministries.org/give or texting “EMM” to 41444.

Presiding Bishop Michael Curry issued a statement of disappointment in September after the government announced the new cap on resettlements.

“Our hearts and our prayers are with those thousands of refugees who, due to this decision, will not be able to find new life in the United States,” Curry said. “This decision by the government does not reflect the care and compassion of Americans who welcome refugees in their communities every day. Our faith calls us to love God and love our neighbor, so we stand ready to help all those we can in any way we can.”

The entire article is at www.episcopalnewsservice.org/2018/12/03/episcopal-migration-ministries-8-other-agencies-awarded-new-contracts-to-resettle-refugees/.

After this story was written, ERA proponents were disappointed that both ERA bills were defeated. The Senate version and the House

version were “passed by indefinitely,” which is tantamount to death. Barring a miracle, we will

not see these bills come back this year.

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Six Months in an English Country Parish (Part 9)By Laura Hunt

Saxon and Norman Shropshire

One of the advantages of living in a country with a 1,700-year history of Christianity is that every historic style of Western architecture can be found in every shire, indeed sometimes in a single church.

When Constantine made Christianity the official religion of the Roman Empire in the early 4th century, the legions were still in Britain. So the first churches in England were built by the Romans, and many later churches incorporated Roman stones, notably at Atcham in Shropshire, where two Roman columns flank the entrance gate (photo #1) and an upside down capital serves as the font (photo #2)

As the Empire left (AD410), the pagan Anglo-Saxons invaded, and Pope Gregory the Great sent St. Augustine to England (AD597) to introduce Christianity to the barbarians. Many churches today retain Anglo-Saxon elements dating from the 7th through the 11th centuries.

Saxon walls are characterized by pilasters,

long strips of vertical stone resembling flat columns, as at Stanton Lacy (photo #3). At corners the Saxons frequently used alternate horizontal and vertical stones, a pattern called “long-and-short work”

(visible in photo 3). Stones were often laid in herringbone patterns, as at Culmington (photo #4). Also note the very small window (for defense).

Very few entire Anglo-Saxon churches survive, partly because of the destructive Viking invasions of the 9th and 10th centuries, which particularly attacked

churches to steal gold and silver items used for services.

When the Normans invaded in 1066, they brought with them the Romanesque style of France. Everything is grander, carrying with it an air of permanence very different from earlier Saxon work.

Kinlet village provides an early example with plain round columns supporting simple semicircular arches (photo #5 ~ next page). But as churches became larger, walls became thicker to support the stones above them. The Norman nave at Leominster (photo #6 ~ next page) has thick walls pierced by semicircular arches, above which is blind arcading (a series of

Photo 1

Photo 2 Photo 4

Photo 3

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arches with no openings, used as decoration), and at the 3rd level deeply splayed windows.

Windows were kept small, in part for defensive purposes, and in part to avoid weakening the walls. Peterchurch’s apse (photo #7) has arrow slits in splayed windows, so that archers could defend against marauding Welsh.

Norman decoration is concentrated in capitals and round-arched doorways. The church at Rock (photo #8) has 6 orders of elaborate stone carving: the 1st and 3rd of zig-zag (chevron) molding, the 2nd adopted from castle crenelation (like Greek meander), the 5th of dogtooth (canine) design, and finally, at the top, a billet pattern (short cylinders or blocks evenly spaced).

Norman architecture lasted until the late 12th-C. Beginning in 1180 new, delicate Gothic architecture arrived from Northern France, with its emphasis on soaring arches and large stained-glass windows to allow God’s heavenly light to permeate churches.

Photo 5

Photo 6

Photo 7

Photo 8

Photography by Laura Hunt

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Church of the Holy Comforter, Richmonda parish in the Diocese of Virginia under the Episcopal Church in the USA

which is part of the worldwide Anglican CommunionMonument Avenue at Staples Mill Road

web - www.hoco.org; e-mail - office@hoco.org; phone 804-355-3251; fax 804-355-0049

• Sundays, 8:45am, Adult Formation, Hayward Parlor • Sundays, 10am, Choral Eucharist• Sundays, about 10:15am, Children’s Chapel, starts in the Church, moves to Parish House Children’s Chapel• Third Sundays, 4:30pm, Story Time

Food Pantry Hours:• First and third Saturdays, 11:00am to noon • First and third Tuesdays, 5:30 to 6:30pm

Side By Side Meal Preparation• Fourth Thursdays, Side by Side, prep at 4pm, deliver about 5pm• Fourth Thursdays, Vet Shelter prep at 5pm, carpool to the shelter at about 6pm, and dinner served at 6:30.

Editing of the Messenger is done by Bruce MacAlister, the layout by George Collier.The March Messenger will be available Sunday, March 3rd, 2019. The deadline for that edition is

Friday, February 22nd, 2019 (but earlier submission is encouraged).

Please send your submissions to editor@hoco.orgThe full color (and more attractive) version of the Messenger is available

on our web site - www.hoco.org

Coming Events at the Church of the Holy ComforterSee the Hoco web site calendar page for detailed calendar and rota

Hoco Birthdays for the month of February:Caroline Nichols, 1st; Paris Ball, 2nd; Shawn Sthreshley, 3rd; Brandon Martin, 5th;

Nancy Ottenritter, 5th; Lorraine McCarthy, 7th; Mary Mitchell, 7th; Kathryn Hayfield, 10th; Karen Doran, 11th; Stephen Herr, 14th; J. Ronald Cox, 15th; Deborah Love, 16th;

Elizabeth Lowry, 16th; Peggy Boyd, 17th; Reid Hall, 19th; Anne Cullison, 20th; Olivia Hoar, 20th; Carol Gibbs, 21st; Hilary Smith, 21st; Julie Turner, 23rd; Bonita Weber-Lehman, 24th;

A. Patrick L. Prest, 28th