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The


Gregorian


Chant

Jesus woke up and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” Then the wind ceased, and there was a dead calm. 

 

Howdy Beloveds!

This is from one of my favorite stories in the gospel according to Mark. And part of the reason is because I just love the idea of everything coming to a sudden stop…the harsh rain of never-ending tasks from the calendar, the waves of tragedy from the 24-hour cable news cycle, hurricane force winds of what I and others ‘should’ be organizing to fix things, etc. ‘Dead calm’ is something I sometimes long for. I know this meaning of ‘calm’ is not what is meant in this story, but sometimes stretching a metaphor is simply what story helps us do. And the idea that Jesus allows his rest to be interrupted, so that our minds, hearts, and bodies can rest from fears and the symptoms fears cause, is heaven to me. How do you experience the holy gift from God of peace in the storms that can come in our lives?


much love and many blessings,

Mo. Nikki+

 


Pause in a Busy Life

God my Peace and Refreshment:

In the hubbub and haste of life,

Where I feel breathless and spent, 

Open your stillness before me,

Like a walled garden in which I may stroll

Or rest beneath shade-giving trees,

Breathing the fragrance of blossom,

And sensing the greening

Of your Spirit within me.

Draw me into the sweet oasis of your love.

Amen

(from: Simple Prayers for Complicated Lives by

Jennifer Phillips)

RITES OF CHRISTIAN BURIAL


The Rite of Christian Burial for Stephen Morris will be held in our sanctuary Friday, June 21@ 2PM, followed by a reception.


The Rite of Christian Burial for Janice Rusk will be held in our sanctuary on Saturday, June 29 @ 2PM, followed by a reception. 

CEILIDH SERVICE


St Gregory's monthly Ceilidh service (pronounced kay-lee) will be on Friday, June 21. 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) the service 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.


A message from Rhonda Packer of the Capital Improvements Committee; Rhonda is the manager of our Parish Hall Flooring project:


A focus area of the Capital Improvement Campaign is to replace the Parish Hall carpeting which was installed in 2003–over TWENTY YEARS AGO. Flooring is the foundation of creating a welcoming environment for current and prospective parishioners by enhancing

the look, feel, and sound of our Parish Hall.


Carpet Tiles, Vinyl Plank Flooring (VPF), or a combination of both are being considered to replace the existing carpet. When selecting flooring, cost-effectiveness isn't just about the purchase price. Value for our money is also a factor in installation costs, maintenance, and lifespan of flooring choices. Following are advantages and disadvantages for carpet tiles and VPF.


Carpet Tiles

● Variety of colors and designs

● Affordable materials

● Ease of installation (replacement tiles can be easily installed)

● Moderate maintenance (regularly vacuumed and occasionally deep cleaned)

● Absorbs sound

● Can retain dirt and allergens


Vinyl Plank

● Variety of colors and wood grains

● Affordable materials

● Ease of installation

● Resists normal wear and tear (moisture, food spills, moving furniture, children’s play)

● Low maintenance (damp mopping)

● Will require installation of acoustic panels to eliminate echoes


Current Estimated Costs (may change over time)

● Carpet Tiles: $9,500

  • Vinyl Plank Flooring: $15,000

● Acoustic Tiles: $5,000


As I mentioned earlier, we cannot simply look at immediate purchase cost; we also need to thoughtfully consider the overall use of the flooring and the total costs over time. Over the months to come, as we have a better idea of the funds available to us through your

generous gifts to the Capital Improvements Campaign, we will work hard to narrow down our choices from the wide range of possibilities available to us.


All of us on the Committee would like to thank you for your time and will be glad to help you answer any questions you may have about the choices and the selection process. In the meantime, please feel free to read through the materials in the Campaign Brochure and on our parish website. In addition, there is an information board about this

project in the Parish Hall.


Library


The Library Committee (Jenifer Marquardt, Lane Norton, Ellen Richardson, and Mark Richardson) have finished refreshing the library collection. Now they would like to refresh the furniture as well! If you have a gently used sofa or chairs that you could donate, please send a picture to one of the committee members for consideration. Thank you!



Building and Grounds would like to open up a Qualtrics survey so that parishioners may help us pinpoint areas of improvement around the church. This will aid us in developing Church workdays for families and individuals to participate in and help grow our sense of community and appreciation of our home.


Suggestions can be made anonymously or with names attached. Please click here for survey!


Collective Artists' Workshop


Thank you to all who came out and supported us this past Monday! We had fun and hope you did too! We'll be back at the Local 706 in July!

Day Center Front Desk Volunteer Training


Are you interested in helping out at the Family Promise Day Center during the week with answering phones, fielding community resource requests, organizing in-kind donations, and general office tasks? Come learn more about this opportunity to serve at one of our Front Desk Volunteer Training sessions! They will be held at the Day Center at 355 Pulaski Street on the following dates. Additional trainings will be held in the subsequent months.


June 25 at 11 AM

June 27 at 2 PM


New sign-up sheet for the rest of 2024! We are currently seeking volunteers to work at the Athens Area Emergency FoodBank, 640 Barber St. on 3rd Mondays from 9AM-1PM. 2-3 volunteers are needed each month. A signup sheet is in the narthex.


New Usher Coordinator Needed!


Please prayerfully consider this ministry!

EXCHANGE STUDENTS

If any families are interested in hosting an international exchange student in the area please contact Karen Brill 706-540-4455 for requirements and details. 


Ping Pong Table


Anyone need or want a pingpong table? A nice one has been living in the CE Bldg for a while now. We just don't have room for it. It will be donated to Restore unless someone claims it. Please text or call Mark Richardson at 912-660-0217 or email if you're interested.

Adult Sunday School


Adult Discussion Group: (Parish Hall) The Adult Spiritual Formation Sunday morning Bible Study meets at 9:15AM in the Parish Hall. We are currently discussing the Gospel of Mark led by Wayne Coppins. Please join us! 


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 canned salmon, pasta sauces, and pork 'n' beans! Please help us fill the Little Red Wagon!

summer solstice

 

the longest day

with shortest night

begins a time

of brightest light

 

a season for

our crops to grow

and busy lives

to ease and slow

 

for rest beneath

tree branches wide

when lazy days

are spent outside

 

or splash and play

in water cool

on days away

from work or school


 

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!

Meeting Opportunities

Parish community offerings via Zoom or in person:


* Holy Eucharist and Healing Service There will be no healing services during the month of June.


* 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 will take the months of June and July off. Starting back in August, we meet 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 in person


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St. Gregory the Great Episcopal Church | office@stgregoryathens.org
706.546.7553 | www.stregoryathens.org