Saint Mary Magdalene Episcopal Church

Anonymous 4 - Amanda (Death Like an Overflowing Stream).mp3

February 2010 Newsletter

A JOYFUL DAY WITH FR. MOSES OF
TANZANIA
SUNDAY CLERGY SCHEDULE
February 7- Epiphany 5 Fr. Thompson
On January 3, St. Mary Magdalene Church
February 14 - Epiphany Last Fr. Thompson
enjoyed a visit from a very special friend, Fr.
February 17 -Ash Wednesday Fr. Thompson
Moses Matonya, of Tanzania. Fr. Moses
February 21 - Lent 1 Fr. Brown
serves as host when our “missionaries,” Tally
February 28 – Lent 2 Fr. Brown
Bandy and Jessie MacKay spend their
summers working in the school in Tanzania.
FEBRUARY CALENDAR OF
EVENTS
Our congregation was blessed by the joy Fr.
Tuesdays – Healing & Intercessory Prayer,
Moses brought as he shared his enthusiasm
11:00 a.m.
for the work to which he has been called. He
MANNA – First Wednesday of each month
serves as Dean and Principal of Msalato
(See Mercedes Herdrich to volunteer to help)
Theological College in Dodoma, Tanzania.
Feb. 15 -7:00 p.m. Vestry Meeting – (Third
Monday of each month) All are Welcome
Seventy parishioners and guests participated
Feb. 13 - 10:00 a.m., & February 25 – 1:00
in the worship service, followed by a
p.m. Choir Rehearsal
fellowship hour and a book signing.
Feb. 26 – 6:00 p.m. Lenten supper and
program

Celebration of 30th Anniversary Begins

Happy Birthday St. Mary Magdalene

Fr. Moses signs a copy of his book, Real On January 10, following the worship
Power, for Jean Hemlstetter. service, St. Mary Magdalene Church began a one
Lori Fischler is next in line. year celebration marking thirty years in existence
A new banner was hung over the entrance to our
church, and the congregation and guests enjoyed
a fellowship hour with a special cake. The
Church was begun in 1980, in Troy, North
Carolina, by a few enthusiastic individuals, led
by Bill and Bette Hanham.
Jessie MacKay lovingly calls St. Mary
Magdalene, “The Little Church That Could,” and
Tally Bandy adds, “The Little Church That
Lindsey and Jack Douglass enjoy the party
Could, and Did.”
too.
More celebrations will follow throughout
the year, 2010.
Look for pictures on page 3.

St. Mary Magdalene Episcopal Church Newsletter Page 1 of 6

 THE DEACON’S BENCH
LENTEN PROGRAM SET
In his book, With Burning Hearts, a
Meditation on the Eucharistic Life, Henri This year our Lenten Program will
Nouwen relates how the apostles used the involve exploring The Catechism. The Book of
sharing of the Eucharist as the way to carry out Common Prayer Catechism is a series of
their mission of spreading THE WORD of Jesus questions and answers about the beliefs, theology
to all they knew and met. The following and practices of the Church (BCP pp. 845 cf). It
passage, for me, is how we can be encouraged to has 18 sections and our investigation of them
continue our walk with Jesus as we live our will be led each week by our clergy.
Eucharistic life.
The instruction and discussion of The
“And why should anyone who knows us well Catechism will follow our customary light
suddenly believe us when we return from the Lenten supper each week. Please mark your
Eucharist? That is the reason why it is not just calendars and reserve Thursday, February 25,
the Eucharist, but the Eucharistic Life that makes March 4, 11, 18, and 25 for your Lenten
the difference. devotional time at Mary Magdalene Church.
Each day, yes, each moment, of the day, there is
the pain of our losses and the opportunity to
listen to a word that asks us to choose to live
with these losses as a way to glory. Each day,
too, there is a possibility to invite the stranger PAROCHIAL REPORT NOTES GAINS
into our home and to let him break the bread for
us. Each year the National Church as well as
the Diocese of North Carolina requires that every
The Eucharistic celebration has summarized for congregation submit a form called The
us what our life of faith is all about, and we have Parochial Report. It is a two part report which
to go home to live it as long and as fully as we logs the Membership, Attendance and Services
can. And this is very difficult, because everyone of the Reporting Congregation as well as
at home knows us so well: our impatience, our Stewardship and Financial status of the
jealousies, our resentments, and our many little congregation.
games. And then there are our broken
relationships, our unfulfilled promises, and our
A copy of the report is filed in the office
unkept commitments.
and may be reviewed by any member of the
church. A brief summary indicates that total
Can we really say that we have met him on the
increases in membership were 8 persons;
road, have received his body and blood and
decreases were 3, with total communicants of 67
become living Christs? Everyone at home is
(up from 55 in 2007 and 62 in 2008). Easter
ready to test us.”
Sunday attendance was 76. Average Sunday
attendance was 49. There were 28 private
Alleluia, alleluia, Let us go forth in the name of
communions of the sick last year. Our Operating
Christ.
Income was $65,618, and total Revenues were
Peace to you all from your servant in Christ’s
$86,649.
name.
Carol

St. Mary Magdalene Episcopal Church Newsletter Page 2 of 6

 HELP NEEDED
Each year the Episcopal Church Celebrating our 30th Anniversary
headquarters in New York City asks each 1980-2010
parish and mission to file a report of their
activities for the year. Included in the
information we are required to give is the
number of active church members in good
standing who are duly registered on our rolls.
To be counted we need a Letter of Transfer
from your previous church asking for your
transfer to Mary Magdalene. We can help you
only if you contact us and tell us your
intention to transfer and then give us the
name and address of your former church. We
will do all the rest. Thanks for your help Our beautiful cake was specially made
for the occasion. (L to R: Fr. Fred, Co-
HELP WANTED Founder, Bette Hanham, Fr. Bob, and
There is a position open in the church that you Deacon Carol)
may want to consider filling. The vestry needs a
Secretary for a one year appointment. The job
description: attend each vestry meeting (once a
month, third Monday @ 7 P.M.) and record the
minutes of the meeting. Type the minutes
(church computer available for this task, if
wanted), copy (12) them and distribute in vestry
mail slots in the office at least one week prior to
the next meeting. If you can do this for the year Madelyn & John Zded, & Carol
2010, please contact Fr. Bob or Fr. Fred ASAP. Whalen
Next meeting is Monday, February 15th. When Jack and Carol Whalen’s great-
granddaughter, Madelyn, cooed during
HELP NEEDED the worship service, parishioners
Brenda Yarish is our designated Parish glanced about and smiled, feeling very
Administrator. Her duties include daily mail blessed to have the little one in our
pick-up at the West End Post office, sorting midst.
the mail and opening it, contacting the Vicar
each time correspondence appears important
and/or time sensitive, keeping the office
looking orderly, and addressing and mailing
church correspondence as necessary.

Brenda is presently in Florida and will be for

several more weeks. We need a replacement
for her so that the work of the church can
continue smoothly and efficiently. Can you
help us? Any questions, call Fr. Bob. Please
call or email Fr. Bob and say ‘yes’.

St. Mary Magdalene Episcopal Church Newsletter Page 3 of 6

 VESTRY PLANNING SESSION
HELD

The vestry gathered on Saturday, January

10 for an intensive first step in developing a
PLAN for the future of Saint Mary Magdalene
congregation. The vestry was assisted by the
presence of several others from the congregation.
The session was led by Ed Matthewson, former
Our Anniversary banner will be displayed Vicar’s Warden and a long-time businessman.
above the church door throughout 2010. With a vested interest in SMM and with planning
experience in the business world Ed was an
excellent choice to lead us in this venture.
Ed presented the vestry with a
hypothetical goal; to travel from Seven Lakes to
Albuquerque, New Mexico. That goal is not
unlike our stated goal (mission) to grow to be a
parish by the year 2013. He then led us as we
explored the various things needed to be
considered in such a venture; travel by what
means (car), what roads to take, how many miles
per day, cost of gas, motels along the way, who
would we take, when do we want to arrive, etc.
This exercise demonstrated to all present the
absolute need for a PLAN of action. We were
exhausted by this intense travel planning so we
took a break for some coffee and donuts and
home-made crumb cake.
After the break, we turned our attention
to brainstorming about all the things we would
like to see happen and be considered as we travel
the road to parish growth. The following list
includes those items mentioned that morning.
What are your thoughts? Do you want to add
anything to the list? We encourage you to
brainstorm and write down your list of likes and
thoughts. We are in this together and the more
participation we have from everyone the more
sound and sure our travelling together will be.

The List

Younger Advertise
element… SMM
Children Publicity

St. Mary Magdalene Episcopal Church Newsletter Page 4 of 6

Broad based Website
projects: signs, etc. Get
tutoring, Land congregatio
Thrift Shop purchase n on board
Spanish Informati Ministers
ministry on speak
ID distribution publically
audience: Special Joint
Vehicle for events… venture?
each music Key: find
Fun & ID all out what a
laughter: potential person
Make members expects
God Smile Is money an from a
Diocesan insulator? church
assistance Strike while Worship
30 year old iron is hot God
birthday: What does Why are
question Congregatio you here?
naire n want? Emphasis…
Newcomer Develop where?...
handling… questionnair Outreach
Visitati e Communica
on plan After tion
Appropriate questioner, improveme
register for advise nt
visitors the Planning
congregatio Committee-
n vestry
Billboard ID local
Timing of Episcopalia
local ns-
Education: developmen Get
children & t everyone
adults informed
Immediate JUST DO
needs, not IT!!
future

St. Mary Magdalene Episcopal Church Newsletter Page 5 of 6

VESTRY PLANNING SESSION - Continued

This was as far as we could travel that day in

January. At the vestry meeting three days later it
was decided that we should establish a Standing
Committee on Planning. The vestry members
change each year and the need for planning is a
continuing and long-term activity. Therefore
creating a permanent (standing) committee
seemed appropriate. Vestry also decided that the
three clergy (Fr. Bob, Fred and Deacon Carol)
ought to form the basic membership. They were
charged with inviting additional members as
seemed appropriate and necessary. That is where
we are at this writing. The clergy are developing
a list of potential additional members to serve on
this long-term committee.

We ask your continued support in our road to

growth, asking that you include your vestry and
this Standing Committee in your daily prayers.
We know what Jesus has told his church, Go
into the world baptizing all people…and teach
them all I have commanded you to do. That is
our Albuquerque. Now we must PLAN how to
get there.

Items for the March newsletter may be sent to Phyllis

Olson: Deadline, Feb. 24.
[email protected]

St. Mary Magdalene Episcopal Church Newsletter Page 6 of 6