|
|
|
September 1 - 30, 2003 St. John’s Episcopal Church
SPECIAL EVENTS
SEPTEMBER BIRTHDAYS
TRANSITIONS Hazel Whittier has moved to Sunrise Assisted Living, 8480 Roswell Rd., #313, Atlanta, GA 30305, 678/461-1095. Gene Taylor has moved to 34217 Deer Tr. Alpharetta, GA 30004, 770/475-0880. Think for a moment how the church looks on Good Friday. The altar is bare; the flowers are gone, the hangings are hidden. All is dark and stark and somber and entirely appropriate for that day. But did you ever think that if we were suddenly to eliminate all the work of a small group of loving, dedicated people, every Sunday would look like Good Friday? Think about it, and as you do, praise God for each member of the Altar Guild and think seriously about joining them. They need help to continue that wonderful and rewarding work that we too often take for granted.Ray Townsend – Vestry Liaison to Worship Commission
HELP!!! The Altar Guild is in desperate need of new members. Please consider helping us out, even for a short period of time. You will be surprised at what a personal rewarding way it is to serve God and your parish. And you’ll make new friends. Call me and let’s talk about it. 770/944-9709 (H) or 678/420-3166 (W). Gwen Fields
HELP US GET READY FOR A YARD SALE! On Saturday, October 4, our Blessing of the Animals Fall Festival will feature (thanks to the Bargain Shop) a yard sale beginning at 8:00 a.m. in front of the yellow house on Hardin Avenue. The yard sale has been a big draw in the past. We’re asking every St. John’s family to donate at least "one nice thing." If you have items to donate or would like to help in any way, please contact Jane Holloman for the yard sale or any member of the Parish Life Commission. The Blessing of the Animals will start at 11:00 a.m. in the horseshoe area. Parish Life will again have food and T-shirts for sale. KICK-OFF SUNDAY On Sunday, September 7, Parish Life will host a breakfast from 9:00 until 10:00 a.m. (This will replace Sunday School for the day and 2nd Sunday Brunch for September.) You will have the opportunity to enjoy a leisurely breakfast, meet our Sunday school teachers, and hear about offerings for children and adults. Also, you will have a chance to learn more about what's happening at St. John's. Please join us by 9:30 and learn how you can increase (or begin) your participation in the life of St. John’s.
WATCH FOR DOCC We will be "testing the waters" to see if there is sufficient interest to have a Disciples of Christ in Community course this year. Watch for details and displays!
COLLEGE PARK The Annual College Park Festival will be on Saturday, September 13 from 11 – 7 p.m. We need folks to help set-up and staff our booth. If you can help, please call Donn Blosser. This year, St. John’s will be the church featured on the Tour of Homes. If you can serve as a docent for one hour from 11-5, please call the office. These are wonderful opportunities to show folks what we’ve got going here, and helping at either place (or both) will be fun. Thanks!
WORK DAY Come help spruce the place up on September 6 (8:00-noon) so we’ll look great for the Tour of Homes!
YOUTH LOOKING UP On September 21 our youth, and anyone else who cares to participate, will leave from the 10:30 service to hike at Stone Mountain. Robbin Iddins will provide more details soon.
CEMETERY LOTS St. John’s owns three lots in the College Park Cemetery. They are available to pledging church members for $1,000 each (which is below market price). If you are interested, call the church office.
ABOUT GENERAL Bishop Alexander and our clergy and lay deputies to General Convention will hold public meetings to report about the convention and to answer questions. These will be on Sunday, Sept. 14 at 2:30 p.m. at Grace Church in Gainesville; on Saturday, Sept. 20 at 10:30 a.m. at the Cathedral of St. Philip in Atlanta; and on Saturday, Oct. 11 at 10 a.m. at St. Mark’s Church in LaGrange. If you haven’t been to church in a while (where are you?), please note that the rector has made available:
We are happy to mail or email any of these materials to you. FROM THE RECTOR Being Well in Anxious Times Anne Meroney told me of hearing a bishop speaking as a guest at St. Anne’s after General Convention. The bishop (not ours) went to General Convention fully prepared to vote against the confirmation of Gene Robinson. Before the vote, however, the Presiding Bishop asked each member of the House of Bishops to spend fifteen minutes listing all the reasons Robinson should not be confirmed and all the reasons he should be confirmed. When the bishop finished the exercise, he looked at his two lists and realized that all the reasons he had listed to confirm Robinson were hopeful and inclusive, and all the reasons he had listed not to confirm were fearful and anxious. He changed his vote. My point is not that you should agree with how he voted, but that the real, lasting danger to the Church and to our souls in this anxious time is acting out of, being filled with, fear and anxiety. It is a danger that besets both sides of the issue, and it is a danger that Jesus warns us of over and over. (""Do not fear, only believe." Mt. 5: 36). In the weeks and months ahead, we will no doubt hear dire messages of schism, ruin, ridicule, and insult. We will probably be in the newspapers for a while yet. You may get direct mailings from dissenting groups who claim to love the Church so much that they need your help to suffocate it. I would like to urge calm and peace. My brothers and sisters who disagree with me are just that — my brothers and sisters. I will not act disrespectfully toward them because of their heartfelt opinion, and I would hope they would extend me the same courtesy. We have heard these dire predictions, these insults, before, every time the church has made a change. We heard them over slavery, integration, women’s ordination, the Prayer Book. Please, let’s support one another (I need your support too!) in not becoming anxious and fearful, but in trusting God. Let’s support one another in not being consumed by this, but instead in being about our work ministering to a broken world. As so many around us try to pump us so full of fear and worry, let’s help one another to remember the words of Julian of Norwich, who heard the Lord say to her, "I can make all things well; I will make all things well; I shall make all things well; and thou canst see for thyself that all manner of things shall be well." May the peace of the Lord be always with you, my sisters and brothers. All will be well.
|
|
Eagle Notes