The Church of the Incarnation 308 College Drive

Gaffney, SC 29340 864-489-6183

www.incarnation-gaffney.org

The Incarnation Word

September 2012

The Church of the Incarnation

The Rt. Rev. W. Andrew Waldo Bishop of Upper S. C. The Rev. Jenny Gettys Rector The Rev. Pat Gotautas Deacon Mrs. Ann Batchler Parish Sec. / Bookkeeper Mr. Hal Tyson Choir Director and Organist

2012 Vestry

Ree Batten Christian Education 864-489-1397 Michael Darnell Junior Warden, Hospitality 704-460-0301 Scott Glidden Worship 704-739-9327 Jamie Greene Evangelism and Outreach 864-488-3000 Kimmy Guthrie Youth Representative 864-489-6711 Sara Harding Pastoral Care 864-463-7922 Bobby Love Senior Warden, Stewardship 864-487-7256 Danny Stacy Buildings and Grounds 864-490-9743

ex officio, Bob Friedman Treasurer 864-489-2044 ex officio, Kim Guthrie Vestry Clerk 864-489-6711

Where do we find the strength to keep facing the storms? With what reserves do we get up each morning, knowing another storm could be bearing down on us al-ready? We need a faith that’s stronger than the hurricane-force winds, broader than the span of the storm, and higher than the highest storm surge. We need to be so rooted and fixed in Jesus that nothing can move us. Which is why we’re launching The Bible Challenge on Monday, September 10. The challenge is to do our very best to read the Bible every night. More impor-tantly, though, the challenge is to let the scriptures become so much a part of us that they deepen our faith, root us in Christ, and give us the strength to with-stand the inevitable storms. Each day we’ll read a few chapters from the Old Testament, a Psalm, and a chapter from the New Testament. Meditations will help us dig more deeply into the readings, lis-tening for God’s presence and God’s voice. And on Sundays we’ll gather at 9:30 to question and discuss and cele-brate together. The next storm is already brewing some-where. But if we ground ourselves in Christ, we’ll be ready for it.

God’s Peace, Jenny+

The Incarnation Word 1

Hurricane season has me thinking about the storms we face in our lives. Some storms come at us like Hurrican Katrina came upon New Orleans - we think we’re prepared, but we’re blindsided by the force of the storm. Everything we have collapses and is carried away on the flood waters. And sometimes, just when we’ve finally gotten our lives back together after the big storm, along comes another one like Isaac. And even if we’ve built our levees, our defenses, as strong as we can, the storm sometimes leaps right over the top of our defenses and threatens to undo us all over again. We find ourselves, once again, on our roofs watching the water rise and calling for help.

Storms keep coming. There’s nothing we can do to prevent them. We can shore up the levees again, we can build our homes on stilts, and we can stockpile canned goods, but another storm is sure to come.

The Incarnation Word 11 2 The Incarnation Word

September 2012

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

1 9:30 DOK

2 14th Pentecost

8:30 HE I 9:30 Breakfast & Ministries Fair 10:30 HE II 11:45 Worship Committee

3 LABOR

DAY

4 5

6:00 HE and Healing

7:00 Choir

6

7

Rector’s Sabbath

8

8:00 Men’s

Breakfast

9 15th Pentecost

8:30 HE I 9:30 Godly Play & Adult Ed. 10:30 HE II 11:45 Vestry Mtg

10 The Bible Chal-lenge

begins!

11

12

6:00 HE and Healing

7:00 Choir

13

14

Rector’s Sabbath

15

16 16th Pentecost

8:30 HE I 9:30 Godly Play & Adult Ed. 10:30 HE II

17

18

19

6:00 HE and Healing

7:00 Choir

20

21

Rector’s Sabbath

22

23 17th Pentecost 4th for food

8:30 HE I 9:30 Godly Play & Adult Ed. 10:30 HE II

24

25

26 6:00 HE and

Healing

7:00 Choir

27 28 29

30 18th Pentecost

8:30 HE I 9:30 Godly Play & Adult Ed. 10:30 HE II 2:00 Convocation

Godly Play Sundays, 9:30-10:15 This year we have an all-star line-up of lead-ers for Godly Play. The children will learn the stories of their faith from the following teams:

Cynthia Glidden and Carol Pirky Renée McFalls and Michael Darnell

Lori Thompson and Julie Taylor Marty Marrett and Lois Beam

Cindy Love and Jessica Fowler

We also have an exciting set of all-new stories to help our children learn about the prophets, Daniel, and many other Biblical figures.

You can play a supporting role in Godly Play by help-ing provide the snack the children share each week. Sign up at the Ministries Fair to help out!

The stories the children will experience in September are:

Sept 9 - The Circle of the Church Year Every ending is also a beginning. The children will learn the unique way the church marks time.

Sept 16 - Creation All that God created was good. The chil-dren will bask in their goodness this week.

Nursery Sundays during 10:30 service

It really does take a village to raise a child. Become part of the village for the children of Incarnation by volunteering to keep the nursery every so often. You’ll spend time with

some precious teeny ones, and you’ll help their parents worship, gaining the strength they need for another week of parenting. Talk to Ree Batten to join the team!

Children’s Chapel Sundays during 10:30 service It’s important that our children have an opportunity on Sundays to hear the day’s gospel lesson and to process it at their own level. Ree Batten is look-ing for a few more volunteers to help make this time available. You’ll be given a complete, easy-to-follow, low-prep curriculum which includes every-thing you need to make the gospel come alive for the children. It’s a great chance to worship in a more lively way!

Christian Education

...Diocesan Clergy Conference...

Septe

mber S

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Date

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2

10:3

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Septe

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9

10:3

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Septe

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16

10:3

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Septe

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23

10:3

0

Septe

mber

30

10:3

0

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Jam

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Bra

dburn

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John G

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Renée M

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Leslie

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John G

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Jackie

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Charl

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Dann

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Jim

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John &

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Dann

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David

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Renée M

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alls

The Incarnation Word 3 10 The Incarnation Word

Sept 23 - Second Creation: The Falling Apart When sin entered the world, Adam and Eve were separated from one another and from God. What does that feel like?

September 30 - The Story of Ruth The children will learn about Ruth, who remained faithful to her mother-in-law no matter what.

Check out the complete sched-ule and the stories on the church web site. Just go to the “Children” page, scroll down to

Godly Play, and click on the Godly Play Schedule.

Adult Ed - The Bible Challenge Sundays, 9:30-10:15 Each week the adults will gather in the par-ish hall to talk about what we’ve read in The Bible Challenge during the past week. Bring your questions, insights, and concerns so we can work through them together. We’ll also get some of the background we’ll need for the next week’s readings. If you haven’t registered for The Bible Challenge, it’s not too late! Come by the Christian Ed display at the Ministries Fair and sign up. You’ll always find the com-

plete schedule of readings and the week’s meditations on the bulletin board in the

hallway. Prefer to receive them electronically? Put your email address on the sign-up sheet to receive a weekly email including the week’s meditations. And, of course, the schedule

and meditations are always available on our web site. Just click on the Bible Chal-lenge tab from any page. September’s reading are: M, 9/10 - Genesis 1-3, Psalm 1, Matthew 1 T, 9/11 - Genesis 4-6, Psalm 2, Matthew 2 W, 9/12 - Genesis 7-9, Psalm 3, Matthew 3 Th, 9/13 - Genesis 10-12, Psalm 4, Mat 4 F, 9/14 - Genesis 13-15, Psalm 5, Mat 5 S, 9/15 - Genesis 16-18, Psalm 6, Mat 6 S, 9/16 - hear the Scriptures read in church M, 9/17 - Genesis 19-21, Psalm 7, Mat 7 T, 9/18 - Genesis 22-24, Psalm 8, Mat 8 W, 9/19 - Genesis 25-27, Psalm 9, Mat 9 Th, 9/20 - Gen 28-30, Psalm 10, Mat 10 F, 9/21 - Genesis 31-33, Psalm 11, Mat 11 S, 9/22 - Genesis 34-36, Psalm 12, Mat 12 S, 9/23 - hear the Scriptures read in church M, 9/24 - Genesis 37-39, Psalm 13, Mat 13 T, 9/25 - Genesis 40-42, Psalm 14, Mat 14 W, 9/26 - Genesis 43-45, Psalm 15, Mat 15 Th, 9/27 - Gen 46-48, Psalm 16, Mat 16 F, 9/28 - Genesis 49-50, Psalm 17, Mat 17 S, 9/29 - Exodus 1-3, Psm 18:1-20, Mat 18 S, 9/30 - hear the Scriptures read in church

4 The Incarnation Word The Incarnation Word 9

The Sick: Tonja Blackwell Bobby Love Brian Watts Those on the confidential DOK prayer list

The Homebound and Those with Long-Term Illnesses:

May Ella Blanton Mary Bolinger Bill Bradley Linda Caggiano Lori Crook David Fort Peggy Fort Barbara Gupton Matthew Hall Rae Hammett Francis Higgins Jim Kennedy Bobby Parris J. L. Peake Marcia Peake Rev. Charles Smith Keith Smith Mary Threadgill

The Deceased: Rhonda Hamrick Margaret McElveen

Prayer List Birthdays

Wednesday, Aug 1 8

Sunday, Aug. 5 43 Wednesday, Aug. 8 7

Sunday, Aug. 12 58 Wednesday, Aug. 15 7

Sunday, Aug. 19 52 Wednesday, Aug. 22 7

Sunday, Aug. 26 57 Wednesday, Aug. 29 8

Attendance

Deacon’s Corner

I am fasci-nated by church signs. Some amuse me, some inform me, some make me mad, and some make

me really scratch my head and challenge me to figure out what they are trying to say. There was one on the church around the corner from my house that had me do-ing just that, scratching my head. It read: "If God were your Father, would you still

love me? Jesus" It seemed to me far from the teachings of Jesus. At first I wanted to stand on the church steps and scream, “God is my father, and that is why I love Jesus so much.” Then I stopped to think about the fact that in some ways people are so focused on Jesus that they tend to put him above God. God is my father, and Jesus is God incarnate and my brother and Savior and Redeemer. It never hurts to stop and take a close look at who God and Jesus are in my life. God is my Father and I do love Jesus. Amen.

Pat+

Pat Stacy Sept. 7 Jenny Hamrick Sept. 11 Jackie Hoffman Sept. 13 Tanner Wood Sept. 14 Betty Tucker Sept. 18 Marty Marett Sept. 19 Luke Harding Sept. 19 Trevor Lewis Sept. 19 Nancy Patterson Sept. 20 May Ella Blanton Sept. 28

Randy & Carol Pirkey Sept. 7 Chad & April Mabry Sept. 25

Anniversaries

Evangelism / Outreach

School Supplies Every student at Dray-tonville Elementary School started the year with all the paper and pencils and other sup-plies they needed. And they also started the year knowing they were loved and supported by the people of Incarnation. We sorted and bagged sup-plies until our fingers were raw, but it was all worth it to see the gratitude on the faces of the students and parents. We received a stack of adorable thank-you notes from students, each one carefully hand-

addressed (you wouldn’t believe all the different ways to spell “Episcopal”!). Some had hearts drawn on them, others had smiley faces. One note read:

Dear church members,

Thank yo for all the school supplies you

have bought for us. We appreiate what

you have done for us. I wish we could

send you something to. It is very nice

of you to do something like that.

Thanks, we really needed this stuff.

Love,

Hannah Margaret McElveen passed away on August 14. Rest in peace, sweet friend.

Milestones

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First Reading Psalm Second Reading Gospel

Sept. 2

Deut. 4:1-2 6-9

Psalm 15 James 1:17-27 Mark 7:1-8 14-15, 21-23

Sept. 9 Isaiah 35:4-7a Psalm 146 James 2:1-17 Mark 7:24-37

Sept. 16 Isaiah 50:4-9a Psalm 116:1-8 James 3:1-12 Mark 8:27-38

Sept. 23 Wisdom of Solomon 1:16-2:1, 12-22

Psalm 54 James 3:13-4:3 7-8a

Mark 9:30-37

Sept. 30 Num. 11:4-6 10-16, 24-29

Psalm 19:7-14 James 5:13-20 Mark 9:38-50

Sunday Readings

Miracle Hill Benefit Miracle Hill Rescue Mis-sion is a homeless shelter here in Cherokee County. Each evening, about thirty people seek refuge there. Want to help support this ministry? They’re having a fundraiser at Daddy Joe’s on Sunday, Sep-tember 9, from 11:00-2:30. The buffet lunch will include chopped pork, Calabash chicken, baked beans, hush puppies, French fries, cole slaw, and iced tea. Tick-ets are $10 for adults and $5 for children eight and under. Come enjoy a great meal and support a worthy cause.

After we returned and ex-changed some of the school supplies, we ended up with a Wal-Mart gift card which we were able to give to our adopted family so they could buy new school clothes and supplies for the children. So they, too, were ready to start school.

Limestone Student Outreach

Thanks to everyone who baked the deli-cious cookies and brownies for us to take to the new student cookout at Limestone College. You should have seen the stu-

dents’ faces as they looked through the baskets picking out their favorite home-baked goodies. It was clear they felt the love and support that came with the food. We also passed out many coupons for free breakfast at Incarnation on September 2 - we’ll see if we have any new faces with us that day!

Pastoral Care

Freezer Meal Club

Ready to, once again, stock your freezer with deli-cious homemade meals? Watch the weekly bulletin for news about our

next meeting of the Freezer Meal Club. With all the ingredients pre-chopped, we’ll put together several casseroles each in no time - and have fun doing it together! Sign up at the Ministries Fair to join us.

Worship

Bulletin Art For several years now, our service book-lets have all had the same picture of the church on the front cover. It’s a beautiful line drawing, but it means that the booklet always looks exactly the same. Well, no more! You’ll notice that this season’s booklet has a picture on the cover of Jesus gathering the children to him. This puts us in mind of the back-to-school season and reminds us that our children are always in God’s care. Next season, there will be all-new artwork on the service booklet cover. Enjoy it!

Acolytes We have a wonderful tradition at Incarnation of our older children serving as acolytes. They carry the cross in procession and assist

the Deacon at the altar. You may have noticed, though, that we don’t have many children in this ministry right now. So we’re opening it up to adults, too. Con-sider volunteering to serve in this way; you’ll receive all the training you need. Sign up at the Worship display at the Min-istries Fair. You’ll be glad you did!

6 The Incarnation Word The Incarnation Word 7

If you’ve tried to get counseling in our area, you know that Cherokee County is in des-perate need of qualified counseling ser-vices. Well, all that’s about to change. Beginning very soon, Incarnation will host

York Place Community Counseling Center

Gaffney

We’ll provide office space in which York Place can offer out-patient counseling ser-vices to people of all ages. They’ll provide support for psychosocial adjustments re-lated to life cycle issues such as birth and death, aging, marriage, divorce, parenting, inter-generational conflicts, and adult, child, and family relations. Medicaid and Insur-ance will be accepted, and fees are avail-able on a sliding scale for those without insurance. Their mission is to provide comprehensive, innovative and effective services through which God's love, hope and grace bring emotional and spiritual healing to those they serve. York Place plans to offer group sessions and classes as well, based on the needs they discover in our area. This might in-clude grief support groups, AA or NA groups, and even parenting classes. Incarnation is thrilled to be part of this ex-citing ministry to the people of Cherokee County. If you know someone who’s strug-gling, have them call York Place at 803-684-4011 to book an appointment here in Gaffney. Let’s help spread the word that help is on the way!

Picture Directory Do you find yourself struggling to match the names and faces of some of our newer members? Or racking your brain for a parish-ioner’s last name so you can look up their

phone number? Well never fear - help is on the way. We’ll be producing a picture directory for Incarnation. It will include a photograph for each household along with names, address, and phone number. How can we afford that, you’re wondering? Well, we’ll be producing it all ourselves. On Septem-ber 16th and 23rd we’ll have several of our members on hand to take pictures. There will be a schedule available at the Ministries Fair so you can select a time to have your family’s picture taken. Then we’ll enter them into our par-ish data base, which will, as if by magic, spit out a simple black and white directory for us. The only cost will be the plain cop-ier paper! There won’t be any photogra-phy studio pestering you to purchase the photographs, and it will be a breeze to up-date the directory frequently. Be sure to sign up for your photo slot and then watch for the directories to be avail-able!

Ministries Fair York Place Hospitality

Breakfast and Ministries Fair Sunday, September 2 9:30 am

Now that the days are getting cooler, we’re back a to a more regular schedule at Incarnation. And that means that we begin the new month with a

fabulous breakfast. The men of the church will prepare grits and eggs, biscuits and gravy, sausage and bacon and fruit for us to enjoy between services. And we’ll have our Ministries Fair set up. Each committee will have a display letting

you know about all the exciting things they have planned. And there will be sign-up sheets galore so you can offer the gift of your time and talents. So come get nourished on breakfast so you can sign up to serve.

Stewardship

Your vestry takes very seriously its job as stew-ards of the money you so graciously give to God’s work in this place. For the past several years, our budget has

been painfully tight. We haven’t been able to give to the Diocese the amount they’ve requested of us, and they’ve been very understanding about that. But this year, we’ve had two unexpected gifts to Incarnation that have put us ahead

of where we thought we’d be. In light of this, your vestry voted at its last meeting to increase our giving to the Diocese for 2012. The increase vestry approved still won’t bring us up to the full asking amount, but it will get us much closer. What a blessing to be able to take this step!