Word to the Wyes – September 2024
September 4, 2024
Hello – again! I am humbled and thrilled to be with you as your Curate and Assistant Priest at Wye Parish. My first day was Tuesday and Rev. Betty and I hit the ground running. What I notice clearly is the amazing energy in this Parish. On Tuesday, the Psalm Study Group dug deep into this Sunday’s readings, while engaging and wondering together what the Word has to say. On Wednesday, the ECW met in the library, where they plotted and planned for the Bazaar and more. The energy in this group is contagious and a gift to see. Then a group of strong and devoted helpers came to transfer boxes of books to St. Lukes. And Charlie Scheck welcomed several visitors from Wye this week. It is obvious he feels actively included and loved by his Wye Parish family.
In the last several months, Wye moved from a long period of no clergy to having one, and now two. You might be wondering, what does this look like and what is the plan? The Vestry approved my coming to Wye as a Curate and Assistant Priest under the wise mentorship of Rev. Betty. Eventually, my title will shift to Priest in Charge when the Vestry and Betty feel the time is right. Betty and I met several times over the summer, and we look forward to working together. Our goal is to provide consistent spiritual ad liturgical leadership, while also engaging you in a discernment process for what God and the Holy Spirit are calling Wye to be in our communities. More on that in the coming months.
Betty and I both want to give a tremendous shout out to our Worship Leaders, Carol, Lennie, Rick and Sharon – and particularly Rick, who with his team, really kept the parish together and functioning during the last two years. We will continue to engage their wisdom and rely on their participation.
For now, we will continue to worship together as a parish at 9am in one church – and this month we are at Old Wye. Rev. Betty and I will alternate preaching and celebrating. The Preacher will lead the service from the Word of God through the passing of the peace, with the help of our Worship Leaders. The Celebrant will lead the service from The Holy Communion through the dismissal.
You will notice a few subtle changes to the worship service. After the prelude, I will come to the front of the church to welcome everyone. I will ask the congregation if there are any emergent issues that we want to keep in mind during the service. This allows us to capture concerns that come up at the last minute. After, we will go right into the procession and the rest of the service. The other change is the omission of the extra offertory sentence after the doxology. We will use that sentence in times when we are without an organist, such as during outdoor services.
This is a good time to clarify where to go if you have concerns – about ANYTHING. I am here, available, and looking forward to being present for each of you as a pastor, spiritual leader and guide. Please feel free to contact me to schedule a time to talk – and I will be reaching out to all of you. Rev. Betty is in the office once a week and by appt. The Vestry, particularly your Senior Warden, Sharon Butler, is also here for you. And you know where and when to find Ellen, our faithful and wise spirit at Wye Parish.
Finally, what to call me and where to find me? Please call me Rev. Charlotte. Mother Charlotte does not feel right, although Madre Charlotte feels fine. Those who know me by my nickname may call me Rev. Peaches, if you prefer. My work week is currently Sunday to Wednesday – typically, I am at the church Monday through Wednesday from 10:00 until 3pm. Saturdays I work from home. Thursdays and Fridays are usually my days off, which means I might be slower to respond to calls and emails that are not emergencies. You can reach me on my cell (301)520-5439 to schedule a time to meet. AND PLEASE LEAVE A MESSAGE so I can respond appropriately. My Wye Parish email will be shared soon. For now, you can reach me at [email protected] or [email protected].
Blessings to all and I look forward to seeing you on Sunday,
Charlotte+
Refreshments for September at Old Wye Church
September 1 – Joanna Radcliffe
September 11 – Linda Allen & Judy Barron
September 18 – Carol Bilek & Mary Campbell
September 25 – Robin Metz & Sharon Butler
Thank you to everyone who has volunteered to provide refreshments for the Old Wye Church in September.
Psalm Study – ALL ARE INVITED!
All are warmly invited to join us at 10 a.m. in the Wye Parish library as we discuss and reflect on the psalm and readings for the following Sunday’s worship service. The group will return to weekly meetings for the fall. Readings are distributed in advance at each meeting, but you can also contact the parish office to obtain the appropriate readings before a meeting.
A Bit of Prayer Book History
and Introducing Enriching Our Worship
The first Book of Common Prayer (BCP) for the Episcopal Church was authorized by the General Convention in 1789. The model for our first BCP was the 1662 edition used by the Church of England. The 1789 BCP was the “Standard Edition” until 1892, though during that time it was often revised by subsequent General Conventions. Revisions were authorized and new versions printed in 1793, 1823, 1832, 1838, 1845 and 1871 before a new Standard Edition of the BCP was issued in 1892. The 1928 revision is the one many of us grew up with, still maintaining the language and phrasing of Elizabethan England.
In conjunction with the church -wide liturgical reform of the 1970’s, our BCP underwent a major revision to incorporate changes such as more contemporary language, options for different forms of the Great Thanksgiving, the inclusion of the ancient Great Vigil of Easter, as well as reflecting the Church’s current thinking on the sacrament of Baptism. I summarize the history of our Prayer Book to remind us that the rites of our common worship have gone through many changes, all the result of listening to how the Spirit is calling us to proclaim the Gospel to new generations and to honor the diversity of our experiences.
In the 1990’s the Standing Liturgical Commission began presenting to General Conventions supplemental liturgies and musical resources. In 1997, the General Convention authorized the liturgies collected in Enriching Our Worship (EOW) for use in Episcopal parishes with the permission of the diocesan bishop. Bishop San has enthusiastically given us permission to use EOW at Wye Parish, indicating that several parishes in our diocese have been using this resource in their worship for some time. Wye Parish’s vestry has concurred that the prayers in EOW may be incorporated in our Sunday worship from time to time.
During October and November, we will use one form of the General Confession and Great Thanksgiving offered in EOW. While the structure of our worship will remain unchanged, you will notice the language is new. By using the same liturgies for two months, we will move past the novelty of unfamiliar language and have a chance to reflect on an expanded sense of God’s presence in the world and in our lives.
Charlotte and I will be eager to hear your thoughts.
Blessings,
Betty+
Wye Parish seeks to build a Pastoral Care Team that would help care for our church family. We need six individuals who can help Wye Parish keep its church family feeling loved when they are unable to join us for worship or fellowship.
Needs include:
- sending greeting cards,
- making “check in” calls,
- organizing visits, and
- just being present where needed.
We might also explore Stephen Ministry training https://stephenministries.org which teaches parishioners how to accompany those who are facing crisis due to illness, death of a loved one, or a significant life change.
Please contact Rev. Charlotte if you are interested or want to know more.
It’s that time of year again …MARK YOUR CALENDAR!
2024 ECW CHRISTMAS BAZAAR
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 2ND
SILENT AUCTION – This is always a fun “bidding’ component to the overall Bazaar experience. Please help us out by “adopting” one of the following items to donate:
1. Dog Basket, complete basket/container with goodies & specialty items.
2. Cat Basket, complete basket/container with goodies & specialty items
3. Items for the Eastern Shore Basket
4. Gift Certificates for your favorite Restaurant, Pizzeria, Salon, etc., etc.
OTHER ITEMS TO CONSIDER DONATING TO THE
SILENT AUCTION & THE EMPORIUM
Special and/or Unique Items – Home Décor – Candlesticks – Linens – Glassware – Silver
Holiday Décor – Dishes, Platters, Serving Pieces – Lamps – Paintings, Collectible Prints, etc. – Pottery – Small manageable furniture
An invitation from Rev. Charlotte:
Fall is filled with that “back to school” feel and summer already feels like a distant memory. Wye Parish has a lot going on. The energy and enthusiasm everyone brings is wonderful to see and experience. And, it is important that we take time to quiet ourselves and hear what the spirit might be whispering. Here are a few opportunities The Retreat House is offering to do just that. I invite you to explore their many offerings this fall. They have many ways you can have a few moments or a few hours of retreat: Day’s End offers daily meditations at 5:15pm, The Wisdom Café offers spiritual readings and reflections on Mondays at noon, and there are many others – including group conversations this fall on the Being the Beloved, the Gospel of Thomas and Mary Magdalene. They also offer day-long and weekend retreats. All these offerings can be found on their website. Here is their latest newsletter for more on this fall’s offerings. If you would like to give meditation a try, the Day’s End meditations are offered Monday through Friday and I am the host on Wednesdays. I would love to see you there!
Retreat House website – https://retreathousehillsboro.org/ and their fall newsletter – https://conta.cc/3ZbMwXb.
Concert at Christ Church, St. Michaels
September 29th
4 pm
Flowers for the Altar
If you would like to reserve a Sunday to give altar flowers in memory or in honor of a loved one, please call the parish office for more details or to reserve a date.