the illumination Thanksgiving Eve Eucharist 6:00 p.m., in the Nave Wednesday Evening, November 21 news from Inside this Issue

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1 Volume 43, Issue 18 October 31, 2018 the illumination news from Thanksgiving Eve Eucharist 6:00 p.m., in the Nave Wednesday Evening, November 21 Come feast at the Lord s table before feasting at your own! Inside this Issue Pg. 2 Advent Quiet Day notice Pg & Holding Nov. meeting Pg. 3 Frozen Turkey collection Pg. 4 Tweeners Event Pg. 4 Messy Church Pg. 5 New Wednesday Night Program Pg. 5 Vestry Election coming soon Pg. 6 Year-Round Stewardship Youth Pg. 6 Winter Book Study Pg. 7 Common Purpose Event Pg Vestry Candidates Be sure to turn your clocks back before you go to bed on Saturday night, Nov. 3! 1

2 S AINT DAVID S EPISCOPAL CHURCH The Illumination Twice Monthly Newsletter of St. David s Episcopal Church Rector The Rev. Kenneth Swanson kswanson@stdavidchurch.org Newsletter Editor Linda Thomas linda@stdavidchurch.org 1015 Old Roswell Rd. Roswell, GA (office) (fax) Church Office: M-Th 10:00am - 5:00pm Friday 9-11:30am Church office office@stdavidchurch.org Church Web Site: St. David s Preschool Peggy Fallon, Director Preschool Fax: preschool@stdavidchurch.org In the event of a Pastoral Emergency after hours, call the church office at , follow the voice prompt, hit the #6 on your keypad, leave a message, and the Priest on call will return your call. The next issue of the newsletter will be mailed on November 14. The deadline for submissions is Friday, Nov. 9, CALENDAR a.m./ p.m. JFH=Jeffords Fellowship Hall, PH=Grace Parish Hall Saturday, Nov. 3 8:00 Scoutmaster Mtg.-House 8:30 Men s Bible Study-PH 10:00 Dutch School Mercy clssrm 10:30 AA Mtg.-House Sunday, Nov. 4 All Saints Sunday 4:00 EYC at Sinclair House 4:30 Parents Night Out at Hola! 6:00 Chapel Mass Monday, Nov. 5 10:30 Yoga class-jfh front half 11:00 Roswell Bridge Club-JFH 1:00 Six Mercies Library 1:15 Cottage School cooking class JFH kitchen 6:15 EFM Bethany 6:30 Scouts-Sinclair House 7:00 Covenant Group-Bagwell in St. Gabriel. Tuesday, Nov. 6 6:30 Bible Study at IHOP 11:00 Roswell Bridge 3:45 Dutch School classes 6:30 Comm. Project Mtg.-Bethany Wednesday, Nov. 7 11:00 Roswell Bridge Club-JFH 11:00 Women s Bible Study-JFH 1:00 Path to Shine-JFH classrooms 5:30 Wednesday Night Dinner-JFH 6:30 Wed. night programs-jfh Thursday, Nov. 8 10:00 Ladies Bible Study-PH 6:00 Al-Anon PH 6:00 Unidad JFH 7:00 Choir rehearsal-gallery 7:00 Grief Ministry-St. Gabriel Friday, Nov. 9 Youth Fall Retreat 11:00 Roswell Bridge Club-JFH 1:00 Six Mercies Library Saturday, Nov. 10 8:30 Men s Bible Study-PH 10:00 DOK Mtg.-PH 10:30 AA Mtg.-House Sunday, Nov. 11 Veterans Day 2:00 Girl Scouts-Catacombs 4:00 EYC at Sinclair House 6:00 Chapel Mass Our church calendar is continuously updated on our website at Worship Schedule 7:45 a.m. H.E., Rite I 8:00 a.m. Breakfast in Jeffords Hall 9:00 a.m. H.E., Rite II 10:15 a.m. Sunday School 11:15 a.m. H.E., Rite II 1:15 p.m. Mass in Spanish 6:00 p.m. Chapel Mass Lectionary for Nov. 4 All Saints Sunday Isaiah 25:6-9, Psalm 24 Revelation 21:1-6a, John 11:32-44 Lectionary for Nov Kings 17:8-16, Psalm 146 Hebrews 9:24-28, Mark 12:38-44 Advent Quiet Day Do Not Be Afraid: Finding Freedom from Fear is the theme of this year s Advent Quiet Day on December 1. The Advent Quiet Day is sponsored by the Daughters of the King, but is open to all! Held in St. David s Grace Parish Hall, the quiet day will be led by Darlene Swanson. Darlene Swanson, M.Div., is a member of St. David s, and serves as a speaker, teacher, and preacher for Christian retreats, events and church services. She is passionate about sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ and helping others discover God s empowering and life-changing truths as revealed in the Bible. 2 October 31, 2018

3 P ARISH LIFE 59 & Holding November Program Please join us on Tuesday, November 6, in Jeffords Hall at 11:30, followed by lunch and program at 12:00. The Rev'd Rich Sanders, St. David's Priest Associate and Navy veteran, will be our speaker. Rich is a bi-vocational priest and an attorney. Please make reservations for our catered lunch no later than Thursday, November 1 by: signing-up in the mailbox hallway, sending an to seniors@stdavidchurch.org, or calling the church at , ext. 125, and leaving a message. Donations for lunch will be appreciated. Christmas Flower Dedications Giving to the Christmas Flower Fund is a lovely way to honor loved ones as we celebrate the birth of Our Lord. The donations are used to purchase flowers, garland, wreaths, greenery, poinsettias, etc. that the Flower Guild uses to decorate St. David s for Christmas. If you would like to contribute to the fund for Christmas flowers, please fill out the special form on page 12 of this newsletter. Acknowledgements of all contributions will be published in the Christmas Service bulletins. Attention Ministry Chairs Annual Reports are due by Friday, November 30, They need to be ed as a WORD file/attachment to linda@stdavidchurch.org. If you do not have , please call Linda at , ext. 104, to make other arrangements. It is your opportunity to give, in writing, a report to the congregation of the accomplishments of your group to be included in the Annual Parish Report booklet. Call the number above if you have any questions. Cathedral Bookstore Sale at St. David s! The Daughters of the King (DOK) will sponsor the Cathedral Bookstore once again this year on Sunday mornings, Nov. 18 and Dec. 16, in the mailbox hallway. Come do your Christmas shopping early and select from these unique gifts, books, and treasures! Firetruck visit to Preschool! Crawl under the layer of smoke! Cool stuff on the truck! FAMILIES SERVING TOGETHER AT THANKSGIVING Last November, St. David's, in partnership with North Fulton Community Charities (NFCC!), donated more than 172 frozen turkeys in support of NFCC's holiday outreach to 700 families for their Thanksgiving meal. Our donation goal this year is 200 frozen turkeys! Please join with others from St. David's on Sunday, November 18th to donate frozen turkeys! More information/logistics will be forthcoming! 3

4 TWEEN ERS EVENT Upcoming TWEEN ers Event on Saturday, November 10th at 7:00 pm. Please mark your calendar to join us for our next TWEENers event which will be hosted by Matt & Laurin Lausier and Todd & Keri Blanks on Saturday, November 10th, 2018 at 7:00 pm. It will be an adult only Football Tailgate themed potluck so bring a dish for 10 people and BYOB. The address is 720 Owens Lake Road, Alpharetta, GA. Please RSVP to ext. 132 or sign up in the mailbox hallway by Thursday, November 8th. The football games will be on...so, wear your favorite teams attire! We hope to see you all there... NEWS FROM FAMILY MINISTRY What's Happening? St. David's will be offering a special worship opportunity on November 25th from 4:00-6:30 in Jeffords Hall. Messy Church is designed for people of all ages who want to experience church in a creative and hands on way. At Messy Church will gather together in an open space to worship with music and movement, sit on the floor for storytelling time from scripture, make Advent Wreaths, and celebrate the Eucharist. Before we go we will have time for fellowship over dinner. When is Messy Church? November 25th from 4:00-6:30 in Jeffords Hall. You can sleep in this Sunday morning if you want to and come to church in the afternoon plus, we'll feed you dinner! Who's invited? Everyone!! This is a great opportunity for St. David's parishioners to invite friends or neighbors to experience Christian community, and worship at its best. How can I participate? Simply show up! All supplies and dinner will be provided. If you have an advent wreath at home that can be reused, please bring it. Contact Mother Michelle at mortiz@stdavidchurch.org so we know you are coming. 4 October 31, 2018

5 NEW WEDNESDAY NIGHT PROGRAM Wednesday night program in the back half of Jeffords Hall, led by Michelle Ortiz November 7, 14, 28, December 5, 12 6:30 p.m. Book Study of Falling Upward by Richard Rohr Richard Rohr s book Falling Upward offers a way to look at our spiritual journey through a unique lens. Characterizing life into two halves - he writes We are a first-half-of-life culture, largely concerned about surviving successfully establishing an identity, a home, relationships, friends, community, security, and building a proper platform for our only life. Life, if we are honest about it, is made up of many failings and fallings, amidst all of our hopeful growing and achieving. Those failings and fallings must be there for a purpose Come Wednesday nights for small group discussions and personal sharing about this perspective on your spiritual journey. Please read the Introduction and Chapters 1-2 for November 7 th. VESTRY ELECTION 2018 The election of the four new vestry members will take place on two Sundays - November 11 and November 18 in the main hallway. This two week period should allow all members of St. David s the opportunity to vote for these very important vestry positions. You will be handed a ballot when you check in with the poll worker! You may also vote online by submitting your names in an to vestry.election@stdavidchurch.org. St. David s By-Laws, Article II, Section 2 Eligibility and Quorum as amended October 10, 2005 Those eligible to vote shall be all Confirmed Communicants of St. David s Episcopal Church, in good standing, not less than sixteen years of age. Those voters so qualified and being present at the meeting shall constitute a quorum. 5

6 YEAR-ROUND STEWARDSHIP Year Round Stewardship highlights our Youth Program Youth Ministry at St. David s is changing and developing as the youth in the North Fulton, Forsyth, East Cobb, and Cherokee counties have changed. It serves Youth and friends in grades 6th to 12th. We have an active Sunday morning formation which includes confirmation and lectionary based lessons, which means it follows the biblical passages we use on Sunday mornings. On Sunday evenings, we meet at EYC (Episcopal Youth Community) to learn more about God s presence in our lives and be in community with each other. We are growing, learning, serving, and loving together. We are not a finished product, but developing into ones in relationship with Christ. To learn more about our Youth Ministry contact Wallace Benton (pictured at left) at youth@stdavidchurch.org. WINTER BOOK STUDY Sunday School Hour at 10:15 11:00 a.m. Grace Parish Hall January 13 February 17, 2019 The Book of Joy: Lasting Happiness in a Changing World His Holiness the Dalai Lama, and Archbishop Desmond Tutu, with Douglas Abrams In the 2019 winter book study we will look at two men who have experienced the adversity of this world, but who approach each day, and each person, with joy. We will come to know His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu as we study their teachings on joy, as well as the latest science on joy, and as we share through the perspective of Douglas Abrams in a visit between these two great spiritual masters of our time. This book is about Joy: a state of mind and heart- that animates our lives and ultimately leads to a life of satisfaction and meaning. Ultimately, our Saint David s Church will be a more joyful place! Join the Reverend Michelle Ortiz, Edith Cobourn, and Tom Erdmanczyk as we explore this important book. The ultimate source of happiness is within us. His Holiness the Dalai Lama We grow in kindness when our kindness is tested. Archbishop Desmond Tutu This book is best enjoyed when sipped slowly and considered graciously: get your copy now and start reading! To learn more go to: 6 October 31, 2018

7 CENTERING PRAYER Silence is God s first language. Everything else is a poor translation. Thomas Keating St. David s Centering Prayer group is beginning again! Centering Prayer is a deeply rewarding prayer practice that seeks to open the mind and heart to experience the presence of God through silence and stillness. It is a spiritual discipline that takes practice to empty the mind from distractions, including thoughts, words, and even emotions. It moves prayer from a conversation with God to being in communion with God. In today s busy world this type of prayer is richly rewarding as it invites the practitioner to stop and simply be present to God presence. Centering prayer can be done individually but it often helps to begin with a group for support and accountability. More information can be found online at If you are interested in deepening your prayer life by learning more about Centering Prayer and participating in a group please The Rev. Michelle Ortiz at mortiz@stdavidchurch.org Once we know who is interested we will decide on the day and time we will meet together. COMMON PURPOSE GATHERING the issue of DMST (Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking) and of Wellspring Living and their programs. Then she will talk about ways people can get involved. Common Purpose Event- Tuesday November 13 at 6:00 p.m. Jesus said Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them (Mark 10:14). This is so counter to our current situation involving human trafficking. Did you know that there are 100,000 children now involved in the sex industry, that the average age when girls are first used is 14, and that it is estimated that the average weekly earnings of a pimp in Atlanta is $32,800. What can we Christians do about it? As usual, we will start at 6:00 with a potluck shared meal to help us get to know each other and to establish an environment of respect and Christian love. The presentation will follow from 6:45 7:30, and then small group discussion from 7:30 8:00. Please direct any questions about the event including the need for childcare with a week s notice to CommonPurpose@StDavidChurch.org. Everyone is encouraged to join us as we seek to live out our baptismal covenants together. Sarah Richardson, the Development Director of Wellspring Living ( will provide an overview of 7

8 CANDIDATES FOR VESTRY ELECTION Kristen Acker Look on page 5 of this newsletter for details about the election. Member since 2009 Recent Parish Activities I m a cradle Episcopalian who has served the church since I was nine. From being an acolyte and crucifer to eventually serving on the Building and Grounds committee for St. James in Cedartown, Georgia. I have assisted them with designing a new sign, documenting their buildings as well as helping them qualify for the Historical Registry of Georgia. After joining St. David s in 2008, I have been a member of the Green Guild, the Prayer Shawl Ministry, a Stewardship Caller, a 3-year-old Sunday School teacher, and I currently teach 1 st grade Sunday School and serve on the Altar Guild. Strengths and skills I can offer the vestry My strengths include knowledge of buildings and construction, organization and an open mind. Before making decisions I collect all the information, process it, then ask questions if necessary. I work well with others and can manage multiple projects at a time. Working for a developer requires me to interact with various employees in separate departments on a daily basis. There is rarely a dull moment and that s part of what I enjoy about my job. You would also like us to know I have a degree in Architecture with a minor in Construction, as well as a strong math background. I met my husband Jonathan in college at Southern Poly (aka Kennesaw State) and we have two fantastic kids, James (11) and Kaitlin (7). We love being outdoors, whether it s camping, hiking or just hanging out in our backyard. Jeff Hamling Member since 2009 My Recent Parish Activities Include My first exposure to St. David's was attending preschool here in the early 1980's. My involvement at St. David's has been as a Sunday school teacher, the outreach committee for the last capital campaign, and enjoying the Wednesday night suppers. Strengths and Skills I Can Offer the Vestry Although not a lifelong Episcopalian, I've loved the church since my wife and I were married at All Saints in Atlanta. My professional career allows me to interact and work with a diverse group of people and I think I will bring this same approach to serving on the Vestry. I've never met a stranger and enjoy talking to people and hearing their story. My job also requires me to ask people to open their wallets, so I'm not afraid to do so! You would also like us to know My wife, Caulie, and I have three children, Slade, Coe, and Huddie (Ken joked that he had never baptized anyone named Huddie). I spent 6 years working in Congress before moving to my current role working as state lobbyist. My recent community activities have included serving on the Brookfield Homeowner's Association Board and the Executive Committee of the Georgia Chamber of Commerce. It's an exciting time to be at St. David's and I would consider it an honor to serve the parish as a member of the vestry. 8 October 31, 2018

9 Anna MacHarg Member since 2015 Recent Parish Activities Include I am currently involved in a Covenant group with my husband, Kevin, and three other couples at St. David s. I participate in Women of Wonder, supporting mothers in our parish and preschool community. I have served as a volunteer during Vacation Bible School and a small group discussion leader at the Women s Retreat. I have participated in Ken s Gifts & Talents class as well as his Spiritual Direction class. This year I began serving as a Lay Eucharistic Minister. I am also serving on a subcommittee to implement new communication tools for our parish. After all the teaching and support I have received from St. David s I am inspired to put more time into serving our church family. Strengths and skills I can offer the vestry More than anything I would offer my perspective to the vestry. As a mom of young children, I represent a large portion of the St. David s community and could speak for young families within the church. I am driven by connection, which allows me to listen to all sides of a discussion and seek to find harmony. Moreover, from a professional perspective, I would be happy to offer my experience in data and business analysis, if needed. You would also like us to know My husband and I have been married for 12 years and have two children, Mary (7) and Andrew (4) who love St. David's! Community is very important to me, and I would love to see St. David s live more fully into its identity as a diverse church family with members from all ages and backgrounds. Ben Bailey Member since 2013 Recent parish activities include This year, I served on a Parish Committee on Ministry (PCOM), am a member of St. David s Preschool Advisory Board, and a member of a covenant group. I taught 4 th grade Sunday School last year and helped out with EpiscoPALS. My wife Jenna and I have coordinated meals for Path 2 Shine the last few years, and we both took Father Ken s most recent course in Spiritual Direction. Strengths and skills I can offer the Vestry I m a lawyer, entrepreneur, and small business advisor. I ve worked closely with a number of businesses in identifying pain points in their marketplace, tailoring products and marketing strategies, forecasting financials, allocating resources, restructuring debt, and raising funds. All of these skills should translate well to the Vestry. Ben would also like you to know My wife Jenna and I joined St. David s shortly before the birth of our first child Barrett. St. David s has given so much of herself to us since then. We ve met many wonderful people through our various activities in the church. Both our boys have attended St. David s preschool and are regular attendees at Sunday School. The Bailey family has benefitted immeasurably through our relationships with the church s staff and parishioners, and through our participation in the church s programs. We are truly blessed to be a part of the St. David s family and I would greatly appreciate any opportunity to serve her. Continued on next page 9

10 Nell Fernandez Member since 2000 Recent Parish Activities include I am currently a Eucharistic Visitor, a Daughter of the King, a Healing Prayer Minister, and a member of Common Purpose and the Prayer Shawl Ministry. In the past, I have served as a Sunday School teacher and on Altar Guild. Strengths and skills I can offer the Vestry I have a Bachelor s Degree in Sociology and a Masters in Information Sciences. During my career, I worked ten years as an executive search consultant, gaining experience in recruiting, interviewing, and candidate assessment. I have spent time since my retirement in volunteering with elderly and isolated individuals who are unable to attend church. This has given me a keen appreciation for the church s responsibilities to this segment of the population. As a vestry person, I would hope to be an advocate for those who might easily be forgotten. Nell would also like you to know I have been a member of St David s since 1982 I have found God s love and care in the community of St David s and for that, I love and honor this church. I believe I can make a real contribution and I would be blessed to be a part of the leadership team if I am elected. CHURCH PLAYGROUND UPDATE The church playground is where groups of children play 7 days a week! Recently, through the generous donation of a parishioner and fundraising efforts brought forth from St. David s Preschool, some enhancements have been made. The trees were recently checked over and were pruned back. The cyclone fence and gates were removed, and the area of the playground was expanded with a sturdy black metal fence with new gates. Other enhancements are being added in the weeks ahead: a big new sandbox in the lower playground and a new toddler swing set. BEFORE AFTER 10 October 31, 2018

11 TRUNK OR TREAT NIGHT! 11

12 BLESSING OF THE ANIMALS, OCT. 6 Christmas Flowers Flowers and greens for Christmas services are made possible by your generous donations. The amount is voluntary, but the usual contribution is $50. You may use this form, sign up online at click on Giving, then Christmas Flowers, or use the notebook on the welcome center counter by the front door to sign up in the special section for Christmas Flowers. Return this form with your check made payable to St. David s to the church office, writing Christmas Flowers on the memo line of the check. PLEASE NOTE: The Flower Guild cannot order Christmas flowers until they know how much money is available to spend! They will spend only the amount taken in by donation. Your donation and information below need to be RECEIVED in the church office no later than Wednesday, December 5 th to be included in the Christmas bulletin inserts. Given by In memory of In thanksgiving for 12 October 31, 2018

13 NEW MEMBER RECEPTION, OCT. 7 13