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The Ambassador
The Newsletter of
St. Matthias'
Episcopal Church
Minocqua, Wisconsin
Whoever you are, wherever you find yourself on the journey
of faith, we welcome you.
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SEPTEMBER
2016
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Mark Your
Calendars
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| Sept. 15 - 6:00 PM 3rd Thursday Evensong & Potluck Sept. 18 - 8:30 AM Bridging the Political Divide Sept. 18 - 11:00 AM NATH Soup for Shelter Fundraiser Oct. 1 - 10:00 AM St. Francis Day Blessing of the Animals Oct. 7 - 7:00 PM Melanie Ohnstad Organ Concert |
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Serving?
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| Please remember to check the server list on the bulletin board at church (or click here to see the latest monthly schedule online). Also, if you are going to switch dates with someone, please inform both Bill Kane and Michael Tautges at the Church Office. Thank you! |
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Ambassador Archives
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Want to read a recent issue of the Ambassador? Just click on the links below. (older archives can be found on our website)
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Happy September everyone! Soon leaves will be turning and our Northwoods homes will be surrounded by the bright, brilliant colors of fall. Can you already hear the crackle of fires in the stove and smell the heavenly scent of wood smoke in the air? Made some of you smile just thinking about it, didn't I?
This month we have a few special events coming up you won't want to miss if you are in town.
On the 18th our Adult Forum begins again with a streamed presentation from ChurchNext, sponsored by the Episcopal Church and Forward Movement. Parker Palmer, the acclaimed educator and founder of the Center for Courage and Renewal will "offer thoughtful insights into how we might approach divisive political issues with grace and grit." The presentation will last about 45 minutes.
On the same day, during our normal coffee hour time, Saint Francis Project volunteers will be hosting NATH's (Northwoods Alliance for Temporary Housing) annual Soup for Shelter Fundraiser for Fredrick Place. Guests and members will have the opportunity to make freewill donations for delicious soups prepared by area restaurants and to purchase raffle tickets for some very nice baskets.
As usual in the 3rd Tuesday of the month, we host the Community Table and on the 3rd Thursday, our beautiful Evensong and dinner together tradition continues. If you haven't attended Evensong yet, perhaps this is your month!
On the 25th we will celebrate our Eucharist with our 4th quarterly Native American Service, followed by a delicious luncheon and time to continue growing our friendships in fellowship together. This Sunday there will be no Adult Forum -- the regular schedule will start on October 2nd.
This month I'd also like to introduce a new take on an old feature to the Ambassador.
It's called "Meet St. Matthias'" and will feature brief St. Matthias' bios of willing members. I've asked our Senior Warden, Chris Clark to be the first guest interviewee. The questions will be the same each month, but the answers will be uniquely you!
Erin +
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Meet St. Matthias': Chris Clark
Chris Clark has lived in the Northwoods for the past 40 years and has been married to her husband, Ken for 26 years. She works with Nicolet Welcome Service - a business with welcome to newcomer and welcome to baby programs in 20 cities in Wisconsin and in the Upper Peninsula. Chris and Ken were married at St. Matthias'; Chris enjoys her Senior Warden position, as well as Pastoral Care Team activities at the church.
Favorite...
- Color: Red
- Plant: Sunflowers
- Food: Lasagne
- Sport to Watch: Packers
- Sport to Play: Golf (but am really awful at it!)
- Game: Scrabble
- Play or Musical: Music Man
- TV Show: Downton Abby
- Book: Anything by Philip Gulley, P. D. James, Maeve Binchy
- Hobby: Play alto and bass clarinet
Would You Rather...
Be behind the scenes | Be front and center
Find the perfect job | Win the lottery
Never speak again | Always speak your mind
Visit 100 years in the past | Visit 100 years in the future
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Parish Updates
Events Committee: Help Still Needed!
If you have been thinking about talking with Chris about helping with some events, it's not too late! Whether you have an idea for a new event, have a suggestion for a new twist on something we've been doing for years, or you want to help plan/set up for one or more of the many things we do here at St. Matthias', your help is certainly welcomed!
Melanie Ohnstad Organ Concert
St. Matthias' will sponsor its fourth annual organ recital Friday, October 7th, at 7:00 PM. This year's featured musician is Melanie Ohnstad, organist at Westminster Presbyterian Church since 1995, and Minister of Music and the Arts. Melanie graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor's Degree in Music from St. Olaf College, and has recorded with several choral groups, including the Bach Society of Minnesota, and the Gregorian Singers. She will be performing on St. Matthias' tracker organ, designed and built by the Jaeckel Organ Company, Duluth, MN. It has 19 stops, 20 ranks, and 1028 pipes. It was built specifically for this space, and this congregation. Please join us for a reception in the Parish Hall following the concert.
Coming Soon: Family Friendly Seating
Look for an exciting addition to our worship space as we add a "family friendly" seating area on the right front side of the church, under the stained glass windows. There will be a cozy rug on which the kids can play, and seating for their parents. Kids will be able to see action at the altar and be part of our St. Matthias family as we worship. This space is "seating optional" rather than required, and is offered as an enhancement to our corporate worship experience.
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St. Matthias Thrift Shop Update
Submitted by Jan Degner
For the past two years, the St. Matthias Thrift Shop has rented a building for use as a Christmas Shop. Last January, as we were closing up, the building was sold. As the Christmas donations of ornaments, decorations, wreaths, trees and lights began to pour in, everyone at the shop had the same question: "What are we going to do next year?" My answer was always the same: "We will find a place!"
This spring the house directly across from the shop was vacated due to the unexpected death of Dennis Nuendorf. We contacted his son and asked if the building would be for sale. He confirmed that it would be for sale when the estate was settled. He, also, stated that it would please his Dad to know that we bought the building, as Dennis had commented on how much he enjoyed watching all of the activity and appreciated what we did.
The Thrift Shop Board approved the purchase, as did the Vestry. We closed on the house the middle of June, and are making plans for some remodeling to make it suitable for our needs. The house will serve as a Christmas Shop from October through January. There is, also, room for storage. The Thrift Shop Board will continue to brain storm on other possibilities for the building.
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Hymn of the Month: Native American Service Music
Written by Le Ganschow
The mission of the Episcopal Native American/Indigenous Ministries is to promote "...the full inclusion of Native and Indigenous peoples in the life and leadership of The Episcopal Church." St. Matthias' plays a role in maintaining that tradition. On Sunday, September 25th, our church will hold its third of four annual Native American services. Mass music and hymns have Native American words, but are sung in English. In this article, I take a brief look at the music for this service music.
Instead of our usual processional/first hymn, the service starts with drum and a grand entry song welcoming people into our gathering. Afterward, the congregation sings a song to the four directions, and the congregation faces each direction as that direction's verse is sung. Most tribes honor the directions in their prayers. While the particular colors and meanings vary from tribe to tribe, each direction has a color and meanings associated with it. The spiritual meaning of each direction, however, is similar. East refers to the direction of the sun, "...the beginning of a new day", and "...the beginning of understanding", and stands for wisdom, helping people live good lives. South is when the sun is high in the sky, and stands for warmth and growing, and people "...travel the Milky Way's path to the south" when they go back to the spirit world. West is "...toward the setting sun of (one's) life", and is the source of water, thunder, and rain. North brings "...the cold, harsh winds of the winter season that cleanse the earth", and stands for hardship and discomfort, patience and endurance. (Quotes from Lakota Life by Ron Zollinger.)
Our usual practice before and after the Gospel is to sing an Alleluia (Heleluyan). This is a Native American alleluia, with Muskogee vowels added.
Our anthem, "Song of Praise to the Maker", comes from More Voices, a co-publication of The United Church of Canada and Wood Lake Publishing Inc, British Columbia.
For the mass, we sing the "Sanctus" and the "Agnus Dei" from the Red Lake Mass (Enriching Our Music). This mass music came from a collection of materials compiled in the early 1900s by Frances Densmore, an American anthropologist from Red Wing, MN. Frances visited a number of Native American nations, including the Lac du Flambeau reservation, where she made the earliest recordings of Indian music, while the old leaders and carriers were still living. Her original records are now part of the collection of Archives of Folks Songs in the Library of Congress.
During communion, we sing "Way, Way, Way" (supplementary hymnal, Wonder, Love, and Praise). This hymn started as an Ojibwa lullaby. Recently, at a conference of the Episcopal Women's History Project, keynote speaker The Rt. Rev. Mark L. MacDonald, National Indigenous Anglican Bishop of the Anglican Church of Canada, said about this hymn: "You come out of the womb speaking in tongues. You say things like 'way way way', 'hey-a, hey-a', and you come out of the womb a sacred being, having been brought to life by the Holy Spirit."
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