The Shamrock

December 3, 2014

In This Issue

PARISH BIRTHDAYS:
December

1-Nancy Dusenberry, 3-Kymberley Williams, Lacey Krakowiak, 4-Nola Wilson, Margaret Ohlenschlaeger, 7-Jane Thomas, Barbara Stafford, 9-Martha Mills, 10-Pam Wilson, 11-Linda Light, 18-Judi Adkins, Peter Richardson, Dani Warren, 19- Kenneth Hosley, 20-Nancy Armstrong, Joy White, 22-Clyde Johnson, Charlie Tighe, 24-Charlie Hobbs, Russell Greig, Anna Rhodes, 25-Jim Lynn, Juliet Smith, 26-Aly Seamans, 28-Callum Graham, 29-Dot Cowan, 31-Hannah Bright

Happy birthday!

Patty's Porch

This is a new section in the Shamrock to share information about things going on in the community. Pull up a rocking chair and let us know what's going on.

Epiphany's Nativities Exhibit: Starting Nov. 29:
For the nineteenth holiday season, The Episcopal Church of the Epiphany presents an exhibit of over 300 nativity scenes from around the world on Saturday, November 29 and Sunday, November 30 and from Wednesday, December 3 through Sunday, December 7. Many of the nativities are accompanied by scriptural quotes and hymn texts. Admission: $5.00 for adults; $4.00 for Seniors & Students, Children under 12 free. For a brochure of times or more information call 404.373.8338 or visit www.epiphany.org.

Christmas Eve Service at the new Interfaith Chapel at Metro Atlanta Task Force for the Homeless:

an ecumenical service of Holy Eucharist at

10:00 a.m. on Christmas Eve at the Peachtree-Pine shelter. Jim Beaty will be the official president and Ed Fuller will assist. We'll have lots of Christmas carols and a joy filled service that will be attended by more than 200 of our friends who are homeless.

In Memoriam

Evelyn Clegg (former member of St. Patrick's). The memorial service will be at Northminster Presbyterian Church on Thursday, Dec. 18, at 2:00 p.m.

Stewardship: Pledge cards for the 2015 Operating Budget are available in the office and you can find a printable pledge card here.

Pledge cards should be returned to the parish office. "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.

STAY CONNECTED

Visit the website for more details on events and programs.

The office is open Monday - 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 Diocesan email newsletter. Visit their website here.

Advent at St. Patrick's

During the season of Advent, we would like to incorporate some of the prayers of folks here at St. Patrick's during the Prayers of the People.

For the Sundays of Advent, we invite folks to reflect on the four themes of Advent:

Advent II (12/7) - Peace

Advent III (12/14) - Joy

Advent IV (12/21) - Love

Each week we will offer questions that you may use as part of your Advent devotion in coming up with your prayer. The questions will also be published in the bulletin and the Shamrocks the week prior (see schedule below). Please write your prayer on a slip of paper and place it in the bowl. At 10:15 a.m.on each Sunday in Advent, the Prayer Intercessors will select 10 prayers each service to be shared aloud during each of the 3 services offered (Sundays at 8:00 a.m. and 10:30 a.m., Wed. 12:15 p.m. ).

On the round table in the Narthex, there will be slips of paper and pens, and a bowl to place your Advent prayers in. You are invited to prepare your question ahead of time and drop it in the bowl, or write one on your way to Sunday School, or anytime you are at the church. You can do this as a family, home group, Sunday School class, ministry, or of course, individually as part of your Advent devotion.

Questions for Advent II (Dec. 7): Peace

Where do you give thanks and praise for God's PEACE in your life this week? In the world this week?
Where does God's PEACE need to be brought into your life this week? In the world this week?

COMING EVENTS

December 6, 2:00 p.m.	Quiet Day
December 7, Chapel	Youth & parents meeting - information about the Summer Youth Mission Trip to Harrisburg, PA.
December 7	Reception for The Rev. Sarah Fisher and The Rev. Julia Rusling
December 7, 5:00 p.m.	The Gathering
December 13, 6:00 p.m.	Christmas Party
December 20	Malachi's Storehouse Toy Distribution

WORSHIP

The Gathering: Dec. 7, 5:00 p.m. in Parish Hall. A contemplative and progressive gathering with prayer and poetry... music, guided meditation, and silence... Inspired by wisdom traditions, modern Celtic spirituality, and natural spirituality. Music by Ramsay and friends. This is an *OPEN* invitation to all ages, for anyone who may enjoy an off-center, earthy and experiential approach to gathered spirituality.

Prayer Requests: If you would like to add someone to the prayer list, please email it to prayerrequests@stpat.net. This is the most direct and efficient way to get the information to the right place, to assure that the name gets added to the list.

Wonderful Wednesdays

Wednesdays, 6-8 p.m.

Wednesday nights begin with dinner in our Parish Hall! Dinner is served 6:00-6:50 p.m. to allow participation in Adult Formation. Adult meals are $7, Youth and Children (3-12 years of age) are $5, with a Family Maximum of $20. Please email Amanda Vaughn by the Monday before to make your dinner reservation. Childcare, at no charge, is available by reservation through the church office by the Monday before.

Next week's topic (Dec. 10): Advent reflections led by The Rev. Julia Rusling.

PARISH HAPPENINGS

Youth Meeting: After Hospitality House on Sunday, Dec. 7, there will be a very important meeting in the Chapel. The meeting is for all youth and their parents. Guest speaker Easton Davis (Youth Director at St. Columba's) will present information about the Summer Youth Mission Trip to Harrisburg, PA.

A Tale of Four Panels, an Advent Devotional Book and Exquisite New Music:

The day of the Arts Retreat was here, and the excitement of anticipation was building as people started arriving. Our All-Arts Retreat was really going to happen. Six musicians, a handful of writers, and a good mix of painters-collagers-mixed media artists were all finding their way over the mountain to Hinton Center.

Christmas Flowers: Christmas Poinsettias, which are placed at the altar for the Christmas services, are available for ordering now through the Altar Guild bulletin board in the hallway by the office. The cost is $20 each. The poinsettias are a lovely way to honor friends and family during the season of Christmas. The deadline for ordering is Sunday, Dec. 14. Please note the information you want printed in the bulletin (in honor of / in memory of) and note "Christmas flowers" on your check.

Advent Quiet Day, Sat., Dec. 6, 2:00 - 4:30 p.m.: A Light to Our Path: Prepare your heart by walking the Advent Path, a labyrinth-type walk prepared for you with meditations on the prophecies and narratives of Jesus' birth. You can walk and ponder the meditations, journal, draw, or listen to music. All ages are welcome; families can come and walk together. Take a few minutes away from the busyness of the season or spend the afternoon refreshing your spirit. In the narthex on Saturday, Dec. 6, 2:00-4:30 p.m.

St. Patrick's Christmas Party: Dec. 13, 6:00 - 10:00 p.m., all ages.The party will start with appetizers and a potluck, followed with entertainment by "St. Pat's Got Talent", Christmas caroling and dancing for all ages. Please bring a gift for the Malachi's Storehouse toy drive if you haven't done so already. AND there will be activities for the little children (ages 5 -11) and for the Youth.RSVP in Hospitality House or email Elaine Judge. To arrange for childcare (ages 4 and under) or transportation for those who do not drive at night, please email or call Elaine Judge (770-380-6122) before Dec. 2.

"St. Pat's Got Talent" at the St. Patrick's Christmas Party: This is your chance to mesmerize us with your beautiful voice, try out your joke, show us your amazing back bend, play water glasses, or convince us that you really can dance!This will be fun for all, if you sign up. Your St. Patrick's Family loves you, so go ahead and be daring! Sign up in Hospitality House or email Elaine Judge.

Welcome to The Rev. Julia Rusling (l) and The Rev. Sarah Fisher (r)!
Pledge Cards Available Online:If you didn't pick up your 2015 pledge card at St. Patrick's, you can find one on our website. Click here to get to it, then print, fill out, and return to the church office.

Vestry Meetings: These meetings are open to all. The next Vestry Meeting is Sunday, Dec. 21 at 12:30 p.m. in Room 8.

Name tags: Remember, wear your name tag when you come to St. nametag Patrick's! They're hanging alphabetically on the name tag board. Each Sunday the board can be found in the narthex. Otherwise it lives in the back hallway. If you need a nametag, please email Amanda Vaughn or fill out the form that can be found Sunday mornings in the narthex on the stand next to the visitor's book.

CHRISTIAN FORMATION

Lectionary for this week

Nursery (newborn - 4 yrs old) - 9:00 a.m.

Children (ages 2 � - 11) Catechesis of the Good Shepherd - 9:00 a.m.

Youth - Rite 13, J2A, and YEA meet at 9:00 a.m.

Adults - 9:15 a.m.

The Old Testament for the New Millennium - Room 8
Learning to Walk in the Dark by Barbara Brown Taylor - Gathering Room
Painting Looking Up:Art Lab - Art Room
Meditative Prayer - Chapel
Dreams - Library
Roundtable - Parlor

MINISTRY NEWS

Sign up to Help at Malachi's Toy Distribution: Thank you for your fantastic response to the request for volunteers for Malachi's Toy Party, which will be held on Saturday, Dec. 20. There are still some slots available, so please click on the link to sign up. We have had several requests from outside our parish community from people who would like to help out. We would like to allow our parishioners to sign up first, and we will open the empty slots to others next week. Please sign up now and join in the fun at the annual Toy Party.

Sign up here!

Gifts for Life Will Transform a Life This Christmas: As we rush from store to store, website to website looking for those gifts to please those we cherish, please consider a small gift to change one life this Christmas. The Episcopal Relief and Development arm of our faith tradition has made it simple, easy and affordable to transform lives all over this Earth we share. Micro loans for women to pull themselves out of poverty allowing them to care for their children, seeds for villages to plant crops with life sustaining vegetables, maternity care for those located in areas of high mortality rates, goats to provide milk to a household and clean drinking water are but a few ways that your precious gift will change lives. Would you consider joining us this Christmas in "paying it forward"? Please email James Tola at jamesnolantola@gmail.com with questions and brochures will be at church showing you how simple you can bring HOPE, JOY and PEACE!

Stephen Ministry:

Changes can be difficult, especially when they are unexpected. Stephen Ministers are trained to help people learn to cope with unwelcome changes in their lives for as long as they are needed. If you have experienced great changes or know someone who has, learn more about Stephen Ministry by calling one of the Clergy Members at 770-455-6523. Everything you tell a Stephen Minister is kept absolutely confidential.

INCOME SUMMARY

Actual Income (Adjusted) - YTD*	Budgeted Income - YTD	Year to Date Difference: Actual - Budgeted	Projected Year End Difference	Projected Year End Difference (% of Annual budget)
$391,403	$436,739	($45,336)	($50,159)	-10.4%

* : pre-payments of pledge values have been annualized

CALENDAR

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, 12/4

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

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

Friday, 12/5

8:00 p.m. The Dunwoody North Group (AA), Room 9

Saturday, 12/6

9:30 a.m. Malachi's Mobile Food Pantry, Parish Hall

2:00 p.m. Quiet Day, Narthex

Sunday, 12/7

8:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist, Chapel

9:00 a.m. CGS & Youth Classes

9:15 a.m. Adult Christian Formation Classes
10:30 a.m. Holy Eucharist, Nave

12:15 p.m. Hospitality House, Parish Hall

5:00 p.m. The Gathering, Parish Hall

Monday, 12/8

9:30 a.m. Tai Chi, Parish Hall

10:30 a.m. Staff Meeting

7:00 p.m. EfM, Room 8

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

8:00 p.m. AA (open), Room 14

Tuesday, 12/9

6:45 a.m. Men's Prayer Group, Room 8

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

6:30 p.m. Finance Committee, Office

Wednesday, 12/10

11:00 a.m. Malachi's Storehouse, Parish Hall

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

6:00 p.m. Wonderful Wednesday, Parish Hall