NEWS FROM THE NARTHEX

Transcription

1 november 2016 NEWS FROM THE NARTHEX At Emmanuel Episcopal Church, we strive to provide people the opportunity for growth in their faith through our mutual love, respect and acceptance of one another. From father Robert PEACE & ALL GOOD TO YOU! It seems like we ve been tricked into thinking that Fall was coming. Now we re left to wonder and to wait We wait for a lot of things in life. This year one of those I most heartily wait for is this election cycle to be done. One of the positive things we are going to do is open the chapel for prayer on Monday, November 7 th from 12:00 noon until 8:00 pm for some silent time to take a deep breath as we begin to move forward after it is, in fact, all over. When it s over I wonder if that will ever be true. Have we taken directions over the last year that we won t be able to turn around from to choose a different path? I don t know. What I do know is that politics will never go away either in the world or in the church for that matter. So, how do we as Christian persons not merely survive it, but flourish in the process? I would like to share with you a reflection written by Sarah Anderson that, for me, cuts to the chase and offers me much to reflect on. Perhaps it will be that way for you. Growing up outside of Washington, D.C., in a political family, had its pros and cons. A pro was the access we had to things like the Smithsonian and the monuments. Cons would be the insistent political murmur that invaded most conversations and the sense of emergency that surrounded every upcoming legislative vote, appointment, and election. And then there were the things that just were like the fact that politics always hit close to home. Growing up in the suburbs of Washington, you knew that behind every election, national firestorm, and escalating debate, were real people people who you ve met, who ve gathered to eat dinner at your house, who you ve taken vacations with. These people weren t just suits on a TV screen. They were friends. They went home to real spouses, tucked in real children, and felt the weight of their decisions onreal shoulders. When you grow up in the shadow of Washington, you know this. Politics is personal. This is complicated. Because, as is evidenced by social media, the talking heads on the news, and the articles appearing on both blogs and nationally syndicated newspapers, most of the time politics is not personal at all. Politics is a sport. It s a chance to stun with our barbs, wound with our carefully worded condemnations, and impress with our welleducated defenses and criticisms. The age of sound bites has made it easy to oversimplify the world by making it black and white the politicians in our midst oversimplified as well. As a result, we think it s our right to beat up and tear down the figureheads we disagree with, letting loose our most visceral and mean spirited attacks. And now, thanks to the Internet, everyone has an audience to do that to and a platform to do that from. For 99% of the country, politics is a chance to air opinions under the illusion that this is all about policy. But when you understand that politics is personal, you realize this isn t simply about a party, platform, or program. Politics is about individuals. And as easy as it is to believe otherwise, those people we spend our time (continued on page 3)

2 News from the narthex Emmanuel Episcopal Church Served by the People of God in the name of Bishop Rob Wright of the Diocese of Atlanta Georgia Museum of Art Tour The Elder Connection committee invites all parishioners and friends to join us for a tour of The Sacred in Art. Sam Carleton will lead this special tour. We will gather in the lobby of the museum at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday November 13. The Museum is located at 90 Carlton St. with parking in the deck off River Rd. Don t miss this wonderful opportunity to look at wonderful art with a learned guide. and the Vestry Phil Bettendorf, Finance Ellen Cowne, Parish Life Bill Fox, Facilities Brian Freese, Formation Rob Hoyt, Stewardship Weyman Johnson, Outreach Roger Lange, Junior Warden Naomi Norman, Senior Warden Crysty Odom, Parish Life Terrie Seward, Youth Ministry Brooke Stortz, Day School Diane Wahlers, Pastoral Care and supported by the Staff Georgia Collier Melissa Fulcher Karen Holland Sam Polk Denise Thomas and assisted by the Clergy Fr. Robert Salamone, Rector Fr. Christopher Cole, Assistant Rector 498 Prince Avenue Athens GA Adult Formation for november The Adult Faith Formation Committee offers programs that explore Holy Scripture, Anglican tradition, and Church history to deepen personal faith, strengthen community, and share the Gospel with each other. Christian formation, according to the Episcopal Church of the USA, is the lifelong process of growing in our relationship with God, self, others, and all creation. Every experience in our lives can provide us with the opportunity to express our faith; the challenge we face is recognizing these opportunities and learning ways to live a sometimes countercultural life in a secular world. Adult Formation meets in the Westminster room, downstairs in the Formation Building. Please join us for these offerings this month. November 6: 1000 Years of Church History, part 1 discussion of this two-part DVD, facilitated by Br. Brian Paul Freese, OP November 13: 1000 Years of Church History, part 2 discussion of this two-part DVD, facilitated by Br. Brian Paul Freese, OP November 20: The Nicene Creed at the Council of Nicaea, an interactive session on the establishment of the Nicene Creed facilitated by Naomi Norman November 27: Advent, part 1 of a 4 part series, coordinated by Fr. Robert Salamone

3 (continued from page 1) demonizing, ridiculing lambasting, and shaming, are actual humans. Shamefully, in our over zealous effort to advocate for the humanity in the unborn, the refugee, the immigrant, the working class, and the marginalized, we have forgotten the humanity of those who ve given more of themselves to the political process than we could possibly know, and who are attempting to make our country the best version of itself even if their version conflicts with ours. And for those of us who love God and follow Jesus this is no small offense because we were called to a higher ethic. For as long as I can remember, I have gotten up on Sunday mornings and gathered with other Christians to hear about the infinite kindness of a loving God whose Son went the greatest lengths imaginable to win back the hearts of the people He created. The people God created. We can talk all day long about the love God has for the group of people we are championing at the moment. But we quickly forget about the image of God found in those representing politics we disagree with, who are the representatives of a political ideology that is not ours. We don t have to like them. We don t have to think they represent good ideas. We can think they are narcissistic, crooked, dangerous, and are single-handedly capable of destroying everything this country stands for. But we don t get to look at them and dismiss their humanity, snubbing the image of God intrinsic in them. We don t get to scoff at their personhood when their heavenly Father sees some of Himself in them. We get to choose something different. Something harder. But also, something better. We get to choose kindness. That doesn t mean we soften our ideals, stand for nothing, and fall for everything. It means we start seeing the people on the screen of our TVs, in the feed on our phones, in the subject of the articles, blogs and panels, as human beings, made in the image of God. What might happen if we did that? What if we saw the opposing candidate with as much humanity as the refugee looking for asylum, and the baby granted no rights until born? What might happen if we saw people as members not simply of a political party, but of a family? As less a picture of every policy they represent and more like a citizen of humanity? I hoped the last few months might have been different. I pray to God, that it won t be politics as usual in the remainder of our election year. Because I know people with skin in this game. I know people who are the dogs in the fight. And they deserve better than what we ve given them so far. They deserve people willing to stand up, look them in the eye, literally or via whatever medium we have and say, I may not agree with one policy you have, I may cringe when you open your mouth, I may not trust a word you say. And yet. I am holding tightly to what I know is true. That God made you, God loves you, and I respect and honor that in you. I am not saying that on the Wednesday after Election Day we should cross party lines and hold hands singing Kumbaya together. I m just saying, we better get our act together. And as Christians we better lead the way. We can exercise our Constitutional right and vote how we want to vote. We can exercise our First Amendment right to speak out and to voice our opinions. But may we do so cognizant of the law of love, of kindness, of grace, and of our shared citizenship not only of a country we love, but of a humanity God loves too. I add my AMEN to this. Robert + Bigger Vision Winter Homeless Shelter: An Opportunity to Serve On any given night during the past year, there were over 400 individuals and families experiencing homelessness in Athens-Clarke County. Despite the efforts of many organizations, over 200 families were left without a bed during the night. Bigger Vision was established in 1998 as a response to the needs of the homeless in Athens. This shelter dedicates its services to sheltering those individuals who lack permanent housing. Their mission is to provide for the individual who is temporarily homeless a warm, dry place to sleep each night on a first-come, first-served basis. Emmanuel has signed up to prepare a meal for 40 individuals for five winter Sunday nights. If you would like to be a part of a cooking team or deliver the meal and serve the guests, please sign up to volunteer. The sign-up sheets will be set up in the narthex in early December. The dates for volunteers to prepare and serve are: December 4 January 15 February 5 March 5 April 2 For more information, see Merry Reetz Stovall. 3

4 News from the narthex Introducing the Vestry slate for 2017 The members of the Vestry Nominating committee are pleased to present the slate for the next Vestry class that will begin January This class will serve for three years with their term ending in December There are 12 parishioners who serve on the Vestry with a third rotating each year. The members of the Vestry Nominating committee were Phil Bettendorf, Butch Bush, Weyman Johnson, Marty Kemp, Naomi Norman and Diane Wahlers. The candidates were unanimously approved by the Vestry and will be presented for approval by the Church at the parish annual meeting on Sunday, December 11th. Each candidate was asked the following questions: What gifts do you bring to the Vestry? What is your vision for Emmanuel going forward? Tell us about yourself. Here are their responses. ANNA ALEXANDER It truly is an honor to have been asked to serve on the Vestry at Emmanuel. I grew up Kollam, the third biggest city in Kerala, a state of 30 million people in south India. My family is part of the 30% of Kerala s population that is Christian, and we believe that St. Thomas, of Doubting Thomas fame, came to our part of the world to spread the gospel. Just as it is for most Christian families in India, nightly prayer and devotion were an integral part of my childhood. I was raised in the MarThoma Church, and my home parish, St. John s Church, was like a second home to me when I was growing up. I was very active in Sunday school and the choir. I began worshipping at Emmanuel in 2004, soon after moving to America. My husband Sunil and his family have been attending Emmanuel since Like them, I have seen what a wonderful place it is. I have enjoyed becoming a part of the community here, making friends with other congregants and developing close relationships with the five different priests who have served here since my arrival. Being part of the Women s Bible Study is something I have really enjoyed at Emmanuel. Much of my life now centers around being a mom to Sumit (age 8) and Anoushka (age 4). Both of them attended Emmanuel Day School. As part of introducing them to Christian worship, I have been volunteering with the children s program on Sundays. My time in the Nursery and Catechesis has allowed me to grow in so many ways. It has been a pleasure to help our church s little ones learn more about the Church and how Episcopalians worship. We recognize that Catechesis does not have all the graphic wow of more contemporary methods of Sunday school at other places, but from talking to Emmanuel parents of older children, Sunil and I are excited to see how our children can grow if we just trust the method of Catechesis. Sunil and I moved back the Athens in May 2012 and we have been very happy here. I am an internal medicine physician at Kaiser Permanente and he is an OB/GYN at Piedmont Athens Regional. Life is busy but (mainly because of Sunil) weekly worship is part of our Sunday routine. We usually attend the 10:30 service. Part of my own routine is running each weekday morning exercise is very important to me! I also enjoy cooking and watching movies. Watching basketball (it started with Duke, now it s NBA) is another of my favorite ways to relax. That pastime started with Sumit, and because of Anoushka, I guess you can say I m (right now) into Disney princesses! And traveling abroad with my family is something I really look forward to. One of the favorite experiences of my life was walking the final part of the Camino de Santiago in northern Spain with members of our church in June I got to know five high school students who had just been confirmed and a college student, none of whom I knew well before. We shared a life-changing experience as pilgrims and formed many great memories. I am really looking forward to being part of the Vestry. Particular skills that I bring include interpersonal skills and being very detail-oriented. I am a hard worker and willing to volunteer for many activities. My family and I love to come to church after hours for activities such as the fall festival or the wrapping Christmas presents for other

5 5 families. Events such as The Great Pancake, the Epiphany Feast or the Parish Picnic are a great way to not only have fun but also to really develop the relationships that make one feel as if he/she is part of a community. I am really excited about the new sanctuary and am sure that it will be a great way to grow our church. I hope that many more families will commit to coming to Emmanuel every week. When the busy-ness of life is interrupted by challenges, a home like Emmanuel is lifesaving; we need to show this to our children. We need to affirm that doubts, mistakes and imperfections do not change the way that God loves us whatever stage of life we are in. Even in small details, like having Day by Day available to model daily devotion, our church shows a method of how to live life and how to become closer to God. I want people all over the world, like me, to come to Emmanuel but I also want people from Athens, who have never thought of coming to an Episcopal Church, to come here. Every week I learn something new about Jesus and about how I should live. I remember well Bishop Wright s message at the dedication of our extension, about how great it is to be an Episcopalian, about how we always end church the same way, with communion, because that it is a great thing and because it is what Jesus asked us to do. Emmanuel has so many great ministries that benefit the Athens community. Our church is about to grow in so many great ways. I feel blessed to say that Emmanuel is my second home. LABAU BRYAN I am honored to have been asked to serve on the Vestry at Emmanuel and will strive to be a positive presence on your behalf during my tenure. For those who don't know me, I'm a cradle Episcopalian, who grew up in and was an active member of St. David's in Garland, Texas from elementary school through high school. Like many young people, I too easily lapsed into a Christmas/Easter Christian during my 20s. When I became pregnant with my first child, I started over, so to speak, by going to Sunday School at St. Augustine s in Santa Monica, CA. There were very few families at that time, so the priest gathered the children around him on the floor. There I once again absorbed the basics Jesus loves me. St. Augustine s was very liberal and inclusive compared to some parishes in the area. I will always be grateful to the opportunities afforded me as a congregant to widen my world view and shake up prior notions. While staying true to their mission of being a loving and inclusive congregation, St. Augustine s started attracting more families. When they initiated the Catechesis program, I signed up for the training and was active in that program until I left California. After a short stop back in Garland, I moved to Athens and joined Emmanuel in 1994 along with my two daughters. Over the years I ve taught Sunday School, served as a Holy Cooker, and more recently served on the renovation/restoration campaign committee and have been active in choir, altar guild and as a lector. Emmanuel has become a very special place for me over the last 20 years. During that time I have established firm friendships while deepening my relationship with God. As I begin the next chapter of my life, I believe I can bring perspective to the vestry table. Isn t it interesting that we humans can look at the same information and come to different conclusions? This insight and Stephen Ministry training have helped me become a much better listener. Another important lesson I ve learned as a parent, as well as other roles, is that I m not always right! It is my fervent hope that this perspective as well as my administrative background will be beneficial to whatever task is at hand. We are so blessed to have a vibrant and growing congregation. I can t help but smile as I look out on Sunday morning and see us become more diverse in so many ways. Given my own history, I m particularly struck by all the young adults actively participating in the service and in the life of Emmanuel. Emmanuel has so much to offer to those seeking community and a deeper relationship with God. My fervent wish and goal is to continue to grow with you as we strive in our common goal of loving God and each other.

6 News from the narthex CARTER STANFIELD I have been asked to describe what gifts I bring to Emmanuel. However, I find it far easier to describe the gifts I have received from Emanuel. I believe that I can best describe what I bring to Emmanuel by describing how the community at Emmanuel has affected me. It is not an exaggeration to say that Emmanuel changed my life. Joining the choir and learning to sing started a series of life-changing gifts which I continue to enjoy to this day. I was invited to sing in the choir by John Corina. He had a habit of recruiting musicians for his choir. Although I had studied and performed music all my life, I had never sung anywhere except in the shower. No matter, said John, I will teach you. The gift of singing cannot be overstated. Singing during the service is incredibly fulfilling. It involves your mind, your spirit, and your body all focusing together. Singing removes all distractions and clutter because it demands your undivided attention. The closest way to describe it to people who have not performed music is to compare it to the rush you get hitting a home run or scoring a touchdown, except those generally are not spiritual. For me, no spoken prayer is ever as moving as one that is sung. And that is exactly what anthems and hymns are: prayers. I met my wife Sharon in the choir. We sat across from each other in the choir stalls and I found myself staring at her beautiful face and smile. I had to work pretty hard. She cancelled our first date, and then on the first date she accepted, my car broke down BEFORE I picked her up! My parents had to call her to tell her I would be late. I invited her over to my apartment for a meal of country ham and she had sore wisdom teeth. Finally, I invited her over and sang to her. Despite all this, she married me anyway six months after meeting. Again, this gift was to yield more life-changing gifts in the future. One condition of being married was being baptized. I was baptized as an adult at Emmanuel. Before being baptized I was singing at someone else s church. After being baptized I felt that Emmanuel was now my church. I take the name of the church very seriously: Emmanuel God WITH us. The people of Emmanuel are the body of Christ and we minister to each other. That is certainly a gift of immense value. Sharon and I were late bloomers as parents. For the first five years of our marriage we really just wanted to enjoy each other. Yes that was a bit selfish, but it built a lifelong bond as we became best friends. It really is important to like the person you are joined with until death do you part. Then when we decided to have a family, we couldn t. Years of doctor appointments, tests, charts, prayers and an operation yielded no results. Sharon quit her job and we stopped the charts and doctor appointments. Then ten years after being married and five years after trying to have a child our first miracle baby was born: Christina! If you know Christina, you know what a miracle she is. Now you know the rest of the story: her birth was a blessing that we had all but given up on. By now we had figured out that we were not really in control of the birthing schedule, and so we stopped all efforts at either preventing or accelerating it. In another five years our second miracle baby was born: Preston! We were blessed a second time with a beautiful, bright child who is full of life. If you know Preston you know that he is truly a gift. Emmanuel has had a lot to do with Christina and Preston developing into the wonderful people that they are. Emmanuel became part of our family life. We sang in what was then called the family choir. As a toddler, Christina would sit next to John by the organ console at practice and during Sunday service. That allowed Sharon and I to sing in the Choir. Paul Anderson would process carrying his daughter Karen. Some services and events at Emmanuel became family traditions. Thanksgiving means so much more to us because of the supper that Emmanuel gives every year. We would get in the car and deliver meals with the kids in tow. The kids would hand out the meals, and the recipients were always gracious and thankful. That outreach at Thanksgiving became what the family looked forward to each year. I know Christina was very moved by her mission trip to Mexico. She noted that the people who had so little were so friendly and generous with what little they had. For Preston, that experience came in the trip to Haiti. I know he will never forget those people. Like many parents at Emmanuel, I believe that my children have the potential to change the world. Emmanuel has been important that their life and I believe will help them as they make the world a better place for the rest of us.

7 7 I started talking about how I have received a series of gifts each one growing from the other. In truth, I have just scratched the surface of the many wonderful blessings I have received here at Emmanuel. The opportunity to serve on the vestry is a gift that I have not sought. The Sunday after being asked about serving on the vestry I was in Augusta. I was still wondering if I was ready and willing to take on the responsibility. The sermon that day was about trusting God to provide you with the things you need to fulfill your mission. It seemed that the sermon was directed at me personally. I have received so much from Emmanuel, I cannot say no. I trust that God will provide me with the tools to serve the body of Christ at Emmanuel: God WITH us. JAN WHEELER My husband Mark and I have been members of Emmanuel since 1977, nearly 40 years! I have twice served on the vestry and have chaired the finance, stewardship, Christian education, and Williams-Rhodes committees. I have been a Stephen Minister for about eight years and earlier this year completed the Education for Ministry course. We have two children, Anna and Sam, who grew up at Emmanuel, a son- and daughter-in-law, and five grandchildren. In addition to church and family activities, I am a volunteer with the Athens-Clarke County and UGA OLLI. Reading, gardening, and walking are three of my interests. I have been fortunate in Athens to find a series of interesting and challenging jobs, most recently with UGA, and retired over a year ago. While at UGA I earned my doctorate in higher education administration and published a book on school desegregation in the Deep South. For as long as I can remember, I have been aware of that unseen and unnamed something that I later defined as a holy presence. The oldest of five children, I grew up in a small mid-western town, carefully watched over by strict and loving parents, grandparents, aunts, and uncles. Attending church was something we did as a matter of course, and I participated in Sunday school, Bible school, choir, and youth group. I played the piano for Sunday school and often stopped by our church on my way home from school to play the organ I had permission and a key! It was thrilling to literally pull out all the stops and play hymns at a volume never attained during services. I certainly felt God s presence in that lovely little church. After high school, my church attendance became less regular. Shortly after graduating from college, Mark and I married. Following graduate school, we moved to Athens and, by this time expecting our first child, began searching for a church. While neither of us had had much experience with the Episcopal Church, we immediately felt at home at Emmanuel. That was nearly 40 years ago, and Emmanuel is where I have most often felt God s presence. My vision for Emmanuel s future is for us to continue to grow and change, attracting the richly diverse and godly people who will become Emmanuelites. Over the years I have seen many changes at Emmanuel, some wonderful and some quite difficult for me. I have always tried to appreciate and understand all viewpoints and, when appropriate and possible, be a peacemaker. I want us to be a generous parish, both in how we allocate our resources and in our regard for each other. As a member of our vestry I hope to do my best to serve God through Emmanuel s ministries.

8 News from the narthex Transitions To Emmanuel John Knowlton from First Baptist Church, Athens Mary Vandiver from Redeemer Presbyterian, Athens Stephen Pritchett from Christ Episcopal, Kennesaw Susan Garrett from Christ Church Frederica, St. Simons Island From Emmanuel Hoyt and Sally Bonynge to Grace Episcopal Church, Gainesville GA Baptisms Smith McEachern Matthews, son of John Avery and Sarah Smith Matthews Bradford Tyler Anderson Jr., son of Bradford Tyler and Jennifer Kirsten Ott Anderson NEW DATE FOR THE 2016 EMMANUEL FUNDRAISER Let us all gather in the narthex on November 17 th for a "Sneak Peek" of our restored Emmanuel Episcopal Church! Tickets are $100 (75% tax deductible) per person and include food, drinks, silent auction and the opportunity to write a message to future Emmanuelites that will be placed inside the altar. The party starts at 6:30 p.m. and includes compline in the church. This fundraiser will help us close the gap in the 2016 operating budget for the church and increase funding for mission and outreach. The silent auction will feature lanterns from the church, original art work, a paver at the church, a space in the Columbarium, a weekend getaway in the mountains, jewelry and much more! Catering will be provided by Seabear Oyster Bar and home.made and will include beverages. If you cannot attend the event, consider leaving a message for future generations in a time capsule that we will place in the altar. A $25 donation is suggested, but not required. As you have already heard, when the altar was moved during this restoration process, a bottle containing papers dated Christmas Eve 1924 was discovered inside. We will return that bottle and replicas of those papers to the altar and will place alongside it a time capsule with our own messages for future generations. You may purchase tickets after either service on Sunday or from Melissa in the church office during the week. This is a night of celebration you don't want to miss. The bottle lying on its side inside the altar.

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10 News from the narthex From father Chris BECOME A PRAYER PARTNER FOR A HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT NEXT YEAR At a recent Wednesday Eucharist we honored the life of William Carey, an early 19 th - century British missionary. We remember him primarily for translating the Bible into multiple dialects for the people of India. We also remember him for a sermon in which he exhorted believers to, expect great things from God. Attempt great things for God. These words ignite my imagination and challenge me to ponder the difference between expectation and attempt between faith and deeds or perhaps prayer and action. I like Carey s choice of the word attempt. Note that he does not encourage achievement or accomplishment. Success is not defined as finishing. Carey suggests that the goal is to try to reach, not grasp, the possibilities of God in our world, to try to do what reflects God s goodness as we seek to love God by loving one another. I believe the first step is to nurture our relationship with God through prayer. Every day, and always, we should try to have a prayerful existence, by expressing our gratitude for God s inestimable love, and by asking for God s help and God s guidance so that always and in every way we live as God would have us to live. I share this piece with you as we establish Prayer Partners, a new ministry geared towards the high school youth in our parish. As we discussed in a recent parents meeting, Prayer Partners is an initiative that pairs an adult with a rising freshman. The goal is to help our students form, cultivate and immerse themselves in a life of prayer. For the duration of the student s high school experience an adult will consistently pray for, pray with, talk with and provide encouragement for the student in their journey of faith. There is a group of about 25 high school students in our parish who could potentially be paired with a Prayer Partner. We need your help for this ministry, whether you are retired or working, young or old, a parent or not. If you are interested in becoming a Prayer Partner, in helping our students enhance their relationship with God, please let me know. I hope we can launch this ministry at the beginning of the new year. In the meantime I ask for your prayerful consideration of this ministry and the possibilities God has in store for you and for our young people. Fr. Chris November Birthdays 1 Sara Clarke, Kirby Murray, Lucy Buckner, Noah Kraus 2 Max Gilstrap, Bill Bowdoin, Wren Howard, Brian Kemp, Jeffery Stephens 3 Emory Thomas, Baxley Williams, Cole Northcutt 4 Charlene Richards, Sue Strang, Jim de Haseth 5 Ada Henry 6 Betty Gorham, Thomas Rostas 7 Kevin York, Meg Winthrop 8 Penny McLanahan, Mike Fitzgerald 9 Gus Backelant, Adam Baker 10 Dan Bartlett 11 Polly Connerat, Cissy Hutchinson, Victoria Russell, Megan Ernst 12 Diane Ehlers, Mark Miller, Timothy Price, Erika Greene 13 Jennifer Wells, Lori Tiller, Sarah Brooks Matthews, Niyla Grace Kinney, Ransom Thomas 15 Jean Estes, Dodd Rentz, Angie Hicks, Jacques Germain 16 Charles Beard, Ann McKenzie Woodruff 17 Wade Shields, Katherine Barrow, Campbell Ball, Crawford Grow 18 Jon Cook, Carly Murray 19 Josephine Thrasher 20 Thomas Wilson, Sara Baldwin 22 Nathan Prestridge 23 Betsy Turner, Jay Shinn 24 Hal Cofer, Helen Byrne, Charles Denning, Janie Price, Cindy Sullivan 25 Lee Albright, Terry Cobb, Jonathan Fox 26 Diana Falletta, Carol Bowles, Max Gray 27 Temple McLanahan, Sarah Htoo 29 Holly Mixon, Ehtaloe Htoo, Winston Dunlap 30 Len Reid

11 Emmanuel s Service & Faith Formation schedule is as follows; only exceptions are listed on the calendar below: 11 Wednesdays: 5:30 pm Healing Service & Eucharist, Chapel Saturdays: 5:30 pm Holy Eucharist Rite II, Chapel Sundays: 8:30 am Holy Eucharist Rite I, Church; 9:15 am Faith Formation for Children & Youth; 9:30 am Adult Formation, Westminster, and 10:30 am Holy Eucharist Rite II, Church Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday :00: Natural N3:30: Yoga, Old 6:30: Stephen 4:45: Daughters Spirituality, 7:30: Al-Anon, Old Music Suite Music Suite 7:15: Choir Rehearsal Ministry, of the King Noon: Natural 7:30: Men s 10:00 Natural N3:30: Yoga, Old Happening Happening Spirituality, Noon: Homeless Day Center Preparation, Common Room 5:00 Sunday Evening Live Spirituality Group, 10:00: Bible Study, Coventry Spirituality, 7:30 Al-Anon, Old Music Suite Music Suite 7:15: Choir Rehearsal Weekend Weekend Noon: Natural Spirituality, Noon: Parish Thanksgiving Lunch, Common Room 1:30 Prayer Shawl Ministry, Old Music Suite Noon: Natural Spirituality, Noon: Homeless Day Center Preparation, Common Room 8:30: Brotherhood Installation Noon: Natural Spirituality, :30: Men s 10:00 Natural N3:30: Yoga, Old 11:00: Eucharist Annual Diocesan Annual Diocesan Spirituality Spirituality, Music Suite at Lanier Council Meeting Council Meeting Group, 7:00 Vestry Gardens 4:45: Daughters 10:00: Bible 5:15 Finance Mtg. Meeting 6:30: Stephen of the King Study, Coventry 7:30 Al-Anon, 7:15: Choir Ministry, Old Music Suite Rehearsal 6:30: Sneak Peak, Narthex Emmanuel Day 10:00 Natural Noon: Church Church office Church office School Closed Spirituality, office closed closed closed (21-25) 7:30: Men s 6:00: Thanksgiving Spirituality Service Group, 7:30 Al-Anon, 10:00: Bible Old Music Suite Study, Coventry :30: Men s 10:00 Natural 3:30: Yoga, Old Spirituality Spirituality, Music Suite Group, 7:15: Choir 10:00: Bible 7:30 Al-Anon, Rehearsal Study, Coventry Old Music Suite

12 News from the narthex November 2016 EMMANUEL S ANNUAL THANKSGIVING DINNER This year Emmanuel will partner with 5 Restaurant Bar, 269 Hull Street, to provide a Thanksgiving meal to anyone who is in need. The restaurant will serve those meals between 11 am and 4 pm. Anyone is welcome and, if able to provide a donation, that money will be given to Project Safe. This year Emmanuel will assemble and deliver Thanksgiving meals to those who are homebound between 11:00 am and 12:30 pm. Look for sign up sheets in the Narthex to volunteer to provide cooked boneless hams and turkeys, to help cook and assemble the meals for delivery in the Emmanuel kitchen, and to deliver meals to those who are homebound. Thank you, Lindsey Payne Dee Forester Dane Henderson 5 Restaurant Bar The Vestry Covenant We, the Vestry of Emmanuel Church, promise to honor God by nurturing the spirit and ministering to God s people. We will support everyone s gifts for service and leadership made possible by God s grace. Ministry to the poor will be at the center of all we do. We promise to welcome with Christian hospitality all persons and to offer opportunities to all to grow in faith. We will strengthen ourselves through faithfulness in worship, daily prayer, and stewardship of our time, talents and treasure. We will foster love and joy in God s service. Emmanuel episcopal church 498 Prince Avenue Athens, GA NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION U.S. POSTAGE PAID ATHENS, GA PERMIT NO. 231