From the Rector

Dear Friends,

A few Sundays ago at the time of welcoming, I mentioned to you the admonition of a Yale Divinity School preaching professor to his charges, “Never forget that the majority of people you face on Sunday morning almost decided not to come!”  That is good advice, not only for the preacher, but also for each of us who participate each Sunday, because part of our opportunity and responsibility as parishioners is to exercise hospitality.  We are to welcome others, especially newcomers, who almost decided not to come.

At the Chapel of the Cross, I think it is especially important that each one of us go out of our way to greet and welcome those who have taken that critical step to join us for worship.  We operate under several significant handicaps!  Consider that our average newcomers have first had to search diligently for a parking place and then perhaps walk a significant distance to get to the service.  At the point of entering the church or the chapel, there is no roomy narthex in which to have friendly conversations or for welcoming and informative signs or banners.  The liturgy itself may be confusing, and they may have trouble finding the place in the bulletin, the Prayer Book, and the hymnal and knowing what to respond, when to stand or kneel, and how to participate in communion.  After the service, we have only a small dining room in which to offer hospitality and limited and difficult-to-find classroom space for education offerings.  It is amazing that many of you made it past all those barriers!

Not that we do not have much to offer those who come seeking.  Our worship spaces and grounds are inspiring and beautiful.  Our liturgies are engaging and planned with great care.  The reverent participation of our congregations is striking and strengthening.  Those charged with preparing the altar, preaching, proclaiming the scripture, leading the music, and assisting with the service in other significant roles do so conscientiously, faithfully, and skillfully.  People do find a sense of the divine transcendence (God beyond us) in our worship.

Our challenge is to help people also find the immanence of God (God within and among us).  Our welcoming smiles, our attentiveness to others' needs, our friendly initiative, can make all the difference in helping people find the presence of God among us.  If you sense bewilderment in your pew mates, be attentive to their needs.  If, before or after the service, you are near people whom you are not sure whether or not you are supposed to know(!), introduce yourself anyway.  You do not have to say, “You must be new!”  Just tell them your name.  You would want them to do the same for you.

All of us have many things on our minds and hearts when we come to church.  We have prayers to pray, sermons to digest, people to see, even duties to fulfill.  But let us also exercise the important ministry of hospitality.  We may be just the messengers those who come to us need to hear God's love for them.

- Stephen

Vestry Actions-June 19, 2003

At its June meeting, the vestry:

Approved the 2002 audit by Butler and  Burke, Certified Public Accountants

Approved the recommendations of the Social Ministry Committee for distribution of funds from the discretionary outreach line item in the amount of $500 each to Project Compassion, Orange-Person-Chatham Foundation for Mental Health, Orange Congregations in Mission, Freedom House, and Thompson Children's Home

Renewed the contract with the Preschool at the Chapel of the Cross

Received a copy of the signed contract between the Orange County Mission and the Unity Church for rental of worship space beginning in September

Received news of the University Ministry Committee's commendation of Stacey Tompkins for her service as vestry liaison to that committee

Received a proposal for support assistance for Stephen Stanley during his year of transition and authorized a flat salary for the Young Adult Program Assistant for Episcopal Campus Ministry equal to $3000 per annum for a period of up to twelve months through June 2004, to be funded from the Campus Ministry Fund, with the cost per month (including benefits) at $274.75, for a total of $1648.50 from July to December of 2003

Approved an increase in the monthly retirement payments to Doris Cotton from $597.85 to $606.22, an addition of $8.37, commencing June 2003, this increase based on the 2003 Social Security Administration Cost of Living Adjustment rate of 1.4%

Learned that the Diocesan Asking has been renamed the Diocesan Proportionate Share and that the share for Chapel of the Cross for 2004 will be $161,999, an increase of about $15,000.

For more information, see the complete minutes from the June meeting.

How Friendly Are We?

George Evans, Vestry Liaison for Hospitality

That was the question recently put to a small group of parishioners by our rector.  The reason was a number of comments from people who have visited the Chapel of the Cross and for some reason felt that they had not been as welcomed as they would have liked.  None of the comments were so specific that we could clearly tell what had caused the feeling but they do indicate that we need to take a look at ourselves and examine just how we relate to each other and to our newcomers and visitors.

Our discussion brought out the fact that we have a number of groups within the parish who have a direct effect on the neighborly atmosphere of the parish.  The greeters provide a welcoming arrival as we enter the sanctuary. They serve to make everyone who enters the church feel that they are a guest in the house of the Lord.  Hopefully they will feel that they are truly welcome at the Chapel of the Cross.

Another group is the ushers.  They not only hand out service leaflets and Crossings and assist with seating, but they offer a friendly face to all who enter.

The coffee hour on Sunday morning is probably the time when parishioners interact most closely with newcomers and visitors.  Our Loaves and Fishes teams do a great job in providing the coffee, tea, or lemonade for our enjoyment.  The newcomers' table provides a place to greet the newcomers and provide them information about the church.  It is an opportunity to introduce the newcomer to other parishioners.

In our discussion with the rector we agreed that having more parishioners take an active interest in coming to the newcomers' table when they see someone being signed up would have a very positive effect upon the newcomers impression of the parish.  Another way is to be alert to people who seem to be new to the parish and just introduce yourself to them.  Someone has remarked “You can tell the newcomers because they are the ones looking at the pictures on the columns in the dining room.”!  If we spot someone like that, we can help them to get to know us better by a friendly introduction.

Our discussion group concluded that we do have many people who are directly involved in affecting the impression of friendliness that newcomers and visitors perceive.  If each of them becomes more sensitive to search out people they do not know and introduce themselves, it will make a big difference.  The same holds true for each of us.

Breaking Through Our Comfort Zones

Amy Meador, Duke Divinity School Student

Breaking through barriers of race and denominational affiliation often begins with first breaking through our own comfort zones.  This summer I have been invited to participate in an exciting multi-cultural, ecumenical endeavor.  Through Duke Divinity School's Field Education program I am completing a summer internship here at the Chapel of the Cross.  That in itself is a whole new world to me, a United Methodist from birth.  (Not to mention the effect of throwing a devoted NCSU alumni and current Duke student onto Franklin Street!)  Being a seminarian and serving as liturgist in several Methodist congregations, I feel like I understand worship pretty well, and I find our worship very comfortable.

My first Sunday in an Episcopal church was eye opening!  For someone who is used to standing behind a pulpit or a lectern, to find myself 'on the other side of the pew'- and not having the slightest clue what was going on was disconcerting.  I had no idea when to sit and stand, not to mention figuring out how to work the kneeling benches.  I may be able to churn out an impressive paper on the meaning and importance of regular Eucharist, but I had to ask the person sitting next to me how to take communion in the Episcopal tradition.

This experience was eye opening because it reminded me of how distinctive we are as Christians.  For the first time I understood what it was like to be a first time visitor in a new church.  I understood the confusion and the discomfort that was present being on the outside looking in.  During my time with you this summer, I have also been visiting a number of African American churches in the Chapel Hill area who are participating in SundayCare - a health based initiative designed to bringing health care resources directly to the people through the church community.  Here again, I found myself outside of my comfort zone, amazed by yet another very different style of worship.

I hope these experiences will serve me well in my own future as a United Methodist pastor: both in seeking to make newcomers feel welcomed in our midst and joyfully celebrating our distinctiveness as a Christian people.  We as Christians are a wonderfully peculiar people; the things we do simply don't always seem to make sense at first glance.  What a wonderful opportunity for witness as we reach out in hospitality to welcome newcomers into our midst and as we have opportunity to explain the meaning behind the distinctive ritual acts that we use to express our worship and devotion to God.

Welcoming the Stranger

Lee Thomas

More than a decade ago, as part of a larger response to General Convention's call to a “Decade of Evangelism”, the Chapel of the Cross engaged the services of consultant Susy Miller for a weekend of workshops and meetings to evaluate, and where indicated, to improve how we go about welcoming and incorporating new members.

In the months that followed, a number of new structures and procedures were put into place which remain important parts of parish life today, including greeters before and after Sunday services, information cards in the pews, more bulletin instructions and directional signs, visits to deliver bread to registered newcomers, and periodically-scheduled newcomers' gatherings.  There also obtained among many a palpable sense of intention in welcoming and inclusiveness.

Eleven years have passed, and some things have changed: Chapel of the Cross has grown by several hundred communicants; Susy Miller is now President of Miller & Associates and is working with the House of Bishops and many dioceses, including North Carolina, leading strategy, reorganization, and evangelism processes; and General Convention has challenged us all to double nationwide membership by 2020.

The Chapel of the Cross probably need not expect to absorb every bit of that growth in this diocese but, as our Long-Range Planning Committee has indicated, we can expect, even hope, to see a significant number of potential new parishioners drawn by our distinctive approach to liturgy, music, education, fellowship, and service to others.

As these new members arrive (and many are reading this, their first issue of Cross Roads-we're glad that you're here!), it may well be time to refresh that sense of welcome (see above), especially for this writer.  From those workshops in 1992, here are ideas and opportunities, some practical and direct, some more subtle:

Be sensitive to issues of personal space in pews.  A friendly glance while making room can do much to allay others' anxieties of intruding.

If you know the liturgy by heart and use the Book of Common Prayer only for the Psalm, take note of those around you.  If a stranger (or anyone else) is seated nearby and appears unfamiliar with the liturgy, open the book to the appropriate page and offer (by gesture) to share or pass it along.  If you follow every word, you can also be alert to helping those around you (i.e., share the book or pass it and open another).

At the Peace, offer the intention to strangers as simply, warmly, and directly as to friends or acquaintances, remembering that it's a liturgical, rather than a social, act.

When walking through parish buildings or on the grounds, consider that greeting or smiling at a stranger is not, in the context of Christian community, a breach of etiquette, but rather an expression of that community.

Bear in mind that the goal is not to intrude or overwhelm (some people like to be left alone in church), but to reflect the spirit of openness and welcome that remains alive and well at Chapel of the Cross.

Friendship Five Factor

Gretchen S. Jordan, Director of Christian Education

Many years ago, I read an article on hospitality in a church newsletter which offered some interesting information.  While I cannot quote the article, it went something like this:  a person is five times as likely to return if he/she is contacted by a parishioner within five days of his/her visit;  if a person visits your parish five times and is not called by name by at least one parishioner and personally invited to participate in some activity or program (even to join him/her in the dining room for coffee) or if a person joins your parish and is not assimilated into some working part of the parish within five months, you may as well open the door and invite him/her to move down the street to University Presbyterian or Holy Trinity!

I attended a meeting of a newly formed committee which is considering ways we as a parish can be a more welcoming, hospitable parish.  One parishioner stated that you could always tell who the visitors were in the dining room after a service.  They are the ones who are standing alone or with one other person (who probably is the spouse) perusing the framed church history pictures hanging on the pillars!

Bishop Curry has charged us with being a people of outrageous hospitality.  What would our life as a community of faith look like if we translated that into action?  Certainly we are a large parish.  Each week we see people around us who appear to be visitors.  More than once I have heard a parishioner state that they sometimes do not extend a hand and seek the name of a person who appears to be a visitor for fear of being embarrassed when the person says they have been here 30 years and served as senior warden twice!  But how much more embarrassing for anyone to enter and leave this sacred place without having met someone who could call them by name and extend a welcoming hand?

Extending hospitality is a first step toward koinonia, the act or ministry of building Christian community.  Maria Harris in her book, Fashion Me A People, writes: “People come into a church in many different ways, and often in a combination of ways but the common elements in affiliating with a community tend to be remarkably constant.  These are the impetus toward belonging; toward associating with those sharing a common heritage, belief, and way of life; and toward the human need to share.  Although it may not be reached, the ideal embodied in community is the movement toward unity and union with others:  communion and community.”

How can you take a step toward the ministry of koinonia?  What outrageous hospitality can you extend as a member of the body of Christ in this home we call the Chapel of the Cross?

A Newcomer Finds a Home at the Chapel of the Cross

Virginia Carson

Last Sunday I slipped into a back pew for the 5:15 service and found myself surprised at a warm feeling of familiarity about the narrow wooden pews, the needle-pointed kneelers, the cranky organ, and the quiet, casual congregation.  After a few dead-ends, my husband and I have found our church home at this informal, end-of-day service.

We moved to our house in Chapel Hill not quite three years ago.  We tried the morning services at the Chapel of the Cross, which turned out to be a polite but lonely experience of staring at the columns in the coffee room, returning a few brief greetings and feeling totally lost. Okay, we thought, let's try a few other churches, see if we might do better with a complete change of church experience. We visited St. Paul AME, University Methodist, University Presbyterian and Church of the Holy Family.  (For anyone interested, the most sincere and warmest welcome we received was at St. Paul where we were assumed to be visiting from the Chapel of the Cross. The next warmest was at University Methodist, followed by Church of the Holy Family.) Despite the genuine hospitality of St. Paul and University Methodist, the Anglican service pulled us back to the Episcopal church, and the lively worship drew us for a few weeks to Church of the Holy Family.

So what are we doing back at Chapel of the Cross and ready to enlist?  Well, the reason we wanted to live in Chapel Hill was to enjoy the small town environment, particularly all things in walking distance. The beauty of worship services and the simplicity of the chapel also pulled us strongly. But more than anything else, we found a small group who gladly took us in and made us part of their faith lives. I showed up one day at the Mary Harris Bible class, because its weekday morning sessions could always be fit into my work schedule. I found one old friend and a half dozen new friends happy to greet a new participant.  After this successful start, I enticed my husband to give the group a try also, and he found the same open door and open hearts.

From this base of love, we decided to try again for a service we could enjoy, and we discovered the small and informal Sunday evening Eucharist in the chapel. Over time we've learned to recognize the regulars like Senator Ellie Kinnaird and others we know by face but not by name. The congregation isn't exactly chatty, but it is readily accepting of those who value the quiet, the informality, the chance to prepare for the week ahead and to give thanks for the day of rest already enjoyed. There is a wonderful mix of generations and a sizeable contingent of students from the university, but rarely the same crowd from week to week.  It's a cross-section of a large and bustling parish but small enough to seem friendly and unhurried.  For newcomers slowly making their way, it's a good place to start.

Welcoming Students

Jean DeSaix, Faculty Advisor to Episcopal Campus Ministry

Our parish mission statement begins with the statement “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.”  It is not surprising then, that an important aspect of our mission as a parish is welcoming university students.  We do this, not only in the fall, but throughout the year, and not only in the campus center, but throughout the whole parish.

Some may believe that the major welcoming of students is through Episcopal Campus Ministry (ECM), the university-recognized student group that meets on Tuesday nights.  While ECM is a solid, spiritually-grounded, rocking, and welcoming group, it is but one small part of how we as a parish welcome students.

Some students who do not participate in ECM find their church needs met by faithful participation in Sunday worship.  They maintain their church membership at home, but we are their church home away from home, and they feel part of us.  We should look for them each Sunday and inquire about their student status, their hometown, their major, and their vocational interests.  Most spend the rest of the week with folks the same age as they, and an opportunity to talk to an older (or much younger!) person is often a treat.  So we can welcome students by introducing them to our children and our elders, at least as a first step in getting to know them.

Other students are active in the parish in volunteer roles.  Commonly UNC students are leaders for EYC, teach Sunday school, and work with vacation bible school.  We have student acolytes and student chalice bearers.  Our mission statement would call us to share our many blessings with those students who share their time and talents with us.  Again, inquire about their courses, their families, and their roommates.  Students, like the rest of us, often have celebrations or concerns they need to share with others who are part of their worshiping community.

If you are in the building during the week, you may find yourself able to welcome students who are neighbors of the church (and sometimes study in the building) or students who have a class taught in our library (by a parishioner faculty member) or students who are here as part of our Chapel of the Cross Habitat partnership.  All these students would welcome our greeting and acknowledgement that they add to the life of our parish.

There are other ways that we as a parish can welcome students.  Whenever we invite parishioners to cook a casserole or sign up for foyer dinners or have names and addresses added to the directory, we can make it clear that students are welcome to share these same blessings.  We would not hesitate to invite an older parishioner to join us just because they planned to move away in three years.  Nor should we hesitate to invite students to join us in all aspects of our mission.  And, in my mind, that is how we might best welcome students into the Chapel of the Cross.

Entertaining Angels

Bill Joyner, Deacon

The word 'hospitality' occurs in the Bible five times, all in the New Testament, and 'hostility' is there 15 times, mostly in the Old Testament. But hospitality is one of the marks of the church; we are called to a ministry of hospitality, of welcoming, of providing a place of safety, of refuge, of hope. The mission statement of the Chapel of the Cross calls upon us to love one another, to care for those in need, and to share our many blessings. Another church lists four parts of its mission: worship, education, hospitality, and outreach. In some religious orders, hospitality, along with poverty, chastity, and obedience, is one of the vows taken.

In the celebration for a home in the Book of Occasional Services, the antiphon for the blessing of a guest room is “Do not neglect to show hospitality, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares,” taken from the final admonitions in the letter to the Hebrews.  The reference is, at least in part, to the visit paid to Abraham and Sarah described in Genesis.  Three men appear at Abraham's tent in the heat of the day.  They don't knock on his door asking for anything, but Abraham rushes out to meet them and bows low to the ground.  He brings water to wash their feet, and bread, and milk, and prepares a meal, and implores them to rest, and refresh themselves, and eat.  He does not know, as the account reveals, that it is the Lord who is visiting - tradition says that the three may together represent the Lord, or the Lord and two angels, or the Trinity.  But he welcomes them, he puts himself and his resources at their disposal, he sends them on their way refreshed.

“Love ye therefore the stranger, for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt”, from Deuteronomy, is also a verse used in the blessing of homes.  Though it was used to remind the people of Israel of their time in Egypt, it reminds us also of the journey of the Holy Family into Egypt, and of our own travels as strangers to places where we are not known.

At our special worship on the third Monday of each month, we welcome our neighbors and friends with disabilities, and we always say to everyone who comes, “You are always welcome at the Chapel of the Cross” - not just to this service, where we make noise with instruments and sing and play guitars, but to our church and all of our activities.  We have this special worship, and invite everyone to it, not to reach out to those who are different from us, but to those who are the same: children of God, made in God's image, brothers and sisters of Jesus, strangers and yet friends.  Our ministry of hospitality at the Chapel of the Cross - welcoming the stranger, as our mission statement says, with “truly thankful hearts in the name of Jesus”, with bread, with an outstretched hands, with a safe place to be - is what enables us to say “You are always welcome at the Chapel of the Cross!”

Loaves and Fishes Guild

Liska Lackey, Chair

“And taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven, and blessed and broke them, and gave them to the disciples to set before the crowd. And all ate and were filled.” Luke 9:16-17

The miracle of the loaves and fishes is told repeatedly in the Gospels.  A large number of people have gathered with Jesus and he has been teaching them all day.  The people become hungry but the apostles do not have enough money to feed the crowd.  Then a young man steps forward with his five loaves and two fishes and offers them to Jesus.  From this offering the whole crowd is fed.

Similarly, we all gather at the Chapel of the Cross for learning, growth, and fellowship. And while we are gathered together, the Loaves and Fishes Guild is asked to “feed the multitudes”.  (We are not expected to perform miracles, but serving cake and punch to 300 people in 30 minutes or less can be a lesson in faith!) Through the simple act of offering refreshment in a variety of settings, including Sunday mornings and parish dinners and receptions, our mission is to nurture parish hospitality.  Sipping lemonade together in the heat of the summer, passing syrup for your Shrove Tuesday pancakes-these are all opportunities to share and create ties with one another.  The Annual Parish Barbecue is one of the largest events that the guild coordinates.  This year's barbecue will be held at 6:30 p.m. on Sunday, August 24. Please join us as we gather at the end of the summer to share a meal together.

In the years that I have served on the Loaves and Fishes Guild, I have cherished the fun and camaraderie of working with fellow members and joy in offering hospitality to all of us who gather together.  If you would like to help or if you have any questions please contact me at llackey@unch.unc.edu.

Bread Ministry

Nancy Tunnessen

Feeling a bit like the Easter Bunny,  volunteers fan out around Chapel Hill and the near environs delivering a small loaf of homemade bread to folks who are new to the Chapel of the Cross.  Jean French bakes the bread that we leave in front of doors, balanced on railings, dangling from doorknobs.  When we are lucky, and someone is at home, we have a short chat, frequently about the character of the different services on Sunday or programs the church offers.  This is one of the ways that the Chapel of the Cross welcomes newcomers.

A gesture of friendship and welcome sparked this ministry when Mary Chase brought then newcomer Anne Ramsay a loaf of bread.  As Anne reflected on how important that greeting was to her as a grieving, lonely new resident, she was moved to organize the first bread ministry volunteers.

Now, we usually deliver bread in pairs; a driver and a navigator.  We find our way around the new subdivisions, lovely older neighborhoods and the numerous apartment complexes.  It is always a bit of an adventure to locate all the addresses.

Bread is an age old symbol of hospitality.  For me as a Christian, it also carries the reminder of the body of Christ being shared with the world.  The Chapel of the Cross is Christ's body in Chapel Hill and we gladly share it with all who enter here.

Learning about the Chapel of the Cross

Stephen Elkins-Williams, Rector

“Newcomer Classes and Adult Inquirers' Classes - which ones should I go to?”  The purposes of these classes are significantly different.  The Newcomer Classes are offered to welcome people who still feel like newcomers and to incorporate them into the community of the Chapel of the Cross.  These sessions on Sunday mornings in the fall and the spring give a chance for newcomers to meet clergy, other parishioners, and each other, learn more about the history, ethos, and ministry of this parish, and pursue areas of interest to them.  A series usually involves three sessions, although people can profit from any individual class.

The Adult Inquirers' Class provides an opportunity for people to learn in more depth about the Episcopal approach to Christianity.  It is intended for those who wish to explore further and/or join the Episcopal Church and for those who were already confirmed but want to refresh their mind and spirit.  Beginning around Thanksgiving, the class meets in the parlor on Monday evenings from 7:30 to 9:00, concluding with the brief service of Compline in the chapel.  Classes are taught mostly by members of the clergy and by some parishioners and include sessions on Scripture, the History of the Church, Moral Decision Making, the Book of Common Prayer, and many others.  The course finishes after the Bishop comes for Confirmation in May.

Hospitality Leaders Sought

The rector and staff are seeking to revitalize and reorganize our hospitality efforts.  Many former leaders have finished their terms or moved away. If you are interested in serving a major or a minor role in this significant ministry, please contact Stephen Elkins-Williams, Tammy Lee, or Vestry liaison George Evans. Thank you!

Music: Create Something Beautiful for God

Van Quinn, Organist-Choirmaster

During the summer months the Senior Choir and the parish's organists continue to create beautiful things for God and for our congregations, although on a greatly relaxed rehearsal schedule.  The congregation has certainly done its part with magnificent congregational singing in recent weeks.  Later this month all our choirs will return to their regular rehearsal and performance schedules.  New singers are welcome.  Please check below for details of any groups that may be of special interest to you.  Please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions that you may have about music at the Chapel of the Cross.  By the end of the summer a music website will be up and running, and a great deal of information will be available on it.

Junior Choir This choir is open to all young people in the third grade and above.  An important goal for this year is creating an ongoing role for boys with changed voices and a continuation of advanced musical opportunities for high school girls.  The first rehearsal will be held on Wednesday, August 20 in the parish house.  Activities for the choir will begin immediately after school, will continue with a rehearsal at 3:45 and a pizza party and parents meeting, ending by 6:30.  The choir will sing for the 9:00 a.m. service on August 24.  Flexible rehearsal schedules for high school girls and boys with changed voices will be announced.  Detailed information has been sent to returning and known potential choristers.  If you did not receive this information or would like for someone else to receive it, please notify the parish office.  I would like to talk briefly with all parents either by phone or, if you wish, a home visit.

Training Choir This energetic and hard working group of first and second graders rehearses weekly on Wednesday afternoons.  Through a variety of pedagogical techniques these children learn the foundational elements of music making: rhythm, pitch, melodic singing, and some vocal technique. They also learn their way through the liturgy of the Episcopal Church, master some service music and hymns, and sing several times a year with the Junior Choir. While they rehearse every week, they do not vest, process, and sing in services every week but according to a schedule which parents will be given.  Information about this group will be sent to all returning and known potential choristers. If you have questions please contact the training choir director, Linda Everhart (919-933-4993, leverhart@hotmail.com), or me. The first meeting will be held on September 3.

Parish Choir  This choir of parishioners sings at the 5:15 p.m. Eucharist and other services as announced. The Parish Choir is open to everyone, including young people and students. No audition is required.  Rehearsals are held on Monday nights at 7:00 p.m. All voice parts are needed. The first rehearsal is scheduled for  August 25.  Call me  for more information.

Compline Choir  This schola cantorum sings Gregorian chant and polyphony in a late Sunday evening service of Compline. New singers are needed for all parts and are welcome after a meeting with me. The first rehearsal is on Sunday, August 24 at 8:00 p.m followed by the sung service at 9:30. The choirmaster and choir also need others to assist with the practical details of the service: the incense, candles, setting-up and taking-down the devotional articles and practical equipment required in this service.  Please let me know if you are interested in helping.

Senior Choir  This auditioned choir of 38 singers has the most demanding rehearsal and performance schedule of all our choirs. Call me to inquire about openings and to arrange an audition. For both returning and new choristers, the first rehearsal will be held on Wednesday, August 27 in the choir room.  The first Sunday on the regular schedule is August 24, with a rehearsal at 10:15 and the service following at 11:15 a.m.

Desert Spirituality on the Mountaintop - August 11-14

The Life and Times of Jesus, an exploration of the life of Christ in the dessert, will be the topic of a seminar in the mountains of North Carolina, at the Lake Logan Center, August 11-14. The presenter, Dr. James Fleming, teaches in the School for Overseas Students at Hebrew University and serves on the Editorial Advisory Board of the Biblical Archaeology Review. The Lake Logan Center is the conference center for the Diocese of Western North Carolina, located in Canton, NC. More information about this conference is available on the bulletin board near the clergy vesting room or from the Lake Logan Center, 800-616-0095.

Episcopal Youth Community (EYC)

Caroline Alexander and Jeff Williams

“Hello” to all 6th through 12th graders, parents, and fellow parishioners! We'd like to take this opportunity to introduce ourselves since we will be leading EYC this year as Tammy's co- 'Youth Ministry Assistants'.  We are Caroline Alexander and Jeff Williams, though Caroline's name may have changed by the time you read this.  We will be married July 19th here at the Chapel of the Cross; and, believe it or not, we met here as well!  Caroline is from Chapel Hill, and graduated from UNC in 2002. She is currently a social worker at Charles House Association, an adult day center in Carrboro. Caroline grew up with EYC at the Chapel of the Cross, and has helped lead many Chapel of the Cross ministries with her characteristic smiles and sunshine. Jeff is a 2001 graduate of UNC, and is starting his 2nd year of medical school at UNC. He grew up going to EYC at St. John's Episcopal Church in Charlotte, and worked in several capacities for The Summit, including Camp Director for the diocesan summer programs in 2000.  Jeff has been helping with Chapel of the Cross  EYC for the past six years, and is excited to follow in the footsteps of Jason, Rimes, and Bear. We have some big shoes to fill! We are excited about EYC this year and about getting to know all of you. See you at the kick-off in September!

Annual Parish Barbeque - August 24

The Chapel of the Cross's Annual Parish BBQ is scheduled for August 24, 2003 at 6:30 p.m.  This wonderful celebration of fellowship will follow the 5:15 service and will be held on the parish grounds with a complete meal catered by Gillis's BBQ.  A tradition that accompanies the BBQ is a parish food drive. In thanksgiving for our bounty, please bring three food items for the Inter-Faith Council's Food Pantry.  Tickets for the BBQ will be sold after church services starting on August 3rd and are priced as follows: Adults - $10, Children under 10 - $5, University Students - free.

Please Note: on August 17th we will tell the caterer how many people to prepare for; therefore, all tickets must be purchased by August 17th.

Christian Education Help Needed

Sunday, September 7 is the kickoff for a full schedule of educational opportunities. In preparation for classes and programs, teacher and leader recruitment and student registration has begun. Please refer to the Christian education bulletin board in the dining room for a listing of current vacancies in our Church School program, Children's Chapel, Youth Program and Special Activities. If you would consider joining a teaching team and have not been contacted, call Gretchen Jordan at 929-2193, Extension 14. In addition, class rolls from last year are posted. If the name of your child or youth does not appears on the list or if there have been any changes in the information included on the registration form, please complete a registration form and submit to the parish office as soon as possible. Registration forms are available in the office, in the racks in the dining room or on the parish website, www.thechapelofthecross.org.

CPR/Defibrillator Class-September 20

A class in performing CPR and using an automatic external defibrillator will be offered Sept. 20, 9 a.m.- 3 p.m. The cost is $15. Participants will be loaned a booklet to review in preparation for the class. For more information, see the July Cross Roads at www.thechapelofthecross.org To register, call Chandra Cook in the parish office or e-mail ccook@thechapelofthecross.org.

From the Parish Mailbox

Dear Rev. Elkins-Williams,

On behalf of the Board of Directors, I am pleased to acknowledge the generous donation of $1010 from the Mother's Day offering of the Chapel of the Cross.

It is gratifying to have churches such as yours remember our mission of care for older adults and especially for those whose resources are diminished

Thank you for caring in such a meaningful way.

Sincerely,

Jeffrey I Hutchins, Executive Director

Penick Village

The rector describes the following as one of the most unusual requests he's received.  It illustrates the many effects of the ABC Sale.  The photograph referred to is posted on the bulletin board near the student center.

Dear Church Members,

When I think of Spring, I think of the wonderful “Attic and Cupboard” sale my family has enjoyed for many years at your beautiful chapel!!  My three sons would stand in line as patiently as young children (with their pockets jingling with coins earned for chores over and above their usual responsibilities) possibly could!  The anticipation of adding games and books to their collections was evident on their faces!!

I need to ask a huge favor of your members-enclosed is a photograph of the darling little wooden chairs I bought at the sale a year or two ago.  After mending the missing spokes, sanding and painting them, they are now a prized possession I use when my grandchildren come to visit.  We will be adding two grandchildren this year and here is where I need help-would you please post my note and picture and run my request to purchase two (or three??) more of these chairs from anyone whose children have outgrown this size?  Please let me thank you in advance for any assistance given to my quest!!

Thank you,