june 2015 reflections from the rector’s desk · pentecost sunday: 10-11. celebration dinner:...

By The Reverend

Canon

Stephen C. Casey

This edition of the Scep-

ter appears the Sunday

after Trinity

Sunday. Trini-

ty Sunday is the

last major festi-

val of the

Church season

after Easter

until the Feast

of All Saints at

the beginning

of November.

What lies in

between is

called the “long

green season,”

from the hang-

ings which

adorn the altar

during the

long season

of Pente-

cost. These

are the sum-

mer months,

when things

slow down, church activi-

ties take a sabbatical and

personal vacations are

taken. It is said that the

“long green season” is the

time when God goes to

Florida, for it is a reality

that Sunday attendance

drops significantly during

the summer months. And

Trinity as God in relation-

ship: with Jesus, with the

Holy Spirit; and the whole

Trinity of persons in relation-

ship with humanity. The

Russian theologian, Sergey

Bulgakov likened

the Trinity as

God’s love in ac-

tion. If God is

love, and Jesus the

expression of

God’s love, then

the Holy Spirit is

love of that love.

In other words, the

Holy Trinity is not

an abstract

thought, but a real-

ity, something we

experience. The

Trinity enlightens

and enlivens our

relationship

with God

the Father,

God the

Son, God

the Holy

Spirit in

community – God in rela-

tionship with God’s self;

God in relationship with each

of us. The Orthodox Church

has a word for it: Perichore-

sis, which means encircling.

As God in Christ and the

Holy Spirit are a circle of

love, so we are encircled by

(Continued on page 2)

it all begins with Trinity

Sunday.

The concept of the Trinity

of Father, Son, and Holy

Spirit is at the heart of what

it means to be a Christian.

For although difficult to

describe, at the heart of the

Trinity is community. The

Trinity of God the Father,

God the Son, God the Holy

Spirit is God in community

with God’s self, and in com-

munity with each and every

one of us.

St. Augustine, described the

Special points of interest:

Worship services and Parish hours are on

the back cover of the Scepter

Staff and Vestry Members are listed on the

back cover of the Scepter

Thank you notes 4

Why I Pledge 6

Movie Review 6

Adult Fellowship 7

Men’s Group 7

Pentecost Sunday 10-11

Celebration Dinner 12-13

Inside this issue:

ST

.

ED

WA

RD

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PI

SC

OP

AL

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HU

RC

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June 2015 Reflections From the Rector’s Desk

Sce

pte

r

“the Trinity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is at

the heart of what it means to be a Christian.”

the Trinity, God in relationship with us.

I pray that each and every one of you

will have a wonderful and restful sum-

mer, enfolded by the Trinity, but mind-

ful that during the summer we receive

many visitors. It is helpful for them to

experience St. Edward’s in community.

So I invite you to remain faithful in

your giving as well as in your attend-

ance. It may be said that “God goes to

Florida” in the summer, but God in

Christ is ever present in our lives, en-

folding us in the Trinity of Love: Fa-

ther, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Blessings

Fr. Stephen+

(Continued from page 1)

Reflections

Parish Office Hours

Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Fri-

day:

9 AM – 3 PM

Tuesday: 9 AM – 1 PM

Parish Administrative Assistant:

Michelle Bentley

Scepter

Production Staff:

H. J. “Mac” Miller

[email protected]

If you're the last person to leave

the building following Sunday ser-

vices or an event, please take the

time to make sure all the lights are

turned off (including the rest

rooms) and the doors are locked.

Scepter

Information

Reginald Heber (1783-1826), a vicar and

hymn-writer in England, was the first person

to compile a hymnal based around the church

calendar. He composed the beloved hymn

“Holy, Holy, Holy” specifically for Trinity

Sunday, with lyrics based on Revelation 4:8-

11.

Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!

Early in the morning our song shall rise to

Thee;

Holy, holy, holy, merciful and mighty!

God in three Persons, blessed Trinity!

The joyful song celebrates the eternal, om-

nipotent Triune God. Throughout the verses,

Heber used units of three to symbolize the

Trinity (God is “perfect in power, in love and

purity”; God is worshiped by saints, cheru-

bim and seraphim; and he’s praised “in earth

and sky and sea”).

Heber, who witnessed much idol worship

while serving as Bishop of Calcutta, often

reaffirmed God’s holiness in his hymns.

British poet laureate Alfred Lord Tennyson

so admired the uplifting language in “Holy,

Holy, Holy” that he proclaimed it the finest

hymn ever written.

Summer Changes

The only service that is “suspended” for

the summer is the 2nd Sunday Contem-

porary service for July and August. It

will resume in September.

Sunday May 31 will also mark the for-

mal end of the Christian Formation year

with the last class of Sunday school

before reconvening in the fall.

The center of a sunflower mimics the

manmade images that depict the

Trinity

The Finest Hymn

Please notify us if we misspell

your name or make any other

e r r o r i n t h e S c e p t e r .

[email protected]

Third Saturday of

Each Month

Next Service

5:30 PM

June 20th

Rite II

Saturday Service

Patrick Ishler rehearsing with the choir.

Military News

Please keep in your prayers those

close to us who are serving in the

military. Brandon Fox

Gordon Frankenfield

Brandon Fuhrman

Matt Fuhrman

Adam and Christina Grim

Drew Johnson

John Lewis

CWO5 Barry Loar

Craig Massey

Hank Morrow III

Richard Mutari

David Peck

Capt. Andrew Pfeiffer

Rev. David J. Sparks,

Mike Spurr

David Sternberg

Allison Tomich

Evan Westgate

Seamas Whitesel

1st Lt. Thomas Whitesel,

Ian Williams

Include your news and announce-

ments in the next Scepter.

Due date for July/August will be:

June 20th.

Send articles and announcements to:

[email protected]

We All Need a Tree

www.sainteds.org

Contributed by Irene Achey

I hired a plumber to help me restore an

old farmhouse, and after he had just fin-

ished a rough first day on the job: a flat

tire made him lose an hour of work, his

electric drill quit and his ancient one ton

truck refused to start.

While I drove him home, he sat in stony

silence. On arriving, he invited me in to

meet his family. As we walked toward the

front door, he paused briefly at a small

tree, touching the tips of the branches

with both hands.

When opening the door he underwent an

amazing transformation. His face was

wreathed in smiles and he hugged his two

small children and gave his wife a kiss.

Afterward he walked me to the car. We

passed the tree and my curiosity got the

better of me. I asked him about what I had

seen him do earlier.

'Oh, that's my trouble tree,' he replied 'I

know I can't help having troubles on the

job, but one thing's for sure, those troubles

don't belong in the house with my wife

and the children...So I just hang them up

on the tree every night when I come home

and ask God to take care of them. Then in

the morning I pick them up again.' 'Funny

thing is,' he smiled,' when I come out in

the morning to pick 'em up, there aren't

nearly as many as I remember hanging up

the night before.'

College Care Package Thank You Notes

Scepter

First Sunday in May

Eric Henry, our Diaconal Intern, preached on the first Sunday of May, and gave the children a nice visual and talk related to

the scripture of the day: "I am the vine and you are the branches."

Dear St. Edward’s Family,

Wow, I can’t believe my second year of college is almost over. The time has gone by incredibly fast. I would like to thank every one for the goodie box and the wonderful letter you sent me. I look forward to seeing all of you in two or three weeks. It’s still odd not waking up at 7AM on Sunday mornings and going in to church. It’s always nice to come home for breaks and see everyone, and being able to talk about more than how is school going. Again I can’t wait to see everyone in a few weeks and thank you again for the goodie box.

From,

Chad

Dear St. Edward’s Church,

Thank you for sending me a care package! As a member of Texas A&M’s corp of ca-dets, I am always on the move and in need of snacks. Your service to myself and many of my buddies is greatly appre-ciated. God bless. Sincerely,

Clay Tennies

Dear St. Edward’s,

Thanks so much for the

great care package. With

my schedule of late night

studio work and baseball

practice it is always good

to have such a great box

of snacks in the

room! Thanks for think-

ing of me.

Ian Bentley

Kid’s Corner

Bible Quiz

Which of the following is an accurate husband-wife

match from Scripture?

A. Abram and Ruth

B. Boaz and Ruth

C. Hosea and Ruth

D. Ananias and Ruth

Answer: B (See Ruth 4:13.)

A trinity drawing for you to

color. Can you find the simi-

larities in the red Pentecost

altar cloth on our lectern?

A gorilla walked

into an ice cream

store and ordered a

sundae. He put

down a ten dollar

bill to pay for it.

The clerk thought,

What can a gorilla know about mon-

ey? So the clerk handed back a single

dollar as change.

The clerk said, “You know we don’t

get many gorillas in here.”

“No wonder,” answered the gorilla,

“at nine dollars a sundae.”

Cost of a Sundae

Scepter

By Elaine Radcliffe

In 1981, five couples, Carolyn and Ray

Miller, Nancy and Bob Oliver, Carol and

Stu Pindell, Johan and Paul Ross, and

Katie and Peter True, petitioned Bishops

Stevenson and McNutt for permission to

look into the possibility of an Episcopal

Mission in fast-growing Hempfield. Fol-

lowing much study, research, discussion,

and meetings with potential congregants,

permission was granted and space was

rented in a Union Hall in Landisville. The

meeting space required the setting up and

tearing down each Sunday of folding

chairs, roughly-constructed kneeling

benches, and a portable altar and cross

borrowed from St. Thomas’ Church! Fa-

ther John Norman was appointed by the

Bishops to be our first Vicar.

Before the first service, Stu Pindell asked

me if I might be willing to “play hymns

once in a while.” Of course, I said that I

would and, “thereby hangs a (27-year)

tale!” I played the first service on Septem-

ber 13, 1981 on an old donated upright

piano that sounded much like the pianos

we heard in the saloons in old Western

movies! We did purchase a better piano

and I played 50 services a year for many

years. Our young teen-age children

joined, and thoroughly enjoyed, the first

Youth Group and made many cherished

friends and memories. When we formed a

choir, our children participated, and my

husband, Wayne, joined the bass section

and continued to sing until he was too ill

to do so. Wayne and I both served on vari-

ous vestries and went to the Diocesan

Convention.

Now, you may well ask, what does that

have to do with “why I pledge?” During

all of the years of making music and new

friends, during the “ups and downs” of St.

Edward’s founding and growth, during a

building campaign, during ground-

breaking in 1989, and during the joyous

(and sometimes stressful) days leading up

to our first service in our new sanctuary in

February, 1990, Wayne and I discovered

something! We discovered what good

friends we had made, how those friends

responded to the needs of other “St. Ed-

wardians,” and in short, what a “church

family” was all about! Many times during

all of those years we wondered what our

lives would have been like had St. Ed-

ward’s Church not existed, and the answer

was always that our lives would have been

less rich, less joyful, and less surrounded

by the love of many.

So, Wayne and I, of course, decided to

pledge, as do I, now that he has passed

away. People often say that one gets out

of a church what one puts into it in “Time,

Talent, and Treasure.” This is true in

many ways, because it takes all three to

maintain and grow a church; however,

when we do participate in those three

ways, we also learn the importance of

sharing the church year in our holy place,

through triumphs and failures, joys and

sorrows, with the love, friendship, and

support of our priest and fellow parishion-

ers. This is a gift truly beyond price.

Why I Pledge to St. Edward’s Church

By Glen Bentley

I am always on the

lookout for something

I have never seen be-

fore and I think this

fits the bill.

Sunshine Superman, is

a portrait of BASE

jumping founding father Carl Boenish,

effectively captures the irrepressible en-

ergy of a man who never tired of taking

flying leaps. But it also does something

even rarer for the documentary genre: It

demands to be shown on an IMAX

screen. If you can see in this format do.

Weaving archival footage from Boenish

daredevil-in-the-clouds short films with

sweeping shots from jaw-dropping

heights—including stunning aerial im-

agery of Norway’s famed Troll Wall—

director Marah Strauch creates a tapestry

of high-in-the-sky awesome that some-

times feels as though the audience is

looking down on Earth via a Steadicam

being operated in heaven. The story of

Boenish, who parlayed his interest in

skydiving into a career as a filmmaker/

adventurer who freefell from L.A. sky-

scrapers, Yosemite’s El Capitan, and that

Troll Wall, is an effectively compelling

narrative about the thin line between

excessive risk and supreme gutsiness, in

BASE jumping and in life.

Director Strauch traces Boenish’s story

from his childhood—which involved a

brief period spent anchored to a wheel-

chair while recovering from polio—to

his life-changing role as aerial photogra-

pher working alongside John Franken-

heimer on the 1969 sky-diving picture

The Gypsy Moths, she occasionally relies

on staged reenactments to illustrate key

Boenish milestones.

You have never seen anything like this

before and as Boenish says at one partic-

ularly significant moment, if you jump,

the angels will take care of you and your

search for cinematic creativity.

Movie Review: Sunshine Superman

“The greatest gift I ever had came from God; I call him Dad!”

—Anonymous

Adult Fellowship Men’s Group

By Mike Patrone and

John Meyer, co-chairs

News and views from the men's group:

Randy Westgate, a member of our par-

ish, was the guest speaker at our last

breakfast till September. The subject was

"Celebrate Recovery" which aids partici-

pants dealing with hurts, hang-ups and

habits. Randy is a leader in the one that

meets at LCB Manheim. It is a Christian

12 step recovery program. It was a very

informative talk.

This year we have had very diversified

speakers.

Michelle has put in the bulletin about the

men taking out the trash after the ser-

vices. What if this plan took place

whereas the early service men took

out the trash already in the cans, leaving

one for the late service and the early men

also taking out one of the recycle bins.

Picnic WHEN: Sunday, June 14, 4:00 p.m.

(This is also Flag Day, if you wish

to wear red, white, & blue!)

WHERE: At the Radcliffe’s home,

3190 Grande Oak Place in West

Hempfield. Hot dogs, drinks, and

paper products will be provided.

PLEASE BRING: A side dish, such

as potato salad, cole slaw, baked

beans, etc. or dessert. Please tell

what you’ll bring on the phone or

the sign-up sheet.

DEADLINE: Monday, June 8. Ei-

ther sign up on the sheet in the Par-

ish Hall or call Elaine Radcliffe at

285-4912. If you have questions or

need directions, call Elaine.

Coffee Hour

.

Thank you to the

following hosts for providing fellow-

ship and hospitality to our 8 AM, 9:15

AM, and 10:15 AM coffee hours during

the month of May:

Sandy Patrone

Linda Spire

Dottie Gschwend

Helen Castle

Bev and Larry Hess

The Rosenberg-Kernic Family

Carl and Carol Cotnoir

R.B. Mullineaux

All the St. Edward’s men who hosted

during Mother’s Day on May 10th

The 3 Willows – Geraldine Cosgrave,

Janet Rumer, June Klemm

As we approach the summer months,

please know how important the coffee

hour is to St. Edward’s. It is always a

nice community gathering after the ser-

vices and a wonderful way to welcome

visitors that are new to the area, looking

for a church home, or visiting relatives

during the summer vacations.

A woman had just returned to her home

from an evening of church services,

when she was startled by an intrud-

er. She caught the man in the act

of robbing her home of its valuables and

yelled:

'Stop!

Acts 2:38!' (Repent and be Baptized, in

the name of Jesus Christ, so that your

sins may be forgiven.)

The burglar stopped in his tracks. The

woman calmly called the police

and explained what she had done.

As the officer cuffed the man to take him

in, he asked the burglar: 'Why

did you just stand there? All the old lady

did was yell a scripture

to you.

''Scripture?' replied the burglar 'She said

she had an Ax and Two 38s!'

Acts 2:38

New Place: The Forum, 500 Walnut St., Harrisburg

New Time: 11 a.m., Sept. 12, 2015

The Transition Committee has felt the presence of the Holy Spirit throughout all of the work we have been given to do

and especially now. A site previously unavailable to us for the consecration has now become available.

We are pleased to announce that the venue of the Consecration for Bishop Elect Audrey Scanlan will move from the Hil-

ton Harrisburg to the Forum. With this change we are now able to hold the service at 11 a.m. rather than 9 a.m. This

gives us the gift of time together before the service. It also makes it possible for more people who would not have been

able to attend because of the early start time to come and celebrate the consecration of our new bishop. Bishop Elect

Audrey Scanlan and our Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori are both very happy with these changes.

The Forum is located within walking distance from the Hilton. It has recently been renovated with new seating and is

handicap accessible. It is also the home of the Harrisburg Symphony. It can seat over 1600 people.

The reception will immediately follow in the Pennsylvania Room at the Hilton Harrisburg. The banquet the evening be-

fore will also be held at the Hilton.

We are excited for the special time for our diocese and for our Bishop Elect Audrey Scanlan. We look forward to seeing

you all on Sept. 11 and Sept. 12.

Ordination and Consecration of The Rev. Canon Audrey Cady Scanlan

Scepter

From the Transition Committee DIOCESE OF CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA

Bishop Elect Audrey Scanlon

Stephen, Luke and Catherine Donohue

Luke Donohue Master’s Degree Commencement

Luke graduated with a master's degree in

archaeology from the University of Alabama

on the second of May. He starts work as an

archaeological project manager on Monday

the 18th. He is now living in Atlanta and

working for ECA . Shelby Hall at University of Alabama Birmingham

St. Edward’s is “Red”y For Pentecost Sunday

Scepter

Kathie Rodgers

Dorris Smith and Bob Young

Jane Young Rayelenn Casey Helen and Tony Castle

Carol Cotnoir

The red streamers added to the celebration.

Pentecost Sunday

Reenie and Ted Cardwell Barbara and Harry West

Thomas and Patrick Ishler

Sam Fleming

Sharon and Robert Hubbard

Scepter

By Rayelenn Casey

Page 12

Celebration Dinner

Just in case anyone isn't sure which one is Father Ste-

phen

Annual

Celebration

Meal

Celebration Dinner

Senior Warden Leslie Arnold thanks Michelle Bentley, Susan

Landin, and RB Mullineaux for their teamwork and excellent

efforts in planning and carrying off this year's Celebration

Meal so successfully.

Senior Warden thanks Buddy Yeager for his six years of

service as St. Edward's sexton -- and the applause was

long and loud as Buddy accepted his gift and returned to

his table.

Planners Michelle Bentley and Susan Landin worked hard to get every

detail right.

"We are a community built by those who came

before -- and building for the people yet un-

born."

The Celebration meal on the 16th of May was an absolute de-

light. It always gifts me with joy when I experience the commu-

nity of St. Edward's in fellowship, and I am grateful to all those

who made the evening possible: to Hank Spire, for his inspiring

words; Leslie Arnold, Senior Warden, for her words of apprecia-

tion; but most of all to Michelle, R.B. Susan Landin, and Barba-

ra Schultz for making the whole evening possible. Thank you

all.

Fr. Stephen+

Sunday Services

8:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist Rite I (said)

10:15 a.m. Holy Eucharist Rite II

9:10 a.m. Contemporary Service (2nd Sunday, Sept – May)

Wednesday

12:00 Noon – Holy Eucharist with healing

Saturday

5:30 Holy Eucharist Rite II (Third Saturday)

2453 Harrisburg Pike

St. Edward’s Episcopal Church

Phone 717-898-6276

Email: [email protected]

www.sainteds.org

The Reverend Canon

Stephen C. Casey, Rector

The Rev. Harold F.

Morrow, Jr., Deacon

The Rev. Eugene F.

Lefebvre, Honorary Associ-

ate Priest

Eric Henry, Parish Intern

Leslie Arnold Senior War-

den

Michelle Bentley, Parish

Administrative Assistant

Parish Office Hours

Monday, Wednesday, Thurs-

day, Friday: 9 AM – 3 PM

Tuesday: 9 AM – 1 PM

Staff Worship Services

Vestry

(year term ends)

Leslie Arnold (2018)

Tony Bianco (2016)

Camille Horine (2018)

Maura Keener (2016)

Brian Newsome (2018)

Mike Patrone (2017)

Peg Reiley (2017)

Henry Spire (2018)

LOOK FOR US ON THE WEB!

www.sainteds.org

june 2015 reflections from the rector’s desk · pentecost sunday: 10-11. celebration dinner:...

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