The Way Station Needs You!

Many thanks to all of you for the positive comments you've provided on the Palmer Daily blog. Your feedback goes a long way to making sure that we send out relevant and interesting information every day. Today's message is especially urgent, and comes to the Palmer Editor from Fr. Craven, Pat Simmons and Terry Henry for the Way Station.

Many of our regular volunteers for the Way Station are away or unavailable due to summer schedules, and we really need some additional hands over the next two weeks, especially 7/1-7/3 and the week of 7/6.

The Way Station is open from 6:00 am to 9:30 am Monday through Friday. If you are unable to serve for the full 3-1/2 hours, the work happens in two basic shifts, so you can commit to only one of those time frames:

6:00- 8:00am Cook/prep/set-up
8:00 - 9:30am Serve/human needs table (check mail, Access Bus passes, etc)/wipe tables and clean up

Please wear a baseball or similar cap. Gloves will be provided. We ask that kids be 15 or older, but we do make exceptions.

This is a vital ministry that keeps hundreds of people fed every day. In this heat wave, the Way Station is even more urgently needed by those whom it serves. Your help will serve not only our homeless neighbors, but the volunteers (many of whom are not from Palmer) who keep this program going year-round. If you can help on even one day for one shift, it will make a difference. Your Palmer Editor will be there with teenage son in tow. Please consider taking a few hours to help.

To sign up, call the church office 713-529-6196 and ask for Terry or Pat.


In other news:

Susan Searle, mother of John Searle and a regular attendee of the 10:15 in St. Bede's Chapel, died Thursday, June 25. Please keep the Searle family in your prayers.

Briefly...

At noon Thursday, the Contemplative Eucharist is held in St. Bede's Chapel. This is a wonderful opportunity to experience communion with Christ and other Palmers in a peaceful and quiet setting. Consider this quick and very rich break in a hectic work day.

The Stephen Ministry is seeking volunteers for training, beginning in August. In this ministry, you will learn to provide pastoral care for another person who faces a difficult, painful, or otherwise trying time. You must commit to a two-year term of service, beginning with 4 critical months of weekly training. Are you interested, but not sure if this ministry is for you? Try a SHAPE survey, and/or contact Linda Schubert at lanus@msn.com.

Help the Communications Team document the beautiful stained glass windows at Palmer. Len Wehrung will photograph our architectural elements for use on the website and other communications pieces. If you can provide a man-lift (small enough to fit through the Narthex door) or can arrange for one, this gift would help us enormously. If you have questions or can assist, please contact lwehrung@sbcglobal.net.

Something is happening every day at Palmer. Remember, it's important that you be here.

Come and be fed.

Tuesday

A late post today, and a small one. Your Palmer Editor is moving and the next few days will be a tad chaotic. The news of Palmer, though, never takes a day off. Today we have an important post about this weekend's traffic, which you'll need to plan around for church attendance or any other Palmer events Friday night - Sunday.

The headline is, Fannin Street will be open to the garage for parking:

Friday, June 26, 2009, 7:00 p.m. through Monday, June 29, 2009, 5:00 a.m.

Beginning at 7:00 p.m. Friday, June 26, 2009, all northbound lanes of Main
Street from University Boulevard to North MacGregor will be closed for
removal of a tower crane for The Methodist Hospital Outpatient Care Center.
Traffic will be redirected to Fannin Street at University Boulevard.

The contractor, Hensel Phelps Construction Co., will provide signage prior
to the closure and will have police officers stationed at the intersection
of University Boulevard and Main Street and at the intersection of Fannin
Street and University Boulevard to assist with traffic control and
pedestrian crossings.

Access to all buildings on Main Street will remain open.

Wednesday: don't forget the parish Bible study at noon in Fellowship Hall; the healing service with unction at 6 in Holy Cross Chapel, followed by the order of St. Lukes healing prayer in A201.

SHAPE Spiritual Gifts Assessment

For we are all God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
--Ephesians 2:10

I have been in a lot of ministries at Palmer Church: Sunday School teacher, Palmer newsletter editor, communications team for the capital campaign, choir parent volunteer. Most of my choices have been made on the basis of my stage in life, or my child's stage of development, or my professional skills, giving of my time and talent in those areas where my family is invested, or in ways that were comfortable for me.

But ministry is about my own spiritual development as much as it is about sharing the love of Christ with others. When I took a SHAPE survey several years ago, I discovered gifts I really didn't know I had, such as the gift of mercy. I served for a time on the Funeral Guild and put that gift to good use. It seemed a little odd, really, liking the Funeral Guild, but I found it so rewarding. Because I could empathize with the suffering of those who had very recently survived the loss of a loved one, respond to them in ways that reflect Christ's love, and help organize the funeral service itself (my other gift is for administration), I was able to relieve some stress for the families. I served as reader or acolyte in many services and learned to appreciate the hope and beauty of our funeral liturgy. I got to see the Palmer community galvanize around a need and create in a few days' time a complete worship service and reception.

The survey itself was a great exercise but the consultation with the SHAPE ministry leader was what gave me the understanding I needed to turn them into ministry. And now, a few years later, I am exploring new areas of ministry that I would not have considered before.

Consider a SHAPE survey and consultation, and see where it takes you. Contact Ross Heinsohn at Rheinsohn@palmerchurch.org.

With heavy but grateful hearts

Fr. Nutter announced very sad news this morning: while on a mission trip in Colorado, one of the Cornerstone kids passed away. Very little is known about the cause or circumstances of this death; all care and energy are centered now on bringing the kids and counselors home and providing pastoral care to those involved.

The Cornerstone counselors and participants are a part of the everyday life at Palmer. For those of you unfamiliar with it, Cornerstone is a 12 Step recovery program for teenagers addicted to alcohol and drugs. Palmer supports this program by providing space for their gatherings and activities.

This death is heart-wrenching for anyone who has struggled with addiction, for those who have, or have had, teenagers, for all who see the lives that are saved and blessed by this program. In a post a few days ago I wrote about how intertwined our lives are, and how the absence of any one of us is noticeable, and leaves an empty place. This is a tragic example.

My intention today was to write about Stephen Ministry and SHAPE surveys. That will have to be tomorrow. I write about this instead not for the obvious reasons (although your prayers are urgently requested) but because of the reminder this situation offers of the awesome, and awe-inspiring, greatness of the love and hope Cornerstone brings to the lives it touches. I corresponded today with someone whose child was on this trip. The message from this parent had nothing of despair or hopelessness about it. It was simply this, shown as it was written to me:

"I've always been impressed with the cornerstone kids and I am sure this is no exception. They are shaken to the core but drawing a ton of inner strength and truly relying on their higher power. It is awesome to witness. God is good."

This parent stands beside a teenager who has just experienced something we hope to shield our children from forever, but still says, God is good. God IS good, and his spirit imbues our life together. What can I say in the face of that? I am grateful for a loving God and the passionate ministry of, and at, Palmer Church.

U2charist!

Now I understand why the word U2charist is usually preceded by very few words and followed by an exclamation point. U2charist! After you've been to one, there is no need to say more. But for those of you who weren't there, I'll try to say a little more than that.

It was transcendent. The Nave was dimly lit with candles and familiar songs from U2 filled the space. A giant screen on the chancel railing showed images of peacemakers like Nelson Mandela and Bishop Tutu. Both inside and outside the Nave the air was full of anticipation and happy energy. As the service started, the Palmer youth group and a few intrepid adults provided enthusiastic "Dancing Leadership" from the front rows, so from the beginning most of the congregation grooved along with them (although it must be said that only the Dancing Palmers actually STOOD on the pews!). It was an experience of pure joy; all were invited, we hope inspired, to carry that feeling into great purpose.

The presentation on the screen also carried reminders, like this one, of why we were there: 1.4 billion people in the world live in extreme poverty ($1.25 per day). All of the proceeds from last night's collection will go to support the effort to reduce that number by half by 2015.

On the patio afterward, Palmer hospitality was abundant and greeters were in fine form. Many guests and visitors were positively beaming and gladly took Palmer Greeter bags.

Your Palmer Editor emerged this morning with sore (but happy) feet and a head full of music:

One love, one blood
One life, you got to do what you should
One life, with each other
Sisters, brothers

One life but we're not the same
We get to carry each other, carry each other
One
One

My heart soars.

Reminders for your weekend in Palmertown

Tonight at Palmer: Parents' Night Out (6:00), Taize (7:00), and U2charist (8:00)! A reception follows the U2charist up in Fellowship Hall (if you get a piece of the chocolate cake that I'm bringing, there will be a party going on in your tummy, too).

Don't forget to park in the garage! It's free, and better still, it allows convenient parking for the many guests and visitors we hope to have tonight.

Sunday morning education hour features a new Lectionary Bible study in Fellowship Hall. Check the Palmer Weekly for locations of summer Sunday school. Parents with young children meet in the Canterbury room.

See you tonight!

Palmer Church, USA

The concept I am about to share is not my own. All credit goes to another staff member who developed this analogy over a few days' time of watching old movies with the kids and trying to figure out what her pages on our website really ought to be saying. Like many good ideas, it came unbidden in the search for something else. I share it here because it did all the things that really great ideas do: it inspired me, challenged me, comforted me, and made me want to go and tell just everyone all about it.

The idea started with a barn-raising in the movie "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers". Everyone contributes to a barn-raising, bringing their wood and nails and giving their time to build the structure for the family who needs it. No contractors or change orders or workers who fail to show up, just everyone from town pitching in and getting the job done. It's the way small towns still function today in lots of places.

And the idea is that this place we call Palmer is more small town than big church. Our population includes all of the usual characters, the kid whose baseball inevitably goes through the neighbor's window, the woman who shows up with a casserole when someone is ill, the man who wants everyone off his lawn, the rich and the poor and all of the people who live and work and make it all happen without ever saying anything about it. And we, each and every one of us, belong. There is always room for more but the absence of any single one of us is noticeable and leaves an empty place.

As we talked about this yesterday, my energy level rose and emotions flowed. I felt pride and humility, gratitude and an urgent desire to give back more. I want to dig through everything I have for more materials to build your barn, because you have built so many of mine.

We want to send this energy out to the whole town. Jump into the conversation here or on one of the other blogs we publish, on Facebook and in Foyers Groups and when we pass the peace on Sunday morning. The barn doesn't get built without you.

Looking to the weekend

Those who have voted in the Palmer Church Daily content poll (see the right side of the page) have said they would like to see the liturgical schedules here. Duly noted. While we wrestle with the format of putting the full schedule on here, we can certainly provide some helpful updates. This Sunday, for example, there are some holes yet to be filled on the schedule. Please stop by the sacristy before the 9:00 service in the Nave, and see if they have enough chalice bearers and lectors.

Perhaps you've noticed the change in the Sunday bulletin, now identified as the "Palmer Weekly". Your feedback and comments are encouraged.

The Contemplative Eucharist will be at noon Thursday in St. Bede's.

Don't forget to check "Light the Fire" at www.palmerchurch.org.

A few notes late on a Tuesday

Tuesday is a busy day for your Palmer Editor. Staff meeting is at 9:30, and the day rolls on from there with new energy and a sense of urgency from the notes and updates we have from one another. A few, perhaps random, notes from today follow here.

Have we talked about parking for Friday? We have Parents' Night Out, Taize, and the much-anticipated U2charist. Those of us who are here all the time need to be sure to park in the garage, which will be available on Friday night, and leave the north and south lots for guests, latecomers, and those with children or elderly accompanying them. These are great opportunities to invite a friend to Palmer. Give it some prayerful consideration!

Choir camp last week was a huge success, and we are all grateful for the gifts of our own Courtney Daniell-Knapp, who led the week's activities, rehearsals, and Evensong. Congratulations, Courtney; we all knew it, but your talents are even further reknowned from this work.

Our Palmer Youth, under the leadership of Anthony Orona, focused their love and enthusiasm on the city of Houston last week at the Cathedral and other inner-city Houston spots. Next week the Youth embark on a mission trip to the needy south and west sides of the city of Chicago. Pray for them in their development of mission-centric hearts and minds.

Don't forget worship and learning opportunities at Palmer on Wednesday: Morning Prayer (7:30), Parish Bible Study with Fr. Nutter (12:00), Healing Service with Unction (6:00) and a discussion of the Old Testament after a video (6:45) and the Order of St. Luke with Healing Prayer in A201 (6:45).

Come and be fed.

No, it isn't Friday yet, but when it is.......

...Palmer is going to be one busy place. First on deck on Friday the 19th is Parents' Night Out, scheduled to start at 6:00. I am no longer in this demographic but I remember -- like it was yesterday, I am not kidding -- how much I loved this program. My child was going to have a far better time than he would with a babysitter at home and was safe as could be. It was also cheaper than a babysitter. So add happy child + safe child + cheap and you get one super-deluxe happy mom, and that, as dads and kids everywhere can tell you, is good for everybody. Friday the 19th, drop-off starts at 6:00.

Moving on into Friday evening, we'll have a Taize service, a wonderful contemplative worship experience. Meditative music, scripture, prayer and silence. Come and be fed. 7:00 in St. Bede's Chapel.

If silence is not your first choice, then look no further than the Nave on Friday evening at 8:00. It's big, it's loud, it's Bono, it's dancing and it's a blast. Last time we had one of these 300 people showed up and rocked the place out. This is the place to bring your friends who don't go in for the usual Sunday morning fare. A reception follows in Fellowship Hall.

And all of these things are just one day in the life of Palmer. So bookmark this page, set up the RSS feed, text your friends, and we'll be back tomorrow with more.