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FaithWorks
The Newsletter of Faith Episcopal Church |
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And To Dust You Shall Return | | |
Ash Wednesday - Feb. 22
Ash Wednesday is the first day of the 40 days of Lent, the period of penitence and preparation which preceed Easter.
There will be three worship services at Faith Church. Ashes will be marked in the sign of the cross on our foreheads to remind us of our sinfulness and this period of penance.
6:30 a.m. -- noon -- 6:30 p.m.*
*Please not that the evening service will start earlier than in previous years. This is to allow families with children to attend this service. (We are not able to give the special presentation during Sunday Children's Chapel this year.)
On Ash Wednesday, we will all be invited "to the observance of a holy Lent, by self-examination and repentance; by prayer, fasting, and self-denial; and by reading and meditating on God's holy Word." (Book of Common Prayer, p. 265) |
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Let's Eat Together! | | |
Dinner Groups
When there is food, there is a celebration. Let's celebrate with our Faith family by joining a Dinner Group. There are choices for those who prefer adult-only gatherings or those that include children.
Groups will be formed in mid-February. We will attempt to match you with people you haven't been in a group with before.
Typically, the host provides the main course; guests bring their favorite side dishes or desserts. Dinner isn't the only option! With the group's agreement you can have a morning brunch or lunch after church services, maybe a picnic in the park. Click here to send an e-mail indicating your interest. Be sure to indicate if you want a group with or without children.
Deadline to sign up is February 5! |
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Transitions: The Unity of Faith | | |
Next Steps
by Carrie Grip
The theme that has been selected for 2012, and our year of transition is
Transitions: The Unity of Faith
The theme is derived from these verses from Paul's letter to the Ephesians: "The gifts he gave were that some would be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until all of us come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ." Ephesians 4: 11-13
As we prepare for a new rector, we will undertake four interrelated processes:
1) Taking an inventory of the gifts and skills of our members (February)
2) Updating our vision for ministry (February - March)
3) Developing the human and financial resources to support growth (April - May, Fall)
4) Calling a new Rector (Fall- estimate)
This article deals with the first two processes:
GIFTS AND SKILLS INVENTORY
The first process is an inventory of the gifts and skills people at Faith Church possess and are willing to share. This is a tool to bring together people with similar interests, passions and skills. The goal is to learn more about one another as a means to build up the body of Christ.
The inventory form will be available during the service on Sunday, February 19. Copies of the inventory will be available for those who are not able to be in church that morning. Members can choose if they want their information shared with others in the congregation. The hope is that people with similar interests will be able to connect with others.
VISION WEEK - Feb. 26 to Mar. 3
The second process is to update our vision for ministry which is likely to emerge as we dig deeper into the priorities identified in the church survey taken last fall. What is God calling us to do and be in the next phase of our congregational life?
Updating our vision for ministry begins on February 26 with the Faith Church Vision Week. There will be 9 opportunities during the week for you to participate, to provide input regarding your vision and dreams for the future of the church. The gathering after church on February 26 is a large-group roundtable, facilitated by our consultant, Jim Pence. The others will be smaller gatherings, facilitated by a church member.
The fall survey indicated these priorities where members said they wanted additional energy placed.
- Develop and implement a comprehensive strategy to reach new people.
- Develop ministries that work toward healing those broken by life circumstances.
- Strengthen the process by which members are called and equipped for ministry and leadership.
- Expand outreach ministries that provide direct services to those living on the margins of society.
- Make necessary changes to attract families with children and youth to our church.
The church is a living organism that is always growing, always changing. From time to time, we need to take stock of where we are going and pay attention to what God is up to in our midst.
Our goal is that at least one member of each household attend one meeting. Please be a part of shaping the future of Faith Church. Please sign up on the form in your bulletin on Sunday, or click here to send an e-mail to indicate your desired meeting, who will attend and child care needs.
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Youth Group transformed into JCREW | | |
by Janie Shepard
JCREW (Youth Group) Coordinator
In January the Youth Group held a "Name our Youth Group Contest". The kids submitted ideas, narrowed the entries down to 2, and held a vote off.
The group formerly known as "Youth Group" will now be called JCREW (Jesus' Crew)!!!
A logo, designed by the kids, to go with the new name will be voted on on Feb. 5th, with T-shirts to come!
The JCREW will be visiting Grace Cathedral in San Francisco on Saturday, February 25. They will tour the cathedral, walk the Labyrinth and have lunch and games at the Presidio. Click here for the permission slip which you MUST bring!
UPCOMING EVENTS
Feb. 5 Youth Sunday and Food Ingathering on Super Bowl Sunday.
The kids will be doing all aspects of both services, music by the JCREW Band, greeters, ushers, acolytes, readers & even the sermon, with a skit written by Pat Hill and directed by MC Abajian.
Please bring canned and nonperishable foods to fill the truck and support our youth.
Feb.12 Youth Group Meeting 5 - 7 p.m.
Mary Higbee will be instructing a creative writing activity with the kids for her 'Year of Transitions' monthly devotional.
Feb. 19 No JCREW meeting - Presidents' Holiday Weekend
Feb.25 A Day at Grace Cathedral Outing 7:15 a.m. to approx. 6:00 p.m.
Kim Furnari is organizing this adventure: tour of the Cathedral, walk the Labyrinth and have lunch & games by the water at the Presidio. $15.00 each will cover the cost of lunch, tolls and maybe parking fees. If the kids want any extras; Souvenirs, Starbucks it's on them to bring more.
Feb. 26 No JCREW meeting.
Interested in knowing more about the JCREW? Contact information for Janie is available in our on-line photo directory. Or come on a Sunday evening to see the JCREW in action! |
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Faith Church Women's Retreat | | |
A Day Spa for Your Soul
Women's Retreat at Faith Church
March 10, 2012
9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Come away for the day with other women of Faith to build community and experience reflection and renewal. The day will include small group sharing, creative expression, and worship time. Lunch will be provided. (Babysitting will be available for nursing infants or newborns). You are invited to bring your Bible and journal (if you have one) and a friend.
Cost: $15 (scholarships are available)Please reserve your place by March 2nd
You may use the flyer in the Sunday bulletin, or click here. |
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Bible Study for Busy Moms | | |
Come meet with other mothers of pre- and school-aged children in an informal, supportive setting to read and discuss Gospel scriptures, feeding our souls at this important time in our lives as we raise our children.
The class is ongoing, but offered in blocks. The next session runs for six weeks, meeting Thursday mornings 9:15-10:45, beginning Feb. 16th and ending March 22nd. Childcare is provided.
The text used is Meet the Bible, by Philip Yancey and Brenda Quinn. Please contact the group facilitators, Adriana Findlay or Kathy McNair to sign up. |
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Outreach Focus | | |
by Becky Hudak
Missions Team Update:Thank you to those who gave Christmas gift cards for CASA teenagers this past Christmas. Thirty teens were very happy to receive them and your generosity is greatly appreciated.
Let's remember to keep the village of Jinkere, Mauritania in our prayers as they prepare to dig their new well which we funded with our Christmas offering. Specifically pray for the overseers of the project, that God would provide wisdom for decision-making. They need to find well diggers with integrity to do the job right. Pray that God would help them find the right workers and negotiate a fair price. The digging procedure requires the use of dynamite, so let's also pray for safety as the project gets underway. Watch for further updates as this exciting project comes to fruition.
The remainder of our Christmas offering will help the Center for Violence-free Relationships, headquartered in Placerville, which is dedicated to building healthy relationships, families and communities free from sexual assault and domestic violence through education, advocacy and services in western El Dorado County. Services offered include counseling, safe shelter, a 24-hour help line, legal assistance and intervention programs to change abusive patterns. They were most surprised and most grateful for our gift.
Also, be prayerful for Jim and Mary Higbee's work in Kenya and pray them home safely on February 4th.
Our on-going school scholarships for youth in Honduras are up for renewal. There will be pictures of the kids and more information on display in the Rotunda this month. This is a wonderful opportunity to greatly enrich a young person's life. Many thanks to those who have participated now and in the past!
A heads-up for an up-coming Missions Team project: We would like to send backpacks with school supplies to an orphanage in Ethiopia. This project will be coordinated with John Ramey and Aslan Child Rescue. Often companies will give away a backpack with their logo as a promotional. If you happen to be in a position to acquire too many of these backpacks or just happen to have extra backpacks around, please hang on to them and stay tuned for more info!
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Big Brothers, Big Sisters | |
by Deacon Stephen Shortes
The greatest gift you can give is the gift of yourself. Big Brothers and Big Sisters has given me an opportunity to share who I am and I have been greatly rewarded.
Phin and I have been together for going on two years. He is a most pleasant 12 year old, who likes to be active and outside. He and I have spent time together practicing his baseball in preparation for little league, we have done miniature golf, we play slug bug constantly, we spend rainy days at my house with the Wii or go to movies, (boy movies) I have taught him basic archery, we have gone to the rifle range and much much more.
I have never been so pleased with a relationship or rewarded with such a positive relationship and companion. Right now Big Brothers and Sisters of Placerville has 30 young boys on a waiting list just waiting for some man who has a couple of hours a week, a love of sharing the good in his life with a person who needs a positive male role model in his life. I do not care about what activities or interest you have, there is a boy who would like the same thing and who is looking for another male. Young or old, it makes no matter, as long as you have a little time and interest . If you have interest, call Big Brothers and Sisters or call or see me.
Meet Four Special Boys Waiting for a Big Brother
Jeremy is 7, Jacob is 9, Nathan is 9 and David is 13. These boys do not have positive male role models in their life. Some have had a tragic loss, some have never had an adult male in their life, and some have not had a positive one. Just like other boys they seek time engaged in outdoor sports or just getting dirty. These are just 4 of the 30 boys in our area all waiting for a Big Brother. Can you help? Please consider becoming a Big Brother or talking to someone who you think would be great Big Brother (or Big Sister for a girl).
To learn more about Big Brothers,Big Sisters: www.mentors4youth.org |
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Senior Lunch Bunch | | |
Tuesday, February 21st at noon
Meet in the Church parking lot to carpool to Ponte Palmero, in Cameron Park. We will enjoy a complimentary lunch and tour the property.
Come and explore an option of Resort Syle Senior Living. They offer multiple services depending on your changing needs, independent or assisted living.
In March, the lunch bunch will meet at Faith Church on the 20th with a bag lunch. If you have questions, contact Pastor Jewell, who is listed in our on-line directory. |
| Green Thumb Gardner | | |
Add New Life to Your Garden
Thursday, February 16 9:00 a.m.
All gardeners and wanna-be gardeners are invited to this presentation on Butterfly and Songbird gardens with Kathy Pearson, Master Gardener of El Dorado County.
For more information contact Janet Wright or Rosemary Crowley, who are listed in our on-line directory. |
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