The Shamrock - February 12, 2014
 
A Note from Your Clergy:
Fr. Dick Game

The historic parish model assumed a congregation of neighbors who lived and worked together in small communities, seeing each other and sharing in their lives every day, sometimes even walking to church together and chatting along the way. Not so for us in this 21st century! We are a destination church. Many of us drive long distances from neighboring counties to worship at St. Patrick's and Sunday may well be the only time we see each other and catch-up on what's going on with our families and those we love. We need time and space on Sundays to talk, to hug, to cry and to laugh with each other.

 

And yet, quiet time with God is also vital. Our bishop recently said: "God's first language isn't English - God's first language is Silence." God does speak to us through the silence. As the Psalmist says, "Be still and know that I am God." Psalm 46:10. Moses climbed the mountain and Jesus went off into the desert to be quiet with God.

 

Ed Fuller Web Shot
Deacon Ed Fuller 

We don't have to climb a mountain or go off into the desert to have conversation with God - we can do that right here at St. Patrick's. One of the gifts we have for each other and for our community is a place for time with God, a holy place that is thoroughly soaked with our prayers and the prayers of so many who have gone before us. Many of our parishioners and newcomers treasure the time before our Sunday services because it is then that they quietly prepare themselves to be wholly present to God - listening and then speaking a few words of desire to the Holy One.

 

An old adage speaks to community worship time: "before the service we talk with God - during the service we listen to God and God's word - after the service we talk with each other".

 

We have a large and accessible narthex and a beautifully refreshed Parish Hall where we hope all will gather, greet and enjoy great conversations both before and after our worship time. But as we enter the nave and chapel in those fifteen minutes before the services, let us together allow space and time for folks to quiet themselves and be fully ready to engage and worship God. All those involved in preparing for our worship time will be working hard to have everything ready well in advance so those precious minutes before the service will not be interrupted with the busyness of preparation.

 

O Lord, may we always greet each other warmly and enthusiastically with love and boundless joy and then enter the quietness of holy space as we prepare to worship you. Amen













St. Patrick's News     
 
St. Patrick's is closed tomorrow, Thursday, Feb. 13, due to inclement weather. All services, events, and classes are canceled.

Congratulations To Our First Solemn Communicants.

  

Greetings from your 2014 Vestry: We enjoyed our first meeting Thursday, February 6. Guests Diane Rankin and Leigh Cooper joined us. We prepared with Eucharist around the altar in the nave and then adjourned to the Fireside for what was a largely organizational meeting. One of the most important things to come out of this meeting was our intention to be available to you, the parish. Each ministry has a vestry liaison and this will be published for you to see and use. You probably notice that there is a VPOD (vestry person of the day) in the office every Sunday. Besides making coffee and locking and unlocking doors the VPOD is available to you before or after the service for your questions and concerns. Come by and see us in the office anytime.

Cheers, Your 2014 Vestry.

Wonderful Wednesday Night Dinner and Program: Our dinner and program is back. The cost for children 12-years and younger is $5.00, cost of an adult meal is $7.00. Please be sure to be a part of this upcoming program and dinner. Email your reservations to Amanda Vaughn by the Monday before - please note if you need childcare.

 

The Mystics Are Coming

Wednesdays in February (Feb. 19, 26) 


                    *** CLASS CANCELED TONIGHT, FEBRUARY 12,
                            DUE TO INCLEMENT WEATHER***

 

How Come: Because they answer questions like: How come I am this way? How come the world i s this way? What am I supposed to do now? Are we having fun yet? Is yesterday all that important? What about sin?

What do they say?  Oh, crazy things like even Chris Rock might say. Things like, "That Ain't Right."

 

Details: 

The Cloud of Unknowing,  Martha Mills

The Heart of the Mystic, Wed. Feb. 19 Leigh and Carter Cooper

A Panel Discussion, Wed. Feb. 26 Everyone

 

Each evening will be short lecture, discussion and include different practices of prayer. Join us for this  fascinating series.

  

Lenten Series with Luke Timothy Johnson

Practical Christianity: Letters from the Letter of James  

Wednesdays in Lent (March 12, 19, 26 and April 2, 9)

  

The lectures will be streamed live from the Cathedral to interested parishes throughout the Diocese. Come to St. Patrick's to watch and join the community as we learn together and with others around the Dicoese. More information available here.   

 

   

  

Welcome the Rev. Mandy Brady: The Rev. Mandy Brady will join us Sunday, Feb. 16, as our supply priest. She is Episcopal Chaplain to Emory University. At Candler, she co-teaches the Episcopal Contextual Education seminar; she also coordinates the Episcopal Campus Ministry at Emory and serves as a pastor to the university's students and faculty. She is a graduate of The College of William and Mary and The General Theological Seminary, and has served several parishes in Georgia and Illinois. Welcome!  

  

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mardi Gras open house at the Games': Save The Date: Friday, Feb. 21 from 6:00 - 11:00 p.m. at the Game's house for a Mardi Gras party - children welcome! 

 

   

 

 

 

 

 Click here to see a larger version of the invitation. 

 

 

Newcomer's Reception: A reception for all newcomers (visited or joined St. Patrick's within the past year) will be held at Nancy Armstrong and Jim Lynn's home (863 Byrnwyck Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30319) on Sunday, Feb. 23 from 4:00 - 6:00 p.m. All newcomers and their children are welcome - come learn more about St. Patrick's and visit with our Rector and other members of the Parish. If you have any questions, please contact Keith Harper via email or at (404)388-4278.  

 

Hymnals: St. Patrick's would like to purchase some new hymnals to replace some well used ones in the chapel and nave. Would you like to purchase one in memory of or in honor of someone? The price is $30 per hymnal. Please let us know what you would like the nameplate inside the front cover to say. Make checks payable to St. Patrick's with "hymnal" in the memo line.  

 

 

 

Cloverleaf: What kind of reader are you? Weekend? Beach? Daily? Before sleep? What do you read? German theologians? British murder mysteries? Readers Digest Condensed books? Ingredients on the cereal box? This parish leans toward heavy readers - those who read regularly and read a variety of genres. We want to hear about your reading life - what books make you laugh, cry, plan a trip, change your mind, read passages aloud to others because this is too good not to share. Our deadline is soon - Sunday, Feb. 23.  Give some thought to this subject and we will be delighted to hear what you have to say.


The Cloverleaf Committee - anyone who shows up - will meet in the Gathering Room (across from the library) after church this Sunday, Feb. 16, for homemade soup and a discussion of our upcoming issue on books and reading. Bring your brain along. And bring another friend too. 

 

Stewardship Update:  We have received 106 adult pledge cards for a total of $437,392. It is never too late to pledge! Pledge cards for the 2014 Operating Budget are available in the office and you can find a printable pledge card here.

Pledge cards should be returned to Nicole Cone, Parish administrator. "Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver." 2 Cor. 9:7 
 
Want to Join St. Patrick's? Please email Amanda Vaughn or call her at 770-455-6523 for more information.


Ministry Update  

 
Hunger Walk for Malachi's March 9:

Parish family,

It's Hunger Walk time! Malachi's Storehouse's largest fundraiser is well underway. Our goal this year?  $15,000. Due to parish and dioscesan budget cuts, your Hunger Walk donation is even more important to us.   

In 2013, MSH fed 31,600 people! Early returns are that we will continue to be an important resource to so many. I love that as a parish we continue to be available to the folks that Jesus wanted us to be available to. Also, all the research around happiness indicates there is a strong correlation between being kind and being happy! It's almost like Jesus knew what we would need ;)

 

Here's one way to be kind. Follow the links and let me know if you have trouble.  Click here to donate or register for the Hunger Walk.  

 

As always, we are so very grateful for your continuous and generous and KIND support.     


Love,  Kathy (kmalcomhall@yahoo.com)

 

Stephen Ministry Growing: Kathryn Turman has joined St Patrick's Stephen Ministry and has recently completed a Stephen Series Leader's Training Course (LTC) held from January 10-17, 2014 in Orlando, Florida. Kathryn attended the one-week training event hosted by the St. Louis-based Stephen Ministries organization. Over three hundred participants came from across the U.S. and Canada to learn how to implement and direct Stephen Ministry, a system of Christian caregiving, in their congregations. Stephen Leaders Anne Duncan and Jim Lynn and six experienced Stephen Ministers, Maria Annunziata, John Dietrichs, Chris Hutt, Bunny Magnuson, Brenda Marquis, Ginger Toth, and Mona Walasek welcome Kathryn as a part of the caregiving team.


Christian Formation

Lectionary for this Sunday.

 

Sundays

Nursery - newborn - 4 years - Room 6 

 

Catechesis of the Good Shepherd:

Level I - ages 3, 4, and Kindergarten - Room 4

Level II - 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grades - Room 9

Level III - 4th and 5th grades - Room 3

(Children's Music in Room 10) 

 

Youth: 

Rite 13 - 6th and 7th grades - Room 12

J2A - 8th and 9th grades - Room 11

YEA - 10th - 12th grades - Room  14  


Adult Formation Classes:  

Roundtable Discussion Series, Parlor  

Dreams: A Way to Listen to God, Library

Introduction to the Old Testament, Boardroom 8a/8b

Contemplative Class, Gathering Room
Parish Birthdays

Rene Herrera, Melinda Brunson, Paul White, Christopher Dolan, Lynn Cedarholm, Meg Lauber, Margaret Hruschka, Rick Rickard, Chris Hutt, Audrey Hoge  

 

Happy birthday!

This Week at St. Patrick's

 

For more detailed information, please check the website. If you are not on the weekly Shamrocks email list and would like to be, please email Amanda Vaughn.    

                                     

                                                                                   

Thursday, 2/13                                             

12:30 p.m.     Holy Spirit Prayer Group, Library

8:00 p.m.      The Male Room (AA - Men only), Room 14

 

Friday, 2/14                                                              

8:00 p.m.      The Dunwoody North Group (AA), Room 14

 

Saturday, 2/15

   

Sunday, 2/16   

8:00 a.m.      Holy Eucharist, Chapel  

9:00 a.m.      CGS and Youth Classes  

9:15 a.m.      Adult Classes  

10:30 a.m.    Holy Eucharist,Nave

        Hospitality House, Parish Hall 
        Cloverleaf Meeting, Room 1                                                                                             

Monday, 2/17          

** Office Closed** 

9:00 a.m.     Tai Chi Class, Narthex

7:00 p.m.     Men's Accountability Group, Room 1

                    EfM Class, Room 8

8:00 p.m.     AA (open), Room 14

  

Tuesday, 2/18
6:45 a.m.     Men's Prayer Group, Room 8

6:00 p.m.     German Ensemble, Choir Room

          

Wednesday, 2/19                           

9:45 a.m.      Dream Group, Library 

12:15 p.m.    Holy Eucharist with Healing Prayer and Anointing, Chapel

1:30 p.m.      Malachi's Storehouse, Parish Hall   
6:00 p.m.      Wonderful Wednesday Dinner and Program, Parish Hall/Nave
fb logo
Find us on Facebook.


Thank you for being a faithful reader of the Shamrock!  

Visit the website for more details on events and programs.  

 

Contact us:

The Office is open Monday thru Thursday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The phone number is 770-455-6523.

 

Deadline for submitting news items for The Shamrock and bulletin is noon Tuesdays. Send news and photos to amanda.vaughn@stpat.net. Most news items will run for two weeks. 

 

The Shamrock is published weekly. It is distributed most Wednesdays.

 

All content submitted is subject to editing. 

 

Contact: Amanda Vaughn, Director of Communications, 770-455-6523 or amanda.vaughn@stpat.net 

Out and About in the Diocese of Atlanta     
Want to stay current on all the events going on in the Diocese of Atlanta? Click here to sign up for Connecting, the weekly Diocese newsletter.