The Apple Tree Carol

We had a special treat yesterday for our Offertory Anthem. It was The Apple Tree Carol composed by our Parish Musician, Tom Gibbs, and beautifully performed by Susan Hauser, soprano, and Steve Hauser, soprano saxophone.

                                       The Apple Tree Carol

The tree of life my soul hath seen, laden with fruit and always green.
The trees of nature fruitless be compar'd with Christ the apple tree.

His beauty doth all things excel: by faith I know but cannot tell
the glory which I now can see in Jesus Christ the apple tree.

For happiness I long have sought, and pleasure dearly I have bought:
I miss'd of all: but now I see 'tis found in Christ the apple tree.

I'm weary with my former toil. Here I will sit and rest awhile.
Under the shadow I will be of Jesus Christ the apple tree.
                                                                           (18th century, anonymous)

Note from the composer: "I think of this text as fitting for almost any time of the liturgical year. Our parish is fortunate to have a sensitive, expressive soprano soloist, and also a fine soprano saxophone player who is equally sensitive and expressive. As the piece progresses, the two soloists exchange melodic ideas, and the organ provides harmonic underpinning and occasionally also takes part in the melodic exchanges. At the crucial dramatic moment of the text, however, the organ drops out and leaves the two soloists on their own."

You can listen to it here:
https://app.box.com/s/tcv53k8x7cuuf712njn5xzu4m36yeu0c

This year, Easter is on ...

Do you know when Easter is this year?  Sure, you can Google it, but what did people do before computers and Google?

Excerpted from Tricia's email to the parish:

The 12 days of Christmas have come and gone, and we are now in the season of Epiphany, known as the season of light. The church calendar is set each year around two dates, those of Christmas and Easter. Christmas, of course, has the same date every year, and we can find the first Sunday of Advent (the beginning of the church year) by backing up the four Sundays before Christmas. Easter is a bit trickier. The official explanation is that Easter is always the Sunday after the full moon that occurs on or after the spring equinox on March 21. Got that? The earliest day that Easter can be is March 22; the latest is April 25. The date of Easter is important because from it the rest of the church calendar is set. Back up 40 days from Easter (excluding Sundays) and you will know the date of Ash Wednesday and the beginning of Lent. Go forward 40 days and you get the feast of the Ascension. Go 50 days from Easter and you get the feast of Pentecost, the beginning of the longest season of the church year, that lasts until Advent.


There may be astronomers among us who can tell the date of Easter by looking at the stars and keeping track of the phases of the moon, but most let someone else do the calculations and rely on the calendars to tell us when this holy day is. (Or you can check the chart on page 880 in the prayer book that tells you the date of Easter through the year 2089). But in the church’s early days calendars were a luxury afforded only the privileged few. So it became a liturgical practice that every year the first Sunday after Epiphany (the January 6 celebration of the arrival of the wise men), a cantor would give the “Easter proclamation,” announcing in a chant the date of Easter and corresponding liturgical dates of the year. Of course these days we have that information literally at our finger tips. But Tom and I thought it would be interesting and fun to do the Easter proclamation. So come to church Sunday and find out when Easter will be this year. I already know, but I’m not going to spoil the surprise.

So, after all that, you can still go to Google to find out when Easter is this year.  But in the tradition which Tricia mentioned, you can listen to the Easter Proclamation.

Listen to Cantor John Morgan tell us about Easter and the rest of the church year:
https://app.box.com/s/sihkj673bu7muyk3nxxg

So now you know.

Led by a Star

If you weren't able to make it to church this past Sunday, we missed you and hope to see you soon.

Sunday was actually the Second Sunday of Christmas, but we celebrated Epiphany a couple of days early.

As we entered the nave, many of us (including the choir) saw photos in the pews and the choir stall. A fellow choir member leaned over and asked if I had any idea what it was. I had to admit that although it appeared to be an abstract painting, I had no idea what it was.

What do you think?

All was made clear when Tricia began her sermon. Here's the short version as posted by Tricia on Facebook:

An Epiphany offering. My favorite painting of the three kings does not hang in a museum or grace the pages of any art book. It hangs in our house and was painted by my mother. She didn’t start out to do a painting of the magi. Joe and I had asked her to do an abstract painting. But as she painted the forms began to emerge. Can you see them? Three kings, on horseback, not camels (as some of the earliest depiction of the magi showed).
They ride out of the mist with intensity, the horses galloping, the kings leaning forward in their saddles, determined to get to their destination as quickly as possible.
I love that the kings emerged from my mother’s canvas without warning, and I love that when she realized it she allowed them to continue, following their lead, not knowing where they would take her, having faith she would end up in the right place.
That in itself is the essence of this story.
The wise men set out, following a star, not knowing where it would take them or what they would find.
But they trusted that God would lead them where they needed to go, even if it wasn’t anywhere they could have predicted.
May we have the courage to do the same.

The complete text of Tricia's sermon can be found here.

As always, you can find past sermons here:

http://www.stdunstan.net/sermons.htm

Advent Lessons and Carols, Dec. 14

Be sure to mark your calendars for next Sunday, December 14, 4 p.m., for our annual service of Lessons and Carols for Advent. Using scripture readings, prayers, hymns, and anthems, we take time to reflect on the important themes of Advent: marveling at the grace of God coming to humankind in the child Jesus; preparing for God to come to us now; looking in expectation for the time when the Kingdom of God comes fully to the whole world.

One of the pieces sung last year was "Where Is This Stupendous Stranger."
https://app.box.com/s/p4sss3z6cg9a9styk21t

Other pieces from last year can be found here:
https://app.box.com/s/anuw8q2wgzw3ks5fsn1a

Many new pieces will be performed this year on the 14th. We hope to see you there!

For All the Saints

While children (and many adults!) look forward to Halloween, at church we look forward to All Saints' Day.  This past weekend, we celebrated Halloween on Friday and All Saints' Day on Saturday.  Therefore Sunday became All Saint' Sunday.

At St. Dunstan's, the choir works hard under the tutelage of Tom Gibbs.  We are often fortunate to have musicians from both within and outside the church perform with the choir. This past Sunday, we enjoyed hearing violinist Martha Woodruff, who just happens to be one of the daughters of parishioner Priscilla Davis.

The Voluntary before the service was Sonata III: Adagio by George Frideric Handel.
https://app.box.com/s/1z565f5drgeim4975oug

Our opening hymn was "For all the saints, who from their labors rest," sung lustily by the congregation, followed shortly thereafter with "I sing a song of the saints of God" as the sequence hymn.

As expected, Tricia's sermon was about All Saints, but was more special this year as St. Dunstan's celebrates its 50th Anniversary.  We heard some fun tidbits about the early days of St. Dunstan's, including the origins of our first communion set.
https://app.box.com/s/lt8lusg0u7pojp32hzst

The Offertory Anthem was "How Bright These Glorious Spirits" by Richard Slater. Martha added a beautiful dimension to the piece as she accompanied the choir.
https://app.box.com/s/bbbewoodxg92nmajj7nb

I don't know how many people are conscious of the music during the Communion (at St. Dunstan's or any other church). It's primarily background music because, of course, the focus is the Eucharist taking place at the altar. Because the Gospel was Matthew 5:1-12, also known as The Beatitudes, the anthem at communion was Hymn 560, sung a capella by the choir.
https://app.box.com/s/w33tp8wpyi9vrfkc7v0m

As he is often wont to do, Tom wrote a descant for the exit procession, "Ye watchers and ye holy ones," which the sopranos performed beautifully.
https://app.box.com/s/nztkq7d9ayfx9wqcpvco

Our last musical treat for the day was another Voluntary by Martha, accompanied by Tom on the piano, Arioso (frm Cantata No. 156) by Johann Sebastian Bach.
https://app.box.com/s/155kc6eux4u2zv8qpgox

From Egypt to Ferguson

I've written before about the lectionary and how I like the idea that all Episcopalians listen to the same lessons on any given Sunday wherever they may be.

This past Sunday, the Old Testament lesson was Exodus 1:8-2:10, which started out with the oppression of the Israelites in Egypt.

In her sermon, Tricia repeated the first few lines from the lesson.  She then went on to compare the situation long ago in Egypt to the current state of affairs in Ferguson, Missouri.

Many at St. Dunstan's were moved listening to her sermon that morning, and I am sure you will be moved as well by reading it here.

Remember, you can always find past sermons by going to St. Dunstan's website.

Music This Past Sunday

Although we're still in our summer season, you wouldn't know it by what's going on at St. Dunstan's.

This past Sunday, Elizabeth Wong Mark and Steve Hauser played a Voluntary before the 10:00 service.  It was a Meditation on Salve Regina (a prayer to Mary), by Jacques Berthier.


Our Old Testament lesson was Genesis 32:22-31, where Jacob wrestles with God.

Our friend, the Rev. Kim Jackson, preached while Tricia is on vacation. In her sermon, Kim tied in the Old Testament Lesson and the Gospel, Matthew 14:13-21, familiar to many as the feeding of the five thousand.

The theme continued with the Offertory Anthem, Come, O thou Traveler Unknown.
Candler, a Scottish traditional melody, arr. Thomas Gibbs

Come, O thou traveler unknown, whom still I hold, but cannot see;
my company before is gone, and I am left alone with thee:
with thee all night I mean to stay and wrestle till the break of day;
with thee all night I mean to stay and wrestle till the break of day.

My strength is gone, my nature dies, I sink beneath thy weighty hand,
faint to revive, and fall to rise, I fall and yet by faith I stand.
I stand and will not let thee go till I thy name, thy nature know.
I stand and will not let thee go till I thy name, thy nature know.

I know thee, Savior, who thou art, Jesus, the feeble sinner's friend,
nor wilt thou with the night depart, but stay and love me to the end.
Thy mercies never shall remove, thy nature and thy name is Love!
Thy mercies never shall remove, thy nature and thy name is Love!

'Tis Love, 'tis Love; thou diedst for me! I hear thy whisper in my heart;
the morning breaks, the shadows flee; pure universal love thou art.
To me, to all, thy mercies move; thy nature and thy name is Love.
To me, to all, thy mercies move; thy nature and thy name is Love.

(from Wrestling Jacob, by Charles Wesley)

You can listen to both pieces here.

Sam Casseday in Recital

Starting on a half-sized cello tuned in fourths instead of fifths, Sam Casseday played his first notes on a makeshift double bass at the age of five. Sam began studying with his father, and now a rising third year student at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, he studies with Edgar Meyer and Hal Robinson. Sam is a two-time winner of the Jacksonville Symphony Youth Orchestra’s Young Artist Competition, and subsequently he appeared as a soloist with the Jacksonville Symphony.


In 2011, Sam was one of three finalists for the American String Teachers’ Association solo competition in the high school division. He has been featured on NPR’s From the Top and was a finalist in the show’s “Big Break” national solo competition. 

Sam has attended the Aspen Music Festival the past two summers, and is an alumnus of the Brevard Music Center and the Boston University Tanglewood Institute. As a chamber musician Sam has performed with the internationally-renowned Jupiter Symphony Chamber Players in New York City, including a performance of Hoffmeister’s Solo Bass Quartet No. 3.

Sam is the grandson of parishioner Priscilla Davis.

As part of St. Dunstan's 50th Anniversary Celebration, Sam will perform Sunday afternoon, October 5, at 3:00 at the church, 4393 Garmon Road NW, Atlanta 30327  A reception will follow.

Be sure to mark your calendars and plan to attend.

Remembering with Gratitude

In her sermon this past Sunday, Tricia remembered “the Philadelphia 11,” the first women ordained as priests in the Episcopal Church. It was an act of ecclesiastical disobedience and courage for the women, and the bishops who ordained them, since women’s ordination had not yet been approved by the church’s governing body, the General Convention.

This was our opening Collect for the service:
Set us free, O God, from every bond of prejudice and fear; that, honoring the courage of the Philadelphia 11, the first women priests in this country, and the bishops who ordained them, we may always seek to widen the circle of God's love and see the image of God reflected in all people.  Amen.

You can read the text of her sermon here.

If you'd rather hear her preach, click here for a link to the audio file.  You can listen to the sermon online or download it if you prefer.

Visit our website for Tricia's past sermons:
http://www.stdunstan.net/sermons.htm

St. Dunstan's Response to the Current Humanitarian Crisis

Our Rector, Tricia Templeton, regularly sends out an email, which she calls "This and That," about information of interest to our parish.  Here is the text of her email from last week:

Dear friends,

At last night’s vestry meeting we spent a good deal of time discussing the humanitarian crisis occurring on our nation’s southern borders. Charis Bowling, who is our parish representative to the Episcopal aid organization Episcopal Relief and Development, shared information about relief efforts there. St. John’s Episcopal church in McAllen, Texas, is very involved in helping with the flood of unaccompanied minors seeking refuge. This morning I talked at length to St. John’s rector, Jim Nelson, about the situation and how he and his parishioners are responding. I’d like to share some of that conversation with you.

St. John’s mission statement is: “We seek to be a sanctuary for equipping people to deal with the issues of life in an atmosphere of love, security, and support. We find our sanctuary in Jesus.”

In recent weeks St. John’s has been called to live out this mission statement in ways they could not have imagined. Life in a border town means that people crossing into Texas from Mexico is a daily occurrence. But what is happening now is well beyond the normal situation. Jim says that about 150 people a day, many of them unaccompanied minors from Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras, are seeking refuge in McAllen alone. Other border towns are facing similar situations.

The response of the mayor and people of McAllen to this humanitarian crisis has been heroic. A coalition of churches and religious organizations have joined together to  respond. Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church is set up as the reception center, providing shelter and showers.  “They can get rest, get clean, get clothing and toys for the children,” Jim says. It takes about 100 volunteers a day to run this center, doing everything from processing those who arrive to cleaning showers. Many of St. John’s parishioners are volunteering there. Others are volunteering with the Salvation Army, which is preparing meals for the refugees.

The goal is for people to stay in the reception center for only a few days. Children who are with adults who have relatives in this country are given bus fare to go to the relatives’ homes. Unaccompanied children are taken to federal detention centers, which are spread around the country. As Jim says, “detention center” sounds harsh, but the goal is to have the children in a safe place where they can be cared for. He notes that children traveling alone are vulnerable to all kinds of danger.

In addition to volunteering at the center and preparing meals, St. John’s has also taken on the task of providing hygiene and nutrition packages to give to each refugee as they leave to travel to relatives or a detention center. The packages, containing food, soap, shampoo, tooth paste and brush, Tylenol and other necessities, are assembled at the church, then taken to Sacred Heart.

I asked Jim what kind of emotional and spiritual effect this situation has had on him and his parishioners. “It’s a very complicated issue,” he replied. “If you don’t live in a border town it’s very hard to understand our realities here. I have parishioners who are ranchers who have found bodies on their property, or who have had their fences cut and all their cattle escape. I have parishioners who are border patrol agents who have been attacked. There are innocent people coming through, but there are also drug cartels moving drugs through. It can be very dangerous. It’s easy to turn your eyes from it or to get absolutely fatigued by the enormity of the situation. That is our normal, constant situation living here.

“But this is beyond the normal. Our normal mission has changed. Christ has put these people in front of us. Whether we’re conservative or liberal doesn’t matter. Whatever we think about immigration policies doesn’t matter. These are children. They’re here. And we need to take care of them. It’s like we are base in a game of tag. You can’t stay on base forever, but when you’re there you are safe.”

St. John’s and the other churches in McAllen are in this for the long haul. They expect this crisis to continue for at least another nine months, and they are committed to continue their help and support.

Last night, our vestry voted to send $1,000 to St. John’s to help them be the body of Christ to people seeking refuge. For the next several Sundays we will also be taking up a special collection to send to McAllen. If you would like to help please make a check out to St. Dunstan’s and mark it for border disaster relief. I know many of you are traveling and may not be in church the next few weeks. If you’d still like to help you can mail us a check.

It’s beginning to feel to me like our theme for the summer is caring for “the least of these,” particularly children in crisis or need. Throughout the month we will continue to collect school supplies for the children of Path Academy, the charter middle school in Brookhaven whose students are immigrants, refugees, and the poorest of the poor. The pile of supplies in the narthex is growing, but more is needed. When you are out and about please remember to pick up some school supplies.

And finally, Hotel St. Dunstan’s will be open for business the week of August 10. Right now we expect that 11 guests, four adults and seven children, will be spending the week with us. As always, we need volunteers to set up rooms, provide and serve meals, and spend the night. You can sign up at our website, www.stdunstan.net.

I realize there are a lot of requests for help here. I am so grateful to be part of a congregation that understands that we are called to serve our brothers and sisters and that in welcoming or helping “the least of these” we are serving Christ.

Peace and blessings to you all,

Tricia

The Other Side of the Story

To me, one of the cool things about the Episcopal Church is what is known as the Lectionary.  Briefly, the Lectionary is a three-year cycle of readings for all Episcopal churches.
http://www.episcopalchurch.org/lectionary/about-revised-common-lectionary

This year, which started with Advent last December, happens to be Year A, with this past Sunday being the Second Sunday after Pentecost.
http://www.episcopalchurch.org/lectionary/second-sunday-after-pentecost-0

The lectionary indicates also that we were to use Proper 7 for this past Sunday, so the abbreviation would be 7A.  The Old Testament lesson for 7A is Genesis 21:8-21, which is the story of Hagar (the servant of Abraham or actually the servant of his wife Sarah) and Hagar's son being evicted.

While many often choose to "preach the Gospel," sometimes the Old Testament lesson or the Epistle lend themselves to being good subject matter for the sermon. Such was the case this past Sunday at St. Dunstan's.

Tricia often offers insights into seemingly minor characters in her sermons. So, while we would ordinarily concentrate on Abraham and Sarah and why they evicted Hagar and her son, Tricia chose to look at at the story from Hagar's point of view.

Here's a link to her sermon.

I really enjoyed it Sunday morning and hope you will, too.

Remember, if you're out traveling this summer and miss Tricia's sermons, they can be found on our website, http://www.stdunstan.net/sermons
You can also click on the link on the left.

Te Deum: You Are God

This past Sunday, for the Offertory Anthem, the choir performed "Te Deum:  You Are God," composed by our own Tom Gibbs.

According to legendary tradition,

when St. Ambrose baptized St. Augustine,

the two composed and sang this hymn spontaneously,

in alternating lines.

You are God: we praise you;

You are the Lord: we acclaim you;

You are the eternal Creator:

All creation worships you.

To you all angels, all the pow'rs of heav'n,

Cherubim and Seraphim, sing in endless praise:

Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of pow'r and might,

heav'n and earth are full of your glory.

The glorious company of apostles praise you.

The noble fellowship of prophets praise you.

The white-robed army of martyrs praise you.

Throughout the world the holy church acclaims you.

God, of majesty unbounded,

your true and only Son, worthy of all worship,

The Holy Spirit, advocate and guide.

You are Christ, the glorious Ruler, the eternal Child of God.

When you came to show us freedom you were of a woman born.

You triumph'd over death and open'd heav'n to all believers.

You are seated at God's right hand in glory.

We believe that you will come to be our judge.

Come then, Lord, and help your people,

redeem'd with your own blood,

uniting us with your saints in glory everlasting.

For the Rev. Patricia Templeton

in celebration of the 10th anniversary

of her ministry at St. Dunstan's, Atlanta,

in the Parish's 50th anniversary year, 2014.

You can listen to Sunday's performance here:

https://app.box.com/s/y1of1d5w2oh8t4cr4tj5

Interview with Tricia in the AJC

Check out this interview in the AJC with our rector, Tricia Templeton:
http://www.ajc.com/news/news/local/sunday-conversation-with-the-rev-patricia-templeto/nf4rm/

She comments on several ideas, including our role in the community and the advantages of being a small church in an era of mega churches.

Here's our new altar, which is really beautiful:

And here's a closeup of the fox (clay model for now, the bronze sculpture is being cast and should arrive sometime this summer):

The Wings of Morning

Sunday's Offertory Anthem was The Wings of Morning, written by Bert Landman, with words by Jennie Storey.

Prior to coming to St. Dunstan's, Tricia was a priest for seven years at St. Timothy's on Signal Mountain, TN.  At that time, Bert was the organist and choir director and Jennie was a choir member.  Together, they wrote The Wings of Morning which was written, as noted on the the music, "In celebration of the ministry of the Rev. Patricia D. Templeton - 2002."

Some at St. Dunstan's may remember Bert, who served as Interim Choir Director for six months in 2005.  He now leads a large music program at Trinity Church in Hartford, CT.

The inspiration for the lyrics comes from Psalm 139, which Tricia describes as her favorite psalm:
"Where can I go from your spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?
If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
even there your hand will lead me and your right hand hold me fast."

Here are the actual lyrics:
  The wings of morning spiral from your hand,
  swift blue and gold, ascending out of night.
  My mundane worship falters, mired in time,
  before this yearning miracle of light.

  I long for grace to enter holy ground,
  to turn and yield to your divine surprise
  despite unlikely angels at the gate
  or unknown tongues you use as your disguise.

  Where least expected, you will startle me,
  where least I want you, I will meet you there.
  At my most certain, you capsize my mind.
  I try to tame you: you escape my snare.

  Surprise my pride, my boundless, subtle God,
  fierce author of the feast of peace, astound
  my heart with tenderness, unblind my soul
  to know this place, this day as holy ground.

Sunday's performance included a flute obligato during the last verse. You can listen to the entire piece here:
https://app.box.com/s/5qw7xjknd3ho2scajss1

Youth Sunday School Classes Install Birdfeeders and and a Bird Bath

From Renee Kastanakis:

As part of our 50th Anniversary celebration, St. Dunstan's Youth Sunday School classes decided they would like to obtain certification of the grounds as a Certified National Wildlife Habitat by the National Wildlife Federation. This certification recognizes properties like St. Dunstan's, which include all of the components of a welcoming haven for local wildlife.

To get this certification, we needed to show that we have a certain number of wildlife friendly elements in our habitat: at least 3 food sources; 1 water source; and 3 cover locations for wildlife to feel protected and raise their young. Of course St. Dunstan's grounds already meet many of these requirements, but the Sunday School class decided to add a food source and water source for birds to enhance our application.

We had two Sunday School classes on the subject. In the first, we learned about the requirements of the certification; discussed how caring for nature was a part of our faith tradition; learned of the types of wildlife that often show up on our property; and then walked the property to decide what projects we would like to do. The most interest was in birdfeeders and bird baths.

On April 13, parishioner Gwen Barnett, who is an avid birder, shared photographs of birds that we will likely see on birdfeeders at the church and gave us advice on placement of the feeders and caring for the feeders and the birds. Then we placed a few feeders and a bird bath in the area outside of the Parish Hall, where we could all enjoy seeing birds during Sunday School classes and coffee hour each Sunday.

To see more pictures, visit us on Facebook.

The Youth class will be responsible for filling the feeders and keeping them clean. If you would like to help with purchasing the seeds or filling the feeders on occasion, I know they would appreciate the help.

Lenten Devotion - Maggie Harney

Finishing up our Lenten Devotion series, Rev. Maggie Harney shares how a wilderness experience from her 20's has turned into a blessing for her life and ministry.




We hope you have enjoyed this series as various members of St. Dunstan's shared their thoughts. Please let us know your thoughts about this series. Thanks for your comments.

Lenten Devotion - Bruce Lafitte

As we enter Holy Week with our Lenten Devotion series, Bruce Lafitte shares some thoughts on finding God in the physical wilderness.

Lenten Devotion - Peachy Horne

We have a second offering for our Lenten Devotion series this week. Peachy Horne shares some thoughts about nature and the grounds at St. Dunstan's.

Lenten Devotion - Charis Bowling

For our Lenten Devotion series this week, Charis Bowling shares how the words of Hymn 637, "How firm a foundation," helped give her comfort and patience during a recent wilderness experience.

Lenten Devotion - Meg Withers

We turn to a younger voice this week for our Lenten Devotion series.  Meg Withers talks about nature and the journey which helped her discover her passion.