February 28, 2005
Exciting Times at St. Gabriel's
This is a very busy and exciting time for St. Gabriel's and the UECNA. We returned from our trip to South India and went straight into preparations for Lent. Additionally, we've held confirmation classes and classes for four postulants to the Diaconate.
On Sunday, March 6th -- The Fourth Sunday in Lent -- Bishop Reber will be at St. Gabriel's presiding over what should be a magnificent ceremony. Beginning at 10:00 on this day, new members will be officially welcomed to the Church, confirmations will be performed, four postulants will be ordained as Deacons and our beloved Deacon Timon Barr will be ordained to the priesthood. Following this approximately two-hour ceremony, a catered luncheon will be held in the undercroft. All parishioners are invited -- indeed encouraged -- to attend.
This coming Saturday, March 5th, Deacon Sam Seamans in Mountain Home will also be ordained to the priesthood. While Fr. Leo is attending this ceremony, our parishioners will gather at St. Gabriel's for a work day in preparation for Sunday's extraordinary gathering. We must make God's house especially beautiful to celebrate these blessed events.
Our Senior Warden Ed Knox, Rafael Carbajal, Dr. Bobby Hall from Bella Vista, and Scott Lay will be ordained to the Diaconate. Our long-serving Deacon, Timon Barr, will be ordained to the priesthood. St. Gabriel's is indeed blessed to have several good men step forward to serve Christ and the Church in this way. These ordinations, along with the confirmations and formal acceptance of new members, indicates life and growth in our Parish. This is so vital in these troubled times where so many are fallen away from not just the Christian faith, but faith and belief in God in general. It is especially important for Christ's faithful to maintain and to grow the Church, and receiving strong, faithful men into the Diaconate and Priesthood is an indication that we are succeeding. May these blessed events serve as an example and inspire others to embrace a life devoted to Christ and Christian principles.
We invite all parishioners to attend Sunday's service at 10:00 a.m. We also invite everyone to join us Saturday at 10:00 a.m. to help beautify our church and organize in preparation for the Bishop's visit.
Posted by frleo at 11:06 AM
November 2, 2004
November 2nd -- All Souls Day
WE REMEMBER OUR DEARLY DEPARTED ON ALL SOULS DAY.
We remember with gratitude all those who have gone before us marked with the sign of faith, especially two whom we lost within the past few months:
Peggy Swindells and J B Taylor
Eternal rest grant unto them O Lord and let perpertual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace. Amen
Here is the tribute from Bill Winkleman to J B TAYLOR:
William Winkleman is the son of Bill and Pat Winkleman, who both played a great role in the beginnings of St.Gabriel's along with the founding members. His mother Pat is the head of St. Gabriel's Altar Guild. William fondly remembers J B Taylor.
Reverend and Dear Sir:Sorry that it has taken me so long to get around to your email.
Should you have the opportunity, please convey my deepest sympathies to
the Taylor family. I spent a lot of time with J B back in the days when we were moving St. Gabriel's to your present location. He did a lot or hard work for the Church, and despite many difficult and frustrating obstacles, J B Taylor always completed his objectives with an admirable and infectious "esprit de corps."I will always remember the day that I spent with him when we went down to buy the Church's pews at a federal auction. We rented a Ryder truck and drove several hours to our destination. I guess neither one of us realized just how heavy those pews would be. It was a job for which we should have had four men at a minimum. After loading the first couple of pews onto the truck, we were ready to quit. You would not believe how tired we were after loading all of them. J B was considerably older than I, and I was dead tired. We make the trip back to Fayetteville, and when J B dropped me off at our house the truck got stuck in the drainage ditch in the front yard. To make things even worse, J B threw his back out from all of the heavy lifting. As I remember, he was several weeks in recovering.
Once those pews were set up in the Church, most folks thought that the place was beginning to look like a "real" church for the first time. I had to admit that they were right, but even so, it was a year of so before J B or I could look at those pews without feeling a twinge of pain in our backs.
I remain, Reverend Sir, your faithful servant in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,
William Winkelman
Posted by frleo at 7:29 AM
September 29, 2004
Update from Florida -- Howard Baird
I received an email from parishioner Howard Baird, who has been in Florida securing his property in light of the recent hurricanes. I'm posting his email so we can all be updated:
Just back from "Disaster Island". I had Naomi and her mother stay at Pam's in Louisiana until hurricane Francis passed to the east. Then when Ivan became a threat I moved off the island to a motel about 25 miles inland. Landfall was at 1:50 am Thursday 9/15 at Gulf Shores, AL., waking me at 2:10 with all the noise. No damage to the motel or parked cars from trees. The power had gone out Wed night about 9:30 but, miraculously came on Thurs evening at 6:45pm, permitting me to remain in the no-sweat-set! And it appears we were among the few in Pensacola and wide surrounding area to have power. Only those businesses with a generator were open in the next 10 days. Luckily my room had a refrig and microwave.
By Monday the sheriff arranged for buses to take the hundreds of property and business owners over the bridge; a process starting at 9:30 am and running to 2:30pm, for just a look-see. It was an ugly scene: shattered wood, bent metal, up-rooted and broken trees, houses with some damage to those that disappeared and personal belongings turned to junk everywhere. Any house not on pilings, or stilts, was gone from both the wind at 120 to 130 mph, and the surge estimated at our location to be 10+ feet. With our house on 8 foot pilings, and positioned among other houses and standing trees, that I believe diminished the wind effect, came through remarkably. Everything under the house, lattis on all four sides, storage shed and its contents, the lower portion of the elevator enclosure, the back stairs, the hanging storage cabinets and the in-house vacuum were gone. And so was the under-the-floor insulation and the particle board holding it up. The out-building with sink, toilet and shower for cleaning-up after fishing and the dock were gone, with the boat-lift crushed, the boat totaled and and half under water. Lattis on both ends of the back porch were gone with the screening and outdoor carpet torn-up. Inside I found the surge had not entered, but it did rise enough to wet the insulation and sub-flooring and warp the parquet flooring, dampening our just laid carpet in some places enough to pull it from the baseboard. And finally, on the roof, only one of the four turbine vents was blown away!
I included all this detail as practice for filing insurance claims for wind, flood, home owners and the boat. Our first retirement home, the Vista del Mar condo, is another and sad story. It was undercut by the wind and crashing 30+ foot waves, developed cracks on both side, dropping the east arm section, where our unit is, and is now awaiting the inevitable condemnation. No one is even permitted on the property. Naomi is losing an heirloom table cloth, me a keyboard, and both the memories of 17 years of pleasurable beach-side living with family and friends. No word yet from our board of what will develop.
Howard and Naomi are both back in town. Let us all be thankful to God for their safety and return to us here at St. Gabriel's.
Posted by frleo at 12:31 PM
September 2, 2004
Jessa Scott
This morning I had a wonderful visit with Jess Scott from Rogers, Arkansas, administering Holy Communion for her. We are so grateful to God for the wondrous faith we find in our seniors. They are the pillars of tradition and sure want to walk in the ways of the Lord. Jessa has been a great member of St.Gabriel's and has not been able to attend church for the past two years on account of her sickness. With respect and gratitude, I saw her tear-filled eyes as she felt happily overwhelmed by our encounter in the name of Christ.
May God bless all His faithful ones, who long to join us for worship but are unable because of their age or health situation.
Posted by frleo at 11:50 AM
August 31, 2004
Photo Gallery Update
At long last, our Photo Gallery has been updated with some really cool pics. Please CLICK HERE to see pictures of the Gabriel Youth Community's Camp Out, and the Bella Vista Mission's first Eucharistic service.
Enjoy!!
Posted by frleo at 11:22 AM
August 27, 2004
Take the name off the list?
It's nice to hear someone tell you to take their name off the Prayer List because they are well. Isn't it amazing what Prayer can do? I believe in the prayer of intercession, for when two or three of us gather in His name and ask, it is granted. Prayers do wonders. They heal, they support, uphold, bring clarity, and accompany someone through difficult journies.
In this sense, we are our brothers' keepers, and we have a right to support each other in prayer. During one of my visits Jan told me, "we will be there at St. Gabriel's to show our appreciation and gratitude." She did get well and she came -- not just herself, but her entire family. This is another confirmation that when we agree together and ask the Good Lord, He delivers what we ask. And in our circle, what goes around comes around -- the more we give, the more we will receive.
Posted by frleo at 10:19 PM
August 26, 2004
Love to Belong
After our great worship each Sunday, the coffee hour bustles with life -- visitors and parishioners in a pleasant exchange. There is a new exhuberance in everyone, and there are exciting future plans in the offing. In addition to our Women's Auxiliary, we are starting a Women's Ministry, a wonderful opportunity for women in Spirituality. There will be a Men's Guild (in traditional Episcopalian terms it was known as The Brotherhood of St. Andrew) and of course there is the GYC -- Gabriel's Youth Community.
St. Gabriel's has been experiencing the touch of Divine Providence and the power of God's Spirit. There is a greater sense of belonging and love for the house of God. While we humbly follow His ways and accept His graciousness, we pray for His continued guidance.
May His presence guide us all wherever we are.
Posted by frleo at 2:23 PM
July 26, 2004
Peggy Swindells
Margaret Elizabeth Dutill Swindells
A loving tribute in honor of our beloved Peggy, from Walt Swindells and family and all members of St. Gabriel's:
Eternal rest grant unto Peggy
O Lord
and let Your perpetual light shine upon her.
May she rest in peace.
AMEN.
Our dear sister, Peggy Swindells, ascended the promised land on Sunday, July 25th, on the Feast of St. James the Apostle, just as the church bells began pealing. Peggy's funeral will be held on Tuesday, July 27th at 4:15 p.m. at Hillspeak in Eureka Springs. May I invite as many of us as possible to join in paying tribute to the soul of our dear departed. There are some senior members of the parish who cannot drive and would like a ride. If you can offer a ride, please let me know as soon as possible.
Hillspeak
805 CR 102
Eureka Springs, AR
479-253-9701
Let us keep Peggy and her family in our thoughts and prayers at this time.
Thank you and God Bless,
Fr. Leo
I am the resurrection and the life, saith the Lord:
he that believeth in me, though he were dead,
yet shall he live:
and whosoever liveth and believeth in me
shall never die.
Posted by frleo at 6:49 PM
July 21, 2004
Pray for Peggy Swindells
Peggy Swindells is in intensive care at Northwest Medicial Center in Springdale. She was diagnosed with terminal cancer of the intestines and was operated on yesterday. Unfortunately, the cancer is spreading. Please let us all pray for Peggy, her husband Walt, and their family.
Posted by frleo at 6:01 PM
July 14, 2004
Pray for Jean Chase
Our own Jean Chase is has been hospitalized at Washington Regional Medical Center. Please keep her in your thoughts and pray for her speedy recovery.
Posted by frleo at 8:00 AM