CREATOR Chronicle

“As a congregation named for our Creator, we are children of the Living God, beloved brothers and sisters of our Lord Christ, selflessly living out our March 2021 faith in worship, fellowship, giving, education and outreach.”

Dear Friends: This year on Wednesday evening during Lent, in the middle of a session of Evening Prayer, we will be studying a book titled The Sermon on the Mount written by . Here is a little biography of the author to give you some insight into why we chose his book for our study. Clarence Jordan , born on July 29, 1912 in Talbotton, , was a widely admired Bible scholar, speaker, writer and farmer. A Baptist minister with a Doctorate in Greek and a B.S. in agriculture, Clarence first gained a reputation as a preacher. From an early age the young Jordan was troubled by the racial and economic injustice that he perceived in his community. Hoping to improve the lot of sharecroppers through scientific farming techniques, Jordan enrolled in the , earning a degree in agriculture in 1933. During his college years, Jordan became convinced that the roots of poverty were spiritual as well as economic . This conviction led him to the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, from which he earned a Ph.D. in Greek in 1938. While at seminary Jordan met and married Florence Kroeger. In 1942 Clarence Jordan found a unique way to combine his interest in scientific agriculture with his passion for the of Jesus. Clarence and Florence moved to Sumter County, Georgia to live out the teachings of Jesus amid the poverty and racism of the rural South. In the midst of a segregated and racist society, Jordan envisioned a place where blacks and whites could live and work together in a spirit of partnership . Based on a radical call to discipleship, Jordan planned to create a community that was committed to racial integration, , a simplified lifestyle, sharing of possessions, and stewardship of the land and its resources . Jordan called this experiment koinonia , from the Greek word meaning community or fellowship that was used to identify the small community of faith in after the death of Jesus that pooled its economic resources and shared a common life in the spirit of Jesus. This was the model for the fledgling farm. Jordan referred to the adventure as a “ demonstration plot for the kingdom of God .” They founded Koinonia Farm , an interracial Christian community in Americus, Georgia , deep in the heart of the South. Continued on next page

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Rev. Robert M. Blanton, Priest-In-Charge * office hours: Monday—Thursday, 9:00 a.m.. — 12:00 p.m.

Please call the church office, 601-924-2261, to schedule an appointment.

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They began with three principles:  All people are related in God’s eyes  Live in accordance with Christ’s love  Common ownership —distribution according to first century Christian principles based on need, not profit Jordan believed that the incarnation was the only effective method of evangelization. He said, “ We haven’t gotten anywhere until we see the Word become flesh .” Bringing home the incarnation was the motivation for Clarence’s life. He saw the resurrection not as an invitation to heaven when we die, but as a declaration from God that he has established permanent residence on the earth . Through the incarnation, God and comes home with us, bringing all his suffering sisters and brothers with him. Clarence lived the incarnation in his fervent love for the poor. He saw that it was a suffering and disinherited Christ who shows us the way to love the same among us now. And believing that it is a spirit-filled fellowship rather than the empty tomb that is proof of Christ’s presence with us , Clarence pointed to Koinonia as evidence of the continuation of the incarnation. The community grew through the turbulent 1950’s, as the Jordans and their neighbors farmed together, ate meals, and attended Bible studies and summer youth camps. Throughout the 1950s and early 60s, Koinonia Farms withstood threats, property damage, excommunication from churches, Grand Jury investigations, and economic boycotts. In the mid-50s fences were cut, crops stolen from the fields, and garbage dumped on the property. A truck’s engine was ruined by sugar placed in its gas tank, and nearly 300 fruit trees were chopped down. The farm’s roadside market was bombed several times and eventually destroyed. Nightriders sprayed machine-gun bullets at the houses. Fires were set on the property, and crosses were burned on the lawns of black friends. Finally, Sumter County residents bolstered their attack with an economic boycott , hoping to choke the farm’s livelihood, since they seemed unable to scare the Koinonians away. It was necessity that forced the community into a mail-order pecan business during the boycott. The United States mail and the open pecan market were two things the local people could not control . Their marketing theme was “ Help us ship the nuts out of Georgia .” Clarence Jordan was a man who conquered the fear that paralyzed others of his time. He spoke about fear as “ the polio of the soul which prevents our walking by faith .” Only by living with the assurance of victory over death can faithful witness shine forth. Clarence had given up his life to God, and thus lived with the knowledge that no one could take his life from him . He understood deeply the connection between life and death, the impossibility of sharing resurrection without participating in . And so, he endured excommunication from his church and gunfire from nightriders, living as a man who knew that local hatred and the had no more power over his life than Pilate did over Christ’s. In the 1940’s, Clarence Jordan brought the books of the New Testament to life with his unique “Cotton Patch ” version. A scholar in New Testament Greek, Jordan used original Greek

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Continued from page 2 manuscripts for his translations. He began to translate into a contemporary southern idiom and set the events in the towns, roads, and farms of twentieth century southern Georgia. Jordan stated in the introduction to his first volume, “ We want to be participants in the faith, not merely spectators .” And so, he wrote a version of the New Testament that would bring its messages home to the people of his time. Clarence spent many hours in his writing shack, located about 300 yards from the main buildings at Koinonia. By the time of his death in 1969, he had completed the Sermon on the Mount , the of Matthew and Luke , Acts , Paul’s epistles , Hebrews , the general epistles, and the first eight chapters of the . The Cotton Patch version tells of a Jesus who was wrapped in a blanket and laid in an apple box at his birth. He was killed by lynching . When he came out of the burial vault on Easter morning, he appeared to his disciples and said, “Howdy.” In the book of Acts (which Jordan calls “The Happenings”), Paul and Barney travel to New Orleans and beyond telling the story of Jesus. Paul addresses his epistles to churches in , Memphis, and New Orleans. Rich in humor and unsparing in their earthiness, Jordan’s translations “explode in our ears the mighty ideas which transformed the early disciples and enabled them to turn their world upside down.” In 1968, a young lawyer named visited Koinonia Farm and was transformed by Clarence Jordan’s vision of the incarnated gospel. Millard later said that he and his wife, Linda, “intended to stay two hours.” “Then.” he said, “I met Clarence. When we started talking, I knew that guy was somebody special. So, we stayed a month. Clarence and I milked cows together, and we packed pecans together, and day and night we talked about how to be a Christian. It was like a year, or two years, of seminary crammed into one month.” Millard and Linda Fuller remained at the farm for several years. There, they and Jordan developed the concept of “ partnership housing ”—where those in need of adequate shelter would work side by side with volunteers to build simple, decent houses. Clarence Jordan died on October 29, 1969, at the age of 57 in his writing shack. The local coroner refused to come to the farm to pronounce him dead. In 1976, the experience at Koinonia led Millard and Linda Fuller to found International . Based in Americus, Georgia, the organization sponsors the building of simple, decent houses across the United States and around the world. Habitat volunteers working with homeowners have built more than 100,000 houses. The Koinonia Farm community thrives today as , steeped in the legacy of Clarence’s commitment to justice, reconciliation, and the partnership of black and white, poor and rich. Clarence Jordan’s spirit lives on in his writings, the Koinonia community, and in the work of Habitat for Humanity . In 2005, Millard and Linda Fuller founded The Fuller Center for Housing at Koinonia Farm . Come join Creator on Zoom , at 6:30 Wednesday evenings during Lent, to read and discuss the faith- in-action of Clarence Jordan. Yours in Christ, Pastor Bob

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Don’t be late !

Make sure you mark your calendars to “set your clocks ahead one hour” before going to sleep Saturday, March 13.

In-person worship begins , Sunday, March 28 So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying out, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!” ~ John 12:13

FOOD PANTRY SUNDAY (3rd Sunday each month) When you are grocery shopping, please remember to pick up some extra, non-perishable food goods and bring them to church the next time you come. We will be continuing this outreach ministry each month on the third Sunday each month, so mark the dates on your calendar.

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Palm Sunday Acolyte Schedule

Landon Daniel - Thurifer Max Lanford - Crucifer Kate Onyia - Torch (Server) Rowan Braley - Torch (Server) Ruby Lanford - Gospel

Dear Friends,

We are saddened to share the news that our long-time Creator member Dr. Jobe Wilder died on Ash Wednesday evening. We give thanks for Jobe’s life among us. As he has completed his baptismal journey and now with his wife Peggy rests in God; we pray for comfort in all our grief and that of his dear family. Especially his children Beth, Beverley, and Andrew. Let us pray. O God of grace and glory, we remember before you today our brother, Jobe. We thank you for giving him to us to know and to love as a companion in our pilgrimage on earth. In your boundless compassion, console us who mourn. Give us faith to see that death has been swallowed up in the victory of our Lord Jesus Christ, so that we may live in confidence and hope until, by your call, we are gathered to our heavenly home in the company of all your saints; through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.

Jobe Wilder’s Memorial Service (Family Only) will be on March 4 th at the church.

Yours in Christ, Pastor Bob

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ATTENTION! In-Person Worship Resumes !!! 10:30 am Mass - Wednesdays @ 6:30pm ______What to Expect as we begin worshiping together again (In the months ahead, this format will be modified, as per direction from the Bishop)

 Hand sanitizer will be provided  You will be required to wear a face mask (bring your own or one will be provided)  Visitors will sign an attendance record in the narthex.  You will receive a bulletin (that includes the complete service) Seating:  Social distancing between Families on pews. Communion:  Bread only will be dispensed from the floor, not from the Chancel Railing. You will come at the direction of the Ushers, receive the bread and return to your pew while maintaining six foot separation. The Peace:  Please remain in your places and greet those around you verbally. ______We will also be continuing our Zoom service on Wednesday evenings. During Lent we will be studying a book titled The Sermon on the Mount written by Clarence Jordan.

If you have any questions, please call my cell phone (601-291-0652) or call Beth at the Church office (601-924-2261). May God Bless and keep you safe and healthy during these difficult times.

Yours in Christ, Pastor Bob and the Creator Vestry

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Monthly Workday List 3rd Saturday, (8-12 am) The following is a list of things that need to be done most workdays. There are tasks that can be done individually, so if you cannot make it to a work day then please feel free to work on list items when you can.

Inside projects  Clean up pantry, storage closets, and storage rooms in education building and Par- rish hall.  Cleaning scu ff marks from walls in Nave and Education building.  Clean window sills of cobwebs, etc.  Any general sorting or reorganizing in sacristy, narthex, kitchen, Ed. Building foyer, classrooms, attic, etc.

Outside Projects  Check trash cans and place at road if they need to be emptied. Garbage days are Wednesday and Saturday. Recycling is on Wednesday.  Blowing o ff sidewalks and parking lots.  Hedge trimming, trim plants in front of parish hall.  Burn leaf pile near education building.  Picking up trash and limbs in front of church and near road.  Weed beds around church buildings as needed.  Clean debris out under foot bridge and culverts.  Treat, pull, or round up any weeds or trees in drainage ditches.  Clean up playground area.  Pick up limbs behind church and place in burn pile.

Contact Beth if you have any questions or additions or would like to form a grounds committee.

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Vestry Digest February 22, 2021

Present: Pastor Bob Blanton, Priest-in-Charge, Ross Turner, Isabel Mills, John Lanford, Tommy Mills, Treasurer, Dianne Martin, Clerk of the Vestry Absent: Jennifer Duncan Visitor: Beth Braley

Treasurer Report Tommy reported that we have 3.86 budget reserve months as of the end of January, 2021. Revenues in January were $366 over expenditures.

Jr. Warden Report Jason cleared the roofs of debris and took care of fallen limbs. Cece Fleitas offered to clean weekly at the reduced rate of $500 monthly even though we were asking her to clean only every other week. Beth suggested that we increase the amount since we have additional money being donated beyond that which had been pledged. Tommy moved that we pay Cece the same amount we had been paying in previous years, $800 per month for weekly cleaning. Isabel seconded. The motion passed. The new pastor of Safe Harbor, Rev. Dr. Shelli Poe, talked with us about a ministry in which Safe Harbor is interested. Safe Harbor would like to work on revitalizing the Jackson chapter of PFLAG which is an organization for the parents and friends of LBGTQ people. They want to hold group support meetings once a month for about an hour and a half at the church. She invited our church to participate in any way we desire but especially by providing the space and giving approval to use our church address and name in describing the location of the meetings in their advertisements. She offered us the opportunities of facilitating some of the meetings, servings as board members, etc. John said he would like to be involved. The vestry discussed the matter and all agreed that we would like to support Safe Harbor in this initiative. Bob will talk further with Shelli and will get back with us concerning specifics.

Old Business The Annual meeting went well and was very efficient.

New Business Bob would like to resume in-person worship at least by Palm Sunday which is March 28th. We would like to social distance between families and wear masks. We should be able to have acolytes as well. Jobe Wilder’s Memorial Service will be at 11:00 AM on March 4 th at the church. We hope to have that on camera available via zoom. John and Ruby will work on that. Ross made a motion for adjournment and John seconded it. The motion passed and the meeting was adjourned at 7:30 PM.

Minutes of vestry meetings may be found on the bulletin board outside the administrator’s office following their approval and correction if needed. If you would like a copy, please call the office and a copy will be provided to you via email.

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March, 2021 The Episcopal Church of the Creator

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

1 2 3 4 5 6 7:30 pm: DOA—Big 12:00 pm: AA Meeting 6:30 pm: Zoom: 12:00 pm: AA Meeting 5 pm: AA / Al-Anon Book Group Evening Prayer & Meeting

Book Study

7:00 pm: Men’s AA

Group

7 8 9 10 11 12 13 10:30 am: Zoom Mass 7:30 pm: DOA—Big 12:00 pm: AA Meeting 6:30 pm: Zoom: 12:00 pm: AA Meeting 5 pm: AA / Al-Anon 6:00 pm: Zoom: Book Group Evening Prayer & Meeting

Safe Harbor Book Study

7:00 pm: Men’s AA

3rd Sunday of Group

Lent

14 15 16 10 18 19 20 10:30 am: Zoom Mass 6:30 pm: Vestry 12:00 pm: AA Meeting 6:30 pm: Zoom: 12:00 pm: AA Meeting 5 pm: AA / Al-Anon 6:00 pm: Zoom: 7:30 pm: DOA—Big Evening Prayer & Meeting

Safe Harbor Book Group Book Study 7:00 pm: Men’s AA Church Work

Group Day 4th Sunday of 8am-12pm Lent

21 22 23 24 25 26 27 10:30 am: Zoom Mass 7:30 pm: DOA—Big 12:00 pm: AA Meeting 6:30 pm: Zoom: 12:00 pm: AA Meeting 5 pm: AA / Al-Anon 6:00 pm: Zoom: Book Group Evening Prayer & Meeting Safe Harbor Book Study

7:00 pm: Men’s AA 5th Sunday of Group

Lent FOOD PANTRY for the 4 C’s

28 29 30 31 10:30 am: In-Person 7:30 pm: DOA—Big 12:00 pm: AA Meeting 6:30 pm: Zoom: Mass Book Group Evening Prayer & 6:00 pm: Zoom: Book Study Safe Harbor 7:00 pm: Men’s AA Group Palm Sunday

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March Servers

7 14 21 28

Palm Sunday

Chalice N/A

N/A

Lectors John Lanford

Joan Blanton

Prayers Janie Fields

Acolytes All Acolytes

Ushers Jennifer Duncan

Will Duncan

Altar Joyce White

Home N/A Communion

Vestry Person John Lanford of the Day

Birthdays & Anniversaries

Birthdays Anniversaries 1 David Miller 6 Maddie Gray Braley Abby Donaho 9 Josh Thibodeaux 25 Larry Estes Linda Waldbauer 26 Liam Cospelich

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Episcopal Church Contacts of the Creator Church Office Hours: Church Office Administrator—Beth Braley, 601-924-2261 9:00 am—2 pm, Monday—Thursday Email: [email protected]

Presiding Bishop Pastoral Emergencies Rev. Robert M. Blanton The Most Reverend Michael Curry

Acolytes Bishop Mike Milone

The Very Reverend Brian Seage Adult Christian Education Rev. Robert M. Blanton

Priest-In-Charge Altar Guild The Reverend Robert M. Blanton Joyce White

Choir Administrator Vacant

Beth Braley Children’s Christian Education [email protected] John Lanford

Flower Guild Choir Director Becky Wright Vacant

Senior Warden

Vacant

Junior Warden

Vacant

Treasurer

Tommy Mills ,

Vestry

Ross Turner

John Lanford

Dianne Martin ,

Isabel Mills

Jennifer Duncan

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Episcopal Church of the Creator 1445 Clinton-Raymond Rd. Clinton, MS 39056

We are part of the Worldwide Anglican Communion and in communion with the Archbishop of Canterbury.

“We are a congregation of the Episcopal Diocese of Mississippi: One church in mission, inviting, transforming, and reconciling. We seek to serve Christ in all persons and to respect the dignity of every human being.”

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