Preparing the Heart for Hope

By The Rev. Cameron Randle, Rector

Each time I revisit the Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous, I become reacquainted with the power behind those words and phrases. The rare combo platter of honesty and vulnerability, the willingness to acknowledge failure and limitations, the quiet but fierce and determined resolve to push back against self-aggrandizement, all rise up to flood my sensibilities with an undeniable ring of multi-layered truth. And I’m not even an alcoholic. Especially impactful is Step #3, in which folks on the recovery trail acknowledge having “made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.” That admission is premised upon affirmative action. Such a commitment comes about through a self-initiative moving in the polar opposite direction from the familiar self-centric perspective pervading most contemporary thought. The decision to abdicate, to proactively relinquish centrality, and to redirect submission of our wills to a divine imperative, is both redemptive and transformational. It is also reflective of a deeply relational stance toward the divine, toward “God as we understand Him.” Too, it points us back toward The 12 Steps as a superlative spiritual standard for all Christians, whether in recovery or not.

Ashley Cleveland’s view of God has broadened and changed over the years. Her experience as a creative woman in recovery from alcoholism and addiction has both shaped her knowledge of God and been shaped by her knowledge of God. “My understanding of God was that he was fairly distant and that he was also extremely performance-oriented,” she says of her former impressions. Over the years, she came to know God as a living presence who loves her and knows her by name. She now understands God as the ultimate source of unconditional love, which is a key ingredient in recovery. She speaks comfortably about “surrendering to the mystery of your path” and learning to accept the difference between the life we may have once envisioned versus the life we’ve come to know as our own.

At the third Sunday in Advent, we celebrate the irrepressible reality of hope. Our lives are enriched and our faith strengthened when we once again embrace God’s gift of unconditional love and comprehensive, irreversible acceptance. Author Gerald May has written, “I believe that humankind’s ongoing struggle with addiction is preparing the ground of perfect love.” Please take the opportunity to spend time with 3 x Grammy-winner Ashley Cleveland at ESC this Saturday evening and Sunday morning, as we explore together what it means to prepare the ground of perfect love. Along the way, we’re likely to learn more about the challenges, obstacles and disappointments inherent in contending with addiction and alcoholism. At the same time, we are also sure to be reminded of our status as recipients of divine hope, especially when we choose to turn both our will and our life over to the care of our creator.  

This week's Adult Forum: Camino de Santiago

The Rev. John Baldwin completed his second Camino in September/October of this year. Rev. Baldwin shared that his experience was; “An International walkway where I met people from all walks of life and from 25 different countries; mainly from the US. There were many churches along the route that held Pilgrim Masses. Seeing the country side of Portugal and Spain was certainly different walking at a two-to-three miles per hour pace compared to driving. I discovered that people completed the journey for various reasons. Spiritual, physical, or meditative were among the most common. My experience was not only spiritual but also social. I ate, talked and even lodged with many other pilgrims along my 150 mile walk which took me 15 days to complete.”   

Camino de Santiago (or Way of St. James) is an ancient pilgrimage with its roots in the 9th century. A shepherd named Pelayo found remains of a body at a place in a field that he was led to by the stars of the Milky Way. The local bishop declared the remains to be those of The Apostle St. James The Greater and with this, the Camino de Santiago was born. The bishop ordered a church to be built on the site to house the remains of St. James (or Santiago). Then, as word spread pilgrims started walking from all across Europe and even further afield to visit the sacred burial site of one of Jesus’s apostles. Over the years, that small church grew to the epic Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela that it is today.

Come hear first-hand about Father Baldwin’s trip during this Sunday’s Adult Forum in the Parish Hall at 9:15 am. 

Advent Lessons & Carols on Sunday

This Sunday afternoon at 5:00 PM the clergy, choirs, soloists, and readers from Eastern Shore Chapel present our traditional Advent Lessons & Carols service. Be present to hear and celebrate the stories and music that prepare our souls and minds for the coming of Emmanuel. Following the worship service, you are invited to a reception of wine and cheese in the narthex. An offering will be taken to support "The Wait," our musical programs during the Advent season. 

All is Calm, All is Bright - Seasonal music for harp and flute

Please plan to join us on Thursday, December19, at 7:00 PM for All is Calm, All is Bright - a special concert of seasonal music for harp and flute. The concert will feature Barbara Chapman, Harp, and Debra Wendells Cross, Flute. Enjoy traditional Christmas favorites - Once in Royal David's City, Coventry Carol, Carol of the Bells, In Dulci Jubilo, and many more. Click here for a complete concert program and to learn more about the artists.

New Vestry members elected

By Hank Marriott, Senior Warden

 

At ESC’s Annual Congregational Meeting on Sunday, December 8, four new vestry members were elected to serve three-year terms: Bill Cohee; Allison Johnson; Worth Remick; and Jim Yourish. We are grateful to all of the nominees for their willingness to stand for election.

 

The Vestry has chosen Sally Cox to serve as Senior Warden, and Steve Shirley and Deb Butler-Painter to serve as Co-Junior Wardens for 2020. ESC’s Chancellor Anne Bibeau, Treasurer John St. John, and Register Susan Flye will be continuing their work on behalf of ESC. We are deeply thankful to all of them for their willingness to give so generously of their time and talent in these demanding leadership positions.

 

The new Vestry members will fill seats being vacated by outgoing members Joan Berlin, Mary Miller Gentry, Maureen Kallgren and myself. I am extremely grateful to these folks for their faithful service and for the opportunity to share in the ministry of leadership with them, and all of our Vestry members, over the past three years.

Toy collection for children of incarcerated parents

Sunday, December 15, will be the final day for collecting toys for Outreach for Christ Ministries of Virginia Beach for the benefit of children whose parent(s) is incarcerated in the Virginia Beach jail over the Christmas season. A collection container will be placed in the narthex. Items especially needed are for toddlers up to 12 months and boys/girls ages 9 to 16. Do not wrap the gift item and limit the gift to $10. A financial contribution may also be made by making out your check to Outreach for Christ Ministries.

Want to make a difference for at risk youth in the area?

Seton Youth Shelters provides 24-hour emergency shelter for youth ages 9-17 years within Hampton Roads. This program serves runaway and homeless youth and youth in crisis within their family, school and/or community. The staff have let us know that the children there love home-baked Christmas cookies. If you are baking some this holiday season and would like to create a batch for the children there, please bring them to the kitchen with a note saying they are for Seton House, and we will deliver them for you on behalf of Eastern Shore Chapel. 

Also, we have started a new ministry with Seton House called "Foodie Fridays" where we bring a festive party to the kids and staff once-a-month. If you're interested in learning more about this ministry and how you can help, please contact Allison Johnson at 410-596-0143 or [email protected] .

Bows, greens and, of course, poinsettias

Decorating the church for the Christmas season is a truly beautiful thing. Won’t you give the Flower and Altar Guilds a little hand? Everyone is invited to help for only 15 to 30 minutes on Sunday, December 22, right after the last service. There are 75 poinsettias to move, bows and wreaths to hang, and candles to be placed in the windows. All ages welcome. With your assistance, you will be able to say, "I helped do that." Let’s all give thanks (and a little handy work) for this joyous season. For more information contact Audra Byrn, 757-408-6916 or [email protected]. Thank you!

Thursday Morning Daily Office: A service of Morning Prayer and conversation

Join us each Thursday morning at 7:30 in the narthex to relax in Daily Morning Prayer, Rite Two (page 75 BCP). It’s quiet and friendly; a great way to start the day for everyone. All are welcome. Casual and lay-led, all that’s required is that you be present. Spiritual exercise in the morning strengthens you for the whole day.

Donate your car to ESC

Do you have a car you’d like to say good-by to? Save yourself the headache of selling it or negotiating a trade-in by donating your car to ESC. You’ll get full market value as a charitable tax deduction. It’ll make life easier for you and for some folks that need reliable transportation. Contact Hank Marriott for more info, 635-0186 or [email protected].

KAIROS Prison Ministry: Everyone deserves a Christmas card

By Lee Davis

It is my pleasure each year to send Christmas cards to the friends I have made inside prisons. The first step is to find an appropriate card that a.) Gives a message of hope, b.) Doesn’t cost too much and, c.) That will look OK once it is photocopied in the mail room at the prison prior to being distributed to the residents. WAIT! WHAT? Photocopied? Yup… relatively new prison safety precaution requires that residents only receive a photocopy of any mail they receive. That includes not only Christmas cards but photographs from home should they be lucky enough to receive one. Sorta takes the “life” out of them don’t you think?

Next step is to go through my mailing list and check each residents DOC number in the inmate locator on line to see where they are. They are moved to different institutions fairly regularly based on the resident’s ability to live in/with the system – or not. What I find, most years, is that I have added six to twelve names because of new relationships made and deleted three to six because they are “no longer in the system”. Most often this means they have completed their sentence and have been returned to the real world outside. I loose track of them at this point and can only connect with them in prayer. I pray that they had someone waiting to help them when they walked through the gate, I pray that they were not drawn by awful circumstance back to the life that led them to prison in the first place, and I pray that they are warm at night with a roof over their head and food in their belly. Sometimes, not often thanks be to God, my friends die in prison. I have removed several because God called them home before the DOC could let them out.

Then I prayerfully write the notes in the Christmas cards; I write knowing this may be the only card they get this year. It’s easy to write a cheerful note to new friends; I am thankful for their new relationship with God and for their commitment to the Kairos community. It’s hard though to write a cheerful note to a friend who has received these cards year after year after sorrowful year. I think about their daily routine, the food they endure, the unending harassment they face. I think about where I have been in the past year and the things I have been blessed to see and to do.

So I take a deep breath, I pray some more, I ask God to guide me and write I do.

I look at the readings for Advent 3 and think about my friends waiting. I am thankful they are my friends and thankful even more to be able to send Christmas cards to them.

Parish Day School: Help us keep our children safe!

Please remember if you are entering Parish Day School during school hours (7 am to 6 pm) we will need you to sign in our visitor log and get a Visitor Tag. We are excited to announce that Donna Julian is now working as the ESC and PDS Administrative Assistant and her office has moved to outside the security doors. If you are looking to enter the school during operating hours, please stop by Donna’s office to get signed in. If she is not in her office, please use the call button for one of our team to get you signed in. Thank you for working with us to keep our children safe!

Let Parish Book Store de-stress your holiday

Has holiday stress got you down? The Parish Book Store can help with books such as Phyllis Tickle’s Christmastide: Prayers for Advent Through Epiphany and Aroma Therapy Shop items :  hand-crafted soaps, scented candles, and Essential Oil sprays. Come in, browse and relax!

Because “Jesus is the reason for the season,” why not choose a religious stocking stuffer? The Parish Book Store has items for the young and not so young’s stockings. Among our treasures are prayer cubes with meal-time graces and night-time prayers, pocket crosses and St. Christopher medals, wall crosses and plaques, prayer beads, key rings, and even collars and leashes for your dog. Come see our full array. We are open on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to noon.

Pray for Our Military

We PRAISE the Lord for continued divine opportunities to reach the 55,000-70,000 internationals that come to the U.S. for military training each year! We PRAY those opportunities will be multiplied and that the relationships with our international brothers and sisters will have a global, Kingdom impact!

Prayers & Prayer Cards for deployed military

If you would like a prayer card sent to your deployed service member please contact Bill Hunter at [email protected] or 757-402-6384. I would also be happy to place the service member on the prayer list at church for inclusion in the weekly Prayers of the People.

Bill Hunter, ESC Military Liaison

Wednesday Dinner menus

Made with love and from scratch, join us for Wednesday Dinner 6:30 to 7:15 p.m. every Wednesday in the parish hall. You’ll enjoy an entrée, sides, soup, salad, bread, and fruit, all for only $6.00, or $3 for children. No reservations needed.

Christian Formation Schedule

Adult Forum

Sunday School

Join the cast of the Christmas Eve Pageant!

Attention all Angels, Shepherds, Sheep and Readers! We would LOVE to have you in the  4 pm  Christmas Eve Pageant! If you are interested, please email Molly Vaughn at  [email protected] . Entire Cast practice will be  December 22nd at 9:15  in the Church.

Upcoming at ESC

For the full calendar of events, visit our website .

An Evening with Ashley Cleveland - Dec. 14 at 6 p.m. in the Parish Hall. Singer-songwriter Ashley Cleveland is the first woman and only artist to win three Grammy Awards for Best Rock Gospel. In addition, Cleveland has won two Dove Awards for outstanding performances in Contemporary Christian and garnered numerous other nominations. She is the author of a candid memoir entitled Little Black Sheep and the subject of an inspiring 2018 documentary film, Who's The Girl? Ashley Cleveland's personal and professional journey is inseparable from her struggle with alcoholism and addiction and from her commitment to the Recovery process. At this event, co-sponsored by the diocesan Addictions & Recovery Commission, Ashley will introduce a private viewing of the documentary Who's The Girl? and discuss the film's making. Following the viewing, Ashley will perform a short set of songs in concert and lead a Q & A discussion about her Recovery experience as a woman, musician and person of faith. Admission is free but RSVP by calling the parish office, 757-428-6763.

 

Advent Lessons and Carols Service - Dec.15, 5:00 PM. Featuring The Reading of Advent Lessons and Singing of Anthems, Hymns, and Solos by The Choirs, Soloists, and Readers of Eastern Shore Chapel Episcopal Church.

Third Tuesday Supper Group - Dec. 17, 6:30 PM. Hosted by Carrollyn & Les Cox. There’s always a seat for everyone and the door is open! 600 Queensgrove Crescent, Virginia Beach. (Carrollyn 285-6607; Les 285-6611)

 

Seasonal Music for Harp and Flute - Dec.19, 7:00 PM. Featuring Barbara Chapman, Harp, and Debra Wendells Cross, Flute.

 

American Red Cross Blood Drive - Dec. 19, 2 to 6 p.m. in the Parish Hall.

Advent Music and More - Dec. 22, 5:00 PM. Featuring Martin, Holly, Larry, Melissa Sunderland Jones, Thomas, Lauren, and Stephen Sunderland.

Peanut Group - Meets every Monday at 8 a.m. in the Parish Hall



Centering Prayer - Thursdays, 5 to 6 p.m. An ongoing weekly meeting to practice and learn about centering prayer. The Rev. Gwynn Mudd serves as clergy advisor to the group. All are welco me. Please contact Christina Wyman at [email protected] if you need further information.

Adult Pilgrimage to Ireland & Scotland - Join Rev. Julia on an Adult Pilgrimage of Social Justice through Ireland and Scotland June 25 through July 7, 2020. More information is available in the narthex and parish office. The first deposit is due January 1, 2020 to reserve your spot. Questions? Contact Rev. Julia.

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