10:00 am service this Sunday followed by a Parish Picnic!
From the Reverend R. Justice Schunior, Associate Rector
( Andrew Earnest has asked to be identified as "she" and as "Alisa" in the St. Mark's community. )
On September 6, the Judge reduced Alisa Earnest's sentence from 23 years to 12.5 years. With credit for time served, this amounts to 10 and a half years from today. We had hoped for five years which, with time served, could have reduced the time remaining to approximately three years.
However, the sentence reduction is substantial, especially in view of the institutional and political challenges any Judge would face in altering the sentence the jury has ordered.
The credit for this goes to Alisa's attorney, Joe Flood, the forensic psychologist, Susan Boyd, who both worked at substantially reduced rates, and our volunteer legal team of Pat Wynns, Randy Marks, and Mark Allen for hundreds of hours they spent reviewing documents, interviewing witnesses, and assembling arguments. And the credit goes to this amazing community, that has donated close to $30,000 over eight months to fund these efforts, most recently through an art auction that raised more than $7,101.90 this July. (We will provide a complete accounting of funds raised and spent later this month.)
Alisa remains in publicly-run Culpeper Jail for the moment, and then is likely to be transferred to the privately-run Piedmont Regional Jail in Farmville for two to six months, and, finally, to prison, probably in Lawrenceville, VA. Alisa was in Piedmont for four months this winter and was assaulted there at least once, so we are very concerned for her safety.
While in jail, Alisa will receive no mental health services. Even in prison, there will be minimal care.
Alisa's best legal hope is to petition for a writ of habeas corpus. This would allow us to argue that she received poor representation at the original trial. If successful, this could lead to a new trial. With competent representation, a sentence much closer to five years would be a reasonable outcome.
Next steps:
Contact with Alisa: If you're available to take a fifteen minute call from Alisa a few times a month at a cost of $2.25, to write every couple of weeks, or to send a book, please be in touch with Chris Herman or Chris Berendes.
Mental health: The psychologist's report made clear that Alisa would benefit enormously from trauma therapy. In principle, we can fund therapist phone calls or visits to Alisa. If you'd like to be on the team exploring this issue, please contact Randy Marks or Chris Berendes.
Short term legal: Over the next year, legal advocacy could help Alisa be in more humane incarceration.
Long term legal: We are exploring the costs and prospects of habeas corpus now.
Fund-raising: Funds remaining will cover starts on the above, but we'll need additional funds for a habeas and mental health support.
Please know how much Alisa appreciates the compassion and courage the congregation has expressed over the past year.
From Peter Sherer, Senior Warden
Hi All,
Some thoughts for the week.
Paul Bugge's Memorial Service at 3 pm on Saturday
On Saturday we are going to get the chance to say goodbye to a wonderful guy who died too young and whom we will always miss every time we hear his beloved choir sing to us. Paul was one of those quiet, dependable, people who are the backbone of every group. These people show up dependably, do their best modestly and expect little acclimation for their community service. That was Paul.
Paul was an excellent musician and singer. As a bass and sometime choir member I used to arrive early just for the chance to sit next to Paul at rehearsal. There was no faster way to learn the music than to try to sing the same notes that Paul was leading us toward. To say that he is missed barely describes our collective sorrow.
The Parish Picnic on Sunday
Please plan to stay after the 10 am service on Sunday for the parish picnic. Bring something to share and if you follow the guidelines of bringing what is suggested by the first letter of your last name we will have plenty for the whole gang. Lunch is free, fun and a great time to invite friends to come to St. Mark's for the first time. For any guest looking to join a community, the picnic is a great first impression.
Rethinking Sermon Seminar
It is time to rethink our guidelines for sermon seminar.
I have noticed that fewer people are staying for sermon seminar and that is damaging to one of our unique worship features that can be attractive to potential new members. Sermon seminar at its best is a chance for theological and personal reflection that deepens the sermon and creates the kind of intimacy that can serve as community glue.
Lately we have wandered off track.
Some speakers are not observing a period of silence after the sermon ends that would allow the introverts among us to collect their thoughts. Speaking while someone is still processing what he or she just heard from the preacher is confusing at best and maddening at worst.
Another issue that is both more delicate and important is our collective wish to hear from as many different people as possible. At the moment there are a few people who speak almost every week, which leaves little room for newer people, or people who choose to speak less frequently. I think we would all benefit from a rule of thumb that people should expect to stand at the microphone no more than once a month. There are other avenues to share your reaction to a sermon including talking to someone after the service, writing a note on the Egroup. or writing a longer piece for the Winged Lion Review. Let's give the once a month guideline a chance for a couple of months and see what impact it has on participation and attendance. If you have other thoughts on how to improve sermon seminar please write to me at peter@expmatters.com
Hugs
Peter
From Doris Burton, Junior Warden
Around the House...
Sunday, SUNDAY...is the 12th almost-annual parish cookout (we missed 2013 when construction began).
Please come...the list of side-dish contributions has been distributed but if you missed it, bring something and come anyway. Besides food and camaraderie, Tracy Councill will be leading a prayer-flag workshop and Caroline has plenty for our children to do.
Please bring your food to Baxter Hall (not to the kitchen) where someone will store it in the fridge or place it on the serving table. Please remember not to bring your own bowls, plates, or serving pieces, as we cannot be responsible for returning them to you.
We'll be happy to have volunteer grillmeisters whenever you're willing to help.
Meanwhile, inside... you may notice a difference in the nave lighting.
After a lantern bulb died, Charlie Rupp tried unsuccessfully to find a replacement (incandescent bulbs are no longer available) and that led to discussion of how to eliminate the problem in the future. What he came up with is what you will see Sunday: 4 LED bulbs in the place of the single incandescent. For those environmentalists and science followers, here are some statistics (from Charlie) to justify our decision:
NEW BULBS/UNIT
OLD BULBS
6400 lumens per fixture
3400-4000 lumens per fixture
72 watts per fixture
300 watts per fixture
576 watts (8 fixtures)
2400 watts (8 fixtures)
The life expectancy of each bulb is 22,000 hours so at 5 hours use per event (Sunday services, a play or concert, etc.) and approximately 200 events per year means these bulbs have a life expectancy of 22 years.There is also a 'graceful' advantage to this new installation: when one bulb fails, the other three continue providing light rather than turn that part of the nave dark (and I've always thought the lantern glass was yellow). They are very bright yet dimmable so you're unlikely to see them at full power on Sundays. It is also worth mentioning that this change plus repairs to our air conditioning units plus the solar panels are resulting in a lowering of our electric bill. Every little bit helps.
Coming We rent our beautiful space (see the article from DC Architecture on the Info board) as a service to our community as well as a source of income. We are dipping our toe into the 'big time' and have contracted with a church-planting organization for their 4-day conference in our space beginning Sept 21. Praxis will be here Wednesday evening, all day Thursday and Friday (including evenings), half-day Saturday, and a few hours on Sunday morning. More details next week.
From Jeff Kempskie, Director of Music
In addition to the Boys & Girls Choir Retreat (tomorrow, 9/10, 10am-3pm) and the Teen Choir Retreat (tomorrow, 9/10, noon-2:45pm) the Handbell Choir will resume rehearsing this coming Wednesday, 9/14, at 7pm in the Elders Room. No prior experience is necessary or expected. Ringing handbells is lots of fun! Give it a try. E-mail Katherine Anderson if you're interested or would like more info.
433 We gather together to ask the Lord's blessing, Tune: Kremser
First Reading 1 Timothy 1:12-17
Gospel Luke 15:1-10
Offertory Anthem
Lay Me Low, Shaker song by Addah Z. Potter, arr. by Kevin Siegfried - Chancel Choir
Presentation Hymn
This Is My Song, Words by Lloyd Stone, Music by Jean Sibelius (Finlandia)
Sanctus
American Folk Melody, arr. Marcia Pruner
Fraction Anthem
Jack Warren Burnam
Music During Communion
The King of love my shepherd is, St. Columba - Boys & Girls Choir; Libbi Rivera, director
There's a Wideness in God's Mercy, Words by Frederick W. Faber, alt., Music by Calvin Hampton, arr. Rick McNeely - Chancel Choir
Marvellous Error, Poem by Antonio Machado, Music by Paul Halley - Charmian Crawford, soloist
Closing Hymn
347 Go forth for God; go to the world in peace, Tune: Litton
Postlude
Adagio for Strings, Op. 11, Samuel Barber (1910-1981)
Schedule of Services
September 11, 2016
The Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost
10:00 am Holy Eucharist
The Rev. Michele H. Morgan, Presider & Preacher
5:00 pm Contemplative Eucharist & Laying on of Hands
The Rev. Michele H. Morgan, Presider & Preacher
About the Gospel
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Andrew Earnest has asked to be identified as "she" and as "Alisa" in the St. Mark's community. )