December 1, 2022 Holy Comforter | Newsletter | |
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Give Thanks With A Grateful Heart Dearest Holy Comforter Family, On Sunday, after we had said a blessing over the new Advent paraments, several members of the Altar Guild helped hang them on the lectern, pulpit, and altar. All through the service that followed, I took in the quiet beauty of our church and was washed over with deep thanksgiving for some of the ministries it’s easiest to take for granted. We never have to be concerned that the table will not be set for the weekly feast that is a foretaste of the great heavenly banquet. That’s because members of the Altar Guild have come in either on Saturday or early Sunday to get the table ready. Rose Lollar, Leanne Barber, Mary Lois Monroe, Jeri Tippit, Dorothy Gidiere, Ann Montgomery, Zola Powers, Dabney McKenzie, Libby Bryan, Carol Kendrick, and Julie Speaks do their work with little fanfare and a whole lot of love. That is why these new paraments are dedicated to the women who have served on the altar Guild, year after year. |
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I don't know how it is for you, but each Sunday as I head into church, I find myself wondering what the flowers would look like on the altar. I can't tell you how many times I have thought, “surely these are the most beautiful flowers ever.” Inevitably, another arrangement elicits exactly the same response. In the past year, we have had two people become active in the Flower Guild. Joy Patterson and Ami Simpson are now members of the team. Roy Paul, who heads the Guild, will be in North Carolina with Michael for Christmas. Their daughter, Maggie, will be serving at the altar at St. Peter’s, Charlotte. Roy has already been hard at work, making sure the order for flowers for our Christmas services is lined up and taken care of, and he has worked with the rest of the team to ensure our church looks its most luminous and lovely as night falls on Christmas Eve. I don’t imagine any of us gives much thought to what it takes to keep this ministry alive and thriving. I do know how thankful I am for the selfless generosity with which Roy Paul, Ami Simpson, Joy Patterson, Kathy Albree, Zola Powers, and Jeri Tippit bring grace and beauty to our worship. |
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Informally, we call the newest worship ministry that emerged during the pandemic our ‘Hybrid Worship Ministry.’ It was Michael Paul who bought equipment and began live-streaming our Sunday Eucharist. Parallel to that, Randy Woodland offered Morning Prayer each Wednesday morning via Facebook. If you haven’t logged in when Randy reads the Morning office, you should. Not only is it beautiful; it provides a way for Randy to share the depth of knowledge and insight that come with all his years as a college professor. And then, we started live-streaming a service of Compline. Michael took the lead in organizing a regular rota/schedule to ensure there is an officiant for compline each week. If you have kept up with this worship offering, you’ve watched it evolve. Recently, Compline was read in our chapel and attended by members of the choir. Last week, it was read in a new setting—the choir room. I love the willingness to take the service into homes and different parts of our church facilities—the choir room is made holy by the gorgeous music rehearsed there every week. Now, the daily office of Compline adds another dimension to that holiness with the prayers that help the choir and the rest of us transition from the hectic busy-ness of the day to a quiet, peaceful night of rest. Along with Michael Paul, Randy Bryan, Dabney McKenzie, Ann Montgomery, and Jeri Tippit all serve on the rotation of officiants. We are beyond fortunate to have this dedicated team of officiants! More and more, I appreciate that Thanksgiving has become the unofficial ‘kickoff’ of the season when we celebrate God’s extraordinary generosity that came to dwell among us. On the day of Thanksgiving we are called to be especially aware of all we have to be grateful for—may that sense of gratitude carry us through the days of quiet Advent expectation leading to Christmas. May it also help us notice and give thanks for all the large and small ways our church gets to be church… With prayers for blessings of hope, peace, joy, and love. Rosa+ |
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Holy Comfort Bags - Fleece Blankets for the Homeless Since cold weather is approaching, we are adding blankets to our "Comfort Bags." If you would like to donate a blanket(s), please drop off in the box outside the offices. |
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We have now finished our Stewardship drive, thank you so much to everybody who made a commitment to our church for 2023. 46 households turned in pledge cards for a total of $264,798. Your support will make it possible for Holy Comforter to serve our community with grace and kindness. |
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4ᵗʰ Christmas Cards 9 AM, *Holy Eucharist 10 AM 11ᵗʰ *Festival of Lessons & Carols 10 AM 18ᵗʰ *Holy Eucharist 10 AM, Caroling & Hot Chocolate 11 AM 24ᵗʰ *Christmas Eve Festal Eucharist 5 PM 25ᵗʰ Christmas Morning Eucharist in the Chapel 10 AM |
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Flower Guild Christmas Flowers Honoring loved ones with flowers Have those you are thankful for or those you miss listed in the Christmas Eve bulletin. Please send your names to Terri and give Diane your contribution (any amount is acceptable). The deadline is Dec. 16th |
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• Morning Prayer | 10:30AM Randy Woodland is the officiant • Compline | 8PM (New Time!) |
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Saturday, Dec. 3, 9 AM Bring your tools and gloves or just yourself! We are combining the Altar Guild cleaning day with a Garden workday on Saturday morning. Chappy's lunch will be provided. Hope to see you there! |
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the Food Pantry donations: all non-perishable food items,
anything Christmas: retired decorations, wrapping paper, ribbon, tape... toiletries: shaving cream/razors, deodorant, toilet paper, diapers, etc... Donations can be left in the bins outside McMaster Hall. |
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Please leave donations (pudding cups, small cans of beef stew, chili, soup, or pasta, cheese/peanut butter crackers, snack bars, etc...) for the Backpack program in the basket outside the front office window. |
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Thank you for your support! |
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December Birthdays & Anniversaries Watch over thy children O Lord, as their days increase; bless and guide them wherever they may be. Strengthen them when they stand; comfort them when discouraged or sorrowful; raise them up if they fall; and in their heart may thy peace which passeth understanding abide all the days of their life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Birthdays Gena Parker, Randy Woodland, Barbara Dailey, Judy Talley, Sherod Mallow, John Gantt Anniversaries Tim & Kathy Barrowman, Bob & Evie Yonker |
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december — 6ᵗʰ, 13ᵗʰ, 20ᵗʰ Food Pantry 3rd Altar Guild cleaning and Garden Workday, 9 AM; lunch provided 4ᵗʰ Christmas cards 9 AM 11ᵗʰ Festival of Lessons & Carols 10 AM, Vestry meeting 11:30 |
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14ᵗʰ ECW Christmas Luncheon 11:30 AM 18ᵗʰ Caroling & Hot Chocolate 11 AM 24ᵗʰ Christmas Eve Festal Eucharist 5 PM 25ᵗʰ Christmas Morning Eucharist in the Chapel 10 AM |
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Vestry Senior Warden Steven Speaks Junior Warden Randy Bryan Treasurer Mary Lois Monroe Clerk Jeri Tippit Members: Kathy Albree Haynes Kelley Rand Neeley Amy Seanor |
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Please pray for Parishioners — Libby Bryan, Ann Carlton, Rob Dailey, Fred Earle, Sidney Hennessey, Jason Hicks, Lamar Higgins, Melanie Kelley, Julia Neeley, Jan Pope, Mac & Douglass Porter, Lea Russell, Ami Simpson, Claudene Thomas, Judith Granger Ward Friends — Megan Alley, Tracey Bailey, Eileen Black, John Conway, Jim Corsaro, Gay & Harry Curlin, Todd Daniels, Jayce Davidson, Casey Dodd, Mike Duncan, Rosamary Duncan, T. J. Esco, Julie Gantt, Linda Garrett, Judy Glanzer, Rosine Hall, Alison Hill, Roland Hutchinson, Tom Hyde, JoAnn Ivey, Dorothy King, Jon Kusa, John Nelson, Sharon M. Nelson, Nanette Olson, Liliana Orozco, Dusty Pouncey, Samuel Purcell & family, Arthur Segal, Joe Soliday, Riley Soliday, Taylor Scroggins, Michal Slovic, Isaiah Taylor, Paula White, Joe Wilkins, Patsy Wilkins, Ben Winbury Students — Emma Franklin, Will Franklin, Addie Hoffman, Taylor McLemore, Michael Moore, Rachel Moore, Charles Speaks, Thomas Speaks, Connie Tapia, Braxton Trest, Aiken Via |
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