Dear Fellow Gregorians,
St. Gregory the Great has been informed that parishioner Carl Soren Hoveland, who died just over a year ago at age 93, has bequeathed $50,000 to our endowment fund. This is money that is to be set aside for investment to earn future revenue to support our church. Dr. Hoveland was a Distinguished Professor of Agronomy at the University of Georgia, the coauthor of a popular textbook, Southern Forages, a memoirist, who wrote Sand Creek: A Childhood Legacy, a husband and father, a world traveler, a lover of classical music, and a generous benefactor.
In other financial news of the parish, the Finance Committee has begun putting together a preliminary budget for next year based on the stated needs of the programs and committees that enable St. Gregory the Great to function day to day, in a variety of occasions and ministries, and to provide outreach locally and within our diocese. This fall the Stewardship Committee will highlight many of these programs and ministries to let you know exactly how the financial pledges you make to St. Gregory the Great enable our parish to meet the spiritual needs of its members and visitors and some of the needs of our community.
We’re in need of a changing table to use in our nursery. If you have one in good condition that you’re able to donate to us, please contact Jude Red Bear, Missy Hamlin, or me to arrange for pickup.
In-person attendance at our Sunday services has been stable, with 20-28 congregants at the 8 o’clock service and 80-89 at the 10:30 service. Now that school has started again and we’re all traveling less, and with our extraordinary choir about to resume, we might reasonably expect to see more of each other on Sunday mornings at St. Gregory the Great.
Members of your Vestry include Eddie Bennett, John Bray, Stacie Court, Gail Eilers, Blaine Everson, Anna Hiers, LeeAnne Krause, Lane Norton, Maggie Reinberger, Mark Richardson, Caley Ross, and me, Jane Hudson. If you need something or are aware of a need within or outside of our parish, or if you have a question about a parish activity, please talk with, email, or text one of us. We have many superpowers among us, but omniscience isn’t one of them, and we welcome talking with you.
I wish you grace and peace.
Jane Hudson
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As families are settling into the school routine, don't forget to "settle in" to our weekly routine at St. Gregory the Great. We continue our Sunday schedule as we did prior to the summer:
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Children's Sunday School, 9:15-10:15 in the Christian Education Building (meeting in the chapel)
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Children's Church - meeting during the 10:30 service
Please see Doug Adkins if you have any questions about details for our children's ministry. Doug will be convening a parents meeting after Labor Day in effort to plan some family ministry events for the fall.
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After over two years away, Sunday school for all those from the 6th to 12th grade began last Sunday, August 7th, in the youth room! We look forward to seeing you again this Sunday!
While at home at St Gregory's we will be studying the Bible, with particular emphasis on how to engage with what we find inside. A great deal of our focus this year will also be on increasing religious literacy, learning about what sets the Episcopal church apart, and building meaningful relationships with those that believe differently than ourselves. In the Fall semester, students will go on monthly field trips where they will experience manifestations of Christ's church ranging from contemporary nondenominational worship to silent worship at a Quaker meeting to a Catholic mass. They will see a Water Ceremony at a Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, hear the beautiful music of a Shabbat service at the local synagogue, and tour a mosque that has been servicing Muslims in the Atlanta area for over 40 years, among other experiences. Meeting leaders, as well as peers, in these communities will allow students to ask questions, engage in dialogue, and forge ecumenical and interfaith relationships within their community. Please reach out if there is anything I can do for you.
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Community Yoga!
**New DAY/TIME**
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Community Yoga is back for fall (Aug. 10 – Nov. 30, 2022), New day and time: Wednesdays, from 5:15-6:15PM. 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*
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BLINDSPOT SMALL GROUP
Begins August 25
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Beginning Thursday, August 25, and meeting on the last Thursday of each month thereafter, we will begin a nine-session program entitled "The Way of Love." There will be no prep work needed, so just grab a friend and show up! Whether you've been attending St. Gregory's for years or you've never even been to a service, all are welcome! Dinner will be provided, so please text Wade, or send a message in the group chat, with any dietary restrictions. We'll sit down to eat at 6:30pm in the education building and begin the session at 7pm. If you have any questions just send them in the group chat or text Wade. 770-624-4837 |
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GEORGIA FREEDOM LETTERS
Georgia Freedom Letters was formed in the summer of 2020 by a group of organizers, educators, and people who care about building connections across the walls of Georgia’s criminal legal system through letter writing. Due to an overwhelming amount of interest in recent months from those currently experiencing incarceration, GFL is eagerly asking us to get out our pens and paper and participate in their recently launched pen pal project.
Especially now, people experiencing incarceration need our support. Since COVID, many of the programs and visitations at our prisons have been significantly reduced if not cancelled--letter writing is one way we can help provide human connection and companionship especially until these programs can be re-instantiated. If you would like to sign up to correspond with one of the 55,000 people on the inside of Georgia's prisons you can do so by visiting this website.
Streamlined instructions penpal signup:
Here's the address you can use for your mailing address, instead of giving your home address:
The Episcopal Church of the Epiphany
2089 Ponce de Leon Avenue, NE
Atlanta, Georgia 30307
Please email the Rev. Nicole Lambelet, at nlambelet@epiphany.org to let her know that you are using their church address, and to give her your real address so that their church can send you any mail you receive from your pen pal.
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We are in need of a few more acolytes to give a bit of relief to those in our current rotation. Never served before? That's fine- we will teach you! Acolyting is a great, low commitment, way to get involved in the life of the parish! Reach out to Wade McGlamery, 770-624-4837, if you would like to volunteer. |
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We need 8 more! 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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Adult Spiritual Formation |
Adult Spiritual Formation meets this Sunday to continue our exploration of the Gospel of Luke. All are welcome in the Parish Hall from 9:15 to 10:15 with no need to have attended earlier sessions. Bibles will be available but feel free to bring your own favorite.
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church school
summer dog days
may linger still
but sundays have
an added thrill
leaders again
answer the call
with formation
for members all
from adult to
nursery bound
study groups for
belief is found
and in worship
with sermons spoke
we learn to be
good faithful folk
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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The Athens Area Emergency food bank appreciates all the food St. Gregory's supplies!
They are especially needing all JUICES right now!
Let's fill the Little Red Wagon!
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Due to the lack of volunteers, there may or may not be coffee hour on any given Sunday. 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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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:
*Community Yoga is back for fall (Aug. 10 – Nov. 30, 2022), Wednesdays, 5:15-6:15 PM; the 4th Sunday 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*
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 will meet only the 1st Tuesdays of the month @1PM for June and July, and likely August! 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 the Somervilles and 2nd & 4th Saturdays in the library at St. Gregory's ! Email Peter Rice
* 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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