As the Advent 1Book1Diocese conludes its study of Rowan William's Being Christian, the Rev. Helen White offers her reflections on Prayer at our website. Her reflection is part of our diocesan engagement with the book as each Sunday in Advent, we add a reflection on the section for the week to the 1book1diocese website. You can also take part by adding your comments on that reflection as well as your thoughts on the questions Williams poses at the end of the chapter. 

1book1diocese.georgiaepiscopal.org

The Oak Street Episcopal Mission picked up the pace of events as they worked toward Christmas with programs to benefit the neighborhood around Good Shepherd, Thomasville. Members of All Saints and Good Shepherd Churches in Thomasville provided a Christmas meal, music, and fellowship to the residents at the Scott Senior Center (pictured above).

The Oak Street Mission's team recently had a board retreat led by the Very Rev. Denise Ronn. During the retreat, the Board saw how much they have grown and also discovered more fully how they are a part of the Diocese of Georgia, not just their own three parishes.

The St. Nicholas party at St. John and St. Mark's is an annual event held for the families in the Radium Springs neighborhood on the Saturday closest to St. Nicholas Day (December 6). Families are invited for cookies and hot chocolate. The Church provides an assortment of gifts and wrapping material, and the kids of the neighborhood families are invited to select gifts to wrap and give to their parents.

The congregation is also been partners with the Poor Clare Sisters at Neighbors in Need in Albany. They focused in Advent on a collection for the people they serve. Each Sunday of Advent was designated to a particular clothing item, particularly warm clothing items. They designated First Advent as sock Sunday, Second Advent as undies Sunday, Third Advent as hats, gloves, and scarves, and Fourth advent for jackets and blankets-taking seriously the words of John the Baptist, "Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none."

Sixty persons attended the Critter Christmas which invited pets into the church for worship. Seventy percent of those attending did not have a church home. The event was sparked by church member Heather Schneller, who attended a parish in Fayetteville, Arkansas, that allowed pets each Sunday. At Holy Comforter, attendees were asked to bring dog toys that were donated to a local animal shelter. The event was attended by dozens of dog owners, including Georgie Blackburn and her three therapy dogs, Cheyanne, Reinee, and Sidney. Blackburn said, "It means the world to bring them places during the holiday season. It always amazes me how happy it makes people whne they get to pet a dog - especially for individuals who don't have family around this time of year."

Reaching out with Music on Isle of Hope
On Isle of Hope in Savannah, St. Thomas' clergy and parishioners reached out through its music ministry, the Tour of Homes, its Angel Tree, and music ministry. The Isle of Hope Christmas Tour of Homes gives money back into the Savannah Community to fund organizations helping women and children. The annual "Angel Tree" this year is dedicated to providing for some of the needs of the Community of St. Joseph, the Diocese of Georgia's new ministry for Homeless persons. The church's 8-member praise band, The Screaming Hamsters, visited several nursing homes to lead the residents in singing Christmas Carols. They play at the first Saturday service (a contemporary Holy Eucharist), the 10 am Sunday Eucharist, as well as for nursing homes, and by request at special events such as the Isle of Hope Baptist Church Revival, the IOH Christmas Tree Lighting, and the Community of St. Joseph Services. This December, the band made special visits to Riverview, Azalealand, and MarshHaven. Purses with Purpose for the battered women's shelter- "Safe Place" are a project of the Daughter's of the King. These are new or gently used ladies handbags filled with small personal hygiene/grooming products

This year's Angel Tree is dedicated to collecting gifts of clothing for nursing home residents. Once the gifts were collected, they were brought to the residents with Christmas carols and love. The church also packed Suitcases for Kids collecting gifts and necessities for under-served youth in the area.
Christmas cheer went out with a regular food program of Christ Church, Valdosta. The congregation provides a sack lunch two Saturdays a month to 120 low income children in the community. The children received a special surprise on December 5. Each child received a new wrapped toy, donated by Christ Church parishioners.

St. Athanasius' Episcopal Church, Brunswick has an immediate opening for an experienced organist and choir director for the position of Minister of Music.
The duties of the Minister of Music are:

If you feel called to apply for the position or would like further details, please contact The Rev. Iané Sastre, Rector of Saint Athanasius' Episcopal Church by email saintachurch@gmail.com or by calling (912) 342-8461.