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May 1 - 31, 2001 St. John’s Episcopal Church 404-761-8402 SPECIAL EVENTS
EACH WEEK WE OFFER
TRANSITIONS Peyton Thomas Hopkins and Matthew David Duffie were baptized on Easter Sunday. We welcome our new brothers! Our love and sympathy to: Jane, Ashley and Mark Graham on the death of Mark’s brother Ron on April 21. Jeanine and Stan Jones on the death of Jeanine’s step-father, Jim, and her brother, Brian. Mary and Brent Warberg on the death of Mary’s Aunt Dorothy. May the souls of the grateful departed rest in God’s nearer presence.
CONGRATULATIONS CONFIRMANDS! On April 22, we hosted a wonderful regional confirmation service that included six churches. The great turnout (175 folks) and the banners from the different churches made it an even more festive occasion. From St. John’s, Bishop Tharp confirmed Scott Mills, Rick Reeves, Calista Aboul-Khair, Jameson Chamlee, Matthew Eckles, Anna Ehrensperger, and Elizabeth Pritchett. Congratulations to our new confirmed Episcopalians!
EASTER WAS GLORIOUS By Beverly Gordy Lent is always a special time in the Episcopal Church, and this Lenten Season was no different. But somehow, Holy Week seemed "more holy." Maundy Thursday and Good Friday were solemn days, and then on Saturday we got ready for that Wonderful Day, when many of us came to church at 6:15 a.m. for the Easter Vigil, where we saw the church transformed from "before Easter" to Easter, and we baptized a baby at each service and we knew that the Lord Is Risen Indeed." Thanks to everybody who was here at any time to help make our Easter more glorious. Diana and her grand finale with the choir, Melba and the Altar Guild, Martha and the Acolytes, the readers, chalice bearers, decorators, those who prepared and served the breakfast — you are all loved and appreciated and thanked.
MAY BIRTHDAYS
WAY TO GO, CHARLOTTE! Charlotte Pritchett was recently named the Fulton County Schools Administrator of the Year. Congratulations! FROM JOHN MUSSER John says thanks to all who came to the church for the "sprucing up" on the morning of April 21, the day before the Convocation Confirmation and visit from Bishop Tharp. There were 17 folks here, and after fortifying themselves on doughnuts and coffee and juice, everyone went to work and the place was shining. John says we’ll take the summer off, but be ready for another work day about the first of Fall. While John is thanking us, let’s remember to thank John for his hard work caring for our property.
KIDS CALENDAR 5/6/01 Sunday School Class; hike @ Sweetwater State Park - meet in Bott Hall at 1 p.m.5/13/01 - Sunday School Class; Mother’s Day 5/20/01 - Sunday School Class; Bowl-a-thon for Ecuador (details to follow) 5/27/01 - Last day of Sunday School; Swim Party @ the Pritchett’s - 2:00 - 4:00 p.m.
LAST SPEEDERS TILL FALL On Thursday, May 24 we will have our last Speeders meeting until September. The children of Christians Academy will entertain us with singing, and Bena will feed us well. Don’t miss this fun time. Everyone is also welcome at the 10:30 a.m. Holy Eucharist. Speeders is a luncheon group for those who are fifty-five and older, or who just feel like it! Bena Livsey and the Burns are going on sabbatical for the summer.
PREFACES ON SALE TO BENEFIT HOLY COMFORTER We are delighted to be able to offer for sale Prefaces, an annual publication of literature and art by members of the Friendship Day Center at the Episcopal Church of the Holy Comforter. These stories, poems, and pictures were created by our friends we visit there, and proceeds will benefit them. A sample copy is in Bott Hall with a sign-up sheet, or call the church.
UTO INGATHERING MAY 20 Plan to contribute to this wonderful cause with your prayers and treasure.
THANKS WAYFIELD FOODS! Thanks to the efforts of Chad Henson, Wayfield Foods donated the fruit we took to Holy Comforter on April 25th . Thanks to Chad and Wayfield!
HELP SEND WHITNEY TO ECUADOR Whitney Reeves has been selected to go on our Diocesan Youth Mission trip to Ecuador. Whitney needs to raise money to fund her trip. Watch for details as to how you can help.
DID YOU KNOW? St. John’s donated $500 to a scholarship program to send children from Emmaus House to Camp Mikell this Summer. We also bought two acolytes’ robes for Emmaus House. We do all sorts of good stuff!
NEWS OF REID Reid Hamilton, our former seminarian, will soon be installed as Rector of Christ Episcopal Church in Kent, Ohio. His address is: Christ Episcopal Church, 118 S. Mantua, Kent, Ohio 44240. He sends best wishes to all.
FROM THE RECTOR As you probably know, I was the Clergy Co-Chair of the Nominating Committee for the Ninth Bishop of Atlanta. That journey began in late spring of 2000, when several clergy in our area asked me if I would agree to represent the Convocation of Southwest Atlanta. I was hesitant. I was already busy with diocesan duties as co-chair of the Commission for Congregational Growth and Development, and I have found the job of ordinary, day to day church life deceptively time consuming. So I told them that I’d have to talk to Charlotte. I was pretty sure she’d give me an out. "I think that’s a great idea," she said. "You’ll learn a lot and you’ll be an asset to the committee." I was flattered, and amazed. I told the other clergy okay. After I was elected (the fix having been put in by the other clergy who, of course, didn’t want to do it themselves), I got a call from Rick Callaway, President of the Standing Committee, asking if I would serve as Clergy Co-Chair. Again, I hesitated. But then I thought of Charlotte’s immediate and enthusiastic response when I asked her about running, so I said, "Sure. In for a penny, in for a pound." When I went home and told Charlotte, she said, "What?! Are you crazy? I said, "But, you said. . . ." "I said you should be a member, not the co-chair. What have you done?" It was a question I asked myself repeatedly over the next eight months. We began our work in August and finished with the election of the Rev. J. Neil Alexander on March 31. During that time, I spent lots and lots of time working for the Nominating Committee (my co-chair and I attended almost every subcommittee meeting as well as Committee meetings, and we spent countless hours planning). I also spent a lot of energy on the Nominating Committee, dealing with more crisis and putting out more fires than I ever could have imagined. I am very aware that all that time and energy was spent away from you, the people of St. John’s. I am very grateful for how gracious you have been about my physical and occasional emotional absence. It has been a gift to me and to the diocese. But I want you to know that I’m back now. We have a bishop-elect; Holy Week is over; Easter was glorious; and we had a wonderful confirmation service. Life should be getting back to normal. (I don’t know what "normal" is, but I know what it isn’t, and the last nine months haven’t been normal!). I’m sure it will take me a while to unwind, but I am excited about re-entering the life of a parish priest. I want to kick off some exciting program in the fall. What? I don’t know. Tell me your ideas. I want to teach more. About what? I don’t know. Tell me your ideas. I want to rest a while, then hit the ground running. It’s good to be back with you. It’s good to be home.
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Eagle Notes