St. Bede's E-News

We hope that this weekly offering will keep you up-to-date

on the latest information from the parish

and from around the Diocese of Atlanta and wider Church. 

Our e-newsletters are now being archived on our website.

You can go to www.stbedes.org  

and look under the "Connect With Us" tab

at the top of the home page to find past newsletters.

Please send your submissions ready to go into the newsletter,

text and images attached in an email to the Parish Administrator.

Laura's email address is lpittman@stbedes.org

There's a lot going on at St. Bede's! Looking for an activity?

Sunday, December 1, 2023

The First Sunday of Advent

Worship in English at 10 am

Worship in Spanish at 1:30 pm

We will also be streaming our worship live

on

St. Bede's YouTube Channel

If you would like to preview the scripture lessons and hymns for the upcoming Sunday, you can find Sunday's bulletin uploaded to the parish website each week on Thursday afternoon. From the home page of the website, scroll down to the colorful "Worship" icon, and click on that. Then scroll to the bottom of the "Worship" page and you will see where the bulletins for Sunday have been posted under "Downloads".

Sundays, December 1, 8, and 15

"The Enneagram: A Tool for Exploring the Unique Spiritual Journey of Each Person"

Led by Lynnsay Buehler

Room M110

The Enneagram is an ancient spiritual tool, dating at least to the Desert Fathers and Mothers, with pre-Christian sources. The Enneagram has long been a guide to spiritual and emotional wellbeing and maturity.  

There are now many books about the Enneagram, but for the sake of simplicity, we will work with the very accessible book The Essential Enneagram, by David Daniels, M.D. and Virginia Price, Ph.D. If you have a copy of the book, it will be great to bring it with you to class. You do not need to have the book or to know anything about the Enneagram to attend the class. 

I have placed copies of the very short test on the round table in the Commons. Please pick up a copy any time between now and December 1st so you can take it at your leisure. I will also have copies available in class on the 1st for anyone who has not had an opportunity to take it beforehand.  

It will be a gift to explore the Enneagram with you!

Sunday, December 1

Intergenerational

Advent Wreath Making

In the Commons

9:30-10 am

11:30 am-1:30 pm

• everything you need to make your household's own beautiful wreath!
• wreath mold, candles and candle holders, greens, and other decorations
• booklet with meaningful prayers and scriptures for at-home candle lighting and worship
• suggested donation (as you are able) for full set of supplies: $15

Calling All Youth Groupers!!!

Grades 6 - 12

Sunday, December 1st - 11:30-1:00- Baby Jesus Baskets  

Bring a friend and come for church & lunch OR lunch &church. On the first day of Advent we will be helping mothers and their new babies with our Baby Jesus Basket Challenge. Bring $1-$10 and help us help others.

Sunday, December 8th - 11:30-1:00 - We’re splitting the group up - (it’s not forever! ) The folks that are participating in the Our Lady of Guadalupe service will be participating in rehearsal after lunch.

Until the rehearsal people can join, the rest of us will be participating in the first round of the soon to be annual YG challenge Playoff!! What does that entail?!? No worries, just show up and we’ll take care of the rest. See y’all there!

Feel free to bring a friend, or a bunch, all are welcome! 

If you have questions, email Beth or Judah (see emails below).

As always, we are sending you prayers for love, peace, grace and grooviness, now and always,

Beth and Judah 

Beth Cannon @ bcannon@stbedes.org or

Judah Sali @ judahs26@gmail.com

Children's Formation for

Children Age 3 - Grade 5

Due to the Thanksgiving holiday,

we will not offer children's formation this Sunday.



Children's formation will return next Sunday, December 8.

Instead of Sunday School being either before or after worship, children are invited to gather together during the time of the Sermon and the Prayers of the People for a special story or activity that is tailored just for them. Children will come to worship with their families and will be invited to process out for this special time during the signing of a hymn. They will then return at the Passing of the Peace to join their families and the congregation for Communion.

All 3 year olds through 5th graders are welcome to join us. Older children are welcome as helpers and younger children may join with a parent, grandparent, or other caregiver. 

If you have questions, please contact Molly Graves at mgraves@stbedes.org.

Please join us for any or all

of the following

special worship offerings

for Advent and Christmas:

Wednesday, December 11 at 7 pm 

A Festive Bilingual Celebration

of Our Lady of Guadalupe

featuring Choir, Mariachis, and Dancers.

Sunday, December 22

between 10 am and 1:30 pm worship

The Celebration of Las Posadas

(Bilingual)

and Decorating of

the Parish Christmas Tree

Las Posadas commemorates the arrival

of the Holy Family in Bethlehem

as they seek to find room in the inn.

("Las Posadas" means "The Inns".)

Join in the pageant of the arrival of the Holy Family

and remain for refreshments

as we decorate the Parish Christmas Tree

in the Commons.

Tuesday, December 24 at 4 pm

Christmas Eve Worship 

(in English)

with Pageant, Carols, & Festive Music

Tuesday, December 24 at 10 pm

Christmas Eve Worship

(in English)

with Carols & Choir

Sunday, December 29 at 10 am

A Festival of

Christmas Lessons & Carols

(in English)



You can also join the livestream

each of these worship offerings

on our YouTube channel.

Christmas Flower and Music Dedication Envelopes

will be arriving on Sunday, December 1

- The First Sunday of Advent -

in the Commons.

In the meantime, you can always email your Christmas Flower and Music Dedications to our Parish Administrator, Laura Pittman (lpittman@stbedes.org) and you also may make payments for Christmas Flowers and Music Dedications through Realm (choose flowers or music from the fund drop-down menu).

Christmas Pageant

Tuesday, December 24, 4pm

Invite your grandkids, other relatives,

neighbors, and friends to join us!

 All-ages, no-rehearsal Christmas Pageant!

Costumes are provided at the door. 

ALL children - in all their wiggly glory -

as well as tweens, teens,

and adults are welcome to be part of the story.

Invite your grandkids, other relatives,

neighbors, and friends to join us!

(Email Molly Graves at mgraves@stbedes.org if you would like to participate, help out, or would like more information)

There are three main ways to participate:

1) An assigned part - Please arrive close to 2:30pm to grab your costume and

rehearse. This will be the only rehearsal of the pageant and is for READERS and the PRINCIPLE CHARACTERS only.

2) An impromptu part - Starting at 3:15, costumes will be available in the Parish Hall -- shepherds, wise one, angels, sheep, and other animals. (Children can also bring a costume or stuffed animal from home to represent their part.)

3) Observing and listening - Please let children know that being part of the listeners and wonderers is an important role as well. If a more active role is not a good match for your child, please do not feel a need to pressure them to participate in that way.

All are invited to a “potluck” reception following the 4pm liturgy.

Please bring a simple treat to share if you are able, such as cheese and crackers, Christmas cookies, fruit, or finger sandwiches.

Christmas Flower

& Music Dedications

If you would like to make a special dedication

of Christmas flowers or music

in memory or thanksgiving for someone,

you may pick up a

"Christmas Flower and Music Envelope"

in the Commons

or email your dedication

to Laura Pittman in the office.

Please have all names

for these dedications

submitted to Laura

by Monday, December 16 at Noon 

in order to be included in the Christmas bulletins.

The 2025 Caring for One Another Pledge Packets

have been mailed.

Please let the office know if you did not receive yours

and would like to receive one.

Please prayerfully consider

your response to all that God has shared with you.

Thank you to all

who have already returned your pledges.

Pledge Ingathering Sunday will be December 15.

Filled with the Holy Spirit,

Giving Voice to Blessing

Praying with Mary and Elizabeth

An Advent Quiet Day

Praying with scripture, poetry, the labyrinth

 and with a visual expression

Saturday, December 7, 2024

                  10:00 am - 2:30 pm       

Guided by

The Rev’d Susan Lupo

 Spiritual Director at St. Elizabeth’s Episcopal Church,

 Associate of Green Bough House of Prayer,

Deacon in the United Methodist Church

and

The Rev’d Lynnsay A. Buehler

Director of The Julian of Norwich Center

$50.00 per person

*Lunch and supplies provided

The Julian of Norwich Center

St. Bede’s Episcopal Church

2601 Henderson Mill Road NE

Atlanta, Georgia 30345

To register, please call Lynnsay at 770-938-9797 x27,

or email lbuehler@stbedes.org



Or add your name to the sign up sheet

on the round table in the Commons of St. Bede’s

*Please let Lynnsay know if you have special dietary needs

ADVENT BAKE SALE

Saturday, December 14

10 am – 2 pm

Sunday, December 15

between worship at 10 am and 1:30 pm

Shop for delicious holiday goodies for your own enjoyment or gift giving. Cookies, cakes, candy, breads, casseroles (main course and side that can be used immediately or frozen) will be available.

Price lists are prepared in advance as much as possible. Therefore, we request that all enthusiastic chefs and bakers e-mail your items to Loretta Vail at lvail24@gmail.com or Fran Snider at fran.snider@gmail.com.

RECYCLE CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS/ITEMS

The Christmas table has been a welcome addition to the baked goods. If you are tired of or have more Christmas decorations (gently used/good condition) than you can possible use, consider donating them to our Advent Bake Sale.

Drop off at church office or bring Saturday morning when delivering your baked goods.

Sponsored by the Sisters of Bede

Book Imprinting on Sunday, December 15

Tom Vail, a St. Bede's parishioner and bookstore owner, will be available with his imprinter before and after services on December 15 to put names in gold or silver on bibles, prayer books, or other items. There are some limitations on sizes and type fonts. The standard font includes upper- and lower-case letters, as well as Hispanic accents if desired. Please print the desired item LEGIBLY (do-overs are impossible).

There is no charge for this service,

but small donations to St. Bede’s

for Christmas flowers or music are always appreciated.

If there are questions, contact Tom Vail

at tomvail50@gmail.com before the event.

MOTHER'S DAY TEA

LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITY

THERE IS A POSSIBILITY

THAT ST. BEDE’S

MOTHER’S DAY HIGH TEA

MAY NOT TAKE PLACE IN 2025!

Fran and Loretta are not available for the 2025 Mother’s Day weekend. However, this presents an opportunity for someone (or two) to spearhead the 2025 tea. You would not be starting from scratch as there are excellent notes and schedules to ensure that things run smoothly. Also, we would be available to assist in the weeks and months preceding the tea.

St. Bede’s High Tea has been celebrated on the Saturday before Mother’s Day for 14 years. It is a joyful occasion for St. Bede’s parishioners, friends and neighbors to gather for an afternoon of fellowship and fun. The silent auction and raffle are fun as well as the Sisters major fundraiser.

If this leadership opportunity appeals to you or there are questions, please contact us to discuss.

The Tea Committee

Loretta Vail (lvail24@gmail.com)

Fran Snider (fran.snider@gmail.com)

ART FROM THE HEART GALLERY

Great news! We have made arrangements for the installation of the picture railing in the Commons. This is the first step towards the creation of the Gallery space. The heavy rains of the past weeks resulted in some water damage and caused a delay in the process, but we are working on solutions and hope to soon be able to create a safe space to hang the pieces we will be including in our shows.

Many thanks to those who have volunteered their time to participate in this project! More opportunities for involvement will be available as we prepare the space and make arrangement for our first event. And if you have a chance, stop by the Tucker Library in the upcoming weeks. The Tucker Art Alliance is installing a show there and you will be able to see the wonderful work of many of the artists we hope will participate in Art From the Heart at St. Bede’s!

If you have any questions or know what you would like to volunteer to do, let me, Lois Shingler, know. (lshinglerpc@gmail.com or (404) 593-9001.

Invitation to Prayer Shawl Ministry

Prayer shawls are used to provide comfort, acknowledge joy or appreciation, say goodbye, or any other reason to share God’s love. They may be used in prayer, and the act of making them is prayer. Making them with friends is church.

Currently, a prayer shawl group meets one morning and one evening a month. You are invited to attend one or both meetings.

Monthly Prayer Shawl Meeting Times and Locations

First Monday Prayer Shawl Meeting: 10:00 -11:30 am in room M108. The next meeting will be on Monday, December 2.

Email Junior Abraham at jrabraham1953@gmail.com with questions.

Fourth Thursday Prayer Shawl Meeting: 6:30-8:00 pm in off site locations.

Email Cheryl and Fred Murphy at murphyfbfm@gmail.com with questions.

Note that you can participate at home on your own as well.

Another Successful

Thanksgiving-At-Home

Bag Drive

Thank you, thank you to everyone who contributed to our Thanksgiving At Home ingathering for Emmaus House! You donated 189 bags of food (and beat our total of 173 last year) to help feed our neighbors in Peoplestown this Thanksgiving. And many thanks to our volunteers who showed up early to load the truck on Tuesday morning. Emmaus House plans to feed 300 families and we are supporting their efforts mightily! We are all so grateful for the generosity, love and care that the wonderful people of St. Bede’s offer!

Caring for One Another - Two Opportunities

for Christmas Card Signing

  In December our congregation will have two chances to care for those who are imprisoned by sending them well wishes and greetings for the Christmas season. For someone who is detained or incarcerated, a Christmas card from a stranger means all the world to them. It says that the incarcerated person is not forgotten. 

On Sunday, December 8th we will sign cards for death row inmates in the state of Georgia as part of an initiative sponsored by Georgians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty (GFADP). 

The following Sunday, December 15th, we will be signing cards for detainees at Stewart Detention Center, part of a campaign that is sponsored by El Refugio. 

You do not have to prepare anything. You need only stop by the round tables in the narthex before or after the 10:00 or 1:30 services on December 8th and December 15th. Cards, markers, pens as well as sample messages will all be waiting for you. Thank you!

Baby Jesus Baskets

During the seasons of Advent & Christmas, we will be filling baskets with donations to help homeless new mothers in need. Baskets will be in the Commons by the round table or Christmas tree until Epiphany (January 7). Donations will go to Our House Shelter. The AJC ran a great article about Our House in November 2023 which has lots of great information about the origin and mission of Our House. Click on the link below to read the article.

The most needed items are:

Formula (Enfamil Ready to Feed)

Size 6 Diapers

Baby Soap/Lotion (sensitive)

Unscented Baby Wipes

Other items needed:

Enfamil Ready to Feed Gentlease Formula

Enfamil Ready to Feed Prosobee Formula

Enfamil Ready to Feed Infant Formula

Boys Pull-Ups (size 3T/4T and 4T/5T)

Girls Pull-Ups (size 3T/4T and 4T/5T)

Diapers (size 4, 5 and 6)

Unscented Baby Wipes

Baby Lotion (sensitive skin)

Baby Shampoo (sensitive skin)

Sippy Cups (hard/soft tips)

Bottles (new with nipples)

Baby Wash/Soap (no antibacterial)

Sorry, no stuffed or used toys. No clothing.

NETWorks Cooperative Ministries'

Good Neighbor Christmas Shop

The Good Neighbor Christmas Shop sells new, donated toys at discounted prices, offering low-income parents and guardians a dignified way to buy gifts at Christmas. These gifts are for infants through elementary school-aged children. The event is limited to families residing in the NETWorks area (see the link below).

The store will be at Pine Creek Center, 4320 Cowan Road, Tucker, GA 30084 (next to the NETWorks Ministries office) from December 12 - 14.

NETWorks is in need of toys and monetary donations, as well as volunteers to help staff the store. There are lots of volunteer dates available. If you are interested in helping out, please click on the links below for more information.

NETWorks will be accepting donated items at their office through December 3 to allow them time to set up the store before it opens on December 12.

Outreach Opportunities

Year-at-a-Glance

Your St. Bede's Outreach Team has assembled a full calendar of outreach opportunities for the coming year. Look for more information about each of these opportunities here in E-News as the time for them gets closer.

December 8 - January 5

Baby Jesus baskets ingathering

December 8

Christmas card writing stations for those who are incarcerated

January 12, 2025 11:30 am

Outreach meeting

February 8, 2025

Medshare volunteer day 9:00 am to noon

(Volunteer slots for 20 people)

February 9 through March 2, 2025

Network’s Food Pantry Ingathering

April 27, 2025

Prepare and serve lunch for Church of the Common Ground

Have Questions?

Contact Anita Montelione (ammontel12@gmail.com)

or Karen Werner (wernerksw@comcast.net)

Advocacy Opportunity:

advocating to stop executing

the intellectually disabled

As discussed when the Rev'd Kim Jackson was here a few Sundays ago, Georgia is the only state that sets its burden of proof of intellectual disability at the insurmountably high standard of “beyond a reasonable doubt.”

Use the link below to find your legislators.

Ask them to support House Bill 1014 to

1. Change the wording from “beyond a reasonable doubt” to “a preponderance of evidence.”
2. Determine intellectual disability before the trial.

Questions? Contact Neva Corbin



As we all watch the tragic events of violence escalate in Jerusalem and Palestine, it is so important to keep the people of the Holy Land in our prayers.

In addition to our prayers, St. Bede's has also transmitted a gift of $500 to Episcopal Relief and Development (ERD) for relief efforts related to the travesties of this conflict. Sadly, one of ERD's strongest and longest-standing partners in the Diocese of Jerusalem is the Al Ahli Arab Hospital - the Anglican hospital in Gaza that was severely damaged by explosion and where hundreds of people were killed. Please keep relief workers on the ground in your prayers as they attempt to offer care and relief.

Family Ministries Micropractice 

Join our households with

birth through elementary aged children

in this simple intentional practice

as we bring our learning from the lectionary

into our everyday lives.

You may wish to conclude this micro-practice with this prayer:

God of overflowing love,

Thank you for the joy filling our bodies whenever we think about those we love.

Thank you for our friends, family, pets, neighbors, and everyone in the world!

May we all experience your bubbling-up, life-giving joy.

Amen.

Wednesday Night Adult Bible Study

Join with others for a study of the Minor Prophets.

All are welcome.

6:30 – 8 pm on Wednesday nights

on the 1st & 3rd Wednesdays of each month

in the Commons Hallway Classroom

(across from the Julian of Norwich Center)

Contact Fred Murphy for more information.

Healing Our Racism

Book Discussion Group

Next meeting:

Monday, December 16 at 2:00pm on Zoom

December's selection is

Stony the Road We Trod

Edited by Cain Hope Felder

Please note that we have moved to the 3rd Monday of each month, no longer the 4th.

Please join Muriel Diguette and other members/friends of St. Bede's to discuss current books pertaining to the issues of racism and white privilege.

Email Muriel for the Zoom link to join the discussion.

Mostly Mysteries

Book Discussion Group

We will not meet in December

Next meeting:

Monday, January 27 at 1:00 pm in M108

January's selection is

Conclave 

by Robert Harris

You're invited to join members and friends of St. Bede's to discuss favorite mysteries and thrillers.

McLemore's Musings

We hope you are enjoying this feature in St. Bede's E-News - McLemore's Musings. Many of you have met the Rev'd Bill McLemore who has joined the St. Bede's community. Bill has been a priest for over 57 years and has served parishes all over the Episcopal Church. Bill is the former archivist of the Diocese of Atlanta and authored the 100th anniversary book on the history of the Diocese. Bill is also an artist and has used his artistic skills and sense of humor for many years to draw hundreds of cartoon that comically comment on life in the Episcopal Church. Each week we will share a cartoon here that Bill selects from his collection. Enjoy!

Would you like to receive

a brief Morning Devotion each day?

I have been emailing them to about 100 Episcopalians from churches I have served across the country. Currently, there are five monthly themes: Baptismal Covenant, Gospel of John, Hymns, Paul’s Epistles, and the Psalms. They only take 3 to 5 minutes of your time and they are free to all who wish to receive them. If you would like to receive them, send your email address to me at:

bmclemore@stbedes.org



God’s blessings,

Bill McLemore +

St. Bede's Prayer List

A note about our prayer list:

We have reorganized our prayer list and are trying to make it more manageable going forward. Names will remain on the prayer list for 3 weeks unless otherwise requested. If you have placed someone on the prayer list and you would now like that person removed, please notify the office. Please request removal only for names which you have placed on the list. We are always happy to request prayer for our parishioners and our extended community.

Please contact Laura Pittman in the church office to add or remove names from the prayer list.

Laura Pittman

lpittman@stbedes.org

In our St. Bede’s community, prayer has recently been requested for:

Bill McLemore

Orisha Parsons

Prayer has been requested on a more long-term basis for:

Nancy Ward

Carmen Camiro

Debhani Hernandez

Al and Regina Studwell                      

Sarah Jane and Jim Ohl

Mary Rodriguez

Helen Abraham

Aree Bancroft

Nancy Waring

Frances Bowen

Ann Foote

Cameron Maddox  

Peg Harriss

Sue Ellen Lampros

Prayer has also been requested for these in our wider community:

Amanda Daymude, niece of Doris Bushart

Mary Robert, sister of Martha Robert

D.J. Mohammed, brother of Tra Walker

Marge Emerling, friend of Helen Loeb

Sharon Emerling, friend of Helen Loeb

Ian Lopez Kilpatrick, grandson of Pat Miller and Sean Kilpatrick

Eva Lopez, family of Sean Kilpatrick and Pat Miller

Wright Coleman, son of Jennie Couture

Fay Key, friend of the St. Bede's community 

Eleanor Pearlman, granddaughter of Gwen Heaton.           

Anne Jones, sister of Claiborne Jones

We pray for those who have died:

Hilda Bell

Helena Harrison, friend of St. Bede’s

James Simmons, brother of Jerry Simmons

We give thanks for those serving our country in the military:

Josh Bowers

We give thanks for those celebrating birthdays this week:

11/29 Nancy Waring

11/30 Genesis DeLaCruz-Rubio

12/1 Claudia Fedarko

12/3 Emma Seif

12/3 Taylor Busch

12/4 Kimberly Hernandez-Bernal

12/6 Regina Studwell

12/7 Amy Busch

The greenery on the altar for Sunday, December 1

will be given to the glory of God and

in memory of Ruth Mizell

by Elizabeth, Bill, Julie, and Will Mizell

To stay up to date

on activities throughout the Diocese of Atlanta,

sign up for Connecting, the Diocesan E-newsletter.

You can also sign up to receive For Faith,

which is the weekly meditation

from Bishop Rob Wright

sent by email on Fridays.

Bishop Wright's Weekly Podcast

Did you know that Bishop Rob Wright has a weekly podcast? You can take a spiritual "deep dive" each week with Bishop Wright and his special guests and grow deeper in faith and understanding as you listen and learn.

Explore For People, Bishop Wright's Podcast, Here

It's time to think about Summer Camp at Camp Mikell!

Please click below to peruse all the summer offerings at Camp Mikell.

Beginning November 1, you can use the link below to register for summer camps.

Questions? Please email Amanda Segers Price, Summer Camp Director, at amanda@campmikell.com

The Cathedral of St. Philip

2744 Peachtree Road NW

Atlanta, GA 30305

Enjoy an evening of magnificent music and world-class musicianship as the members of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra's world-renowned brass and percussion sections return to the Cathedral of St. Philip to present their seventh annual holiday concert!

The program will feature traditional holiday carols and beloved standards from the symphonic orchestra repertoire in some of the finest arrangements for brass ensemble and percussion. This concert has fast become one of Atlanta’s most beloved new holiday traditions, so treat yourself and those you love to a breathtakingly spectacular night of music in the sumptuous acoustical grandeur of the Cathedral of St. Philip. This is a holiday concert not to be missed!

Pathways

the magazine of the Diocese of Atlanta

The new Pathways is now available online! Through original photography, articles, and interviews, Pathways shares inspiring stories from Middle and North Georgia — examples of spiritual growth.

Read Pathways Here

Please note our Holiday Hours - December Only:

Monday and Tuesday: CLOSED

Wednesday - Saturday: 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Sunday: 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Would you like to keep up with news from around the broader Episcopal Church and Anglican Communion? Episcopal Journal and Cafe is a convenient place to find out things going on around the Church. You can even subscribe to get news sent to your email inbox.

Click Here for Episcopal Journal & Cafe



Friend in Christ,

As violence escalates in Ukraine, over one million people have already fled the country — and the borders are flooded with many more people desperate to leave.

Almost all of them are women and children who have had to seek safety on their own, leaving their husbands, fathers, brothers and sons behind.

As this crisis continues to evolve, we are working with Anglican agencies and our other partners to provide humanitarian assistance, and urgently ask for your help.

Your emergency gift today will support our immediate response, providing cash, blankets, hygiene supplies and other needs as this crisis unfolds.

Our faith networks are currently on the ground in the border areas of Poland, Hungary and Romania, and we will continue to coordinate with them in order to help those who have been displaced. Specifically, our partner ACT Alliance is helping families on the Hungarian border, and our Anglican partners are mobilizing both an immediate and long-term response in Poland, Romania and Hungary.

Yours faithfully,

Robert W. Radtke

President & CEO

Episcopal Relief & Development