The Sunrise...
Starkville, Mississippi
March, 2000 Newsletter
ELIZABETH'S
ORDINATION-This Saturday, March 4, our Chaplain and Curate,
the Reverend Elizabeth Hartwell Wheatley, will be ordained
to the Sacred Order of Priests in an 11:00 a.m. service at
St. James' Church, Jackson. Elizabeth will be ordained by
Bishop Marble along with the three other deacons, Mary
Berry, Yamily Bass Choate, and Rosa Lee Jones. Everyone is
invited to participate in this very special service. You are
encouraged to arrive early to assure yourself of a seat in
the nave. We give thanks for this special day and for
Elizabeth's ministry in our midst.
BISHOP COADJUTOR ELECTION - On February 26, the 173rd Annual
Council of the Diocese of Mississippi, reconvened, elected
the Reverend Duncan Montgomery Gray III, as Bishop
Coadjutor. Bishop-elect Gray has served as rector of St.
Peter's Church, Oxford, since 1985. Elected overwhelmingly
on the third ballot, he is the son of the seventh Bishop of
Mississippi, and the grandson of the fifth Bishop of
Mississippi. He and his wife, Kathy, are the proud parents
of two sons, Duncan IV, a sophomore at the University of
Alabama, and Peter, a senior at Oxford High School. Fr. Gray
will be ordained bishop in a service at Thalia Mara Hall
(also known as Jackson City Auditorium) on Saturday, June
17. He will assist Bishop Marble until Bishop Marble's
retirement, at which time he will become Diocesan
Bishop.
+ + +
Lenten Worship Schedule:
The sacred season of Lent begins next Wednesday and
continues until Easter on April 23. We will mark this
special season with a full schedule of worship services, so
that your Lenten season may be enriched. You are invited and
encouraged to fully immerse yourself in the great 40 days
and nights of Lent.
Ash Wednesday - March 8
12:05 p.m. The Holy Eucharist with Imposition of Ashes at
the Church
7:00 p.m. The Holy Eucharist with Imposition of Ashes at the
Church
Sundays in Lent
8:00 a.m. The Holy Eucharist, Rite I
9:15 a.m. Christian Education
10:30 a.m. The Holy Eucharist, Rite I
4:00 p.m. EYC
6:30 p.m. Taize Service in the Student Center
8:00 p.m. Canterbury Fellowship
Mondays in Lent
7:00 a.m. The Holy Eucharist
Tuesdays in Lent
12:05 p.m. The Holy Eucharist followed by a Soup and Bread
Luncheon
Wednesdays in Lent
7:00 a.m. The Holy Eucharist
12:05 p.m. The Holy Eucharist at the Chapel of Memories
7:00 p.m. Inquirer's Classes
9:30 p.m. Canterbury Evening Service
Thursdays in Lent
12:05 p.m. Holy Unction and Eucharist followed by a Dutch
Treat Lunch
Fridays in Lent
12:05 p.m. Stations of the Cross
Watch for information about the Bishop's Visit on Palm
Sunday and for details on a full Holy Week schedule in the
April Newsletter.
+ + +
NO SUNDAY SCHOOL - There will be no Sunday School this
Sunday, March 5, due to Spring Break. All classes will
resume on Sunday, March 12.
INQUIRERS' CLASSES continue on Wednesdays at 7:00 p.m. in
the Student Center. (No class on Ash Wednesday.) Anyone
interested in learning more about the Episcopal Church or
wishing to be confirmed should plan to attend these classes.
Speak with Elizabeth for details.
BIRTHDAY SUNDAY - March 5 is Birthday Sunday. In honor of
those with March birthdays, cake and punch will be served in
the Student Center after the 10:30 service. Please join us!
Have you signed up to help with this ministry yet?
1 Nina Chatham
3 Jan Rhodes
3 Steve Wilkerson
4 Gracie Cox
5 James Ables
6 Douglas Crawford
13 Tracy Stebbins-Madar
15 Young Kerby
15 Rowan Williams
16 Alex Friend
16 Gene Towles
22 Reed Green
24 Caroline Brandon
26 Marsha Williams
27 Julia Friend
27 Honey Johnston
30 Mary Switzer
31 Carole Watkins
19 Chad Green
ST. MARTHA'S GUILD will meet Monday, March 6 in the Student
Center at 12:30 p.m. for a brown bag lunch and fellowship.
Visitors are always welcome.
CAREGIVERS will meet Tuesday, March 7th at 10:00 a.m. in the
reception area of the office. In this caring ministry,
volunteers meet with the Rector and learn of the needs and
concerns of the parish and then assist in any way they can -
with visits, meals, cards and phone calls.
SHROVE TUESDAY RED BEANS AND RICE - The annual Red Beans and
Rice Shrove Tuesday Supper will be March 7 at 6:00 p.m. in
the Parish Hall. Chef Michael Fazio will once again be in
the kitchen. Please sign up in the narthex by Sunday, March
5 so he will know how much to prepare. Cost for the supper
is $4 for adults and $2 for children.
SECOND SUNDAY SHARING is March 12. Please mark your check
"Outreach."
SOUP AND BREAD LUNCHEONS will begin Tuesday, March 14,
following the noon Eucharist. The sign-up sheet for bakers
and soup makers is in the Narthex. Have you got a favorite
recipe you wish to share? Sign up now! Thanks to Evelyn and
Don Emerich and Jean and Charles Little who have volunteered
to oversee this ministry once again!
NAME TAG SUNDAY is March 19. Please wear a name tag as a
means of making visitors and newcomers feel welcome. Speak
to someone you don't know at coffee!
12-STEP EUCHARIST - On Tuesday, March 21, at 7:00 p.m., we
will give thanks for the healing power of various recovery
ministries with a 12-Step Eucharist. Many people in our
congregation have been touched by various forms of
addiction. This Eucharist is our way of acknowledging our
dependence on God for true healing, and our thanksgiving to
God for his mercy in bringing new life to those who are
affected by addiction. The 12-Step Eucharist follows the
pattern of a Sunday service, and also includes the reading
of the Twelve Steps within the service. Special prayers are
also included. Everyone is invited and encouraged to
attend.
FOURTH SUNDAY POTLUCK AND SPRING WORK DAY will be March 26.
Come to church in your work clothes and plan to work one
hour after church raking leaves, pulling weeds, washing
windows, dusting, cleaning cupboards etc. Anyone who prefers
can help set up the pot luck lunch. So bring a generous dish
to share and tools appropriate to the job you want to do,
and help us get the church all spruced up for the Bishop's
visit! Forty people each working one hour is the same as one
person full time for a week!
BOOK SIGNING - The second in our series of Literary
Afternoons at Resurrection will be Sunday, April 9, from
2:00- 4:00 p.m. in the Student Center. Martin Hegwood of
Canton, author of the critically-acclaimed mystery Big Easy
Backroads, will speak and sign books. Martin is a native of
Pascagoula and is an assistant secretary of state in
Mississippi. He is a former colleague and coworker with Fr.
Johnson. He is currently editing his second novel.
HONDURAS MEDICAL MISSION - Elizabeth Wheatley and Carlton
Polk have returned from Honduras and report a successful
mission. In the two villages served, the doctors saw 4,369
patients in five days, and dispensed 18,015 prescriptions.
The dental clinics sealed 508 teeth in children and pulled
1,689 teeth. The vets treated 526 horses, 25 pigs, 12 cows,
and 38 dogs. Elizabeth's pictures are on display in the
Student Center. Thanks to all who supported this year's
mission with prayers and donations.
ALTAR GUILD MEETING - During it's February meeting,
fine-tuning of Altar Guild policies and procedures were
discussed by Fr. Johnson and Marsha Williams. If you were
unable to attend, please contact Marsha to get the details
before you are scheduled to serve again.
VESTRY RETREAT - The congregation has received a written
report on the recent two-night Vestry Retreat, held at the
Oasis Retreat Center in Little Rock, Arkansas. During the
retreat, led by Mississippi native Linda Nelson, the Vestry
adopted a Commission Plan for parish mission and ministry
organization and oversight. The plan, already in use by many
Episcopal Churches for more than 20 years, is an effort to
respond to recent growth in numbers and programs, and to
more effectively anticipate further growth. The plan was
discussed at the February 27 Fourth Sunday Potluck. Copies
of the organizational chart are available in the parish
office. If you have questions, please speak to one of the
Wardens or a member of the Vestry.
OPPORTUNITIES TO SERVE - There are many ways to participate
in the life of the parish, and the opportunities are varied.
For example, if you would like to participate in the Sunday
services as an oblation bearer, please call Ann McVey at
323-4995. If you can help with Birthday Sunday by bringing
the cake and/or punch, call Kim Noffsinger, or sign the list
in the narthex. If you like to putter, see the job jar list
in the narthex. If you like to make soup and/or bread, sign
up to help with the Lenten Luncheons.
COLUMBARIUM - A Columbarium is a place set aside, either
inside or outside the church buildings, as a repository of
cremated remains, also known as "cremains". Each individual
urn of cremains is stored in an individual space known as a
"niche". David and Sherrie VanLandingham and Clark and Beth
Callahan are the volunteer chairmen of a newly formed
committee to look into establishing a Columbarium at
Resurrection. They would appreciate your input.
HONDURAS HABITAT MISSION - Resurrection and the Canterbury
Episcopal Fellowship at MSU will be participating in a
Habitat for Humanity style building program in Honduras from
May 28th - June 3rd. We will combine forces with St. Peter's
Church, Oxford, and Canterbury Fellowship at Ole Miss. Are
you interested? Your help is needed! Speak to Fr. Johnson or
Elizabeth for more information.
CALLING ALL 2000 GRADUATES - It will soon be time to honor
our new graduates. If you, or someone in your family is
graduating, (or graduated in December, ) please call Nelda
in the church office.
CONGRATULATIONS to Ann McVey who has been appointed to the
Diocesan Executive Committee by Bishop Marble. The Executive
Committee serves as the Vestry of the Diocese.
CONGRATULATIONS, ALSO, to Michelle and Glenn Ray on the
birth of their son, Benjamin Landon Ray, on February 3 in
Jackson. Welcoming Benjamin is big brother Jake.
GREETINGS FROM AN OLD FRIEND - David Johnson recently
visited Virginia Holmes in Missouri and reports that
Virginia is doing well and flourishing in her new home at
Summit Villa in Holt Summit. She wished to be remembered to
all the people at Resurrection. Virginia celebrated her 90th
birthday on December 23 and also celebrated grandson Al's
wedding that same day. She very much appreciated the
greeting card signed by so many parishioners and the video,
which included greetings from many people as well.
YOUR PRAYERS ARE ASKED FOR Marlene Evans, Gretchen Passons,
and Lavora Williams as they continue to undergo treatment;
Lorene Martin, who continues to recover from surgery in
Jackson (and will be home soon!); and Martha McAlpin, who
was recently hospitalized.
CHRISTIAN SYMPATHY is extended to Nina Chatham on the death
of her father, Morris McCoy, and to Frances Coleman on the
death of her aunt, Ana Kiersey McLean. "Rest eternal grant
them, O Father, and let light perpetual shine upon
them."
MEMORIALS were received last month in the name of Virginia
Deas.
LOOKING AHEAD...
April 1 -Spring forward - Daylight savings time begins
April 9 -Book-signing with Martin Hegwood, author of Big
Easy Back Roads
April 16 -Palm Sunday and Bishop Marble's annual visit for
baptism and confirmation
April 16-23 -Holy Week and Easter
May 2 -ECW Spring Salad Luncheon
May 7 -Parish Blood Drive
June 17 -Consecration of the Bishop Coadjutor
DIOCESAN YOUTH EVENTS
March 31 - April 2 - Junior High DOY, 6th-8th grade, Camp
Bratton Green
April 7-9 -New Beginnings (a Junior version of Happening),
7th-9th grade, St. Paul's, Meridian
April 28-30 -Happening, 10th-12th grade, St. John's,
Pascagoula