Meet our New Covenant Rector

Advertisement 4

Christmas Bazaar 5

Lloyd Casson 5-6

Sr Warden 6-7

Meet our New Covenant Rector

From The Treasurer 2

Musical Notes from Darlene 3

Unsung Heros 3

Inside this issue:

e

Cal

vary

Communi

cant

A monthly publication for the members and friends of

Calvary Episcopal Church

October 2014

Many years ago, I worked at a popular retail store where the norm was for all employees to wear nametags. One day, one of the customers whose needs I was attending to noticed my first name, Ketlen (pronounced as it looks) and be-came very excited. This customer, who was from Wales, made a point of telling me that my name was Welsh, and at the end of our conver-sation she happily exclaimed: "Madam, you are Welsh!" I could not help but be amused by her genuine and enthusiastic affirmation.

I was born and raised for the first sixteen years of my life in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. While my family can claim a rich mix of European and African ethnic and cultural heritage I was not aware of any familial connection to Wales. Nonetheless, I was tickled about my newly-given "Welsh identity” which I have learned to joyfully embrace.

In addition to being from Haiti I also hail from Northern Virginia where I have lived ever since I moved from Haiti. In terms of ordained ministry, I studied at the Virginia Theological Seminary (VTS), class of 2005, and I have served as Associate Rector at St. Luke's, Alexandria for over nine years. I am currently a candidate for the Doctor in Ministry at VTS. My husband Scott and I both stud-ied music in college. He is a composer and pianist in the classical tradition and has written a number of commissioned works. One of his most recent pieces,

Sonata di Gloria for two violins and piano is being premiered in Reston,

Virgin-ia on October 2. We both enjoy going to concerts, reading, and absorbing the beauty of nature.

I am humbled and excited to be called as Covenant Rector of the Brandywine Collaborative Ministries. I am looking forward to being a part of this exciting partnership and I admire the vision and commitment of the people of Ascension, Calvary, and Grace. Together we are embarking on a great new venture, and I am convinced that, with God's blessing and help, a bright future lies ahead. I am grateful for the warm welcome that I have enjoyed from the members of the Search Committee and of the BCM Council, as well as from Bishop Wright, Canon Gary Rowe, and several members of the diocesan staff.

Faithfully, Ketlen Solak+

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From the Treasurer

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Some really good news you may have already heard. Our application for a grant and a line of credit for our capital energy efficiency campaign has been approved by the Diocesan A&D Com-mittee.

The grant matches the money we had collected as of mid-August ($10,150) and will pay us half of what we collect through the end of the campaign (another $7,675). The application also asked for a line of credit not to exceed $60,000. Our bor-rowings against this credit line will be repayable over a period of five years at a very reasonable rate of in-terest.

So a complete picture of our spend on capital effi-ciency looks like this: Cost of new boiler and

win-dow replacement $60,000

Less:

Money pledged to date

$26,185

A&D matching fund grant

$17,825

State DNREC grant

$ 1,500

Balance to be covered by loan/other resources $14,490 The new high efficiency, gas-fired heating system is esti-mated to save 60-70% of the cost of heating the parish hall. If we have another winter like the last one, we will save

ap-proximately $15,000 and be able to provide a much more reliable source of heat for The Learning Center.

In another piece of good news, we have entered into a

contract (along with other Di-ocesan participants) with the Patriot Energy Group of Bos-ton for supplying electricity over the next two years. This will reduce our cost of elec-tricity by almost 30% and save us over $2,000 each year. The Diocese will retain ad-ministrative authority over the contract and is inviting other parishes to join as well. If you have made it this far, I have to now say that despite all of this good cost saving news, Calvary is still not out of the water in terms of bal-ancing its expenses with its revenues. So far this year, we have had to draw on our non-General Fund assets (Memorial Fund and Manna Fund) to cover our costs. The above savings will go a long way to reducing this deficit, but will not close it complete-ly. So enhancing income through proactive stewardship and using our ingenuity to create other sources of reve-nue remain extremely im-portant.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!!

Altar Guild

Choir Members

Counters

Taize Participants

Ushers

Vestry Members

From the desk of Darlene Hobbs, Music Director

singers to join our Thursday evening Choir Rehearsals at 8PM. The Thanks-giving Community Service will be held at St. Helena's on Tuesday, No-vember 25 at 7:30 PM. The theme is THE GRATEFUL HEART. What a wonderful meditative reflection! I am certainly grateful for all of you. I have

enjoyed my 1st year at Calvary. Please join us for Taize every 3rd Wednesday at 7PM. Please mark your calendars for December 14 at 4PM for our Ad-vent Lesson and Carols with Opus 1 and the BCM Choir.

In peace, Darlene

I will be “spotlighting” a congregant occasionally for our newsletter. Once you think you know who this per-son is, give that perper-son a great big "Thank YOU! for all you do at Calvary."

This Month’s Spotlight:

Member for 48 years

●Acolyte from the time I was old enough until graduating high school 1985●I was in charge of the acolytes from 1986 and I think I did it until 1995 or so.●Member of both Junior choir and Senior choir ●My Brother and I cut the grass and shoveled the snow for many years after “Nate” the Sexton retired.● Ushered with my Dad when I was very young and now occasionally usher with my young son. ●Spearheaded Advent din-ners every week for years in the undercroft. The leftovers I always gave to the AA Group. ●Hosted monthly pot luck dinners. ●My friend Conee Nelson and I did

Holi-was Halloween. We use to dress up as the devil and witch and go to church and go up for communion that way. We use to get the evil eye from some of the congre-gation. It was all in fun. ●Summer Time Coffee hour was outside because we did not have AC. I would bring up my picnic table and serve lemonade and ice tea on the sidewalk in front of the church. ●Christmas Eve Was-sail party before the midnight service on Christmas

Eve. Always a fun event,

mostly for College Students that came back from school for the holidays 1986-1990’s. ●I was on the Vestry 4 times,

person on vestry, ever, in the history of Calvary. ●

I have provided the Christmas Tree for church ever since my mom was in charge of the Altar Guild. Must have been the early 1980’s. ●Pancake dinners: I would let and have all the kids cook. Some years we had burnt and under cooked pancakes all within the same pancake. ☺It was always fun. ●Many years, helped with Spring, Fall Clean ups, Turkey and Bull Roasts, Greening of the Church. ●Church Picnic eve-ry year, except once, since my Dad died 10 years ago, before that I helped him when he took it over from Mr. Mintz. ●I have set up the Na-tivity, ever since Conee Nel-son retired. I have had key #44 on my key ring since I had my first car. ●For many years, I have built the Palm Spray for the Altar.

WHO am I?

______________________

Unsung Heros by Barbara Bradley

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From Calvary’s Office

3RD WEDNESDAY TAIZE SERVICES

Join us for our monthly Taize services, and spend an hour in prayer, chanting, and silence with God. They are scheduled for

the third Wednesday of each month at 7:00pm.

October 15

November 19

December 17

Interested in volunteering your time? We are in need of Read-ers, Soloists and someone to set up the Candles for the service. Please see Darlene Hobbs or Mary Morgan for more infor-mation.

Fall Schedule: Servers: Please send in your requests for time off by the 15th of the current

month for the next month’s schedule. Once the schedule is published, you are responsible to find coverage. Please send in your availability either by email or phone message.

God’s Peace, Mary Morgan Office Manager

Thanksgiving Turkey Dinner

November 9, 2014 3pm

T I C K E T S :

$12/pp

(9 & older)

$5 (8 & under)

For more information call Calvary’s church office: 302-764-2027

From Father Lloyd,

Christmas Bazaar

Plans are in full swing! Mark your calendar for Saturday, Decem-ber 6 for a fun day of shopping and eating! Know of a Vendor that would like to be a part of our day? Applications are now available. We are now accepting items for our Attic Treasures venue. It’s a great way to get rid of ‘extra items” cluttering your closets and attics!

Dear Sisters and Brothers,

As usual, you have outdone yourselves in put-ting on a wonderful reception to mark my last Sunday at Calvary (did you think I would ever leave?), and the amazing dinner last Saturday for D-L and me. Dinner? That was a veritable feast -a gala-all-you-can-eat-with-some to take-home feast! Everything we love was there; Juicy, poached salmon, veggies of all sorts, great desserts, mostly featuring chocolate and peanut butter, of course. J. Thank you for the gifts, too. D-L already has begun pouring into her book, The Tuscarawas Valley in Indian Days 1750-1797. It describes settlements and migrations of Indian tribes from Delaware and elsewhere in the East, westward to Ohio. The book is filled with old maps, and journals which D-L particularly loves; And my gift-an artisti-cally carved Hippo, with the most beautiful grain decorating its body. I am proud to add it to my collection as a reminder of all of you. Of course I have named her "Calvary!" She sits in a very prominent place by the door where she greets every visitor. Finally, thanks to all of you for tokens, cards and well wishes.

By now, the story is legend about my coming to Calvary back in February, 2011, to be with you for about ninety days; and how those ninety days turned into three years and six months! As

I have written earlier, I am certainly not com-plaining. My time at Calvary has been very ful-filling and I have come to love each and every one of you very much. Whether seniors, middle aged, younger adults, youth or children, you have touched my heart, and it has been my greatest pleasure serving with you.

Calvary has come a long way since February 2011. It is exciting to see what has happened since the congregation's vote for rebirth just a few months later. Now you are poised, guided by the Holy Spirit, to begin emerging as a vital mission center in Bellefonte/Hillcrest and as a strong and effective partner with Ascension and Grace Churches in Brandywine Collaborative Ministries.

There are so many people who long to hear some Good News from out of the chaotic stream of bad news experienced in their lives and in the life of the world. How much they need the warm, loving and hospitable embrace that you members of Calvary are so capable and willing to offer. They are searching for compa-ny in their loneliness, and the answers that Christ gives in their confusion. And there are those who are so paralyzed by hunger, need, abuse, and danger that they need the help of your caring hands to share bread and resources for their survival. They and all who are shoved

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From Father Lloyd, con’t….

aside because of their differences, and those experiencing terror, war, conflict and separa-tion from ancestral soil, they all need your loving hearts and voices to pray, speak and act on their behalf for peace and justice. This is what it means to follow your Baptismal Covenant. To walk the way of Christ. I trust that you will always remember the Bishop's Visit to Calvary last month. I was so moved when such a large number of you stood before him and made your commit-ments as individuals and as a congregation, to live out your Baptismal Covenant and work for Calvary's future. By the Laying of Hands upon each of you, the Bishop symbolically conveyed gifts of the Holy Spirit--so that you have the will and courage to fulfill your com-mitments. I urge you to take the Certificate you received from the Bishop and keep it in a prominent place, where daily you can see it and pray before it.

Calvary Episcopal Church, Hillcrest. Like the

State of Delaware, small in size, but as pre-cious and valuable as a Diamond. You have it in you: Calvary Church: A Small Wonder. May it be so. Amen.

No doubt our paths will continue to cross. D-L and I will keep you in our thoughts and prayers. Please keep us in yours.

Peace, Lloyd+

From The Senior Warden…….

Blessed to be here!

This is the time, this is the place and I am grateful to God for the help, I am grateful to All here at Calvary, and I am grateful for eve-ryone from Ascension and Grace.

We are now larger as the BCM. And we have called a Rector. Praise be to God!

Her name is Reverend Ketlen Solak, and we are not done yet! She will need lots of help and support. So in a way our work has just begun, and our work is good!

I had to good pleasure of meeting Rev. Ketlen during the search process. we met at the Wil-mington train station and believe me when I say for me time stopped and I knew in my heart she was the one.

Many, many things fell into place during this process. The presence of the Holy Spirit is my only explanation. The fact

the consensus was so true from us all spoke to that as well.

the leadership, the congregations and of course our Father Lloyd, Reverend Emily and Father Ed who all helped us see the light!

Thank you all for the hard work, the steadfast support and the prayers. Now the rubber meets the road! God Bless You all!

The campaign update

We now have before us an opportunity though a grant to have one dollar paid to our campaign to every two paid. So I ask to please consider what-ever you can and if you have not pledged please consider how your gift can grow with this grant! The Window installation will begin the first week of October, and the heater is installed. We have been blessed with a mild summer, old man winter was not so kind last season and this win-ter could prove our need to do this sooner than later.

This is a major improvement!!! For us and our future!

Thank you all for helping in any way you can or have!

Vestry update,

I want to begin by thanking Doug Ridgell for his commitment while he filled the role of Junior Warden for us. As we all know with young chil-dren and busy schedules combined can make al-most any task seem impossible and it is very im-portant for us all to recognize that these

situa-tions happen. Doug will remain for us with Grounds and Maintenance and we could not ask for better coverage. He works very well with Jeff and really has the best ideas on looking for solu-tions. Doug I thank you for everything you have done for us all and all you will do in the future. Our Junior Warden, Tom Flanagan,

was unanimously passed by the Vestry. If you do not know Tom, please do yourself the favor of meeting him. Tom has taken the reigns of more than a few projects, most recently

as our liaison with the The Learning Center at Calvary. I ask everyone to please support Tom in his new position.

I also want to thank Catherine Maguire

for volunteering for and being accepted into the Lay Worship Leader to head up and coordinate the rotation and specifics for Morning Prayer and Taize by the Vestry. Our Lay ministry is vital to our future and is alive and well!

We need more folks, this is important! If you have wanted to be involved please see Tom or myself. This is not the time to be silent in the stands, join us for our future!

Peace,

Andy Brennan

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We’re on the Web! www. calvaryhillcrest.org

Also find us on

Facebook!

Calvary Episcopal Church is an Episcopal parish. We have been a

vi-brant part of the community in North Wilmington for over 150 years. We welcome everyone who might want to worship, talk, work, or visit with us.

We are proud to be part of the

Episcopal Church of the United States of America

and the Diocese of Delaware.

Come visit… we'd love to help you get to know why Calvary is so special.

Happy Birthday and many

more to all who have

October Birthdays!! Happy Anniversary to

those with October Wedding Anniversaries!! 304 Lore Avenue Wilmington, DE 19809 C A LV A RY E PI SC O P AL CH UR C H H I L L C R EST Phone: 302-764-2027 Fax: 302-764-4451 E-mail: [email protected]

Blessings and Thanksgivings

Upcoming Events

Sunday, Oct 12th: Christmas Bazaar Meeting Wednesday, Oct 15th: 7p.m; Taize Service

Saturday, Oct 18th: Grace-3pm; Amici Opera performs

Puccini’s Girl of the Golden West Saturday, Oct 25th 4-6p.m: COTA Trunk or Treat

Sunday, Nov 9th 3pm: Turkey Dinner Fundraiser