THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

Transcription

1 Thursday, November 29, 2018 THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH OF THE HOLY SPIRIT The Dove Contents Page CALENDAR 3 FROM THE RECTOR YOUTH 4 MUSIC 5 PARISH LIFE 6 ANNOUNCEMENTS 7-10 OUTREACH 1-13 TREASURER S REPORT 14 CLERGY/STAFF/ VESTRY 15 Happy Advent! It feels like every year about this time, I write a similar article about the virtues of the season of Advent versus the commercial holiday season that has nothing to do with Christmas much less Advent. I know, Bah, Humbug! I do feel it is worthwhile to remember that the faith of the Episcopal Church uses seasons of the church year to help us remember the deep truths we hold dear. For Advent, the season teaches us to slow down, pray, prepare for the Lord s coming, and then take time to rest, knowing that it is the Lord that will bring the kingdom of heaven to earth in God s time. One way we appreciate Advent is to consider the prayers and hymns we use for the season. Jeff Daniel did a superb job of preparing us with a Sunday Christian Education hour on November 18 about the hymns of Advent. Several of us (over forty!) attended. If you missed it, ask Jeff if he would mind giving you a copy of the Advent hymn booklet he put together. Reading and singing them would be a great way to engage the meaning of the season as represented in sacred songs. The collects (the opening prayer said for us by the priest) for Advent also give a sense of the important themes of the season. For the first Sunday of Advent, we ask for God s grace to cast away the works of darkness, and put on the armor of light This holy season is a good time to take inventory of the works of darkness in our lives and in our nation and then consider what armor of light is available to help us cast them away. (Cont. on Pg 2)

2 Rector s Column (Cont. from Page 1) Page 2 For example, on a personal level, a work of darkness may be holding a grudge; and the armor of light to combat it includes forgiveness. At a national level, works of darkness include unjust actions taken by our government in our name; and the armor of light includes how we vote and contact our representatives in order to bring changes to laws and leaders. As we take time around the Advent wreaths in our home this year, I encourage all of us to use the parish Advent devotional booklet and the prayers and hymns of the season in order to benefit more fully from observing Advent.. Blessings, Keith+

3 Calendar Page 3 Upcoming Events: COHI TRAINING December, 1st and 8th 10:00 am - 12:00 pm ADVENT WREATHS December 2nd, 9:30 am COHI MEETING December 5th, 12:00 2:00 pm ADVENT EVENING December 5th, 5:45 7:30 pm MEN S BREAKFAST December 8th, 8:00 10:00 am VESTRY MEETING December 13th 6:30 8:30 pm Monday AA Meeting, 12:30pm Tuesday Rosary, Noon AA Meeting, 12:30 pm Wednesday In Stitches, 9:00 am Contemplative Prayer, noon Weekly Schedule: Sunday Holy Eucharist, 8:30 am Eucharist, 10:45 am Thursday Bible Study, 10:30 am Holy Eucharist, noon AA Meeting, 12:30 pm Friday Church office closed Saturday The Pantry 8:00 am (last Saturday of the month) Cumming Harvest 10:00-12:00 SASSE December 14th, noon FAMILY PROMISE WEEK December PASTORAL SUPPORT MTG December 19th, 12:30 1:30pm THE PANTRY December 22nd, 8:00-9:30 am Upcoming Diocesan Events For information and events click Connecting here CHURCH OFFICE CLOSED December 24th January1st CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICES Pageant 4:00 pm Carol Singing 7:30pm Late Service 8:00 p, Sunday s Readings: December 2, 2018 Jeremiah 33:14-16 Psalm 25: Thessalonians 3: 9-13 Luke 21:25-36 Sunday, December 9, 2018 Malachi 3: 1-4 Canticle 16Philippians 1: 3-11 Luke 3: 1-6

4 For Our Youth!!! Page 4 From the Youth Minister: For Our Youth! Happy Advent Season! I want to thank you all for bearing with me during this transition, and for all the support and encouragement I have received. This is my twelfth year working with our youth, and it is my pleasure to get to spend so much time with them. Please know that I am always available to talk about your goals and wishes for the youth program, and that all classes and confirmation will take place as planned. Enjoy the upcoming rush, and carve out some peace amid the business! Upcoming Events: Sunday, Dec. 2 Caroling Prep 12:30-3:00 Wednesday, Dec. 5 Family Advent Dinner and Program Sunday, Dec. 9 Caroling! 3:30-7:00 Check out eycdioatl.org for Diocesan events, like EYC retreats and Happening! Blessings, Shannon David shannonldavid@bellsouth.net Thailand Down By Tatyana Blair on 11/7/2018 Hey everyone!!! So it has been a while since I last blogged and I apologize, but life has been a roller coaster. Today after a 28 hour bus ride I arrived in Malaysia with a happy / sad heart. Its weird for me to realize that 2 months of my race have come and gone. I knew at the start of my race that it would fly by but I didn't think it would go this quick... Click here to read more or comment on this blog post

5 ANNOUNCEMENTS Page 6 Children s Christian Education Advent is right around the corner and our time for preparing is upon us. The first Sunday of Advent is this Sunday, December 2nd and we will gather in the Parish Hall to make our Advent wreaths. Please plan to join us. We will have the wreath forms, the candles and the literature. We can always use greenery from your yard and particularly anything with red berries. Join us during the Sunday School hour from 9:30 10:30 to make your wreath. A suggested donation is $10.00 Following Sunday, we will have our Advent evening on Wednesday, December 5th. We will begin at 5:45 with Evening Prayer, followed by a shared meal at 6:00 and family activities at 6:30. The church will provide roasted turkey and ham and parishioners will bring sides to share as per the Sign Up Genius that was previously sent out to the parish. Following our meal, we will work together on different Advent crafts. This is a wonderful, easy-going evening that is perfect for the whole family. Please plan to join us! If you have any questions, please don t hesitate to me at jwilsonjat@gmail.com Children s Christian Ed will continue through the month of December with the following lessons: December 2nd Advent I Advent wreath making in the Parish Hall. All are welcome! December 9th Advent II Angels come to Mary & Joseph December 16th Advent III John the Baptist/Jesus is born December 23rd Christmas Break-No Sunday School December 30th Christmas Break-No Sunday School January 6th Epiphany lesson Looking forward to growing in our love and knowledge of the Lord during this season of Advent as we prepare to celebrate the birth of Christ.

6 Music Notes Pg. 5 CHOIRS The children's choirs are preparing "The Very Best Christmas Pageant Ever" for our annual Christmas Eve pageant at the 4:00 p.m. Christmas Eve Holy Eucharist. The dress rehearsal for the pageant is Sunday, Dec. 23 after the 10:45 service. Pizza lunch for the children's choirs and their parents and siblings will be provided. The adult choir is preparing anthems and hymns for the 7:30 p.m. carol singing followed by the 8:00 p.m. Christmas Eve Holy Eucharist. The ECOHS adult choir rehearses Wednesday evenings from 7:30-9:00 p.m. in the music room. We invite all interested singers to join us. The Children's choirs rehearse Wednesdays at 5:00 pm. The choirs are St. Cecilia choir (age 4-1 st grade) and St. Luke choir (2 nd - 5 th grade). We rehearse in the music room and youth rooms. All interested children are invited to join our choirs. If you are interested in sharing your musical talent with us, please let Jeff Daniel know at ecohsmusic@bellsouth.net OR speak with him at church. There is ALWAYS room for more choir members. We hope you will join us! Please visit the music portion of the church's website to find information about the music ministry of ECOHS.

7 Parish Life Page 8 Quiet Morning and Labyrinth Walk On Saturday November 3rd, women of the church gathered at Martha Wayt s home for a morning of quiet reflection, fellowship and to walk the labyrinth.. The weather was beautiful an the quiet time together was even better! Many thanks to Martha for hosting! Linda Cartwright & Julie Ford Janet Pfaff enjoys a quiet moment. Beth Jones at the labyrinth

8 ANNOUNCEMENTS Page 9 Note from the Nursery: We are still looking for Caregivers to work in the Nursery during the Sunday services and Sunday school. Hours are 8:15 am - 12:15pm and the pay is $12/hr. Please contact the office if you are interested. Parents - FYI There is a "quiet room" just outside the nave equipped with a comfortable chair and baby changing table. Please feel free to utilize this area should your infant need a break from the church service.to access the quiet room, go through the door on the right side of the church just past the choir loft and the room is on the right. ~Save the Date!~ ECOHS 2019 Parish Weekend March 15-17, 2019

9 ANNOUNCEMENTS Page 11 New Vestry Members for 2019 At our recent Annual Meeting, three new members of the Vestry were appointed by acclamation. Please welcome Joanie Anderton, Mark Bohan and Jeanie Lipscomb as they begin their three year terms on the vestry in Also, please be sure to express your appreciation to Wade Baggarly and Bill Kukarola, Sr, Warden, as finish their terms and prepare to rotate off at the end of the year! All Adult Trip to Honduras Most people in our parish are familiar with the inter-generational mission trip that we have helped sponsor in conjunction with the LAMB Institute in Honduras the past 3 years. That trip will happen again in June of However, there is also an opportunity to participate in an adult only trip in Please see the information below from Bill Sleeper at St. David s in Roswell: Have you ever wanted to participate in The Great Commission and to go out into the world and Be The Church? For 15 years, missionary teams from St. David s and other area churches have been going to Honduras, most recently focusing on supporting the work of the LAMB Institute s children s home in San Buena Ventura. For more information on this mission work go to the following link: stdavidchurch.org/outreach/honduras-mission/. For 2019 the adult trip is tentatively scheduled for March 9 th 16 th. In the past we have focused on interaction with the children while doing a building mission, but this year we are considering a two track program with the second track being spiritual development/reflection. The cost will depend on the number attending, but tends to run about $700 -$750 plus airfare. Sometimes, one s church will make a donation to cover some of the construction costs. For more information or to express and interest, please call Bill Sleeper at or wsleeper@aol.com. Please prayerfully consider if God is calling you to participate this year. It will change your life forever.

10 OUTREACH Page 13 Backpacks of Love 2018/2019 Delivery Schedule Backpacks are due back to the church office by 2:00 pm on these dates: 2018: 2019: Sept. 5 Jan. 9 Sept. 19 Jan. 23 Oct. 3 Feb. 6 Oct. 17 Feb. 20 Oct. 31 Mar. 6 Nov. 14 Mar. 20 Nov. 28 Apr. 10 Dec. 5 Apr. 24 May 10

11 OUTREACH Page 14 ECOHS Outreach Ministries In Stitches: A group who practices needle arts, creating items for various charities. Blankets and hats for babies are provided to various hospitals, hats and blankets for soldiers, or those needing that extra support, as well as chemo hats for cancer patients. For info, please contact Ro Woodhead nickwoodhead@hotmail.com. Prison Ministry: This group visits the Arrendale State Prison for Women several times a year. Participants help facilitate a day for the inmates to meet with their children at the prison s Children s Center. For more information or to volunteer, contact Lucy Murray at Lumurray@bellsouth.net Or Joanie Anderton at janderton@bellsouth.net. Backpacks of Love: A ministry serving children and their families who are homeless or otherwise in severe need by providing non-perishable food items packed in backpacks and delivered to the children s schools. For more information on Backpacks of Love, contact Cathy Schlecht at cschlecht@mindspring.com. Interested in diocesan or Episcopal news and resources? Press Ctrl + Click on for. The Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta Subscribe to Connecting the diocesan weekly newsletter The Episcopal News Service The Pantry: This is a non-food pantry created specifically to fill a void in the local community services. The distribution for our clients is the last Saturday of every month. Ministry participants assist with both the advanced bagging of items and the monthly distribution. Sign up to help with bagging or distribution: Church of the Common Ground: ECOHS joins the Church of the Common Ground, a spiritual community for the homeless in Atlanta, for worship outside in Woodruff Park several times a year. After worship there is time for fellowship and we pass out sack lunches prepared that morning. For more information see their website at For information regarding Holy spirit's participation and visits, contact Sharon Linsley at sharonlinsley@yahoo.com. Family Promise of Forsyth County: The Family Promise program helps homeless and low income families achieve sustainable independence by connecting them with people and organizations to help combat poverty and homelessness, providing food, shelter and support services. Holy Spirit is a Host Church four times a year, providing housing, hospitality, meals, and support to families. Seasonal Ministries: Angel Tree Wendy s Bears We Support: LAMB Institute Honduras Camp Mikell Emmaus House

12 TREASURER S REPORT Page 15

13 ECOHS Page 16 Clergy and Staff: The Very Rev. Keith Oglesby, Rector Cathy Schlecht, Parish Administrator/Bookkeeper Jeff Daniel, Organist/Choirmaster Julie Wilson, Preschool and Children s Christian Ed Director Shannon David, Interim Youth Minister The Episcopal Church of the Holy Spirit 724 Pilgrim Mill Road Cumming, GA ecohs@bellsouth.net 2018 Vestry: Bill Kukarola Shannon David Mark Bohan Wade Baggarly Peggy Bryant Chad Cartwright Shannon Darke Marina Slemmons Carmen Smith Melissa Roehm Bruce Zavitz Sr. Warden Jr. Warden/Stewardship/Fin. Evangelism/Newcomers Youth/Young Families Children s Min./Preschool Building and Grounds Parish Life ABCD/Outreach Parish Life Clerk Treasurer Visit us on the web at: