This Thursday at 9:30am, our local outreach ministry, FOCUS, will be having a training for volunteers in our Emergency Service office.

FOCUS serves the people of Harris County, providing emergency funding for utilities and other items. We have a group of dedicated volunteers who meet, interview, and provide a warm presence to those who come in for help. Volunteers also give food from our food bank to needy families. If you have the gifts of compassion and service, please consider if God is calling you to help in this regard. The Emergency Service office is open Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 10:00am to 2:00pm. If you’re not sure, come and join us as we will be doing some roleplaying as well in handling various kinds of people who come in.

As Jesus tells us in Matthew 25: “Then the righteous will answer… ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?’ And the king will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family,‘ you did it to me.”

For more info on FOCUS, click here or you can contact Fr. Jeff, who is the chaplain for FOCUS.

This week, I’ve been praying about how we as a church community can respond to those who have experienced the devastation of the tornadoes that ripped through the South. I learned yesterday that our friends Sam and LuAnn Albert, who live in Brooks, Georgia, suffered some damage on their farm. Thanks be to God, they are safe, but they have neighbors who did not fare as well. They have said that they are OK and are not in need of anything at this time, but please keep them in your prayers. Read more

Help Out at Relay For Life

• Helpers to set up our tent and food booth at about 4:00 pm
• One grill and grillmasters to heat barbecue and cook hotdogs
• One big cooler and ice for drinks
• Servers to help assemble and sell barbecue meals, sandwiches, hotdogs, chips, cookies and drinks
• Crew to clean up and pack up about 9:00 pm.

If you can’t be there, you can still help by baking cookies or brownies. Please wrap them in individual servings and bring them to the church by 3:00 pm on Friday, April 29.

If you can help with our Relay booth in any way, please contact Connie Blackmon at 706 628-7573 (home), 706 718-9926 (cell), or connie.blackmon@att.net.

There are other ways you can help us raise money for Relay. You can make donations through St. Nicholas or online at www.relayforlife.org/harriscountyga. In additon, you may donate luminaria to honor loved ones who have had cancer. The forms, available at the church. are due by April 25 or you can go online. Please note that you are part of the St. Nicholas team.Also, please remember that St. Nicholas will honor our cancer survivors on Sunday, May 1. If you have beaten this dreadful disease or are fighting it now, please let us know. There is a sign-up sheet in the narthex or you can contact Connie directly.

Hunger Walk in Atlanta

Attention St. Nicholas Youth! Our youth intern, Cami Fanning, is organizing a trip up to Atlanta this Sunday right after church for the 2011 Hunger Walk.

Adults and youth are welcome to carpool up to the event where folks will walk with other Episcopalians to help eradicate hunger! If you would like to go, e-mail Cami by Wednesday.

Here’s more info on the Hunger Walk:

When: Sunday, March 13, 2011

Where: Green Lot at Turner Field

Time: Registration at 12:00 noon. 5K Run and Walk start at 2:00 pm. (Park closes 4:00 pm)

Who: Episcopalians from across the Diocese of Atlanta join together each spring to help hungry neighbors in our communities.  Your participation can help the thousands of families who experience poverty in our state.

Why: In Georgia 20.1 percent of Georgia’s children live in poverty – that’s nearly half a million children under age 18.  Nearly 1.4 million Georgians (14.7%) are living in poverty. This is the equivalent of 26 sold out games at Turner Field.  11.9 percent - more than one in every ten senior citizens in Georgia - is living in poverty.

PARKING IS FREE! All walkers and runners are encouraged to park in the Turner Field Blue Lot to avoid crossing the street.  The Blue Lot is just above the Green Lot where the event is held on Capitol Avenue.

Registration begins at noon – Come early to check out the new ECF tent and greet friends from around the diocese.  Kids of all ages can enjoy entertainment, food and games before the walk and run begin. The Run and Walk will take you through downtown Atlanta - a terrific way to see the city.

Note About Pets

Due to liability concerns and Turner Field policies we are not allowed to have family pets at the Hunger Walk. Service animals are, of course, welcome.

How to Get Involved

For over 25 years, Episcopal Charities Foundation has joined the Hunger Walk/Run in uniting participants of all ages and athletic backgrounds to support hunger and poverty relief. Over 11,000 participants come together each March to raise more than $400,000.  It is the largest single fundraiser for Episcopal Charitiesand its work to fight hunger throughout middle and north Georgia.

T-Shirt

All walkers who raise or contribute $25 or more will receive a free Hunger Walk/Run t-shirt on the day of the walk. If you’re a runner, your registration fee entitles you to a t-shirt the day of the event.  Once you complete your registration print out a copy of your confirmation and bring it with you on March 13th to receive your Hunger Walk/Run t-shirt.

Set your goal

The more funds you collect, the better we can all serve our communities. Hundreds of programs, including many supported by Episcopal Charities, that feed the hungry count on the Hunger Walk/Run so they can continue to serve those in need.  These include food pantries, community kitchens, shelters, afterschool programs and senior centers.

Our best advice for successful fundraising? Pray.  And then ask EVERYONE you know - friends, family, business colleagues, neighbors, classmates, fellow parishioners and more. Don’t forget your social networks like Facebook and Twitter - they’re great ways to let people know you’re participating in the Hunger Walk/Run on behalf of Episcopal Charities and that you’d like their support!  Remember … no donation is too large or small.  Each one helps Episcopal Charities feed hungry people across the Diocese of Atlanta.

For more information please contact hungerwalk@acfb.org or 404-892-9822 x 1246

FOCUS Volunteer Retreat

REMEMBER, RENEW, & RECHARGE

Those who are in ministries of service and outreach know that it can be easy to forget why it’s important to help the poor and hungry in our community. With a seemingly endless stream of people in need, where is our hope to come?  All current FOCUS volunteers, and those who are interested in volunteering in the emergency service office, the food bank, or the thrift store are welcome to join us for a day of inspiration as we renew our commitments to serving even the “least of these.” Fr. Jeff, who is also this year’s FOCUS chaplain, will lead the retreat at the Hamilton Fire Station from 9:30 to 3:30, and we’ll hear meditations from other area ministers like the Rev. Martha Dye of Pine Mountain United Methodist Church and Todd Sullins from Hamilton Baptist Church. To sign up for the retreat, contact Lynda Frerichs at 706-663-2726 or lyndafrerichs@bellsouth.net by Wednesday, February 9.

For more info on FOCUS, click here.

What Does FOCUS Do?

FOCUS is our main center of outreach ministry in Harris County. St. Nicholas is extremely involved in the organization, with St. Nicholas folks volunteering in the Emergency Services office, serving on the FOCUS board, working in the Thrift Shop, and organizing the Food Bank. On the last Sunday of every month, our loose offering goes to FOCUS as well. But what are the fruits of all the labors of FOCUS? The thrift shop is FOCUS’ main source of regular income. And all that money raised goes out to help people who are hungry or in any kind of need. Here is a report from Beth Searcy, who is in charge of the Thrift Shop and a member of Hamilton Baptist Church. She sends out monthly reports reminding all the FOCUS volunteers how much good happens through our work. Read more

TRUE Stories

Did you know that on the first Sunday of every month, the loose offering goes to the Rector’s Discretionary Fund? Not many people know that, and I’m supposed to remind the congregation about that from time to time. The discretionary fund is set up to be used exactly how it sounds–at the Rector’s discretion. Usually, this fund goes to helping people who are crunched for cash, which many people are these days. I am always astounded by how God continually provides for this fund. Even though I don’t promote it as much as I probably should, I get regular donations to it often. I also deposit any money I receive for weddings, funerals, or any other gifts I receive as part of my priestly duties into my discretionary fund.

Read more

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