The Church Bell
Vol. 2, no. 8
August / September 2018
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What do we mean by "curb appeal"?
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Our last
Church Bell
newsletter mentioned that
Sunday, September 16th, is National Back to Church Sunday
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St. Agnes' is one of over 10,000 churches across America that will host the National Back to Church Sunday initiative.
The goal of this annual event is simple: Invite a friend or neighbor to church!
In preparation for this event, our first challenge is to improve the "curb appeal" of the church facilities.
Curb appeal is a term we borrowed from the car industry. Car manufacturers learned over the decades that part of what draws a prospect into a dealership is the outward appearance of the vehicle itself.
Although we may dislike any comparison to the car industry, the church must face an important reality: the appearance of a church's campus and facilities is largely connected to the way that the church invites, welcomes, and encourages visitors to enter the door. In other words, a campus and facilities must have "curb appeal" to help reduce barriers and encourage people to come in.
St. Agnes' was a real pioneer for addressing the issue of "curb appeal". In the Year 2004 we took a very serious look at the appearance of the church campus, and
we did not like what we saw!
Monday through Saturday St. Agnes' had a "mothballed" appearance, especially at night. The front door had a gigantic latch with a padlock, which sent a subliminal "keep out" message. The outdoor signage was faded and, although the sign gave the time for Sunday service, there was no phone number or web address provided.
We corrected these problems with new signage, a posted phone number and web address, and an outdoor post lamp. We also did extensive work on the appearance of the building and landscape to provide a fresh look and to make the entire campus more welcoming.
Most notable of all was our decision to keep an indoor light turned on at all hours of the day. Doing so draws attention to the inside of the church, and especially to the cross hanging above the altar. Our intention is to help someone driving by see the inside, and thus feel a real connection to the church even before visiting.
In preparation for Back to Church Sunday on September 16th, we will be freshening paint, tidying up the landscaping, and making small improvements here and there to keep our curb appeal as high as possible. We will also be freshening our website and our Facebook page.
If you have suggestions or if you see a project you would like to tackle, just mention it on Sunday. We will get it done.
Most important of all,
invite a friend or neighbor to church!
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Remember the story about our front door?
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Mindful of our "Curb Appeal" discussion, we encourage you to read the story published in 2014 by The Diocese of Tennessee about the front door at St. Agnes'.
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Note received from the Caccese's:
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Hello, everyone!
We have finally arrived in Naples! We moved in on July 13th and have been unpacking ever since, but have also made time for site seeing.
We have been shelling (Sanibel) and shark-tooth hunting (Venice) and splash padding and swimming at the beach and the neighborhood pool (ours is being fixed up in a big way). The church made us feel so welcomed from the moment we arrived by leaving dinner for us, cleaning the house beautifully, and supplying a stocked pantry and fridge as well as gift cards for more groceries and such.
Nick was ordained a deacon on June 2nd in VA and started work here in FL on August 1st. Things are going well so far and he’s already learning a lot, which is just what he wanted! He will be ordained a priest in December. The girls each have their own room and love watching the work done on the pool with anticipation for it to be complete. They also love watching the anole lizards that scoot around our patio throughout the day. I am eager to get settled and enjoying beginning to feel at home here in this beautiful place.
Our new address is:
Lots of love to all of you and we hope you are doing well too!
Jessica, Nick, Julia, and Hannah
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Text received from Fr. Sinclair:
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Hi Jarod! I'm sorry to have missed your call on Saturday. Emily, the girls, and I are all doing well and readjusting to life in the Midwest.
I've been named the Curate for Pastoral Care and Catechesis at Trinity Davenport.
Please pass on our prayers and well wishes to everyone at St. Agnes'!
+Sinclair
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Pearson is off to college!
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Pearson will leave on August 10th to start new student orientation at Tennessee Tech.
He is ready, but his family is not!
We will see Pearson every now and again in church during the school year. He will be looking for a church to attend in Cookeville on Sunday's that he is there.
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A Prayer for Schools and Colleges:
O Eternal God, bless all schools, colleges, and universities, that they may be lively centers for sound learning, new discovery, and the pursuit of wisdom; and grant that those who teach and those who learn may find you to be the source of all truth; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
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Interesting Article from "Across the Pond"
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Sinclair posted an interesting article from our brethren in the Church of England.
In spite of growing secularism and against the logic of making churches more "contemporary", the ancient old tradition of Evensong is bringing people - especially young folks - back into the pews and back into the faith once delivered.
Please take a moment to read this article. You will be glad that you did:
Church of England Resurrects Tradition to Attract Millennials
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August 9 - Rose Pearson
August 29 - Duncan Weddington
August 31 - Pat Underwood
September 2 - Benjamin Money
September 2 - Sara Money
September 21 - Mary Pearson-Smith
"O God, our times are in your hand: Look with favor, we pray, on thy servants as they begin another year. Grant that they may grow in wisdom and grace, and strengthen their trust in your goodness all the days of their life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."
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George Wilkinson, Andy Hill, Kim Piper, Jacqueline Boyanton, Joe Money, Tom Tucker, Baby Elijah Green, John Kastrinos, Royana Stewart, Kurfees Boswell, Erma Little, Wynona Gibson, Tammy and Victoria Keese, Sue Hill, Celeste Simmons, Carter and Judy Smith, Fran Perry, Joe Ed Williams, Lamar Davis, Jimmy Moss, Bill Keller, Howard Gene Eslick, Alexis Mauldin, Benny and Betty Haney, Linda Milligan, Karen McCallie, and Subamma (our sponsored child).
We bless and commemorate Hank Boyd and Larry Woodall who recently passed away.
We pray continually for Christians around the world in grave danger and for those in our armed services.
***
"O God, the strength of the weak and the comfort of sufferers: Mercifully accept our prayer, and grant to your servants the help of your power, that their sicknesses may be turned into joy; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."
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Updates from our church family
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Pat Underwood called to report that she is in Arizona with her daughter,
Kim Piper. Kim is undergoing an extensive cancer treatment. Her mobility is limited and she has a high fall risk. Pat asks that we keep her and Kim in our prayers. They are putting their best foot forward! (We are waiting to hear back from Pat so we can get an address to send cards and notes.)
George Wilkinson has been at home not feeling well. Bishop Lambert paid him a visit last week and Jarod stopped by on Sunday afternoon. He is working with his doctor to regain strength and get back to his usual routine. Please keep him in your prayers. If you can send George a card, please do so: 2788 Keith's Cove Rd, Winchester, TN 37398.
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Sunday Service
....................................11:00 a.m.
Sunday School .....................................10:00 a.m.
Location/Address: 105 England Street E., PO Box 356, Cowan, TN 37318
Telephone: (931) 636-6313
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The Rt. Rev'd Paul Lambert...............................Pastor and Celebrant
The Rt. Rev'd John C. Bauerschmidt................Bishop
The Jean Mweningoma.....................................Visiting Priest
L. Jarod Pearson................................................Lay Reader
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