From Father Graham

Dear Friends in Christ,

As I write this we have two more Lenten Family Evenings. So many of you have attended faithfully and expressed your joy at sharing this experience. I am so pleased that these evenings have connected with you who are the people of the Church of the Holy Spirit. When, on Palm Sunday, we recognize our “Communion Families” all of us will know that we as the Family of God have participated in preparing our younger brothers and sisters for the joy of offering the Eucharist and receiving the Blessed Sacrament.

Thanks to all those of you who have served on the Lenten Family Evening Committee and thanks to others who helped as well. These evenings could not have happened without you.

Please make it a point to congratulate the children who are recognized on Palm Sunday and their families. Our fondest hope is that these young children have a stronger sense than ever before of belonging to two families; their family at home and the Family of God.

Father Graham

 

Stewardship Update – one quarter through the year

I’m sure there is a financial update and probably a message from the Sr. Warden elsewhere in this issue of the Dove. However, I wanted to hi-light something that I think is very important as we reach the end of the first quarter of the 2007 church year. As we entered this year, the Vestry worked very hard to curtail expenses and the Stewardship committee worked equally hard to get the message out about our needs to move beyond survival mode and fund the basic mission of our parish. The result was an annual giving program that produced a balanced budget…barely!

To keep us financially in the black we need everyone to stay current with their pledges because we don’t have much wiggle room. This means that as part of being good Christians we need to put God first. On that note, I will repeat the message that I used back in September when we launched our stewardship efforts…about four types of giving:

Ø Give the first part of your day in mediation to God.

Ø Give the first part of your week in worship to God.

Ø Give the first part of your social life to fellowship with other Christians.

Ø Give the first part of your income to God.

Great things are happening at Holy Spirit as we continue Looking Forward in Faith. I personally want to thank our wonderful parish family for all your support as Carol has been recovering from heart surgery! It just shows, once again, what a strong sense of family we have at Holy Spirit.

Jay Franklin
Stewardship Ministry Chair

 

PRAYER LISTS AND HOW THEY WORK

 

Praying for each other and our friends or loved ones is an integral part of being in Christian community. At Holy Spirit, there are three prayer lists.

 

IMMEDIATE NEEDS PRAYERS are said aloud in church during Prayers of the People.

ONGOING PRAYERS are published monthly in “The Dove”.

INTERCESSORY PRAYER CHAIN is for emergency needs.

 

The challenge is to keep our prayer lists current as people’s needs change. When someone is placed on the Immediate Needs List, Sarah Jane Ohl will telephone follow up with the original caller after one month. She will ask if the person the caller placed on the prayer list may be moved to our Ongoing List, may come off the list or should stay on the Immediate Needs List. For the Ongoing List, the caller will be contacted after three months. It is understood that people may be moved from one list to another and back, depending on their need.

 

The Intercessory Prayer list is for emergency situations. If you need prayer, please call the church office at 770-887-8190. Sarah Jane will take the information and contact Nancy Greene. Nancy will start the prayer chain immediately. This will enable the church to know the situation as well as the Prayer Chain members. After church office hours, directly contact Nancy Greene (770-844-1107) or Beth Jones (770-887-5705). People will be praying for your emergency constantly.

 

If you would like to be part of this Prayer Chain, please contact Nancy Greene and your name and number will be added to the list.

 

Beth Jones, Pastoral Support Chair
Nancy Greene, Intercessors

CALLING ALL KNITTERS AND CROCHETERS!

If you get a chance to drop by the Parish Hall on a Wednesday morning, you will hear some strange and very productive sounds.....clicking, chatter, cheering and clapping. Yes, these are all sounds of the new knitting/crocheting group. We meet from 9-ish to 11 and during that time knitters and crocheters are swapping knowledge, encouragement and help to anyone who needs them. (That is the chatter part!) The clicking, of course are the needles and the cheering and clapping come when someone finishes a row, learns and masters a new stitch, someone finishing a preemie blanket or hat or any other project that they have been working on.

 

Our on-going project is for the preemie babies at Northside. We are making 14" x 14" (ish) blankets and tiny hats the size of a tennis ball. Patterns are available on the Outreach Board in the Parish Hall or you can adapt your favorite pattern to that sort of size. Anne Moroz at Northside is so thankful to get all of our creations. In fact, this month, we are giving her 53 hat and blankets sets, 27 blankets, 52 preemie bibs and 14 incubators covers. The latter have been sewn by some of our parishioners and also by our extended parish family members. Yes, for the sewers of our parish, there are patterns for preemie bibs that Anne Moroz gives to each baby as their first 'outfit'. There is a set pattern for these which you can find again on the Outreach notice board. These have become 100% easier to do with the discovery of iron-on Velcro!

 

Projects in the future may include stoma covers for cancer patients, knitted helmets for soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan. and any other projects that any of our parish family would like us to adopt.

 

So please do come to see and join this hive of activity. ALL skill levels are welcome!

 

Alternatively, if you cannot join us on a Wednesday morning, but would love to give of your talents, please do pick up any patterns that you would like from the Parish Hall and just get clicking or sewing! All donations can be dropped off in the basket in the Parish Hall, but please do attach your name and address so that we can thank you.

 

Again thank you for all your donations so far. If you have any questions, please do call me,

SENIORS, SAVE THE DATE! SPRING LUNCHEON

Pastoral Support Ministry is again sponsoring SENIOR LUNCHEONS several times a year. Our first one for this year will be May 2, Wednesday at 12:00 noon in the parish hall. If you need transportation, we will provide it. The main thing is we want our senior members to get together and share a nice meal and fellowship. Cheryl Howell has offered to prepare the meal and members of Pastoral Support will assist her. Invitations to follow around April 24.

Thursday Morning Faith Group

The Thursday Morning Faith Group will continue with the study of Inward, Outward and Corporate Disciplines in the inspiring book SPIRITUAL CLASSICS through May. Join us at 10:30 every Thursday at the church and afterwards for lunch. For more details call Martha Wayt.

Mark Your Calendars!

Easter Breakfast

The hunt is on!!
Easter Sunday is Sunday, April 8^th. We will have an Easter Egg Hunt @ 9:30 following breakfast after the 6:30Am service. All children are invited to participate. If it is a beautiful day we will meet upstairs in the parish hall and have the Easter Egg Hunt outside. If it is rainy, we will meet downstairs in the children’s Sunday school area. If your children plan to participate we welcome any donations of plastic “fillable” Easter Eggs.

 

Julie Wilson

Family Faith Nights

 

 

Summer is just around the corner. We are planning to have our FFNs the month of June; the dates are June 6, 13, 20 & 27^th. Please put these dates on your calendar and leave your Wednesday evenings free for Family Fun. We will have a planning meeting for the Family Fun Nights on Wednesday March 28th at 5:00pm, all who are interested please plan to attend and help make these the Best Wednesdays ever!

 

Julie Wilson

 

 

Children’s Christian Education

 

Vestry Meeting

April’s Vestry meeting will be on he third Monday of the month at 6:30 PM. We will return to the normal schedule in May. Meetings are open for anyone to attend.

 

Building Committee

The Building Committee has been working hard this past year on implementing “Phase 1A” of the Master Site Plan that was developed with the assistance of the architectural firm of Surber Barber Choate and Hertlein, Inc. and adopted by the Vestry. We have defined the scope of this Phase as “site preparation” consisting of grading and construction of parking area and road off Oakwood Circle, rough grading of the Memorial Garden site, rough grading for outdoor worship space, and the design and construction of detention and erosion control area for entire site. This project, when completed, will give us additional paved parking, and will prepare the site for the construction of the Memorial Garden. The engineering firm of Hussey Gay Bell and Delong (HGBD) has completed the design work and permitting requirements for the site. We are working with the City of Cumming and their widening project, and may be able to get our much needed entrance onto Pilgrim Mill Road sooner rather than later. We have solicited bids for the grading work and hope to recommend a contractor to the Vestry in the near future. The estimated budget for this phase is approximately $140,000.00. We have approximately $80,000.00 in our designated Building Fund. The Vestry will have to approve the project and we, as a Parish, will have to find a way to finance the remaining funds needed to complete the project. Once the site work is completed, we will move forward with the construction of the Memorial Garden and outdoor worship space. We may also look at building the pavilion. These projects will provide numerous opportunities for “sweat equity” involvement by our parishioners. If you have any thoughts and/or questions concerning this plan, please contact the Vestry or the Committee.

 

Warden’s Corner

I am entering my third month as Senior Warden here at Holy Spirit. I report with pleasure that we, as a parish family, are moving in a very positive direction. The change has been amazing. We have added new families and our ministries are charging on with many volunteers hard at work. Fiscal discipline is firmly in place. We have already initiated efforts to upgrade our worship space, as you have seen, with the Stations of the Cross, which have been added to our sanctuary. This project was done by Bert Printz.

 

Last month, many of our parish family gathered at Camp Mikell for our parish weekend. It was a great time to be together, pray together, and learn together away from the maddening crowd. Oh, and of course, we did a bit of socializing. Now, will there be challenges ahead ... of course. As is true in any family, the road is not always smooth. However, I believe that we have made great strides in truly being a family again. In addition to Looking Forward in Faith, we are moving on!

 

Your vestry will be making some key decisions soon. These decisions will center on prioritizing and funding some key projects. These projects include searching for and hiring a new rector, worship space enhancement, maintaining our building and grounds, and the grading/parking lot project. These decisions will be made prayerfully, carefully, and within the context of the Goals and Objectives we articulated earlier this year.

 

All the foregoing has been and will continue to be possible, because we are trusting in God to guide us, and we are all working together for the good of our parish family.

 

Thank you for your support!

Evan

 

A Great Big Thank You!

Dear Ro and all of the nice ladies that knit, crochet, sew , with or without a machine, and those that provide moral support ,like the baby last week,

Thank you so very much for allowing me to visit you and answer your questions about the preemies and my incredible job!!!!

1^st off, I’d like to say how sorry I am that Julies daughter was injured and I hope she’ll be better real soon! Also, thank you so much, Julie for completing the quilted Isolette covers in such a quick time. I love how you surged the edges! It really looks terrific!

To Judy and Ro thank you for the awesome “vests”-The iron Velcro is a GOD send and if it gets too expensive please save your receipts and I can reimburse you!

Also, I meant to tell all of you I can provide a Tax receipt so you can write off you materials and donations. It really does add up, especially since ya’ll make so much! Just save your receipts, for proof, and attach them to my form and turn them in with your taxes.

Now, to all of you that I met last week and to those of you that I missed I want to send all of you a HUGE HUG and A BIG THANK YOU!!! You and your fast finger action truly makes a difference in the preemies lives, the parent’s lives, and my life!

I can do my job without your kindness, BUT the warm and fuzzy things you do seem to soften the journey these parents must travel. Some are here for 2 weeks and some stay for up to 6 months!

Thank you again and enjoy the spring weather.

My Love to all,
Anne

Outreach Ministry

Outreach Ministry and Parish Life sponsored a cookie bake event for U.S. Troops serving in Iraq. Our goal of 100 dozen cookies was met thanks to the efforts of Cheryl Howell, Nancy Greene, Kathy Gibson, Julie Anderson, Carol Franklin, May Kitsell, Diana Fournaris, Joanie Whitehead, Lauren Stewart, Kathryn Kashin and Carmen Smith. The cookies made it to Iraq within a week of shipment. Special thanks also goes to Evan Fournaris for supplying the troop that is receiving the cookies and to Lauren Stewart for a great idea.

 

Many thanks also go to all the individuals who helped with the Lenten Supper and to all our wonderful volunteers that work The Pantry.

 

Thanks,
Carmen

Spring Concert at Cumming Playhouse

 

Men’s Breakfast

We had about 20 men of the parish at the March breakfast and enjoyed some great fellowship. The next Men’s Breakfast will be on Saturday, April 14^th, at 8:30AM in the parish hall. A sign-up sheet is on the Parish Hall Door.

Questions and Answers About Why We Do What We Do During Holy Week

 

 

   Q.  Is everyday in Holy Week significant in our offering of worship?
   A.  Yes. In many parishes, Eucharists are offered each day. Here at the Church of the Holy Spirit the Stations of the Cross will be offered Holy Monday, Holy Tuesday, Holy Wednesday and Maundy Thursday at 12 noon. Maundy Thursday is the day we commemorate Jesus’ institution of the Holy Eucharist. Our worship is set for 7:00 p.m.

 

   Q.  Why do we have foot washing during the Maundy Thursday liturgy?
   A.  On the night before his death, Jesus set an example for his disciples by washing their feet, an act of humble service. We need to remember his example and his teaching that strength and growth in the Kingdom of God come not by power authority or even miracle, but by such lowly service.

 

   Q.  Why is the altar stripped at the conclusion of the Maundy Thursday liturgy?
   A.  The altar is stripped to dramatize the desolation of Good Friday.

 

   Q.  Why a vigil from the conclusion of the service on Maundy Thursday until 12:00 noon on Good Friday?
   A.  The Blessed Sacrament is taken from the altar in the church to an altar of repose that has been set up in the parish hall. This altar is decked with flowers and shrubs to simulate the Garden of Gethsemane where Jesus struggled with accepting the horrible suffering ha knew was in sort for him. Our custom is to keep watch with our Lord all through the night and until noon on Good Friday. Persons sign-up to keep watch for intervals and at no time, should there be no one present. During one’s watch, one may read from the Bible or another devotional book or just pray in the silence as a way of vicariously sharing our Lord’s time in the garden. Men will be present all during the early morning hours in insure a safe and secure setting for anyone keeping a vigil watch.

 

   Q.  What do we do on Good Friday?
   A.  The Book of Common Prayer designates God Friday as a day of solemn fasting and devotion.  

 

    At the Church of the Holy Spirit, the Stations of the Cross will be offered at noon and the Good Friday liturgy with Holy Communions from the Reserved Sacrament at 7:00 p.m.

 

   Q.  Why a Great Vigil of Easter at 6:30 a.m. Easter morning?
   A.  For a great many people the Great Vigil of Easter is a favorite service of the entire year.  

 

The service begins with the congregation assembles outside the church. A paschal candle is ignited and the new fire is carried into the dark church. Congregants light their individual candles from the new fire while a lovely anthem known as the Exsultet is sung.  

 

Lessons form Sacred Scripture are then read which recount our salvation history. Holy Baptisms are administered at the place in the rite. Everyone then remembers the Baptismal Vows which bind us all as the Family of God as we participate in the Renewal of Baptismal Vows.

 

Altar Candles are the lighted and the church transforms form the bleakness of Good Friday to the extravagant joy of Resurrection joy. When the priest proclaims “alleluia Christ is risen!” Everyone responds, “The Lord is risen indeed!” Bells are rung to signal that the mass of Easter has begun!

 

ECW News 

Our next meeting will be April 17th at 7PM. Come, bring a snack or beverage and join us for fellowship, fun and shopping. Yes, shopping. Margie Summers will present Southern Living at Home's beautiful line of products inspired by the timeless style of Southern Living magazine. Come and shop for something for your home, for entertaining or to replenish your gift closet after the holidays."

Thanks Margie Summers

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PASTORAL SUPPORT MINISTRY

Pastoral Support allows us to serve each other at times of birth, illness, grief or other stressful life events. It is important to those in need to feel the supportive presence of church community and to know they are not alone. We accomplish this through phone calls, visits, food (Inreach), errands, notes, prayer and planning. Meetings are held on a monthly basis for follow-up to be sure that those who are in need are attended to and that a connection is made on behalf of the congregation as a whole. Pastoral Support also sponsors Senior Luncheons several times a year.

 

It is not necessary to attend every meeting to be a part of Pastoral Support. It does require a willing heart and desire to follow through and report back to the ministry chair to keep members informed. Anyone who wishes to be a part of this ministry is welcome as there is much work and joy to be shared. Please call Beth Jones if you would like to be a part of this fulfilling ministry.

 

Beth Jones, Pastoral Support Chair

 

 

 

 

 

 

YOUTH SPONSORED SPRING FLING

 

 

 

 

This is a fund raising activity for the Youth’s Pilgrimage and Mission trip
to New York City. We also want you to get to know us and to have fun doing it. More information to follow but we want you all to come!!! So mark you calendars. PS: Babysitting will be available at an additional cost . OH YES: we will need silent auction items also - to donate items contact: Carol Franklin or Shannon David.

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