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FISHERMAN’S NET Saint Peter’s Episcopal Church • Lakewood, Ohio
Volume 47, Number 02 • October 2013
My Problems are Other People’s Dreams
Sometimes someone says something to me that has
the quality of a bright light turning on, or a great
bell being rung, that shakes me out of my usual
sleepwalk and reminds me of what’s truly real and
truly important.
Just last week, I found myself in a conversation
with one of our very active parishioners, a woman
who quietly and efficiently does a whole lot of
important work around here. I asked about the
work going on in her home, a typical Lakewood
house project where one thing maddeningly leads to
another. She shared a kvetch or two, with which I
responded with a kvetch or two of my own. But
then, she smiled and said “but you know, I can’t
complain. My problems are other people’s
dreams.” She said this with such a sincere gratitude
that I was moved.
Of course, these days I worry about a house that
is always breaking somehow. I worry about college
tuition payments. I worry about insufficient
retirement savings and my nineteen year old car.
These are problems, real problems, and all of us
have them. And sometimes, they seem
overwhelming. But, as our friend so simply
reminded me in a blinding statement of the obvious,
isn’t it wonderful that I have these problems. Isn’t a
blessing that I have a house to live in, that my
daughter has the opportunity to go to college, and
that I have a car to get around in? There are people
within the audible range of our church bell who
have none of these “problems,” but would love to.
Later this month, you will receive in the mail a
“Gratitude Journal.” The Stewardship Committee
this year is inviting all of us into a three week
spiritual exercise. In a sense, it is a three week time
to inventory our “problems.” Perhaps, like me, you
will start to learn the lesson that many of our
“problems” are, in fact, enormous blessings in
disguise. Perhaps, like me, you will have a good
laugh at your tendency to warp into complaints
what ought to be songs of thanksgiving.
I hope you will take the time to keep this journal,
and maybe even use it to start a lifelong spiritual
discipline. I would especially encourage families to
use this together, perhaps at dinner or bedtime. Our
children are growing up in the most viciously
acquisitive society known to human history.
Perhaps this simple ritual of daily giving thanks
might be a small inoculation against the insanity
that assaults them, and us, all day every day.
“My problems are other people’s dreams.” Now
there’s a piece of holy speech if I ever heard one.
May all of our lives be filled with such problems,
and our hearts filled with such gratitude.
Your Brother in Christ,
— Keith
Coffee Hour
Coffee Hour is in the Undercroft after
the 10 am service. Coffee hour is
simply “goodies” and coffee and
lemonade. We provide the
beverages, you provide the
goodies. On the third Sunday of the
month, we have Birthday Cake,
celebrating the birthday of everyone
who has a birthday that month. Some people sign
up to celebrate a birthday in the family or someone
they know, and others sign up just because they like
to celebrate birthdays or eat cake. Whatever the
reason, this ministry has given us a chance to
celebrate lots of birthdays with our St, Peter's
family and taste a lot of different kinds of cakes.
Thank you for continuing to sign up to host a
Coffee Hour. If you have any questions about this
ministry please contact Amanda Chambers.
Thoughts from the Stewardship Committee…
Giving and Receiving, the Circle Unbroken
Mystical thinking is frequently associated with Eastern
philosophies and religions. Our Western culture and
traditions prepare us to be more comfortable with
dualistic thought patterns; we tend to see things as
“either-or.” The concept of non-dualistic thinking,
grasping both-and, not either-or, may seem a little
weird to us when we first encounter it. But it is not too
difficult to understand how two separate concepts can
be related and interdependent. It is exactly this
principle that is captured by
the symbol of yin and yang.
In the symbol of
yin/yang, two opposing
principles are “nested” to
create a perfectly balanced
circle. The boundary
between the two creates the
longest possible interface
within the symbol, indicating relationship and balance
(harmony) between the two sides. That undulating line
illustrates interaction, tension and relief. Each half
tapers in an opposing direction until it disappears into
infinity, exactly where its opposite is at its fullest - one
leads inevitably to the other. Notice also that a tiny bit
of each principle is embedded in its opposite,
completely integrated, indivisible.
Plug “Giving” and “Receiving” into the yin/yang
symbol and give some thought to several questions:
When we give something of ourselves, how
freely is it given? Do we expect to get to get
something in return? What might that be?
When we are the recipient of some gift
(thoughtfulness, kindness, support, sympathy),
does our gratitude create a desire to become the
“giver” of some gift or kindness to another?
To what extent do the gifts we receive from God
improve our ability to recognize gifts we receive
from any source?
Does that help us broaden our concept of what
constitutes a gift?
Does receiving lead to giving? And vice versa?
Allow your mind to wander around in those
associations. As the boundaries blend and blur, you will
arrive at both-and! When we live with this “duality”
united within us we are more whole. It is the circle
unbroken.
Giving and receiving is part of the Great
Commandment to love all as we love ourselves, as god
loves us. Giving and receiving is a mystical unity
which God, through Christ, offers to all humanity. If we
are to have Christ in us we must offer gifts of love to all
others too. Our gratitude as the receivers of God’s gifts
is most perfectly expressed when we become the givers.
By giving to others we are returning those gifts to
God…we are participating in the both-and of giving
and receiving.
St. Ignatius expresses this mystery in his prayer, the
Suscipe:
Take, Lord, and receive all my liberty,
my memory, my understanding and my
entire will. All I have and call my own
You have given to me; to you, Lord, I
return it. Everything is yours; do with it
what you will. Give me only your love
and your grace. That is enough for me.
~ Fred Purdy, Member,
Stewardship Committee
Women Welcoming Women
Woman Welcoming Women will be meeting on
October 22nd
at 7 PM at Panera
in Rocky River. This will
be our last meeting of 2013
since we don’t meet in
November and December
because of the holidays.
As usual the October
meeting will be filled
with lively discussion and
lots of laughs about life and friendship.
We will also be planning our holiday
events. Remember “Scatter seeds of
kindness wherever we go...and
watch friendship bloom.” For more
information call Lorna Jordan
(216) 227-0163 or [email protected].
October Outreach Focus of the Month: Watterson-Lake
Elementary School
For over 20 years Watterson-Lake School (K-8),
located at W. 74th
& Detroit, has been St. Peter’s
“adopted” school. We have had a rich and varied
history with the children and staff. We began by
sending volunteer tutors to help bolster deficient
skill levels and encourage love of reading, then
moved on to providing clothing to the neediest
children through the Share the Blessings Project.
Parishioners have taught a manners program,
sponsored a knitting club and offered individual
talents in other ways. Through engaging on a one-
to-one level, we have had and continue to have the
hope that the love of Christ flows through us to
those we help.
That’s the history. Now, the present: W-L
currently has 260 students, down from last year’s
325. The schedule is back to the usual, 9:30 to 3:45
and full-time teachers have been restored to gym,
music and art. The State mandated third grade
initiative is still in place—students not reading up to
grade level will be retained. (Note: the importance
of tutors for the early grades where the foundation
is laid.) The pressure is on to improve performance
indicators with the new Federal and State education
criteria—individual and group progress will be
measured for literacy, math and science, and test
results will be measured and evaluated for every
student.
Our 2012 loose plate offerings helped to
purchase red, white & blue uniforms for the girls
cheerleading team. Success! We rejoice with these
10 girls and their dedicated teacher. This first year
the W-L team won FIRST prize in the City of
Cleveland K-8 cheerleading competition! The
glittering 28” trophy is prominently displayed in the
school office. Individual and school pride is hard to
come by for these students.
This year the suggestion is to use our October
offerings to help fund the second Spring Carnival.
This first family fun day was held in the school
parking lot the end of May to celebrate the school
year. And celebrate they did—inflatables, hot dogs,
popcorn, slushies, games and prizes. This day gave
hope and spirit to students, their families and the
staff. Some of it still remains. Stay tuned….there
will be opportunities for us to participate in the
Family Fun Day next May.
Little Libraries: have you heard of or read about
them? These small book houses are installed near
schools in Cleveland. Children can take a book,
read it and return on the honor system. It’s working!
W-L would welcome book donations for their Little
Library. Look for a box by the entrance from the
parking lot in October. One problem we might solve
for them: the school has the house and the post but
no one to install it. Do we have a handy volunteer?
Please be as generous as you can and look
forward to hearing from the principal at both
services on Sunday, October 13th
. For more
information contact Nan Miller at
[email protected] or Monica Owen at
The Feast of Francis of Assisi and the Blessing of Beasts
Friday, October 4, 6:00 p.m.
Bring some lawn
chairs. Bring some
food or drink to
share. Bring a sense
of humor and a sense
of fun. Most of all,
bring your critters
(and yes, the fuzzy
stuffed kind are
welcome too). A
few plastic bags
would probably be a
good idea as well! All pets should be on a leash or
in some kind of carrier.
We’ll gather on the West Clifton lawn (weather
permitting) of the church to worship God by
remembering one of the most famous saints of the
church on his feast day. Francis is often called the
patron saint of animals because of his infectious
love of nature and all things living. The service will
be short, sweet, and fun. Afterwards, we’ll have a
big potluck picnic on the lawn to enjoy one
another’s, and our pets’, company.
Attention Newcomers & First-time Visitors: Explore & Connect
To help people new to St. Peter’s
become better acquainted with
who we are, what we
believe and exactly how
to find the bathrooms in
this maze of a building,
we offer a three session
designed to answer these
critical questions.
Here’s how it works:
Each session will begin with a light snack followed
by the information part of the session.
October 27 @ 11:45 a.m.: Welcome &
Meet ‘n Greet: have a light lunch, take a
tour, meet other new and more seasoned
parishioners, and ask questions
November 10 @ 11:45 a.m.: The Episcopal
Faith and St. Peter’s: a high level overview
of what it means to be Episcopalians and
how St. Peter’s fits into the equation.
Snacks are provided.
November 17 @ 11:45 a.m.: Getting
Involved: share your interests and skills,
learn about opportunities to get plugged in,
and ask questions. Snacks are provided.
November 24: Official welcome of
newcomers to St. Peter’s during both church
services. This is optional but very helpful for
the other parishioners to get to know you.
To help us plan adequately, we request
you let us know if you would like to attend.
Please note: you may participate in one or
all of these sessions depending on your
needs and interests, although we hope you
will join us for all as it strengthens our
community and fellowship.
If you have been attending St. Peter’s for years,
we would love to have you present at one or
more of these dates to meet our newcomers and
bless them with your knowledge and experience
of our church home. We also are looking for
individuals from other ministries to help with
the planning and administration of this series.
For more information call Lorna Jordan (216)
227-0163 or e-mail [email protected].
Stewardship Packets are Coming!!!
Stewardship Packets will soon be arriving in your
homes. All of the material in the packet, including
the 11x17 glossy was donated by members of the
stewardship committee.
We would like to thank the committee for a great
job. Please turn your pledge card in on Stewardship
Sunday, October 13th
and join us for a FREE
breakfast on Sunday, November 3rd
at 9:00 a.m. in
the Undercroft.
Charitable Giving…
The IRA charitable distribution provision was
extended through December 31, 2013. This
provision allows taxpayers who are age 70 ½ or
older to give up to $100,000 from their IRA to
qualifying charities without having to pay income
tax on the withdrawn amount.
IRA owners must take what is referred to as a
Required Minimum Distribution (RMD), starting
with the year a person turns 70½ years of age.
However, IRA owners 70½ or older can
make Qualified Charitable Distributions up to
$100,000 each year. Through a QCD, an IRA owner
can make a cash gift with all or a portion of their tax
year distribution, potentially bypassing the taxation
on the distribution.
For a distribution to qualify as a QCD, it must be
one of the following:
An outright gift to a qualified 501(c)(3)
institution such as your local church or
ministry.
This gift would be made directly from the
IRA to the Qualified Charity
St. Peter’s qualifies as a charitable distribution.
Please discuss this with your tax advisor before
making any decisions.
Stewardship Sunday Wrap-up!!! Free Breakfast!!
The November Parish Breakfast is on the
house for all households who return a
completed pledge card on or before
November 3rd
! Join us at 9:00 a.m. in the
Undercroft.
Child Care News
We have received many
compliments on our
SUNFLOWERS again this
year! We have grown these
from seeds planted back in
May and the children are
eagerly awaiting the
squirrels to begin eating and exploring them! They
enjoy watching how they grow and change. The
Prekindergarteners brought some indoors to
investigate closer and created interpretations of
them with paint and markers! We do love that we
have a bit of space to still garden in…it’s
AWESOME!
Each October our children do a Costume Parade
near Halloween. For the fifth year in a row we will
do our Mini March for Cystic Fibrosis. The
children will be raising money to help find a cure
for Cystic Fibrosis by asking for donations prior to
the event. Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is a genetic disease
which affects approximately 30,000 children and
adults in the United States alone. A defective gene
causes the body to produce abnormally thick, sticky
mucus. This abnormal mucus leads to chronic and
life-threatening lung infections and impairs
digestion. Currently, there is no cure. If you would
like to sponsor a “marcher” please contact the Child
Care office at (216) 226-2840 or stop in for visit on
October 31 to see the children in their costumes!
Watch out this month for flyers on Little
Caesar’s Pizza Kit sales!! (October 7-21, 2013).
~ Denise Minor
Adult Spirituality and Education
Adult Spirituality and Education pans for October:
Window into Islam continues.
SUNDAYS at 9 a.m.
October 6 – Parish Breakfast 9 to 9:30
October 13 – Conversations on Capital
Punishment with St. Helen Prejean; Living
the Questions…
October 20 – Conversations on Capital
Punishment with St. Helen Prejean; Living
the Questions…
October 27– Conversations on Capital
Punishment with St. Helen Prejean; Living
the Questions…
All are welcome. Childcare is provided for all
Adult Forum sessions.
Advent Retreat 2013 Save the Date!!!
The Reverend Canon Willie
(“Will”) H. Mebane, Jr. is to
be the Advent Retreat leader
this December 7th
. His
journey began in Durham,
North Carolina. His
spiritual journey includes
the African Methodist
Episcopal and Baptist Churches –
the denominations of his mother and father
respectively.
He found his way to the Episcopal Church where
he was mesmerized by the liturgy, and stimulated
and challenged by the sermons. He was baptized
and confirmed in St. Titus’ Episcopal Church. He
wrestled since childhood with a call to the ordained
ministry and entered the formal discernment process
just short of his 50th
birthday. He was accepted into
Yale Divinity School where he earned his Master of
Divinity along with an award for excellence in
preaching.
Will served five years as a liturgical and pastoral
care assistant to Christ Episcopal Church in
Greenwich, Connecticut where he began as
seminarian.
Will had an eclectic business career prior to
entering seminary and ordained ministry. It
included managing the 5oth Anniversary
Celebrating the entry of Jackie Robinson into Major
League Baseball, the 1995 Special Olympics World
Games, and the 1998 Elton John World Tour.
Will joined Trinity Cathedral in Cleveland in
2009 as curate and assumed the role of canon in
2011.
Please mark your calendars now for what
promises to be an oasis of calm in the midst of the
storm of Christmas preparations.
Growing Together
We had an AWESOME start to our formation
year!!! All of our classes are leaning The Book of
Genesis and our 3rd-5th grade class has learned a
bit about our new Bibles and how to look up the
Book of Genesis all on their own. All classes are
learning about creation, and will learn about Joseph
next. The Middle and High School Bible Study is
also off to a strong start and have seen record
attendance! Family Time has been a little altered
and is going GREAT! Thank you to Linda Lange
and family for sharing "Head Bands" game with us
throughout September. I will have Halloween J-I-N-
G-O available throughout October.
UPDATE: 3rd through 5th Grade “Mock” Lock-In
is on hold. A flier was distributed in class to try and
find the best date to achieve the highest attendance
at our "Mock" Lock-In. It seems the Friday,
September 27th would not work for a lot of our
families. The flier asks families to choose between
three Friday’s and to just return the flier back to me
or reply to a similar email that was sent.
I will also need a volunteer parent or Sunday
School Teacher to help me so that we are being
intentional in practicing our Diocesan wide
Safeguarding God's Children Policy. This is a great
event we've had one similar a couple years ago and
those kids are still talking about it.
Laser Extreme! Our Youth Group has been
talking about
it for a year
now and .....
we’re
actually
going to do
it, Sunday,
October 6th
:
LASER
XTREME!
Directly
following
church we’ll
head out
(13409 Smith Road, Middleburg Hts., 440-842-
6044).
We will participate in two games, pizza,
pop, and cake. The cost is $10; please let Michelle
know if you plan to join us.
KidMin Conference, October 11-14 in Columbus;
Training Session Overview: Super-size your
impact…choose from over 130 sessions! All the
deeper learning, authentic conversations, and
renewed passion are designed to get you pumped
and prepped for a super-effective children’s
ministry. The 2013 conference will be full of …
• More than 130 children’s ministry training
sessions to choose from. All with plenty of time to
mine the depths of each topic and dig up treasure
troves of practical ideas.
• Marinade-style learning. You’ll go below the
surface to fully understand your new discoveries—
no more “fire-hose blast” of information! KidMin
speakers don’t merely lecture. They mix, mingle,
and merge with you and your peers.
• Interactive wor kshop format. Connect with
fellow kidmins in and out of sessions. You'll get the
chance to network like never before.
• Practical, relevant insight. You'll go home with
solutions that can truly redefine your children's
ministry. You'll be surprised. You'll be challenged.
And, most importantly, you'll be ready.
• Personal attention from all our top-notch
speakers. Today's most respected voices in
children's ministry are on our KidMin team. They're
here to engage you in and out of the sessions. It's an
atmosphere of full access and full acceptance.
• Customizable training experience. What matters
most to you? At the KidMin Conference, you can
take whatever "unconventional" route works best
for your ministry. Whether you want a full four
sessions, two, or just one, you choose the path that
fits YOU.
DYE Diocesan Youth Event at Cedar Hills Camp
Friday, October 25-27th
for Youth in 6th-12th grade
Cost is $60 (includes food and lodging)
Registration Deadline is Sunday, October 6, 2013
(Some scholarship money is available – don’t let the
cost prohibit you from attending – this is a
wonderful event!) Contact Michelle with questions
or concerns.
Fifteen members of St. Peter’s Youth
Group and Advisors joined Lakewood
United Methodist Church on Sunday,
September 15th
to run to fight malaria.
According to the website,
www.imaginenomalaria.org, “ No single
organization can beat malaria—we must
all work together to do our part against this
killer disease. To beat malaria, it’s gonna
take a global village.”
Our youth and church leaders, did just
that… they joined together with other kids,
adults, and church leaders, and ran! And
what fun they had… for all the pictures of
this wonderful event, check out the
Facebook page or our website!
Congratulations to all our youth and
other participants! We’re very proud of
you!
Super Mom’s Group coming in January!
Group’s Where Moms Connect…
“Moms come in all shapes and sizes, but one thing's
for sure--all moms need to connect with other
moms! Where Moms Connect is a unique
curriculum that brings women together and helps
them connect naturally, through faith-based
discussion and fun. No matter where a mom is on
her journey, she's welcome at Where Moms
Connect.” Stay tuned for more information.
Apple Picking!!!
Fall Fun for St. Peter’s
Families! Everyone is
invited, Saturday,
October 5th
… meet at
Miller’s Apple Hill in
Amherst at 9:30am for a
Parish-Wide Apple
Pickin’ Spree!
Come kick off fall with this outdoor event that
is fun for the whole family. Enjoy wagon rides to
the orchard where you can pick apples. Visit
Pumpkin Land with two hay mazes, scarecrows and
farm animals (make sure you stop to see the bunnies
as one bunny lives in St. Peter’s church, hee, hee).
Shop from the various craft exhibitors and enjoy
delicious treats from food vendors. Pick up
everything you’ll need to decorate for fall – gourds,
pumpkins, cornstalks, and straw. While here you
can visit our bulk food store. It’s filled with all
sorts of goodies like snack mixes, home baked
goods, candy and more. Admission is FREE!!!
Miller’s Apple Hill, Ltd.
50549 State Route 113
www.millersapplehill.com
Amherst, OH 44001
Phone: (440) 965-7077
Come One, Come All! Continental Breakfast on Sunday,
October 6th
Hosted by The Killin-Keith and
Step-Vogelgesang Families
Last month’s Yogurt Parfait Bar
was a wonderful start to our new
fall season! The Staff of St.
Peter’s enjoyed hosting the
September breakfast and
congratulates the winners of the
Yogurt Contest.
For October, Larry
and Michelle Killin-
Keith and Cathe Step
and Ryan Vogelgesang, and
their respective children, have graciously agreed to
host the breakfast.
If you or your group are interested in hosting the
breakfast, give the office a call. Our Continental
Breakfast can be as easy as picking up the phone,
calling a few friends, and baking, or it can be going
to the store and buying a few breakfast items like
coffee cake, muffins, Danish, bagels, or cereal.
Breakfast will run from 9 – 9:45 a.m. All are
invited! 8 o’clockers… stay after the service and
meet the 10 o’clockers! And, 10 o’clockers… come
meet the early risers!
And the cost? Whatever you think is fair…a
basket will be set on the table for a free-will
donation. So join us on Sunday, October 6th
for
fellowship, food, and fun before or after the service.
Mission Report
Thank you to everyone for your many donations of
clothing, kitchen and household goods, as well as
loose plate offerings for our West Side neighbors at
St. Luke’s Church. We delivered ten carloads of
items there during July and August, and gave them
a check for $2,733 from your Sunday offerings.
The need for clothing and household items to be
given away at “Your Neighbor’s Cloak” continued
at any time of the year, so if you have things you
would like to donate, please call Dorothy Cibula at
440-331-4838 to arrange for pick-up or to transfer
from car-to-car or on a Sunday morning. Thank
you again for your generosity.
~ Dorothy Cibula & Stewart Mickley
September Yogurt Bar, Huge Success!!!
Special thanks go to the Staff of St. Peter’s for all their hard work in preparing the September First Sunday Parish Breakfast. The Yogurt Bar was a huge success! The toppings rivaled Menchies and the folks attending seemed to really enjoy the fellowship and camaraderie as well as making their parfaits. Winners will be announced as soon as the Youth Group gets the list to the office (they have been very busy running, and we mean that literally – the Imagine no Malaria, and the Juvenile Diabetes Run!) Check out the pictures… you’re never too old or too young for a yogurt parfait! So, Donna, Michelle, Michael, Nancy, Keith, Jennifer (our Intern), Jennifer (our Childcare Provider), and Tom, great job! We look forward to next year!!!
St. Peter’s Choristers
Our new music program for children is preparing to
begin in October. Information about this program
for children in grades 4-6 is available on our parish
website and by contacting Michael Miller.
What can every parishioner do to help? The best
way to help us get started is to let people know
about the program. We need you to help us identity
and reach out to parents and children in your
neighborhoods. Tell them about this musical
program and invite them to learn more about it.
Volunteer to help us put a flier in your local coffee
shop, market or library. Share this news whenever
you can with parents of school age children, and let
them know it really is something special and
different.
And if you still don’t know what it’s all about—
take a look at our website and see how this ministry
can enrich and enliven our life and community at St.
Peter’s. We can get this started, but your help is
needed and gratefully accepted. For more
information, contact Michael Miller at 216-226-
1772, or via email [email protected].
Note from the Treasurer
Through August the good news
is revenues and expenditures
are close to budget. We are
short around $13,000 in
pledges however non-
pledge income and
special occasion
income is up $8,000 over
budget. Good news: we have
received a $6,000 refund from
the federal government for health
care reimbursement; this along with other cost
savings will keep our expenditures under budget.
A strong final quarter will give us a surplus again
this year, which will be needed to offset higher
anticipated medical premiums. If you have any
questions about your pledge or financials of the
church, please don’t hesitate to contact the office
or me. Thank you and have a wonderful autumn.
Yours truly,
Dan Lammers, Treasurer
Mark your calendar!!
Diocesan Youth Event for Youth Grades 6th – 12th
Cedar Hills Camp and Conference Center October 27-27, 2013
Cost: $60 See Michelle for details or scholarship information
St. Peter’s Foundation:
If you are considering St. Peter’s Church Foundation
in your giving and estate planning, and would like
more information, please go to St. Peter’s website at
www.stpeterslakewood.org, and click on the link to
the Foundation. You may also call the church office
for assistance. This is an opportunity for you to give
to the future of our church, in building and in mission.
Share the Blessings
With school starting, we parents realize just how
much we need to purchase. Whether it’s clothes or
supplies, lunches or book bags; we know we can’t
ignore what our children need to be productive in
class. But what about those children whose parents
can’t afford the simple basics of shoes and socks.
For the children at Watterson-Lake Elementary
School, St. Peter’s tries to Share our Blessings with
them in a helpful way.
Many of you know what Share the Blessings
encompasses; but for those of you who don’t it is a
chance for St. Peter’s families and friends to help a
student receive what they need to be productive in
school. It is also a way we help encourage these
students to be educationally successful and
humanitarianly responsible. When our journey with
Watterson-Lake began Nan Miller was our church
liaison and motivator. She started a tutoring and
reading program to help the students.
One day Nan asked a child what they
wanted for Christmas and she was
stunned with the response. The
student simply said “my own
toothbrush.” It was at that
moment Nan realized how much
more St. Peter’s could offer these
children.
This became known as the Epiphany
Project: because it traditionally took
place during Advent and Christmas. The packages
were delivered to each child at a party celebrated
around the Feast of Epiphany. Every teacher at
Watterson-Lake would nominate 2 students who
they believed were most in need of simple essentials
for school. That’s when the parishioners of St.
Peter’s stepped up and helped with their generosity.
Our parishioners, either individually or
most often in groups,
“sponsored” a child. With
all the information
needed about their
child, our
parishioners
went shopping
for the
essentials – uniforms,
underclothes, socks, and
winter outerwear, etc.
Now we have moved this project up to the
beginning of school because we want the children to
have the outerwear before the cold autumn days roll
in.
I know that in current times everyone is feeling a
financial strain. Many of us wonder how we can
afford clothes and school supplies for our own
children, much less another child. However, as a
community we can rally our resources to help these
children together. I urge you to consider sponsoring
one of these children either independently or Share
the Blessing with another. The child will need a
uniform, under garments, shoe voucher (from
Payless), a coat with hat and gloves, and possibly a
few other items. Also you may include an
educational item, such as a book, puzzle, or
anything you may think they would find useful.
We are trying to make the sponsorship as easy as
we can; there will be a table on Sun. Sept. 22 and
29, and Oct. 6 and 13, 2012 for parishioners to pick
their student. When you sign up we will give you
information on the child’s sizes and acceptable
colors hoping to make your shopping experience
easier. We would also be grateful for monetary
donations to the project if you are unable to shop for
the child yourself. All donations are due October
27, 2013. We will be presenting the children with
their gifts at a party on November 8 at Watterson-
Lake Elementary School if you are interested in
helping.
As always we are humbled by the support and
compassion you have continually shown for this
project. Thank you for all your help in continually
making Share the Blessing’s a wonderful and
successful Project every year. Please feel free to
contact Wendi Schwartz ([email protected] or
440-937-9131) or Jennifer Williams at
([email protected] or 216-221-3530) with
any questions or comments.
Nancy’s Corner
Everlasting God, you
have ordained and
constituted in wonderful
order the ministries of
angels and mortals:
Mercifully grant that, as
your holy angels always
serve and worship you in heaven, so by your
appointment they may help and defend us
here on earth; through Jesus Christ our
Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the
Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
Amen St. Michael and All Saints
(Holy Women, Holy Men. September 29)
The cusp of September and October provides us
with two important holy days. Both are wonderful
ways of reminding twenty-first century Christians
that angels are not an invention of Hallmark Cards
nor is the stewardship of the earth some new Hippie
anti-establishment movement. St. Michael and
All Angels or Michaelmas in England is a time of
new beginnings.
The word “angels” (Greek: Angelos) means
literally a messenger. Messengers from God can be
visible and invisible and can assume human form.
Remember the angels who came to Abraham
announcing the promise of a son, and remember the
angel in Paul’s faith journey and Peter’s experience
in prison. St. Michael is one of the four named
angels in Scripture: Michael, Gabriel, Uriel, and
Raphael. “The Archangel Michael is the powerful
agent of God who wards off evil from God’s
people, and delivers peace to them at the end of this
life's mortal struggle.” I often speak of “the moving
angel” who brought me safely to Cleveland.
The second important holy day is that of St.
Francis of Assisi, the rich young man whose heart
melted when he saw how the poor struggled and
vowed to give away his wealth, which he did. He
was also a lover of all of God's creatures and gently
praised God in The Canticle to the Sun.
The Hymnal version begins:
Most High, omnipotent, good Lord,
To thee be ceaseless praise be outpoured,
And blessing without measure.
Let creatures all give thanks to thee
And serve in great humility (Hymnal 1982: 400; 406 & 407.)
Some people suppose that the concern and care
of the earth is a modern awareness. Not so. From
almost the beginning of time all of God's creatures,
two and four legged, have been important in God's
plans for the care of the earth.
So how do we followers of Jesus mark these
times? What better way than to cooperate in caring
for the earth than to find ways to praise God by
actions of stewardship. Should we be in need of
doing more? Perhaps, we could think of the ways
we are grateful to God for so much in our lives. As
Fall makes its way in the days and weeks ahead,
take a walk under colorful trees or sing a hymn of
joy or hug a loved one or pay attention to your
loving pet. Give a smile to a stranger. Praise God
daily.
Most High, omnipotent good Lord, grant
your people grace to renounce gladly the
vanities of this world; that, following the
way of blessed Francis, we may for love of
you delight in your whole creation...
Collect for St.Francis Day
(Holy Women, Holy Men p.623. October 4)
~ Nancy Wittig
Organ Music at Sunday Worship
Everyone who enjoys hearing the
Concluding Organ Voluntary each
Sunday is invited to come and sit
in the Choir Stalls as we hear
the announcements and then
to experience the organ
music in a really good
location. Children
and parents are
especially invited to
come up to listen, ask
questions, and
experience our pipe organ up
close! ~ Michael Miller
October Events
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
1
Long Range Planning, 7:00 pm
2 Holy Eucharist & Healing, 9:30 am
Bible Study, 10:30
am
3
Choir 7:30 pm
4 Men’s Bible Study,
7:00 am
Family Night Potluck
and
Blessing of the Animals,
6:00 pm
5 Apple Picking,
9:30am
Children’s Music
Orientation,
2:00 – 6:00 pm
6 Holy Eucharist,
8:00 & 10:00 am Parish Breakfast,
9:00 am
ROCKs, 9:45 am
Coffee Hour,
11:30 am
ROCKs, 11:30 am Youth Group
7
Prayer/Book Group,
1:00 pm
8 Community Meal,
6:00 pm
9 Holy Eucharist & Healing, 9:30 am
Bible Study, 10:30
am
Children’s Music, 6:00 pm
10
Choir 7:30 pm
11 Men’s Bible Study,
7:00 am
Michelle out
12
13 Holy Eucharist,
8:00 & 10:00 am
Adult Forum, 9:00 am
ROCKs, 9:45 am
Coffee Hour, 11:30 am
Youth Group
Michelle out
Keith vacation
14 Prayer/Book Group,
1:00 pm
15
Fisherman’s NET
deadline
16 Holy Eucharist & Healing, 9:30 am
Bible Study,
10:30 am
St. Cecelia’s Guild
Children’s Music, 6:00 pm
Foundation, 7:00 pm
17
Choir 7:30 pm
18 Men’s Bible Study,
7:00 am
19
20 Holy Eucharist,
8:00 & 10:00 am
Adult Forum,
9:00 am ROCKs, 9:45 am
Coffee Hour,
11:30 am Youth Group
Keith vacation
21 Prayer/Book Group,
1:00 pm
Vestry, 6:45 pm
22
WWW@St. Peter’s, 7:00 pm
23 Holy Eucharist & Healing, 9:30 am
Bible Study, 10:30
am
Children’s Music, 6:00 pm
24
Choir 7:30 pm
25 Men’s Bible Study,
7:00 am
Normandy Service, 11:00 am
26
27 Holy Eucharist,
8:00 & 10:00 am Adult Forum,
9:00 am
ROCKs, 9:45 am Coffee Hour,
11:30 am
Explore & Connect, 11:45 am
Youth Group
28 Prayer/Book Group,
1:00 pm
29 30 Holy Eucharist & Healing, 9:30 am
Bible Study, 10:30
am
Children’s Music, 6:00 pm
31 Choir
7:30 pm
Parish Prayer Rota for October
Please use this parish prayer rota in your daily prayers. We will pray for all the families and individuals in the
parish serially over the course of a few months, we’ll then start over again. Clip this page and keep it with your
daily devotions for easy access.
Oct 1 Andy, Samantha, Jonathan, Patrick,
Anna & Katherine Fitz
Scott & Mary Fitz
Oct 2 Jim Ford
Joan Foster
Oct 3 Paul, Kristin & Liam Francois
Dick Furry
Oct 4 Jeff, Kristen, Evan, Isaac & Keira Gardner
Ann Garland
Oct 5 Richard Garst
Patty Geckler
Oct 6 Chas & Patti Geiger
Lawrence & Geraldine Gibson
Oct 7 Bobbi Gillen
Jim & Linda Good
Oct 8 Dan, Sarah, Emmet, Meredith & Jordan Gourash
Bill Grane
Oct 9 Bob & Lindsay Graves
Sarah Graves
Oct 10 Nancy Gray
Bob & Joyce Gray
Oct 11 Mike, Jennifer, Gaby,
Jacob & Elisa Hammarlund and Alex Thies
Elizabeth Hanrahan
Oct 12 Marjorie Harrington
Nancy Harris
Oct 13 Doug, Caroline & Georgia Henry
Gordon Hewitt
Oct 14 Edith Higgins
Chris & Ginger Hill
Oct 15 Tony Hinkston & Lauren Radkiewicz
Sue Hofelich
Oct 16 Doug Hoffman
Gerry, Tolisa, Anya & Nathan Horning
Oct 17 Bob & Gibby Houck
John & Barbara House
Oct 18 Bill Hronek
Jack & Joanne Hull and Matthew Montagner
Oct 19 Margaret Hull
Anita Hulligan
Oct 20 David Hulligan
Joseph Jacoby
Oct 21 Richard Jacquemotte
Susan Jensen
Oct 22 Lowell Johnson
Lorna Jordan
Oct 23 Joseph, Price & Eddie Kasl
Larry, Michelle, Mackenzie, Madison,
William & Carter Keith
Oct 24 Ann Keller
John Keller
Oct 25 Wes, Abby & Sawyer Kerns
Georgiann Kitchens
Oct 26 Jim & Carol Klomfas
Beth, Jaime & Emily Kloos
Oct 27 John Krebs & Joyce Barrett
Anne Kroehle
Oct 28 Dan, Sally & Danny Lammers
Jason, Christine, Abby & Sara Lance
Oct 29 Kevin, Linda, Jack, Henry & Mia Lange
Alison LaRosa
Oct 30 Grant & Wendy Lawson
Wib Leopold
Oct 31 Bob Lewis
Matthew & Amanda Love
Don’t forget to clip this page.
The Rev. G. Keith Owen, II, Rector [email protected]
The Rev. Canon Nancy H. Wittig, Assisting Priest [email protected]
The Rev. John S. Keller, Retired Assisting Priest [email protected]
Jennifer Steinfurth, Pre-Ordination Intern [email protected]
Leslie Hannan, Parish Administrator [email protected]
Donna Felleisen, Parish Accountant [email protected]
Michelle Killin-Keith, Coordinator for Youth, Children & Family [email protected]
Barrett T. Newman, Sexton [email protected]
Michael Miller, Director of Music & Organist [email protected]
John Carlson, Spiritual Director [email protected]
Gina Massetti, Senior Warden
Sara Ferry, Junior Warden
Amanda Wolf, Clerk
Dan Lammers, Treasurer
Vestry members: Jim Ford, Jeff Gardner, Jesse Shedden, Fred Bauer,
Dennis Driscoll, Kate McHale, Fred Purdy, Brad Vandrasik,
Karen Bradley-Norton, Doug Fifner, Pete Wheeler, Hayden Bish
Sunday Services: 8:00 a.m. & 10:00 a.m.
Website: www.stpeterslakewood.org
St. Peter’s is on FACEBOOK; Like US!!!