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Hello Precious Beloveds!
Thought for the Day: When you can't feel your joy, remember that your God has infinite joy just because of you! 'Beloved' isn't simply something you are called...it is who God says you are. And not just you, but all of us. That's part of the joy that happens in worship...knowing of God's joy over us all!
"The Lord your God is in your midst;
he is a warrior who can deliver.
He takes great delight in you;
he renews you by his love;
he shouts for joy over you."
Zephaniah 3:17 (NET)
"Some of us go our whole lives without ever being--or rather, knowing that we are--truly enjoyed by a person.... But I think we were made to be delighted in. And I think it takes just as much strength to believe someone's joy about you as it does to muster it all on your own. ...Public affirmation has the capacity to heal the shame that is awakened in public places--it can help you to relax your shoulders, to exhale. And when others bear witness to that affirmation, their very presence doubles the effect.... It opens up the joy so others can partake in it; you see the truth of your own worth in a diversity of faces and expressions."
Cole Arthur Riley,
This Here Flesh: Spirituality, Liberation, and the Stories that Make Us
Blessings and yes, Joy!
Mo. Nikki+
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The Blessing of the Animals will take place at 4PM this Sunday, October 9 on the patio between Parish Hall and the Christian Ed building. Please have your furry, feathered, or scaley friends properly crated or leashed. | |  |
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COFFEE HOUR
We are happy to announce that Danielle Vogt will be handling St. Gregory’s coffee hours each Sunday! She will be in charge of set-up, making the coffee, and cleaning up afterwards. However, we do still need people to volunteer each week to bring food! Please sign up in the Christian Ed building!
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Trunk-or-Treat and Halloweenie Roast
Sunday, October 30, 5:00 - 7:30
Make plans to join the St. Gregory’s family for a fun Halloween fellowship. More details will come, but for now our evening will consist of:
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Gathering in the Parish Hall for supper. There will be a fire outside for roasting hot dogs and s’mores. The church will provide hot dogs, chips, buns, and condiments, as well as tea, lemonade and supplies for s’mores. Please bring a side such as slaw, potato salad, baked beans.
- There will be a few tables designated in the parish hall for our Pumpkin Carving/ Painting display. You are encouraged to either carve or paint a pumpkin in advance and bring it to the fellowship. Prizes will be awarded for at least two categories: Most Creative Jack-O-Lantern and Most Colorful Pumpkin.
- After supper, we will have Trunk-or-Treating for kids in the parking lot. There will be time to get your trunk/car ready before we realize our young goblins.
- After Trunk-or-Treating, we will re-gather in the Parish Hall to hear some Halloween stories. If you have a good story or two to share, please let Doug Adkins know. It can be a true story, or just a good ol’ Halloween/Autumn-themed yarn to spin.
In Preparation:
- All Gregorians are encouraged to bring your Halloween treats of choice to distribute from your own car trunk in the parking lot. If you don’t have a trunk, we will give you an assigned space to hand out your goodies.
- Carve or paint your own pumpkin to bring for the “Pumpkin Patio” display.
- Call Doug Adkins if you are interested in telling a story.
- Watch future All Parish News for updated information.
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Needed: Children's Clothes
One of St. Gregory’s annual Outreach projects is sponsoring the parish-wide clothes drive to support our neighbor, Barnett Shoals Elementary. Your donations will replenish the following prioritized items most needed for the school’s clothes closet.
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boys’ pants/sweatpants/shorts - all sizes, from youth XS through L
- girls’ pants/shorts/leggings - all sizes, from youth XS through L
- boys' and girls' underwear - youth sizes XS (4-5), S (5-6), and M (7-8)
- boys’ and girls’ shirts - youth sizes XS – M (can include t-shirts that come in multi-packs, not necessarily gendered)
Donations will be collected through Sunday, November 6, in the box located in the lobby of Parish Hall. If you have questions, contact Rhonda Packer.
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ADULT SPIRITUAL FORMATION COMMITTEE MEETING
Adult Formation Committee will be meeting after the 10:30 service this Sunday, Oct. 9, in the meeting room next to Kendall’s office. Anyone interested is welcome to come!
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Just info:
The person who matches prison pen pals has been having chemo, so the office is backed up. They are now trying to catch up. Hang in there. Notifications are coming.
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St. Gregorians' Art Exhibits
Vicky Tavernier and Jenifer Borg have an exhibit of collages made from found objects and poems called "Words About Birds and Insights About Insects. The exhibit will be on display in the Gardenside Room of the Visitor Center from 9/4 through 11/20. Berkeley Boone's exhibit "Nature Photos Just Because", features plants and animals that are often overlooked along with captions about their natural history. The exhibition will be on display in the Great Room of the Visitor Center from 10/16 through 11/20. The opening reception will be on Sunday, 10/16 from 2:00-4:00 PM. June Ball has her paintings up at Aurum Studios on Clayton Street from now through Oct. 31! *and new ones this week: Science illustrator C. Olivia Carlisle shares insect, plant, and ecosystem illustrations using graphite, charcoal, watercolor, acrylic, ink, colored pencils, and Adobe Photoshop at the Odum School of Ecology Gallery (until May) ; Margaret Agner has 3 silk wall hangings at Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts in Gatlinburg, Tennessee as part of the Silk Painters Int’l Exhibit through Oct.16.*
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Family Promise
St. Gregory's next Family Promise (formerly Interfaith Hospitality Network) week is October 16-22 (we help 3 weeks a year). We belong to this organization of churches in Athens which provides temporarily homeless families who are working their way back to stability with a place to stay for up to several months, giving them and their children much needed assistance. The breadwinners in the family get rides to work if needed. Those who don't have a job have the support to find one. Meals are provided. Family Promise also works to prevent homelessness by helping families who might need a rent payment or a utility payment to be able to continue living in their home. They have helped some families find and purchase a used vehicle. We have this chance to put our faith into action, to walk by faith into a role we maybe haven't experienced yet, but which God is calling us to, like Mother Nikki has so often preached. To feed the hungry and house the homeless, to give hope to those who need it. Contact Annette Bates, bateskannette@gmail.com or 706-255-5839, to learn more. Thank you for being willing to put your feet into action!
The Sign-up for volunteering is now available.Click here and scroll down to October 16-22.
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Hurricane Ian
Please support hurricane recovery efforts
Episcopal Relief & Development mobilizes in coordination with local partners to provide assistance to those affected by hurricanes. Please contribute to the Hurricane Relief Fund to support relief and recovery efforts.
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gratitude
all summer long
my blinds are closed
the southern sun
too hot exposed
but with the cool
of autumn air
through open blinds
i gaze to share
the outside while
i pause inside
to daydream or
stretch my mind wide
to take in all
god does create
the simple and
the very great
alice mohor
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If you're in your 20s or 30s and would like to stay up to date on events for your age group please reach out to Wade McGlamery, 770-624-4837, to join our group chat. | | |
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Instructions for Live Streaming
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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.
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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:
*Community Yoga is back for fall (Aug. 10 – Nov. 30, 2022), Wednesdays, 5:15-6:15 PM; the 4th Wednesday of every month will be Chair Yoga. Parish Hall or Zoom, Passcode: 509230. Come thrive with us! Email Anna Hiers for more information, or just show up! The class is free; donations to the church are welcome. *Please bring a yoga mat*
Hebrew Reading meets on Zoom every other Wednesday from 11am-1pm. Contact Joel Hunt!
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!
* St. Gregory's Book Club meets the first Friday of the month in Parish Hall @ 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'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!
*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 in person
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