The Lion's Pause

WE SEEK TO UNITE ALL PEOPLE WITH GOD AND EACH OTHER IN CHRIST THROUGH WORSHIP, FELLOWSHIP, EDUCATION, AND SERVICE

A Personal Journey with St. Mark’s

Father RJ is on a well-deserved vacation, as you likely know, and he asked if I would provide an article. What about? He suggested something personal. Here goes:

As some may know, Tory and I enjoy our summers on the Straits of Mackinac in Michigan. Right now, we are in the process of preparing to close our house for the winter. It is somewhat sad, since we love it here; but also, we happily anticipate our return to Ohio. Unlike many Ohioans who refuse to even say the name Michigan, we are torn every year when we leave one for the other! (We only root for the Buckeyes, however!!)

When I return to Ohio, I return to more frequent time with family, friends, and St. Mark’s Episcopal Church. As Junior Warden, I have continued to be as engaged as possible, but as we know, church activities ramp up in the fall as summer vacations end.

Our rector has inspired new spiritual and personal energy for me (maybe you, too?). We got through the worst of COVID-19 together (even if physically apart). We continue to work collaboratively with Weaver Child Development Center to keep the energy alive during the school year. Our work with Hope Outreach Ministries has provided meaning for both our kids and the entire congregation. We have maintained our programs with sound financial management amid rising costs and reduced income, thanks to the cooperative efforts of the Finance Committee, the Endowment Trustees and all those who have made either Pledge or Trust contributions in the past. We have gained new members as the message has spread via word of mouth and social media about our friendly, open and spiritual environment. We are a thoughtful and generous community of Episcopalians!

But there is more to come and more to do! While we continue to struggle with the loss of fellow parishioners due to illness, relocation or death, our newcomers inspire us to continue to invest our time, talents, and riches for a brighter future. As an active member of St. Mark’s for 35 years, I urge you to enjoy the fellowship, solace, and spiritual blessings that exist here.

God Bless,

John Willoughby

Junior Warden

Sunday, October 1

One Service of Morning Prayer at 10 a.m.

No New Member Class

Lessons

Bulletin

Live Stream

Wednesday, October 4

Evening Prayer, 4 p.m.

Zoom Bulletin

Vestry, 6 p.m.

Katie will be out of the office October 6-9.

The Diocese has continued to offer easy online giving. To use this, please select "St. Mark's Canton" from the dropdown, and choose either a one-time or recurring gift. We thank you for your continued support.

Designate a Gift to St. Mark's

NOTABLE - Bob Morrison

When my late wife Kathleen surprised me by saying we should consider an organ for the home, the model that caught my attention had provision for antiphonal speakers. This simply means that the organ can sound from different locations -- a true stereo effect. This concept intrigues me -- the idea of sound coming from all directions. (When my hausorgel was installed, I hinted at antiphonal speakers in another location, which was promptly dismissed by Kathleen.)

When I came to Canton's downtown Methodist Church in 1951, the organ was one year old. And, to my great delight, a hundred feet or so from the front chancel, high in the back, was a complete antiphonal division of pipes. Nirvana!

Over the years our organ man Robert Wervey added herald trumpets to that back array, which I named "Wesley Trumpet" in recognition of Charles Wesley's hymn "Blow ye the trumpet blow, the gladly solemn sound ... the year of Jubilee is come."

My delight in doing back-and-forth music with this division caused one problem, which Kathleen, in her usual forthright manner, was quick to inform me. On a processional hymn, I played the main portion of the organ accompaniment from that antiphonal -- but the time lag between the chancel and the nave made for rhythmic confusion. I had to tame my enthusiasm for stereo effects.

When St. Mark's organ was installed around 1970, Craig Jaynes, organist, specified nine ranks of pipes crafted by Schantz in Orrville. In 1978 Robert Wervey was engaged to create antiphonal voices high in the rear of the sanctuary. There were four sets of pipes: a trumpet, a rank that plays an octave higher, another that plays the actual pitch, and a fourth that plays two octaves higher.

Wervey was fond of "fifthy" pipes -- that is, an emphasis on the overtone an octave and a fifth higher than the unison pitch, so fifthy, in fact, that it had a chiffy sound that made it too odd for common use -- and remember, these pipes were all right out in the open and, frankly, made quite a nice display high up there, which was so prominent when one was departing the sanctuary.

What to do with that chiffy set of pipes?

October Birthdays

1 Robert Morrison

4 Ivy Smith

8 Gail Sack-Wetherell

10 Fr. RJ

16 Pat Silagy-Wesson

18 Bobbi Gordon

21 Tom Burns

24 Becs Hostetter

October Anniversaries

1 Dave and Christy Thorley

5 Chuck and Karen Violand

16 Derek and Emily Gordon

*Please note: Your birthday/anniversary will only show up if you've completed your profile on Instant Church Directory.

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Prayer Concerns

Vonda Temelkoff, Henry Aegerter, Jim Weaver, Jane Schutrum & Ron Brookes

Family and Friends: Paul Kit (son of Maxine Kit); Lee, Theresa & Addelyn (friends of the Hixons); Bill Schumacher; Don Siegfried; Darin Hill (friend of Derek & Emily Gordon); Elaine Campbell (friend of the Turners); Lori, Mike & Chase (friends of Leslie Redmon); Lisa (wife of Father RJ); Bob Rownd (friend of John Werren & Anne Coen); Judy Heisser-Turner (sister of Bert Heisser); Melanie & Trish (friends of Paulette Frech); Broden Burt (son of Ben and grandson of Chris & Carol Burt); Bill Allen (friend of the Mulls); Pat Walter & family (friend of Barb Whitehouse); Don Martin & Mark Osterhage (classmate & neighbor of the Watters); Alycia Geis (Karen Violand’s friend’s daughter); Michelle Graber (Bobbi Gordon family/friend); Janet Sheatzley-Morgan (sister of Barb Siegfried); DaNay Jackson (friend of Ron Brookes); Allison Cornell-Hood, Bob Patterson & Anne Higgins (daughter & friends of Diane Cornell); Finnigan Savage (friend of Pam McCarthy); Gail (sister-in-law to the Rands); Lynnda Hoefler & Jimmy Little (friend & son of Sue Little); Yanette Pysher (Vonda Temelkoff’s cousin); Tony Donahue (friend of the Boyds); Marc Hostetler (brother of Susan Hostetler); Baby David (acquaintance of the Nadels); Johnny Willoughby (grandson of the Willoughbys).

For those who have died.

Ray and Betty Slinger

For those in the armed forces.

PRAYER CHAIN:

St. Mark's has a group of prayer warriors who pray for the specific needs of those on the prayer chain. If you would like to place yourself or a loved one on the prayer chain, please contact Bobbi Gordon at ggordon24@sbcglobal.net

Prayer requests may be placed on the private Prayer Chain or on the Prayer Concerns list appearing in The Lion's Pause and Sunday bulletin or in both places. Please let Bobbi know your preference. Unless otherwise instructed, names will be listed as we receive them. Please update Bobbi or Katie on the status of your friends or family members as to when they may be removed from the prayer lists.