SHARE:  

The


Gregorian


Chant

The year of our Lord 2024 has been an active and vital one for our church. According to SGGEC’s parochial report, we currently have 349 active participants, 225 active baptized members, and 199 communicants in good standing. That’s a healthy number of great people engaged in worship and ministries.


A lot happened among those ministries, too. Anywhere from 12-15 people have attended the Adult Spiritual Formation class each Sunday, led variously by Ellen Richardson, Ron Balthazor, and Wayne Coppins. The Security Committee, led by John Barrett, had produced a detailed plan of Standard Operating Procedures to cover a variety of possible emergencies the church might someday face. The Environmental Sustainability Committee, re-formed under Mark Tavernier and Maggie Reinberger, has put in motion several initiatives, ranging from the best use of our consumable resources to ideas about land ownership and use, and stands ready to advise the church on important plans involving the playground and other capital improvements.


Speaking of capital improvements, the vestry acted as sounding board for several exciting ideas put forward by Mark Reinberger and others about what SGGTG might look like moving into our second half-century. The Capital Campaign Committee, led by Stacie Court, has worked mightily to raise the funds needed to put those great plans into motion, while the Stewardship Committee, led by Alice Mohor, has worked just as hard to keep the daily life of the church on track with pledges in support of our operating budget. To date, 110 pledges have been made, totaling around total of $342,500. Meanwhile the capital campaign has raised a similar amount--around $350,000.


All of our other committees have remained vibrant and active, especially Outreach (under Cheryl Copeland), Parish Life (led by Karen Brill and Jill Crandall), and Pastoral Care (led by Rhonda Packer). I also want to mention Terri Tillman, Ron Balthazor, Pete Nichols and Anthony Barkdoll, who, although there is no formal Communications Committee, have kept our online presence strong, and of course Kendall Kookogey, who in addition to all the other ten million things she does, keeps the Chant and the service bulletins timely and appealing. And I want to thank Anna Hiers and Jay Pullin for leading the ushers so ably. 


Really, I could go on to mention every other ministry—they are all vital. I’ll save the rest for another report.


Vestry members also participated in another demanding but critical activity. Under the leadership of Les House and Jeff Welch of the Finance Committee, the vestry and Finance members completed an exhaustive inventory of the church’s assets, from the chairs to the sheet music and the vacuum cleaners to the works of art—something our yearly audits and our insurance company both required that we do. 


In addition, the vestry this year has approved a retroactive cost-of-living increase for our salaried staff, has approved bids to remove aging trees from our campus, has accepted the nominations of Everett Krause to succeed Les Welch as chair of Finance and of Austin Baeckeroot to succeed Les House as Treasurer, and has grappled with and approved no fewer than seven different financial policy revisions. And those are just the big things!  


I’m leaving a lot out--but let me just conclude with this thought: from the top to the bottom, from the pulpit to the pews, SGGEC is in great hands. Thanks be to God!

Mark Richardson, Sr. Warden


CEILIDH: FOLK SERVICE OFFERING Tonight


St Gregory's offers a monthly Ceilidh service (pronounced kay-lee) on the 3rd Friday of the month (November 15). Based on a Gaelic tradition of celebrating community and hospitality, a folk liturgy complete with live folk music and a meal will be offered in the Christian Education building at 6:30PM. Foot washing and hand anointing will also be available before or after (not during) these services for anyone who wants to take part, starting at 6PM. Food will be provided, but we always accept more dishes to add to the table if anyone wishes to bring something! Any musicians that are interested in helping to provide the music for these services, as well as anyone with questions about the service, are encouraged to reach out to Wade McGlamery.

Annual Meeting


St. Gregory’s annual meeting will take place this Sunday, Nov. 17. There will be just ONE service that day, at 10AM, followed by fried chicken and potluck lunch (St. G’s will supply chicken and drinks); please bring a side dish or dessert.

We are continuing to accept stewardship giving pledges for 2025. If you have not yet pledged, please do so as soon as possible. The parish finance committee needs to formulate our church operating budget before our annual meeting in November.  

LAST WEEKEND!  

orders due TODAY; will be delivered on December 8th

Click the photo above for the website. To order Christmas Bell luminaries, use QR code above or click here.

AAEFB Help Needed


The Athens Area Emergency Food Bank needs help distributing Thanksgiving food bags on Thursday, Nov. 21, Friday, Nov. 22 and/or Wednesday, Nov. 27 from 9AM-1PM. Please contact Lane Norton (nortonlane@bellsouth.net /706-338-3071) if you’d like to help any one of those mornings. The food bank director would like to know who is coming.


Advent Adult Spiritual Formation

Nothing in all creation is so like God as stillness. - Meister Eckhart 


On Wednesday evenings in December, Gene Ruffin will lead a program on contemplation and Advent (December 4, 11, 18). The program will reflect on Advent as an opportunity to be present in the moment rather than simply waiting for something to occur. Through the practice of stillness we are arrayed more deeply to the arrival of the season.  


We will have a simple supper at 6pm and then have the program at 6:30pm.   


Parish offices will be closed from Weds., Nov. 27- Friday, Nov. 29.


The Healing Service the week of Thanksgiving will be held at 6PM on Tuesday, Nov. 26 instead of Wednesday.


Greening of the Church


Lane Norton will be "Greening" the church on Saturday, November 30. Anyone wanting to help, be there at 10AM. If anyone has freshly pruned evergreen branches (no berries yet), please leave them at the backdoor to the sacristy before the 30th.

PASTORAL CARE COMMITTEE


Due to the Annual Meeting this Sunday, the Pastoral Care committee will meet Sunday, December 1 in the library following the 10:30 service.


Pastoral Care is seeking a committee chair. For more information, contact Rhonda Packer

The Meridian Women's Chorus invites you their annual Holiday Tapestry Concert on Saturday, December 7th at 2:00 pm at Holy Cross Lutheran Church. The concert is free and will include performances by the Athens Recorder Ensemble, the Trinity Handbell Choir, and OC A CAPPELLA. The concert will be followed by a reception and Holiday Market. For more information, contact Director Stacie Court at stacie.court@gmail.com or 706-424-9516.


Poinsettias


If you wish to give a poinsettia this Christmas in honor or memory of a loved one, the deadline for ordering will be Friday, Dec. 20. The suggested donation this year is $15 per dedication. Please place your completed form (see blue forms in the narthex) and your check in the offering plate on Sundays, Kendall’s office door, or mail it to the parish office. You may also contact the office by email.


CIC Co-Chairs: Stacie Court  stacie.court@gmail.com and Mark Richardson mrichsn@gmail.com

Vicky Tavernier and Jenifer Borg currently have an exhibit of new artwork and poems at the Winterville Library that will run until 12/27. The exhibit is entitled "Tide Pools, Rainforests, Deserts, and Fields" and includes work from their book, "What Hides in the Tides" and "Stay a While with a Reptile". They will have a "make and take" at the library on 12/14 from 10:00 - 12:00 where anyone can drop in and make a creation of their own. 

Library hours: Tuesday/Thursday: 3:00 - 7:00PM, Wednesday/Friday/Saturday: 10:00AM-2:00PM.


Adult Sunday School


Adult Discussion Group: (Parish Hall) The Adult Spiritual Formation Sunday morning Bible Study meets at 9:15AM and is currently studying the Gospel of Matthew. Wayne Coppins is leading this discussion. All are welcome.


Lectionary Class: (Library) The lectionary class meets in the Library at 9:15AM. We study the assigned readings for each Sunday. Please contact Les House at 478-733-2939 or via email if you have any questions. 

The Athens Area Emergency Food Bank needs mac-n-cheese, dried pinto beans, canned fruit, and canned soup! Please help us fill the Little Red Wagon!

all together

 

our annual

parish meeting

our one time for

news and greeting

 

the new vestry

with all our friends

from eight o’clock

and half past ten

 

to hear the plans

for the year new

and all the good

we hope to do

 

and to review

all we have done

and to thank each

and everyone

 

alice mohor

Instructions for Live Streaming



  • 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:


  • If you don’t immediately see the video that says ‘live’, (for instance, if you opened YouTube before the service begins) keep refreshing it.  


  • When you see the video square that says ‘live’, click on it. 


Welcome to worship!

Ongoing Services/Meeting Opportunities

Parish community offerings via Zoom or in person:


Holy Eucharist and Healing Service Please join us on Wednesday evenings at 6PM in the sanctuary for eucharist and prayers for healing.


Ceilidh Folk Service St Gregory's offers a monthly Ceilidh service (pronounced kay-lee) on the 3rd Friday of the month (November 15). Based on a Gaelic tradition of celebrating community and hospitality, a folk liturgy complete with live folk music and a meal will be offered in the Christian Education building at 6:30PM. Foot washing and hand anointing will also be available before or after (not during) these services for anyone who wants to take part, starting at 6PM. Food will be provided, but we always accept more dishes to add to the table if anyone wishes to bring something! Any musicians that are interested in helping to provide the music for these services, as well as anyone with questions about the service, are encouraged to reach out to Wade McGlamery.


Blindspot Group Our 20s and 30s group meets on the last Thursday of each month at 6:30PM and the 2nd Sunday of each month at 6PM for dinner and a small group study (usually off-site of the church). We also meet at least once a month for game nights, dinner and drinks, movie nights, and more. Newcomers are always welcome! Contact Wade McGlamery, 770-624-4837 for more information.


*Hebrew Reading meets via Zoom on Wednesdays from 1-3PM. If you're interested, email Joel Hunt for more info!


St. Gregory's Book Club meets the first Friday of the month in the library @ 7PM ongoing for the foreseeable future.  Email Lois Alworth if you are interested in participating.


Threads of Prayer meets on the 1st Tuesdays of the month @1PM! We 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!


Men's Group: 9AM on Saturdays. 1st & 3rd Saturdays at St. Gregory's library and 2nd & 4th & 5th Saturdays at the Somerville's house ! Email Peter Rice


* group(s) meeting on Zoom


Acolyte Sign-Up

Give online
See what's happening on our social sites:
Facebook  Instagram  
St. Gregory the Great Episcopal Church | office@stgregoryathens.org
706.546.7553 | www.stregoryathens.org