The Turning Point

March, 2016
St. Dunstan's Episcopal Church
PO Box 711, Ellsworth ME 04605
Phone: 667-5495 e-mail: stdunstansellsworth@gmail.com
Website: www.stdunstansellsworth.com

Why Holy Week?

So its 9:15 on Wednesday evening, March 16th and here I am staring another Holy Week in
the face. It will be my 39th Holy Week. It will be my 39th trip from Palm Sunday to the Sunday
of the Resurrection. And I find myself asking, why Holy Week? Why am I doing this? Youd
think Id have it right by now. Ive done it enough times. I mean, 39 times. 38 times should be
enough, dont you think? What more could I possibly get out of it? What more could I possibly put into it? And yet, here it is again. The lessons are chosen, the preachers are ready, the
altar personnel are picked, the hymns are solid. And yet I have the feeling that those things
hardly matter. Its the content of Holy Week that matters. Its not the rites and ritual that are
important. There is a mysterious work which needs to be done. Theres someplace I have to
get to, someplace thats both dark and full of light. Theres some transaction which needs to
be finished, slogged through though it beats me what it is. I never know come Palm Sunday
what will be revealed, what will be seen this time through, what the transaction will be, what
it will cost, where or when or how it might hurt, what might be released, what might be held
back, what must be cherished or from where the humbling will come.
And yet, here I am staring another Holy Week in the face. No one is standing over me saying
this must be done. Still, I cant imagine not doing Holy Week. I cant imagine not engaging
the deep mystery Holy Week offers. I cant imagine not pausing to consider death, life, suffering, cruelty, betrayal, sacrifice, love, utter devastation and triumph. And all in one week.
Sigh.
Resistance is futile. What is it St. Theresa of Avila says? Pray and throw your life after it.
The trick is to dive right in and let it wash over you and, even more scary, through you. Put
as much spiritual effort into it as you possibly can and see where it takes you. In the end, I
never have the words to explain where I was before and during Holy Week, let alone where I
find myself on Easter Monday. Clarity about the work done in Holy Week can take months to
manifest.
OK. So, Im going. Im going. It really, really helps when I have company. You want to come?
Mother Johanna+

CHANGES
Over the past two and half years life has changed at St. Dunstan's. During our first year
with Mother Johanna as our priest, she decided to change very little of our practices and
worship. Since our one anniversary with Mother Johanna, we have experienced many
changes that have, I think, expanded our understanding, worship and belief in God.
Music is important to our services. It not only provides transitions but helps to give us a
bonding during the service. I enjoy not only the familiar hymns but also the many new
ones that we have been exposed to recently. Our organist, Kimberly, works very closely
with Mother Johanna to help make each service special.
We are now in the season of Lent and this also brings changes to our lives and church
as we prepare for Easter. We have the Lenten Fast Chain, where members of the
congregation sign up to fast for a day and at the end of the day calls the next person in
the chain. Money that would otherwise have been spent on food during the fasting day
is placed in the collection plate on Sunday and is then donated to the Loaves and
Fishes food pantry. We also have the "Bowl of Burdens," where we can write our
burdens on a slip of paper and then bury them in the salt as a way releasing them to
God. Following the Good Friday service we burn the burdens to symbolize the new
light in preparation for resurrection
Holy week begins with Palm Sunday, when we symbolically celebrate welcoming Jesus
into Jerusalem by processing with palms. On Maundy Thursday we have a simple
Eucharist service in the undercroft, as we remember Christ's charge to the twelve. Then
we quietly shroud the crucifixes and strip the altar in preparation for the night and the
next day. On Good Friday, one of the holiest of Days, the service is very stark, somber
and moving. Easter Sunday is always one of our major celebrations but by attending all
of the Holy Week services, Easter and Lent has much more meaning.
In Faith,
Dave

A few pictures from the Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper, 2016

From your Treasurers,

We are starting out the year in great form financially as momentum continues to increase at St. Dunstan's. Pledges for 2016
have come from 37 families for a total of $75,603. Additionally, we continue to have those who do not send in a pledge from, but
they regularly donate and we are grateful to them in every way!
We have paid our whole year insurance of $1,688, so building expense is heavily prepaid and we have purchased some new
vestments, followers (wonder what they are? ask Marian Wells!) and Easter worship needs so worship is also somewhat prepaid.
All other income and expenses are proceeding as budgeted.
Thank you all for your continued support of and care for our parish. We are so blessed to have you all in our parish family and
look forward to our summer family members returning soon!
In peace and love,
Mary DeLong and Muffet Stewart
Treasurers

Jan - Feb 16

Budget

Ordinary Income/Expense
Income
Building Use
Investment Income
Outreach Income
Plate and Pledge Income

160.00

1,600.00

2,151.02

18,725.00

720.00

4,340.00

15,031.93

80,600.00

18,062.95

105,265.00

Building Expenses

3,089.44

9,050.00

Diocese Expenses

Total Income
Expense

2,772.50

17,235.00

Miscellaneous Expenses

347.07

2,360.00

Office

187.93

3,440.00

Outreach Expenses

0.00

10,500.00

Personnel

2,223.13

17,207.00

Priest

2,194.82

43,696.00

485.72

1,700.00

11,300.61

105,188.00

6,762.34

77.00

Worship
Total Expense
Net Ordinary Income

A Few Snapshots of Our

Parish Life

LOAVES AND FISHES FOOD PANTRY NEWS

At the January Board of Directors meeting we received some very good
financial news. The Pantry finished the year with a positive balance of about
$12,000. Our Treasurer, Jackie Thurber, noted that several things contributed to
this: $20,000 was received from the new endowment, there was $2800 in
memorial or in honor gifts received, and $6000 more from municipalities than
budgeted. In addition, the Fall Neighbor helping Neighbor fundraising campaign
brought in about $34,200.
On the expense side utilities were below budget by $2,000, supplies were
below budget by $1,100 and the food expenditures were on budget. Jackie began
her report to the board by saying " this was a good financial year". We must
agree! Excellent work by our Board chair Linda, to find ways to raise additional
income, our Manager Marian to find efficient ways to provide necessary food
supplies, as well as the hard work of our treasurer, all work together for a
successful year.
Just a word about the number of clients being served at the Pantry. The
numbers for 2015 were very similar to those of the past three years. In fact less
than 50 families separate the totals for each year. For the record 2889 families
from 37 different towns were served during 2015. This would not be possible
without the many volunteers from the member organizations taking on the
multitude of tasks that serve the clients. This of course, brings me to the first alert
for the signup for the month of May when St Dunstan's crew takes on the task of
staffing the Pantry. Starting in early April look for the neon green sing up poster
for dates, times, tasks etc. This is always a rewarding and fun filled month, as we
carry out the ministry of "serving" others.
If you have any questions, please let Harvey or me know and we will try to
answer them. Thank you.
Joe Stockbridge and Harvey Kelley

Hymns by Occupation
In other issues of the Turning Point we have presented the histories of some hymns in our
hymnal. Here are some other hymns, this time chosen those which might be considered proper
for certain vocations
GENERAL HYMNS:
Contractor
Dentist
Doctor
Electrician
Golfer
Gossip
Massage specialist
Obstetrician
Optometrist
Politician
Realtor
Shopaholic
Tailor
Tax commissioner
Weatherman `

The Churchs One Foundation

Crown Him With Many Crowns
The Great Physician
Send the Light
Theres a Green Hill Far Away
Pass It On
He Touched Me
Come Labor On
Open my Eyes That I May See
Standing On the Promises
Ive Got a Mansion
Sweet By and By
Holy, Holy, Holy (groan). oly (groan)H
I Surrender All
Showers Of Blessings

HYMNS FOR SPEEDERS:

65 miles per hour
75 miles per hour
85 miles per hour
95 miles per hour
100 Miles per hour
(and over)

Nearer My God To Thee

Nearer, Still Nearer
This World Is Not My Home
Lord, Im Coming Home
Precious Memories
Herbert Beckwith

Saint Valentine
The name of St. Valentine and of Valentines day, named for him, has been known for
centuries. But, who is this saint of lovers? It is hard to say as it seems that there were
3 Valentines, all saints, all martyrs, and all connected in some way with Feb. 14. One
was a priest, and one was a bishop. The third Valentine suffered in Africa and virtually
nothing is known of him. There was a Church of St. Valentine near one of the gates of
Rome, but which Valentine it honored is not known so far as I can tell.
It is said that the celebrating of love and lovers on Feb. 14 began with the belief in the
middle ages that birds began to pair up together in the middle of the second month of
the year. Chaucer, for one, makes reference to this in one of his works.
One nice story about the origin of St Valentines Day is that when Valentine was in
prison he cured the jailers daughter of her blindness. She fell in love with him and
just before his death he slipped a parting message to her which he signed From your
valentine.
Reputedly Valentine notes began to be exchanged in the 14 th century. Specially
made Valentine cards appeared near the end of the 18th century. Today it is said that
only Christmas cards are more often sent.
Herbert Beckwith

Priest In Charge
Rev. Johanna-Karen Johannson

Newsletter Editor
Ann Blood

Deacon
Rev. Joan Preble
Senior Warden
Dave Wells
Junior Warden
Dan DeLong
Treasurer
Muffet Stewart
Assistant Treasurer
Mary DeLong

Send news to: Ann Blood

Email: stdunstansellsworth@gmail.com
St. Dunstans Episcopal Church
P.O. Box 711, 134 State Street
Ellsworth, ME 04605
www.stdunstansellsworth.com
The deadline for the June 15 issue is
June 1.