December Message

Dear Friends,
I suspect your mailboxes, snail-mail and/or e-mail, bulge with many kinds of items this time of year. Flyers, catalogs, wish-books from vendors far and near tantalize and tempt us every day; pleas from people and agencies tug at our hearts; winter tax statements remind us of our obligations; statements and bills, the old standbys, wait for us; there too, “The Companion” and other newsletters greet the reader; finally, brightly and cheerfully peaking out from all these other pieces of mail are the cards and letters from family and friends, those we see everyday and others we only hear from during this season. I think you will agree that it is because of these cards and letters picking up the mail in December than It is in July, even though it is colder!

The season, Advent, not the shopping season or even the weather season, is, I think, the best of seasons. When I sit down to write the notes on cards, address the envelopes, it is a time for me to reflect, to reflect not only on what has been happening in my life or my families life, but on the relationship I have with each of the people to whom I am writing. It has become a ritual I relish.

Then, of course, there is the reading of the letters and cards received! My blessings are here in front of me as I open each card, read the note and verse, see the signature! My heart and the room are warmed by the thoughtfulness and friendship these people have extended to me. The cards symbolize the relationships we have formed over the year and/or years before; they provide warmth and light on wintry days.

Our first card of the season was from our daughter and her family wishing us Peace in the year ahead; the second was a letter from my friend, Helen Hyland, who shared what has been happening in her life this past year. Each day brings more mail, more cards and letters.

Of course, it brings the other things as well. In addition to the cards and letters, I’d like to think about those pleas for help, for intervention, to do good in someone’s life. Because there are so many, and we, after all, only have so much we can give, it is tempting not to open these pieces of mail, to put them into the trash, unopened and/or unread. Let’s try not to do that. Rather, if we can at least open and read the mail, then, even if we cannot respond with a check, we can offer up a prayer for that cause, that person in need. We can put the letter, the cause, on our “to do” list, so that when there is time and/or money available, we can answer that plea. Sometimes, we are given the opportunity to present that cause, that person’s need, to someone who can make a difference. Saying the prayer, keeping the letter helps us keep the need in our minds, so when that opportunity comes, we’re ready!

Advent is not just for reflection but also for planning and preparation. This period of getting ready is not only for the holidays and the festivities ahead, not even for thinking about next year’s budget, or vacation, or work schedule, though those things need our attention. No, we should be getting ready, planning and preparing for the coming of Christ. Jesus reminded us that as we offer a meal, a coat, and a helping hand to our neighbor then we are offering those same things to him. This is the business we are to be about now and in the days ahead. We do not know when we will be called to serve, but we know we will be called, so let’s be prepared!

Another way I prepare for the day and the days ahead during this Advent season, during the cold days of November and December is to turn on the light—the light by my chair, the light at the front door, the light in the kitchen, the light by my bed. These lights warm the room, but the light I refer to is the Christ light that exists in my heart. This light shines when I read “Forward Day by Day,” scripture, as well as those cards and letters I mentioned earlier. It glows during my prayer time. It shines when I can lend a helping hand or listen to a friend or a stranger. This is the Light that not only brightens my path but warms my soul and gives me courage to move forward. Do you find it to be this for you too?

Let us walk in the Light together!
Deacon Marlyn

November Message

Dear Friends,
“Brother, let me be your servant.Let me be as Christ to you.Pray that I might have the graceto let you be my servant, too.”
[From “The Servant Song”]
A couple of things I heard about at the Deacons’ Day with the Bishop were the “Mom to Mom Sale” and “Mending Hearts” group at St. John’s, Royal Oak. The sale was held for the first time this year, and as you might imagine was a huge success. I gather from the title of the event, it was a focused garage sale, helping moms clothe children for the upcoming school year. “Mending Hearts” is a support group for people who are grieving. I’ve asked The Reverend Deacon Jeffernelt Howcott, now retired, to send me information about these two programs because I think they might prove to be wonderful outreach opportunities for St. Andrew’s to explore.
It’s easy to find ministries that are on going when out and about. For example, in our EYSJ group, here at St. Andrew’s, two of the participants join others in a ministry that reaches out to the community. It is called “Servant Saturday.” One Saturday a month, the first one to be specific, people gather to work. They paint, build, tear down, clean, and do any other kind of work that is necessary to get the job done. Lately, their project has been a church in Detroit. If this sounds like something you’d like to learn more about or to try yourself, let LouAnn or Father Bob or me know, and we will see that you get in touch with the people who can help you get started.
At home, ministry is a-poppin’ as well! New ministry groups in our own parish are forming. With Father Chris’ retirement, we are looking at new ways to carry on his legacy. Both the Worship Commission and the Pastoral Care Commission attempt to do that. The Worship Commission looks at the liturgy and the concerns that surround it. Father Bob leads this commission, and other members are Music Director, Mike Johnson; Altar Guild Directress, Jeanette Ragsdale; Pauline Owens; Parish Office Administrator, Kristin Kahrs, and me, your Deacon. All are welcome to attend the monthly meetings. Watch for meeting announcements in the bulletin.
The Pastoral Care Commission is beginning its work with a training program. Those classes will be held on Saturdays, and the first one is on October 11, 2008. Father Bob and Carole Wollard are facilitating the training. Tracy Moore is helping with that as well. Once the training is over, this group will work with clergy to make pastoral calls, as well as carry on their pastoral ministries at work and in the community. All pastoral care ministers must complete the ‘Safeguarding God’s Church” programs. The Pastoral Care Commission will meet monthly to support each other and to plan how to serve this congregation.
In addition to the new commissions beginning their work, those that have been around for some time began the 2008-2009 with a running start! And, from what I hear and see, everyone needs more people to get the work done. Church school, Eucharistic Ministers and Eucharistic Visitors, Altar Guild, Choir, Bell Ringers, and Adult Christian Education, to name a few, need you. Please listen and look and feel how God is calling you to serve. Do not be shy. We are all called into the vineyard to work!
If you have questions about any of these or ministries, please contact their leaders or Father Bob or myself. Also, the Ministry Development Commission (MDC) is here
to help you and every ministry achieve God’s purpose. Sometimes, it is hard to discern God’s call. The MDC has many tools to help individuals and groups through a discernment process.
The Vestry will soon begin its pledge campaign. As you consider what your pledge will be, please consider the gifts and skills and talent and time you can also give.
I, who made the stars of night,I will make their darkness bright.Who will bear my light to them?Whom shall I send?
I pray our response is that given in the song: “Here I am Lord! Is it me Lord? I will go Lord if you lead me.”
As always, your servant in Christ,
Deacon Marlyn

August Message

Dear Friends,
From where did the term “Dog Days of Summer” or “Dog Days of August” come? As I mull over the terms, high temperatures and lazy days come to mind. For me, these are days when nothing much is happening, and summer is winding down. But, what in the world does that have to do with dogs?
What are dogs doing on these days that they do not do earlier in the summer? We don’t have a dog, but our neighbors, on three sides of us, do. So, I’ve spent a few days now paying attention to them. Let me tell you that they bark! The dogs vary in size, so their barks vary as well. One dog’s bark is deep and loud; it’s “Rrruff!” reverberates across the yards every minute or two most evenings. Two dogs are small and differing purebreds; though they have one thing in common, and that is their high-pitched constant squeak-bark/yip whenever they are out and about! My favorite of our neighboring dogs barks for my attention whenever she and I are in the yard at the same time. She barks for my attention; actually, she is begging for a treat, but I prefer to think she is happy to see me and wants to visit for awhile. She barks to my husband as well, and he gives her one dog biscuit. I, on the other hand, give her four or five dog biscuits at a time. She even recognizes my car now. I am confident that it is me she loves and not the dog biscuits I give her!
I kind of wish she’d bark when the raccoon that lives in her yard waddles over to our yard in the night to dine on our garbage. I say waddle because this night diner must be very fat by now as it has been an uninvited guest for all these summer months. I noticed the other day that it took home MacDonald remains to its family and friends! The wrappers were strewn from garbage can to nest! But, enough of this irksome and unwelcome visitor! I was thinking about dogs and Dog Days.
I think that my friend, this dog who loves me so, would bark loudly at this critter if it visited during the day. Or, maybe she would not! Lately, I see her lolly-gagging around. She spends most of her time in the shade, and I certainly don’t blame her for that; some of these days have been scorchers! And, I’ve noticed, she’s slow to rise and come to me the past few days. She stretches and stretches as she waits for me to bring the treats and scratch behind her ears. So, maybe I’m right about Dog Days and high temperatures!
Certainly, other of God’s creatures loll about under the glare of the sun! Remember the cows you’ve seen when you’ve been driving in rural areas. Cows are different than dogs though. Cows are lazy in groups. They hug up under the shade of a tree. One or two stand and the others are flat on their bellies. I’m always far away from them when I spot them. As I drive by, I wonder, “Do they moo?” They probably cannot because of all that cud they are chewing. [My mom always said, “Close your mouth while you’re chewing gum! You look like a cow chewing her cud!” So, I know they chew cud, but I don’t chew gum anymore.] However, they don’t just do this lounging around during Dog Days. I’ve seen them out there, grouped in this manner, in the spring and fall as well. But, why do they feel the need to laze about in groups? What about community speaks to cows that doesn’t speak to dogs? Hmmmm….
So, dogs and cows seem more languid this time of year. What about people? What about me? I guess I can’t speak for others, but I have mixed feelings about them! The heat slows me down. I find myself sitting and thinking more. It takes too much energy to crochet or read. The yarn is hot and heavy to work with; the book is too heavy for my mind and hands too hold. I like this time for being quiet, for thinking, for watching, for wondering about things like Dog Days. However, today I put a halt to my pondering, got up, went on line, and searched for information on Dog Days. Several sources, including Wikopedia, claim the Dog Days originally were the days when Sirius, the Dog Star, rose just before or at the same time as sunrise ( heliacal rising), which is no longer true owing to precession of the equinoxes. [The ancients sacrificed a brown dog at the beginning of the Dog Days to appease the rage of Sirius, believing that the star was the cause of the hot, sultry weather.] The Old Farmer's Almanac lists the traditional timing of the Dog Days as the 40 days beginning July 3 and ending August 11, coinciding with the ancient helical (at sunrise) rising of the Dog Star, Sirius. But, according to The Book of Common Prayer (1552), the "Dog Daies" begin on July 6 and end on August 17. At home, in Minnesota, when I was young [eons ago], the County Fair signaled the end of Dog Days and the reving up for school. The Fair was always held about the middle of August. So, I guess that fits within these time periods.
Others have given different meanings to the terms Dog Days of Summer or Dog Days of August. For example, these days have typically been days that were slow for people reporting the news, so they filled the papers/journals with stories of less urgency, like pictures and stories of lost dogs, etc. Some believe that it refers to this time of year when the stock market trading slows down. I was satisfied that most people today, think about Dog Days in the same way that I do.
That is they are the days when things are moving along pretty much as they have been all summer. The frenzy that comes with the starting of school has not yet begun. There is a feeling that there is plenty of time; there is no need for hurry. One can be languid, and its okay. Dogs do it; cows do it; why not you and me?!? I saw one of my favorite books at Borders the other day. It has been a long time since I first read it, and I almost bought it again. It is Ray Bradbury’s Dandelion Wine. Bradbury tells the story about a boy’s 12th summer. I first read it one summer, and reading it made that summer even better by helping me recall summers gone by. One bookseller uses these words to invite us to read Bradbury’s work: “Come and savor Ray Bradbury's priceless distillation of all that is eternal about boyhood and summer.” If you have not read it, maybe you will choose to now during these or some future Dog Days of Summer.
As your summer draws to an end, I hope and pray you have time to ponder the deep and not so deep questions life presents you. I hope that in that quiet time, you will feel God’s blessing on you, and that you will give thanks for dogs and cows and birds and sheep and dandelion wine and other wonders that make your Dog Days of Summer significant if not sizzling!

With thoughts of God’s Peace and Love and Joy,
Deacon Marlyn

June Message

Dear Friends,
I am thinking this morning of the brave young Boy Scouts who endured that tornado in Iowa; their lives have been changed forever. And, of course, my heart breaks over those who lost their lives in that storm. I cannot begin to imagine what it must have been like on that day. When winds begin to roar and the sky turns green, fear and panic raise their ugly heads, and in response to that, many of these youngsters found themselves relying on what they had learned about being prepared, about taking care of those less fortunate than themselves, about survival, and they acted responsibly and bravely. Somehow, I believe that today, those who can will visit with and offer comfort to the families of the boys who lost their lives. When I think about the future, I will think about these Scouts and be comforted that they are the future leaders of this country.
Storms in our own area took lives and property, and again, I have heard stories of people helping people. How little it takes to reduce our lives to the bare minimum, and yet, there’s a neighbor who has something another does not have and is willing to share. At least, I found it to be this way!
Thinking of things to share—C.R.O.P. Walk is one opportunity that we have to share what we have to overcome world poverty. If you haven’t already, please mark your calendars for the first Sunday in October. Plan to walk or to support walkers by donating your time or money. Remember, that C.R.O.P. Walk works to overcome poverty here at home, by having 25% of the money raised staying right here in Waterford, and the rest of the money reaching across the country and around the world to stop hunger, build wells, and educate women and children who otherwise would not receive an education.
Other events and ministries that are coming up include the Exploring Your Spiritual Journey [EYSJ] program here at St. Andrew’s, the St. Andrew’s Sisters (S.A.S) birthday party, and the need for a Pastoral Care Commission. Our EYSJ program has hit a bump in the road. This bump has not yet stopped the program from happening although it raises some concerns for us. Some of you may have heard that Denise Crenshaw has resigned her post as Director of the Whitaker School of Theology. Our prayers and hopes go out to Denise as she takes up her journey and discerns her next ministry! Any change like this causes a tornado of its own. We will wait for guidance from the WSoT Board of Directors. Applications can still be made to WSoT, but be sure to note on the application that it is for the St. Andrew’s offering of EYSJ.

On September 26, 2008, the S.A.S. will sponsor another evening of fellowship and worship. It is an evening to celebrate life! It is a birthday party! Char Wall heads the team, so be sure to contact her if you want to help or have questions about the event. This ministry to women of this congregation and to the community is important. If you have ideas of how it can grow, please let us know. People who are active leaders for S.A.S. so far are Donna Noren, Char Wall, Patti Jarvis, Marcia Bottomley, and Louise Seaton.
Another ministry at St. Andrew’s is Pastoral Care. The responsibility for this is held by all of us, clergy and laity alike. Many of you are already actively involved in pastoral care, either formally or informally: Some of you make visits to hospitals and/or homes to visit those who are recovering from surgery or illness; some of you take communion to the those who are unable to make it to one of our services, some of you provide transportation when necessary; some of you listen to a friend, send cards of encouragement, and call to see if the person who generally sits in front of you but wasn’t there last Sunday is okay. A Pastoral Care Commission is about to form. It will begin with a training program. We are fortunate to have Father Bob and Carole Wollard among us. They have put together an effective pastoral care training program and delivered it to several other congregations in the past. They will design and deliver the program for us as well. Tracy Moore and others from the Ministry Development Commission [MDC] will help them in this task. Watch for more information in the bulletins as well as on the bulletin board in the Richardson Room. The training will probably begin in July, and it is hoped that the Pastoral Care Commission is ready to formally begin its work by mid-August. [Eucharistic Visitors and Healing Team members are ideal candidates for this training!]
Before I conclude this article, I want to thank you for your kind words and support, especially at the time of my induction into the WSoT Hall of Fame. [I mean a sign by the road and everything!!! Angela Jolie move over!] You made it a special moment for me! Thanks be to God for placing me here among you!

Let us go forth to love and serve the Lord!
Deacon Marlyn

May Message

Dear Friends,
The Season of Pentecost has not yet begun, still the Holy Spirit already dances in the hearts and lives and events of this congregation and its ministries! In April alone, I’ve witnessed its jig during Discovery Weekend; the St. Andrew’s Sisters Soul Gardening morning; the discussion of “The Ragamuffin Gospel,” by our Eucharistic Ministers, visitors and lectors; the Spring Clean-Up; the St. Andrew’s Minstrel’s concert; and, certainly during our worship time together. I’ve noticed its footprints in the work done around the church—in the closet in the office, the new exit lamps, the electrical outlets, and the plants springing forth in the pots on the Front Porch. Ah! There’s so much joy left in the path of the Spirit; I feel like I do after a good polka—excited, energized, and elated—wanting at least one more dance!
And so there will be, not just one, but many more. Some we know about as they are on the calendar, and some are only a spark waiting to be ignited. I’m looking forward to the play put on by the Clarkston Players and featuring our own Melissa Butler; the new Adult Christian Education program that begins on 4/30, Women of the Bible with Susan Boyer, who is a very spiritual person herself; the Ministry Development Commission will begin its work for the EYSJ meeting this month, starting with the Informational Meeting on 5/21; the Squeakers and their moms and grand-moms and other important women in their lives will be singing on Mother’s Day; and the Newcomer’s tour is scheduled for May 18. And, folks, these are only the things I know about. When you add all that you know about, whew! the Spirit will need a new pair of dancing shoes!
If dancing is a metaphor that doesn’t work for you, let me suggest walking with the Holy Spirit. Let me remind you about the pilot offering of our parish-delivered Exploring Your Spiritual Journey (EYSJ). There are signs and informational packets in the Richardson Room, and LouAnn Leonard, Bob Wollard, and I are available to answer your questions and hear your comments and concerns about the program any time, and especially on May 21, 2008, 7 p.m., in the St. Gregory Room (a.k.a library/music room/multi-purpose room). This program and other St. Andrew’s discernment opportunities are meant to help you commit some time to your self and your spiritual life and ministry. And, I’d like to alert you to another walk, a physical walk.
Waterford’s annual C.R.O.P. (Christians Resolve to Overcome Poverty) is scheduled for the first Sunday in October, October 5, 2008. Last year, St. Andrew’s raised nearly $800, bringing relief to many who live near or far. The area walk raised over $10,000, and twenty-five percent of it stayed right here in our community helping people who count of the Baldwin Center, Open Door, Meals on Wheels, and the Good Samaritan Food Pantry for help.
St. Andrew’s not only sends walkers and donations of money several people work together to provide a “water station” here on our corner. They put up a canopy and provide bottles and coolers of water, oranges, home-made energy bars for the walkers as well as water for their pets who walk with them. This year, I am hoping that someone will feel called to co-ordinate the program here at St. Andrew’s, become the Recruiter. The task is not hard nor is it very time consuming; what it does require is an enthusiasm for and commitment to wanting to overcome world hunger and poverty. If you think this is a ministry for you, please contact me. Watch for more about the C.R.O.P. Walk in future editions of “The Companion” and in the bulletins on Sundays!
Let us go forth, rejoicing (walking or dancing), in the Power of the Holy Spirit!
Deacon Marlyn

April Message

Dear Friends,

Annie Dillard, author of For the Time Being, begins its seventh chapter with these words:

Birth • Our lives come free; they’re on the house to all comers, like the shopkeeper’s wine. God decants the universe of time in a stream, and our best hope is, by our own awareness, to step into the stream and serve, empty as flumes, to keep it moving. (175)

What a picture this created in my mind! I had to look up the word, flumes, though, not knowing much about streams and rivers. Seems they are like channels, open and dry, and then the water rushes through them. Hmmmm….
I get the notion they are empty but not completely. I imagine that over time, pebbles, rocks, even boulders find their way into these flumes, along with branches and other debris blown into them from across the landscape. Sometimes, these things become obstacles to the flow of the water, and sometimes they facilitate it, and they create a new force, a new energy. And, we know, river beds change their paths, slowly over time, as they wind their way through the territory. What a metaphor for our own birth, our own life, our baptism and spiritual life!
Step into the stream! Serve! Love and Serve the Lord and your neighbor! That’s the call to all who say yes to God. But how, that is the question many of us have. It is the intention of the Ministry Development Commission (MDC) to offer you as many opportunities as it can to help you discern what it is you are called to do and to support you as you step into the stream. To that end, it has agreed to pilot a Whitaker School of Theology (WSoT)program, Exploring Your Spiritual Journey (EYSJ) for this congregation and the congregations in our Oakland Deanery.
EYSJ participants make a commitment to themselves, to God, and to each other to meet twice a month for about eight months. During this time, each person looks into his/her spiritual life. This is a scripture based program that looks at prayer, creation, call, covenant, suffering and hope, and images of Jesus. It is also a program that gives individuals time to explore and share their spiritual journey, identify their gifts, and explore ministry. The program doesn’t end there, but sends each person out with a learning plan to carry out his/her ministry. This program is open to all people who are either at the stream’s edge or in the stream and wondering, “Okay, now what?”
Because this is a pilot program for WSoT, it will underwrite the program, and this means a savings in tuition for the participants. Participants in the St. Andrew’s pilot will be charged $275. ($125 is for the retreat in September at the Emrich Center, and $150 is the tuition cost.) Ordinarily, this program costs $1400 per participant. Scholarships are available through WSoT. An informational meeting is scheduled for May 21, 2008, 7-8:30 p.m., in the St. Gregory Room. The first class session is scheduled for August 20, 2008, from 7-9:30 p.m., here at St. Andrew’s. At that time, the participants will set the place and calendar for the remaining 14 meetings. We know that Father Bob and I will facilitate the program, so you can talk to us about the program or any member of the MDC—Carole Wollard, Mary Kay Sparre, Diane Hammond, Aleta Morris, Tracy Moore, and Marcia Bottomley.
EYSJ is perhaps more of a commitment than some are ready to make right now, so other discernment opportunities are needed. For you, MDC will offer a shorter, but intense, “Listening Hearts” experience, they hope this summer. And, the regular 5-6 week “Listening Hearts” program will be offered again this next fall or winter.
More information about all of these programs and more will become available in the bulletins, on the bulletin boards, and/or in future editions of the “Companion.” I hope you will participate in many of these discernment opportunities as discerning God’s call to serve, to step into the stream, is on going, a never ending responsibility and joy. With that in mind, I’d like to leave you with another thought from Dillard’s book:

As Martin Buber saw it—writing at his best near the turn of the last century—the world of ordinary days “affords” us that precise association with God that redeems both us and our speck of world. God entrusts and allots to everyone an area to redeem: this creased and feeble life, “the world in which you live, just as it is and not otherwise.”…
“It is given to men to lift up the fallen and to free the imprisoned. Not merely to wait, not merely to look on! Man is able to work for the redemption of the world.”
The work is not yours to finish, Rabbi Tarfon said, but neither are you free to take no part in it. (199-200)

Deacon Marlyn