St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, Berkeley Springs, WV May 2015

The Rev. Brian Shoda

Rector’s Reflections

Springtime is here and all of us are happy to see the new flowers, the growing grass, and the rise in temperatures on our thermometers. It was a cold winter and a change of seasons is just what we were all waiting for. Of course we will have to adjust our lifestyles from snow shovels to lawn mowers, from deicer on the steps to iced tea on the deck, and from frozen water lines to garden hoses with holes in them. Funny how that works but I love the change of seasons and it is one reason why I would not want to live in Florida. In spite of all my complaining, I do like the snow. I love the trees that change their colors in the fall and I enjoy the smell of fresh cut grass.

At my house the robins are very active and they have decided that my truck is the perfect place to do nature’s business. It is so bad that I have to laugh about the mess and I have washed my truck every day since the Monday after Easter. They have truly blessed my life with their presence.

This is the Easter season for our church and we will continue to celebrate the Risen Christ with stories of his appearances to the disciples until the Feast of Pentecost. As I have said in my homilies in recent weeks, the disciples did not believe in Jesus just because the tomb was empty but because they saw the Risen Christ and came to believe in Him. They would be granted a full understanding once the Holy Spirit was given to them at Pentecost and then their mission to the world would begin.

We are called to be the same. We need to experience the Risen Christ in our own lives. Spend time talking to Jesus in private. Learn to feel His love around us, take time to give thanks for the blessings that Jesus gives us each day, and find ways to share that experience with those with who we share our lives.

ST. MARK’S Connections

The Episcopal Church The Bible is our foundation, understood through tradition and reason, containing all things necessary for salvation. Our worship is filled with Scripture from beginning to end.

“Death is not extinguishing the light,

but putting out the lamp because the dawn has

come.” Rabindranath Tagore

St. Mark’s The Rt. Rev. George Peterkin, the first bishop of West Virginia, established an Episcopal mission at Berkeley Springs in 1878.

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St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, Berkeley Springs, WV

Ascension Day is thought to be one of the earliest Christian festivals.

Jesus met several times with his disciples during the days after his resurrection. On the 40th day he took them to the Mount of Olives, where they watched as he ascended to heaven.

Ascension Day marks the end of the Easter season and occurs 10 days before Pentecost.

According to an early church father, Augustine of Hippo, this feast originated with the Apostles.

John Chrysostom and Gregory of Nyssa, both contemporaries of Augustine, refer to it as being one of the oldest feasts practiced by the Church, possibly going as far back as AD 68.

Ascension Day's meaning reminds us that the glorious and triumphant return of Christ is near. The Kingdom of God is within us and the ever-present Spirit of God is watching over and protecting us as we spread the light of Jesus' truth throughout the world.

Ascension Day – May 14

Bruce has lived in Berkeley County since 1993, but has been a property

owner and regular visitor since the 80’s.

He’s been married to Bonnie, the love of his life for 30 years.

Bruce plays 14 different instruments and enjoys playing with several groups. He has sung and played worship music since childhood and has served

worship communities of many different traditions for more than 45 years.

He firmly believes that the primary responsibility of a pastoral musician is to promote and support congregational sung prayer.

We welcome Bruce and thank him for supporting our Worship services when Margaret takes a very well deserved vacation!

Many thanks to Bruce, and to Margaret who has acquainted Bruce with our traditions.

Bruce Reich filling in for Margaret

Opportunities to Serve

Lawn Mowing Throughout the warmer months, St. Mark’s volunteers mow and trim the church property.

The appearance of our church property influences the opinions of Berkeley Springs visitors and residents alike.

Our junior warden, Jan Bright would appreciate hearing from anyone interested in serving in this way.

This job rotates through a list of several volunteers and many hands lighten the load!

We thank all those who currently serve.

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St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, Berkeley Springs, WV

Getting to know you

Fifteen years ago Janet moved to Berkeley Springs, but her connection to this area extends back to her childhood. The valley and surrounding areas have been home to her family for generations.

Janet’s parents formed a mixed marriage, her mother was Baptist and her father was Roman Catholic. Janet and her brother were raised in their father’s tradition, but after several years their parents became tired of the rules and requirements of the Roman Catholic Church. They found common ground in the Episcopal Church when Janet was 12-years old.

Brief encounters with other Christian traditions didn’t feed Janet’s soul and it was then that she found her way to St. Mark’s. “I’m an Episcopalian,” she said recently, “it just feels like home.”

History, with a focus on the Civil War, is of special interest to Janet and if you want to know about cemeteries in the area, you’re in luck. Janet and a handful of

others recently published a book on the subject. She is routinely found volunteering in the Morgan Room of the Morgan County Historical and Genealogy Society at the Morgan County Library.

Twice a week she visits with Louise, her 91-year old friend, at a nearby extended care facility. Louise loves to sit in the sun, but often falls asleep as soon as Janet takes her to a sunny spot. Janet uses those times to visit with other residents.

She is a faithful helper at the Community Kitchen and can be found helping in the St. Mark’s kitchen every Sunday morning.

A stroke in 2002 cured Janet of her smoking habit, but also made it impossible for her to continue her great love of craftwork. Until then she offered her macramé, jewelry, and shell craft at shows in the area. At the time of her stroke she was a sander at Gat Creek and returned to work after relearning how to talk and walk.

Janet has been without signs of lung cancer for more than 5 years and breast cancer for a couple of years. She is quick to give a smile, lend a hand, and help others. We are grateful to call her our sister-in-Christ and give thanks for her presence among us.

Women in the Diocese are invited to join guest speaker Beth Marquart for Surprised by Grace: Encountering God in the Unexpected.

$160 covers the cost of lodging, meals, and conference. The commuter rate is $80. Contact Becki Krzywdik with questions, bkrzywdik@msn.com.

Women’s conference at Peterkin – May 15 through 17

Janet Wernsdorfer

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St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, Berkeley Springs, WV

Vestry update – April 13 meeting

Sandy Buzzerd presented the treasurer’s report and identified a notable expenditure of $3,855 to CompuChime for the new bell system.

Jim Russell reviewed the 2014 auditors’ report, noting that no irregularities were found and the work of Charlie Bailey and Sandy Buzzerd was commended. Auditor recommendations to drop advertising in the Yellow Pages and to transfer some savings from CNB to WesBanco will be discussed with the diocese financial officer and reported back to the vestry.

Jan Bright reported that repairs were made in our rental apartment and the vestry gave permission for a tenant yard sale in conjunction with ours or on a date of her choosing.

A yard sale will be held on May 15 and 16 with proceeds going toward outreach and a church project.

Bishop Klusmeyer will install Fr. Brian as rector on June 2 at 7:00 p.m. at St. Mark’s. There will be a confirmation service on June 3 at Mt. Zion at 7:00 p. m.

Fr. Brian asked for clarification as to the name of the church for printed material. The vestry decided that since the diocese consistently uses St. Mark’s and our church sign says St. Mark’s Episcopal Church the name will be printed as St. Mark’s or St. Mark’s Episcopal Church.

Fr. Brian asked the vestry to consider helping children from Mt. Zion attend Peterkin summer camps. A special offering on Sunday, April 26 will support Peterkin Scholarships.

The next vestry meeting will be May 11.

Become a witness for the power of the Risen Lord in every way possible. All things of this earth will one day pass away but the love of our God will never pass away. It is eternal and everlasting.

Reflect on all the blessings that God has given to us in our church community. Many people in our community had serious illnesses and problems and they are still with us today. Many people have received wonderful blessings in this past year and for that we are thankful. Wounds are healing in the community and we pray this will continue. We have had some wonderful new people join our church and we pray that some of those who have fallen away will return. We have a happy church and we want people to join us. We have had many fun events and we look forward to more. We are blooming like the flowers of spring.

We will soon have bells to ring out our joy to the surrounding countryside; may they symbolize the life, love, and joy that is inside our church. May they symbolize the faith that exists in our parish family and speak a message of love and vitality to the people who live in Morgan County and the State of West Virginia. We have what they need and that is the Easter blessings of our Risen Lord who gives us all a message of peace and reconciliation.

God Bless! Fr. Brian Shoda

Rector’s Reflections, continued from page 1