Called to Worship. Sent to Witness. Led to Welcome. | | |
With the Drawing of This Love
and the Voice of This Calling
What we call the beginning is often the end/And to make an end is to make a beginning.
The end is where we start from…With the drawing of this Love and the voice of this Calling/We shall not cease from exploration/And the end of all our exploring/Will be to arrive where we started/And know the place for the first time./Through the unknown, unremembered gate/When the last of earth left to discover/Is that which was the beginning…
–T.S. Eliot, Four Quartets
Four Quartets has come up a lot during this curacy, in sermons, classes, and here in these reflections. Eliot’s cycle is probably my favorite work of poetry, and I find myself turning to it in times of transition, difficulty, milestones…anything that bears reflection on life’s big events. Eliot made a name for himself writing bleak poetry for the bleak world that followed WWI, and was fixated on time: decay, entropy, time as destroyer and enemy. After his 1927 conversion to Anglo-Catholicism, the nature of time remained a prominent theme, but it was now time redeemed by eternity’s narrative, time that hurdles past death and towards Resurrection.
My time as your curate has come to an end, but it is the beginning of what will hopefully be a long narrative for each of us, for my ministry and for a growing and flourishing St. Andrew’s. It has been a stop along the way in a longer story with much before and much after for all of us as we hurdle towards eternity, towards Resurrection. I was called to your community and now I am being called out of it (Though of course we remain bound together by our shared life in Christ). This ending is a starting point, a solid foundation laid for what only God knows and what God will put to good use. Another theme of Eliot’s work is unknowing, the inability of the mind to grasp all that it experiences, much less the grand order of things. This, too, is redeemed by his conversion as all that we cannot know is entrusted into the hands of God.
This past two years (with the gracious extension of the last two months) has been a time of growth and learning, of almost as many challenges and hardships as joys, but serving this congregation has been nothing but a blessing. Even in my roughest and most uncertain times, praying at the altar, standing behind the pulpit, sitting across from you at meals or in classes, has been an anchor, an affirmation of all I have been called to do. I have nothing but gratitude for my time here, and I am sad to see it end (even using a word like “bittersweet” feels dishonest).
I don’t quite know what comes next for me, but I know that it is coming from the God who called me to this work, who blessed me with this prayerful, supportive diocese, who brought me to this incredible parish of loving people who I am so much better for knowing. I would love to be writing this with an exciting next step secured, confidently headed in a direction that feels like home. But I have instead been given an opportunity to trust God, to surrender my will, to hand over my future—an opportunity to do everything I’ve been preaching to you all about for these past two years. So I step out in faith and hope, towards the “drawing of this love and the voice of this calling.”
-Fr. Tyler
| | Worship & Formation Schedule with Links | | |
Sunday, August 3 - The Eighth Sunday after Pentecost
8:30 AM Low Mass, Rite II
10:30 AM Sung High Mass, Rite I (livestream available)
12:00 Noon Special Reception for Fr. Tyler
Tuesday, August 5
4 PM Clergy-Led Bible Study
Wednesday, August 6 - The Feast of Transfiguration
5:30 PM Healing Mass, Rite II
| | Prayer Requests & Resources | |
The following people have been commended
to the prayers of the parish:
| Andrew, Annette, Bobbie, Bob, Brian, Charlie, Chuck, Deirdre, Dick, Don, Felix, Holly, Jim, Jodi, Joyce, Leigh Ann, Lyra, Margaret Lee, Margaret, Marvin, Mary, Nancy, Patt, Robin, Shawn, Sylvia, Wade, Winona | | |
To add someone to the Parish Prayer List, please contact the office.
To add someone to the Daughters of the King prayer list, please e-mail dok@standrewsgreenville.org
There is also wooden box in the Narthex where you can fill out prayer cards.
The Daughters will add your names to their prayers.
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08/02 Lenderman Rhodes
08/04 Andrew Honohan
08/04 Nancy Barutio
08/07 Hampton Shields
08/07 Leigh Randall
08/13 Ava Honohan
08/15 John Bennett
08/16 Mary Patterson Fenn
08/18 Jimmy Worley
08/20 Virginia Eichelberger
08/21 JJ Andrighetti
08/21 Theo Woodard
08/22 Chuck Evans
08/22 Meg Woodard
08/24 Asher Boswell
08/24 Gwynne Armstrong
08/25 Russell Conner
08/26 Nancy Powell
08/26 Frances Twomey
08/28 Jane Babb
08/28 Millie Apperson
08/30 Angie Honohan
08/31 Cheryl Fairley
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Upcoming Anniversary Special Events:
- Sunday, August 10 (Backpack Blessing Sunday) | At Both Masses | Guest Preacher, Mtr. Molly McGee Short, Chaplain at Saint Andrew’s Sewanee Episcopal Boarding School
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Sunday, September 7 | At Both Masses | Guest Preacher, The Rev'd Dr. Ben King, Professor of Church History at Seminary of the Southwest (Dr. King is a scholar of Anglo-Catholic history and previously preached at Saint Andrew's for Fr. Gary's installation as Rector in 2016.)
- Sunday, October 19 | At Both Masses | Guest Preacher & Celebrant, The Rev'd Trey Garland, Former Rector
- All Saints Sunday, November 2 | At Both Masses | Guest Preacher, The Right Rev'd Dorsey Henderson, Former Bishop of Upper South Carolina
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Parish Staff Update:
Welcoming Our New Parish Administrator
and Director of Communications
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We are excited to announce that Saint Andrew’s has recently filled two of our staff openings!
Miranda Mason, our new Parish Administrator, relocated to Greenville in February of this year from Washington, DC, where she served as the Parish Administrator of Grace Episcopal Church, Georgetown. For any finance, administrative, scheduling, or other parish-related needs, contact Ms. Mason (office@standrewsgreenville.org)
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Frances Twomey, our new Director of Communications, grew up here in Greenville, is a musician and artist, and has served in various church ministry capacities over the past 15 years. She and her husband, Mike, have a three-year-old son. If you have any additions for the bulletin or The Call, or if you have any publication, newsletter, or website updates, reach out to Mrs. Twomey (info@standrewsgreenville.org)
More information about both women can be found in last week’s Call. Father Gary would like to thank all of the parishioners who assisted with providing insight and feedback during the search—as well as those who volunteered in the parish office during this transition.
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Sending Forth Sunday for Fr. Tyler Proctor | Sunday, August 3
As Fr. Tyler’s two-year curacy with Saint Andrew’s comes to a close, we are looking forward to expressing our deep gratitude for all of the ways that Fr. Tyler has offered his gifts in ministry in service to God at Saint Andrew’s. Over the course of these two years, Saint Andrew’s has been richly blessed to be able to participate (for the first time in our history!) in the diocesan curacy program, and we look forward to seeing how God continues to call Fr. Tyler to ever-deepening service in the years ahead. In addition, to sending forth prayers and a blessing offered at both masses, the entire parish will have an opportunity to celebrate Fr. Tyler as we gather, after the 10:30 AM Mass, for a special reception in the Parish Hall.
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Clergy-Led Bible Study
Starting Back on Tuesday, August 5 | 4 PM | Parish Hall
Our clergy-led study of Genesis will restart on Tuesday, August 5, as we enter the Jacob narrative starting in Chapter 27. All are welcome to join the Bible Study—even if you didn’t participate in the Spring. Fr. Gary will lead a brief review on Tuesday—before embarking on the new material. To prepare for Tuesday’s session, please read Genesis 25:19-34 and 27:1-40. New participants are encouraged to sign up in advance to get added to the weekly reminder e-mail list.
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Morning Prayer Update
We have appreciated Fr. Tyler’s introducing of Morning Prayer as a regular public worship offering on Tuesdays and Thursdays throughout his curacy and are hopeful that we will be able to reintroduce it as a regular public worship offering in the future. If any parishioners have an interest in regularly leading Morning Prayer going forward, please let Fr. Gary know.
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West End Association Meeting | Tuesday, August 5 |
6:30 PM | Saint Andrew’s Parish Hall
This month’s West End Neighborhood Association meeting will return to the Saint Andrew’s Parish Hall. Greenville City Manager, Shannon Lavrin, will be a guest speaker and will share highlights from her “State of the City” presentation that she presented to City Council. All are invited.
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Blessing of the Backpacks
with Episcopal School Chaplain, Mtr. Molly Short,
as Guest Preacher
Sunday, August 10 | 10:30 Mass
Many of our local schools start back on Monday, August 11! Students and teachers are encouraged to bring their backpacks to church on Sunday, August 10, so that the students, teachers, and their backpacks can be blessed for the upcoming school year. We are also looking forward to welcoming Mtr. Molly Short, who is a Furman graduate and currently serves as Chaplain at Saint Andrew’s Sewanee Episcopal Boarding School, as our guest preacher at both masses that day.
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St. Andrew’s Book Club |
Sunday, August 10 | 1 PM
St. Andrew’s Book Club, which normally meets on the first Sunday of each month, is rescheduled to Sunday, August 10. The meeting will take place in the church hall after coffee hour. This month’s book for discussion is The Horse Dancer by JoJo Moyes. If you would like to learn more about the club, please plan to join the discussion. Alternatively, feel free to speak to or email Annette Geraghty (annv51@yahoo.com).
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Back to School Youth Bowling Party | Sunday, August 24
5 to 7 PM
810 Billiards & Bowling
For this year’s Back to School Party, we will be bowling at 810 Billiards and Bowling (842 Woods Crossing). Please plan to join us as we kick off another year of monthly gatherings for Saint Andrew’s youth! More details to come.
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Coffee Hour
Volunteers Needed!
Please consider volunteering to assist with refreshments and set up for our coffee hour fellowship following the 10:30 AM Mass. A sign up sheet can be found on the “Welcome” bulletin board in the Parish Hall or online at the link below.
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UPDATED: Parking at Saint Andrew's
For detailed parking instructions, click here.
***PLEASE NOTE - West End Baptist Church, which owns the parking lot around Saint Andrew's, has reduced the parking lot area available on Sundays to the area closer to South Main Street--with the back part of the parking lot (against Rhett Street) no longer available. As a result, please enter the parking lot via South Main Street. The map linked below has been updated to reflect that change.***
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Note: You need a parking decal to park in the designated lots. They can be found on the shelf to the left of the doors as you exit the church.
| Sunday Altar Flower and Presence Candle Dedications | |
On Sundays, we have the opportunity to offer a special dedication of the altar flowers or presence candle in honor, memory, or celebration of loved ones. The cost to the church for altar flowers is now $100 per Sunday, so we are suggesting that donations for dedicating altar flowers be in the range of $50 to $100 to help us cover those costs. The suggested donation for a presence candle dedication is $10.
If you would like to sign up for a Sunday, please see the sign up sheet on the bulletin in the Parish Hall or click on the button below. You may place a check in the offering plate with "Altar Flowers" or "Presence Candle" noted in the memo.
We will continue to only have Altar Flowers if someone has signed up and paid for the arrangements. As a result, we will need to know by the Tuesday prior to the upcoming Sunday if you would like to sign up.
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Invitation to Submit Future Parishioner Postings ...
If you have news of important milestones or work that you would like to share with the parish, please let us know!
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News from the Wider Church
and from Our Ministry Partners
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Living the Reign | Your Diocesan Newsletter | Have you or do you currently serve as a faith community nurse, parish nurse, or mental or emotional support for a parish in our diocese? Whether that role was a paid staff position or a volunteer role, we want to hear from you! | | | |
Notes Along the Way | Faith in the Reign of Christ | In answering a request from Bishop Richards to write a piece on how I see the Diocesan staff working through faith daily, I reflected on Jessica's beautifully written last week. She masterfully wrote on love in the reign of Christ, weaving together stories of our staff meetings and examples of how she sees the love of Christ throughout our Diocese. | | | |
Get ready for a night that’s deliciously unforgettable! Join us Thursday, August 21st for our next community dinner, where our amazing culinary staff and students will serve up a mouthwatering three-course feast. Tickets are limited and going fast—grab yours before August 15th and treat yourself to an evening of great food and even better company. Don’t miss out on this savory celebration! | | | |
Choir | Rehearsal on Sundays at 9:30 AM
We are always seeking additional volunteers for the Saint Andrew’s choir, which currently gathers on Sunday mornings at 9:30 AM (and not on Wednesday evenings) to prepare the music for the 10:30 mass. This more limited time commitment provides an excellent opportunity for prospective new members to “try us out.” If you have questions, contact the Parish Office—or just show up on Sunday morning!
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Volunteers Needed
Feed Thy Neighbor
Founded in 2010, Feed Thy Neighbor is a cooperative effort of the Episcopal community in Greenville. Parish volunteers from Saint Andrew’s, St. Peter’s, St. James, and Christ Church feed the hungry each Saturday from 7:30 to 8:30 AM. We are seeking volunteers to help serve and clean up. Please contact the office if you would like to volunteer: office@standrewsgreenville.org.
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