THE BELL TOWER A Newsletter from the People of

St. Martin Episcopal Church

Spring Edition 2017

Rector’s Corner

Dear Friends and Members of St. Martin Parish,

The solemn remembrances of Holy Week and the joyous celebration of our Lord’s resurrection are coming quickly upon us. They remind us of our own mortality and the hope of life everlasting that awaits us. But, for many there also is an abiding sense of uncertainty. It is fueled by the fear of our present political climate in America, as well as the recurrent terrorist acts throughout the world. Such fear can disconnect us from our inner peace and purpose. So, how do we stay focused on our spiritual and emotional well-being during this Holy Season? In a word, “Worship!” During this uncertain and confused period of our lives we must remember for what we were created. In his book, “Knowing God”, J.I. Packer states, “The Bible makes it abundantly clear that God created man and that He created him for His glory (Isaiah 43:7). There-fore, the ultimate purpose of man, according to the Bible, is simply to glorify God. Since God created man in His image (Genesis 1:26–27), man’s purpose cannot be fulfilled apart from Him. The more we get to know our Creator and the more we love Him (Matthew 22:37–38), the better we under-stand who we are and what our purpose is. We were created to bring Him glory. God has unique plans and purposes for each person (Psalm 139:13–16), but we can know that, whatever those plans look like, they will ultimately result in His glory (Proverbs 3:6; 1 Corinthians 10:31).” As we worship God, we become aware of God’s presence and purpose. This Grace of Love transforms our hearts from fear to peace, from anger to joy. As we live into this relationship of Love we will then, through Grace, transform our social order by how we care for one another. But, it all begins with the faithful acknowledgement of God and Him glorified in Jesus and then our desire to lift our hearts heavenward. This edition of the Bell Tower focuses on our parish’s call to worship during Holy Week and the Feast of the Resurrection, Easter. Make yourself available to these holy opportunities for worship so that the Divine may be given an opportunity to touch your heart. Your soul being transformed, you will then go into the world and make a difference for the Kingdom of Christ, and Him crucified and resurrected. May our joy this Easter Season be filled with the Joy of Christ who fills all things! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! The Lord is Risen! He is Risen indeed! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Fr. Bernie+

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Holy Week & Easter Worship

Holy Week Additional Observances of Worship Signifying the solemn importance of the Holy Week observance we, at St. Martin, engage in additional worship, prayer, and meditation. These times are in addition to our regularly scheduled weekday Services of Morning Prayer, Eucharist and Healing. Palm Sunday Our 8:00 and 10:30 Services will include the Blessing of the Palms and the presentation of the Passion Gospel narrative and the reading of the Last Gospel, moving us into the solemnity of the coming days. At the 10:30, High Mass, the Palms will be blessed outside at the Bell Tower. A procession into the church will follow as we together sing psalms of praise, waving our branches. The Passion Gospel will be chanted by Patrick ZurSchmiede, Dr. Joe Line and Fr. Bernie. Holy Tuesday, Renewal of Vows, Blessing of the Oils at the Cathedral The traditional Service of the Renewal of Ordination Vows, the Blessing of the Oils and Quiet Morning will be continued at the Cathedral. The first meditation begins at 10:00a.m. and is followed by Eucharist and lunch. All are welcome to attend this beautiful observance. The blessed oils are used by clergy for Sacramental anointing. Holy Wednesday, Traditional Stations of the Cross This solemn yet simple Service recalls our Lord’s passion from Pilate’s condemnation, Station 1, to Jesus’ burial in the tomb, Station 14. It provides the participant a beautiful and holy narrative, allowing us to journey with Him along the Via Delarosa. Maundy Thursday Mass The traditional English name for the Thursday preceding Easter derived from the first antiphon of the ceremony of the washing of the feet, mandatum novum (Jn. 13:34). Its special celebration brings to mind the Lord’s Institution of the Eucharist on that Passover night prior to His arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane. It is a holy and time honored recollection of Jesus’ command to eat and drink His Body and Blood and to serve one another as He serves us. At the end of the mass the Sanctuary is cleared of all liturgical linens and hardware, and the altar is washed, depicting the solemn time of observance now begun by the Church. The drama of this liturgy allows the worshipper to metaphorically (perhaps actually) touch the Divine. Altar of Repose At the conclusion of the Maundy Thursday mass we solemnly process the Sacrament to the Altar of Repose in the Chapel. There a garden setting is prepared where congregants are asked to remain for a while in prayer and silence until the midnight hour. We do so in response to Jesus’ request of the disciples to remain with Him in prayer and to be watchful. A schedule for visitations is available on the Narthex table to assure someone is keeping the watch throughout the night.

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Good Friday Mass of the Presanctified This ancient and simple liturgy remains a part of the Rites of the Episcopal Book of Common Prayer. Although not widely celebrated, it has been our custom to do so every year. This Service of Communion is unique in that it follows the Mass of Maundy Thursday where the Sacrament of the Mass is preserved in the Altar of Repose overnight. Early Good Friday morning (8am) the remaining Sacraments are consumed symbolizing Jesus rests in the tomb. Good Friday Liturgy: 12 Noon to 1pm The gospels tell us that Jesus was hung on the cross on the Day of Preparation for the Jewish Passover Feast. This was a Friday. Jesus remained crucified from twelve noon until three o’clock. After his death he was buried in a tomb. Christians have throughout the centuries held this to be a day of fasting, abstinence and penitence. We at St. Martin give opportunity for a solemn remembrance of Jesus’ death through the use of the Good Friday liturgy in the Book of Common Prayer and a period of meditation beginning at 1p.m. Good Friday Meditation: Non-traditional Stations of the Cross: 1-2pm Our meditation time this year will involve members of the congregation to read short verses from the scriptures and prayers at each of the Stations. Patrick ZurSchmiede will provide sacred music on guitar between each Station meditation. A holy sense of community will be shared as we together walk the path of sorrows. Holy Saturday Family Service Our joy-filled Easter Saturday Family Service is a time for young families to participate in the celebration of our Lord’s Resurrection. The simple, interactive Service, is designed to meet the needs of small children and their parents. The congregation will release the butterflies at the Service’s conclusion symbolizing Christ’s new life after death. A reception will follow at the Bell Tower. Easter Sunday: Lighting of the Paschal Fire This year we are excited to offer a different liturgy for the Lighting of the Paschal Fire. Our usual Sunrise Service on the East Lawn will not take place as in years past. Instead, we will celebrate the lighting of the Paschal Fire on the Bell Tower patio. This begins at 7:30am, immediately followed by the 8:00a.m., low mass of Easter, with hymns and the ringing of the bells of Easter! High Mass of Easter Our traditional liturgy of High Mass will be a triumphant celebration of our Lord’s resurrection! Grand and glorious music, chanting of the prayers and the jubilant ringing of the Easter bells will all raise our praise and thanksgiving to God on High for His Salvation of the world through Jesus’ victory over sin and death!

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Holy Week and Easter Schedules Tuesday, April 11

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Clergy Renewal of Ordination Vows, Meditations, Blessing of Holy Oils, Eucharist and Lunch, Cathedral, 10am

Wednesday, April 12

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Morning Prayer & Communion, Chapel, 9am Stations of Cross, Church, 5:30pm Soup & Bread Supper, Parish Hall, 6pm Maundy Thursday, April 13

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Healing Service, Chapel, 12pm High Mass, Washing of Feet, Stripping of the Altar, Church, 7pm

Vigil before Blessed Sacrament, Chapel, 9pm-12am

Good Friday, April 14

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Mass of the Presanctified, Chapel, 8am Good Friday Liturgy, Church, 12-1pm Good Friday non-traditional Stations of the Cross, Church, 1-

2pm Holy Saturday, April 15

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Family Service, Release of Butterflies, Reception, Church, 5pm Easter Sunday, April 16

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Lighting of the Paschal Fire, Bell Tower Patio, 7:30am Holy Eucharist with Hymns, Church, 8am Solemn High Mass of Easter, Church, 10:30am The Sacrament of Reconciliation of a Penitent/Confession The Episcopal Church allows for this Sacrament of confession, forgiveness and healing. It is a pastoral office not required by our adherents as it may be by other faith groups. The rule of thumb for us is that all may, some should, but none must. You are invited and encouraged to make an appointment with Fr. Bernie for this extremely powerful act of faith and renewal.

Silence You will notice that from time to time in the liturgy, silence is kept. The first time you encounter such a silence, it may seem awkward, because you might not know how to use it. The key is to let God use it. You may reflect on the reading or sermon you have just heard, but most of all, try to still your mind and listen. For us to hear God speak, we must be quiet and listen. When you pray, in the silence and elsewhere, bring all of your self and your concerns before God: joy, brokenness, hope, despair, worry, doubt, anger, mirth, love. Allow all these things to come into God’s presence, and then, ask God to use his power to transform them. Remember: prayer doesn’t change God, it changes you. Real worship begins when we stop telling God what to do, and begin to listen to God. This often involves silence and waiting. Open your mind and heart to God, and with deepening quiet may come an inner awakening to the presence of God within, and the tuning of your spirit’s ear to hear his voice in the mystery of the liturgy.

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FUN FACTS ABOUT THE BIBLE Looking for some quick facts about the Bible itself? Check this list of interesting (and little-known) Bible historical facts and trivia. The Bible contains 66 books – 39 books in the Old Testament and 27 books in the New Testament. The 66 books of the Bible are divided into 1,189 chapters consisting of 31,173 verses. The Old Testament has 929 chapters, the New Testament 260. (King James version). • The word “testament” means “covenant” or “contract”. • The Bible was written by over 40 different authors including farmers, shepherds, doctors, fishermen, ministers and priests, philosophers, and kings. • Moses contributed the most books to the Old Testament. He wrote the first five books of the Bible (the Pentateuch). • The Apostle Paul wrote the most books in the New Testament. Fourteen different books, over half of the New Testament, were written by Paul. • Jesus is the English transliteration of the Greek name Iesus (meaning Yahweh saves or Jehovah is salvation). • It is estimated that the earliest biblical work, the first five books written by Moses, dates from around 1450 BC although some believe that the book of Job, written by an unknown Israelite, was written around 1500 BC. The most recent book in the Old Testament is Mala-chi which was written around 400 BC. • The most recent biblical work (Book of Revelation) dates to around 100 AD (following the death and resurrection of Christ). The newest book in the New Testament is probably the book of James which was written around 45 AD. • The original works of the Bible were written in three different languages – Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek (Koine). • Christ is not a name, but rather is a title. When the Old Testament refers to the Messiah (in Hebrew), it is referring to the same “Christ” (in Greek) mentioned in the New Testament. Both Messiah and Christ mean anointed one. • The New Testament was canonized (becoming the writings accepted by Church leadership) very quickly after it was written, sometime before 375 AD. The Old Testament was canonized long before Jesus appeared on Earth. • The first English translation of the Bible was made by John Wycliffe in 1382 AD. • The centermost verse in the Bible is Psalm 118 – “It is better to trust in the Lord than put confidence in man.” • In Old Testament times, the Mediterranean Sea was called the Great Sea. • Two books of the Bible are named after women: Esther and Ruth. • A chariot imported from Egypt cost around 600 shekels of silver (1 Kings 10:29). That would be about $77,000. One shekel was 4 days wages. • Although we celebrate Jesus’ birth on December 25 (Christmas), the exact date of this birth is unknown. Many scholars put Jesus’ date of birth sometime in the winter or early spring. • The Bible was first printed in 1454 AD by Johannes Gutenberg (who invented the “type mold” for the printing press). • Jesus had several brothers and sisters including James, Joses, Simon, and Judas (his sisters were not named in the Bible). • The oldest near-complete manuscript of the Bible is the Codex Vaticanus which dates from around 325-350 AD. Written on 759 leaves of vellum, it contains both the Old and New Testaments and is currently housed in the Vatican Library. • Longest book in the Bible: The book of Psalms. Shortest book (number of verses): 2 John. Longest chapter: Psalm 119. Shortest chapter: Psalm 117. Longest verse: Esther 8:9. Shortest verse: John 11:35. • The oldest person mentioned in the Bible is Methuselah who lived to be 969 years old (Genesis 5:27). • Two people in the Bible never died – Enoch, who walked with God and was no more and Elijah, who was caught up by a whirlwind into heaven. The Bible is the best-selling book in history. About 50 Bibles are sold every minute. It is also the world’s most shoplifted book.

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Spiritual Life Center 2017, Leadership Retreat

A Time of Sharing, Prayer & Reflection

Your Vestry and Ministry Leaders met with other parishioners and Fr. Bernie on March 10th and 11th for retreat. It was a time for us to share, pray and reflect upon God’s purpose for us in becoming a Spiritual Life Center for the City of Pompano Beach. We explored how our property redevelopment would support the vision for worship and ministry.

On Saturday Fr. Bernie offered the theology for ministry transformation and building redevelopment that supports this vision for St. Martin. Afterward we divided into three groups representing our ministry areas of: Worship, Welcome and Education. Each of these small groups discussed the vision as it related to their ministry area. The following are the observations they offered, placed in narrative form.

The Ministry of Worship In regard to the building redevelopment, the Sanctuary will retain the holy objects and furniture which now adorn this area. These include: the altar, tabernacle, Great East Window, credence table, Christus Rex, candles and sanctuary lamp. It will be a flexible space to accommodate a variety of worship expressions. An additional “Worship Table” will be added to allow for a more flexible Celebration of the Sacraments.

The Nave We anticipate the nave (where the congregation sits) to hold in excess of 250 worshippers. This would allow for the flexibility for multi-purpose space for community use such as the fine arts, music and theatre. Some of the members of this group were supportive of cathedral chairs while others were not, wanting to maintain the use of pews. In regard to the placement of a Labyrinth on the Nave floor, some members were supporting while others were not. The Choir The placement of the choir members would be close to the other worshipping members of the congregation and not in a location away from them either in a loft, or behind the altar. The organ console and piano will be moveable for ease of use for any particular liturgical style. The organ may utilize modern technology by use of Wireless technology. This will connect the organ console to the components of the organ and pipes without the need for cables.

Other Considerations The Baptismal Font will be moveable for adaptation to baptisms within the center of the Nave, or other space required for the greater participation of the worshipping congregation. The Columbarium will be placed in a holy space either in the Sanctuary, or Nave. Clear windows will be utilized as presently for the viewing into the church and the viewing out by congregants. This visual ability makes us part of each other’s community. Our floors will be made of a hard surface which will heighten the acoustical ability for worship, other liturgies, concerts and community use. The sound system and lighting will also be state-of-the- art allowing for ease of maintenance. Candle holders will be placed on inside seating for use at candlelight Services, weddings, etc. Projection cameras and retractable screens were deemed important for the support of our numerous liturgies and community activities. Wi-Fi accessibility and electronics will support multi-media for worship with the ability to upload Nave activity to the Internet and other modes of broadcasting. Last, and not least, our Great Bell Tower will continue it carillons although it may not be in its present location.

The Ministry of Welcome

The Parish Hall The redevelopment of our buildings will also support the ministry of Welcome. The parish hall will be constructed to accommodate 200 persons. It seated capacity will be 175. The kitchen will be appointed with commercial appliances, stove, refrigeration, sinks, ice

machine. Cabinets and storage rooms will be in sufficient quantity. The lighting and sound system will be state-of-the-art, including projection devices and screen. We will keep our rectangular tables but add round tables with storage carts. The east wall will be made of clear glass with walk through doors onto a deck. Female and male bathrooms will be added with baby change tables and showers for overnight use. Sufficient storage closets will also be a part of this space.

The Gift Shop Our Gift Shop will continue its ministry in a specially designated area. It will be 1.5xs larger than our current shop. Book shelves, cabinets and a jewelry show case will support product marketing.

The Playground Some group members stated that we should have a playground. Other members stated that we should not have a playground. One said, “Build it and they will come. Don’t build it and they won’t come.”

The Flag Pole The Paul Davids Memorial Flag Pole will proudly display its flags along the Intracoastal Waterway.

The Bell Tower We will maintain the Great Bells of St. Martin. Although the same tower may not remain, the bells will be placed and mounted in an appropriate spot.

The Intracoastal Deck and Dockage The length of the deck is yet to be determined. It will be beautifully appointed with foliage and benches. We will strive to provide day book dockage along the dock.

The Ministry of Education

Adult & Youth Education Christian Education will be supported with four rooms, a total of 900 square feet of space. This space will be divided with four room partitions and so creating up to four class rooms. Yi-Fi will be installed enabling state-of-the-art use of electronics that for on line education.

Library & Media Room This space will be dedicated to study and research. It will be at least the size of our current library. Tech support will be generated in this room supporting the use of media and on line capacity in the education rooms.

Nursery Room The size of our nursery is suggested to be 20x20. It will provide for multiple cribs, rocking chairs, toys, change tables, a bathroom and sink.

Youth Room This will be a space specifically designed for middle and high school students.

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BOY SCOUTS SPEND THE NIGHT IN OUR PARISH HALL

For the fourth year in a row, St. Martin hosts Boy Scouts from northern Florida. They will embark on the “Barefoot Mailman Hike” from here in Pompano to Miami commemorating the original route of the original mail carrier, Edwin Ruthven Bradley, a retired Chicago newsman and Lake Worth resident, who won the postal contract in 1885 with a bid of $600 per year. He and his son, Louie, took turns carrying the mail once a week for about two years.

Agape Cafe Report Our Agape Cafe outreach to the hungry and lonely continues to make strides within our community. We have partnered with First Presbyterian Church (The Pink Church) and others from our community to offer food, clothing and, most especially, a loving environment. We average 40 dinner guests a night. They are joined by approximately 15 helpers per dinner. Presently, we provide our meals every Thursday at 4pm. This allows our outreach to serve the community weekly. If you wish to assist this God-inspired outreach, please join with our ministry teams. You may serve, cook, fellowship, or just have a great meal. Thank you to our faithful Agape ministers for their dedicated love.

Greetings from Marge and Bruce Hamilton Our dear friends, are happy and healthy in Georgia! Marge and Bruce were active in every part of St. Martin’s ministries: Serving at the altar, helping the Altar Guild, Bingo, sewing buttons on the Rector’s cassocks, narrating Christmas and Easter programs and just about anything you can think of! We miss them, but are happy to know they are near their son and being well looked after.