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Little Lamplighter St LITTLE LAMPLIGHTER ST. THOMAS EPISCOPAL CHURCH 216 Remington Ave. P.O. Box 33 Thomasville, Georgia 31799 229-226-5145 [email protected] stthomasthomasville.org This Week Monday December 22 12:00pm Grace Group (Open) Tuesday December 23 10:00am Women’s Spirituality Group #3 1:00pm Women’s Spirituality Group #1 2:00pm Hanging of the Greens 4:30pm Bible Study 6:00pm Overeaters Anonymous 6:30pm Men’s Spirituality Group Wednesday December 24 12:00pm Grace Group (Closed– Big Book Study) 4:00pm Early Christmas Eve Eucharist with Children’s Pageant 10:00pm Christmas Eve Choral Prelude 10:30pm Christmas Eve Eucharist Thursday December 25 8:00am Christmas Day Eucharist 12:00pm Grace Group (Open– Women’s Meeting) Friday December 26 12:00pm Grace Group (Open) Saturday December 27 10:30am Clothes Closet 12:00pm Saturday Lunch Sunday December 28 9:00am Adult Christian Education– Guild Room 9:00am Children’s Christian Education 10:00am 1 Christmas– Holy Eucharist REMINDER: NO 6pm Wednesday Night Service on Christmas Eve in the Chapel Readings for December 21st 2 Samuel 7: 1-11, 16 Canticle 15 Romans 16: 25-27 Luke 1: 26-38 Children's Christmas Pageant 4pm Christmas Eve Service Blue Christmas If you would like to help with or your children are interested in participating in the Christmas Pageant, please contact Nita A Service of Remembrance and Hope Newman at 977-1991 . Teens are welcome to participate too. Sunday, December 21, 2014 at 5pm The Hanging of the Greens & The Decorating of the Tree All the materials will be ready and it will be time for all who can to decorate our lovely church for the Christmas season or as they say in jolly old England, the “Greening of the Church”. All who can make it, the effort will begin at 2 PM on Tuesday December 23rd. That way it will be lovely for Christmas Services beginning Wednesday. Those members who cannot es- cape their offices or place of work, come by when you can. We will need 6 and 8 ft step ladders. And one should bring a pair of hand clippers. While this is going on the tree will need decorating. This is good work for our teenage group who will be out of school. Once the greens are up and over the windows, the window candles and greens there will need place- ment. The effort will be done in time for dinner. All hands on deck make for light work. Hope to see many there. JFW From the Rector... Doubting Thomas: Our Titular Feast On Sunday, 21 December, the Church honors St. Thomas the Apostle, commonly known as "Doubting Thom- as". Along with cast the first stone (Jn 8:7), Good Samaritan (Lk 10:33), forbidden fruit (Gn 3:3) and other secular sayings, when we hear reference to doubting Thomas, the Bible is not always first to mind. That saying connotes one who dismisses a concept for the lack of observable evidence. In a faith context doubting is anything but dis- missive. Doubt displays openness and trust. Doubt holds out for what is seemingly impossible. Openness and trust in the face of what is seemingly impossible, is the story of Advent. A teenage girl responds to a divine mes- senger with the authentic question, "How can this be?" (Lk 1:34). Mary does not get labeled "Doubting Mary". After listening to the messenger's answer, Mary responds, "Here I am, the servant of the Lord; let it be" (Lk 1:38). In the same way, Thomas authentically finds suspect reports of Jesus' resurrection appearances (Jn 20:25). Thomas does not run. He holds out in the face of what is seemingly impossible. A week later Thomas sees Jesus and touches him. With no hint of doubt Thomas exclaims, "My Lord and my God" (Jn 20:28). Websites: Episcopal Diocese of Georgia The Episcopal Church worldwide Anglican Communion Prayer Points December 28th Isaiah 61: 10—62: 3 ...he has clothed me with the garments of salvation... Psalm 147 He heals the broken-hearted... Galatians 3: 23-25; 4: 4-7...you are no longer a slave... John 1: 1-18 The light shines in the darkness... Thank you! Thank you to Lorna McCollum for her generous gift of $2000 to assist with the cost of the new sound system recently approved by the Vestry. New Year’s Eve Party at John and Connie Wood’s home. 410 East Jefferson Street 8pm The house will have an assortment of appropriate bever- Annual Meeting– January 18th, 2015 ages but please bring some nibbles, nothing too fancy, to Voting for Vestry will take place during the 10am Service. share with all. Left over holiday goodies including fruit The business meeting will follow in the parish hall. cake are all acceptable offerings. Come the stroke of 12 midnight, the horns will blow and confetti will fly. 4-Last Minute Gift Ideas Here are 4 gifts—both big and small that make a lasting difference. Mosquito net and training $12, clean water $25, cow $65, micro credit loan for women $200. To give these gifts visit www.episcopalrelief.org Holiday Office Hours: from December 29th– January 19th Annual Tree Burning Dec. 29th-January 2nd: Office Closed Nita Newman’s Farm (977-1991) January 5th: office closed 23171 GA 3 January 12th: office closed Sunday, January 10th, 2015 at 4:30pm January 19th: office closed (MLK holiday) At Today’s Service Music Minister: Michael Norris Acolytes: Abby Chapman, Brianna Beach, Eli Harbin, Camden Harbin Lector: Randy Jobson LEM: David Hutchings Intercessor: Emily Eckels Altar Guild: Lily Anne Robinson, Beth Price, Molly Chapman, Nancy Byars Ushers: Paula and Gene Jarrett, Randy Jobson Vestry Person of the Day: David Hutchings Counter: Stefan Wegner Youth Activities… Happy Birthday! Blanket Collection: St. Thomas Youth are collecting Carol Stilwell– Dec. 24 blankets for our Clothes Closet. Please see Anna Francesca Meacham– Dec. 27 Pistelli, Clay Byars or Linnea Blackmore for more info. Rector Deacon Director of Day School The Rev. Dwayne A. Varas The Rev. Deacon Scott Mithen Nancy Benson 379-6790 [email protected] 416-7300 [email protected] 403-8657 [email protected] Admin. Assistant/Bookkeeper Choir Director/Organist Director of Children’s Ministries Treasurer Jessica Milam Ryan Luhrs Anna Pistelli Mindy Katz 226-5145 507-461-3713 224-5401 226-3001 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] 2014 Vestry Lawrence Benson 229-403-8658 Sarah Eubanks 423-502-0565 Carina Blackmore 229-227-0131 David Hutchings 229-226-0572 Neal Bonn 229-225-4167 Beth Price, Sr. Warden 229-226-0732 Lucy Bowen, Jr. Warden 229-226-0064 Lorna McCollum 229-227-1416 Molly Chapman, Clerk 229-977-1610 .
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