Parish News

ST. JOHN'S TO INCREASE SECURITY

St. John’s is fortunate that we have not had any major security or medical issues on our property. However, the situation could arise where we need an ambulance or police assistance. With that in mind, the Vestry has voted to be proactive and take security measures on Sunday mornings and Wednesday evenings. A uniformed off-duty officer will be on the grounds during those times. The church will also be purchasing a wireless alert button. The head usher will have that button during services. Should you need police or medical assistance during the service, please see the head usher.

VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL A BIG SUCCESS

Fifty-nine children participated in this year’s Vacation Bible School, held in conjunction with Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, August 4-7.  The following individuals shared their time and

VBS Banner

talent with the children: Julie MacRae, Mandy Barnes, Anne Smith, Ruth Gates, Susie Harris, Marian Morgan, Kensley Edge, Mary Holmes, Donnie Winston, Tyler Sutherland, Paige Naylor, Patrick O’Briant, Jeanette Lee and Ellen Jordan.  A number of youths from St. John’s also helped: Kirkland Moore, Julie Gates, Mary Kate Morgan, Patrick Dobyns, Jim MacRae and Mary Catherine MacRae.  These youth were there every day from 9-12 noon.

Next time you are at the church, please take a look at the VBS banner. It has been hung outside the elevator on the second floor. Susie Harris did a great job obtaining handprints from all the participants for this masterpiece. The finished artwork is a great example of how each person’s contribution in the world makes the whole so much better.

-- Sarah Moorman and Cathryn Helms, co-chairs

To view pictures from VBS, Click Here.

 

J2A CLASS TRAVELS TO WASHINGTON, D.C.

There was a little bit of everything for eight members of St. John’s J2A Sunday School class when they traveled to Washington, D.C., Aug. 1 for one of the more popular activities in the curriculum – the metropolitan Scavenger Hunt.

There was sightseeing, team-building exercises, daily devotions, good food, lots of

A visit to the WWII Memorial

laughs and plenty of educational activities during a weekend excursion designed to make young students bond together to develop an understanding of the challenges they might encounter in a big city like our nation’s capital.

The group – Kirkland Moore, Katie Schaefer, Spencer Harris, Rebecca Keefe, James Sutherland, Mary Katherine MacRae, Coker Holmes and Laura Floyd – piled into a van Friday morning with four adults for the six-hour trip to Washington. They spent the night at the William Penn Quaker House on East Capitol, a perfect starting point to fulfill the primary purpose of the day-long scavenger hunt – find 12 D.C.-area landmarks armed only with a map, a disposable camera and the knowledge from a brief planning session the night before.

Two teams of four students and two chaperones (Fred and Judy Klink, Edwina Kyle and Ricky Evans) set out with a simple mission to document as many of the locations as possible with the camera, traveling by foot or on public transportation. No cabs were allowed.

On Sunday, the group attended an early morning service at beautiful Washington National Cathedral in Georgetown before departing for home.

Which team won the Scavenger Hunt competition? Ask one of the students. The leaders are still too exhausted to respond.

-- Ricky Evans, J2A leader

To view more pictures from the trip, Click Here.

 

DETAILS OF FREE-STANDING ALTAR EXPERIMENT ANNOUNCED

As plans for introducing St. John’s to the use of a free-standing altar continue, the decision has been made to use a Holy Table placed in the chancel on the second Sunday of the month at the 10:30 a.m. Rite II Eucharist, beginning September 14.  The table will be used for the consecration of the bread and wine at that service.  Holy Communion will continue to be distributed at the altar rail on those occasions.  The Worship Committee believes this schedule will offer worship options for everyone, but we also hope that everyone will take the opportunity to experience having the celebrant face the people.  Parishioners’ reactions will be solicited after a couple of month's experience with the arrangement.  

CHURCH WILL TRY FREE-STANDING ALTAR

A Message from the Senior Warden

You may be aware that the Worship Committee voted to experiment with a free-standing altar beginning September 14th. The Vestry would like to assure the congregation that Steve will

Senior Warden Jean Moore

provide a great deal of education about the free-standing altar – history, theology, practicality, etc. Furthermore, there will be no architectural or permanent changes made to the church structure. Tommy Vick and Don Patterson are graciously building a mobile, free-standing altar that can be used in conjunction with our current (unaltered) altar. The wood for this table is actually from the leaves of a large dining table that was in Patrick O’Briant’s family. What a wonderful irony that a dining table is being transformed into a dining table!

I cannot speak for the rest of the Vestry or the Worship Committee, but I am willing to go on record as one who is apprehensive about a free-standing altar. I also freely admit that I have not had enough exposure to a free-standing altar to make an informed opinion. I was one of the ones most opposed to passing the peace, but my opinion of that practice has changed completely as I became more familiar with it. I hope that you will join me in keeping an open mind about this educational process.

One of the fascinating things I have learned as your Senior Warden is that St. John’s is far more diverse than it appears on the surface. I have been surprised at the wide variety of opinions and preferences expressed by our members. It has taught me that we need to willing to look at every issue and every practice from numerous viewpoints if we are to effectively serve and spiritually feed all of our parishioners.

Steve’s ministry at St. John’s is to help us explore all of the traditions of the Episcopal Church and to uncover who we are as a church family and a worshipping body. No one is trying to change St. John’s into something we are not; Steve is helping us experience alternate ways of doing things. The goal is for us to welcome our new rector with open minds and hearts so that we can further strengthen an already awesome parish.

If you have questions or comments, please feel free to contact me. Please know how much the entire Vestry appreciates the support you have given us during this transitional period. We are blessed to have a congregation full of caring and dedicated members.

PRESCHOOL GETS NEW WEBSITE

St. John's Preschool now has its own website.  The Vestry recently approved establishing a separate website for the preschool in an effort to improve its visibility to those searching the internet for a preschool in Fayetteville.  The site, like this one, was designed by parishioner Gary Smith's advertising firm SMITH and is administered by Biz Tools One.  The site can be accessed by the Preschool tab at left.

PARISH FAMILY RETREAT HELD AT TRINITY CENTER

St. John’s annual parish retreat was held June 13-15, 2008, at Trinity Center in Salter Path, N.C.  We had a wonderful group of 41 attend this year including 10 children.  The weekend included fellowship, games, lots of eating, a campfire with s’mores, great music and just good old relaxation. The weekend ended with a Rite II service at the Pavilion on the beach side. Many thanks to all who attended this year! To see additonal pictures, Click Here.

PARISH PROFILE AVAILABLE FOR VIEWING

The Parish Profile, prepared by the Profile Committee for use in the rector search process, has been sent to the printer's.  A preview of the profile report is available for viewing on this website.  To view the report, Click Here.

YOUTH SUNDAY HELD AT ST. JOHN'S

St. John's Episcopal Church held its annual Youth Sunday on May 4.  The youth of the church served as greeters, ushers and lay readers.  The Senior Sermon was delivered by Hampton Moore, son of Senior Warden Jean Moore and Stephen Moore.  To view a copy of the sermon, Click Here.

KOONCE TO REPLACE KELLS ON VESTRY

Longtime St. John’s parishioner Don Koonce has been named by the Vestry to replace outgoing Vestry member Dick Kells.  Kells’ resignation from the Vestry was accepted on April 16.  It is effective May 1.  He is taking a new job that will have him on assignment in the Middle East for about a year.

Kells was a member of the Vestry class of 2010.  Koonce will serve as his replacement until the next Vestry elections this fall.  Kells was in charge of the Worship Committee, a responsibility that Koonce will assume.  Koonce had recently been named Usher Coordinator under the Worship Committee.

 

FROM THE DESK OF THE INTERIM RECTOR

The Rev. Caldwell

The Rev. Stephen Caldwell, St. John's interim rector, will write an occasional column for this website and the St. John's Journal, the church's weekly publication.  These musings will cover a wide range of topics.  They will be linked initially from this page but will have their own special page in the near future.  Having them on the website, in addition to the journal, will allow parishioners to print columns of interest to save or share.  A selection is linked below.

"The Post-Pentecost Church":  Click Here.

"Perfect In Unity":  Click Here.

"The Festival of the Spirit":  Click Here.

 

 

 

CONVENTION FOCUSES ON HISTORY

The convention of the Diocese of East Carolina focused on the 125th anniversary that the diocese will celebrate in 2008.  Each Deanery of the diocese will hold its own celebration.

Icon depicting first baptisms in New World, Manteo and Virginia Dare

St. John's delegation to the convention, held Feb. 1-2 in New Bern, included Jean Moore, senior warden; Drew Young, past junior warden; John Holmes, Foundation president; Richard Alligood, Executive Council member; Jean Hermann; Margaret Ann Alligood (alternate); and The Rev. Stephen Caldwell, interim rector .

Biship Clifton Daniel III's address focused on the history of the Diocese, founded in 1858, and the fact that many Christian firsts occurred here, including the first baptism in the New World, represented by the icon at right.  To read the bishop's full address,  Click Here.

There was little major news from the convention.  The 2008 budget passed without controversy.  Trinity Center was restored to the budget for 2008. 

 Several members of St. John's were mentioned for their work on various Diocesan committees.  John Holmes will continue as the president of the Foundation of the Diocese of East Carolina and made a presentation to the convention.  Bishop Daniel thanked Jim Kyle for his service to the foundation board.  Jean Moore will continue service on the Finance Committee and the 125th Anniversary Committee.

 

INTERIM RECTOR BEGINS TERM AT ST. JOHN'S

The Rev. Stephen R. Caldwell has begun his term as interim rector of St. John’s Episcopal Church.  He and his wife, Barbara, arrived in Fayetteville on Jan. 17 to begin Rev. Caldwell's one-year stint as interim rector of St. John's.  In addition to normal pastoral duties, Rev. Caldwell, who is trained and experienced as an interim rector, will work with the vestry and congregation as St. John's identifies its needs and begins the process of finding a permanent rector.

The Rev. and Mrs. Caldwell

Mr. Caldwell is a retired Episcopal priest who has served as rector of churches in Sebring, Fla., and Albuquerque, N.M.  Since his retirement in January 2004, he served as an interim rector at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church in Billings, Mont., during 2006.  His education includes specialized training in interim pastoral ministry, and he is certified through the Interim Ministry Network in Baltimore, Md. Mr. Caldwell is a graduate of Ohio State University and an Air Force veteran who served in Vietnam in 1963-64.  He received his MDiv. degree from The General Theological Seminary in 1969.  His current ministries include Chaplain to Retired Clergy and Surviving Spouses in the Diocese of the Rio Grande, chaplain with the Albuquerque Police Department, and executive clergy couple (with his wife) of the National Episcopal Marriage Encounter Board. 

Born on Aug. 30, 1938, Mr. Caldwell’s hobbies include golf, music, woodworking, reading and movies.  He is the brother of Dr. Phil Caldwell of Fayetteville, a pediatric dentist who is a member of Holy Trinity Episcopal Church.  While in Fayetteville, Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Caldwell will reside next door to his brother.  The couple have three children and five grandchildren.