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July/August 2010 Reports, News, Activities and Happenings Welcome Newcomers! We’re so Glad You Came! We’re thrilled to see you! As a matter of fact, we’ve been waiting for you! We believe that every person who comes to worship with us is a special gift from God. We are all better off from you being here amongst us. We want to express the love we know in Jesus Christ with one another. And we’re excited to share it with you, and to grow together in our pilgrimage of faith. St. Mark’s is a place for all people - no matter where you may be on the journey - and it won’t take you long to discover that we are a vibrant and caring community of faith, journeying from different places and life- experiences, but who desire to grow together. We are a people ultimately, of faith in Jesus Christ. In other words, relationships are paramount – especially when we consider our baptismal covenant, “to seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving our neighbor as our self.” Our doors are open to you! If you have been praying, thinking, searching, church - shopping and hoping for a place to belong - we say “Welcome! Notes from our Senior Warden by Joe Riddick Summer News from our Assisting Priest by R.A. Bamforth+ Some have wondered how a retired priest like me spends the summer, so I’ll mention a few of my doings. Twice I did readings of poems by Robert Service at St. Mark’s Home. Remember “The Cremation of Sam McGee,” and the “Ballad of the Ice-Worm Cocktail ?” What fun! In June the Rev. Rod Potter and I drove to Bangor for the Bishop’s annual lunch with retired clergy. What a joy to have such a friendly relationship with a great diocesan leader! Later that week I spent several hours with a man who had been an ordinary seaman on the S.S.Honolulan which was sunk in the south Atlantic by a Nazi submarine in 1942. My father was the Captain. (Some of you have read the account in the book Iron Jaw, A Skipper Tells His Story.)

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July/August 2010 Reports, News, Activities and Happenings

Welcome Newcomers! We’re so Glad You Came!

We’re thrilled to see you! As a matter of fact, we’ve been waiting for you!

We believe that every person who comes to worship with us is a special gift from God. We are all better off from you being here amongst us. We want to express the love we know in Jesus Christ with one another. And we’re excited to share it with you, and to grow together in our pilgrimage of faith. St. Mark’s is a place for all people - no matter where you may be on the journey - and it won’t take you long to discover that we are a vibrant and caring community of faith, journeying from different places and life-experiences, but who desire to grow together. We are a people ultimately, of faith in Jesus Christ. In other words, relationships are paramount – especially when we consider our baptismal covenant, “to seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving our neighbor as our self.” Our doors are open to you! If you have been praying, thinking, searching, church - shopping and hoping for a place to belong - we say “Welcome!

Notes from our Senior Warden

by Joe Riddick

Summer News from our Assisting Priest

by R.A. Bamforth+

Some have wondered how a retired priest like me spends the summer, so I’ll mention a few of my

doings. Twice I did readings of poems by Robert Service at St. Mark’s Home. Remember “The Cremation of Sam McGee,” and the “Ballad of the Ice-Worm Cocktail?” What fun! In June the Rev. Rod Potter and I drove to Bangor for the Bishop’s annual lunch with retired clergy. What a joy to have such a friendly relationship with a great diocesan leader!

Later that week I spent several hours with a man who had been an ordinary seaman on the S.S.Honolulan which was sunk in the south Atlantic by a Nazi submarine in 1942. My father was the Captain. (Some of you have read the account in the book Iron Jaw, A Skipper Tells His Story.)

On June 5, I presided at the Eucharist celebrating the retirement of the Rev. Peg Thomas as director of our diocesan Deacon Formation Program. This took place in the beautiful new St. Martin’s Church, Palmyra, which replaces the former building destroyed by fire a few years ago. The following week the DFP Advisory Council met in Bristol under the new Director, the Rev. Mary Lee Wile. I’ll be finishing my term on the council this fall.

On June 17 I took part in the annual lunch at St. Paul’s, Brunswick, for graduates of Berkeley Divinity School at Yale. Our former bishop, Chilton Knudsen was with us. She now serves on the BDS Board of Trustees.

I was with you all as celebrant and preacher on the 3rd Sunday of June as part of a visit to the parish from members of the Maine Chapter of the Episcopal Peace Fellowship. At the Arts Festival on the 26th I helped with tours of the church building and then conducted graveside rites for Joseph Williamson, a former parishioner.

Monday mornings were spent in monthly meetings of the curriculum committee of UMA Senior College. Have you signed up for fall courses?

On July 4 and 18, I was our Sunday celebrant and helped with our new monthly prayers for healing in

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July/August 2010 Reports, News, Activities and Happenings

the chapel. When you feel the need of help in mending any kind of brokenness in your life, please join us on 3rd Sundays for this important ministry.

We had visiting hours on July 14 in the Farnum Room remembering the late Carol Burke and, on the 17th, I assisted the Rev. John Beaven in the memorial service for Carol at the Popham Community Church. Dr. Mike Szela played the trumpet along with taped recordings of Carol on the piano. What a send-off for an amazingly gifted member of our parish family!

In August, Pat and I underwent training as searchers for the invasive plant Hydrilla in Damariscotta Lake. Our granddaughter, Pippa, assisted us in our survey of our assigned section of shoreline. Fortunately we found no Hydrilla, but you would love to have seen the three of us with our heads over the side of our little rowboat with our derrieres in the air. Our summer camp on the lake has been our secret vacation hideaway since 1972 while I was rector of St. Mary’s Church, Rockport, Massachusetts. Our daughters named it “Someplace Else” and only my secretary knew where it was.

In early August I spent 3 days in Mass. visiting an old buddy from school days in the 1930s. We reminisced about old times and thanked one another for the ways we contributed to each other’s growth. What a special thing to do at our age, before it is too late! Have you said all you need to say to your friends?

Later, with the help of Google and my computer-savvy granddaughter, I located another old school buddy. Evacuated from the London blitz in 1940 at the age of 10, he was taken in by neighbors of ours and he and I spent the war years together but after the war I lost track of him. We have now communicated by email, 70 years after our first encounter. Another opportunity for giving thanks.

I took part in the seminar led by fellow parishioner Elizabeth Ward-Saxl on dealing with sexual offenders and their victims; met several times with the Senior Warden and Deacons, the Healing Prayer

team, the Bishop, the two people from other parishes who are my spiritual companions, the Saturday morning prayer group, my primary care doctor, my cardiologist, and our naturopathic physician. Pat and I also attended the annual meeting of the association of our camp road neighbors.

On August 26, I spent an awesome and engaging day in Portland for part of the annual convention of Veterans For Peace, a growing nationwide organization dedicated to the abolishment of war as an instrument of foreign policy. VFP was founded here in Maine 25 years ago.

In my spare time I have been making plans for our 8-week Christian Formation class, which begins Sunday, Sept. 19 at 10:30 a.m. Will you be there? It is designed for newcomers, those preparing for Confirmation, Reception, or who want to refresh their understandings about life in the Church.

You will be glad to know that our younger daughter, Jeanne, and her partner, Gail, who live nearby in Durham, Maine, check up on us regularly and keep us supplied with eggs and veggies from their gardens. Our older daughter, Margaret, has had a complicated summer reducing all their belongings and has at last moved to Scotland to join her husband who teaches at Glasgow University and is active in the Scottish Episcopal Church.

There was much more, of course, to our summer but we spent quality time walking, swimming, kayaking, reading, assembling jigsaw puzzles, and otherwise recuperating at Someplace Else. Don’t ask me how to get there. It is one of our only secrets left.

+

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July/August 2010 Reports, News, Activities and Happenings

Pastoral Care

Call the Pastoral Care number 207-649-7620 if you or a member of your house-hold needs pastoral care. This phone is for pastoral emergencies and a member of the team will respond.

News from our “JW” (Junior Warden) by Gary Mann

As always, please let me know when you see things that need attention. The best way to contact me is by phone at 441-5334 or email [email protected].

Minutes Vestry MeetingJULY 20, 2010

The meeting opened with a prayer by Tina Barden on “not like change”.

VESTRY PRESENT: Sr. Warden Joseph Riddick, Bernie Shaw, Tina Mann, Peter White, Gary Mann, Connie McDonald, Tina Barden, Phil Judd and Lynn Allerding.

PRESENT: Norma Shaw, Pat and Fr. Bamforth, Rev. Rebecca Grant and Tom Barden.

Minutes of June were approved and seconded. Joseph Riddick will finish the minutes to the meeting for June 20th , 2010 the discussion and voting regarding Elizabeth Miller’s last year at St. Mark’s .

Treasure’s report was approved and seconded.

Acadia Trust John Simpson and Corey Buzzell, who will be taking over the account, were present

Officers, Vestry and Staffof St. Mark’s Church

The Rt. Rev. Stephen T. Lane, Bishop of MaineThe Rev. Richard A. Bamforth, Assisting PriestThe Rev. Rebecca A. Grant, Dea. The Rev. David W. Bustin, Dea.Joseph Riddick, Senior WardenGary Mann, Junior WardenLynn Allerding, Treasurer

Vestry:Peter White (2011)Skip Ernst (2011)Connie McDonald (2012)Tina Barden (2012)Phil Judd (2012)Bernie Shaw (2012)Tina Mann (2013)

Staff:Liz Parlett, Admin. Asst.Rebecca Corcorran, Sexton

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to discuss the endowment for St. Mark’s Church and Home and presented how the account is headed for the future.

Joseph Riddick will have a discussion with the Bishop regarding our endowment and financial situation. Pledges and plate account for 40% of our operating expenses and the 60% comes from the endowment. Joseph Riddick will ask for support in a grant.

St. Mark’s needs to look at the personal for some cuts and will be looking for volunteers to fill in for some hours.

There has been a committee selected to come up with a manual for the personal of St. Mark’s church on how to answer the phone, vacations, vacation pay, etc. This will be ongoing changes and revisions.

KENNEBEC 7: There will be another meeting in August. The parishes will get together and rotate the services. This will help with each church and Priest for Easter, Christmas and increase the awareness of the Episcopal Churches in the area. We can discover holidays that have not been observed here or at the other area churches. What Fun!!!

St. Mark’s received a letter from the Fire Marshall’s Office regarding the kitchen and the fire needs. The cost will be around $7500.00 to update the kitchen with fire control. Do we do a Capital Campaign or check with other churches for help. Do we have articles in the paper regarding the suppers? It was decided to ask the congregation for support, or question our equity loan or ask the congregation for a 10% pledge.

It was decided and voted to ask for the congregation for a 10% pledge.

RECTORY BUILDING: Committee members are Gary Mann, Bernie Shaw and Peter White:

-Mothball the entire building.

-no money for renting due to maintenance

-prepare for winter with no heat or water

-maintain the paint

-Push the Diocesan in regards what to do with the rectory

-will keep the electricity going.

Bernie Shaw will come back with long range plans in January 2011 for the rectory update for the next five years.

Research needs to be completed for long range plans for the rectory.

? St. Mark’s Home for Men

? Sell the rectory

? Make a parking lot

Need to review the gift documents and the Historic Register.

The insurance company needs to be notified that the Rectory has change in the usage.

OUTREACH:

Skip states that the suppers are growing and serving a lot of people.

WORSIP COMMITTEE:

Peter White meets with numerous people and the next meeting will be the 1st Saturday after Labor Day.

The first Healing Service was after church. This will meet once a month and after an Eucharist Service.

INREACH:

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July/August 2010 Reports, News, Activities and Happenings

Connie McDonald and Tina Barden are planning and Ice Cream Social On August 15, 2010. Will be planning a September brunch on the 12th of September.

ST. MARK’S HOME:

Lynn Alllerding. Meeting will be next week.

BUILDING AND GROUNDS:

Augusta Fuel would like the churches account. Gary Mann will check with prices from August Fuel, J & S and Dead River. If we do buy do we get a different rate for service and fuel?

FALL FESTIVAL:

Norma Shaw and Betsey Escancy will be do this festival. Planning on November 20th, 2010. COMMUNICATIONS:

Tina Mann has just finished the Mark of the Lion. She has sent out a small survey and the readers have stated that they would like to see the Vestry minutes included. Also the monies that are collected on the prior Sunday and prior attendance figures.

STEWARDSHIP CAMPAIGN:

Joe Riddick and Phil Judd are in charge of this campaign. Will be hearing more from them.

EVERYDAY BASICS:

Rebecca Grant has been working with this ministry. This past Saturday was 60+ people. 800 people repeat and some new since the 1st of the year.

In August she will be at Camp Bishopswood for High School Seniors.Is help the organization with the acolytes and she and Joan Lane will be doing to Grey Birch to give Pastoral Care.

FR. BAMFORTH:

He will be here one Sunday and month and will be around this fall.

JOSEPH RIDDICK:

Joseph Riddick and Gary Mann have completed negotiations with Elizabeth Miller. She is visiting with some members of the parish but that will come to an end at on July 31, 2010.

Did have a staff meeting and has set up monthly staff meetings.

Elizabeth Ward Saxyl has set up training for August 21, 2010 from 11:00 A.M. to 1:00 P.M. on sexual offenders. Brown bag lunch and will provide drinks. Sign up.

On June 20th, 2010 a person fell on the steps. There needs to be a process on steps to follow for incidents.

Writing a statement on what happened.Insurance Company needs to be notified.

Joseph Riddick will review with the staff today.

ADDIE’S ATTIC:

Elmer Praul has done a terrific job with Addie’s Attic.

Meeting ended with prayer.

Respectfully Submitted,

Lynn Allerding Vestry member

St. Mark’s Church - Senior Warden News

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July/August 2010 Reports, News, Activities and Happenings

, 2010

St. Mark’s Ministries

Addie’s Attic by Elmer Praul

Free Community Suppers by Skip Ernst

Bread of Life Ministriesby Elmer Praul

Worship Committeeby Peter White

Stewardship Ministryby Joseph Riddick

Fundraisingby Tina Mann

Sacred Cotton Quilters will be hosting a quilt show on Saturday, October 16 from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. There will be many quilting demonstrations taking place, vendors selling quilting supplies, quilted items made by Sacred Cotton Quilters for sale and over 100 quilts on display. Admission is $2.00. Please consider coming to this spectacular show of quilts!

Sacred Cotton Quilters has finished their 2010 Raffle Quilt. It is a fabulously reversible queen size quilt. The quilt is machine pieced, appliquéd and quilted in an overall meandering. Raffle tickets are available for purchase at $1.00 each or 6 for $5.00.

Front Back

If you would like to purchase raffle ticket(s) or would like to obtain tickets to sell to family, friends and co-workers, please see one of the quilters: Tina Mann, Carol Oakes, Betsy Esancy, Elaine Labbe, Tina Barden, Sue Ernst or Nancy Finnegan. The quilt will be on display in the Farnum Room (shortly).

The raffle will take place at the end of the Holiday Fair on Saturday, November 20th and you do not need to be present to win. Please consider helping these women sell tickets to friends and family members! Cookbooks – Cookbooks continue to sell. We sold a few at the Arts Festival. Cookbooks are $12/ea. Please consider giving these as gifts—birthday, holiday, etc., If you have picked up a cookbook and have not paid for it, please make sure payment is made to Tina Mann or leave in the receptacles located at the back of the church or in the Farnum Room. Cookbooks can also be shipped. If you would like a cookbook shipped, the cost is an additional $3.00 for shipping ($15.00 total) for each shipping address. Orders may be placed via postal mail, phone, and email. However, payment needs to be received prior to the shipping.

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July/August 2010 Reports, News, Activities and Happenings

Greeting Cards/Post Cards – These cards make wonderful gifts! Consider using these cards to stay in touch with friends and family! Greeting Cards are $2.00 each or $15.00 for a dozen. Postcards are $1.00 each or $12.00 for a dozen. Postcards are also available for mailing. If you would like them mailed, please contact Tina Mann via phone, email or postal mail. Please add ($3.00 shipping) for each shipping address.

Pie Sale (Pick up pies – Dec. 23, 10-Noon)Choice of 3 pies: apple, pumpkin and pecan.Pies are 9”. Cost $10.00 each. Orders accepted from November 20th through December 16th. Pies need to be paid for at the time of the order. If you would like to place an order for pies, please contact Tina Mann via [email protected], phone 441-2971 or mail: PO Box 343 East Winthrop, ME 04343. Payment needs to be made at the time of the order. If you do not know what to buy someone for a holiday or hostess gift, consider giving the gift of a pie!

*The proceeds of the pie sale benefit the ministries of St. Mark’s.

St. Mark’s Holiday Sale – Saturday, November 20th. Norma Shaw and Betsy Esancy are co-chairing the event. There are many opportunities to help with this

event! If you can help with this event, please see either Norma or Betsy.

Communicationsby Tina Mann

Christian Education Ministryby Joseph Riddick

Every Day Essentials Pantry by Rev. Rebecca Grant

Future Deadlines for Mark of the Lion

November/December November 15January/February January 15

Opportunities for Training and Growth

Baptismal Ministry and Alcohol and Substance Abuse Workshop

Saturday, September 18 9:30 a.m. 2:00 p.m. Cathedral Church of St. Luke, Portland

Baptismal Ministries and the Alcohol and Substance Abuse Committee will sponsor a workshop on "Alcohol and the Family". The keynote speaker will be Theodore Sanders, M.D. The program will be held at the Cathedral Church of St. Luke, 143 State Street, Portland, ME. A similar workshop will be held on April 9 in the Bangor/Brewer area, location to be announced. Beverages provided but please bring a brown bag lunch. Bishop Lane encourages all congregations to send at least two members.

The 2010 Baptismal Ministry Day

Living Our Baptism ~ Claiming Our Gifts

Saturday, September 25th, 9:30-3:00

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July/August 2010 Reports, News, Activities and Happenings

St. Mark's Church, 60 Eustis Parkway, Waterville, ME

A day presented by COBM for everyone in the Diocese of Maine.

For details and registration http://www.episcopalmaine.org/commissions/committee

_on_baptismal_ministry.html

Interpret the Church

October 1-3, 2010 Framingham, MA

"Interpret the Church: Communicating the World and the Word". The New England Deacons Network will host its biennial conference in October with several New England bishops, including Bishop Steve Lane, talking about change in the church and the work. Maine's Canon Heidi Shott will lead plenary sessions on ministry storytelling. Who should attend? Deacons, Deacons in formation, and those interested in the diaconate and those who support deacons and diaconal ministries in Province One and beyond. Spouses, partners and other family are also invited and encouraged to attend. Financial assistance is available through the Wolf Fund for laity and the Loring Fund for clergy.

Safe Church TrainingEpiscopal Policy and GuidelinesAccording to Diocesan policy, all clergy (including those licensed to officiate in Maine) as well as persons in the ordination process, all compensated church employees and volunteers who regularly work with children should participate in Diocesan Safe Church training. It is also recommended that Wardens, Vestry Members, Sunday School Teachers, Lay Eucharistic Ministers, Lay Eucharistic Visitors and other congregational leaders consider attending Safe Church training in an effort to raise awareness and have a clearer understanding of diocesan policies and procedures, including how to respond to concerns or allegations

of sexual misconduct. Certificates of participation will be issued and sent to each attendee's congregation.

For more information or to register for an upcoming training session, please contact Martha Hughes at the Diocese of Maine office at 1-800-244-6062 or by email [email protected]

St. Michael’s – AuburnOctober 30, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.

St. Mark’s – AugustaNovember 13, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Youth & Young Adult Events

Did you know that all Diocesan youth events are open to everyone, regardless of what church they attend or whether they're part of any church at all? You can always bring a friend. Did you know that there is financial aid available for all youth and young adult events? Ask your church or the Youth Missioner. No one has ever been left out because of inability to pay.

Awakening

Awakening Middle School Event will be at St. Luke's Cathedral in Portland!!  Grades 6-8 will gather for a weekend of fun, faith & new friends October 15-17.  For more info. http://www.youth.episcopalmaine.org/youth/gforceawakeningcrosswalk.html Applications will be avail. in the fall.

Youth at Convention & Benefit Dinner

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July/August 2010 Reports, News, Activities and Happenings

Youth at Convention & Benefit Dinner, Friday, October 22, grades 6 -12, Bethel. Youth serve as pages at this annual diocesan meeting. Youth and adults serve Friday dinner to benefit our international mission project.  For more information http://www.youth.episcopalmaine.org/youth/diocesan_convention.html Applications will be available in the fall.

Happening High School Retreat

Happening High School Retreat will be at Christ Church, Gardiner, November 19-21.  A deep weekend led by high schoolers and for high schoolers.  For more information http://www.youth.episcopalmaine.org/youth/happening.html.  Applications will be available in the fall.

International Youth Mission TeamInternational Youth Mission Team serving in the Dominican Republic in July 2011. Our mission team of 14 youth and 4 adults comes from 11 churches.  They had their first meeting in May and will have their Wilderness Adventure on August 12-15. To find out more (including who's on the team) http://www.youth.episcopalmaine.org/youth/mission_to_dr.html

Invitation to visit The Crossing in BostonAre you a young adult interested in seeing an amazing worship and Christian community?  Then visit The Crossing in Boston on a Thursday evening.  Arrive at 5:30.  Share their 6pm worship and community which ends around 7:30.  We have money in the budget to reimburse you for gas and tolls.  For reimbursement, just email Jane at [email protected]

St. Mark’s Episcopal Church

Preliminary Financial Report

Augusta Food Bank

Interested in demographic and religious data about your local community?

Visit the Episcopal Church's research web page http://www.episcopalchurch.org/109378_107383_ENG_HTM.htm.  Reports - accessed by punching in your church name from a diocesan list are based on the zip codes for towns where our churches abide.  They are full of interesting information about demographics and religious preferences drawn from

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a number of sources.  Venturing into the data is a little like opening a bag like Lay's Potato Chips. 

St. Mark's Home for Women

St. Mark’s Home for Women currently has openings! Established in 1871 and licensed by the State of Maine, the home provides independent living for women.  Rooms are currently available for women who are able to take care of their own personal needs. Costs range from $1,100 a month to $2,000 a month, but sliding fee scale starts at $850.  Amenities include private rooms with a sink & vanity, three home cooked meals, mail delivery, laundry, linen service, cable TV, activities and 24-hour security.  Short-term stays are available.  For more visit www.stmarkshome.org or contact  Carol Smith at 623-3124 or by email at [email protected].

191st Annual Convention Of the Diocese of Maine

Friday and Saturday, October 22 and 23Grand Summit Hotel at Sunday River

Additional information: http://episcopalmaine.org/diocesan_life/diocesan_convention.html

What I’m Reading?by Joseph Riddick

New in the Parish Libraryby Jim Melcher

National & International Diocesan Scene

Episcopal Relief & Development head finds cause for hope during

recent trip to Haiti

Agency supports efforts for new houses and cash-for-work programsby Mary Frances Schjonberg, August 03, 2010

(reprinted with permission from Episcopal Life Online)

Despite the enormous challenges still facing Haiti nearly seven months after the magnitude-7 earthquake of

Jan. 12, the president of Episcopal Relife & Development says he returned from a recent visit there with "tempered hope" for the country's future.

"I went to Haiti prepared to be horrified and depressed and heartbroken, and I came away from Haiti feeling hopeful," Robert Radtke told ENS July

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29. "That is not to minimize the plight of hundreds of thousands of people who are living in woefully inadequate shelter or struggling in other ways, but I came away feeling convinced the Haitians are determined to help themselves. We owe the Haitians -- and anyone else for that matter who wants to help themselves -- our support."

Radtke, Abagail Nelson, the agency's senior vice president of programs, and Tammi Mott, its Haiti recovery consultant, spent July 20-22 in Haiti visiting with workers and Haitians helped by programs being run by the Episcopal Diocese of Haiti and its development arm, Centre Diocesain de Development et de Secours (CEDDISEC).

"There are signs of hope, but it's not going to be fast," Radtke said of Haiti's long-term recovery. "It's a long, long, difficult period ahead for Haiti for many years but the Haitians have proven themselves to be resilient -- determined to overcome adversity -- and there was nothing on this trip that led me to think that they won't continue to be that way."

Episcopal Relief & Development is supporting two CEDDISEC initiatives: a cash-for-work program and a plan for building transitional housing.

In recent months, Radtke said, Episcopal Relief & Development has mostly moved out of the initial post-quake relief work. However, because some diocesan churches are still the sites of survivor settlements, the agency is lending some support to that effort. During the first phase of the agency's support of rescue and relief efforts, it assisted more than 60,000 people with health care, food (some 217 tons), water, shelter, sanitation and other non-food items such as clothing, blankets and kerosene. The transitional housing program, which Radtke called "the most hopeful for the long-term," centers on a new model for houses, developed by a CEDDISEC engineer after field visits and consultation with other international shelter organizations and the United Nations-recommended standards.

The houses are made of treated plywood with corrugated tin roofs. They are designed to be hurricane- and earthquake-resistant, because they are anchored 30 centimeters into the ground and into 50 centimeter high cinderblock and concrete foundations and have reinforced angles and joints connecting the roofs to the walls.

The size of the homes, which can be built in four to seven days, "respects the structure of Haitian families and their needs," which tend to be large and multi-generational, Radtke said. The houses are 18.2 meters long, larger than many of the provisional shelter models of other organizations, according to Episcopal Relief & Development. They also include an adjacent shower and latrine, which "mitigate against gender violence which is sometimes a problem in shared latrines and shared public bathing facilities," he added.

The families contribute "sweat equity" to their new homes by helping to build them or supplying meals to the laborers who do. Most often the houses are built on the sites of the families' previous home that was destroyed in the earthquake, Radtke said.

The homes are "transitional" because they are designed to last three years and it is expected that families will be able to afford to improve and reinforce them with such materials as cinder blocks as they continue to live in them.

"The sense of excitement and joy that people expressed as they were going back into a home was really delightful and exciting," said Radtke, who met with five female-headed families who were moving into their new houses.

CEDDISEC's cash-for-work program employs people mainly to clear rubble and recycle it to supply gravel for improved dirt roadbeds and to reinforce erosion-prone hillsides. The diocesan development agency has thus far employed 770 people in the program, about 40 percent of whom are women. For 20 days of work, team leaders earned an average of $154 and workers earned an average of $102.

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July/August 2010 Reports, News, Activities and Happenings

The cash-for-work program is meant to give Haitians a short-term source of income, but "it's not going to be a long-term solution" the way the transitional housing program aims to be, Radtke said. However, the program is tied to CEDDISEC's efforts to promote community recovery through having Episcopal Church parishes lead communities through a process to identify the work that needs to be done and collaborate in   accomplishing it.

Radtke called CEDDISEC an "extraordinary organization."

"They were doing really good work before the earthquake. They've been at the cutting edge of responding to the disaster since the beginning," he said of the staff. "But, they themselves are the victims of this disaster. Many of them are still living in tents in order to get their work done, sleeping on the pavement in tents in the rain. And, yet, they get up every morning and come to work and are professional and are committed. So, I have nothing but admiration for CEDDISEC."

"And our role at Episcopal Relief & Development is to support them, which is one of the reasons we have had people like Tammi and some of my other colleagues in Haiti as much as we have." Radtke added. "That goes outside our normal way of responding to disasters, but we felt it was very important to be present, to do as much as we could directly with CEDDISEC and their staff."

Radtke said that "the biggest challenge for anyone working in Haiti right now is infrastructure," which creates "a supply-chain bottleneck."

"The solution is for the Haitian government and the global community like the United Nations and the United States, to get a strategy in place to make the infrastructure in Haiti more robust so that aid and services can get to people," he said. For instance, the New York Times reported early in July that international experts say it would take three to five years to remove all the debris from Haiti if 1,000 or more trucks worked daily; fewer than 300 trucks are hauling rubble now. Often those

trucks are hampered by steep alley streets and unpaved roads.

Radtke, noting that Haitians were "not in great shape on January 11," were traumatized the next day by "one of the worst disasters one could imagine" and are now facing national elections in November.

"Elections in Haiti have almost always been proceeded by and taken place under political instability so you have a very volatile situation," he said. "You get the feeling that people's nerves are frayed and quite reasonably so."

Radtke also said that "the story in Haiti is the things that haven't happened since the earthquake," including epidemics, mass starvation and political violence.

"That's because of a lot of good work is being done, first by the Haitians themselves and being backstopped by the global community, which really stepped-in in important ways for Haiti," he said. [The Rev. Mary Frances Schjonberg is a national correspondent for the Episcopal News Service and editor of Episcopal News Monthly and Episcopal News Quarterly]

People can donate through Episcopal Relief & Development,  www.er-d.org or 1-800-334-7626, ext. 5129, P. O. Box 7058, Merrifield VA 2216-7058.

Mark of the Lion Investigative Reporter

Who is the Presiding Bishop?

On the Local Scene—Our Parish

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July/August 2010 Reports, News, Activities and Happenings

Oliver D. Parrish, man about church and town… I should be most pleased to salute

the happy news of you, your family or anyone in the St. Mark’s community in my next column! Do dispatch such tales to either me or my good friend Jim Melcher at [email protected] without delay.

Until next time, I am your reporter, Oliver D. Parrish

We ask prayers for…

Prayer List

St. Mark’s is a praying church. We love to pray for people . . . Please let us know if names should be removed or added. And . . . Keep on Praying.

Please pray for those who have requested our prayers: .Carol Porter, James T., Joseph Tschamler, Art, Joan Olsen, Mary & Family, Anna, Jeanne, George, Bob R., Freeman Dyer, Ken Smith, Rosalie, Dot & Lin, Jack & Nancy Haines, Pat, John Melcher, David, Paul, Ben Lindsey, Bill, Harmon and Jane, Elaine Quinn, Ruth Bass, Richard, Barbara Nowland, Maggie Judd, Lillian, Phil, Joan, Jeanne, Erin, Alex & Cheryl, James, Gloria, David & Family, Mike Smith, Willard Stewart, Randy, Deborah Westbrook, Gerry, Walt Ernst, Lorraine, Alison, Dona, Mary Mills, Michael, Ralph, Estela & Jerry, Peter Bickford, Jeff Miller, Suzanne, Agnes Shepard, Kimberly Pavel, Rachel Lenardson, Kathy Cummings, Gordon Lomas, Edward Tanguay, Beverly Martin, Sue Smith, Father Ed, Jacob, Heather, Elaine, Paula, St. Mark’s Parish and Military Personnel.

“I lift up my eyes to the hills- Where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the

Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip - He who watches over you will not slumber; Indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The LORD watches over you. The LORD is your shade at your right hand; The sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. The LORD will keep you from all harm - He will watch over your life; The LORD will watch over your coming and going. Both now and forevermore”. Psalm 121

Parish Celebrations

Birthdays

September13 – Rebecca Grant 14 – Phil Judd 16 – Al Cook 17 – Pat Bamforth

Anniversaries

*St. Mark’s likes to celebrate events. If you have an event that you would like listed (birthday, anniversary, confirmation, baptism, etc.,) Please contact Tina Mann to have it listed on our Parish calendar.

Matching Exercise

Match the items on the right with the items on the left.

Genesis Behemoth

Exodus Love chapter

Job Creation

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July/August 2010 Reports, News, Activities and Happenings

Psalms Sermon on the mount

Ecclesiastes Ten commandments

Isaiah The gospel prophet

Matthew Wisdom

Romans End time prophecies

1 Corinthians Faith chapter

Hebrews Longest book in the bible

Revelation The Christian’s hope

*Answers will be published in the next Mark of the Lion

Word Search

Ecclesiastes 3

Find the words in the grid. Words can go horizontally, vertically and diagonally in all eight directions. 

T T W C P R E E M I N E N C E

H Q R I G H T E O U S N E S S

Y D X J E N E C N E L I S T F

K X Q C A T T I M E P D N V I

H U U L E C A R B M E E H E N

H P P L N V Y H N S M B E V I

T S E F I N A M O G E C A W Q

W W B E B J V P D A A N K M U

H L I O W D R U U E I M O L I

G T O C R U J T P T D U P K T

U Q U V P N I L Y D R A A G Y

A Y D V E F E A R N M E N X C

L F L N U T U E L D P X N C G

R A W L M V H H K S J A S X E

A L D W H U O I K I L L P E B

BEAUTIFUL KILL PURPOSEBORN LAUGH RIGHTEOUSNESSDANCE LOVE SILENCEEMBRACE MANIFEST SPEAKHATE MOURN TIMEHEAL PEACE VANITYINIQUITY PLANT WARJUDGMENT PREEMINENCE WEEP