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Youth Ministry
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From the Rector Dear Friends, One of my favorite things about parish life is the wide array of ages and stages in life with whom it keeps me in touch. While I enjoyed participating in the groups associated with my sons' schools, as they moved on to the next level, the people and the challenges associated with the last one, e.g.. pre-school or middle school, fell out of my consciousness. I was focused on those around me and the new characteristics of this new age level. Now that this journey for our family has moved onto undergraduate and graduate studies, I no longer have PTA meetings or athletic events or school outings or concerts to keep me in touch with school age children and families. But in an active parish, the dynamic is different! While we, and any children we may have, inevitably age into new interests and new perspectives, we continue to rub elbows with all age groups in our worship, in our fellowship gatherings, in special activities, and even in reading and hearing announcements about the different ministries of the parish. That is a gift not to be taken for granted, but to give God thanks for daily. Staying connected to people in all stages of life is a life-giving privilege. Along with privileges, of course, come responsibilities. We are all called according to our capabilities, from the youngest to the oldest, to support and encourage the rest of us. We acknowledge and promise this during important liturgies (Baptism and Confirmation): "Will you who witness these vows do all in your power to support these persons in their life in Christ?", "Will all of you witnessing these promises do all in your power to uphold these two persons in their marriage?" There is a sense in which all of us as Christians, married or single, are called to exercise parenthood, i.e., to claim a connection with and by our "prayers and witness help [each other] grow into the full stature of Christ."That is true for us not only for young children, but for all of us at our various stages in life. In this issue, we focus on those in the most formative parts of their journeys, infants through young adults. If that is not your stage in life anymore, do not think that these articles are not about you! By virtue of your participation in this parish, this issue is about your children and about those entrusted to you by God for your good and the good of the whole Body of Christ. Through your interest and concern, through your smiles and words of encouragement, through your financial stewardship, through your prayer and example, you live out the bonds of fellowship and the responsibilities that flow from them. Thank God for the gift of others of all ages who sustain us and call us beyond ourselves! - Stephen Vestry Actions - March 17, 2005 At its March meeting, the vestry:
From the Associate for Parish Ministry The Rev. David C. Frazelle Greetings! It is a pleasure and a privilege to serve the youth of this parish. I came to the Chapel of the Cross with a variety of experiences in youth work. I was a camp counselor for three summers at a camp near Flat Rock, NC. I volunteered with the youth of the American Cathedral in Paris for two years and later with the youth at Church of the Nativity, Raleigh. At the Chapel of the Cross, I have thoroughly enjoyed getting to know the youth and youth leadership of the parish. The playfulness of God is a characteristic we often overlook, and God's humor reflected in the Bible is often lost in translation. Working with the youth is a welcome and constant reminder of this important facet of the image and likeness of God. I have been consistently impressed by and often overcome with gratitude for the commitment and vivacity of the youth program here. Episcopal Youth Community (EYC) leaders such as Caroline Williams, our youth assistant extraordinaire, Mike Stafford, Dana Campbell, Lynn Williams, Carter Kersh, Creighton Irons, and others provide strong role models. I have been equally encouraged by the level of engagement of the church school leaders and students with the support of Gretchen Jordan. My own youth ministry work has taken new turns since I began here. I have been trying to adapt my adult spiritual formation work to a younger age while not diminishing the substance or meaning of the work. I have been growing into my "priest-as-travel-agent" vocation while planning the summer mission trip and the annual beach weekend for senior high youth. I have been trying to support and not get in the way of an already well-functioning EYC planning and leadership team. I have helped lead the youth inquirers' class on their trip to Washington, DC, and the EYC on their ski trip. I have been visiting church school classrooms and parent gatherings and spending time with youth at various events, in an effort to know the people, their hopes, and their strengths. As we move into the summer, I hope to gather a youth advisory and support committee to strengthen the vision and functioning of the youth program. Also, the EYC leaders and I are interested in doing an intentional planning process this summer. Whenever a child is baptized here, we all vow to do all in our power to support the child's new life in Christ. I encourage you to consider if and how you might do that through the youth program at the Chapel of the Cross. Please contact me with any questions or ideas. EYC participates in 30-hour famine Caroline A. Williams, Youth Assistant "Almighty God, Father of orphans and defender of the needy: you strengthened your Son, Jesus, during his 40-day fast in the wilderness, and then sent him into the world to serve. Strengthen us in our fast, and bless our efforts of service to others, so that your beloved people may be fed. We pray this in the name of your Son, Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen." -David Frazelle for EYC's 30-Hour Famine Two EYC (Episcopal Youth Community) guys are cooking breakfast for the families at the Ronald McDonald house 20 hours into the fast. When the smell of bacon makes their hungry stomachs growl, they stop to pray this prayer, and then continue working. An EYC girl is helping to restock the thrift store shelves at Orange Congregations in Mission in Hillsborough and feels a calling to continue this service. She asks for an application to volunteer regularly. Two guys are scrubbing bags used to take food to the elderly and disabled by Meals on Wheels; they stop to have a water break when they feel weak. Two middle school girls are sitting on the floor of the kitchen, humbly eating a small portion of rice, having learned the limits of their bodies. A group of EYCers walks down Franklin Street with signs reading, "29,000 Children Die Every Day from Hunger. For just $1 a day you can save one." They press the signs against the widows of restaurants and stores just long enough for someone to read it and stop to think. "Famine, Famine... oh, baby let my people eat... FOOD!" Two leaders stay up late into the night re-writing the words to an EYC favorite song, "Pharaoh, Pharaoh," to lead at our closing Eucharist. A 6th-grader corrects a priest in the last minutes of our 30 hours of fasting, "We are not starving, we are just hungry." A total of 25 EYCers participated in the Chapel of the Cross' first 30-Hour Famine this past March, fasting for 30 hours, learning about hunger around the world, performing service activities, acting in solidarity with the world's poor, and raising money to help feed and take care of them. We learned that 29,000 children die every day from hunger. We imagined what it would feel like to go to school and try to learn with the constant emptiness and exhaustion that comes from hunger. We read from Matthew 25:35, "For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink." Then we learned a way to help. Together we raised $3,780 for World Vision, which can take care of a child for $1 a day. Through the 30-Hour Famine, EYC and the Chapel of the Cross have sponsored 10.5 children for the next year. Thank you to all who participated in our bake sale, fundraising, famine weekend, closing Eucharist, and break-fast dinner! Our first famine event was a great success and we look forward to next year's event! For more information about the 30-Hour Famine or World Vision,
go to these websites:
www.30hourfamine.com
What it means to be in EYC Harrison Fahrer I know a lot of parents that put up a lot of money for their kids to do a lot of "church affiliated activities." What I think a lot of people don't know is just how much it all means and just how different kids can be from their stereotypical age groups. I have been fortunate enough to attend the Chapel of the Cross for almost 18 years now and I have had the privilege of meeting people that otherwise, I would never have known existed. EYC or Episcopal Youth Community (if you have a thing against abbreviations) has made a lot of this possible. Picturing my life without the people I have met through EYC and the Chapel of the Cross seems impossible since most of them have watched me grow up or have grown up with me. Many of us have been through a large variety of situations together and have seen each other at our best and our 50-other sides. Mission trips have probably made for the best conditions to become close with other members. I know many people have heard tales from the mission trips and how everyone learned about "blah blah blah," but if you only knew what a small fraction of the whole story that is . . . . I cannot put into words everything I feel I have walked away with from my first mission trip, let alone the others. To work side by side with people from your youth group and maybe three or four other youth groups from other parts of the world and form bonds with those people is unlike anything I have ever known. It isn't just the bond that's formed, it's everything that happens to create it - whether that's seeing something you've only seen in movies, read in books, learned about in school, or maybe just finding out you had more in common with someone than you ever suspected. A mission trip for me is the perfect recipe for a time that I will never forget; I will always remember the people who were with me through it all, and the same goes for EYC. I wish more people knew just how amazing everyone is, from our youth leaders who defy the common definition of adults by displaying an unprecedented amount of humor and understanding, to the youth group members who display more insight and compassion than many would expect. If it hadn't been for my parents pushing me out the door and forcing me to go to my first EYC night, I am convinced I would be nowhere close to the person I am today. As I said before, I really can't put it all into words and this really is only a small fraction of everything EYC has to offer. So for those of you with kids, I hope you do the same favor my parents did for me and push if you have to because the things they learn, the people they meet, and the bonds they form will stick with them for life. Church school for 7th and 8th graders Tony Hawkins By way of introduction, my name is Tony Hawkins. I have the pleasure of teaching the 7th and 8th grade Church School class on Sunday mornings following the 9 a.m. service. This age group is so evolutionary that their parents/guardians and even the students don't know at times what to do with themselves - too big to eat at the little children's table during Thanksgiving dinner and yet a bit too adolescent to dine at the Ritz. This is a developing time of life. However, it's exciting to watch them mature over the year while their hearts and minds are engaged in a deeper understanding of scripture and human endeavor. The class syllabus is based on the Episcopal Youth Curriculum: Called by Faith. This learning is interspersed with the Journey to Adulthood prospectus. As the class moves into Eastertide, we are questioning our Lenten observances and discerning how we continue to bring our fasting, penitence, prayers, and those things given up or added to our lives into a daily devotion as opposed to just the 40 days of Lent. On different Sundays in Lent, students Emily Jessup, Molly Superfine, and Rebecca Smith led the class in diverse Lenten topics. Our guest lecturers accepted the challenge, while their classmates learned and appreciated their peers' reflective endeavors. John and Tina Gray, our other class teachers, led the class in a Saturday morning Lenten project of making soup for a parish ministry. The class talks, discusses, shares, and engages in conversation about things that are relevant to the program of study, but more importantly applicable to our growing Spiritual lives - topics like where certain stories are found in Scripture, what are the tenets of our faith, the liturgical seasons and their colors, and who are saints and why we care. We talk about Bible stories and why some of those saints did what they did and why we do some things in our lives that cause others joy, pain, heartache, fun etc. The human contract is explored through the eyes of the principals. The insight that comes from the 'mouths of babes' is extraordinary. In a wonderfully structured 'free-style' form of embracing the saints from an Episcopal expression, we meet on Sunday mornings in Room 6 from 10:10 a.m. until 11 a.m. We all, as students, have an opportunity to engage the curriculum, each other, and our Lord as we learn of God's love for humanity. Please join us to discover what it all may mean to you. Inquiring minds want to know The Rev. Dr. William H. Joyner, Deacon Steve Lackey, Youth Inquirers' Class Leader This line is used to advertise supermarket tabloids like Weekly World News or National Enquirer, showing pictures of aliens living in western states or revealing the latest escapades of movie stars. In the Youth Inquirers' Class, the Chapel of the Cross tries to encourage questions, not about aliens, but about God, Jesus, the Church, life, death, and faith. We get some hard questions: If Christianity is the way, are all other religions wrong? If we believe in one God, why do we talk about the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit? What does the Church teach about homosexuality, the death penalty, abortion, . . . ? The class is about discussing these kinds of questions, about learning about the Church and the faith, about young people deciding whether the faith they may have been committed to as infants by their parents and godparents is what they want to take as their own. This is not a class on comparative religion, on setting out different choices on a menu, but about carrying out part of our parish mission: to learn and teach the Christian faith. But it is not a class that is supposed to encourage only one point of view, either - the inclusiveness of our Anglican tradition, even in the midst of conflict in the Church, not only allows but also encourages us to explore these kinds of questions. Our class went on a retreat in September. In addition to playing paintball and having pillow fights, we got 12 people on a small platform, on a swinging log, and over an 11-foot wall; we planned worship; we sang songs that many remembered from Vacation Church School; we got hurt playing football and volleyball. And we learned about each other and became more of a team going through this year of inquiry not alone, but together. In January, our class made a pilgrimage to the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C. The trip provided the inquirers with an opportunity to seek their place in the context of national and spiritual identity. We also visited memorials and museums, including the new WW II memorial and the Holocaust museum. The trip was made jointly with students and leaders of Episcopal Campus Ministry, allowing the high school students to make connections with individuals making the same journey from a slightly different perspective The Book of Common Prayer says that "In the course of their Christian development, those baptized at an early age are expected, when they are ready and have been duly prepared, to make a mature public affirmation of their faith and commitment to the responsibilities of their Baptism and to receive the laying on of hands by the bishop." Following the Washington trip, the class has focused on what it means to live out the promises made for them in the baptismal covenant and which they may reaffirm at confirmation. The students will conclude their discernment process this month and on May 11 they will have the opportunity to undertake the covenant in their own stead with Bishop Curry at the confirmation service. Regardless of whether or not they choose to be confirmed in May, each student in the Youth Inquirers' Class is a permanent member of the community built in the class over the course of this church school year. The leaders of the Youth Inquirers' Class encourage the entire parish of the Chapel of the Cross to continue to pray for the members of this special community as they continue on their spiritual journey for the remainder of this year - and beyond. Church school for high School students Bob Millikan, Class Leader During 2004-5, the High School class focused on issues facing the Church today and problems relevant to young people. We utilized a discussion format and began by setting the ground rules, including respectful listening. Early on, we discussed the ordination of Bishop Gene Robinson and the issue of same sex unions. The students decided these are issues about which reasonable people can disagree and concluded that it is less important to be 'right' than to remain in dialogue and in community. The students' conclusions were echoed in the Windsor report released six months later. In our Sunday School discussions on these topics, which went on for three weeks, I was reminded of a quote from Robert F. Kennedy: "The world demands the qualities of youth. Not a time of life, but a state of mind, a temper of the will." One student asked, "What does the Bible say about dating?" We used the story of Jacob and Rachel to explore the concepts of choice, commitment, and love. We discovered that the things we seek most in relationships (love and acceptance) have already been given to us by God. And that when we love someone else, we love a person whom God also loves. We attended offerings in the adult education series, including several talks about the Arab-Israeli conflict. Students discussed their experiences as acolytes, and how participating in the liturgy of the Church deepened their faith. The students had breakfast with the homeless, helped with Project 5000, and planned a book drive to benefit children at the Wind River Indian Reservation in Wyoming. Class time included many walks in the arboretum. Students related instances in which they felt the presence of God. Several students mentioned they felt the presence of God most strongly when they expressed compassion for others. In the arboretum, we read the following words from Thomas Merton: "A tree gives glory to God by being a tree...in being what God means it to be. A tree gives glory to God by spreading out its roots in the earth and raising its branches into the air and the light in a way that no other tree before or after it ever did or will do." The students related strongly to a passage from Jeremiah: "Do not say, 'I am only a youth.' Be not afraid, for I am with you" says the Lord. It has been a joy to work for three years with such an extraordinary group of youth. In words from a sermon by the Rev. Peter Gomes at Harvard: "I enjoy the energy that you bring, the variety and diversity of your gifts. I like the chemistry between the ancient institution of the Church and your youthful promise. I look forward to seeing how it all turns out for you. How whenever you fall, you will pick yourselves up. How you will change, how you will learn. How by mystery, prayer, and a little work, you will be transformed. And how you will transform the world." Youth summer mission trip Dana Campbell Summer is a time when teenagers typically have the chance to enjoy the sun, catch up on sleep, hang out with friends, and relax. But for one week out of the summer, a number of our teenaged parishioners put those things aside to focus on their spiritual growth during the annual mission trip. In the past, we have gone to Appalachia, South Dakota, Mexico, Vancouver and Wyoming. This year, our students will be taking an urban trip - we are going to Chicago, Illinois. Mission trips provide the teens and the adult chaperones the chance to direct their attention to service and spiritual growth. As this year's trip is an urban one, our focus will likely be on homelessness and poverty. Our teens will have the opportunity to work with other teens from across the country to serve in homeless shelters and to work with organizations that provide services to children. It is not easy to be out of one's comfort zone, but every year our teens rise to the occasion and work hard. But it is not only about service. Each evening, the students gather to discuss the meaning of the work they are doing. Often, being in a new environment brings about many questions, and through discussion, the students are able to learn more about the Episcopal Church as well as their own belief system. It is not all work and no play, however. Our teens get plenty of opportunities to get to know each other better. There are planned activities that we all get to participate in every night. The outings are different with every trip and highlight the area we are serving. In the past, we have gone on a hike, gone swimming in a hot spring, attended a street church, picnicked in a park and enjoyed a cookout dinner with a Native American family. This is a wonderful experience for our teens. However, it is an expensive experience.Our congregation has given its generous support each year, and the students who have gained from that support are truly grateful. Over the next several weeks the students will sponsor fund-raising events to offset the cost of their trip. We hope that one or more of these activities will be of interest to you. Thank you for your continued investment in the spiritual life of our young people. Vacation Church School Gretchen S. Jordan, Christian Education Director "I wish we always had this On the ride home from vacation church school, a tousled-haired, red-faced, winded eight year-old boy recounted the activities of his first day to his mom. "We dressed up in costumes and did a play about Moses and the Red Sea and I drowned! Then we played in the arboretum this cool game where we tried to run under a big red sheet! And I made this oil lamp out of clay and it will really burn oil when it dries! And that man who wears the white collar played his guitar and we were jumping up and down and scratching everybody's back and there were puppets! I wish we always had this much fun at church." Vacation Church School is an adventure whether you are 4, or 8, or 12, or 50, or 70. Children, youth, and adults experience a surge of energy as each day begins. This summer's program will be no exception as we travel around the world with the theme, "God's Kids Pray All Around the World". Our curriculum presents Bible stories that will help participants discover the power of prayer in all times and places. Jesus' teaching about prayer through the Lord's Prayer begins our week with other New Testament and some Old Testament stories about people of prayer in the Bible. These stories will exhibit the joy of knowing that God is present when we pray. Each day, participants will move through learning centers (Bible Story, Crafts, and Mission). The Mission Center will introduce participants to kids in five different countries across the globe: Israel-Palestine, South Africa, Peru, Ukraine, and Burma. We will learn how they live and worship God. Registration and recruitment of volunteers are well under way. Children who will be 4 years old before October 15 through present 5th graders are eligible to register. A registration form is included on the inside back cover of this newsletter or can be secured in the parish office. Youths presently in 6th grade or higher are needed to assist the adult leadership. We also need adults to assist the key leadership positions in all areas, particularly crafts. If you can assist even one morning during the June 20 - 24 week, please contact Gretchen Jordan immediately (929-2193, Extension 27). Intergenerational Programs Gretchen S. Jordan I was advised early in my tenure not to make any changes to the annual Jesse Tree-Advent Wreath Making event! This treasured, well-attended event has a long standing tradition at Chapel of the Cross. While some minor changes have been made, it retains its unique character....all ages working side by side! And the word "working" or "doing" is essential to any intergenerational event. Most Sundays throughout the Church School year, preschoolers and younger elementary children climb the stairs to the second floor of Yates Building gathering with children of their same age; older elementary children and youth descend the stairs to the basement to gather with their peers; adults who are not teachers fill the chapel, parlor or campus center for learning. In intergenerational programming, everyone gathers to work, play, and learn together - parents with their children; youth assisting some of the youngest; and adults intermingling with children, families, and youth. There is a sense of community that transcends the ages! The value of intergenerational events and the enjoyment exhibited by participants has led to an expansion in these events. This year the Children and Family Ministry Committee, upon reviewing the Advent-Christmastide intergenerational events, determined that Lent needed to offer at least one intergenerational event. As a result, the Shoe Box Ministry Project was adopted and an intergenerational event planned in preparation for the Lenten season. This proved to be just as popular as the Jesse Tree event. Other intergenerational events have included Christmas caroling to homebound members, the Epiphany Social Ministry programs and Earth Day activities planned and implemented by the Environmental Stewardship Committee. Youth Ministry Opportunities 1993-2005 The Rev. Tammy Lee, Associate for University Ministry AcolytesX EYC X Junior and Training Choirs X Pre School Chapel X Church School X Youth Inquirers' Class X Boy and Girl Scouts X Vacation Church School X Lay Readers X Chalice Bearers X Greeters X Altar Guild X Summer Mission Trips X Special Events including: camp and conferences throughout the diocese and beyond, Bible studies, outdoor adventure, and pilgrimages to our National Cathedral and mother church in England. Youth Ministry focuses on engaging the children of God who range in age from 3 to 18 by enabling them to live fully into their baptismal promises. It is a significant part of what this parish does whether consciously or not. The list you just read is but a sampling of how this community forms Christians of this age. As I make the transition into working with the university community and in particular 18to 22 year olds I am more acutely aware than ever of how important a task this is, for now we are receiving the results of that endeavor from other faith communities. I get to see what kind of job was done and wonder how our youth are faring outside of these walls. Other questions emerge too: Will the young people who are now entrusted to us find this community up to the task of teaching them how to be disciples? Will their faith sustain them in the days ahead? If not, how shall we work at supporting them as they (and we) grow into the full stature of Christ's work which knows no age limitation? This is an important time of transition in the parish as job responsibilities shift. We have an opportunity to examine what we have been doing and why we have been doing it even as we receive the fruits of others' work in the arrival of college students from all over the state and the nation. Somewhere in the midst of it all is the hope that God takes what has been done and does something with it that is beyond what we could desire or pray for. I am hopeful that there might be an invisible seam that runs between the ministries of youth and young adult, and adult and middle age, and newly retired and senior citizen, and elderly and those headed home to the new Jerusalem. For all of us together make this work and it takes the collective wisdom shared to honor the truths that emerge in our lives together - truths like:
If that didn't happen, don't despair; someone will be there to
pick up the slack in communities of faith along the way just as we
are doing for those who come to us from the university seeking
Christ known and unknown. Surely there is a good dose of grace for
all of us even as there is some incentive to continue the good work
begun and make it even more CHILDREN'S CHOIRS: "Finding an authentic voice of prayer" Van Quinn, Organist- Choirmaster Bless, O Lord, us thy servants who minister in thy temple; grant that what we sing with our lips we may believe in our hearts, and what we believe in our hearts we may show forth in our lives; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (Chorister's Prayer Royal School of Church Music) Les Choristes ("The Choir") has turned out to be the most popular 2004 movie in France. Over 2.5 million tickets were sold and the film even out-grossed the latest Harry Potter extravaganza. Furthermore, it seems to have triggered a great national surge of passion for choral singing, swelling the ranks of every imaginable kind of choir as well as providing the impetus for the creation of many new "choruses." The story is set in the late 1940s in a boarding school for "troubled boys," a motley group of orphans, assorted miscreants, and downright juvenile delinquents. The atmosphere is repressive and generally hopeless as these boys have no reasonable grounds for expecting good and productive lives. Into this big mess steps an unemployed musician who organizes a choir and, in the familiar formula, turns these young lives around, building individual confidence as well as community, some measure of civility, and the exhilaration of finding one's personal "voice" and, with it, the life-long potential for true passion and soulfulness. Formulaic, perhaps, but compelling in an age where hysteria and fanaticism are mistaken for passion and self-conscious sentimentality for "soul." No wonder, one thinks, that Plato extolled the role of music in the moral life, and that the ancients placed the study of music on a par with the other "basics" of an education. When one places this in a Christian context, the importance of "finding" one's voice becomes especially urgent. As someone has observed, the voice is the only instrument created directly by God. In all times and places people have seen the human voice as the essential medium for the soul's reaching out to God in exaltation, grief, or in the quintessential human desire for self-transcendence. At the same time, the personal voice, united with others, creates a true "body" of sound that is both an expression of and the very ground of community. Early Christian writers compared the sounding together of voices in prayer and praise to the sympathetic vibrations of the strings of a lyre. Saint Augustine (as church musicians never tire of informing the rest of the world) once wrote that "Those who sing, pray twice." If that is true, what a pity, then, if somebody can't or won't sing. Praying "once" would certainly be better than not praying at all, but what a tremendous spiritual loss if one never finds this authentic voice of prayer. What a pity that so few children are seriously taught any kind of disciplined music making in our shockingly over-privileged yet superficial culture. No one, even the professionals, can play soccer for the whole of their lives. "Find" your voice, however, and you have a unique and priceless medium to express the depths of your soul as long as you live, as well as joining in unique expressions of human community. Children's choirs at the Chapel of the Cross provide a special framework for this important task. Not only will the choristers who apply themselves while working with us never look blankly and helplessly at a simple page of music in a hymnal, but they will have learned that the voice, like all of God's gifts to us through our fundamental attributes and talents, is intended for a higher purpose than simple pleasure or self-expression. One of our prayers states that we have been given hearts to love God. We have also been given minds to be mindful of God. And we have also been given voices to praise him and to use this universal instrument to build up the Body of Christ. Ministry to young adults Michael Stafford Young adults in their 20s and 30s are already a vital part of the Chapel of the Cross and can be found serving in all kinds of ministries. On Sunday mornings you can find them singing in the choir, serving at the altar as lay Eucharistic ministers, teaching Sunday school and confirmation class, and helping as ushers.They also lead EYC (Episcopal Youth Community) on Sunday nights, help with ECM (Episcopal Campus Ministry) and outreach projects, and have served on the vestry. One of them is even the associate for parish ministry. One specific ministry for young adults is Crossties, a group
that currently meets on Thursday nights and the ministry with which
I am most familiar. My wife and I have attended Crossties for the
four years we have been at the Chapel of the Cross; and we have
loved the way it has nurtured our spirits through weekly dinners,
lively discussion, Bible study, service activities, and fellowship.
In these years Crossties has certainly seen its ups and downs; we
have had meetings as large as 20 and as small as 3. That is one of
the many reasons we are so excited to have David Frazelle working
so closely with us; his dedicated time and energy in planning and
recruiting have invigorated the group, bringing in many newcomers
to Crossties and strengthening our witness to the Even though there is much to celebrate in the way that young adults are serving and drawing strength from the Chapel of the Cross, we must also examine whether our current ministries are reaching everyone in that age bracket. There are certainly dozens of young people who come to the parish, worship, and slip out before anyone notices them. Many churchgoers in their 20s and 30s are in a time of transition and are not quite sure what they would like from or have to offer to the Church. Additionally, the Thursday night schedule of Crossties is not convenient for people with young children or who have to work; and some young adults may want a different form of young adult ministry from what Crossties has to offer. For other young adults the reverse is true: they enjoy the fellowship of Crossties but do not choose to come on Sunday mornings. The Church has the responsibility to welcome people in their 20s and 30s into the fullness of the Church that extends beyond the walls of the nave, the fellowship and service that expands into the community and around the world. We have the responsibility to make opportunities available for young adults to participate and we need to create consistently an environment that encourages them to do so. Crossties is one fantastic approach to meet the spiritual and fellowship needs of young adults; with the diversity of needs and the great leadership we have, we will certainly see those ministries extended. Update on the Johnson Intern Program, Inc. Watson A. Bowes, Jr., Board of Directors The Johnson Intern Program was developed by a task force of the vestry in 2000 to provide a 10-month, AmeriCorps opportunity for young adult college graduates for vocational discernment, leadership training, and spiritual formation. Over a four-year period, 18 young adults participated in the program, providing staff support to a number of non-profit agencies involved in social justice issues in the Chapel Hill and surrounding community. The interns, although from several Christian denominations, worshipped with our congregation and actively participated in and contributed to a number of the activities in our parish. Interns were not selected for the 10-month period beginning September 2004, because by the time of the recruitment deadline in 2004 sufficient funds had not been raised to support the program. Although too late for recruitment of interns for 2004-05, several generous contributions and grants from individuals and foundations were received that made it possible to continue administrative operations while the program was reorganized as a non-profit corporation with 501(c)(3) tax exemption. Under this arrangement the Johnson Intern Program is financially independent of the Chapel of the Cross, although still closely affiliated. For example, the bylaws provide that the Board of Directors is appointed by the Rector of The Chapel of the Cross. Consequently the program now functions under a newly appointed Board of Directors; five of the seven Board members are Chapel of the Cross parishioners. David Frazelle will serve as chaplain for the program. The first responsibility and a significant challenge of the new Board of Directors is to raise the funds to enable recruitment and support of Johnson Interns who will begin their service in September of this year and to develop a strategic long-term plan for financial support in the years to come. This task is being carried forth with professional fund-raising advice. Another and equally important task for the Board of Directors is the recruitment of a new director for the program. Mary Agnes Rawlings, who has been the director for the past three years submitted her resignation effective June 1, 2005. She has very effectively and faithfully led the program in critical years of its development and was responsible for the important collaboration with the Public Allies (an AmeriCorps program in Durham) that provided the interns with vital leadership training. Also, she has been instrumental in the effort to bring to our parish and our community the Servant Leadership Program and to make it available to the Johnson Interns as another dimension of their spiritual discernment. It is remarkable that the Johnson Intern Program is the only program of its kind in our diocese for young adults and one of eight such programs in the Episcopal Church. We trust the Johnson Intern Program will continue to enjoy enthusiastic support from members of our congregation. "Green" Buildings: Why Stewards of God's Creation Should Care Linda B. Rimer, Environmental Stewardship Committee Chair On September 16, 2004, the vestry approved the charge to the Next Step Committee (NSC) to carry out the recommendations of the Parish Long-Range Plan. As explained in the 2004 annual report of the Chapel of the Cross, the NSC has been focused on the facilities recommendations of the Long- Range Plan, with the consensus of the committee being that our church does not need to make changes in the worship space but that "all non-worship space is inadequate to serve the needs of the present, much less the future." Quoting further, the Chapel of the Cross "must rebuild and expand our facility at its current location to serve our needs," with that specifically meaning "a new fellowship hall, new office space and new classroom space, all to accommodate the program needs that are foreseen in the Long Range Plan" (p. 23-24). This leads us to the subject of this article on environmental stewardship: green buildings. The buildings in which we live, work, and play provide us space to gather and protect us from the weather. They also affect both our health and the environment in a multitude of ways. The design, construction, operation, maintenance, and removal of buildings consume enormous amounts of energy, water, and materials and generate large quantities of wastes. Building roofs and the surrounding paved parking areas create impervious surfaces that guarantee large quantities of run-off when it rains. This "storm water run-off" reduces water quality, erodes stream banks and ultimately diminishes water quantity because the rain has no opportunity to be absorbed and recharge our ground water aquifers. Buildings in cities and towns also contribute toward the creation of "urban heat islands," a term that reflects the fact that on warm sunny days, the air in an urban area can be 6 to 8 degrees warmer than the surrounding area. This extra heat can reduce air quality through the creation of more ground level ozone, while increasing our energy use when we crank up our air conditioners. Impacts of the built environment on the natural environment do not stop here. Where and how buildings are constructed affect outdoor habitat for both animals and plants, while the building materials used for construction and furnishings significantly impact the quality of the indoor air for those inhabiting the building. Buildings in the United States account for approximately 39% of the energy used, 68% of total electricity, and 12% of the total water used. According to the Department of Energy, buildings account for 49% of sulfur dioxide emissions, 25% of nitrous oxide emissions, and 10% of particulate emissions, while producing 35% of the country's carbon dioxide emissions, the primary substance contributing toward climate change. Before you conclude that we are advocating a return to cave dwelling, you need to know that it doesn't have to be this way! Increasingly architects and engineers are embracing "green" or sustainable building practices that use healthier and more resource-efficient models of construction, renovation, operation, maintenance, and even demolition. Green buildings have environmental, economic, and social benefits. Environmental benefits include: improved air and water quality, reduced waste streams, energy and water conservation, restoration of natural resources, and enhanced biodiversity and ecosystems. Economic benefits include: reduced operating costs, improved occupant productivity, optimized life-cycle economic performance, and expanded markets for green products and services. Social benefits include: enhanced occupant comfort and health, heightened aesthetic qualities, minimized strain on local infrastructure, and improved quality of life. http://www.epa.gov/greenbuilding/whybuild.htm As regularly reported in Crossings, the Next Step Committee has been interviewing architects and master planners to help fulfill the needs of our parish for the long term. In the June Cross Roads we will explore more about green buildings, and the efforts the Next Step Committee is taking to ensure that stewardship of God's creation will be foremost as we "build and expand" our facility to meet our future needs. Adult Education in May Sunday, May 1, 10:20-11:00 a.m. Along the Appalachian Trail - The Rev. David Frazelle David spent over four months walking the Trail before assuming his duties here. Why? David will share his story and insights. Parenting Class: Transition in Young Children - Tawannah Allen Tawannah Allen is the Director of
Elementary Education for the Chapel Hill Schools; she will address
the issues children and parents encounter when the young child
moves from one learning situation to another. Worship the Lord with Music! The Rev. Stephen Elkins-Williams In this four part series we will explore how music is part of the liturgy and how music influences our response to the liturgy. One session will be devoted to the lyrics of hymns and their ties to psalms, Bible stories, and theology. Lastly, we will have a sing-a-long of classic and favorite hymns from the different seasons of the church year. Sunday, May 1, 7:30-9:15 p.m. More Time for Conversation about Gay Unions Following the three presentations in April, an additional evening session is scheduled for parishioners to continue the conversation around tables in the dining room, guided by specific questions. Sundays, May 8, 15, & 22, 10:20-11:00 a.m. Worship the Lord with Music! - parts 2, 3, & 4 ASKED AT THE CHURCH DOOR Q : David Frazelle is a deacon; Bill
Joyner and Martha Hart are also David Frazelle's reply: Bill and Martha are "permanent" or "vocational" deacons, whereas I am a "transitional" deacon. In other words, the Church understands Bill and Martha to be called to a special service to God in the community, with an emphasis on the poor, the weak, the sick, and the lonely. The Church understands me to be called to the same work, but as part of my vocation to the priesthood, in which I will work as pastor, priest, and teacher and take part in church councils. For a fuller outline of how the Church understands these distinct but related vocations, see pp. 531 and 543 of the Book of Common Prayer. Before ordination to the priesthood, I must work for at least six months as a deacon, apply for ordination to the priesthood, and gain the final approval of the diocesan Commission on Ministry, Standing Committee, and the Bishop. I appear before the committees on April 18. God willing and the people consenting, I will be ordained to the priesthood on Sunday, June 5, at the 5:15 service. It will be an occasion for the entire parish, and I sincerely hope that as many of you as possible will participate. If you have a particular question, you'd like addressed in this column, please send it to info@thechapelofthecross.org Solemn Evensong for Pentecost Sunday, May 15, 7:00 p.m. The preacher will be the Rev. Peter Gomes, Plummer Professor of Christian Morals and Minister of Memorial Church, Harvard University. Music will include Motet II by Bach, Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis in C by Stanford, and "Evening Hymn" by Gardner. Post Pentecost Picnic Sunday, May 22, 12:30 p.m. Anderson Park in Carrboro Meal A team of our famous grill kings will serve up hamburgers, hot dogs, chicken & veggie burgers and all the trimmings. Twelve people are needed to bake a sheet cake. Sign up when you purchase tickets. $5.00 per person; Family Maximum: $20.00 Tickets will be on sale May 1, 8, and 15. Getting There Take HWY 54 west from Carrboro; pass the shopping center and continue through the stoplight at Fayetteville Road. Just beyond the stoplight, turn right into the park. Follow the drive until you see the shelter decked in red! Activities Following the meal and time of remembering the church's birthday with cake and singing led by a group of guitar players, there will an organized volleyball game for all ages. In addition, there are horseshoe tracks next to the shelter and a great children's park area. A lovely pond invites strollers to enjoy the out-of-doors. Attire Everyone is encouraged to wear something RED, the liturgical color for Pentecost. Those worshipping at 11:15 are encouraged to dress casually and come straight to the picnic from church. H.O.P.E.WORLD TOUR God's Kids Pray All Around the World VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL JUNE 20 - 24, 9:00-12:00 For children who will be 4 by October 15, 2005 through children who are now in the 5th grade Registration is open to church members
and persons visiting the parish until June 1;
Register Early!!
NAME_____________________________ Age_______ School Grade Now______ NAME_____________________________ Age_______ School Grade Now______ NAME_____________________________ Age_______ School Grade Now______ Parent(s) Name _____________________ Contact #cell/work/home __________ Mailing Address _____________________________________________________ In case of emergency, contact ___________________ at ____________________ Allergies or other pertinent information _________________________________ Each family who is able is asked to assist
in some way. Please call Gretchen Jordan |