St. Dunstan's, The Episcopal Church at Auburn University
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St. Dunstan’s Friends

THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH AT AUBURN UNIVERSITY+WINTER 2003+VOLUME 31

 

83 Years of Campus Ministry in Auburn!

Did you know that St. Dunstan’s is one of the oldest campus ministry centers in the country? It all started in 1920 with the arrival of the Rev. William G. McDowell, Jr. from Staunton, Virginia. He was one of seven “inquirers” who initiated campus ministry in the Episcopal Church USA. McDowell went on to become the 5th Bishop of Alabama, but he continued to be a strong advocate for ministry on college and university campuses.

 

 

Shown are students and friends of St. Dunstan’s in the last days before the Christmas break. From L-R they are Forest Warren, Arnold Gamber, St. Nicholas (aka Adam Ray), Jamie Gamber, Leigh Warren, Jerry Michael, Barbara Michael, Emilie Acklen, and Amanda Kaczmarek.

 

Welcome to the Friends Dinner!

 Please make your plans to be with us on Friday, February 7, 2003, at 6:30 pm for the 4th annual Friends Dinner at St. Dunstan’s. Make your reservations by Sunday, February 2, by calling St. D’s at (334) 887-5657 or e-mailing WellsWarren@msn.com “Please give me a call or send me an e-mail to let us know you’re coming,” said Father Wells. “We are planning to serve almost 100 people that night.” Shown in the photograph from L-R Adam Ray, Jennifer Newman, Becky Armstrong, Margaret Warren, Alan Akin, Jane Walker, and Emily "PB" Pritchard-Brown hard at work preparing to feed the friends of St. Dunstan's.

 

 

THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH AT AUBURN

 UNIVERSITY+WINTER 2003+VOLUME 31

You are invited to the Fourth Annual Celebration of The Feast of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The Rev. LeBaron Taylor, Celebrant + Mrs. Willie Mae Hall Robinson, Preacher, at St. Dunstan’s in Auburn, Alabama, on Sunday, January 19, 2003, beginning at 6:00 pm!

 

 

The Bishop Visits on February 2nd

 

The Rt. Rev. Henry N. Parsley, Jr., Tenth Bishop of Alabama, will visit St. Dunstan’s on Sunday, February 2, 2003, to celebrate, preach, and confirm in a special service beginning at 6 pm. Please come, all are welcome!

 

Inquirers Classes began on December 29, and will continue each Sunday afternoon from 4-5 pm in the Chapel. All are welcome, including those who wish to be confirmed in the Episcopal Church (the official way of becoming an Episcopalian), received into the Anglican Communion (if they have already been confirmed in another Christian tradition), renew their Baptismal vows, or simply learn more about the Episcopal Church.

 

Weekly Worship opportunities include Sunday Holy Eucharist at 6 pm (followed by $2 supper), Tuesday Folk Mass at 5:30 pm (followed by $2 supper), Wednesday Compline at 9 pm, and Saturday Morning Prayer & Yoga at 9 am.

 

Education for Ministry classes through the School of Theology at Sewanee continue each Wednesday (6:30-9 pm) and Friday (9-11:30 am) For more information about EFM, an outstanding program of theological education, community-building, worship, and reflection for out-of-school adults, call Father Wells at (334) 887-5657 or e-mail him at WellsWarren@msn.com

 

Have You Considered Becoming an Episcopal Priest? That is the question posed to full-time college and university students in Province IV of the Episcopal Church USA. Father Wells, as coordinator of campus ministry for the 9 states and 20 dioceses of Province IV, will be hosting a Discernment Retreat for 18 “young vocationers” at St. Dunstan’s on February 14-16, 2003. The application deadline is February 1, 2003.

 

Diocesan Convention is scheduled for February 27-29, 2003, in Huntsville. Representing St. Dunstan’s and campus ministry at Auburn University will be students Amanda Kaczmarek (delegate) and Lee Cadden (alternate), Wells and Leigh Warren, and Michael Rich.

 

Help Support Vital Ministry at St. Dunstan’s by making a one-time contribution or regular gift. St. D’s has an annual operating budget of about $54,000, of which only 48% comes from the Diocese of Alabama. We need your help! Peace, Wells+




 

Dear Friends of St. Dunstan’s,

 

Greetings from St. Dunstan's, The Episcopal Church at Auburn University, where God is at work daily in the lives of students, faculty, and friends. I'm writing you to update you on our growth and to invite you to participate in this vital campus ministry.

We are in the midst of a Year of Spiritual Journey, led by the Rev. Wells Warren. St. Bonaventure's writings have become a road map we're following, with Father Wells as our guide, as we plan activities for the remainder of the academic year. Sometimes those activities have been outward-bound—we've traveled to the Gulf of Mexico, camped in the wilds of Chewacla, and cheered on the Tigers at Jordan-Hare Stadium. At other times, the journey leads us inward—through the Eucharist, Scripture-based programs, and even meditative yoga! At the center of all this activity is spiritual growth through Christ in the Episcopal tradition. Attendance at our Sunday and Tuesday services continues to grow, and students gather every Wednesday for Compline. Two adult EFM groups meet under Father Wells' direction. Inquirers class offers students and friends a time to look forward to Baptism and Confirmation in the Church.

 

Father Wells continues to criss-cross the state on diocesan business, especially to serve on the Department of Camp McDowell and the Department of Finance, and he takes students to Fall and Spring College Conferences. He is the coordinator for all the college chaplains in Province IV and leads their annual retreat in Georgia. Last year, he organized a provincial Discernment Retreat for college students, and three of those students are headed to seminary in the fall!

 

Of course, all of this is expensive. St. Dunstan's is supported through the Diocese of Alabama, through plate offerings, and through the assistance of friends like you. St. Dunstan's has in place a Chapel Finance Committee which includes a local CPA, three faculty members, the chaplain, and two students. Through that committee's diligent work, St. Dunstan's continues to maintain a balanced budget. That's the good news.

 

Here's the difficult news: Because our diocesan allocation will remain level, Father Wells continues to work without a travel allowance. Episcopal parishes typically provide several thousand dollars for a rector to attend ordinations, retreats, conferences, and conventions. Travel costs St. Dunstan's more than $3,000 a year—money we'd much rather put toward Gospel-based programming at home.

 

Please consider a donation to St. Dunstan's to help. You can direct that a check go toward the travel fund or toward our general operating fund. Thank you for your continuing support for our students and the vital ministry of Father Wells Warren.

 

Sincerely,

 

 

 

Michael Rich

Faculty Advisor


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