Breaking Bread Dear Friends in Christ, Our Mission is Growing Disciples of Jesus Christ The Newsletter of the Episcopal Church of St. Peter & St. Paul ~ September 2015 Prayer by The Rev. Tom Pumphrey How often do you pray? There is an old joke about a somewhat reckless taxi driver who got the luxury apartment in heaven, while a modest parish priest got the basement flat. When the priest asked about the difference, he learned that more people were wakeful and praying intensely in that taxi than in church on any given Sunday! And the taxi was filled every day of the week Our prayers in Sunday worship are crucially important, but chiefly as a discipline that calls us into prayer on a regular basis. Prayers in taxi cabs count (whether the driver is reckless or not). Prayers in waiting rooms count. Prayers on treadmills and soccer fields and in the back of math class count. In fact, the more of our lives that we share with God, the more we are open to receive God s blessing. For God surely desires to bless us, and the first blessing is his presence in our lives, wherever we are. Sometimes these prayers in the middle of the day are arrow prayers, pulled from the quiver and shot heavenward in the midst of our busy-ness. And sometimes our prayers are like a delicious piece of cake that we want to savor slowly without rushing through. Each bite of the cake each moment spent with God fills us with a peaceful delight. Do you make time for that kind of joy with God? What is your most joyful memory of God? Take time to savor that moment, and remember how it feels to be in God s presence. Then bring that sense of God s presence into the present moment. What does God want you to see? How does God want you to respond? May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ fill you with all peace and joy as you exercise this most basic of spiritual gifts the gift of time with God in prayer. Yours in Christ, Parish Retreat. 2 Episcopal Church Women. 3 Holy Comforter Event. 3 Stewardship. 4 & 5 Parish Annual Meeting. 6 Adult Christian Offerings. 7 Children s Ministries. 8 On the Inside... Youth News. 9 Memorial Garden Renovation. 10 Daughters of the King. 11 Cool Girls. 12 Anglican Rosary Prayer Group. 12 Five & Two Hunger Ministry. 13 Pastoral Care/Stephen Min./EfM. 14
Breaking Bread 2 Save the Date for the Parish Retreat! ~ Come join us for the St. Peter & St. Paul Parish Retreat this fall, Friday through Sunday, October 2-4. The retreat is open to all parishioners, of all ages. It will be held at the Kanuga Conference Center in Hendersonville, NC. Please come spend a weekend with your parish friends and family in the mountains of Western North Carolina. During portions of the weekend, adults, teens and kids will have separate activities focused on the theme of "God Stories," during which we will become more aware and appreciative of how God is at work in our lives. At other times, all of us will be together as a church family. There will also be free time during the weekend to spend as you wish - either on the grounds, or at nearby areas such as Pisgah, Brevard, The Blue Ridge Parkway and Asheville. Saturday evening will conclude with a bonfire, music and S'mores! Pricing & Registration Forms available in Parish Office. Space is limited! Forms & Deposits are to be returned to the KANUGA mailbox in the Parish Office. Available on our website or in the office. Questions: Peter Protis at pprotis@gmail.com. The Episcopal Church of St. Peter & St. Paul The Vestry 1795 Johnson Ferry Road Marietta, GA 30062 Office Hours: Monday Thursday ~ 9 a.m. 5 p.m. Friday ~ 9 a.m. - 12 p.m. Phone: (770) 977-7473 Fax: (770) 565-4028 Visit us on the web at www.peterandpaul.org After Hours Pastoral Concerns: 404.702.9917 Rector The Rev. Thomas C. Pumphrey Associate Rector The Rev. Elisa P. Harres Parish Administrator Suzy Bristow Administrative Assistant Katherine Boyet Financial Administrator Amy Pillsworth Youth Minister Ryan Mulkowsky Director of Children s Ministries Becky Beal Director of Music George Chesnut Sexton Mitch Brown Vestry Senior Warden Susan Prout 2 Junior Warden Peter Williams Clerk Andy Lorenzen Treasurer Tom Martin Recorder Mike Nancarrow Linda Doss Bobbie Lencke Joey Mayes Kurt Mueller Justin Streeter
3 Breaking Bread All Women Are Welcome Come spend an evening with Dr. Beth-Sarah Wright She will be speaking to us about Spirituality and The Power of Prayer in our everyday lives. Join us in the Parish Hall Thursday, September 10th. Social Time begins at 6:30pm Covered Dish Dinner begins at 7:00pm Don t Forget to Bring Your Favorite Dish to Share Presentation begins at 7:30pm Presented by Episcopal Church Women of St. Peter & St. Paul No Reservations Required No Childcare Available MARK YOUR CALENDAR We hope to make this a very special month for Holy Comforter. On Saturday, September 19 th, (in place of Saturday Night Live) we will set up the smoker at Holy Comforter to sell BBQ lunches, take out and whole pork butts to friends and neighbors. The Holy Comforter Garden group will have many plants for sale and the Friendship Center will also be displaying art work, woodwork and other objects they have made and offer for purchase. Our favorite Back of the Bus band will perform from 11 AM to 2:30 PM to entertain guests while they eat in the shade and peruse the variety of wares on sale. We are hoping to make this an annual event that the area looks forward to and supports enthusiastically. Making this first one a BIG happening is crucial. When neighbors see a large crowd, curiosity, lively music good eats, interesting crafts and friendly people will get us off to a great start. You can be a major contributor to our success. Make a commitment to let your attendance be your apostolic action and support for this worthy cause. For more information contact Glenn Cox at 770-361-3988 or glennmcox@gmail.com.
Breaking Bread 4 Stewardship Stories & Personal Journeys We need your help. Again this year, we want to share stories of Stewardship that we all have experienced. One of the most important ways we can encourage people to find the happiness of living closer to God, is by telling our stories, telling how God is blessing us and how we are striving to be loving, thankful stewards of all that God has entrusted us with. When we hear the loving, thankful stories of other stewardship journeys, we can be touched by how others have embraced spiritual discipline and the joy it has brought to their lives. We ask that you consider this request to share your Stewardship story. We would like to have stewardship stories returned to Tom Martin by 9/18/15, and send them to ttmartinhome@gmail.com. These stories will become the content of Stewardship Devotionals that will be shared with the Parish. Ideally, stories would be about 300 to 400 words or about one half page. Thank you in advance for helping us. The Book of Common Prayer teaches us that The Mission of the Church is to restore all people to unity with God and each other in Christ, and that the Church carries out its mission through the ministry of its members. The implication of this mission is that the main work of the Church is involving people in using all that is entrusted to them in carrying out the main work of the Church. Said simply, stewardship is the main work of the Church, it is more than a duty, it is a thankful response to God s graciousness to us, and an opportunity for adventure to praise God with our lives in thanksgiving. When one thinks of God The Giver and that everything we have is from God we have a tendency to view everything through a slightly different lens. Stewardship can then relate to how we use our gifts, how we act towards others, how we manage all aspects of our lives - both financial and non-financial. As Christians in the 21st century, we need to embrace this larger biblical view of stewardship, which goes beyond church budgets or building projects, though important; it connects everything we do with what God is doing in the world. We need to be faithful stewards of all God has given us to glorify him, serve the common good and further his Kingdom. Living out our Mission of Growing Disciples of Jesus Christ includes being stewards of what God has given us, and sharing continued next page
5 Breaking Bread Stewardship Stories & Personal Journeys Continued his gifts to create an environment for others to know Jesus as we do. We are called to live by faith, a faith that is evident in all aspects of our lives, worship, prayer, Church attendance, financial management, treatment of others. Please take this opportunity to reflect on your thoughts on stewardship and share your stewardship story. Connecting the Dots Stewardship and Spiritual Growth This article deals with Stewardship and specifically about Treasure. Yes, last month s article was about treasure but let s look at Treasure from a different viewpoint, i.e. not just money but your overall Treasure. We each have certain abilities and attributes that God has given us and as a whole this is our real Treasure. This is who we are. Believing that these gifts are God given then our time, our talent and our treasure becomes our Treasure. Next, consider the following: You receive a beautifully wrapped package and the label states to you with love from God. Would you: Open the package immediately to see and use the gift that you have been given? Place the package off to the side with the intention of opening it later? Toss the package into the closet never to be seen again? Our Treasure far exceeds the riches of the world, yet we don t always take advantage of it. In terms of Stewardship our Treasure is the time, talent and treasure that God has given us all rolled up into one. As Matthew 6:21 states, For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Rejoice in the Treasure given to you by God and make good use of it. With it you will become a better steward of our Lord Jesus Christ. Ask for God s help through prayer if you are unsure as to how to use your Treasure. The Holy Spirit can guide the willing listener, and the willing listener guided by the Holy Spirit will grow as a disciple of Christ.
Breaking Bread 6 Annual Parish Meeting November 15, 2015 9:15am in the Parish Hall Vestry Election for 3 New Members We extend our appreciation to vestry members, Bobbie Lencke, Kurt Mueller, Peter Williams for their gift of time and service. Their terms will end December 31. We will elect three new vestry members at our annual meeting in November. Please prayerfully consider running for the vestry. Nomination forms will be available soon in the church office. Vestry nominations will close on Sunday, October 18, 2015. Blessing of the Animals Sunday, October 4 5:00pm Memorial Garden
7 Breaking Bread Sunday School Adult Education in September 9:15-10:15am The Rector s Class: (Parish Hall) In September, learn about the basics of Christian Community what it means to be Disciples of Jesus Christ together in the church. Lectionary class invites all adults to join us each Sunday morning where we have a lively discussion of the lectionary readings with input from all attendees. We share our view points on the lesson and how it applies to our lives. Also, we explore how the lectionary readings affect our journey as disciples of Christ. Please come and join us anytime throughout the year. Jim Woodruff is the facilitative leader for this class. Meets in Room 5 downstairs. Book of Acts using N.T. Wright Acts Study Guide. The class will follow N.T. Wright s Study Guide chapter schedule and discussion topics/questions. Tom Mimms, Stuart Wright and Kurt Mueller will lead the class discussion. We will meet in Room 8, downstairs. You can buy the N.T. Wright Study Acts Guide book online, through Sweet Spirit or download onto your Kindle. Growing Christian Families: For Parents of Young Children is a new ministry starting this fall. Mike and Kim Nancarrow will facilitate this class in Room 6. In our first series of classes, we will look at our busy lives and culture and discuss ways that we can find peace and prioritize the things that are really important. We will refer to relevant bible verses for insights and principles to guide our discussions. There will be no prep work required and drops in are welcome! Women s Study group will study one book of the Bible (as yet undetermined) this fall. All participants are encouraged to study a purchased guide during the week and to contribute (as much as comfort allows) to open discussions. If you like to laugh, learn, and love, this is the class for you! Facilitated by Anne Wright in Room 7. Tuesday Nights Introduction to the Bible ~ 7:00 8:00 PM (dinner from 6:15 7:00 PM) with The Rev. Tom Pumphrey in the Parish Hall. Do you consider yourself a Bible Novice? Do you need a better sense of the basics? This Tuesday night series offers an overview and practical orientation to get you started. We'll survey the basic story lines and their significance, and get a sense for how they all tie together. We'll use the book "A Tour of the Bible" as an optional resource for this class (it is not required). To reserve a copy please send an email to Tom with your request. The cost for the book is $15 (pay when you pick it up). Bible Studies Tuesday Women s Bible Study will be starting a new study called "Discover your spiritual gifts, personal style and God-given passion for serving in the Body of Christ". 10-11:30 in the Children s Ministries lobby with childcare available. Wednesday Women s Bible Study currently studying Gospel of Mark, meet in Garden Room from 10:00-11:15am. Begins September 9. Thursday Men s Bible Study... a new Bible Study group for men is meeting Thursday mornings from 7:00 8:00 AM in the Conference Room. Every other Saturday: Brotherhood of St. Andrew welcomes guests to attend their men s Breakfast, Bible Study and Meeting from 7:00 8:30am in the Garden Room.
Breaking Bread 8 Children s Ministries by Becky Beal, Director of Children s Ministries The Lord is My Shepherd I Shall Not Want During August, our Sunday school classes have been studying the 23rd Psalm, a Psalm of David. Bishop Wright commissioned this teaching last spring when he visited. Our goal is to make the fifteen lines of this Psalm a key part of the toolbox we give our children to use for comfort, encouragement and as a reminder of God s presence in our daily lives. An Invitation Our Sunday school is a place of warmth and learning for our children. We are celebrating this community with a picnic after the 10:30 service on September 13th. This will be an opportunity for the children to play together while the adults and teachers get to know each other better. Please put this on your calendars and join us!
9 Breaking Bread Youth News by Ryan Mulkowsky, Youth Ministry Sunday School & Youth Group We have had a great time in our first month of Sunday School and Youth Group. I would encourage you to continue to bring your teen(s) to both of these great opportunities for spiritual growth and fellowship! Sunday School occurs weekly from 9:15-10:15am in Rooms 1-4 downstairs in the Garden Room area. If you haven t registered for Sunday School yet, you can either fill out a physical form located in church office or next to Room 4 or, for your convenience, we have implemented a new electronic registration form! To access this form and complete it, you can log on to our website and under "Children and Youth," click on the "Youth Parent Information" link. Evening Youth Groups occur weekly starting with Middle School Youth Group from 5:00-6:15pm and High School Youth Group from 6:45-8:00pm. This is a time where we share a meal, play games, have a short devotional lesson, and break out into small groups. The Middle School group is continuing a series of lessons on who God is called The Journey, and the High School group is continuing a series of short films that explore our world through the teachings of Jesus called NOOMA. NOTE: We will NOT have evening youth group on September 20th due to Cobb County Fall Break. If you would like to serve either as a teacher, helper, or substitute leader for Sunday School; or as a leader for Evening Youth Groups, please contact Ryan. September Monthly Youth Outing For this month, we will have our monthly youth outing at X-drenaline Trampoline Park in East Cobb on Saturday, September 26 th. The cost is $40 and that includes two hours of jump time, socks, four climbs on the rock wall, one ride in the racing simulator, and lunch! We will meet from 12:00-2:00pm, and drop off and pick up is at X-drenaline. To sign up, please email Ryan and pay by September 17 th! Financial assistance is available. SPSP Youth Logo Design Contest In our youth ministry, we need a logo to represent us. If you have artistic/creative abilities and would like to design our logo, please submit your designs to Ryan by Sunday, September 27 th. This contest is open to youth from 6-12 grades. If your design is selected, you will win a t-shirt with your design on it and a $25 Visa Gift Card! T-shirts will be available for order starting October 1 st! For details on the contest or to pre-order, please contact Ryan. Happening #64 Renewal Weekend Happening is a Diocesan-wide renewal weekend sponsored by the Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta at Camp Mikell. Adults attend as chaperones, but teenagers lead the weekend FOR teenagers. Happening Team, which facilitates the weekend experience, consists of young people and adults who are active members of their parish. Happening this Fall is on November 20-22 nd and is open to all high school youth from 10-12 th grades. To sign-up, please contact Ryan. Parish Retreat St. Peter & St. Paul will be hosting a parish retreat open to everyone in our parish community, including students, at Kanuga Conference Center on October 2-4th. There will be student-specific activities and parish wide activities throughout the weekend. For more information, please call the church office. Stay Connected You can find us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram by searching for SPSP Youth. You can also subscribe to our direct email updates by going on our Facebook page, and you can also sign up for text alerts by texting either @spspyouth or @spspparent to 81010. Standard Text Messing Rates Apply. If you have any questions, or if you would like to serve in the youth ministry here; please contact our Youth Minister, Ryan Mulkowsky, at RMulkowsky@peterandpaul.org or call the church office.
Breaking Bread 10 MEMORIAL GARDEN RENOVATION GOOD NEWS: The Memorial Garden committee is happy to announce that we are well on our way to realizing plans to beautify our garden. We now have the funds to begin Phase 1 and are close to being able to go on to Phase 2 which is making our beautiful fountain functional and reliable. Funds are still needed to complete this project so gifts of any size will be greatly appreciated. Thank you so much to those who have already donated. For those who would still like to donate, making this garden project complete, there are green envelopes in the sanctuary pews which you can put in the collection plates, mail or leave in the office. Winsome Hawkins, a Master Gardener, has a team of people ready to begin work but would welcome anyone who would like to join this group with no special skills except enjoying working in the dirt. Please contact Winsome at winsomehawlkins@bellsouth.net if you would like to help with the gardening. This beautiful garden will be used by many for different uses as well as to inter their loved ones. It provides a quiet, beautiful place to pray, reflect and give glory to God. Altar Guild The Altar Guild is looking for a few people to add to our teams. Our ministry includes setting up the altar for the Holy Eucharist. If you can spare a couple of hours one weekend a month, this might interest you. Contact Mitzi Hinton, 770-315-8894, mifmil@comcast.net or Bryan Selby, 404-201-0075, bcselby@live.com.
11 Breaking Bread All women are invited to a special event hosted by the Daughters of the King on Saturday, September 19, 2015 from 10 AM to 2 PM in the Parish Hall. A light lunch will be served. Dr. April Love-Fordham will present her book, James in the Suburbs, A Disorderly Parable of the Epistle of James. Preorder your copy at a discounted price. For more information contact Amy Stillwell 770-364-3829 or chefamy@relaxfordinner.com. Dr. Love-Fordham holds a BSEE and an MSEE from Georgia Tech. After working her way into the executive suite, she retired from the corporate world and obtained an MDiv from Columbia Theological Seminary, which named her a 2014 Guthrie Scholar. She also received a DMin from Gordon- Conwell Theological Seminary while pastoring two churches. She lives with her husband and their Great Dane in the suburbs of Atlanta. What if you knew how to stop consuming God s blessings and how to start sharing them? The Epistle of James has some thoughts on the matter. Do you consume God s blessings or do you share them? Most Christians are consumers. We are obsessed with knowing the right theology and following the right set of rules often in hopes that God will bless us. Yet, no matter how much God blesses us, we are still looking for more. James says our faith is dead. But there is another type of Christian, one who craves being put to work as the servant of God sharing God s blessings with others. Their faith spurs them into being the hands and feet of Christ. James says their faith is alive. James in the Suburbs is far more than your ordinary Bible study. It is also a parable an energizing story of the lives of six men and women that wraps itself around the Epistle of James making its teachings immediately applicable to modern life. You will walk away with a thorough understanding of the epistle, as well as the unforgettable story of people just like you whose lives the Holy Spirit turned upside down. Dr. April Love-Fordham
Breaking Bread 12 Cool Girls Cool Girls would like to give a Big, Special THANK YOU to all who helped make the BACK TO SCHOOL BOUTIQUE shopping day on July 25th, a very big success. Your donations of time, talent and treasure are gratefully appreciated. TIME & TALENT: Many helped to set up and create the fabulous SPSP shopping mall. Our leaders for the day s activities were fantastic. The many volunteers made the day very special. The girls danced their hearts out, made creative crafts, had their faces painted, sang joyous songs, munched Chick-Fil-A, played bingo and shopped till they dropped. A special thanks to the men who helped with the set up, breakdown and in the kitchen. TREASURE: Those of you who adopted a Cool Girl were wonderful shoppers and very generous. The girls loved their backpacks with all the new treasures. Monetary donations were gratefully utilized to fill in the boutique items, purchase school supplies and purchase items needed to make the day a success. Anglican Rosary Prayer Group An Anglican Rosary prayer group is being formed at St. Peter and St. Paul Church! All are warmly invited to participate and explore together the ancient Christian practice of praying using a string of beads as a guide. Don t own an Anglican rosary? No problem! You can purchase one at the bookstore at the Cathedral of St. Philip, or go on Facebook and do a search for Anglican Rosary. The Apostolate of the Anglican Rosary, which maintains a Facebook page, will send one free of charge to anyone who asks for one. You can also make your own, which is fun and easy. Just ask, and we will explain how to do it. The Anglican Rosary prayer group will meet once a month, following the coffee hour after the 10:30 service on the first Sunday of the month. We will meet in the north transept and have our prayer time in front of the Blessed Sacrament in the side altar. Our first meeting will be on Sunday, September 6, and we will go out for Sunday lunch together afterward. Please come and join us! For more information, contact Pamela Robinson at 770-653-5338 or George Chesnut at 770-608-6641.
13 Breaking Bread The 5&2 Hunger Ministry was founded in 2003 by a former parishioner to help alleviate hunger in Cobb County by supporting local families with their food needs. Just in the past year we have donated $1500 to Cobb County Meals on Wheels and Center for Family Resources, provided 150 lunch size bags of food for members of Holy Comforter and provided $750 in Kroger and Publix Gift cards to help members in our own Church. We plan to donate $1500 of food to Must for their Food Pantry. We also hold two food drives a year and have a food barrel in the Parish Hall all year long. We don't ask the Church for any money to support our Ministry; however, we sell Publix grocery cards and participate in the Kroger Community Rewards Program. You can help us by purchasing Publix cards after each Sunday Service. Cards range in value from $25 to $200 and we accept cash or checks. Kroger has started a new program called Kroger Community Rewards. Every time you use your Kroger Plus card, a portion of your purchase will come to the 5&2 Hunger Ministry. If you have previously enrolled, it s time to re-enroll. Log into your account at www.krogercommunityrewards.com, click on View your Reward Details and click to update information with: Organization Name: THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH OF ST. PETER & ST. PAUL Organization Number:39706 To enroll in the Kroger Community Rewards program, please follow these instructions: Log onto www.krogercommunityrewards.com Have your Kroger Plus card handy to register. If you don't have one, stop by any Kroger Customer Service desk. Click on Sign In (if you already have an account) or Create New Account. Using your email address, create a password. Enter your zip code, select a store and agree to the conditions. You will then get a message to check your email inbox and click on the link. Click on My Account and log in. Click on Edit Kroger Community Rewards Information and enter your Kroger Plus Card Number. Enter St Peter and St Paul's Number 39706 then click Save. That's it. Kroger will donate money to our 5&2 Hunger Ministry every time you use your Plus card. At the bottom of the receipt, you will see "At your request, Kroger is donating to St Peter and St Paul." Please support our Ministry by purchasing Publix cards and enrolling in Kroger Community Rewards. It all adds up to make a big difference! For questions, please contact Beth Bilton at thebiltons@bellsouth.net
Breaking Bread 14 Stephen Ministry by Don Loeber My name is Don Loeber and I am a Stephen Minister. I have been asked to speak on behalf of our Stephen Ministry program at St. Peter and Paul: what it has meant to me and how it has affected my spiritual life. Sam Tuttle, Steve Hadley, and Wayne Juers all three are Stephen Ministers and all typify what a Stephen minister should be. So when Hadley asked me to consider becoming a Stephen Minister and suggested me to Mother Elisa, the bet was who laughed harder, me or Mother Elisa. After the laughter died down, it occurred to me that at some point you have to walk the walk. I would receive wonderful training and realize that if able, there is no viable reason to refrain from reaching out to help alleviate another s suffering. As I have gotten older, I have decided I want to have fun in whatever I do. Frankly, in the little I knew of the Stephen Ministry program, I did not see a great deal of fun on the horizon. With the exception of our training, I was correct (not what you expected me to say, huh?). However, God has a way of stepping in and revealing what should indeed be of importance. Like maybe BLESSINGS. I have often thought it presumptuous to think we can approach the love of Christ in answering his great commandment. To give unconditional love to someone we do not know and who may have different values is indeed a daunting task. It is a blessing to be part of a group of people who come as close to keeping this commandment as anyone I know. Every one of your Stephen Ministers cares, and cares deeply. It is a blessing to be in our monthly meetings and see the love and support given to each other as we strive to become a support system for the community of SPSP. It is a blessing to be given a prayer partner during our training and have their love, support, and friendship from that time forward. It is a blessing to step out of my comfort zone with all pressure removed. As Stephen ministers, we are taught to listen. We can not and do not try to fix anything. Just as Hadley nudged me toward this ministry, we try our best to nudge our care receiver toward Christ. Jesus may not fix all the troubling situations, but his love will surely reduce their pain and suffering. To see this happen is indeed a blessing. And finally, like most everything involving this community of SPSP one receives much more than one gives a blessing. I guess once again God was right Blessings trump my having fun. So for all of your Stephen Ministers I say Blessings to you. Thank you.
15 Breaking Bread Stephen Ministry Training New Stephen Minister Training Class Set To Begin Our caring ministry at SPSP will be expanding soon, as members are set to begin Stephen Ministry training in January 2016. At the completion of their training, they will be commissioned as Stephen Ministers. They will then join our active Stephen Ministers at SPSP in providing one-to-one care to individuals experiencing difficulties in life. Stephen Minister training combines sound theological principles with contemporary psychology, says Mother Elisa. The training is top-notch. The skills our Stephen ministers learn and practice prepare them to provide a very high level of Christian caregiving. The training is intense because it explores some serious life issues, but it is also a growth producing and enjoyable experience. More details are to come in future articles. At this point we are beginning the recruiting process for members of our new class. Watch for updates on our progress in the Breaking Bread and E News Weekly Blasts. To learn more about becoming a Stephen Minister, contact The Rev. Elisa Harres, eharres@peterandpaul.org; 770-977-7473. Pastoral Care Forum Each month we highlight one of the ministries in our Pastoral Care Forum. Our hope is that you will find a place to plug in your talents! James calls us to be doers of the word, and not hearers only James 1:22. This month we are featuring our Visitation Ministry. This ministry provides blessings for both the visitor and the person visited. Your commitment would be once a month and you would be visiting one of our parishioners who is either homebound or in an assisted living facility. It is not only fun but rewarding and you may find you want to go more than once a month! Mary Williams and Marilynn Mueller head up this vital ministry and would love you to join their team. Please contact Mary at 770.594.0207 if you would be able to help. As Father Tom has told us, There is a place for each of you in this church to share your gifts. How is God calling you?
Breaking Bread Breaking Bread September 2015 Breaking Bread 16 SUPPORTING THE CAREGIVER BEATITUDES FOR CAREGIVERS Blessed are those who sleep poorly because they're worried about their loved one or because their loved one wakes in the middle of the night and needs help, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn because their loved one, though still alive, is slipping away because of dementia, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek who force themselves to speak up and speak out to make sure their loved one receives the help he or she needs, for they will inherit the land. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for answers to why this is happening to their loved one and how much longer it will go on, for they will be satisfied. Blessed are those who show mercy, kindness and compassion to their loved one, for they will be shown mercy, kindness and compassion. Blessed are those who keep clean a loved one who is physically or mentally unable to keep himself or herself clean, for they will see God. Blessed are those who help their loved one find moments of peace, for they will be called children of God. Blessed are those who are misunderstood, not appreciated and taken for granted in their role as caregiver, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you whose caregiving efforts are unjustly criticized or who are falsely accused of not caring about others because of your love for your care-receiver and your love for God, who has asked you to help his beloved son or daughter. New EfM Classes Starting Tuesday, September 15 @ 7:00 pm Downstairs in Room 1 Interested in learning more about Christianity. Want to delve into the Old & New Testaments (perhaps you've wondered why they are called Testaments), Church History or learn some theology. Then sign up for EfM. If interested contact Bernadette Watts at 404.983.3272 or send an email to blwatts6708@yahoo.com. More information at efm.sewanee.edu. Spaces available in all four years, although limited to 16 total. Be prepared for thoughtful Theological Reflection, lesson deep dives and excellent conversation. It is a year commitment of 36 lessons, September to May. If you took classes before, you are welcome to participate again. New books and new curriculum. You also build a library of interlude books.