Leanne Fazio
Organist/Choirmaster 

Acolyte Training

New acolytes will be trained in August or September.  Those interested ~ rising 4th graders and older ~ should contact either the parish office (323-3483) or John Beal (323-8748).   Trained acolytes who will not be available to serve this coming academic year should also notify either the parish office or John.

Fall Schedule Preview

Summer will soon be over, and fall activities are being planned.  Mark your calendars for the start of:

Coming Events & Important Dates

August

• 2 CBG, Regular VI (gr. 3-4)
• 5 Music & Liturgy Conference
• 3-5 CBG, First Camp
• 10 Parents’ Night Out
• 11 Bishop’s Barbecue
• 12 Let’s Eat Shrimp Mississippi
• 14 EFM Organizational Meeting Servant Ministry
• 17 Parents’ Night Out
• 17-19 Adults Working with Youth, Gray Center
• 19 Blessing of the Backpacks
• 20 Vestry Meeting
• 22 Children’s Choir:  First Rehearsal
• 22 Adult Choir:  First Rehearsal
• 22 Canterbury Resumes for Returning Students
• 24-26 Spiritual Renewal, Committee on Ministry with Gay & Lesbian Persons, Gray Center
• 29 Canterbury Kickoff for New Students

September

• 3 Labor Day:  Parish Office  & Allin House Closed
• 9 Sunday School Resumes
• 9 EYC Resumes
• 9 Parents’ Night Out
• 14 Safe Churches Workshop
• 17 Vestry Meeting
• 21-22 Senior DOY, Gray Center

Servant Ministry Makes a Difference

The Resurrection family makes a difference in the lives of many. Our contributions to the lives of those in need would not be possible without your continued generosity and support. The individuals whom we assist are not "invisible others" but our flesh and blood brothers and sisters. Thank you for all the support that you give in time, talent and money.

For the past two years Church of the Resurrection has sponsored the same two campers at Camp     Bratton-Green in response to Bishop Gray's appeal to increase minority participation at camp. This past month Sherrie Van Landingham drove one of our Resurrection-sponsored campers to and from Camp Bratton-Green. Sherrie has graciously permitted us to share the following e-mail in which she reveals some of her thoughts and feelings while driving home from camp with one of "our" campers, Albert.

Dear All,

I picked Albert up at 9:00 a.m. this morning (I was later informed that  he would rather be the last camper picked up instead of the first!) He had another wonderful experience. I asked him what he did not like and he told me he liked everything! He liked his Cabin Dad and cabin counselors but Mr. Edward I think was his favorite because he played with them and threw water balloons that made a big mess!

Albert told me about all of his experiences. He is very articulate and  intelligent. About half way home he started crying and I thought, "Now what do I say?" It took many questions from me and some time but he finally relayed that he might not be able to come back next year if they still live in New Orleans because it was so hard for them to get him from New Orleans to Starkville and to pick him up. I told him to think about all the fun times he had had and not worry about the future (easy for me to say!) He later told me that it made him sad to think about all the good times.

Albert is a very optimistic child and soon got over his sadness. When we arrived his Mother had called and left a message on my answering machine that traffic had made them very late. She had her daughter (a high school girl who had come back to Starkville) call the church and leave her phone number. I ended up taking Albert to an apartment where she is living. Before I left Albert gave me a big hug and told me he would see me again next year!

I am positive that God reached out to Albert at camp through the counselors, the priest, Edward O'Connor, and the campers. I am sure it gives him hope in a time when his life is very unsettled, no home and not knowing what the future holds for him.

I look forward to taking him again next year! He says he wants to be a counselor when he is 16 yrs. old and I told him he would be a great counselor!

                                                                    Sherrie

Join the Servant Ministry Committee at noon on the third Wednesday of each month and energize us for our ministry in the world, as we seek to live into the prayer Jesus taught us - "Thy Kingdom come, Thy Will be done, on earth as it is in heaven."

Martha and Dolton McAlpin

August Birthdays

We share in joy for the birth of:
Caroline Thomas Luccasen, daughter of Kathleen Thomas and Andy Luccasen, on July 26. 

We share in sorrow for the death of: Jane Polk, wife of Sam Polk and mother of Carlton and Sam Polk, on July 23 and Donald Mosley, brother of Joe Tom Mosley, on July 30

Our prayers are asked for... those with child, especially Leslie Zacharias, Jessica Harris, Christine Williams.... those who suffer in mind, body or spirit, especially Jeanne, Lorenzo, Edna, Don, Ophelia, Bridget Burdan, Hunter Maye, Chad Green, Marian, Richard Christiansen, Rhonda Bond, Murray Bullock, Gene Phillips, Hattie Shelley, Liam Livingston, Tonya Cruta, Rozella, Teresa Phillips, Marguerite McKell, Jerry Brashier, Russ McReynolds, Horace Boyer, Myrlene Wilkerson, Bill and Jeannie Daiss and family, Bob Stevenson, Donnie Prisock, Prince Hollingshed, Robert Pilgrim, Lori, Malcom Broome, Dave Cook, T. W., James, Simon Braugh, Daniel Michael Vollor, Truitt Box, Tom Bell, Rod Geuder, Karen, Rae Brandon, Guy Hargrove....those who serve in the military, especially Steve, David, Chris, Fran, John Burdan, Rob Kennington, David McCaffree, Leslie Esher, Carl Makin....and those in harm’s way.

Cooking for Canterbury?

Canterbury will once again offer FREE home-cooked meals as part of its regular programming on Wednesday evenings throughout the academic year, and we need the help of parishioners and others to keep us well fed! Please consider cooking and serving a meal for Canterbury this year. This is a GREAT way to get to know those in the Canterbury Fellowship and vice versa!

 If you are interested and willing, please call Merry Barnes, Canterbury assistant, at 601.506.1021 or email her at merrizzle@yahoo.com.

You may also drop Brian a note, letting him know of your interest: msu_canterbury@bellsouth.net. Merry will help coordinate scheduling and will be in touch concerning expected numbers, serving times and other details.

THANKS IN ADVANCE for your participation!!

Nursery News

We have some exciting plans for the nursery for the coming year. With the help of a combination of donations and church funds we will be refurnishing and painting, and possibly even laying a new carpet. We also plan to continue the Parents' Nights Out.

Both of these are important ways we can make new families feel welcome as well as nourish our 'old' families. There are three areas where you can volunteer to help out: be a substitute for the rare occasions Theresa is absent on a Sunday; help Theresa on a Parents' Night Out; or sign up for the painting crew. Each one of these would only take a few hours of one day in the coming year, but could make a big impact on the life of our children.

A Weekend for Spiritual Renewal

The Episcopal Diocese of Mississippi and the Committee on Ministry with Gay & Lesbian Persons present a weekend of spiritual renewal on August 24, 25, and 26, 2007 at the Duncan M. Gray Camp and Conference Center, Canton, Mississippi.  The Reverend Thomas Brown, rector of St. Michael’s Episcopal Church, in Brattleboro, Vermont, is a special guest at the conference.  Father Brown will lead gay and lesbian persons and other interested individuals in exploring, renewing, and strengthening their spiritual experience and journey.  There will also be opportunities for silence, relaxation, and individual spiritual guidance.  Come away from the world to be fed, to be gathered together.  Come to “A Weekend of Spiritual Renewal” to rest, to be refreshed, and renewed.

Register online at www.dioms.org, or contact John Lever at jalever@aol.com or the Rev. Janet Ott at nanaott@comcast.net or 601-214-0700  for further information.