Are you new to St. Nicholas?
Join us weekly in January from
12:30pm to 2:00pm
as we explore the basics of Christian faith. Led by Father Jeff, Sue Halmrast, and Bobo Morgan.
This class is for anyone who is new, anyone who wants to join the church, anyone who wants to be confirmed, anyone who wants a refresher course in Christianity, or anyone who just wants to ask questions.
January 3
: Sacramental People - How do we experience God's grace in tangible ways?
January 10: Discerning People - How do we hear God's call to us?
January 17 : Bishop Whitmore's visitation, no class
January 24: Committed People - What does it mean to be the Church?
For more information, contact Fr. Jeff at
fatherjeff@stnicholashamilton.org.
Peace,
Jeff+
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Annual Parish Meeting
January 10, 9:45am
Calling all St. Nicholas members! Join us as we honor those who have served this past year and elect new Vestry members. If you would like to nominate someone for Vestry, including yourself, please see Senior Warden Katherine Johnson.
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Annual Parish Meeting
January 10th, 2016
9:45 am
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Bright Way Services
Worship services continue at Bright Way Personal Care Home
in Pine Mountain. Other
Lay Eucharistic Visitors are needed for this ministry.
Contact
Bert
if you would like to participate.
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Stewards of the Month
Terri and Kenny Townsend
One of our favorite refreshments at events for our youth is popcorn. We are always reaching out to church members and other community groups to make arrangements to borrow kettle machines when we have events. We would like to recognize as our stewards for the month of December, Kenny and Terri Townsend. They donated a kettle popcorn machine that is quite dandy! It's on wheels making it easy to move from place to place. And it is large, allowing us to pop enough corn to satisfy all our hungry folks!!! A sincere thank you to Kenny and Terri for meeting a need here at St. Nicholas with your generous donation. Your thoughtfulness is appreciated.
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St. Nicholas Writes,
our resident writing group,
will return with hosannas on
January 24th
.That meeting will be devoted to members reading some of their work. We urge you to come and cheer them on!
To hear people's writings about their lives and in their own voice is like opening a window to a new vista. You will, in the words of one member, see and hear an "explosion of life." You may revise your opinion of the dignified gentleman in the next pew when you discover he was in a drag race. Or, you find out that a prominent industrial engineer writes poetry about the changes in nature. In short, you will become reacquainted with some members of this parish as you have never known them on a Sunday morning in the rector's greeting line.
We hope to see you there, 9:45am on January 24th, in the Adult Formation classroom. (Refreshments!) Call or email Dianne Armstrong for inquiries: 706-221-9020. |
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2016 Vestry Candidates
Martha Dimon
Martha and her husband, Kelly, are both retired from Aflac and live in Ellerslie. She has been spending a lot of her retirement years as an active volunteer in Harris County. She serves on the Boards of The Friends of the Harris County Library, Humane Society of Harris County and The Chipley Woman's Club of Pine Mountain. She has chaired the big fundraiser, POTD, for the Humane Society for the past two years and is getting ready for the 3rd year.
Martha joined St Nicholas two years ago and has served as a greeter and a member of the Parish Life committee. She has agreed to chair Lobsterfest in 2016.
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Sue Halmrast
I came to St. Nicholas from Trinity in Columbus and have been a member since before this church was named St. Nicholas, and we were worshipping in space the Seventh Day Adventists were kind enough to lend us.
During this time it's been a privilege to be a part of this faith community by helping with the interior design of the original building as well as the new addition, chairing Lobsterfest, serving on the Vestry, including two years as Senior Warden, and serving as an LEM, among other things. I am excited about the future of St. Nicholas and can't wait to see what wonderful things God has in store for us.
I live in Pine Mountain with my husband, David, and our Golden Retriever, Ryder.
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"Sharing our gifts with others brings satisfaction, peace and joy to the giver's heart. St. Paul once remarked: " . . . we must help the weak, and keep in mind the words of the Lord Jesus who himself said, "It is more blessed to give than to receive."
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Finding your talent . . .
There are many lay ministry opportunities at
St. Nicholas. Each person
has unique talents to share.Think about yo
ur place to joyfully plug into
St Nicholas.
.
Altar Guild, Flower Guild, Greeter, Ushers, Teacher,
Special Event Volunteer, Grounds, Choir, Lay Eucharistic Minister, Lector, Stewardship, Communications. . .
More opportunities are available, but begin to think about it. Tailor your lay ministry to your talent and time.
Most of all, do remember to worship at St Nicholas.
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Lectionary Readings
If you would like to see the readings for Sunday,
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In Thanksgiving
For Melissa Hammonds, Music Director and all
who have abundantly shared their gifts to make Advent and Christmas
a holy time at St Nicholas
For those who are ill, recovering or needing special prayers:
Members of St Nicholas:
Cora Coverson
Martha Dimon
Kenny Townsend
Chris and Liza Price
Kristine Connally
Josh Davis
Ashley and Nate Taylor
Bill Caudill
Garrett Hinnant
Larry Hinnant
Bill Batastini
Kay Faircloth
Ingrid Cheshire
For Members with Unspoken Prayer Requests
Family members and friends of the community:
Eddie Norris
Bill Gordy
Danny Hatchell
Jen Harris
Ron Hudson
James Daniels
Jack Whitley
Jameson Miers
Julie Raines
Paul Jones
Leanne Croft
Robin Zion
Dale Haynes
Jimmy Dorminy
Jimmi Ann Moore
Erin Kavanaugh Kirkley
Marty Oxford
Stefie Collins
Peggy Singletary
Prayers for those in mourning
Cora Coverson on the loss of her sister and grandson
Prayers for all our veterans, those currently
serving their country
away from home,
for their safe return and for their families
who wait for them.
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January Birthdays
6 Dianne Armstrong
10
Barrett Smith
Noah Horne
19 Madison Martin
22 Graham Horne
Tom Cheatham
23 Janna Morris
24 Marci Horne
31 Justin Hubbard
January Anniversaries
1 Nick & Anne Simpson
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As stewards, we are accountable to God for our time, talent and treasure. We return to the Lord, the giver of all our gifts, a truly grateful first share of our time, talent and treasure.
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Youth Opportunities
RETREATS
DYC | Jan 8-10
Get registered for DYC! Only a few weeks until this awesome weekend retreat is here! DYC is a weekend at Camp Mikell where youth spend their time having fun and learning how to Love Like Jesus. Youth participants and adult chaperones can find registration
here.
The retreat is
January 8-10.
Don't miss out on our only retreat that hosts youth grades 6-12 at Camp Mikell!
Happening 65 | Feb 19-21
Mark your calendar for
February 19-21.
Those are the dates for Happening 65! Team registration can be found
here.
Start recruiting candidates, and let them know the dates! Also, get in your OR nominations! Email them
here.
Above: Jesse Adkins of St. Patrick's with observing rector Hailey Wilson of the Cathedral of St. Philip right after the exchanging of the giant warm and fuzzy.Happening 65 will be led by Hailey and the youth team in February!
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"Do all the good you can, in all the ways you can, for all the people you can, in every place you can, as long as you can".
Enjoy the blessings of good stewardship!
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CHURCH LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE
FEBRUARY 18, 2016 - FEBRUARY 20, 2016
Fr. Jeff and the Vestry encourage you to join us as we head up to Kanuga for their annual Church
Leadership
Conference
. For our annual Vestry retreat, we decided to do something different and attend this
conference
together. Anyone from the parish is welcome to go with us! Details are below:
In many ways, the institutional church has adapted to the secular world. There are business plans and growth charts and the work of church leadership seems to be the bottom line. It is easy to lose sight of the one reason the church exists: to worship God. What would it look like if there were a renewed focus on prayer and liturgy? What could the Church become if leadership were more concerned with spiritual well-being than physical or financial? Join us as we explore how churches can refocus their energies and deepen the faith of their membership.
Keynoters: The Rev. Barbara Cawthorne Crafton, is the founder of the online ministry, The Geranium Farm, and now lives in New Jersey;
The Very Rev. Dr. Neal Michell, Dean and Rector at St. Matthew's Cathedral in Dallas, Texas
Coordinator: Brendon Hunter from the Episcopal Church Foundation, New York, NY
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In This Issue
Christmas Eve
Episcopal 101
Annual Parish Meeting
Bright Way Ministries
Steward of the Month
St. Nicholas Writes
2016 Vestry Candidates
Lay Ministry Schedule
Lay Ministry Opportunities
Vestry Minutes
Lectionary Readings
Prayers
Birthdays & Anniversaries
Youth Opportunities
Church Leadership Conference
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CONTACT
Deadline for submitting news items is noon Monday.
Send news and photos to:
contact@stnicholashamilton.org
The Spirit of St. Nicholas
is published weekly by
St. Nicholas Episcopal Church.
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Thank you, St. Nicholas family, for your active involvement in our parish.
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Please help Patty Hamilton keep the church directory as up-to-date as possible.
If you have not yet filled out a form, please pick one up in the cloister room and return to the church office. Or you can send your info via email to Patty Hamilton at pgrace456@gmail.com.
- Please include:your names and the names of your minor children,
- address,
- email addresses,
- phone numbers (cell and home),
- birthdays and anniversaries.
If you need a new picture or a new name tag, indicate that as well. Feel free to use a favorite picture. Just send it in jpeg form to pgrace456@gmail.com.
Mobile App Installation Instructions
Church members can view the St. Nicholas Church Directory from their iPhone, iPad, Android or Kindle Fire by downloading the free Instant Church Directory Members App.
You may search for "Instant Church Directory" in the Apple App Store, Google Play, or Amazon Appstore, or use this link:
After installation, open the Instant Church Directory icon (it looks like a church). It will ask for your email address. If your email address is in our church directory, the program will generate a password for you and email it to you.
This worked great for most, but if you have any problems make sure you first check to see that your email address is in the church directory.
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Please look for these cards in the narthex or in the pews and place them in the alms basin if you give electronically.
Father Jeff will bless them at each service along with the other offerings.
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If you or family members will be in a play, concert, sports or school activity please send the information to the church
contact@stnicholashamilton.org
to be printed in the newsletter. St Nicholas members can then know what is happening with their church family and perhaps attend some of the functions. Include the event with dates, times and location. This is for children, teens and adults.
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