Thursday, July 31, 2014

Day 5 at Dungannon 2014


Click for Day 5 Audio Podcast
Interviewer:  Clifton H. Poole
Featuring: Arthur Payne
Recorded:  July 30, 2014
Topics:  Pizza Hut, Warpath Bowling, jobsites, feelings, Walmart, power shopping.

It's day 5 of the mission trip and the 3rd day on the worksites.

Clifton's blog:

Two of the six projects were completed Wednesday afternoon.   Those crews will be reassigned to a new job starting Thursday morning.


(David, Stanley, Tanner, Amanda, Ms McDavid, Chris, Arthur, Kristina at the McDavid worksite)

The missioners had a shortened work day.  Why?  It’s hump day, the middle of the work week (only two work days remaining-yikes!) and the day we take a trip to Kingsport, TN.  At 4 pm, we all loaded into cars and drove the 30 miles to the Kingsport and visited the Wal-mart to ‘power shop’.  Power shopping is characterized by a 15-20 minutes mad dash to get selected personal items or goodies for the buddy bags.

(David, Arthur and Stanley with bowling shoes) 

After Wal-mart, we headed over to Warpath Bowling.  We invaded the local lanes for two fast games of bowling.  The Warpath has a wild color scheme and after the first couple of frames, the blue lights were turned on and we began to ’cosmic bowl’.

(Jack and a shy Haley at the Pizza Hut)

Pizza Hut was the next stop for our 54 hunger hungry missioners .  As we walked in the door, the staff was setting up our pizza bar.   Our party occupied 2/3 of the setting area and the din of hungry young voices soon began to drown out all other sounds in the restaurant.  We consumed 27 pizzas in the restaurant and for the first time, we did not bring any pizza home.  There will be a few disappointed tummies in the morning when there is no pizza available for breakfast.

Tomorrow morning is our annual pancake breakfast.  The adults wake up early to prepare apple sauce pancakes.

On a personal note, my tire did have a nail that caused the flat.  I purchased a kit and will repair it on the work site Thursday morning.

Wednesday, July 30, 2014

Day 4 at Dungannon 2014


Click for Day 4 Audio Podcast
Interviewer:  Clifton H. Poole
Featuring:  Michelle Searcy
Topics:  The Eucharist, worksite, freetime, feelings, wakeup, sleepytime,

Clifton's Blog:

Today was a very productive day at the Travis Kern worksite.  Our team (led by Michelle, Laura and me) is working a project with two decks and we making great progress (listen to the audio blog featuring Michelle Searcy to hear more about the worksite).  We are ready to install the flooring material on one deck and secure the floor joist on the other deck.

(Brianna, Michelle, Katrina and Laura)


We took a much needed break and spent part of the afternoon relaxing in the park.  We ate lunch and enjoyed friendly conversation before heading off to the store.  At the local lumber yard we purchased 12 - 8'x2"x4" boards and several varieties of decking screws.

We had a very late workday and did not arrive back to the Phoenix Center until 5 PM.  The team took a trip to Gates City to run a few errands.  Laura needed bread for the Eucharist and we had to visit several locations before we could purchase freshly baked bread.

After dinner, Laura led Eucharist in a local park near the center of town.  It is a great location because the worshipers can see the mountains and enjoy the beautiful scenery while in worship.  Also, we can be seen by our Dungannon neighbors as we worship.  During the lesson, many missioners shared examples of blessings they have seen witnessed while in Dungannon.  We were called to continue to look for blessing that reflects the teachings we've received and purpose God has for us.



I am experiencing many blessings on this trip.  Most of them occur when I am doing something that is a 'distraction' from the next planned task. The trip to Gate City today gave me a chance to talk with the other missioners without being concerned about the next step in our project or the amount of productive project time remaining.  We were in the moment and just enjoyed being in community with one another.

After the Eucharist, instead of returning to the center (free time, organize pictures or write this very blog), a few of us visited a local cemetery to say farwell to Mrs Gillenwater.  We worked on her home during the 2013 trip and recently learned she had passed away.  Our group shared a tender moment saying goodbye and remembering her as a warm and loving friend to the community.  Collectively, the missioners and she were blessed meeting her during that week in 2013.

Lastly, I always experienced some some type of car trouble and this trip is no different.  I had a flat tire to change before heading out to the jobsite in the morning.  Oh! the fun of mission work.

Tuesday, July 29, 2014

Day 3 at Dungannon 2014


Click to Play Day 3 Audio Podcast
Interviewer:  Clifton
Featuring:  Hannah Watts
Topics:  lesson, reflection, compline, early morning, late nights, recruiting, free time

This blog includes an excerpt from the reflection lesson on blessings; one of the four parts of the holy sacrament of The Great Thanksgiving.   Laura led an uplifting and inspirational session.  She asked the group to name one talent, gift of personality, or ability that they see in each one of their group members.  This attribute is the person’s blessing to the rest of the world.

Each missioner stood and the audience recommended the best word that described the person’s blessings.  The following are of the blessings our 54 missioners bestow upon the rest of the world:



teacher, guiding, nurturer, leader, approachable, intelligent, energetic, experienced, huggable, sweet, creative, accepting, knowledgable, kind, insightful, kind, happiness, personable, exuberant, talkative, calming, humorous, dedicated, dependable, open-minded, carefree, artistic, relaxed, peaceful, outgoing, outspoken, stoic, encouraging, warm, empathetic, committed, wise, healing, worldly, respectful, compassionate, understanding, patient, crafty, strong, humble, caring, mentoring, friendly, eager willing, welcoming, flexible, charismatic and inspirational.

(Ismeal, Evan, Maude, Haley, Nathan, Meg, Emily, Paul, Beau, Katrina, Elliot and Jack)

Today, we also recognized the 12 new missioners attending Dungannon for the first time.  Fun fact:  the total Dugannon experience represented by all the missioners on this trip is 134 years.  Our new participates will add their experience to that rich pool of talent.

We worked on six homes today.  The work ranged from painting and small repairs, building porches, replacing a bathroom floor, demolishing a small building, building a roof on an existing porch and replacing the entire lower decking and framing on a 30’ porch.  Oh, and that was just the first day.  We anticipate one of those crews will complete their first job on Tuesday and will be assigned to a new job site Wednesday morning.

In the evening, we celebrated Nathan’s birthday 15th with an icing covered pan of brownies.  He was surprised and only took 8 attempts to blow out the candles.



During a short ceremony we recognized 3 St Annes missioners on their 5th trip to Dungannon.  They were each given a tool bucket for their participation.


Monday, July 28, 2014

Day 2 at Dungannon 2014


Interviewer:  Clifton Poole
Featuring: Joe Flynn
Topics:  early morning, church services, hike and swim, reflection and reaction

Clifton Poole writes:

It's day 2 of the trip and the 54 missioners were awakened at 8:00am!

We ventured into the local community to attend services at the St. Patrick Catholic Church, the Dungannon United Methodist Church, the Freewill Baptist Church of Dungannon  and the First Baptist Church of Dungannon.  I attended the Catholic service and was invited by Father Jonathan to say a few words about our mission.  There were 15 in attendance from group and we were invited to share light refreshments with the congregation.



The missioners hiked the Little Stoney trail in the afternoon. Near the trail head, we enjoyed a swim in the frigid waters coming over the 3-story, Little Stoney Creek Falls.  More than 35 swimmer suited up and took the plunge.  The water was very cold this year and overcast skies did nothing to warm those sitting along the banks of the creek.

 

Laura started our reflection activities, teaching the importance of sacraments in the liturgy.  This week, we are focusing on the Great Thanksgiving, the act of taking, breaking, blessing and giving.  There was a lively hands-on activity that included “Play Doh” and the results was both interesting and revealing.

Everyone was assigned a secret buddy.  Small gifts, written notes or remembrances are placed in decorated buddy bags during the week.  Most of the youth took advantage of their first period of free time, to run to the Dollar General and purchase items for the buddy bags.
  Job sites and work assignments were divided among the adult chaperones.

Adults from St. Anne's are leading 3 of the 5 jobs starting on Monday.  Three St. Anne's youth were assigned as assistant chaperones and will play an active role in the work performed during the week.


Sunday, July 27, 2014

Day 1 at Dungannon 2014


Click to Play Day 1 Audio Podcast
Interviewer:  Clifton Poole
Featuring: Katrina Libera
Topics:  Commissioning, travel to Dungannon, Phoenix Center living, Carter Family Fold, mission trip trifecta, impressions and feelings.



Commissioned for Mission - Dungannon 2014




These happy faces belong to some of our Dungannon Mission Team. This mission trip involves youth and adults from several Episcopal churches. The team travels 400 miles from home to southwestern Virginia. During this week they will build, rebuild, and repair homes in and around the town of Dungannon. The work is coordinated by the Dungannon Development Commission. Fellowship and fun blend with good works.

Along with coordinating one of the site teams for the mission, Clifton Poole will send occasional messages. His interview with Katrina Libera will be posted later. Check back for Katrina's observations on the beginning of this trip!

 

Sunday, July 20, 2014

Mission Trip to the DR 2014 - Day 9

We arrived safety at Puerto Plata.  All is well.

No podcast or video tonight.

Thursday, July 17, 2014

Mission Possible 2014 - Thursday Update


The Wednesday missions at Mission Possible were outdoors and physical! Our morning mission took us to the trail near Hunters Woods Pool to pull invasive English Ivy with the Reston Association's environmental team. The crew worked incredibly hard and may have set a new RA record for the longest piece of ivy pulled! 



We shifted gears in the afternoon for a mission at the Westglade Community Center, a center staffed by Cornerstones to provide a mix of educational, social, and recreational activities to the area residents. Our crew played basketball, football, soccer, wiffle ball, and a whole host of other games with several youth who live in that community.  

On Thursday morning we went to the Spirit Therapeutic Riding Center at Frying Pan Park. We divided and conquered to help with various projects to keep the center clean and safe. Some of our crew cut back vines and branches away from paddock fencing, others pulled weeds in the paddocks, and others mucked the paddocks. 



In the afternoon, we returned to St. Anne's to run the monthly distribution of food from our food pantry. This was a great chance to see the final step in our food pantry ministry; having seen where some of the food comes from at the Capital Area Food Bank, and also sorting and bagging our own items at for the St. Anne's food pantry on Tuesday, and today being able to hand these items out to our neighbors in need.

Mission Trip to the DR - Day 6 Video and Podcast

Click here for the Day 6 Video

Click here for the Day 6 Podcast with Tim Barwick and Katrina Libera

Tuesday, July 15, 2014

Mission Trip to the DR 2014 - Day 4 Video and Podcast

Today we did some painting and painting preparation at Cristo Salvador.  We had another great Vacation Bible School and finished off the day with ice cream at Helodos Bon.

Click here for today's video

Click for today's podcast with Tim Barwick and Clifton Poole.

A Team Photo from the DR

Today we started painting the sanctuary at Cristo Salvador. But before we started, we decided to take a photo of the "Venga a Mi" mural. Sure looks like religious photo bomb!


Mission Possible - Day 1 and 2

Mission Possible - our week-long local mission camp - kicked off yesterday with a day of teambuilding activities and an exploration of what it means to serve others in our local community.
For Tuesday's morning mission, our group of 15 missioners, 3 junior leaders, and several adult chaperones journeyed to the Capital Area Food Bank in Washington, DC to learn more about the organization that supplies our own St. Anne's food pantry with some goods and fresh produce. In addition to learning the ins and outs of the facility, we took part in a hunger simulation program, Face Hunger™, which raises awareness and understanding of hunger and its many causes. Each of our participants received a profile packet with information about the identity, income, and available resources of a person at risk of hunger. Through the simulation, participants walked in the shoes of a person in need of food and experienced real situations common to those at risk of hunger.

In the afternoon, we returned to St. Anne's to sort and bag the donated items in our own food pantry to prepare for Thursday's distribution. The group assembled more than 100 (!) bags with cereal, tomato sauce, pasta, canned vegetables and fruit, peanut butter, jelly, beans, rice, canned tuna, and some personal hygiene products.

Today's missions were two of three missions we will experience this week that will allow us to experience most of the process of our own food pantry: from food bank to St. Anne's to distribution to the customer.

Tomorrow's missions include tackling some invasive plant species in Reston's green spaces and leading summer activities at one of Reston's community centers. Check back tomorrow for more information!


Monday, July 14, 2014

DR Mission Trip - Day 3 Video and Podcast

Click here for Day 3 Video (Internet speed requires that the video quality be less wonderful than usual.)

Click here for Day 3 Podcast with Tim Barwick and Kristina Alff

Sunday, July 13, 2014

Daily from the DR - Podcast plus photos for Day 1 and 2.

Click here to listen to our Day 1 and Day 2 Podcast with Tim Barwick and Martha Furniss

We've also got some great photos to share with you today.

A classroom wall at the Albergue (the youth shelter, more about that in the Podcast above.)

Worship with Father Hipolito, Father Jim and Jatna

Watching the World Cup

More photos from the Albergue






Daily from the DR - Sunday, July 13

This is just a quick update to let folks know that we arrived here last night at about 11pm.  Very smooth flight, greeted by Father Hipolito at the airport.  Today its church and World Cup!

Photos below are a night shot of Santiago from the roof of our hotel and some street shots from this morning.





Friday, July 11, 2014

We're Here, We're There

Last Sunday we had the joy of welcoming the Philly team home from their week at the Stenton Family Manor where they worked and played with the families and staff of the homeless shelter. Our coffee hour was full of "Welcome home!" and  "It was great!" and "I can't wait to go next year!" The St. Anne's family loves to be together.

As much as we love to be together, we also love to travel! The week of July 13th there will be two mission teams working and playing:
the Dominican Republic Mission and Mission Possible, our outreach day camp.


In preparation for the DR mission, members of the congregation were invited to decorate goodie bags. These bags will be given to the kids on the last day of Vacation Bible School at Cristo Salvador.


Blog posts will be written by both the Mission Possible team and the DR team this week as St. Anne's is both "here" and "there" being the hands and feet of the body of Christ.

Please keep both teams in your prayers and stay tuned!





Thursday, July 3, 2014

Mission Trip to Philadelphia - Day Five - Katrina, Izzy, Tim and Gavin

Today some of us started the day by redecorating an amazing bulletin board for the activities coordinator, Ms. Stephanie, while others helped organize the Manor's computer lab. By the time we got outside to see the kids, another group, nicknamed the Georgians, had set up a carnival like display for all the kids and their families to enjoy. The 93 Georgians were loud and proud about both their faith and sharing their joy. The kids' were in complete awe when they saw the grandeur of the display that had been set up for their enjoyment.  It was wonderful to see the relationships deepen between the St. Anne's youth and the children at the shelter. Later that day we headed downtown to the LOVE sculpture in Philly. Then we went to Pat's Steaks to get a good old fashioned cheesesteak. We ended the day with a group conversation that furthered our faith and understanding of God. - Tim Bellman and Gavin Casey and Katrina Libera and Izzy Edgerton




Wednesday, July 2, 2014

Mission Trip to Philadelphia - Day Four - Gavin

Today, our group returned to the Stenton Family Manor and played water games with the kids. These include games with water launchers, bubbles and a small pool. We worked with the Canadian group to ensure the kids had a fantastic time. Once our group had finished activities with kids for the day, and we had had our lunch, we returned to the manor and commenced our hour-long "remove the staples from the wall" extravaganza. It was so exhilarating that one of our members fell asleep. Then, after suffering a terrible loss in the World Cup the group headed over to the Evensong service at the Old Swedes Church. It included songs, prayer, and silence. We concluded the night with an original Philly cuisine: pizza. - Gavin Casey