The Church Bell
Vol. 3, no. 4
May / June 2019
Sunday, May 26th: Memorial Weekend picnic lunch
On Sunday, May 26th, St. Agnes' will celebrate the Memorial Day weekend with a picnic-style lunch in the parish hall after our 11:00 service.

Bishop Lambert is bringing his famous brisket and others are encouraged to bring a favorite side to share and enjoy. W eather permitting, we will have seating inside and outside.

As of our last report, the following items are on our list:

  • Kathleen and Alice - vegetables and chocolate cake
  • Nancy - slaw and baked beans
  • Benjamin - Texas caviar and tortilla chips
  • Jarod - rolls and layer dip

If you have something in mind to bring - or want to get an idea of what we may need - send an e-mail to the church at saintagnescowan@gmail.com or call Jarod.
A Prayer for Memorial Day
"O Judge of the nations, we remember before you with grateful hearts the men and women of our country who in the day of decision ventured much for the liberties we now enjoy. Grant that we may not rest until all the people of this land share the benefits of true freedom and gladly accept its disciplines. This we ask in the Name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."
Sunday, June 9th: Whitsunday / Day of Pentecost
On the 50th Day of Eastertide, the church throughout the world remembers the coming of the Holy Spirit and her empowerment to carry the holy gospel into the world. This is the Day of Pentecost, also known as Whitsunday.

On June 9th St. Agnes' will hold a festival Day of Pentecost service at 11:00 a.m. . Fr. Laban Agisa will lead the service and we will gather for lunch afterward. 

We encourage you to wear something red to symbolize the "tongues as of fire" mentioned in scripture. Whitsunday / The Day of Pentecost is a great occasion to invite a friend or neighbor to church - so keep that in mind as well!
Life Choices "Change for Life" campaign
Between now and Father's Day, June 16th, St. Agnes' will support the "Change for Life" campaign for the Life Choices pregnancy support center.

To participate you can bring baby supplies to church or bring a baby bottle filled with loose change. Life Choices is a dynamic life-nurturing ministry with offices in Coffee, Franklin, and Grundy County.

Christie James Grissett is a staff member there. For information about the center or about the Change for Life campaign please reach out to Christie.
Some interesting tidbits...
  • We held a very successful church work day on Saturday, April 13th with a hard-working team of helpers! In only a few hours we had the entire church facility fresh and ready for Holy Week and Eastertide.

  • St. Agnes' was well-represented at the Community Maundy Thursday Service and at the Easter Sunrise service. We hosted the Good Friday service and had a turnout almost twice the size of last year's service!

  • On Easter Sunday we had a long list of Easter Memorials. We received 11 memorial Easter Lilies, 3 contributions to the Altar Guild, and 2 contributions toward hymnals and prayer books.

  • One of our biggest challenges every year to is to beat the Low Sunday trend. We were very successful! In fact, our turnout on Low Sunday this year was slightly higher than our Easter Sunday turnout!

  • Several members of the congregation attended the School of Theology Commencement at All Saints Chapel on May 10th. Fr. Jean Mweningoma received a Master of Arts degree and Fr. Martin Odidi received a Master of Divinity degree.

It has certainly been a fun and enriching time for our church family this season! We bless the Lord for all that he provides!
A fine set of wheels!
Does the car in the photo look familiar to you?

Father Martin and Funmi are the proud owners of the pretty old Mercury that belonged to the late George Wilkinson.

The car that George drove to church over the last several years will now serve Martin and Funmi's need for mobility in the Nashville area.
Some Updates from Our Church Family
Wynona Gibson has provided us with some beautiful fresh flowers from her garden over the last few weeks. She received many, many compliments for her kind gift to the church. It takes a real green thumb to grow such beautiful flowers at home!

Brian Judd is in his fourth and final intensive round of chemotherapy. He will spend the month of June getting follow-up assessments and a PET scan to see if the treatments were successful. He needs our prayers and encouragement as he hopes to put this entire illness behind him for good!

Wes Nevels is finishing his program at Fort Sill, Oklahoma and will transfer to a new base assignment in North Carolina in the middle of June. He sent his love and his appreciation for the Easter cards and gifts he received from us last month.

Laura Pearson and Robert McDonald were joined in Holy Matrimony on May 18th. On May 20th they moved into their new home in Lexington, KY. They are looking for a church home in their area and we will see them here from time to time as well. May God continually watch over and bless them as husband and wife.

Duncan Weddington had a dental surgery earlier this month. Though he had a couple of rough days afterward, it didn't appear to slow him down! He was at church the very next Sunday!
Summer Birthdays
May 31 - Kathleen Black

June 7 - Linda Milligan
June 9 - Gene Black
June 13 - Funmi Odidi

July 4 - Kay McKenzie
July 5 - Jeff Powers
July 9 - Pearson Garner
July 10 - Richard Paton
July 21 - Nancy Glenn
July 21 - Sally Lambert
July 27 - Alice Black

August 9 - Rose Pearson
August 29 - Duncan Weddington
August 31 - Pat Underwood

***If we are missing any birthdays on our list, please send an e-mail to the church at saintagnescowan@gmail.com.***

"O God, our times are in your hand: Look with favor, we pray, on thy servants as they begin another year. Grant that they may grow in wisdom and grace, and strengthen their trust in your goodness all the days of their life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."
We Remember in Prayer
Aden Harris, Wendi Wallace, Teresa Brown, Erma Little, Brian Judd, Julius Mauro, Sandra Langston, Jacqueline Boyanton, Royana Stewart, Tammy and Victoria Keese, Sue Hill, Fran Perry, Lamar Davis, Bill Keller, Howard Gene Eslick, Linda Milligan, and Karen McCallie.

We pray continually for Christians around the world in grave danger and for those in our armed services, especially Wes Nevels.

***

"O God, the strength of the weak and the comfort of sufferers: Mercifully accept our prayer, and grant to your servants the help of your power, that their sicknesses may be turned into joy; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."
Sunday Service ....................................11:00 a.m.
Sunday School .....................................10:00 a.m.

Location/Address: 105 England Street E., PO Box 356, Cowan, TN 37318
Telephone: (931) 636-6313
The Rt. Rev'd John C. Bauerschmidt..................Bishop of Tennessee

The Rt. Rev'd Paul Lambert................................Pastor and Celebrant

The Rev'd Jean Mweningoma.............................Visiting Priest

L. Jarod Pearson..................................................Lay Reader