Interims Reflection: There have been a lot of changes in our lives these past few months.

Most of the snow is gone and the promise of spring seems to be around the corner. You have said Good-Bye to your Rector and you Vestry & Officers have welcomed me as your interim. I have found a place to stay and Senior Warden: am struck each time I make the trip up from Concord, how beautiful it Cindy Morin is up here. I am in your midst three days each week. My schedule is to Junior Warden: come up on Sunday and to head back to Concord on Tuesday. When I Larry Jenkins Treasurer: am here I am available to meet with you either at my office or at your David Morin house or at any other suitable place. I see my time here as your time, Clerk: so please feel free to make an appointment. On Thursdays I try to Pamela Carrier write my sermon, organize the bulletin and any other paperwork that Vestry Class of 2013 needs doing, from my home in Concord. Although I am not up here all Andr Belanger week I am always reachable. Beverley Higgins A little bit about me, I am married to Mark, we will be married Vestry Class of 2014 thirty years this summer. We have 2 grown children who live in Leo Carrier California. They live in the LA area. I have a Masters degree in Guy Stever Education and Divinity and a Doctorate in Ministry specializing in Vestry Class 0f 2013 Congregational Development. I am so excited to be with you in this David Graham interim time. I have many hobbies but the one I do the most is Charley Lang watercolor painting. I have been painting for over 25 years. Now that Convention Delegate & does not mean I am good at it but I find it relaxing and nourishing. Mark and I enjoy traveling, and we often go Scuba Diving in tropical Convocation Rep: places. Yvonne Jenkins My hope for my time with you is to discover what you are passionate about as a congregation. What is it that you like to do together, how is it that you like to be present in your community. We Name this Newsletter!! will have some time to come together and talk about the History of St Some have asked for a new Barnabas and a chance to dream and brainstorm what is next for this name for this newsletter. community. My hope is that we will grow spiritually together and be Please submit your more and more aware of Gods presence in our midst. suggestions to Janet + and the vestry will choose For now I encourage you to get outside! Take a walk. Soak in between all the options. the sun. This is a magical time of year when the earth is coming alive again, trees are leafing, flowers are starting to bloom. It is a great time to be out and about (before the black flies!) and to see that God is making all things new. We will be making lots of new discoveries in the next few months and I am excited to a part of this journey with you. Please hold the St Barnabas community in your prayers especially the vestry and the newly forming search committee.
Spring 2013 Volume 13, Issue 3 Blessings,

Janet +

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Music Matters: by Susan Ferr Finally . . . we followed the path, we reached Easter and are soon moving into Pentecost! According to the scene set by Luke in his 24th Chapter, Jesus isnt here. Hes risen! The one weve been following has disappeared. Weve followed Jesus all the way to Easter and, as the disciples experienced that first Easter morning, hes not here. As the story from Luke 24 tells us, everyone becomes the proverbial blithering idiot. The women are perplexed, then terrified (24:4-5). The disciples who stayed in the city refuse to buy the womens story (24:11). Peter runs to the tomb, only to return home amazed (24:12). Theyre confused. Even more, theyre disheartened, at loose ends. None of them seems to know what to do next. They are clearly not ready to continue the journey Jesus has been preparing them to take. [adapted from the Sermons of the Rev. Dr. Charles S. Brown] It reminds me, conceptually anyway, of our group of singers, SO not- ready-to-sing that we refer to ourselves as the NOTACHOIR! We are not always ready, but we experience a little miracle every Sunday. We don't rehearse, except to sight-read the insightful Hallock Psalm settings, which we do each Sunday morning. It brings many of us to church. It fills us, spiritually, not because we have our act together, or that we sing particularly well, but because we feel the spirit of God moving through these ancient texts... our little group that almost has it all together . . . but not quite. Like Jesus followers on the first Easter morning. Weve lost our leader; what do we do next?" We sing, not because we do a good job, or because we like each setting, or because it's beautiful, but because we let the Holy Spirit guide us through our particular ministry. It saves our lives from despair and hopelessness. It makes us ready for a new vision, to be re-born in the Spirit, to experience God with us, God still speaking. Remember, relearn, and rely. For the actors in Luke 24, it does eventually happen, and at the hour when our tongues are unloosed and the Spirit soars, that is how our resurrection happens. As individuals, and as members of the body of Christ, the church, we often arrive at Easter not ready for the tasks God has set out for us to accomplish. We are often overwhelmed, lack confidence, are full of selfdoubt and forgetfulness...an impediment to having the confidence to be the vessels of Gods Spirit in witnessing to Gods work in the world. Its easy to say were not ready," to hide in the darkness of fear and criticism, but each Sunday morning we experience a miracle with our rising in confidence to sing on the wings and the winds of Gods Spirit. Thanks be to God! Susan

Search Update The vestry is putting together the Search Committee. The Rev. Canon Hannah Anderson is setting up a time to meet with the search committee. At that meeting she will be giving the search committee their instructions and procedures for the search. The Rev. Susan Buchanan of North Conway has been appointed as the search consultant. Please keep the Search Committee in your prayers.

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On Pentecost Sunday May 19 the sanctuary will look a bit different. We will be taking down the Stations of the Cross and storing them until the Lenten Season. Lent is the most appropriate liturgical time to focus on the Stations of the Cross and this will enrich our perception of the different seasons of the church year. This summer we will be doing some renovations on the roof to stop the leaks. In the course of that work everything will need to come off the church walls. We will take that opportunity to decide what should go back up and where. Sometimes it is good to change things up and to try new ways of doing things. Please know nothing will be discarded. Sometimes it is good to change our worship space to focus on what is most important to us. It is an opportunity to truly appreciate the things that we have. If you have particular concerns please see me. Janet+

Changes

Please Join me in Welcoming our Summer Intern

My name is Angela (Angie) Robidoux and I am currently finishing my second year at General Theological Seminary. I am thrilled to be this years Northern NH intern especially because it means that I am coming home! I was born and raised in Derry, NH by a very loving Roman Catholic family. My parents were both very active in my parish, so I grew up being at church a lot more than most people that I knew. Being at church and reading the Bible were normal things for me, both of which I brought me great joy. I loved being at church and participating in all of the activities that I could. I even remember my sister and I playing church like some children would play house or dress-up. It was during this time that I fell in love with the liturgy of the Eucharist. I grew up being known as the church-kid and I loved the nickname. I was proud of my faith and my reputation. My junior high and high school years were a struggle for me in a lot of different ways and my faith was also a part of that struggle. I had several amazing role models and mentors that taught me to think, question, and follow my heart wherever God was leading me. In college, I majored in Theology where I aspired to become a youth minister. I found a great job at a large Roman Catholic Church and I loved my job and my kids, however, I was still struggling with aspects of my faith that did not align with the Roman Catholic Churchs teachings. Eventually the struggling within me came to a breaking point and I left my job and the Roman Catholic Church. The following Sunday, I attended my first service at an Episcopal church and I found myself at home. The people welcomed me with open arms and warm hearts. Since joining the Episcopal Church, I have found spiritual nourishment and my sense of joy and peace in ministry has returned. I have become involved in many different aspects of the community and I enjoy them all tremendously. A door that I once thought was shut forever has been opened again, and I find myself graced to be studying as an M.Div. student at General Seminary. I look forward to all the joys, blessings, and even struggles that this summer with you will bring as I continue to grow and follow Gods path for my life.

Angie will be starting on May 28th and stay through August 4th.

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Did you ever wonder how things get done around the church? Like the altar linens, setting of the altar? Coffee made and cleaned up? Doors locked, lights turned off, schedules made up, bulletins printed? The list goes on and on. We are looking for a few more volunteers!! If you have some extra time even just a half hour and would like to do something for your church community, Please let us know. The more helpers we have the easier it is. Maybe God is calling you to a new ministry, we are happy to provide the training needed. Giving of your time and talents are ways of nurturing and strengthening your church community.
St. Barnabas Episcopal Church, PO Box 545, 2 High Street, Berlin, NH 03570 Interim Rector: The Rev. Dr. Janet Lombardo Postulant for Holy Orders: Timothy Brooks Office Visits are by appointment. I will be up here on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. I will not be keeping specific office hours but am happy to meet with you on those days. You can try to stop by but I make no promises. Since my time up here is limited please feel free to schedule an appointment. I am happy to meet with you on those days. Come Worship with Us Christian Education 9:15 Sunday Holy Eucharist - 10:15 -Sunday OFFICE PHONE: (603) 752-3504 Janets EMAIL: JanetLombardoStBarnabas@gmail.com TIMS EMAIL: baldwinhomestead@hotmail.com

Volunteers Needed

St. Barnabas Episcopal Church PO Box 545 Berlin, NH 03570

Spring 2013 Newsletter