The Banner                    June 2014
In This Issue
Calendars
Article Title
Rector's Corner
Safeguarding God's Children
Summer Kidsword
5th Sunday Potluck
 

ST. GEORGE'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH

 

4301 N. IH 35
Austin, TX 78722  
 

Phone: 512.454.2523    

stgeorgeaustin@gmail.com

 

Church office hours:  

Monday - Thursday 

9 a.m. - 2 p.m.

 

www.sgchurch.org  

 

Sunday Schedule

8:00am - Holy Eucharist Rite I
9:00am - Contemplative prayer
9:45am - Choir rehearsal
10:30am - Holy Eucharist Rite II  
                   with Kids Word

4:00pm - St. Hildegard's Worship


The Rev. Kevin LJ Schubert

Rector

The Rev. Judith Liro

Assisting Priest & Minister to

St. Hildegard's Community

 

The Rev. John Brewer

Deacon 

Anne Weaver 

Music Minister 

Vanessa Nering
Newcomer Minister/
Office Administrator


Jerri Thompson

Day School Director

Vestry

Melissa Eason Brackin

Patsy Chandler

Mark Casstevens

August Dolan-Henderson

Spencer Gordon

Stephanie Meldrum

Mary Stewart Miller

Alice Nelson

John Rickard

 

Patsy Chandler

Senior Warden

John Rickard

Junior Warden

Melissa Eason Brackin

Financial Secretary

 

Frances Rickard, Treasurer

 

August Dolan-Henderson, Clerk

 

Mark Casstevens, Day School Liaison  

 


CALENDARS
Click on the following links to find:


Click here to sign up to be a reader or intercessor during our Rite I & II services.

July Banner Submissions
Deadline for news for the next issue of
The Banner is Wednesday, June 25th.
Please e-mail information, schedules, photos and articles you would like included in next month's edition to stgeorgeaustin@gmail.com .

Mark Your Calendars 
 
     
June 8       Pentecost Sunday
June 14     Women's Book Club
June 15     Trinity Sunday
June 18     Spirit Poetry 6-10 p.m.
June 19     Hallelujah Hour @ 5 p.m.
June 29     5th Sunday Potluck
July 13       Neighborhood Church Picnic

COME AND BE FILLED 
WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT

Pentecost Sunday
is June 8th

Worship Services
8:00 & 10:30 a.m.


Rector's Corner
Dear St. George's Family,

 

Summer is fast approaching!  I pray that many of your schedules are winding down to a slower pace, and that you and your family will be able to enjoy a relaxing summer in the heat of Austin.  Here at St. George's we have some exciting things planned in the months to come. 
 
Keep an eye out for information regarding the Neighborhood Cook-Out on Sunday, July 13th.  This social gathering of good food, music, and water activities for the children is always a great time.  
 
I am very pleased to report that St. George's has received gifts equaling over $12,000 toward the newly established Capital Improvement Fund!  This is a great beginning to the fund.  What a blessing this is to initiate growth and expansion of our campus.  I welcome others who are able to make a gift to do so.  The buildings & grounds committee is well on their way in planning and prioritizing how the funds will be spent.  
 
Personally, I want to thank St. George's for the well wishes and excitement felt for me and Heather as we prepare for the birth of our second child.  As you may know, Heather is due on November 20th.  We are excited to welcome a new member to St. George's!  
 
May this month be a blessing for you and your family!  

 

 

Peace, 
The Rev. Kevin LJ Schubert  

Safeguarding God's Children Class

Safeguarding God's Children is a training program for the prevention of sexual abuse of children and youth.  Every church in the Diocese of Texas requires its leaders to be trained.  t. George's is offering an opportunity for certification and recertification on June 14th. If you are unable to attend this session, there are many sessions provided throughout the diocese. For information on how to register for this certification, please contact Vanessa at the church office (512-454-2523 or stgeorgeaustin@gmail.com). The deadline to sign-up for training has been extended to June 9th.

 

Readers Needed

Are you looking for ways to participate more actively during the worship service?   Perhaps you are being called to serve as a Lector or Intercessor for the 8 or 10:30 a.m. services!   Reading the lessons and leading the prayers of the people are two
excellent ways to enrich your spiritual life.  Volunteers are asked to fill out the St. George's Lector and Intercessor schedule by visiting the Volunteer Spot website at http://vols.pt/ugtBvX.   All you have to do is enter your e-mail to access the calendar of vacancies and sign up.  You will be provided with a reminder email that includes your assigned scripture reading during the week before the service.  Please prayerfully consider signing up today!

Summer Choir Schedule

This summer the choir will be singing each Sunday but without the Tuesday rehearsals. The last Tuesday choir rehearsal will be June 10th. For more information contact music minister, Anne Weaver at at sgmusicminister@gmail.com.

Women's Book Group

On Saturday, June 14th, from 3 - 5 p.m., the women's book group will be discussing, "People of the Book" by Geraldine Brooks.  We will be meeting at Sandra Villalaz's home.  Please contact Carolyn Moreau for directions or if you have any questions at carolynmoreau@austin.rr.com.






The Women's Book Group had a retreat at Wessendorf Ranch out in the hill country in April.

Hallelujah Hour

Join us for our monthly community fellowship hour!  
Hallelujah Hour is held on the 3rd Thursday of the month.  We have returned to the Draught House Pub & Brewery (4112 Medical Pkwy #100, 78756). So mark your calendars for Thursday, June 19th at 5:00 pm!


Summer Kidsword

It's that time of year when we begin to think about summer KidsWord. To give our wonderful teachers time in church with their families and to give others a chance to spend time with our sweet children, we ask members of the parish family to sign up to teach a KidsWord class for one or more Sundays this summer. We can provide materials and lesson plans, or you can create your own. Talk to Jan Philips for more information or to sign up. Jan's email:  
 

"It's My Turn" Coffee Hour

June 22nd is the next "It's My Turn" Sunday.  This is an opportunity for parish members to host the coffee hour that follows the 10:30 service.  You can also team up to make it a group effort!  To sign up, please let the church office administrator know, who will add your name to the on-line calendar (stgeorgeaustin@gmail.com). 
 

5th Sunday potluck

The next potluck lunch after the 10:30 service is June 29th. This is a great opportunity for extra visiting time with church friends and visitors. Bring something to share if you can, but if you can't bring anything, don't let that keep you away. There's always plenty to go around!  Don't forget your non-perishable food item for the Hope Food Pantry. 
 

Neighborhood Cook-out

Mark your calendars for the annual St. George's Neighborhood
Cook-out scheduled for Sunday, July 13th from 12 - 3 p.m.  There will be food, fun, music and a water slide for the kids!  If you are interested in helping to get the word out to our neighbors about this event, please contact Vanessa Nering at the church office (stgeorgeaustin@gmail.com).
 

Christopher House Baskets

While you're on vacation this summer, please think to bring your unused hotel soaps, shampoos, conditioners and lotions back with you to St. George's. Every Sunday, we take donations of such products and create beautiful welcome baskets for new Christopher House patients and their family members. A little soap can go a long way in making someone's (often sudden) transition to hospice care a little easier.
  

News from


June Events 

  

 

Our meeting, A Look Ahead, on May 21st was very successful. Thank you parents for attending this informational session. If you missed it, don't despair, I plan on having a parent orientation night right before the new school year begins. However,here are some of the things we covered:

 

  • Parents will receive your 2014-2015 School Class Rosters by July 3.
  • Parents will also receive updated enrollment paperwork and an updated parent handbook with a letter detailing what you need to do for the start of a new school year.
  • I made a commitment to provide families with clear, open, and transparent communication starting immediately. 
  • I talked about curriculum and provided parents with a Scope and Sequence detailing the guidelines teachers will use to set up their activities in the classroom, both for the school day and Fun Zone. Copies of the Scope and Sequence are in the school office.
  • I handed out the 2014-2015 School Calendar. The calendar is available as an attachment here.
  • There is a name change with Breakfast Buddies to Early Birds. And I indicated the drop off times and place for the Early Birds option. More information will follow closer to the start of school. 
  • Starting with the new school year, we will not have drop-in care. You will have an option to include 1-5 days of Extended Care to your school day. 
  • This summer will continue to be a time of transition and I will work hard to organize the office and update the Website.
  • If there is any information you heard after the meeting took place, and something seems unclear, please call me and I will be happy to explain in greater detail. 

 

Pre-K Graduation - May 30, 1:00 PM in the Church

May 30 - Early Dismissal @ 1:00 PM

Holiday Camp - June 2-5, 9:00-5:00 PM, limited space available
 
A Knight for St. George's photos - click on the link below  

http://robynkoplin.wix.com/unswervingly#!blog/c1mqk

 


June Birthdays and Anniversaries

We wish the following parishioners a very happy June birthday:
Scott Bush (June 1), Nancy Carrera (June 3), Anna Doty (June 4), Stephanie Savage (June 4), Jonathan Brackin (June 6), Herb Dickson (June 6), Denise Hope (June 14), Martha Paull (June 14), Gayle Wall (June 16), Hannah Nelson (June 19), Walter Long, Jr. (June 20), Mae Stevens (June 26), Claire Bush (26), Liam Dolan-Henderson (June 30)

We welcome the births of:
Charlie Albert Jones, son of Claire Jones and Ryan Wagner
Theodore Ravi Campbell Palit, son of Emily and Tapash Palit and 
grandson of Sarah Campbell


And a very happy anniversary to:
Brad & Emily Dieringer (June 25)
Claire & Scott Bush (June 27)
Frances & John Rickard (June 28)


Congratulations!

Hildegard's Illumination: Episcopal Religious Life

 

For the second year Judith Liro participated in an annual gathering of leaders from Anglican Religious Orders and Communities held this year in Toronto in early May. Then on May 15th she participated in a webinar with Presiding Bishop Katharine on Religious Life.  She enjoyed both experiences and appreciated joining in an envisioning of the wider church.  Here are her reflections:

 

Toronto May 5-10:  There were about 40 of us, men and women, some in habits of different types, some in street clothes.  Most were from the US, a few from Canada.   At the airport Mother Hilary, Order of Julian of Norwich, greeted me.  We met in a beautiful convent of The Sisterhood of St. John the Divine where I recognized other familiar faces as well as a few new ones.  The daily schedule was intense.  Each morning at 7:15 a.m. we met in small groups for Morning Prayer and Lectio Divina.  This year I was with a Sister from Manhattan, a young Franciscan friar from San Francisco, a Brother from an Order in Toronto, an Benedictine Abbot from Michigan and a Brother from a dispersed Community who lives in Chicago and works for the seminary there.

 

After breakfast there were meetings both morning and afternoon with a daily Eucharist at noon followed by dinner.   Evening Prayer and Compline with a meeting in between completed the busy day.  When possible I would take short walks and enjoy the signs of Spring unfolding after a long, hard winter.  Orders and Communities met separately part of the time.  I asked questions and heard various opinions of what was important to include in Constitutions and experiences with Bishop Visitors-wisdom that will help St. Hildegard's move forward.

 

Mid-week both organizations together heard presentations from Ian Mobsby, an Anglican priest who started a community in London named Moot.  I have ordered his book, New Monasticism.  His four topics were: (1) Our Cultural Context: Post Secular; (2) New forms of the Religious Life and the story of Moot; (3) Revitalizing the Religious Life; (4) Forging a Future in Post-Christendom:  A Mixed Ecology of Religious Communities. It's Ian's belief that Christianity has gone through a number of epoch changes--times of total transformation to meet the needs of a changed context.  We are at the beginning of one of these times of radical deconstruction and new beginning.  Monastic communities have been essential in the past in being able to transition from one epoch to the next.  Religious Orders and Communities have an important part to play in the coming years of chaotic change that he sees as inevitable. In my opinion he didn't give enough attention to the impact of changing scientific paradigm and human-earth relationship, yet he did a great job and the group work he included was engaging.  

 

On the Eve of St. Julian's Day we were treated to "Music for the Medieval English Mystics."   In the beautiful chapel we enjoyed a wide variety of short musical pieces and readings by SINE NOMINE Ensemble (4 musicians: 3 recorders, lute, gittern, harp and 3 voices).  A wine and cheese reception followed.

 

Much of what happens at these annual meetings is about relationships and learning from each other.  I enjoyed getting to know Karen Turner who is part of the Jeremiah Community in Toronto.  She's hoping that Canadian Communities might be included in the future; currently it is just the Orders.  One night I had dinner with Ian and talked with him about St. Hildegard's.  At lunch on the day she visited, I was fortunate to sit with the bishop of the Anglican Church in Canada who heads up their Bishops Committee on Religious Life.  Her US equivalent wasn't there this year but I got to meet him last year.  

 

Webinar, May 15:  Bishop Katharine invited representatives of Religious Orders and Communities to meet with her using web technology.  It was a joy to feel like we were all sitting together in the same room and experiencing the Presiding Bishop's interest and blessing as each community faced into the challenges and gift of this time.  For many there is a sense that their life is dying in the form it is now to be resurrected into an unknown form.  There were conversations about responding to the spiritual hunger of the younger generations:  Bro. Simon sits in a nearby San Francisco park with a sign that says "Spiritual Counseling 5 cents."  Mother Hilary told of graduate students who come to them 'in a basket' to be restored by the silence and ancient chant and of spiritual conversations in the grocery store prompted by her habit.  Sister Ann from a Community in Seattle said their Bishop Visitor encourages them not to weigh their value by numbers but to see how the Spirit is using them.  The Orders and Communities are deeply dedicated, courageously offering their gifts and resources to be used and reshaped by the Holy Spirit.  It is clear that the PB values this collective wisdom and wants to draw on it for this time of transformation.

  

  

                          Becca from Rivendell Community                   Br Simon,SSF  

 

Recommended Reading