Purpose To be a Community where all persons will encounter the power and love of the Living God, through His Son, Jesus Christ. Vision All Saints Episcopal Church is called by the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit to... · Worship Jesus Christ · Learn and Teach His Word · Minister in His Name · Proclaim Him and Share the Blessing of His Love · Welcome All in His Name |
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The All Saints Messenger
November 23, 2017
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Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,
Today is Thanksgiving Day, a day of Turkey, family & friends, football and ... oh, right giving thanks for all the blessings we have: family, friends, food, shelter, security, A Loving God and a crucified Lord! So much to be thankful for.
As we gather this day with those we love and maybe those whom we don't know enough to love as family we remember to love them because they are a part of God's family. We can find this love in surprising places, by surprising people, in surprising ways.
Today's Forward Day by Day illustrates this, "We were sleeping on benches in a French train station. Our train didn't leave for another four hours, so I was guarding our backpacks while my companions dozed.
A man wearing shabby, ill-fitting clothes sat by me. Weeks of grime discolored his coat, and his hands were visibly dirty. As he approached, a smell reminiscent of a dumpster preceded him. Being a young and inexperienced traveler, my alert rose to bright red alarm.
We sat in silence for a while, exchanging enough words to discover that we shared no common language. After what seemed like hours, my seatmate reached into his coat pocket and drew out a small, oily bag. He gently held out the bag to me. I nodded my thanks, took one of the three dates, and ate it. He sat a while longer and left.
That night, I shared a bench with a rich man, not because of the little money in his pocket but because of the grace that lived in his heart. Generous people always have enough to share with others, not because of how much they have, but because of how much they are willing to give."
May it be so for all of us! Happy Thanksgiving!
See ya Sunday!
Blessings,
Fr. Gary+
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Last Friday Get Together for November
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ANNOUNCEMENTS
* Pledge Card Ingathering
: Hopefully you have received the All Saints Annual Giving Campaign brochure. We hope you enjoy participating in our journey with The Rev. Henri Nouwen as we use everything entrusted to us to transform the world around us and ourselves. We hope you feel called to participate in the opportunity to invest what you have in the work of God. Our ingathering of Pledge Cards will be on the First
Sunday
of Advent, which is December 3rd. You may send them in ahead of this date or on December 3rd. All pledges will be blessed and offered to the service of God on December 3rd. If you have any questions or concerns please see Fr. Gary or one of the committee members.
* December Youth Get Together:
Sunday, December 3, 4-5:30
Advent fun!
Come for crafts, snacks and talk about Advent! Guaranteed fun! Any questions, call Chris at 704-396-6053.
* Statements
: Third quarter statements are available after both services on Sunday.
* Advent Bible Study: We are doing something different this advent! Our bible study will be based on the first part of Handel's Messiah, the Christmas Messiah. Not only will we look at the biblical texts which make up its lyrics, we will also listen to the wonderful music and discover the story of how it was written and initially performed.
When: 4
Saturday mornings from
9-11:30 AM (11/25, 12/2, 12/9, and 12/16).
Where: All Saints Family Life Center Conference Room
Bring: your Bible and yourself
Sign up sheet on bulletin Board so we know how many to plan for
Snacks provided
We hope to see you there!
* Hanging of the Greens: Please join members of the Altar Guild in making wreaths and hanging of the greens on Saturday, Dec. 16th. We'll meet at 9am in the Family Life Center. Bring garden gloves and hand shears. All are welcome and we need lots of help. If you have any questions, please see Allison Wells or Gay Lindsey.
* Christmas Pageant: All children who would like to be in the Christmas pageant are welcome. Practice will be on Sunday, December 17th after the 10:30 service. Questions contact Eileen Klimkowski (803-619-4053) or Judy Mullins (704-718-1522).
* The Pacesetters will gather in the Family Life Center on Tuesday December 12th at 10:30am for our Christmas Party. Ham will be provided but sides, rolls, desserts are needed. Please let Jerry Wertz (
[email protected]) know if you plan to attend and what you will provide. Guests are welcome.
* A Blue Liturgy
: For many of our brothers and sisters, this time of year brings back memories of past pain, sorrow, and loss. It highlights and heightens new experiences of suffering. For our sisters and brothers who are struggling, this time of year is no holiday at all. It is often filled with difficult times, humps to get over, gatherings to endure, varieties of pressures and a flood of memories that darken and dampen their days. All Saints Episcopal will offer a "Blue Service" allowing for some time to recognize that this season is not a joy for everyone. When others are going "merrily along" there are many of us who would rather have the season just go away. In this service, we will be given a chance to sing and to pray. We will be invited to offer up the pain, the loneliness, the sad and dark memories, and the anxiety and fear to the one whose birth we eagerly await...Jesus Christ. We pray that you will find hope and peace in this service and comfort in knowing that you are not alone. Please join us and bring any friend or acquaintance who may be struggling this season on Wednesday, December 20
th
@ 7 PM.
*
Server, Acolyte & Eucharistic Visitor (EV) Training
: Servers, Acolytes and EVs have a unique and important history in our tradition. Each fills a unique calling in worship that goes back thousands of years. It has been a while since we have had dedicated training for these ministries. We know that in worship everyone wants to do things correct and uniformly. Thus, we will have two training sessions on the weekend of January 27-28
th
,
2018: Saturday morning at
9 AM
and Sunday immediately following the
10:30
service. Please mark your calendars now for this important training. We thank each of you who serve for your time and dedication. We also invite anyone who desires to serve or has questions to join us on this training weekend.
* Bible Study:
The
Wednesday Bible Study Group is reading the book, Zealot, The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth by Reza Aslan. If you are interested and need to order a copy of the book, contact Jerry Wertz 704-577-9699 or [email protected]. The group meets at 10 AM in the Family Life Center. We don't rush through a book and have excellent discussions during the meeting. Afterwards, we usually go to lunch together. We hope to see a lot of you there on Wednesday.
* Parish Lunch
: Thanks to all who helped with the 3rd Sunday luncheon, especially Helene Goulet who cooked with Linda Boyd helping. We made $58.05 for Outreach from the November luncheon. (This is after expenses were removed.) The 3rd
Sunday luncheon now has a committee to prepare and cook. We can always use more help. The proceeds from the luncheon goes to Outreach. If this is something you would like to help with, please contact Jerry Wertz at
[email protected].
* Needed: Monetary donations for lettuce and carrots for the Salvation Army salads on Mondays. Each week, we use up one large bag of sliced carrots and 6 heads of lettuce. Cost is about $20 a week. Donations are needed to offset this cost. Anyone willing to donate cash or a gift card to the project, please see Linda Klocker, 704-827-3901. Checks should be made out to All Saints, garden fund. Thanks for your generosity. The clients at the Salvation Army really enjoy a fresh salad.
UPDATE: Our salad fund is in the black at $91.20. Thanks to the many people who continue to regularly contribute. It is much appreciated.
* Garden re-cycling of leaves and grass clippings: If you bag your leaves or grass clippings, we would like to have them for organic mulch for the garden. If you can haul them to the garden area, please do. If you have bagged leaves or grass and cannot haul them, call Charlie Jenkins at 704-739-5332 or email: [email protected]
* Zumba: Now being offered 3 days a week in the Family Life Center! $5/class
- Tuesday & Thursday at 7:15PM: Please join Dana Wolfe for a fun workout made for everyone. The class that started the dance-fitness revolution and changed the way we look at a "workout" forever. It's fun, effective and best of all? Made for everyone!
- Friday at 9AM: Taught by certified instructor Barbara Mooradian who has been teaching for 6 years. Especially suited to older adults or those with mobility issues or restrictions, Zumba Gold has all of the liveliness and fun of Zumba while being low impact and easier on the body. It can even be done while sitting!
* Adult Christian Formation: The 9:30 formation class will be learning about Islam. Our guide on this journey is professor John Esposito of Georgetown University. Please join us in The Life Center for this tour into one of the Great World Religions.
* Family Promise: Family Promise is a community program that provides housing and support to families that are less fortunate. All Saints is one of the original churches that helped establish this ministry more than ten years ago. We host families in this ministry four times a year at our parish facilities with assistance from the Redeemer Lutheran Church here in Gastonia. There are many ways to support this ministry. During hosting weeks we need parishioners to greet and engage guests, to provide homework and enrichment activities for the children, to prepare and serve dinner, and to spend the night. The other way that parishioners can assist these families is to donate items that our guests need. Suggested items to donate are clothes, detergent, toothbrushes and toothpaste, small first aid kits, hair products, soap and/or body wash, suitcases (both used or new), 10, 20, and 30 gallon storage tubs w/ lids, towels and washcloths (both used or new), bed linens (both used or new), family friendly movies or videos, board games, & craft supplies. For more information, or to volunteer please contact Marc Dudley at 704-718-4044 or
* First Sunday of the month Coffee Hour: We need someone to set up and clean up only
for Coffee Hour on Parish Breakfast Sunday. You do not have to provide any food, just set out the food left from breakfast. Please sign up for this on the Coffee Hour sign-up sheet.
* Cooking for the Army: Our next day to cook will be Friday, December 8th. Parishioners will gather at 5PM to cook approximately 700 meals for The Salvation Army & Cornerstone Ministry. We are always in need of more hands to assist in this life-giving project since "more hands make light work." If you are interested in this ministry, please contact the church office and we will put your name on the monthly e-mail reminder.
* Youth Christian Formation: Christian Formation for our young people begins at 9:30 sharp. Our new program is an Episcopal curriculum. We have 11 dedicated teachers and three dedicated musicians who will be guiding our young people. Please bring your children and let them experience God and Jesus with others.
* Towel Ministry Coordinator
: All Saints Towel Ministry funds and builds handicap ramps and does other small building projects for those in Gaston County who have a need. If you are a good organizer and understand basic building techniques All Saints could use your services as our new Towel Ministry Coordinator. You are not expected to do all the work, just take requests, assemble the teams and help out the citizens in our community who need help. If interested please speak to Fr. Gary.
* Choir Rehearsal: Sunday mornings at 9:25 am.
* Food Pantry: Please help us restock the shelves by bringing in the following items:
canned meats only (chicken, ham, vienna sausages, spam, salmon, etc.). Through your generosity, we have been able to help many families and individuals.
* Preaching ROTA (rotation) at All Saints: We are blessed at All Saints to hear three different voices in preaching. Each one of our clergy; Gary, Cris and Martha, have experienced the world and see the world differently and through different lenses. Because our community is made up of different people from different experiences we need to hear different voices. At All Saints, Deacon Cris preaches on the 3rd
Sunday of each month, Deacon Martha preaches on the 1st
Sunday of alternate months (next time is in September) and Fr. Gary preaches the other Sundays. We hope you find the different voices fulfilling in your spiritual journey.
* Parish Nurse Ministry will be taking blood pressures after the 8:00 and 10:30 services on the second Sunday of the month. Nurses interested in the parish nurse ministry please contact Cheryl Saylor, MSN.
* Cookbooks: $10 If you don't need a cookbook, but would like to help our Outreach committee reach their budget goal, consider buying a cookbook to donate to our newcomers committee. Any donated cookbooks will be included in the welcome bag we hand out to newcomers.
* Sign Up Sheets for coffee hour, altar guild and altar flowers are on the bulletin board in the Family Life Center. Coffee Hour hosting can be as simple as drinks and cookies. Coffee hour is provided to have fellowship with our parish family. Please sign up or call the church office to add your name to the list (704-864-7201).
* Salvation Army Service Schedule: Monday, November 27th - Team #6. (Jerry Wertz & Deloris Stewart)
* Church Financials: The Vestry wants to make sure that all parishioners are aware that the monthly financial reports are posted on the bulletin boards in The Family Life Center. If you have any concerns or questions please contact Phill Wertz or Fr. Gary. Thank You!
* Why Do You Love All Saints? Who here loves All Saints? Do you want to tell the world why you love being a part of the All Saints family? Please help us spread the word about our congregation by telling your All Saints Story. All Saints Stories will be published on our website: AllSaintsGastonia.org as well as our facebook and twitter pages. To submit your story, go to AllSaintsGastonia.org and click "All Saints Stories" under the Parish Life tab. If you can, please submit a photo with your story.
* Prayer List: Our prayer list grows rapidly. We ask all parishioners to keep the office informed so that our prayer list remains current and manageable.
* Partnership: All Saints has entered into a relationship with the YMCA's Resource Connection Gateway. This relationship enables us to help those in need more rapidly and efficiently while also addressing long-term needs versus only addressing immediate concerns. If you would like more information please see Fr. Gary.
* Salvation Army Serving: If anyone is interested in serving at the Salvation Army on Mon. nights from 5:00 to 6:00, please contact Candy Albergine at 704-868-8691 or email [email protected]. We have a couple of spots open and you will find this ministry is a true blessing to all involved. The schedule is on bulletin board in Family Life Center.
* All Saints Sermons online: Thanks to John Woodward, our sermons are available in audio and video on our website at: www.allsaintsgastonia.org/sermons
* Free Mulch: There are several piles of mulch in the upper parking lot that you are welcome to take. We need to free up some parking spaces in that upper lot. Please do not take the mulch by the shed as that is intended for the garden.
* Building Use Policy: Our buildings are being used more and more and scheduling conflicts are occurring. Effective immediately, all rooms/buildings will be scheduled by the Parish Administrator by the submission of a form which is available at the office and will soon be available on the web site. We appreciate your understanding realizing that this will improve our ability to serve our parishioners and ministries.
* Planned Giving: Programs for Outreach Ministries are an important part of our parish. You can ensure the continuation of these programs by setting up an endowment or including a bequest in your will. The Episcopal Foundation of Western Carolina has set up "The Living Stones Society" to provide Education and training to all clergy and parishioners about setting up a program. For more information see Fr. Gary or call the foundation at 828-225-6656.
* Ministry Opportunities: There are a variety of Ministries available at All Saints including feeding at The Salvation Army, tending the Garden, Family Promise where we take care of those without a home for a week at a time, Altar Guild, Readers, Lectors, Acolytes, Chalicers, and many more. Everyone at All Saints is encouraged to serve in some way. Please let us know what you are interested in and we will put you in touch with the ministry coordinator. You can call the office (704-864-7201), email ([email protected]) or speak to Fr. Gary.
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| Upcoming Schedule November 25th: Advent Bible Study December 3rd: Pledge Card Ingathering December 3rd: Youth Get Together December 8th: Cooking for the Army December 12th: Pacesetters December 16th: Hanging of the Greens December 20th: Blue Liturgy January 7th: Family Promise January 27 & 28th: Server, Acolyte & EV Training |
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This Sunday's Scripture Readings
The Collect
Almighty and everlasting God, whose will it is to restore all things in your well-beloved Son, the King of kings and Lord of lords: Mercifully grant that the peoples of the earth, divided and enslaved by sin, may be freed and brought together under his most gracious rule; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
The First Lesson: Ezekiel 24:11-16, 20-24
Thus says the Lord
God: I myself will search for my sheep, and will seek them out. As shepherds seek out their flocks when they are among their scattered sheep, so I will seek out my sheep. I will rescue them from all the places to which they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness. I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries, and will bring them into their own land; and I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, by the watercourses, and in all the inhabited parts of the land. I will feed them with good pasture, and the mountain heights of Israel shall be their pasture; there they shall lie down in good grazing land, and they shall feed on rich pasture on the mountains of Israel. I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I will make them lie down, says the Lord
God. I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak, but the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them with justice.
Therefore, thus says the Lord
God to them: I myself will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep. Because you pushed with flank and shoulder, and butted at all the weak animals with your horns until you scattered them far and wide, I will save my flock, and they shall no longer be ravaged; and I will judge between sheep and sheep.
I will set up over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he shall feed them: he shall feed them and be their shepherd. And I, the
Lord, will be their God, and my servant David shall be prince among them; I, the
Lord, have spoken.
1
Be joyful in the
Lord, all you lands; *
serve the
Lord with gladness
and come before his presence with a song.
2 Know this: The
Lord himself is God; *
he himself has made us, and we are his;
we are his people and the sheep of his pasture.
3 Enter his gates with thanksgiving;
go into his courts with praise; *
give thanks to him and call upon his Name.
The Epistle: Ephesians 1:15-23
I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, and for this reason I do not cease to give thanks for you as I remember you in my prayers. I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know him, so that, with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance among the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power for us who believe, according to the working of his great power. God put this power to work in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the age to come. And he has put all things under his feet and has made him the head over all things for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.
The Gospel: Matthew 25:31-46
Jesus said, "When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and he will put the sheep at his right hand and the goats at the left. Then the king will say to those at his right hand, 'Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.' Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?' And the king will answer them, 'Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.' Then he will say to those at his left hand, 'You that are accursed, depart from me into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not give me clothing, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.' Then they also will answer, 'Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not take care of you?' Then he will answer them, 'Truly I tell you, just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.' And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."
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Saint Day / Feast of the Week
Thanksgiving Day
Agricultural festivals are of great antiquity, and common to many
religions. Among the Jews, the three pilgrimage feasts, Passover,
Pentecost, and Tabernacles, each had agricultural significance.
Medieval Christianity also developed a number of such observances,
none of which, however, were incorporated into the Prayer Book.
Our own Thanksgiving Day finds its roots in observances begun by
colonists in Massachusetts and Virginia, a tradition later taken up and
extended to the whole of the new American nation by action of the
Continental Congress.
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November 23rd - Hayden Kish
November 23rd - Linda Boyd
November 26th - Mary Neil
November 28th - Candy Albergine
November 28th - Dennis Bolin
November 29th - Alex Haymaker
December 1st - Henry Baird
December 9th - Laurie Stewart
December 10th - Tony Fugate
December 13th - Glenda Carpenter
December 15th - Emily Solis
December 18th - Diane King
December 19th - Judy Cheek
December 21st - Linda Klocker
December 23rd - Christine Borner
December 25th - Barbara Mooradian
December 26th - Noelle Martin
December 30th - Helene Goulet
Please let the office know if we have missed your birthday!
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MINISTRY SCHEDULE
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2017
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November 26
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December 3
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CHALICE/LECTOR
8:00 AM
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Dennis Bolin
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Susan Maxon
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CHALICE
10:30 AM
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Terry Eckard
Jack Gaskey
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Lee Wells
Bob Forbes
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LECTOR
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Bob Forbes
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Marc Dudley
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ACOLYTES
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Lee Wells
Randy Mullins
Lydia Kish
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Phill Wertz
Autumn Jager
McNeal Miller
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GREETER/USHER
8:00 AM
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Jerry Wertz
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Tony Fugate
Bruce Kiser
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GREETERS/USHERS
10:30 AM
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John & Jessica Woodward
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Gay Lindsey
Pete laine
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ALTAR GUILD
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Cathy Webster
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Marc Dudley
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BREAD
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December
Allison Wells
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ALTAR FLOWERS
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Advent Greens
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COFFEE HOUR
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Parish Breakfast
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MORNINGSIDE
10:30 AM
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Jim McCarthy
Morningside Resident
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C.B. Barr
Morningside Resident
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SOUND TECH
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William Graham
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John Woodward
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EUCHARISTIC
VISITORS
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George Sowersby
Susan Stroud
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Jim & Flo
McCarthy
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YOUTH
FORMATION
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Allison Wells
Eileen Klimkowski
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Chris Butterworth
Judy Mullins
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VPOD 8:00
10:30
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Linda Klocker
John Still
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Linda Klocker
Marsha Ellison
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Blessings & Peace,
Fr. Gary+
phone: 704-864-7201
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