By George! Rule of Life for St George s. Growing with You in God s Love and Service January By George! JANUARY 2017 A monthly publication of

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1 By George! Growing with You in God s Love and Service January 2017 Rule of Life for St George s Based on our spiritual values and practices, this is our commitment to each other. We:! Nurture ourselves with the Bible and spiritual books! Care deeply about each other, including in prayer.! Fellowship together and have fun.! Are grateful, glad and giving stewards of God s creation.! Reach out to the world, living and spreading the Word. St.George s Episcopal Church 5600 Winding Way Carmichael, CA (916) By George! JANUARY 2017 A monthly publication of St. George s Episcopal Church 5600 Winding Way Carmichael, CA (916) barbara@sgec.us The Very Rev. Ray Hess, III Priest in Charge fatherray@frontiernet.net Ryan Saunders, Senior Warden ryan.saunders@sbcglobal.net Rev. Robert Olsen, Deacon rolsen8070@gmail.com Julie D. Vice, PIT community.st.marys@gmail.com (916) Tess Testeza, Organist/Choir Director Sandy Olsen, Editor sandyolsen8070@gmail.com Dolores O Brien, Deacon Bob and Carol Adkins, Circulation In this issue ANNUAL MEETING BIRTHDAYS BOOK CORNER BOUNTY BAG DEACON BOB FROM OUR PIC HOSPITALITY HAPPENINGS ROSTER SENIOR WARDEN SERVICES WOMEN S GUILD

2 Thoughts From Our PIC (Priest in Charge) Best Laid Plans I have heard people say that if you want a good laugh from God, tell God your plans! We humans have a way of making plans assuming that everything will work the way we want. As we start a new calendar year, it is a time when many of us make plans or resolutions. I have used a lifemanagement system for organizing my life for a long time, and I am making my goals for 2017 in all areas of my life. Deborah and I have just finished a remodeling of our master bathroom. It seems to me that making plans for our church or our personal lives is a lot like doing a house remodel project. We started with some general ideas of what we wanted to do in the bathroom, and then talked with contractors to get estimates. We found one contractor that we felt comfortable with, and we made specific plans for the bathroom, with drawings and detailed estimates for cost. Of course, once we started the job, things did not always go according to our best laid plans. Our counter top did not fit right with one of the cabinets, so that you could not open the cabinet door! We had to bring in a technician to do some emergency work on the counter top to make it all fit. This process took over a week and caused us to be out of schedule with the other workers on the project. Eventually, we got back on schedule and the work moved forward. While all this was going on, Deb and I were living in our guest bedroom and bathroom. As I write this in late December, we are almost done with the project! Our church or personal plans are a lot like this. It helps to have goals and ideas of what we hope to accomplish. It makes a big difference if we have prayed about important goals to seek God s will and guidance, so that we are not just asking God to bless our plans. When we make goals, we know that there will be unexpected events and new challenges that we cannot predict up front. We will need to adjust and be creative about how to move forward when the unexpected happens (and it will!). Our church vestry has made goals through the Mutual Ministry Review process. We meet once a year in the summer with a consultant to review the past year s goals and accomplishments and then to make goals for the coming year. Each month, the vestry meeting takes time to go over our goals and progress in meeting them, and looks at how we might need to adjust to respond to new situations. By God s grace, we move forward in doing God s work! On Sunday January 29, we will have one worship service at 10 a.m. and have our Annual Meeting after the service. At the meeting, we will elect new vestry members and diocesan delegates, and we will hear a report from the vestry about our goals from our last ministry review and how we are doing in accomplishing them. Please plan to attend so that you can be a part of our parish goals and ministries. I pray that we will all set good goals and resolutions for the new year, and that God will not find them too humorous! Yours in Christ, Father Ray 1

3 Senior Warden During this 2016 Holiday Season, I would ask that you open your heart to the world around you and give your love as often and as earnestly as you can. As the world around us becomes more frantic and complicated and divisive, the more your love and caring and generosity is needed. Don t stop loving, don t stop giving, and most importantly, don t stop believing in the magic of Christmas. Even in these times where I often ask myself what is this world coming to? there is still magic and wonder all around. Take a deep breath and invite the Christmas Spirit into your heart. You ll be glad you did, and hopefully this advice makes your Holiday Season just a little bit brighter. From the Saunders Family to your family, may you have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy and Healthy New Year! Ryan Saunders, Senior Warden 2

4 WOMENS GUILD As we start a new year it is time to look at where we have been and what we have done to determine what we may wish to do moving forward. For the past several years the same small group of ladies has been meeting monthly to carry on the work of the Women s Guild. In the past the Guild has raised funds to keep kitchen/coffee hour supplies in stock and also to help with adding to the church treasury to assist with any extra needs that do pop-up. The four to six of us ladies are also participants of other St. George groups and, as is typical of small churches, at times feel overwhelmed with the many small things that need attention. We cannot do it all and so are asking others of the congregation to step forward with your ideas, suggestions and help. Provide us a bit of a reprieve, so to speak. Sunday coffee hours take a turn providing goodies or help set-up or clean-up. Share any fresh ideas for fund raisers. Better yet, be in charge of said fund raiser. Look around the church; you may see something others have overlooked that you might easily take care of. Perhaps ask the Altar Guild if you could assist occasionally (rather that a full commitment). Our gardens could use some attention. An occasional couple of hours could keep them fresh looking (check with the Junior Warden to be sure your help would not interfere with a planned project). See anything else? Fresh eyes and thoughts are welcome. The next scheduled Women s Guild meeting is Wednesday, January 18 at 11 AM in the Parish hall. We hope many of you will attend. If you will be working or have other commitments that day, please share with me any ideas you may have by phone, or in person on a Sunday. Carol Adkins, President Women s Guild Mark your calendar, Mardi Gras Brunch coming February 26 th!!! 3

5 JANUARY BIRTHDAYS 2 Eric Freie 15 Diana Perparos 19 Matthew Benbow 21 Anne Mangels 26 Lisa Downing 26 Darren Clark 28 Sarah Sue Benbow (If your name was not included, please let Sandy know so she can add your name.) JANUARY ANNIVERSARIES 30 Aaron & Carol Adkins (`65) Hospitality Sunday will be the 1st Sunday of each month, special offering envelopes are included in the bulletin. These are used by the Women's Guild to provide weekly coffee hours, special receptions and other events for parish members. Please make checks payable to St. George's Church with a memo note in the left corner for HOSPITALITY. The women s Guild is happy to provide the book corner for your enjoyment. We appreciate the books you all donate. However, I would like to remind you to bring fiction, non-fiction, historical or humorous books. Please NO self-help or study books. Thanks for your attention to this matter. CDs...$1 BOOKS...$1 PAPERBACKS...50 Happy reading! Janet Jenkins 4

6 January/February JANUARY 1 st 2 nd SUNDAY OF CHRISTMAS LESSONS & CAROLS OFFICIANT: Mel Rose READERS: Diana Perparos, Aaron Adkins, Roger Jenkins, JoAnn Cookman, Dave Allmuth, Joy Allmuth, Carol Adkins & Janet Jenkins ALTAR GUILD: Barbara Cooper & JoAnn Cookman USHER: Cathy Crosby & friend JANUARY 8 th 1 st SUNDAY AFTER THE EPIPHANY Isaiah 42: 1-9 Psalm 29 Acts 10: Matthew 3: CELEBRANT: Anne McKeever EUCHARISTIC MINISTER: Dave Allmuth LECTORS: Anne Mangels & Carol Adkins ALTAR GUILD: Barbara Cooper & Joy Allmuth USHER: Carol Adkins & friend JANUARY 15 th 2 nd SUNDAY AFTER THE EPIPHANY Isaiah 49: 1-7 Psalm 40: Corinthians 1: 1-9 John 1: CELEBRANT: Fr. Ray Hess EUCHARISTIC MINISTER: Julie Vice LECTORS: Karen Lolmaugh & Joan Tennis ALTAR GUILD: Joy Allmuth & Cruz Siaz USHER: Cathy Crosby & friend JANUARY 22 nd 3 rd SUNDAY AFTER THE EPIPHANY Isaiah 9:1-4 Psalm 27: 1, Corinthians 1:10-18 Matthew 4:12-23 CELEBRANT: Susan Plucker EUCHARISTIC MINISTER: Ryan Saunders LECTORS: JoAnn Cookman & Sophia Saunders ALTAR GUILD: Vicki Karsten & Cruz Siaz USHER: Conrad Cookman & friend JANUARY 29 th 4 th SUNDAY AFTER THE EPIPHANY ANNUAL MEETING ONE SERVICE Micah 6:1-8 Psalm 15 1 Corinthians 1:18 31 Matthew 5:1-12 CELEBRANT: Fr. Ray Hess EUCHARISTIC MINISTER: Karen Lolmaugh LECTORS: Aaron Adkins & Carol Adkins ALTAR GUILD: Joy Allmuth & JoAnn Cookman USHER: Cathy Crosby & friend FEBRUARY 5 th 5 th SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY Isaiah 58:1-9a, [9b-12] Psalm 112: 1-9, [10] 1 Corinthians 2:1 12, [13-16] Matthew 5:13-20 CELEBRANT: Anne McKeever EUCHARISTIC MINISTER: Aaron Adkins LECTORS: JoAnn Cookman & Becky Freie ALTAR GUILD: TBA USHER: Cathy Crosby & friend Lessons can be found on our website 5

7 A New Year As this issue of the By George comes out I ll have been retired as a deacon for one year. For many it may not have been all that noticeable as Sandy and I continue to be in church on Sunday mornings, her setting up coffee and me loading the power points on to the computer and helping with the 9 a.m. service and the announcements at the 10:30 service and occasionally preaching at both services. I had given up many of my outside ministries prior to my retirement, during this past year I was able to turn over the remaining ministries that I was doing during the week. Carol and Jan took over handing out Safeway Cards to those coming past the church for assistance, now that I no longer have a deacon s discretionary account. Jan and Roger took over the Community Garden, with another successful year of gardening. On December 4 th, Sandy and I went to American River Care Center, formerly Brittney House, for the last time to conduct a service at that skilled nursing facility. Some years ago, Fr Zea asked me to do a service when there was a 5 th Sunday, which Sandy and I did for many years. When Zea+, was no longer able to do a once a month service, we began going once a month and have for the last 5-6 years. It was strange this past fall not sending in my registration for the Dioceses Annual Convention. As a retired deacon, I am not longer obligated to attend and while I could attend I choose not to. On the other hand it was great that with the convention held locally I could attend the opening Eucharist and then the dinner the following evening, getting to see friends from around the diocese. This Christmas Season, I will once again be handing out little thank you gifts to everyone at St George s for your ministries, past present future. This year it is little key chain bottle openers; the idea came to me when Jan gave me a similar one we d gotten from the folks we usually buy the St George s ink pens from. That key chain bottle opener had a little knife blade, which made it a problem going through airport or other security check points. The ones I m passing out have a flash light and a tape measure something everyone can use. For those of us of a certain age, another name for a bottle opener is a church key. I m not sure how many folks in the congregation have a key to the church, but would guess there are many. I figured just in case you weren t one of those with a St George s key, you now have a church key with you always. Thanks for all each and every one of you do to spread the kingdom. Deacon Bob 6

8 JANUARY 29 th Meeting starts following the service...remember MEN BRINGS THE HEAVY SNACKS! Annual reports should be sent to Deacon Bob by January 23 rd St. Nicholas 7

9 Second 6:45 pm The choir will now be meeting noon 10:45 Last 11 a.m. BOUNTY BAG We re collecting dry goods, canned goods, dried cereals, soaps, toothpaste tooth brushes or any non-perishables, We collect Bags ANYTIME!! NO TIME TO SHOP a check to St. Georges with memo to River city Food Bank (everything is welcome). SUNDAY SERVICES Family Service 9 a.m. Sunday School 9 a.m. Traditional Service 10:30 a.m. Articles are always welcome...but KEEP it short! The best way to submit an article is via my sandyolsen8070@gmail.com 8