T H E S T A R - Episcopal Diocese of...

The Star—January

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I N S I D E T H I S

I S S U E :

From Our Interim

Rector

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Calendar 3

Stewardship update

Love came down

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Youth Group News

Epiphany Big Night

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Worship Committee

Search Comm. Prayer

CARITAS

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Outreach Lunches 7

Worship Leaders 8

Fellowship 9

WHO WE ARE:

The Church of the Epiph-

any is one of 181 parishes

of the Episcopal Diocese

of Virginia, which is one

of 110 dioceses in The

Episcopal Church (USA),

one of 44 member

churches in the worldwide

Anglican Communion.

T H E C H U R C H O F T H E E P I P H A N Y

T H E S T A R January 2016

Sunday, January 3

Bishop’s Visitation

On Sunday, January 3, we will welcome The Right Reverend Su-

san Ellyn Goff, Bishop Suffragan of Virginia, as our celebrant and

preacher at the 10:30 service. Bishop Goff has served this dio-

cese for over 31 years in school chaplaincy and parish ministry

before being consecrated bishop suffragan in 2012. She is a

blessing to us all and we look forward to her presence in our

midst. Her time with us will be as follows:

9:30 Bishop Goff will meet with the Vestry in

the Parlor

10:30 Holy Eucharist where Bishop Goff will be

celebrant and preacher

A Reception follows immediately in the parish Hall to

which all are invited.

Please join us for this special day in our life

together.

Days of Blessing 10

Just the Facts 11

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F R O M O U R I N T E R I M R E C T O R . . .

Dear Friends,

There is a true story that I was told by Bishop Alexander D. Stewart, Bishop of Western Massachu-setts, many years ago when I was just beginning my parish ministry. It has remained etched in my brain throughout all the years I have been doing this kind of work. The story is about a parish in New York City back in the early 20th century that sought the bishop’s counsel as they were hav-ing financial challenges. They were having trouble coming up with the funds to pay the coal bill so they could heat the church during the cold winter months. In addition, they were short on funds to pay the rector’s salary. The bishop agreed to meet with the vestry. During the conversation with their bishop, he asked them what they were doing for missions. Aghast, they said, “But Bishop, we can’t pay the rector’s salary or the bill for coal to heat the church. How can we find money to do mission work?” The bishop was patient yet persistent. He kept directing their attention to what they could do for mission work. As the story goes, a committee was formed to look at a vi-sion for mission. The committee began to share their vision with the parish and together they be-gan to see possibilities for mission work. In time their financial worries were transformed into the relief and the joy over the fact that not only were there enough resources to pay their bills but there came into the parish the presence of a vibrancy that that the parish had not experience for a very long time. Their numbers increased because people saw that the parish was reaching out. People wanted to become part of all that. The parish became a living example that when a parish looks to how it can reach out in ministry with a vision that includes new horizons, it can grow. Somehow, that story has stayed with me. Today is no different in that respect from the early 1900’s though much has changed. People will become engaged in congregations that are welcom-ing and that are reaching out beyond their comfort zone within their own walls to the needs of the world beyond.

As the Christmas season moves into Epiphany our focus is upon the earthly ministry of Jesus. The word “Epiphany” means “to show” or “ to make known.” During Epiphany, we witness the bap-tism of Jesus and the theme of mission has its roots planted early on in what would become the Church in the world . The name of this church is indeed appropriate. The name of this parish is a reminder of its mission to make the love of Jesus Christ known not only in our midst as a loving parish family, but in the larger community as well as in the world wherever God may be leading us. As you look forward to a new ministry together with your new rector, what will that ministry look like? What will this parish look like in the years to come? What new avenues of ministry will you be pursuing? May this season of Epiphany be a time of continuing discernment as you look to the future. May the light of Christ lead you as a congregation as you seek to be about the mission and ministry, and may you find joy in that process of discernment together.

Faithfully,

David

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January Parish Calendar

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Stewardship Update

The Stewardship committee met on December 2nd to finalize the stewardship in-

formation for the Vestry meeting on the 15th. We have received 69 adult and 3

youth pledges this year compared to 75 adult and no youth pledges in 2015.

Pledges total: $187, 718 for current expenses versus $172, 722 and $27,928

building fund versus $25, 305 for an increase of $17, 619 or 8.9%. Fifty two pa-

rishioners took the Epiphany GIFTS Challenge.

The Stewardship Committee wishes to thank everyone for your generous pledg-

es.

Love Came Down At Christmas: Christmas is such a special time for all of us. It is a chance to spend time with family and friends, keeping old traditions, creating new traditions and making memories. It is also the time we celebrate the birth of Christ. John 3:16: For God so loved the world that he sent his only begotten Son. In the same sense when you pledge to Epiphany you show not only your support for our ministry but it is an expression of your love and thanks for Epiphany and your church family.

On Face Book there is a post being shared to take a jar and each week (I have also seen one that says each day) write down a blessing and place it in the jar. On New Year’s Eve you open the jar and review all the blessings from the year. This year we began the Epipha-ny Challenge asking that you take a step in faith and rise your pledge as you felt you were able. The Stewardship Committee is asking that you keep track of your blessings this year then share them with us. If you do not want to tell us in person you can always write it down and drop it in the collection plate. We would like to compile the many blessings that happen during the year to be shared with the congregation.

Blessings,

Ann Henderson, Stewardship Chair

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Youth Group Happenings January — May 2016

Sign up sheets are up for January, so you need to sign up. A minimum of 3 of you are needed to sign up for the event to take place, with the exception of Shrine Mont weekends.

January 3: G-Force, after Bishop’s visit

January 17: Movies, bring bag lunch

Jan. 31: Lunch out, Sr. High only

February 14: Coffee Hour, please bring at least one item to share

February 28: Bowling in the evening—6:00 PM, Shrader Lanes

March 12: Saturday activity with PYM, Youth Service Day

March 20: Lunch out, Middle School Youth only

March 28—31: Mission trip to Pigeon Forge, Tennessee

April 10: Laser Tag

April 15—17: 6th & 7th grade weekend @ Shrine Mont

May 1: Putt Putt, weather permitting

May 13—15: 8th grade weekend @ Shrine Mont

Happy New Year! If you have any questions about youth group please contact Diana Stone at

[email protected] or 804 264-8087.

Youth Group News

Epiphany 3rd Annual Big Night Out! Save the date! February 6, 2016

Get ready for another exciting evening of Food, Fun and Fellowship hosted by Chapter 11 Men’s Group. Proceeds from the sale of tickets ($10.00 per person) will go towards and outreach project and to offset the insurance deductible from the theft of our lawn equipment. Mark your calendars!!!!

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Worship Committee News Happy New Year, it’s 2016, and the worship committee is beginning the new year with plans to identify our pastoral needs and figure out how to make sure we meet the needs as well as we can. Your input is always welcome, we appreciate comments, suggestions and ideas.

Epiphany Search

Committee Prayer: O God, who is always with us, especially in time of transition, God of love and patience and giver of every good gift, guide us, we pray, and awaken in us a sense of your presence, as we journey togeth-er in search of our new rector. We pray for the priest whose name is yet known to you alone, that he or she be open to your call. All this we pray in the name of the Father who created us, the Son who redeemed us and the Holy Spirit who sustains us. Amen.

Lamb’s Basket is in need of constant dona-tions because the client base continues to grow. The do-nated weight from Epiph-any for the month of Novem-ber is 52 pounds. Think we can do better! Continue to bring canned items each Sun-day. Thank you in advance for your support of Lamb’s Basket.

CARITAS 2016 The Church of the Epiphany will sponsor CARITAS next year from July 16th thru July 23rd. Please keep these dates in mind as help and generosity will be needed. More information to follow early next year!

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OUTREACH LUNCHES – 2016

This is our 17th year of providing lunches for area shelters the first Saturday of each month. We also provide lunches on the 5th -Sat. in January. All items needed will be provided ahead of meeting at 8:30 am. in the Parish Hall to prepare the lunches, then someone on the team delivers them before 11am. Volunteers are divided into teams, with at least one person be-ing the ‘driver’…to deliver the lunches to the 3 shelters. The teams rotate on an equal basis. We now have 5 teams, 3 which serve 3 assigned months, the other two only twice this year. Please consider donating an hour several times a year for this on-going mission. Contact Tillie Freeze if you want to join in this ministry at 672-3211,or [email protected] . The following are the established teams:

Red Team (5 including driver) – Cory Isemann (team leader –519-7267), Shirley Hughson, Melba Shumaker, Betty Fore, and Diana Stone.

Yellow Team (6 including driver) – Jean Riddick (team leader – 264-0935), Paul and Debbie Jones, Nancy Sonne, Patty White and Lib Ransom

Green Team (5 including driver) – Gray Corbett (team leader – 346-8910) Frosine Corbett,

B. J. Giannini, Mary Sam Abernathy and Susan Higgins

Vestry Team (need 5/6 & at least 1 driver) Contact either the Jr. or Sr. Warden if you can/cannot be present to help!

Chapter 4 (need 5/6 & at least 1 driver) – Tillie Freeze (team leader – 672-3211). Please con-tact if you can/cannot be present to help!

Outreach feeding program Schedule for 2016:

Jan. 2 – Yellow Team July 2 – Red Team

Jan. 30 – Green Team Aug. 6 – Chapter 4

Feb. 6 – Red Team Sept. 3 – Vestry

Mar. 5 – Vestry Oct. 1 –Yellow Team

Apr. 2 – Chapter 4 Nov. 7 – Red Team

May 7 – Yellow Team Dec. 3- Green Team

June 4 – Green Team

If you are not able to assist on your assigned Saturday, please let your team leader know, but attempt to get a replacement for yourself …especially if you are the ‘driver’! Worst case scenario, call Tillie Freeze (672-3211).

mailto:[email protected]

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January 17—

Epiphany 2

Altar Guild:

Betty Fore,

Susan Josenhans,

Barbara Johnson

8:15 Holy Eucharist

Usher:

Kim Ruder

Reader:

Lauryn Boyd

Chalice:

Harrison Higgins

10:30—Holy Eucharist

Lessons:

Randy Holden

Prayers:

Chalice:

David Tuck,

Harrison Higgins

Acolytes:

Lucas Couturier,

Gift Elionai, Nick Ludwig,

Hana Elionai

Greeters:

Susan Josenhans,

Irene Temple

Nursery:

Joy Baynes,

Peggy Wilson

January 3 — Christmas 2

Altar Guild: Jean Riddick, Debbie Crawford


Usher: Paul Jones

Reader: Gray Corbett

Chalice: Harrison Higgins

10:30 AM—Holy Eucharist

Lessons: Buddy Dunn

Prayers:

Chalice: Buddy Dunn, Harrison Higgins

Acolytes: All Acolytes

Greeters: Jeff Pegram, Patty White

Nursery: Dwight Ludwig, Scott Blackwell

January 10 — Epiphany 1

Altar Guild: Kathy Jimerson, Melba Shumaker, Pam Pegram


Usher: Lauryn Boyd

Reader: Jamey Hooks



Lessons: Jeri Anne Townley

Prayers:

Chalice: Herb Williams, Harrison Higgins

Acolytes:

Camille Wood, Morgan Green, Cameron Whittlesey, Claudia Aber-nathy

Greeters: Buddy Dunn, Gray Corbett

Nursery: Karen Holden, Sandy Ruder


Altar Guild: Karen Holden, Randy Holden


Usher: Chuck Strabley

Reader: Tad Blackburn


10:30 AM— Holy Eucharist

Lessons: Jamey Hooks

Prayers:

Chalice: Stacy Mitchell, Harrison

Higgins

Acolytes: Drew Gilbert, Jay Tucker, Austin White, Ava Whittlesey

Greeters: Patty White, Buddy Dunn

Nursery: Jennifer Axselle, Mary Kenyi


Altar Guild: Dottie Strabley, Lucy Whitlock,

Lauryn Boyd


Usher: Tad Blackburn

Reader: Sam Craver



Lessons: B.J. Giannini

Prayers:

Chalice: Buddy Dunn, Harrison Higgins

Acolytes: Zack Nixon, Logan Abernathy, Will Craver, Bailey Nixon

Greeters: Jeff Pegram, Gray Corbett

Nursery: Carol Campus, Aggie Gal-lagher

Worship Leaders for January

10:30 Ushers: Beth Lassiter, Aggie Gallagher, Shirley Hughson

Counters:

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Fellowship Activities

Want to go to Brunch in Janaury?

Sunday, January 13th,

the ‘lunch brunch group’ will be going to lunch at

Debbie’s Kitchen , out Staples Mill Road.

If you are interested please contact Jean Riddick, 264-0935,

or call Lucy in the office, 266-2503

Learn to Read Music?

Saturday, December 5, 9:00 am—1:00 pm.

Have you ever thought that you would like to sing in the choir or play bells, but you don’t know how to read music? You don’t have to wait any longer. Beginning on Thursday, January 7th, join Ellie Tuck in the sanctuary each Thursday night @ 7:30 pm for 30 minutes of music ba-sics. You can call Ellie at 595-1561, or reach Anita Williams, organist at [email protected]

The Book Club is reading The Book Thief by Zusak. They have some pretty lively discussions. If you would like to join them, they meet on Monday’s at 11:00 AM in the parlor.

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Happy Birthday

January 1 Clement Wani

Joseph Elionai

Alice Elionai

January 4 Wilder Thomas Prevatt

January 6 Blaise Robinson Baynes

January 7 Melanie Skinner

January 8 Rachel Johnson

January 9 Marion Magruder

January 10 Ian Carver

January 11 Carl Burley

January 12 Hudson Anthony Williams

Cynthia Miller

January 14 Garrett Russell

Bryce Thomas Turner

January 15 Ray Lovelace

January 19 William Soule Prevatt

January 21 James Mitchell

Debbie Crawford

January 23 Dottie Strabley

Lydia Callaway

January 24 Sue Rasmussen

Michelle Hampton

January 26 Scott Blackwell

Jason Ludwig

January 27 Bailey Nixon

Gray Corbett

Raymond Grigsby

Ezra James Axselle

January 28 Jason Williams

January 29 Penn Guyer

January 30 Aggie Gallagher

January 31 Rosa Elionai

Happy Anniversary

January 1 Milton & Martha Jenkins

January 31 Jeff & Carol Campus

Days of Blessing in DecemberDays of Blessing in December

Those who are ill or have special needs:

In Our Parish Family: Dot Hudson, Dottie Strabley, Bob Jimerson, Carol Burley, Pat Clarke, Sarah Jenkins, Ann Schaefer, Betty Fore, Wayne

Whitlock, Harrison Higgins, Mike Young, David Skinner, Chris Tignor

Those in Care Facilities or Homebound especially: Peggy Adleman, Carl Burley, Sarah Fore, Ray Hampton, Ray Lovelace, Connie Neal,

Marietta Spring, Juliet Wynne;

Those Serving in the Armed Forces especially: Matt Guyer, Amanda Hoffert, David Hoffert, Patrick Lineberry, Caitlin Mitchell, Bryan Mur-

phy, Billy Tucker and Andrew Smith;

Prayers for family & friends:

Prayers for Healing, Wholeness, Comfort, Guidance, and Safe Travel: Mary Stockdell—daughter-in-law of Susan Josenhans, Becky Smith—

friend of Melba Shumaker, Conrad Lawrence—Aggie Gallagher’s brother, Gary Peper—Lucy Whitlock’s brother-in-law, Bucky Turner—friend of

Jenn Whitlock, Rick Lawrence —Jan Lawrence’s son, Luke Murphy—Ray & Charlotte Lovelace’s great-grandson, James McCoy—Sue Rasmussen’s

friend, Bill Wells—friend of Sarah Jenkins, Carl Powell—brother of Shirley Hughson, Mary Anna Phillips—friend of Sue Rasmussen, Braton Shew-

ey—husband of Nancy Shewey, Elsie Corbett—Gray Corbett’s mother, Karen Clements—friend & coworker of Anne Hampton, Mary Lou Scary—

Chuck Strabley’s sister, Karen Rood—sister of Jeri Anne Townley, Andy & Carolyn Holden —Randy Holden’s parents, Robyn Morris—friend of

Karen Holden, Joe Serrano—John & Diana Stone’s nephew, Nancy King—Saundra King’s sister-in-law, Hope Lineberry—Cheryl Lineberry’s grand-

daughter, Carroll Wade—friend of Karen & Randy Holden, Suzanne Scary— Chuck Strabley’s niece, Leslie Gilbert—cousin of Jeri Anne Townley,

Lelo Russell—Denise Russell’s mother-in-law, Dave Holsapple—friend of Stacy Mitchell, Tim Blackburn—Tad Blackburn’s father, Doug Burgoyne—

friend of David Knight, Susan Berry—friend of Scott Blackwell, John Jorstad—Sandy Tignor & Marty Shephard’s dad., Marcus, student at HHS re-

covering from car accident—Gail Wood.

We pray for those who will be Traveling: Ashley Galvin Ruder traveling to Turkey for International Studies with George Mason University.

Standing in the Need of PrayerStanding in the Need of Prayer

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Just the Facts:

Leadership and Contact Information at

Church of the Epiphany

Office address: 8000 Hermitage Rd, Richmond, VA 23228 Phone: 804-266-2503 [email protected]

The Rev. David Knight, Interim 804 389-7188 (cell)

The Rev. Deacon Harrison Higgins, IV, Deacon 804 355-5501 ( Cell)

Lucy Whitlock, Office Administrator [email protected]

Anita Williams, Music Director

Timon Kenyi, Sexton

Vestry

Buddy Dunn, Senior Warden Irene Temple, Junior Warden

Marty Shephard, Treasurer

Sam Craver, Register

Buddy Dunn (2016) Patty White (2016)

Irene Temple (2016)

Gray Corbett (2017) Susan Josenhans (2017)

Jeff Pegram (2017)

Mary Sam Abernathy (2018) Scott Blackwell (2018)

Carol Campus (2018)

Office Hours :

Lucy is in the office Monday through Thursday from 9 am to 2 pm. Call before stopping by to

make sure someone is here to let you in.

May the light of God’s blessing, like the Epiphany star, always guide

you on the path toward Him.

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