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May 1 - 31, 2003 St. John’s Episcopal Church 404-761-8402
SPECIAL EVENTS
May Birthdays
OOPS! Our apologies to Calista Aboul-Khair whose April 22 birthday was inadvertently omitted from the April Eagle Notes. Hope your day was happy, Calista. Convocation The Long Range Planning Committee of the Diocese has asked that each convocation hold a meeting during Easter to discuss how the diocese works now (especially the "unwritten rules") and what our vision for the future should be. Our meeting will be on May 18 at 4:00 p.m. at St. Joseph’s, McDonough. The meeting will take about two and a half hours and will be followed by a pot-luck dinner. St. Joseph’s will provide the main course, but asks that others bring salads, vegetable dishes, and desserts. This meeting is for clergy, lay delegates, and "anyone with an interest in the working and vision of the Diocese." We will carpool from the St. John’s parking lot at 3:15. If you need directions, call the church.
TRANSITIONS: We welcome our newly baptized: Ramsey Hopkins, and Destiny, Janoah and Trinity Stegall. Transferring in from Trinidad is Jacqueline Thomas, 2750 Thornburg Way, College Park, GA 30337, 770/997-7228. Please welcome Jackie. Love and sympathy to Bill and Sue Johnson on the death of Sue’s father, Mr. Henry Parkhill, who was 98 years old. May the souls of the faithful departed rest in God’s nearer presence.
FROM GERRY O’CONNOR "Thanks to everyone for their well wishes, cards and prayers after my recent hip replacement surgery. Continued prayers are appreciated for a full and complete recovery. Thank you." We’re glad to report that Gerry is doing very well!
ATTENTION ALL YOUTH May 4 Plane Rides: Bill Mercure has invited us to enjoy bar-b-que and airplane rides at the Peachtree City Falcon Field on May 4th. Permission slips are required for all who will take a plane ride. See Robbin Iddins for the forms and return them anytime before or on May 4th. We will meet in Bott Hall at 12:30 and return to the church at 5:00 p.m., in time to attend the Jazz Evensong. Adults are welcome to watch and help with the food. Advise Robbin if you will be going. May 18 Trip to the Zoo: parents and youth are invited to attend our outing to the Atlanta Zoo on May 18, right after the 10:30 service. Mark your calendars and advise Robbin if you will attend. More information will be provided.
UTO INGATHERING Please remember that Sunday, May 11 is our semi-annual ingathering for the United Thank Offering. If you do not have a UTO box, please pick one up in the Narthex. The power of the Blue Box is unlimited. It can be used at home on the table, by the bed, or in the car. It can be personal or one shared by the family. Your money and prayers have built churches, made needed renovations, fed the hungry, clothed the poor, provided shelter for the homeless, and provided care and support for those with physical, mental and emotional problems. You can begin now by saying prayers of thanksgiving and placing your offering in the United Thank Offering Boxes and envelopes. We need you! It can make a difference in your life as well as the person receiving your offerings. Thank you. Georgie White It is helpful to our treasurer if you will write a check to St. John’s and mark it UTO. Congratulations! On May 19th, Cecille Nichole Bolton will graduate from Clark Atlanta University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Mass Media Arts. Congratulations!
MORNING PRAYER TO CONTINUE We’ve decided to continue our Lenten practice of gathering for Morning Prayer Tuesdays and Thursdays at 9:15 a.m. It takes about 20 minutes. Come join us!
I HAVE A MINISTRY TO NEWCOMERS (signed, everyone at St. John’s) By virtue of your membership at St. John’s, you are a member of the Newcomers Commission. The following are some suggestions that you may use to welcome a visitor or newcomer: Invite: Friends, Acquaintances, Neighbors: what to say—Are you looking for a church? Can I show you my church? Can I give you a ride? Want to join us for Wednesday night service? GREET: Go to them; don’t make them come to you; reach out with coffee, bulletins, etc.; engage them, look into their eyes; empathize: show them the restroom or nursery; help with worship; take time to let them be – to look around. INTRODUCE: Say "I don’t believe we’ve met; may I introduce you to" friends, clergy, etc. INCLUDE: in our next social event (second Sunday brunch, Wednesday night Lenten supper) whatever is going on at that time). How about brunch after church? INCORPORATE: find out where they live, where they work, how do they commute, their hobbies. If they are interested in getting involved, help them identify ministries that might be a good match. IDENTIFY: find out their needs, they are not here by accident; the newcomer is a gift from God and they have gifts from God; they might need prayer. BE A RESOURCE: always be prepared to tell about St. John’s and our mission and ministry. Can you help match a newcomer with an appropriate ministry? Can you articulate why you are a member of St. John’s? Be prepared!
JEAN VANIER COMING TO ATLANTA Forty years ago, Jean Vanier founded l’Arche, the international federation of communities for people with learning disabilities, by the simple and profound act of welcoming two men with mental handicaps into his home in a small French village. There are now fourteen l’Arche communities in the United States and more than a hundred around the globe. There communities have become a witness to the world of the beatitudes, of reconciliation, and of peace and unity. Mr. Vanier, will lead a retreat on Christian unity at
Simpsonwood Conference Center in Norcross, beginning with supper on Friday, June
6, and concluding after lunch on Sunday, June 8. Double-occupancy registration
$125 per person. No registrations accepted after May 15. Forms are available in
the parish office or Bott Hall. For information, contact Dr. David Jenkins,
Candler School of Theology, at Prior to the retreat at Simpsonwood, Vanier will speak at St. Bartholomew's Church, 1790 LaVista Road in Atlanta, on Thursday, June 5, at 7 p.m. For information: 404/634-3336.
FROM THE RECTOR Christ is Risen! Easter was glorious! We had our best attendance since I’ve been here (90 at the Vigil and 201 at the 10:30), and so many people made it such a wonderful celebration. The music was stunning; the flowers were beautiful (the arrangements along the aisle were particularly pretty this year); the brass was clean and shiny (thanks Lenora and Bena); the "stagehands" at the vigil did a great job; the liturgical dance at the Vigil was such a gift; the readers were excellent; Betsy sang the Exsultet beautifully; the breakfast was fun and delicious; the Easter egg hunt and storytelling were wonderful (thanks, Charlotte); the opportunity to welcome three new sisters and one new brother into the Body of Christ was, as always, meaningful; and, perhaps most important of all, your enthusiasm was wonderfully infectious. I thank God for you and for St. John’s. But most of all, I thank God that Christ is Risen!
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Eagle Notes