News from around the diocese

ST. STEPHEN, OAK RIDGE

St. Stephen’s month for the Ecumenical Storehouse was June, and the Rev. Dr. Craig Kallio launched it with a Blessing of the Vehicles as parish volunteers prepared to hit the roads to gather donations. St. Stephen’s shares the operation of the storehouse with eight other churches in one-month rotations each.

The storehouse accepts donations of household goods such as large appliances, furniture, beds, linens, kitchen goods, eating utensils and towels for distribution at no cost to residents of Anderson County and Oak Ridge.

Fire, flood, spouse abuse, substance abuse, recovery and other acute needs bring approximately 750 families to the storehouse each year. The storehouse is open Monday, Wednesday and Friday to serve clients and to accept donations. On Saturdays, volunteers pick up donations. For more information or to schedule a donation collection, call 865-481-0274.

ST. ANDREW, MARYVILLE

St. Andrew, Maryville, launched its 4th annual Parish Garden Tour on May 10 with a lecture by Ray Mims, noted horticulturalist at Washington National Cathedral. After a luncheon, the approximately 120 participants toured four private gardens, guided by the property owners, of whom three are parish members. Tour proceeds this year will help to finance landscaping for the new parish hall when construction is complete.

ST. JOHN, JOHNSON CITY

Fourteen St. John, Johnson City, teens who completed requirements in the Journey to Adulthood curriculum were honored May 4 with the God and Life Award.

The God and Life curriculum was used in conjunction with the Journey to Adulthood (J2A) curriculum over the past year during Sunday church school and youth program times.

An important part of J2A is service work. Group members delivered supplies to and served guests of the Ronald McDonald House, provided dinner and friendly conversation to homeless men and women at the Haven of Mercy shelter and tutored and played games with children at Coalition for Kids’ “The Rock.”

The group also went on an “urban adventure” to New Orleans, where some members insulated a drop ceiling at the rectory of St. George Episcopal Church. “It was messy, hot work but I didn’t mind,” Wes Black said. “They needed our help.” Others did landscape work at the rectory.

J2Aers played games with children and the elderly at Kingsley House, and Mark Johnson worked in its lunchroom. “The kids seemed so hungry, but they were so excited we were there,” he said. “We had to coax them to eat.”

In addition to Black and Johnson, those who completed the program and received the God and Life award are: Cara Alexander, Elliott Anders, Blaine Bolton, Craig Cox, Ham McVeigh, Jessica Nichols, Patsy Radford, Alissa Rockney, Eileen Rush, Logan Sizemore, Brandon Taylor and Darin Tierney.

ST. TIMOTHY, SIGNAL MOUNTAIN

By Emily McDonald
South East Correspondent

A new organ crafted using parts from an older one was dedicated May 18 during a Service of Prayer for Evening at St. Timothy, Signal Mountain.

The 20-rank organ is Opus 83 of organ builder Randall Dyer and Associates of Jefferson City, Tenn.

The service and the recital that followed featured music by Buxtehude, Bach, Mendelssohn, Franck and Vierne. Playing the organ were Bert Landman, organist-choirmaster at St. Timothy; Merry Lee Wilson, assistant organist-choirmaster at the church; Lucy Bowick, former organist; guest organist Dan Rineer; and Peter Montague, a former member of the parish.

Montague and his wife, Mary, traveled from England especially for the dedication.

During the service those who had contributed financially to make the new organ possible were honored.

The new organ replaced a Moeller organ that had been installed in the mid 1950s and was expanded about 15 years ago, Landman said.

Dyer is considered “one of the finest organ builders in the Southeast,” Landman said. Initially, the church contracted with Dyer to make some alterations to the existing organ but then “decided to completely rework the instrument.”

Some of the older pipework was used in the new organ. However, Landman said, “while it is a bit of the old instrument, it is mainly considered a new instrument.”

Over three years, the organ was completely reorganized, revoiced and enhanced with new stops and other components. The new electronic console contains maple and rosewood keyboards and pedals. The components are set within a red oak casework that matches the woodwork of St. Timothy’s new worship space, which was completed in 2000.

ST. CHRISTOPHER, KINGSPORT

By Bunky Seay
Senior Warden, St. Christopher, Kingsport

On June 22, the congregation of St. Chris-topher, Kingsport, joined with Bishop Charles vonRosenberg to celebrate the Holy Eucharist and bless their newly renovated church building. The project included renovating the church’s interior, replacing the exterior siding, expanding the narthex and adding a new bell and tower.

According to Senior Warden Bunky Seay, “This has been our church home for over 30 years, and in that time it has not seen any significant structural or modernization changes.”

The capital fund-raising campaign began in May 2002, with the assistance of diocesan consultant RSI Ketchum. The drive was a great success, financing not only the church renovation plans, but also allowing the parish to contribute significantly to the diocesan Grow in Mission campaign.

The blessing service was a particularly joyful occasion as the communicants came together to rededicate the church to the glory of God and to renew their commitment as a community of faith.

“Flowers and fresh paint were just the right aromas,” said longtime parishioner Beth Hicks. “The altar was lit up with sunshine.” At night the window above the altar will be backlit to highlight the cross that transects the window, she said.

Hicks reflected on the parish’s progress. “A journey is where you are going, but it is also where you’ve been,” she said. “St. Christopher’s, Kingsport, can look back over the last year and a half with great pride at all the significant decisions and events in the life of the church – the decision to renovate, a very successful and encouraging capital fund campaign and beginning the search process for a new priest.”

ST. PAUL, KINGSPORT

By Nellie McNeil
Upper East Correspondent

Six years from concept to completion, Berndt Hall and expanded day-school facilities at St. Paul, Kingsport, are now in use. Berndt Hall honors the late Rev. Douglas Berndt, who served St. Paul’s as rector for 25 years.

On May 11, Bishop Charles vonRosenberg blessed the 10,000-square-foot addition. “I’m delighted and pleased for the people of St. Paul and Kingsport,” he said.

The Rev. Dan Matthews Jr., rector at St. Paul, looked back to the project’s initiation. “This is the culmination of a long and careful process begun when I took the vestry on our first retreat of my tenure more than six years ago,” he said. “Paul Kirkpatrick led us through a brain-storming exercise (and to) a clear resolve that we needed more space. … Now we have the wonderful new facilities and a great deal of excitement about the new building.”

The design by architect Brian Alderson of Freeman Solt PLLC, carries forward the 1926 plan of architect Allen Dryden Sr. as well as the style of the Parish Hall built in the ’50s. Goins, Rash, Cain was the general contractor.

“So many participated – such wonderful leadership!” said Larry Hooper, Construction Committee chairman. “Jack VandeVate and Nancy Ledford provided long-range survey information. Jack Harmon dealt with builders and protected our interests. Hal Spoden was the structural engineer. John McKinley watched the numbers, caught things and saved us money. Thanks to Dan (Matthews) for his talents and resources to make this thing possible.”

The building provides a social hall for parish meetings. The state-of-the-art kitchen features a convection oven, a dishwasher that completes its cycle in three minutes and sinks that meet State Health Department regulations.

The new school will allow the day-school staff to grow from eight to 10 members for the next term, improving the student-teacher ratio.

Pledges for the capital campaign yielded $1.75 million. “It’s one of the easiest things I’ve done,” said Follow-up Committee Co-chairman Charles Givens. “The people of St. Paul’s believed in the cause and gave.”

NOTABLE, QUOTABLE ...

• The East Tennessee Daughters of the King Spring Assembly was held May 24 at St. John’s Cathedral in Knoxville. The Very Rev. John C. Ross, dean of the cathedral, was the guest speaker, and the Rev. Canon Thom Rasnick, outgoing chaplain, installed the new executive board: Mary Ann Halstead, president; Ronnie Boyd, vice president; Kathy Cramer, treasurer; and Heather Dahlberg, secretary. The meeting closed with a Eucharist celebrated by Bishop Charles vonRosenberg.
• During the July 6 Coffee Minute at St. Andrew, Maryville, the Rev. Martha Sterne signed copies of her new book, “Earthly Good … Seeing Heaven on Earth.” Many of the essays are based on her experiences as rector at St. Andrew, and proceeds from her book sales that day were added to the fund for the new parish hall. The book is available at Chapter&Verse Episcopal Bookshop at Diocesan House and on the Web at www.chapterandversebooks.com.
• About 30 members of St. Peter, Chattanooga, gather once each month to enjoy one another’s company. The only requirement for membership is that each must be 55 or older. Recently the group took a field trip to Chickamauga, Ga., a small town reminiscent of Mitford in Jan Karon’s books. Characters came to life as the Rev. Carter Paden posed as Father Tim and group members took on other familiar roles during lunch at a local tearoom. For dessert, Esther’s Orange Marmalade Cake was served at the home of members Dick and Gay Gruetzemacher.
• Father Tim, er, Paden also officiated this year at the graduation ceremony for the fifth-graders of St. Peter’s School, assisted by school Headmistress Kathleen Lanza. The class included two members of St. Peter’s Church, Katy Wills and Zach Rutledge, and St. Francis of Assisi, Ooltewah, member Keith Mitchell. At the school’s annual Awards Day, Keith also was named one of the school’s three top computer students and was presented with a Fastest Fingers award.
• A number of outreach programs call St. Thomas, Knoxville, home: the first Friday of each month, a FISH pantry in conjunction with New Hope Presbyterian Church provides people with food to see them through difficult times; the first Saturday of each month, the dozen “Breakfast Bunch” members of the Independent Living group for mentally challenged men meet at St. Thomas for programs and lively discussions; “Monday Night Games” at the church in summer draw parishioners and neighborhood residents for friendly competition and refreshments; and at other times neighborhood children use the church grounds as a play area.
• Christ Church, South Pittsburg, has been around more than 125 years, so it should come as no surprise that smoke and soot from coal- and oil-fired heat, kerosene lamps and candles had left their mark. A wood restoration expert was hired to remove the patina of age, a new lighting system and carpeting were installed and the electrical system was brought up to code. A slide-show presentation on the church’s Web site at christchurchsp.org/ offers a glimpse of the refreshed, brighter nave.