S T .

J O H N ’ S E P I S C O P A L

The Chimes
St. John’s Episcopal Church is a loving community of faith and worship, showing
the love of God to each other and the world.
a publication of St. John’s Episcopal Church, Sealy, Texas May 2011

Contact us: Upcoming Events Keep in your Prayers Focus on Service Senior Warden’s
Hwy 36 N at 6th St. Here’s The Scoop Keep up-to-date on the Altar Guild Message
Sealy, Texas What’s happening in happenings of the Page 3 Brian keeps us updated
Office Hours : your fellow parishioner’s Church. ECW meetings, on the happenings of
M-F 9 am - 12 pm lives. Vestry events, DOK, the Vestry
Phone: 979-885-2359 Page 2 Altar Guild, Choir.... Page 5
Fax: 979-885-2100 Page 2
Email: Birthdays and
Special - Episcopal
stjohn_episcopal@sbcgl Anniversaries
Please remember these News Service Article
obal.net See who is celebrating
individuals in your Andrew Jelson,
Website: these important events
prayers NetsforLife project
this month
www.stjohnssealy.com Page 3 Page 4
Page 2

What does this mean to each of us? It

Changing Seasons
Kneel, Sit or Stand
The Episcopal Church is part of the
worldwide Anglican Communion. As
such we belong to a church which has
common prayer and worship as its
foundation.
Of course we have our Creed and
concepts of Baptism, Marriage,
Ordination, Holy Eucharist and Burial;
however, our church was founded in the
16th Century as a place for common
prayer and worship. It was formed as a
place for Protestants and Roman
Catholics alike to worship during the time common good resulted in her action being
of the Protestant Revolution.
We pray and worship together because
Queen Elizabeth I wanted to have
religious integrity in her kingdom, not the combination of the two. This is why our
religious uprisings and warfare as was
happening in other realms.
The Visitation
Elizabeth’s resolve to have one church
and to affect a “compromise” for the
referred to as the “Elizabethan
Settlement” and the Via Media (middle of
the road). This is why we are neither
Roman Catholic or Protestant, but a
focus is on prayer and worship with
allowances for individual preferences and
practices.
means we are called to worship God
using the Book of Common Prayer to
assist us in our prayer and worship, some
kneeling, some standing and some sitting.
It means as we worship some bow to
reverence the cross; some cross
themselves during the service and others
look straight ahead.
But, of greater significance to each of us:
We pray and worship God together,
celebrating in God’s Love and Grace,
freely given to us, and shown to us
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Remember when asked by others, our
prayer and worship services are to glorify
God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit whether
we are kneeling, sitting or standing.
LeB
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Quote of the Month

Psalm 118 : 24  This is the day which the Lord hath made, we will
rejoice and be glad in it.

Birthdays, Anniversaries and Hospitality List

Marge Michaelis is in Michigan with
sister, Alice and family. There was
still snow on the ground on her arrival
and now there is rain. She wishes she
could send some our way! She will
Birthdays Caroline has recently competed in 3 attend a bridal luncheon for a niece
basketball tournaments with her team, while there.
5/2! Alyson Gootee Gatewood University Shooters.  They
have won one and finished in the other Gerri Smith attended the Charlie
5/5! Gail Robertson
two.  The team is comprised of girls Sheen show in Houston with daughter,
5/8! Caroline Burwell from Cy Fair, Houston, Sealy, Shay, and was interviewed by Channel
Sugarland and Brookshire.  Prom is 11 news.
5/11! John Klotz coming up on May 14th.  Also, Good Friday was indeed a good
5/15! McKenzie Mlcak Caroline finished the most recent six Friday around our house.  Cody and
weeks with a straight A report card!! Chase seined the lake behind our
5/24! Sugie Sartwelle
John competed in UIL Storytelling in house in Brazos Country and caught
5/27! Ann Wade ! Columbus and he placed 4th!!  John is 150 5 lb. to 10 lb. catfish and didn't
also playing Minor League Baseball even put a dent in them.  The lake is
5/29! Tommy Weir for the Yankees and was recently drying up and the fish will be
awarded the “game ball” for struggling soon.  Attached is a picture
successfully getting on base at every of the first catch that night.  Within a
Anniversaries at-bat in four consecutive games!! very short while we had several
neighborhood men that wanted to join
5/27! Michael & Lianne Jelson Smith Marshall Scarborough will the endeavor of walking through the
graduate May 14 from Rhodes muddy lake in mud boots pulling a net
5/28! Brian & Lavinia Owen College with a degree in English with and walking toward the bank.  I
a concentration in Creative Writing. believe several of them probably had a
Stuart, Sandy, Courtney, and Michael hard time getting out of bed the next
Hospitality will travel to Memphis, TN for the morning!! See photo on page 4.
ceremony.
5/1 ! Ruth & Stephen Johnson
John Klotz spent a week long  Upcoming Events
5/8! David & Toni Franklin motorcycle trip with 6 cousins to Big
Bend, Alpine and Ft. Davis. They saw May 15 - ECW Meeting after Church
5/15! Gloria Noy & Annie Smith the devastation from the fires in Ft. June 12 - Eric’s graduation from Iona
5/22! Patty McAlexander Davis and alot of smoke in the School for Ministry @ Camp Allen
mountains, but had a wonderful trip.
5/29! Pat & John Klotz They are ready to plan another one! Please submit any dates to include in
the next edition of The Chimes by
May 25, 2011.
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Episcopal Night Community News

with the Astros
Tuesday, June 28 at Minutemaid
Stadium 7:05 pm. Get there on
time to see Bishop Andy Doyle
throw out the 1st pitch! The
Astros vs The Ranger! For ticket
We are Episcopal Church Women of all
information contact Brent Broussard
ages, ethnic origins and socioeconomic
at 713.259.8316.
Make a day of it and meet at the
Cathedral for a cookout! The
Cathedral will host a hotdog
cookout again this year for
Episcopal Night with the Astros.
Free hotdogs with fixings and
beverages will be served at 5 p.m.
The cookout was a big hit last
year. Contact Melissa White with any empowers women to do Christ's ministry
questions: 713.590.3302.
F O C U S O N S E RV I C E
Episcopal Church Women
backgrounds who hold a variety of views.
However, the common denominator of
our members is love of God and the wish
to do His work.
Mission - Centered in congregations, the
Episcopal Church Women (ECW)
in the world.
Vision - Our vision for all women of the
Episcopal Church is that we become a
vibrant blend of all ages, coming together
as a peacemaking, healing part of the
Thomas’s Fun Day
Thomas (TJ) is a 3rd grader from Sealy who
was diagnosed with Medullablastoma, a
cancerous brain tumor. I have had the
privilege of knowing Thomas for two years.
He is a nice, polite young man with a great
sense of humor.
Please join me in Cat Spring Saturday, May
14th for a fundraiser for Thomas. (See the
poster in the Parish hall)
Some of his teachers and I are participating in
the fundraiser by providing a booth. We are
sponsoring a toy raffle. If you can’t join us
for the fundraiser, consider helping us by
donating to the toy raffle. We need new toys
and/or money to purchase toys for the raffle.
Contact me at texmom@gmail.com for more
information. Thanks!
Andrea

Church. We aspire to be a Godspark-

Pictures from the Past
I was surprised to hear that some
people had trouble guessing that this
photo was Gloria Noy! Her classic
beauty shines through. Possibly it is
because she isn’t smiling her usual big,
welcoming smile in the photo!
shining and sharing the love of Christ.
All women of St. John’s are
members of ECW.
Keep in Your Prayers
• The military and their families
• Firefighters and their families
• Power crews and their families
• The Ford Family
• Victims of the recent storms and fires
across the globe
• The areas who are suffering from drought,
may they receive much needed rain
O GOD, heavenly Father, who by
thy Son Jesus Christ hast promised to
all those who seek thy kingdom, and
the righteousness thereof, all things
necessary to their bodily sustenance;
Send us, we beseech thee, in this our
necessity, such moderate rain and
showers, that we may receive the
fruits of the earth to our comfort, and
to thy honour; through Jesus Christ
our Lord. Amen.

3

St. John's ECW toured Newman's Castle
of Bellville on Saturday, April 9. A grand
time was had by all! We were met by
Mike Newman and his border guards -
border collies & puppies who were
determined to be in on the act. He gave
us the history of the castle and knighted
some of the visitors (including me), then
proceeded to bombard the castle with a
pineapple launched from a trebuchet.
Once inside the castle, we were free to
roam around on our own. After touring
the amazing place, we feasted on hearty
sandwiches and delicious pastries from
Newman’s Bakery.
It was a very interesting visit. Many of
us were inspired by Mike’s story. He is a
man who had a vision of what he wanted
and set out to make it happen. It has
taken him years to get to this point of
completion (he is still constructing some
parts), he has learned new skills and has
worked daily to make it all come
together.
Pictures are on display in the Parish Hall. The service was of special interest, to
Look for them in the June issue of the
Chimes!
Time to register for Summer
Camp!
Parents, take the initiative and
enroll your students for summer
camp at Camp Allen. Scholarship If you missed the wedding, go to the
money is available from the officalroyalwedding2011.org website.
Vestry. The site contains news about
It is an unforgettable experience
for your child!
T H E C H I M E S
May God bless the Duke & Duchess
of Cambridge!
Anglicans in the News!
The Royal Wedding was a great
advertising campaign for the The Dori Brandon Chapter of The Order
of the Daughters of the King of St. John’s
Anglican Church! The music, the
Church just received confirmation of
service, the 5 minute walk down the
their assignment of international prayer
aisle...A nave larger than St. John’s
partners. The Chapter has been paired
Church! Hundreds of years of
with the All Saints Chapter, Heidelberg,
worship, tradition and politics.
Germany. The following photo and
caption tells about their DOK Chapter
Rowan, the Archbishop of Canterbury
activities.
issued a statement on the importance
of marriage prior to the wedding. It
is inspiring. Go to his website to hear
it.
http://
www.archbishopofcanterbury.org/
articles.php/1769/the-archbishop-of-
canterbury-on-the-royal-wedding
Reverend Jennifer and Emily Gourdine at
Seriously it was wonderful to see that the chapel in Heidelberg. We recently had 20
so many people around the globe new blankets blessed. Our DOK Chapter has
were united together to celebrate the passed out over 200 prayer blankets in the
wedding of two individuals. past few years. We pray as we wash, iron,
sew, and package the blankets and they have
been a blessing for many people who are
see how it is the same and how it having trials.
differs from the Episcopal service.
For a copy of the official program,
click the following link:
http://
www.officialroyalwedding2011.org/
blog/2011/April/28/Royal-
Wedding-update--Official-
programme--including-Order-of-
Service--available-online-1
The Good Friday Catch - see story in
“Here’s the Scoop!”
Remember to post your outreach
everything to do with the wedding. ministry reports on the new bulletin
board in the Parish Hall!
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The Senior Warden’s Message

Welcome  to  May!!    We  had  a  great  Lenten  season  and  now  enter  Easter.      The  Lenten  Wednesday  night  services  were  
wonderful  and  I  have  heard  many  posi>ve  comments  about  the  visi>ng  Pastors  and  Priests.    It  was  a  unique  
experience  to  hear  the  varied  messages  delivered  from  our  ministerial  friends!

The  Vestry  has  been  engaged  and  we  con>nue  to  move  forward  with  the  Big  3  for  2011:

Pastoral  Care  –  The  directory  for  St.  John’s  has  been  updated  and  you  will  be  seeing  the  finished  version  once  final  
edi>ng  has  taken  place.    

Congrega>on  Development  –  We  are  working  on  a  couple  of  new  ini>a>ves  that  will  be  implemented  in  the  next  
couple  of  months.    We  will  expand  on  these  as  we  move  forward.

Outreach  –  Please  update  the  new  bulle>n  board  ‘St.  John’s  Ministries’  with  your  outreach  ac>vi>es.    We  are  a  very  
ac>ve  group  and  we  want  to  share  our  works  with  each  other.    

Please  con>nue  to  communicate  with  Eric,  myself  and  any  member  of  the  Vestry  with  your  thoughts  and  ideas  for  St.  
John’s.    NOW  is  our  >me  to  act  and  con>nue  to  move  St.  John’s  forward.    Invite  a  friend  to  church  and  let  everyone  
know  about  our  friendly,  low  pressure,  loving  community…we  have  a  great  story  to  tell!!

God  Bless,

Brian  Owen,  Senior  Warden

The Chimes May 2011

St. John’s Episcopal Church

P.O. Box 1477
Sealy, TX 77474