Schedule of Services 

· Holy Eucharist Rite I

        8:00 a.m.—Sunday

        10:30 a.m.—Thursday

· Christian Education

        9:15 a.m.—Sunday

· Holy Eucharist Rite II

        10:30 a.m.—Sunday

· Morning Prayer (Parlor)

        9:15 a.m. Tuesday & Thursday

· Evening Programs

        6 p.m.—Wednesday

The Centennial Committee

requests the pleasure of your company

at a reception celebrating

St. John’s Centennial Anniversary

 Saturday, the seventh of October

two thousand and six

at six o’clock in the evening

 College Park Women’s Club

3413 Main Street

College Park, Georgia

Tickets $15 for one & $25 for two

Cash Bar

We also invite you to join

The Right Reverend J. Neil Alexander

Ninth Bishop of Atlanta

For worship at St. John’s Church

 Sunday, the eighth of October

 at eight o’clock and half past ten o’clock in the morning

Reception to follow

RSVP to 404/761-9444

Anniversary Celebration tickets available for sale after Sunday services

Proceeds benefit the St. John’s Heritage Walkway

The Rector Recommends...

Engaging the Powers: Discernment and Resistance in a World of Domination, by Walter Wink

I quoted this book extensively in my sermon of August  27 (available upon request). The book is not light reading for the beach, but it has probably influenced my understanding of Jesus and the faith more than any other single work.  Although it requires some effort, I found it very exciting to read.  I even read and highlighted the footnotes!  I would love to discuss it with anyone!

FROM THE RECTOR

One Hundred Years

At least I know my limitations: I am hopelessly inadequate to comment on the one hundredth anniversary of the founding of St. John’s.  This parish has meant so much to so many, so many lives have been changed here, so many people have come to know and love God here — anything I say will be inadequate and bound by my own relatively short experience on the last eight and a half years.  So, I’ve decided simply to share with you a brief history of the parish, but I do so with a caution: focusing on our history can become a self-absorbed, narcissistic exercise.  But I’m not worried; we are not a narcissistic community.  We are a community propelled into the future by the wisdom, sacrifices, and grace of those who lived our past, and we should celebrate our history.  We are a community on a mission to serve our reconciling Lord, and as you have gone about that holy work, you have been wonderful at reaping the harvest of those who came before while planting seeds for those who will come after. 

A note of thanks to all those who worked so hard on our Centennial Celebrations, especially Sue Johnson, Debbie Reeves, and Ernie Radaker, the leaders of the Centennial Committee. 

A Short, Inadequate, Incomplete History of St. John’s

In his diary entry for October 22, 1905, Bishop C.K. Nelson (then Bishop of the Diocese of Georgia) wrote: “College Park ( St. John’s ): Held a meeting of Church people here and organized a Mission including 30 souls.” That first meeting was held on the second floor of the old post office, now Fina’s Bistro at the corner of John Wesley Ave. and Main Street .  On October 14, 1906, Bishop Nelson returned to lay the cornerstone for a small stone church building on the southeast corner of Hardin and Main (now our parking lot).  Mr. C.K. Weller, a layreader and later a priest, officiated at most services.  Pictures of all St. John’s rectors are in the hall outside my office.

The parish grew with the Tri-Cities, and in 1956 built its current facility on a donated pecan grove. (We continue to enjoy many majestic pecan trees.) In 1964, the parish constructed the education building. St. John’s School, which operated until 1996 and changed the lives of many children and families, opened after the education building was built.

St. John’s was vibrant and active in the community. The parish was famous for its festivals, dances, and fellowship, as well as its many outreach endeavors. The most notable outreach enterprise was the founding of The St. John’s Bargain Shop in 1952. The Bargain Shop continues to operate today (on Main Street in East Point) and has raised over $1.3 million for good causes.

The Tri-Cities and the parish were prosperous, and in 1969 our rolls showed 1100 members.  The 1970’s, however, were difficult for the area and the parish.  The Airport expansion and MARTA tracks took half the homes in the city and split the city in two.  The parish and the area began a decline.

Today, however, College Park is rebounding and the parish is  vibrant, active, and growing. After some years of conflict and difficulty, we have a renewed sense of our mission and are reaching out to the community while nourishing our members.  We are diverse racially, ethnically, and in terms of sexual orientation, and, most importantly, we continue to be a faith community on a mission!  Thanks be to those who went before us, and thanks be to God!

What's Happening!

Sunday, October 1

7 p.m.                        Taizé Service

Taizé focuses on light, silence, prayer, and music. We hope you will find the service a beautiful way to add to your worship experience. We hold this service on first Sundays.

Sunday, October 1

                            Worship in Pink Sunday

Join us to help to raise awareness about breast cancer, honor survivors for their courage, and pray for those who have lost their lives to breast cancer. Education packets will be available in Bott Hall which discuss risk factors and the critical role of early detection in saving lives. Share with your friends, family members and neighbors the life-saving message of early detection! Wear a pink ribbon or wear pink clothing on Sunday, October 1st to show your support!

Wednesday, October 4

6:30 p.m.              Film: An Inconvenient Truth

The first week of October is Spotlight on Global Warming Week. Please come join us on Wednesday evening, October 4, at 7 p.m. in the Parish Hall. Invite everyone! We will be screening the new movie An Inconvenient Truth. It details the threat of global warming and the ways in which our activities are contributing to it. This is an excellent film, and we encourage you to see it and to bring your friends to see it as well. There will be study packets available in the Parish Hall after the movie. How can we can become involved in the drive to protect God's beautiful creation? 

Saturday, October 7

11:00 a.m.                  Blessing of the Animals

Bring cats, dogs, goldfish, and other pets to the “Horseshoe” lot. to be blessed, petted, and loved. Invite neighbors and friends to bring their pets, too. Animals should be on leashes or in boxes. We also bless in absentia using pictures.

6:00 p.m.                      Centennial Reception

Purchase tickets in advance after Sunday services! Reception will be held in the College Park Women’s Club. Bishop Alexander will join us. Tickets are $15 each; $25 for two.

Sunday, October 8

                                    100th Anniversary Celebration!

Bishop Alexander will join us for worship at 8 and 10:30 a.m. to celebrate our 100th birthday. He will lead a discussion and answer questions between services. See the unveiling of the centennial bricks and blessing of the new St. John’s Heritage Walkway after the 10:30 service, plus a reception and raffle drawing in Bott Hall afterwards.

Monday, October 9

5-6 p.m.                                      Jim & Joe

Jim will be at Perk Place in Hapeville on North Central, near Dogwood. Come enjoy a cup of joe and an open mic discussion with Jim.

Sunday, October 22

                                    Children’s Sabbath

Please come worship with us on the National Children’s Sabbath. Children will read and greet during 10:30 service.

Thursday, October 26

10:30 a.m.                       Speeders

Join us for Holy Eucharist at 10:30 a.m., followed by lunch in Bott Hall.

Tuesday, October 31        Halloween

5:30 p.m.                             Trick-or-Treating 

Join us for light dinner in Bott Hall starting at 5:30 p.m., followed by trick-or-treating down Rugby Avenue at 6:15. Don’t forget to wear your costumes!

The next time you go to the grocery store, think about Family Life Ministries. Through FLM, we serve who those who fall between the cracks of society:  the poor, distressed, & underprivileged.

pickup :

Boxed cereal

Soup

Peanut butter & Jelly

Canned meat, fruit, veggies

Rice

Pasta & sauce

Dried Beans

Prepackaged or canned Mexican food

Cookies, chips, & crackers

Powdered milk

Juice packs

Boxed dinners

Macaroni & Cheese

Flour & sugar

Toilet paper

Toothpaste & Toothbrushes

Razors

Soap & Deodorant

Diapers

Monetary  donations

Remember to pick up a new FLM bag on the last Sunday of every month, and bring it in filled with non-perishable food & goods on the first Sunday. 

The Flowers on the Altar 

If you would like to donate altar flowers, please sign up by sending a check and a notation as to whom you want to honor or remember. Please keep in mind that we have flowers on the altar each week—dedicating flowers is a good way to commemorate birthdays, anniversaries, and other special days for loved ones.

Name: ____________________________I would like to dedicate flowers for Sunday, (date) _____________

The notation in the bulletin should read:The flowers on the altar are given to the glory of God and in ____________

___________________________________________________________________________

Please return this form with $40 check attached to the church office or mail to 3480 Main Street, College Park, GA 30337.

Discover South Fulton During the 2nd Annual Tour de 29

The South Fulton Tour de 29 is a 6-city festival on or near U.S. 29 with dozens of events in College Park, East Point, Hapeville, Fairburn, Union City, and Palmetto. It got off to a great start in September, but there are still plenty of chances to explore food, music, and the arts right here in our area! A complete schedule of events and fold-out maps are available at south Fulton public libraries. To learn more about the festival, call organizer Tracie Greene at 770-306-3087 or visit www.fultonarts.org. or www.destinationeastpoint.com.

Highlights of October community events include:

· October 2 7:30-9:30 p.m.: Gospel Night. Live gospel music at Redemption Community Church in East Point.

· October 6 7:30-9:30 p.m. Dinner and  Show: The Best of Broadway and Motown. Support our youth and join the talented thespians and aspiring chefs of Tri-Cities High (South Fulton’s Visual and Performing Arts Magnet school) on Harris Street in East Point for an evening of theatre and dinner. $15 per person.

· October 7     • 10 a.m.-10 p.m.: Destination East Point Main Street Festival Head to the heart of downtown EP for tons of fun including live music, and artists’ market, chili & BBQ cook-off, pet parade & contest, kids’ fun place and a classic car show and shine event On Main Street across from the MARTA station.

· 10—4 p.m. Fairburn Festival of Arts, Antiques, and Music. Enjoy an old-fashioned family festival featuring live bands, original art, unique crafts, affordable antiques, a parade, delicious food, antique car show, children’s activities, face painting, hands-on arts, a farmer’s market, and an on-site antiques assessor to determine the value of personal antiques.

· 1-2 p.m. Magic on Main. Family Fun for everyone! Experience a magic moment on Main Street with a magician & ventriloquist, plus story time and other exciting festival activities, held at the East Point Library.

Please note: the above 10/7 events are listed for informational purposes only, since we know all St. John’s attendees will be at the Blessing of the Animals at 11 a.m. and the Centennial Reception at the CP Woman’s Club at 6 p.m.!!

· October 9-13  8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.: Young at Art exhibit, silent auction, and reception. Tri-Cities High School emerging young artists invite you to stop by the College Park City Hall anytime during the week to view their works and see the community through their eyes. Join them for their closing reception on Friday, October 13 from 6-8 p.m., with live music, refreshments, and bid on your favorite piece for charity. Afterwards, take the kids home and drop by Especially for You for wine tasting at 9 p.m.

· October 10 7-9 p.m.: Symphony at Sunset. Relax with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra on the lawn at the CP library under the evening skies. Chairs, blankets, & baskets are welcomed.

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