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Woody Mader will lead a
study of the Book of Common Prayer on
December
9th and 16th; there will be no classes on
December
23rd or 30th; and starting in January, the Rev. Dr.
Ted
Hackett will be back to lead a class during Epiphany
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Each year St. Mark's parishioners are given the
opportunity to donate Flowers for the Christmas
Services. (Note: This is separate from the youth
poinsettia sale for the home or for gifts which has
already ended.)
Red Poinsettias @ $10.50 each Small Wreaths @ $22.00 each Parishioners are also given the opportunity to donate money to help defray the significan cost of the Brass Quartet that adds so much to the 11:00 service each year. To be included in the Christmas bulletin, please return a completed form (found in the Sunday bulletin), or contact the church office no later than Monday, December 17. |
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Advent Giving Tree
The Giving Tree is up and ready for parishoners to select a gift tag to help make Christmas happier for children and families in need this season. Gifts purchased will go to the women and children of Family Crisis Center, the clients of DEO, and others in need. Toy suggestions are on each tag, but please do not feel limited. Use your imagination to shop for a child ages 0-13! Also we are collecting new fleecewear and hats/gloves/scarves, along with twin sized blankets. These items will be distributed to DEO clients and others in need of "warmth" this holiday season. You may shop through December 12th when all gifts should be placed under the tree (unwrapped please.) Questions about the Giving Tree? See Tammy Rice-Rodriguez. Acts of Advent See the Outreach "white board" in the church office lobby to sign up for ways you can help celebrate the season by helping others. Opportunities for giving, cooking, sharing, and caring are in abudance including the Carter-Hope Christmas dinner, Christmas with DEO and more. Food Pantry The shelves of our food pantry are bare, and this is, sadly, a very busy time for food programs. With children out of school for the holidays families find it difficult to make ends meet without the school breakfast and lunch programs. Additionally, December brings layoffs to many of our local carpet mills, leaving families struggling as the winter season approaches. Gas prices, heating prices, and the overall cost of living can make the season less-than- bright for many. Please help by remembering the food pantry when you shop. If you have questions about the food pantry call Tammy Rice-Rodriguez at 706-876- 0077. We are in need of the usuals: peanut butter and jelly, macaroni and cheese, canned meats, canned soups and stews, breakfast cereals/breakfast "bars", canned fruit, spaghetti noodles and spaghetti sauce. Additionally we freeze bread so loaves of bread are always welcome. |
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Interested in Adult Confirmation?
Confirmation is the traditional "sacramental rite" of the Episcopal Church that reminds us powerfully, through the laying on of hands from a bishop, that we are filled with the Holy Spirit. Although Church "membership" is no longer determined by confirmation, this moving, ancient ceremony can be a spiritually powerful moment in the Christian spiritual journey. Also, the attendance at "confirmation classes" serves, for many, as a wonderful introduction to the Episcopal Church for newcomers. On Sunday, January 27, St. Mark's will welcome Bishop Carol Gallager, as she teaches at the 10:00 Church School hour, preaches at both services, and confirms at the 11:00 service. Bishop Gallager is the first Native American woman bishop to be ordained in the entire Anglican Communion. Confirmation classes will be led by the rector (time TBA), and they will also be asked to attend the Sunday morning 10:00 classes January 6, 13, and 20, led by Anglican scholar Ted Hackett. Anyone interested in adult confirmation should contact the rector, Dean Taylor. (Youth confirmation classes are in process already-see Elizabeth.) |
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The Living Gift Market was another huge success!
Thank you to all the people who made the Market such
a wonderful day and a fund raising success. Close to
$7000 was raised for Heifer International, and over
$2000 worth of fair trade crafts were sold for Ten
Thousand Villages.
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As of 11-28-07 we have 109 pledges, in the amount
of $292,325.00, for 2008. This is approximately
$125,000.00 below the projected budget for 2008. I
know this is a very busy time of year for everyone, but
we really need pledge cards returned so as to project
the budget for coming year. I truly wish the church did
not have to operate on money,
but as with everything we have expenses and we try to
hold expenses to a
minimum for a quality return.
Now for the news for 2007 - We have collected $319,799.00 in pledge and plate, which is $43,000.00 below what was budgeted for the end of November 2007. I know many people pay in December, so now we need to be clear as to how you make sure your giving counts for 2007. The LAST DAY to give in 2007 is December 31, 2007, BY NOON. The Church Office is Closed on the 31st but I will be here until NOON. The other option is to have the Post Mark of December 31, 2007 on your envelope. I have only one request, please do not combine giving for 2007 and 2008 in one check, please write two checks and mark on the for/memo line what each is for. I wish each and every one of you a safe and joyous holiday season. I consider it an honor to work with and for St. Mark's !! Sally Huggins |
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The Chili Supper, held on Nov. 2 , was a huge
success. Thank-you to all
the parents, parishoners and community members
who bought tickets,
cooked, delivered or donated money for meat. It just
wouldn't happen
without every ones help and commitment. A special
thank-you to
Amy Parks who helped in the morning and even came
back to help in the afternoon.
At last count we served more
than 1200 cups of chili. Not bad! We are donating the
leftover chili
to be used for DEO and some of our shut-ins.
The children are enjoying the playground so much! I hope everyone has had a chance to see it. It was definitely a group effort and wouldn't have happened without the help of Chris Stearns and Jonathan Renfroe and their many friends and parishioners. We are working on the plaque and inscribing the sunshine's with the donors names. We are still accepting donations so if you would like to give a "sunshine" for Christmas, just send it my way- The children of the preschool collected food for Thanksgiving. We supplied one of our families with groceries and donated the rest to our Food Bank. Thanks and Merry Christmas- Ellen |
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Senior High Youth
December House Eucharist is on Sunday, Dec. 9 at 5 p.m. at the home of Tess Little. This is our holiday celebration. Please bring a wrapped, homemade gift for a gift exchange game. The Youth groups are celebrating a "Buy-Nothing Christmas." Please RSVP to the Littles or to Elizabeth. The High School Confirmation class will resume on January 6th at 6:30 p.m. in the High School Youth room. The confirmation retreat will be held on January 25-26 at Sewanee, TN. The confirmation service with Bishop Gallagher is at the 11 a.m. service on Sunday, January 27. Middle School Youth The Middle School Holiday party will be at 6:30 p.m., Wednesday Dec. 19 at the Alderman's home. Please bring a wrapped, homemade gift for a gift exchange game. The Youth groups are celebrating a "Buy-Nothing Christmas!" Middle and Senior High Youth Mission! Our December Mission project is serving a meal for the Carter Hope Center on Tuesday, Dec.11 We will gather at St. Mark's at 6:15 p.m. to travel together to the Center. (Those who can't make it at 6:15 can meet us at the Carter Hope House until 8 p.m.). In January, the St. Mark's youth will have a winter mini- mission trip to Holy Comforter Mission in Atlanta on January 12-13. We will help serve a meal to parishioners of Holy Comforter who live with mental illness and join with them in their Saturday Night Live program. We will spend the night at their church and join them for worship and lunch the next morning. We will leave from St. Mark's at noon on Saturday, January 12 and return in mid-afternoon on January 13. Please let Elizabeth know if you plan to join us. Parents and other adult chaperones are welcome to join us! |
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Cookie Cook Chris Elwell Elisa Martin Mary Squires We look forward to another great year in the life of St. Mark's! |
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Nollie Sineath, Brenda Renfroe's grandmother, died on November 7th in Islandton, SC. Rest eternal grant to them, O Lord: And let light perpetual shine upon them. May their souls, and the souls of all the departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen. |
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Mark your Calendars now with these upcoming dates: Sun. Jan. 27 - Confirmation with Bishop Gallagher |
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Members of St. Mark's Community Who Need Your Prayers: Rosemary Adams, Geneva and Marion Albertson, Alicia Alderman, Peter Andersen and family, Robb Andersen Family, Joan & Paul Anderson, Stan Applegate, Ruth Baker, David Blackburn, Tom Blaylock, Idawee Bowen, Charlotte Bryant, Betty Carlson, Alma Casper, Carey Craig, Bill Dawkins, Marie Dodd, Melba Greene, Jim Greer, Jane Harrell, Cathy Houser, Yvonne Howalt, Janet Johnson, Phyllis Jordan and family, Tanc and Joan Lidderdale, Celia Looper, Alicia Kemp McCormick, Troy Moses, Alice Oosterhoudt, Patsy Rains, Cindie Robinson, Caroline Ryman, Doris Shoemaker, Glenn Smail, Lo Veasey, Suzanne Ward, Virginia Weaver, Connie Woodward. The St. Mark's Pastoral Care Committee would appreciate your assistance with updating the church staff of any pastoral needs among our congregation. During regular business hours, please call Amy Parks in the church office (706-278-8857) if there is a need. For after hours needs, please contact one of the people listed below (call in the order listed): Dean Taylor, Rector (706-226-2345 home, 706-264- 2345 cell); Elizabeth Roles, Asst. Rector (706-537-8908); Amy Parks, Parish Administrator (706-847- 4799). The St. Mark's Prayer Chain continues to actively serve the prayer needs of our parish community. If you have request for the prayer chain, contact Barbara Yarbrough (226-4147). |
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DECEMBER BIRTHDAYS
1 Carol Burchfield 3 Rob Gouffon, Anne Blaylock, Gary Cole 4 Brooks Lansing Sr., Tess Little 8 Ethel Rutledge 9 Beverly Carmichael 10 Conner Taylor 11 Andrew Wood 12 Charlotte Barron 14 Jackie Boykin, Alice Oosterhoudt 17 Jane Harrell 18 Thomas Keeble 19 Celia Looper, Kim Wycherly, Hope Mosley 20 Emily Ward 21 Beth Bennett 22 James Ross 23 Jessica Jaconetti 25 Thomas Mahvi, Jacob Holyer 26 Tina Hudson, Sean Hefner 28 Martha Wright, Sydney Houston, Meryl Sutton 29 Cindy Michaels, Mark Mahvi, Lori Barron 31 Wright Jones, Alma Casper, Anna Grace Wright, Idawee Bowen, Amanda Michaels DECEMBER ANNIVERSARIES
5 George and Marge Shirilla, Tom and Connie Blaylock 9 Brad and Linda Britton 11 Paul and Joan Anderson 12 John and Patricia Sportiello 16 Don and Juli Hayes 17 Steve and Peggy Cantrell 18 Norman and Barbara McCoy 20 John & Lori Barron 22 Andy and Ruth Baker 27 Richard and Deloris Cunningham 29 Frank and Tinsley Patterson |
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We hope you enjoyed the December edition of
The
Banner. Feel
free to contact the church office if
you're having trouble
with this email newsletter.
St. Mark's Episcopal Church
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