Your Week at St. Nick 5 - 11 September 2010

Sunday, 5 September

8:30am Holy Eucharist

9:15am  Breakfast/Fellowship

9:30am  Christian Formation Classes

11:00am  Holy Eucharist

 

Usher/Greeter

8:30am Tom and Sharon Cheatham

11:00am Graham Horne and Jan Pylant

Readers

8:30am Connie Blackmon

11:00am Phebe Robertson/Abbey Avery

LEM

8:30am Connie Blackmon

11:00am  Michelle Moody

Altar Guild

Julie Nordin

Flower Guild

Bert Tomlin

Lemonade

Marci Horne

Acolytes

Dalton Avery

Abbey Avery

Libby Horne

Sunday School Teacher

Graham Horne

 

Tuesday, September 7

6:30pm St. Nicholas Academy: 

The Dangerous Act of Worship

Wednesday, 8 September

6:30pm  Choir Rehearsal

Thursday,  9 September

6:30pm Lobsterfest Work Session to make fans

at Sheila Dixon’s home.  Refreshments served

Saturday, September 11

9:30am-12:00

Lobsterfest Work Session to wrap utensils

at St. Nicholas.  Continental breakfast served

 

Happy Birthday!

September

9/1       Sean Moody

9/1       Larry Correnti

9/2       Drucye Price

9/3       Linda Sawyer

9/8       Sheila Turley

9/8       Clyde Moody

9/21     Joe Torres

9/26     Charlotte Winsness

Happy Anniversary!

September

9/2       Ralph & Camilla Livingston

9/10     Mark & Karen Kurtz

9/30     Doug & Peggy Martin

The Dangerous Act of Worship

Tuesday Night Adult Education Returns September 7!

In his book, The Dangerous Act of Worship, Mark Labberton asserts that corporate worship shouldn’t merely point us upward toward God, but turn us outward as well, toward our neighbors.  He says worship should translate into transformed lives that care for the poor and the oppressed.  The Old Testament prophet Micah said to Israel, “What does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?”  (Micah 6:8)  If worship is the humble walk, where does doing justice and loving mercy fit?  What does Sunday worship mean to you come Monday?  Let’s talk about it!  Mollie Smith will be leading this class on Tuesday nights for 6 weeks starting September 7, at 6:30 pm., to discuss the meaning of worship at St. Nicholas and beyond. You can sign up for the class by visiting www.stnicholashamilton.org/signup or by visiting the bulletin board in the hallway. Copies of the book are $12.00, but are not required to take the class.

Your Week at St. Nick 28 August - 4 September 2010

Saturday, 28 August

9:30am Lobsterfest Painting Workshop at St. Nicholas

 

Sunday, 29 August

8:30am Holy Eucharist/Rev. Donna Gafford preaches/celebrates

9:15am  Breakfast/Fellowship

9:30am  Christian Formation Classes

11:00am  Holy Eucharist/Rev. Donna Gafford preaches/celebrates

 

Usher/Greeter

8:30am Bobo and Barbara Morgan

11:00am Dave and Sue Halmrast

Readers

8:30am Larry Nordin

11:00am Liz Dixon

LEM

8:30am Katherine Johnson

11:00am  Drucye Price

Altar Guild

Liz Dixon

Flower Guild

Linda Sawyer

Lemonade

Peggy Martin

Acolytes

Abby Brown

Sean Moody

Sunday School Teacher

Michelle Moody

 

Tuesday, August 31

Last day to order CVEM BBQ Butts $20

Wednesday, 1 September

6:30pm  Choir Rehearsal

Thursday and Friday, 2 & 3 September

CVEM BBQ Butt pickup at the CVEM House, 1120 Lockwood Ave., Columbus

 

Happy Birthday!

August

8/31     Nancy Callaway

September

9/1       Sean Moody

9/1       Larry Correnti

9/2       Drucye Price

9/3       Linda Sawyer

9/8       Sheila Turley

9/8       Clyde Moody

9/21     Joe Torres

9/26     Charlotte Winsness

Happy Anniversary!

August

8/29     Gene & Pat Demonet

September

9/2       Ralph & Camilla Livingston

9/10     Mark & Karen Kurtz

9/30     Doug & Peggy Martin

They Said It Couldn’t Be Done

“They said it couldn’t be done, Christian Valley, but I preached a 10-minute sermon!”

Those were the exuberant words of Pastor Eric Seldon, who is the minister of Christian Valley Church in Cataula, who preached at both services at St. Nicholas on Sunday. While he was talking about his sermon length, I couldn’t help but think that there was much more that happened on Sunday that “they said couldn’t be done.”

I have written before about our relationship with Christian Valley and how we are seeking to create a bond of friendship between two very different congregations. One is predominantly African-American, one is predominantly Caucasian. One worships formally and traditionally, one worships with a much more contemporary spin. One has a preacher that preaches 10 to 15 minutes long, one has a preacher that preaches 30-45 minutes long.

As Pastor Eric mentioned in his sermon, in the South, Sunday mornings are the most segregated hours of the week. Yet, we have been called to take the “road less traveled” and join together on occasion to begin a process of relationship of understanding. One might worry that we’re trying to assimilate their church or that they are trying to assimilate ours. But that’s not the intention. It’s to engage fully in mission with one another. Mission, at it’s core, means engaging in relationship with one another. Christian Valley has a gift to give St. Nicholas. St. Nicholas has a gift to give Christian Valley. Despite our cultural, ecclesial, or liturgical differences, we lift those differences up and share them with one another to learn, and grow, and love one another. Who else is doing that in Harris County?

I said in both services yesterday that the Kingdom of God was indeed present. We all recited the Nicene Creed, as varied Christians throughout history have done before as a way to unite us in common worship. I looked out and saw the beauty of diversity in the faces of God’s created people! At the 8:30 service, we had 64 attendees, most of whom were Christian Valley members who came early, and then went to worship at their own 10 o’clock service. At 11:00, we had 97 people packed into the pews! It was a sight to behold!

Deacon Terrance Blue from Christian Valley led the Inspirational Choir in two songs at the two services, Souled Out and God Is. At the 11:00 service, everyone was on their feet clapping, dancing, and singing. If you wonder what eternity might be like, it might look a bit like that.

The number of e-mails and comments about our services have been overwhelmingly positive. As one St. Nicholas member said, “I thought to myself, this is the way the world can put aside bigotry and hatred…I have always been proud to be Episcopalian, but this morning went beyond mere pride to show me the way the world could ‘live as one.’”

I am supremely thankful to Pastor Eric, Garvin Gourie, and the rest of Christian Valley who made the day possible. I am overwhelmingly proud of the people of St. Nicholas, who welcomed new friends with open arms. Pastor Eric said how warm everyone felt there with us.

So it was a step in the right direction. I have never been more sure of that. I don’t know what God has in store for St. Nicholas & Christian Valley, but if it’s anything like yesterday’s worship, then the Kingdom of God is truly at hand.

My only disappointment in the day was that we didn’t get any pictures! Our regular photographer, Lynn Hall, was in bed with the flu, bless her heart, and I forgot to get someone else to take pictures! So even though the day wasn’t captured on camera, it certainly was graphed into the hearts and minds of all who were present.

They said it couldn’t be done…

Your Week at St. Nick 22 - 28 August 2010

Sunday, 22 August

8:30am Holy Eucharist

9:15am  Breakfast/Fellowship

9:30am  Christian Formation Classes

11:00am  Holy Eucharist

 

Usher/Greeter

8:30am Bobo and Barbara Morgan

11:00am  John and Charlotte Winsness

Readers

8:30am Connie Blackmon

11:00am  Phebe Robertson/Abby Brown

LEM

8:30am Connie Blackmon

11:00am  Drucye Price

Altar Guild

Carolyn Cox/Charlotte Winsness

Flower Guild

Suzy Eidson

Lemonade

Anne Simpson

Acolytes

Abby Brown

Davis Yarbrough

Jamie Lynn Yarbrough

Sunday School Teacher

Marci Horne

 

Wednesday, 25 August

4:00om Finance Committee Meeting

6:30pm  Choir Rehearsal

Thursday, 26 August

6:30pm Vestry Meeting

Friday, 27 August - Sunday, 29 August

Youth Retreat at Camp Mickell

Saturday, 28August

9:30am Lobsterfest Painting Workshop

Happy Birthday!

August

8/6       Cory Butzon

8/14     Rev. Tom Jones

8/18     Tony Cox

8/31     Nancy Callaway

Happy Anniversary!

August

8/3       Chris & Andy Butzon

8/16     Kenny & Lynn Hall

8/18     Jeff & Molly Jackson

8/29     Gene & Pat Demonet

Your Week at St. Nick 15 - 21 August 2010

Sunday, 15 August

8:30am Holy Eucharist/Flag Dedication/Guest Preacher Eric Seldon

9:15am  Breakfast/Fellowship

9:30am  Christian Formation Classes

11:00am  Holy Eucharist/Guest Preacher Eric Seldon

 

Usher/Greeter

8:30am Bobo and Barbara Morgan

11:00am  John and Charlotte Winsness

Readers

8:30am Larry Nordin

11:00am  John Brent/Ivy Martin

LEM

8:30am Katherine Johnson

11:00am  Nick Simpson

Altar Guild

Linda Sawyer/Bert Tomlin

Flower Guild

Sharon Cheatham

Lemonade

Gina Durham

Acolytes

Cody Durham

Ivy Martin

Madison Martin

Sunday School Teacher

Graham Horne

Wednesday, 18 August

4:00om Finance Committee Meeting

6:30pm  Choir Rehearsal

Thursday, 19 August

6:30pm Episcopal 101

Saturday, 21August

9:30am Lobsterfest Committee Meeting

 

Happy Birthday!

August

8/6       Cory Butzon

8/14     Rev. Tom Jones

8/18     Tony Cox

8/31     Nancy Callaway

Happy Anniversary!

August

8/3       Chris & Andy Butzon

8/16     Kenny & Lynn Hall

8/18     Jeff & Molly Jackson

8/29     Gene & Pat Demonet

Flag Dedication

Our flags have arrived!

Thanks to many generous donations from St. Nicholas members, we now have an Episcopal flag and an American flag on display in the narthex of the church. They are 3 x 5 flags on some snazzy poles and in some beautiful stands. They look really nice and everyone who has seen them in the narthex thus far has said they are really glad we went with the nicest flags we could get.

This Sunday, August 15, at the 8:30 service, we will dedicate the two flags during the Prayers of the People. We can only dedicate them once, so we hope that those of you who made these flags possible will be able to come to the early service.

Pulpit Swap!

This Sunday, August 15, we will have a guest preacher, as the second part of our “pulpit swap” with Christian Valley Church in Cataula. Back in June, I was invited to preach at Christian Valley as a way to introduce St. Nicholas to their congregation and vice versa. On Sunday, we will have Pastor Eric Seldon with us preaching at both services.

Our relationship with Christian Valley began over a year ago when a member of their church, Garvin Gourie, wanted to explore teaming with a predominantly white congregation in order to show unity between our churches in this county. Sunday mornings are the most segregated hours of the week in the South, and Garvin’s vision led to our conversations. We are certainly not seeking to assimilate one another, but want to establish a relationship to learn about one another, experience our differing cultures, and worship together.

In our conversations over the last year, Pastor Eric, Garvin, Graham Horne, and I have discussed doing some outreach projects together, including promoting the Ferst Foundation’s Childhood Literacy Program. Katherine Johnson and Connie Blackmon, members of St. Nicholas who are greatly involved with the literacy program, have worked with us to think about some ways we can promote this program in our congregations and join together to get children signed up for it.

Christian Valley’s choir will also be with us on Sunday to share their gift of music. We will also show them how we celebrate Eucharist, and share our gifts of music as well!

It will be a fantastic Sunday, so please come and introduce yourself to our friends from Christian Valley!

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!

Your Week at St. Nick 8 - 14 August 2010

Sunday, 8 August  Sunday School Roundup Sunday

8:30am Holy Eucharist

9:15am  Continental Breakfast

9:30am  Christian Formation Classes

11:00am  Holy Eucharist and Blessing of the Backpacks

11:45am  Roundup Sunday Refreshments

 

Usher/Greeter

8:30am Tom and Sharon Cheatham

11:00am  Graham Horne and Jan Pylant

Readers

8:30am Connie Blackmon

11:00am  Michelle Moody/Samantha Dixon

LEM

8:30am Connie Blackmon

11:00am  Michelle Mooday

Altar Guild

Liz Dixon

Flower Guild

Linda Sawyer

Lemonade

Sheila Dixon

Acolytes

Ansley Butzon

Samantha Dixon

Wednesday, 11 August

6:30pm  Choir Rehearsal

Saturday, 14 August

9:30am - 12:00pm

Lobsterfest Painting Workshop

Happy Birthday!

August

8/6       Cory Butzon

8/14     Rev. Tom Jones

8/18     Tony Cox

8/31     Nancy Callaway

Happy Anniversary!

August

8/3       Chris & Andy Butzon

8/16     Kenny & Lynn Hall

8/16     Jeff & Molly Jackson

8/29     Gene & Pat Demonet

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