St. Mary the Virgin 2017, Page 1

Thankful Tidings

A Quarterly E-Newsletter of Thankful Memorial Episcopal Church, Chattanooga

Feast of St. Mary the Virgin, 2017

I N S I D E T H I S I S S U E

1 Rector’s Letter

2 Stewardship Discernment Season 2017 &

2017 Stewardship Discernment Schedule

3 The GAP Drive

OMG!

4 Children’s Ministries

Christian Education & Adult Formation

Worship Notes

Thankful’s Seminarian

5 from the Diocese of East Tennessee

We are Thankful (for)

6 Upcoming Events

Bishop’s Visitation

Vestry Notes

Pictures!

Rector’s Letter

The Rev. Leyla King

I know I’m not alone in recognizing the stark contrast between the terrors on the streets of Charlottesville that we all watched in horror last weekend and the palpable hope and unity that lived among those present for Thankful’s recent Ed Johnson Memorial Project Gathering. As I stood at the back of the church for the Gathering, I felt, fittingly, so very thankful for this congregation. Whether all hell is breaking loose in the world around us or whether my own abilities feel stretched to the max, I know that the Thankful community will just keep plugging on, together, often in quiet, subtle ways, furthering Christ’s mission of love for all, supporting each other – and me as your priest – in our own individual ministries to the same end. I am so very grateful for that.

In light of such gratitude, I am introducing a new “column” in our e-newsletter. You’ll find it on page 5 of this edition. “We are Thankful (for)” is meant to serve two purposes: first, as we continue to grow bit by bit as a parish, the Thankful Ones highlighted here will help us get to know members of our Thankful family better and better. And secondly, I want to a place where we can recognize publicly the often-quiet work of so many Thankful Ones who do the details of our mission, who contribute in important ways to our ministries, who make us Thankful. I will admit that choosing just two people to begin this column was a Herculean task – there are so so so many of you Thankful Ones whose ministries I deeply value and admire. But, I plan to highlight each and every one of you in the months ahead. And, if there’s another Thankful One in our community whom you are especially grateful for, please let me know who and why that is and we can include that person in our next newsletter. I know I’m not the only one who finds so many people to be Thankful for!

It is my knowledge of the stalwartness of you Thankful Ones that makes my job so fulfilling. Whether it’s the GAP Drive or our Stewardship season, whether it’s pulling together a gathering for racial reconciliation or welcoming a brand-new baby in our midst, whatever the task or challenge or joy, I know I can trust Thankful Ones to participate in it all with love, compassion and generosity. That’s what makes us Thankful.

continued on page 3

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You are invited to participate in Thankful Memorial’s

How can we be faithful stewards of God’s gifts at Thankful?

“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, and his mercy endures forever” - Psalm 107:1

When: September 17-November 5. See the schedule in the box below.

Who: You! and all of your fellow parishioners at Thankful Memorial.

What: Any kind of discernment is best done in community with one another, and certainly that’s true about how we decide what and how much to give back to God for the purposes of God’s mission at Thankful. Throughout this season, we will each have the opportunity to think about this question in community with other Thankful Ones.

How: First, come to church Sept. 17 for the Ministry Fair and every Sunday during this season as we continue to discern how we move forward in stewardship as individuals and as a community in Christ. Plus, more information will be coming soon about how you can sign up for a Stewardship Gathering hosted by a Stewardship Ministry Team or Vestry member and have some small-group fellowship with Thankful Ones you may not have known well before. Finally, bring your completed 2018 commitment card to the service on November 5 and be a part of the joyful celebration of the mission of God at Thankful!

22001177 SStteewwaarrddsshhiipp DDiisscceerrnnmmeenntt SScchheedduullee Sunday, 9/17: Ministry Fair

We’ll have a potluck after the service and hear about the opportunities for stewardship – both financial and otherwise – at Thankful.

9/18-11/4: Stewardship Discernment Gatherings Members of the Stewardship Ministry Team and a few Vestry folk are hosting gatherings throughout this season so Thankful Ones have a chance to get to know others in our community in small groups. Every Thankful One should get a special invitation from at least one host, but if you don’t receive an invitation in the next few weeks, please let mother Leyla know (thankfulrector@gmail.com) so she can make sure you’re included. If you can’t make the gathering you’ve been invited to, don’t worry! You can sign up for another one that suits your schedule by either, 1) filling in your name on the sign-up sheets in St. Mary’s Parish Hall, 2) emailing the church office (thankfulchurchchatt@gmail.com) with your choice for a gathering date or 3) signing up online. Specific dates and hosts for these gatherings – and the online and in-person sign-ups – will all be available soon!

Sun. 11/5: Thankful Commitment Sunday Bring your 2018 offering of a financial commitment to the glory of God at Thankful to our special worship service (that will likely include the baptism of newest Thankful One Amos Jacobs), then join us afterwards for a potluck celebration of all that makes us Thankful!

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OMG! Our Outreach Ministry Group (OMG) partnership with Metropolitan Ministries is still going strong. The MetMin

Project Board will remain up throughout the year in St. Mary’s Parish Hall; take a card representing your commitment to

this ministry and follow the instructions to help MetMin in their efforts to prevent homelessness and manage crises.

Paula Dunlap, who coordinates our efforts with our new partners, Bridge Refugee Ministries, has set up a Facebook

Group, “The Thankful Bridge” for all those who are participating in this outreach ministry. To join the group, or to stay

informed if you’re not on Facebook, email Paula (pauladunlap@epbfi.com). By the beginning of October 1, Bridge

should have a reasonable guess as to how many families will be coming to Chattanooga for the Oct. 2017-Oct. 2018

federal fiscal year. In the meantime, there are some things you can take care of now to get ready: 1) Anyone who intends

to work directly with a family must complete a background check. It is simple and can be done online for $17.00. 2) If

you are listed as a possible transportation volunteer, we must have a scanned copy of your driver's license as well as the

declarations page of your auto insurance policy. It should be just one page that specifies the amount of your coverage. If

you don’t have a scanner, just bring these things to church any Sunday, Tuesday or Thursday for scanning.

And, Thankful Ones have a new opportunity for outreach with the Partnership for Families, Children & Adults, a local

social service agency dedicated to empowering people by building strong communities. One of the ways we do this is by

providing foster family placements, comprehensive case management services, and independent living skills to children

and youth from our community who have been victims of abuse and neglect. With more children than ever entering the

Tennessee foster care system, we are looking for people who are interested in learning more about becoming a foster

parent. Regardless of your marital state or sexual orientation, if you are over the age of 21, able to meet your own basic

needs, and would be willing to learn more about helping a child in need, please contact Anna Horne at 423-582-1244. Or,

if you know someone who might be interested, please pass this information along or contact Anna to coordinate a meeting

The GAP Drive Thankful’s GAP In-Gathering Sunday is August 27

On Pentecost Sunday, June 4, we kicked off Thankful’s GAP (“Growth And Preservation”) Drive, with a goal of raising $280,000 for addressing pressing maintenance issues on some of our properties (preservation) and renovating portions of our sanctuary to allow us to reach out more effectively to young families, the elderly, and others in the communities around us (growth). It’s an exciting time at Thankful; God’s Spirit is moving and up to new things and every Thankful One is invited and encouraged to take part in this GAP Drive.

We are thrilled to report that as of this newsletter, we have already raised over $180,000. We are less than $100,000 away from our goal! Thank you to the Thankful Ones who have already made a commitment or donation to this important drive. However, we’re still lacking commitments to the GAP Drive from a significant portion of our close-knit Thankful family. Only about 20 or so Thankful Ones have donated or committed to offer a gift towards our shared dreams of ministry and outreach – that’s only about a quarter of our whole congregation! If you haven’t yet made a commitment or donation, please prayerfully consider doing so. We’ll be celebrating the end of the GAP Drive within our Thankful family with a special in-gathering and blessing on Sunday, August 27. If you have not already done so, please bring your commitments and donations on that day. The amount of any one commitment is less important than the full participation of every member of our Thankful family. Without everyone’s help, we cannot move forward as a community. But we are so close to meeting our goal and only all together can we continue grow in our mission!

And the “growth” part of the GAP Drive is what’s really at stake here. We’ve already raised enough funds to cover the cost of maintenance/preservation issues. The last $100,000 we need is the difference between our current sanctuary basement and handicapped ramp and the dreams we have to completely renovate those spaces so that we can be better stewards of them and grow as a community of faith in the context in which we find ourselves. So, please, give generously to this special project at Thankful.

More information about the GAP Drive can be found on the homepage of our website. Scroll down and follow the links to learn about naming opportunities, download a GAP pledge card and view the brochure.

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Worship Notes

Don Stilwell, our long-time organist, is moving on from

Thankful to pursue some other opportunities. Don’t worry!

There’s plenty of time to say goodbye. Don will continue to

play at Thankful on Sundays until we find a new

Organist/Choirmaster and we’ll have a chance to celebrate

him and his ministry in good ol’ Thankful fashion before he

goes for good. In the meantime…

Welcome back Choir! The Choir will vest and sing at every

Sunday service again beginning Sept. 17. However, since

Don is serving only on a Sunday-by-Sunday basis, Choir

rehearsals will be postponed until a new organist is found.

Choir membership is open to all, so if you’d like to sing in

our the choir, show up 30 minutes before any service!

And with the Choir comes the Psalm chant, of course. Don’t

forget that, beginning Sept. 17, we’ll be singing, instead of

saying the Psalm together.

Adult Sunday School will be kicking off on Sunday, September 24 with a fall-long series that takes a look at the Nicene Creed – line by line. So, bring your questions and comments about this Creed we say each week. (If you need a little reminder, you can always check out the text of the creed here.) In Advent, Adult Sunday School will once again turn into a mini-catechism class as we prepare for the Bishop’s Visitation on Dec. 17.

Also, Mike Gray is hoping to start up a first year Education for Ministry (EfM) group at and through Thankful. EfM is a four-year learning program in theological education based on small-group study and practice. It helps the faithful encounter the breadth and depth of the Christian tradition and bring it into conversation with their experiences of the world as they study and worship together. For more information or to express your interest, email Mike at michaeldoyalg@gmail.com

C H I L D R E N ’ S M I N I S T R I E S

CHILDREN’S CHAPEL continues through the fall. After the Gospel

reading, children in the fifth grade and under are invited forward to the crossing for a brief Children’s Homily. Afterwards, they (and any adults who wish to join them) follow the procession into St. Mary’s Parish Hall for Chapel. New for the fall, however, is a revamped routine for this special time. During chapel, children have an opening prayer and an activity and end with a simple confession that Mary Frances Beesorchard has written just for them. Children rejoin the congregation in time for the Eucharistic Prayer.

In addition to Sunday’s Chapel, Thankful is partnering with Good Shepherd Episcopal Church this year to offer a special Wednesday

program for children. A TRINITY FOR KIDS will take place every

Wednesday, 4:30-6:00 p.m. beginning on September 13 and continuing through the school year. Children in kindergarten through 5

th grade are invited to sing in a children’s choir,

experience Godly Play lessons, practice yogic responses (led by Thankful One Britt Anderson), and create their own art. An adult Bible study, geared towards parents, will be offered simultaneously and a light dinner for all is planned for every evening at 6:00. Most of the program will take place at Good Shepherd Church, but Thankful children along with their friends from Good Shepherd will have opportunities throughout the year to share what they’ve been learning and doing with our own congregation here. Plus, we hope that this first effort is only the beginning of a long and fruitful partnership with Good Shepherd to continue to enhance Children’s Ministries at Thankful. And, when our GAP Drive is completed, we hope to offer space for programs such as this to take place onsite at Thankful! More for “A Trinity for Kids” will be available soon.

And Adult Formation

Thankful’s Seminarian Elizabeth Farr, our 2017 seminarian will be back among us for the fall semester beginning Sept. 17. Thankful Ones are invited to the priestly ordination of Elizabeth’s husband Matt on Thursday, Aug. 31 at 5:30 p.m. Central Standard Time at Trinity Episcopal Church in Winchester, Tenn. (213 First Ave. NW). Because Matt will be serving as a priest in Winchester every Sunday in the fall, Elizabeth will most likely bring 3-year-old Rohen with her to Thankful. So, that means that, as a community, we’ll be experimenting together with them to figure out ways that Rohen can be well cared-for while Elizabeth is serving at the altar and participating in after-service programs and events. Thankful Ones’ hospitality, generosity and consideration as we learn how to best negotiate this along with Elizabeth and Rohen is very much appreciated.

Office Notes

Erin Worthington, our Secretary, is expecting her first

child, a boy to be named Adam. Erin goes on maternity

leave beginning (we think) September 19. Harriett

Whitaker (wife of the Rev. Brad Whitaker, Rector at St.

Paul’s) will be filling in as Church Secretary during

Erin’s absence. Erin expects to return to her duties here

soon after Thanksgiving. Please welcome Harriett during Erin’s time away.

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We are Thankful (for)

Eric Stone is our current Junior Warden but some on the Vestry have begun calling him our Super Warden – and for good reason. In just the past few months, Eric has fixed our garden fountain (twice), our HVAC units, a leak in the fridge, and a Thankful One’s car! But he’s much more than a handy-man. Eric is often quiet through much of our Vestry meetings, but then, at a key moment of discussion, he will offer his always-thoughtful insights to the conversation. He brings compassion, kindness, humor, an amazing work ethic, and good old fashioned helpfulness to his role as one of our lay leaders. And, best of all, he usually brings girlfriend Mesia (pictured) and her almost-2-year-old granddaughter Kendall to church on Sunday mornings, too!

Kathy Prior has been the unofficial head of our Altar Guild for about a decade. Like other Guild members, Kathy sets up for Sunday services at least once a month: setting the altar, putting out readings, changing the hymn boards, etc. She also cleans and irons most of our linens. But what makes her so great on Altar Guild is her attention to detail and her sense of duty and correctness. Kathy always keeps Mother Leyla on her toes to make sure things are done properly and well. And it’s not just worship services. Whether it’s the cleanliness of St. Mary’s Parish Hall, the upkeep of the garden, or a point raised in Sunday School, Kathy always gets to the heart of the matter by her incisive questions and clear and intelligent thought process. Without Kathy around, Thankful’s services, conversations and programs would never run so smoothly!

from the Diocese of East Tennessee…

Meet our new Bishop-elect! The Rev. Brian Cole is

currently rector of Good

Shepherd, Lexington, Ky.

Brian was elected on the

5th ballot on July 28.

Upon his election, Brian

sent this message to the

diocese: "With an open

heart, I am both excited and humbled to be chosen

by the lay and clergy delegates of the

Episcopal Diocese of

East Tennessee to serve

as your 5th bishop. Susan and I look forward to joining with

you all in practicing resurrection, in the apostolic work of

revealing the Living Christ to a beautiful but broken world. We will be happy to see you soon as we put down roots in

Knoxville later in the year." Brian will be ordained and

consecrated on December 2, 2017 at Church of the

Ascension, Knoxville. He will be the 5th bishop of the

Episcopal Church in East Tennessee. You can find more

info about Brian at the Bishop’s Search website.

A Love Offering for Bishop George In this special letter to the diocese, the Standing Committee

invites East Tennessee Episcopalians to contribute to a

voluntary monetary gift as a love offering to our departing

bishop, the Rt. Rev. George D. Young, III. If you wish to be

part of this wonderful project, please send your checks,

endorsed to the Diocese of East Tennessee, 814 Episcopal

School Way, Knoxville, TN 37932. Please put “Bishop’s

Voluntary Gift” in the memo line.

Episcopal Church Women Annual Gathering Every woman of the Diocese and her guests are encouraged

to attend this meeting and luncheon on Saturday, September

16, 9:30-2:00 at Grace Point Camp and Retreat Center.

Regina Mullins, outreach manager for Thistle Farms will

share her incredible story of survival, peace and redemption,

as we continue our theme of “Building Bridges of Peace and

Reconciliation.” Registration is due by September 9 and

cost is $20 (including lunch and printed materials). Click

here for more information and to register.

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1607 W. 43

rd St., Mail to: P.O. Box 2274,

Chattanooga, TN 37409

423-821-3135, thankfulchurchchatt@gmail.com

www.thankfulmemorial.dioet.org

SUNDAY, AUGUST 27

GAP DRIVE IN-GATHERING: 10:00 A.M., CHURCH

Bring your GAP donations and pledges for a special blessing.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 31

ORDINATION OF MATT FARR: 5:30 CST, TRINITY, WINCHESTER

(see box p. 4) Note that this is in the Central Time Zone!

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5

ST. ELMO READING CENTER BEGINS: ST. MARY’S BASEMENT

The Reading Center starts up again for the school year. For

more information, to register children, or to volunteer, email

Linda Cooper (lindacoop@epbfi.com)

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12

VESTRY: 6:00 P.M., CONFERENCE RM, ST. MARY’S PARISH HALL

Thankful members are invited to observe vestry meetings.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 17

MINISTRY FAIR & STEWARDSHIP DISCERNMENT KICK-OFF

Come for worship; stay for rally day. See box on page 2.

SEPTEMBER 17-NOVEMBER 5

STEWARDSHIP DISCERNMENT SEASON

Sign-ups for Stewardship Discernment Gatherings will be

available soon!

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 21

AGO EVENT: ST. MARY’S PARISH HALL & CHURCH

The Chattanooga chapter of the American Guild of Organists

is holding a portion of their “Progressive Organ Crawl” at

Thankful to see our historic organ. This event is for members

of the AGO only, but Thankful Ones should know of the

interest in this important part of our property!

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 5

COMMITMENT SUNDAY: 10 A.M. CHURCH, ST. MARY’S PARISH HALL

Bring your completed pledge card and come celebrate! We

also expect to baptize Amos Jacobs on this All Saints’ Sunday

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 17

BISHOP’S VISITATION: 10:00A.M., CHURCH

This will be the (by-then) Rt. Rev. Brian Cole’s second

Visitation as Bishop! Come welcome him! (see box below)

U P C O M I N G E V E N T S Vestry Notes

Much of our Vestry time recently has been spent discussing some ongoing staff transitions, such as negotiations for Organist Don Stilwell’s eventual departure and preparations for Secretary Erin Worthington’s upcoming maternity leave. At our August meeting, we also discussed Mother Leyla’s schedule and her concerns about working more than 20-25 hours per week over the past six months or so. Many of these conversations will continue through the fall.

We also approved the installation of a new sign at the front of the sanctuary. Thanks to Vestry member Holli Richey for putting in the legwork to make that happen and special thanks to Linda and Walter Puckett for donating the funds for the brand new addition!

The Bishop’s Visitation to Thankful is

December 17, 2017 and it is our opportunity to welcome parishioners into full membership at Thankful. Any youth or adults interested in

Baptism, Confirmation, or Reception

in the Episcopal Church should contact Mother Leyla so that we can begin to plan our preparation for these important sacraments. Baptisms may also take place on November 5. To find out more about these sacraments, let Mother Leyla know of your interest. The first step is always a conversation!

Pictures!

(right)

A very big welcome to

Amos Tandy Jacobs

who was born June 24

at 5:04 a.m. and

made his first official

appearance to his

Thankful family last

Sunday. We expect to

celebrate Amos’s

bapstim on All Saints’

Sunday, Nov. 5 Photo credit:

Laurie Perry Vaughen

(above) A full house for Thankful’s Ed Johnson Memorial

Project Gathering. Thankful One Peter Horne of St. Elmo

Deli & Grill, with help from Thankful parishioners,

provided a slap-up supper to fuel our conversation.

afterwards.