|
St. Paul’s Epistle
THE OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF ST. PAUL’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH
July 2022, VOLUME 48
| |
|
|
Serving on the Board of Camp Mitchell and participating in its reopening has given me reason to reflect on this time in history. In many ways we are rebuilding the church.
My involvement with Camp Mitchell began when I was working with our youth at St. Paul’s in Fayetteville in the 90’s. My first time on the mountain was for a weekend youth event and it was wonderful watching young people from around the diocese playing and worshiping together. What I quickly realized was that the relationships being formed there were important. At this point, our oldest had “out grown” youth events (she was in college), but our two younger children got involved is a big way – both serving as Camp Counselors and one even serving a couple of summers as the Summer Camp Director. During this time, I was appointed the Chair of the Board of Trustees, a position I served until entering seminary full time.
I have attended adult retreats, clergy retreats, and have served as the camp priest several times through the years and each time I have found the camp to be a sacred space in which our relationship with God is strengthened and relationships with others are built. The term “a mountaintop experience” is easily understood when we attend events at Camp Mitchell. Not only is the setting inspiring, the facilities are as well.
The Camp Experience cannot be replicated on Zoom, and despite efforts to prevent the facilities from being harmed by the lack of occupants, frigid temperatures resulted in burst pipes and significant water damage. Our phased reopening had to be modified, but Summer Camp has returned. Sophia Bridgers attended our first camp of the season, the Sr. High Session, and has written a wonderful article for this issue.
After reading her article I was struck by two things. The first was of all the obstacles that still have to be overcome if we are to gather again. The pandemic is still impacting us in our daily lives, no matter how much we want to get past it. The second is that all the work in overcoming these obstacles is worth it when we make the best of our situation and develop (or renew or just strengthen) relationships with others.
All of this is true for St. Paul’s as well. Just ask our Jr. Warden and Jon will be quick to say there is always something that needs to be fixed. Is all the work worth it? I may be putting words in his mouth, but I believe he would respond, “Absolutely.” This is our church home. During the pandemic, we never stopped worshiping God, but it is difficult to strengthen relationships with one another without being with each other.
During Lent, a group of us here at St. Paul’s studied the book, Chasing St. Francis. St. Francis had a heart for mission and he sought to follow Christ by loving and supporting others. We were struck by the importance St. Francis placed on building relationships and on mission and decided to form a Care Team to address the needs of our individual members. We have been calling, visiting, sending cards, and taking flowers, meals and communion to members on our prayer list. The Care Team is also focusing on our life together as a parish and has reinstituted Pub Theology. In June, at our first Pub Theology since the pandemic began, we had 25 people and it was wonderful to be together again. Now, the Care Team has decided to expand its mission and wants to explore ways we can help others in our community. The Care Team is now focusing on doing that for our parish AND for the community.
The Care Team meets monthly for dinner and making plans how we will respond to the needs of our members – and now, the needs of our community. There are and will continue to be challenges, but the work we are doing and will do is making a difference. We are being led by the Spirit and we are rebuilding the church! Borrowing from this year’s Camp Mitchell t-shirts: “Always We Begin Again.”
Blessings,
Jim+
| |
|
Camp Mitchell 2022
by Sophia Bridgers
I started going to Camp Mitchell when I was really little. As a little girl, I was overwhelmed by a warm feeling of love as I attended the camp, and I eagerly awaited the next summer when it was over. Now, as a 15 year old girl, I still feel the same joy and excitement when I think about camp.
I attended my senior high session on June 5th. As soon as I arrived on the mountain, I was greeted with pleased faces and friends I hadn’t seen in years due to the pandemic. We all got settled into our cabins, and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a little nervous. I didn’t feel like I fit into my group very well and I was a little nervous and I would be cast aside by my peers. We played games on chigger field all night and then simmered down in the chapel, looking out onto the moonlit horizon. It was a good day.
The next day was almost completely the same, I spent a lot of time in the arts and crafts area. Tuesday was when things really changed though, because due to positive covid cases, our protocol changed and we had to spend a lot of time in our cabins. This was unfortunate but ended up not being entirely bad, as everyone in my cabin grew closer together.
As the week neared an end, I was shocked at how much fun I had, despite the limited circumstances. The camp spirit lives on. I admire the staff, the campers who stuck around, and everyone who’s ever loved the camp the way I have for letting it reopen. I have never made as many friends as I did, and I had an amazing time. Thank you for supporting me and allowing me to go! I’m super duper grateful.
| |
|
MEMBER PROFILE: BARBARA TERRELL
News of the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941 sent Frances West into early labor. Expecting her third child in a few days Frances went to the hospital but was sent home for a couple of days. On December 11 her baby girl entered the world and was named Barbara Jean. We know her as Barbara Terrell.
Born in Wartrace, Tennessee, she joined two sisters then 19 and 16 years old. Their dad was a farmer and their mom a homemaker. The family attended the Methodist church which met every third Sunday when the circuit minister came around. They never missed church though attending Presbyterian and Baptist churches on the off weeks.
After their father was seriously injured in a railroad accident the family moved to Jonesboro, Arkansas and started a dry-cleaning business there. Their father, Edd Cooper West, passed away in 1959 leaving his wife and daughters to run the business.
Barbara fell in love with the boy next door and she and Jack Settles were married in 1959. Jack joined the service and the couple moved to numerous bases during their marriage. They had three children, Ross, born in 1960 now teaching at Hong Kong University; Trish born in 1964 is a city planner with the state of Massachusetts and Laura, born in 1965 lived in Windsor, Canada for many years while she raised a family of four children. She now has eight grandchildren and three great-grandchildren and lives in Batesville.
In 1970 Barbara and Jack purchased Earnheart Cleaners in Batesville and changed the name to Settles Cleaners. It has remained a family run business to this day. Jack Settles passed away in 1974 in Texas.
Barbara met and married Carl Terrell in 1975 and they had twin boys, Jason and Joshua, in 1980.
At about that time the family began attending St. Paul’s. The twins kept things lively in the church nursery and then Sunday School for many years. They were jokingly referred to as the Dooby Brothers because they always clung to their pillows calling them their doobies when they were nursery age.
Barbara has many stories of raising those twins, some funny and some hair-raising.
Sadly, Carl passed away from an aneurysm in 2001 only to be followed by the accidental drowning of one of the twins Jason in 2002.
Very sad times for Barbara and family.
Soon after the tragedies, Josh stepped up to help Barbara run the cleaners which he and his wife Lydia still operate allowing Barbara to retire. Josh and Lydia have a daughter, Donna Jean, now 20.
Editor’s Note: Barbara loves St. Paul’s, part of her gift to the church is cleaning and laundering our vestments, linens and tablecloths at no charge even including pickup and delivery! Thanks Barbara.
|  | |
HISTORY PIECE OF THE MONTH
- FROM NELSON BARNETT
| |
|
Excerpts from “Worthy of Much Praise,” A History of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, by Nancy Moore Britton and Dora Leale Baker Ferguson, 1989.
Music has always been of great importance at St. Paul’s. A list of organists who have faithfully served the church from 1866 until the present are: Maria Ramsey, Mrs. E. L. Givens, Mrs. William B. Lawrence, Alberta ‘Bertie’ Weaver, Bess Millen Wolf, Ruth Slaughter Johnston, Jack Wasson, Paula Melton Fulkerson, Herman Hess, Pat Hess, Janice Reed, Karen Pierce, Cindy Britton, Timberly Addis, Cindy Britton Barber, June Evans, Russell Stinson, and currently Kristian Ameigh.
“An interesting choral service was given at the church about 1906, which was reviewed fully in a local newspaper: ‘To the music lovers of Batesville the choral service at St. Paul’s church Sunday night was a genuine musical treat. The musical program was varied by the service of evening prayer and three short addresses by the rector in which he discussed music’s rightful place in the church service.’
In addition to the full surplice choir of St. Paul’s that evening, J. W. Glenn, a Methodist, and E. L. Givens and D. M. Frierson, Presbyterians, volunteered to round out the male voices. Organist was Mrs. E. L. Givens, assisted by Miss Alberta Weaver, and Mrs. Catherine Deener played the violin.
Vocal numbers included “Jerusalem the Golden,” with violin obligato, duets by Winnie and Daisy Reed, a solo by Miss June Glenn, also visiting from the Methodist choir; a solo by Mr. Dene Coleman and a mixed vocal quartette which included the rector, the Rev. Augustus Michael Treschow.”
Mrs. Givens resigned as organist in 1907, and was replaced that October by Mrs. William B. Lawrence, born Susie Butler. Mrs. Lawrence continued to serve as organist until just before her death in 1918. Alberta ‘Bertie’ Weaver served as organist until her death 1929 and Bess Millen Wolf, a recent Arkansas College graduate, replaced her for a year.
St. Paul’s gained a new organist in 1930, Mrs. Ruth Slaughter Johnston. Mrs. Johnston was raised a Methodist, and joined St. Paul’s in 1939. She remained as organist until 1956. It is possible that she served faithfully for some years without pay; the first mention of a salary was not until 1939, at which time she was being paid $3.00 a week for Sunday morning and Wednesday evening services.
Mrs. Johnston’s daughter, Barbara, married contractor Ernest Jones, and remained a member until her death along with her son Arch, and his wife Mary Kay who are still members.
| |
|
OTHER NEWS:
CHURCHMEN MEETING
The Churchmen Club met at Steven Stalker’s Pavilion on June 28th where they had hot dogs and fries cooked by Elliot Sampley & Steven Stalker. They made final decisions on the upcoming shrimp dinner and had a great turnout with members attending.
CARE TEAM EXPANDS ITS MISSION
The Care Team, at its last meeting, decided to expand its mission from that of serving only our members to that of including service to others in the community. We have begun exploring how St. Paul’s might become more involved is sharing the love of God with others in our community in tangible ways. Ellen Massey and Rhonda Mundy are now co-leading the ministry of the Care Team, so if you know of a member with a need, please contact them. If you have an idea for service, please come to next meeting, July 24th and share your idea.
PUB THEOLOGY
By popular request St Paul’s monthly Pub Theology has resumed. Pub Theology is an informal gathering of church members and guests for dinner in a local restaurant. The dinner is Dutch treat but the fellowship is free.
A group of 25 met June 23 at Tavolo’s Restaurant (photo below as shown) for the first time since the pandemic shut us down. This month we will meet on Tuesday, July 26th at 6:00 pm at location to be determined. Watch for the announcement in the St. Paul’s Messenger and please plan to attend!
2022 Flower Chart: Please take note of the following dates available for altar flowers the year: July 10, 17, 24, Aug 7, 28, Sept 4, 25, Oct 2, Nov 20, & Dec 11. Contact Jo Cargill by phone or text at 870-613-6981, or her at [email protected], to reserve your dates or ask about procedures. Flowers may be ordered from the florist, purchased retail or home-grown but arrangements are left to the donor.
If you’d like to reserve a date permanently, we can make note of that.
Note: Flowers don’t necessarily have to be ordered from a florist but supplied by the donor. After the 10:30 service the flowers are yours to take home or give to someone. The green vase liners can be taken out but, if possible, returned to the sacristy for reuse.
| |
EUCHARISTIC MINISTER SCHEDULE | |
| SUNDAY | 8:00 SERVICE | 10:30 SERVICE | | July 3 | Mike Schmidt | Brenda Bittle | | July 10 | Dave Allen | Roger Christiansen | | July 17 | Ardis Gillespie | Nikki Bittle | | July 24 | Cameron Gillespie | Paul Hance | | July 31 | Mike Schmidt | Laura Hance | | |
| SUNDAY | USHER SCHEDULE | TECH SUPPORT | | July 3 | Pam Baxter & Paul Hance | Steve Massey | | July 10 | Brenda & Nikki Bittle | Steve Massey | | July 17 | Fred Krug & Fuller Bumpers | David Taverner | | July 24 | Bill Olson & Lee Conditt | Jon Healey | | July 31 | Pat Mulick & Ardis Gillespie | David Taverner | | |
Altar Guild: Kim Dunlap & Jo Cargill-Krug | |
|
|
|
COMMUNITY MEAL TEAMS
6th: Team Strawberry Mennonites
13th: Team Dore
20th: Team Wray
27th: Team Bumpers
| | | |
|
CELEBRATING BIRTHDAYS & ANNIVERSARIES
Birthdays: Susan Jeffery (7/2), Kristi Ketz (7/3), Nelda Mitchell (7/3), Annette Castleberry (7/5), Tammy Kipfer (7/7), Sam Crawford (7/8), Drake McSpadden (7/10), Suzanne Magouyrk (7/12), Mary Kay Jones (7/12), Robin King (7/13), Clint Callahan (7/14), Patrick Sullins (7/14), Lanna Bradford (7/15), Sarah Harmon (7/15), Fred Krug (7/19), Lisa Powell (7/27), and Lua Jones (7/29).
Anniversaries: Caroline & David Massey-Chandler (7/7), Lora & Patrick Sullins (7/15), Cord & Dana Davidson (7/20) and Donald & Deann Coleman (7/31).
If you have a birthday or anniversary you would like added to our list, please contact the office at s[email protected]
| |
|
|
EPISTLE STAFF
Jo Cargill-Krug, Editor
Fr. Jim McDonald, Publisher
Nelson Barnett, St. Paul's Historian
Katie Janke, Layout & Design
| | | | |
