Dear Gregorians,
The buzz and bustle around our church are gloriously evident again in our active Children and Youth programs, our full cadre of acolytes at the 10:30 services, the resumption of coffee hours, the well-attended Lenten Wednesday night suppers and programs on prayer, the introduction of Sunday morning adult spiritual formation Bible study, and the general increase in our buildings’ use. Our dedicated and talented choir is back again in full voice every Sunday morning, and we’re all together again in person. It feels so good to be back together!
You can attend free yoga classes led by Anna Hiers in the Parish Hall on Monday evenings, participate in a dream interpretation and discussion group led by Lane Norton on Wednesday mornings, practice tai chi with Joe Weinmeister in in the Parish Hall on Thursday evenings, meet with the Men’s Group outside at the Somervilles’ home on Saturday mornings, participate in the stations of the cross devotion next Wednesday night at 5:30, walk the labyrinth in the Parish Hall through Good Friday, or keep vigil in the church for an hour after the Maundy Thursday service through Friday morning, April 15, at 11AM. Ours is an active parish with something for everyone do to.
We still need ushers, if you’re available to direct people to seats and to communion at the 10:30 service once/month. Please talk with Anna Hiers before or after the service (you’ll find her in the choir) or email her to volunteer (aldhiers@gmail.com).
Thanks to your generosity in pledging to St. Gregory the Great for 2022 and on the recommendation of the Finance Committee, the Vestry approved a budget amendment last Tuesday night at our April meeting. We were able to make whole the budgets of our church ministries and committees whose budgets we’d been unable to fund in full. St. Gregory the Great has experienced an extraordinary turnaround in its finances in the past three months due to an increase in the number and dollar amount of your pledges for this year. Bless you and thank you for that.
In other financial news that will affect our parish, a descendant of a parishioner who attended St. Gregory the Great thirty-five or more years ago has made a $56,000 memorial contribution in this parishioner’s name. This money has been given to St. Gregory the Great to meet the general needs of our church, without the donor designating a particular ministry or project. The donor prefers that she and the former parishioner remain anonymous. While the Finance Committee and the Vestry absorb what it means to have a financial safety net, the ability to make some basic repairs, and the potential to make some capital improvements to our church, the donation will reside in a special gifts fund. We will, of course, report further to you about how this beneficence will be allocated.
You can see Treasurer’s reports and the minutes of our monthly Vestry meetings on the bulletin boards outside of the Rector’s office in the Parish Hall and in the Christian Education Building outside the kitchen, as well as in Realm.
The Vestry wishes you and yours a blessed Holy Week.
Jane Hudson
Senior Warden
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All youth (6th-12th grade) are invited to participate in a workshop on walking the labyrinth, led by our own Lane Norton. The labyrinth provides a unique prayer experience, and is great for those that find it easier to focus while up on their feet and moving. The workshop will be held in the parish hall TONITE at 6PM. It's not too late to sign up! Pizza will be provided afterward. Please RSVP and send any questions by emailing Wade McGlamery at wwmcglamery@gmail.com, so that we can get an accurate count of attendees.
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If you wish to dedicate an Easter lily in honor/thanksgiving of someone living or in remembrance of someone deceased, please complete the yellow form found in the narthex and leave the form and your donation in the offering plate or in Kendall’s office. You may also email your dedication or call the church office. The suggested donation is $15/lily. The deadline is this Sunday, April 10.
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Welcome to
Adult Spiritual Formation
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The Sunday morning Adult Spiritual Formation group will be taking a two week break for Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday and resume on April 24 with our exploration of the Gospel of Luke in the 4th Chapter. All are welcome in the Parish Hall from 9:15 to 10:15. Bibles are available but feel free to bring your own favorite.
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We will be having a coffee hour reception on Easter morning after our (1) service at 10AM! However, coffee hour folks need your help in providing the food. If you attend and are able, please bring a finger food to share! The church will provide a cake, coffee, water, & lemonade. There will be a sign-up sheet in the narthex for people who are willing to help clean up afterwards! |
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If you have flowers and/or flowering trees in your yard/garden right now and are willing to share, the Flower Guild would love to have them for the Easter altar on Easter morning! Please leave them by the sacristy door (back of sanctuary) by 10AM on Saturday, April 16. Thank you! |
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Palm Sunday PEEPS for
Sunday School!
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During the Sunday School hour on Palm Sunday (April 10), we will take a break from our regular lesson. We will be making a St. Gregory's Children's Ministry entry into the PEEPS Bible Story Diorama Contest. Mr. Doug will have plenty of PEEPS, and we will use other arts and crafts supplies from the Children's Ministry closet. Come with your creative ideas about a fun Bible story to re-enact through PEEPS. We may even have some extras to eat! Come join us Sunday, April 10, 9:15 AM in the Christian Education building. |
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Donations of Easter candy (nothing with peanuts or peanut butter, please) and trinkets will be collected in the copy room. The Easter Egg hunt for toddlers through 5th graders will be held after the 10AM service on Easter Sunday, April 17. Youth 6th grade and up are invited to hide the eggs after taking communion. We'll be hiding empty eggs, which the children will trade-in for an Easter goody bag, and will also have goody bags for the youth as well! |
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Wanted: Bread Bakers !
You may have noticed we no longer are using Styrofoam wafers during Communion. Lane Norton and Brad Hankins have been baking bread for us to use as Communion bread. If you enjoy baking and have 2 hours a month you would like to smell fresh baked bread, consider joining Lane and Brad as we eliminate Styrofoam from our environment. Each baker would supply bread one Sunday per month. If you are interested, contact Brad via email or 706 255-2313.
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PEEPS Bible Story Diorama Contest
Have you been wondering what happens to all those colorful marshmallow PEEPS you see in the stores these days? Does anyone really eat them? Could they have some greater purpose? Well now they do. You can enter our Bible Story PEEPS contest and wake up your creative genius from its pandemic slumber.
Contest Rules:
- Start with a cardboard box no larger than 2' x 2' x 3'.
- Use paint, markers, paper, cloth or other disposable props to create a scene from the Bible using Peeps.
- Make your characters (peeple and animals) out of Peeps and dress them to fit the Bible story you have chosen to represent. Melt, mold or glue the Peeps and other props in place as necessary.
- Submit a card with your entry with the name(s) of the artists and the title. Extra credit will be given for using "Peep" in your title. (All clean puns accepted.)
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Entries are due in the Parish Hall by Friday April 15 before the office closes (4:30PM).
- The winner in each category (Individual, Family and Group) will be announced Easter Sunday Morning and will receive a chocolate bunny chocolate and have a donation made to the Athens Food Bank in their honor. Get to work, PEEPLE! Show off your Bible knowledge! Be creative, artistic and competitive! And have fun!
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Now that we are back to worshiping in person (yay!), Saint Gregory's is in need of volunteers to serve as ushers during our 10:30AM service. Additionally, we need a kind soul to serve as a coordinator for the ushers. If you would like to volunteer, and/or coordinate, please contact Anna Hiers, vestry liaison to the Worship Committee, via email or @ 706-340-9799. Training will be provided.
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STATIONS OF THE CROSS
Wednesdays March 9, 16, 23, 30, April 6 & 13 @ 5:30PM in the Sanctuary
There will be one more opportunity to walk the stations of the cross next Wednesday, April 13, during Holy Week. The stations mark Jesus’ journey through the streets of Jerusalem from his arrest and trial to his crucifixion and burial. At each station, we pause for a brief reading and prayer.
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Coffee Hour!
Join us in the Christian Education building on Sundays after both the 8AM and 10:30AM services as our weekly coffee hour resumes! Grab a coffee, tea, or hot chocolate, and a light snack. Come get to know some of the St. Gregory community! If you are able to host or bring a baked item for a future coffee hour, contact Melissa or Catrina to sign up. A sign up sheet will also be posted at the event.
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Athens Area Emergency
Food Bank
Athens Area Emergency Food Bank is in specific need of boxes of macaroni and cheese! Please help us fill the little red wagon!
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growing
i have become
like some i know
i speak too fast
i think too slow
to then pull back
things i have said
that after thought
i come to dread
and so i come
to be each week
with neighbors who
also do seek
voices wider
than just our own
to stretch beyond
our comfort zone
alice mohor
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The Flower Guild invites you to help us adorn the nave in celebration of the resurrection of Christ. We would welcome more hands for the Easter Workday Saturday, April 16 10:00-1:00. Whether you are adept at floral arranging or are willing to "tote and fetch", you will be welcomed with open arms! |
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PALM SUNDAY, April 10
8am and 10:30am Liturgy of the Palms & Holy Eucharist
(8am begins in courtyard; 10:30am begins at front lawn altar)
WEDNESDAY, April 13
5:30 pm Stations of the Cross
MAUNDY THURSDAY, April 14
7pm Maundy Thursday Liturgy & Stripping of Altar
(also live-streamed)
ALL NIGHT PRAYER VIGIL
Thurs. 9pm - Good Fri. 11am
Jesus said,”Could you not stay awake with me one hour?”
Sign-up sheet is in the narthex for 1-hr time slots
GOOD FRIDAY, April 15
12pm Good Friday Liturgy
7pm Good Friday Liturgy (& live-streamed)
THE GREAT VIGIL OF EASTER, April 16
8:30pm Festival Eucharist & Choir
(also live-streamed)
starts outside with the lighting of the Paschal Candle
Please bring noisemakers, pots, pans, cowbells, airhorns, drums for the
Great Noise to ring in Easter!
EASTER DAY, April 17
10am Festival Eucharist & Choir (also live-streamed)
followed by an Easter Reception
*(please bring a finger food if you’re able!)*
& Easter Egg Hunt for children
**(please note only 1 service on Easter morning)
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Instructions for Live Streaming
- Just go to the St. Gregory the Great Episcopal Church
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Near the time for service, underneath our channel logo, you will see our video for that day, with the word ‘live’ on it. The page will look like this:
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If you don’t immediately see the video that says ‘live’, (for instance, if you opened YouTube before the service begins) keep refreshing it. To ‘refresh’ go up to the top of your screen and on the left or right of the web address you will see this image (little curvy arrow to the right -->). Click on it to ‘refresh.’
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When you see the video square that says ‘live’, click on it.
Welcome to worship!
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Meeting Opportunities
Parish community offerings via Zoom or in person:
*Spring Hatha Yoga Class (Jan 10 – May 30, 2022) in person Mondays, 6:00-7:00 PM, Parish Hall or Zoom Passcode: 509230
The class is free, donations to the church are welcome
*Please bring a yoga mat*
Stacie Court hosts "Let's Chat!" for women of the parish. The days and time vary, and not everyone can join every time, but everyone is welcome to join whenever they can! Email Stacie!
Book Club first Friday of the month @ 7PM ongoing for the foreseeable future. Email Lois Alworth if you are interested in participating.
Lectionary Discussion Group via Zoom, every Thursday at 6:00pm. Email Ken Taylor if you are interested in participating.
*Threads of Prayer is back in person, 1st and 3rd Tuesdays of the month @1PM! We'll meet outside if the weather is good and inside the Christian Ed building if the weather is bad. Email Annette Bates if you are interested in participating. All knitters and crocheters welcome!
* group(s) now meeting in person
Other groups have been meeting via Zoom as well, so if you've got a group already meeting in Zoom rooms, and want to widen your circle, let Kendall know so we can get the word out there!
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See what's happening on our social sites: |
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