Episcopal Church of the Epiphany1101 Sunset DriveP. O. Box 116Guntersville, AL 35976256-582-4897

www.EpiphanyGuntersville.org

August 2012Editor: Rusty Ogden

My Dear Friends,

Years ago, The Lovin Spoonful sang:

Hot town, summer in the City, Back of my neck gettin dirty and grittyBeen down, isn’t a pityDoesn’t seem to be a shadow in the city

All around, people looking half deadWalking on the sidewalks hotter than a match head

I don’t know why this particular song is cascading through my memory this morning. I suppose it’s because I’m old and I remember so many songs and also because it’s so blasted hot outside. It’s hot and it’s just July.

Even though it’s hot, life is still nuanced. I’m tired of the endless heat, but life is great. As always, one of the highlights of any season is worship. Worship, as always, spreads its splendor each and every Sunday at 8am and 10:30am. Our people faith-

fully come to praise God and greet their friends. Yes, there is always sameness to each service, but then again each Sunday is often radically different in what is experienced. Some Sundays there is sheer joy expressed. Most Sundays, we reflect over where we are in life. Worship is a barometer of our souls. Like last Sunday, there was a cloud that hung over our worship as we mourned the tragic death of so many innocent lives in Aurora, Colo-rado. Our worship always reflects what is going on in people’s hearts as we act out our relationship to each other and to our God. Worship, to be effective, has to be that way or it is meaningless and pointless. Worship that does not reflect what is happening in our hearts and minds, is a banging gong. When we come on Sunday it often amazes me how the drama of the liturgy, the music, the readings, the sermon, and even the Eucharistic prayer portray the sinus of our life. They are often miraculous in how well

they express what is happening and where we are coming from on that particular Sunday.

Perhaps that is why worship can be so exciting and meaningful. Worship allows us an outlet, or a way to express what is going on in our soul. I believe that we are healthier when we take the time to release, during worship, what is inside of us. Worship gives us the time to rejoice, to be angry, to reflect, to cry and to laugh. Worship is perhaps one of the most human things that we do. And re-search consistently shows that people who are active in congregational living are the healthiest and live longer, happier lives.

So take the time, stay out of the heat here at Epiphany; don’t stay home, come on down to the church and let yourselves go. It’s a great way to beat the heat and ex-press yourself creatively to God and to each other.

Blessings,

Bill

Rector’s RamblingsBy The Rev. Bill Winters

Epiphany Star

FR. BILL’S MONDAY MORNING STUDY GROUPStarting August 20 at 10:30 a.m., in Woodall Commons, Fr. Bill’s study group will read John Dominic Crossan’s The Power of Parable, [How Fiction by Jesus Became Fiction about Jesus]. The book is available in the church office for $15. In The Power of Parable, top Bible scholar John Dominic Crossan carefully dissects the stories we read in the gospels to get back to what Jesus actually intended to teach. Parables became so important for Jesus’ teaching that his followers also used this form to explain Jesus’ own life, ministry, and accomplishments. Each gospel, then, is really a book-length “megaparable” about Jesus of Nazareth. Crossan also shows how these four gospel writers ended up undermining Jesus’ true message of God’s kingdom-that of bringing peace and justice for all.

John Dominic Crossan, professor emeritus at DePaul University, is widely regarded as the foremost histori-cal Jesus scholar of our time. He currently serves as the president of the Society of Biblical Literature.

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Parish Retreat at August 24—26

Camp McDowell is "God's Backyard." When you see the beautiful 900+ acres of forests, canyons, and waterfalls; and once you experience the facilities, service, and events you will understand why Camp McDowell is such an important place to so many people. Have you been thinking about whether or not to go to the retreat? Attending the Parish Retreat each year can become a great tradition for your family. If you want to spend a weekend with your church family doing fun things

like fishing, swimming, hiking, canoeing, playing all kinds of games from softball to card games, eating lots of good food, reading or just sitting on the front porch in rocking chairs and visiting, then you’ll need to sign the registration sheets posted outside the Parish Office.

MILLER COMMONS Each lodge has 11 motel-style rooms with two double beds, private bath, and individual heat/air condition-ing units. Linens and towels are provided. Each lodge has a common/great room, kitchen, and covered decks and porches.

TO REGISTER, you need to sign the cabin and meal registration sheets posted outside the Parish Office. There will be no specific room assignments prior to going, upon arrival you will choose your room as you check in. Cost & Meal Information is posted on the bulletin board or call the Parish Office at 582-4897.

REGISTRATION DEADLINE IS AUGUST 4 Payment due to Epiphany by Aught 18

If assistance is needed, please contact Fr. Bill.

No refunds for changes or cancellations made after August 13

WITH SYBIL MACBETHby Jim Coleman

The Carol Jean Rives Forum for Spirituality is pleased to present Praying in Color with Sybil MacBeth, a short, three hour semi-nar on a different kind of prayer that combines mind, body, spirit, and imagination. It will be held from 9 am to 12 noon on September 22 in Woodall Commons.

When multiple friends and family members received ugly and scary diagnoses, Sybil MacBeth found

herself exhausted by the words of her prayers and stymied by a lack of focus. One summer day, she retreated to her back porch for a session of mindless doodling with a basket of her favorite colored markers. She drew a shape, put the name of a friend inside, and added lines and

color. She drew another shape with another name and added detail and color. When the page was covered with designs and names, Sybil realized she had prayed. The action of drawing was a wordless offering of friends and family into the care of God. The page of drawings became a visual reminder to pray. This was the begin-ning of Praying in Color.

This experience led to a book, Praying in Color. After presenting a few local seminars on her discovery, she soon found herself in demand. She has since presented seminars on her topic all over the United States.

“MacBeth makes it astonishingly clear that anyone with a box of colors and some paper can have a conversation with God.” PUBLISHER’S WEEKLY Starred Review

For more information, see the internet site www.prayingincolor.com.

We will have more details in the coming weeks.

AUTUMN LEAF SPECIAL TRAIN TRIP OCTOBER 6

Fr. Bill has planned a train trip out of Chattanooga, TN to Summerville, GA and back. Hollis Babb has agreed to drive the bus. We would have to leave the parking lot at 6:00 a.m. to arrive in Chattanooga for the 9:00 a.m. train trip. The trip lasts for eight hours.

We have reserved twenty seats in the coach car which is an enclosed car with comfortable reclining seats and large picture windows.

For the autumn trip, fall colors are usually a highlight outside the train, while a luncheon, complete with chinaware, is served inside dining car, Travelers Fare.

fruit cocktailbaked turkey and Swiss cheese

croissanthomemade veggie beef soup

coleslaw, potato chipsdessert

During the approximate 1-1/2 hour layover in Summerville, passengers will be able to explore the town and adjacent Dowdy Park with its historic turntable. The locomotive will be rotated on the turntable, serviced and watered for its return trip to Chattanooga. The Sum-Nelly arts and crafts show will be in Dowdy Park while we are there.

If you would like to take this trip with us, please call the office ASAP and no later than September 1. To reserve at least 20 seats we must make a deposit soon and no changes are allowed by the company less than 30 days in advance. Payment to the church is due in advance. This is not a trip that can wait to the last minute.

Trip Price: $70Lunch: $20Bus: $10

Epiphany Star Page 3

PARKING LOT BLOCKED OFF FOR JEFF COOK CONCERT

Joyce Rehfeld will block off the small parking beside the nave on August 25 starting at 4:30pm. The gates for the concert open at 5pm for the 6pm concert. She would like someone to help her from 5pm until the concert begins at 6pm. Sixteen spaces are available and you must pick up a parking pass in the office.

BLESSING OF THE BACKPACKSStudents return to school on August 20 and we want to send each pupil back to class with a backpack full of blessings. At the 10:30am service, August 19, Fr. Bill will bless the bags that our children will take to school. They will re-ceive a gift bag and a blessing card to carry in their packs all year. Students should bring their backpacks.

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BRING A FRIEND SUNDAY WELCOMES VISITORS & NEWCOMERS

Now is the time to invite your friends and family to attend the 12th Annual Bring-A-Friend Sunday on September 16. The Church promises an uplifting service of worship and song. This is an opportunity to invite a friend to share God’s message to all.

We have arranged a full course lunch for members and guests after the 10:30 service. The meal is free, but we would like for you to bring your favorite dessert to share.

If you have a gift for baking small loaves of bread to give to our visitors, we would greatly appreciate it. If you wish to bake ahead of time, we can freeze the bread until “Friend Sunday.”

Please pray for this important day in the life of this parish. Many people who are now integral members of Epiphany first came on Bring a Friend Sunday. May God bless this special day.

If you wish to participate with the Hospitality Team, call the church or Maggie Muegge at 256-582-0112.

YOUTH PROGRAMS

Dear Parishioners,

Engaging activities are planned to take place at Camp McDowell during our Parish Retreat, August 24, 25, & 26. Fun activities are planned, including a performance for our parish!!!!

Please notice that we will be performing a skit on Rally Day—Be sure to come and support our kids!

Teaching Sunday School has been the biggest blessing to me. I thank my church family with all of my heart for the oppor-tunity to be involved in your children’s lives.

Peace and Love to you all,

Michelle Bradshaw

VYP Summer Sunday School Schedule

August 5 Rehearse Skit, Costumes, & BackgroundsAugust 12 Rehearse Skit, Costumes, & BackgroundsAugust 19 Class Party/Make Drums and Sing Songs

September 9 Rally Day Performance (Final Rehearsal During Sunday School)

Fr. Bill is presenting "Movie Night" in Woodall Commons August 15, 2012 at 7:00 p.m.

Chairs will be set up but you may bring your own folding chair or cushions and relax on the floor. Popcorn and refreshments will be served.

Life is Beautiful

Alternately harrowing and funny, this Oscar-winning Holo-caust story features writer/director/star Roberto Benigni as a Jewish innocent living in a small Italian village with his wife and son in 1939. When father and son are sent to a concentration camp, Benigni uses games and humor to shield the boy from the surrounding horrors. Nicoletta Braschi and Giorgio Cantarini also star. 116 min. Rated: PG13

Movie Night

A little girl, dressed in her Sunday best, was running as fast as she could, trying not to be late for Bible class. As she ran she prayed, 'Dear Lord, please don't let me be late! Dear Lord, please don't let me be late!'

While she was running and praying, she tripped on a curb and fell, getting her clothes dirty and tearing her dress. She got up, brushed herself off, and started running again! As she ran she once again began to pray, 'Dear Lord, please don't let me be late...But please don't shove me either!'

The Epiphany family extends its most heartfelt sympathy, love, prayers and support to:

Rick and Velvet Cooley and family in the loss, July 19, of Rick's brother, Charles Cooley of Huntsville.

Rita and Bill Winters and family in the loss, July 21, of Rita's cousin, Glen Stanford of Mont-gomery.

Joe and Linda Katz and family in the loss, July 21, of Joe’s sister, Martha Carr of Birmingham

Rest eternal grant to them O Lord.

Epiphany and Diocesan NewsBulletin Board

It has come to my attention that people don’t know what the bulletin board directly across from the office is for. The purpose of this is board is to display: Monthly Vestry minutes Epiphany financial reports Parishioner thank you notes and letters News from other churches in the diocese Letters from Bishop Sloan Maintenance sign up sheet

If you see something in the buildings that is in need of repair, please note it on this sheet and Hollis Babb, Property Warden, will see to it.

Personal notices are allowed but will be removed if room is needed to place items the board is intended for.

Please stop by and see what is happening at Epiphany and in the diocese.

Thank you for your understanding and co-operation.

Rusty Ogden, Communications Director

Contact Information:rusty@EpiphanyGuntersville.orgchurch@EpiphanyGuntersville.orgChurch Phone: 256-582-4897Fax #: 256-582-4899www.EpiphanyGuntersville.org

This may be the last time you will receive your newsletter by post.

Starting with the September issue, everyone with e-mail will receive the newsletter as an e-mail. If you have trouble opening the newsletter, please let me know.

Those who have no e-mail will continue to receive the newsletter by post.

The reason for this move is that more people are requesting e-mail and our number of those requesting post are dwindling. We have to have at least 200 to maintain our bulk mail rate and the bulk mail rate has become more expensive every year.

If you have any questions, please call or e-mail me.Contact information is at the top of this page.

Rusty Ogden

You may have noticed that the e-mails I send out have a new look. We have a new program, Constant Contact.

Using this system allows me to give more information on news and events of Epiphany with a more professional look. For ex-ample: The e-mail on the Summerville Train Trip coming up in October. I was able to put different aspects of the trip in sepa-rate boxes with pictures. There is a link to the website of the Tennessee Valley Rail Road which operates the trips so that you yourself can find more information.

The reason for this is our new internet system. Under the new system, I could only send out 100 e-mails at a time and that does not cover our parish. Now I can send out 500 at a time. That’s more like it.

Brief items and notices of meetings to committees and minis-tries will be sent as before.

Epiphany Star Page 5

NEW VESTRY MEMBERAt the June vestry meeting the vestry decided to fill the vacancy created by Bob Moses when he and Penny moved. It is customary to go back to the ballots cast at the last election and ask the next high-est vote to fill such vacancies. We are very grateful to Gloria Kilner for agreeing to fulfill Bob’s term which ends this December.

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CODE: HC—Holy Communion; HE—Holy Eucharist; SS—Sunday School; CP—Centering Prayer; DG—Dream GroupBSA—Brotherhood of Saint Andrew; DOK—Daughters of the King; ECW—Episcopal Church Women; Birthdays

A U G U S T 2 0 1 2

September October November

1—St. William Seafood Festival 6—Summerville Train Trip 4—UTO Ingathering

3—Labor Day—Office Closed 7—Blessing of the Animals 10—Holiday Bazaar

9—Rally Day 17—Fall Break 17—19 21—Thanksgiving Service

12—Wednesday Night Programs 18—Live Auction 22—Thanksgiving Day—Office Closed

16—Bring A Friend Sunday 28—Parish Elections 23—Office Closed

22—Praying in Color

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1CP 9:45am

HC & Healing Service 11:30am

Lisa Pate

2DG 12pm

CP 6:30pm

3Spring Valley

Beach trip 9am

Logan Adair

4

Cricket AdamsBob Amburn

5HC 8 & 10:30am

SS 9:30amMission Team 9:30am

CC 10:30amTaizé Service 5pm

Paula DabneyMatthew Moses

Lilli-Grace Reeves

6CJR Forum mtg

7pm

7 8CP 9:45am

HC & Healing Service 11:30am

David Roadruck

9DG 12pm

CP 6:30pm

Jilli Sparks

10

Judith BrownJack Hyatt

11Garden Workday

7amBSA 8am

Jonathan Daniel Pilgrimage 11am

Doug Cooke

12HC 8 & 10:30am

SS 9:30amOutreach mtg 9:30am

CC 10:30amUltreya 6pm

Jonathan Wilks

13DOK 11:30am

Deadline to register for Parish Retreat

Barbara Warnes

14Hospitality

6:30pm

15CP 9:45am

HC & Healing Service 11:30amMovie Night 7pm

Lucy Alves

16DG 12pm

Ministry Council 6pm

CP 6:30pm

Becky Phelps

17

Hack Ross

18

Bonnie BarkerJeannine Wilder

19HC 8 & 10:30am

SS 9:30amCC 10:30am

Backpack Blessing 10:30am

Celtic Service 5pm

J. B. BrantleyRay Klaver

Morgan Pence

20Fr. Bill’s Study Group 10:30am

GSV School starts

21Vestry 7pm

Bryce BlairJennifer Moore

22CP 9:45am

HC & Healing Service 11:30am

Bill MossDenise Paquette

23DG 12pm

CP 6:30pmPayment due for Parish Retreat

24

Ruth Taylor

25BSA 8am

26Parish Retreat

HC 8 & 10:30am

27Fr. Bill’s Study Group 10:30am

DOK 7pm

Barbara SedberryPat Woodall

28

John Clanton

29CP 9:45am

HC & Healing Service 11:30am

Ann BranumWyatt Martin

Joe Sanderson

30DG 12pm

CP 6:30pm

Skip HarborthNancy McAllister

Robin MooreKatherine Woodall

31

Vestry Person for AugustGloria Kilner 256-582-8620

Parish Retreat