EACH WEEK WE OFFER

Watch for the new Pictorial Director around February 8, 2002. Will Manders says thanks for your patience. We thank Will for his hard work.

WE’RE FRIENDLY!!!

Last month, there was an article in the Eagle Notes from the Newcomers Committee reminding us that all of us have a responsibility to make sure St. John’s is a warm, friendly place for visitors and newcomers. How are we doing? Here is an excerpt from an email the church recently received from someone in Memphis:

I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to worship at your parish recently. I am always slightly nervous when attending other than my home parish, but I was put at ease right away and made to feel very much at home. Please let your greeters and ushers know the welcome was very appreciated.

We know we’re friendly, but it’s nice to see that visitors are picking it up. Good job! Keep looking out for visitors and newcomers so we can make them feel welcome. Thanks!

TRANSITIONS

Our love and sympathy to the families of two of long-time parishioners who died recently:

Ruth Meredith’s son’s address is W.C. Meredith, Lawrence ave., East Point, GA 30344, and her daughter, Betty Dowling is at 2076 Golfview, Atlanta, GA 30309.

Bea Cavelli’s daughter is Nora Cavelli, 2570 S. Humboldt St., Denver, Colorado 80210. May the souls of the faithful departed rest in God’s nearer presence.

Please change the Duffie’s address to 406 Magnolia Circle, Jonesboro, GA 30236.

HOLY COMFORTER

Mark your calendars now to visit with and serve supper to our friends at Holy Comforter in Grant Park on February 20, April 24, July 10, and November 13. We’ll provide more details later.

BISHOP ALEXANDER TO PREACH ON RADIO

On February 3 and March 3, the Rt. Rev. J. Neil Alexander will preach on "The Protestant Hour," broadcast locally at 7:00 a.m. on Sunday mornings on 750 AM (WSB).

A WORD ABOUT THE PRAYER LIST

If you would like to add someone to the prayer list, please either call the church (you can leave a message any time) or write us a note. Here’s what doesn’t work well: asking before the service that you or someone else be put on the list. The reader will write in the name for that service, but there is no guarantee that the written-in name will make it into the computer (readers take lists home, lists get thrown away, etc.). Similarly, if you just tell someone (especially the rector!), the chances that the person you told (especially the rector!) will remember to put the name into the computer is greatly diminished (especially if you told the rector!).

We want to pray for you and your loved ones. We pray for parishioners by first and last names. We pray for family and friends by first name and their connection with our parishioner ("John Smith’s aunt, Jane"). Please give us that information. Unless we know otherwise, we take names off after three weeks.

Thanks for helping us pray for our needs and those of others!

FROM THE RECTOR
Praying for Beverly

As most of you know, Beverly Gordy, our much loved Parish Administrator, was diagnosed in November with cancer of the esophagus. She is now taking chemotherapy treatments (from a pump she carries with her), and goes for radiation treatments each weekday morning. In addition to the time she spends getting the treatments (at St. Joseph’s—could it be more inconvenient?), she also needs time to rest. Radiation treatments drain the energy out of folks.

All this might explain why some of you have called and gotten the answering machine during office hours. Beverly has offered to resign or take a leave of absence (not surprising to those who know her), but I have implored her to do what is best for her, which we agree will be for her to work as much as she feels able to. Although she can’t work full time, her help is invaluable to me, and I’ve assured her that we will be flexible, adjust, and be just fine.

That may require some patience and help on your part. For example, we didn’t get the Eagle Notes out before the beginning of the month, as we usually do. We might call on some of you to help fold and staple bulletins on Thursdays, or to answer the phones any day. (We can forward the church lines to your home if you wish). Please let us know if you are available.

For my part, I’m remembering that for the vast majority of Christian history, churches didn’t even have bulletins, and there was no such thing as a newsletter. If you wanted to know what was going on, you went to church and listened to the announcements.

Answering machines allow us to get your message even if no one is here. In an emergency call me at home or call one of the wardens.

When Beverly has surgery, she will probably be out for several months, and we will need to hire a temporary replacement. Until then, we will adjust and adapt, and while some things will certainly fall through the cracks, we’ll be fine. The important thing is not to get hung up on the little things, but to keep our "eye on the ball." In this case, the "ball" is caring for and praying for Beverly.

Beverly’s oncologist is a Christian, and he prayed with her at the beginning of her treatments. He prayed that the treatments would be effective, that her caregivers would be able to control side effects (those expected and those unexpected), that she would not be in pain, and that all these things would be put in the hands of God. I’d like to add that we should not forget to pray for the simple, big, thing — healing.

Beverly, of course, is not the only person who needs our prayers. But her illness can be a reminder, a lesson, to us. We have a long list of folks inside and outside the parish whom we pray for at every service. It is easy for us to fall into reciting that list by rote. But resist. Every name is a person in need. Pray for them in church, and pray for them at home. How God heals is God’s business (I believe that sometimes death is God’s healing). But God heals. Pray for it.

Beverly’s illness can teach us another lesson as well. When a problem arises such as this, and as a result it becomes harder for us to use the tools of ministry (phones, faxes, pagers, computers, printers, automated calls, etc.) we are reminded of the essence of ministry. We gather. We praise. We worship. We reach out in love. Nothing will stop us from doing that, and that is, in the end, all.