ECSET CHURCHES FUND, BUILD
'EASTER HOUSE' FOR HABITAT FOR HUMANITY

Tinika Newby and her four children have a home of their home thanks to 11 Episcopal parishes in Chattanooga.

The churches joined forces on a four-bedroom, 1,150-square-foot Habitat house in Shepherd Park, a community developed by Habitat for Humanity of Greater Chattanooga.

“It is the biggest local covenant partnership” in local Habitat history, said Jack Riggar, resource director for the organization. More than 300 volunteers from the churches provided labor and other services, including volunteers on Youth Flooring Day. That is the only day insurance regulations allow people under the age of 16 to work, Riggar said.

Participating churches were the Church of the Nativity, Church of the Good Shepherd, Grace, St. Alban, St. Francis of Assisi, St. Martin, St. Paul, St. Peter, St. Thaddaeus, St. Timothy and Thankful Memorial. Parish representatives joined in the Litany of Dedication on April 26, as the Rev. George Choyce, rector of St. Timothy, blessed the house.

“Thank you to the Episcopal Church and all my friends and family who came out in the rain and mud and on good days to build us a house,” Newby said. “It is a blesssing.” The house will be the first the Electric Power Board employee has owned.

David Patten of St. Paul’s had the idea to bring Episcopal churches together to build a house. “Every day I was here has been a joy,” he said.

The Episcopal Commission of Southeast Tennessee initially pledged $5,000 toward the $45,000 cost, but successful fundraising by the churches enabled ECSET to reduce its contribution to $1,900.

– Emily McDonald
South East Correspondent

CHURCH OF THE ANNUNCIATION, NEWPORT

During Bishop von-Rosenberg’s pastoral visitation on April 26, the church dedicated its new parish hall and office building. “Christ was with us when the Episco-pal Church in Newport held its first service in 1967,” said Senior Warden Dr. Thomas Conway at the dedication, “and Christ is with us now.”

Annunciation for some years after its founding rented worship and office space from a Roman Catholic church. In 1981, the parish acquired a building that had been constructed as a restaurant in 1975; the church has renovated it over the years. Annunciation became a self-supporting parish in 1998.

The new addition provides a parish hall, kitchen area, a three-room office suite, and two rest rooms. A parking lot also was put in at the rear of the church.

“It sure is nice, after 22 years in a basement office, to be upstairs in an office with two windows,” said the Rev. David Garrett, rector.

Bob Parrott of Ascension, Knoxville was the architect, and McSpadden Inc. of Dan-dridge was the contractor. The diocesan Opportunity Fund financed the project.

ST. JOSEPH THE CARPENTER, SEVIERVILLE

Parishioners Lisa Gibson, Maureen Brown and Bev Jones have combined their talents to create a fabric applique square that will be sewn with others from across the country into a quilt. The square depicts a feather and builder’s square against the sun.

Once complete, the quilt will be raffled to reduce travel costs for those who wish to attend Paths Crossing, an annual meeting the first Thursday after Easter of Native American and Anglo Episcopalians from across the nation.

Participants come together to share laughter, food, stories, dance and worship. Native spirituality and Anglican traditions blend in workshops that defy description. And time is set aside during the event to discuss historical and cultural issues and to develop friendships.

ST. ALBAN, HIXSON

Those gathered for the Easter service at St. Alban’s, Hixson, may have thought the service was over when the Rev. Hugh Jones, rector, led the way outdoors. But the celebration continued with the blessing of the new parish playground.

Jones said he talked to those assembled on being “re-created” and the importance of recreation. Then he said he swiped the slide with a towel, hoisted his vestments and with a joyful noise went sailing down.

Jones said the parish Episcopal Church Women spearheaded the fundraising necessary to have a local company construct a safe, sturdy fenced area with the slide, swings and a climbing wall. And Jones noted that the area will get a lot of use from children of the homeless people who receive shelter at the church as part of the parish’s work with the Interfaith Hospitality Network.

ST. STEPHEN, OAK RIDGE

Dr. Lewis Preston, a longtime member, has donated an 1813 Protestant Episcopal prayer book that was once owned by his grandmother, Virginia Bonham.

Bonham received the book as a gift from cousin Catherine Stull Thomson of Baltimore, and Preston said the book has been a family treasure for 160 years. In a personal note to the Rev. Dr. Craig Kallio, Rector of St. Stephen, Preston said, “it is a ‘quaint size’ little prayer book, but I hope a ‘treasure size,’ one for display and admiration in the Pollard Room of our church. May this ancient little prayer book be a thankful inspiration to our Lord for all who see and admire it.”

Fr. Kallio accepted and blessed the gift on behalf of the vestry and congregation of St. Stephen’s. It has been framed and is on display.