St. Bede's E-News

We hope that this weekly offering will keep you up-to-date

on the latest information from the parish

and from around the Diocese of Atlanta and wider Church. 

Our e-newsletters are now being archived on our website.

You can go to www.stbedes.org  

and look under the "Connect With Us" tab

at the top of the home page to find past newsletters.

The deadline each week for submission to the E-News is

Wednesday at 10 am.

Please send your submissions ready to go into the newsletter,

text and images attached in an email to the Parish Administrator.

Laura's email address is lpittman@stbedes.org

It's Time to

Spring Forward!

Daylight Saving Time begins this

Sunday, March 10, at 2 am.

Don't forget that extra cup of coffee!

Sunday, March 10, 2024

The Fourth Sunday in Lent

Worship in English at 10 am

Worship in Spanish at 2:30 pm

We will also be streaming our worship live

on

St. Bede's YouTube Channel

If you would like to preview the scripture lessons and hymns for the upcoming Sunday, you can find Sunday's bulletin uploaded to the church website each week on Thursday afternoon. From the home page of the website, scroll down to the colorful "Worship" icon, and click on that. Then scroll to the bottom of the "Worship" page and you will see where the bulletin for Sunday has been posted under "Downloads".

This week we continue our

Lenten Adult Formation Series

Letting Go

with Bishop Wright

Bishop Wright will offer a short video meditation

on the theme of "Letting go..."

and then a team of St. Bede's folks

will facilitate a conversation on the theme.

This week,

Molly Graves and Miriam Needham

will lead a conversation on

"Letting Go of Condemnation"

This class will meet in Room M-110 at 11:30 am.

Children's Faith Formation

offered during 10 am Worship

Instead of Sunday School being either before or after worship, children will be invited to gather together during the time of the Sermon and the Prayers of the People for a special story or activity that is tailored just for them. Children will come to worship with their families and will be invited to process out for this special time during the signing of a hymn. They will then return at the Passing of the Peace to join their families and the congregation for Communion.

All 3 year olds through 5th graders are welcome to join us. Older children are welcome as helpers and younger children may join with a parent, grandparent, or other caregiver. 

Please know that children are always welcomed to remain with their families for the full worship service if that is their preference.

Sunday, March 10th - Join us for church at either 10:00 or 2:30. From 11:30 - 1:30 we'll make Bede's Bags, break bread together (aka, have lunch) and then continue our conversation of the Episcopal Church's 7 sacraments otherwise known as the outward and visible signs of inward and spiritual grace. 

Sunday, March 17th - Join us for church at either 10:00 or 2:30. From 11:30 - 1:30 we'll break bread together (aka, have lunch) and then continue our conversation of the Episcopal Church's 7 sacraments otherwise known as the outward and visible signs of inward and spiritual grace. (we might even slide in some St Patrick's stories).



Beth and Judah



Photos from Youth Bowling Trip

on Sunday, March 3, 2024

Holy Week & Easter Schedule

The Sunday of the Passion: Palm Sunday, March 24

(begins outdoors with the Liturgy of the Palms)

10 am - Holy Eucharist

2:30 pm - Santa Eucaristía

Maundy Thursday, March 28

7 pm - The Liturgy of Maundy Thursday

with Communion & Foot-Washing

Bilingual in the Nave

Good Friday, March 29

Noon - The Liturgy of Good Friday, 

English in the Nave

 7 pm - Stations of the Cross -

Bilingual, Outdoors

Holy Saturday, March 30

(begins outdoors)

8 pm - The Great Vigil of Easter

with

the First Eucharist of Easter

Easter Day, March 31

10 am - Festal Holy Eucharist

11 am - Noon - Festive Easter Reception, Commons

2:30 pm - Santa Eucaristía

Easter Flowers and Music

Dedications

If you would like to give a gift

in honor or in memory of someone

for the Easter flowers and music,

special giving envelopes are in a basket

on the table in the Commons.

Please fill out the front of the envelope

and place in the offering basin on Sunday morning,

or send to the parish office

no later than Monday, March 25

in order to be listed in the Easter bulletins.

You can also email Laura

(lpittman@stbedes.org)

in the parish office

with information about your Easter dedication.

Please be sure to include the dedication

as you would like it acknowledged in the bulletin

and indicate whether you are giving

in memory or in thanksgiving.

You can make your contribution either by check

or give online through Realm.

Renewing our Grounds

by Kim Padgett, Junior Warden



We’re fortunate to have such beautiful and abundant grounds here at St. Bede’s! What a gift for our community that our green space is just the place for us to quietly be with nature, play or reflect, walk our dogs and play with our kids, read, pray, throw rocks in the creek; exercise, and a place to worship.

The Vestry recently decided to move forward with working with a landscape planner to develop a plan for the area along the Midvale Road entrance driveway and extending through the building entrance area down to the edge of the upper parking lot near the car bridge. Before the implementation of that plan, we will also work with the landscaper to engage in a “grounds reset” of our property that will include cleaning up our existing grounds by removing ivy and bracken from trees and bushes, trimming, edging, mulching, and otherwise cleaning up our property around the building to achieve a fresh clean look.

We’re at work to identify funding for this project, and want to open up to the parish an opportunity to give toward beautifying our landscape. Both parts of the project – the landscape plan and the “grounds reset” work will cost around $4,500. If you are excited about the idea of revealing the deeper beauty of God's creation on the grounds of St. Bede's, please consider making a gift to support this effort to enhance our grounds and provide a welcoming space for all who come to St. Bede’s. Click on the link below and select "Grounds Renewal & Planning" from the fund list.

“… [in] the natural world, what is - I experience the most extraordinary grounding, connection, healing, and even revelation. One little hopping bird can do me in!”  

— Richard Rohr

Thank you to all who have returned

their 2024 "Offer to God" pledge cards!

As of February 29, we have received

81 pledges totaling $452,000.

Thank You!

If you have not already,

we hope that you will prayerfully discern

your response to God's gifts in your life

and make your pledge of financial support

to all that God is doing

in and through St. Bede's.

If you need a pledge packet,

please contact the parish office at:

info@stbedes.org

Liturgical Ministry Invitation

from Raz Schreiber

Have you ever wanted to read scripture in worship?

Or help in serving communion?

Or lead the Prayers of the People?

Or serve as a crucifer or acolyte in worship?

If any of those opportunities interests you, we'd love to welcome you to join one of the liturgical teams that supports worship at St. Bede's!

When we faced the realities of COVID, the way we worshiped changed. We had to change how we served as Lectors, Intercessors, and Eucharistic Ministers. While these changes may have been necessary at the time, they need not be necessary now.

We would like to begin reinvigorating our liturgical teams and adding back in roles like Intercessors, torch bearers, and a second Lector to lead the Psalm - gradually bringing these parts of worship back to the parish starting with Easter. Adding back these additional roles to worship may not be doable without additional members to our liturgical teams. Members of these teams currently serve as crucifers, Eucharistic Ministers (EM’s), and Lectors for their assigned Sundays.

There are 5 liturgical teams (one for each Sunday of the month) which provide people for those roles on a rotating basis. This means (normally) that members don’t have to serve on their assigned Sunday every month. Without adding people to the ministry as Intercessors, Psalmists, and torch bearers, no one in the Liturgical Ministry would be able to take a break and would have to serve every month, or even more than once a month.

I invite you to consider serving in the Liturgical Ministry. We have members who only want to do one role, for example to only read or to only EM. We have made the schedule work so that they can do that. That does mean that some must serve every Sunday when their team is scheduled. We don’t have enough people return to having Intercessors, and Psalmists without overburdening the people we have now. We would love to see the return of the youth acolytes so we can return to serve as torch bearers and crucifers.

We would love to return some of these roles starting with Easter worship. Depending on how many people volunteer for this ministry, we would like to permanently return these rolls to regular worship, not just for special services.

It has become important spiritually to Robin and to me to be a part of the worship service through this ministry. I hope you will consider seeing if this ministry could be important to you as well. Please reach out to me through Realm or by email (raz.schreiber@gmail.com) or in person at church if you have any question about the Liturgical Ministry, or to volunteer to serve on the ministry. We would love it if some of the youth could volunteer as acolytes. If we have enough youth we can bring back the Acolyte Ministry. But we don’t have to do this all at once. Please help us take the first steps in bringing back these parts of our worship.

Raz Schreiber

Liturgical Ministry Coordinator

raz.schreiber@gmail.com

Over the years, the St. Bede’s family and friends and guests have enjoyed receptions, special meals, and casual gatherings, all presented by a faithful group of members who have offered their time and talent in providing hospitality to so many. The Hospitality Committee would like to organize into 5 weekly rotating teams to provide a bit more structure to the ministry.

The plan will be similar to other Sunday worship responsibilities, e.g. Altar Guild, Ushers, Greeters, Flower Guild, by having these 5 teams in place. This will offer the opportunity for many more of you to participate in the planning and preparation of our Hospitality functions. It is also a great way for new members to become involved in St. Bede’s parish life.

Please contact Nancy Ward (nlbward@comcast.net) for more information.

The Bread Guild is

Calling All Bakers!

Do you love the communion bread each Sunday at St. Bede's? Are you a baker or someone who would like to learn how to bake bread? Please consider joining St. Bede's Bread Guild as one of our bakers. As a bonus, we do not have meetings in this ministry. Please reach out to Jody Klein, Chair of St. Bede's Bread Guild at jodyheidi@gmail.com or text to 678-372-9396 with subject line "St. Bede's Bread Guild" to learn more.

In 1974 a group of women and their supporters

organized their ordination to

the Episcopal priesthood

in a bold act of civil disobedience.

This is their story.

The Philadelphia Eleven

A Documentary Film

Reception, Screening and Panel Discussion

Wednesday, April 17

Reception at 4 pm

Screening at 5 pm

Candler School of Theology

Emory University

Reservations are required for this event.

For more information, contact

Rev. Canon John Thompson-Quartey

at ctho240@emory.edu



The Sisters of Bede

Request Your Input

Over the past 14 years, the Sisters of Bede has developed a significant amount of money in the Sisters of Bede account. The money accumulated for various reasons, such as the exact project we had designated the funds to go towards did not need the entire amount or the designated project never got off the ground. We want to put that money to work. In the belief that all the Sisters of Bede have contributed to raising these funds, we asked you for your ideas. Thank you for your excellent response.

Your responses have been cataloged in the document linked below. Each project was researched and then assigned a dollar amount needed to complete the project. For the large-scale projects, a proposed budget estimate was listed.

There are two sections to this survey:

Ideas costing under $5000

and

Ideas costing over $5000.

Women of the parish are invited

to fill out both sections of the survey.

Hard copies of the survey are available on the round table in the Commons. You may print a survey yourself and return the survey to the basket in the Commons. You may also email a copy of your survey to Barbara Helms at atlhelms@comcast.net.

All surveys are due by March 24.

Food Pantry Ingathering

Last Sunday we concluded our

March food ingathering for NETWorks Cooperative Ministry.

We delivered 698 pounds of food this week.

For a total delivery of

2,176 pounds

or 1.09 tons of food!! 

Thank you so very much to all of the very generous folks of St. Bede’s who helped us feed our neighbors! We are so grateful.



Co-Chairs:

Anita Montelione ammontel12@gmail.com

Karen Werner wernerksw@comcast.net

A message from Claudia Fedarko

Congratulations! It’s a tie, I think!

I announced recently in worship that I thought the Men of St. Bede’s (MOB) had edged out the Sisters of Bede in the Great Gas Card Competition. These are the gas cards that families who visit loved ones in Stewart Detention Center are given to help defray the costs of the trip. After the service, several women came up to me and said that they had put cards in the box without gender designation. So. . . in the spirit of healthy competition we are going to call it a tie.

Visit to El Refugio

On Saturday, February 17, The Reverend Iñaki Guevara, Katelyn Vaquero and I made the daylong trip to El Refugio and Stewart Detention Center in Lumpkin, GA. Among us we visited with 4 people (2 women; 2 men). We delivered 40 gas cards to El Refugio as well as frozen foods and snacks for families who come to stay at El Refugio. When I handed the envelope with 40 gas cards to Marilyn, the hostess of El Refugio for the weekend, she was overwhelmed. She explained she was down to her last gas card. What a timely gift! Thank you everyone!

All three of us agreed that the visits were important not only for the detainees, but also for those making the pilgrimage to Stewart. The visits give a huge spiritual lift to both detainee and visitor. “I was in prison and you came to me.” (Matthew 25: 26) It is a blessing for all.

As we all watch the tragic events of violence escalate in Jerusalem and Palestine, it is so important to keep the people of the Holy Land in our prayers.

In addition to our prayers, St. Bede's has also transmitted a gift of $500 to Episcopal Relief and Development (ERD) for relief efforts related to the travesties of this conflict. Sadly, one of ERD's strongest and longest-standing partners in the Diocese of Jerusalem is the Al Ahli Arab Hospital - the Anglican hospital in Gaza that was severely damaged by explosion and where hundreds of people were killed. Please keep relief workers on the ground in your prayers as they attempt to offer care and relief.

Caring for God's Creation

During Lent we will offer prayers and scripture readings from

The Episcopal Church's Creation Care resources

The justice of God and the dignity of all creatures  



Holy God, your mercy is over all your works, and in the web of life each creature has its role and place. We praise you for ocelot and owl, cactus and kelp, lichen and whale; we honor you for whirlwind and lava, tide and topsoil, cliff and marsh. Give us hearts and minds eager to care for your planet, humility to recognize all creatures as your beloved ones, justice to share the resources of the earth with all its inhabitants and love not limited by our ignorance. This we pray in the name of Jesus, who unifies what is far off and what is near, and in whom, by grace and the working of your Holy Spirit, all things hold together. Amen.  

Links to the Scripture readings are below.

Jonah 3:4–10    Psalm 145:8–10, 16–18   

 Ephesians 1:8b–10    Luke 10:25–37  

Please contact Martha Robert at marthabob59@gmail.com or 404.374.7643 with ideas, suggestions, or questions about the Caring for God's Creation.

Family Ministries Micropractice 

Join our households with

birth through elementary aged children

in this simple intentional practice

as we bring our learning from the lectionary

into our everyday lives.

You may wish to conclude this micro-practice with this prayer:

God of our ancestors, thank you!

You will never stop loving us;

your great, big love goes on forever.

When we experience your never-ending love,

fill us with courage and joy to say so and tell others.

Amen



Wednesday Night Adult Bible Study

Has Resumed!

Join with others for a study of the Book of 1st Kings.

All are welcome.

Bring whatever translation of the Bible you like.

6: – 8 pm on Wednesday nights

on the 1st & 3rd Wednesdays of each month

in the Commons Hallway Classroom

(across from the Julian of Norwich Center)

Contact Fred Murphy for more information.

Healing Our Racism

Book Discussion Group

Next meeting:

Monday, March 25 at 2:00pm on Zoom

February's selection is

Weathering

By Dr. Arline T. Geronimus

Meeting Time: 4th Monday of each month at 2 pm on ZOOM

Please join Muriel Diguette and other members/friends of St. Bede's to discuss current books pertaining to the issues of racism and white privilege.

Email Muriel for the Zoom link to join the discussion.

Mostly Mysteries

Book Discussion Group

Next meeting:

Monday, March 25 at 7:00 pm on Zoom

March's selection is

The River We Remember

By William Kent Krueger

Meeting Time: 4th Monday of each month at 7 pm on ZOOM

You're invited to join members and friends of St. Bede's to discuss favorite mysteries and thrillers.

Email Cathe Echterhof for the Zoom link to join the discussion.

McLemore's Musings

We hope you are enjoying this feature in St. Bede's E-News - McLemore's Musings. Many of you have met the Rev'd Bill McLemore who has joined the St. Bede's community. Bill has been a priest for over 57 years and has served parishes all over the Episcopal Church. Bill is the former archivist of the Diocese of Atlanta and authored the 100th anniversary book on the history of the Diocese. Bill is also an artist and has used his artistic skills and sense of humor for many years to draw hundreds of cartoon that comically comment on life in the Episcopal Church. Each week we will share a cartoon here that Bill selects from his collection. Enjoy!

St. Bede's Prayer List

A note about our prayer list:

We have reorganized our prayer list and are trying to make it more manageable going forward. In the future, names will remain on the prayer list for 3 weeks unless otherwise requested. If you have placed someone on the prayer list and you would now like that person removed, please notify the office. Please request removal only for names which you have placed on the list. We are always happy to request prayer for our parishioners and our extended community.

Names on the current prayer list will be removed on March 15 unless you notify the church office that a name should remain longer. Any name that is removed can always be added back, if desired.

Please contact Laura Pittman in the church office to add or remove names from the prayer list.

Laura Pittman

lpittman@stbedes.org

In our St. Bede’s community,

prayer has recently been requested for:

Jennie Couture

Calvin Kottke

Connie Coralli

Nancy Bruce

Peg Harriss

Sue Ellen Lampros

Prayer has been requested on a more long-term basis for:

Al and Regina Studwell

Sarah Jane and Jim Ohl

Mary Rodriguez

The Sujia Family

Helen Abraham

Aree Bancroft

Laura Ribas

Hilda Bell

Nancy Waring

Frances Bowen

Ann Foote

Robin Schreiber

Cameron Maddox

Prayer has also been requested for these in our wider community:

Allen Barringer, friend of Sean Kilpatrick and Pat Miller

Marco Cáceres, father of Victor Cáceres

Betty Cooper Russell, friend of Suzanne Shapiro

Mary Kyle, friend of Lynnsay Buehler

John Richardson, friend of Larry Bing

John Bruton, friend of Larry Bing

John Ralph Henly McIntosh,

           friend of Suzanne Shapiro

Shirley Family, friends of Jerimiah Easley

Roman Family, friends of Jerimiah Easley

Gail Whitley, friend of Larry Bing

Kirsten and Reg Stainback, friends of Helen Loeb

The Staton Family,

           friends of Steve Hadler and Claudia Fedarko

Braxton Metcalf, nephew of Susan Reef

Walt Ehmer, friend of Will Mizell

Ed Maniotes, friend of Susan Reef

The Baca/Muth family, friends of Cannon family

Ben Harrison, cousin of Sarah Jane Ohl

Jennifer Valdez, cousin of Sarah Jane Ohl

Carolyn Snider, friend of Suzanne Shapiro

Brian Metcalf, brother-in-law of Susan Reef

Jodi Collins, cousin of Sarah Jane Ohl

Lisa Frank, friend of Larry Bing

Elizabeth Ashworth, friend of April Whitt

Susan Semple, sister of Kim Padgett

Mel Stills, brother-in-law of Gwen Cordner

Carter Garrett, family member of Sarah Jane Ohl

Jim Baldy, friend of Susan Reef

Michelle Schultz, sister of Doris Bushart

Paige Bushart, sister-in-law of Doris Bushart

Helen Hernandez and her son Derek,

           ESOL Student

Ken Turner,

           friend of Claudia Fedarko and Steve Hadler

Marge & Sharon Emerling, friends of Helen Loeb

Andy Matia, friend of Ann Foote

Eleanor Pearlman,

           granddaughter of Gwen Heaton

Diana Segovia, cousin of Zulma Gutierrez

Timothy Knapp, friend of Susan Reef

Denise Benson, friend of Susan Reef

Allen Townes Cunningham, sister of Rob Townes

Anne Jones, sister of Claiborne Jones

Carmen Graciaa, friend of Laura Martin

Jim Poulos, husband of Carol Kemker

Fay Key, friend of the St. Bede's community

We pray for those who have died:

Roger Paynter, friend of Chad Vaughn

Connie Bennington, cousin of Jan Swoope 

Peggy Franks, friend of Tony and Laura Sellers

Isela Ayalet Pedro Alberto, relative of Victoria Esquivel and Katelyn Vaquero

Richard Louis Shapiro, brother-in-law of Suzanne Shapiro

Elizabeth Carroll, friend of April and John Whitt

We give thanks for those serving our country in the military:

Josh Bowers

Will Grimm

We give thanks for those celebrating birthdays this week:

3/9 Sherry Witt

3/9 Kalen Fraser

3/10 Connie Coralli

3/10 George Shingler

3/12 Paul Werner

3/13 Aree Bancroft

And we rejoice at the marriage of

Elizabeth Mizell & Alexander Alexandrou

on Saturday, February 17, 2024

at the Greek Orthodox Cathedral of the Annunciation

To stay up to date

on activities throughout the Diocese of Atlanta,

sign up for Connecting, the Diocesan E-newsletter.

You can also sign up to receive For Faith,

which is the weekly meditation

from Bishop Rob Wright

sent by email on Fridays.

Bishop Wright's Weekly Podcast

Did you know that Bishop Rob Wright has a weekly podcast? You can take a spiritual "deep dive" each week with Bishop Wright and his special guests and grow deeper in faith and understanding as you listen and learn.

Explore For People, Bishop Wright's Podcast, Here

Pathways

the magazine of the Diocese of Atlanta

The new Pathways is now available online! Through original photography, articles, and interviews, Pathways shares inspiring stories from Middle and North Georgia — examples of spiritual growth.

Read Pathways Here

Would you like to keep up with news from around the broader Episcopal Church and Anglican Communion? Episcopal Journal and Cafe is a convenient place to find out things going on around the Church. You can even subscribe to get news sent to your email inbox.

Click Here for Episcopal Journal & Cafe



Friend in Christ,

As violence escalates in Ukraine, over one million people have already fled the country — and the borders are flooded with many more people desperate to leave.

Almost all of them are women and children who have had to seek safety on their own, leaving their husbands, fathers, brothers and sons behind.

As this crisis continues to evolve, we are working with Anglican agencies and our other partners to provide humanitarian assistance, and urgently ask for your help.

Your emergency gift today will support our immediate response, providing cash, blankets, hygiene supplies and other needs as this crisis unfolds.

Our faith networks are currently on the ground in the border areas of Poland, Hungary and Romania, and we will continue to coordinate with them in order to help those who have been displaced. Specifically, our partner ACT Alliance is helping families on the Hungarian border, and our Anglican partners are mobilizing both an immediate and long-term response in Poland, Romania and Hungary.

Yours faithfully,

Robert W. Radtke

President & CEO

Episcopal Relief & Development



To learn more about the programs and offerings

of the Absalom Jones Center for Racial Healing,

click on the link below.