Saint Mary Magdalene Episcopal Church
April 2010 Newsletter
For lo, the winter is past,
The snow is over and gone.
The flowers appear on the earth.
The time for singing has come.
The time for singing has come.
Fifty Attend World Day of Prayer
Service Hosted by St. Mary Mag
On March 5, our church hosted an ecumenical
prayer service with fifty community friends and
fellow parishioners in attendance. The service
included special prayers and remembrances for
people around the world who are suffering from
violence, exploitation and poverty.
A highlight was special music, including solos
by our own Domenick Rondello, and Mary
Thompson of Pinehurst, plus lively African
hymns and music.
The service was followed by lunch, planned and
served by our church ladies. This heartwarming
event made it possible for us to pray and break
bread with our fellow Christians. Thanks to
those who worked hard to bring this event about,
with special thanks to the planners, Carol
Burgess and Jan Standing.
St. Mary Magdalene Episcopal Church Newsletter
APRIL CALENDAR OF EVENTS
Tuesdays – Healing & Intercessory Prayer,
11:00 a.m.
April 1 – Maundy Thursday 7:00 p.m.
April 2 – Good Friday Liturgy 12:00 noon
April 7 - MANNA – (First Wednesday of each
month: See Mercedes Herdrich for info on how
you can help)
April 19 – Vestry Meeting 7:00 p.m. (Third
Monday of each month) All are welcome!
April 24 – Yard sale and Anniversary
Celebration (see article below)
April 26 –Growth Committee Meeting 7 p.m.
April 26 – Deadline for April newsletter:
Please send articles to polson6@nc.rr.com
********
Make Plans to Attend our Festival of
Celebration
Don’t forget the St. Mary Magdalene Festival of
Celebration will take place on April 24 starting
at 8:00 AM.
Come enjoy a fantastic yard sale, face
painting and balloons for the kids, ice cream, hot
dogs, beverages and much more! Take
advantage of a $1 raffle with lots of great
prizes!!
Now is a good time to start pulling out
any items you wish to donate to the yard sale.
We will pick them up if you can’t drop them by
the church.
Also, you can be a great help by getting
local merchants and services to donate items
which we can use in the raffle. Just let Mercedes
Herdrich know who you are contacting so we
don’t duplicate efforts. She will also supply you
with thank you letters which the merchants can
use for tax purposes.
Our Festival of Celebration can be a great
success with your support. Please join in the
fun!!
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 CLERGY SCHEDULE for APRIL
April 1 - Maundy Thursday –
Fr. Brown/Deacon Burgess
April 2 - Good Friday - Fr. Thompson
April 3 - Holy Saturday - No Service
April 4 - Easter Day– Fr. Brown
April 11 – Easter 2 – Fr. Thompson
April 18 – Easter 3 – Fr. Brown
April 25 – Easter 4 - Fr. Thompson
STOP HUNGER NOW
Saturday, March 20, at Penick Village, we saw
the renewed effort of Sandhills Episcopalians to
support the Raleigh based humanitarian ministry
that packages dehydrated meals for the hungry of
the world. Rice, soy, a vitamin rich mixture, and
dehydrated vegetables were combined in plastic
bags which were weighed, sealed and packed in
cartons then trucked to ports on the east coast.
Then they are put into cargo containers and
transported by ship to the needy children of the
Caribbean Islands and Africa. Last year, the food
we packaged was shipped to the children of
Haiti.
Eighteen Mary Magdalene folks joined many
others, working two hour shifts each, to help
Stop Hunger Now. Our church was asked to raise
$1200 to help pay for the ingredients. Your
vestry approved the requested amount.
Donations from parishioners will be deducted
from the allocation. Other Episcopal
congregations pledged an additional $10,000 for
the effort.
Sanitary methods were used during the
packaging of the food. We all wore hair nets and
some wore rubber gloves. We all looked silly in
our hats but we did it, as requested. (See
pictures, pg. 5) Very young and some quite
elderly persons joined in the work, fellowship
and fun. A bell was rung each time one thousand
meals were packed. It rang many times that day.
Want to join us next year?
Fr. Bob
St. Mary Magdalene Episcopal Church Newsletter
Coalition Outreach Opportunity
Thanks to all who so faithfully bring food
for the Coalition outreach. We collected many
packages of instant mashed potatoes during the
month of March.
In April, we are asked to bring any of the
traditional items that are so needed to feed our
hungry neighbors. Items such as boxed mac and
cheese, canned tuna, canned milk, canned fruit,
and other non-perishable items are greatly
appreciated. Continue bringing instant mashed
potatoes if you wish.
This month there is a special request for
disposable diapers for 3 and 4 year olds.
Our church has been outstanding in the
support of The Coalition. Keep up the good
work!
Grace
BISHOP’S VISIT UNCERTAIN
The liturgical celebration of our thirtieth
anniversary has been set for Sunday, June 6th.
The first service of Mary Magdalene Church was
on June 4th, 1980. Our bishop, the Right Rev.
Michael J. Curry, has been invited to this
seminal event in the life of our parish. Because
of personal commitments, he is unable to
confirm that he will be able to celebrate with us
that day. However, if the bishop is able to attend
the celebration that morning, he will baptize,
confirm and receive all those who have been
prepared for the occasion.
We are optimistic that he will find a way
to join us. Accordingly, instruction about the
Episcopal Church and the Christian religion as
practiced by our Church will be given during
April and May.
We urge all those who want to confirm
their Baptismal vows or who want to be received
into this branch of the one holy catholic church
from other Catholic Churches, or who wish to be
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baptized, to notify the clergy immediately so that
classes can be arranged for them. The Great Fifty
Days of the Easter Season is a most appropriate
time to prepare to make this commitment to
Christ and his Church.
MEET TWO PARISHIONERS
Jim and Sherol Grigerick
A God-incidence brought Jim and Sherol
Grigerick together 38 years ago in a teachers’
lounge in Newington, Connecticut. Sherol
taught Spanish and French, and Jim science and
physical education.
Sherol was born in Providence, Rhode Island,
and grew up in Connecticut. She has a BA in
Spanish, and also studied French. Her MA is in
English as a Second Language. (ESL)
Jim hails from Hartford, Connecticut, has a BA
in science and physical education, and did
graduate studies in physics and chemistry.
They have three married children, a son Darrel,
and daughters Kristin and Karrie. Karrie will
present the Grigericks their first grandchild in
August.
Otis, a black and white “tuxedo” cat, who has a
very relaxed attitude for life, rounds out their
family.
Jim and Sherol were raised in different worship
traditions. When Sherol’s sister became the
organist for a nearby Episcopal Church, they
were led spiritually there and were
St. Mary Magdalene Episcopal Church Newsletter
confirmed and received into the Episcopal
Church soon after their marriage.
On a trip to find warmer weather at Myrtle
Beach, they stopped at Wilmington and fell in
love with the city. Moving to North Carolina in
1997, Jim retired after 30 years. In his
“retirement,” Jim worked at the airport and also
at Car Quest in Wilmington. Sherol retired in
2008 in Wilmington, after 28 years of service.
Seven Lakes, with all our amenities, was just the
place they were looking for when they decided to
really retire in 2009.
This happy couple enjoys ballroom dancing,
bicycling and gardening together. Sherol sings
with the Moore County Choral Society, and also
in the St. Mary Magdalene choir.
She is also teaching in the ESL program in
Richmond County. She’s retired?!!
Jim enjoys senior softball, and, being a WWII
buff, he builds plane and boat models of that era.
He has a five-foot model of an aircraft carrier,
The Lexington, in their living room.
We have a congregation filled with talented,
dedicated people, grounded in faith in the Holy
Trinity. Sherol and Jim Grigerick are a
wonderful addition, as YOU all are, to our parish
family. Watch for this space next month when
we get to know Mercedes and Mick Herdrich.
Carol
GROWTH COMMITTEE
CONVENES
The initial meeting of the Standing Committee
on Growth Planning was held at the church
on Monday evening, March 22th. The
Committee is comprised of your clergy, Jim
Douglass, Mercedes Herdrich, Ed
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Matthewson, Sandra Morris, Bob Rinaldi,
and Jan Standing. The reason for the
formation of the committee by your vestry is
to have a group of parishioners willing to
assist the vestry with the task of carrying out
the stated Mission of Saint Mary Magdalene:
To realize the growth required for this
congregation to become a parish in the
Diocese of North Carolina by the year 2013,
prompted by the direction of Jesus,
“Go into the world, making disciples of all,
baptizing them…and teaching them all
that I have commanded you.” Matt. 28:19-20.
Our task that evening was to prioritize the list
of suggestions made by the vestry in January,
and consider any others that had been made
by the members of the congregation (see
February Newsletter). There were no
additional suggestions. The committee
discussed the list for some time and then
arrived at a consensus regarding the number
one priority. That priority was expressed
using the following words from the
List:Develop the Message, Communicate (the
Message), Advertising,
Get Congregation on Board, Worship God
(Liturgical Experience).
It was apparent that getting the word out
seemed to be a significant strategy to attain
growth. To do this, we need to develop the
message that is to be gotten out. And what is it
that is so special about SMM that people
would want to come and see?
Fr. Fred made a statement that resonated
with the entire committee. He wrote:
We come to church to find and form a closer
St. Mary Magdalene Episcopal Church Newsletter
relationship to God. That is done both vertically
and horizontally (the shape of the cross) as we
reach upward toward God and outward toward
our neighbor.
Therefore, to build a vibrant community in
Christ, we must have compelling, meaningful
and challenging worship as well as a
welcoming community that rejoices in its
members, all of them. When people come and
find that, they stay!
When they hear of it, they come.
This is our product. This is what we make.
This is what we do. How do we market it to
the world about us? The committee members
were encouraged to think further on these
things and be prepared to lay them on the
table at the next meeting, scheduled for April
26th, 7 p.m.
Fr. Bob
Moore on Stage
This season, a group from our church has
enjoyed season tickets to the Moore on Stage
productions. The plays have been great, and the
fellowship priceless.
With this season ending, you are invited,
and encouraged, to join the group of season
ticket holders for the next round of plays.
Following each play, the group goes to dinner at
a local restaurant, where good food, fun and
congeniality reign. It’s fun. If you do not wish
to purchase a season ticket, you may join the
group for any single play.
Contact Phyllis Rondello for more information.
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STOP HUNGER NOW WORK DAY CHANGES IN SUNDAY WORSHIP

Lookin’ Good in Our Hats!!! Fr. Bob Brown

Beginning on Easter, and continuing throughout

the Great Fifty Days, the Sunday Liturgy will
have a noticeable change. The Great Fifty Days
is the festive period from Easter to the day of
Pentecost (fifty days later). It is a time of special
celebration paying tribute to the Resurrection
and all that it means.

During this time we will not have the usual

Confession of Sin by the people and Absolution
The first shift reporting for duty pronounced by the clergy. This is in accord with
the ancient church who felt that “…Christians
acknowledged their sinfulness by giving thanks
to God, in the Eucharistic prayer, for having
redeemed them. The Lord’s Prayer contained the
petition ‘forgive us as we forgive’. No
absolution was included, for one of the benefits
of communion was understood to be the
forgiveness of sins.” Commentary on the
American Prayer Book, Hatchett, Marion J., p.
341.
Teeny
We will return to the more familiar petition of
the General Confession and the assurance of
God’s forgiveness in the pronouncement of the
Absolution on Trinity Sunday, May 30th.

Fr. Bob & Jean .

Dodi, Phyllis, and a very small helper

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