Dear St. Anne's,
"If we could fully tell each other our thoughts of God, or if we could look with perfect clearness into one another's hearts, and see what thought of the great Father is lying there, no doubt the variety of our conceptions of Him would surprise us very much. He must appear so differently to his different children; and while this difference of our ideas of God indicates, no doubt, in part our blindness and half-sightedness, it indicates still more the many-sidedness of His great nature. He has a different side of Himself to show to each of us." --Phillips Brooks, "The Consolations of God"
I greet you on feast day of Phillips Brooks, the nineteenth century Bishop of Massachusetts, best known for writing the lyrics of "Oh Little Town of Bethlehem." He was a great preacher and theologian as well. If you are ever in Boston, try to visit the beautiful Trinity Church, where Brooks spent much of his career.
WORSHIP:
We meet on Sundays at 10am at Lackey Chapel, on the campus of Coastal Carolina University. I should note that someone asked me a few weeks ago, when there were about 85 in attendance (making Lackey Chapel rather cozy!) whether we might go to two services. Not yet, but having a full chapel is a good problem to have, so stay tuned!
ANNUAL MEETING:
The annual meeting of St. Anne's Episcopal Church will be immediately after church on Sunday, Feb. 2, at Lackey Chapel. We will elect new vestry members at that meeting. The vestry nominating committee (Rebecca Lovelace, Kevin Shea, and Mike Battle) will present the following slate of nominees:
George Hearn, Cathy Jones, Barry Dennis, Allen Jeffcoat, and Cathy Battle.
Rebecca Lovelace has agreed to accept re-nomination for another term.
We will also elect both a senior and junior warden. Both wardens must be members of the vestry. Nominations will also allowed from the floor (be sure to clear this ahead of time with the person you want to nominate).
In addition, there will be a brief presentation of the senior and junior wardens' reports, and the budget for 2014.
Mea culpa: As Senior Warden, it was my responsibility to circulate a list of voting members 30 days prior to the meeting. That list is attached to this email, well after the 30 day limit. To make this right, I will open the meeting by asking for a vote that we waive the 30-day requirement in this case. So I am lobbying for your vote and seeking your pardon.
LUNCH GROUPS:
February 2nd also coincides with our First Sunday lunch groups. Please email Rebecca (rslove@sccoast.net) if you want to participate in a lunch group after the meeting.
CONVENTION:
The Diocesan Convention is February 21-22 in Hilton Head. Our elected delegation will be attending the entire convention, but if you're interested in making a one-day trip to the convention on the 22nd, please let me (Dan Ennis) know. I plan to drive down early on the 22nd and return in the evening on that same day. Any St. Anne's attendees will be able to process our banner into the convention once we are voted in as an official mission.
SAVE THE DATE:
The Episcopal Church in South Carolina is hosting an educational conference, “Enthusiastically Episcopalian in South Carolina,” that will feature as keynote speakers the Presiding Bishop of The Episcopal Church, the Most Rev. Dr. Katharine Jefferts Schori, and the President of the House of Deputies of The Episcopal Church, the Rev. Gay Clark Jennings. The conference, sponsored by the Episcopal Forum of South Carolina (http://www.
BROTHERHOOD OF ST. ANDREW
St. Anne's is considering starting a new Chapter of the Brotherhood of St. Andrew, a century-old men's group in the Episcopal Church dedicated to fellowship, worship, and - especially - service to our Parish and to others. Several of our St. Anne's men have been members of other Brotherhood Chapters. Membership is open to any baptized Christian, but officers of the Brotherhood are required to be confirmed Episcopalians. Anyone interested - whether former member or not - please contact Bill Warner at billwarner@sccoast.net, or Mike Oyer atmikeo29579@sccoast.net. Mike and Bill will be available at the front of the Church after service January 26 to answer any questions. Information on the Brotherhood can also be obtained at its website http://www.brothersandrew.org/
VISION:
My family and I were away from St. Anne's last week, enjoying a weekend in New York City. We attended church at St. Mary the Virgin near Times Square, a church so enamored of incense that it is affectionately known as "Smokin' Mary's." We heard the familiar words of the BCP chanted, chancel bells chiming not once, not twice, but four different times, and a lovely choir singing the Gloria in Latin. On the surface, it was a very different experience that going to St. Anne's, being in a dim Gothic pile, six priests around an enormous high altar, sermon delivered from a raised and ornate pulpit. But beneath the Anglo-Catholic style, the service were still there, creed and all.
As we were leaving, the rector spied us tourists, and asked where we were from. When we joked that we were among the few Episcopalians left in South Carolina he smiled and said, "The world is changing. I'm glad you came to visit with us today. You're always welcome here, and we're with you in spirit."
See you Sunday,
Dan
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