NEWSLETTER OF THE CHAPEL OF THE CROSS

September 2006: Christian Fellowship

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IN THIS ISSUE

Page 1
Christian fellowship and hospitality
Parish BBQ 2005
Vestry Actions
Gabriel Lamazares: Diocesan Intern
Parish Visitors
Foyer Groups
Men's Breakfast Group
Episcopal Campus Ministry Fellowship: Uncommon Friendships in an Intentional Community
Prayer Chain
Christian Fellowship and the Senior Choir
Compline Choir
Parish Choir Laughs and Sings!
New Orleans Mission Trip Reflections

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Environmental Stewardship at General Convention
Spiritual Life Committee Offers Engaging Programs for 2006-07
September Parish Events
September Service Schedule
Adult Education Opportunities
All Aboard Again!
Church School Kickoff

Spiritual Life Committee Offers Engaging Programs for 2006-07

Noel Dunivant, Spiritual Life Committee Chair

As its name suggests, the mission of the Spiritual Life Committee is to enrich the spiritual life of the parish. The committee has sponsored quiet days and other programs since 1999 in fulfilling that mission. Quiet days afford opportunities for contemplative prayer and quiet reflection plus programs that inform and provide focus for meditation. They have generally followed the liturgical/season calendar - fall, Advent, Lent, Easter/spring. Previous quiet days have included the risen Lord in poetry and painting, contemplative/centering prayer, spirit and work, God in creation, Celtic spirituality, walking the labyrinth, icons, and Baptismal covenant, among others.

The 2006-2007 program year will begin with a fall quiet day on Hildegard of Bingen, led by Dr. Lorna Collingridge on Saturday, October 7, from 9:30 am to 2:30 pm at St. Matthew's Episcopal Church in Hillsborough. Lorna will invite us to experience Hildegard's spirituality through her letters, poetry, and songs. The theme will be "the cosmos bears witness to God," and will include her Divine Works ("The Words of Love") and artwork from Caritas. An accomplished composer and musician as well as Hildegard scholar, Lorna will play and sing compositions for a Hildegard liturgy she wrote. (See August Cross Roads and www.lornacollingridge.net for more information.)

The committee is delighted to have The Rev. Stephen Elkins-Williams return as leader of the annual Advent Quiet Day. It will be held at Camp New Hope (Dogwood Lodge), on Saturday, December 2, from 9:30 am to 2:30 pm. The day will include Advent readings, reflection, prayer and the serenity of the camp's woods and lake.

In March, a very special Lenten Quiet Day will be led by Philip Newell as part of a multi-church sponsored visit and program. The quiet day will take place at Camp New Hope in the renovated dining hall on Saturday, March 3, 2007, from 9:30 am to 2:30 pm An author, poet, and teacher, Philip is internationally known for his work in the field of Celtic spirituality, including his best known titles Listening for the Heartbeat of God and Sounds of the Eternal. He lives in Scotland, holds appointments there and in the U.S., and plays a leading role on both sides of the Atlantic in the re-birthing of a creation spirituality for today. Look for more information in future editions of Cross Roads and at www.jphilipnewell.com.)

The Spiritual Life Committee sponsors a variety of programs in addition to quiet days. In 2007 as in the past, we will help host the labyrinth at Binkley Baptist Church during Holy Week. Last spring the committee celebrated the performance of Bach's St. Matthew Passion with the participation of parish members of the Choral Society of Durham. In previous years the committee has sponsored a pilgrimage to National Cathedral, offered Triduum prayer groups, and published a directory of local retreat centers.

Meetings are generally held the last or next-to-last Tuesday of each month during the academic year. All parishioners are welcome to attend and interested persons are invited to join the committee. For more information, please contact Noel Dunivant at ndunivant@mapsnet.com.

Environmental Stewardship at General Convention

Linda B. Rimer, Environmental Stewardship Committee Chair

The 75^th General Convention of the Episcopal Church resulted in the adoption of many resolutions. Among those were two that speak directly to the message of environmental stewardship.

The first was B002: Response to Global Warming. http://gc2006.org/legislation/view_leg_detail.aspx?id=188&type=CURRENT

This resolution speaks to the role of the church in national and international legislation related to energy use, and the manner in which the Church can use its investment powers to promote a sustainable global environment.

The second was Resolution C018: Environmental Stewardship. http://gc2006.org/legislation/view_leg_detail.aspx?id=192&type=CURRENT

This resolution was broader. Rather than paraphrase the text, it reads as follows:

Resolved, That the 75^th General Convention of the Episcopal Church recognize that the use of fossil fuels harms air quality and public health and is contributing to changes in the global climate that threaten the lives and livelihoods of our neighbors around the world; and be it further
Resolved, That the Convention affirm that our Christian response to global warming is a deeply moral and spiritual issue; and be it further
Resolved, That the Convention reaffirm Resolution 1991-A195, adopted by the 70^th General Convention, declaring that Christian Stewardship of God's created environment, in harmony with our respect for human dignity, requires response from the Church of the highest urgency; and be it further
Resolved, That the Convention reaffirm Resolution 2000-A048, adopted by the 73^rd General Convention, encouraging all members, congregations, dioceses, and other church institutions to use environmentally safe and sustainable energy sources; and be it further resolved that the Convention encourage all members, congregations, dioceses and other church institutions to incorporate. ... respect and care for Creation into programs of worship and education, by reducing energy use through conservation and increased efficiency, and by replacing consumption of fossil fuels with energy from renewable resources.

This resolution is very revealing. First, it reminds us of the historical commitment of the Episcopal Church to environmental stewardship by reaffirming resolutions from the General Conventions of 1991 and 2000. Implicitly, if not explicitly, it acknowledges that these earlier resolutions have not been taken as seriously by the Church as they could or should have been (e.g. the 1991 resolution declared that Christian stewardship of God's created environment ... "requires responses from the Church of the highest urgency.") This was 15 years ago.

Perhaps, most importantly, this resolution calls for more specific actions than previous resolutions.

We are called as a parish to incorporate respect and care for creation into our programs of worship and education; we are asked, both as individuals and as a parish, to reduce our energy use through conservation and increased efficiency, and to replace consumption of fossil fuels with energy from renewable resources.

Fortunately, there are many ways for us to fulfill this call. We have conducted an energy audit of our church and identified opportunities for improving our energy efficiency; we are working to design and construct a new building that will contain state-of-the art efficiencies for both energy and water; we will be increasing the opportunities for education in the care of creation.

As individuals, we can replace our incandescent lights with compact fluorescents; buy programmable thermostats; "bundle" our errands to reduce the number of trips we drive; take advantage of public transportation; walk and bike more; look for the Energy Star label when shopping for appliances, from hair dryers to clothes dryers (http://www.energystar.gov/); turn off lights when we leave a room; and subscribe to NC GreenPower (http://www.ncgreenpower.org/).

Individual and parish actions are critically important if we are to begin to solve the challenges presented by global warming. Yet we also realize that the great need to act decisively and to act now, includes actions at the highest levels of our government. As we reflect on our response to global warming as a moral and spiritual issue, may we include actively educating ourselves on these issues and participating in the political processes needed to bring about change.

September PARISH EVENTS

Friday, September 1

Saturday, September 2

Sunday, September 3
Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost
9:00 am Junior Choir Members vest and sing
10:00 am Carolina Meadows Service
8:30 pm Compline Choir Rehearsal
Monday, September 4
Labor Day-Parish Office Closed

Tuesday, September 5
8:30 am Tuesday Bible Study
9:30 am Staff Meeting
5:30 pm Episcopal Campus Ministry
6:00 pm Environmental
Stewardship Committee

Wednesday, September 6

3:00 pm Capital Giving Committee
4:00 pm Junior Choir Rehearsal
5:30 pm Centering Prayer
5:30 pm Buildings and Grounds
Committee
7:30 pm Senior Choir Rehearsal

Thursday, September 7
Deadline for October Cross Roads
2:00 pm Parish Visitors

Friday, September 8
5:00 pm Melvin/DeGood Rehearsal

Saturday, September 9
9:00 am Awakening Heart
3:30 pm Melvin/DeGood Wedding
Sunday, September 10
Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost
First Sunday of Church School
1:00 pm Social Ministry Committee
4:00 pm Carol Woods Service
6:00 pm Parish BBQ
8:30 pm Compline Choir Rehearsal

Monday, September 11

7:00 pm Parish Choir Rehearsal
7:00 pm Adult Education
7:30 pm Preschool Board
Tuesday, September 12
8:30 am Tuesday Bible Study
9:30 am Staff Meeting
5:30 pm Episcopal Campus Ministry
7:30 pm Finance Committee
Wednesday, September 13
4:00 pm Junior Choir Rehearsal

4:00 pm Cantus Choir
5:30 pm Centering Prayer
7:30 pm Senior Choir Rehearsal

Thursday, September 14
5:30 pm University Ministry Advisory Council

Friday, September 15

Saturday, September 16
5:00 pm Cross Ties Dinner

Sunday, September 17
Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost
12:00 Youth Saint Orientation
5:30 pm Episcopal Youth Community
8:30 pm Compline Choir Rehearsal

Monday, September 18
5:00 pm Adult Education
7:00 pm Special Worship with
People with Developmental
Disabilities
7:30 pm Adult Education
7:00 pm Parish Choir Rehearsal
Tuesday, September 19
8:30 am Tuesday Bible Study
9:30 am Staff Meeting
5:30 pm Episcopal Campus Ministry
Wednesday, September 20
11:30 am Prayer Chain
4:00 pm Junior Choir Rehearsal
5:30 pm Centering Prayer

7:30 pm Senior Choir Rehearsal
Thursday, September 21
6:00 pm Vestry
7:30 pm Short Story Reading Group

Friday, September 22

Saturday, September 23
Sunday, September 24
Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost
10:00 am Parent Education Program
4:00 pm Carol Woods Service
5:30 pm Episcopal Youth Community
8:30 pm Compline Choir Rehearsal

Monday, September 25
7:00 pm Parish Choir Rehearsal
7:30 pm Adult Education
Tuesday, September 26
8:30 am Tuesday Bible Study
9:30 am Staff Meeting
5:30 pm Episcopal Campus Ministry
7:30 pm Spiritual Life Committee

Wednesday, September 27
7:30am Men's Breakfast
4:00 pm Junior Choir Rehearsal
5:30 pm Centering Prayer
7:30 pm Senior Choir Rehearsal

Thursday, September 28
Friday, September 29
Saturday, September 30

7:00 pm Habitat Partnership

September Service schedule

Sunday, September 3 The Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost

Psalm 15; Deuteronomy 4:1-9; Ephesians 6:10-20; Mark 7:1-8,14-15,21-23

7:30 am Holy Eucharist Rite I Mr. Elkins-Williams

9:00 am Holy Eucharist Rite II Mr. Frazelle

10:00 am Holy Eucharist Rite I Mr. Smith (Carolina Meadows)

11:15 am Holy Eucharist Rite I Mr. Frazelle

5:15 pm Holy Eucharist Rite II Mr. Frazelle

9:30 pm Sung Compline

Sunday, September 10 The Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost

Psalm 146; Isaiah 35:7-7a; James 1:17-27; Mark 7:31-37

7:30 am Holy Eucharist Rite I Mr. Frazelle

9:00 am Holy Eucharist Rite II Mr. Elkins-Williams

11:15 am Morning Prayer and

Holy Eucharist Rite I Mr. Elkins-Williams

4:00 pm Holy Eucharist Rite I Mr. Frazelle (Carol Woods)

5:15 pm Holy Eucharist Rite II Mr. Elkins-Williams

9:30 pm Sung Compline

Sunday, September 17 The Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost

Psalm 116; Isaiah 50:4-9; James 2:1-5,8-10,14-18; Mark 8:27-38

7:30 am Holy Eucharist Rite I Mr. Elkins-Williams

9:00 am Holy Eucharist Rite I Ms. Lee

11:15 am Baptism and Holy Eucharist Rite II Ms. Lee

5:15 pm Holy Eucharist Rite II Ms. Lee

9:30 pm Sung Compline

Sunday, September 24 The Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost

Psalm 54; Wisdom 1:16-2:1(6-11)12-22; James 3:16-4:6; Mark 9:30-37

7:30 am Holy Eucharist Rite I Dr. Pfaff

9:00 am Holy Eucharist Rite II Mr. Elkins-Williams

11:15 am Holy Eucharist Rite I Mr. Elkins-Williams

4:00 pm Holy Eucharist Rite I Mr. Elkins-Williams (Carol Woods)

5:15 pm Holy Eucharist Rite II Dr. Morley

9:30 pm Sung Compline

Adult Education Opportunities

September-December 2006

SUNDAY MORNING PROGRAMS

September 10
The Namesake: Chancellor James Moeser
Chancellor Moeser will discuss The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri, this year's UNC book selection for incoming students. Having won the Pulitzer Prize for her short stories, Lahiri tackles the immigrant experience and the tangled ties between generations and cultures in The Namesake.

September 10
Church School Kick-off
Parents, Church School teachers and children, come start the new Church School year with skits and songs.

September 17
Making Connections: The Chapel of the Cross in Mission with Honduras
The Chapel of the Cross has taken its place among parishes in the Diocese of North Carolina committed to cultural understanding, shared ministries, and implementation of the UN Millennium Development Goals.Join our 2006 Honduras missioners as, with slide presentation and personal narratives, they recount their experiences and discuss opportunities for further service with our Honduran brothers and sisters in Christ.

September 24
In to Africa: Archbishops, AIDS, and the Anglican Communion
Hear Barbara Day's account of her 10-day trip with parishioners from St. John's Lafayette Square, Washington, DC, to Johannesburg and the Cape Town area. Highlights of the trip include her visit to the Archbishop Tutu Peace Center, her conversations with Archbishop Ndungane, Africa's Man of the Year, and especially her work with children and volunteers at the Kwansa School for Aids victims and orphans, a project of the Church of St. Peter and St. Paul in Springs, South Africa.

September 24 and October 1
Newcomers Gathering: The Rector and Others
Newcomers, self defined, are invited to an introduction to the Chapel of the Cross; its mission, programs and people.

October 8 after the 11:15 Service
Al Gore's An Inconvenient Truth will be shown in the parlor followed by discussion. Light lunch provided but please sign up in advance in the parish office. Come and raise your awareness of our role in taking care of God's great creation.

October 1, 8, 15, 22 and 29
Synoptic Sources: David Jamieson-Drake
Each of the Synoptic Gospels, Matthew, Mark, and Luke,has a distinctive "take" on Jesus' life, even though the basic elements of the story are similar from book to book. David Jamieson-Drake, who taught New Testament Greek at Yale Divinity School, will focus on the styles, motivation, and differences between the accounts found in these texts.

November 5
Saints, Sinners and You
Over the years specific saints, and certainly the general concept of sainthood, have probably touched your life countless times in one context or another. Learn something of the history of the All Saints celebration, canonization, and some stories of ordinary, yet extraordinary people.

November 12

Intergenerational Event
Hunger and Poverty: Globally, Nationally and Locally: Intergenerational Event (see future publicity for children's ages to be included)
"There are now 6.4 billion human beings, fashioned in the image of our Creator. Of these children of God, one in seven of us are hungry. One in seven of us live in urban slums. One in six of us lack clean water to drink. Over one in three of us lack basic sanitation. Nearly half of us live on less than $2 a day." (Excerpt from What Can One Person Do?) Join one of our groups to engage in a project that addresses hunger and poverty at home or abroad. Learn more about the Millennium Development Goals (developed by the UN and endorsed by the Episcopal Church) which, among other goals, aim to by 2015 to reduce by half the proportion of people who are hungry and reduce by half those whose income in 1990 amounted to less than one US dollar a day. Sponsored by the Social Ministry Committee.

November 19
Preparing for Advent: The Rev. Tammy Lee
It may be hard to remember amid the pre-Christmas hustle and bustle, but Advent is a penitential season, a time to prepare one's heart and mind for the annual celebration of Christ's birth, not just an opportunity to max out your credit card and lose your equanimity "getting ready" for Christmas. Tammy always has very practical, doable suggestions for keeping our focus where it belongs in this season.

November 26
Songs of Thankfulness and Praise
Gather in the Chapel for a sing along of songs and hymns. Stories about some of the hymns and songs will be offered.

December 3
Intergenerational Event: Jesse Tree and Advent Wreaths
This is an annual event for all ages on the first Sunday of Advent. You may purchase an oasis form or bring one from home. There will be plenty of fresh greens to fill it. Candle sets will also be available for purchase. Other wreath options will be offered and the popular Jesse Tree ornament making will be lead by Suzanne Sauter. Advent devotional materials are on display for your choosing.

December 10
Annual Christmas/Advent Poetry Gathering
For the ninth year, Michael McFee will host this sharing of seasonal poetry. Parishioners are invited to bring their favorite Advent /Christmas/Epiphany poems to share with others. These can be favorite verses from childhood, recent discoveries, or any poem at all that we can read aloud in the spirit of the season. Poet Michael McFee is a parishioner and teaches poetry at UNC.

December 31
Intergenerational Event: Sing Carols with our Parish musicians
Back by popular demand! Join in the merriment of the Christmastide season for singing your favorite seasonal carols and enjoy the talent of some of our children, youth, and adult instrumentalists. Bring an appetizer from home to compliment the snack table!

DAYTIME PROGRAMS

Wednsday Mornings:
September 6 through May, (8:30 - 9:30, parish library)
Mary Harris Bible Study
New members are welcome! The group began years ago reading and discussing the Bible. In September, they will continue a study of Paul's letters and other New Testament letters: James, Peter, Jude, John and Hebrews. Group members share in facilitating the weekly study.

Thursday Mornings:
October 5, 12, 19, and 26 (10:00 to 11:30 in the parlor)
Living the Questions: facilitated by the clergy

People know that at its core, Christianity has something good to offer the human race. At the same time, many have a sense that they are alone in being a "thinking" Christian and that "salvaging" Christianity is a hopeless task. What is needed is a safe environment where people have permission to ask the questions they've always wanted to ask but have been afraid to voice for fear of being thought a heretic. Living the Questions is a 12-week DVD group study exploring beyond the traditions and rote theologies. The first 4 sessions will be facilitated in October with continuation during the winter and spring. Sign up in the parish office.

Reading with a View To Spirituality
Saturday, November 4, (12:30 - 2:00)
Read J. Philip Newell's The Book of Creation then join others to discuss how life and faith merge in this book. The group meets quarterly. Bring a bag lunch. Call Raquel Goldberg for additional information.

Advent Prayer Groups
Three daytime groups and one evening group will be formed for those wishing to set aside some guided quiet time during Advent. Watch for the sign up invitation.

EVENING PROGRAMS

Mondays: September 11,18, and 25, October 2
(8:00 to 9:30 in the parish library)
Henry VIII, Anglicanism, and Us: The Rev. Dr. Richard Pfaff
Four evening classes will attempt to mull over:

a) what basis there is for the (generally wrong-headed) claim that Henry VIII "founded the Anglican church"

b) what ecclesiological reflections arise from a soberer, if brief, consideration of what really did happen

c) what bearing this may have had on decisions made at General Convention in June.

Attendees will have readings to consider for each gathering.

Mondays: August 28 to November 27
(7:00 to 9:00 in Room 6)
The Edge of Adventure: facilitated by Gretchen Jordan
Our parish has been chosen as one of the parishes in the diocese to pilot this 13-session small group series following the revision of a Christian formation classic by Keith Miller and Bruce Larson.

Tuesdays: September 12, 19, 26 (7:30)
Love Your Mother; Go to the Movies: The Environmental Stewardship Committee
The Great Warming will be shown in the parlor in 3 parts followed each week by discussion. Popcorn and drinks will be provided. Come and raise your awareness of our role in taking care of God's great creation.

Tuesday, October 3 (7:30)
Al Gore's An Inconvenient Truth will be shown in the parlor followed by discussion. Popcorn will be provided. Come and raise your awareness of our role in taking care of God's great creation.

Thursday, October 5 (6:00)
Honduras Night (dining room)
Watch for details and sign up instructions in upcoming Crossings for this catered meal and program about our Honduras connections.

3^rd Thursdays: September 21, October 19, November 16 and December 21, 7:30 to 9:00 parlor
Faith: Stories, edited by C. Michael Curtis, will be our source of short stories to contemplate and discuss, looking for good literature and an enjoyable read, but also for the insights of others in what it means to live a faithful life.

Thursdays: October 5, 12, 19, and 26
(7:30 to 9:00 in the parlor)
Living the Questions facilitated by our Clergy Staff
See information above under Daytime programs

Mondays: November 6, 13, and 20,
(7:30 to 9:00 in the parlor)
Book Study: Mary: The Imagination of Her Heart by The Rev. Penelope Duckworth: Facilitated by The Rev. Martha Hart
This book invites readers to look at Mary in various ways: as prophet, matriarch, theologian, disciple, intercessor and paradigm presented with contemporary scholarship and reflections from art and literature. The author also touches on the differences between Anglican and Roman Catholic understandings of Mary.

QUIET DAYS

October 7 (9:30 am to 2:30 pm)
Autumn Quiet Day: Meditations on Hildegard of Bingen
St. Matthew's Episcopal Church, Hillsborough
The Quiet Day will be led by Loma Collingridge, author and musician who wrote her dissertation on Hildegard's songs.

December 2 (9:30 am to 2:30 pm)

Advent Quiet Day: The Rev. Stephen Elkins-Williams
Camp New Hope, Dogwood Lodge

Educational offerings at the Chapel of the Cross are intended to reflect the parish mission statement and to give parishioners a variety of opportunities to discern their walk with God through Christ as a part of our faith community. The Adult Education Committee is Paul Carew, Ian Dunn, Al Guckes, Gretchen Jordan, Mary Ann Morris and Nancy Tunnessen, chair. Please contact anyone on the committee with your questions or suggestions.

All Aboard again!

Launching the Gift Ark

Special offering sponsored by social ministries

Martha Schütz, Emma Lo, and Gretchen Jordan

Last year there was an abundance of Noahs among us who successfully helped to fill the ark with two of every animal! So, once again we are calling for all the Noahs to step aboard and bring your spouses and children to help out! We want to fill yet another ark! Let's repeat our success of 2005 for Heifer International, an organization that supplies farm animals to struggling families around the world. Our goal is to try to raise funds for an entire ark, or two each of: cows, oxen, beehives, sheep, water buffalo, goats, camels, llamas, donkeys, trios of ducks, trios of guinea pigs, pigs, trios of rabbits, flocks of geese, flocks of chicks. Each family who receives livestock from the Gift Ark will pass on one or more of the animal's offspring to other families in need in their community. The Gift Ark can be filled, two by two (or puzzle piece by puzzle piece!), for $5,000. With our connections to Honduras, we are making a special request to Heifer International to have at least some of our animals sent to Honduras!

Our ark building begins on September 10 when an official of Heifer International will be with us at the 9:00 service to say thank you for last year's project and encourage us in our second one. On behalf of the parish, our rector will receive an engraved plaque. We will display the plaque in the dining room along with a large colorful puzzle of Noah's Ark to be assembled over the next several weeks. You'll have the opportunity to "purchase" as many pieces as you like to fill in the puzzle. Our goal: a finished puzzle and a full Gift Ark for Heifer International-in time to celebrate on November 12 at the intergenerational event on hunger sponsored by the Social Ministry Committee. As each piece is "sold," the donor may affix it into its place in the puzzle. When the full image appears, we'll have completed the puzzle and our goal all together-since an effort this large will need all hands on deck! Remember that you can purchase puzzle pieces and receive a "Honoring You…" donation card to send to someone. These make great gifts for Christmas, birthdays, or other special occasions.

You may visit the Heifer International website at http://catalog.heifer.org/giftark.cfm for more details about the Gift Ark. Be on the lookout for an Ark display in the parish dining room to include information on the Heifer Gift Ark; ark-shaped collection boxes for youths; and the puzzle itself!

How to get our youngest involved? One idea is to honor a good deed each day with coins for children's ark boxes until a family piece(s) can be purchased! (Please feel free to share any other enrichment ideas with Gretchen Jordan, who can also be contacted to arrange advance giving.)

Happy Ark embarkment!

Church School Kickoff

September 10

10:20

Church Parents, children and youth are invited to gather following the 9:00 service for singing, skits, and some special visitors. The youth and children will visit their new classrooms after this gathering.

Chapel Join Chancellor James Moeser for a presentation and discussion on The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri, this year's UNC book selection for incoming students.

Last updated: September 4, 2006