November 7, 2024 Edition

GRATITUDE AND GENEROSITY | Thanks to the 73 members of the congregation who have already submitted 2025 estimate of giving cards. Help us fill the GratiTUBE (on display in the Welcome Center). Return your card this Sunday. Extra cards are available. You may also submit your estimate online.

ORDER BY SATURDAY! Apple Pies for Honduras Fundraiser | The Stegmans will be participating in another Friends Of Barnabas medical mission to Honduras in March 2025. Each medical team must raise $11,500 to offset cost of medical supplies. To that end, the Stegmans are making and selling apple pies. The pies will be made on Saturday November 9, in plenty of time for the holidays. Pies will be frozen and ready for pickup afterwards. The cost is $25 per pie. Cash or checks made out to Friends of Barnabas/los manos team, in advance, are much appreciated. Pies can be purchased after Sunday services for the next several weeks. You can email Debbie Stegman by finding her in Realm, or talk directly with Debbie, Joe Stegman, or Julia Hill at church. If you'd like to help make pies, let one of us know!

You are invited to a night of Italian Fine Dining, sponsored by the Episcopal Youth Community at All Saints’, Concord. Please make your reservations soon to enjoy a delightful evening. Plates are by donation. All donations received help to fund the Youth Mission Trip to Costa Rica in July of 2025.

Advent Small Group Studies Start Next Week | You are invited to join other parishioners in small groups to study Not a Silent Night: Mary Looks Back to Bethlehem by Adam Hamilton. Each small group will have a convener to guide the conversation after watching a short video. Advent small groups will begin the week of November 11 and end the week of December 16. There will be five Zoom gatherings, which will run for about an hour. Questions? Contact Chuck Collier. Here are the days and locations:

• Mondays – starting November 18 at 7 PM, at Mark and Karen Robinson's house
• Wednesdays – starting November 13 at 7 PM on Zoom
• Thursdays – starting November 16 at 3:30 PM on Zoom
• Thursdays – starting November 16 at 7 PM on Zoom

Our next week to serve at the Center of Hope Night Shelter is November 17 –November 23 | We still have 3 nights left to fill! This is the week before Thanksgiving and some folks that regularly volunteer will be out of town so it's a good opportunity for you to try a new outreach ministry! Call, text, or Realm Gary (the guitar guy) Kovar if you have questions or are interested in helping. Please prayerfully consider how you, your family, small group, or ministry can help out. The commitment is less than 2 hours of your time plus food. This is a great chance to love our neighbors!

Seeking Episcopal young adult input | The Episcopal Church’s Department of Faith Formation is seeking survey participants ages 18-32 as part of a three-year, partially grant-funded project to identify the gifts and challenges of Gen Z ministry within the church and enhance program development. The survey – available online here – is open until December 2.

Launched in June, the first phase of “The Episcopal Church Leadership Project: Toward a New Generation of Leaders” involves outreaches to clergy, young adults, and Episcopal youth leaders to find out what is working or broken within church ministries that support young adults.

“We are excited to be able to collect data that will better inform our decisions about how best to meet and minister to the current landscape of young adults coming to The Episcopal Church,” said Bronwyn Clark Skov, manager for Safe Church and special projects. “We hope to learn from many in this age group about their experiences and recommendations.”

We publish the Banns of Marriage between Mary Beth Ringgenberg and Zach Bowman of this parish. If any of you know just cause why they may not be joined together in Holy Matrimony, you are bidden to declare it. This is the first time of asking.

The parish is cordially invited to attend the wedding on Saturday, November 30 at 2 PM at All Saints'.

Dawn and Brad Fisher have donated a teak garden bench in memory of their grandson Parker, who entered God’s greater glory on September 7, 2023. Following the 11:10 AM service on Sunday, November 10, 2024, Father Jim will bless the bench in the church native plants garden, which is near the upper parking lot. All are welcome.

The Celebration of Life service for Kathy Oxx will be held Friday, November 15 at 11 AM at All Saints'. Choirs are invited to help lead congregational singing. Reception to follow. Here is Kathy's obituary. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be sent to Duke Cancer Center Gastrointestinal (GI) Clinic, 20 Duke Medicine Cir, Durham, NC, 27710. Please continue to keep her husband George and their children in your prayers.

We offer condolences and prayers for the family and friends of Dr. William "Bill" Cottrell, who entered the Resurrection on October 16. Please keep Bill's wife Rebecca as well as their children and loved ones in your prayers. Bill's Celebration of Life service will be held at All Saints' on Saturday, November 16 at 11 AM. Choirs are invited to help lead congregational singing. Reception to follow. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be sent to Aya House, 1572 Dale Earnhardt Blvd., Kannapolis, NC 28083. Here is Bill's obituary.

You are invited to join the study of "John: The Gospel of Light and Life" on Sundays, through November 17, during the 10 AM Adult Christian Formation hour. Let's experience a season of spiritual growth and life-changing renewal during a six-week study of Adam Hamilton’s John: The Gospel of Light and Life. We’ll follow the life, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus through the Gospel of John and understand the context of some of the best-known verses in the New Testament. Chuck Collier will lead the discussion following a short video at the start of each session. Please purchase the book, which is available on Amazon for $15.52. Questions? Contact Chuck Collier.

Wanna feed some hungry youths?! Sign Up to Provide EYC Meals! Our youth programs are growing and we need your help to feed everyone on Sunday nights. If this is an area you (or your ministry team) are interested in helping with, we have plenty of grateful bellies you can fill! Click to sign up! Questions? Contact Tiffany Fulton.

Prayer is the foundation of the ministry of this parish. If you would like to request prayers, please share here. If you are hospitalized, please let the church know. If you are unable to make the call yourself, ask for the chaplain on call and they will make it for you. The church phone number is 704-782-2024.

Prayers have been requested for Cyn, Suzann, Pat, John, Mary, Kris, Jen, Amanda, Monica, and Sutton.