St. Andrew’s NET

November, 2007

 

PASTORAL LETTER by Sarah Maynard

 

“Jesus call’s us o’er the tumult of our life’s wild, restless sea, day by day his clear voice soundeth, saying Christian follow me.  As of old Saint Andrew heard it by the “Galilean lake…”  [From “St. Andrew’s Hymn… 1940 Hymnal]

 

Many people don’t think about it, but November is an eventful month at Saint Andrew’s.  We have All Saints Day, the United Thank Offering and Saint Andrew’s Day is also celebrated.  The Stewardship Drive will also be taking place this month.  At our October vestry meeting, Nicky Stevens brought up the question: “What do you value about Saint Andrew’s?”

 

I value a lot of memories that Saint Andrew’s has provided over the years.  As a child I came to church with mom and her mother and it was special because it was time spent with grandma alone.  No brothers, sisters or cousins to share her with.  She would always give me a nickel to put in the collection plate.  I remember the priest’s sermons were always about “letters from Paul.”  I always wondered who this person was that was writing to us and why he was never in church.

 

I remember in the late 70’s when we closed the church and worshipped in Jones Hall to conserve energy.  In such close quarters we became an exceptionally close group.  My voice teacher Claire Taylor was the organist here.  When she told me my first solo was going to be during the Advent season I wanted to die but the Saint Andrew’s “family” made it very easy.  In college I would come home weekends and serve as chalice bearer and crucifer.  I not only value Saint Andrew’s, but Saint Andrew’s also taught me values.  Here I heard Jesus calling “Christian follow me.”

 

Saint Andrew’s has been through some tough times.  Priests come and go, people join and leave.  Life in the church goes on.  We have dedicated worship leaders, moving music every service and a thriving youth movement.  As we move through the month of November, think about what value Saint Andrew’s has in your life, and what can be done to improve it.

 

 

VESTRY NOTES

 

The Vestry met on October 11.  We confirmed the meeting on October 24 with the Discernment Committee and Lynn Bates to clarify the Parish Profile we have submitted to the Diocesan office.

 

We continue to meet with St. Peter’s on 4^th Sundays, alternating locations between the two churches.

 

Nicky Stevens is heading up our upcoming pledge drive and will include brief ‘stewardship moments’ during future services until the in-gathering of the pledges on November 11.  As of September 30^th, Offerings are behind budget by $1,774 and Pledges are behind by $2,355!

With reference to our suggestions as to the future of our property, we are waiting for the revision of the drawings from the architect.

 

Sarah Maynard has made a banner as part of the celebration of the 175^th Anniversary of the Diocese of Vermont.   On Sunday, Oct.21, it was dedicated during the service.

 

We discussed the First Night fund-raiser event.  Probably we will again have a spaghetti supper and hopefully Dennis Keon will be heading this up with the help of David Montague.

 

 

PRAYER FOR OCTOBER:

 

Dear Lord, it is time for us to anticipate transitions.  Before us lay difficult tasks like drafting a budget, evaluating others and ourselves, and raising up new leadership.  Help us to give these tasks our best energies and intentions, lest we wound in our haste, and fail to see the people within the processes.  Inspire in us a servant’s heart.  Inspire in us both candor and compassion.  Inspire in us a trust in you that can infect our congregation with hope.  Help us to be efficient, but even more that that, help us to be effective, and even more that that, help us to be faithful.  All this we ask in the Name of the One who chose common clay for disciples and then molded them into a glorious company.  Amen

 

 

PASTORAL CARE

From Phil Lavoie's sister Carol Caron to the church body:  "Words cannot express the gratitude and thankfulness I feel towards this fellowship in the way you ministered the love of God toward Phil in the brief time that he was with you. Your welcoming spirit and warm friendship were the very gifts he needed at that time in his life. I was encouraged whenever he would talk to me about being invited to your church and filling his life with good things that only the body of Christ can do. Let me encourage you at this time to keep on doing the will of God  in ministering those gifts that prove you are the Body ( 1 Cor. 12:27 ) and Christ is the Head ( Eph. 1:22 & 23 ).  May God prosper you in all that you do."

If you are looking for pastoral care please don’t hesitate to contact someone on the Pastoral Care Team:
Sybil Hazen 626-8678, Marion Parks 626-7213, Jocelyn Burrell 748-5247, Lin Hill 467-3308, and Robin Bergman 633-2871. (Sybil and Marion head up this group.)

Pastoral care is the work of the congregation – this is our group of facilitators -- all of us should feel encouraged to send notes or make phone calls when we see the need, particularly at this time where we lack the spiritual guidance of a priest.  We also must remind ourselves to reach out for help when we need it.

 

 

ODDS AND ENDS

 

ATTENTION:  HELP CLEAN-UP THE ST. ANDREW'S GARDEN: Saturday, November 17 from 9-11 a.m. Everyone is asked to come and help get the garden ready for winter.  Snacks provided!

 

We wish Chip Mesics a speedy recovery from his bike accident.

Betty Maynard has done a magnificent job of recording the History of St. Andrew's from it's beginning to around 1981.  The books are on display in Jones Hall. 

If you see anyone parked behind the church who is not part of the church, please advise them that it is church parking or report it to the Vestry.  Also, if you see anyone damaging the property in any way, like gouging the trees in our garden, please report it to someone on the Vestry.

Looking ahead:  On First Night, December 31st, we will once again be hosting some kind of festive event.  Watch this space!!

We are urgently looking for a competent pianist to help on Sunday mornings.  If you know of any young person (or older) please let someone on the Vestry know.

 

 

FORENSIC PEDIATRICS by Dr. Karyn Patno

 

Greetings to all of you at St. Andrew’s!!  As many of you know, I am living in Providence, RI where I am immersed in the study of forensic pediatrics.  I am fortunate to be studying under one of the world leaders in the field, Dr. Carole Jenny.  There are also two of her protégées here who help run the program.  The instruction has been excellent. 

 

Forensic pediatrics is the field of Child Abuse Pediatrics.  Child Abuse includes physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, medical abuse, and neglect.  I am being trained in interviewing techniques, both for children and adults.  Interviewing children is an essential skill and needs to be done using methods that are proven to not lead or influence the child’s response.  I am learning how to differentiate accidental injuries from inflicted injuries based on exam, history and x-ray findings.  Sexual abuse is particularly difficult to prove because there often are no physical findings; even in the most egregious cases.  This is where the interviewing skills are so important because a disclosure from a child is often the only evidence.  In addition to the interviewing skills, I am getting trained in the use of the colposcope which is a magnification device that can also photograph findings.   About 10% of sexual abuse cases will have physical findings. 

 

Another aspect of my training involves the interface between the Department for Children and Families (DCF) and the medical exam.  We work very closely with the DCF Child Protection Investigator (CPI).  The CPI is the one who does the home visit and investigates the “scene of the abuse”.  Their help can be invaluable in differentiating between accidental and inflicted injuries.  Other members of the team include law enforcement, district attorneys office and the child advocacy center.  We all meet every week and review cases.  This team approach is vital in getting the best outcome for children who have been victimized.

 

I have been amazed at the number of patients I am seeing here.  I was worried that coming to such a small state I might not get enough exposure.  I was worried there would not be enough patients for four fellows…..boy was I wrong!  I have been amazed at the numbers of children that we evaluate here.  There are so many marginalized people in the state of RI.  It has made me appreciate how many resources we have in Vermont for people trying to get through life with little inherent attributes.  This is not to say that only children from marginalized families are abused.  Child abuse crosses all economic levels and can affect any family.  However, the fewer resources a person has (such as family support, education, mentoring and basic needs like food, clothing and shelter) the more at risk they are to abuse their child. 

 

This experience has confirmed my conviction that the answer to the problem of child abuse is PREVENTION.  We need to reach out to those struggling to raise their kids.  Vermont does a pretty good job helping parents.  We have Healthy Babies Program which is an in-home visitation for new parents.  We have VNA which provided visiting nurses in the home.  We have Prevent Child Abuse Vermont (PACV) which provides the “Parents Home Companion” to every new parent.  This is a comprehensive publication that provides resources and educational material regarding most aspects of parenting.  PCAV also has Nurturing Programs for new parents and a “Parents Together” group which is a parent run support group.  All these resources help the most vulnerable people to better care for their kids. 

 

I am excited at the prospect of returning to Vermont with my new skills and knowledge.  At this point I don’t know how this training will change my practice in Vermont but I certainly hope to be a state resource in the field of child abuse pediatrics. 

 

As the year 2007 comes to a close I would ask all of you to consider an end of year donation to Prevent Child Abuse VT.  This organization is at the forefront of prevention in Vermont.  They have about 8 different programs aimed at reaching all levels of people who care for kids.   They do great work.  I can guarantee that a donation to this organization will not be wasted.  You can send donations to:

 

Prevent Child Abuse VT

PO Box 829

Montpelier, VT  05601-0829

 

Thanks so much for being part of a caring community.  Your commitment to furthering healthy lives (both physically and spiritually) is a great ministry.  Together we can all certainly make a difference in Vermont.

 

Karyn M. Patno, MD

 

 

GOD’S COFFEE

 

A group of alumni, all highly established in their respective careers, got together for a visit with their old university professor.  The conversation soon turned to complaints about the endless stress of work and life in general...

Offering his guests coffee, the professor went into the kitchen and soon returned with a large pot of coffee and an eclectic assortment of cups: porcelain, plastic, glass, crystal - some plain, some expensive, some quite exquisite. Quietly he told them to help themselves to some fresh coffee.

When each of his former students had a cup of coffee in hand, the old professor quietly cleared his throat and began to patiently address the small gathering... "You may have noticed that all of the nicer looking cups were taken up first, leaving behind the plainer and cheaper ones.

While it is only natural for you to want only the best for yourself, that is actually the source of much of your stress-related problems."  He continued..."Be assured that the cup itself adds no quality to the coffee.  In fact, the cup merely disguises or dresses up at we drink.   What each of you really wanted was coffee, not a cup, but you instinctively went for the best cups... then you began eyeing each other's cups...."

"Now consider this: Life is coffee.   Jobs, money, and position in society are merely cups. They are just tools to shape and contain life, and the type of cup we have does not truly define nor change the quality of the Life we live.   Often, by concentrating only on the cup, we fail to enjoy the coffee that God has provided us.   God brews the coffee, but he does not supply the cups.   Enjoy your coffee!"  The happiest people don't have the best of everything; they just make the best of everything...So please remember: Live simply.  Love generously.  Care Deeply.  Speak Kindly.  Leave the Rest to God.

 

MARK YOUR CALENDAR!

 

Vestry Meeting, November 8^th, 5:30pm

 

Members of St. Peter’s in Lyndonville will again worship with us on November 25^th.