The Calendar

Saturday, February 14

• 4:00 pm - Worship E-mail Sent

Sunday, February 15 - The Last Sunday after the Epiphany

• 8:15 am - Holy Eucharist Rite I
• 9:30 am - Formation for All
• 9:45 am - Adult Choir Rehearsal
• 10:30 am - Holy Eucharist Rite II - also live-streamed
• 11:45 am - Club 45
• 11:45 am - Social Lights - Olive Garden, Turkey Creek
• 3:00 pm - Fiber Friends

Tuesday, February 17

• 10:00 am - Holy Eucharist and Healing Service
• 11:00 am - Book and Bible Study
• 5:45 pm - Shrove Tuesday Mardi Gras Dinner

Wednesday, February 18

• 7:00 am - Ash Wednesday Service
• 9:30 am - Staff Meeting
• 12:00 pm - Ash Wednesday Service
• 7:00 pm - Ash Wednesday Service

SMSW MEETING

The next Sunday Morning Sacrament in the Wild meeting will be February 15th. The details are as follows:

TRAIL: Old Sugarlands Trail

PARKING: Sugarlands Visitors’ Center (Yes, you need to buy a parking pass either online or there at the park.)

TIME: 8:45 am (Meet at the Visitors’ Center)

RAIN PLAN: Mynatt Park Pavilion on Airport Road in Gatlinburg (we will decide in the SVC Parking lot whether to go to the Rain Plan. Current forecasts are showing 80-90% chance of rain.) This is a location change due to the weather.

Unless the forecast improves, we will likely cancel the event.

SHROVE TUESDAY CELEBRATION

The Shrove Tuesday dinner will be held on Tuesday, February 18th at 6:15 (fellowship starts at 5:45). Tickets are $12 per person and $30 for a family, with all proceeds going to support the Good Sam Youth Mission Trip. The Mardi Gras menu, created by the incomparable Karen Sproles, will be as follows:

Appetizers:

-Muffuletta Dip with toasted French Bread Rounds

-Creole Sausage Balls with Dipping Sauce

Dinner:

-Chicken Sausage Gumbo

-Vegetarian Red Beans and Rice

-Creole Chopped Salad

Dessert:

-King Cake

-Bread Pudding with Whiskey Sauce

Kids' Menu:

-Chicken Tenders

-Chips and other snack foods

We are asking parishioners to donate beer, wine, and prosecco to be sold for $5.00 a drink in order to make the most money possible for the Youth Mission Trip. Treat bags will be provided for the children!

Also, if you are able, please help with clean-up following the party. There will be a sign-up in Henslee Hall for clean-up volunteers, or please feel free to just stay and help to make the clean up more efficient!

Please join us for this fun night of celebrating the start of Lent!

YOUTH MISSION TRIP ONLINE SILENT AUCTION - DONATIONS NEEDED

It is time for the Youth Mission Trip Online Silent Auction! It will take place Feb. 17-22 on Facebook, and to prepare, we need donations!

This year, we will not have a cash and carry table and will focus on items that will go for higher bids. Please consider donating new or like-new home decor, art, dishware, books, handmade items or vouchers for customized handmade items, nice clothing, jewelry, kids toys in nearly new condition, gift baskets or gift cards, new candles, or services (lawn mowing, house/pet/babysitting, consulting services for something like nutrition, fiber crafts, organization, etc). Please deliver donations to the youth suite with a note of who donated and the value of the item.

Funds raised will help our youth as they serve, learn and grow on the annual mission trip, and the 2026 location will be announced 

February 1st!

The Silent Online Auction will run from Tuesday, Feb. 17th to Sunday, Feb. 22nd on Facebook. The link will be the same as last year, but the group will just be renamed. More information about accessing the auction will be provided. If you have questions, please contact Sinead Love.

Thank you for your help!

YOUTH CONFIRMATION CLASS

Youth in grades 8-12:

Confirmation Class is coming! If you are not confirmed yet (or just want to retake the class and explore your faith further), we will be hosting some classes this spring. Link below to indicate your interest. Youth are NOT required to be confirmed if they take the class; the choice will be made by them, later this spring. 

Our tentative meetings are Feb 22 (instructed Eucharist with Father Cal and Adult confirmation class), March 1st and 29th, and April 12th. If you are intending to join us, or still considering it, please let Sinead know if the dates work.They aren't fully set in stone, so now is the time to share! 

ADULT CONFIRMATION CLASS

9:30 - Henslee Hall

The Adult Confirmation - or Inquirer's Class - began Sunday, January 11 during the Sunday School hour at 9:30 am. The sacrament of Confirmation is the adult confirmation, or acceptance, of our baptismal vows that were made on our behalf if we were baptized as an infant or a child. It is also the class or method by which adults, baptized or confirmed in another denomination or tradition, join the Episcopal Church. We also highly recommend those life-long Episcopalians who were confirmed when they were 12 or 13 to attend and learn all the stuff they didn't learn the first time! This class is still open for people to join! For more information, please contact Father Cal.

NEW ADULT FORMATION CLASS

Feb. 22, Mar. 1, Mar. 15

9:30 - Henslee Hall

Good Sam is known as an open and affirming church, but what does that mean in practice? Why should churches engage in conversation about gender and sexuality? Join us for a three week Formation study of "In the Image of God," led by program creator Kristy Starks-Winn, that will help us to understand gender and sexuality through a lens of faith, compassion, and inclusion. We will explore such topics as why using correct names and pronouns matters, the lasting effects of religious trauma for the LGBTQ+ community, and much more. This is sure to be a riveting and important study.

ALTAR FLOWERS AND AUMBRY CANDLE DEDICATIONS

Have you noticed the beautiful altar flowers present during most of our church services? 

Not only do they enhance the beauty of the sanctuary, but they are also a reminder of God as creator, and that creation is characterized by beauty. They are often given by parishioners in honor or memory of someone special, which is noted on the announcement sheet each week. 

We have some talented folks on our Flower Guild, but they depend on your dedications and donations to purchase the flowers they arrange each week. Please check out the ALTAR FLOWER & AUMBRY CANDLE signup book in Henslee Hall and pick a Sunday to give the altar flowers in thanksgiving for or in memory of someone special or to commemorate a special event.

Likewise, you may also give the Aumbry Candle in thanksgiving for or in memory of a loved one on the same weekly signup sheet. The candle burns above the Aumbry (which is a built in cupboard in the wall) when it is holding consecrated bread and wine, symbolizing the presence of Christ.

You may pay through the online giving portal (instructions below).  Cost: $45 for one vase; $90 for two vases. The Aumbry Candle is $10. Alternatively, you can mail a check to the church (made out to Good Samaritan) or put a check in the plate on Sunday. Please put "Altar Flowers" and the date in the memo line. Then you will need to fill out the form in Henslee Hall that indicates date and dedication. Thank you!

Instructions for paying through online giving portal:

1. Sign in to Servant Keeper.
2. Under “Your Gift”, click on the arrow and scroll down to Aumbry Candle OR Altar Flowers.  In-put the amount of your donation and click on Continue.
3. On this page, you should see your donation, and it should say One Time Donation. You will have the opportunity to click a box to pay the processing fee, but this is optional.
4. You should see a line that says Gift Note. Toggle that button to red and then include the date and the dedication that you would like to show up in the bulletin. Ex: For February 1, 2026. In memory of / In celebration of / In honor of ______________.
5. Click on Give Donation Now.

COMING SOON . . .

• February 20 - 21: East Tennessee Diocesan Convention

• February 22 - March 1: Family Promise

• March 4, March 11, March 18: Lenten Soup / Salad / Compline

• March 25 - Chili Cook-Off

GRACE MOMENT AT GOOD SAM

Cash in the Plate

Shangri-La Therapeutic Academy of Riding (STAR) mission is to provide personal achievement by providing therapeutic experiences using horse related activities for persons with disabilities or other special challenges. Since 1987, STAR has been positively impacting individuals in the Knoxville area. The organization relies on community support to offer a wide range of programs for people with autism, Down syndrome, Veterans with post-traumatic stress, troubled youth, Alzheimer’s disease, and many other challenges.

You can make an online gift to the cash in the plate on the Good Sam online giving page. There is an option on the giving page to give to the "Cash in Plate". As always, you may also send a check to Good Samaritan. Please put "STAR" in the memo line.