The Banner
May 2015
|
|
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
9:45am - 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
Raul Carrera
Mark Casstevens
Brad Dieringer
August Dolan-Henderson
Spencer Gordon
Claire Irwin
Alice Nelson
John Rickard
Melissa Eason Brackin
Senior Warden
John Rickard
Junior Warden
Sandra Villalaz
Financial Secretary
Frances Rickard, Treasurer
Spencer Gordon, Clerk
Mark Casstevens, Day School Liaison
Andrew Ellison
Seminarian
Josh Shipman
Seminarian
Ashley Urquidi
Seminarian
|
|
|
|
Click on the following links to find:
Click here to sign up to be a reader or intercessor during our Rite I & II services.
|
|
Deadline for news for the next issue of
The Banner is
Wednesday, May 27th.
Please e-mail information, schedules, photos and articles you would like included in next month's edition to
stgeorgeaustin@gmail.com .
|
|
Come and celebrate the ministries of our seminarians!
Over the past two years, we have been blessed to have
Josh Shipman & Ashley Urquidi
as our seminarians, and it is fitting that we
send them off
to their new positions in style. We will have
a special blessing
for them on May 3rd during the 10:30 service and enjoy refreshments in Kleberg Hall in their honor. We will also
celebrate Andrew's time
with us and wish him a fruitful summer during his time off. He
will join us
again at the beginning of the Fall seminary semester, along with our new seminarian - J. Clarkson.
|
|
May 6 Wednesday Weavings, 6:30 pm
May 9 Women's Book Club
May 10 Mother's Day
May 11 Vestry Meeting, 7 pm
May 17 Family Worship Service, 5 pm
May 18-20 Church Office Move
May 20 Wednesday Weavings, 6:30 pm
May 24 St. Hildegard's last Kleberg service
May 25 Memorial Day (Church office
closed)
May 27 Deadline to submit Banner news
May 31 Graduation Sunday
May 31 5th Sunday Potluck
|
|
|
|
 |
|
Dear St. George's Family,
2015 has become a monumental transitional year. Personally, Heather and I have once more lovingly embraced the vocation of being parents with the transition to having multiple children. We have also witnessed St. George's growing and striving throughout the year. You may have noticed the fantastic changes on our church campus. It's a time for celebration as we transition the school and church offices, open new day school classrooms, and welcome this new chapter in the life of St. George's. At the end of this month, where the church offices were once housed when St. George's opened back in 1950, our church office home will once again be located in our beloved Wright-Giles house. The newly renovated space will allow the various ministries of St. George's ample room to meet, teach, counsel, and grow. In June, the school will open two new classrooms broadening the scope of our wonderful ministry in the community. After almost twenty years, St. Hildegard's Community (our alternative liturgical ministry) will find a new space of worship and meeting at Trinity Methodist in Hyde Park. Please read the
gracious words of The Rev. Judith Liro below for more information about their transition.
I am very thankful for the commitment and devotion you each have for St. George's. The transition has been a source of excitement and hopefulness, and I know the sentiment will continue for years to come. After the initial move, we plan to have an open house for everyone to come and visit the repurposed facilities. Please keep
the beloved St. George's community in your prayers as we continue to worship God and share our faith through word, action, and service.
God bless,
The Rev. Kevin LJ Schubert
|
|
|
|
|
To my St. George's Family,
Thank you all for the love and support you have shown me and my family these past two years. I can't imagine a better parish to have been able to serve and grow with. You have all been a significant and important part of my formation and development as a priest, and I will take everything I have learned from you with me in each parish I am called to serve in the future. Please know that each one of you will remain in my heart and prayers! If you are ever around Virginia Beach, come visit me at Old Donation- I would love to see you and remain connected to St. George's, even from a distance!
God Bless,
Ashley
Dear St. George's Family,
As I write this farewell note, I can't help but think about Shakespeare's line: "Parting is such sweet sorrow." It has been a great two years that I have spent with you. I have enjoyed spending time in worship, in formation classes, and in other settings with all of you. I have greatly appreciated the support and the feedback that you have given me during my time with you.
I have found St. George's to be a warm, welcoming place that lives out the Gospel in vibrant ways. There are many wonderful ministries beyond the walls of the church building and many ways in which you minister to one another within the walls of the church building.
While I am sad to leave all of you, I look forward with great joy to my job as priest-in-charge of St. Luke's Episcopal Church in Altoona, Pennsylvania. This will be a challenging position, but I will have the support of the diocese's "Leadership Development Institute." I will also be taking with me all of the valuable experiences that I have had at St. George's.
Again, it has been a great two years. I am grateful for all of you.
Peace,
|
|
|
|
|
Plans are underway to transition the church office from its current location into the  space formerly occupied by the Wright House Wellness Center. Your helping hands are needed! If you are available to lend a hand to move boxes & equipment, please come by the office Monday, May 18th - Wednesday, May 20th starting at 9:00 am.
|
|
Spring Lifelong Learning Class:
Sundays, May 3rd & 17th
During this Easter season the St. George's community will join together for a four week class
dedicated to
to discovering and discussing spiritual styles
. Beginning 15 minutes after the conclusion of the 10:30 am service we will gather in Kleberg Hall for this 30 to 45 minute class. All ages are encouraged to participate.
|
|
St. George's Episcopal School
Summer Camp
St. George's Episcopal School is having an
exciting summer program this year. For the first time we are offering a summer camp, called
mini camp, for children
kindergarten - 3rd grade. Each week is theme-based from science to cheerleading. We will continue to offer summer care for children
18 months-pre-K. This program can be purchased by the month and includes care from 7 AM - 6 PM with a 2 day, 3 day or 5 day option.The school website (
http://stgeorges-austin.com/our-school/summer-camp) has more details, so
check it out and tell a friend.
|
|
Women's book group will be meeting on
Saturday, May 9th from 3-5 pm at Carolyn Moreau's home to discuss "All the Light we Cannot See" by Anthony Doerr. For more information please contact
Carolynmoreau@austin.rr.com
|
|
Seminary Commencement
The Seminary of the Southwest will hold its sixty-fourth commencement on
Tuesday, May 12, 2015, at 10:00 a.m. at St. Matthew's Episcopal Church,
8134 Mesa Drive in Austin.
|
|
Outreach Meeting
 The Outreach Committee will meet May 17 at 9:30 in Kleberg. During this meeting we will review feedback and assessment of our current outreach efforts, which covers eight distinct activities. This will be an interactive meeting where you will learn more about our outreach efforts and you will provide more feedback as we continue to shape what our small church does for the world around us.
As such, your active participation is vital. Please mark your calendar now, and be ready to participate on May 17 at 9:30 sharp. Because this meeting will start with an activity, being on time is important. If you have questions or concerns, please contact Belinda McGhee.
|
|
|
|
|
The adult discussion group known as Wednesday Weavings will meet on the first and third Wednesdays in May from 6:30 to 8 p.m. We share a simple meal, have a short time of centering prayer, and discuss a selected reading from the journal Weavings: A  Journal of the Christian Spiritual Life. Because we discuss a different reading each time, feel free to come any Wednesday you can. Please bring a contribution for the salad bar meal (for example, fruit, vegetable, or crunchy toppings). This month, the gatherings are on May 6 at Belinda and David McGhee's home and May 20 at Frances and John Rickard's. Copies of the reading will be available in church on the Sunday before the Wednesday gathering. Please join us if you can. For more information, e-mail Frances Rickard at fajrickard@gmail.com
|
|
|
|
|
 Christopher House baskets for the next six months of delivery are currently for sale. This ministry reaches out to the families who have a loved one at Christopher House, a facility for terminally ill patients in their final days who are under the care of Hospice Austin. Hospitality baskets filled with basic daily necessities sell for $10 each. Our goal is to deliver two baskets each week. We encourage donors to personalize the baskets with fresh fruit, baked goods, and a handwritten note. The baskets may be delivered any day of the week you select and there is no patient contact. If you feel called to participate in this ministry or have any questions, please see Mary Stewart Miller after church or contact her at millerms@grande.net
or at 512-220-5821.
|
|
|
|
|
The Sew-in held on April 19th was very successful, thank you for all who participated. The newly sewn bags will assembled and stuffed after the 10:30 service on May 3rd. Many hands to make work light would be appreciated!
The comfort bags will then be blessed on May 10th and nurse advocates from SafePlace will join us for the blessing. Please reach out and introduce yourself to our partners of this impactful ministry!
If you are interested in participating in the SafePlace bag ministry, let Sarah or Hollie know.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Celebrating Our Graduates
St. George's will offer a special liturgy at the 10:30 service on
Sunday, May 31st
to celebrate those graduating or moving forward in their educational journey. We will offer a blessing for all who are graduating from high school, college, technical schools, certification programs and/or programs of formation (i.e. Education for Ministry). All students are invited to attend this service, but if you (or your child) are graduating from one of the education institutions listed above, please inform Vanessa Nering at the church office (512-454-2523 or
stgeorgeaustin@gmail.com
) so we can honor him or her in the service.
|
|
|
|
|
5th Sunday Potluck
The next potluck lunch after the 10:30 service is
Sunday, May 31st. 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!
The loose offering funds collected at both services on this 5th Sunday will be designated for the church office move.
Don't forget your non-perishable food item for the Hope Food Pantry.
|
|
|
|
|
Parish Financial Statement
Below is a statement of St. George's actual income and expenses compared with the budgeted income and expenses for the first three months of 2015. Please contact parish treasurer Frances Rickard at fajrickard@gmail.com or 512.346.5216 if you have any questions. A more complete report is posted on the bulletin board on the north wall of Kleberg Hall.
A huge thank you to everyone who contributed for the purchase of new tables for Kleberg Hall. The total amount raised was $1,350, which came within just a few dollars of covering the cost of the tables and the cart! Thank you also for your generosity during the 5th Sunday Offering in March, which was designated for the Memorial Garden. Your contributions totaled $664.50, which will go toward maintenance and upkeep of the Memorial Garden outside the south doors of the church building.
YEAR TO DATE FINANCIAL STATEMENT
JANUARY - MARCH 2015
| |
Actual |
Budgeted |
| Offerings & pledges |
$41,097.71 |
$40,971 |
| Other income* |
$8,648.60 |
$ 8,913 |
| Total Income |
$49,746.31 |
$49,884 |
| Total Expenses |
$54,110.28 |
$53,905 |
| Difference between Income and Expenses |
($4,363.97) |
($4,021) |
*Includes donations for altar flowers and other income for operations purposes, such as building use fees and reimbursements from St. George's School and St. Hildegard's. Does not include donations to Outreach Committee projects, memorial funds, Newcomer Ministry grant funds, or special fund-raisers.
|
|
|
|
|
May Events
Week of the Young Child was April 13-17, and as you can see we had a ton of fun with our themed days like Tattoo Tuesday and Wacky Wednesday.
We also showed our unity as a school with our paper doll cut-outs holding hands along the breezeway.
The purpose of St. George's Episcopal School is to provide a well-rounded program for the children of St. George's Church and its surrounding diverse community. In order to provide a quality program for our children, the school depends on individuals from the church and community to give what they can to our year round donation fund. It's simple and easy to become a recurring donor for our school.
Our school wants to thank you for your continued financial support. Great schools are essential for the lives of our young children and we are proud to be on the cutting edge of this great journey.
|
|
|
|
|
You can bring any of the following items to St. George's for recycling: 
- Batteries
- CDs and DVDs
- Wine bottle corks
- Cell phones
- Ink cartridges
- Eyeglasses
Currently, the collection bucket for these items is on the kitchen counter in Kleberg Hall.
The Environmental Stewardship Committee is working to set up another station or two around the church campus to make it easy to drop items off on Sundays and during the week.
Please make use of the blue bins in the sanctuary for recycling bulletins. And, in the Kleberg Hall kitchen, a big blue bin is located right next to the regular trashcan. Please help us in our recycling efforts by taking a moment to sort things into the proper container during coffee hour and potlucks. The following items can be recycled:
- Empty plastic water and soda bottles
- Rinsed-off plastic cups and utensils
- Empty glass jars and bottles
- Rinsed-out aluminum foil, soda cans, food cans, aluminum baking pans
- Paper bags, office paper, magazines, newspapers, cardboard
The following items go in the regular trash bin:
- All food scraps
- Plastic bags
- Styrofoam
- Used paper napkins and plates
Thank you so much!
|
|
|
|
|
Hildegard's Illumination: Life in the Spirit
 St. Hildegard's at a Crossroads: January 16-17 the Community gathered to take stock on our formation as a canonical Episcopal Christian Community and our needs for space as St. George's School expands and the Parish moves into Wright House. Since there isn't office space available for us on campus, Kleberg is needed monthly for the Family Service, and space for the SLS was up-in-the-air, we agreed to search for an alternative location that could meet all our needs. Our hope was, and is, to continue as a ministry of St. George's for the foreseeable future, with a satellite location. In January we agreed to look around, hoping to find a new office before May 1st. Since there weren't options at the present time with a centrally located Episcopal congregation, we explored nearby Methodist and Lutheran churches. By March we had found an exciting possibility with Trinity United Methodist Church in Hyde Park. Both Kevin and Bishop Doyle are supportive of our move and we are continuing to work out the details.
We're moving! We were immediately drawn to Trinity because of their vibrant ministry and their beautiful Interfaith Chapel that is a good size for us with flexible space for our liturgies. They also offered a small office and can schedule our SLS classes. Sid Hall, the pastor, and staff are enthusiastic about who we are and have been providing gracious hospitality, even sharing their own storage room so we can bring most of our liturgical fabric and supplies. As the Holy Spirit moves among our St. George's family to expand St. George's School and grow the Parish, we believe She is sending St. Hildegard's out to a new home and to new possibilities there. On April 12th we formally agreed to move to Trinity and a few days later some of us gathered for a closing ritual in the office that has been home for the SLS for 22 years. It has been sacred space-a healing mandala-where St. Hildegard's was birthed and lives touched and healed at deep levels over all these years. Now was a time to remember, give thanks, and let go what has been so dear so we can go forth with a sense of joy and gratitude. A small group of Hildegardians moved most of our stuff on April 22nd in order to be completely out by the end of the month. In the next six weeks we'll settle in at Trinity and finish moving from Kleberg. We're planning a special service on Pentecost in gratitude for 19 years of enlivening liturgies, SLS classes, and abundant community life. We invite our friends at St. George's to help us bless and celebrate our move to a new location. Please join us for our last Kleberg Eucharist on Pentecost May 24th and/or our first Eucharist at Trinity United Methodist on May 31st/Trinity Sunday! [4:00 pm Silence, 4:30 Eucharist in both locations.]
To read entire article, click here.
|
|
|
|
|
We wish the following parishioners a very happy May birthday:
James Wall (May 4), Alice Nelson (May 9), Chloe Metcalf (May 13), Clayton Kelley (may 13), Anne Weaver (May 15), Josh Shipman (May 15), Carolyn Porter (May 16),
Katie Carnes (May 26), Kelly Puckett (May 28), August Dolan-Henderson (May 31)
And a very happy anniversary to:
Heather & Kevin Schubert (May 1)
Clayton & Lydia Kelley (May 26)
Congratulations!
|
|
| |
|
