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NEWSLETTER OF THE CHAPEL OF THE CROSS - December 2007

December Cross Roads
Celtic Cross





Faces of Christmas









In This Issue:

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Dear Friends,

Each Sunday in the Prayers of the People, we pray not only for the Church, for the world, for those in particular need, and for those who have died. We also pray, by name, for groups with whom we have an important relationship. That list has been growing. We pray for the Church of the Advocate, the new congregation in Carrboro, initiated and still supported by the Church of the Holy Family, St. Matthew's in Hillsborough, and the Chapel of the Cross. We pray for St. Paul, AME, our sister parish for thirteen years. We pray for San Patricio in Honduras, our new sister parish, which a delegation will visit next spring for the second time. We pray for Saints Peter and Paul in Springs, South Africa, who sent parishioners and a priest to visit us last year. We pray for Costa Rica and Botswana, companion dioceses for the Diocese of North Carolina. We pray each week for a different parish supported ministry, e.g. the Inter-Faith Council for Social Services.

By praying regularly for these companion groups, we express our significant connection and we hold them in presence before God. But we do so not only for their intended benefit. By expanding the scope of our vision and attentiveness, we allow God's Spirit to draw us beyond ourselves and into deeper realizations of our connection to God's world and all God's people. A strong outward focus is both the fruit and the sign of a spiritually healthy congregation.

In this issue we try to strengthen even further our ties with these important companions. People whose families move closer together soon share an awareness of each other's traditions about important celebrations. In that spirit, with Christmas upon us, it seemed helpful to explore how some of our companion groups observe the Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ. In learning more about their religious and cultural observances, I hope that our sense of connection will grow deeper. Learning about different traditions and faith-full practices can also help us understand and appreciate our own observances here at the Chapel of the Cross. As companions in faith, all of us are to learn from and strengthen one another as we worship and witness to the God of all nations and peoples.

- Stephen

Vestry Actions

At its meeting on October 18, the vestry:

The Rev. Tammy Lee to Lead Advent Quiet Day

"And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her form the Lord". Luke 1:45

The Rev. Tammy Lee will lead the Advent Quiet Day on Saturday, December 1 from 9:30 am until 2:30 pm in the Dogwood Dining Hall at Camp New Hope. Tammy will share her reflections on the topic of fulfillment using Luke 1:45 as a scriptural basis. There will be silent times for prayer and reflection, a quiet lunch, and a concluding Eucharist. Camp New Hope is located on Highway 86 north of Chapel Hill (www.newhopeccc.org). Casual dress is encouraged, as there will be opportunities for walking outdoors during the times of reflection. Breakfast snacks and lunch with vegetarian options will be served ($6 donation suggested). Please stop by or call the parish office at 929-2193 to register. For more information, contact Jan Seabock (jseabock@mindspring.com or 967-2895).

John Koch, New Director of Stewardship and Development

By Bill Stockard, Personnel Committee Member

For John Koch, life seems to have come full circle. Koch, who becomes the Chapel of the Cross' Director of Stewardship and Development in December, spent 15 years as executive director of the Summit Conference Center near Greensboro, which was once owned by the Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina. As a result of that experience, he is already well-acquainted with Bishop Michael Curry and with some of our congregation's clergy and parishioners.

So it was a pleasant surprise when he discovered the position description listed on a non-profit organization web site.

"I thought, 'Wow, it would be great to be back with people I knew,'" says Koch, whose last name is pronounced, "cook." "If this had been a random church, like a Methodist church in Arkansas, it wouldn't have appealed to me."

His career took a brief detour west before he found his way back to the Piedmont. For the past year, Koch has served as the manager of Domestic Logistics and Corporate Development for Samaritan's Purse in Boone, a non-governmental relief and development organization for Operation Christmas Child. He supervised national collection efforts for the organization and increased donations 12 percent within four months.

At the Summit, Koch directed center operations, both physical and financial, and oversaw land acquisition and property expansion from 98 to 210 acres. Koch says those skills will help him in his new duties with the Chapel of the Cross. His primary responsibility will be to implement and assist with the parish's capital campaign, which includes the goal of a new parish hall and building of new educational facilities.

A key element of the job is stewardship, which pleases Koch because that involves fostering relationships.

"It's almost a puzzle you figure out. I enjoy that aspect of it. I like to sit down and meet with people and help them be able to see creatively."

Part of the puzzle will be to help parishioners feel comfortable expressing their opinions on church growth, which will include conversations about bricks and mortar. Koch says he will work to keep those discussions from polarizing the parish.

"My role will be to find those pockets of people who want something different, and find out what they're worried about. I will take that information to the people who are really positive about it and see how we can make it work. It takes a lot of time, but it's really necessary to have that dialogue."

Koch admires the parish's ambitious goals, saying that the church leadership is looking 50-100 years ahead and considering how future generations will use the church's facilities. He says that his first three months on the job will involve hearing parishioners' hopes and concerns, getting oriented to the different committees involved, and establishing relationships. To that end, he hopes to facilitate communication between parishioners.

"We have to be honest and ask the hard questions. It's not a question of if those questions come up, but when they come up. We have to say the things that are necessary."

Christmas Extravagance and Christian Stewardship

By Ann Henley, Junior Warden

Suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly hpsts praising God and saying "Glory to God in the highest..." (Luke 2:13-14)

Quite a number of years ago the rector structured a Christ Mass sermon around this exuberant text as a way of illustrating something that I, a congenitally over-the-top celebrator of the season, was only too happy to hear: our extravagance at Christmas is "altogether fitting." How reassuring it was to hear Stephen proclaim from the pulpit that in decking the halls with too many boughs of holly, baking too many loaves of cranberry bread for the neighbors, buying too many gifts at the Alternative Gifts table, all of us are doing much more than responding to cultural norms. We are copying a pattern that God Himself set at the first Christmas.

"When man disobeyed and turned against God," Stephen reminded us, "God made a lavish promise - of a Savior who would set things right and bring unending life for all. God fulfilled that promise extravagantly by sending, in the fullness of time, not just a holy man, not just an ambassador for the Divine, but his very own Son. How extravagant and excessive! How much more than was required."

And so the manifestation of that abundant fulfillment, Jesus' birth in a dusty stable in a remote Roman province, was accompanied by not just a few, but multitudes of angels singing a chorus we echo at Christmas services, "Gloria in Excelsis Deo!" and by eastern astronomers traveling vast distances with lavish gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Because that first Christmas was celebrated with "wonderful excess," our own extravagance at Christmas is fitting and proper - especially when, like that first outpouring, it comes in response to and mirrors an "overflowing of Divine love."

The Chapel of the Cross recently received a gift that exemplifies an abundant generosity reflective of God's own. Last month Blanche and Henry Clark donated $50,000 to be used by the Global Mission Committee over the next three years for work at San Patricio and in the Diocese of Honduras.

The Clarks have spent long, fruitful lives responding to the needs of others - shaping the development of UNC's Medical School, providing medical infrastructure in Jamaica as part of Project Hope, and helping organize and underwrite UNC's Habitat for Humanity projects in Honduras. They have been tireless, too, in urging our parish to conceive of its mission in the world as extending far beyond the city limits of Chapel Hill, especially to our near neighbors in Central America.

When funds beyond Global Mission's budget allotment were required for missioner scholarships and for visits to Chapel of the Cross by Eduardo Monzon, rector of San Patricio, and Richard Kunz, executive director of El Hogar, the Clarks responded with generous donations. When construction at San Patricio came to a halt because there was no money for a roof, the Clarks contributed $12,000 so that the work could resume. Their latest gift - a green fortune in terms of what it can do in poverty-riddled Honduras - will contribute to pure water projects, provide seminary educations for aspiring priests, complete the church building at San Patricio and extend its outreach services. What generosity! What a rich outpouring of Christian love!

While few of us can match the Clarks in dollars donated, we can follow their example of generosity and determination to further the Kingdom of Heaven here on this earth: we can give abundantly to the Annual Giving Campaign and, when the time comes, to the Capital Campaign. Though In-Gathering Sunday has passed, many pledges have yet to come in and several crying needs of our parish remain unmet. And in the New Year, each of us will be asked to invest in the bricks and mortar necessary to project our parish's mission into the future. Thus we need, as a parish and as individuals, to inform our year-round stewardship practices with the lavish spirit of Christmas.

"It is right," Stephen said in that Christ Mass sermon, to "open up our hearts, to give more of ourselves than we might otherwise . . . ." So let us all engage in the appropriate extravagance of this holy season with extra desserts for Christmas dinner, more visits with family and friends, and abundant gifts for the work and the future of Chapel of the Cross. In so doing we add our voices to the angel throng - "Gloria in Excelsis Deo!" - and reflect in our human way the Divine excess of the first Christmas.

Christmas at the Advocate Mission - Simple Holiness

By Rev. Lisa Fischbeck, Vicar

The Episcopal Church of the Advocate is a mission sponsored by the Chapel of the Cross, as well as the other two established Episcopal Churches in Orange County - The Church of the Holy Family in Chapel Hill and St. Matthew's Church in Hillsborough. The Advocate was launched in September 2003. The Rev. Lisa Fischbeck is the founding Vicar.

One of the surprises of Christmas at the Advocate in our first years has been the intimacy of the liturgy. With a somewhat younger congregation, many of our regular attendees travel at Christmas to be with parents elsewhere. Because we haven't been that well-known, we haven't had the visitors so common in the Christmas liturgies of more established churches. As a result, our Christmas has been marked by a simple holiness - peaceful, joyful, and delightfully un-hectic and un-crowded. A gift.

This year will mark our fifth Christmas together as a congregation. While we have settled into the practice of having one liturgy on Christmas Eve and one on Christmas Day, like so much in this new church, the details and practices of our Christmas liturgies are not yet established as tradition. Each year has been a little different.

Where will the liturgy be held? What time? What decorations shall we use? Each year we consider the congregation at hand. In the first few years, we surveyed the congregation to see who would be in town and to find out what time would be most convenient to most of the people involved. Because we rent space, whatever decoration we have for any given liturgy needs to be set up and taken down. Some volunteer to bring poinsettias, carry them home at the end of the liturgy on Christmas Eve, and then return with them on Christmas Day. Until this year, we haven't had our own creche, so the congregation has been encouraged to bring their own carved creatures from home to visit a borrowed Jesus, Mary and Joseph. We regularly have treasured carvings from Alaska and Africa. One year we had a live gecko, too.

Besides flowers and the creche, we change our Advent hangings for a Bible quilt, setting the story of the nativity within the greater Story. Our usual black binders, which contain our prayer book and hymnal equivalents, are swapped out for special red ones for the Season of Christmas. And, of course, we light candles and sing Silent Night. (Some things are universal!)

With only one liturgy on Christmas Eve, those who like the midnight mass defer to the needs of the children and the elders who prefer something earlier. But we haven't settled on whether the service should be before dinner or after. Each year we have held our celebration at a different time - trying it on.

Attendance has grown steadily. Our first year, at the Unity Center of Peace, we had 24 people in the congregation. In 2005, we figured we wouldn't have many people again, so we gathered in our occasional chapel in our offices at Ephesus Place. But more than 50 people showed up, so it was pretty cozy - a Christmas to remember.

Last year, 2006, we crossed a threshold. We gathered at the Kehillah, the synagogue where we rent space on Sunday. For the first time we had visitors for the Christmas Eve liturgy - extended family of some of our elders, folks who checked out possibilities on the Web, and some of our own former parishioners who now live elsewhere returned for Christmas with their families who live nearby, bringing them to church as well. It was a real homecoming, with 99 people in the congregation!

One thing has been constant from year to year: the celebration of the Holy Eucharist at 5:00 pm on Christmas Day. Held for the past three years in our occasional chapel in our office and gathering space, this liturgy provides a welcome context for those who have spent the day with family and food and gifts, and also for those who have been alone. Again, there is a simple holiness, with the faithful gathered, prayers offered, hymns sung, and the presence of the Incarnate One among us celebrated. Snacks, both savory and sweet, are enjoyed by all before we head out into the night once more.

This year we will have a creche of our own - carved wooden figures from Haiti, where we have begun to partner with a congregation and school. But folks will still be encouraged to bring their favorite carved animals. We will gather at the Kehillah, at the corner of Mason Farm and Purefoy Roads, at 8:00 pm on Christmas Eve.

On Christmas Day, we will be in our occasional chapel at 5:00 pm. But you'll have to check the Web (www.ouradvocate.org) to find out just where that will be; we will move our offices to 105 West Main Street in Carrboro sometime before the end of the year. Once again, each year is a little different...

All are welcome!

Christmas at the Home of Hope and Love

By Jackie Whitt, Global Mistries Committee Member

Just hearing the full name of El Hogar evokes the Christmas spirit - "The Home of Hope and Love" seems to boil it down to essentials. The hope, love, and peace of Christ that we experience here at the Chapel of the Cross at Christmas are certainly present in the middle of Tegucigalpa, just as they are the world over, though the practices, rituals, and traditions are decidedly different!

Richard Kunz, the Executive Director of El Hogar in Honduras writes the following about the Christmas celebration at El Hogar:

Although we encourage our children to maintain and deepen the family ties they have, and therefore allow many of them to return to their homes for Christmas, we still have many boys who either have no home, or have homes they cannot visit safely. These boys celebrate Christmas at El Hogar together.

The main celebration takes place on Christmas Eve. All the boys go to Santa Maria, our local church. The service there, unlike some of the more subdued Christmas Eve services in the U.S., is lively and festive. The church is decorated with lights and flowers. There is a huge creche in the front. This is a community project, and each family brings something to add to the scene. So, we have Mary and Joseph and the baby Jesus, but they are surrounded by a town that contains houses of various scales, cows of various sizes, cars, churches, and lots of other unexpected things. (Last year a helicopter was parked near the manger.) Also they sing different carols in Honduras, including one specifically about Christmas in Tegucigalpa.

Once church is over, the children go back for a Christmas meal. In Honduras, there are special Christmas tamales, and apples are also a traditional dish. These things are augmented by other foods, which may include pizza and ice cream. Each child usually receives a gift. One year, a visiting group provided the children and the staff with Christmas stockings full of all sorts of good things. Santa showed up with several of his elves to do the gift distribution.

At midnight, the city sounds like a war zone. Firecrackers are set off everywhere! After that, there may be other activities, including dancing. Eventually, people drift off to bed.

Christmas day, by contrast, is a quieter day of "hanging out." Some of the boys who go home have a harder Christmas. One boy, after returning, said he was glad to be back, because, "Here at El Hogar, we eat every day."

One of the newer boys was sitting on my lap last Christmas eve, almost asleep, when Santa came into the room. I watched his eyes widen, and his smile when he got called up to receive a stocking. We tend to get jaded at Christmas because our expectations are so high. Being with these boys has humbled me. They find great joy in small gifts and everyday blessings, the same way I imagine Mary and Joseph found joy in the simple birth of their first child.

In an e-mail, Father Kunz wondered about the fact that few Hondurans ask "What do you want for Christmas?" He supposes that it is because for many, it will be a day like any other. But when they answer, their hopes for Christmas are sometimes revealed. One woman, who worked in a pizza place, said "Some day it would be nice to have a whole bag of apples!" and a young mother looked forward to a day when "I can spend an entire day with my baby. I will make a nice soup, and then we can just play." And in those ways, we again see that our wants, while perhaps different in degree, are remarkably similar in kind. Christmas is time to have a special treat, to revel in time to play, and to spend with the ones we love most. Christmas comes and dwells in homes of hope and love.

Sharing Christmas From the Kwasa Center in Springs, South Africa

via Barbara Day, Global Missions Committee Member

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Christmas in South Africa with the children at the Kwasa Center is depicted in the attached photos which are beautifully Christmas card perfect. They tell the story of the Christmas play held at the church in the Kwasa Center. Every child in the center participated while invited parents watched with holiday pride. Afterwards a Christmas party was enjoyed by everyone.

The children and the parents of the Kwasa Center and the parishioners of St. Peter/St. Paul in Springs, South Africa, send everyone at The Chapel of the Cross  ... Warm Wishes for a Blessed Christmas Season.

Christmas Caroling to Homebound Parishioners

by Heather Benjamin

On Sunday, December 9 at 2:30 in the afternoon, we will hold our fourth annual event caroling to homebound parishioners of the Chapel of the Cross. Anyone who has joined us in the past knows first hand what a wonderful experience this is for old and young alike. We meet in the dining room, where adults help children to make simple ornaments or small gifts to take on our visits. All the while, we practice the carols we will sing, with the help of a couple of talented musicians to get and keep us on key.

Fueled by hot chocolate and Christmas cookies, we break up into groups and head out to the four corners of the parish to spread some Christmas cheer. The look of delight on the faces of those we visit warms the heart, especially when the older children present them with a small token, and the young ones belt out Silent Night. Last year we visited almost 30 parishioners and their companions, roommates, and home mates, including several at Carolina Meadows, Carol Woods, and Britthaven as well as those living at home.

While the focus of this event is sharing Christmas joy with those who can no longer join us at church on a regular basis, it is also a wonderful way to teach our children about caring for and sharing with others. The children love to sing carols and give gifts, and this is a great opportunity to help them think about Christmas not as a toy-getting frenzy, but as a time to slow down, look around, and consider ways in which they can share their many blessings with others.

Our time together as a group also allows parishioners of all ages and abilities to share their talents and some true Christmas spirit. Last year we made Christmas tree decorations for the recipients, and the children and adults were so enthusiastic making them we had more than enough to go around during our visits. This year we will be making potpourri sachets with a Christmas message and wonderful holiday scent.

Please consider joining us for this wonderful, spiritual, joyful Christmas event.

Capital Campaign Update

The Advent season is an apt time to reflect on the advent of an important milestone in the life of Chapel of the Cross. You've heard in the past about the "Light on the Hill" campaign to expand and modernize the parish facilities. But perhaps not much recently. Here's an update.

The Capital Campaign Cabinet has been busy through the summer and fall implementing the plan approved by the vestry. Approximately 50 members of the parish are working on committees involved with construction planning, campaign planning, fund-raising, communications, and other activities.

As a reminder, the master plan calls for a new parish hall that includes a fellowship hall and kitchen, campus ministry home, youth facilities, all new classrooms, offices and meeting space. The current projected cost is $20 million, of which $15-$16 million is actual construction cost, with the remainder for furnishings, design fees, permitting process and costs of interim operations during construction.

Fund-raising has begun, and we're pleased to report that already commitments have been received for $3.5 million, including pledges and estate planned giving. The campaign currently has approximately $500,000 in cash on hand from donations already received. The campaign is expected to last three to five years, and all parishioners will be given an opportunity to participate.

An official launching of the campaign is planned for the first half of 2008. Over the course of the year, there will be small group meetings to explain the project and secure your input and commitment. In the meantime, representatives of the campaign will be available in the dining hall between Sunday morning services to answer questions and discuss the project.

A major step forward was the hiring of John Koch as Director of Stewardship and Development. John begins work on December 10. His primary and immediate focus will be on the campaign, and he will be a valuable asset in providing the staff support essential for the committee and volunteer activities.

The target for construction to begin is April 2009, and we have begun the permit application process. The process to secure approval from the Town of Chapel Hill is expected to take 17 months.

The cabinet welcomes and encourages your questions and input. Campaign co-chairs are Margaret and Reid Conrad. They can be reached at reidconrad@mac.com, maconrad@mac.com.

Christmas at the Inter-Faith Council's Community House

By Alice R. Cotton, Parish IFC Representative

Christmas comes to 100 West Rosemary Street just as surely as it comes to the rest of the world, but there are fewer outward signs. The brick building stands at the corner of Rosemary St. and Martin Luther King Blvd. in downtown Chapel Hill. At Christmas there is usually a decorated tree inside, and the meals served at its Community Kitchen are a bit more festive. Occasionally people come by to sing carols. Yet this place is also a temporary home for 50 homeless men (30 in beds, and 20 on mats on the floor), providing overnight accommodations, medical services, picture id cards, laundry services, postal services, social work assistance, and emotional support. It is the only shelter in Orange County that serves homeless men.

IFC Residential Services Director Laurie Tucker would like to change the drab sameness of the Men's Residential Facility. "I'm into celebrations, especially Christmas," she declared recently, "and I want to do more for these men." Ms. Tucker, originally from Long Island, has worked here for a little over a year. She's a no-nonsense, can-do woman who requires a lot from the men and women whom her agency serves, as she advocates tirelessly for them. She oversees both the Men's Residential Facility and HomeStart, the housing program for homeless women and mothers with children, located on Homestead Road.

Christmas is brighter for those at HomeStart, Ms. Tucker says, as schools, churches, and other groups often step up to supply a bit of welcome holiday cheer for children and their mothers. But Ms. Tucker wants the men at Community House to be remembered at Christmas also, as well as the single women living at HomeStart. These residents usually receive no Christmas gifts, something Ms. Tucker would like to see changed. Hats, gloves, and scarves would be welcome gifts for both the men and the single women, she suggested, and the men always need razors and small containers of shaving cream. Just a little something, she said, would be appreciated so much by those who have so little.

Ways We Can Help

Our parish Social Ministry Committee is offering two alternative gift choices this year (see the "Alternative Gift Giving" article for details). One of these alternative gifts is contributing to the IFC's new stewardship challenge. It's an all-or-nothing challenge grant for $25,000: to receive this money, the IFC must raise an equal amount by the end of December. This would make a big difference in the lives of the homeless in our community.

Those who are interested in providing gifts for residents of Community House or HomeStart may get in touch with Laurie Tucker at housingdirector@ifcmailbox.org.

Children's Christmas Pageant

By Gretchen Jordan, Christian Formation Director

Give yourself a gift that will last throughout the days of Christmas and beyond. Come to the Children's Christmas Pageant on Saturday afternoon, December 15, at 2:30 pm and enter into Bethlehem with a host of angels and a caravan of wise people.

Kneel at the manger with sheep, lambs, cows, and donkeys or perch yourself on a safe and secure ledge with the dove. Watch, listen, and gaze into the twinkling eyes or the glowing faces of our youngest who lead us in a reverent remembrance of the Luke 2 birth narrative. The Cantus Choir shares their gift and love of song as they call us to worship. Throughout the narrative, parishioners join in the chorus singing nine of the most familiar hymns of the seasons. Mary Kate Cunningham makes her traditional appearance as narrator ably leading children of all ages into the story.

If you are new to the parish and have preschool and elementary aged children, this will be a treat for you and for them during the weeks of Advent. There is no practice and costumes are available as late as 2:00 on the day of the service. The only requirement for everyone is to be in your seat when the story unfolds promptly at 2:30. It's a mystery to behold and miracle in its own right. Plan to stay for a cookie decorating reception at the conclusion of the service.

Christmas Services at the Chapel Of the Cross

By Van Quinn, Organist and Choirmaster

The Fourth Sunday of Advent - December 23

Ecce concipies - "Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son." (Isaiah 7)

Although not, strictly speaking, a part of our Christmas observances, Advent IV is a springboard to the Feast of the Incarnation. During the first three Sundays of Advent "when this old world drew on towards night" (Hymn 60) the themes have been of a general apocalyptic nature, cheered up a bit by Messianic promise, and ultimately focusing in that unforgettable precursor of the Messiah, St. John the Baptist. On Advent IV the Evangelist turns his attention to the Blessed Virgin Mary (and this year in Matthew upon the role of Joseph in God's unfolding purpose) and lays the groundwork for the ultimate "blessed event." People are sometimes surprised to find that on a Sunday so close to Christmas we haven't abandoned the spirit of anticipation and preparation, and started singing Christmas carols. But this is the Sunday when the plot of the Christmas story truly begins to unfold and we continue to wait for its fulfillment.

Christmas Eve

"O great mystery and wondrous sacrament: that beasts should see the new-born Lord lying in their manger!"
-O magnum mysterium

The Pageant

The Chapel of the Cross Christmas Pageant, offered at 3:00 pm and 5:00 pm on Christmas Eve is one of the most popular of our Christmas traditions. Indeed, this pageant has become so popular that it is now necessary to offer it twice to accommodate the numbers of people who attend. The text of the two pageants is basically the same, but there are some significant differences. If you are new to the parish you may be curious about which of these services would be best for you and your family.

The 3:00 pageant is slightly shorter and simpler. The Christmas story from the Gospel of Luke is read rather than sung. A real baby portrays the baby Jesus. The entire service takes place in daylight and may fit better with the daily rhythms of younger children, perhaps already overexcited. No candles are used other than those at the altar in the sanctuary. The Junior Choir is still there - looking angelic but with a smaller role than at 5:00, and there is a small orchestra to accompany the dance of the shepherds and the procession of the Magi. All the basic characters - Holy Family, shepherds, angels, Magi, even a friendly beast or two make their appearance in the center aisle and chancel. After the Magi are settled in a soloist sings "O Holy Night," gifts are brought for disadvantaged children as if for the Lord himself, some prayers are said and more carols sung. The service ends with "Joy to the world."

The 5:00 pageant is the candlelight pageant. The music is more elaborate as the Christmas story from Luke is sung by soloists and the Junior Choir, accompanied by the little orchestra as the action unfolds in the aisle, chancel, and pulpit. The service proceeds in general as described above, but adults and children over the age of ten are given candles which are lit during the singing of "Silent Night" after the church has become dark. The candles are carried out in the final procession during "Joy to the World." A big party is held in the parish hall after this service and it seems as if Christmas has really begun.

At either hour, this is a wonderful way to begin your celebration of a Holy Christmas.

7:30 Eucharist

This is a festive yet simple Eucharist for Christmas Eve. Traditional carols and service music are sung under the leadership of the Parish Choir. The service has become popular enough that it now requires the expanded seating capacity of the church.

The Christ Mass

This 11:00 service is the parish's principal Christmas service. It features elaborate and festive music for choir and organ, more complex ceremonial, and is a "solemn" service (meaning that incense is used). Pre-service music begins at 10:30, and you should arrive by 10:00 to ensure getting a seat.

Christmas Day

"The blessed son of God only In a crib full poor did lie; With our poor flesh and our poor blood Was clothed that everlasting good."
Miles Coverdale (after Martin Luther)

The 10:00 am Eucharist is a quiet and intimate celebration of Christmas. Held in the church, it features the singing of traditional carols. Parking is not a problem and this service is usually out in little more than an hour.

Christmas Eve Pageants

By Caren Parker, Youth Ministry Assistant

At this time last year, I was a nervous wreck. I was about to play what I thought was a significant role in staging the Christmas Eve Pageants at the Chapel of the Cross. Only after the pageants were over did I realize that my role was to tell people when to be there and to move the costumes out of the attic. The pageant is so well known and documented that it basically, runs itself.

For many years, the youth at the Chapel of the Cross have participated in this pageant. The tradition became so popular many years ago that an additional service was created to meet the demand. Last year there were people crowding the aisles and a few people standing outside to listen during both services. The youth know that these two services are the most heavily attended services of the year. They take pride in this and look forward to participating each year.

There are a few important differences between the two services.

The 3:00 pm service is a great option for families with young children due to the earlier time, the reading rather than singing of the Christmas story, and the absence of candles for members of the congregation. Jesus will be portrayed by a real, live baby. If you are expecting soon and would consider letting your baby take part in this beautiful tradition, please call Caren Parker at 929-2193.

The 5:00 pm service features the singing of the scripture readings, candlelight, and a really big crowd. It is a good idea to arrive early.

At both services children in the congregation are invited to present unwrapped gifts to the baby Jesus; these gifts will be distributed to needy children. Watching the story of Jesus' birth come to life helps set the real meaning of Christmas into a clearer focus. I look forward to seeing you there!

Episcopal Youth Community Fund-Raiser

It's a stocking stuffer, it's a fund-raiser, it's a great way to reduce waste - it's a ChicoBag. These bags are small enough to tuck in your pocket, purse, or backpack, strong enough to carry 20 pounds of groceries, and cheap enough ($5) to get one for everyone on your Christmas list. EYC members will be selling ChicoBags in the dining room as we head toward Christmas. Half of every sale will support the Youth Mission Trip Scholarship Fund. Please contact Caren Parker at cparker@thechapelofthecross.org with any questions or if you anticipate purchasing many of these useful bags.

Alternative Gift Giving

by Peggy Pratt, Social Ministry Committee Chair

During this holiday season as you make those lists of what to buy for whom - consider giving an alternative gift. While alternative gifts directly benefit someone other than the recipient, they honor that recipient by the act of giving to a charitable cause in their name. It is a wonderful way to remember a friend, a teacher, or a relative over the holidays without the purchase of perhaps another mug, a box of candies or those clothes that are never worn.

The Chapel of the Cross will provide alternative gift giving opportunities and other gift giving ideas this holiday season. The Social Ministry Committee is offering two alternative gifts this year to parishioners.

First is the opportunity to contribute to the Inter-Faith Council for Social Service by giving to their "Let's Make Community House 24/7 Fund". They have an all or nothing $25,000 challenge grant that has to be met by December 31. We hope our alternative gifts can help make that a reality. What difference would those funds make? They would:

These funds give IFC a chance not just to house and feed the homeless but also to provide them the needed services to make a difference in their lives.

The second alternative gift offering is mosquito netting to stop the deadly sting of malaria. "Buy a net and save a life!" One million children die from malaria every year. Africa is especially hard hit with malaria, where it devastates families and whole villages. Nets can reduce deaths from malaria up to 90%. These insecticide treated nets are offered for $12 per net through Episcopal Relief and Development. Your gift can keep a child or a family safe while they sleep. This year the church school advent offering will also go to the purchase of mosquito nets! Mosquito nets are a great way to support the Millennium Development Goals in your giving. Both alternative gifts are tax deductible.

During the holiday season it is easy to feel bombarded with opportunities to give. That happens here at Chapel of the Cross too. Please remember these are choices. No one can or is expected to support everything. Browse through the dining room and the social ministry table during Advent and see what makes sense to you or your family. Thank you for considering a gift which will help the lives of people here in Chapel Hill and people on the other side of the world.

Additional giving opportunities include:

Lessons on Environmental Stewardship from the Little Drummer Boy

By Linda B. Rimer, Environmental Stewardship Committee Chair

Another year has passed; and here we are in the middle of the holiday season - that paradoxical time of the year when we yearn for the quiet contemplation of Advent, but find ourselves instead in a frenetic struggle to decorate our homes, shop, buy and wrap gifts, host and attend parties - all the while worrying that we will never get everything done before Christmas Day.

Perhaps this year we should take time to learn from the Little Drummer Boy. We all know the story about how the little boy is invited to visit the new-born king and bring his finest gifts. But, alas! The little drummer boy has no fine gifts - he has only his drum. With permission from Mary, he plays his drum for the Christ child and is rewarded with a smile - for a gift so simple, yet so sincere, so full of love, so humbly given.

Perhaps, with the little drummer boy as our model, we might come closer to experiencing the true meaning of Christmas while helping to protect our earth, God's creation, at the same time.

How might this be so? Just think of what Christmas preparations are like for many of us. We make long lists of gifts to buy, then dash around from shopping mall to shopping mall, purchasing manufactured and packaged products as we go, while putting large amounts of pollution into the air from our cars. We wrap all our gifts in beautiful paper and ribbon that we know are destined for the landfill. We plan exquisitely delicious dinners composed of exotic fruits and vegetables, many of which are shipped from thousands of miles away.

Are you thinking this sounds like Scrooge trying to 'steal' Christmas? Not really. The Environmental Stewardship Committee invites you to consider an alternative way to experience the days of Advent and prepare for Christmas, an alternative in the spirit of the little drummer boy.

Think local when you buy your food. Plan menus that emphasize locally grown food. This way, you can support local farms and farmers, reduce air pollution associated with transportation, and get "up close and personal" with the source of your food.

Think local when you buy your Christmas gifts. We have an abundance of local artists here in the Triangle - pottery, jewelry, and paintings are just a few of the things we can purchase from our own neighbors. The benefits are many: supporting the local economy; protecting air quality and the climate; reducing packaging waste; and connecting personally with the maker of our gifts.

Make your own gifts. Think of cookies, or breads or ornaments. Inviting your children to help can create life-long memories while teaching the joy of giving of self to others.

Give of your time. Certificates for babysitting, or meal preparation, or running errands for those who find these things challenging, are greatly appreciated.

Make donations to favorite organizations in the name of those on your list. Examples include museums, the zoo, the church, or a favorite charity.

Give subscriptions to NC GreenPower and support the generation of renewable energy sources in North Carolina.

This Advent and Christmas season, remember the little drummer boy. Without wealth or fancy trappings, he gave of himself to the Christ child - with love and great humility.

December Programs and Meetings

Saturday, December 1

9:30 am Advent Quiet Day

Sunday, December 2

5:00 pm Episcopal Youth
Community

Monday, December 3

7:00 pm UNC/COTC Habitat for Humanity

5:30 pm Christian
Formation
Planning

Tuesday, December 4

8:30 am Mary Harris Bible Study

3:00 pm Girl Scout
Troop 378

5:00 pm Communications
Committee

5:30 pm Personnel
Committee

7:00 pm Environmental
Stewardship

7:00 pm Boy Scout
Troop 9

Wednesday, December 5

7:30 am Men's Prayer Breakfast

3:00 pm Cantus Choir

4:00 pm Junior Choir

5:00 pm Centering Prayer

5:30 pm Building &
Grounds
Committee

Saturday, December 8

9:00 am Awakening Heart

Sunday, December 9

5:00 pm Episcopal Youth
Community

Monday, December 10

6:30 pm Global Mission
Committee

Tuesday, December 11

8:30 am Mary Harris Bible Study

3:00 pm Girl Scout
Troop 378

7:00 pm Boy Scout
Troop 9

7:30 pm Finance
Committee

Wednesday, December 12

3:00 pm Cantus Choir

4:00 pm Junior Choir

5:00 pm Centering Prayer

Thursday, December 13

6:00 pm Vestry Meeting

Sunday, December 16

5:00 pm Episcopal Youth
Community

Tuesday, December 18

7:00 pm Boy Scout Troop 9

Wednesday, December 19

4:00 pm Junior Choir

5:00 pm Centering Prayer

Thursday, December 20

7:30 pm Adult Book Group

Sunday, December 23

5:00 pm Episcopal Youth
Community

Eat In to Help Out

by Boykin Bell, Christian Formation Assistant

During the week of October 13-21, 2007, Episcopal churches and parishioners all over the country invited people to "eat in to help out." The idea was simple. Families and friends would share a meal - in a church or in someone's house - and participants would donate the money they might have spent "eating out" in a restaurant to an organization (like Heifer International) that is working to fulfill the Millennium Development Goals and eradicate global poverty and hunger.

At the Chapel of the Cross, it was easy to choose a night to "eat in" because for two years, parishioners have been gathering on Wednesday evenings to share food and fellowship. In the beginning, it was just a few Junior Choir families sitting down to supper. Now, the potlucks have grown to fill the dining room (and the playground) and the sideboard is no longer large enough to hold all the dishes. There is a wonderful abundance of both food and fellowship.

And yet, while we sit down with plates overflowing, there are families around the world who are going to sleep hungry. There are children who do not have clean water to drink.

On October 17, parishioners brought to the potluck macaroni and cheese, a tomato and watermelon salad, beans and rice, barbequed pork, and a chocolate cake. We also brought the money we might have spent at a restaurant that night. Together, we donated $176 to organizations working for the MGDs. It was easy to do.

Although "Eat In to Help Out" week is over, it's not too late to host a dinner of your own. For more information, go to the Episcopalians for Global Reconciliation website (http://www.e4gr.org). Be sure to click on the map to see Chapel of the Cross!

UNC Habitat Chapter Wins National Award

by Jean DeSaix, Faculty Advisor

The first sentence of our parish mission statement says: "The Chapel of the Cross, historically linked to the University of North Carolina and the Town of Chapel Hill, bears faithful witness to the presence of the living God on the campus, in the community, in the Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina, and throughout all the world." Certainly one way we live out this mission is through our Habitat Partnership. The Chapel of the Cross became an active supporter of Habitat for Humanity when, in the early 1980s, the Rev. David Stanford, as campus chaplain, engaged campus ministry students in Habitat work. Our students have been active participants in Orange County Habitat since its beginning in 1984. Our current partnership includes the Chapel of the Cross, Episcopal Campus Ministry, St. Paul AME, Chapel Hill East High School, and the UNC Student Chapter; it is one of the most stable partnerships in Orange County. This partnership had the honor to build the 150th Habitat home in Orange County and has built more than 25 homes, routinely building two homes a year.

This year the UNC Campus Chapter of Habitat, our most active partner, was presented the Outstanding Chapter of the Year Award by Habitat for Humanity International. The award, presented in Atlanta on September 28 during Habitat's Youth Leadership Conference, carries a $20,000 prize from State Farm. The chapter was recognized for its excellence in service for the 2006-2007 academic year during which they, in conjunction with the rest of our partnership, raised over $100,000 to build two homes in Orange County; they also funded four teams to build domestically and overseas in Thailand and Honduras. Under the leadership of co-chairs Megan Turek, Lindsay Kirkham, and Naimul Huq, the students also educated University students, faculty, and staff about the need for affordable homeownership through a series of events throughout the year.

Although we are fortunate to have a stable group of parishioners who build on Wednesdays, the students of the UNC Chapter supply the majority of the partnership's volunteer workers. They reach out to a variety of campus groups, including Greek organizations, athletes from many different teams, and a number of clubs to recruit volunteer workers on each build weekend. Often they recruit enough workers to fill in where neighboring partners need help. Each spring, they provide about 100 volunteers to start one house with a "Blitz Weekend." During the academic year, they provide over 700 volunteers on site as well as managing the volunteer sign ups.

This year UNC students initiated a great new fundraising effort for our partnership. Three of our Episcopal Campus Ministry students, Mary Olive Jones, Meredith Gilliam, and Chris Jochem, joined other UNC students as well as a sprinkling of students from throughout the country on a bike trip from Manteo to San Diego! Through Bike and Build these students raised over $40,000 for houses in Orange County. You may have seen some of them in the early summer when the parish hosted all the bikers in our buildings for three days. The students who went on the trip say the summer was a life-changing experience for them. It will surely change the lives of families who will have a new home thanks to their dedication.

Parishioners may support Habitat by building (to sign up, please email anand.habitat@gmail.com), by supporting fundraising efforts such as spaghetti dinners put on by the Global Village Trip participants, or by speaking to the partnership chair, Harry Watson, about other ways to become involved.

Habitat Golf Tournament

September 17 was a great day for golf and a wonderful day for our parish's Play for Pars golf tournament. Seventy-one players participated in this year's tournament. Clergy and parishioners from the Chapel of the Cross were well represented with Stephen Elkins-Williams and Vicky Jamieson-Drake leading the way. This year's tournament was also the first year that the Church of the Holy Family partnered with the Chapel of the Cross in their support of Habitat. The Rev. Peter Thomas brought a foursome to the tournament, and half of the proceeds from their group went to the Church of the Holy Family's Habitat chapter. It was great having another parish working with us in support of Habitat.

Not only were Stephen and Vicky great representatives for our parish, but they acquired the most player sponsorships and therefore contributed the largest sums of money to Habitat. Sponsorships equaled $1,570 for Stephen and $1,300 for Vicky. Stephen's golf game was also in tip-top shape as his team won first place for the low net score competition. Not only did his team do well, but Stephen was the first person to make a putt in the first round of the putting competition. Unfortunately, Stephen's putter deserted him in the final round, and Tom Townsend won the completion.

In addition to being a great day for golf, the tournament was also a great success in raising money for the UNC Student - Chapel of the Cross Habitat Partnership. The tournament brought in a net total of approximately $12,100. The steering committee would like to thank all of the player's sponsors, corporate sponsors, and participants who helped make the 2007 Play for Pars tournament an all-around success.

As chair of the steering committee, I would like to acknowledge and thank the other members of the steering committee for their efforts in organizing this event. Lucinda Thompson, Cathy Fields, Lucy Smith, Al Bowers, and Craig Sullivan put forth a great effort, and this tournament would not have been the success that it was if not for their commitment and hard work.

Altar Flowers for Christmas

Offerings of flowers for the altars of the church and chapel are especially appropriate for memorials or thanksgivings at Christmas. If you wish to contribute toward Christmas flowers, please complete this form and bring or mail it to the church office by Monday, December 17. A check in the amount you wish to contribute should be made payable to: The Chapel of the Cross, memo line Christmas flowers.

Mailing Address:

St. Hilda's Altar Guild - Christmas flowers
The Chapel of the Cross
304 East Franklin Street
Chapel Hill, NC 27514

Enclosed is my check for $ __________

Please print in ink (full names, no titles):

Memorials

Thanksgivings

My name, address, and daytime contact number is:

Chapel of the Cross Volunteer Profile and Application

For 2008 Mission to Honduras and Possible Mission to Africa

The Global Mission Committee is planning a mission trip to San Patricio, El Progreso, Honduras in May 2008. Volunteers will be aiding in the projects listed. No specific skills are required, but related skills and experience will be appreciated and helpful. Please indicate your interest in and availability for involvement in this or subsequent missions.

_____ I am interested in going to Honduras for the mission.

_____ I would like to sponsor the mission with a financial contribution of _______.

_____ I am interested in participating in a prayer group for the mission.

_____ I am able to provide support by helping others with Spanish.

_____ I would be willing to help host visitors to the Chapel of the Cross by representatives from the Diocese of Honduras in late 2008 or 2009.

_____ I am interested in a mission trip to South Africa/Botswana in the next 1 or 2 years.

VOLUNTEER NAME: ___________________________________________

ADDRESS: ____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

CITY STATE ZIP

EMAIL: ______________________________________________________

TELEPHONE: (H) _____________ (W) ___________ (CELL) ____________

PROFESSION ____________________ EMPLOYER ____________________

If you are interested in the mission trip to San Patricio, please complete the following questions. (All information will be kept confidential and seen only by the committee selecting volunteers.)

NAME: ____________________________________________________________

Indicate your interest or experience in the following mission projects:

Construction: _______________________________________________________
Vacation Church School: ______________________________________________
Sewing Classes: ______________________________________________________
Altar Guild/Liturgical Training: ___________________________________________
Micro-Business Training: _______________________________________________
Medical or Dental care: ________________________________________________
Do you speak Spanish? ______. If not, are you willing to join a Spanish language study group? _____If you do speak Spanish, indicate level of proficiency. _____________

List other mission or similar trips in which you have participated: ______________
__________________________________________________________________

In the past five years, have you spent a week or more with no air conditioning in temperature over 85 degrees with high humidity?_____

Have you worked on a construction site? _____ For how long? ______.

Have you had any medical training? _____ If yes, what type?______________________
_________________________________________________________________.

Have you ever had a heart attack, stroke, diabetes, epilepsy, or tropical disease? If so, please list ___________________________________________________________

Please list other chronic health problems or concerns. ________________________
____________________________________________________________________

Are you a member of the Chapel of the Cross? _____ Of another parish or congregation? _____________________________________________________________________

Thank you for your interest in Global Missions

December Service Schedule

Sunday, December 2 (Violet), The First Sunday of Advent

7:30 am Holy Eucharist Rite I Chapel Ms. Jamieson-Drake

9:00 am Holy Eucharist Rite II Church Mr. Frazelle

10:00 am Holy Eucharist Rite II Carolina Meadows Ms. Jamieson-Drake

11:15 am Morning Prayer and Holy Eucharist Rite I Church Mr. Frazelle

5:15 pm Holy Eucharist Rite II Chapel Dr. Morely

9:30 pm Compline Church

Sunday, December 9 (Violet), The Second Sunday of Advent

7:30 am Holy Eucharist Rite I Chapel Ms. Lee

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

11:15 am Morning Prayer and Holy Eucharist Rite I Church Mr. Elkins-Williams

4:00 pm Holy Eucharist Rite I Carol Woods Ms. Lee

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

9:30 pm Compline Church

Sunday, December 16 (Violet), The Third Sunday of Advent

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

9:00 am Lessons and Carols Church

11:15 am Lessons and Carols Church

12:45 Holy Eucharist Rite I Church Dr. Pfaff

5:15 pm Holy Eucharist Rite II Chapel Ms. Jamieson-Drake

Sunday, December 23 (Violet), The Fourth Sunday of Advent

7:30 am Holy Eucharist Rite I Chapel Mr. Frazelle

9:00 am Holy Eucharist Rite II Church Ms. Lee

11:15 am Holy Eucharist Rite I Church Ms. Lee

5:15 pm Holy Eucharist Rite II Chapel Ms. Lee

Monday, December 24 (Violet), The Eve of the Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ

2:00 pm Holy Eucharist Rite I Carol Woods Ms. Jamieson-Drake

7:30 pm Holy Eucharist Rite II Church Ms. Jamieson-Drake

11:00 pm Christ Mass Church Mr. Elkins-Williams

Tuesday, December 25 (White), The Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ - Christmas Day

10:00 am Holy Eucharist Rite I Church Mr. Elkins-Williams

Sunday, December 30 (White), The First Sunday after Christmas Day

7:30 am Holy Eucharist Rite I Chapel Mr. Keith

10:00 am Holy Eucharist Rite I Church Dr. Pfaff

5:15 pm Holy Eucharist Rite II Chapel Mr. Frazelle

 

 

Last updated: December 4, 2007

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