Greetings from Karen

15 February 2011

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

I write to you with joy as your new Vicar! I know the journey has been long for you all; I look forward to working alongside you in ministry at St. Joseph’s.

To that end I want you to know that I will not come in and start changing things. I will spend some months getting to know you individually and as a congregation. I hope to get to know each of you: your gifts and talents, your history at St. Joseph’s and what you hope for the future at St. Joseph’s. And together we will move forward into the future.

I have begun by reading the story of the first 100 years of history of St. Joseph’s. It is clear that the people of St. Joseph’s are rooted in prayer, study and service to the community. I look forward to continuing that journey with you in our own day and time, seeing how we will be witnesses to God’s Kingdom.

You will be getting to know me over the coming days and months, but please know that I am available to you. I may do some things a little differently; if you wonder why I do a particular thing, please ask. I also will be asking many questions to learn about St. Joseph’s!

I will be taking Mondays as my Sabbath day – my own day for rest and renewal. However, if it’s a Monday and you have a pastoral emergency, please call! Since my position is half-time, I will generally be working Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday. During my first months at St. Joseph’s I will be trying to meet with as many folks as possible, so I may be out of the office. If you would like to meet, please email or call me on my cell phone. I look forward to getting to know you.

I look forward to celebrating the Eucharist with you this Sunday, February 20^th.

Blessings,

Karen+

Our new vicar

The vestry of Saint Joseph's is delighted to announce the appointment of the Rev. Karen C. Barfield as Vicar with effect from February 15th.

Karen, who needs no introduction to Saint Joseph's, celebrates her first Sunday Eucharist as vicar on February 20th.

Karen is married to Ray Barfield and has two children: Micah (15) and Alexandra (11). Karen has been ordained seven years and has served in a variety of settings: urban and suburban; Cathedral staff, campus ministry, and congregations of all sizes; as interim rector, associate rector and interim chaplain. Her greatest joys in ministry involve liturgy, prayer, pastoral care and issues of justice. She was born and raised in Memphis, TN where she served as priest until moving to Chapel Hill, NC two years ago with her family.

In her spare time Karen enjoys reading, gardening, travelling, and designing most anything, especially houses (kitchens and baths in particular). Ray, her husband of 20 years, is a pediatric oncologist at Duke and is Associate professor of Christian Philosophy in Duke’s Divinity School. Ray enjoys writing, playing classical guitar and running. Micah wrestles for Chapel Hill High School, and Alexandra enjoys everything artistic, especially singing and playing classical guitar. The whole family loves to cook together.

Prior to ordination Karen served on staff at St. Luke’s Community Kitchen in Atlanta, GA, and she was co-founder of a prison ministry there as well. In downtown Memphis she helped develop the Hospitality Hub, a non-profit organization which assists persons who are homeless connect with the resources they need. Karen has most recently been serving as Priest Associate and Administrative Assistant at the Episcopal Church of the Advocate in Carrboro.

Mick, Verger

Catechesis 2011

St. Joseph’s Episcopal Church

2011 Catechesis

The Rt. Rev. Michael B. Curry, Bishop of the Diocese of North Carolina

J. David Belcher, Catechist

The word “catechesis” is derived from the Greek New Testament word, katecheō, which means, roughly, “to teach by word of mouth.” The process of the catechumenate – ancient in origin, its more formal structure stretching back to at least the fourth century – is made up of an entire series of such oral instructions, meant to prepare those instructed to receive the sacraments of initiation: Baptism, Confirmation (or Chrismation), and Eucharist. The catechumenate is thus a time of study, deepening of faith, and intense preparation for incorporation into Christ’s body, the Church.

At St. Joseph’s, the catechumenate is such an intensive time of training and instruction for those not only preparing to be baptized (at the Great Easter Vigil), but also for those who either wish to be confirmed or received into the Episcopal Church, or who simply wish to reaffirm the vows each of us takes at Baptism. However, all are welcome to participate in this ancient tradition, whether to learn more about and thus deepen one’s understanding of the faith or the Episcopal Church more specifically, or to join with others as one body in preparation for the reaffirmation of the vows each of us takes at Baptism. And we are all called to participate by our common prayers, remembering those who embark on this journey, lifting them up to God, and with the Holy Spirit welcoming them into the communion of saints.

Commitment and Preparation

Since Baptism is nothing short of a “new birth” (Jn. 3:3-8) and thus incorporates us into an entirely new way of life, traditionally there are certain expectations that accompany this journey each of us takes to the waters of Holy Baptism. At St. Joseph’s, the following commitments are vital to the catechetical journey:

Worship

Catechumens commit to attending communal worship in the form of the Sunday Eucharist on a weekly basis unless prohibited by illness or some other unavoidable obstacle. Baptized Christians are encouraged to receive the bread and/or cup on these occasions.

Study

Catechumens commit to preparing for and attending group sessions on various topics, including discussing the ongoing process and progress of catechesis. These meetings will take place over the course of roughly thirteen Saturdays beginning just after Epiphany and ending just after Easter Sunday, and will be led by the Catechist or other members of the congregation. Consult the schedule below to determine meeting dates. Catechumens who are unable to attend a session due to illness or another unavoidable obstacle are encouraged to notify the Catechist to receive the preparatory materials for that session.

Works of Supplication

Catechumens commit to praying the Morning and Evening Offices of the Book of Common Prayer daily. Each week, at least one of the Daily Offices should be prayed in community, preferably at St. Joseph’s, but possibly at another church, with one’s family, partner or friends, etc. In addition, catechumens are encouraged to take up the discipline of fasting, especially during the Lenten season (including Holy Week).

Works of Mercy

Catechumens commit to serving in a ministry capacity once per week. This may include attendance and service at morning breakfast fellowship, preparing, delivering, or sharing meals at the House of Hospitality, service at Urban Ministries, or another commitment to be worked out in consultation with Catechist or clergy.

Confession of Sin

Catechumens are encouraged to commit to confessing to a priest once a week during Lent using one of the forms in the Book of Common Prayer.

Schedule of Meetings and Other Important Dates

Weekly Meetings are Underlined, all other dates listed are mandatory Eucharists

Jan 6 – The Epiphany

Jan 8 – Introductory meeting

Jan 9 – First Sunday after Epiphany (Liturgy for the enrollment of catechumens)

Jan 15 – What is Catechesis? – with guest, Maria Doerfler

Jan 22 – No meeting

Jan 29 – The Holy Scriptures: The Old Testament – with guest, Joel Marcus

Feb 5 – The Holy Scriptures: The New Testament – with guest, Jodi Belcher

Feb 12 – The Nicene Creed/Apostle’s Creed/Baptismal Covenant

Feb 19 – Liturgical Calendar/Lectionary, with guest, the Rev. Nils Chittenden

Feb 26 – Works of Supplication: Prayer, Contemplation, and Fasting – with guest, Colin Miller

Mar 5 – Works of Mercy: Charity and Mission

Mar 9 – Ash Wednesday

Mar 12 –The Sacraments: Holy Baptism

Mar 13 – First Sunday of Lent (Enrollment of Candidates for Baptism)

Mar 19 – The Sacraments: Confirmation/Chrismation, Reception, Reaffirmation of Baptismal Vows

Mar 26 – The Episcopal Church: Protestant and/or Catholic?

April 2 – Governance in TEC, with guests, the Vestry of St. Joseph’s

April 9 –The Anglican Communion and TEC’s place therein

April 16 – No meeting

Holy Week

April 17 – Passion (or Palm) Sunday

The Great Triduum

April 21 – Maundy Thursday

April 22 – Good Friday

April 23 – Holy Saturday/Easter Vigil

April 24 – Easter Sunday

April 30 – The Sacraments: Holy Eucharist

Durham Convocation-wide Confirmation Service – TBA

Contact Information:

Dave Belcher, Catechist

j.david.belcher@gmail.com

919 237-1179

A Joyous and Blessed Christmastide

It's been a tough six months since our dear Vicar left, but on reflection, I think we have coped pretty well.

I won't say it's been easy, being a Christian isn't, but a faithful and loyal church family have made it possible. Thanks to some wonderful supply priests (friends old and new), not one Sunday Eucharist has been missed. We have continued with Bible Study, expanded Daily Office and breakfast fellowship (now six days per week), had a baptism, a funeral and a wedding, have a fully staffed nursery and will shortly be starting Catechesis to prepare candidates for baptism, confirmation, reaffirmation and acceptance at Eastertide. For a small church with no clergy, that's no small achievement and a tribute to the lay members involved.

What am I thinking? That St. Joseph's continued presence is entirely in our hands? Wake up Mick! We all know that the Holy Spirit is guiding the little church with the big red doors, and giving us a helping hand - don't we!!

As our search for a new vicar continues, we realise that God already knows who He is sending to shepherd His flock in Old West Durham. We just have to be patient and put our trust in Him

A Joyous and Blessed Christmastide to all.

Mick

Verger

Christ The King

The following is the sermon preached by Joel Marcus at St. Joseph's on the last Sunday of Pentecost, November 21, 2010.

Colossians 1:11-20

Luke 23:33-43

CHRIST THE KING

Our collect for the day praises God “whose will is to restore all things in [his] well-beloved Son, the king of kings and lord of lords.” This collect is related to the Epistle reading from Colossians, which describes Christ as the one through whom all things were created, who has reconciled all things to God through the blood of his cross, and who presently holds all things together. It is a grand, cosmic vision, in which Christ already reigns over everything. This is, after all, the last Sunday before Advent, the day on which we celebrate Christ the King. The language about all things subsisting, or holding together, in Christ, is particularly striking.

The only question is whether or not this grand, over-the-top language actually corresponds to reality. Let me make a confession, brothers and sisters: sometimes it doesn’t seem to me that everything is holding together. This may be an idiosyncratic view on my part—but sometimes it seems to me, on the contrary, that everything is falling apart.

We human beings seem to have a remarkable talent for screwing things up. I know some people don’t like to hear about politics in church, but I don’t get to preach very often, so bear with me. Because, hard as it is to believe, our government seems poised on the verge of going into an even more advanced state paralysis than has prevailed before. The opposition party has pledged itself to make its number one goal for the next two years not to allow the executive branch to accomplish anything of substance. This at a time when we are confronted by numerous crises in the foreign sphere, in our eroding economic position, and in the climatic Sword of Damocles that hangs over our heads.

The situation reminds me of a story I heard on NPR yesterday about the greatest naval disaster in American history before Pearl Harbor. It happened during the third year of the Revolutionary War, when our Senior Warden’s ancestors sent three small ships with 700 soldiers try to establish a foothold on the shore of Penobscot Bay in what is now Maine. The colonials responded by sending a huge fleet of 42 ships to dislodge the evil British from their position on the bluffs overlooking the sea, where they were starting to build a fort. The colonials were initially successful; after hard fighting, they gained the high ground and could easily have overrun the British fort, whose soldiers were vastly outnumbered. But then the commander of the American army insisted, "I won’t attack the fort until the three British ships are destroyed." And the commander of the American fleet responded, "I won’t attack the ships until you attack the fort." And each of these generals refused to budge until the other made the first move. And so they stopped speaking to each other and did nothing.

Meanwhile the British were building up the fort and sending a small fleet to relieve their ships. The Americans eventually panicked and were not even able to organize an orderly retreat. The British ended up burning the entire American fleet; only one ship out of the 42 escaped. The man in charge of the American artillery, by the way, whose name was Paul Revere, was later courtmartialed on charges of cowardice and incompetence, and his name would have been mud in our collective memory, had not Henry Wadsworth Longfellow salvaged his reputation with a famous and largely fictional poem eighty years later. In any case, the story of the Penobscot disaster strikes me as a parable for where we seem to be heading today—stupidity, stubborrness, and paralysis, leading to disaster. Things fall apart; the center cannot seem to hold.

On a smaller scale, here at St. Joseph’s, things also seem sometimes to be falling apart. We have been vicarless for six months, during which time a major crisis has hit us in the action taken by the city against our homeless neighbors. We on the vestry and other concerned parishioners, especially our tireless Senior Warden and future Verger, have tried to hold things together, but it ain’t always easy. And, in the personal sphere—well, I bet you can fill in the blanks from your own life there. It may suffice to recall one of the most famous opening sentences in all of literature, the beginning of Leo Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina: “All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way”--to recall this sentence and to ask yourself which group you identify with. And if the answer is the first group, please do not let the rest of us hear from you!

So what do we make of Paul’s claim that God has reconciled all things to himself? Is this just a pipe dream, the sort of charming vacation from reality that preachers seem to enjoy indulging in?

I’m seriously afraid now that this may turn out to be one of those sermons in which the questions posed are better than the answers proferred. But let me give it a shot anyway. Because, in spite of everything, Paul’s words do ring true. God has enabled us to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light. He has rescued us from the power of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of his Son, through whom we have forgiveness of our sins.

Notice that Paul does not say that God has transferred us into a kingdom in which we don’t sin anymore. He says, rather, that He has transferred us into a place where we receive the forgiveness of our sins. This means that we don’t have to be sinless to walk in the light of the kingdom. Good thing, too. All we have to do is acknowledge our sinfulness, our incompleteness, our lack of togetherness, both in our corporate and in our personal life. We are not “together,” to use a sixties cliché; we are not whole; we are not happy. But if we can admit our lack of “togetherness,” then perhaps we are on the road to recovery—as was the one criminal who was crucified with Jesus, who acknowledged that he had been justly judged, but asked Jesus nevertheless to remember him when he came into his kingdom.

For the sense of life spinning out of control is not the only thing we have experienced in our lives. We also know what it’s like for someone to turn to us with a bright and joyous look that we didn’t think we deserved or could expect, and at those moments, we may have felt that we were just about to enter Paradise. As one of the characters in Toni Morrison’s great novel Beloved says about his woman, “She gather me, man. The pieces I am, she gather me and give them back to me in all the right order.” We have experienced that, too. We have known the wholeness that suddenly floods over us and into us when we come into the presence of someone who is unfeignedly grateful for our existence, who thinks we’re the cat’s meow, that we’re “the top,” as in that great old Cole Porter song:

You're the top!

You're Mahatma Gandhi.
You're the top!
You're Napoleon Brandy.
You're the purple light
Of a summer night in Spain,
You're the National Gallery
You're Garbo's salary,
You're cellophane.

Well, I’m not sure what cellophane is doing in that list, but you get the general idea.

And we have experienced this sort of grace corporately, too, as we struggle on in our quest for a vicar and to discern God’s will for this little church as it battles through the dilemmas of daily life here in Durham. We are still together, the church is still here, six months after our vicar left—in fact, it even seems to be growing. Wonderful, self-sacrificial people have stepped into the breach—people like our Senior Warden, and our beloved brother Nils, who probably didn’t know what he was getting into when he crossed the ocean blue to take the job as Episcopal chaplain at Duke. We on the vestry have learned to put up with each others’ absurdity and stubbornness and volatility, to forgive as we have been forgiven, to just keep putting one foot in front of another until we reach our destination, whatever that may be. And from time to time we have been amazed by the word of wisdom, or of encouragement, or the sudden flash of humor, that comes from one of the unlikely candidates for sainthood seated around the table. And so as we plod along in this way, we realize from time to time that we are not plodding alone. We find ourselves, in other words, in the situation of those disciples on the road to Emmaus who were suddenly joined by an unknown stranger who asked them, “What are you talking about as you walk along and seem so sad?”

Yes, sometimes you reach the point where you realize that it’s time to stop talking about what is making you so sad, and to turn with surprise to the one who has suddenly popped up in your midst, who asks the searching and compassionate question that penetrates to the bottom of your situation, the question that elicits the answer that starts to accomplish what all the king’s horses and all the king’s men could not do for all us sad little Humpty Dumpties—to take the bombed-out, shattered bits of our lives and start to put them back in all the right order. That miracle is what this place is for, what this table is for, for here we meet and experience and actually consume the one in whom the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, who reconciled all things to himself through the blood of his cross. That blood, and his shattered body, will soon become our food and drink, and the means for bringing us together with each other and with him and with the God who rules over all forever. Amen.

For the love of God - week 2

More work on the Community Garden:

For the love of God

With a work party scheduled for shaping our new community garden, I was praying that we would see a few extra faces at breakfast this morning. Imagine our surprise when Gail and I arrived to prepare for Morning Prayer. Five of our homeless community, three of whom were new arrivals, were already patiently waiting for breakfast.

Following our 4-week trial period the decision was made to continue with Saturday MP and breakfast even though prayer attendance averaged four, the breakfast averaged eight. This morning twelve attended morning prayer and I lost count of those attending breakfast – it seemed as if Gail would never finish cooking eggs!

With several members staying on to work on the garden project, the fellowship was, as usual, fulfilling. Indeed, the Holy Spirit was among us as our small, but hard working crew set to work with excitement and enthusiasm.

Our community, both inside and outside of our buildings, share a relationship of hard work, love and respect. It is so obvious that our combined love of God is shared every day.

Mick