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The Ambassador
The Newsletter of
St. Matthias'
Episcopal Church
Minocqua, Wisconsin
Whoever you are, wherever you find yourself on the journey
of faith, we welcome you.
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JUNE
2016
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Mark Your
Calendars
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| June 16 - 6:00 PM 3rd Thursday Evensong & Potluck June 17 - 7:00 PM South Beach (Up North)
Chamber Ensemble June 19 - 10:00 AM Native American Liturgy June 26 - 2:00 PM Sing-Along Messiah |
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Serving?
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| Please remember to check the server list on the bulletin board at church (or click here to see the latest monthly schedule online). Also, if you are going to switch dates with someone, please inform both Bill Kane and Michael Tautges at the Church Office. Thank you! |
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Ambassador Archives
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Want to read a recent issue of the Ambassador? Just click on the links below. (older archives can be found on our website)
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As I write this, it is a glorious day. The sky is that deep brilliant blue that can only be seen in regions of our country with clean, clear air; the irises are blooming outside my window in our beautiful memorial garden, and the temperature is a crisp, perfect 68º. Summer, in other words, is on its way to the Northwoods. Whether you live here year round, or come to drink in the lakeside beauty and escape the summer heat from other climes, this is a blessed time.
All seasons have their beauty (and their challenges) but the change from one to another is always something I cherish. For a couple of years, I lived in places that didn't have clear seasonal changes - while I loved the people and the places, I missed living in a four season climate and the enjoyment of marking time with nature. Last fall, I eagerly anticipated the first snowfall, delighted in waking on Christmas morning to a beautiful snow, and enjoyed having my breath taken away on the occasional above 20º days when Bill Kane and I took a "warm day" Tuesday walk before morning prayer. Still, needless to say, as winter came to a close this year watching the lakes gradually return to liquid surfaces, and having that unique, northern climate, experience of thinking "I can go without a coat today, it's 40º!", felt like particular moments of grace (especially for someone who'd most recently lived in a place where walking barefoot on the beach in January was a possibility)! Spring in the Northwoods is glorious. Being able to watch the trees gradually begin to look "fuzzy" as buds appeared, then turn into leaves again, along with the surprise of early flowers peeking out between snow melts is, well, awesome!
Now it is time for the joys of summer. Summer as a season is characterized by abundance. Abundance of visiting family and friends, of greening plants and blue water, of vegetables at the farmer's market, of lakeside relaxation in the sun and the many cultural opportunities available at our church and in the wider community. Our church community grows too; here at St. Matthias, winter residents are excited to welcome back longtime friends who return with the summer, and I thoroughly enjoy meeting you all. May God bless you in the coming season with time to stand in the warm, clear air and see the beauty of our world.
Erin +
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Spring Cleaning
by Janet Taliaferro
My daughter says everything in this house
has its own story
from great-grandmother's quilt
and mother's ruby depression glass
to things I once unwrapped
from white paper and ribbon
reserved for wedding gifts.
Each spring, when I open the house
to clean and wash and rearrange
I remember the stories
and whisper them away with the dust
to make the ghosts more comfortable.
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2016 Vestry Members
We would like to welcome Beth Jacobson (Jr. Warden), Emily Field, Mike Pecore, and JaneTrotter to our Vestry! We would also like to sincerely thank our dedicated out-going members, Barb Kane (Jr. Warden), Isaiah Brokenleg, Robin Coleman, and Cheryl Gramins. Serving on the Vestry takes time, dedication, and team-work, and we are grateful for all Vestry members' contributions over the years. Those continuing to serve are: Erin Kirby, Karen Larson, John Randolph, Mike Sabin, and Chris Clark. The Vestry represents everyone in the parish - so please always be comfortable in bringing your suggestions and concerns (and even your complaints!) to any member.
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Music & More Music!
South Beach (Up North) Chamber Ensemble
The South Beach (Up North) Chamber Ensemble will present a concert here at St. Matthias' on Friday, June 17, at 7:00 pm.
The South Beach Chamber Ensemble started in 1997 with a performance of Haydn and Dvorak Piano Trios at the Bass Museum of Art in Miami Beach. In 2006, South Beach Up North performed their first chamber music festival in Wausau, the hometown of their Executive Artistic Director and cellist, Michael Andrews. Since then, those north-central Wisconsinites who love chamber music eagerly await their summer arrival ... and now they are coming to St. Matthias'!
Steven Bjella (violin), Michael Andrews (cello), and Rie Tanaka (piano) will perform the following: Franz Schubert's
Piano Trio #2 in E flat major, Paul Schoenfield's
Piano Trio-Andante Moderato, and (one of Argentina's best known composers) Astor Piazzola's
Four Seasons of Buenos Aires.
Please bring your friends and help welcome South Beach (Up North) to Minocqua. A light reception will follow the performance.
Sing-Along Messiah
Join in The Messiah Sing-Along, here at St. Matthias', on Sunday, June 26, at 2:00. This event will again be conducted by Dr. David Baar of Chicago, and accompanied on the pipe organ by his wife, Beverly - the four vocal soloists are from the Chicago area.
This performance will include 30 excerpts from the entire score, including the most well-known pieces. Ten chorus pieces will be performed by a chorus comprised of community members. Anyone who would like to sing can just show up on Sunday, shortly before 2:00. The Schirmer score will be used as in previous years; if you have a copy, please bring along - extra copies will be provided for those who don't own one.
For non-singers who are interested in hearing more of The Messiah, audience members are also most welcome. A light reception will be served during intermission.
There is no charge for either of these events, though free will offerings will be gratefully accepted at both performances to help offset costs.
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Touchstones: Life-long Lovers Part 2: Self-esteem Equations
Written by Diane Diederich
Here is the third equation I promised you on building self-esteem:
Self-esteem =
The criteria by which I evaluate myself
- Acceptance: I'm okay if I'm well-liked, don't make waves, meet others' expectations. I evaluate my self-esteem in terms of how many or how few accept me!
- Competence: I'm okay if what I do is okay. I evaluate my self-esteem by the worth of my job, my family, my giving, my intelligence. The t-shirt that says, "The one who dies with the most toys wins." says it all. Competition and competence have the same root.
- Virtue: I'm okay if I live a life of perfection. I evaluate my self-esteem with ideals and criteria using unrealistically high expectations. I carry a bucket of "shoulds" around with me. My life and self-esteem is characterized by guilt!
- Power: I'm okay if I'm "one up." I evaluate my self-esteem by how much power I have. Fear and competition feed into the self-esteem evaluated in terms of power.
- Body-Image: I'm okay if the picture I see of myself fits norms established outside myself. Our society has made an "art form" out of evaluating my acceptability as a person, according to arbitrary norms for my health, my exercise, my clothing size. Those norms are reinforced by the media and helps create the illusion that my self-esteem tries to conform to!
The discussion of these criteria ultimately must center around "balance." It seems that our spiritual tradition points us in that direction. Is it our sometimes perverse nature that deceives us into believing that "perfection" can be achieved? Obviously we use all of the above criteria (and more) in some ways to tell us who/what we are or are not. However, when taken to extremes, growth in self-esteem is inhibited!
TTFN: Diane
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