december 2020 issue 104 the disciple - st. john's

December 2020 Issue 104

The Disciple

St. John’s Anglican Church, 230 Southland Rd., Americus GA 31709

www.stjohnsamericus.org [email protected] 229-924-3380

By Fr. Jim Parker

Extended Thanksgiving

I sat down after a Thanksgiving dinner with my family and reflected on my last five years. What a blessed time it has been! It truly was an extended thanksgiving. I can-not imagine a congregation that has been more loving and caring to their Priest and his family. I am grateful for how this wonderful congregation has al-ways worked together. From the building of our new home on Southland Road, the development of our liturgy for our congregation, the construction of our walking trails, our bee hives, our magnificent grounds, the devel-opment of our play grounds and gardens that have fed so many people, you have rallied around me as we approach each project to the glory of God. Consider the outreach we have accomplished, we had twenty-two people five years ago, and now we have sixty-six people on the roles. We now have Sunday School for children and adults. We bought mattresses for those in need, and developed a Happy Patch Tree for the children in need in our community. Our ministry has also included providing meals to Fuller Center volunteers, and pro-claiming the Gospel at Perry Wellness Center. Our men’s fellowship has touched many people. This congregation has embraced a young man and his family and raised up a new Priest! I am so proud of my church family for the things you have done to the Glory of

God! I think I can relate to how old Simeon felt: Lord you have set your servant free. To go in peace as you have promised: For these eyes of mine have seen the Savior, Whom has prepared for all the world to see: A light to enlighten the nations And the glory of your people Israel. My brothers and sisters, Jesus said “When you have done it unto the least of these you have done it unto me,” My last five years has truly been an extended Thanksgiv-ing. Thank you for the won-derful gift of serving you.


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Happy New Year! As Christians, we get a jump on the rest of the world by starting our year a little early. The first Sunday of Advent marks the first day of the new year on the litur-gical calendar. This means that we begin each year by preparing for Christmas, for the coming of our savior.

Advent is traditionally marked by prayer and fasting as we set aside time to prepare our hearts and minds to cele-brate our savior. This more contemplative dynamic sets us at odds with the culture’s mode of celebrating Christ-mas. Nothing bustles quite like an American Christmas of Santa and shopping. There is pressure to buy more and more, to do more and more… But of course we can’t “buy” or “do” Christmas. Christ-mas is a gift we never could have bought for ourselves. Christmas is the day on which the Prince of Peace inau-gurates his reign. Christmas is the day the little baby was laid in the manger, the Word becoming flesh and dwelling among us--the ordinary people who are far from perfect. T.S. Eliot’s “The Journey of the Magi” captures the feel of Advent well. In particular, it captures the sensation Christians in America feel more and more acutely with

each passing year: that the holiday we prepare for and cel-ebrate has a very different meaning than the one the world around us observes. Eliot writes, We returned to our places, these Kingdoms But no longer at ease here, in the old dispensation With an alien people clutching their gods. The poem is written from the perspective of the returning magi. They found the baby Jesus, alright, but he was not as they expected, and the humble Christ-child shatters their worldview. No longer can they feel untroubled by their customary extravagancies: they have learned some-thing new, a new truth about God. Now they too must learn to humble themselves, just as Christ did. As it turns out, the road to Bethlehem and the road to Golgotha are not so different after all. Advent surprises us with the difficulty and strength of its challenge: are you willing to tread the narrow way that leads to the presence and peace of God?

Garland Mears Portrait Dedication

November 1, 2020


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Report on Synod 2020

It was an honor to represent St. John’s at the diocesan synod in No-vember. This was slated to be a joy-ous celebration of the diocese’s 10th anniversary, but because of the virus, it became a virtual event. I attended Friday Evening Prayer and the Satur-day business meeting.

The prayer service was very well done with a collabora-tion of musicians, clergy, children and lay members. The text for Archbishop Foley Beach’s message was Haggai, chapter 2, from which he chose five words of inspiration: Be strong, Work, I am with you, Fear not, I will give you peace. The prayer service can still be seen on the ADOTS Facebook page. The Saturday business meeting was held on ZOOM with over 100 delegates and clergy participating. The Arch-bishop shared memories from eleven years ago when con-gregations that were under Bolivia, Rwanda, Nigeria, and Uganda, came together to form what has become the An-glican Diocese of the South.

There was routine business to conduct and votes were tak-en both by hand, with delegates raising their hands on camera, and by electronic ballot. There were short videos from parishes across the diocese featuring their activities. The best of all was of our own Jim Barton telling about our gardening collaboration with Perry Wellness Center. The Archbishop spoke of the role of the Diocese in equip-ping the clergy and Fulfilling the Great Commandment—that we love one another—and the Great Commission—to make disciples of Jesus Christ. He warned against slip-ping into maintaining mode and closed his address saying, “It has been a privilege to serve as your bishop, and I hope the work we do together as the Anglican Diocese of the South as we begin this second decade brings honor and glory to Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Happy Anni-versary!” The virtual nature of the synod denied it of the pageantry we’ve seen in the past—watching all the clergy process is a sight to see—but the Cathedral did an wonderful job in difficult circumstances. Everyone should try to attend at least one synod conference.

Decorating for Christmas

Anyone interested in helping to decorate the Church for Christmas, the time has come. After the Wednesday

night Evening Prayer and Healing Service on December 23, decorating will be done.

Please come and help decorate.

Everett Byrd

The Christmas Eve service will be broadcast live on WISK FM 98.7

at 6:00 PM


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David & Sheilla Snell came to Americus from Colora-

do—twice! They were here in the 90s when they worked

with Habitat for Humanity and returned in 2009 when Da-

vid was tapped to lead The Fuller Center for Housing up-

on the passing of Millard Fuller. Sheilla is the more so-

cial of the two and is active in the Garden and Literary

Clubs. David confines his socializing to the church,

where he is a Lector, serves on the Vestry and, most re-

cently, passed Lou Chase’s rigorous training to become an

LEM.

The Snells came to Americus as Lutherans and soon

learned that being a Lutheran in South Georgia is a lonely

undertaking—they felt cast adrift in a sea of Baptists.

Friends invited them to St. John’s where they have found

a church home that combines the liturgical worship they

enjoy with a conservative world view that they share.

The Snell’s son, Kevin, lives in Dillon, Colorado, with his

wife Suzanne and sons Ryan and Griffin. Ryan is a soph-

omore at Colorado State University and Griffin is a senior

at Summit High. The boys make their grandparents

proud.

With skiing and mountaineering no longer in the picture, the Snells are able to pursue gentler activities. Sheilla stamps beautiful crosses and ornaments, gardens and keeps the home fires burning. Before the virus struck Da-vid traveled extensively, which he greatly enjoyed but finds he doesn’t miss. Both are grateful to St. John’s for welcoming them in.


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Coffee & Conversation

As soon as the virus abates, or proper arrangements are settled we want to again welcome everyone to coffee and conversation each Sunday in the Parish Hall from 9:30-10:00 AM. This will give us an opportunity to visit before Church and at the same time give people a quiet time to pray in the sanctuary before Church. I look forward to seeing you this Sunday!

Annual Advent Christmas Dinner

Tuesday, December 8, 2020 6:00 PM at Church.

Meal provided courtesy of St. John’s.

Sign-up in Narthex

December

Vestry Meeting

December 15, 2020

6:00 pm

December

15-Pete & Nancy Warlick

2-Sydney Joiner

4-Jeff Joiner

8-Jan Hobgood

9-Tyler Brenner

17-Jo Beth Parker Key

24-Selby Fowler

25-George Peagler

26-France Pierce

31-Bob Ledbetter


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DECEMBER ROTA

DATE SERVICE LEM LECTOR USHER ACOLYTE

12/02 Evening Prayer

& Healing Everett Byrd

12/06 Holy Communion David Snell Lou Chase Jeff Joiner


& Healing George Peagler

12/13 Holy Communion Jeff Joiner Peter Banse Darryl Hobgood


& Healing Jeff Joiner

12/20 Holy Communion Lou Chase Beth Cameron Jeff Joiner


& Healing Everett Byrd

12/24 Christmas Eve Jeff Joiner Everett Byrd Sid Cameron

12/27 Holy Communion George Peagler Everett Byrd Jeff Joiner

12/30

Evening Prayer

& Healing Beth Cameron

december 2020 issue 104 the disciple - st. john's

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