Parable of the Hiking Father & Children

One of the things I love about living here is having the opportunity to hike. But something that makes life even grander is when my kids express that they want to hike with me.

While the last couple of weeks have been quite hectic, with tornados and all, I did find time to go hiking with my kids on two separate occasions. First, a few weeks ago, Liam and I were itching for some alone time together, so when I mentioned that I was going hiking Monday morning, he asked in his 2-year-old voice, “Can I go hiking with you, Da?” How could I resist?

Liam and I parked at the Overlook Parking Lot, and hiked about a mile up the PMT and back. He did really well for a 2-year-old, and I only had to pick him up and carry him about a half a mile back. Hiking with a 2-year-old on your shoulders is no small feat, so I got quite a workout. He and I ended our trip with a picnic. The benefit of doing this is that when I got him home, he was exhausted and slept for 2 hours! Read more

Blessing of the Backpacks

Living Water

This past week, I served as a dean at Junior Camp at Camp Mikell, which is our diocesan camp and conference center up in Toccoa, Georgia. Part of my duties as a priest is to work in the ministries of the the greater diocese and working at camp is one of the ways I really enjoy. Camp was one of the first experiences I had of Christian community and it’s what led me on the spiritual path I’m on today.

A “dean” is someone from the clergy or a Christian educator who plans a program for the kids who are attending camp. At Mikell, deans get the whole morning to spend with the campers. We had a theme of “Living Water” with which to design a 5-day program around. I got to serve with my dear friend the Rev. Mary Demmler, who is the rector of St. Matthias in Toccoa, and who served with me in the past in the Diocese of Georgia.

Camp Mikell is such a special place. The director, the Rev. Ken Struble, has trained an amazing group of young adults to serve as the summer staff. They have the perfect balance of humor, responsibility, and creativity which is necessary to take care of over a hundred kids every week. Junior Camp, which is for 6th and 7th graders, had 110 campers, so we had a huge group to play with all week. During the camp, the campers swim, go on nature hikes, do arts and crafts, play sports, and build community. They get to watch the summer staff perform the “Cherokee Pageant” which is a retelling of Native American folklore that the staff has performed since the camp was started over 50 years ago. (For the second year, I got to play the role of the Raven Mocker, who comes to carry the soul of a fallen warrior to the realm of the dead. It just means I wear a black sheet and screech like a bird.)

Molly and the kids joined me for most of the week, so our kids got to experience camp again, which is always fun to watch. Perhaps the thing they loved the most was eating in the dining hall, where they have some really great food. My new favorite Mikell food is the “seaweed salad” on the salad bar, which had a sesame flavor. Truly, this is not your common camp food.

Like I said, our program was on “Living Water.” We taught the kids about all the places they can see God’s grace in the water that makes up our world. The main project we worked on was giving the small groups video cameras and letting them come up with ways to explain “living water.” Here is the result:

Overall, I came away exhausted and refreshed at the same time. I renewed old friendships and made a lot of new friends. I am always impressed with the work of the staff, and I’m grateful for their openness in letting us into their community. I’ve worked and attended many camps in my life, and without a doubt, Mikell has the best staff I’ve seen.

Pretty much anyone can be a camper at Camp Mikell. Tai went to Mini-Camp with me at the beginning of the summer. Families are invited to Guest Camp at the end of the summer (September 2-5). There are camps for grades 1 and up. They even have outdoor camps! Why wouldn’t you want to send a child, grandchild, or neighbor to camp? If you don’t have one of those, you can always give money to send kids who need financial assistance to camp.

Camp Mikell is one of the treasures of the diocese and is a resource to us at St. Nicholas. We’ll be taking our youth there August 26-28. I would love for our budget to cover sending our Vestry up there on retreat next year. Or, if there was enough interest, we could always organize a parish weekend there. There are lots of ways that we can use this magical place.

Any excuse to eat seaweed salad…

VBS Meeting This Sunday

A brief meeting will be held July 17, 2011 after church just to make sure everything is ready for Crocodile Dock VBS on July 25-29!

Then, on Sunday, July 24, 2011, we will meet right after church to have a decorating party and pizza!! We would like to have some baked goods to go with our pizza.

If you have ideas, suggestions or questions, please call:

Andy Butzon, Dock Director 706-628- 5975 or email me at andy.butzon@gmail.com or contact Sheila Dixon 706-322-9702 or email Sheila.A.Dixon@delta.com.

Deadline for registration is July 20. Please register online at stnicholashamilton.org/signup.

Tai Goes to TAP

Being 6 years old allows you to do many more cool things during the summer. First, Tai got to go to Mini-Camp at Camp Mikell. This week, he got to attend TAP (Thompson-Pound Art Program). The last two years I’ve been involved in TAP, Tai has joined me on the last day or so to get a hint of what TAP is all about. This year, Tai got to participate as a full-time “tapper.”

I’ve never been a part of anything quite like TAP, and to watch Tai go through it was really amazing. The point of TAP is to teach children that the world doesn’t have be full of violence, discord, and hatred. Instead, we can celebrate our differences and learn to respect and listen to one another. Art becomes the common denominator for all these children from different socio-economic backgrounds, religions, and cultures. Tai learned this in a number of fun ways. Read more

Crocodile Dock VBS Meeting This Sunday!

There will be a very brief meeting right after church this Sunday, June 12, 2011, for anyone involved with our VBS (Vacation Bible School) and all those who would like to be involved. Station Leaders will receive their guides and an overview of VBS plans. Our theme for this year is Crocodile Dock, and it promises to be lots of fun for everyone! The dates for VBS are July 25-29 from 9:00am to noon. Please join us for this meeting in the children’s Sunday School room. See you there! If you have questions, please call Andy Butzon, Dock Director 706-628-5975

Got Easter Eggs?

Christmas Pageant Rehearsal

All youth and children are invited to participate in our annual Christmas Pageant during our Christmas Eve family service at 5:00pm on Friday, December 24th.

There is a sign-up sheet on the bulletin board in the narthex where children or parents can sign up and request the role they would like to play. We cannot promise certain roles, but would like to know preferences. We need youth volunteers to fill certain roles: pageant narrator, the Angel Gabriel, Mary, and Joseph. Other roles include a star, wise men, shepherds, angels, animals (donkey, sheep, cow, etc.) The church will supply the costumes and props for the pageant.

Michelle Moody will direct the pageant this year and needs adult volunteers to help her. She will hold a rehearsal on Sunday, December 12th right after church. All the pageant actors and volunteers will be treated to a pizza lunch.

Any adults who would like to help are encouraged to join us. We are hopeful that this will be fun and educational for the children. If anyone has questions or suggestions, they may call Michelle Moody at 706-604-5627 or email her at: michellelynnmoody@gmail.com.

Regular Sunday Morning Schedule Returns

This Sunday, August 8, we will return to our regular Sunday morning schedule!

8:30am Holy Eucharist: This service is for our early-risers. Unlike many other church’s early services, though, it is a service of Holy Eucharist with music, although we will occasionally omit a hymn or two based on time. We have almost identical services at St. Nicholas to ensure unity among the members of the church. Just because you get up early doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have the full worship experience!

9:15am Breakfast: Last year, we started a very successful breakfast in between the services. Under the leadership of Sheila Dixon, families can sign up to provide a continental breakfast once every few months. This gives an opportunity for people from both services to gather and catch up with one another. What better way to do so than over food? Jesus did that all the time! So either stay after the early service or come a little early before Christian Formation and the late service to get a light breakfast and some excellent fellowship.

9:45am Christian Formation classes/Choir Warm-Up: We used to call this just “Sunday School,” but then adults starting thinking it was just for kids! Christian formation is a life-long process, and we offer numerous opportunities for children, teenagers, and adults to grow in their faith and get to know one another better!

• Nursery: Infants to 3-year-olds can enjoy some play time in the nursery, tended by the wonderful Kim Stokes. There are toys, videos, and books for our youngest members, and Ms. Kim will also take children out to the playground if the weather cooperates. Kim is available to watch children from Breakfast until after the 11:00 service.

• Sunday School: 3-to-9-year-olds are invited for a fun-filled class with games, crafts, and biblical learning. They are met each week in the Sunday School room by one of many teachers who help kids know that God loves them and cares for them. The children have Sunday School until just before the 11:00 service, at which point parents can gather them to sit with them in church, or they may sit on the front row with a “Shepherd” for worship. Either way, we believe that having children in church is vitally important to their faith development, so be sure to teach your child how to worship. It’s OK to take them out if they get fussy and bring them back when they calm down. If you have questions or need some help, please contact Fr. Jeff. If you’re interested in becoming a Sunday School teacher, contact Michelle Moody. This Sunday will be our Sunday School kick-off, with special snacks for our kids!

• Teen Class: Youth who are 10-years-old and up are invited to join Terri and Kenny Townsend and Heather Roper for a class just for them. They’ll talk about issues and challenges that are pertinent to their lives as well as have fun. This semester, the Teen Class will be focusing on prayer, and why it’s important (or is it?), and what ways Christians can pray. Usually, this class meets in Fr. Jeff’s office, but this Sunday, the group will meet from 9:15 to 10:30 at the home of Fr. Jeff and Molly Jackson (323 Hill Street, Hamilton) for their own breakfast and catching-up time.

• Adult Class: Everyone else, young adults and up, are invited to meet in the left ante room (left of the altar) for biblical and theological reflection. This year, we will do a series of classes in “blocks.” The first block will be taught by Fr. Jeff and is called “Faith & Finances.” We’ll meet for 5 weeks on this topic, ranging from “What Happened to the Economy?” to “Unemployment” to “Helping Your Family Through Family Stress.” So grab a cup of coffee and come as we talk about issues that matter and how our faith can help guide us through.
• Choir Warm-Up: In the nave, our Music Director Sam Roney meets with the choir to warm up for the music at the 11:00 service. Regular choir rehearsal is on Wednesdays at 6:30pm, but even if you can’t make that rehearsal, Sam welcomes you to come and sing with the choir. This group is always laughing as well as singing because Sam keeps choir fun, and worshipful. If you’d like to learn more about singing in the choir, contact Sam.

11:00am Holy Eucharist: This service is for our late-risers (although we hope that you’ll come for breakfast and Christian formation)! This is a full worship service, at which the Choir processes and leads the singing, our acolytes process in with crosses, torches, and other implements, children are invited to sit on the front row, and youth and adult readers read the lessons. Quite often, Fr. Jeff will gather the children together for a brief children’s sermon. After the 11:00 service, there are refreshments served for more fellowship.

So it’s a full morning of worship, education, and fellowship at St. Nicholas! Now’s a good time to jump back in if you’ve been gone, or if you haven’t visited with us before! It’s a new beginning!

VBS Was Spicy Hot!

Most of the time, a weekday at St. Nicholas is pretty quiet. Dorothy may be there a few times a week tending to the books. I’m in and out depending on what I’ve got going on. Every once in a while, if I’m sitting in my office someone will pop in and sit down and chat. I’m an extrovert (you didn’t notice?), and find that many of my days at St. Nicholas are pretty introverted, so I love having visitors. Read more

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