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Dear St. Timothy’s members,
After falling to $512,000 in 2021, St. Tim’s pledge income is projected to continue to rebound in 2023 to over $530,000. We have a full-time Rector again, and our draft budget includes a weekly Sunday School program including childcare and part-time clergy assistance to help run our youth formation program, and to assist Mother Meghan with worship for the full year. Some popular activities will return, and new ones will be imagined. We’ve had to scale back from pre-COVID life, but a rich parish life should return in 2023. Still, we’re wrestling with the budget. The Finance Committee projects that we’ll fall short of covering our 2023 expenses by $38,000. Another deficit budget would reduce our cash reserves to an uncomfortable level, and additional expense reductions would negatively affect important programs or further defer important building maintenance. Part of the magic of St. Tim’s is that we always seem to figure these things out. We’d like to ask that anyone who still intends to make a pledge for 2023 do so as soon as possible. If you have the resources and are inclined to increase a pledge that you’ve already submitted, that would be awesome! If there are other ways that you can help, for example by referring a new group to rent a room for their meeting, please let us know. The Vestry will finalize the budget on January 18th. Please feel free to contact me if you have questions. Sincerely, Rick Sharp Treasurer In the spring of 2022, a St. Timothy's member had the inspiration that our parish could support an Afghan refugee family as they resettled in St. Louis after fleeing the chaos in Afghanistan in 2021. That inspiration blossomed into the "A-Team," which is a group of dedicated and loving volunteers who have helped a family acclimate to life in St. Louis. The team partnered with the International Institute of St. Louis and was assigned a family of 9: mom, dad, and seven sons aged 7 months to 17 years old! St. Timothy's A-Team members are Karen Luecking, the "captain," Steve Crock, Susan Moenkhaus, LaVerne Moseley, Joy Rouse and Mary Saggau. They meet with the family regularly and help them with a wide range of things. When they first started meeting, the A-Team took the family grocery shopping and to doctor's appointments, rode the Metrobus with the father to help him learn the public transportation system, and delivered many donations of clothing and household goods provided by St. Tim's members. As the family got more settled, Mary helped the parents understand their financial obligations and how a cash economy works, Susan, Joy, and LaVerne have provide twice-weekly English lessons to the mother at home, along with learning and enrichment activities for the baby and toddler. Steve has done many things to help them get set up in their home, including installing a washer and dryer, mounting a donated TV to the wall, fixing a clogged drain in the basement, rerouting a gutter, and showing them how to keep up with the yard work. And all of this was done with our Afghan family speaking only Pashto, and the A-Team speaking English! The A-Team's dedication is amazing, but they will tell you that they've gotten more from this experience than they've given. We made the video at the request of the Diocese to explain how their initial $1,000 grant was used in this Reaching Out ministry. Please watch the video to learn about their journey with our wonderful family.  The "A" Team members: Karen Leucking, Susan Moenkhaus, Joy Rouse, LaVerne Moseley, Mary Saggau, Steve Crock. Dear St. Timothy’s Family,
It’s that time of year again—and surprise, I don’t mean Advent or Christmas! It’s the time we start planning for the St. Timothy’s annual meeting. The date is set: Sunday, January 22. For those of us with jobs to complete, it’s a big deal! Actually, for all St. Tim’s members it’s a big deal. It’s the time we have the chance to hear about what’s been going on this past year in all areas of church life and join the planning for next year. It’s also our election day! Here’s my big pitch. We need five parishioners to agree to be nominated to serve on Vestry: four for a three-year term, and one for a one-year term. It is truly an honor to serve on Vestry, but it’s not just an honorary position. It carries responsibilities and opportunities for leading St. Timothy’s into the future, an exciting future with a new, already-loved rector. I urge you to consider being a nominee. Find out more about what that involves by checking the church website, saint-tims.org. Go to the Information tab and click on Vestry. There you’ll find five documents that guide our work: Covenant, Responsibilities, Norms, Qualifications, and Bylaws. Feel free to direct questions to any current Vestry member, especially those whose terms are ending in January and comprise the nominating committee: Tony Corey, Jeremy Gibbs, Dennis Whittington, and I. Our Jr. Warden, Hank Conard, is resigning in January, and his one remaining year as a Vestry member needs to be filled. You could also call Susan Moenkhaus and Steve Crock, the non-vestry parishioners who are suggesting nominees. If this is not the year for you, how about recommending a friend or family member for this important role? You could have a conversation with someone you think would be good, then contact the office or one of us from the nominating committee to follow up. Please do prayerfully consider this service to God and the parish. I will miss the strong sense of camaraderie I’ve developed with other Vestry members as we addressed the needs of the parish. We get along well, work efficiently, and have a deep commitment to St. Timothy’s Church. Contact us! Faithfully, Joy Rouse, Sr. Warden November 30, 2022
I attended Murray State University and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in theatre. I am a 2011 graduate of Virginia Theological Seminary. After ordination, I served at churches in the Diocese of Kentucky. After that, I was called as the Rector of Trinity Episcopal Church in Clarksville, TN. During my six-year tenure, Trinity grew in number and in spirit, with a renewed focus on outreach and evangelism.
I served as the board president of a local nonprofit that provides mental health care to veterans and first responders, as well as serving as the vice president of the ministerial association for several years. I am also a member of Gathering of Leaders, an organization “committed to connecting young, creative, proven clergy-leaders in the Episcopal church.” Most recently, I served as the Associate Rector of Formation and Pastoral Care at Christ Episcopal Church in Ponte Vedra Beach, FL. It was a wonderful opportunity to work in a large church setting and see authentic church growth in action. Soon enough you’ll learn what I’m "all about”. But for now, let me say this. So much of what I know about God, Jesus, and the Church comes from being in relationship with other people. Every conversation is a new revelation of the divine, each interaction a new experience of something holy. This isn’t a coincidence. It’s God’s intention for us. Through my interview and call process with St. Timothy’s, I knew that something wonderful was unfolding. I felt the call of the Spirit. And it didn’t come from your beautiful church building or the wonderful programs or even from the inspiring worship. The call came from being in conversation with the people of St. Timothy’s. The call came from the joy you all have just being with one another. That is special and important. I look forward to being part of many, many of your conversations in the years to come. And I especially look forward to seeing God revealed in our new relationship. Looking forward in joy and anticipation, Meghan+ The Rev. Meghan Ryan Dear Family in Christ,
Mother Liz Meade will be spending her last Sunday with us this weekend on September 11. Be sure to come and wish her well! It hardly seems possible that her two-year interim rector term with us is ending. She led us through so many difficult situations—situations dominated by the Covid epidemic that at the time seemed like they would go on forever. When Mother Liz arrived in September 2020, we couldn’t even have services inside the church—they were all online. We emerged to parking lot services – with an especially memorable windy Palm Sunday! Then the “baby steps” followed as we returned to indoor worship with one Sunday service, and gradually blossomed into what we have now. On that long path we benefited from Mother Liz’s leadership in navigating the new and evolving Diocesan rules. Doing the business of the church and taking care of St. Timothy’s was especially challenging in an interim situation during Covid. Remember that first online Annual Meeting? At one point Mother Liz wrote to Vestry, “I know that many of you are tired and stressed. I am, too. But I know this: God is here. God has not gone anywhere, and God will never leave or forsake us…Stay the course, and look carefully for what God is doing among us, because God is being glorified in all that we do at St. Timothy’s.” I’m sure that many of us have our own special memories of Mother Liz. Mine include her constant reminders that we are still doing church, but in new ways. She provided wonderful pastoral care and counsel to individuals in need. Her funeral services have a special beauty about them. I appreciated the online Bible studies when she included religious paintings to illustrate the stories. I liked the memorable teaching she did in her sermons, and her closing blessing reminding us to be swift to love and make haste to be kind. So now it really is good bye, because church rules say that interims are not to check back or stay in touch. Mother Liz, you got this church ready for a new rector. We offer you the biggest possible thank you, our love, and a fond farewell as you travel to Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, to become a settled rector there. I thank God for the blessing of having you at St. Timothy’s. Faithfully, Joy Rouse Senior Warden Friends,
How glad I am to join Mother Liz in sharing with you our happiness in welcoming Deacon Erin Pickersgill and her family to our St. Tim’s family. Last Sunday, July 17, was her first service with us, and it really felt right to have her assist at the altar and preach the sermon. We’ve had so many ups and downs in the past couple of years—changes that were not always positive. We learned how to cope with Covid and our building being closed. We’ve modified how we do things time after time, including having Sunday Eucharist services without Mother Camie joining Mother Liz at the altar. So now here we are. Deacon Erin and her delightful family, husband David and young daughters Liberty and Frances, will be with us until January 1. Having been in church last Sunday when she preached, I write with assurance that we are most fortunate to have her here! Deacon Erin’s special interest in and knowledge of programming for children and youth is just what we need. In fact, when she leaves us, she will be going to work for the Diocese in this specialty. We all want to engage our young Christians in learning about the love of God and the stories of our faith. And now to have someone here who’s really good at that—what a blessing! Beyond all that, she is spending these coming six months as a transitional deacon preparing to be ordained as a priest, so expect to see her regularly assisting at the altar, preaching, and being a part of the full life of St. Timothy’s. Welcome, Deacon Erin! Faithfully, Joy Rouse, Sr. Warden June 6, 2022
Friends - What a wonderful two Sundays of celebrations we’ve had at St. Timothy’s! Last Sunday, June 5, we celebrated Father Jack Fleming’s time as rector here by dedicating the parish hall and naming it Fleming Hall in his honor and memory. On Sunday, May 29, we celebrated Mother Camie Dewey’s three years as associate rector here and launched her into a new ministry in her home state of Wyoming. Jack Fleming’s vision, energy and leadership here, beginning when he was called in 1999, was marked by the building of our beautiful new sanctuary and its consecration in 2004. This was followed by breaking ground for the new parish hall and education wing in 2012 and later complicated completion. Be sure to see the photo display marking the progress of these building projects in the colonnade. We admired Jack for the kind of rector he was; we loved him for the kind of priest he was. Take a look at his portrait in the area leading into Fleming Hall. The kindness and compassion in his face speaks volumes about who he was; his pastoral care was beyond measure. Note also the twinkle in his eye—he brought much happiness to St. Tim’s. In his memorable sermons he often quoted Irish poetry or a book he’d just read. I typically jotted down the references on my bulletin to take home. Camie Dewey drove away from St. Timothy’s on May 29 right after the 10:45 service, with her dog to accompany her on the long trip to Wyoming. I was glad to hear from Mother Liz Meade that Camie had arrived safely in Nebraska Sunday night, and then in Wyoming on Monday. We’ll remember Mother Camie for her smile, her presence at the altar, her wonderful sermons, and, of course, her beautiful singing voice. Camie’s strength was evident as she carried us through the beginning of the pandemic, the building closure, and the interim period between Father Marvin Foltz’s retirement and the arrival of Mother Liz, our interim rector—for whom the challenges continue. We can be sure that neither Mother Camie nor Mother Liz were taught in seminary how to manage such times in our parish and national life. So now we await the calling of a new rector. I’m very eager to learn who the discernment team and vestry will agree to bring to St. Timothy’s. The discernment team should be receiving lengthy resumes from the bishop’s office this week. Then their work begins again in earnest. Let’s all pray for them every day. Faithfully, Joy Rouse, Senior Warden June 6, 2022 Friends,
April has been quite a month at St. Timothy’s Church, highlighted by glorious Easter services. At the 9:00 service sixty worshippers joyfully welcomed Joseph Harley Shirley and Amelia Quinn Shirley in the rite of Holy Baptism. At 10:45 we had 125 worshippers, the most since before the pandemic, and all the triumphant music from the choir, brass quintet, congregation and clergy! All day we had the feeling of “St. Timothy’s is back”. It really was a glorious Sunday. After Easter we all learned that Mother Camie Dewey will be leaving us at the end of May to go back to her home state of Wyoming. She will begin a new ministry with their bishop focusing on wellness and mental health resources for clergy. Camie is so talented that we didn’t expect to keep her very long, and know that we are blessed to have had her for three years. I must admit that I am sad that her time at St. Tim’s is ending, but wish her only the best as she answers God’s call for this new work. For here and now, we are working with the bishop’s office on a plan for temporary help for St.Timothy’s and Mother Liz, focusing on Christian formation. Stay tuned… April also brought two funerals: beloved parishioners Judy Flacke and Blaine Stone died just before and just after Easter. Remembering my mother’s passing at this time of year, I know the beauty of spring and rebirth have special meaning as you relate Christ’s resurrection to someone you love. Please hold these families in your prayers. You may have been reading in Tim’s Times about the new ministry we have of helping an Afghan refugee family. Our work is through the International Institute with a family of nine—parents and seven sons, ages 3 months to 17. The adults don’t speak English, only Pashto. We didn’t expect this to be easy, and so far, we were right. We are learning a lot! Since the family has been here only a few months, they have many needs. We’ll be sharing ways you can help. Vestry bits and pieces: We are in a waiting, yet still very prayerful, phase of our rector search. The position is posted and the discernment team hopes to see new applications early this summer. Mother Liz plans to stay with us as long as we need her. The minutes of vestry meetings, including financial statements, are available for you to read in a notebook on the coffee table in the library, down the hall near the office. Financial statements are also posted in that hall. Thank you to Mother Liz for our vestry commissioning in the 10:45 service April 24 and to Mother Liz and Canon Whitney Rice for an inspiring vestry spiritual retreat April 30 to help us serve God and serve you better. Please talk with any of us whenever you have a question or particular interest. Faithfully, Joy Rouse, Senior Warden April 30, 2022 Dear Friends,
Our dedicated discernment team has been very busy leading Vestry and staff through the first round of in-person interviews as we search for a new rector. The outcome of these recent meetings is that the diocese is being asked to re-post our rector position so that more candidates can be considered. This feels like a long process, doesn’t it?! But we have to be patient and follow the path of discernment. That’s not exactly a simple decision-making process. Discernment means listening for and reflecting on what we hear God calling the parish to be and to do. It means prayer. Let’s keep praying The Lord’s Prayer together. It is perfect for us now and always: “…Thy will be done…” “Discernment brings about a sense of peace and ‘rightness’ for the whole vestry and parish once the decision is made,” wrote Denis C. Brunelle (Vestries: Listen to God’s Call, Vestry Papers, January 2014.) I especially like that part of the article! Our parish is worth that time and that patience, so we can discern God’s will. We want to call the person who is just the right fit for St. Timothy’s. I wish you a very happy Easter—it’s coming soon! Faithfully, Joy Rouse, Senior Warden March, 2022 What an eventful vestry term we have before us! As I complete my first month serving as senior warden this year, I realize it is going to be a very different experience than when I served in 2020.
Now we are in the midst of transition instead of just starting it. Thank you to our dedicated clergy and staff! Now we have lived through the most stringent Covid-19 restrictions instead of just starting them and are even cautiously relaxing selected limits. Now we have a solid video system and knowledgeable teams in place for broadcasting services, instead of just starting. This all feels like good news to me! We have a very committed and effective discernment team working hard to find our new rector. What a huge undertaking that is! As we approach the in-person interview phase of this process, we should all continue to support these hearty souls with our prayers and praise. Gladly it’s time for spring to be arriving soon—my brave jonquils are already beginning to poke up. Probably it’s only choir members and our spirited director, Mark Scholtz, who fully remember that winter has chosen Thursday to be a key day for snow and ice this year! You see, Thursday evenings are when we have our choir rehearsals, and we’ve stayed safely at home more than once instead of venturing out to St. Tim’s to prepare together. Better safe than sorry—thank you, Mark, for coming up with ways to stretch other times instead. As we head into Lent, we realize that, yes, we are in the midst of unique times for St. Timothy’s. What will we add to what we already love about this parish and this church? God is listening to our prayers. Joy Rouse February, 2022 |
St. Timothy's Episcopal Church
Address: 808 North Mason Rd., Creve Coeur, MO 63141
Phone: (314) 434-5906
Email: saint.tims.office@gmail.com
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