News for February 5, 2012

Opportunities for minority students, children needing glasses, and those seeking a job . For information, check out the vestry notes on the left.

Welcome to our Visiting Priest
Today we welcome Reverend Daniel Karanja again as our celebrant. Welcome back, Daniel.

The Light Gets In
My favorite seminary professor, Merwyn Johnson, loved today’s passage from Isaiah. “Those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.” He was very big on waiting for God, and not trusting in our own ability. His most memorable advice was given casually, to a bunch of students after class. We’d been talking about how to preach so that the people in our congregations would be more committed to the church.

“It does no good to preach commitment,” he said. That got our attention. “Just preach the greatness of God. If people catch even the tiniest glimpse of the greatness of God, they will not be able to help but be committed.”

The picture of Jesus in the gospel today isn’t trumpets blaring and angels singing “Glory!” It’s someone like family, walking in. Someone unafraid of disease, or of what people will say about him breaking the healing-on-the-Sabbath rules. Someone for whom an old, unhealthy woman is important.

I’ll say she was important! Right here the church got its pattern. When people are touched, healed, accepted, included, forgiven - even before they ask - they don’t have to be told what they are supposed to do. They just can’t keep the serving-spirit, the giving-nature, contained.

There’s a song by Leonard Cohen:
Ring the bells that still can ring. Forget your perfect offering. There is a crack in everything. That’s how the light gets in. The light got into this story with a sick woman, and, like lightening, it electrified the town. In the next morning’s darkness, that light revealed the sought-after One who serves, waiting upon God, in predawn prayer. Have you not seen? Have you not heard?
Karin Culp (Retired Methodist Minister)

Healthy Church Initiative
Mission Statement: “A Welcoming, Loving Community, Centered In Christ” Have you given our Mission Statement some reflection? We’ll be using it to help define what we’d like to see in our new priest and what the congregation’s outlook is regarding our church community and our wider community in the world.

New Directory
How great it will be to connect a name to a face and vice versa when our newest directory is complete! It will be the perfect welcome gift for our new pastor.

Mid February is the target to get this completed and all information needs to be confirmed and corrected as soon as possible. Your current directory information has been pre-printed on sheets that are available for review in the Narthex after each service along with the chance for a quick snapshot to be included in the direc-tory. This Sunday will be the LAST TIME photo-graphs will be taken after each service.

If you prefer to have your own photo or any special photos that display what our parish is involved in to be used, please scan and email to tucker12905@bellsouth.net or put it in an envelope and get it to the church office by February 6th. Your photo will be returned. Joann Tucker - chairperson

Diocesan Adult Choir Festival
Come and participate in a glorious service of Choral Evensong on Sunday, February 12, 2012, at Trinity Cathedral in Columbia. Registration and practice begins at 2 p.m. with the Choral Evensong starting at 4 p.m. and ending at 5 p.m. with an Organ Recital of “An Italian Renaissance: The Organ Music of J.S. Bach” with Christopher Jacobson. For information and registration form, check: Trinity Choir Festival

Nursery There will be no nursery next Sunday, Feb. 5th.

Upcoming EYC Events
February 8: Labyrinth Walk
February 15: Valentine’s party (History, Heart Project)
February 21: Shrove Tuesday
February 22: EYC Ash Wednesday/Reflect on service

Loose Plate Collection
Sunday, Feb. 12th, any loose plate collection will be given to Camp Gravatt.

Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper
Mark your calendar for Tuesday, February 21st, for the annual Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper. That evening please bring last years palms to burn for Ash Wednesday.

Honors Group
The next Honors Group meeting will be Wednesday, Feb. 15th, at noon in the Parish Hall. The guest speaker will be Mary Bundrick of Prime Times, an organization dedicated to providing seniors with various activities and tours. Before the presentation an organizational meeting will be held to firm up team leaders and membership as well as elect a President. Royal Roseberry has done an admirable job over the last two years and it is time to give him a rest. Lunch will be lasagna from Olive Garden. Anyone interested is welcome to join the group. Julie Maun

Stewardship – Please Give of Your Time, Talent, and Treasure Stewardship

“Blessings” Prayer Generous and loving God, You call us to be disciples of your son Jesus and good stewards of all your many gifts. Open our minds and hearts to a greater awareness and deeper appreciation of your countless blessings. Transform us through the power of your Spirit to nurture a stewardship way of life marked by faith-filled prayer, service to our neighbor and generous sharing. Teach us to be faithful servants of your gifts. With Mary’s help, may we return ten-fold the gifts entrusted to us. Bless our Parish with a deepening devotion to prayer, a growing commitment for service, and increasing levels of generosity as we work to advance the mission of both our parish and diocese. We pray through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Let us remember our role as stewards in all that we do. Thank you, Larry Nassivera 2/05/2012

Lift Up Your Eyes Unto the Hills!
It is time once again for our annual Parish Weekend at Lake Logan in North Carolina on June 22-24. We need a rough head-count NO LATER than February 14th in order to determine how much space we will need. Another group is interested in using one of the five cabins we have reserved. If you plan to attend please contact Royal Roseberry or contact the office at 736-0866.

Total costs for the weekend including lodging for two nights and six meals are as follows:
I. Adults (age 19 and over)
A. Double Room-$285 or
B. Single Room-$185

II. Children are charged for meals only
A. Ages 14-18 $72
B. Ages 3-13 $36
C. Under 3 Free

Half of the fee will be due by March 25th and the balance due by May 15th.

As you pray for these people, please note the changes in our prayer list. Please call Hume Fulmer, Pastoral Care representative on the Vestry, or Sam Daniel to make any changes.

For those hospitalized or seriously ill: Carol Pozsik, AW Hursey, William Turner, Terry Huddleston (Pascals’ son-in-law), Lonnie Kingery (brother of Larry Kingery), Alice Grover (friend of Helen King), Irish Russell (friend of Nancy Kauffman), Jessica Clark (friend of Krysten Kasprzyk), Niko Staub-Goode (friend of Beth Tudor), Hollis Rippy (former mother-in-law of Beth Tudor), David Ross (brother of Margi Scotti), Nancy Wilburn (friend of Tom and Anne Alewine), Scott Swanson (friend of Beth Tudor), Keith Lee (son-in-law of Joe Smoak), Vivian Grooms (Mother of Rick Grooms), Don Clary (father-in-law of Rachel Perkins), Stuart Gehres (nephew of the Kingerys), Marc Mandeltort (friend of the Kasprzyk Family), and Jeff Butler (friend of Bigham Family).

Continuing prayers for (CHRONIC SITUATIONS): Deryl Tucker, Tim Barber, Hume Fulmer, Jean White, Becky Kingery, Margaret Agostini, Charlotte Whitlock, Ann Hursey, Kris Burns, Doris Dzingleski, Jamie Roberts, Bobby Dzingleski, Nancy Hughes, Ron Moore, Sara Watts, Rachel Perkins, Barbara Mitchell, George Gilmore, Dave Kasprzyk, Lucy and Richard Wescoat, Chris (son of Roy and Charlotte Neville), Pat McDermott (mother of Jeannette Tyler), Helen Nutt (mother of Nancy Martin), and Andrew Link, (nephew of David Tyler) Elizabeth Evans (friend of the Parish), Tom Hancock (cousin of Christy Bowers), Eric Kasper (son of Julie Maun), Jeff & Debra Wilmot (children of Julie Maun), Barbara (mother of Rev. Susan Prinz), Janeen Josey (friend of Anne & Bubba Campbell), Margie Ross (sister-in-law of Avis O’Leary), Julia Gardner (sister of Nancy Hughes), Phyllis & Walter Gjersvold (sister and brother-in-law of Avis O’Leary), Jeanne Hendrickson (mother of Kim Toogood), Clyde Burns (father of Ron Burns), Orza Roque (grandmother of Tina Dia), Mildred Harder (mother of Lynn Nassivera), Catherine Rippy (stepdaughter of Beth Tudor).

For our community: For the safety of those serving in the Armed Forces: Kayla Kasprzyk and Matthew Lyon both in Afghanistan.

Flowers at the altar: The flowers at the altar are given to the glory of God and in thanksgiving for the birthdays of our grandson Matt (7th) and Granddad, Ian, (70th) by Ron and Kris Burns.

In the Anglican cycle of prayer: The Anglican Church of Canada, The Most Rev. Frederick Hiltz, Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada.

In the Diocesan cycle of prayer: Bishop Waldo’s visitation of St. George’s in Anderson. For the diversity of races and cultures (BCP 840) and remembering the Orangeburg Massacre on Feb. 8, 1968.

For the departed: Billings Fuess (son of Wendy Fuess).

For the anniversaries of: Steve and Kellie Wachter (2/6) and Kerry and Jan Mandeville (2/7).

For the birthdays of: Ian Toogood (2/5), Jeanne Tyler (2/6), Krysten and Kayla Kasprzyk (2/7), John Bussian (2/8), Ugonna Udogwu (2/9), Mitch Mitchell (2/11).