Dearly Beloved,
In each day of this Lenten season, may you know something of God's gift of Sabbath rest.
peace and spiritual rest,
Mo. Nikki+
Sabbath Poem X, 1979
WENDELL BERRY
Whatever is foreseen in joy
Must be lived out from day to day.
Vision held open in the dark
By our ten thousand days of work.
Harvest will fill the barn; for that
The hand must ache, the face must sweat.
And yet no leaf or grain is filled
By work of ours; the field is tilled
And left to grace. That we may reap,
Great work is done while we’re asleep.
When we work well, a Sabbath mood
Rests on our day, and finds it good.
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The church thanks Paul Davis & Paul Davis Painting for the painting of the outside of Parish Hall!
It looks great!
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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 Sunday, April 10.
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Welcome to
Adult Spiritual Formation
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This Sunday you are invited to join an informal discussion of Gospel of Luke, the primary source for our gospel readings this spring. This week we will focus on the 2nd and 3rd chapters. Feel free to read ahead or just show up (we will read the passages together). We will meet at 9:15 in the Parish Hall. The discussion will be led by Ellen Richardson and Ron Balthazor, but mostly we will share together what the gospel means to each of us. Drop-ins are most welcome.
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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.
And we'll see you this Sunday as well!
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YOUTH LABYRINTH WORKSHOP
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 on April 8th at 6PM. 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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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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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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Springtime Prayer - Lenten Spiritual Formation Program
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The world is a bit weary, right now, isn’t it? Lent is the perfect time for reflection and spiritual examination, but it’s also almost springtime, a time for renewal and rebirth. This year’s Lenten class on Wednesday evening will attempt to combine the best of both Lenten reflection and springtime renewal, and focus on the art and practice of prayer.
The Springtime Prayer Class will meet every Wednesday during Lent (March 9 through April 6), to learn more about prayer: to taste-test a buffet of different prayer practices- to examine the intersection of prayer and sacred music; to explore sensory aids and try out different physical postures; to take time-honored practices such as Luther’s Four Strand meditation and Stations of the Cross out for a test drive, and to discuss the purpose and techniques for all of the above.
Please join this class, moderated by LeeAnne Krause, on Wednesdays during Lent, starting March 9, at 6:00 pm, in the Education Building. A light meal will be provided.
Childcare can also be provided if the church is contacted by 12 noon on Tuesdays each week. (706.546.7553 or office@stgregoryathens.org)
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STATIONS OF THE CROSS
Wednesdays March 9, 16, 23, 30, April 6 & 13 @ 5:30PM in the Sanctuary
Immediately prior to the Lenten class on Wednesdays, there will be an opportunity to walk the stations of the cross. 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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As our parish begins returning to a sense of normalcy we are planning on starting some ministry programs and events for young adults (ages 18-35). In order to move forward with this we will need to update our current contact list. If you, or someone you love, would be interested in hearing more please send your contact info to Wade McGlamery and/or fill out one of our parishioner information forms in the narthex so the office has you in the church database!
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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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Hello St. Greg's! Exciting news!
I will be defending my dissertation on Monday, April 4, at 2pm. It has been a long road to get here and I have many of you to thank for your support through it all. In light of that, since my presentation is going to be via zoom, I wanted to invite you all to join if you were free at that day in time to watch via the following link:
Topic: Worley Dissertation Defense
Time: Monday, Apr 4, 2022 02:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Meeting ID: 931 7949 1053
Passcode: 475655
I hope you all know how much being a part of this community means to me. Part of my dissertation's dedication is as follows:
"This dissertation is dedicated to many people. It is for the people of St Gregory the Great Episcopal Church, especially the choir. They have treated me like family from the day I arrived, and I would not have made it here if not for their spiritual and emotional support, their friendship, and their belief in me. I will count my lucky stars for the rest of my days that I found you all.' "
Love,
Julie Worley
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constant
how fragile is
our human life
before covid
we all knew strife
but could proceed
without much fear
thinking that harm
was far from near
too anxious we
might well succumb
to fear for all
trials to come
though a new strain
may yet take hold
how we do love
can still be bold
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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