St. Timothy’s Episcopal ChurchPO Box 7416 • Salem, OR 97303

503-363-0601 • mail@sainttimothys.org • www.sainttimothys.org

Tidings

AUGUST 2015

Salt and Light: The Church as an Increasingly Alternative Society

I was recently perusing the news, reading about a society figure in England who had found salvation by a) shedding a politician spouse, b) losing weight and toning up, c) wearing swimwear without shame, and d) contemplating posing for Playboy magazine. What struck me in reading all of the breathless prose adulat-ing transient vanity was the very clear portrayal of the secular society in which we live. I want to think about that for a moment in the context of what it means to be a parish living out the Christian faith today.

The article I read laid out in excruciating detail one of the ways a secular life looks: profoundly concerned with appearances and ashamed only of being overweight or missing out on sexual opportunities (which, apparently, are cardinal sins now). Far beyond the Christian virtue of being a good steward of the body, it is essential for the secularist to having a certain “look.” Appearing and acting as young as possible, experiencing various forms of ecstasy through substances, sex, or euphoria, and adapting one’s self to the standards of a consumerist, hedonistic environ-ment are all something like sacraments now. Spiritual con-cerns, not being measurable like one’s weight or cholesterol, and unable to add anything to appearance or sexiness, are utterly irrelevant. Humility, modesty, reverence…such things seem to have no place in a world unencumbered by God, and are actively discouraged.

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The essential gist of this replacement religion is that only by liberating the self from all constraints and becoming “who I am” can any of us be truly free. But here is the catch: becoming “who I am” means being conformed to a mass-marketed, de-personalized formula of behavior, lifestyle, and appearance. This formula denies our individuality and requires purchase again and again even as we gradually move out of the target youth demographic. In our pharmacology-saturated society, we just have to keep taking more substances in order to find out who we are. So, in actuality, there is no freedom in secularism because it is ultimately conformed to death. The fear of death runs right through it and motivates all its actions. One purchases a little relief from this fear through self-improvement or celebrity or plea- sure. In the end, however, secular life is lived in the shadow of death—always—for death always has the last word.

Christians have a much different notion of freedom—one that is truly “free.” For us, each human is made in the image of God and is intended for eternal life with our Creator. This is essential for us to be fully human. For us to be truly alive and truly free we need to be in communion with God, creation, and neighbor (as well as ourselves). This is a significant problem for modern people who often live radi-cally isolated lives founded not on communion but total autonomy. The centrality of communion is taught both in the Old Testament and in the New. It is the es-sence of our faith, and runs like a golden thread through our worship, teaching, and practice. Our freedom is found in these central relationships; our “true self” without them is empty, alone, trivial, and selfish. Secularism has the Mall; Christi-anity has the Eucharist.

St. Timothy’s is a Eucharistic Community…a body of people gathering for wor-ship of God the Holy Trinity and participating in the Paschal Mystery (“Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.”) that frees us from the tyranny of death so we can truly live. Because Christ has risen, all of us reborn in him by water and the Spirit share in his risen life and can literally look through death into “true and lasting freedom in the Redeemer.” Absolutely everything we are about and do rests on this foundation. Everything.

This puts us at odds with the world around us. As our society becomes more and

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more secular, its willingness to tolerate other points of view is likely to decline. The fear of death that dominates consumer culture—and which makes increasing inroads even in the Church—is ultimately incompatible with the Gospel and can-not be digested by our faith. Attempts at compromise with secularism will always be pointless, though they will be tried again and again.

This makes every true parish a place of direct confrontation between a world built on death’s various appeals or mani- festations and God’s Kingdom of life and self-giving love as embodied in Jesus Christ. Far from being a sort of spiritual gym or escapist country club, the parish is a beach- head for the Kingdom of God in the kingdom of death. It is a place where Christians are continually renewed in their mission to be “salt and light” in the world where darkness and blandness predominate.

The life we share at St. Timothy’s is both joyous and serious. As the Benedictine monk and author Michael Casey has written, “Being serious about our spiritual life is necessary for the safeguarding of the integrity of our personal freedom.” The value we place on worship, fellowship, mutual encouragement, and continu-ous renewal in the Paschal Mystery is not spiritual make-work; it is vital to the safeguarding of our freedom as whole persons in communion. That communion, when experienced, brings a deep kind of joy and satisfaction. However, this joy must not be taken for granted or we may gradually surrender it to the siren song of seductive secularism.

The next time you arrive at St. Timothy’s—or any parish church—try seeing it as a lighthouse of spiritual freedom in a world turning to so many kinds of slavery. When you enter the Nave on Sunday, contemplate the message about being human embodied in the Liturgy versus the one found in the news. And the next time you think about what church life “does” for you, just remember the difference between the effect of participation in the Eucharist and the feeling after a trip to the mall. In any parish worth its salt, the difference should be clear.

Faithfully in Christ,

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The Vestry Corner

As I reflect on the year and how St. Tim’s seems to be doing, several things come to mind.

And, before I share them, I should also say that I have been around for some time now: I first discovered our parish as a Willamette student back in 1976. Wow!

Father Haley (Mary McFetridge’s dad) was the priest in charge at that time; we were only a mission back then. The Bishop technically has oversight of a mission church; hence, the vestry was not called the vestry but known as the Bishop’s Advisory Committee ( the BAC ).

When Fr. Haley retired, the Bishop appointed Fr. Rick Campbell. It was Fr. Rick who introduced the Easter Vigil and Agape feast to the Parish. I attended the first one; we stayed up all night and finished with singing Easter hymns in the parking lot at sunrise. Perhaps, it was St. Tim’s first sunrise service as well!

I am glad to see our strong experience of worship continue, that we have re-tained the celebration of the Vigil, and that we continue to offer an Anglo-Catholic expression of faith to the parish and the Salem community. I believe we are for-tunate to have Fr. Brandon with us; he is a strong leader with great pastoral and preaching gifts.

Despite the fact we are getting a bit older, I believe there are many positive signs of health and growth. I will simply list them out as examples:

• The Vestry itself is one of the best I have been part of—all members are congenial, engaged, and seeking what God has in store for us.

• Our membership remains stable, and the parish is in the black, financial- ly fully funding a variety of different ministries.

• We continue to see new ministries take place and new faces jump into leadership rolls.

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• The systems of parish management have taken root and are working: budgets set by commissions, the commission system itself, and yearly surveys are great examples here.

I am also glad to see that our role in facilitating those called to ordained ministry continues. I stopped in to chat with Deacon Zac Harmon at his office over at St. Paul’s yesterday. He looked great. He sounded great. He is happy to be where he is and feels well received. He knew I was having a trying morning and was very pastoral: listening, asking good questions, and prayed with me at the close of our time together. Outstanding!

I am praying for our parish that we continue to be healthy and to offer what we do to our community and the community at large. At the same time, I am also pray-ing for wisdom to discern and see what vision God would have for us as His body of believers here in Salem.

I think this is an on-going discussion we should be having together. To that end, please be in conversation with each other and a Vestry member as we proceed.

May God bless us, keep us, and lead us. Shep Earl, Jr. Warden

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“Shop for a Cause” Dayat Macy’s

Saturday, August 29

Sign up for your discount passes at the ESL table in the narthex.

Joseph of 1 Arimathea

8 Pent. X 2 8 am HE 10 am HE

3 4 5 Transfig- 6 uration

John 7Mason Neale

Dominic

Pent. XI 9 Lawrence 10 Clare 11 12 Jeremy 13Taylor

Jonathan 14Myrick Dan-iels

St. Mary 15the Virgin

Pent. XIII 16 17 William 18Porcher Du-Bose

19 Bernard 20 21 22

Pent. XIII 23 Saint 24Bartholomew

Louis 25 26 Thomas 27Galludet

Augustine 28of Hippo

29

Pent. XIV 30 Aidan of 31Lindisfarne

AUGUST

8 am HE 10 am HE

8 am HE 10 am HE

8 am HE 10 am HE

8 am HE 10 am HE

10 am MP

10 am HE

10 am HE

HE & Fiesta 6 pm

Vestry 6:30

1 Carol Tatman

3 Marilyn von Foerster

4 Enku Castellanos

5 Debbie Markee Sheila Castellanos Isaiah Carpenter

8 John L. Rector Elizabeth Gaupo

9 Judy Sullivan

10 Mary Raney 13 Mariah Padrick

23 Anne Whitmey

24 Liam Kreitzer

25 Rick Gaupo

27 Ginny Kuhlman Ron DeWilde 29 Sharon Earl Cailin Henderson

30 Donna Reedy

10 am HE

Crafts 10

TidingsDeadline

Crafts 10

Crafts 10

Diocesan Meeting 1:30

Crafts 10

Diocesan Meeting 10

Vestry-Commissioner BBQ 4 pm

Macy’s“Shop for a Cause” Dis-count Day

BIRTHDAYS

Guild 4:30

-------------------------------------YAC MissionTrip----------------------------------

Calendar Notes for August

Wednesday, Aug. 5 and every Wednesday: Craft Group, 10 AM

Sunday, Aug. 9: YAC Mission Trip to Yakama Reservation begins

Friday, Aug. 14: Eve of St. Mary’s Day— Sung Eucharist and Fiesta, 6 PM;

please bring a potluck dish; Mexican food is especially welcome

Tuesday, Aug. 18: Diocesan meeting, 1:30 PM

Vestry Meeting, 6:30 PM

Wednesday, Aug. 19: Diocesan meeting, 10 AM

Sunday, Aug. 23: Vestry-Commissioner BBQ at Sandy Noble’s home, 4 PM

Thursday, Aug. 27: Guild of Sts. Anna and Simeon, 4:30 PM

¡Celebrate St. Mary with a Fiesta!

It’s summer in Salem, and it is Hot! And when the weather is so nice, it is a great time to get outside and celebrate with good food and friends. The feast of Saint Mary is a perfect reason to celebrate at St Timothy’s. This year we will come together on Friday, August 14th, at 6 PM for service followed by a Mexican themed Pot-Luck Fiesta! My mother Anne Whitney and I will be decorating together, and I am calling on anyone who can Help Set Up Tables Outside the Parish Hall on Friday afternoon.

If you would like to attend please sign up to bring a Mexican Fiesta themed dish, hot or cold. I will have ideas listed in the narthex on a sign-up sheet. Children and family, neighbors are all welcome!

If you can help with tables come see me please, or call me or email me. Thank you! God Bless!

SarahWhitney85@gmail.com, 503-508-0968

From the Pastoral Care CommissionThe Lord is my shepherd;

I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures

and leads me beside still waters. He revives my soul

and guides me along right pathways for his Name’s sake. Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I shall fear no evil;for you are with me;

your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You spread a table before me in the presence of those who trouble me;

you have anointed my head with oil,and my cup is running over.

Surely your goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life,and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

Psalm 23 Lord, are you my shepherd? I want so much. What green pastures and quiet waters do I ignore so I can focus on my wants instead? Do I, Lord, let you restore my soul?Or does my restoration focus on things and people? You guide me, Lord, but do I follow?Am I anxious about where you will lead, so I go my own way? Deaths of all types surround me —I fear them and am unsure of your presence.What will comfort me in my hour of need? What do you prepare for me, Lord?What stops me from assurance of your goodness and love for me? I want to want to dwell with you daily and forever, Lord. Alleluia!

Jana McFerron, for the Guild of Sts. Anna & Simeon

ESL NewsThe Mid-Valley Literacy Center honored St. Timothy’s volunteer teachers and support staff with an Appreciation Night on June 18th. It was a splendid evening and included a wonderful Mexican dinner with entertainment by the explosive Aztec Dancers. Our volun-teers include: Gail Coulson, Donald Drake, Peggy Goforth, Joyce Graeper, Su-san Hawkins, Mary Herrle, Charles Kuhlman, Pamela Lyons Nelson, Elizabeth McClure, Kay Myklebust, Mary Raney, Weston Shippy and Sarah Whitney. The teachers volunteered 643 hours; administrators volunteered 963 hours, and 80 hours were for miscellaneous tasks. The volunteers gave not only their hearts to the ESL Program, but 1,686 hours of their personal time helping our Latino neighbors learn English. It is such a fulfilling experience, and I commend everyone who has given their time towards this wonderful mission. The ESL Staff Members wish to thank each and everyone of you who are con-tributing to our Scholarship Fund, and the Macy’s “Shop for a Cause” program. We can attest to how much our students’ appreciate your generosity. Our goal is to reach $1,300.00 which will create 40 scholarships for next years program re-suming September 15th. We hope to start in next month’s Tidings updating our progress in terms of donated dollars. The Buy the Books program continues for several months so we ask for prayers to help us meet our goal. Blessings for all your good wishes. Liz McClure

Mission TripDuring the 10 AM liturgy on Sunday, August 9th, we will be having special prayers for several members of St. Timothy’s who travel that day to the Yakama Reservation for a week-long “SLAM Trip” through Mending Wings Ministries. The participants will be combining service projects with learning about Native American culture and ministry. Please keep the following folks (and their families) in prayer: Enku Castellanos, Joy Coulson, Logan Divelbiss, Aidan Raney, Rick Wilcox, and Mary Raney. A ministry project of this type is the “cap-stone” of the Journey to Adulthood program, and we are very blessed to have wonderful fully-fledged adults who are willing to invest a week of their vacation in making this valuable experience a possibility for our young adults. Thank you, Rick and Mary! —Pamela Filbert

This year St. Mary’s Day (the commemoration of her Repose in the Lord) falls on Saturday. Therefore, in order to encourage a good attendance and to preserve our tradition of sharing a dinner together as part of this Holy Day’s celebration, we will mark it on its Eve…Friday, August 14th. The evening will begin with a sung Eucharist in the Nave at 6 PM. All members of the parish are invited to attend. Following the liturgy, we will share a potluck meal (out of doors between the parish hall and the church). Details about this meal will be found elsewhere in this Tidings, the Sunday bulletin and the e-Tidings as we draw closer to it. For now…MARK YOUR CALENDARS and invite some friends. Plan to bring enough food to feed some visitors! We hope to have some for this joyous, beautiful celebration of Our Lady and our congregation’s life of prayer, fellowship, and service. —BLF

St. Mary’s Day

Bless the Lord, winter cold and summer heat; sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever.

Azariah and the Three Jews 1.45 (Apocrypha)

Visiting the local parish where you travel is part of the fun of va-cation trips! Find your home-away-from-home, and get acquainted with the Episcopal Church outside of the walls of St. Timothy’s! Look up the address online, or call the parish office. Bring us back a bulletin!

Sign up for discount cards for Macy’s “Shop for a Cause Day,” Aug. 29. Look for the ESL display in the church narthex. The St. Timothy’s - Hoover ESL program benefits from the fee.You can also donate toward textbook scholarships at the dis-play table.

You must have been a beautiful baby! Show us, by bring your baby picture for our bulletin board! Photos may be left in Mary’s mail tray by her office door. We will take good care of them!

The Community Garden is looking for a coordinator, and Salem Interfaith Hospitality Network (St. Tim’s chap-ter) needs a publicity coordinator. Inquire in the office!

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PAIDSALEM, OR

PERMIT NO. 409

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St. Timothy’s Episcopal ChurchPO Box 7416Salem, OR 97303

503-363-0601www.sainttimothys.org