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The Mainsail

St. Simon Peter Episcopal Church January, 2016

2016 – “THE BEGINNING” “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind….You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Matthew 22:37-39

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St. Simon Peter Episcopal Church “Our Mission as the Body of Christ” To know our faith…. To live in truth and love….. To serve the needs of all people.

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Rector’s Corner:

New beginnings! This is not an original thought for this time of year. Many, perhaps most of us, think new year

resolutions, of starting new things at this time of year. Perhaps you are planning to begin a new diet or exercise

plan. Maybe you want to be more thrifty or to spend more time with your family. Or maybe you want to be

more in touch with God. Whatever it is that you have in mind, it is probably a good thing and I encourage you

to “go for it.”

My question is, what might we do together as a church, how might we deepen our corporate relationship to God

and be even more involved in doing the work of Christ? When I ask that question I do not do so with any sense

of regret for what we have done in the past. This parish works hard together and individually to be the hands

and feet of Jesus. Our fortieth anniversary year is evidence to this fact. However, things can always be built

upon and/or improved and the greatest risk to a parish of our size and history is that of becoming complacent.

In the new year, your vestry will first be concentrating on putting together some documentation that will help us

more fully understand what we already do in our various ministries. We know what we do, but then when

someone takes on a task for the first time we do not have much to give them in the way of instructions. In this

process, we might find that we can make a few things more efficient. We will also take a look at each form of

outreach that we do. We may find that some things that we do are just right and others could use a tweak or

two.

We all know we want St. Simon Peter to grow, but church growth is rarely accomplished by a direct campaign.

Real, sustained growth is not only organic it happens when people see a church that makes a difference in the

world, a church that not only says the “right” things but follows those words up with actions that have impact.

When we do that, and we welcome others to join in the work, then as a by-product we will grow.

Let’s take some time here to assess where we are, to see how we might improve, and plot out how we can be the

hands and feet of Jesus so that we make an impact on our communities. In other words, let’s love others as

Jesus loves us. We celebrate the birth of Jesus each year as a reminder that Jesus is always coming into the

world, is always seeing us anew, is always loving, forgiving, and encouraging us to be his people. No matter

what we have accomplished in the past, there is always room to make a difference in the name of Christ. Let’s

do that again, still, and maybe even more so.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.

Mollie+

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Children’s Sunday School - January 10, 24, 31 - 11:00 until 11:30 a.m. Adult Spiritual Formation Class - “Being Christian” by Rowan Williams - 11:00 a.m.

Come join us in the Garden room!

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EYC: The St. Simon Peter EYC has again stepped up and lent a helping hand to those in need. They

volunteered to work at the Christian Love Pantry Food Giveaway, they made Christmas Ornaments for the Parish Christmas Tree and collected brownie and cake mixes for the Love Pantry. It goes without saying…. This is a great bunch of kids. On a personal note: The EYC would like to thank the DOK for the thoughts, cards and prayers during the Advent Season. They were greatly felt and appreciated.

Shelby, Caitlynn and Braxton Christian Love Pantry Annual Food Giveaway St. Simon Peter’s EYC Participating in the PCHS YEA!!! Christmas Parade

Events for January: EYC activities will resume on January 13.

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Epiphany: The Epiphany comes on January 6. The word Epiphany means “showing forth,” “manifestation”

or “revelation.” It commemorates the first Christ’s manifestation to the gentiles as the promised Messiah, symbolized by the visit of the Wise Men. Gospels for Sundays after Epiphany center on other revelations: the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist and the marriage feast at Cana, the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry. Epiphany celebrates Christ’s divine power and glory revealed for all people. We see Christ as “The Light of the World.” The color is white on the day of Epiphany and green during the season.

Habitat for Humanity: The Hope Is For Two Houses in 2016

John Rickards, president of the Pell City Area Habitat for Humanity (and member of St. Simon Peter Episcopal Church), stands in front of a lot where he hopes the next habitat home will be constructed. The organization is accepting applications from qualified families interested in buying a Habitat for Humanity home.

“We average about one house every year-and-half, but we hope to build two this year,” John said. He said the Habitat “partner” actually pays for their home through the local organization. “We finance it,” Richards said, adding that Habitat for Humanity “sells” the house for cost, making it more affordable to low-income families. “We had one partner pay off a mortgage last year.”

The “partners” (or prospective homeowners) participate in the construction of their own homes. They work on the house during construction, attend a training program for new homeowners and have sufficient income to pay for the home that is built for them. Several area churches are joining in the effort. Anyone interested in volunteering or make a donation can call or write the Pell City Area Habitat for Humanity organization at: (205)338-9855 or P.O. Box 1441, Pell City, Alabama 35125.

Alabama Seminarians Receive CPC Funding: The ECW of the Diocese of Alabama raised more than

$8,000 in 2015 through its very successful annual Church Periodical Club ingathering which assists seminary students from the diocese. The mission of the CPC is to provide funds to help seminarians from the diocese purchase books. This is an ongoing program. Donations are gratefully accepted throughout the year. Every year before the annual ECW Fall Conference the money collected is divided among the Alabama seminarians. In 2015 each seminarian received a check for $806.68. Great job, ECW!

Procrastination: As in “the action of delaying or postponing something”.

The lists are in place on the door to the kitchen….mostly blank….for Fellowship Hour Food, Birthday Cakes, Altar Flowers and Oblators. Please stop by and make the lists less blank by adding your name. Many slots are available and many volunteers needed so do not “procrastinate” filling in more than one line.

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Iona Scotland….Here We Come!

Anyone interested in a trip to Scotland and other historical sites? Plans are being made for a trip –

September 24 to October 3, 2016

Details to follow. This is a heads-up so you can get this trip on your calendar. We must have a minimum of twelve travelers to make the trip

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January Calendar Jan 1 Office Closed (also closed on December 31) 3 Birthday Sunday (Special Prayers for those celebrating birthdays in January)

6 Epiphany (Celebrated on January 10) 9 Vestry Retreat – Pond House

13 Episco-Chicks – Sarah Monteith and Glynn Grant (Sarah’s House) 16 Men’s Group, DOK, Beans and Rice 18 Office Closed (Martin Luther King, Jr. Day) 25, 26 Tax Prep Class – 9:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. 27 Tax Prep Class – 9:00 a.m. until Noon 28 Habitat for Humanity Breakfast Note: Regularly Scheduled Weekly Activities Are: Tuesday: Cursillo – 4:00 p.m. Wednesday: Holy Eucharist – 10:00 a.m. Needlework Guild – 11:00 a.m. Chair Yoga – Noon Thursday: Choir Practice

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January Birthdays: 6 Bruce Canoles 19 Lucie Magnus 6 Lloyd Yonkers 21 Rhonda Martin 7 Phyllis Brown 25 Chuck Hall 10 Scott Moreland 25 Rosa Holland 10 Elise Moreland 25 Keith Bower 13 Kathryn Mitchell 25 Vickie Yaeger 13 Bart Black 25 Alan Shaddix 15 Maggie Allinder 27 Rachel Notar 15 Johnny Berry 27 Riley Hollis 16 Megan Walker

Did You Know?: If you missed or would enjoy hearing one of Mother Mollie’s sermon again, they are

available on the St. Simon Peter website. You can access them from your PC, IPad, or smart phone. Share this information with your friends and family.

stsimonpeter.org - Worship - Sermons

Let us pray for a year full of

New opportunities, an abundance Of warm people around us

And a life with God in our midst.