The Sunrise...
Starkville, Mississippi
December, 2001 Newsletter
WORSHIP SCHEDULE
During the remainder of the renovations all services will be held in the Parish Hall (downstairs). Show your support by continuing to participate in our life and worship even when we are not in our usual worship space. As with the Hebrew people in the wilderness, grumbling is to be expected. Your patience, flexibility and prayers are needed as we proceed through this period of transition toward renovation and a renewed community of faith.
SUNDAY:
8:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist, Rite I
9:15 a.m. Sunday School
10:30 a.m. Holy Eucharist, Rite II
TUESDAY:
12:30 p.m. Noontime Prayers on campus (Last service this
semester will be Dec. 4)
10:00 p.m. Compline and Coffee (Last service this semester
will be Dec. 4)
WEDNESDAY:
6:15 p.m. Canterbury Dinner
7:00 p.m. Holy Eucharist (Last service this semester will be
Dec. 5)
THURSDAY:
12:05 p.m. Healing & Holy Eucharist followed by
"Dutch treat" lunch.
CHRISTMAS
SERVICE SCHEDULE:
December 24:
5:30 p.m. Family Service-Holy Eucharist with Children's
sermon
10:30 p.m. Prelude Christmas Music
11:00 p.m. Festive Holy Eucharist, Rite II
PARKING PROTOCOL - Remember there is parking behind Merchants & Farmers Bank. Please leave the spots closest to the Parish Hall for those for whom walking may be a problem. If you are able to do the stairs, feel free to park in the upper parking lot, in particular families with young children in the nursery. Thanks!
CHOIR WARMUPS - The choir will warm up in the worship space from 10:00-10:15 each Sunday morning. Please enter quietly to say prayers and prepare for worship.
PRE-DEMOLITION SALVAGE DAY - Saturday, December 1st is pre-demolition salvage day. The north portion of the Scales House will be demolished and hauled off by the Contractor beginning in December. Any member of the parish who wishes to salvage wood from that portion of the building should do so on Saturday, December 1st between 8:00 a.m. and 12:00 Noon. Please do not bring children into the Scales House during the salvage period. Questions? Contact Happy Deas.
ADVENT LESSONS AND CAROLS - On Sunday, December 2nd we will celebrate the Festival of Advent Lessons and Carols at 5:00 p.m. in the Parish Hall. This beautiful service includes lessons that draw us into the Biblical story of the coming of a messiah complemented by carols which amplify the texts. In addition to choral music, the congregation will join in the singing of some of the great Advent hymns. Following the festival, there will be a reception at the home of John and Mary Lee Beal, 516 Greensboro Street, to celebrate our entry into Advent!
BIRTHDAY SUNDAY celebrations have been suspended during renovations. Birthdays, however, will continue! Do wish the following folks Happy Birthday!
4 Bob
Anderson
4 Tom Cathcart
6 Kathy Harris
7 Sherrie VanLandingham
10 Anita George
11 Melanie Hollister
12 Ruth Crowell
13 Jack Hollister
16 Dolton McAlpin
16 Jimmy Crowell
16 Larry Crowell
17 Jonathan Brandon
18 Ann McVey
19 Jerry Hatch
21 LaVora Williams
21 Ian Hughlett
22 Malvina Moore
23 Jeri Mangum
24 Idabelle Ables
24 Amanda Boyd
24 Britton Boyd
24 Leanne Fazio
27 Steve Harris
27 Susan Hill
27 Mike Vance
29 Kelsey Damms
29 Bettye Hillen
31 David VanLandingham
ST. MARTHA'S GUILD will meet December 3rd at 12:30 p.m. in the home of Marilyn Boyd, 912 Barnett Drive, for brown bag lunch and fellowship. Please bring a small gift for Whitfield or toilet articles for Safe Haven. Visitors and new members are always welcome.
SECOND SUNDAY SHARING is December 9th when we ask that you bring offerings of canned goods, staples and nonperishable food items for the Christmas baskets.
ANGEL TREE AND FOOD BASKETS: Melinda Myers reports December to be a busy month for all, and our Outreach Committee is no exception. There will be many opportunities to share the joy of the season with our neighbors. We will adopt four "new" families: two families with children and two with older adults. Their Christmas Wishes will be on the Angel Tree in the Parish Hall beginning December 7th. Pick an Angel or Angels you would like to provide, and bring that item, gift-wrapped with the angel taped to the outside, to the Church office by Monday, December 17th. Warm up your voices and your hands to sing Christmas carols and deliver the Angel tree baskets and gifts on the afternoon of Sunday, December 23rd at 1:00 p.m. This is a joyous way to begin your own celebration of Christmas Eve and Christmas! To volunteer or to get more information, please call Melinda Myers.
BELL RINGERS ALERT! Our day to ring the Salvation Army bell in front of Food Max is Tuesday, December 11th. This was great fun last year, even in the cold. To join the fun and get the time slot you want, hurry to the Parish Hall to sign up! Questions? Call Mary Frances Brady.
HOLIDAY OFFICE SCHEDULE - Please refer to calendar to see when the office will be closed around Christmas and New Years Day.
STEWARDSHIP - Thanks to all who have returned their pledge cards. Last year we had 112 pledging units for a total of $214,785. To date, this year we have 78 pledges totaling $144,155. As you can see, we have a way to go! Time is drawing nigh for planning the budget and activities for 2002! Your financial stewardship is crucial! If you have not returned your pledge card, please do so today!
CHRISTMAS FLOWERS - In keeping with the preparatory intentions of Advent, it is time to collect money for the Christmas flowers! To make a donation, please mark your check "Christmas flowers" or "In memory of..."or "In thanksgiving for...", accordingly. Please have your offering in the office by Wednesday, December 19th.
DIOCESAN COUNCIL is in Vicksburg, February 1-3, 2002. 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 7th, after which registration is $70. For lodging, we have reserved a block of rooms at the Vicksburg Inn and Conference Center ($56/night). And we will host our own hospitality suite to provide a place for gathering and fellowship! If you would like a room in our block, contact Nelda in the church office or Ellen before January 4th so we can turn in names for our block on that date.
ANNUAL PARISH MEETING - Mark your calendars and plan to attend the Annual Parish Meeting on Sunday, January 27th. If you are a committee head or leader of any ministries at Resurrection, please begin sorting your thoughts and preparing a written report of your ministry in the year 2001 to be printed in the Annual Parish Report. At the meeting we will take a glance at the year past and begin looking at the year to come, both in terms of ministries and the allocation of funds for those ministries. Also, we will embark on the very important elections of Senior and Junior Wardens as well as three vestry members. Many thanks to Leigh Jensen and Happy Deas for their hard work and leadership. And thanks to Mary Lee Beal, Jack Hollister and Jerry Hatch for their faithful service over their three year terms on the vestry.
VESTRY NOMINATIONS - With the departure of five people, we have a task ahead of us in the election of new wardens and vestry members. Please keep this period of transition - renovations and leadership - in mind as you discern who might be well-suited and gifted to serve on our vestry in the various capacities. Forms for vestry nominations will be available at the first of the new year. Your prayers and thoughtful consideration of this matter are much needed and integral to the continued nurture and flourishing of Resurrection.
EYC - The EYC will finish out the year with a Christmas Party on December 9th. But, we hope the EYCers will reach out and participate in the Angel Tree deliveries and Christmas caroling on December 23rd. Watch for details of next year's activities in the January newsletter.
BAPTISM SUNDAY - Epiphany, January 6th, is a traditional date of baptism in the church. If you or your children would like to be baptized on this date, please contact Murray or Elizabeth.
CANTERBURY NEWS - December 4th and 5th will be the last of the Canterbury services for 2001, closing out a great year. In addition to feasting on December 5th at 6:15pm, we will suspend Advent for an hour and celebrate an early visitation of St. Nick. Or perhaps it's better to say that "Dirty Santa" will come a-visiting at which time we will all throw gifts (up to $5) in a bag, draw numbers and take turns selecting or "stealing" gifts. Please plan on joining us for this bit of mischief-making before you bury your nose in the books! Our regular schedule will resume in January.
YOUNG ADULT MINISTRIES IN MS are under construction! The Diocese of MS is in the process of addressing the area of ministries to young adults (post-high school through people in their 30's). In the first part of January, dialogues entitled "Lost Voices" will be held regionally across the diocese to hear the concerns, hopes and dreams of young adults who feel lost in the church, but desire a church home. More details about the Northeast MS "Lost Voices" dialogue will be forthcoming in January. Interested or have questions? Contact Elizabeth.
SEARCH COMMITTEE UPDATE from John Beal: Now is the time for parishioners to make nominations for a new rector! Your thoughts, prayers and input are valued. If anyone wishes to nominate someone they must fill out a nomination form completely. These forms can be found in the Parish Hall or in the office. The search committee has been working on the analysis of the questionnaire and completing the deployment form. The deployment form was sent to the diocesan office and, after coding was done, it was sent to the Central Deployment Office in New York. We should be getting nominations from them in the next three to four weeks. The church profile is being compiled and should be approved by the Vestry before Christmas. Thanks to all for their hard work!
RENOVATION COMMITTEE REPORT - David VanLandingham reports that renovations to the Student Center and Nave have begun. These areas are dangerous to be in at this time, so please do not enter them! Work continues on the new sacristy. Most of the stained glass windows which are to be reworked have been removed. They are scheduled to be reinstalled in June, 2002. The current schedule is for the renovations to be completed by the end of February, 2002. Please note...the dumpster in the parking lot has been provided by the contractor for his trash. Please do not put the church's trash and garbage in that dumpster!
COLUMBARIUM REPORT - Sherrie VanLandingham reports the Columbarium Committee has sold 24 niches and has a total of $37, 403 in the Columbarium bank account as of November 16, 2001. If you are interested in purchasing a niche the cost is $1,250 per niche before December 31, 2001 and $1,500 after January 1st, 2002. If you have any questions, please contact anyone on the committee which includes: Bob and Mary Eleanor Anderson, Beth and Clark Callahan, Tommy Wakeman and David and Sherrie VanLandingham. We plan to take bids on the Columbarium in January or February of 2001, and we anticipate construction to begin some time in the spring.
NEW CHURCH DIRECTORY IN THE WORKS - Can it be that no one has a new email address or no one has moved? If you want the changes in the new directory, please contact the church office 323-3483 or epchurch@netdoor.com or Ellen Newsom at wnewsom@netdoor.com by January 7th. We aim to distribute the new directories at the Annual Parish Meeting.
CONGRATULATIONS to Isobel and Ian Hartley on the birth of their son, Stuart James. Stuart is welcomed by big brothers Mark and Glenn. Congratulations to Malvina Moore and Susan Clark on the birth of Angela Grace Malvina Tierce, great granddaughter/granddaughter.
DIOCESAN NEWS The Rev. Cecil B. Jones Sr., father of the Rev. Cecil Jones, Jr., died last month at the age of 94. Cecil was a beacon in the Diocese for many years, serving in many capacities of leadership, not the least of which was his groundbreaking work in the establishment and building of our Diocesan Camp, Camp Bratton-Green, on the property of Rose Hill just north of Canton. Cecil will be very much missed in the diocese. "Rest eternal grant him, O Father, and let light perpetual shine upon him." Pray for all who mourn.
YOUR PRAYERS ARE ASKED FOR Marlene Evans, Leanne Fazio and Lavora Williams who undergo treatment, for Steve Wilkerson who has been hospitalized, and for Steve VanLandingham who serves in our Armed Forces.
MEMORIALS were received last month in the names of Elizabeth Carson Boling and Lester Fox.
LOOKING AHEAD...
January 5... Feast of Lights, a Candlelight service on the eve of Epiphany at 5:30 pm.
January 6...Epiphany
January 27...Annual Parish Meeting
February 1-3...175th Annual Diocesan Council, Vicksburg (and 3rd Annual Youth Council for 9th-12th graders)