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April 2004

Rector's Message

Dear Friends,

One of the more remarkable experiences I have had occurred during Holy Week in a parish with which I was involved in New Haven.  It taught me an important truth...a truth, which, like most truths, was right in front of me all the while.  It's just that I'd never seen it before.  We had, as a parish, been moving through Lent.  For five weeks the Church had remained very simply decorated...no flowers on the altar, the crosses veiled in purple and only bleached linen hangings and vestments being used.  As Lent drew to a close and Holy Week began, all this came to an end.  In the remarkably short span of one week, the quiet and reflective nature of Lent gave way in rapid succession to palms, passion red, hosannas and shouts of "Crucify him" of Palm Sunday; the increasing darkness of Wednesday evening's Tenebrae service as, gradually, all light in the Church was extinguished, calling us to prepare for the darkness approaching in but 36 hours on Golgotha; the opening brightness and celebration of Maundy Thursday's Eucharist followed by the utter emptiness of the stripping of the altar and the remembrance of Jesus's betrayal and painful hours in the garden of Gethsemane; the black-veiled cross, agony and death of Good Friday; and the darkness of the beginning of the Easter Eve Vigil giving way to the unbelievable eruption of light, color and joy of the first Eucharist of Easter at the conclusion of that Vigil.  Finally, the festivity of Easter Day as families, friends, lilies, eggs, and alleluias all mingled in one joyous outpouring of celebration and fellowship.  So many remarkable emotions packed into a mere seven days.  Indeed, it was a journey through the entire spectrum of the Faith in but one week.

What made it so remarkable an experience for me was the realization that it had all occurred in one place.  No great running or chasing about.  Just the simple returning again and again to that one place of worship where, through the use of words, music, colors, hangings, decorations and myriad other elements of the physical world we journeyed with Christ in his last days on earth and shared with him in the deepest recesses of our spirits.  And in such sharing, we each learned, in a far deeper way, the nature of our own individual journeys.

The journey of the week that we call Holy is not an easy one, but it is a true one.  I urge you to find time to make that journey in this Church (with a brief trip to Saint Michael's in Litchfield or Trinity in Torrington on Easter Eve) in those seven days which begin this coming Sunday.  To pass from Palm Sunday to Easter with no stops along the way is to miss much of the truth of our Lord's last journey, and, in turn, our own.  It is to arrive at Easter somewhat unprepared to hear fully the trumpets of that glorious sunrise or to know fully the new birth and resurrection which each of us so desperately needs.

Faithfully,

The Reverend Robert L. Ficks III

Rector

News regarding Mark Scholtz ~ As most of you receiving this newsletter are already aware, on May 23^rd, our dear friend and most remarkable organist and choirmaster will be stepping down from the post he has held for almost fourteen years. In case you happened to miss this development, the letter sent by the Rector to the Parish announcing Mark’s plans follows at the end of the Eagle.

Altar Guild ~ Please mark you calendar now in order to be present to assist with Spring cleaning in preparation for Palm Sunday, Holy Week, and Easter. We will gather at 9.00am on Saturday, April 3^rd in the Sacristy in order to accomplish this important work. We hope you will be present, for many hands do, indeed, make light work.

2004 Stewardship ~ The Stewardship Campaign is moving ahead apace.  If you are considering supporting Saint John’s in this current fiscal year and have not done so yet, please do so as soon as possible.

Mite Box Sunday ~ On the first Sunday after Easter, April 18^th, the children of the Church School are invited to be in Church with their families to bring forward and present their Mite Boxes.  They received these boxes during Lent and have been putting an offering in them during the course of this season.  The gifts will be collected and sent to an organization chosen by the children that assists those in need.  It is a wonderful thing which the young people do in this regard, and we urge all of you to be here to mark this moment with them and to congratulate them on their efforts.

Loaves & Fishes ~ Our day for Loaves & Fishes is April 16^th.  Please sign up for cooking food or delivering it and serving it at Loaves & Fishes.  The sign-up sheet is in the Parish House. Please have the pans of food delivered by Noon on the 16th.  Please note: we are extremely needful of volunteers to help with serving on that day.  It will not take a great deal of your time, but it will be a tremendous help at the Soup Kitchen. 

Adult Forum ~ During Lent, the Reverend Susan McCone has been conducting a most intriguing Adult Forum from which many members of the Parish have benefited. It concluded on the final Sunday of Lent, and we express our deep gratitude to Susan for her most gracious gift of herself and her time on behalf of the Parish. Beginning just after Easter, the Reverend Rowan Greer will be present at Saint John’s for the period April 18^th through May 16^th. During that time, he will lead the Adult Forum on Sunday mornings from 9 AM to 9.50am in the Library in a discussion of The Resurrection: Once and Future – Even Now. He describes these gatherings as follows “We shall examine the roots of belief in the resurrection in the Old Testament and Judaism. Turning to the New Testament, we shall then exam the puzzles created for the early Church by Christ’s resurrection. Finally, we shall ponder its meaning for us.” Given the pivotal nature of the resurrection in the life of the Church and, presumably, in our own lives, this promises to be a highly informative and provocative opportunity to explore this important aspect of the Faith. As with Susan, we offer our deep and abiding gratitude to Rowan for the graciousness that allows this gift to be given on our behalf at Saint John’s. All are invited to attend. Coffee will be available.

Work Day ~ On Tuesday, April 20^th, The Gunnery will be holding its “Work Day”. As part of a community service program, from 9.00am until Noon, students will be volunteering throughout town. If anyone might like some student help for spring cleaning, i.e. raking, yard pick-up, putting out lawn furniture, etc., please contact Russ Elgin at 868-7693 or 868-6334 ext. 513.

Finishing up at the Pullaro’s ~ With Winter over, it is now time for us to pitch in and help finish up the work at the Pullaro’s. This Habitat for Humanity project that started last year, has been a wonderful success and has added considerable space to the Pullaro’s home which will accommodate their family and the special needs of some members far better than the old house. There is still plenty to be done, and we need to begin to gather work parties to attend to it. To that end, all interested parties from the parishes of Washington, Roxbury, and New Preston will gather at a Saint John’s Parish House on April 25^th at 2.00 PM in order to be certain that we know of everyone who is willing to pitch in for the final push for this project and are in sound communication and order as we move forward. Please, do make every effort to be at this meeting and to be certain that we finish up at the Pullaro’s in fine form. If you have any questions, please give the Rector a call (868-2527).

A Time of Dialogue ~ A number of the members of the Parish have been gathering to discuss current events within the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion. Given the presence of Holy Week and Easter in the month of April, there seems not to be a convenient Sunday on which to conduct this meeting, and it is scheduled on May 2^nd at 11.20 AM in the Parish House Library.

Outreach News ~ At its regularly scheduled meeting in February the Outreach Committee addressed the following issues:

• Providing Drivers for those in need of transportation in the immediate area seems like a fine initiative for us to undertake. Please note: this initative was, in fact, taken, and we now have a list of most generous individuals who have offered their time in this ministry. The coordinators of the ministry are Betsy Przygocki (868-2896) and Elisha Dyer (868-7254), and you are urged to give thought of someone who might benefit from an occasional trip for which Saint John’s might offer the transportation. Please contact Betsy or Elisha to let them know of this interest. Please also, if you would be willing to add your name to the list of occasional drivers, do so by contacting Ted Bent (868.0577 or tedbent@earthlink.net).
• The committee agreed to commit $1700 to secure a carpenter to do a good bit of “finishing” work at the Pullaro’s to help speed this project along.
• Developing a Parish-wide resource list of individuals and their skills. This might provide us resources for all sorts of new initiatives in the months ahead, and the Committee has agreed to seek a manner to further it.
• Saint John’s Bridgeport ~ Ted Bent will contact the head of the Family Center to try assess their needs following the departure of the Reverend Alan Dennis. The Committee decided to send $1000 to help it further its work in a difficult time in its life. Ted will also take the food offering to Bridgeport when he goes down to meet with Valzie Peterkin (Head of the Family Center). With this in mind, your are urged to remember that the baskets at the entrances to the Church are there to receive your non-perishable food gifts to be taken to Saint John’s Bridgeport as well as to be distributed to those in need in the immediate area. Please be generous and remember to this.

At its meeting of March 28, the Outreach Committee took the following steps:

·        Made initial allocations of grants as detailed on the pink sheet.

·        Agreed that a Parish-wide survey of individual skills that might be used in the service of others was a fine idea and would be pursued by Ted Bent and the Rector.

·        Viewed a film of the work of the PAN Foundation and agreed that its efforts had been wonderfully successful in feeding those in need in a village in Argentina. (As noted from the allocations sheet, a $1,000 grant was made to continue to support this work).

·        Scheduled its next meeting for 11.20 am on May 9.

Deanery Confirmation ~ On Saturday, May 22^nd at Trinity Church, Torrington at 11.00am, Bishop Ramos will confirm all those in the Deanery who have prepared and seek Confirmation. With this in mind, please call the Rector (868-2527) to make a firm commitment regarding this process for either yourself or a child. In general, it is our wish that children preparing for Confirmation be in seventh or eighth grade and at least thirteen years old. Please don’t delay calling about this. Even if you have discussed this informally, it is important that he have a firm indication of your plans as quickly as possible in order to set up Confirmation classes convenient to all concerned.

Vestry ~ At its regularly scheduled meeting of March 21, 2004 the following received attention:

• The minutes of the meeting of February 15, 2004 were accepted as submitted. Note was made that Mr. Walker’s name was spelled incorrectly.
• The Treasurer’s Report was accepted as submitted.

• Given the current shortfall in the Budget (see attached pink sheet) the Vestry indicated a deep desire that those members of the Parish who are planning on making a pledge to do at their earliest convenience.
• The Vestry received, with sadness, the Rector’s announcement of Mr. Scholtz’s departure at the end of May. Appropriate plans will be made to celebrate his ministry of almost fourteen years in this place.
• The next meeting of the Vestry will be April 18, 2004.

MUSIC NOTES ~ The Choir will sing Evensong for the Sunday of the Passion: Palm Sunday, 4 April at 5 o’clock. Orlando Gibbons’ settings of the canticles from the “Short Service” and Come, heavy souls by American composer Robert Elmore will be sung.

Sunday afternoon, 18 April at 4 o’clock, yours truly will play his annual Low Sunday organ recital. Featured will be works of nineteenth-century American composer Dudley Buck, Danish/German Baroque composer Dietrich Buxtehude, twentieth-century English composers Percy Whitlock and Herbert Howells, and late twentieth-century French composer Gaston Litaize. There is no admission fee for this recital.

Friday evening, 30 April at 8 o’clock and Sunday afternoon, 2 May at 4 o’clock, the Saint John’s Chorale will present their annual Spring Concerts. The Chorale, accompanied by Greenwich organist David J. Erwin, will sing Zoltán Kodály’s Laudes organi and Luigi Cherubini’s Requiem in C minor. Tickets are $15 per person and will be available from any member of the Chorale or at the door of each performance.

The Saint John’s Concert Series’ 2003-2004 season will draw to a close Sunday afternoon, 16 May at 4 o’clock with a performance by the Manhattan String Quartet and pianist Robert DeGaetano. Featured will be Quartet in F Major by Maurice Ravel and Quintet in F minor for Piano and Strings (Opus 34) by Johannes Brahms. Tickets are $15 per person and may be secured at the door.

The final Evensong for this choral season will be sung by the Choir Sunday afternoon, 23 May at 5 o’clock, for the Seventh Sunday of Easter: the Sunday after Ascension Day. The canticles will be Herbert Howells’ settings in G. Josef Rheinberger’s Abendlied will be the anthem.

Pax,

Mark R. Scholtz

Organist and Choirmaster

Letter Regarding Mark Scholtz’s Departure 

 

Dear Members and Friends of Saint John’s Parish, 

 

It is with both sadness and gratitude I inform you that, after Evensong on May 23^rd, Mark Scholtz will step down as Organist and Choirmaster of Saint John’s. 

 

My sadness needs little explanation. For fourteen years, Mark has been a colleague, a ceaselessly contributing member of the Staff, a force for beauty and superb music in the Parish and community, and, above all, a friend. He will be missed tremendously. 

 

My gratitude reflects the good fortune that our paths crossed in the first place; that we were actually able to find a manner in which to begin to work together; that so much good has been done for this Parish Church and for the wider Church through Mark’s unremitting demands for excellence from his singers and himself; that the historic commitment of the Anglican Church to the importance of music in worship has been cherished and edified here; and, finally, is deepest for the simple joy, exuberance, and fun that Mark has brought to the task he committed himself to those many years ago. 

 

Mark moves from a role in which he has been since he was twelve years old (that of Church Organist) to something quite new. Shortly after his departure from Saint John’s, he will begin work as a tonal finisher and voicer for the Wicks Organ Company in Highland, Illinois. This new page in his life began to be turned when, in 1999, the Wicks Company installed the wonderful new instrument at Saint John’s for which Mark had been the chief architect and for which he had written the specifications. One might, perhaps, have guessed, watching his clambering over every inch of the new instrument, his interest in every move made by those installing it, and his endless questions to them about how this worked and how that worked, that his attention had been seized by something in addition to Bach Preludes or the music of Herbert Howells. The Wick family also noted this change, and, over these last five years, Mark and Wicks explored this new interest, tested his gifts through internships at the Wicks factory during his annual holiday, and eventually came to a mutually satisfactory agreement that issued in this new step for Mark. 

 

I am enthusiastically supportive of Mark as he takes this step. I hope that you will join me in that support. Obviously, none of us is happy at the news of Mark’s departure. Indeed, there are days I cannot imagine it. However, it would be less than gracious of us to fail to rejoice that the Almighty has offered Mark a new manner in which to use his gifts and to continue to realize the joy and meaning that music has given him all his life…the same joy and meaning each of us so deeply seeks in our own lives. 

 

Obviously, there will be formal and less formal occasions on which to bid adieu to our dear friend. Already a reception is being planned after Evensong on May 23^rd at which I trust all of us will do our best to be present. 

 

As Mark leaves, we must make appropriate plans to continue the fine tradition of music he has established for us. To this end, I want you to know the following. From May 24^th through the Summer, Fred Teardo will be Interim Organist at Saint John’s. Fred is a young man who many of you heard play a truly fine organ recital at Saint John’s as part of this year’s Concert Series. He is a student at the Institute of Sacred Music at Yale University and Organist at Battell Chapel at Yale. We are most pleased Fred has agreed to fill this post. During the first few weeks of Mark’s absence, our own Bruce Fifer, Director of Music at the Taft School, has, with his usual and gracious generosity, offered to assist Fred by conducting the Choir at rehearsals and Sunday services. As Fred becomes more settled in this new situation, he will pick up conducting duties from Bruce into the Summer. 

 

As of this writing, position open notices will begin to appear in the national publications of the American Guild of Organists as well as on its website. We expect a significant response. The process of interviewing, auditioning, and choosing a new Organist and Choirmaster for Saint John’s will be overseen by a Calling Committee made up of representatives of the Choir, Congregation, Vestry, and Saint John’s Chorale (Saint John’s Choirmaster is also the Conductor of the Chorale). The members of this Committee are just now being chosen. It is our intention to do all possible to have the position permanently filled in early Autumn. 

 

I ask your prayers for Mark as he takes this momentous step in his journey and for Saint John’s as we undertake the task of moving ahead in our musical life and our journey as a Parish. 

 

Faithfully, 

 

The Revd RL Ficks III

Rector