From the Rector
CHAPLAIN, MAJOR GENERAL, CHARLES C. BALDWIN (Retired)
Chaplain, Major General, Charles C. Baldwin was raised in the home of an Air Force chaplain. He graduated from the U. S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, CO, in 1969 and became an Air Force pilot. He flew for five years, including two combat tours in Vietnam.
After graduating from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, KY, in 1977 with a Master of Divinity, he served as a pastor in Kentucky and Indiana. He became an Air Force chaplain in 1979 and has served in Italy, Germany, Saudi Arabia, and across the United States during his service to the men and women in the Air Force.
As the Chief of Chaplains for the US Air Force, he provided moral and spiritual counsel to the Chief of Staff of the Air Force and leadership to the 2,200 people serving as chaplains and chaplain assistants in the Air Force, Air National Guard, and the Air Force Reserve. He was one of six general officers who served on the Armed Forces Chaplain Board, providing the Secretary of Defense and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff information regarding the free exercise of religion and spiritual well-being for the members of the Armed Forces.
He has been married to Anne Baldwin for 41 years. They have three children with spouses and eight grandchildren.
Welcome Jessica Wood
My name is Jessica Wood; I was born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia. My mother, Nene, runs a small business out of our home distributing Shaklee products. My father, Dave, recently retired from being a Judge in DeKalb County for 30 years. I have two older brothers. Daniel is 26 years old, and lives in northern Virginia. He is a hard working auditor for a government contracting company, SAIC. He is finishing up his CPA exams this year. Scott is 31 years old and is married. He and his wife, Sally, live in Maryland. Scott is an engineer and Sally is a 4th grade school teacher. They have a daughter, Isabelle, who will be 2 years old in October. They are also expecting another addition to their family in October as well.
Growing up in Atlanta was a memorable experience. I learned a lot about the world and culture at a very young age. Most impactful for me growing up was being blessed with my parents, who were devoted to their faith. Through the lessons and encouragement they gave me, my faith became an important part of my life. When graduating from high school and deciding where to go to college my faith had a big impact on my decision. I felt called to go to Presbyterian College in Clinton, SC. I was not sure why I felt called there at the time, but I knew God had a hand in it. While there I decided to major in Christian Education. This was an encouraging step toward the direction God wanted me to go. I felt drawn to working in the church and quickly took opportunities to explore this call.
I worked my freshman summer as a counselor at Camp Pee Dee. There I learned about how God’s word can be seen everywhere, how he can use my life to impact young children. The following summer after my sophomore year I worked in my first internship with the Youth Department at Hopewell UMC in Lancaster, SC. Working with youth was a wonderful eye opening summer. I really enjoyed this experience as I learned a lot about how youth leaders really are a big part of faith development. In the next summer, after my junior year, I decided to try a different experience working inside the church. I spent the summer as a Pastoral Intern at First Presbyterian Church in Beaufort, SC. This experience was both wonderful and challenging. I learned about leading a church and delivering a sermon.
In May 2008, I graduated from Presbyterian College with a major in Christian Education and a minor in History. I had the great pleasure of gaining valuable experience not only through my classes, but also through working during the summers while in college. The summer after my graduation I worked at Peachtree Presbyterian Church in Atlanta, as their Children’s Ministry Intern. During this opportunity I experienced how important the Children’s Ministry really is to a child’s beginning faith. I learned that with the support of a good program and the involvement of parents each child can have a great foundation in their faith.
In September 2008, I accepted and started a fulltime position as the Director of Children’s Ministry at First Presbyterian Church, in Florence SC. In this position I learned how to organize, lead and support a vibrant Children’s Department. I also learned how important the connection between children and parents is to a program, and how dynamic that connection can be for the Christian life.
I am looking forward to starting this new adventure with St. Michael’s Church. I leave you with a passage that always inspired me:
“Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Romans 12:2
Welcome Justin Hare
Justin grew up here in St. Michael’s Church, singing in the training and youth choirs beginning at a very young age. He was born and raised in Charleston, attending Porter-Gaud School (Class of 2005) for middle and high school. Being an avid golfer, Justin then attended Duke University, where he majored in history and minored in religion, on a golf scholarship. Upon graduating from Duke in 2009, he has spent the last year in rigorous youth ministry training through our Diocese’s Youth Ministry Apprenticeship. In the apprenticeship program, Justin gained valuable, first-hand youth ministry experience under the tutelage of Dorothy Holland (youth minister at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church and Old St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church), built relationships and collaborated with a large number of other youth ministers in the Diocese of SC, and completed an intense curriculum that consisted of youth ministry material, systematic and biblical theology, hermeneutics, and church history. He enjoys most sharing with others the grace he has received in Jesus Christ and the fullness of the joy that He offers, being with his family, seeing the different parts and people of the world and showing love to them, serving others, being on the water, learning how to play the guitar and piano, eating boiled peanuts, and of course, going to the golf course. He is thrilled to be a part of the team and family of St. Michael’s!
Coffee and Connections
undays at 9:20 am
From a bar-stool, and in the context of the Scripture reading for the day, the staff of St. Michael’s will provide a venue for people to get to know them as new leaders and what they do.
The format consists of social time and the leader telling their story, which includes their title of ministry, birthplace, childhood, family life, joys and challenges growing up, spiritual discipleship, their conversion, what led them to St. Michael’s, what kept them at St. Michael’s, and what they are doing now in ministry on a day to day basis, as well as future goals.
There will also be plenty of time to ask questions and get to know one another. Join us so we can connect and reconnect.
Schedule
June 27 Al Zadig, Rector
July 4 No C&C
July 11 Charlie Baldwin, Pastoral Assistant
July 18 Ted McNabb, Worship Leader
July 25 Ann Hester Willis, Senior Warden
August 1 Jessica Lee Wood, Children’s Ministry
August 8 Justin Hare, Youth Minister
August 15 Nicole Nicholson, New Vestry Member
August 22 Rhonda Myers, Director of Connections & Alpha
August 29 Dee Goehring, Nursery Supervisor
September 5 Hamilton Smith, Associate for Young Adults
& Life Group Leadership
St. John’s Chapel to Confirm and Go to Next Level
Wednesday, July 7 is yet another milestone for our partner church on the Eastside. As you may remember, we helped re-open St. John’s Chapel in October of 2009 after it had been closed for 60 years! Shortly before that we formed a pre-vestry with several members of St. Michael’s. The purpose of the pre-vestry was to prepare St. Johns to become it’s own independent, living, breathing mission church. Our dreams have come true! It worked! Bishop Mark Lawrence will make St. John’s a mission on July 7 and at the same time, dissolve the Pre-Vestry and appoint a Missions Committee. To that end, he will do three things:
1. Confirm nearly 20 people who are going deeper in their spiritual journey.
2. Commission some of those new confirmands to serve on the Missions Committee (formerly Pre-Vestry).
3. Celebrate what God is doing at St. John’s Chapel, there is so much good news to report!
• Wonderful life!
• Average Sunday attendance is just over 40 people per week.
• The budget is healthy and growing.
• People are coming to Christ.
• Public Schools are being reached.
During this celebration time, we will celebrate the ministries of St. John’s Chapel, including St. Michaelites: Libby Culmer, Lisa Holland, Matthew Hubble, and Chris Moss and Tommy Kirkland who have been serving on the pre-vestry and now rotating off. Join us in prayer and praise for what God is doing on the eastside.
Welcome the Rev. Ted McNabb as Worship Leader
This could be a first. A priest who has just retired as Rector (at an earlier age I might add) who is going back into ministry as a Worship leader! Ted has a passion for music and worship and will therefore be concentrating on these two elements as he starts at St. Michael’s on June 4.
Ted has several c-d’s out, and we hope to make them available in the Saints’ Alive Bookstore. Ted replaces our current worship leader Joey Landstedt who is leaving St. Michael’s to move into youth ministry. In addition to what Joey did in leading the Sunday night praise team, Ted will also oversee our ministry of worship, which means:
• Training up and shepherding our readers and lay Eucharistic ministers.
• Helping us design creative liturgies.
• Working with the acolyte, altar, and flower guilds.
• Raise up new worship leaders.
• Provide music at all retreats, meetings and events.
• Create and provide resources and materials needed for worship including powerpoints.
Ted is the former Rector of Christ Church, Mount Pleasant where he served for eleven years. Before that, Ted was Rector of Trinity Church Pinopolis. Ironically, some years ago, Ted served in the Diocese of West Tennessee with Bishop Alex Dickson and The Rev. Rob Dewey. Ted is an avid golfer and with his wife Annetta, live in Mount Pleasant. Come meet Ted and Annetta during Coffee and Connections in July.
Iron Sharpening Iron
As the proverb says, “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.” (Proverbs 27:17). What a wonderful definition of summer. In addition to rest and Sabbath time, summer is about sharpening our edge with each other through retreats and continuing education conferences. What worked this year? What needs work next year? Where do we need strengthening? To that end, below are some things I will be up to and ask your prayers!
• June 4th - 5th Vestry Retreat
- Praying for the church, getting to know one another, preparing for the following year
• June 16th - 18th Staff Retreat
- Celebrating 2009 and 2010, praying and brainstorming through ministries of the fall and winter of 2010-2011
• June 21st - 25th Alpha Conference in Chicago
- As an Alpha regional advisor, I come together with the national teams annually for prayer, idea sharing and fellowship
• June 26th - July 3rd Family Vacation
• July 28th - August 11th Family Vacation
Death, Birth and the Power of Psalm 139
Two hours after Elizabeth and I got on the plane to Boston last week, I received my first text message… Jeanine Branham’s mother had died very suddenly. As that shocking news sunk in, I then received another message that the Rev. Rob Dewey’s mother died in Tennessee. The following day in the early morning hours, we got word that Leonard Stephens, one of our beloved parishioners who had moved his family to Vermont, died in Dorset Vermont. This was the shock of a lifetime as Leonard leaves his wife Treva and children Morgan, John, Charles and Annie. Later that day we were also told that Julius Guerard (parishioner at St. Philip’s and friend to many at St. Michael’s) also died.
As all this was going on, news also came of the births of Samuel Alexander Mayer, son of MaryDickey and Will, as well as Eliza Cecilia Willis, granddaughter of Fred and Ann Hester Willis. Caught between life and death where do we turn? As it happened, shortly before we heard of Leonard’s death, I was reading our “10 Great Freedoms” assigned reading for the day, it was Psalm 139. I will let the words speak for themselves, but read them again and let their words of comfort and power wash over you as you keep the Branhams, Deweys, Stephens, Guerards, Mayers and Willis’s in your prayers:
1 O LORD, you have searched me and you know me.
2 You know when I sit and when I rise;
you perceive my thoughts from afar.
3 You discern my going out and my lying down;
you are familiar with all my ways.
4 Before a word is on my tongue
you know it completely, O LORD.
5 You hem me in—behind and before;
you have laid your hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
too lofty for me to attain.
7 Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?
8 If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,
10 even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast.
11 If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me
and the light become night around me,”
12 even the darkness will not be dark to you;
the night will shine like the day,
for darkness is as light to you.
13 For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
15 My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place.
When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,
16 your eyes saw my unformed body.
All the days ordained for me were written in your book
before one of them came to be.
17 How precious to me are your thoughts, O God!
How vast is the sum of them!
18 Were I to count them,
they would outnumber the grains of sand.
When I awake, I am still with you.
19 If only you would slay the wicked, O God!
Away from me, you bloodthirsty men!
20 They speak of you with evil intent;
your adversaries misuse your name.
21 Do I not hate those who hate you, O LORD,
and abhor those who rise up against you?
22 I have nothing but hatred for them;
I count them my enemies.
23 Search me, O God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.
24 See if there is any offensive way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting.
Update on My Brother
So many of you have been praying for my brother Andrew, thank you! Elizabeth and I went to see him last week and were so impressed by his physical healing. He can walk and live somewhat independently. It is a true miracle. We are still concerned for the brain injury that is evident through the repeating of phrases and thoughts. He is living in an apartment by himself but with and among a group called Side by Side. This group helps give Andrew structure and oversees his coming in and going out. Please pray for Andrew’s continued healing.
“Lord, Give Me the Grace to Accept My Age”
While in Boston last week, my sister Jennifer and I took my mother Ina up in a hot air balloon for her 75th birthday. This was a good alternative to what my mother originally asked, which was, “take me skydiving!” Well it was a most amazing hot air balloon flight over New Hampshire at Sunrise on Thursday, May 20. From about a thousand feet, we could see the beautiful hills, valleys and mist of New England as well as the skyline of Boston in the distance. It was heavenly.
During the beautiful quiet of that sunrise, my mother looked at me and said “One of my prayers is that I will have the grace to accept my age.” I thought that was a profound request from the heart. We mused that of course in our youth, we want to be older than we are don’t we? How many times have I heard my daughter Wimberly say… but I’m almost a teenager dad, why can’t I have that cell phone now! As we get older, we then often find that niche where we don’t mind telling our age and are content to be what we are. But then the tipping point where age becomes a secret with the wish, O Lord, reverse the time! The Bible though speaks of age differently. Proverbs 16:31 tells us: Gray Hair is a crown of splendor, it is attained by a righteous life. The Hebrews believed that a long life was a sign of God’s blessings, therefore gray hair and old age was something to celebrate! While younger people glory in their strength, older people can rejoice in their years of experience and wisdom. So, I’m hoping my mother might change her prayer to: Lord, Give me the grace to rejoice and celebrate my age! This also points to the continual need and a personal passion of mine, which is to bring our generations together. To let the youth absorb the wisdom of their elders and our elders to relish in the strength and energy of our youth, something I call generational cross-training. As a church let’s look for ways of mixing our generations so that together we can celebrate God’s splendor!
What Are Our Seminarians Doing?
Rob and Julie Kunes
Rob has just graduated from Nashotah House Seminary in Wisconsin with a three year degree of Masters in Divinity. Rob, Julie, young Robert and their baby on the way, will be coming to Charleston for Rob’s ordination to the Diaconate. That ordination will be held here at St. Michael’s. During that time we will both celebrate his ministry and his first call! Rob has been called as Assistant to the Galilee Church in Virginia Beach. This is a thrilling time for the entire Kunes family. Join your spiritual family on Thursday, June 3rd at 6pm for the Ordination with a beautiful reception following.
Tyler and Lanier Prescott
Tyler will be graduating from Trinity School for Ministry in December of 2010. Tyler and Lanier have their hands full with four children, little Henry, Lucia, Susanna and Tyler. In a recent letter, Lanier shared their prayer concerns which she has given me permission to share with you.
…“We received good news from the ophthalmologist regarding Susanna’s eyes! There were no active seeds or tumors in either eye and we don’t have to go back until August (3 months!). The doctors are still concerned about Susanna’s height and weight (she hasn’t grown in about a year now); please pray for God’s wisdom for us and the doctors and for his guidance and clarity on the timing of it all. Please pray that she would grow!!
Another prayer request is for Henry. He has congenital tort Collis, which is basically that one of his neck muscles is tight on one side so he has a slight head tilt. A big thank you is that we (the pediatrician and I) noticed it early; the pediatrician is not concerned. We are doing some stretching exercises and being aware of how we position him (to encourage him to look to the left). Please pray for me for rest and energy and for me to rely on God. Since my Bible study has finished, I have not been as good about having daily time in His Word and have missed it. Please pray for my diligence in this.
Also, I wanted to share with you some fun news from Trinity’s graduation last weekend--Tyler won the preaching award! I feel like this is a big testimony to God and His faithfulness because this is one area that Tyler said he wasn’t so sure about as he was entering seminary. Yeah God!
Thank you again for your prayers for us. We are blessed by you and your support and love of us.
~ Lanier
Holly Craighead Leaving For Seminary
On Pentecost Sunday, we commissioned Holly as our newest seminarian. Holly will be going to Trinity School for Ministry to study. While at this point Holly isn’t on the ordination track, her plans for research and study may lead her to a teaching ministry. Holly came to St. Michael’s several years ago, took the Alpha course and out of that experience, received a hunger to go deeper in study. She began a reading course with The Rev. Peter Moore and that propelled her to seminary! Please pray for Holly Craighead as she takes on this new ministry.
Update on the Rev. Bob Lawrence
The Rev. Bob Lawrence has been appointed by Bishop Mark Lawrence to be the new Rector/Executive Director of St. Christopher Camp and Conference Center. Bob will follow the Rev. Chris Warner upon his departure, which is expected to be sometime following the summer camp season. St. Christopher is the diocesan camp and conference center located on Seabrook Island where the mouth of the North Edisto River enters the Atlantic Ocean. This 300 acre facility hosts the diocesan summer camp program for youth aged 7 through high school, as well as an environmental education program for both public and private school groups through the academic school year. The conference facilities of St. Christopher host numerous large and small groups throughout the year, including diocesan conferences, Cursillo weekends, parish retreats, vestry retreats and private retreats. Bob and Lynn are excited about this new calling and welcome this new opportunity and challenge for ministry. Bob is particularly interested in helping to make St. Christopher a focal point within the diocese for mission and prayer. Prior to his start at St. Christopher, Bob is serving along with the Rev. Rick Belser as part of the interim clergy team at Christ Church, Mt. Pleasant. Rick is the appointed Interim Rector until such time that Christ Church calls a new Rector, and Bob is the appointed Interim Associate Rector until he begins at St. Christopher.
NEWS FROM THE ANGLICAN COMMUNION
www.dioceseofsc.org
www.anglican-mainstream.net
www.anglicancommunionnetwork.org
www.americananglican.org
www.titusonenine.classicalanglican.net
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