February 10, 2021
Nearly five months ago on September 15, we gathered for our first outdoor worship service at Frederica Academy. Since that first gathering Frederica has allowed us to use their campus every single Sunday at no cost to the church. Because of their generosity we have had a place for members of our church family to come together face-to-face (albeit from behind masks!) for things like Children’s and All Saints’ Sundays, Advent, Kirkin, monthly communion services, and so much more. FA has truly gone above and beyond in their hospitality and we cannot say thank you enough! 

But with the construction fence now fully removed from around the church and the renovation of our Sanctuary and Ashantilly Wing on the homestretch, we are ready to move the location of our weekly outdoor worship from Frederica Academy to the shaded lawn on the Ashantilly Dr. side of the church. We will officially make this shift in two weeks on the first Sunday of Lent – Sunday, February 21. Masks will still be required, and we encourage you to continue bringing your own chair although we will have extras available for those who need them. 

Not only will this shift make the setup/teardown of our weekly outdoor worship significantly easier by eliminating the need to transport supplies to/from an off-site location, but it will also allow us to begin getting back into the rhythm of worshipping at the church each Sunday. If the public health situation allows, we will hopefully also be able to safely resume some form of indoor worship by late March. Regardless of if and when an indoor worship option is possible though, please remember that we will continue to offer both online and outdoor worship services for the foreseeable future as well so that everyone in the congregation is able to gather in whatever way they are most comfortable.

Finally, as we prepare to make this move from FA back to the church campus, we are actively looking for a way for the entire congregation to say “thank you” to Frederica Academy for their gracious hospitality to SSPC these past months. Please stay tuned for more information in the coming days. And don’t forget that next Wednesday is Ash Wednesday, which marks the beginning of the Season of Lent. We will have a number of opportunities for worship and reflection on Ash Wednesday this year including drive through ashes, our annual Lent Event, and a brief outdoor evening worship service. Details below. 

Enjoy your newsletter. Stay healthy. And see you soon!

Peace,
Rev. Alan Dyer
Pastor
Ash Wednesday
Upcoming Events
Sunday Worship
February 7, 2021
Musical Notes
The first concert of the Island Concert Association had rave reviews from all over the world! People from Portugal, Spain, Central America, and Canada among others posted their gratitude about such a wonderful concert. I’d say that’s pretty good outreach. In the first video, I express my own gratitude that St. Simons Presbyterian supports and houses these concerts. The new space and restored instruments will greatly enhance the music that the performers bring to us. Thank you to all that have donated and supported this online February Festival series.  By the time you receive this newsletter, we will have presented a trumpet duo.  The third concert on February 16th is harp and flute.  Enjoy!   
 
This coming Sunday marks the last Sunday before Lent begins which means that this is Transfiguration of the Lord Sunday.  We will sing hymn 620 Praise the Lord, the King of Heaven as a congregation. For the Anthem, the Chancel Choir Ensemble will sing a favorite – I Believe by Mark A. Miller.  
 
“I believe in the sun, even when it is not shining. 
I believe in love, even when I do not feel it. 
I believe in God, even when God is silent.” 
 
This defiant statement of faith was scrawled on a cellar wall in Cologne by a Jew hiding from the Nazi Gestapo during WWII. American soldiers discovered it below a Star of David when searching the bombed house.  
 
The organ is coming along!  The work that they did last week (4 days) is usually done in about three weeks. Because they were able to rehearse putting it together at the shop and had lots of online meetings and planning, this was possible. That saves time and expense for us.  This week, there will only be a few workers as they install all of the electrical components that make it possible for each note to sound. Marc Conley is the superintendent and will be on site to answer any questions. I hope to have a report on the specifications (stops and sizes of pipes) of the organ this week, as well. For the overall specs, there are 38 ranks and the organ itself is 1/3 larger than the previous organ.  I look forward to how it will encourage and lead congregational singing when that time comes.   
 
Love & Gratitude,  
Rhonda  
Island Concert Assoc.
The Week Ahead
Sunday, February 14
8:30 am Live Stream Worship - Online
9:00 am Combined Sunday School - Zoom
9:00 am Britt Class - Online
10:30 am Outdoor Worship - Frederica Academy
6:30 pm Youth Gathering - Location Varies

Monday, February 15
10:00 am Chancel Ensemble - Location Varies
5:30 pm Diaconate Meeting - Zoom

Tuesday, February 16
9:30 am Staff Meeting - Zoom
2:00 pm Ladies Bible Study - Veranda
4:30 pm Session Meeting - Zoom
7:00 pm Island Concert - Online

Wednesday, February 17
8-1pm Drive Thru Ashes - Front Drive at SSPRES
1:30 pm Hands and Heart Quilting Ministry - Youth Suite
5:00 pm Ash Wednesday Lent Event - Veranda
6:00 pm Ash Wednesday Worship - Delegal Lawn
7:00 pm Chancel Ringers - Social Hall

Thursday, February 18
No activities Scheduled for This Day

Friday, February 19
No activities Scheduled for This Day
Joys and Concerns
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Meal Delivery
One way to offer our Christian love and care is by providing a warm meal to our family and friends in Christ during their time of need.

Members of our congregation who could use a meal this week include: Dick & Betty Egeland.

If you or someone you know could use some help with meals, don't hesitate to reach out! We're here for you. Contact Molly Macaulay for assistance: mmmpr@bellsouth.net 
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[912-638-2220]  [ada@sspres.org]  [sspres.org]