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THE CROWN The Newsletter of Christ Church Shrewsbury Christ Church is a community committed to exploring the reality of God in today’s world ________________________________________________________________________________________ Volume XXI Issue VI June 2018 ________________________________________________________________________________________ In Remebrance “O God, who created all peoples in your image, we thank you for the wonderful diversity of races and cultures in this world. Enrich our lives by ever-widening circles of fellowship, and show us your presence in those who differ most from us, until our knowledge of your live is made perfect in our love for all your children; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.” Dear Friends, Nearly eight months ago, in the aftermath of Charlottesville, I extended an offer to those who might want to casually meet together to talk about matters of race in our church, our community, and in our country. Besides me, thirteen different parishioners came to at least one of the meetings which were held at the Rectory. A couple only came once, about half a dozen came every time, and the rest were in-between. The oldest member was in his eighties, the youngest in his twenties, the rest were in-between. Five identify as black (either African American or from Island backgrounds), eight as white (Caucasian or European), and two have blended race families. The last “official” meeting was in May. It is hard to describe how much I enjoyed these conversations. We spent a lot of time simply listening to one another’s stories, which were so interesting, enlightening, and informative. The group was quick to form a trust that allowed us to share from the heart – and for us to ask questions among ourselves that we might not have had the chance to ask before. We heard stories from the past and ones from the present. And I think we all realized both how very much we are alike and how much we want to be able to help make our church, our society, and the world a better place in which to live. We chose a name for our group: A Circle of Friends, which says it all. We put up a Bulletin Board in the Parish Hall (on the northwest side by the Books). We hosted a couple special guests from the Quaker Meeting which broadened our conversation – and the possibilities for what we might do in the future. At our May meeting, we talked about several things we might be able want to pursue here at Christ Church. We have already started with some of the suggestions; the first was the use of a beautiful little collect that is found in our Book of Common Prayer on page 840 tucked away in “Thanksgivings: For the Diversity of Races and Cultures”. It is the one at the top of this page; I have started using it as the collect at the close of the Prayers of the People (which fit so beautifully with the recent Feast of Pentecost). When the summer schedule begins we will use it at the conclusion of the service with everyone saying it together. We are also keeping the Bulletin Board current: there is so much every week in the news that we are clipping and posting – and perhaps sparking new conversations. There are several other ideas we will continue to discuss and pursue. Some are simple, others quite interesting! Some just for the Christ Church congregation, others for reaching out into our community and other places of worship. I am putting Sunday June 24th following the 9 am service in the Parish Hall on the calendar for our next meeting; so mark your calendar and do join us! We would love to hear your voice as we continue to dream about what God is calling us to do in our own individual lives and in the life of our church. As the collect says so well, “enrich our lives by ever-widening circles of fellowship” – we invite you to widen our Circle of Friends. Peace, Mother Lisa+ George Edward Councell, 11th Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of New Jersey, dies at 68 The Right Reverend George Edward Councell, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of New Jersey from 2003 until he retired in 2013, died May 21 at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in Hamilton, NJ from complications from a stroke suffered the previous Thursday. He was 68. Bishop Councell presided during a time of conflict in both The Episcopal Church and the Diocese of New Jersey. His gifts for listening, pastoral care, and healing became the hallmarks of his episcopate. "I will always be grateful for the pastoral gifts that were embodied in George Councell," said the Right Reverend William H. Stokes, Councell's successor as Bishop of New Jersey. "He turned over to me a diocese that had been broken, but that had experienced tremendous healing through his ministry and his capacity to love Jesus and love God's people." In a 2013 interview with the Times of Trenton, Bishop Councell laughingly noted: "I wanted to become a bishop to get closer to God, but with so many people here to look after, I thought, 'Wow, I'll really have to get closer to God to do this.' But I feel that I have." Bishop Councell actively encouraged recognition and giving voice to marginalized communities within the church. As bishop, Councell allowed his clergy permission to officiate over same-sex marriages in their churches in 2013. "It was very dear to me to keep everyone at the table, the Lord's table, and not needlessly build these boundaries among one another," he said in a 2013 interview. "The church isn't the totally safe place I want it to be [for the LGBTQ community], but I think we've made it a safer place for them, and a place where they can come, and be seen as people who want the same things as all of us: to have a healthy, happy, strong, supportive family." Bishop Councell also made the dismantling of structural racism a priority within the Diocese. "Bishop Councell's immense kindness and capacity to listen as a healer were instrumental in moving towards racial reconciliation in the Diocese of New Jersey, particularly in his unwavering support of our Anti-Racism ministries," said Barbara Okamoto Bach, longtime member and a leader and educator in the Diocese's Anti- Racism Commission. "His strong belief in our efforts, and that healing and reconciliation were attainable through the redemptive power of God's love, made so many difficult paths of healing possible." "Never have I known a more spiritual, loving, compassionate man of God," said The Rev. Canon Elizabeth Geitz, who served as Bishop Councell's transition officer, a position dedicated to clergy placement, for the majority of his episcopate. "What a loss for us." Bishop Councell graduated from the University of California at Riverside Phi Beta Kappa with honors with a Bachelor of Arts in 1971. In 1975 he earned a Master of Divinity from Episcopal Divinity School in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Councell was ordained a priest in 1975 in the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles. Among other positions, he served as Rector of the Church of the Holy Spirit, Lake Forest, IL from 1995 to 2003 and as Canon to the Ordinary in the Diocese of Western Massachusetts from 1986 to 1995. After retirement, Councell served as resident Chaplain of Doane Academy, an Episcopal college preparatory school in Burlington, New Jersey. He taught courses on Ethics and World Religions. Councell lived in Pennington, New Jersey with his wife of 47 years, Ruth May Tietjen, an artist and illustrator. They met while undergraduate students at the University of Redlands. He is survived by Ruth and their two daughters; Sarah Councell Turner, who graduated from Virginia Theological Seminary with a Master of Theological Studies degree, Martha Councell-Vargas, Professor of Flute at Western Michigan University, his six-year-old granddaughter, Alma Susana Vargas, his sister, Pamela Plouffé, nephews Jerry Roberts III, and Justin Roberts, and his niece, Dawn Drootin and their families. In lieu of flowers, the Councell family requests donations be made to the George E. Councell Fund for UrbanPromise Ministries in the Diocese of New Jersey. UrbanPromise Ministries is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to equipping children and young adults in underserved communities with the skills necessary for academic achievement, life management, spiritual growth, and Christian leadership. In the Diocese of NJ, UrbanPromise currently serves the cities of Camden and Trenton. "[Life is] too good not to try to live according to God's will, and when we fall down, to get up again, for the sake of that loving mother, father and friend whom we've seen in Jesus Christ," Bishop Councell said in a service celebrating his ministry in October 2013. "We have to rejoice, we have to celebrate, because He's raised from the dead, so there's nothing to stand between you and that love. May that love prosper among you; I'll see you in church." Photos: The Funeral of the Right Reverend George E. Councell by Chris Gregory PARISH NEWS & NOTES Reverend Milton Holmes, Trevin, William ANY CHANGES? Emerson, Ava, Jay Czarnecki, Becky Cuthbert, Please advise us of any changes in your home address, Pete, Sue, Joan Hall, Lucy, Dory Reagan, Adam email address or any phone number(s). Let us know so David, Charie Miller, Richard Brugger Sr., we can also keep our records/database up to date. Alexandra, Sally Cooper, Lucy, Harriet Clare Please send us an email or call the Church Office at Shaner, Roy, Katie, Anella, Antonia Malone, Leigh 732-741-2220.

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