The Spirit of Saint Nicholas
The E-Newsletter from 
Saint Nicholas  Episcopal  Chu rch   
Hamilton, GA
March 9th - 16th, 2016


Once again it's time for the men of St Nicholas to get together !  Let's gather around the table for food and friendship.  We have a reservation with Aspen's Mountain grill at  6:30 pm  Tuesday, March 15, in Pine Mountain at the intersection of US Highway 27 and State Highway 354.The food there is great, and we have been having so much fun and  fellowship.  As always, please let me know if you are coming in order that I can give a good count to the restaurant.

Blessings,
Chris Butzon


March Men's Group Dinner
Date: Tuesday, March 15th
Time: 6:30 pm
Location: Aspen's Mountain Grill, Pine Mountain
 

Adult Formation
Read, Mark, and Inwardly Digest: Bible for Beginners.  Do you want to learn more about the Bible, but don't know where or how to start? Join us Sunday mornings at 9:45am for a weekly discussion group for all levels of Bible readers. Father Jeff and a group of others will lead the class. We will begin with the Gospel of Luke, using a 50-day study called A Journey with Luke by Marek Zabriskie which you can get ahead of time at many book retailers online. This will be our ongoing Adult Formation class until Easter. If you have any questions, contact Father Jeff or Bob Hamilton.


Lenten Lunches at Trinity Episcopal Church
Every Monday during Lent at 12noon, Trinity, Columbus hosts several excellent speakers. We would like to have a St. Nicholas table present. If interested, please contact Father Jeff.

 

 
Pancake Breakfast Fundraiser 
by our Youth and Children
March 20th - Palm Sunday
After the 8:30 and 11:00 service


 
From Fr. Jeff :

We've all been there before. At the altar rail. Kneeling in prayer as the priest brings you the Body of Christ. You fold your hands outward to receive the wafer or pinch of bread. The Eucharistic Minister holds the chalice out to you with the words, "The Blood of Christ, the Cup of Salvation." You go to dip you bread in the cup. Whoops! The bread slips out of your fingers and into the chalice. Oh no! What do you do?

First of all, this is common and has happened to many of us. However, there is a right way to go about recovering from this fumble. Never, ever, ever stick your fingers in to fish out the bread. Your fingers are often more germ-laden than any part of your body. It's often better to drink directly from the cup than to risk dipping your fingers into the blood of Jesus. We have a liturgical spoon which can be used to retrieve any lost bread pieces. You can either consume that piece from the spoon or you can ask for another piece. All of this can be done quietly at the altar rail without much fuss.

I have often been asked: "What's the proper way to 'intinct' (dip)?" If you choose to dip your bread into the chalice, you want to very lightly dip it in. You don't want to soak the bread all the way up to your fingers. You're not sopping up gravy here. The point is to just dab the bread into the wine. You also should instruct your children in this so that they aren't accidentally dunking their fingertips into the wine.

People intinct for several reasons: some are in recovery and don't want to consume a lot of wine, some have phobias of drinking after other people, some think it spreads more germs to drink directly from the cup (which is false...intinction tends to spread more germs), some just don't like wine and want to get the minimum. It's OK to intinct, just be mindful of why you are doing it and be respectful of what you're doing.

Anglicans believe that while the bread and wine don't physically become flesh and blood of Jesus, we do believe that Jesus is fully present in the bread and wine. That bread is "more than bread" and that wine is "more than wine." We are physically connected to Christ in that moment and we are spiritually connected to one another as well.  It might just be the most important moment of your week. If you have any further questions about this, please let me know.
 
 
 
Easter Vigil Readings: If there are any performers in the congregation who would like to help make our Easter Vigil service on March 27 at 6:30am even more special, please contact Father Jeff. This service has some opportunities to have dramatic readings of many Old Testament stories. We have several people already signed up, but if there are other adults, teenagers, or children in the congregation who would like to participate, please let us know and Father Jeff will contact you.
 


Holy Week services at St. Nicholas


Wednesday, March 23, 5:30pm
Stations of the Cross
l ed by the youth & children of St. Nicholas

 
Thursday, March 24, 6:30pm
Maundy Thursday 
with Footwashing & the Stripping of the Altar



Friday, March 25, 6:30pm 
Good Friday 
with Communion from the Reserved Sacrament




 
2016 St. Nicholas Easter Egg Hunt
The annual St. Nicholas Easter Egg Hunt will be held on  March 27th at 10:00 a.m between the services.
Don't forget to bring your basket!  We look forward to having a wonderful time.  During the next two weeks, however, please remember to bring donations of plastic eggs and non-melting candy.  

Vestry Minutes

 

 

 

Bright Way Services

Worship services continue at Bright Way Personal Care Home  in Pine Mountain. Other  Lay Eucharistic Visitors are needed for this ministry. 

Contact  Bert  if you would like to participate.

As Episcopalians, we are followers of Jesus Christ, and both our worship and our mission are in Christ's name. In Jesus, we find that the nature of God is love, and through baptism, we share in his victory over sin and death.  

 

 


Sheila Dixon

Steward of the Month March 2016

Sheila Dixon is the Steward of the Month for her amazing efforts to ensure that our annual Mardi Gras celebration was a success.  New Orleans food and Sheila's homemade beignets - yum!  As usual she went above and beyond, not only working tirelessly the whole evening but also enlisting the efforts of others.  Chris Dixon steamed unknown bushels of oysters;  Skeeter Cotton made his famous jambalaya; and Deanna Taulbee helped the children with their craft time.  We are truly appreciative that Sheila takes the time to use her talents for the good of our church.


"Grace is everywhere." 

Georges Bernanos, 
Diary of a Country Priest




 
Finding your talent . . .

There are many lay ministry opportunities at  St. Nicholas. Each person  has unique talents to share.Think about yo ur place to joyfully plug into  St Nicholas.
.     

Altar Guild, Flower Guild, Greeter, Ushers, Teacher,  Special  Event Volunteer, Grounds, Choir, Lay Eucharistic Minister, Lector, Stewardship, Communications. . .

More opportunities are available, but begin to think about it. Tailor your lay ministry to your talent and time.

  Most of all, do remember to worship at St Nicholas.


"Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." Matthew 6:21
 
Lectionary Readings 

If you would like to see the readings for Sunday, 

                        


For those who are ill, recovering or needing special prayers:
 
Members of St Nicholas:


Bob Hamilton
Fr. Bob Dendtler
Cora Coverson
Chris and Liza Price
Ashley and Nate Taylor
Bill Caudill
Garrett Hinnant
Larry Hinnant
Kay Faircloth
Ingrid Cheshire

 
For Members with Unspoken Prayer Request
 
Family members and friends of the Community


Danny Howard
Jeff Crawford
Charlotte Hammond
Ryan Hernandez
Steffie Collins
Eddie Norris
Bill Gordy
Danny Hatchell
Jeri Harris
Ron Hudson
James Daniels
Jack Whitley
Jameson Miers
Julie Raines
Paul Jones
Robin Zion
Dale Haynes
Erin Kavanaugh Kirkley
Marty Oxford
Peggy Singletary
Jenna Smith
Kohler family


For those in Mourning

Bill Caudill's Family on the loss of his Sister

 
    Prayers for all our veterans, those currently 
serving their country  away from home, 
for their safe return and for their families 
who wait for them.
 

"Always do right - this will gratify some and astonish the rest."
 -MarkTwain (1835-1910)
 

   March Birthdays

1      Anne Simpson
3      Marilyn Vida
6      Ansley Butzon
       Shelley Butzon
11    Julie Nordin
       Wesley Brown
12    Sidney Evans
14    Jan Pylant
18    Bill Eidson
19    June Wood
20    Mallon Faircloth
22    Josh McCoy
       Terry Caudill
24    Beth Brown
25    Kay Faircloth
       Rebecca Crowley
27    Dave Halmrast
28    Caroline Queener
31    Peggy Martin
       Tommy Meeks Morris
 

March Anniversaries
18  Kenny & Terri Townsend


reaching_hands.jpg

Parish Committees: Who does what around here?

Christ's body is made up of many members and each member has a special gift and purpose. Likewise, the many ministries of St. Nicholas are organized into several committees, so that everyone has an opportunity to serve and so no one person has to bear a ministry alone. Even Jesus sent his disciples out two-by-two, which is a good model for ministry. The Vestry serves as the group that sees the larger vision of the church and equips and supports the other members of the congregation to fulfill their roles as ministers. There are several other areas of ministry, each with a chair, a Vestry liaison, and members who help make the decisions of the Church.

Worship Committee - Chris Butzon, chair; Bob Hamilton, Vestry liaison: This committee works in direct partnership with the Rector and Music Director in planning our worship and getting people involved in the various worship ministries like acolytes, Altar Guild, Flower Guild, Lay Eucharistic Ministers, and Ushers.

Adult Formation Committee - Bob Hamilton, chair & Vestry liaison: This committee plans all of the offerings to help adult Christians grow in their spiritual lives, including our Adult Formation Classes on Sundays, book clubs, fellowship groups, and more.

Children & Youth Committee - June Wood & Helen Varner, co-chairs; Rebecca Crowley, Vestry liaison: This committee plans all our programs and events for children and youth including SNICK, Trunk or Treat, Vacation Bible School, and more. 

Building & Grounds Committee - Bobo Morgan, chair; Bill Caudill & Steve Morse, Vestry liaisons: This committee maintains the physical needs of the church building and the 8 acres of land that we have, including the Memory Garden.

Communications Committee - Scott Crowley, chair; Sheri Cody, Vestry liaison: This committee focuses on the way we communicate outward to the world and inward amongst ourselves in partnership with Theresa Dorminy, our parish administrator, in developing the website, newsletter, and more.

Hospitality Committee - Tom Cheatham, chair; Martha Dimon, Vestry liaison:This committee ensures that St. Nicholas continues to be a friendly place for newcomers and long-timers alike, as well as integrating newcomers into the life of the parish.

Outreach Committee - Kin Brown & Sue Halmrast, co-chairs & Vestry liaisons: This committee works to bring the needs of the world to St. Nicholas and encourage our gifts to serve our local community through partnerships with BackSnacks, FOCUS, CVEM, and more.

Pastoral Care Committee - Cecelia Rood, chair; Katherine Johnson, Vestry liaison: This committee tends to the pastoral needs of our parish by visiting, writing notes, sending meals, making prayer bears and blankets, and more.

Parish Life Committee - Anne Simpson, chair; Phebe Robertson, Vestry liaison: This committee plans all of our fellowship events and meals of the church including Mardi Gras, the Parish Picnic, and more. The Lobsterfest Committee, chaired by Martha Dimon, is a separate committee that falls under the umbrella of Parish Life and they plan our biggest fundraising event of the year.

Finance Committee - Dave Halmrast, Treasurer and chair; Nick Simpson, Vestry liaison: This committee oversees the financial stewardship of the parish on a day-to-day basis, in partnership with our parish administrator Theresa Dorminy. The Stewardship Committee is a subgroup of this committee, which plans our annual stewardship campaign.

Anyone can participate in these committees, so if something interests you, please contact the chair or Vestry liaison of the committee. If you have a question or idea about anything that falls under one of these committees, please let them know as well!

 
 
In This Issue


Men's Group Dinner

Adult Formation

Lenten Lunches

Pancake Fundraiser

From Fr. Jeff

Holy Week

Vestry Minutes

Bright Way Ministries

Steward of the Month

Lay Ministry Schedule 
 
Lay Ministry Opportunities
 
Lectionary Readings
 
Prayers
 
Birthdays & Anniversaries

Parish Committees
 

 

Links

 

Father Jeff's Travel Blog 

 

CONTACT
  
Deadline for submitting news items is noon Monday.

 Send news and photos to: 
 contact@stnicholashamilton.org 
 
The Spirit of St. Nicholas 
is published weekly by 
St. Nicholas Episcopal Church.

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Than

Thank you, St. Nicholas family, for your active involvement in our parish. 


Please help us keep the church directory as up-to-date as possible.


 

If you have not yet filled out a form, please pick one up in the cloister room and return to the church office. Or you can send your info via email to the Parish Administrator at  contact@stnicholashamilton.org

  1. Please include:your names and the names of your minor children,
  2. address,
  3. email addresses,
  4. phone numbers (cell and home),
  5. birthdays and anniversaries.

If you need a new picture or a new name tag, indicate that as well.  Feel free to use a favorite picture. Just send it in jpeg form to pgrace456@gmail.com.


 



Mobile App Installation Instructions




Church members can view the St. Nicholas Church Directory from their iPhone, iPad, Android or Kindle Fire by downloading the free Instant Church Directory Members App.  

You may search for "Instant Church Directory" in the Apple App Store, Google Play, or Amazon Appstore, or use this link: 

After installation, open the Instant Church Directory icon (it looks like a church).  It will ask for your email address.  If your email address is in our church directory, the program will generate a password for you and email it to you.

 

This worked great for most, but if you have any problems make sure you first check to see that your email address is in the church directory.  

 



Please look for these cards in the narthex or in the pews and place them in the alms basin if you give electronically.

Father Jeff will bless them at each service along with the other offerings.





If you or family members will be in a play, concert, sports or school activity please send the information to the church contact@stnicholashamilton.org to be printed in the newsletter. St Nicholas members can then know what is happening with their church family and perhaps attend some of the functions. Include the event with dates, times and location. This is for children, teens and adults.

 




SUMMER CAMP SCHEDULE 2016
Mini Camp: May 27-29, Rising 1st and 2nd Grader- For camper and parent/guardian
 
Youth Camp: June 5-June 11, Rising 10th-Just Graduated
 
Performing Arts Camp: June 12-June 18, Rising 4th-9th Graders
 
Intermediate Camp: June 19-June 25, Rising 8th and 9th Graders
 
Junior Camp: June 26-July 2, Rising 6th and 7th Graders
 
Kid Camp: July 10-July 16, Rising 3rd-5th Graders
 
Work Camp: July 18-July 23, Rising 10th Graders-Just Graduated
 
Emmaus House: July 25-July 29, Emmaus House Summer Program
 
Guest Camp: September 2- September 5, Children, Adults, and Families of all Ages
(Contact Amanda, 706-886-7515 or amanda@campmikell.com for more information)
 
OUTDOOR CAMPS
 
Outdoor Junior: May 31- June 5, Rising 6th and 7th Graders
 
Outdoor Intermediate: May 31- June 5, Rising 8th and 9th Graders
 
Outdoor Youth: June 12 -June 18, Rising 10th Graders-Just Graduated




Contact Information

To place information in the newsletter email:
contact@stnicholashamilton.org
St. Nicholas Episcopal Church
706-628-7272