The Sunrise... ... at Episcopal Church of the Resurrection Starkville, Mississippi January, 2001 Newsletter Three Kings from Orient to Visit... A Grand Baptism Celebration... "Renewing Our Foundation" Becoming a Reality... EYC and Canterbury Make Big Plans... and the Annual Parish Meeting Highlights for January 2001 EPIPHANY - Mark your calendars for the evening of Saturday, January 6th and plan to be at church! That date is the Feast of the Epiphany, one of the major feast days of the church year. (Rumor has it that the Three Wise Men will visit us that evening!) Epiphany comes from a root word meaning "showing forth." It is traditionally known as The Feast of the Epiphany: The Manifestation of Our Lord Jesus Christ to the Gentiles. The season of Epiphany is associated with the Magi, or Wise Men, arriving to pay homage to Jesus; the Baptism of Jesus; and the Wedding in Cana of Galilee (at which Jesus changed the water into wine). To celebrate this feast day, there will be a service of Holy Eucharist at 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, January 6. If you enjoyed Advent Lessons and Carols, don't miss Epiphany! Simple but heartwarming refreshments will be served following the service. BAPTISM SUNDAY - The Feast of the Baptism of our Lord, Sunday, January 7th, is one of the five traditional days for baptisms. This year will be an exceptionally special celebration, with several baptisms scheduled! If you or someone in your family would like to be baptized on this day, please see Fr. Johnson or Elizabeth right away. BIRTHDAY SUNDAY - January 7th is also Birthday Sunday. We will honor our newly baptized and those with January birthdays at a reception in the Student Center following the 10:30 service. Those with January birthdays are: 1 Susan Clark 4 Lynn Rose 5 Brian Arnett 5 Frank Switzer 8 Carolyn Crowder 8 Katharine Hollister 9 Stuart Vance 12 Chris Dewey 12 Bill Stark 13 Mary Lee Beal 13 Stephen Fazio 14 Evelyn Emerich 15 Jennifer Green 17 Wendell Cathcart 17 Claire Crawford 17 Joel Harrison 17 Marian Hughlett 18 Maggie Hollister 18 Lynn Phillips 22 Ethan Friend 23 David Johnson 24 Kathy Brandon 24 Peggy Reed 25 Josephine Hardin 28 Mary Frances Brady 30 Bill Richter 30 Sherley Richter RENOVATION COMMITTEE REPORT - Have you seen that beautiful big dumpster in the parking lot? Renewing Our Foundation is becoming a reality! Thanks to the many people who have supported our capital funds campaign, renovations to the nursery have finally begun! Canterbury Construction Company is the general contractor for this phase of the work. Hopefully this stage of the work should be completed by the end of January. The Renovation Committee has reviewed architectural drawings and specifications for the balance of the renovations, and they are approximately 75% complete. The committee hopes to put this out for bids in late January. Special thanks to David VanLandingham for finding a contractor, and for keeping after the architects! WORSHIP SCHEDULE SUNDAYS - The Holy Eucharist is celebrated at 8:00 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. with Sunday School for all ages at 9:15 a.m. SPECIAL NURSERY NOTE - The Nursery is now staffed beginning at 7:45 on Sunday mornings, so it is available during the early Eucharist! Also, please make note the nursery is located in the Parish Hall (downstairs) while the older facilities are being renovated. TUESDAY EUCHARIST - Tuesday evening Eucharists resume at 6:30 p.m. on January 9th. Please join us for a contemporary Epiphany season Eucharist followed by supper in the Student Center. WEDNESDAY EUCHARIST - Wednesday noon Eucharists resume on January 10th in the Chapel of Memories. Following the service, join us for lunch at Perry Cafeteria. WEDNESDAY COMPLINE - Wednesday Compline resumes January 10th at 9:30 p.m. at the Chaplain's home (103 Southdale Dr.). THURSDAY EUCHARIST - The service of Holy Unction and the Eucharist is celebrated at 12:05 p.m. every Thursday, after which the group gathers for Dutch treat luncheon. ST. MARTHA'S GUILD will NOT meet in January. The next meeting will be February 5th. SECOND SUNDAY SHARING is January 14th and we will be collecting canned goods and non perishable items for the food pantry. When you are at the store why not get in the habit of picking up a couple of extra items for those who are less fortunate? As we did in December, we will present the food during the offertory at the 10:30 service. If you would like to be an oblation bearer occasionally on the Second Sunday for the food offering, please call Tracy Stebbins or sign the list in the narthex. CHRISTMAS OUTREACH - What a stunning sight Sunday afternoon, December 17th was! A score of volunteers gathered at the church to organize the delivery of a holiday bonanza to four adopted families, as a part of Christmas outreach. Literally dozens of parishioners participated in providing gifts and food for our chosen families. Volunteers organized gifts, sorted foods, wrapped fresh-baked goods and then delivered them to the homes of our families, where parish representatives celebrated the Christmas holiday with carols sung with each household. Many, many thanks to Jane Jenkins, who organized this year's adopt-a-family project (thanks, also, to her son Gregor who was present and assisting every step of the way!) Thanks, also, to everyone who contributed gifts, time, food, and talents to this year's outreach effort. The spirit of the Christchild was truly present! ANNUAL PARISH MEETING - The Annual Parish Meeting is scheduled Sunday, January 28th immediately following the 10:30 service. During that meeting, we will elect two wardens and three vestry members. Committee and program chairs are reminded that Annual Reports need to be delivered to the parish office by Wednesday, January 10. There will not be a luncheon after the meeting this year due to space constraints in the Parish Hall (The Nursery is temporarily there.) NOMINEES NEEDED FOR VESTRY POSITIONS - Church canons and the Vestry establish certain criteria for nomination to and service on the Vestry. Those requirements include: *Nominee is an adult, confirmed communicant of the parish. *Nominee is active in parish life, in worship and ministry. *Nominee is faithful in regular giving for support of the church's mission. *Nominee agrees to attend Vestry meetings, giving Vestry service priority over other activities. *Nominee agrees to attend a Vestry Retreat each year (February 16-18, 2001 at Gray Center.) *Nominee agrees to be active in the Every Member Canvass, including participating in training sessions and making visits when needed. Nomination forms are available in the Narthex or church office and require the signature of acceptance from those being nominated. Nominees will be invited to a special "briefing", during which they will hear a description of Vestry service under our new Commission system of parish administration. THANKS to outgoing vestry members, who have served the congregation faithfully over the last three years. Our gratitude goes to Michael Fazio, Bill Hill, and Hellen Polk. We appreciate all you have given. ECW NEWS - ECW (Episcopal Church Women) will hold its winter meeting on Tuesday, January 30th beginning with the Eucharist in the church at 9:30 a.m. There will be a nursery, and we will make plans for the year. All women in the church are invited and encouraged to come and participate. OUTREACH NEWS - The Outreach Committee is working on project ideas for 2001. Many people have volunteered to be part of the committee and have brought new ideas. If you are interested in volunteering or have an idea for a project, please call Melinda Myers at 323-6678. Watch for details of volunteer opportunities as plans are developed. STEWARDSHIP - If you have not yet returned your pledge card, please do so as soon as possible so that plans for the next year can be completed. Thanks to all who have already returned their pledge cards. DIOCESAN COUNCIL is in Tupelo on February 2nd, 3rd and 4th . The Bancorp South Center (formerly the Tupelo Coliseum) is a wonderful place to meet, and it is close by besides! Do plan to attend at least part of this important and fun meeting which has been described as the church equivalent of the Neshoba County Fair! Ellen Newsom is collecting names for registration and $55 fees for the weekend, or you may leave your name and check with Nelda in the Church office BEFORE January 8th. After Jan 8th the registration fee is $70. We will once again have a block of rooms and share a hospitality suite with St. Paul's, Meridian. Names have already been turned in for the block of rooms at the Ramada, but you may still be able to get a room there. Call Ellen Newsom pronto! Resurrection is hosting the Wine and Cheese party on Friday night. If you are willing to help with this festivity, please contact Susan Hill at 323-8056. Many hands make short work! One more note regarding Council...wear warm socks!!! The space where we will be also serves as the ice hockey rink! While there will be a wooden floor over the ice, we are told it pays to wear warm shoes and socks! VOLUNTEER NEEDED to carry the parish banner in the procession at opening and closing services at Council and be responsible for transporting the banner. Call the church office if this is something you would like to do. ADVENT LESSONS AND CAROLS was especially lovely this year! Many thanks to all who made it so...to Joel Harrison and the Parish Choirs, to Joel for the Advent wreath, the wreaths on the doors and the altar greenery, to Babs Deas and all her cooks and bakers, and to Ann McVey and Babs for cleaning up! It was a grand evening. Thanks, yall! FOYER GROUPS are ministries of fellowship which allow people to get better acquainted through sharing a meal together every month. Our first meeting will be a potluck supper in February, so if you are interested and have not already done so, please sign up in the narthex. JOB JAR RETURNS - Looking for a way to include the church in your list of New Year's Resolutions? Pick a job off the Job Jar List in the Narthex. This need not be a life long obligation...some jobs are one time only, some weekly, some monthly and some occasionally. CANTERBURY NEWS - Canterbury will resume the second week of January. Plan to attend one of the weekday services or join us for periodic movie watching, game playing or outreach. Looking ahead with Canterbury, plans are underway for two journeys in the summer of 2001: 1) The Honduras Building Mission led by David Lewis and Tracy Stebbins and 2) The Mississippi-York Exchange, a Diocesan Exchange program for young people ages 18-25 chaired by Elizabeth Wheatley. Watch for details about these and more worship and service opportunities in 2001! EYC will resume on January 14th with a Spring Planning Party for Jr Hi and Sr Hi EYC groups. Both groups will meet separately at 5:00 p.m. and will join for a common meal at 6:00 p.m. Let's kick it into gear for 2001 and remember: "In Christ's Name, we Play!" DEADLINES - Please help us get news and notices out in a timely fashion. Have your notices for the Sunday Bulletin in the office by Wednesday noon, and for the Newsletter by the 15th of the month. CAMP BRATTON-GREEN CDS, This Old Place...An Evening At Camp Bratton Green, is a compilation of songs written and performed by folks who were reared on the grounds of Camp Bratton Green. CDS are available thru the Chaplain's office for $15. All proceeds go to Camp Bratton Green-Gray Center. CONGRATULATIONS to David and Dixie McMillen on the birth of their granddaughter, Edith Marie Green. Proud parents are Jay and Eleanor Green. Also welcoming her is brother, Tony. CONGRATULATIONS, TOO, to parishioners who have been recognized for excellence in various fields in recent months: Dr. Nancy Hargrove, the CASE Professor of the Year in Mississippi; Dr. Joel Harrison, who was named to the Circle of Excellence by the College of Education; Allie Noffsinger, who received the Hugh O'Brian Outstanding Student Award; Julia Cathcart, who was one of the top finishers in a national road race in Charlotte, North Carolina; and Jimmy and Larry Crowell, who were leaders on the Starkville High Yellow Jackets football team, which competed in the state championship semifinals. YOUR PRAYERS ARE ASKED FOR Jim Jones who is recovering from surgery, and for Pepper Holland, Marlene Evans, Gretchen Passons, and LaVora Williams as they continue to undergo treatment. MEMORIALS were received in the names of Mary Staub and Hazel G. Presson. VESTRY NOTES Met at the home of Mary Lee and John Beal for a holiday social. Briefly reviewed Fr. Johnson's handout dealing with Pastoral-sized parishes and Program-sized parishes. Heard detailed and promising reports from the Parish Life Commission and Stewardship Commission. Reviewed the annual report to the diocese from Chaplain Elizabeth Wheatley on Canterbury Episcopal Fellowship. Received reports on the progress of Renewing Our Foundation and the columbarium project, both of which were very encouraging. Discussed progress of the annual every-member canvass. Reviewed the monthly parish financial statement. Agreed to meet in January to approve the parish budget for 2001. LOOKING AHEAD... February 2-4, 2001 - Diocesan Council in Tupelo February 16-18 - Vestry Retreat at Gray Center April 8 - Palm Sunday and Bishop Gray's visit April 9-11 - Walk the Spiritual Path of the Labyrinth at the YMCA auditorium at MSU.