Zion Episcopal Church

May 28-31 (including Memorial Day)

We have a policy that only those over the age of 18 attend. If you would like to donate funds toward these specific projects, please send checks to the Diocesan House with a specific note in the Memo “For Work Weekend.” There is now a sub-account in the Peterkin Maintenance fund specifically for these projects.

Please contact Nathan Arnett, to register as SOON AS POSSIBLE. This helps in organizing projects and materials needed.

In lieu of sweat, please send every coin that you can shake out of your couch cushions to: Episcopal Diocese of WV, “Work Weekend Projects”, PO Box 5400,Charleston, WV 25311

The differences between a consumer and a steward attitude are:

• Love one another
• Live in such ways that the world is brighter (and better) because of you.
• Forgive others throughout your entire life.
• Pray without ceasing.
• Be careful what you start worshiping, it may be hard to stop.
• Don’t waste your passion on things that will not last.
• Give to the world things that are worldly and give to God things that belong to God.
• Remember that God loves the poor and helpless—and so should you.
• Don’t worry about how others live. Pay attention to your own.
• Be careful whom you choose to follow.
• If you want to be a leader, learn to serve and to follow.
• If you want respect, learn to praise others.
• Be careful that you are not consumed by what you consume.
• Remember that you are very valuable to God.
• Learn to ask for what you really need, not what you think you want.

—Jim Ruddy

With the first quarter of the year at an end, our financial situation is not at its best. So far, we have had to take $6,500.00 from the fundraising account in order to meet payroll and other church expenses. Additionally, we have not been able to pay any portion of our Diocesan Assessment for this year.

Basically, we owe three months. I am hoping that the next quarter will pull us out of this dilemma. I am usually in the office on Mondays or you can reach me at my home at (304) 229-8874. If I can be of assistance to you don’t hesitate to call.

“If you believe and I believe and we together pray,

the Holy Spirit must come down and set God’s people free,

and set God’s people free,

and set God’s people free;

the Holy Spirit must come down and set God’s people free”.

-Traditional Zimbabwe tune

Dear Friends,

“I believe in the surprises of the Holy Spirit.”

This quote, from Leon Suenes captures the essence of Pentecost. The Feast of Pentecost, arriving fifty days after Easter, is a day filled with surprises. Certainly, the Disciples were surprised. The Book of Acts tells us that when the day of Pentecost had come, the disciples were all in one room together, and there came a sound like the rushing of a violent wind. Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and all were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages.” The disciples certainly didn’t expect what was to happen, nor, we discover, did the people in Jerusalem who heard them speak. Yet proof of the arrival of the Holy Spirit isn’t simply that the disciples spoke in different languages and people understood them. The proof is in what happened afterwards—lives were changed, people were brought to God. The Good News was heard, and people found Christ. The arrival of the Holy Spirit is what empowered the disciples to live their calling in the world. The same is true of us today. Baptized in the name of Christ, we too, find ourselves given the gift of the Holy Spirit. And, like the disciples, we are strengthened to do God’s ministry in the world. As I prepare to leave for my sabbatical, I am proud to see so many of our parishioners rise to the task of ensuring that all of Zion’s regular summer activities will continue (May 23rd, Pentecost Sunday will be my last Sunday prior to departure—I will arrive back at Zion on August 29th, in time to celebrate our Parish Picnic). The work of a good church, is one in which everyone takes a vital role. Later, in this issue of the Tidings you will find contact list for Zion’s Ministry Team. I find myself looking forward to seeing what “surprises” the Holy Spirit has in store for myself and the good people of Zion in the coming months.

Yours in Christ, Melanie†

As I write this, I am less than a month from graduating from Virginia Theological Seminary (VTS) with a Master in Divinity degree. It is hard to believe the past three years are rapidly coming to a close. It has been an amazing and formative time for me. I will miss VTS, but I am excited to graduate and start full time ministry.

After graduation, I will be spending the summer getting ready for my upcoming marriage to Brian Turner, a fellow seminarian and classmate, in July. At the end of June, I will spend a week assisting with the Senior High Camp at Peterkin.

At the end of July, Brian and I will be moving to Fredericksburg, VA for two years. We will be starting our new positions at the beginning of August. He has accepted a call to be the Assistant Rector at Trinity Episcopal Church in Fredericksburg. He will oversee the Youth Program and the College Ministry to Mary Washington University. I will be working in the Pastoral Care Department at Mary Washington Hospital doing a Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) Residency. It will be similar to what I did two summers ago in St. Louis, but I will be at the hospital for an entire year, and gain more valuable hospital chaplaincy experience.

O day of rest and gladness, O day of joy and light

O balm of care sadness, Most beautiful, most bright

On thee, the high and lowly, Who bend before the throne,

Sing, holy, holy, holy, To the Eternal One.

Thou art a port protected, From storms that round us rise,

A garden intersected, With streams of paradise;

Thou art a cooling fountain, In life’s dry, dreary sand;

From thee, like Pisgah’s mountain, We view our promised land.

A day of sweet reflection, Thou art,a day of love;

A day to raise affection, From earth to things above.

New graces ever gaining, From this our day of rest

We seek the rest remaining, In mansions of the blest.

-Christopher Wordsworth

Dear Friends,

The word “sabbatical” comes from the Latin sabbatikos from the Greek sabbatikos, from Hebrew shabbat i.e. Sabbath which literally translates as “ceasing”.  A sabbatical, then is a rest from work, a hiatus, often lasting from two months to a year.  The practice of taking a sabbatical is found in the Bible in Genesis, Deuteronomy and Leviticus.  The goal, quite simply is rest and renewal. continue reading » »

I have been blessed to receive numerous scholarships over the past couple of years while at Virginia Theological Seminary that have helped to pay for my education here.

To apply for financial aid at VTS, we are required to submit at least three applications to outside scholarship sources. One of the scholarships I have received is from Society for the Increase of Ministry (SIM), an Episcopal organization whose mission is to support the theological education and training of the future ordained leaders of the Episcopal Church. They achieve this in three ways: financial (scholarships and grants), pastoral (daily prayers and semi-annual visits to their recipients), and advocacy (supporting seminarians in the councils of the Church). continue reading » »

9^th Annual Auction, Saturday, June 12, 2010, Richwood Hall, Charles Town, WV!

• 5:00 p.m. Hors d’oeuvres & Silent Auction Opens
• 6:00 p.m. Gourmet Buffet Dinner
• 7:00 p.m. Silent Auction Closes & Live Auction Begins continue reading » »

Linda Work

Our Sunday school classes have been abuzz preparing for the Easter celebration. Students have been observing the 40 days of Lent through prayer, stories of Jesus, and crafts relating to the life of Christ. Their study of Holy Week culminates with the glad news that Jesus rose from the dead and is living still. At every church service throughout the year, we rejoice at the good news of our risen Lord. continue reading » »

Preschool-K

Miss Laurie and Miss Ericka

We have been busy studying about Lent and Holy Week. We were able to put the events of Holy Week in sequential order. We had one birthday this month. Happy Birthday to Miss Ericka! We will be taking 2 weeks off from Sunday school for Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday. Classes will resume on April 11th. continue reading » »

APRIL 4 . . . No Sunday School

* Easter Sunday

APRIL 11. . . Regular Sunday School

*2nd Sunday of Easter

APRIL 18. . . .Regular Sunday School

*3rd Sunday of Easter

APRIL 25 . . .Regular Sunday School

*4th Sunday of Easter

In conjunction with Province III ECW Annual Meeting

Abundant Blessings with The Rev. Georgia DuBose at Trinity Episcopal Church, Martinsburg

April 23-25, 2010

Retreat cost: full weekend: $65/Saturday only: $35

Knitted together by the thread of our humanity, we live out our abundant blessings both individually, and as members of the Body of Christ. continue reading » »

The South Jefferson Clergy Association is planning the annual Service of Christian Unity on Sunday, April 18th at 3:00 p.m.

This will be a service of music and scripture. All churches in South Jefferson County are invited to participant by having your choir. Please contact Rev. Joanna Marceron at Leetown United Methodist Church at 304-725-8304 if you can participate. All are welcome to attend and enjoy praising God through music.

It is with great joy and pleasure that the Diocese announces the visitation of the Presiding Bishop Katharine Jeffferts Schori to the Diocese of West Virginia. She will be arriving September 30th and traveling the diocese in order to meet as many of you as possible. continue reading » »