Episcopal Church of the Epiphany 1101 Sunset Drive P. O. Box 116 Guntersville, AL 35976 256-582-4897

www.EpiphanyGuntersville.org

January 2015

Editor: Rusty Ogden

Bishop Marray Coming to Epiphany

Parish Business Meeting January 25, 2015— 9:00 a.m.

We will meet in Sanderson Hall at 9:00 a.m. to discuss our 2015 budget.

Come at 8:45 a.m. and enjoy a $5, all you can eat, breakfast.

The Assistant Bishop of Alabama, the Rt. Reverend Santosh Marray, will be coming to Epiphany January 4. There will be one service at 10:30 a.m. Bishop Marray will meet parishioners in Woodall Commons at 9:30 a.m. Coffee and pastries will be served. The undesignated, loose plate offering will

be given to Bishop Marray for his Discretionary Fund which will be administered by him. This is not a fund for his personal use but for the special needs that arise out of the life of the diocesan community. This fund is a direct, personal part of his ministry. Strict confidentiality is maintained as to the charitable uses to which it is used. Donations by check should be made out to “The Church of the Epiphany” and designated Bishop’s Discretionary Fund.

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There will be a Parish Pot Luck luncheon in honor of the visit of Bishop Marray on January 4. The parish will provide the meat, beverages and rolls. Parishioners are asked to bring a side dish of a vegetable, salad or dessert. Please take your dish, with your name on it, to the kitchen Sunday morning.

WEDNESDAY SERVICE OF HEALING

A Healing Service will be offered in St. Mary’s Chapel every Wednesday at 11:30 a.m. starting January 7. A Eucharist will be celebrated with prayers and unction offered to those in need of healing or other needs.

Mountain Convocation Meeting with Bishops Sloan and Marray

Bishop Sloan has requested a meeting with our convocation “The Mountain Convocation” to present the new diocesan policy on the Blessing of Same-Sex Unions in our Diocese. This is an informational meeting to make sure all concerned understand the policy and how it is to be implemented. Our Convocation meeting with Bishop Sloan will be on Thursday, January 22, at 6:00 p.m. at Resurrection, Rainbow City.

If you would like to view Bishop Sloan’s letter and the resolution passed by the General Convention of the Episcopal Church in 2012, please go to the Alabama Diocesan website www.dioala.org.

If you are planning to attend, please inform Rusty at the church office 256-582-4897. Our hosts in Gadsden appreciate knowing how many of us to expect.

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The Epiphany family extends its most heartfelt sympathy, love, prayers and support to John and Ann Branum in the loss December 6, of Ann’s brother, Richard Carter, and of John’s mother, Helen Branum, on December 10.

The Epiphany family extends its most heartfelt sympathy, love, prayers and support to Jim Ward in the loss, December 30, of Jim’s mother, Rita Ward.

Rest eternal grant to them, O Lord And let light perpetual shine upon them.

FR. AARON’S LECTIONARY CLASS

Fr. Aaron will begin Adult Sunday School on January 18. This class will be Study and Dis-cussion of the Sunday’s Lectionary. Please meet in Sanderson Hall after breakfast, 9:30 to 10:15.

GOD WILLING AND THE PEOPLE CONSENTING

THE RIGHT REVEREND JOHN MCKEE SLOAN D.D.

BISHOP OF THE DIOCESE OF ALABAMA

WILL ORDAIN

CHRISTOPHER KEVIN HARTLEY

TO THE SACRED ORDER OF PRIESTS

ON

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 14, 2015

AT

SIX O’CLOCK IN THE EVENING

AT

ST. MICHAEL & ALL ANGELS

1000 WEST 18TH STREET

ANNISTON, ALABAMA 36202

Holly Andries will drive the Holy Roller bus to Annis-

ton for the Ordination of Chris Hartley. We will leave

the church at 4:00 p.m. If you would like to ride the

bus, please sign the sheet on the nave bulletin board.

The cost is $15 and there are only 17 places available.

NOTE: There will not be a Eucharist, dinner or pro-

grams at Epiphany on that evening.

FROM THE ALTAR GUILD

There are only a few Sundays left for candle dedica-

tions for 2015. These are available first come—first

served.

The sign up sheet is on the bulletin outside the nave.

ROOM IN THE INN (RITI)

Please join on Friday, January 2, 16 and 30 at 6:00pm to welcome and host our homeless neighbors.

WE NEED HELP WITH: Set-up, kitchen help support, "Sleeping Servants", break-down and clean-up.

Please give prayerful consideration to joining us every other Friday to bring blessings to our "Neighbors"!

Everyone is invited

MONDAY MORNING BOOK CLUB "The Monday Morning Book Club is looking for new members. We meet and discuss books on various subjects in the large classroom on the second floor. We currently meet from 10:30 to 11:30AM on Mondays. If you are interested in joining us please let Shaun Packard or Will Smith know, or just show up. We might be able to change the day and time if there is enough interest in a different meeting time.”

With the New Year 2015 comes the Feast of the

Epiphany on January 6th. The word epiphany

means “showing forth,” “manifestation,” or

“revelation,” and the celebration of Epiphany

marks the revelation of Jesus’ true identity to the

wider world.

In the Episcopal Church, the first Sunday after

the Epiphany is the observation of another form

of Christ’s manifestation. This is when we cele-

brate the revelation of Jesus as the Son of God

when he was baptized by John in the River Jor-

dan. The Sunday Gospel readings throughout

the season after the Epiphany (which lasts until

Lent) will focus on special moments of revela-

tion, when various aspects of Jesus’ identity are

revealed.

I am reminded of the lyrics to a song from one of

my favorite artists, a singer/songwriter named

Todd Snider. The song is entitled “Somebody’s

Coming.”

Tell anybody that ain’t got nobody

Somebody’s coming

Tell all these people who think they need money

Somebody’s coming

Tell everybody walkin’ tall and proud

That their money talks, but it talks so loud

That there’s somebody coming

That’s gonna change everything…

Too often, we put our faith in the things of this

earth to give us safety, security, and dependabil-

ity – things like wealth, power, and control. But

when those things depart from us, or are taken

from us by forces outside our control, it can

shake our sense of well-being. There are many sto-

ries of those who, through no fault of their own, have

lost much. Whether the crisis is health-related, or

financial, or losing a loved one, “bad things” can and

do happen to all of us.

Our God is not cruel and capricious, subjecting us to

“the whims of fate.” But these losses are a reminder

that our faith lies in God alone. We depend on the

person of Christ to guide us into healing and whole-

ness. We trust that the Spirit can and will lead us to

the realization of a new life in God.

As we enjoy the New Year and the season after the

Epiphany, let us be mindful of the fact that this sea-

son is one of hope, faith, and revelation. God is re-

vealing to us plans for a new year in our life together

as a community. We look with hope and faith to the

wondrous possibilities of a renewed life in the resur-

rection. And we are called to remember that, indeed,

“somebody’s coming that’s gonna change every-

thing.”

Tell all these people at the end of the line

Somebody’s coming

Tell all these people holding “I’ll work for food” signs

Somebody’s coming

Somebody’s coming, been here before

If you think you’re outta chances,

well you’ve got one more

‘Cause somebody’s coming

That’s gonna change everything!

Blessings & Peace,

Fr. Aaron

Christmas Season, 2014

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EPIPHANY SEAFOOD BASH January 26, 2015

AT

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Blessings in a Backpack provides easily prepared weekend food for children in Marshall County schools. Currently 1,025 bags are being packed each week. For as little as $80, “The Power of 80”, a child will get a bag of food every Friday dur-ing the school year.

Donations Checks payable to Blessings in a Backpack Mail to: Blessings in a Backpack 502 Blount Avenue Guntersville, AL 35976

THE OGDEN HOUSE

Ogden House is a teen shelter run by Tennessee Valley Family Service. The facility serves children under 18 that are temporarily displaced from their families or are deemed a child in need of ser-

vices. Youth may come to The Ogden House via: re-ferrals from the Juvenile Probation Office, families, and youth that have contacted us by self referral.

They will hold a Family Soup Fest fundraiser on Janu-ary 16 in Sanderson Hall from 10:00 a.m.—2:00 p.m.

Please come enjoy all you can eat of Sheila Myrick’s famous homemade soups. Just $5 to support this wonderful organization.

YOGA WORKSHOPS HONOR AMERICAN VETERANS

Join us for a day of honoring Americas Veterans past and present. This event will be held in Woodall Commons on Saturday, January 17, 2015, from 10:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m.

The day will include classes, demonstrations, and mini workshops to reduce stress, learn different styles of yoga and concepts to feel better. Enjoy delicious smoothies, gourmet food, and natural products that will lift your spirit and bring joy to your heart and soul. Six presenters will share their teachings through-out the day guiding and encouraging you to feel better - mind and body. Come for one class or stay all day. A $10 donation is suggested but not re-quired. All proceeds will be donated to families in need either through the VA or church.

All You Can Eat Shrimp, Crawfish, Homemade Gumbo,

Corn on the Cobb, Potatoes, Coffee, Iced Tea, Soft Drinks

*Other drinks available at extra charge* Serving from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

$ 25.00 To buy your tickets come by the church office or

call 256-582-4897 Hot dog plate for $5

may be purchased at the door.

We need volunteers to help set up, serve, take drink orders, and clean up. There is a sign up sheet on the nave bulletin board if you can help.

Thank You! Thank You!

Thank you for participating in the Angel Tree. Six children at Ogden House, nine children from the Guntersville school system and two children from Home Place joined us for the

Christmas in Advent party and received the gifts that you so generously provided. I delivered pictures of the event to Ogden House and the children were still going through

their gifts and talking about how happy and thankful they were to have received them.

Thank you to Meredith Jackson and Michelle Bradshaw for coordinating the Advent Pageant. More than twenty children participated to share the story of God’s faithful servants who prepared the way for Christ. They portrayed characters which spanned the centuries, from Abraham to John the Baptist. Thank you also to the parents of the

children for making the pageant a priority in a season that tugs us in so many directions.

Sunday School and Children's Church Sunday school and children's church will resume on Jan 4.

Bishop Marray will be visiting Epiphany and addressing the children during the sermon. Children’s church will meet upstairs where the children’s church leaders will walk the children to the nave and

they will all sit together in the front of the church.

VYP VYP will resume on Wednesday, January 7th.

EYC

Sr. EYC will resume on Sunday, January 4th. Jr. EYC will resume on Wednesday, January 7th.

Seafood Bash at Crawmama’s

Monday, January 26th The Jr. & Sr. EYC members will help serve and clean up tables. We will meet at Crawmama’s at 5:00 p.m., work

from 5:00pm until 6:30pm and then eat together at 6:30pm. Please mark your calendars so you can join us!

Room in the Inn Friday, January 30th

The Jr. & Sr. EYC will be meeting at 4:30pm on Friday January 30th to set up the sleeping areas, help make dinner, eat dinner, help clean up and spend time in community with our homeless neighbors.

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Account Summary Current Month Year to Date

Beginning Market Value 33,713.86 -

Contributions 5,000.00 38,000.00

Payments and Taxes - -

Fees - -

Income Earned 5.64 5.77

Other Activity - -

Appreciation/(Depreciation) 504.08 1,217.78

Ending Market Value 39,223.58 39,223.55

2015 Budget Development and Approval Our Stewardship Team would like to thank the one hundred and nine Epiphany families who have made a

pledge to the general fund for 2015. To date, we have received pledges totaling $282,780. The average pledge is $2,594. On Tuesday, January 6th, the Finance Ministry will meet to develop the 2015 budget based on ministry in-put and historical data. It will then be sent to the vestry for prayerful review. On Thursday, January 15th, the vestry will meet to identify priorities, additions and/or changes to the proposed budget and to approve the final 2015 budget. The vestry’s final budget will then be presented to the parish on Sunday, January 25th at the Annual Parish Business Meeting. If you have not yet completed a pledge card and intend to do so, you may still mail it in, bring it to the office, or put it in the alms basin prior to January 6th. You may also call your pledge into our treasurer, Shari Harrison, at 256-582-4897, or e-mail your pledge to Shari@EpiphanyGuntersville.org Wonderful things are in store for Epiphany’s ministries in 2015.

Your gifts are appreciated!

Church of the Epiphany Tapestry Fund

State Street Global Advisors

November 30, 2014

Direct Debit is Here! Top Reasons to set up a direct debit for your pledge or contribution:

No searching all over the house on Sunday mornings for your checkbook.

Give the staff and volunteers a break. It is faster to process an automatic debit than it is to open an enve-

lope, verify the amount, endorse the check, run an adding machine tape and go to the bank.

Save the church money. Use less envelopes.

Relax on vacation, knowing that your contributions are still hard at work and providing a smooth cash flow

for church operations.

Save the environment. Go “green”; eliminate paper.

You won’t have to worry about your pledge being up to date. It always will be!

It’s EASY. Simply contact Shari Harrison, our treasurer, at 256-582-4897, to set it up.

From Shari Harrison, Treasurer of Epiphany

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2015 Pledged by Dollar Range As of December 18th, 2014 $2,385 or less 66

$2,386 - $4,999.99 24

$5,000 - $9,999.99 17

$10,000 - $19,999.99 2

Total Number of Pledges 109

Total Dollar Amount of Pledges $ 282,780

Average Pledge $ 2,594

SAVE THE DATE: March 15 The Tapestry Society wine and cheese party

Epiphany General Fund November Straight Line 92%

INCOME Budgeted 2014 Actual through

11/30/2014 %

Pledges $ 275,582 $ 234,358 85%

Plate $ 52,000 $ 62,452 120%

Misc. (Fundraisers, Designated Income, etc.) $ 49,635 $ 44,640 90%

Discernment Process (carried over from 2013) 14,000 14,000 100%

$ 391,217 $ 355,450 91%

EXPENSES Budgeted 2014 Actual through

11/30/2014 %

Personnel $ 218,994 $ 159,494 73%

Building Maint., Ins., Utilities, etc. 62,702 61,968 99%

Worship *Includes dedications/flowers, etc. 3,350 2,465 57%

Christian Education 8,395 7,438 89%

Office Expense (Supplies, Postage, Phone, In-ternet, Cable, Equipment Lease, etc.) 25,258 20,481 81%

Program Expansion (Diocesan Pledge, Out-reach, Inreach, Mission, Hospitality, etc.) 53,895 46,103 86%

*Debt Service Budget Requirement 6,123 See Debt Service below

Discernment/Transition Process 14,000 14,500 104%

$ 392,717 $ 312,449 80%

Debt Service (Building)

INCOME Budgeted 2014 Actual through

11/30/2014 %

Pledges 6,450 $ 1,560 24%

Debt Service Fund Bal. 12/31/13 (cash on hand) 6,428 $ 6,428

*General Fund Budget Requirement 6,123 6,474 106%

Miscellaneous/Memorials - 4,715

$ 19,001 $ 19,177 101%

EXPENSES Budgeted 2014 Actual through

11/30/2014 %

Loan Principal & Interest $ 19,000 17,415

Excess Principal Payments 2,745

$ 19,000 $ 20,160 106%

LOAN BALANCE $ 281,904.46

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February March April

6&7—Diocesan Convention 6-8—Vestry Retreat 2—Maundy Thursday

17—Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper 7—World Day of Prayer 3—Good Friday

18—Ash Wednesday 8—Daylight Savings Time 4—Easter Eve

29—Palm Sunday 5—Easter Day

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JANUARY 2015

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1 OFFICE CLOSED

2 RITI 6PM

Rick Cooley

3

Gayle Roadruck

4 Bishop’s Visit Nursery 9am

Children’s Sunday School 9am

Bishop’s Time 9:30am Holy Eucharist 10:30am

Children’s Church 10:30am

Pot Luck Lunch 12pm

5 Monday Morning Book Study 10am

EfM 6pm

6 Morning Prayer

9am Finance Ministry meeting 9:30am

Ben Auman Alex Baker

7 Centering Prayer 9am

Healing Service 11:30am

Holy Eucharist 5:30pm Nursery 5:30pm

Dinner 6pm Programs &

Choir Practice 6:30pm Jr. & Sr. EYC 6:30pm

Mary Davis

8 Morning Prayer

9am Dream Group

12pm

9 10 Brotherhood of Saint Andrew

8am

Barbara Panazze

Barbara Wayne

11 HE 8:00am

Holy Baptism 10:30am Breakfast 8:45am Nursery & SS 9am Outreach 9:30am Children’s Church

10:30am Sr. EYC 5pm

Ultreya 5:30pm

12 Monday Morning Book Study 10am

DOK 11:30am EfM 6pm

13 Morning Prayer

9am Health &

Wellness 6pm Buildings &

Grounds 6pm

Doug Dixon Melanie Dorman

14 Centering Prayer 9am

Healing Service 11:30am

Chris Hartley Ordination 6pm

Bill Barker Anita Duncan John Harbin

15 Morning Prayer

9am Dream Group

12pm Vestry Budget meeting 7pm

16 Ogden House Family Soup Fest 10—2 RITI 6pm

Katy Watz

17 Yoga

Workshop 10am—6pm

18 HE 8 & 10:30am Breakfast 8:45am Nursery & SS 9am

Lectionary Class 9:30am Children’s Church

10:30am

John Breyfogle Jackie Camper

19

Guy Caffey

20 Morning Prayer

9am Vestry 7pm

21 Centering Prayer 9am

Healing Service 11:30am

Holy Eucharist 5:30pm Nursery 5:30pm

Dinner 6pm Programs &

Choir Practice 6:30pm Jr. & Sr. EYC 6:30pm

Randal Hardin

22 Morning Prayer

9am Dream Group

12pm Convocation

Conversation at Resurrection Church 6pm

Ellen Perryman Alexandra Watts

23

Kelly Thompson

24 Brotherhood of Saint Andrew

8am

25 HE 8 & 10:30am Breakfast 8:45am Nursery & SS 9am Parish Business

Meeting 9am Children’s Church

10:30am Sr. EYC 5pm

26 Monday Morning Book Study 10am

DOK 11:30am Seafood Bash

5:30pm EfM 6pm

27 Morning Prayer

9am

Anna Sorbo

28 Centering Prayer 9am

Healing Service 11:30am

Holy Eucharist 5:30pm Nursery 5:30pm

Dinner 6pm Programs & Choir Prac-

tice 6:30pm Jr. & Sr. EYC 6:30pm

Leigh Grass

29 Morning Prayer

9am Dream Group

12pm

Billy Blevins Robert Thornton

30 JR & SR EYC

set up for RITI 4:30pm

RITI 6PM

31

Vestry Person for January

Guy Caffey

256-509-8746