Our New Deacons!
It all started about four and a half years ago. After much hard work and dedication, on January 30th, our congregation began a new chapter with the ordinations of Bill and David to the Sacred Order of Deacons. The Laying On of Hands in the Apostolic Succession was made by The Right Reverend Wendell N. Gibbs, Jr., before a packed house.
Episcopal-RC Haiti Outreach Mission
For 10 years, volunteers from The Episcopal Church and The Roman Catholic Church have joined forces to help the community of Mirebalais Haiti through Haiti Outreach Mission (HOM). Located about 30 km northwest of Port-au-Prince, Mirebalais was minimally affected by the earthquake. It is estimated that prior to the earthquake, the ratio between people to physicians was 30,000 to 1.
HOM was founded in 1998 after Dr. Dominique Matthews and her husband Roger visited her native land on their honeymoon, and decided that they wanted to do something to help alleviate suffering in Haiti.
On January 25, 2010, we received the very sad news that Roger died unexpectedly. We invite your prayers for his family and the future of Haiti Outreach Mission without his excellent presence.
St. Andrew's-Ann Arbor hosts benefit for breakfast program
Our sister congregation will host the following event, “BREAKFEST 2010” CONCERT
TO HELP FEED THE HUNGRY IN ANN ARBOR
All-acoustic show at The Ark to span American and Scots-Irish traditions
• Celebrated Scots Fiddler Bonnie Rideout Returns to Ann Arbor on Eve of Landmark CD Release.
• Jazz Fingerstyle Guitarist Duck Baker to Explore the ‘Roots and Branches’ of American Music in His First Local Appearance.
• Detroit’s Rev. Robert Jones, Sr. Will Bring ‘Holy Blues’ and Original Songs to the stage.
• Bill Bynum & Co. Return to The Ark with their Unique Country- and Bluegrass-
Influenced Sound.
Centering prayer and Lectio Divina sessions Continue in Epiphany
On Tuesday, January 19, 2010 at 6pm, members of St. Barnabas gathered to practice centering pray as a group. Centering Prayer (CP) is a form of silent prayer, where one empties the mind, and sits with God for about 20 minutes. Each person chooses a "sacred word", usually one or two syllables, to use silently when the mind wanders. This is the primary tool in centering oneself during breaks in concentration. The great mystics call this wandering the "monkey mind," and we all suffer from it in varying degrees. Some CP sessions are better than others. It is best to commence the sessions without expectations. One can have a wonderful CP experience even though one's day was challenging, for example.
St. Barnabas Quilters Guild begins new ministry
Several members of st. Barnabas have started making children's quilts. Headed by Mary Hayman, the group intends to meet at least monthly to work on quilts for needy and sick children in the community. Beginner and seasoned sewers and quilters are most Welcome. "I think this will be a comfort and hopefully will give them an added sense of security," Hayman said. Donations of batting and cotton fabric will be happily received. Email Mary Hayman at hay.mam@hotmail.com if you would like more info on how to join the Guild.
Deacon Ordinations January 30th!
On January 30, 2010, at 11AM, two of our number will be ordained to the Sacred Order of Deacons. Bill Stech and David Glaser will be ordained by the 10th Bishop of Michigan, The Right Reverend Wendell N. Gibbs, Jr. They are part of Total Ministry Team #2 (TMT2) that includes Kathy O'Connell, who has discerned gifts in Christian Formation and church administration, and Nancy Scott who will be licensed in pastoral care. Kathy and Nancy will be commissioned later this year when David and Bill are ordained to the Priesthood.
"I believe I speak for the whole congregation when I say we are thrilled that Bill and David's ordination day has arrived," said Linda Sankovich. "Each of them has special talents and deep dedication to the service of Christ and Anglican ideals. They have been faithful in their studies and have already served St. Barnabas well for several years during this process," she added. For a history of Total Ministry at St. Barnabas,
go to http://stbarnabaschelsea.org/news/stech-and-glaser-authorized-ordination...
More About Ordination
Ordination is a sacramental rite of the church by which God gives authority and the grace of the Holy Spirit through prayer and the laying on of hands by bishops to those being made bishops, priests, and deacons (Book of Common Prayer [BCP], pp. 860-861). The three distinct orders of bishops, priests, and deacons have been characteristic of Christ's holy catholic church. Bishops carry on the apostolic work of leading, supervising, and uniting the church.
Groundbreaking symbolizes new possibilities at St. B's.
Several of the St. Barnabas faithful gathered to break ground on the new addition. Asked what it meant, Candidates for the Priesthood David Glaser and Bill Stech, vested in black cassocks, beamed in unison, "All are welcome." "We have worked together for a long time to make this happen, and it is becoming a reality," said Bill.
Here we grow again!
In April, the congregation of St. Barnabas received a $10,000.00 grant from the Episcopal Diocese of Michigan to help build a first floor addition to the church. The Episcopal Church's national, domestic philanthropic entity, The United Thank Offering (UTO), also awarded St. Barnabas a $25,000.00 grant for this project in July 2009. Built in 1954 at a time when handicap accessibility was not commonly required, the building needs to be amended to include first floor meeting space and restroom facilities. "Bishop Wendell N. Gibbs, Jr., has been very supportive.
