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NOTE: If you prefer, you may download and print a paper copy of
this newsletter in Adobe Acrobat format. |
St. George’s Banner
August 2008
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 EYC—Episcopal
Youth in Community, which now includes all youth group members—has just
concluded a great year. We had a core group of nine members, which for certain
events grew as large as 17. Fun activities included a trip to Shrine Mont in the
Fall, a Halloween Lock-in, a Christmas Party, ice skating, a Super Bowl Party,
and a trip to Ultra Zone. We also helped with several church events, including
two January events: the Centennial Potluck dinner and the Chili Cook-off. We
hosted the Amazing Metro Race with the youth groups from St. Mary’s and St.
Anderw’s.Crowning the year was the Strawberry Festival, led by Tracy
Yeager. EYCers had a great time planning the event and preparing the
strawberries. Most importantly, EYC enjoyed bringing back a great St. George’s
tradition.
A number of adult leaders helped make this year a success: Missie Burman,
Patty Droppers, Seton Droppers, David Grahn, Sonya
Marsden, Stephanie Milburn, and Inger Moran. We also had
tremendous support from the parents of EYCers, who brought dinners, chaperoned
events, and just otherwise helped out.
Building on this year’s success, we will jump start next the year with a
summer event at Cameron Run from 3:00 to 6:00 PM on Saturday, August 2, an event
that will include rising sixth graders. We plan a car wash here at the church
from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM on Saturday, September 6, with proceeds going to help
feed hungry people.
Rebecca Hill will host our kickoff meeting—a potluck dinner for parents,
members, and leaders—at her house from 4:30 to 6:00 PM on Sunday, September 14.
EYC will focus on helping the hungry this year. We plan to work with the
Outreach Committee and the Food Pantry on several projects to help feed those in
need. In addition, we will work with other churches in Region 3 to plan more
events with other youth groups. As a result, we expect to have an even better
year, next year. You can find a listing of the EYC events for the entire program
year, as they are currently known, at
www.saintgeorgeschurch.org/ministries_cym_eyc.htm; the ones for the fall are
listed below.
EYC events this fall
| 8/2 |
Summer
party at Cameron Run, 3:00 to 6:00 PM |
| 9/6 |
EYC car
wash for the hungry, 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM |
| 9/14 |
EYC potluck
picnic with parents at Rebecca Hill’s house, 4:30 to 6:00 PM |
| 9/21 |
Parish
picnic, Noon to 4:30pm, Bluemont Park |
| 10/5 |
Start
hunger program (Outreach Committee guest invited) |
| 10/10-
10/12 |
Eighth
grade Shrine Mont retreat |
| 10/11 |
National
Acolyte Festival at Washington National Cathedral |
| 10/25 |
EYC
Halloween party |
| 11/2 |
EYC meeting
about a food drive for Thanksgiving |
| 11/7-11/9 |
Junior High
Shrine Mont retreat |
| 11/16 |
to be
determined |
| 12/7 |
to be
determined |
| 12/21 |
EYC
Christmas party (Greening of the Church, Ice Cream/Yankee Exchange) |
-- David Grahn
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EYC had, plans, a great year Ron’s Reflections:
Sabbath stop
Thank you, Amanuel
Great luncheon Warden’s Word:
Our next steps forward
Ad Hoc Revenue Committee report
Treasurer’s Report
Can you pick up food?
Urban Abbey celebrates its fifth anniversary
Announcements
Another survey, please
Ron Crocker, the first 40 |
Ron’s Reflections
Sabbath stop
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I remember returning from a family
camping vacation having spent a month on the road visiting National Parks.
With the exception of one night in a motel, the family lived out of doors.
That amount of camping was new for us all. On our return our children
scooted around the house rediscovering their favorite places and things.
From the kitchen came a shout of joy, "Hey, dad, There’s running water!
When I was preparing for sabbatical several years ago, I attended a seminar
to help me prepare. The seminar began with a rationale for sabbaticals. The
simplest explanation was, "Break the rhythm." The primary root for
sabbaticals lies in honoring the Sabbath. Scripture invites us to set aside
the first day of the week to honor God, taking time to remember our relation
with God as we break the rhythm of work and other obligations. Much of our
society has lost touch with the scriptural reasons for Sabbath rest and I
fear that we are close to losing the common sense of honoring Sabbath rest.
At best, only a few of us honor the Sabbath. Personally, I find Sunday to be
a busy day filled with obligations. I also fail to set aside time daily to
stop and reflect.
I began with story of my family returning from vacation as an example of
the results of a Sabbath break. My son retuned from the break with renewed
appreciation for common aspects of everyday life. Apart from spending 25
days camping, how do we gain Sabbath rest benefits? We choose to stop. We
set aside time to interrupt the rhythm of what we are doing. Take a
sabbatical. If you cannot do that, take a vacation. Take a day off. Take
part of a day. Take a break from work. Stand up, turn away from what you are
doing and walk away. Think of something else. Reflect. And return. Start
small and build.
Why? Sabbath helps us put who we are and what we do in perspective. And
we eventually find God in the stillness.
--
Ron Crocker, Rector
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The Children and Youth Committee has
been trying to paint the upstairs Sunday School rooms. We’ve held a couple of
painting Saturdays and are coming along nicely. You may know that on Sunday
afternoons the Ethiopian Amanuel congregation uses our church, and they also use
the upstairs classrooms. At our last painting Saturday on June 21, we put out a
call to the Amanuel congregation for help and the response was incredible! About
15 Amanuel parishioners of all ages showed up—out numbering the St.
Georgians—and jumped right in. Many of the Ethiopians had never painted before
but they learned very quickly and helped us get the whole hallway done in just a
few hours. It was a wonderful opportunity for us at St. George’s to get to know
these people who we see coming and going.
We’ll be having another painting Saturday in the fall. Look for the
announcement and come join us. Our friends at Amanuel said they’d come too.
-- Rebecca Hill, vestry Children
and Youth liaison
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Visit St. George’s
Calendar or
Announcements pages to find out what’s happening. Our
worship schedule is online, too!
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Although they appreciate the canned and packaged food they obtain
every weekday from St. George's food pantry, the 34 clients who attended the
pantry’s Saturday luncheon on June 21 were quick to praise the 26 volunteers who
provided the delicious wholesome foods and the 23 men and women volunteers who
joined them in the informal feast in the parish hall.
Ron Crocker thanked all for participating before thanking the Lord for
his gifts we were about to receive and enjoy.
Foods enjoyed by clients and volunteers included sliced hams,
a turkey, bread (from Safeway donations), margarine, whole fresh fruits (apples,
oranges, bananas), baked beans, pasta salad, steamed broccoli crowns, potato
salads, and desserts of ice cream and toppings, brownies, pound cakes, donuts,
and cookies.
Those who contributed and/or attended included: Jerry
and Lucy Denney, Gil Terry, Sylvia Garrett, Ann Swain,
Liz and Matthew Delmar, Lindalou Frisen, Ron and
Wesley Ann Godard, Cynthia Clark, A. L. and Nell Gibson,
Val Cook, Betty Iseli, Penny DeFilippi, Sarah Peak,
Mary Clare Penny, Joyce Hall, Gwen, Sarah,
Margaret, and Emily Rutherford, Joan Pepin, Paul Belanga,
Harold Coverstone, Hal Bean, and me.
-- Al Brevard, Food Pantry Co-Coordinator
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Warden’s Word
Our next steps forward
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One hundred years in this place! Even as we celebrate this
milestone, we are looking ahead. For the past two months, in a pair of
‘mini-retreat’ meetings, clergy, staff, vestry members and committee
chairpersons – instead of the traditional midyear practice of routinely
reviewing committee plans—came together to struggle with the challenge of
intentionally living our centennial prayer: We defined these values after months
of self-examination both in responses to Suzannah Rohman’s survey and discussions in
congregational meetings.
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O God, who has given us grace to recognize what you have
planted in St. George’s Episcopal Church, Arlington, Virginia, help us
always to act in harmony with: |
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A strong sense of your
presence;
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A welcoming, accepting
community;
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A biblical sense of caring for
those in need;
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Personal interaction; and
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Lively lay interaction;
that we may include
all people in working together to love and care for others and ourselves. |
I find it very hard to
sit quietly and listen for God’s whisperings. I need “‘a whack in the side of the
head.” With no conscious effort, I have been hearing a message more and more
insistently for some months, sometimes in something I read, sometimes in
something said: “Focus on learning to include all people in working together to
love and care for others and ourselves. The love you cultivate within your walls
will touch those outside your walls.” My vision for the mini-retreats grew out
of this insistent voice.
And so we did not
routinely review committee programs and calendars. We chose the hard path. We
asked ourselves: How can we grow in caring for one another, in strengthening our
community ties? It was not an easy conversation. We came to a “working
agreement” to guide us. It begins with an affirmation of who we are and sets
down three simple action steps:
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We are a community that receives Christ’s love and shares it
with others. In order to become a caring community, we choose |
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We acknowledge the
challenge! But, note the phrase “working agreement.” We have
committed ourselves to an action plan guided by these principles.
We are beginning with
simple logistics. Each ministry, in developing its plans, will consider how its
plans impact others and the work underway in other ministries. Committee chairs
will share agendas and minutes with each other, not simply to do no harm by
avoiding conflicts, but to do good, encouraging each other, expanding the circle
of involvement, and leveraging the contribution of each ministry. Children and
Youth and Outreach have already broken new ground. These two ministries are
working together to develop craft projects for church school students, graphic
expressions of a biblical sense of caring for those in need. Other plans are
underway.
The connectedness of
our ministries is not an end. Rather, the simple logistics of connectedness can
serve to heighten our awareness of caring for each other. It is the
intentionality with which we pursue working together and supporting each other
that gives meaning to what we do, however humble and simple the action. When who
we are shines forth as a visible expression of God’s grace, it touches others.
Please share your
ideas with Ron Crocker, David Grahn, our Junior Warden, or me. We will learn
together. We will make mistakes. And yes, we are always at risk of dismissing
our shortcomings with cynicism. Still, with intentionality, even our
shortcomings can help us grow in caring. Sometimes the road is lonely. It will
feel a lot less lonely knowing that you are sharing this journey with us.
“The
people who make a difference in your life are not the ones with the most
credentials… the most money...or the most awards. They simply are the ones who
care the most.” (Charles Schultz)
--
Norma Kacen, Senior Warden
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From February to May 2008 an ad hoc committee
met to explore possible revenue generation options for St. George’s beyond those
associated with normal sources of pledge and loose plate offerings. This effort
was undertaken as a response to the parish’s shortfall of approximately $65,000
in the fall 2007 Stewardship Campaign that had a goal of $550,000. The shortfall
caused us to realize that along with increasing the Sunday donations, we needed
to look at developing additional revenue sources. Thus the committee convened,
developed a list of possible revenue options, considered them all in turn, and
selected those that were consistent with St. George’s values, and would be
likely to produce significant and sustainable revenue. We reviewed 30 ideas for
revenue generation, and ended up recommending 4. Should the vestry decide to act
on one or more of these recommendations, they should be acted upon through the
appropriate ministries.
Our considerations
In selecting options to recommend, the committee
considered each should:
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Be consistent with St. George’s
values. First we looked for options that fit St. George’s mission
statement, and seemed to fit the culture of St. George’s. As the discussions
went on, it became apparent that there was distaste for overtly commercial
options—St. George’s does not want to sell its soul to develop that kind of
revenue sources.
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Produce significant revenue.
We judged each option on how much revenue it would be likely to generate, and
whether the effort required for getting the revenue would be proportionate to
the revenue achieved. Recognizing the limited voluntary manpower available to
St. George’s, we sought low effort-high revenue options.
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Produce sustainable revenue.
Because our budgetary needs are ongoing, we put an emphasis on revenue sources
that we expect to be sustainable over several and hopefully many years to
come.
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No major upfront expenses.
Several of the options involved significant upfront expenses for either
renovation of St. George’s facilities, or construction projects. Given our
limited reserve funds, and our current deficit annual budget, we avoided
options with major upfront expenses.
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Low need for volunteers.
For all of the options that could be described as "major undertakings" we
recognized that there would have to be strong volunteer participation and
leadership. Our evaluation of the current situation is that while we are able
to staff our current programs with volunteers with some work, we do not
currently see a pool of untapped volunteers and particularly volunteer leaders
who would be willing to run these projects.
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Practicality. Beyond the
considerations above, our judgments were tempered by outside considerations,
among them potential diocesan inputs, Arlington County inputs, the
availability of St. George’s staff to manage projects.
Our recommendations
Based on the considerations above, the options we recommend for consideration
for implementation are shown below.
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Ideas |
Consensus |
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Seek endowment bequests (planned giving) |
Many St. George’s parishioners are at or
approaching an age where they are (or should be) making decisions about what
to do with their estates. This committee believes that with specific
encouragement, many of them would be willing to include St. George’s in
their wills as an expression of their devotion to the church. We believe
more information on including St. George’s in every member’s estate needs to
be presented at multiple times throughout the year, in multiple formats (eBanner,
Adult Forums, and mentions from the pulpit). |
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Develop and publish “wish list” of donations for projects needing funding –
registry of ministry needs |
Both members and non-members are often seeking an appropriate way to
recognize special occasions such as birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, and
memorials for deceased friends or relatives. The existence of this “wish”
list could inspire contributions to St. George’s to honor these occasions
and perhaps even increase the size of donations that would have been made in
any case by tying the gifts to a concrete purpose the giver could associate
with the person honored. The “wish list” also channels contributions to
purposes that we have already identified as priorities, rather than having
individuals come up with their own pet projects that might or might not be
consistent with our needs. A further suggestion from the committee is that
when we seek contributions to enhance our worship experience on Christmas
and Easter, we expand the request from flowers, to flowers and music. |
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Charge fees for St. George’s parking spaces |
St. George’s has approximately 14 parking spaces near North Ninth Street
that can be rented for approximately $75 per month each. The Buildings and
Grounds Committee has agreed to manage it—waiting for input from Treasurer
on how to handle it so nonstandard income will not affect parish tax
exemption. A reasonable expectation is approximately $10,000 annually before
taxes, $8,500 after taxes (and administrative fees). |
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Solicit gifts/grants to Food Pantry, San José
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This is definitely an area to pursue once appropriate person(s) within St.
George’s are identified to lead such efforts; perhaps under the Financial
Management or the Outreach Ministry. |
Details of the pros and cons for each of the recommended options, plus those
for options not recommended, appear in the the
full report, available via a link on the home page of the church's Web site.
The committee has encouraged the vestry to consider and implement as many of the
four recommendations as soon as possible, to bring additional revenues into St.
George’s to support our parish programs.
Other thoughts
As we did our work we had several other thoughts that
we felt deserved vestry discussion:
We did not judge the options in terms of "What programs should St.
George’s support from a mission perspective." This is an important
perspective, and should be considered in other forums. A number of the options
we evaluated looked like very good ideas for St. George’s to consider as
expressions of our mission to make God known.
Teaming with other Region 3
churches. There were a number of options that while unmanageable for St.
George’s alone, might make sense if approached from a multi-church perspective
(e.g., day-care). Overall we supported the idea of multi-church collaborations
wherever possible, to mount joint ministry programs that make sense for
reducing costs and achieving economies of scale.
Potential merger of Region 3
churches. A number of real estate options were considered in light of the
recognition that many Region 3 churches are facing financial challenges, and
the indications are that there will probably be fewer Episcopal churches in
Region 3 in 10 years than there are now. We recommend that St. George’s
encourage open cross-Region discussions in this area, and be flexible to
whatever develops.
Day care. The topic of
offering children’s day-care services at St. George’s has long been discussed.
We felt that the idea has merit and fits St. George’s mission and culture. St.
George’s has one of the most ideal locations in the county, near to the
businesses and agencies in the Ballston area, and to the Metro. However, we
saw establishing day care had several requirements that led us not to
recommend it at this point:
1) Daycare versus preschool.
We would need to determine which to offer: the former can go from babies to
preschool with little educational content, while the latter implies
educational content.
2) Significant renovations
required. We would have to invest in upgrades to our facilities, and
increased costs for maintaining a clean kitchen environment.
3) St. George’s run versus
outside-run. St. George’s would incur significant costs and risks if we
ran it, but if we ran it we could include an element of Christian education.
If run by an outside partner, we would have to find and trust one, and work
with them on a long-term basis.
4) Day-care centers don’t make
money. The plus side is that in the Ballston Corridor we could very likely
charge high rates, as there is considerable demand for high-quality daycare
and preschools, and a center based at an Episcopal church could be quite an
attraction in our neighborhood. However, the preschool at The Falls Church,
even before its separation from The Episcopal Church, was constantly having to
do fundraisers to try to cover its costs.
Memorial plaque or garden.
While it wasn’t a money-maker, we agreed that St. George’s should explore
developing some sort of memorial plaque or memorial garden to allow longtime
St. Georgians and their families to leave some lasting sign of their
membership. There are many ways to do this, which we will leave to another
committee to explore—it deserves some thought.
-- Mary Martha Churchman, Bob Clarke (Chair), Ellyn Crawford, Ron Crocker,
Ron Godard, Lois Ireland, Nina Janopaul, and Michael Woods
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Our 2008 budget year is half over. St.
Georgians continue to show their great generosity and commitment to our church.
Thanks to each and every one of you for your sustained giving of time, talent,
and treasure!
As of June 30, expenses are outpacing income, and we have a $13,516 deficit
in this year’s operating budget. There have been a few fact-of-life increases
(such as utility and maintenance costs) to the 2008 budget. We are projecting a
$30,803 deficit at the end of the year.
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Cumulative through 6/30/2008 |
Annual Budget |
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Pledge income |
$235,748 |
$473,049 |
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Total income |
$293,381 |
$602,358 |
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Total expenses |
$306,897 |
$633,181 |
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Current-year surplus/(deficit) |
($13,516) |
($30,803) |
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I have a few other items of note:
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We have over a dozen St. Georgians
using auto pledge payment options. In my opinion, this is great for both the
individual and the Church. For the individual, it relieves one of having to
write checks and associated processing fees. For the Church, it helps us better
plan for an income stream to meet our recurring expenses. Penny & I use this
option; I invite you to consider it.
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We had larger than normal donations
to Food Pantry in June; however, Food Pantry income projection continues
significantly less than in 2007. Income to date continues above a straight line
yearly projection, while expenses continue to run slightly below a straight line
projection. Thanks to the Food Pantry coordinators, who are doing a superb job
of managing expenses, and to those who donate to support this ministry.
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Altar and Special Fund (A&SF) use in
June was $2,664 for the Centennial Celebration, worship service support, and
Altar flowers. A&SF income in June was $2,223, for miscellaneous program
support, flower donations, and investment income. A&SF balance remains $338,362.
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As a reminder for those requesting
reimbursement for ministry expenses, once you complete the check request form,
please submit it to the responsible vestry ministry liaison for
signature/approval. This is part of our financial policies and procedures and
enables the vestry liaison to track expenses and properly manage their ministry
budget.
If you have questions about any of
our financial matters, have good ideas for us, or wish to be part of our
Financial Management Committee, please don’t hesitate to ask me, vestry Financial
Management liaison David Grahn, or committee chair
John Edwards.
-- George DeFilippi, Treasurer
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Each day at St.
George’s we serve our clients as balanced a meal as possible of canned and
packaged foods, but admittedly what they look forward to is the pastry tray
filled with tempting donations from Safeway and Whole Foods.
Filling that tray
every week requires the efforts of several people. Volunteers pick up the bread
and pastries and occasionally fresh fruit from the stores, and deliver it to the
church freezer or refrigerator. On Mondays volunteers prepare trays for each day
of the week. A tray defrosts each morning in time for the daily volunteers to
distribute to the homeless at lunch.
The Safeway (on
Harrison street) has us pick up between 9:00 and 10:00 AM on Tuesdays and
Wednesdays. The Clarendon Whole Foods asks us to come between 1:00 and 2:00 PM
on Fridays. If the stores have bakery items that we cannot use, we take them to
other assistance programs in the county (Sullivan House and AFAC). We have
struggled to cover these days when our regulars travel. If we miss our assigned
day, we risk losing it to another charity.
We presently need
volunteers who can pick up on Wednesday mornings. We also would like to have
some volunteers who can serve as substitutes for Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday
pick-ups. Anyone interested in helping can call me (703-527-8252) or
Al Brevard (703-243-6210).
-- Wesley Ann Godard, Food Pantry Co-coordinator
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 On June 26, 2008, we commemorated the 5th
anniversary of the Urban Abbey. We did so with simplicity, setting up for
supper together, and after eating, reflecting on how the Abbey has contributed
to our own lives and to our larger community. Then we celebrated the Eucharist
together. I think we agreed that the evening was one of grace.
Below are the notes from our discussion. Raima Larter will use them to guide
the leadership team this year. If there is something you would like to add,
please send it on to all of us by using the Urban Abbey’s e-mail group.
We might have more discussion, electronically, as we move ahead.
-- Kathie Panfil
 I would
like to add a word of thanks to all who helped make our Fifth Anniversary
celebration a big success. Kathie Panfil and Marlee Norton did a
great job organizing the community discussion and we experienced an outpouring
of creative ideas thanks to Kathie’s skillful guidance of our conversation.
Thanks, also, to Pat Loudis for organizing a wonderful meal of soups, breads,
fruit and all sorts of goodies. Thanks, in addition, to all who contributed food
and who pitched in to help set up the tables and the food and to clean up
afterwards.
A special thank you to Marlee Norton, our celebrant, to Ron Crocker for
assisting in the Eucharist, to our readers Anne Omelianowich and
Patrick McCabe, and to Marcia Towne Devens for guiding us musically
throughout the evening and playing the piano during our rousing final hymn. And
thanks to all who attended and participated, making the evening such a huge
success.
Please respond to Kathie’s request for corrections, additions, or any other ideas
you’ve had since our meeting. If you were not able to attend the meeting and
would like to add your ideas to the list below, please feel free to do that as
well. The leadership team will take all your input and use it to help us discern
where the Abbey is being called next.
Our next community meeting is likely to be in September. Watch for an
announcement of a specific date and place as these plans are firmed up over the
next few weeks.
-- Raima Larter
Abbey contributions
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Deepened sense of spirituality
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Enhanced skills in listening to God
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Intentionality committing to
listening groups concentric rings: St. George’s, and within it, Urban Abbey,
support in times of difficulty; helps in recognizing the face of Christ in
others, more open hearts, growth from attending retreats, and helps in knowing
that others are also reflecting and listening
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Meaning of spiritual growth
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Others to talk with
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Community of the heart
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Personal growth
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Healing/Taizé services
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The feeling of God’s presence more
often
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Profound friendships made in the
Abbey community
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Experience of deep, shared prayer
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More comfort with silence
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The rule of life that makes it
easier to do what we want to do anyway
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A different way of making decisions
(not voting)
What else are we looking for?
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More commitment to listening
groups
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Reorganization of some groups and
retaining of groups doing well together; reawakening of midday prayer
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Service: consideration what else
it might mean
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Exploration of ways in which the
Abbey could support our service
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Call on others through abbey
channels
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Abbey members as yeast in other
groups
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Deeper spiritual foundation to
enable us to reach out
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Service in helping ourselves and
others to deepen spiritually
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Ways of letting others know what
the Abbey offers
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Help new members to fully grasp
the focus of the Abbey
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Sponsoring events with theme and
speaker; inviting Region 3 or others
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Additions to our Web pages/blog
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Use of the labyrinth as a
ministry
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More numerical growth
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Help for others in finding their
spiritual centers
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Something to replace prayer
groups that have started and ended
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Start of a healing community:
home visits for prayer, possibly body-centered prayer, learning from or
sharing what we do with others.
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You can read
all our announcements online. |
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Contemplative prayer group
ends
For the past
seven months St. George’s contemplative prayer group has been meeting in the
church each Wednesday morning from 7:30 to 8:00 AM. This group has decided
to disband, effective immediately. We thank the people who made this effort
possible, especially Kathie Panfil, Sara Ellen Swatt, Wayne
Lewis, and Norma Kacen.
EYC summer party 8/2
St. George’s EYC (youth) groups invite rising sixth
graders and older youth to a summer party at Cameron Run from 3:00 to 6: 00
PM on Saturday, August 2.
Summer pick-up choir 8/3
St. George’s has a summer “pick-up” choir that sings
during the 10:00 AM service on the first Sunday of each summer month.
This is your opportunity to try singing
in the choir without further commitment; just show up in the Choir Room at 9:15
AM on Sunday, August 3, ready to sing.
EM/lector training 8/7
There will be training for Eucharistic Ministers (EMs)
and lectors in the church on Thursday, August 7, at 7:30 PM. The training will
be for both current Eucharistic Ministers and lectors, and all who would like to
join this
ministry.
Please let Ron Crocker know (703-528286) if you are able to attend, or
would like to participate.
Discernment 8/10
A group of St. Georgians is meeting to discern what God might
be calling our parish to be; it will meet next on Sunday, August 10, at
11:30 AM or so (after the 10:00 AM service) in Room 114. Interested? Consult
with Angela Churchill for more information.
Bolivian Festival 8/10
Iglesia San José will hold its annual Bolivian Festival on Sunday, August 10.
Look for great food, folkloric dances, and other celebrations of the Bolivians
among us. We don’t yet know the time that the festival will start.
Contemplative prayer group
ends
For the past seven months St. George’s contemplative prayer group has been
meeting in the church each Wednesday morning from 7:30 to 8:00 AM. This group
has decided to disband, effective immediately. We thank the people who made this
effort possible, especially Kathie Panfil, Sara Ellen Swatt,
Wayne Lewis, and Norma Kacen.
Bible study 8/14
Arlington Trivium (20s and 30s) Episcopalians take a fresh look into
Christian scriptures, next at Cosi restaurant on Fairfax Drive near St. George’s
on second Thursdays from 8:00 to 9:30 PM. All are welcome to join us, next on
August 14.
Baptisms 8/17
St. George’s will baptize Nicholas Giordano, Jack Logsdon,
Cole Logsdon, Hannah Hoebel, and Julian Otalvaro at the 10:00
AM service on Sunday, August 17. To schedule a baptism, please contact contact
Ron Crocker.
Labor Day holiday 9/1
Monday, September 1, is Labor Day, and thus the parish office will be closed.
Sunday School teachers’
breakfast 9/6
St. George’s Sunday School teachers will meet for breakfast from 9:00 to
11:00 AM on Saturday, September 6. At this meeting we distribute curriculum and
talk about plans for the new school year, which will begin on September 14.
EYC car wash 9/6
St. George’s EYC (youth) groups will hold a car wash from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM
on Saturday, September 6, to help feed the hungry.
Ministry Fair 9/7
St. George’s will celebrate "homecoming Sunday" on September 7, the day when
folks typically return from their far-flung summer vacation spots and the new
program year begins. We will have the opportunity to bless backpacks and
briefcases (and the like) at all services on this date. We will hold our annual
Ministry Fair to share information about our many programs. And we will have
registration for all parents to enroll their children in Sunday School (if they
have not yet done so online).
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Visit St. George’s
Calendar or
Announcements pages to find out what’s happening. Our
worship schedule is online, too!
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CROPWalk is coming
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 CROPWalk is
a hunger relief effort sponsored by Church World Service to raise money to fight
hunger at home and abroad. Last year’s CROPWalk was the most successful
Arlington has ever had. The walk yielded $46,116 in contributions from 21
organizations and nearly 200 walkers.
St. George’s is a regular contributor to CROPWalk, contributing $600 in 2005,
$3,792 in 2006 and $2,355 in 2007. Of the amount collected, 25% is returned
directly to the Arlington Food Assistance Center, a food bank for indigent
people in Arlington. In just one year, there has been a nearly 30% increase in
families getting AFAC’s assistance.
CROPWalk will be on Saturday, October 18, which—as of August 1—is only 78
days away! We need people to walk, sponsor walkers by their monetary support,
and staff a refreshment stop at St. George’s on the day of the walk.
-- Jo Belser, Parish Administrator
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I have been working toward my Doctor of
Ministry degree from Seabury Western Seminary
in Chicago. This program requires three residencies. In June I completed my
third and final one. This year we looked at multiculturalism and inclusivity,
conflict management and decision making, helping parishes transition from
pastoral to program size, the kinds of changes the church is facing today and in
the future, and faithful stewardship.
My final step in this program is to write my thesis, and for this I need your
help. I will look at the issue of technical versus adaptive change in churches.
Technical change is the kind of change required when we have a problem for which
we already know the answer. For example, if the boiler has broken down, we know
that the solution is to either hire a technician to repair it or to replace it.
However, if the boiler has broken down and we have no money, we face an adaptive
change. Do we learn to live without heat? Do we develop new ways that are
outside of our normal ways of functioning to raise the money? Adaptive change is
change that results from a problem for which we do not yet have the answer.
My hypothesis is that most members of Episcopal congregations recognize that
their congregations are facing challenges, and they know what those challenges
are. But, while most of these challenges require adaptive change to solve them,
most members of congregations propose technical solutions.
To test my hypothesis, and to discuss its implications should it be proven
correct, I will conduct a survey of the seven English-speaking Episcopal
congregations in Arlington County. So far I have received permission from St.
John’s, and from St. George’s vestry; St. Mary’s is asking its vestry. I hope to
hear from the other four soon.
What does this mean for you? In the second week of September you will receive
by e-mail or mail a short survey, that should take no more than 15 minutes to
fill out. The surveys are completely anonymous. In mid-October I will have the
results of the survey and I will share them with you.
Thank you in advance for making my research possible. If you have any
questions please feel free to contact me at
srohman@saintgeorgeschurch.org.
-- Suzannah Rohman, Associate Rector
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 No less a celebrity than St. George himself
made an appearance on June 29 to help us celebrate the fortieth anniversary of
Ron Crocker’s ordination. Ron was ordained to the deaconate by Bishop
Frederick Lawrence, Suffragan Bishop of Massachusetts, on June 30, 1968, at
Trinity Church in Weymouth, Massachusetts. Now, St. George (ably impersonated by
Hal Bean) wasn’t impressed with that milestone, finding 40 years to be a
pretty paltry span of time—he said that he doesn’t take much account of anything
lasting less than at least 400 years!Those of us who haven’t been around
quite as long as St. George were a bit more excited about Ron’s anniversary,
however. To commemorate the occasion, Norma Kacen and the rest of the
vestry presented Ron with a new Bible—one with just a bit bigger print. for old
eyesight. As Norma pointed out, very tactfully, of course, pairs of reading
glasses seem to be breeding in the corners of St. George’s. She thought that
might be a sign that 40 years in the pulpit have been just a bit tough on Ron’s
eyes, and maybe they could use some help. We wish them happy reading for years
and years to come.
After the 10:00 AM service we all celebrated with Ron and his wife Donna
Crocker, who supplied a scrumptious cake worthy of the occasion.
Congratulations Ron! Thanks for sharing some of those 40 years with us.
-- Marge Miller, vestry Communications liaison
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