Gene Rachels came to visit St. George one Sunday; Paul and Peggy Foerster invited him to lunch, and he knew he had found his church home. Having retired from the military, he adopted San Antonio as his home and was happy to find a church where he felt welcome immediately.
Gene didn’t just attend on Sundays – he volunteered for a number of positions, most notably greeter. He was the quintessential greeter who always had a smile on his face and a kind word for everyone. He would ask about your family and love waiting to hear the answers. Not only was he a greeter, we was also an Office Angel, regularly stuffing Sunday bulletins and preparing packets for our shut-ins. He was active in Jerry Fulenwider’s men’s group too.
Sadly, Gene began a fierce battle with cancer, but when he was able, he was in attendance at St. George. The battle was one of ups and downs as he improved and declined a number of times, but never did his smile or his grace leave him, even at his sickest. Upon his death, Gene received a glorious send off to heaven in a Ft. Sam Houston military funeral. As I watched the funeral, I had to smile and think of how it suited him so well.
Sometime later we were notified that Gene had left a bequest in his will for St. George. Imagine everyone’s surprise to hear that that bequest totaled $60,000. I can imagine his smiling face as he anticipated the surprise of his church family.
The timing of the bequest was serendipitous as it came just after the new Leadership Center was opened. Immediately Ram donated $10,000 to the camp scholarship fund because of Gene’s love for children and children’s ministries. Additionally, Gene’s generosity paid for the refurbishment of the sanctuary to match the other new campus buildings, including new flooring, new paint, kneelers, pew pads, pew refinishing, Bibles, Prayer Books, and more. The renovation of the bathrooms across from the parish hall was celebrated by all. Finally Gene’s largesse paid for the Adirondack chairs on the patio of the Leadership Center. It just so happened that the Head of School Rob Devlin and Father Ram were standing on the patio one day looking over the beauty of the courtyard, discussing how the patio needed comfortable chairs for enjoying the scenery and engaging in peaceful conversations. Thus Gene’s money provided those chairs.
The beauty of the way in which Gene’s bequest was used is how he was represented in the choices. He was a greeter and a loyal Sunday parishioner, he loved children, and he loved conversations with those in his church family. We can all thank him every Sunday when we see his gifts and know the heart he had for St. George and its people.
Written by Pam Piedfort with thanks to Haley Bankey for remembering the details
February 28-March 2 MS Musical –Mary Poppins, Jr.
March 5 Shrove Tuesday @ 5:30 PM
March 6 Ash Wednesday @ 7:00 AM, 12:00 PM, 7:00 PM
April 14 Palm Sunday
April 18 Maundy Thursday @ 7:00 PM
April 19 Good Friday @12:00 PM
April 21 Easter Sunday
April 29 Chain of Love
May 19 Bishop’s Confirmation Visit, High School Graduate Recognition
July 8-11 Vacation Bible School
Clara Willmann was a tiny lady who has had an outsized impact on the pastoral care work of St. George Church in the 36 years since the inception of the Clara B. Willmann Trust. Although we hear and read about the Trust often in our church life, many of us may not know the story. Clara was a parishioner who had a vision of the people of St. George doing the work of Jesus among those struggling with emotional, spiritual, and physical needs. So much did she have a passion for the work that she gave 61% (or about $625,000) of her estate for the ongoing pastoral care of the St. George community. Part of the subsequent trust was the Willmann family home on Castle Lane, known as the Willmann House, which has been used over the years for everything from temporary housing for parishioners to youth group gatherings to temporary church offices during the recent capital campaign.
The purpose of the trust was specifically and narrowly laid out to meet Clara’s wishes to establish a Pastoral Care Ministry at St. George. As stated in the Trust documents, “Pastoral care ministries are caring and healing ministries, as demonstrated by the life, teachings and ministry of Jesus Christ, to individual people dealing with their individual, as opposed to group, needs and involve meeting and dealing, in a personally caring way, with the human emotional, spiritual and physical needs of hurting people.”
The Willmann Board has been invested and stewarded since the initial very generous contribution for 38 years with the interest income being used as Clara requested. The Trust provides for a salaried pastoral care administrator who is currently Marilynne Herbster. She monitors the pastoral care needs of St. George parishioners and keeps the trustees informed as to the ongoing programs. Parishioners and agencies in the San Antonio area can apply for grants which are dispersed yearly. For instance, last year grants were given to Christian Assistance Ministry, Larkspur Elementary School, Magdalena House, Pay It Forward (Clean and Sober Living), and West Avenue Compassion Center.
Clara Willmann’s generosity has made a dramatic impact on St. George life, insuring that the work of Jesus among the emotionally, physically, and spiritually hurting continues.
By Pam Piedfort
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The weather this past Sunday might have been cloudy & misty, but the spirit of our KFC kids was full of sunshine!! We had 13 of our Kids for Christ (3rd-5th grade) kids gather and share a warm meal together, while they made sweet Valentine cards for the residents at The Forum Assisted Living. Afterwards, a group of parents drove the kids down to The Forum, where we all shared a heartwarming afternoon playing Bingo with some very grateful & joyful residents!
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It was amazing to see the love in the hearts of the kids & residents as they interacted with one another.
One resident, Ms. Scott, didn’t have plans to play Bingo that afternoon, but came down only after being told that her young friend Ella Holbrook was there, hoping to spend the time with her! Friendships were reunited and new bonds were made that afternoon, making it a wonderful day that both the kids of KFC and the residents at The Forum will always remember!
A HUGE thank you to Violet Hutcheson, Sandra Goodwin, Cari Holbrook, Caanan Blake, and Justin Howe for helping to prepare the lunch, oversee the valentine making and transporting the kids to The Forum! We could not have done this without you!!
This week’s Gospel, which we will discuss in our class, is Luke 6:17–26, which contains the Beatitudes given to the disciples and those needing healing.
Please join us.
Steve Alwais
Last Sunday the class started out to read the three Bible verses referred to in Question 6 of the questions for Chapter 1 in Max Lucado’s book “Anxious for Nothing: Finding Calm in a Chaotic World.” In the last bullet of that question, Max asks, “What scares you about getting older?” He asks us to consider how these three passages relate to our today’s society:
- Proverbs 16:3, “Gray hair is a crown of splendor; it is attained in the way of righteousness.”
- Isaiah 46:4. “Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.”
- Job 12:12. “Is not wisdom found among the aged? Does long life bring understanding?”
One of the more interesting points made was the difference between the way the class’s Hispanic non-Hispanic members’ families view aging. The Hispanics tend to have stronger family ties that regard the older members as matriarchs and patriarchs, rather than in “other” ways.
Much time at the beginning of the class was devoted to spontaneous accounts of various members’ answered prayers. One member for whom the Prayer Team had prayed was hospitalized to diagnose an excruciatingly painful abdominal mass. The exam two days later showed the mass had “disappeared!” Another member reported that a friend who the class had been praying for has come back to Christ, and also how long-term health problems affecting ability to work were finally starting to be resolved.
Your participation in C&C Class is a way to help fulfill Fr. Ram’s calling in last Sunday’s service to do God’s work by “fishing,” as Jesus had charged his disciples. C&C is a “safe place” where one can share personal stories of God’s work in our lives. Hope you can join us next Sunday, 2/17/19 (normal time and place, between services starting at 9:45 in St. Mark’s Room, second floor in the Learning Center), for another round of stimulating “conversations.”
In Christ,
Peggy and Paul Foerster
Just a reminder that our next meeting is Tuesday, February 12 at 10:00 AM in the St. John Room. The program will be “Love Actually” presented by our very own Debbie Swindell. Mark your calendars and bring a friend. This is one you don’t want to miss!
Come and join us Sunday, February 10, from 12:00 PM-2:45 PM, for a fun and memorable service event at The Forum Assisted Living where the kids of KFC will volunteer their time running a Bingo game for their residents! Immediately following the 10:45 AM service, we will gather in the Cafeteria for a lunch, which will be provided. Kids will make valentine cards for the residents before carpooling to The Forum at Lincoln Heights. Bingo will begin at 1:45 and end at 2:45 PM. All kids in the 3rd-5th grades are invited to join us!
WHERE: Lunch at St. George Church/ Bingo at The Forum at Lincoln Heights located at 311 West Nottingham Place; 78209
WHEN: Sunday, February 10, from 12:00-2:45 PM
RSVP: by Tuesday, February 6 (it is important for us to have an accurate number so we can plan food/transportation accordingly)
Notes to Parents:
1) We will need some help transporting children from the church to The Forum. If you are available, please let me know via email at hwilson@saintgeorgechurch.org.
2) Each child is asked to bring 2 small gifts that can be used as prizes for the residents playing Bingo. Example of small gifts: boxes of kleenex, full size chocolate candy bars, small bottles of hand lotion, small bottles of hand sanitizers, packages of pens, crossword puzzle books, word search puzzle books, playing cards, warm socks, any small and inexpensive item they can have or use in their rooms. All items will be placed in a basket for the winners to choose their prize, so items should NOT be wrapped.
3) You will be picking your child up from The Forum at 2:45 PM.