February 2009
Saint Andrew's Episcopal Church, Pickerington, OH

The mission of Saint Andrew's Church is to provide a spiritual community where all are welcome
to worship, learn about God's grace, and be nourished for service to others.

Vicar's Column, February 2009
Growing up in North Carolina and living many years in Atlanta, winters up here can still catch me by surprise sometimes. Fall comes earlier. It stays dark longer in the mornings. My car seems to stay covered in salt. Compared to the bone-chilling cold of late, the same temperatures that seemed bone-chilling down south can feel down-right balmy and a good reason to leave the gloves and scarves home. I remember seeing in the newspaper years ago, a picture of a bunch of college kids in Chicago, out in Grant Park in their bathing suits, sunning in 45 degree temperature on some winter day. I thought they were crazy. "They're just trying to show off for the camera" Well, I see things differently now. After the zero and sub zero temperatures of late, I might throw on a t-shirt and shorts and grab some sunscreen myself for a sunny 45 degree afternoon.
In the neighborhood, this once gregarious street full of families out and about, grilling, dropping by for a quick favor, walking their dogs and stopping to say hello, this neighborhood has gone into hibernation. I'm sure yours has too. Rarely do I see anyone out, and when I do, they're hustling by, wrapped up like Ralphie in the movie, "A Christmas Story", so many clothes layered on that it's hard to see there's a person underneath them.

It's easy to go into hibernation ourselves during this time of year. Unless we have to get out for work or school, it's just too much trouble the rest of the time to get dressed and go out. And with the roads sometimes slippery, it can just seem logical to stay indoors.

But I'd like to throw you a thought or two this February. In particular I'm thinking about a wild outdoor art exhibit in New York City a few years back that I had a chance to see. The normally drab Central Park suddenly burst into color with a twenty-three mile river of brilliant saffron color. Yep, 23 miles. And believe me; it was as wild as it sounds. It snaked its way around and through the park, following trails and roadways. It lasted only 16 days in that February of 2004. You can see some of the pictures by going to the artist's web site: http://www.christojeanneclaude.net/tg.shtml.

The artists' intentions, in part, were to get us to look at everyday images with new eyes. So Christo and his wife Jeanne Claude decided they wanted to place one of their grand scale art projects (they had done many in other cities) in Central Park. After years of pleading with NYC (and paying NYC $3 million for the use of the park) they started the long project of creating "The Gates, Central Park, New York, 1979-2005." Look at these statistics: 7500 gates (frames) built from 15,000 steel bases; over 315,000 linear feet of saffron colored vinyl tubing to wrap those 16 foot high frames; over one million square feet of saffron colored nylon to hang from the frames and 165,000 nuts and bolts to hold it all together, all having to be color-matched, of course.

My point is that, as incredible as the exhibit was, as wildly original (or insanely stupid) the project became, it took a weather pattern to take it to the next level. The day before we went to see it, a snowfall blew through Manhattan. The orange that would have been fantastic to view against the dark brown of bare winter trees, popped out from the snow like an exploding volcano in an unbelievable shower of brilliance. The white background punched by the brilliant color of the whole project, laid out as far as the eye could see, that did more than catch your attention. It refocused your vision.

And I think there's a lesson there for us. When everything looks the same, things quickly become invisible, shrouded in mundane drudgery. But under some circumstances just something a little odd can catch our attention. And something spectacular? Well, it can completely refocus our "eyes". We can see bigger. We can see better. We can see differently. The world is still the same, but our perception of it is dramatically altered.

I'm wondering if any of us experiencing a "winter" relationship with God. Everything looks the same. We're not really that interested in venturing out of a comfort zone. Does everything feel the same? Prayer life lifeless? Enthusiasm hibernating? Just can't quite get into the swing of caring? Well, the good news is that these are the perfect times for God to do something special. Why? Because the subtle ways of God can be seen more clearly, heard more easily during drab times. In a place of little noise or movement, just a slight breeze or a creaking noise will catch our attention. God's little whispering and soft prompting are easier to notice. But the big surprise comes when God does something pretty extraordinary. Then, extraordinary takes us beyond "wow" into rethinking the way we see the world. Whether it's subzero weather to draw attention to the warmth of 45 degree sunny days, or a snowfall to turn a great art exhibit into something unbelievable, the contrast is the place where God can work. If things aren't going so well, and God brings something special into your life, it can do more than catch your attention, it can make your do (wonderfully) crazy things, it can change the way you think.

Weekly Worship Schedule

Sunday
8:00 a.m. Spoken Holy Eucharist
10:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist

Wednesday
12:30 p.m. Holy Eucharist

Announcements

Happy Birthday to:
Myra Noethlich 1/20
Eric Andres 2/4
Elaine Vaughan 2/13
Kathy Andres 2/14
Abby Segelken 2/23

CALLING ALL POTENTIAL 2009 SUMMER CAMP COUNSELORS

If you (or someone you know) think you want to spend the 2009 summer at Procter Camp and Conference Center, working with youth of all ages from across the Episcopal Church, then please go to the website listed below for an employment application to be a Summer Camp Counselor. http://www.dsoyouth.org/camp/employment.html

Time Required: June 11th - August 5th 2009

HURRY Applications Are Due: February 1, 2009
Applications with 3 letters of reference need to be postmarked by February 1st for consideration.
Applications postmarked after February 1st will not be considered. Interviews will be held on
Saturday March 7th at Proctor Camp and Conference Center.

Please send Application with 3 letters of reference to:
Office of Youth Ministry
c/o Procter Camp & Conf. Center
11235 State Route 38 SE
London, OH 43140

Church Office News:

The office is in need of a case of 8 1/2 x 11 paper. At this time we are out of white paper used for newsletters, bulletin inserts, etc. It would be wonderful if someone could donate this.

Directory Updates:

Please add to your directory:
Faith Kelly
1342 Beeler Dr.
Reynoldsburg OH 43068
614-864-9655
614-456-9651

Helen Johnston
29 Green Lane
Pickerington OH 43147
(phone is unlisted)

Message from Elaine Vaughan:
I am counting on everyone to help keep the directory up-to-date - so please, if you would like to add a phone number, cell number, e-mail address, birthdays, children's names and birthdays, send an e-mail to me (Elaine) at beadcatz@aol.com. Also if you know of anyone I have missed or anyone who you know has moved or left the area, please let me know preferably by e-mail, but you can also phone me at 614-837-2668. Thanks for your help!

Also, sending the newsletter out via e-mail to those of you who have supplied an e-mail address is a big help. If at all possible, please supply an e-mail address to greatly reduce the cost of printing and mailing the newsletters. Thank you!

Newsletter:
Are you interested in submitting anything for the monthly newsletter? Please forward your information to standnewsletter@yahoo.com. You can also leave it in the newsletter mailbox in the narthex.

Sunday School News:

SMCAP training has been renamed Safe Church
Safe Church Training is coming to the Columbus area on the following dates and locations. Below is information from the Diocese of Southern Ohio. The program costs $15 and generally runs from 9am to 3 pm.

January 31 St. Marks- Upper Arlington
February 28 Christ Church- Springfield
March 21 All Saints- New Albany

Our self imposed deadline is quickly coming up, so please sign up on the diocese website: http://www.diosohio.org or by calling 513-421-0311
Please see Father Paul for more information.

Who must have Safe Church Training?
The Diocese of Southern Ohio requires Safe Church Training for:
o All clergy
o All employees of congregations (including secretaries, organists and sextons)
o anyone who regularly works with youth groups, whether paid or volunteer
o All licensed Eucharistic Visitors
These groups should also have background checks and/or reference checks.
The diocese recommends training for:
o Sunday School teachers
o Vestry or Mission Council members

What meets the Safe Church Training requirement?
The training provided by trainers who are trained and approved by the Diocese and using materials provided by the Church Insurance Company relating to prevention of Misconduct and Abuse in a Church context.

Calling All Teachers For The Third Sunday School Rotation

If you haven't signed up yet for the 3rd rotation, please consider doing so now. It's a fun, rewarding experience and you'll learn a lot about our kids and the Bible while teaching. The final rotation is only 11 teaching Sundays; we have curriculums and will help you get into the "swing" of leading the learning of your group. The Rotation starts March 1, 2009 and is over May 31, 2009 with the final Youth Sunday. The Sundays of April 5 and 12 there will be no Sunday school.

There will also be a short Rotation Transition meeting 2/1/08 (after church) to assign Teachers, Subs, Floaters for Rotation #3, review curriculum, assess supplies, answer questions, and discuss improvement suggestions from Rotation #2.

Youth Sunday - the Second Youth Sunday will be February 22, 2009, please attend the 10:00 service and see what our youth have been working on this rotation. I hear there are many exciting things coming up- including exciting music from children of all ages.

Upcoming Events:
February 22nd - Youth Sunday
March 22nd- Bishop Breidenthal Visitation
May 31st - Final Youth Sunday

Upcoming Youth Gatherings

Exodus #6: Feb 13th-15th, 2009
St. Andrews, Dayton (note the location change)
For Grades 9-12, $30
Registration 7-8pm Feb 13th
Worship with us Feb 15th, 10:30am

Exodus is a Christian Formation event for 9th-12th graders that partners mental and physical challenges with spiritual practices to teach foundational realities of Christianity. It is an emotionally and physically safe environment where students are challenged to reach beyond their comfort zones and find renewed interest in their faith lives. To register for Exodus, go to this website for more information http://www.dsoyouth.org/Exodus.html

DSO YOUTH RETREAT
St. James Westwood's (Cincinnati) Youth Group is hosting a diocesan youth retreat. It will be held March 20- 23. The focus of this youth retreat is participating in a 30 hour famine as well as learning and becoming more aware of the Millennium Development Goals the Episcopal Church has adopted. While participating in the 30 hour famine the youth will raise money for World Vision and its ministries along with service projects for here in our own Diocese. The weekend will contain worship, ministry and fellowship, also a trip to play laser tag and mini golf. The retreat is for all 7th-12th graders. The cost is $30 per participant. If we have more than 4 youth attending we will need to send an adult chaperone. Any questions please contact Zack Cornelissen; acornelissen@yahoo.com (513)680-1205 or Susan Highley (614)237-0257.

Volunteers Needed:
Greeters, Ushers needed for Ministry Schedule. Please contact Elaine Vaughan, 614-837-2668, or email her at beadcatz@aol.com if you are interested in participating. Remember kids can help out ushering, or greeting as well. And how about some adults coming forward to acolyte? See Fr. Paul if you are interested! (It could be fun!)

Bread Bakers:
If you are interested in becoming a bread baker, please contact Richard Hollinger at rhollingr@excite.com or you can call 614-991-5656. It only takes about 20 minutes or so to make the dough, and about 10 minutes to bake. It's a very simple recipe.
Recycling:

St. Andrew's now has a paper recycling bin from Abitibi Recycling in our parking lot closest to the Fire Station. We are collecting all forms of paper - your junk mail, catalogs, magazines, newspapers, office and fax papers, white envelopes with or without windows. Not only is this a wonderful Environmental Stewardship program, but we can also earn money for all the paper that is collected - and the more we recycle the more we earn. So tell your friends, neighbors and co-workers to simply drop their recycling paper items into our bin as they pass by the church.

Items they can't use - any cardboard (if in doubt, tear it, if it is brown or gray inside it is cardboard), cereal, soda, milk cartons, tissue or paper towels, phone books, plastic, or glass. Please BAG your shredded items (they tend to scatter when the bin is picked up). Yes it is ok if that bag is plastic.

Ongoing Fund Raisers (that aren't hard at all)
St. Andrew's receives a penny for every search done through Goodsearch. (Simply use Goodsearch instead of Google). Plug in St. Andrew's as the recipient - make sure it is the right one.

St. Andrew's receives a percentage of sales from Goodshop - similar to Goodsearch. If you are shopping on line, check and see if the store you are going to is in Goodshop.

We recycle ink-jet printer cartridges - there is a box for these in the Narthex.

Gordon Foods gives us a percentage as well when you shop with them and give them St. Andrew's name so your purchase can be applied to our total at the end of the year.

St. Andrew's Episcopal Church of Pickerington
Special Meeting Mission Council Minutes
January 4, 2009

Present:
The Rev. Paul Williams
Elaine Vaughan, Senior Warden
Debi Chakeres, Jr. Warden
John Segelken, Member
Shelley Sakowski, Member
Susan Highley, Member
Robbin Zaborniak, Member
Joan Diesler, Member

Absent:
Andy Taylor, Member

Opening Prayer
Fr. Paul opened the meeting with prayer.

Meeting called to order to vote on 3 different loan payment choices.

History:
After many e-mails and phone conversations in October and November, the Diocese has agreed to pay off our Fifth/Third bank loan and incorporate that amount with the $250,000 that we owe the Diocese (412 Trustees). This took place at the beginning of December and Elaine Vaughan, as Senior Warden signed all of the loan agreements in downtown Columbus. It was necessary to sign and to get the Fifth/Third portion paid off by the Diocese. Our new loan with the 412 Trustees is for $562,870. The 412 debt was $282,870 (interest not paid has increased this) and $280,000 that was paid to the Fifth/Third bank.

The Diocese had structured a repayment plan for this amount that was aggressive. Fr. Paul acted as our negotiator in all of these transactions via email and phone conversations. He spoke with three different individuals, Chris Stires, 412 Treasurer, The Rev. Jim Hanisian, Chairman of the Trustees and Rob Meyer, lawyer with Porter Wright Morris & Arthur LLP. Negotiations were difficult because of the many parties involved. At the time of the original signing in early December, we were still negotiating for a different repayment plan.

Fr. Paul offered to lower our initial total principal by offering a portion of monies to be received from Arthur Weise's will. Notice of our receiving this money was given to us almost a year ago. He phoned the lawyers involved with Arthur's will and was told that we could possibly get $35,000 of our bequest. In an email and phone call conversations with the Mission Council, it was voted on and the Council approved the use of this money to help pay down the loan.

Throughout December, Fr. Paul continued to work with the Diocese on reducing the repayment schedule for the first 3 to 5 years so that we will be able to make the payments. There is much distrust on both sides as we have NOT made our payments back to the Diocese for a loan that was taken out over 10 years ago to help build the church. (Monies which go back into a trust to help fund other churches). Several of the negotiations and e-mails were very aggressive and finally Fr. Paul phoned Canon John Johannsen to get his counsel. After a phone call from Bishop Breidenthal lasting over an hour, agreements were reached for 2 other repayment plans.

On January 4th our special meeting was to vote and approve one of these plans. There was much discussion about them. Part of the discussion included ways of helping to pay down this debt. It was noted that even $2000 - $3000 a year applied to the principle only would greatly reduce the debt by lowering the interest. There will be no penalty for paying forward on the loan. It was moved by John Segelken and seconded by Debi Chakeres to approve the 3rd proposal payment plan which will start by putting $35,000 from Arthur's bequest towards the principle. Loan payments will be due to 412 by the 15th of every month. Elaine will be signing off on all of these negotiations again this week.

In follow-up - our Treasurer, Gingy Harshey-Meade was contacted on Monday and asked to transfer the $35,000 to the checking account and prepare checks for $35,000 and $2500 (our first month's payment) so that Elaine along with Fr. Paul could present them at final negotiations in a closing to be held at the Huntington Center in downtown Columbus on Thursday, Jan 8th. Gingy was out of the country and so not able to get the checks to us by Thursday, but she could start the process to get the checks written and sent to 412 directly. The closing took place on Thursday, Elaine signed all paperwork and copies of them will be on file at the church.

Next meeting will be January 11th to plan for the Annual meeting to be held on Jan. 25th.

Respectfully submitted,

Elaine Vaughan, Sr. Warden