March 2002 East Range Epistle

The East Range Epistle March 2002

Coat of Arms of the Episcopal Diocese of Minnesota

For What We Search

At the joint congregation meeting with the JoAnne and Bob Carmack, the Search Consultants for our congregations, the Carmacks gave those present information about the search process. The Transition Team leadership thought this piece of information about the search process would be of interest to all of us:

The priest has left. There is a change in leadership. It is a time to look back and reflect on where we have been as a congregation. It is a time to consider what we want to affirm and strengthen, what we want to change and renew, a time to recognize our issues and confess our problems. It is a time to consider who we have been as the Body of Christ, and who we are now as the people of God, and what we want to be five years from now.

This is a Time for Renewal! It is a vital time of search for new directions, new ministries, new goals and hopes. We can assess our present resources, our strengths and weaknesses, and we can remember and celebrate our past, our history and our heritage.

We can decide together as a Family of God what we want to do and be as a congregation in the coming years. With a clear vision of what we want to be and do, and of what our particular ministries and mission shall be, we can begin to seek the leadership which we need to make our dreams a reality.

Then we will look for someone who shares some of those visions and hopes, someone who has some experience, training, understanding and attractiveness to help us be that kind of community of God and help us do that kind of ministry.

We search for our own calling as the Body of Christ. When we have done that we can look for someone who will help us achieve our ministries as partners in the calling of God in Jesus Christ.

Looking and Planning Ahead

Already we have had a busy year.
On January 6, the Rev Canon Steve Schaitberger met with our congregations to go over some of the aspects of finding a new priest and where our concerns might be.
On January 13, the Rev Margaret W. Thomas preached on “holding hands” and helping each other.
On February 2, the Search Consultants for the upcoming search for a new rector, JoAnne and Bob Carmack, shared the general process that we should go through to find a priest who will lead us.
Out of these meetings came the clear image that we need to help each other and help our body of Christ in the discerning and searching activities of the coming months. This means consistently attending services, assisting in parish activities, and demonstrating that we can support a priest both spiritually and financially.
Come to church, keep our church activities functioning, pick up the slack when you see something that needs to be done and pray for all involved in finding a new priest for us.

Canon Missioner’s Note

The Rev. Canon Missioner Stephen Schaitberger is on vacation in Mexico. We will look for his comments again in the April Epistle.

He will also be with us to celebrate Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter Sunday.

Transition Team Notes

We continue to have a great positive response to the request for supply priests. Please remember to introduce yourself to our guests.

On Feb 2, members of the Three-Point Vestries met with Bob and JoAnn Carmack, who are the Search Consultants assigned to us by the diocese. The basic search process was explained and it was decided to send a letter to parishioners to find persons interested in being on the Search Committee. Once the Committee is formed, the process will begin in ernest.

Please do not forget to send in your nominations for the Search Committee to Gail Coon (St. Paul’s), Dick Harvey (St. John’s), or Mary Groeninger (St. Mary’s) by March 1.

East Range
Churches' News

Service Schedule
Palm Sunday through Easter Sunday

Services at our congregations are scheduled as follows:

Palm Sunday (March 24):
St. Mary’s: 9 AM (at Presbyterian Church, 226 E Harvey St., Ely [map])
St. John’s: 9 AM
St. Paul’s: 10:30 AM

Maundy Thursday (March 28):
St. John’s: 7 PM

Good Friday (March 29):
St. Paul’s: 1 PM

Holy Saturday (March 30):
No services

Easter Sunday (March 31):
St. Mary’s: 9 AM (at Presbyterian Church, 226 E Harvey St., Ely [map])
St. John’s: 9 AM
St. Paul’s: 10:30 AM

Lenten Services

Each Wednesday during Lent there is an Evening Prayer Service at 7PM at St. Paul’s. The service will be followed by a discussion for those interested.

Great North TEC

The Spring Senior High Teens Encounter Christ (TEC) will be held March 15-17, 2002 at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Duluth.

Dan Neff is participating on the music team. If you would like to know more about TEC or wish to participate in some way, contact Gail Coon (218-744-5138 or 218-744-5099 or 218-744-0275 [fax]) or Dan Neff (218-741-7439).

Environmental Stewardship Commission Meeting

The Spring Equinox meeting of the Environmental Stewardship Commission will be from noon on March 15 to noon on March 16 at St. Nicholas’ Episcopal Church, Richfield, MN. Chuck Morello (218-744-1615) will be driving a van. Contact him if you are interested in attending.

Cancer Control Programs

The downturn in our area economy has provided concern that residents are foregoing important health care due to a lack of health insurance or having insurance with high deductibles and co-pays.

The St. Louis County Department of Public Health and Long Term Medical Care has a program called the Minnesota Breast and Cervical Cancer Control Program, which provides free breast and cervical cancer screening.
You are eligible for free services if:
1. You are a woman age 40 or over
2. You have no insurance or not enough insurance
3. Your gross household income falls within certain guidelines.
To learn more about qualifications, call Geri McHugh (218-749-0600 or 800-450-9777).

April Epistle

Deadline for input to the April issue of The East Range Epistle is Sunday, March 17, to Carol Morello (218-744-1615, or fax: 218-744-1635). Processing is tentatively scheduled for March 20.

Contribution Schedule

The special lead article request from the Transition Team led us to slide the schedule for the lead article for the next three issues of The Epistle by one month. The new schedule is:

April: St. John's
May: St. Mary's
June: St. Paul's

Please keep the article to 350 to 450 words and send it to Chuck or Carol Morello (218-744-1615). Deadline is the same as for the regular Epistle production, but a few days earlier would be nice if it must be retyped.

Rural Development Loans

If you find your house a bit drafty this Winter and find that your dollars will not stretch to cover repairs, there is help available. The US Department of Agriculture has a Rural Development Loan program for people with a low income. For more information, contact Kris Zigan (218-741-3939 ext 4).

St. John's News
(Submitted by Nancy and Dick Harvey)

Vestry Notes

There was nothing significant to report from the Vestry Meeting of February 10.

The Vestry met with the Search Consultants on February 2 and it is now in the process of forming a Search Committee. If you have questions, please contact Dick Harvey (218-744-2599).

St. Mary's News
(Submitted by Mary Groeninger)

Nothing Received

St. Paul's News

Easter Lilies

If anyone would like to purchase a lily for the Easter Service at St. Paul’s, contact Gail Coon (218-744-5138 or 218-744-5099). They are $12 each and can be brought home after the service or left at the church.

Wednesday Meetings

St. Paul’s people are invited to attend each Wednesday at 10 AM for Coffee and talk at the Guild Hall. Ladies will begin some projects working toward additional fund-raising

Vestry News
(Submitted by Gail Coon)

There was no St. Paul’s Vestry Meeting on January 18 for lack of a quorum.

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