Parish Newsletters
August/September 2010 Middle Pentecost
From the Rector | Articles | Junior Wardenwords | Senior Wardenwords | Calendar
Vestry Ventures | Christian Formation | Church Mouse |Music Notes | Contacts
The Right Reverend Edwin F. Gulick, Jr., Invite your prayers and presence On Tuesday, the seventh of September, 821 South Fourth Street A reception follows. |
Calvary History Phase Three: Building a Church (4)
On All Saints’ Sunday, November 7, 2010, Calvary will officially celebrate its sesquicentennial; 150 years of dedicated service to the love of God, to its members and to its neighborhood and community. As Fr. Jonathan Erdman assumes his leadership as Rector and as the renovations to the North Entrance, Parish Hall, and Kitchen move toward completion, the many contributions of earlier Calvaryites come into view and are remembered. Without their committed and practical efforts, the present and future of Calvary literally would be unthinkable.
This is the sixth installment of the Calvary story to appear in the Calvary Connection. This series is based on Will Cary’s basic research into the primary documents that record the actions and events of Calvary’s narrative from its founding to the present; vestry minutes, correspondence, and publications from the period offer a remarkable window on the people, preoccupations, problems, and plans that competed for the attentions of past parishioners. This part of the story brings to a close the Phase III focus on the building of the church.
The period 1876-1888 in the life of Calvary was characterized by three main themes: surviving the challenge of completing the building and maintaining the church structure; the vestry’s securing reliable and competent spiritual leadership matched to the challenge; and achieving a viable level of pecuniary sustainability to pursue its mission. The vestry minutes are replete with numerous details of these themes, and, as might be expected, they have a certain resonance with the ongoing priorities of a mature church organization in the second decade of the 21st century.
As has been noted in previous installments, Calvary’s earliest years were blessed with some committed lay leaders. Foremost among them was Mr. Louis Tripp, who served for many years as Senior Warden. Through Tripp and his vestry colleagues, two continuous tasks of a new church building were addressed: financial solvency, and completion and maintenance of the physical plant.
Ensuring a supply of funds both to pay off new building debt and to meet the costs of daily operations involved a recurring variety of strategies. Among the recorded actions were vestry resolutions and parish meetings resulting yielding decisions to increase the pew subscriptions of members, borrowing from the Ladies Guild, taking out loans at reduced rates, advertising in the newspapers and at hotels, and allocating receipts from the Easter offerings to areas of greatest need.
Similarly, the building itself was in constant need of attention. Each month the Building Committee focused monthly on immediate needs such as broken glass and screens, painting windows, repairing and replacing motors and gutters, and glazing stained glass. In addition, there were lamp posts to install in front of the church and studies to be completed on the efficiency of the gas lighting.
Securing clerical leadership that was up to the challenge of putting the church on a sound footing was daunting in the period 1876-1878. In those two years, no fewer than four rectors were in charge: the Rev. James Fleming; Assistant Bishop Thomas Underwood Dudley; the Rev. William Pitt Kramer; and the Rev. James G. Minnigerode. With the installation of the Rev. Minnigerode, who accepted on Feb. 4, 1878, Calvary began a modest but steady climb toward viability and the capacity to pursue its mission; he was rector for more than 20 years.
In addition to recruiting reliable, competent leadership, Calvary’s sustainability was reflected in some definite steps toward organizational maturity. Key benchmarks of its growth in that vein were becoming debt-free, publishing its bylaws, acquiring a rectory, purchasing land for a mission chapel, and approving an architect’s plan to finish the church structure with space for a Sunday school and a library. With these accomplishments, the parish moved closer to realizing its stated aims.
Despite this progress, however, on March 4, 1887, Calvary experienced a significant sadness. Louis Tripp, who had been a stalwart from the earliest days, passed away. In order to gauge the extent and meaning of his contribution to the church, consider this entry on his behalf from the vestry minutes.
The vestry, having learned with deep regret of the death of Louis Tripp, who for twenty-eight years has been a vestry man and the Senior Warden of Calvary Church, desires to place upon the record its sense of the great loss the Church has sustained and to bear testimony to the untiring zeal and unwavering devotion that marked his life as a Churchman and Vestry Man.
His name will ever be identified with the history of Calvary Parish; not only was he one of the original founders, Vestry and Wardens, but throughout the entire period, the wish nearest his heart was the growth, prosperity and welfare of this church. How fervently he loved her! How deeply he prized her Sweet Communion, Solemn Vows, her hymns of love and praise.
Full of years and of good works, he has gone to his rest and reward. May God guide the Church of his love and ours. May God comfort and support her who was his life and compassion, lift up his Countenance upon her and grant her that Peace which passeth all understanding.”
John Bugbee
2010: Calvary’s Sesquicentennial
On Wednesday, November 3, 2010, Calvary Episcopal Church will mark its 150th anniversary. The Sunday closest to the anniversary date is November 7. Along with all members, the Calvary Sesquicentennial Committee is pleased that Fr. Jonathan Erdman will officiate at services and will initiate a series of events to commemorate this significant milestone in our parish life.
In the last months of 2010 and into 2011 a number of events are planned that aim to emphasize the remarkable history of Calvary. In addition to the dedication of the newly-renovated Parish Hall, the following are anticipated:
- A concert by the Bach Society on Dec. 5.
- Worship services conducted according to the 1872 and 1928 editions of the Book of Common Prayer.
- Lectures by Dr. John Hale and Dr. Tom Owen focusing on the church building and the community and neighborhood in the mid-nineteenth century.
- A historical timeline of Calvary’s development with illustrated displays of parish memorabilia, gifts to the church and other artifacts.
- Invitations to former rectors and members.
- A perspective on the future of the church presented by Calvary’s Youth.
In addition, this and future issues of the Calvary Connection will continue to feature articles on Calvary’s history based on Will Cary’s researches into original vestry minutes, correspondence and other primary documents. Questions? Please contact the Calvary Sesquicentennial Committee: Whitney Hardy, Jim Barnes, Sally Reisz, Noel Booker, Susan Baker, Mark Fleshman, Suzie Smith or John Bugbee.
Calvary Sesquicentennial Committee
Lois O’Hara
Lois O’Hara likes to begin her day with a crossword puzzle, and that seems to be about the only time during the day that she sits still. She spends much of her time doing volunteer work. On Monday mornings she is at Calvary helping our downtown neighbors get food and clothing. She enjoys her work with the food distribution program of HELP Ministries because she receives satisfaction from helping people who need help. She appreciates “the people who tell us we are doing a good job and thank us” and thinks others would find the same satisfaction if they helped. She remembers when the volunteers would pick up the food at a warehouse and thinks our current system and the expansion of the Clothes Closet are improvements. She also writes welcome notes and sends newsletters and bulletins to shut-ins, all on Monday mornings!
For more years than she can remember, Lois has worked in the box office for the Louisville Bach Society, and she now serves on the Board of Directors. Her husband Pat sang with the Bach Society and at St. Francis in the Fields when Melvin Dickinson was the Choir Director. She and Pat moved to Calvary with Melvin in 1979. Pat sang in the choir and Lois’s background in business education and her willingness to help were put to work in numerous ways.
When Father Lou Hemmers was the Rector, she typed the sermons; when Father Ben Sanders was the Rector, she substituted when the church secretary was on vacation, typing the weekly bulletin and copying it on a mimeograph. Lois has served on the vestry and has recorded the minutes at the annual parish meeting all but two times since 1979. She serves as an usher at the 11 o’clock service; and she has prepared 12 dozen cookies or brownies for dessert each week for the Lenten Lunch/Recitals.
Lois feels like Calvary is her family. Pat was the first parishioner to have his ashes buried in Calvary’s Memorial Garden. Most of her best friends are members. She loves the liturgy, the music, and the diversity. She appreciates all Margaret Dickinson’s work and notes that sometimes after playing the organ at three services, Margaret works all Sunday afternoon at church. Callie Hausman deserves much credit for bringing families to Calvary. Lois believes our excellent Christian Formation program attracts people with children since she remembers that there were no young people in the congregation in 1979.
Lois was born in Elizabethtown and moved to Westchester, New York, after college because of her love for theater and all the cultural advantages. When she returned to Kentucky, she taught business education at Male High School and directed the cheerleaders. She says her contributions were to get new uniforms and send the cheerleaders to training camp. When she became Chair of the Business Education Department, she turned the cheerleaders over to another director. Jim Barnes helped her transfer from Male to Manual, where she was hired without an interview based mostly on his recommendation, and, we can be sure, her excellent qualifications. After retiring from Manual, she taught at the University of Louisville in the Department of Management.
Lois resides with a Maine Coon cat named Beau who “allows her to live with him.” She says Beau has a wonderful disposition. Beau isn’t saying anything, but even he must be impressed with all of Lois’s accomplishments.
Linda Klein
Our Lady’s Herb Day
The Church possesses a treasure trove of wonderful traditions, rites, and rituals that are unfamiliar to many. Perhaps one of the nicest and richest is the tradition of blessing herbs and flowers on the Feast of the Assumption of The Blessed Virgin Mary on 15 August (called the Feast of St. Mary the Virgin in our calendar). Since at least the 10th century in the Western Church—and earlier in the East—the faithful have brought herbs, and fruits and vegetables, and flowers to the church to be blessed by the priest.
Because the Assumption of Our Lady falls in the middle of summer, the Feast became a kind of harvest festival. The faithful would bring their first fruits to the church to be blessed, along with flowers and medicinal herbs. In England the faithful brought their “Assumption Bundles” to the church, oftentimes strewing the aisles with fragrant leaves and branches, sometimes even placing the sweetest smelling herbs under the fair linen on the high altar so that they might be specially consecrated through the close contact with the Holy Eucharist.
The association of The Blessed Virgin Mary with flowers and plants is ancient, and biblical. In Isaiah, there is the reference to the “shoot springing from the side of Jesse,” so eloquently translated in the English version of the Alleluia from the Mass of Our Lady “Salve Sancta Parens” sung on certain feasts: “Now hath blossomed Jesse’s rod, a Virgin bears both Man and God: God restoreth peace to men: High and low are one again.” Cypress and lavender, and of course the lily, have all become plants associated with Our Lady, as well as many popular flowers such as marigolds and ladyslippers. There was a popular legend in Medieval times that all flowers and herbs lost their scent and healing powers at Adam’s fall, only to be restored after Mary’s Assumption into heaven. There was a pious tradition that in her tomb her body was not found, but in its place flowers.
It is easy for us to forget the role that herbs and flowers played in healing not so long ago. It made sense that the Church would bless objects used to restore health to people and keep away the stench of disease and death. For us today, the blessing of flowers and herbs and fruits is a sign of the wonder of God’s creation, and the gifts of healing that He bestows upon us, as well as a thanksgiving to God for the abundance of the harvest. The collect used at the Blessing of Herbs sums all of the themes up so perfectly:
“O God, who through Moses, your servant, directed the children of Israel to carry their sheaves of new grain to the priests for a blessing, to pluck the finest fruits of the orchard, and to make merry before you, the Lord their God; hear our supplications, and shower blessings in abundance upon us and upon these bundles of new grain, new herbs, and this assortment of produce which we gratefully present to you on this festival, blessing them in your Name. Grant that men, cattle, flocks, and beasts of burden find in them a remedy against sickness, pestilence, sores, injuries, spells, against the fangs of serpents or poisonous creatures. May these blessed objects be a protection against diabolical mockery, cunning, and deception wherever they are kept, carried, or otherwise used. Lastly, through the merits of the blessed Virgin Mary, whose Assumption we are celebrating, may we all, laden with the sheaves of good works, deserve to be taken up to heaven. Through Jesus Christ Our Lord. Amen”
Pilgrimage to the Holy Land
DAY 1
On June 11, 140 pilgrims (92% from Southeast Christian Church) left the USA and arrived the next afternoon in Tel-Aviv, the unofficial capital of Israel. We were divided into three color-coded bus groups. I was in the green group with Rev. Dave Kennedy (Southeast), a song leader, Lisa, and Danny, the Jewish guide from Jerusalem Tours. The red group members were U of L devotees, including senior pastor Dave Stone and family and U of L President James Ramsey and family. In Tel-Aviv we boarded our bus and went to Joppa and began our walking tour, up and down hills and uneven steps. We saw where Peter visited Lydda and performed miracles in the name of Christ. In Joppa (Acts 9: 32-43) Peter raised Tabitha (translated Dorcas in Greek) from the dead. Peter stayed with Simon the Tanner, and we saw his little house, a stone’s throw from the Mediterranean and heard his story, first from Danny, then amplified by Dave Kennedy. The Sabbath being over by sundown, we would check in to the Dan Panorama Hotel after 6:00 p.m. for a wonderful buffet dinner of unlabelled fresh foods and delicacies (no pork or dairy). Dave Stone didn’t sit still for a minute as he had pictures in hand and was determined to know each person’s name and face as each bus group finally arrived. He was amazing in this regard!
DAY 2
Wake-up call was at 5:30 a.m. and after breakfast (no bacon) all bus groups went to Caesarea for a communion service (bread and grape juice) in the excavated ruins of a Roman amphitheatre. Dave Kennedy preached on Acts 10 about Cornelius receiving a vision to send for Simon Peter who was staying with Simon the Tanner in Joppa and to bring him to Caesarea. Peter also had a vision that day involving a change in strict dietary habits and eating with Gentiles. What followed was Peter’s sermon to the Gentiles in the house of Cornelius about Salvation through Faith for all, Jews and Gentiles alike. After the service, we walked through the ruins of Herod’s Summer Palace by the Sea and observed a carved stone with the name of Pontius Pilate. Caesarea was the Roman capital of Judea for about 600 years. After walking the ruins and visiting a nearby aquaduct, we headed on to Mt. Carmel. Today there is a Carmelite Monastery (Druze) and a huge statue of Elijah. At this site Elijah had his confrontation with the 450 prophets of Baal to prove who had the true God. He taunted them to “call him louder.” Elijah then took 12 stones for the 12 tribes of Israel and built an altar in the name of the Lord. He went to Mt. Carmel and prayed. (1 Kings 18: 20-42). From the roof of the Carmelite Monastery one can see the valley of Megiddo mentioned in the Book of Revelation where some Christians believe the Battle of Armageddon will occur. There is a large Druze community whose founder separated from Islam in the 11th century. The food was amazing here, even if we didn’t know what we were eating. The rule of thumb was to spread humus on the pita-looking bread and roll up everything else in it. From Mt. Carmel we left for the city of Megiddo, after which the valley was named. We got to see the excavations going on there, including the city gate and a Canaanite altar. From the rooftop we could see Mount Tabor. .believed to be the site of the Transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-8). After we left Megiddo we headed for Nazareth where Jesus was raised. This is a large city today with a mainly Arab/Muslim population. In Nazareth, we visited the Church of the Annunciation (a Roman Catholic Basilica on the spot said to have been the childhood home of the Virgin Mary). The modest dress code really affected our men. Women could go in the Church with capri pants and sleeved tops, but the men had to have long shorts that fully covered the dreadful knees, so they either resorted to long pants, drooped their drawers, or wrapped the ladies’ Pashimas as skirts around their waists. We toured the Church and its grounds, and were able to witness a Mass. In the undercroft is the grotto of The Holy Family. Nazareth is very hilly! From Nazareth, we headed for Tiberias on the Sea of Galilee. This town is named after the Roman Emperor Tiberius and is situated right on the banks of the Sea (actually a lake). This is where Jesus walked on water.
Sandra Cherry
Beers With…
The July 13 meeting of the Beers With…
group was lively and devoted primarily to a discussion of Biblical literature, with Father Jonathan participating. We also agreed to form a list of discussion topics that would serve as a basis for our future meetings. We also considered the possibility of using a different name, but thus far have not found one that quite fits! However, it was agreed that the main purpose of the group is not to drink beer!
Our chief purpose is to enjoy fellowship and interesting discussion. Anyone’s submission of possible topics for the future would be welcome. Please send them to Callie Hausman, Director of Community and Christian Formation, at calliehausman@calvaryepiscopal.org. The next meeting will be on the second Tuesday of August, August 10.
Dr. Carl Hausman
Morning Prayer
MORNING PRAYER is offered Monday through Friday at 8:30 a.m. in the choir. This short service is a good way to begin each day, and is a part of our tradition as members of the Episcopal Church. A short homily will be given by Fr. Jon Tuesday through Friday. Monday’s service will be led by a member of the parish. All participants are welcome to join each other for coffee or tea following the service.
Calvary Garden Update
In the last issue of the CONNECTION, we ran a fledgling picture of our Calvary garden that we are cultivating to help feed the poor in our neighborhood. At that time, the tomato plants were six inches high! Below, please see that they are now eight feet tall!
And that’s not all! We have okra growing next to the pipes…
And beans growing up the iron gate…
Many people have worked hard to create this garden in a very odd spot! Thanks!
Frazier Parish Hall Renovation
Projected Timelines
- The kitchen to be fully operable on August 1, 2010.
- New rubber base closet fittings, last of electrical work and painting to be completed by August 14, 2010.
- Furniture, etc. installation to be scheduled for August 12, 2010.
- Bronze plaque is being made and will be installed to the left of the Parish Hall Door. Plaque to announce:
Amelia Brown Frazier
Parish Hall - All accounting regarding the grant should be complete by August 31, 2010.
We thank Owsley Brown Frazier for the grant that made all of this possible, and are grateful to all who are carrying it out. Listing of thanks follows upon completion!