Grace to you & Peace ST. PAUL’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH

VOLUME 6, ISSUE 12 December 2015

Sundays

8:00 AM Holy Eucharist*

9:15 AM Christian Education*

10:00 AM Coffee, Food, &

Fellowship*

10:30 AM Holy Eucharist*

Wednesdays 8:00 AM Morning Prayer

5:30 PM Celtic Eucharist*

6:00 PM Parish Supper*

6:30 PM Awaiting the Already Study*

Advent

Dec. 13, 5:00 PM Lessons & Carols*

Christmas

6:00 PM Christmas Eve Eucharist*

10:30 PM Christmas Eve Eucharist*

9:00 AM Christmas Day Eucharist*

*childcare available

Newsletter Deadline

The deadline for the January

issue of Grace to You & Peace is

December 28. Email submissions to

secretarybb@stpaulscolumbus.com

or drop them by the church office.

Office Hours

8:00 AM to 5:00 PM

Monday - Friday

Church Staff

The Rev. Anne Harris, Rector

The Rev. Morris Thompson, Curate

Kimberly Brown, Director of School

Jeremy Adcock, Organist/Choirmaster

Becky Brett, Office Administrator

Ronnie Clayton, Sexton

Altar Cross illustration by Alice Lancaster

From Reverend Anne:

Happy New Year!

While the Christian Church has adopted many secular festival

dates (choosing the date of the Winter Solstice for the Nativity of Jesus

Christ, for instance) we remain distinctly counter cultural with respect to

others. November 29th marks the First Sunday of Advent, and it is the

beginning of our liturgical year. We leave behind us the Gospel of Mark

from which we heard the bulk of the gospel readings for last year,

lectionary Year B, and turn to the Gospel of Luke in lectionary year C.

While the rest of the world is rushing around in a tizzy, getting

prepared for Christmas, we Christians have long drawn aside for a few

weeks of quiet and prayerful contemplation instead. We have a lot to

do, preparing the house for Christmas festivities, only if we choose to.

We can make ourselves crazy decorating and buying and cooking and

attending every party in the Golden Triangle; or we can choose to

simplify, draw aside, and focus on the miracle of God made flesh.

In order to help you focus on the Incarnation, our worship

services change color and texture during Advent. The music is more

contemplative. The color purple, also used during Lent, reminds us of

the royal Kingship of Jesus who ended his life on a cross. There is

sadness mixed with joyful expectation – just as there is in life itself!

We will use prayers from Enriching Our Worship 1, a book of

supplemental liturgical materials produced by the Standing Liturgical

Commission of the Episcopal Church, and adopted by General

Convention for use in any Rite II service. The language used in the

prayers I have chosen is designed to expand the ways in which we

express our faith, so that the prayers sound fresh and meaningful to our

ears and hearts.

This Advent, draw aside, and may the words of this Advent

hymn be your prayer: “Savior of the nations come! Virgin’s Son, make

here your home. Marvel now, both heaven and earth, that the Lord

chose such a birth.”

Foundations

St. paul’S EvEntS

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From Deacon Morris,

This year on November 1, Episcopalians nationwide made a bold move in

installing the Most Reverend Michael Curry as its twenty-seventh Presiding Bishop, the

bishop overseeing the entirety of the Episcopal Church. The move was not bold due to

his political views, something which I know very little about, or even his race, though he

is the first African American Presiding Bishop. The move was bold because for the first

time, at least in my life, the Episcopal Church was moved by the Spirit to choose an

evangelist to lead its Church.

All my life I have been afraid of evangelism. Nothing is more terrifying to me

than sharing my deepest convictions about God, about Jesus, about humanity, and our

imperfections. Praying extemporaneously? To me that is perhaps the worst thing about

being clergy. That’s why if there is food to be blessed and Rev. Anne is around you will

see me pointing to her! To put it all plainly, I am afraid to share the Good News. I am

afraid to be an evangelist. Thankfully, for all of you who are afraid like me, our leader,

Bishop Curry, is not afraid.

November 2, the day after his installation, Bishop Curry released a video that

began in a beautiful church in New York City and ends walking in the streets of that

grand city. He was talking about Jesus’ simple message to his followers to follow him.

How even after Jesus’ death, Christ sent a messenger to Mary that urged His followers to

continue their movement in following Him to Galilee. You see, Bishop Curry reminded

us we are a part of a movement, a movement that follows Jesus Christ wherever He leads

us.

One thing that I can say with certainty is that following Jesus does not lead you to

the church for mission, outreach, evangelism, and community. The church is only meant

to be a place of rejuvenation; our work to God is meant to happen in the streets with

God’s people who are lonely, suffering, and craving a relationship with their savior, but

are too afraid to take a risk in trusting the institution of Church that has hurt them so

many times in the past.

On Sunday, December 13, we will go into the streets of Southside Columbus. We

will announce to our town that there is something special in this community at St. Paul’s

Episcopal Church. We will tell our neighbors we are a loving community where all can

experience God and His rest and security for we have a God whose “yoke is easy, and

his burden is light.” I’m asking you to join me and our youth as we knock door to door,

hand out a little treat, and invite them to our spectacular worship of our Awesome God.

This might be hard for you, I know it will be for me. But I will follow Christ with

excitement to see the work He can do through us.

Grace and courage,

Morris

Parish Life

Our Mission

St. Paul’s is Collecting Medicine Bottles for Malawi

Medical facilities and pharmacies in Malawi often find themselves

with nothing except pieces of paper in which to wrap medicine for

their patients. This is often seen in rural hospitals and villages

where the poorest people live. They can make good use of the

prescription and other medicine bottles that we normally discard.

We are collecting bottles that you’re through with. Please remove

the labels and return the bottles to the table outside the welcome

desk.

Home for the Holidays The first Home for the Holidays silent auction was a success! We

would like to thank all of our talented parishioners who created one

of a kind nativity scenes.

We also appreciate those who bid on the nativities. The wide variety

was truly impressive, and each one found a new home. Together,

we raised $565 which will be given to Episcopal Relief and

Development to provide aid to refugees. We’d like to give a special thanks to Jennet

Lacey for organizing this wonderful outreach!

Loaves and Fishes St. Paul’s will be serving on Monday, December 14,

and Wednesday, December 16. Pie shells (graham

cracker or frozen pastry) or cans of peach, apple or

cherry pie filling are needed this month. Please have

these items at the church by Sunday, Dec. 13. If you

would like to help serve, please contact Ann Sparkman.

Southside Evangelism St. Paul’s is hitting the streets and knocking on doors

on Sunday, December 13, from 2:00-4:00. Come

join our youth as we invite our neighbors on

Southside to our advent and Christmas events. We

also need help Dec. 10 & 11 from 1-5 p.m. at the

church as we make candied pecans to give to our

neighbors. Contact Morris for more information.

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Junior Daughters of the King

All girls, 2nd

grade and up, are encouraged to join the Jr. DOK on

Wednesday, December 9, from 4-5 p.m. in the church conference

room. Meetings take place the second Wednesday of every month.

Please contact Rose Crowe, or the church office, if you or your child

is interested.

EYC December Schedule

December 6 4:00-6:00 at St. Paul’s

December 13 2:00-4:00 Southside Evangelism & Lessons & Carols!

December 20 EYC Christmas Party at the Thompsons!

December 27 No EYC

December 27– Jan. 1 Winter Solstice @ CBG for Grades 9-12

Contact Morris for more information about upcoming EYC events.

Men’s Group Christmas Party

The St. Paul’s Men’s Group will meets at 5:30 on Wednesday,

Dec. 16, at Walt Starr’s residence. Supper will be at 6:00.

Contact the office if you’d like to be included on the Men’s

group email list.

ECW Advent Retreat

"Women Waiting," will take place Saturday,

December 5, at Plymouth Bluff. Kelly Brown will

lead this reflective time of prayer. A brunch will

be provided. All women of the church are

welcome! Please RSVP to the church office by

noon on December 2.

Upcoming Events

Late Bloomers Christmas Party

Late bloomers, our group of energized people age 60 and up, will

be meeting Tuesday, December 15, at 10:00 a.m. for a festive

Christmas Brunch. All people of the church are welcome. Please

RSVP to the office by December 14 if you plan to attend!

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Worship and Education

Wednesday Evenings in Advent

5:30 Contemplative Celtic Eucharist

6:00 Dinner

6:30-7:00 Awaiting the Already Bible Study

Each Gospel, in its own way, leads us on the Advent journey of

preparation for Christ’s coming. Awaiting the Already takes a tour

through each gospel narrative that announces Christ’s birth, paving

the way for his ministry.

Women’s Advent Bible Study

Beginning Sunday, November 29, during the Sunday School hour,

the women of the church will begin the four week Beth Moore

Bible study, Loving Well. This study focuses on our Christian

mission of love and compassion in a broken world.

Confirmation Classes

The Bishop’s visit on February 7 is quickly approaching. If you or your child is

interested in becoming a full member of the Episcopal Church through Confirmation,

contact Morris about Confirmation Classes.

Invite your friends and

neighbors to our choir’s

celebration of Advent

Lessons and Carols

Sunday, December 13, 5:00 p.m.

Childcare provided & cry room available in the Chapel

Christmas Eve 6:00 p.m. Holy Eucharist

10:30 p.m. Candlelight Holy Eucharist

Christmas Day 9:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist

Childcare provided & cry room available in the Chapel

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Vestry Nominations

Eric Dawson

Eric has been a part of St. Paul’s for many years alongside his wife and two children.

He has served St. Paul’s as a lay pastoral Eucharistic visitor, first reader, Eucharistic

minister, and is in his third year of EFM. Eric served as a vestry member from 2008-

2010.

Don Callaway

Don Callaway has served St. Paul’s as an usher and as a volunteer for Loaves and

Fishes. He is interested in helping with financial matters for the future of St. Paul’s

congregation. He served on the vestry during the 1980s when Rev. Charles Floyd

was rector, and again in the 1990s when Rev. Murray Bullock was rector.

Tom Whitaker

Tom has participated in the life of St. Paul’s Church as an usher, member of the Wired

Word Sunday School Class, Men’s Group, May Luncheon volunteer, Bible School

helper, Loaves and Fishes Volunteer, Fall Festival and SPES helper, Advent Suppers,

Informed Ministry review and Mutual Ministry review committee. He is anxious to

help wherever his time and talents are needed, particularly with Loaves and Fishes

and other outreach projects. He is also knowledgeable about building and grounds

maintenance needs and budget and church finance matters. He served a three-year

term on the vestry for 2012-2014.

Kenny Frye

Kenny started attending St. Paul’s in 2007 and was confirmed later that year by

Bishop Duncan Gray Jr. While attending St. Paul’s, Kenny has served on the Usher

Committee, How Firm a Foundation Building Committee, and is a member of St.

Paul’s Men’s Group. Kenny has helped prepare a variety of meals at St. Paul’s (i.e.,

Pancake Supper, Spaghetti Supper, Church Receptions, etc.) and is an inaugural

member of the Shrimp & Grits cooking team. In the spring of 2012, Kenny led the

youth in the upstairs Youth Room Renovation Project and is willing to give of his

time and talents wherever needed.

2016-2017 Jr. Warden

2016-2018 Vestry

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Vestry Nominations

Helen Pridmore

Helen has served as a high school Sunday school teacher, ECW President, as a

member of Daughters of the King, EYC Leader, Junior Warden, altar guild, and

ECW treasurer. In the upcoming years she would like to strengthen St. Paul’s

outreach and children and youth programs.

Karoyl McCain

Karoyl has worshiped and grown at St. Paul’s for the past 19 years alongside her

husband and two boys. She has served as ECW President, United Thank Offering

Coordinator, Daughters of the King President, Lenten Children’s programmer, and

the Christmas program. In the upcoming years she would like to help foster adult

involvement in St. Paul’s programs and support the financial matters of the church.

John Hardy

John has served as an usher and as a member of the Finance Committee. He is

interested in helping maintain the church financial soundness and continually

maintain and improve St. Paul’s buildings, facilities, and grounds so that our spiritual

leaders can offer the church’s ministry and outreach in a good environment. He has

previously served three terms on the vestry.

2016-2018 Vestry

Birthdays

December 1 Elizabeth Stoner

December 2 Terry Freeze

December 3 Howard Sharp

Taylor Smith

December 4 Katie Fenstermacher

December 5 Pam Rhea

December 6 Tom Velek

December 7 Shelby Phillips

December 8 Izzy Poros

December 11 Becky Scott

December 12 Carole Knie

December 13 Beth Easterling

December 15 Rachel George

Sharon Reifers

December 16 Richard Thomas

December 18 Mollie Carter

December 19 Lindsey Noto

December 20 Sid Caradine

December 22 Allen Wyckoff

Nicholas Wyckoff

December 23 Gillian Hanna

December 24 Gail Laws

December 25 John Knie

December 27 Elizabeth Easterling

December 28 Kate Roberts

December 29 Marian Hazard

December 30 Caroline Clay

Stewardship Update Thank you to all who have prayed, budgeted and sent in their pledge! To date, we

have received 97 pledges, or 91% of our expected pledges. Pledges received total

$386,000, or 92% of the $420,000 goal for our 2016 required budget. If you have yet

to send in your pledge, please do so as soon as possible so we can budget our ministry

for the upcoming year.

Annual Reports Due! All annual reports are due by Monday, December 28, in preparation

of our 2016 Annual Church Meeting.

Parish Life

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Births! It’s with great celebration we announce the

births of Ruthie Joy Hardy, daughter of

John David and Lindsey Hardy, Aiden Lee

Martel, son of Jennifer and Lee Martel,

and Evelyn Cecilia McCoy, daughter of

Miriam and Cole McCoy.

Intercessions

McCaleb family

Savannah Rose Jones

Bill Guerry

Jesse Dawson

Joy Clay

Gail Greene

John Stokes

Patricia Edwards

Sgt. David Mosteller

Anna Chromiak

Daniel

Ron Apple

T. J. Rayer

Steven Bogan

B. J. Montgomery

Marian Chancellor

Margaret Wade

Kingslea Merkel

Jim Keith

Kathy

Beth Gee

Fran Cobin

Samantha McRaney

Todd Weathers family

Walter McKay

Tommy Prince

Dianne

Barbara Yarborough

Doris Crowe

Taylor Valentine

Elizabeth Neely

Ginny

Emery Sofia Freeman

Vernon Studdard

Tony Greene

Guy Geller

Carol Lott

Beth Thomas

Don Harris

Elizabeth King

Elizabeth Stoner

Lisa Landrum

Virginia

Julie Adams

Robyn

Beth Hunt

Nancy Kennedy

Tom Davis IV

Irma Steger

Dan Waldrop

Addison

Donna Armer

Brantley Foster

Anita Webber

Kristi

Stooksberry family

Anniversaries Grant that their wills may be so knit together in your will, and their spirits in your Spirit,

that they may grow in love and peace with you and with one another all the days of their

life. Amen.

December 1 Keith & Barbara Miles

December 5 Ron & Kathy Foster

December 8 John & Eulalie Davis

December 14 Frank & Sandy Imes

December 18 Powe & Sam Chesnut

December 19 David & Sarah Lee

December 27 Gary & Jackie Waldrop

December 29 Tom & Sunny Whitaker

December 31 John & Carole Knie

For the welfare of

Residents of nursing homes,

especially: Trey Atkins

For the Departed: The Rev. Gene Asbury, Luna

Cotton, Angel Violet Kotzur, Kittie Laffoon, Libby

Springer

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St. paul’S School nEwS

Diocesan News

ECW Winter Conference If the Bishop of Alabama, Kee Sloan, is ever playing at a church near you, run,

don’t walk, to hear him. He was the speaker at the recent ECW Winter Conference,

and I was totally captivated. He is a consummate story-teller. I laughed, I cried, I

wanted to shout “Hallelujah!”, and I looked forward to just thinking on what he had

shared with us. I go to the ECW conferences because I have made friends over the

years. I first went when I was president of ECW and felt I should go. I have attended

them twice a year ever since. I enjoy taking an evening and half a day off for myself.

I enjoy the solitude of The Gray Center, and I cherish friendships made from all over

the state.

I have learned just what UTO does and why it is so important. I learned what

our Church Periodical Club does (provides money for books for Mississippi

seminarians and also sends picture books to children in Africa); that we have a Global

Scholarship fund which provided 2 scholarships to students in Panama and one to

Bishop Masereka’s school in Uganda in 2015. I learned that this past year we

distributed $3800 to children’s agencies in Mississippi through Children at Risk.

Attending ECW conferences helps me to understand the reach of our church in

our state. Neither the winter nor spring gatherings are particularly well attended, and I

am impressed by the devotion that the Board has and the work it does to continue

them.

The Spring Conference will be April 8-9 with Rev. Kyle Dice Seage as the

weekend guest speaker. Kyle will be instructing us on making and praying our own

personal rosaries.

Anne Freeze

School Christmas Pageant

The Morning of December 17

from 10:00 through 10:45

in the Church

Decorating St. Paul’s for Christmas!

The Altar Guild is asking for all St. Paul’s hands on deck Wednesday, December 23,

10:00 a.m. to decorate the church for the birth of our Lord! No talent necessary. Just

bring greenery, clippers, gloves, and a Christmas spirit!

Also remember, all donations for Christmas flowers should be made to

the office by Friday December 18.