The nursery will continue to be ably and lovingly staffed by Margaret Ann Johnson and her daughters, Erica and Stacy.

We discussed several ways we can improve our program. One involved starting and ending times. Sunday school for children and adults will start at 9:15. We ask everyone to be on time. We have very little time for Sunday school, and it is disruptive to the class to have folks coming in late. Things happen, and everyone runs late occasionally, but if your family is late most weeks, please get up a few minutes earlier! We’ll end children’s classes at 10:10. That should give acolytes time to get ready for the 10:30 service, although they will need to go straight to the vesting room.

We’re also going to try to get more music in the Sunday school. I’ll discuss this with Jon Marc Rutherford. In addition, we want our children to be able to show the whole church their work. We’ll have occasional Sundays on which children will show what they’ve done in Sunday school or sing music they’ve learned. This might be appropriate entertainment at Second Sunday Brunches. We’ll also make Youth Sundays available to the Sunday school teachers once a quarter so they can facilitate the children helping with our worship on those days. We’ll do our best to have a Christmas pageant this year. Finally, Sunday school teachers will eat together at a designated table at our Second Sunday brunches to share fellowship and stories. I hope you will go over and thank them!

On Friday, October 7, Volunteers are needed to help price items and on Saturday October 8, help is needed to put items out and help during the sale.

The following tables will be set up so bring items to fill them up!

Please don’t bring junk, broken appliances or broken furniture, clothes or shoes. We can’t sell these items and don’t want to be stuck with your junk.

Greetings from Pakistan,

I hope all is fine there, we are all ok by the grace of the Lord. I have good news which I heard within the last couple of days through our sister, Nargis (Mrs. Tasnem), that brother Tasneem has finally been granted asylum by the immigration court as the result of his last hearing on August 5, 2005.

We are all very happy about this decision and are really grateful to your endless kind efforts associated with Rev. Jim and especially the prayers offered by the great St. John’s congregation.

Kindly pay our regards with tears of thanks to every one helping and praying for our coming out of those deadly crucial moments. God bless you all.

After a long summer it is good to be back at work and to see everyone. Thank you to everyone who sent cards, came by the hospital to visit, and called to keep me company while I was home recovering from surgery. Your love, prayers and support are appreciated more than words can express.

I have to give special thanks to Mark Robertson who filled in for me while I was out. Mark did a wonderful job and held things together beautifully!

We are now back to our old schedule. I will be working on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, and Mark will work on Wednesday and Thursday.

Looking forward to seeing you!

Please note that Jim is out of the office (writing his sermon) on Thursday afternoons, and off on Friday’s. This means he does not usually check e-mail or voice mail until Monday morning. If you need to get in touch with Jim during that time, please call him on his cell phone (404 - 314-5749). Please use that number only for urgent matters.

The images of devastation and heartache left by Hurricane Katrina unite all of us in compassion for its victims, and admiration for the remarkable acts of individual courage that have saved so many lives. In one of the costliest storms in U.S. history — Hurricane Katrina has left a path of devastation across the Gulf States.

The effects of the storm are far-reaching. The death toll will continue to rise in the days ahead as efforts shift from search and rescue to identifying the dead. Entire towns are underwater. Tens of thousands have been left homeless. In the first hours following the devastation Episcopal Relief and Development (ERD) responded by reaching out to affected dioceses — such as Mississippi, Alabama and Louisiana — to assist with local emergency efforts to help people whose homes were destroyed.

1. Prayer. Please pray for the victims of Hurricane Katrina and for all the rescue and response workers. The Rev. Barbara Cawthorne Crafton has written a special

prayer in honor of those affected by this tragedy. (Please see the prayer below.)

children and families during this crisis. We are working with the dioceses in Mississippi, Louisiana and Alabama to initiate relief efforts. Donations to the “US Hurricane Fund” can be made at www.er-d.org.

3. Financial donations for local efforts. You may make donations to the Rector’s discretionary fund at St. John’s (marked “Katrina”) or to Family Life Ministries, 2810 Church Street, East Point, GA 30344. Family Life has been serving many evacuees, and we work in partnership with the good folks there.

Grace to you and peace in Jesus Christ our Lord! I have been in touch with the Dioceses of Louisiana and Mississippi in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. As we all know from the media reports, the situation is desperate. Many parishes have been completely destroyed and many of the clergy and people of these parishes have lost their homes. Others churches and homes have been damaged to the point of being unusable until major repairs can be made. Our hearts go out to all people whose lives have been changed forever by this catastrophic natural disaster.

The best way to help while we are in the “crisis phase” of our response is to get as many dollars on the way to the disaster relief agencies who are on the scene. Episcopal Relief and Development (ERD) has been on the scene from the very beginning and is coordinating efforts with the Red Cross and FEMA. They are in regular contact with our bishops and diocesan leaders in the effected areas. Special gifts, special offerings, or outreach funds may be sent directly to ERD or to the Diocese of Atlanta. We will move money directly into ERD’s accounts. At the present time this is the best way to assist.

Secondly, the shelters in Atlanta, and in other cities and communities across the diocese, are already receiving evacuees from New Orleans and the surrounding area. Providing a ministry of relief and hospitality is vital to helping these persons get their lives back on track. Local shelters will need volunteers, people to serve food, distribute clothing, etc. If you have contacts with any of these agencies please let us know. As we receive information on specific needs we will pass it along immediately.

Many have called to ask about going to the effected areas to help. Our best information at the present time is that volunteers may well be needed to help clean-up and rebuild in Alabama and Mississippi several weeks from now and that similar needs for volunteer help in New Orleans will be months in the future. Right now, however, they need ONLY highly skilled workers from the electric and gas companies around the country, engineers skilled in public water systems, and those with similar expertise. The networks of such persons have responded and thousands of workers are already in place or on their way. They do not need vans of people just showing up to help at this stage in the relief effort.

Once the “crisis phase” of the relief effort moves into “clean-up and rebuild” we may be able to help by sending supplies, work teams, and other support to help folks get their homes, churches, and schools back together. However, at this time, what is most needed is dollars for ERD or the Red Cross so that food, water, shelter, medicine, and other basic human needs can be met. Please be as generous as possible.

Let us also not forget the folks in our own territory, in Carroll County and in the environs of Helen, who have also been effected by tornadoes in their areas.

We will continue to pass along updates from the Dioceses of the Central Gulf Coast, Louisiana, and Mississippi, as we receive them.

Faithfully, in Christ,

ERD is creating a database of people who would like to volunteer in the areas affected by Hurricane Katrina. Thank you for your generosity and compassion for people living in this desperate situation.

Dioceses are not yet prepared for volunteers. ERD is working with diocesan partners to assess the needs in the affected areas. Once long-term needs are identified, we may be in need of volunteers to support the work of diocesan disaster response teams already hard at work.

While we understand your compassion and concern, please do not go to disaster areas right away. Volunteers should be entirely self-sufficient to avoid placing additional strain on already over-stressed dioceses. Volunteers must be able to provide their own transportation, have a confirmed place to stay, and supply their own food and water.

If you'd like to go to the Gulf Coast region, please send us an email with the following information:

Your full name

Your contact information (address, phone number, email)

Your disaster response qualifications and interests

Your assurance that you can be self-sufficient

Episcopal Migration Ministries is also creating a database of people who are willing to take in displaced families. If you or your congregation can host a family or an individual displaced by the hurricane, please sign up by sending your name, address, phone number, and email to EMM@episcopalchurch.org or call 800-334-7626, extension 6057.

You will be contacted as soon as we can organize our volunteer response.

The Centennial Committee proudly presents the new logo heralding the 100^th anniversary of St John's. We give thanks for the artistic ability of Ann Fowler (Epiphany/Atlanta), who developed the design you will see on practically everything published or presented by the parish. We hope you like it as much as we do. This design will be adapted into a permanent logo for use after the anniversary celebration concludes.

The kick-off of our centennial year starts on Saturday, October 8, with the Blessing of the Animals Festival. Adding to the carnival atmosphere are events like a yard sale, cookout, and bake sale. The Cathedral Bookstore will also be here that day, selling many gift items and the latest selection of books available.

On Saturday evening, Jon Marc Rutherford and Dock Anderson will present a concert “Dueling Pianos” at the Woodward Academy Chapel. This is a rare chance to hear our two talented musicians playing together. You won't want to miss this once in a lifetime opportunity,

so. . . . .

That's right, save Sunday, October 9, too. We have a special afternoon planned for after the service and we will tell you about it soon.

This is just the beginning of the events that we have planned for the coming year. We will be announcing many more details in the near future. So don't miss this one! We hope you will share the excitement that we feel about the upcoming year!

There will be many projects presented over the coming months that will assist in funding the events of this anniversary year. However, direct contributions to the Centennial Celebration Fund are needed and welcome. We encourage you to support this year of activities by making your check payable to St. John’s - “Centennial Fund.”

Chair, Ernie Radaker

Co-chairs, Debbie Reeves & Sue Johnson

Forms to register housing resources for evacuees are available in the parish hall. If you are willing to take in a family, please pick one up.