Chapel of the Cross, Chapel Hill, NC

As I write this letter, we are all still reeling from the disastrous hurricane that devastated the Gulf coast states. The amount of damage and human suffering are rivaled only by the overwhelming challenge of caring for those who have lost so much, disposing of miles and miles of rubble and trash, and rebuilding homes, lives, and infrastructures.

All of us have felt the urge to help. Realizing that we have been blessed with so much - so much that we ordinarily just take for granted - we open our pocketbooks and our hearts and even our homes.

That is what Christian financial stewardship is in a nutshell. Recognizing all that we have received as gift indeed, we give back to God through sharing a significant portion of what we have with others. A stunning crisis such as this natural disaster sharpens our need to do that and others' need to receive it more clearly; but in reality that grateful generosity is to be a way of life for us, an habitual pattern of our lives.

Even if the world's good were equally and equitably distributed and no human need existed, we would still need to give back to God some of what God has blessed us with, to express both our gratitude and our acknowledgement that we are dependent on God's grace for all that we enjoy. That need to honor our Creator and Redeemer and Sanctifier and to express our true identity as God's children exists within us; and we are never so fulfilled as when we respond to it and fully live it out.

But, as we are at present only too aware, there is great human want, and the resources that we have available to us are greatly needed by others. Even when life finally begins to be livable in New Orleans and the surrounding area again, which will take a very long time, there will still be great demands on the resources God gives us to be able to share with others.

Grateful giving to God and to others, then, is a major part of our faith response as Christians. In this issue on financial stewardship, articles explore how we practice that as members of the Chapel of the Cross through our annual giving, our special giving, and our capital giving. I hope this discussion, as well as your actual giving back to God in joyful thanksgiving, illuminates and enlivens your Christian faith and identity.

According to the American Heritage College Dictionary, a steward is one who manages another's property, finances, or other affairs. "Stewardship," also a noun, is the act or practice of such management. As Christians, we understand stewardship to involve supporting and caring for all of God's creation, of which we are all a part, and thus means caring for our own affairs as well. As parishioners of the Chapel of the Cross, our ministry of stewardship means managing and providing for our church's property, finances, and other affairs, from which we and many others derive a benefit.

By virtue of my appointment as junior warden, I have the pleasure of chairing the Stewardship Formation Committee for our parish. This committee was created by the vestry in the spring of 2003 to plan and oversee stewardship events and programs of stewardship education. In addition to the junior warden, four committee members are appointed by the vestry, and two of those are to be vestry members. We are supported by the director of Christian education and the parish administrator as staff liaisons. The committee roster presently consists of Bunnie Collura, Ann Henley, Charlie McClaskey, Vivian Varner, and me, with the assistance of Gretchen Jordan and Barbara Hastings. We are currently exploring ways to inform the parish about stewardship as a ministry and to make our stewardship efforts more visible through existing media.

In addition, the Stewardship Formation Committee coordinates the work of three sub-committees: Special Giving, Capital Giving, and Annual Giving. At present, the Special Giving Committee, chaired by Syd Alexander, is meeting regularly to work on a timetable for introducing parish materials concerning designated giving, where those seeking to make a particular gift are given information on the current needs and goals of the parish, and planned giving, which involves including the Chapel of the Cross as a beneficiary of one's estate.

A Capital Giving Committee is yet to be appointed and the Stewardship Formation Committee will consider the timing and composition of the future Capital Giving Committee. As envisioned by the vestry in 2003, the Capital Giving Committee will be charged with developing a "long-range (10-year) rolling plan for capital campaigns."

The Annual Giving Committee is charged with planning and overseeing the annual giving campaign, or canvass, each year. This year, the sub-committee is chaired by Kevin Trapani. One of the tasks of the Stewardship Formation Committee is to support the efforts of the annual giving campaign, and we have enlisted the help of several parishioners for a program to inform the parish about stewardship and this year's annual campaign.

Stewardship is a core component of our lives as Christians and involves an ongoing commitment throughout each year. Nevertheless, autumn is the season when stewardship comes to the forefront of our corporate functioning. I encourage you to open your hearts and minds to the practice of stewardship in the weeks to come and engage yourself in that practice - as stewards of the ministry of our parish - for the months and years to follow.

As most parishioners have come to expect at this time of year, the Chapel of the Cross will soon reach out to ask for your pledge of financial support for the 2006 calendar year. Last fall, the congregation supported an aggressive 2005 agenda with significantly increased giving, enabling the parish to, among other things, add another full-time priest (David Frazelle); to improve our Christian education curriculum and our fellowship spaces; and to draw upon our endowment revenues much less than we'd done in previous years. Your increased giving in 2005 enabled the parish to become more robust and sustainable and allowed us to better serve the spiritual needs of our growing and changing congregation.

As Jesus said, "of those to whom much is given, much also is expected." As you might expect, the plans for 2006 are also aggressive but have a slightly different focus than in 2005. While there will be a continued growing internal commitment to Christian formation, the physical plant, and areas such as the music program (we will enjoy a terrific new organ in the Chapel next year), your vestry also plans to reach out much more into the larger community of which we are a part. The current agenda calls for new investments both locally (the Johnson Intern Program and the good work done in the nonprofit roles assigned to these interns) and globally (funding the Diocesan-recommended Millennium Development Goals, which serve poor people in developing nations and are supported by the United Nations, every nation in the G-8 and virtually every faith community, including the Episcopal Church).

There is much more planned for 2006, and we'll communicate about that with each of you directly and in your various church activities in the weeks to come. We're eager to hear about your hopes and dreams for the parish and we see the Annual Giving Campaign as a time both to enlist your support and to be enriched and informed by your ideas.

The Annual Giving Committee (Lynn Wilson, Terry Johnston, David Ross, and Kevin Trapani) is coming together this fall to work alongside the Stewardship Formation Committee to coordinate the campaign process. You'll hear from folks at each service about the plans for 2006 on October 9, 16, 23, and on November 13. There will also be a vestry forum on October 16, providing an opportunity for public questions and answers. You'll also be receiving a pledge packet by mail in October, which will be followed up by a phone call on October 10 or a personal visit around that time. All of these activities will come together on "In-gathering Sunday," November 20.

We're excited about the plans for 2006 and eager to engage you in the dialogue. The magnitude of the good work the parish has planned will call for a continued expansion of your own financial commitment in 2006, and we will be particularly interested in visiting with those parishioners who have not, in the past, pledged their financial support. We will be depending on those of you in this group to prayerfully search your hearts and find a way to support the activities of the parish with a pledge during this campaign.

Does anyone remember the coin cards and cardboard boxes given to children to collect nickels, dimes, and quarters as a discipline for Lent? Or tucking a coin in a glove or coat pocket as a young child to drop in the Sunday School offering plate? These were my first introductions to stewardship. These early practices have served me well, and I believe they have served the faith communities where I have been a member. The earlier we begin to help our children identify the responsibilities tied to being a part of the parish family and the importance of their individual contributions, the better they and we will be!

Unless a parent calls the parish office before October 1 requesting that their kindergarten through 12th grader not be included, a letter and pledge card will be sent to each child and youth from kindergarten age through high school. The pledge card will provide them with the opportunity to pledge a financial contribution but will also list many ways they can pledge their time and treasures. There will be no accounting and no follow up with the children and youth as a reminder of their pledge. This is simply a way for our children/youth to indicate ways they can serve and share that with which they have been blessed.

The chart below shows various income levels and percentage amounts based on each level. You may want to consider these numbers as you determine the amount of your annual giving pledge.

The financial aspects of stewardship at the Chapel of the Cross are led by the Stewardship Formation Committee. This committee oversees the work of three separate committees of which the Special Giving Committee is one. The other two are the Annual Giving Committee and the Capital Giving Committee.

In July of this year, the vestry approved a new charge for this committee. The committee has four significant responsibilities. First, it is responsible for developing, implementing, and sustaining a long-term planned giving program for the parish. Second, the committee, in consultation with the staff, parish leaders, and with the consent of the vestry, is to develop and maintain a list of desirable designated gifts (i.e., a wish list) and to communicate these opportunities to the members of the parish. Third, the committee is charged with reviewing the suitability of proposed designated gifts that have not been approved by the vestry and making recommendations to the vestry. Finally, the committee is to assist on occasion with raising funds for distinct special projects.

In its effort to develop a sustained planned giving program for the parish, the committee has examined the terms of the current endowments and other existing special funds. We have also drawn on the experience of a number of other parishes as well as the work of the Episcopal Church Foundation and the Consortium of Endowed Episcopal Parishes. We hope to present a plan to the vestry later this year for its consideration.

A preliminary draft of the proposed wish list is in the works. Additional ideas are being sought and the committee would appreciate any ideas or suggestions for suitable specific projects that fall outside of the regular or capital budgets.

The committee recently reviewed the proposal to create a memorial rose garden on the church grounds and recommended it to the vestry.

At the request of the rector, members of the committee have been at work seeking to raise funds needed for the new chapel organ and other related expenses.

So, as you can tell, the committee has been busy and has a lot more to do. We welcome your thoughts and ask your prayers as we move forward together to do the work we have been called to do.

The current members of the committee include the rector, Jim Bick, David Ross, Barbara Schütz, Stan Tabor, Kevin Trapani, and Robert Wright. The Treasurer and the Junior Warden also serve as ex officio members.

Rather than confine the meaning of that ministry to the parish's annual giving campaign, the vestry wanted a broader view of stewardship that would encompass both the short-term needs of the parish as well as our long-term vision for the missions of the Chapel of the Cross.

Out of that effort, then, was born a new Stewardship Formation Committee that might be described as a three-legged stool. One leg is annual giving; one is special, including planned, giving; and the third is capital giving. Parish committees have been created to pursue the annual and special giving agendas, which are reported on separately in this issue of Cross Roads. A capital giving committee has yet to be formed.

Why would a parish need a capital giving function, except when conducting a fund-raising campaign to construct a new building or do other "capital" projects?

There is a good argument to be made that capital giving should be an ongoing part of the life of the parish. I see the capital planning function not as a fundraising mechanism, but as a tool to serve the long-range vision of the parish. Capital planning is future planning.

The Chapel of the Cross and the vestry in recent years have devoted significant effort to devising such a vision through the long-range planning process, completed in 2004, and the current Next-Step Committee which seeks to implement the long-range plan. That plan is a blueprint for our future in the areas of worship, programming, and facilities.

Currently, much effort is devoted to facilities. As we've reported to you before, the parish has engaged the planning firm of Hartman-Cox architects to draw up a master plan for the parish's non-worship space - fellowship hall, offices, and classroom space. All members of the parish will be invited to participate in that planning process soon.

But capital planning includes more than bricks and mortar. The church is blessed with a modest endowment, the gifts of generous individuals in recent years. We would like to build that endowment for the future to enable us to pursue and broaden the church's work in areas such as social ministry, campus ministry, music, and other programs. One suggestion has been that even clerical positions could be endowed, to relieve pressure on the annual budget.

And yes, capital resources will be needed to support whatever physical plan comes out of the master planning process. That is expected to be completed by the end of this year. There is no capital committee today, but part of the Capital Giving Committee's responsibility will be to create a capital planning process that will enable us to move forward with the master plan when it is complete.

We have a historic physical plant that needs updating for our future. We have a vision for that future in our long-range plan. Capital planning is a way for a strong and vibrant church community to ensure that it remains healthy for the future, to look beyond today, and to enrich our missions for tomorrow.

The parish has contracted with the design firm, Hartman Cox, Architects, to plan a new fellowship hall and space for classrooms and offices. We need the parish's input into the design process. Please attend one of these two sessions to help review the firm's preliminary work and offer your vision of how our facilities should serve our missions and programs in the future.

Every year during the Annual Giving Campaign (formerly called the Every Member Canvass), my husband Stanley says, "Jackie, I think we should increase our pledge."

"Nope. Nope. No way. Expenses are up; we have kids in college. In fact, I've been thinking we need to decrease our pledge."

Stanley counters with a long list of the good works the church is involved in and concludes, "They say they really need it."

I respond that the church will always be involved in good works and they will always need more. Really, have you ever known a church to say "Give us less. We'll spend it frivolously."?

After about two days of intermittent discussions we reach a compromise. We have never decreased our pledge and we never increase it quite as much as Stanley had originally proposed.

Of course, both Stanley and I have good points, but we are missing the most important reason for giving. Families do indeed have to live within budgets, and a dose of reality is definitely in order when making any financial decision. On the other hand, there is an incredible need to serve our fellow man through the good works of the Church. None of us wishes to see Sunday School and Christian Education programs cut due to lack of funds. Who wishes to see us forgo visits to sick elderly parishioners due to lack of staff? A parish that does not continue to grow, be it in programs or in outreach, begins to stagnate and die.

None of these reasons, however, is the reason to give to the Church. The reason to give to the Church is a selfish one: do it for yourself. In order to be a full member of any group or organization, you must "buy in" mentally and physically. To feel like a full member of any family, you must be a contributing member. While this generally means monetary contributions, it also means giving of yourself. Students, for instance, are always short on cash, and most of what they have is being supplied by parents who are already contributing to their home parishes. Still, students have great talents, energy, and creativity and could and do donate time to assist with EYC (Episcopal Youth Community) or volunteer with Habitat for Humanity or other community needs. The elderly parishioner on Social Security who volunteers in the parish office during the week is making a valuable contribution to the life of the Church. She also feels very much a part of the Church as a result of her involvement. As a paying, contributing member, one no longer says of a problem, "Someone should do something!" Now it becomes, "We've got to do something!" The difference is subtle but powerful.

We all know that within a family every member needs to contribute to feel that he is a valued member of the group. Little children do 'chores' not so much to lessen the physical duties of their parents but to learn that they belong to a family, each one helping the other. So, too, we all belong to a church family. The principle is the same. You must be a contributing member in order to feel a fully enfranchised member of the family.

So this year when the pledge card comes, don't worry about the needs of the church or your fellow man. This year, be selfish: Do it for yourself.

Why does our family give to the church? I expected that something philosophical or deep would come to mind. Instead, I was surprised that what popped into my head were thoughts about my grandparents and parents. Unbeknownst to them, they taught me that giving to the church goes much deeper than just coming up with the pledge amount each year.

My grandparents taught me that supporting the church is a lifelong proposition. They were the most dedicated church goers I have ever known. There came a time, though, when they could no longer get to church. But they continued to give and never considered reducing their pledge just because they could not physically make it through the church doors. They also taught me to look at the 'big picture' of what the church is doing. I remember their church experienced many changes, some of which I now realize they were not too thrilled about. But through all of the changes, they continued to give. They also taught me that giving should have no boundaries. My grandparents were Southern Baptist, but their three children became Presbyterian, Methodist, and Episcopalian. I was always impressed that each time they visited one of their children's churches they dropped money in the offering plate like it was their own church.

My parents taught me that it is important to give to the church through the tough times as well as the good times. While I was growing up, I always thought my family had a good bit of money because we never went without. It was only later that I realized my parents were just doing a really good job of hiding the financial burdens of caring for three children and later putting all three through college. It would have been easy for them only to give to the church when they felt financially comfortable. Instead, I remember that each week we went to church, they put that white envelope in the offering plate.

As our family gets ready to pledge for 2006, I will think about the lessons I learned from my grandparents and parents. I will also think about what lessons about giving to the church I'd like passed on to my children.

In my opinion, one of the principal statements our Lord makes in Malachi 3:8-12 is "Test me in this" referring to our bringing the tithe into His storehouse; which He then shares/distributes as needed. Our Creator is giving us permission to examine His faithfulness and to participate in giving. Now to the unbelieving heart, it is unfathomable how the Lord can accept our tithe, double it, triple it, quadruple it, whatever the need is for those who require that resource and then bless us for being obedient to His word.

When asked to share my thoughts on stewardship, my question was how long do I have? So in 500 words or less, allow me to share with you two stories that I hope will adequately express the importance of God's faithfulness in imploring us to follow His lead.

My grandmother taught in Wake County for 46 years. As an active and retired school teacher, my grandmother always seemed to have monetary resources; food, clothes - she always had. On a North Carolina teacher's salary during the latter half of the 20th Century she supported her bachelor son at times and even gave aid and comfort for a few weeks to her first grandchild after he came off active duty. As I went through her personal belongings after she passed away, I noticed a weekly check made payable to the order of St. Mary's Church, Garner, NC. Without fail, Grandma tithed like she paid her mortgage and her other financial obligations. Grandma prayed regularly, worked diligently, played hard. She held her great granddaughter and she was blessed. And she was faithful in her tithing. Those checks to St. Mary's were a testimony to her tithe and obedience. God was faithful to her and Grandma was faithful to her Lord.

When Lori and I were both teaching full time during the academic year, September through June, tithing on bi-weekly checks and my week-end mobile and radio DJ checks was no problem. However, during the summer months, the only income generated was the music money. Tithing was still first on our list. When we tithed on what was first brought into the storehouse, we had money to meet our bill obligations. If we did not tithe, we did not. You can call it spiritual math or whatever, it worked just like that! Try it, you'll see.

Spiritual economics cannot be explained by human or cognitive reasoning. It is a matter of being faithful and obedient to the Word. Tithing is something that the Lord wants us to do from a joyful heart. It's fun. It's a matter of recognizing Jesus in your heart and obeying the Spirit of wisdom that passes through the ages. I invite you to be blessed. Prove Him - tithe. It's only 10% of the first fruits of your labor. Besides-it's fun!!!! Watch the blessings grow.

For almost three years now, the Environmental Stewardship Committee has been honored to write to you, the parishioners of the Chapel of the Cross, about stewardship of God's creation, our planet Earth. We have written about our water, air, and land, about trees, climate, and green churches, and even about greening up your Christmas experience. In this issue of Cross Roads, we want to write about how you invest your money. And yes, this is still an article about environmental stewardship. We hope you will read on.

From the Ecumenical Stewardship Center (of which the Episcopal Church is a founding member) comes a working definition of Christian Stewardship:

Christian stewardship is grateful and responsible use of God's gifts in the light of God's purpose as revealed in Jesus Christ. Christian stewards, empowered by the Holy Spirit, commit themselves to conscious, purposeful decisions. Stewardship is lived out in seeking justice, peace, and the integrity of creation in an interdependent universe; wisely employing God-given human resources, abilities, and relationships; sharing the material resources we hold and giving them in service, justice, and compassion; providing for future generations, sharing in the life, worship, and responsible stewardship of the Church and of its mission.

Both for the individual and for the community, stewardship is a joyful act for the sake of God's world. (www.episcopalchurch.org/stewardship_3272_ENG_HTM.htm?menu=undefined)

From this definition, it is clear that the investment of our money provides ample opportunity to demonstrate stewardship. Environmentally responsible investing falls under the umbrella of a broader term, socially responsible investing, which may be defined as: "investment decisions or activities conducted with the deliberate application of an investor's moral, ethical, social and/or environmental values." (Investor Responsibility Research Center; http://www.irrc.org/).

The origins of what we now call socially responsible investing date back hundreds of years. In biblical times, Jewish law provided guidance on ethical investments. In this country, early Quakers refused to invest in companies connected to the slave trade; and in the 1920s many American churches kept their investments away from any industries related to alcohol and tobacco. During the 1960s and 70s, the Vietnam war, civil rights, and the equality of women escalated popular sensitivities to issues of social responsibility and accountability. Many people today may have encountered socially responsible investing for the first time in the 1970s and 1980s with the unprecedented divestment from South Africa during apartheid.

In fact, while this article is about personal investing, you should know that the Episcopal Church of the United States filed the very first social issue shareholder resolution by a religious institution back in 1971 that called on General Motors to withdraw from South Africa.

With the massive gas leak in Bhopal, India, in 1984, the world's worst nuclear power accident in Chernobyl on April 25 - 26, 1986, and the Exxon Valdez oil spill in March, 1989, the environment moved into the forefront of the minds of socially concerned investors. This interest has grown significantly in recent years with the vast amounts of new information that has moved into public awareness on critical issues such as ozone depletion and climate change.

Likewise, the exposure of corporate scandals in recent years has also boosted interest in responsible investing as shareholders seek to invest in companies that adhere to high standards of ethics, morality, and transparency.

An in-depth discussion of socially (or more specifically environmentally) responsible investing is beyond the scope of this article. Websites offering more information for interested readers are listed below. But briefly, socially, or environmentally aware investors, use three basic strategies in their efforts to make a difference while also increasing the return on their assets.

The first is screening and involves selecting profitable companies that make positive contributions to society while avoiding those companies whose activities are perceived as harmful. Individuals, or their investment advisors, typically overlay a qualitative analysis of corporate policies, practices, attitudes, and impacts onto the traditional quantitative analysis of profit potential. From this is generated a list of companies deemed worthy of investment.

The second strategy is shareholder advocacy or activism and includes engaging in dialogue with companies and submitting and voting on shareholder resolutions. The goal is to influence corporate behavior in ways that will be more protective of the planet as well as financially rewarding.

The third strategy is community investing, which provides capital to people in low-income, at-risk communities who have difficulty accessing it through conventional means.

Further information on socially and environmentally responsible investing may be found at:

I grew up as a parishioner at the Chapel of the Cross, and I'm now a sophomore in college. This summer I came home and worked full-time as a summer intern at the Chapel of the Cross. I guess you could say it was part of a very preliminary discernment process. I'm thinking about majoring in religion and at least considering divinity school. This summer, I wanted to learn about the inner workings of a church and about what a parish priest really does. I wanted to try my hand at a variety of tasks and get to know a different side of church.

My job certainly provided the variety I had hoped for. I looked at different Sunday school curricula and tried to judge which would be good to use at the Chapel of the Cross. I visited parishioners in the hospital, in their homes, and in nursing homes. Some of the parishioners I visited have been living eighty years longer than I have. I sat at a table on the UNC Campus and recruited for Episcopal Campus Ministry, making friends with Carolina rugby players and Campus Crusade for Christ interns who were also staffing tables. I made bulletin boards. I researched public policy networks and ecumenical social justice organizations. I went to staff meetings, to a funeral, and to book groups. On days when I needed a break, I cleaned out the attic and the Christian Education resource room.

As I did all this, I learned that keeping track of all the events that go on at the church is a full time job; that the people at this church work long, unpredictable hours; that it's hard to visit someone who doesn't know who you are or why you're there; and that the people who aren't sure who you are sometimes are the most welcoming and interesting to visit. As I visited, I heard stories about grandchildren, girl scouting, and Eisenhower, and was asked to tell stories of my own. I also learned what deacons do; and that tootsie rolls never go bad, not even when they've been hidden in Easter eggs in the attic for a year; and that there is a lot of laughter at the Chapel of the Cross.

Most of all, I learned (or was reminded) that I'm glad to have more time to think about what I want to do with my life. There is no doubt in my mind that I will be involved in the church in some way, either as a lay member or as a member of clergy, and for now, at least, that's all I need to know. Maybe I'll feel called to be ordained and maybe I won't. But I am tremendously grateful to have had the opportunity to work at the Chapel of the Cross this summer and move one step closer to discerning and articulating my call - whatever it may be.

Thank you to everyone who met with me, who let me sit in on meetings, and who found jobs for me to do. I appreciate all the support and help I received from the clergy, the staff, and the parishioners at the Chapel of the Cross. By the time this article comes out, I'll have headed back to school, and to my Minnesota church, but I'll be thinking about the Chapel of the Cross this fall, and I'll be back at Thanksgiving to see how everything is going.

Stephen 'Chip' Matteson Jr., our new Publications Assistant, comes to the Chapel of the Cross most recently from San Antonio, Texas. Chip was born at Fort Bragg, NC, and prior to middle school lived in NJ an CT. Beginning in sixth grade, Chip's family made Chapel Hill home. He graduated from Chapel Hill High School in 1982 and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1987. While at UNC, Chip earned a degree in general studies to include his interests in both photography and music, playing trombone.

Chip is no stranger to the Chapel of the Cross; his family were parishioners at the Chapel of the Cross while living in Chapel Hill. His parents, Steve and Mary Ann, sang in the Senior Choir; and Chip was involved in Junior Choir, Boy Scout Troop 9, and acolytes as he grew up in the parish. Careers as a photojournalist for the Winston-Salem Journal, desktop publishing, pre-press and freelance photography all have prepared him for the demanding job as Publications Assistant at the Chapel of the Cross.

In this position, Chip is responsible for designing, proofing, and printing all publications for the parish. In addition to weekly bulletins, Crossings, Cross Roads, the quarterly Liturgical Calendar, and numerous leaflets for specific parish ministries, Chip edits and prints clergy sermons, funeral and wedding leaflets, meeting reminder postcards, posters, and all the letters that come to parishioners from the parish. He also is administrative assistant for Episcopal Campus Ministry and is responsible for their Website and printing.

During the summer, Chip loaded up his stuff and two daughters, Caroline, 7, and Erin, 4, into a U-Haul and make his way back to Chapel Hill. While his daughters are currently living in Texas, Chip keeps busy playing basketball with Nathaniel Quinn or practicing his trombone after recently joining the UNC Jazz Band. Chip enjoys his new job, even when the machines go 'crazy.' He is also working to do wedding and portrait photography in his spare time.

Chip misses breakfast tacos and the San Antonio Spurs from Texas but is thrilled to be back in 'real' basketball country. He anticipates cheering for the Charlotte Bobcats and, of course, the Tar Heels.

Imagine a stage play or concert without back-stage personnel to complete all the various tasks that create the ambiance for a production. The presence of the back-stage personnel is unknown to the audience, yet their activities are critical for a successful performance. Our back stage crew is made up of the Buildings and Grounds Committee, Facilities Manager Tom Mander, and 33 suppliers and contractors. All need to be coordinated.

Ours is God's stage and includes several buildings. The chapel, built in 1848, is listed on the National Register which requires that we consider their guidelines in any activity involving this part of our building complex. The church was built in 1925. Three other buildings were built during this period and then altered in 1950, 1982, and 1992. This complex is served by seven air handling (HVAC) units made more complicated by the fact that both hot water and steam systems were required until last spring, when the steam unit was converted to hot water. This is only an introduction to buildings for which we have the stewardship - five buildings built at different times and modified along the way.

We have Tom Mander as our coordinator, Facilities Manager, a person with experience beyond our requirements. Tom is a product of the agricultural area of upstate New York. He served in the U.S. Army from 1961-64 as a Ranger. He has worked in increasingly more responsible jobs from tool and die work to computer programming of these machines in managerial capacities up to Plant Engineering Manager and Facilities Manager with major U.S. companies. Some of these job changes were made to accommodate family health conditions. He was also offered an opportunity with the US Mint because of his quality of work. Tom understands the details of our buildings, equipment, and the responsibilities of maintaining a gradually aging property in addition to exploring and implementing modern systems that will improve performance and reduce operating costs. Expenses for buildings and groundsreached a peak of $150,064 in 2002 (Tom started with us in May '02). These expenses were $145,734 in '03 and $146,063 in '04. This was during a time of major utility cost increases and equipment changes needed to reduce the impact of utility increases. And the effort goes on!

All of this cost-control effort was achieved by constant attention to the activities of our major contractors of which we have three (HVAC, Lawn and Grounds, and Cleaning Service.) During this time three of these contractors were replaced for lack of performance. In each case, a bid process complete with performance standards (a Preventative Maintenance program for HVAC) were the heart of the performance requirements which determined the choice and the ongoing performance of each contractor. This effort and the control of other costs in Buildings and Grounds has required managerial experience, analysis, planning, and execution.

In addition, Tom performs other duties that would normally be handled by a sexton, such as, checking outside building appearance, handling parishioner requests, ordering paper supplies, repairing minor equipment failures, and checking the condition of buildings. Tom's early morning arrival (he opens the buildings five days a week) allows him time to observe the buildings and equipment, perform minor equipment repairs, check contractor performance (and request corrective measures when necessary) before the beginning of each day's act.

The play happens seven days a week at the Chapel of the Cross because it is the most heavily used church in the city. This has been a policy of this parish for many years and is in keeping for God's House.

Sunday, October 2
The Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost
10:00 a.m. Carolina Meadows Service
1:00 p.m. Social Ministry Committee
5:30 p.m. Episcopal Youth Community

Monday, October 3
8:30 a.m. Children and Family Ministry Committee
4:30 p.m. Liturgical Advisory Committee
7:00 p.m. Habitat Partnership

Tuesday, October 4
8:30 a.m. Mary Harris Bible Study
9:30 a.m. Staff Meeting
12:15 p.m. Bach's Lunch
5:30 p.m. Episcopal Campus Ministry
6:00 p.m. Blessing of the Animals and Parish
Dinner
6:00 p.m. Personnel Committee
7:00 p.m. Adult Education Program

Wednesday, October 5
8:30 a.m. Education for Ministry
5:30 p.m. Buildings and Grounds Committee
5:30 p.m. Centering Prayer Group
7:30 p.m. Program Review Committee

Thursday, October 6
November Cross Roads Deadline
2:00 p.m. Parish Visitors
5:30 p.m. University Ministry Advisory Committee

Friday, October 7
4:00 p.m. Hargett/Frankstone Rehearsal
5:00 p.m. Honeycutt/Hess Rehearsal
7:00 p.m. EYC Lock-in begins

Saturday, October 8
7:00 a.m. EYC Lock-in ends
9:00 a.m. Awakening Heart
2:00 p.m. Hargett/Frankstone Wedding
5:00 p.m. Honeycutt/Hess Wedding

Sunday, October 9
The Twenty-first Sunday after Pentecost
4:00 p.m. Carol Woods Service

Monday, October 10
Diocesan Clergy Conference Begins
6:00 p.m. Next Step Committee
7:30 p.m. Preschool Board

Tuesday, October 11
8:30 a.m. Mary Harris Bible Study
9:30 a.m. Staff Meeting
12:15 p.m. Bach's Lunch
5:30 p.m. Episcopal Campus Ministry
7:00 p.m. Adult Education Program

Wednesday, October 12
Diocesan Clergy Conference Ends
8:30 a.m. Education for Ministry
5:30 p.m. Centering Prayer Group

Sunday, October 16
The Twenty-second Sunday after Pentecost
5:30 p.m. Episcopal Youth Community

Monday, October 17
5:00 p.m. Annual Giving Kick-Off
7:00 p.m. Special Worship with People with
Developmental Disabilities
7:00 p.m. Finance Committee

Tuesday, October18
8:30 a.m. Mary Harris Bible Study
9:30 a.m. Staff Meeting
12:15 p.m. Bach's Lunch
5:30 p.m. Episcopal Campus Ministry
7:00 p.m. Adult Education Program

Wednesday, October 19
8:30 a.m. Education for Ministry
11:30 a.m. Prayer Chain
5:30 p.m. Centering Prayer Group

Sunday, October 23
The Twenty-third Sunday after Pentecost
4:00 p.m. Carol Woods Service
5:30 p.m. Episcopal Youth Community

Tuesday, October 25
8:30 a.m. Mary Harris Bible Study
9:30 a.m. Staff Meeting
12:15 p.m. Bach's Lunch
5:30 p.m. Episcopal Campus Ministry
7:00 p.m. Adult Education Program
7:30 p.m. Spiritual Life Committee

Wednesday, October 26
No Cantus Choir Rehearsal this week
7:30 a.m. Men's Breakfast
8:30 a.m. Education for Ministry
5:30 p.m. Centering Prayer Group
6:00 p.m. Vestry
7:30 p.m. Program Review Committee

Sunday, October 30
The Twenty-fourth Sunday after Pentecost
Daylight Savings Time Ends
5:30 p.m. Episcopal Youth Community

A Noontime Series of Organ Recitals
Tuesdays, 12:15 to 12:45 p.m.

Tuesday, October 4
Thomas Bloom
Watts Street Baptist Church, Durham

Tuesday, October 11
Dr. Wylie S. Quinn, III
Chapel of the Cross

Tuesday, October 18
Eddie Abernathy
Chapel of the Cross

Tuesday, October 25
Dr. Susan Moeser
Department of Music, UNC - Chapel Hill

Tuesday, November 1
Dr. Monica Umstedt Rossman
Westminister Presbyterian Church, Durham

Tuesday, November 8
Dr. Michael Grant
Christ Episcopal Church, Charlotte

Tuesday, November 15
Dr. Stephen Schaeffer
The Cathedral Church of the Advent
Birmingham, AL

October 2 Designing the Future: The Next Step Committee
The parish has contracted with the design firm, Hartman Cox, Architects, to plan a new fellowship hall and space for classrooms and offices. We need the parish's input into the design process. Please attend to help review the firm's preliminary work and offer your vision of how our facilities should serve our missions and programs in the future

October 2 to December 18 Adult Inquirers' Class
Although designed for adults seeking December confirmation, anyone wishing to learn more about the Episcopal approach to Christianity is welcome to attend these sessions which this fall will be held on Sunday mornings. For more details about the class, read the rector's letter in the September issue of Cross Roads (www.thechapelofthecross.org) Participants will be attending the "What Does It Mean To Be An Anglican?" series and will have additional readings.

October 9, 16, 23, 30 What Does It Mean To Be an Anglican?
We talk about being a member of the Anglican Communion. What does that mean? The Rev. Canon John Peterson, former Secretary General of the Anglican Communion, will explain its history, importance, and the ties that bind us together and to God. The Rev. Leon Spencer, guiding shepherd of the School of Ministry for the diocese, will examine what makes the Anglican Episcopal Church distinctive in its worship, approach to scripture, and its polity. What Anglicans are "supposed" to believe is the small topic that the Rev. Dr. Richard Pfaff will tackle. The diversity within the church will be explored by the Rev. Lisa Fischbeck.

Every Tuesday Mary Harris Bible Study
Meeting from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. in the parish library, this group welcomes newcomers. The concentration for this fall is Paul's letters.

Tuesdays October 4, 11, 18, 25, November 8, 15, 7:30 to 9:00 p.m.
"The Bible says...." Biblical Interpretation through the Ages
How do we "read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest" scripture? This course, developed by the School of Ministry of the Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina, is designed for parishes to help us hear God speaking through the Bible, and to live out our lives as "one in Christ" with others to whom God is speaking. Nancy Tunnessen will serve as facilitator.

Thursday October 20, 7:30 to 9:00 p.m. Third Thursday Short Story Reading Group
We read short stories because they are manageable and meaty! Our source is God:Stories, compiled by C. Michael Curtin, senior editor of the Atlantic Monthly. The stories, by notable authors, deal with issues of faith - both its presence and absence. New members are welcome.

Here I Am Lord: Finding Ourselves
in God's Ultimate Story
October 7 - -9 at the Summit

The Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina presents 21/41, a young adult gathering for people 21 to 41. The conference features a balance of group presentations, small group discussions, music, worship, time-off, and fun.

The keynote speaker is Karen Favreau, author of Ridiculous Packaging: or my long, strange journey from atheist to Episcopalian, in two acts. She is an aspirant to ordination in the Diocese of North Carolina and says she hopes someday to become an Episcopal priest or the fourth member of the Dixie Chicks, whichever comes first.

Sam Hensley, former member of Episcopal Campus Ministry at the Chapel of the Cross, is guest musician.

This young adult gathering is intended to allow getting to know other young adults from around the diocese and to relax in a retreat setting.

The cost is $85 per person. Contact David Frazelle for registration forms and financial assistance. More information is available in the youth and young adults section of the diocesan Website, www.episdionc.com.

The Carolina community has a strong tradition of responding to those in need, and I'm writing to you now because I know you will want to help the victims of Hurricane Katrina, many of whom have lost everything. I have asked the Carolina Center for Public Service to provide our campus community with information about ways to help, and the staff has created a website (http://www.unc.edu/cps/katrina.html) for posting that information. I am proud to be part of a university in which so many people want to help others. We will keep those affected by this terrible disaster in our thoughts in the coming days and months, and we will do whatever we can to help.
Sincerely, James Moeser

Beginning in October, I am making some adjustments to the schedule of Sunday services for 11:15. The first Sunday of each month will still be a Rite I Eucharist, and the second Sunday will still be a Rite I Eucharist with Morning Prayer as the Liturgy of the Word. The third Sunday, however, will be a Rite II Eucharist; the fourth Sunday a Rite I Eucharist, and any fifth Sunday a Rite I Eucharist with Morning Prayer as the Liturgy of the Word. This shift will allow continued continuity in the traditional style and rhythm of the 11:15 service, but (since the third Sunday of the month at 9:00 is a Rite I Eucharist) will also allow any who prefer one rite over the other a distinct choice. Starting Oct. 2, this service schedule will be reflected in the Welcome brochure hanging in each pew in the church.

[ENS] Providing a vivid picture of the level of mental and physical devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina, Bishop George E. Packard delivered the sixth annual Hobart Lecture held on September 12 at the Diocese of New York's Synod House.

"The Episcopal Church's bishop suffragan for chaplaincies, including those supporting the Armed Services - had just returned from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, after surveying the damaged areas, and speaking with several chaplains and evacuees. "These conditions were worse than what I've seen in Baghdad," he said.

"When I got off the plane in Baton Rouge a week and a half ago, I thought of humility because they have nothing and because of the persistent dampness left over from the hurricane you could smell the earth," Packard said. "So those two experiences work at you."

Packard identified there being "four levels of trauma at work here: first, a flight from water and wind; second, transfer to an evacuation center; third, travel from the center - one woman died on the roof, others grabbed for food and then at each other; fourth, a connection with the final, temporary home. Think of what effect all these cycles have on vulnerable populations like the frail elderly, the sick, those in poverty and children."

Packard told the story of a young girl who, left alone and separated from her parents during the disaster, went to a hospital across from her Episcopal parish church seeking help. Packard said she was given refuge in a hallway filled with dead bodies. He said the girl ran away and cared for herself until she found her way to St. Luke's Church, Baton Rouge, where she found support and comfort.

According to Packard, when "Katrina came ashore and walloped the Mississippi Gulf then receded," the hurricane hit Louisiana in the "low-lying areas even beyond New Orleans and caused evacuation, prolonged suffering and delayed recovery all because of standing water." He said Louisiana Bishop Charles Jenkins "has had to start from scratch."

Packard also spoke about the "unique population of priests who deploy from among us" executing their duties in extreme situations, devoid of the tools of their ministry, and how he has urged them "to think of themselves as ministry portable...carrying a presence with them."

"We're sending teams of two down to make inspections in the Gulf Coast and we're going to be sending follow-up teams after them," Packard explained after the lecture. He said the type of work they do is for "critical stress that shows itself three weeks to a month after the event."

Offerings of flowers for the altars of the Church and Chapel are provided by people who wish to remember loved ones or to give thanks for anniversaries, for the birth of a child, or for other occasions. The names of the persons being remembered are listed in Crossings.

This form is to give the Altar Guild an idea of the remembrances we have during the coming year. The regular cost of flowers for the Church is $70.00 and for the Chapel is $35.00.

If you would like to give flowers during the coming year, please complete this form and return it to the parish office by Monday, November 1, 2005.

__ In thanksgiving for
(Please list full names without titles)
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
___________________________________________

Enclosed is my check for $_______ payable to the Chapel of the Cross marked for Altar Flowers.

___________________________________________
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