pohick post, june 2015

POHICK POST

Let your light so shine (Matt. 5:16)

Pohick Episcopal Church9301 Richmond Highway Lorton, VA 22079Telephone: 703-339-6572 Fax: 703-339-9884

JUNE 2015From The RectorThe ReverendDonald D. Binder, PhD

Continued on page 2

At our annual parish meeting back in January, I reported to the congregation that Pohick Church was in the process of receiving two large parishioner bequests, one from the estate of Robert Kilmarx (pre-deceased by his wife Bunny) and one from that of Norma Tomley (predeceased by her husband Roy Av-ery). Together, these gifts - now mostly in hand - total approximately $250,000. The major task for the Vestry at its January re-treat was to designate the purposes for which these bequests would be used. As reported to the congre-gation in a forum held shortly after that retreat, the consensus of the Vestry (later affirmed by a formal vote) was to allocate $200,000 for the repair, upkeep and improvement of our aging physical plant, with the remaining $50,000 to go toward the establishment of a fund to underwrite grants in pursuit of Let Your Light So Shine initiatives. At my suggestion, these initiatives were initially launched by the Vestry and congregation in January of 2013 in order to: better serve the community and the world in the name of Christ, and more actively attract members of that same community to join in Pohicks larger Christian mission. Over the past few months, the Vestry has approved an application process for this fund and established a recommendatory Grant Committee consisting of the Rector (chair), Wardens, Treasurer, and Mission

and Outreach Commission Chair and Co-chair. They in turn developed an application form that has been given to the parish staff and commission chairs for the consideration of the committees, groups, and guilds under them. However, any Pohick Church commu-nicant in good standing can apply for one of these grants. Heres how it works. Suppose you or a committee or a Pohick-associated group has an idea for an initia-tive that would minister to the community and the world, and/or welcome members of our surrounding community to join in our larger ministry efforts. But theres one problem: the proposed initiative has some start-up costs. You could then request from the parish secretary a Let Your Light So Shine grant application form at any point in the year. This will require you to sub-mit what we might call a ministry plan, a series of statements that set out the initiatives ministerial goals and how they will be achieved - much like the secular worlds business plan, although here we are seeking a spiritual return rather than a financial one. A budget with supporting cost documentation is also required as a lead-up to the specific grant request, which is limited to a one-time award of no more than $2,000, though exceptions can be made in extraordi-nary cases. Upon receipt of the application, the Grant Committee will review it and potentially have the applicant respond to questions. The Committee will then make a recommendation to the Vestry, which then has the final authority to accept, modify, or re-

Pohick Episcopal ChurchPage 2 June 2015

From the Rector: continued from page 1Christian EduCationFrances Sessums, Director of Christian Education

It has been a wonderful Church School year. A hearty thanks to all of the teachers, staff, substitutes, and aides who have made this year such a success! The volunteers have been so generous with their time and talents. The students have all been very blessed to have worked with such wonderful people. Thanks also to all of the outstanding children and youth of the parish who have participated in the Church School this year. It has been such a joy for everyone to work with this great group of kids this year! During summer, the preschool through rising sec-ond graders will meet together in classrooms C and D for Summer Bible Storytelling Time. This will be in lieu of Childrens Chapel and Childrens Church. Par-ents should drop off their children between 9:50 am and 10:00 am on Sunday morning. Following story time, the children will join their parents in the church during the Peace. Any questions should be directed to Frances Sessums at 703-425-2857.

VaCation BiBlE sChool Pohicks annual Vacation Church School will be held July 13 through July 17 from 9:00 am to 12:00 noon. The theme is Gospel Lights SonSpark Labs. This promises to be a week of fun and ad-venture. Please mark the cal-endar and plan on attending! There will be classes for three year olds through fifth grade students. The 6th through 12th grade students are encouraged to volunteer as teacher assistants. Many volunteers are needed! There are openings as lead teachers, assistant teachers, craft assistants, recreation assistants, snack assistants, nursery leader, and assistants. If anyone is interested in knowing more about the program please call Frances Sessums at 703-425-2857.

ject the recommendation. Their decision will then be communicated to the applicant. For grants that are approved, the Treasurer will disburse the authorized monies to the appropriate contractor or reimburse the applicant after the appropriate receipts have been pre-sented. Here we might pause to ask: exactly what kinds of ministry ideas does the Vestry have in mind? Since the launch of the Let Your Light So Shine initiatives began more than two years ago, most of the ideas we have implemented have principally involved volunteer time, with little or no initial cost. Among others, these have included the publication of the weekly Tidings, the sponsoring of a Boy Scout troop, and the establishment of the Agape Works ministry. Other ideas that have not been implemented, in part because of associated costs, include: the inclusion of church brochures in the welcome packet given to military families through Belvoir Army Community Services, the addition of both permanent informa-tional signage and temporary banner signs for church events, and outreach to the Wounded Warrior pro-gram at the newly completed Belvoir Community Hospital. But these are just the tip of the iceberg in terms of ministerial possibilities. We hope that the establish-ment of this new fund will inspire many more creative ideas - ones that now are not quickly discarded be-cause of concerns about start-up costs. And so I would ask you to be prayerful about these, and to discuss any that you deem worthy with fellow parishioners - as well as with me and other members of the Vestry. If support is there, develop a ministry plan. Should any costs be involved, file a Let Your Light So Shine application. We look forward to reading your proposals.

The July and August 2015 issues of thePohick Post will be combined into one newsletter.

On June 15, please submit all articles that would usually appear in the July AND August Pohick Post. Thanks very much for the cooperation! Forward articles by email in Word compatible format to Lori Buckius, [email protected]. Items for the Sunday Service Volunteers page should be addressed to Carmel Hodge, [email protected].

COMBINED ISSUES!

Pohick Episcopal Church June 2015 Page 3

From The Assistant RectorThe ReverendDr. Ruth E. Correll, Ed.D.

thoughts fromthE 2015 PohiCk Pilgrims

At the Post deadline, the Pilgrims are only one-third through our pil-grimage hosted and lead by faculty at St. Georges College, Jerusalem. All of us anticipate many more experiences in the coming week and a half. Stay tuned. Its not too early to start planning for your pilgrimage! On Monday, May 11, seven Pohick Pilgrims gathered at St. Georges College, Jerusalem, with about 30 other people from across the USA as well as Australia, Canada, and Great Britain. Our youngest pilgrim followed in Dan-iel Cencis footsteps by winning a trip to the Holy Land awarded to an outstanding graduating senior at VTS. He also attended Kenn Katonas ordination. The senior pil-grims, without mentioning any names in particular, are also Pohickians. Nine other pilgrims are from northern Virginia, and we are already thinking about reunions to come. Although the majority are active Episcopalians, we also include members of other Christian churches running the spectrum from two headmasters of Roman Catholic schools to active laity from free churches. The first morning a superb lecture broadened our un-derstanding of how a pilgrimage differs from a vacation. We heard about biblical and other historical references to this expression of faith in the Christian life. We were pre-pared to meet Gods presence in profound ways as well as to face disappointments in our expectations. Pilgrims are frequently going into or through transitions, discovery, healing, and adventure. During a pilgrimage, we remem-ber past events and look for Gods direction in new ways. It need not be a physical journey but is always an inner journey to new insights and sanctification. No two indi-viduals will experience identical pilgrimages, and that is very true of our Pohickians. On Saturday, May 16, the fifth day of our pilgrim-age, here are some thoughts from people you know. Ar-riving early, Nancy Sage headed for the Wailing Wall and found it an unforgettable cultural experience. A long-time people observer, she picked up quickly the underlying ten-sions in the faces of people. There is little laughter on the streets; smiles dont come easily; life is uncertain here in ways we can hardly comprehend. Here a merely cerebral faith must wrestle with the political, social, and religious realities in this land. Here Jesus becomes a real man who

attended to the poor and challenged the rich. Pilgrims often have a desire to study Scripture through their pilgrimage. Adeko Evans pointed out that here she has realized the tremendous difference between reading the Bible and being where the stories of the Bible took place. Her husband, Ken Evans, noted an important contrast in emphasis between the Jesus story of his life, death, and resurrection memorialized in The Church of the Nativity and The Church of the Holy Sepulchre versus the emphasis on Jesus preaching, teaching, and miracles that frequently dominate sermons and church education. For Reed Heddleston, our Senior Warden who was raised in the Baptist church, the New Testament will never be the same again. He struggled for words to describe how physically touching the sacred places he has known about since childhood deepens his faith. He finally settled on crystalized, a solid word that sparkles with reflected light and colors. His wife, Carol Heddleston, spoke of living the Scriptures through our stop in the vast landscape of the wilderness that stretches mile after barren mile. These are not gently rolling hills but dangerously rugged mountains with cliffs, landslides, and multitudes of cave. As a nurse, she noted that thirst, dryness, heat, and dust would affect anyone attempting to walk on rocky ground covered with prickly scrub. How difficult it must have been for even Jesus to resist temptation in this arid and unfriendly envi-ronment. Our visit to Masada struck Ken Evans, a consultant for the military, quite differently than myself. I watch Jesus weeping over Jerusalem, How often would I have gath-ered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not! See, your house is left to you desolate. [Mt. 23:37b-38 ESV] Every time I read Jesus last words to women who wept for him, the specter of Masada will loom up in my mind. Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and your children. [Lk. 23:29 ESV] Lord Jesus, help me to heed your loving warnings. Jackie Wells found the crowded and commercialized Dead Sea visit disappointing, and she wondered what Je-sus would say if he returned in person to see the barbed wire fences that separate Israeli and Palestinian land. On the other hand, she anointed the stones where Jesus walked on the way to Calvary with an oil saturated cloth. This act of devotion touched her emotionally in ways hard to describe in words. She summed up what all of us are thinking: This is a life changing experience. We will never be the same again.


What can a church kitchen teach us about steward-ship? The answer is: more than you might think. First, just what is a church kitchen? Is it sterile space where meals are prepared and where trained professionals ply their craft? No. Its really more like your home kitchen when youre having folks over. Its a center for gathering. It is a place where a surprising amount of church business is carried out. It is a place where dedi-cated volunteers - faithful stewards of Christs church - prepare for coffee hour, or for Lenten suppers, or for Brotherhood breakfasts, or for luncheons or teas. Its a place where lids are sanitized for apple butter canning. And dont forget the hundreds of small acts of stew-ardship that center around the kitchen - people taking used dish towels home to wash them, people dropping off supplies with no thought of reimbursement, peo-ple taking out the trash because it needed to be done. In short, it is one of any thriving churchs centers of stewardship. You want to know how well stewardship is working in a church? Check the kitchen! An even higher level of stewardship has recently been set in motion in Pohicks kitchen. Initial esti-mates of this renovation were well north of $100,000 - a daunting figure. Then faithful stewards of Christs church at Pohick intervened. Volunteers have cleaned, repaired and repainted the pantry and were about to start a major renovation of the main kitchen and dish-washer room. Immediately after the end of Vacation Bible School, volunteers will begin to move everything out of the kitchen and to tear out all the current wood cabinets. These stewards, giving of their time and tal-ent will not only make the kitchen a more pleasant place, they will save Pohick a significant amount of money. Of course volunteers cant do everything and in May alone, over $17,000 was contributed by Po-hicks faithful stewards toward a much reduced total cost slightly shy of $70,000. The church kitchen is stewardship at work. Thank you to all the stewards already helping and for those of you looking for a way to contribute - time, talent, or treasure, heres a great opportunity. Heres a recent Perspectives piece that seems apropos:

STEWARDSHIP PERSPECTIVESI am the true vine and my father is the

vine growerI am the vine, you are the branches.

Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing.

( John 15: 1-4)

With Reverend Corrells kind permission, we have taken the liberty to use her excellent sermon of May 3rd as the springboard for this weeks Perspectives. Borrowing from Bruce Wilkinsons Secrets of the Vine, Ruth walked us through the life of the grape vine Je-sus so often used to explain his parables. Jesus says he is the vine and we are the branches. Lets see if we agree. The grape vines branches, like us, are capable of producing fruit that has both great value and pleasing aesthetics. Like us, the grape branches go through pe-riods of dormancy and periods of growth. Like us, the branches of the grape vine must be carefully pruned and nurtured by the vine grower. Like us, without abiding in connection with the vine, the branches will become wild and fail to produce healthy fruit. Our individual journeys of faith are also much like the life phases of the grape branch. There are times of training and growth. There are times when we pro-duce fruit to the glory of God. And there are times of dormancy when we rest from our labors and gather our strength to proceed. Through all these times, God (the vine grower) nurtures and tends to us through scripture, teaching, and abiding comfort. Often He accomplishes this nurturing through His vine - the church - the body of Christ in the world today. Stewardship is about allowing God to tend to us and, through us, to tend to other of His branches - nurturing, teaching, and providing comfort. We have recently talked about teaching. Over the next several weeks, we will look at some of the ways we exercise stewardship at Pohick to nurture and provide comfort. Before we close, lets return to the cycles of our lives. There are times in our cycles when we are dor-mant and need to receive nurturing more than provide nurturing. There are times when all our energy is go-ing toward producing fruit (recall our previous discus-sions on bring up our children). Remember that God, through His church, is there for you in the times of dormancy and growth. And when the time comes for you to produce fruit, we ask that you also be there for your church.

stEwardshiP CornEr stEwardshiP and thE ChurCh kitChEn


POHICK CHURCH ANNUAL PARISH RETREAT Shrine Mont, Virginia

Dates: June 26 - 28, 2015, from Friday dinner (5:30 pm) through Sunday lunch (12:30 pm)

Sign-up Deadline: Sunday, June 14, 2015

Shrine Mont Overview: It is that time again for fellowship, and physical, mental, and spiritual renewal at Shrine Mont in the beautiful mountains of Virginia! Shrine Mont, located in Orkney Springs, 13 miles west of Mt. Jackson, Virginia, is a conference center managed by the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia. Shrine Mont consists of 1,100 acres of forest land featuring trails, lakes, hills, and streams at the edge of George Washington National Forest, which is a stones throw from the West Virginia state line. The centerpiece of Shrine Mont is an unusual open air stone chapel, the Cathedral Shrine of the Transfiguration, from which Shrine Mont takes its name. Campers, conferees, and guests worship at this beautiful shrine regularly.

Fees: The cost is $158 for adults (ages 13 and over), $53 for children (ages 4-12), and free for children under four. If a crib is required, there is a $6 fee for the weekend. Babysitting during adult sessions is available for an additional $10. Please note that these costs should not prohibit anyone from attending the retreat. Anyone needing financial assistance should contact the Rev-erend Don Binder at 703-339-6572. Fees are firm for the weekend, even for late arrivals. If arriving late, one can usually get dinner until 6:30 pm.

Pohick ChurchAnnual Retreat

June 26-28, 2015

Babysitting Service: For parents with children, there will be a super program for young people as well as a babysitting ser-vice ($10), so parents can attend activities. Babysitters will be available only during adult study sessions.

What to Bring: While breakfast, lunch, and dinner are provided, bring snacks and a favorite beverages for evening fel-lowship time together at the Gathering Place. Also, consider bringing a flashlight, Bible, jacket or sweater, fan, and other personal items. There is no air conditioning in the cottages, however, most rooms have electric fans.

Study: There are three scheduled occasions to study, and Rev. Binder/Correll put together a new program each year. These sessions provide a great opportunity to get to know the clergy and fellow parishioners. Please note that Shrine Mont expects parents to be responsible for the actions of their children, especially during the periods between the three planned sessions.

2015 POHICK CHURCH RETREAT SHRINE MONT APPLICATION

Name(s)___________________________________________________________________________________________

Address:___________________________________________________________________________________________

Email:______________________________________________________ Tel:___________________________________

_____ Adults ($158 each) _____ Children (4-12, $53 each)

_____ Young Children (3 and under, free) _____ Cribs required ($6 each) _____ Babysitting ($10)

Total enclosed: $_____________

Enclose a check payable to Pohick Church, and mark Shrine Mont in the memo section. For more information, call the Parish Office at 703-339-6572.

REGISTRATION DEADLINE SUNDAY, JUNE 14, 2015

Shrine MontCAMP & CONFERENCE CENTER

Pohick Episcopal Church

2015 POHICK CHURCH RETREAT SHRINE MONT APPLICATIONActivities and Options: Indicate particular activities of interest.

Tom or Susan Mayberry, 434-481-3575, will keep track of others expressing an interest in all options.

_____ Swimming _____ Basketball _____ Volleyball _____ Shuffleboard

_____ Tennis _____ Sleeping _____ Fishing _____ Mountain Climbing _____ Golf _____ Hiking _____ Eating _____ Bridge/other card games

_____ Horseshoes _____ Shopping _____ Antiquing _____ Porching

_____ Other

Friday, June 26 Afternoon arrival 5:30 pm Dinner 7:30 - 8:30 pm Orientation in Art Hall 8:30 pm Compline 9:00 pm until The Gathering Place

Saturday, June 27 7:30 am Morning Prayer in Art Hall 8:00 am Breakfast 9:00-10:30 am Session I, Group Photo at Shrine 10:30-12:30 pm Open/Activities 12:30 pm Lunch 1:00-4:30 pm Open/Activities 4:30-5:30 pm The Gathering Place 5:30 pm Dinner 7:00-8:00 pm Session II in Art Hall 8:00 pm Evening Prayer at the Shrine 9:00 pm until The Gathering Place

Sunday, June 28 8:00 am Breakfast 9:00-10:30 am Session III in Art Hall 10:45 am Holy Eucharist at the Shrine 12:30 pm Lunch 1:30-4:00 pm Open/Depart

Directions to Shrine Mont: From Pohick Church, take I-66 west to I-81 south. Exit 273 at Mt. Jackson. Turn left on Mt. Jackson Road (Cty 292). Turn right on US 11 (traffic light). Turn right on to State Route 263 to Orkney Springs and Shrine Mont. The trip takes about two hours from Pohick.

2015 POHICK CHURCH PARISH RETREATShrine Mont, Orkney Springs, Virginia

Shrine Mont is located 1 hour south of Winchester or 1 hour north of Harrisonburg, and approximately 2 1/2 hours from the Washington, DC and Richmond metro areas. To reach Shrine Mont follow I-81 to Mt. Jackson (Exit #273). Turn left from DC or right from Richmond onto Rt. 703 (east), then right (south) on US 11, follow through town, turn right on Rt. 263 and follow approximately 15 miles to Orkney Springs.

Shrine Mont

Retreat Center

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IT IS NECESSARY FOR THE DAILY SESSIONS TO BEGIN PROMPTLY AT 9:00 am.

To help the Christian Education budget,a donation of $25.00 per family would be most appreciated.

Directions: Please fill out a separate form for each child attending.

Childs Name ______________________________________________________________________________

Address ___________________________________________________________________________________ (street) (city) (zip)

Telephone _____________________________________ Date of Birth ________________________________

*School Grade completed in June of 2015 ________________________________________________________

Parents Names _____________________________________________________________________________

Medical Information (eg food allergies, etc.) ______________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

PLEASE CHECK WHERE APPROPRIATE:_____ I can stay and help if needed. _____ We would like to carpool, if possible._____ My child would like to come, but will need a ride. _____ I can provide a ride for _____ child(ren).

Please return this form to the Church office, either in person or by mail.(over)

To be held at:Pohick Episcopal Church 9301 Richmond Highway Lorton, Virginia 22079

For chidren age 3 (only if potty-trained) through Grade 5*Monday - Friday 9:00 am - 12:00 noon

REGISTRATION FORM

PohickEpiscopal ChurchVaCation

BiBlE sChoolJuly 13 - 17, 2015


POHICK EPISCOPAL CHURCH

VaCation BiBlE sChoolPERMISSION FOR EMERGENCY CARE

Name of Child _____________________________________________________________________________

Date of Birth _____________________________________________________________________________

Name of Parent/Guardian ____________________________________________________________________

Address ___________________________________________________________________________________

Telephone _________________________________________________________________________________

THE CHURCH HAS MY PERMISSION TO CALL ANOTHER PHYSICIAN IN ANEMERGENCY WHEN FAMILY PHYSICIAN OR I CANNOT BE CONTACTED.

Name of Family Physician _____________________________________________________________________

Telephone _________________________________________________________________________________

IS YOUR CHILD:ALLERGIC TO MEDICATION? ____________________________________________________________

IF SO, WHICH ___________________________________________________________________________

ANY OTHER ALLERGIES - SUCH AS BEE STINGS _________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

UNDER PHYSICIANS CARE? _________________

UNDER MEDICATION NOW? _________________

THE CHURCH HAS MY PERMISSION, IN AN EMERGENCY WHEN I (OR MY PHYSICIAN) CANNOT BE CONTACTED, TO TAKE MY CHILD TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM OF THE NEAREST HOSPITAL AND ITS MEDICAL STAFF HAVE MY AUTHORIZATION TO PROVIDE TREATMENT WHICH A PHY-SICIAN DEEMS NECESSARY FOR THE WELL-BEING OF MY CHILD.

NOTE: By law a parent cannot consent in advance to any and all manner of emergency care. It is understandable that in cases, other than the need for immediate emergency treat-ment, the attending physician may defer treatment pending the parents permission to ad-minister professional service.

_____________________________________________________________(Parent/Guardian signature)

_____________________________________________________________(Date)


eens in focus Last month, the EYC teens went on their annual spring retreat to Harrisonburg, VA. The theme of the weekend was Ask me who I am? - I am a Coura-geous, Confident Christian Three areas of study were explored - Praising God, ourselves and each other, how to live a Courageous life, and where do to get the Confidence to live out a personal calling. Why is it important for a teen to spend time on a retreat? Numerous times in Jesus ministry he went out by himself, or with the Apostles, to spend time resting and recharging. Teens need this time as well. The teen life is full of changes, decisions and forces pulling them in multiple directions. The Holy Spirit can get lost in the teenagers day to day requirements of homework, sports, food, family, food! The time away gives them a chance to regroup, play, rest and hear about the spiritual journeys of their friends and other adults. It allows their faith community to affirm and support them and for them to be able to receive it in a safe place. Fellowship, prayer, food, study and fun are all im-portant parts of an EYC retreat. Teens are allowed the opportunity to try new things, to reflect on their spiritual life and to find ways that they can impact others in their daily life. Change does happen! Teens return with a better understanding of themselves, their friends, and ways Christ interacts with them continuously. So next spring, when it is time to decide whether to go on the retreat - take a chance. The deci-sion could be life changing!

musiC notEsLinda Egan, Minister of Music

The Sounds of Pohick annual free concertis Saturday, June 6, 2015, at 4:00 pm.

Youll hear the Choir of Pohick, the Pohick Bell Choir, the Pohick Pickers, the Early Church Music Ensemble, the St. Francis Choir and the St. Cecelia St. Alban Choir. Youll hear music by composers who wrote throughout the whole history of the church, right up to the present. Youll hear the voices of children, teenagers and adults. Youll hear handbells, guitars, organ, piano and percussion. Youll hear lots of good music, including rousers and quiet meditations, remembrances and celebra-tions, made by lots of good musicians. Youll help make music by singing hymns with all these good musicians. Afterward come to the Common Room to cele-brate with the music makers at a reception. Its a great way to spend the end of a June afternoon. Do bring your family and friends; dont miss it! To prepare for the concert we will hold a final re-hearsal on Thursday, June 4, 2015, in the church. All musical groups will rehearse that evening:6-6:30 St Francis Choir6:30-7:15 St. Cecelia St. Alban Choir7-8 Pohick Bell Choir8-8:15 Early Church Music Ensemble8:10-9 Choir of Pohick8:45-9:30 Pohick Pickers Please bring all music and instruments needed; arrive ahead to set up and be ready to rehearse at the stated times. Thanks!

donations for guEst musiCiansFrom time to time there are ad-ditional needs associated with the music program. Donationsare welcome; checks should be made to Pohick Church with Music Fund noted on the check. Thank you!

Music schedule June 2015Sunday, June 7 Second Sunday after Pentecost10:00 am Youth Sunday, St. Cecelia St. Alban ChoirSunday, June 14 Third Sunday after Pentecost10:00 am Bishop Goff s visit, Choir of PohickSunday, June 21 Fourth Sunday after Pentecost10:00 am Fathers Day, Women of the Choir of PohickSunday, June 28 Fifth Sunday after Pentecost10:00 am Soloist


uPdatE on issuEs in thE angliCan CommunionDon Brownlee, Co-chair, Policy and Planning Commission

This monthly report is part of the Vestrys ongoing effort to in-form and update the Parish about the ongoing controversies within The Episcopal Church (TEC) and the Anglican Communion. These controversies largely involve the blessing of same-sex unions, ordi-nation of non-celibate homosexuals, interpretation of Scripture, and breakdown of traditional boundary lines between Provinces. Four bishops have been selected as nominees to be the next presiding bishop of The Episcopal Church. They are: The Rt. Rev. Thomas Breidenthal, bishop of Southern Ohio; The Rt. Rev. Michael Curry, bishop of North Carolina; The Rt. Rev. Ian Douglas, bishop of Connecticut; and The Rt. Rev. Dabney Smith, bishop of Southwest Florida. The nominating committee said it looked for candidates who possessed: An evangelists heart Love of people, with vibrant relational skills Collaborative leadership skills Knowledge of and experience in The Episcopal Church Ability to further dioceses and congregations Ability to inspire growth and lead through change Bp. Breidenthal has served as bishop of Southern Ohio since 2007. He believes a new spirit is rising in TEC and the time is ripe to lay hold of it, and listed four areas that he believes deserve the next presiding bishops steady at-tention -- encouraging conversations about faith, building ecumenical relations, encountering the unchurched, and looking after for one another. Bp. Curry has served as bishop of North Carolina since 2000. He prays and dreams of an Episcopal Church focused on follow-

ing the way of Jesus of Nazareth, courageous-ly committed to being a part of the 21st-cen-tury Jesus movement in the world. Such a church he believes, will live together deeply as a community of baptized disciplesbe a truly catholic community whose love and embrace, whose inclusion and welcome will be as far and as wide as the outstretched arms

of Jesus on the crossreflect the faces of all the peoples of the countries and cultures in which The Episcopal Church is found more than just diverse, it will be different. And in that difference it will be a witness to Gods dream of the beloved community on earth. It will see itself less as an institution and more a part of the Jesus movement following the risen Christ in the direction of Gods dream. Bp. Douglas is the newest of the four to the episcopate, having been consecrated as bishop of Connecticut in 2010. But he has the most experience of any of the candidates with the greater Anglican Communion, having served as The Episcopal Churchs represen-tative to the Anglican Consultative Council, and a member of the Standing Committee of the Anglican Communion, since 2009. He helped plan the 2008 Lambeth Conference.

He believes the world be different nine years from now (the end of the next presiding bishops term) if every Episcopalian embodied and acted upon our baptismal vocation to participate in Gods mission of restoration and reconciliation, individually and together as the Body of Christ. In order to do this we need lay and ordained leaders shaped by Gods mission in Jesus and em-powered by the Holy Spirit. This requires a radical reorientation of The Episcopal Church at every level. We can no longer afford to be preoccupied with ourselves and our church structures and institutions. Instead we need to discover and join what God is up to in the world. Engaging the Good News of God in our neigh-borhoods will free us from our church-centered concerns and will give us new life. Like Bp. Breidenthal, Bp. Smith has served as bishop of the diocese of Southwest Florida since 2007. The son and grandson of priests, if elected presiding bishop he would seek to build a high level of trust within the churchs overlapping structures, as well as the wide variety of opinions and concerns contained within. Ive learned that my abil-ity to lead is dependent on the ability to draw people together to follow a common vision. For me, this ability requires deep listening, prayer, pleasure in being with diverse groups of people, the capacity to help discern and ar-ticulate purpose and vision, delegation of re-sponsibility, enthusiasm, and being a catalyst for Gods joy in life. We also need to rekindle trust among the people in our congrega-tions, teaching that our governance is not issue driven, but Gospel driven in which issues can be faced a needed effort for the long term health of the church. To help build this trust, I would hope to spend proportionally more time in the Episcopal Church. I would share encouragement across the church to celebrate the multiple ways that God has resourced us to be involved in loving mission to the world. I want the Episcopal Church to be growing in num-bers, faith communities, young ordinands, spiritual depth, and joy. This is an exciting time to be in our church. (The quotations above are from information provided online by the nominating committee. Additional information about the nominees and their backgrounds can be found on its website.) Their names will officially be placed in nomination at the General Convention in late June. The House of Bishops will elect one of the four as the next presiding bishop, subject to confirma-tion of the choice by the House of Deputies (made up of priests and lay people). The newly-elected presiding bishop will be in-stalled in a service at the National Cathedral in the fall, and begin his nine-year term on November 1st. Bp. Shannon had been one of those initially nominated, but withdrew from consideration.

* * * A controversy over baptism in the diocese of Central Florida spread quickly on the Internet in May, and quickly became a wide-ranging Internet debate over our theology of baptism. It began when two married gay men who attend the Epis-copal Cathedral of St. Luke in Orlando arranged for their infant


son Jack to be baptized. Shortly before the service, the dean of the cathedral asked or suggested that the baptism be delayed. One of the fathers posted a statement about it on Facebook; the matter was quickly taken up and spread by those advocating full inclusion of gays and lesbians in the life of the church. The question became: Do we judge the relative fitness (in our eyes) of the parents and sponsors when determining whether an infant should be baptized? Those who said yes, we should look at the parents, argued, Baptism is a covenant ordinance and clearly the two homosexu-als concerned are in contravention of a covenant relationship with God, and have also tainted his covenant of marriage. They are dis-qualified on every count and the baptism would be a blasphemy, a sinful application of the rite, and a repudiation of the gospel of holiness... Concern for a child may be legitimately expressed in prayer and the infant certainly needs that. Baptism in this instant would not simply be invalid but an insult to God and an offense to his people. And The whole lifestyle of these men are a blasphemy when they pretend their sexual relations are not sinful and when they assert that it will not harm the child in any way. To get the Church involved deepens the blasphemy. But a prominent conservative bishop, Bp. Dan Martins of Springfield Ill, disagreed. It serves no worthy end to withhold that grace from an in-nocent child when it is being requested by those responsible for his care. As for the ability of those presenting him to renounce sin, follow Jesus as Lord, and be faithful to the teaching and fel-lowship of the apostles, my suspicion is that they would be mak-ing those promises with uncrossed fingers and a clear conscience. One might surely question the conclusions to which their moral reasoning has led them, but if they have come to that place in good faith, they should receive the benefit of the doubt. There is certainly nothing to be gained by peremptorily turning them away for the sake of theological purity, and potentially much to be lost. I would baptize the child. After a week of these online discussions, the diocesan bishop met with the parents. Like Bp. Martins, Bp. Greg Brewer is one of the most theologically conservative bishops remaining in The Episcopal Church. After their meeting, he said the baptism should go forward, and that he had offered to participate in it. In a pastoral letter, Bp. Brewer said: When I am considering who should be baptized, my preem-inent concern is for the one being presented for baptism. Which would be better for the child: to be baptized into the Christian community or to grow up in a secular household devoid of the both the grace of Christ and bonds of a Christian community? Some will say that it is impossible for gay couples to fully assent to the baptismal covenant, especially the question do you renounce all sinful desires that draw you from the love of God? I wrestle with that as well. But I also know that the baptismal cov-enant is written in language so demanding that I am still discover-ing places in my life where I live below its demands I know that for some, saying yes to this baptism feels like

Update on Issues in the Anglican Communion,continued from page 10

nothing more than pastoral logic, particularly when one starts with the spiritual needs of the child.. For others it feels like a be-trayal of the Gospel and a capitulation on my part in my opposition to gay marriage in the church. Please know, for those on both sides of the gay marriage issue, that I have not changed- at all- my opposition to the churchs recognition of gay marriage as Holy Matrimony. I still believe, strongly, that civil gay unions do not conform to the Biblical definition of Holy Matrimony nor do they conform to the definition of Holy Matrimony found in our Book of Com-mon Prayer. Given our own brokenness as a people, it seems to me that none of us has the right to cast the first stone. We all live below the demands that both the baptismal covenant and the Scriptures ask of us, and many times consciously. ..Who is deserving or un-deserving? For example, in Scripture there are far stronger and explicit objections to multiple divorces and remarriages than there is to a monogamous gay union. Are you willing to say No to the baptism of children from a couple that have in their history mul-tiple divorces? If not, why are you willing to give such heterosexual relations a pass, but condemn civilly married gay Christians? Who actually qualifies? In other words, we are all broken and sinful people who are deeply in need of the mercy of Christ. There is a child in need of the grace of Christ. There are parents who are committed to rais-ing their son as a Christian. There is a congregation that is willing to accept their baptismal responsibilities. It is for this, that I am saying Yes to the baptism of this child. Elsewhere: Heather Cook, the suffragan bishop of Maryland who was arrested on drunk driving charges after a fatal accident, has ac-cepted a sentence of deposition from the Presiding Bishop. She has been removed as a priest and bishop (commonly called de-frocked), and resigned her position with the diocese of Maryland. The agreement ends the ecclesiastical proceedings against her without a trial. She is awaiting trial on the civil charges stemming from the accident. A week later, the diocese authorized appointment of an as-sistant bishop, and Bp. Eugene Sutton named retired Bp. Chilton Knudsen to the new position. Her background is significant in light of former Bp. Cooks issues: Bp. Knudsen acknowledges her-self to be a recovering alcoholic. Bp. Sutton said: Bishop Knudsen is well known throughout the Episcopal Church as a leader and an expert in addiction and recovery with clergy and congregations. Her depth of knowledge and experience will benefit the Diocese of Maryland as we continue to learn more about this issue. Our plan and prayer is to be the mission focused diocese we aspire to be and Bishop Knudsen brings gifts that will help us..

It is important to remember that despite all these controversies, the work of the Church - globally, nationally, and locally - goes on. The Stewardship Commission continues to re-mind us of the ways Pohick carries out that work, and spread the good News. Pohick continues to be the only Bible some people will ever read. Through youth mission trips, food donations to LCAC, donations of school supplies and backpacks, the Gunston School tutoring program, and the Community of Hope we continue to leak the love of God to those in need.


PohiCk ChurChPiCtorial dirECtory

Lifetouch, the company that purchased Olan Mills, is scheduled to take photographs at Pohick on August 7 and 8 as well as September 15, 16, and 17 in preparation for a new Church Direc-tory. Please mark these dates on the calendar and plan to participate. The goal is to have the book completed by Christmas.

christMas Mart Jewelry tableSpring often means spring cleaning. Be aware

of any jewelry that is no longer worn, and please donate it for the Christmas Mart Jewelry Table. Profits from the Jewel-ry Table have been very substantial for the past few years, thanks to all the donations received.

Jewelry in any con-dition is useful. Broken jewelry is either mend-ed or put in bags and sold to crafters. These bags are among the first items sold. Jewelry can be left in the Church Office, or call Cammie Liddle at 703-971-7548.

DONT FORGET!Sunday service timeschange on June 7!Please attend the

8:00 am or10:00 am service.

PohiCk history rEfrEshEr Begin the summer with a Pohick Church history refresher! Join new trainees and fellow Historic Po-hick Church Docent Guild Members in a morning of Pohick history training. The Docent Guild will hold a Short Training Session on Saturday, June 13. The training will feature explanations of the Guilds ac-tivities by Guild members; videotaped Pohick Church history lectures by Father Don Binder, and a demon-stration tour of the Church. Coffee and treats are in-cluded. Held in the Parish House Annex, the session begins at 9:30 am and finishes at 12:30 pm. There is no fee for the session, however, a $5 fee will include a manual. RSVP to Fred Crawford at [email protected] or at 703-680-1664. Checks for manuals can be made payable to the Pohick Church Docent Guild and sent to Susan Costa in the Church Office.

martha guildMartha GuildWine Tasting

The Martha Guild would like to express its appreciation to EVERY-ONE that supported the Second Annual Wine Tasting - whether it was

by attending the event and/or buying chances on the specialty baskets. Because of generous support, the Martha Guild was able to con-tribute $2,000 to the Kitchen Renovation Project.

A special thanks to Carol and Reed Hed-dleston for being gracious hosts. Congratu-lations to the winners of the baskets: Alan Mayberry, Jan Buckius, Terri Hayes, Jud and Nancy Bireley, Tom Bland, Pam Hogg, Mo Faber, Alex Cutler, McKenna (Alexs fianc), and a friend of the Heddlestons. Thanks to ev-eryone for the support!

The Martha Guild will enjoy a night out for dinner on June 3 at the Pane e Vino Res-taurant, 9020 Lorton Station Boulevard, Lor-ton. All Women of the Church are cordially invited to attend. Diners should meet at the restaurant at 6:30 pm.

For those wishing to attend, please notify Connie Myers by phone at 703-455-4652 or by email at [email protected] by June 1 so reservations can be confirmed.


Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday SaturdayMAY 31 JUNE 1 2 3 4 5 6

Trinity Sunday7:45a HE I9a HE II10:15a Christian Ed11:15a HE I5p Confirmation Class6p EYC Family Picnic

6p Marriage Course7p EFM

9:30a Staff Mtg 2p HE, the Fairfax6p Martha Dinner7:30p Healing Service

6p Final Re-hearsal7p Boy Scouts8:30p AA

8a Brotherhood of St. Andrew3p Concert warm-up4p Sounds of Pohick

7 8 9 10 11 12 13Youth Sunday

Proper 5b8a HE I10a HE II11a Parish Picnic5p Confirmation class

7p EFM 9:30a Staff Mtg9:30a Ann Ma-son Guild7:30p Vestry

2p HE, the Fairfax6p Youth Choirs Picnic7:30p Healing Service

7p Boy Scouts8:30p AA

8a Brotherhood of St. Andrew9a Docent Short Training

14 15 16 17 18 19 20Bishop Goff s

VisitationProper 6b8a HE I10a Confirmation, Baptism, HE II

7p EFM 9:30a Staff Mtg 2p HE, the Fairfax7:30p Healing Service


8a Brotherhood of St. Andrew

21 22 23 24 25 26 27Fathers Day

Proper 7b8a HE I10a HE II, EFM Graduation

7p EFM 9:30a Staff Mtg 2p HE, the Fairfax6p COH7:30p Healing Service


Shrine Mont Shrine Mont8a Brotherhood of St. Andrew

28 29 30 JULY 1 2 3 4Shrine Mont

Proper 8b8a HE I10a HE II

7p EFM 9:30a Staff Mtg 2p HE, the Fairfax7:30p Healing Service

8:30p AA Independence Day

8a Brotherhood of St. Andrew

Pohick Church ActivitiesJUNE 2015

Contact the Parish Secretary, Susan Hayward-Costa, to list group meetings or events on the calendar, [email protected].

NEW DATE!!Pohick Churchs 70th Annual Country

Fair will be held on September 26, 2015. Anne Derbes is the chair person

assisted by Jeff Parker. Please markthe calendar and plan to participate.

Earlier deadline for September Pohick Post!Articles for the September Pohick Post should be sub-mitted by JULY 15. Forward articles by email in Word compatible format to Lori Buckius, [email protected].

Items for the Sunday Service Volunteers page should be addressed to Carmel Hodge, [email protected].

SEPTEMBER POHICK POST


The Sunday Service Volunteers Schedule is also available at Pohick Churchs website, www.pohick.org, under Ministries.

SUNDAY SERVICE VOLUNTEERS7 JUNE 14 JUNE 21 JUNE 28 JUNE 5 JULY

8:00 Mike VaughnKen Evans

Alan MayberryStew Remaly

Rodger JonesBecky Wagner

Mike VaughnMike Zane

Tony MarsicoAlan Mayberry

10:00 Youth SundayMo FaberJohn Godley

Chris BrownJim FosterJan HoffheinsRick Nelson

Dan DerbesGrant HodgesBill HospRita Smith

Fuzzy ThurstonDave BillingsleyKathy KirklandEdwardene Pitcock

Hank ForesmanBeth AltmanDon CookePaul Walden

7:00 C. Cockroft H. Parker C. Herbert C. Cockroft TBD

12:00 D. Derbes A. Choi R. Heddleston F. Thurston TBD

11:15 Pasour/Remaly Kirkland/Hoffheins M/M Brown Pitcock/Schmid TBD

AM J. WellsN. SageJ. MullinsC. FosterH. ParkerR. StankwitzJ. Geschickter

BJ McPhersonA. Powell, J. SchmidM. TonkinD. TrussellE. PitcockA. MarsicoM. Yezek

BJ McPhersonA. Powell, J. SchmidM. TonkinD. TrussellE. PitcockA. MarsicoM. Yezek

J. SunderlandN. BireleyA. CannonM. HartigC. HeddlestonJ. MacDonaldR. Teale, B. Wagner

J. SunderlandN. BireleyA. CannonM. HartigC. HeddlestonJ. MacDonaldR. Teale, B. Wagner

AM K. Tracy A. Stribling J. Wells M. Bartholomew TBD

8:00 Doug Smith M/M Rodger Jones Stew Remaly Edie Bartlett Rita Stankwitz

10:00 Renee Vaughn M/M Per Kullstam M/M Dan Derbes Schow/Hayword M/M Wayne Biggs

8:00 M/M Evans M/M Evans M/M Altman M/M Altman TBD10:00 Church Picnic Vestry M/M From M/M Edgemon TBD

8:00 D. McHugh J. Wells BJ McPherson M. Bartholomew TBD10:00 TBD TBD TBD TBD TBD

OPEN - UP

LOCK - UP

TELLERS

ALTAR GUILD

FLOWER GUILD

USHERS

GREETERS

COFFEE HOUR

DOCENTS

CONGRATULATIONSTO ALL OF POHICKS GRADUATING

COLLEGE & HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS!BEST WISHES TO ALL!


Kids Korner!

Pohick Church9301 Richmond HighwayLorton, Virginia 22079-1519

Return Service Requested

Non-Profit Org.U.S. Postage

P A I DPermit No. 2Lorton, VA

The Purpose of Pohick Church is to be a nourishing community where Christs love is experienced and taken beyond its walls.

Pohick Church StaffRector:

The R

evd Donald

B

inder, PhD

Assistant: Th

e Revd D

r. Ruth

E

. Correll, E

d.D.

Seminarian: Jam

es Rickenbaker

Minister of Music: L

inda Egan

Director ofChristian Ed:

Frances S

essums

Youth Minister:

Rusty B

oothParish Secretary:

Susan H

ayward-C

ostaFinance Admin:

Mike M

organSexton:

John Sessum

s

Telephone: 703-339-6572 F

ax: 703-339-9884

Church O

ffice E

mail: shcosta@

pohick.org Web S

ite: ww

w.pohick.org

Pohick Church VestrySr. Warden:

Reed H

eddlestonJr. W

arden: C

lint Herbert

Treasurer: John P

asourRegister:

Don BrownleeM

embers: A

manda C

hoi,

Caroline C

ockroft,

Fred C

rawford,

D

an Derbes, H

elen Parker,

E

dwardene P

itcock,

Zach S

mith, F

uzzy Thurston,

R

uss Wyllie

VE

ST

RY

G

RA

M

To: Th

e Vestry

Date: _____________________ S

ubject: _____________________

From

:

pohick post, june 2015

Documents

pohick postlet

shine grant application

application process

recommendatory grant

shine initiatives

repohick episcopal churchpage

pohickassociated group

rector chair