EPIPHANY STAR Episcopal Church of the Epiphany 1101 Sunset Drive P. O. Box 116 Guntersville, AL 35976

www.EpiphanyGuntersville.org

NOVEMBER 2017

COME ONE! COME ALL!

EPIPHANY HOLIDAY FAIRE

On Saturday, November 18th, 8:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

SHOP for the Holidays!

Art works, Bake Goods, Jewelry, Gently Used Handbags, Vintage Treasures, talented Vendors and don't forget to shop our Bookseller and Plant Mart. Take a Break and Visit The Epiphany Cafe for a delicious lunch of our Faire Soup or Chili and Cracklin Bread, drink and dessert for $6.00.

Frozen Soup Frozen Faire soup and Chili available for pre-order and at the Faire at $8 a quart. Sign-up sheet on the nave bulletin board.

EPIPHANY FOLKS! Please Help! Sign up to bake your favorite goodies and be sure to label your bakery item with your name/number and whether it includes nuts. All necessary to stay on the right side of the Health Department! Consider donating a Vintage Treasure such as silver, crys-tal, china, jewelry and small decorative items for the Epiphany booth. Linda Katz will be happy to provide ad-vice. Items will be collected in the church office. And don't forget to donate cookbooks and "coffee table" books in good condition for the Bookseller! Helpers for setup, hosting, sales, and clean up are VERY WELCOME! Please contact the Church Office to sign up to be part of the fun on 11/18! There are also sign-up sheets on the bulletin board outside the Nave. Questions? Contact Jan Maxwell at 256-582-4228 or Shari Harrison at 256-673-3458

EPIPHANY ANNUAL AUCTION

November 9 at 5:30 p.m.

Make your plans now to attend the annual Epiphany Auc-tion. We have many new and exciting games that will keep you entertained all night with wonderful prizes, excursions, experiences and elegant items up for grabs. The new games include the successful cork pull with a craft beer section, football squares, 54 card draw, black ball game of chance, St Jude bear & dog chance game as well as our si-lent auction and a limited number of live auction items. Thank you to our ministries for making their famous gift baskets.

Follow us on FACEBOOK for updates.

We still need help with food & beverages. If you would like to help please do so by clicking here or by contacting Marsha or Tiffany.

For questions or more info please contact Tiffany Mar-tin any time at 256-673-0091 or momstr@icloud.com..

All proceeds benefit Epiphany's Outreach Ministry.

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VESTRY LIAISONS

Sr. Warden-Sam Harrison

Jr. Warden-Rick Cooley

Building & Grounds

Rick Cooley

Sam Harrison

Ray Klaver

Christian Outreach & Service

Rick Cooley

Jack Frost

Sam Harrison

Faith Formation

Jackie Camper

Tiffany Martin

Jan Maxwell

Fellowship

Grant Armstrong

Dave Burks

Jan Maxwell

Kitchen

Dave Burks

Tiffany Martin

Memorial Garden

Sam Harrison

Rick Cooley

Jan Maxwell

Office and Communication

Doug Cook

Jack Frost

Sara Hembree

Tiffany Martin

Pastoral Care

Dave Burks

Jackie Camper

Tiffany Martin

Stewardship

Dave Burks

Ray Klaver

Jan Maxwell

Worship

Grant Armstrong

Doug Cooke

Sara Murphree

Terry Parsons, a friend of mine now passed away, was a magazine editor, marketing consultant to small businesses, director of development for a not-for-profit human service agency and developed a training program for women executives before serving as Missioner for Stewardship and Discipleship in the Episcopal Church.

Terry taught in Episcopal churches all over the country. She believed that it is more important to study the Bible than budgets, more important to pray than to beg, more important to hope than to fret. She also believed the greatest challenge facing congregations today is our preference for scarcity, and our reluctance to claim the abundance which God offers. Terry shared some of her wisdom for stewardship in uncertain times, and it is a powerful legacy to her memory:

1. Pray. Pray first, pray last, pray always. 2. Bible study. Holy Scripture has the power to transform lives. Read the Gospel story, and look for what is Jesus saying to you and how it may change your life. 3. Rebuke scarcity. When dealing with uncertain financial times, don't try to “manage fear well” or “avoid the difficult questions.” Wholeheartedly rebuke scarci-ty! Stand up to the fear of scarcity and say “No!” God does not live in our fear. 4. Claim abundance. In the story of the loaves and fishes, Jesus tells his disciples to feed thousands with a few loaves of bread and fish. The disciples retreat into scarcity because it is safer than the risk of relying on Jesus' wisdom and power. If we listen to Jesus, we must claim the abundance God intends for His people. 5. It is more important to nurture holy habits than to fret over a budget. Some-times budgets are the means by which we intend to notify God of our intent to place limitations on ministry. Instead, focus on holy habits. Pray. Worship. Study. Give. 6. Say thank you. If you have less now than you did before, that will feel a lot like scarcity. Take extra care to thank God out loud in response to every blessing and every answered prayer. 7. “You can't sell soap if you don't take a bath.” If you believe others should call on the abundance that God offers, then call on it yourself. If you think giving is im-portant, give of yourself. If you think faith is important, then take a step of faith yourself.

If you have not yet made a pledge of financial support to the mission and

ministry of Epiphany, I urge you to do so now. The future of our community is full of hope and promise, possibilities and opportunities. God has placed the future of Epiphany in our hands. And as Christians, we believe that God empowers us to do what God calls us to do.

Blessings in Christ, Fr. Aaron+

Room In The Inn Returns to Epiphany on Friday, Dec 1st. We will be privileged to host our "Lady Neigh-bors" who are homeless.

This Ministry provides a Fellowship Meal, a safe place to sleep, breakfast to start the day, and a sack lunch to take away.

The RITI Ministry is a project of Epiphany Outreach.

Join us for Coffee Hour in Sanderson after the 10:30 a.m. service on November 12.

If you have questions/comments please contact Jan Max-well at 256-582-4228 or jan.max05@gmail.com.

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Last Sunday after Pentecost November 26

Intergenerational Event __________________________________

Come, celebrate Christ the King Sunday together!

Join us in Sanderson Hall at 8:45 a.m. for breakfast. At 9:30 a.m. join us to celebrate Christ our King as we make

crowns and hear how Jesus redefined the meaning of king.

___________________________________

DELLA’S CLOSET

In this season of Thanksgiving, let's show our thanks to God for our bounty by sharing. The Outreach Ministry will be collecting food items for Della's Closet this month. Bags will be supplied after the services on November 12th and collected for dedication at the altar on November 19th. Each bag will have an attached list of suggested items needed for the pantry. Please let your overflowing bag be a reflection of your overflowing thankful heart.

Ever Growing Kitchen Ministry

The Kitchen Ministry would like to thank everyone for tak-ing part in our new way of getting fed on Wednesday Nights and Sunday mornings. You may have noticed we have started using the regular plates, cups and silverware. We also are cleaning up Family style and composting and recycling our waste. This is an ever evolving process and we appreciate any and all input. Please stay tuned as we try different methods. Contact Rachel Morris, Volunteer Coordinator, Emily Black, Kitchen Manager or Tiffany Martin, Vestry Liaison with any ques-tions, comments or ideas. We look forward to expanding and having this ministry evolve over time. We always would love help in this minis-try and take anyone age 4 to 99. Join us Wednesdays at 6:00 for dinner and Sundays at 8:45 for breakfast.

EVENSONG

“Praise him with trumpet sound; praise him with lute and harp! Praise him with tambourine and dance; praise him with strings and pipe!.” - Psalm 150:3-4

Music is a huge part of my spirituality and also a huge part of my entrance into the Episcopal Church. The hymnal is brimming with both the most ancient hymns of the Christian tradition and beautiful contemporary piec-es as well. It truly is a blessing for us to be a part of the Anglican tradition of hymnody, which contains music from many different eras of Christian worship.

On the First Sunday of Advent (Sunday, Dec. 3rd at 5:00pm), Church of the Epiphany is offering an evening

service of music and prayer called Evensong. It is open for all the congregation to join and I highly encourage eve-ryone to consider this as a way to enter into the Advent season of preparation for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Evensong (“Evening – song”) is a hallmark of historic Anglican worship, dating all the way back to the

1662 Book of Common Prayer, and numerous musical settings have been composed for this kind of service. This musical tradition is continued in our 1979 Book of Common Prayer, and takes the form of a fully sung and chant-ed Evening Prayer service. The text of Rite II Evening Prayer is on pg. 115, and music for this prayer service can be found in the Service Music section in the front of the hymnal. With sung services, there will usually be some questions about how one participates. Here are some frequently asked questions about Evensong:

What is Evensong? – It is an evening prayer service that incorporates congregational singing with the ancient Christian practice of chanted liturgy. What is chant? – It is kind of singing that is simple and follows certain patterns. In the 1979 Book of Common Prayer, anything in our liturgies can be set to chant, and in the Hymnal 1982, all of the prayer book’s liturgies have had music composed for each of them. Is Evensong kind of like an orchestra performance, with the congregation just sitting and listening? – No! In fact, the majority of the music and chant for Evensong is sung by the congregation accompanied by the choir. Even-song is a participatory service and everyone is encouraged to sing and join with the entire Body of Christ in praise, prayer, and thanksgiving. Do I have to be able to sing to come to Evensong? – No! Evensong is a prayer service that is set to music, and therefore it is first and foremost about prayer. You don’t have to be able to sing well in order to pray well; howev-er, you might be surprised at your experience in the service if you do sing along with everyone! Please do consider joining for an evening of prayer and song! Thanks! Mark Harris, Seminarian

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COFFEE HOUR

The Daughters of the King, in service to our Lord, would like you to enjoy coffee hour following the 10:30 service the third Sunday each month. In an attempt to reinstate this communal time, we invite other ministries of the church to join us by providing simple snacks, (cookies, muffins, coffee, juice) on the remain-ing Sundays. The seed is planted. May it flourish in fertile soil. At coffee hour we extend the hospitality we proclaim and feel the grace we have acknowledged. We are offered the chance to welcome the newcomer and are given the opportunity to make conversation sparkle. The goal of coffee hour is to embody the wel-come Jesus gives us in His realm. Coffee hour is our weekly chance to demonstrate the love of God to one another and to all who walk through our doors.

We are saddened by the death, October 8, of Scott Atkin’s mother, Betty Akins, of Eden, NC. The Epiphany family ex-tends our sympathy, love, prayers and support to Scott and Velma Atkins and family.

We are saddened by the death, October 29, of Linda Katz’s sister, Shirley Adams, of Guntersville. The Epiphany family extends our sympathy, love, prayers and support to Joe and Linda Katz and family.

Rest eternal grant to her, O Lord. And let light perpetual shine upon her.

Poinsettias The Altar Guild is taking dedications for red Poinsettias .

The cost for each plant is $15. Dedication forms are on

the counter in the church office.

This dedication is a beautiful way to celebrate and re-

member those people who are special in our lives to

celebrate the birth of a baby so long ago in a stable and

under a starry sky.

We appreciate your payment when you sign up or no

later than December 26th, so it can be processed for

your year-end statement.

If you have questions please call Kelly Auman at kelly-

auman@gmail.com.

FLOWERS AND CANDLES FOR 2018

The Altar Guild is planning for flowers and candles for 2018.

This is a beautiful and thoughtful way to celebrate, and

remember those in our lives who mean so much to us.

For your convenience, on Sunday, November 5th and

November 12th the Altar Guild will be in the Parish Hall

before and after the 10:30 a.m. service with signup sheets

for the 2018 flowers and candles.

Please remember that these are done on a first come – first

serve basis. Place your order now or after November 12th

you may contact Kelly Auman at kellyauman@gmail.com. If a

flower date you would like is already spoken for, look at that

same date on the candle list.

Rodney’s bills the Sunday altar flowers to each individual.

The candles dedications are $10.00 per date and are payable

to Church of the Epiphany. We appreciate your payment

before dedication date so the church’s records and your year

-end statement are correct. This helps the office mark your

donation(s) properly and promptly. Please make your check

payable to Epiphany and note that it is for candles and for

what date.

If you have not paid your 2017 candle dedication, please do

so or we must collect before we allow a dedication for 2018.

STEWARDSHIP

On Sunday, November 5, we will ask God’s blessing on the pledge cards at the altar, giving thanks to God for the generous gifts we have already received. Your gifts are appreciated !!!

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VETERANS DAY

ARE YOU A VETERAN?

Please join us on Wednesday November 8th at 6:00 p.m. for dinner in your honor.

We are eternally grateful for your service!

EYC QUILT RAFFLE

The Episcopal Youth Community (EYC) will be selling raffle tickets for a beautiful 87 ½ ” X 87 ½ ” quilt made by the Lakeside Quilters. You may purchase raffle tickets from a member of the EYC in Sanderson Hall on Sundays and Wednesdays. You may also purchase tickets in the office. The proceeds will be used by the youth to support six children through Marshall County Christmas Coalition.

The drawing will be held on November 18th at 1:30 p.m. at the Epiphany Holiday Faire. You do not need to be present to win. Good Luck!

Tickets are $1 each, 6 tickets for $5 and 25 tickets for $20 dollars.

Make checks payable to Epiphany and note “EYC quilt” in the memo area.

Weekly

Sunday School – Sundays 9:30 a.m.

6th - 12th grades – Youth Loft Woodall Commons

Episcopal Youth Community (EYC) – Wednesdays 6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

6th - 12th grades – Youth Loft Woodall Commons

Episcopal Youth Community (EYC) – Sundays 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

6th – 12th grades – Youth Loft Woodall Commons

November

8 – Jr. & Sr. EYC host Veterans Day program – 5:00 p.m. EYC arrive

18 – Epiphany Holiday Faire, EYC selling quilt raffle tickets

19 – EYC shops for Christmas Coalition, 4:00 p.m.

26 – Christ the King Sunday Intergenerational Event, 9:30 a.m.

26 – No EYC, Thanksgiving break

Thank you to all who attended the Fall Festival! Over 100 people attended! Thank you to all who helped decorate, prepare & serve food, man a booth, judge the costume contest, decorate your car, donate candy & baked goods and help clean it all up! And thank you to our youth who led a +candlelight service of compline in the garden. A beautiful close to a wonderful evening of fun and fellowship.

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The Rite of Confirmation for Young People

The Book of Common Prayer tells us the following regard-ing the Rite of Confirmation: “In the course of their Christian development, those baptized at an early age are expected, when they are ready and have been duly prepared, to make a mature public affirmation of their faith and commitment to the responsibilities of their Bap-tism and to receive the laying on of hands by the bishop.”

Some have asked important questions: when is Confirma-tion appropriate for a young person? Is my child ready? What opportunities for youth Confirmation Classes do we have at Epiphany? Hopefully, this will answer some of your questions.

At Epiphany, there is no “automatic age” for Confirma-tion, as some have experienced it in the Episcopal tradi-tion in the past. If we "say what we mean, and mean what we say" about this very important moment in our life of faith, then it is easy to see why there is nothing automatic about it. When a young person becomes capable of taking such an important step, we want to do all we can to encourage them (regardless of age). However, in order that we have some guide and parameters, we follow diocesan guidelines. In practical terms, that means that this process is appropriate for those young people in 8th grade and above who show themselves capable of making such a decision.

We encourage parents to discuss this rite with their young person. Talk about what it means to make a state-ment of their faith and belief. Discuss the idea of making a pledge and becoming a full, committed member of our Christian tradition and the parish of Epiphany. Talk about making this decision for themselves, not for the sake of the wants and desires of anyone else.

When you have had such a discussion, and wish to pro-ceed, please contact Shelly Hardin at EpiphayYouth@EpiphanyGuntersville.org. We are seek-ing to determine the level of interest in a possible Youth Confirmation Class to be held each Sunday afternoon in January (3:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.), culminating with a Diocesan Youth Confirmation Retreat February 2-4 at Camp McDowell. We must have at least three students to conduct such a class; with fewer than three students the curriculum does not work well. Classes would be taught by Fr. Aaron and Shelly Hardin. These students would then be confirmed, with other youth and adults from the Diocese of Alabama, on February 4 at 3:00 p.m. in a service officiated by Bishop Sloan at St. Francis Chapel at Camp McDowell.

Diocesan Youth Events

Camp McDowell December 28-30, 2017 $115

Deadline to register is December 18. All senior high youth (grades 9-12) are invited to attend this fun winter retreat at Camp McDowell led by the Youth Department, The Rev. Aaron Raulerson, and musician Fran McKendree.

Staff Applications are open until November 12, 2017 (Click Here)

Registration for the event is open until space is full or no later than December 18, 2017 (Click Here)

Scholarship money is available.

EYC

MEALS

EYC has enjoyed several delicious home cooked meals thanks to the generosity of several parishioners. There are three more Sunday evenings in which we need a meal provided. If you are able to provide a meal please click here contact Shelly Hardin at EpiphanyYouth@EpiphanyGuntersville.org or 256-582-4897.

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CODE: DOK—Daughters of the King; HE—Holy Eucharist;

Men’s B & B—Men’s Breakfast and Bible Study; Birthdays in italics

December

13—Advent Party 22—Office Closed

15—Office Volunteer Christmas Luncheon 24—Festival Of Carols Midnight Mass

17— Advent Pageant Celtic Service

25—Office Closed - Christmas Day 29—Office Closed

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Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

Lib - Library SH - Sanderson Hall HR - Heritage Room WC - Woodall Commons

1 ALL SAINTS DAY

Healing Service 11:30

Centering Prayer 1 pm

Eucharist 5:30pm Nursery 5:30pm

Dinner 6:00pm SH Programs 6:30pm

Lief Thornton

2 Reunion

9:30am Parlor Staff 10am-Lib

Parish Life Team Mtg.

6:00pm EFM

3 Men’s B & B

7am-HR

Tara Payton

4 DST Ends

5 ALL SAINTS SUNDAY

BLESSING OF PLEDGE CARDS

Discretionary Fund HE 8 & 10:30am Breakfast 8:45am

Confirmation Class 9:30am Nursery & SS 9:30am

Lectionary 9:30am CC 10:30am Sr. EYC 5pm

6 MMBC

10am-Lib

DAV 5:30pm WC

EFM 6pm

Debi Houston

7 Kairos 6:30pm

EFM

O/C 6:30 Parlor

8 Healing Service

11:30am Centering Prayer

1 pm Eucharist 5:30pm Nursery 5:30pm Veterans' Dinner

6:00pm WC Programs 6:30pm

Choir Nave

9 Reunion 9:30am

Parlor

Auction 5:30pm

10 Men’s B & B

7am-HR

11 VETERANS

DAY

Brotherhood 8am Lib

DAR 9-12 WC

Beans & Rice

10am

12 Mark Preaching

RITI—Coffee Hour HE 8 & 10:30am Breakfast 8:45am Nursery & SS 9:30

Confirmation Class 9:30am Lectionary 9:30am OutReach 9:30am

CC 10:30am Sr EYC 5pm J.R. Foster

13 MMBC

10am-Lib DOK 11:30am

Parlor

EFM 6pm

14 Buildings &

Grounds 6 pm Lib

Maggie Muegge

15 Centering Prayer

1 pm Eucharist 5:30pm Nursery 5:30pm Dinner 6:00pm

Programs 6:30pm

Ron Holt

16 Reunion 9:30am

Parlor Finance 6:00 pm

Library

Will Smith

17 Men’s B & B

7am-HR

18 HOLIDAY

FAIRE 9am—2pm

Sanderson Hall & WC

19 HE 8 & 10:30am Breakfast 8:45am

Nursery & SS 9:30am Confirmation Class 9:30am

Lectionary 9:30am CC 10:30am

Coffee Hour-DOK 11:30 Sr. EYC 5pm

Celtic Service 5pm Nave Fellowship 5:30pm SH

Patricia Green

20 MMBC

10am-Lib

EFM 6pm

21 Vestry 6:30pm

Lib

News Articles Due

Donna Burrows Tony Clines

Catherine Reed

22 Healing Service

11:30am Centering Prayer

1 pm Eucharist 5:30pm

Brian Marr

23 OFFICE CLOSED

24 OFFICE CLOSED

25 Brotherhood 8am Library

IRON BOWL

Frances Ruddy Jan Sanderson

26 Christ the King

LAST SUNDAY after PENTE-COST

HE 8 & 10:30am Breakfast 8:45am

Nursery & SS 9:30am Inter-generational 9:30am

Lectionary 9:30am CC 10:30am Sr. EYC 5pm

Kase Thornton

27 MMBC 10am-

Lib

DOK 11:30am Parlor

EFM 6pm

David Morris

28

29 Healing Service

11:30am Centering Prayer

1 pm Eucharist 5:30pm Nursery 5:30pm Dinner 6:00pm

Programs 6:30pm

30 Reunion 9:30am

Parlor Parish Life Team

Meeting 6:00 EFM

Jeanne Nelson Jennifer Thornton