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Glad Tidings A m o n t h l y p u b l i c a t i o n o f t h e c h u r c h o f t h e N a t i v i t y

March 2011

Issue No. 03-11

Your Attention

Please

Come to the Celebration Nativity’s 25th Anniversary Celebration And Brunch

Saturday, March 12, service at 9 am

Brunch at 11 am Bishop Curry and Bishop Estill will be present to help us celebrate

this momentous occasion! Childcare will be provided during the worship service for ages infant through 2nd grade.

The children may join their families for communion.

Worship Schedule for Lent,

Holy Week and Easter

Tuesday, March 8 5:30-7:30 pm

Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper Dinner is free

Donations are welcome

March 9 Ash Wednesday

12 noon Holy Eucharist with Imposition of Ashes, said service 7 pm Holy Eucharist with imposi-tion of Ashes, with music

April 17 Palm Sunday

8 am Holy Eucharist, said service 10:30 am Holy Eucharist, with music

April 12 Maundy Thursday

7 pm Service of Holy Eucharist with foot-washing ceremony

April 22 Good Friday

12 noon Stations of the Cross with Holy Eucharist 7 pm Good Friday Liturgy with Holy Eucharist, with music

April 24 Easter Sunday

7:30 am Holy Eucharist, said ser-vice 9:30 am Holy Eucharist, with music 11 am Holy Eucharist with music

A Living Celebration of Stewardship at Nativity Kevin Burke, vestry

The Church of the Nativity has a robust Christian Education Program that has remained an important focal point throughout the Church’s history. As we mark the official opening of Nativity’s Education Building, I thought we should reflect on the significance of this event as an example of Stewardship in all its dimensions. First and foremost, we must never lose sight of the end goal of investment in Christian education. One of the fundamental objectives of Christian education is to nurture strong values which become the building blocks to prepare us for future change and whatever life may throw at us. Then in terms of time and talent, there have been so many groups and individuals who have contributed. The final structure is the culmination of tens of thousands of hours of teacher lesson plans, class instruction, student engagement, healthy dialogue, committee meetings, drawing revisions and contract negotiations. Equally important it is the financial contribution of parishioners. The Build It Forward

(BIF) program was launched in 2008. Since that time, the program has raised approxi-mately $505,000 in cash and commitments with over 52% already received in-house. This covers about 72% of the costs incurred, which is a great position for the parish balance sheet. But perhaps with the opening of the building, we should have a quick revisit. Therefore, from March 6 to April 3, we will re-open the BIF program, primarily for those households who did not have the opportunity to contribute during the original campaign. Look for more written material and forms in the Church and Education Building. Contact: Kevin Burke, e-mail: [email protected] or home phone 919-788-7774

Help Needed for Anniversary Brunch Brenda Johnston, Brunch Committee

As part of the anniversary celebration on Saturday, March 12, brunch will be held in Estill House from 11 am–12:30 pm. To make this a more festive occasion, we hope you will be-come involved by donating a needed item. To this end, there will be two sign-up sheets, one in the Narthex and one in Estill House. These sheets will indicate types of foods and other items that are needed to make this day special. There are many different opportunities— something for everyone! Please think about how you can contribute to this special day. Thanks for your help. Contact me with questions: [email protected]

Glad Tidings March 2011

Parish Life

Lenten Season 2011

The liturgical calendar says March 9th is Ash Wednesday. Hopefully, you will find your way to a service to have ashes imposed upon your forehead. This practice reminds us of our mortality and our humanity. I don’t want to impose ashes upon you; rather, I want ashes to impress upon you the opportunities of Lent. Lent offers us time for discernment. It was a time of deep introspection for our LORD. He had 40 days in the wilderness to sort things out and make some decisions. He had to wrestle with what kind of ministry he would have. Jesus confronted head-on the temptations before him in order to make choices about what road he would travel for the rest of His life. Lent gives us time for introspection. Am I becoming the kind of person I want to become? Or am I letting things slide, giving way to the comfortable, the easiest way, and the popular way? Am I simply taking the course of least resistance? When we “go along to get along,” we find ourselves on a slippery slope

that is hard to stop. What do I stand for in my life? And who are my companions on the journey that I want to stand with? Lent is a time for hope and gratitude. Lent doesn’t have to be a “downer” - a time of discouragement. The Christian life is, in part, a decision to keep looking at the One who went through

all we have to go through and then some, the One who gave everything, including His life so that we could have a more abundant life. Lent is a time to imitate Christ. Make an effort to mimic the 40 day journey of Christ through the wilderness. Then at the close of Lent, may we be willing to travel the moral high road, willing to be a sacrificial giver, willing to make choices that consistently contribute to improved general health and well-being, willing to discover the will of God

for our lives and our ministries. Such is what Christ did during that first Lent so many years ago. It would be of great value for each of us to take the opportunity to do the same.

Faithfully, Rev. Sara C. Batson

From the desk of the Interim Rector

I assume that by the time you read this, the Education Building will have opened. Child and teen classes are moving into the Education Building as quickly as the delivery of furniture al-lows. Classrooms in the Education Building are numbered 201-208. Adult classes will move (or have already moved) into the trailer; its three rooms will be numbered 301-303. Room numbers help visitors and newcomers find their way around our four-building campus. They also simplify the process of assigning and making reservations for rooms. Let me describe some further facilities improvements that you'll see in the coming months:

♦New exterior signage will help visitors navigate our campus.

♦The remaining half of the old trailer will be removed from our campus (if it hasn't been already). The area vacated by the trailer will be graded, and our playground will go there.

♦A wall phone will be installed in the Education Building so that 911 can be dialed in case of injury or illness. Three phones will be installed in the Worship Building for the same purpose (one in the Nursery, one in the Sacristy, and one in the Music Office).

♦A new floodlight will be installed on the rear of our campus between the trailer and the Education Building.

♦The lobby of Estill House will be rearranged so that one of the double-doors into Corlett Hall is no longer obstructed. The desk in the lobby will be taken out.

♦The office volunteer will move to the workstation where Jennie Herrick, the Parish Coordinator, currently sits.

♦The Parish Coordinator will move into the rear office, cur-rently a workroom. When the Parish Coordinator is not in,

this office will remain locked.

♦The workroom will move into the former Rector's office. There is already a convenience PC in this room. The photo-copier will move there too, along with some parish supplies. The workroom will usually be open.

♦Portholes will be inserted into many interior doors of Estill House to reassure people of safety. Sadly, all of us have read that church buildings have been the sites of misconduct and even crime—although I want to stress that there are no such allegations at Nativity. Nevertheless, portholes are becoming the norm for interior doors of church buildings. Our Nursery already has visibility from the hallway, and all classrooms in the Education Building have portholes. They also prevent inadvertent disruption of meetings in progress.

♦Rooms in Estill House will be assigned numbers from 1 to 14, and new interior signs with these numbers will be in-stalled.

♦After 20 years we have lost track of who has keys to Estill House. Therefore, all exterior and interior door locks for Es-till House will be re-keyed. Clergy, staff, Vestry members, parish officers, and designated volunteers will be assigned keys on the basis of their need to access specific rooms; there will no longer be any "hidden" keys that open certain doors in Estill House. This plan is a balance of accessibility, con-venience, security, and confidentiality. Only the Rector, the Senior Warden, and the Sexton will have a master key to Estill House.

Your Vestry believes these improvements will make our cam-pus more functional, more attractive, and more user-friendly.

Letter from the Senior Warden Chuck Till

“Lean into your discomfort.” That’s a phrase I learned from a colleague a number of years ago and it reminds me of the charge from a recent sermon to do something new, or, like the wise men, take a different road. Just over a year and a half ago, I took the plunge and started organ les-sons. It continues to be a challenging and rewarding experience, and I appreciate the opportunity from Nativity (and the gentle push from my mentor and piano teacher, Jim Clyburn). I am very fortunate to study organ with Dr. David Lynch (organist, Christ Church). The support of Waltye Rasulala as choir-master is invaluable. The encouragement of the choir and the patience and kindness of the congrega-tion make the way brighter, too. As I approach the organ bench these days, my discomfort has softened a wee bit. In addition to finding practice time and re-hearsing the hymns, one of the weekly challenges is selecting a prelude and postlude. To support the service, I try to match the selections to the appointed readings. There’s a wealth of music

out there and the challenge is finding something I’m able to play that is appropriate for the day. I appreciate Waltye’s efforts in choosing the hymns and those selections offer a good starting

point. Occasionally, I find something based on the tune from one of the hymns. Dr. Lynch has steered me toward collections of suitable music within my reach; a frequent source is a collection of chorale preludes from German Baroque composers that covers much of the liturgical year (hence the titles in German that frequently appear in the bulletin). I’m studying several Bach chorale preludes as well as working through the eight little preludes and fugues (attributed to Bach), but most of those are

not yet ready for prime time – coming soon, I hope. There are a few favorites that I fall back on from time to time, and I keep working to expand my repertoire. The piano remains my real comfort zone. But for now, though my feet still trip me up now and then, I’ll continue my journey down this new road.


Parish Life

Important Notice! Parishioners are reminded that it is a violation of fire regulations to obstruct exit doors in our buildings. Nativity can incur heavy fines or have our doors padlocked for repeat violations (no kidding!). A lieutenant from the Raleigh Fire Department made an unscheduled inspection of Nativity in December and found numerous problems that we have since corrected. However, we have a serious recurring problem in Corlett Hall; specifically, the rear doorway that now leads to the walkway to the Education Building. Parishioners often fill the short hallway to this exit door with tables and chairs from Corlett Hall. This MUST stop. There is a storage room in the rear of Corlett Hall, and it is the ONLY approved place to store tables and chairs. If this problem continues, the Vestry will be forced to dispose of the circular tables we have enjoyed so much. Please don’t make us do that.

Altar Guild Marguerite Emmons

The Nativity Altar Guild is gearing up for the Lent and Easter seasons. We are also looking for new members to help with this special service to Nativity's communal worship. What does the Altar Guild do? We wash and polish the silver and/or pottery vessels, keep the linens and silk hangings clean and pressed, and make certain all is placed and ready for the clergy during services. We are divided into teams who usually serve one weekend a month. If you are interested in this service, contact Marguerite Emmons at 848-9741 or email me at [email protected] .

Seniors Luncheon Billie Hurmence

A fresh-baked muffin awaits every diner at Mimi's Café-venue of COTN Seniors' lunch/bunch March 13, at 12:30 pm. Co-hosts Marian Oswald, 862-8966, and Betty Smith, 848-1363, request early RSVPs. Mimi's is located at 6320 Plantation Center, just off Capital Blvd. Questions? Billie Hurmence, 848-7011.

Faith Connections Workshop Carolyn Kerr

Faith Connections on Mental Illness is an inter-faith coalition of faith communities dedicated to increasing understanding of mental illness though education, advocacy and support. They are hosting a workshop entitled: “Mental Illness as a Spiritual Journey: Creat-ing Caring Communities” on April 1, from 8:30 am-4 pm at St. Thomas More Catholic Church, 940 Carmi-chael St., Chapel Hill, NC. If you would like to regis-ter for this workshop the cost is $15 prior to March 12, $25 after. Brochures can be found in the foyer of Estill House. If you would rather register online, go to: https://www.wakeahec.org/coursecatalog/brochures/spiritualjourney2011.pdf

Musings from the Bench Timothy Owens, organist


On Being Green

Wakeup Call on our Coast Carl Sigel

A series of articles in North Carolina newspapers recently warned that sea levels are likely to rise at least 39 inches in this century. Some NC scientists like Rob Young and Orrin Pilkey say recent data indicate that higher levels may occur sooner. The oceans have retained much of the heat trapped by greenhouse gases. That heat is causing expansion of the water as well as melting of polar ice fields and glaciers faster than predicted by climate models. The wakeup call on our coast is amplified by the variability and intensity of storms throughout the world causing both unprecedented heat and cold as well as devastating flooding in Pakistan, Australia, and Brazil. The warmer oceans have led to increased evapo-ration of water that falls to the earth as rain and snow. Forty-five years ago, President Johnson said the atmosphere was being changed by a steady increase of CO2 from the burning of fossil fuels. CO2 levels are now the highest in at least 800,000 years. The evidence of a warming world is clearly before us, and it is morally wrong to delay action on the cli-mate. The Environmental Stewardship at Nativity (ESN) group meets at 7 pm in Corlett Hall on the third Wednesday of each month to consider how we as individuals and as a faith com-munity can be involved in Care for Creation. While we alone cannot find a way to stop the current changes in the earth's climate, we can be a model for our neighbors and a good place to start would be for Nativity to become a truly Green Congregation. Please join ESN and let's together see what we can accomplish.

I brought you into a plentiful land to eat its fruit and its good things. But when

you entered you defiled my land and made my heritage an abomination.

Jeremiah 2:7

Honduras Health Mission Pete Crow

Please plan to attend intergenerational Sunday School class at 9:15, March 6, Church of the Nativity, Raleigh, to get the latest scoop on the Honduras Health Mission. Watch an eight-minute video of the trip just returned in January. Find yourself caught up in a humorous health skit just like the hundreds of people in Honduras waiting in line for a clinic. Get a first-hand report from leaders Priscilla and Derek Shows, who after ten productive years are stepping out of that role, as well as from Cheri Janning, who will be making her first public appearance as the new boss in town. Cheri is a nurse who has excelled in many important tasks during her three years with the mission and hopes to become even more involved in this kind of work when she retires from Duke in five years or so. If you have ever considered going on this trip yourself, have helped with a pill packing, or just have wondered what the heck is going on with this mission, this may be the best chance you will get to find out. Just what goes on in those five days of medical and dental clinics, as well as eyeglass fittings? What brings out those 1,800 patients, some of whom travel by foot over three hours to get there, one of whom arrived this year brandishing his machete? For those who cannot attend, the video will be available shortly after February 27. You will be able to link to it through the Honduras Mission Resources page http://www.nativityonline.org/honduras/resources.html, or by navigating through the websites at St. Stephen’s (Durham) or Church of the Nativity (Raleigh).

Outreach

Water, Water NOT Everywhere!

Ailsa Tessier

Did you know that we are currently in a state of drought in Wake County? The City of Raleigh has a rebate program related to a water-saving upgrade in your home, in addition to tips and sugges-tions for conserving water. There is still a lot of money left in this fiscal year for this program, so check out the requirements on the website: http://www.raleighnc.gov/home/content/PubUtilAdmin/Articles/WaterMatters.html You may also call the City’s Public Utilities department at 857-4540 to find out more.

This Month’s Energy Saving Tips from Interfaith Power & Light, a program of the NC Council of Churches.

∗ Reduce Waste-Reuse and Recycle More - Reduce Con-sumption

∗ Shop with reusable bags. Look for products that use less packaging material. Did you know that recycling one aluminum can saves enough energy to run a TV for three hours - or the equivalent of half a gallon of gasoline? Find recycling centers at www.earth911.org.

Next Environmental Stewardship

Meeting Wednesday, March 23

7 pm in Corlett Hall


Parish Life in Pictures

Congratulations, Rite-13’ers! Michael Whitmeyer, Jillian Schuler, Julia Meyer,

Anna Widin, Tyler Magdanz, Wesley Carroll, Michael Norris, Darius Fojut Patience Fojut baked beautiful

Valentine cookies for Fellowship

Assembling new tables for the Education Building went

quickly with many helpers. L: Janet Alford, Charly Kerr

Above: Gordon Christian, Liam and Mark Marotta

YAC’s learn Nativity history through photo posters. Perry Schneider (leader)

Morgan Burke, Alex Schuler, Galen Tim, Bailey Maloney, Sara Newman

Come to the 25th Anniversary Celebration and see our history in pictures! Farewell old mobile classroom, hello new Education Building

Benjamin Longenecker helps

with Fellowship


Have You Met

What folks do, past and/or present church involvement

We’ll put names to faces and introduce several Nativity parishioners each month.

This is a work in progress, watch it evolve…

We seek to spotlight both new members and been-here-a-while members.

Pat Kenney. Member of Nativity 12 years. Active in fishing, boating, golf, running and triathlon training. For-mer Vestry representative, Sunday school teacher, softball team. Cur-rently, usher and J2A leader. Likes family-friendly atmosphere, worship services, children and youth pro-grams, and summer softball season for fun and fellowship. “I’ve enjoyed raising two children in Nativity’s faith community, and am excited about the new education building.”

Nancy Stoller. Member of Nativity 6 years. Design Director for Savvy Homes. Designs home plans. A painter, studies with local artist Beverly McIver. Has helped with various receptions or sales at Nativity. Vacation Bible School. Many other activities at prior churches. Son and family has moved to Raleigh with first grandchild. Daughter just ordained as priest and married to a priest. Single son lives in Atlanta. “I like Sunday School book discussion classes best.”

Liz Chi. Member of Nativity 15 years. Insurance and financial business systems consultant. Joined Singles group similar to Foyer. Adopted Annie 2001; Annie christened at Nativity 2002. Moved to Virginia 2005 but always came back for Christmas Eve service. Returned 2009 and re-joined Nativity. Involved in children’s programs. “It’s important for children to love their church home and all it has to offer.” Works with VBS and now Fixers (1st level youth program). Helped group bake and donate goods to Raleigh Rescue Mission for Thanksgiving meals. Annie in chil-dren’s choir. “The best job I ever had is being Annie’s mom.”

Becky Showalter. Member of Nativity 16 years. Engineer for elec-tronics manufacturing company. Likes to travel and spend time with friends. Previously volunteered in Nursery, taught preschool through 4th grade Sunday school, helped with Vacation Bible School, was EYC leader for 7 years as well as YAC leader. Now serves on Altar Guild, organizes Family Foyer, teaches 1st-2nd grade Sunday School and is on Rector Search Committee. “I love that my children are growing up in an environment that allows them to question the world around them while still teaching them of God’s immeasurable love.” Loves that for herself as well.

Harlan Hagge. Member of Nativity 12 years. Staff Mechanical Engi-

neer at Kidde Aerospace and Defense. Member of Society of Me-

chanical Engineers and Society of Automotive Engineers. Com-

petes in autocross events with Sports Car Club of America and

Tarheel Sports Car Club. Past activities: bell choir, Faith and Sci-

ence, Foyer, Education for Ministry. Shepherds, organ and architec-

ture committees. Present activities: choir, LEM, Blue Candle Bible

Study, Environmental Stewardship, Spirituality in the Arts. Fre-

quently rings bell at start of 10:30 service. “Nativity has always felt

like home.”


From the Parish Coordinator’s Office

Happy Birthday to all those with March birthdays! If your birthday is this month, but not listed here, our parish database is incomplete. Please contact Jennie in the parish office (846-8338) to correct your information.

Aaron Israel 1 Becca Israel 1 Dirk Barrett 4 Carson-Michael Register 5 Olive Howell 6 Charly Kerr 6 Sue Young 6 Jeff Farnham 7 Joan Parente 7 Chris Christiansen Jr. 8 Kerry Troester 8 Bruce Walter 8 Janet O'Bryhim 9 Alan Hamm 10 Claire Hester 10 Gene Kimmick 10

Gail Gyurek 11 Bea Spence 11 Grayson Holmes 12 Joel Haas 13 Kyle Hankins 13 Don Cariss 14 Tyler Magdanz 14 Stephen Heagarty 16 David Ridout 16 Mary Leah Singletary 16 Mary Whitaker-Sauls 16 Gay Davis 17 Carl Gilmore 18 Rachel Whitmeyer 19 Emilie Sigel 20 Erin Burke 21

William Conley, Jr. 21 Olivia Herrick 21 Jonathan Edwards 23 Dorothy Jane Youtz 23 Phil Massey 24 Tom Schuler 26 Brad Stevens 27 Marina Garbutt 28 Carol Meyer 28 Peggy Wade 28 Nick Gromow 29 Jennifer Mulrooney 29 Charlie Wehland 29 Ginny Thompson 30 Marian Oswald 31

Births

Tyler Thomas Wojton, grandson of Gail and Alfred Christensen

Our congregation extends its sympathy and prayers to:

The Brown family on the death of Ruth’s father James Reade Mayer

May his soul, and all the souls of the faithful departed,

through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.

Prayer Chain: To begin a confidential prayer request, or to have names added to the Prayers of the People list for Sunday services,

please contact the church office. If you have an illness, hospitalization, or death in your family, please contact the church office. If

you do not receive a response in 24 hours, please call back. If you have an emergency, please contact Mother Sara directly, home

(477-0129) or her cell (397-2311). Her email address is [email protected].

What Does It Mean?

Some of the acronyms and abbreviations you’ll see and hear at Nativity:

♦ COTN – Church of the Nativity

♦ LEM – Lay Eucharistic Minister (serving at the altar)

♦ J2A – Journey to Adulthood (youth ministry program of spiritual formation)

♦ YAC – Young Adults at Church (teens at last level of J2A)

♦ MON – Men of Nativity (men’s group open to all men of Nativity)

♦ WON – Women of Nativity (women’s group open to all women of Nativity)

♦ DOK – Daughters of the King (prayer and service group-see article in this issue, page 8)

♦ EFM – Education for Ministry (premier adult education program in the Episcopal Church) We’ll add more as we think of them. If there’s an abbreviation you’ve been wondering about, please email us at [email protected] and we’ll include the explanation next time!

Address Service Requested

Glad Tidings Deadline

for April 2011 Issue

Friday, March 25 at noon

Mailing date: March 30

8849 Ray Road

Raleigh NC 27613

Phone: 919-846-8338

Email office: [email protected]

Visit us on the web at: www.nativityonline.org

Glad Tidings Team

Jennie Herrick

Emilie Sigel

Ailsa Tessier

Brenda Johnston

NONPROFIT ORG US POSTAGE

PAID RALEIGH, NC

PERMIT NO. 2464

An Invitation to Quietness Susan Garrison

Daughters of the King (DOK) Nativity is the Jubilee Chapter. It is an order open to ALL women who are communi-cants of the Episcopal Church. The mis-sion of the Order is the extension of Christ’s Kingdom through Prayer, Ser-

vice, and Evangelism. All women are welcome to attend the meetings on the first Sunday of the month following the 10:30 service. The Jubilee Chapter is sponsoring a Quiet Day entitled “An Invitation to Quietness” on Saturday, April 9, from 9 am to 1 pm in Estill House. A light breakfast of juice, cof-fee, tea, bagels and cream cheese will be served. The Rev-erend Nancy Titus will facilitate directed readings, medita-tion, and journaling so please plan on bringing your Bible, a notebook and/or a journal. Plan this as a time to rest, re-flect and restore… In quietness and trust, you will gain strength. Reservations are not required. If you have any questions, please call Gail McNally at 376-1869.

Motto of the Order I am but one, but I am one.

I cannot do everything, but I can do something.

What I can do, I ought to do.

What I ought to do, by the grace of God I will do.

Lord, what will you have me do?

Greeters Ministry Dinner March 1 All are Welcome!

Geyer Longenecker

Welcome one another, therefore, just as Christ has

welcomed you, for the glory of God. Roman 15:7 In his letter to the first Christians in Rome, Paul instructed the con-gregation to accept people of all nations into the early church. He reminds us that Jesus welcomed all to his table - the rich and the poor, the healthy and the sick, the neighbor and the foreigner. Nativity's Greeters Ministry strives to offer a warm, friendly and helpful welcome to all that come here seeking God's love. By mak-ing room at our table for all newcomers, we enrich the lives of all church members, and increase our understanding and love of all God's people. Please consider giving of your time and talents to this vital minis-try. This is an excellent ministry for newer church members. We need help not only greeting newcomers, but also producing publica-tions, updating our web site, maintaining a visitor tracking data-base, and distributing newcomer gifts. To be part of this important ministry, please join us for an infor-mal dinner at Nativity: When: Tuesday, March 1 at 7 pm Where: Corlett Hall in Estill House RSVP: Contact Kari Marotta at [email protected] or 424-7714 by Sunday, February 27 Feel free to contact me, Geyer Longenecker, at [email protected] or 271-9795 if you have any questions or comments. Thank you!