Parish News & Events

Weekly Announcements, News and Events

Church News for Sunday September 5, 2010

SUNDAY SCHOOL REGISTRATION FOR ADULTS AND CHILDREN: Please sign up for Sunday school today. There is a sign up sheet on the bulletin board in the foyer. Sunday school will begin on September 19th. We want everyone to participate!

ADULT SUNDAY SCHOOL: Bishop Gary Gloster will be leading one of our two adult Sunday school programs. He plans to show the movie and discuss the book To Kill a Mockingbird. The movie will be shown on Thursday, September 16th at 7:00 PM in the Parish Hall. He also has seven copies of the book in the church office, which is for sale for $7. Classes will begin on Sept. 19th at 9:00 AM in the Barrett Room.

OCTOBER IS "VOLUNTEER MONTH" AT ST. MARYS: Each Sunday in October we will be spotlighting volunteering opportunities for all parishioners from 3 to 103. If you are interested in helping organize a volunteer activity or have more questions, please call Michelle Capen at (828) 719-9508 or email her at: capenmichelle@yahoo.com. One hour of your time is all we need.

PARKING: Because of our limited parking, we strongly urge you, if you are able, to PLEASE park at the Blowing Rock School and leave our parking lot available to those who cannot make the trek to the school or other more distant parking. Chief Brown said his officers will be instructed not to tow cars or issue citations to cars parked on Chestnut Drive during our Sunday morning services so if the lot is full and you cannot safely walk the distance you may park on the street as long as you do not block driveways, stop signs or fire hydrants.

LISTENING POST SEEKS VOLUNTEERS: The Listening Post, a campus ministry sponsored by Westminster-Canterbury Fellowship, is seeking volunteers for the school year beginning this fall at ASU. Listeners are mature adult conversationalists who enjoy listening more than talking with college students. Volunteers must attend a brief orientation session and be able to commit to work 1.5 hours on some Tuesdays between the hours of 11:00 AM and 2:00 PM throughout the school year at ASU's Plemmons Student Union. To talk to someone about volunteering, contact: Ms. Jinx Miller, Coordinator, at 828-355-9639 or at: jinx@alumni.ufl.edu.
EPISCOPAL RELIEF AND DEVELOPMENT FUND:
Please remember Episcopal Relief and Development. In difficult situations worldwide, especially Pakistan which has been affected by recent flooding, the Anglican Church can move swiftly to provide direct and immediate aid in areas not reachable through other relief agencies. Please remember this vital fund! Because most of the operating costs are funded by an endowment, nearly 100% of donations go directly to aid those in need.
"Let not the needy, O Lord, be forgotten;
nor the hope of the poor be taken away."
Donations made be made to St. Mary's and marked for this fund or to the Episcopal Relief and Development, 815 Second Avenue, New York, New York 10017.

FROM THE STEWARDSHIP COMMITTEE: Letters are being mailed this week to all parish families and friends of St. Mary's. It's the Stewardship Committee's plan to keep you posted each Sunday, and through the monthly newsletter, on the progress we are making towards reaching the church's financial needs for 2011. Letters were mailed to 228 parish families.

Our plans are to announce in each Sunday's bulletin how we are progressing. We would be grateful if you make St. Marys a priority in your planning and return your pledge card this month. We want September to be a time of commitment, so please mail or put your pledge card in the offering plate this month. Thank you, Frank Fary, Chairman.

CALL FOR PARISH ARTISTS! We are having an Art Show including paintings, ceramics, fibers, woodworking, glass, metal, photography, etc. ...The goal of the show is to showcase our parishioners' talent. Anyone wishing to purchase artwork can negotiate privately with the artist.
Date: Saturday October 2nd, 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM with a wine and cheese reception. Open to the public.
Please contact Phoebe Nelson or Barbara Ballesty 295-6331
Set up Friday night: 1/2 and full banquet tables available. Painters please supply own easels (limit 4-5 paintings), unless smaller versions submitted. Please let me know if there are any questions! Regards, Barbara

!!!!HELP NEEDED!!!! We said goodbye to Judy and Floyd Domer on Sunday, August 22nd. They have moved to Deerfield in Asheville. We wish them the very best but will miss them terribly. Judy worked tirelessly for St. Mary of the Hills. She served on the Vestry, on the Outreach Committee, had been treasurer for both the ECW and Tour of Homes and was Chair of the Silent Auction. The chairs and co-chairs of the Tour of Homes agreed to a two-year stint, so Judy Domer, Judy Gloster and Nancy Hutcheson will be retiring our leadership roles. Judy D. is not, however, leaving us empty-handed. She revised the schedule and prepared a detailed, week-by-week protocol for the next Chair of the Tour of Homes. Judy G. and Nancy worked closely with Judy as her Co-Chairs for 2+ years; we will be there to help. There are fifteen chairs and co-chairs of the many areas of the Tour ready to work with you too! We need you to step up to Chair the Tour! St. Mary of the Hills, Blowing Rock, the High Country and regional nonprofits have benefitted from the funds raised by the Tour. We cannot let them down; they desperately need our support. Call Judy Gloster, 295-4086, who is coordinating the efforts to find a new chairperson.

VALLE CRUCIS FALL PROGRAMS:
Weekend Writers Workshop:
September 10-12, 2010
Cost: $180.00, includes 2 nights lodging, 6 meals, all materials and the program
Facilitator: Katerina Whitley

Program Day: With our 2 labyrinths: Monday, September 13, 2010 - 10 AM - 3 PM - Cost: $35 and includes lunch. Facilitator - Tom Eshelman
Program Day: In the beginning was the Word: Haiku Journeys: Friday, September 17, 2010 -10 AM - 3 PM - Cost: $35 and includes lunch. Facilitator - The Rev. Jeanne Finan

Program Day: Spiritual and Religious: HoldingAuthenticity/Connection/ Tradition Together: Friday, October 1, 2010 - 10AM - 3 PM - Cost is $35 and includes lunch. Facilitator - The Rt. Rev. G. Porter Taylor
Centering Prayer Retreat: Sunday, November 28 - Sunday, December 5, 2010 - Cost is $435.00 and includes 7 nights lodging, all meals and the program. Facilitators - Becky Hannah and Joan Ricci

Advent Retreat 2010: Holy Advent, Bidden Blessings: Monday, December 6 - Thursday, December 9, 2010 - Cost is $265.00 and includes 3 nights lodging, all meals and the program. Facilitators - The Rev. Jeanne Finan and Danby Ludgate.

YOUTH EVENTS: YMCA Pool Days are here! Our once-monthly trips to the Avery County YMCA indoor pool at Canon Hospital in Linville for youth of ALL AGES begin Sept. 4th and will run the first Saturday of every month until April. Join us there for $3 per person from 11:00 AM-2:00 PM.

6th-8th Grade Lock-In: Mark your calendars for our lock-in Sept. 10th. We will be joining a few other area churches, including Rumple Presbyterian. It's going to be lots of fun! Contact Alice for more information (on Facebook or by email: cennamoka@appstate.edu).

LAKE LOGAN: We can report a fabulous afternoon last Sunday as almost 500 enthusiastic supporters gathered in Asheville, Blowing Rock, Highlands, and Shelby to celebrate the ministry of our treasured conference center, Lake Logan. Thanks to St. Mary's, Bo and Ed (who opened their home for one of the parties), the hard work of over 100 volunteers, and folks from across the diocese, the "Retreats for a Retreat II" fundraiser raised over $80,000 to benefit the ministries of Lake Logan and help relieve some of the debt. Winners of the event’s silent auction came from all four parties and Anne Roberts of Asheville went home the lucky winner of the grand prize, a week at a magnificent home in the Florida Keys donated by Charlie and Cary Owen. Our deepest gratitude to all who made this event such a resounding success.

SECOND HARVEST REPORT: During the month of August, volunteers from St Marys delivered 2910 pounds of salvage food from the Blowing Rock Food Lion (Store #922) and 30 pounds of salvage food from Woodlands Barbeque to the Hospitality House of the Boone Area, Boone, NC. Bill Parker, Volunteer.

LOST BIBLE: Please help Margaret Joffrion find her treasured and much loved maroon leather NIV Bible with her name on the front cover.

BISHOP TO VISIT: On September 26th, Bishop Taylor will be with us and will confirm Sam Milner, Logan Shaut and Hunter Wiggins. Please keep our confirmands in your prayers. There will be a reception in the parish hall following the 10:10 AM service.

General Announcements

PARENTS! If you are bringing your child to Sunday services and need to help them focus, there are several fun options in the foyer. Books, puppets, and felt play kits are available for your child’s enjoyment, as well as the play bags with activities for Pre-K to Elementary age youth. The play bags have been updated recently, so encourage your child to take another look.

Winter weather policy: Church services will always be held since the Rector can walk to church! But please don’t take any chances on icy or snowy days, and use your own judgment in deciding to attend. Sunday School and other Sunday activities are sometimes canceled so please call the office to find out.

Parking suggestion for the able-bodied: When you arrive at St. Mary’s on Sunday mornings, please remember that many of our members have trouble walking long distances to church. We can always use the school parking located on Morris Street or the parking lot just off Laurel Lane (just below the Legion Hall). Please be considerate of those who need to use the parking lot.

Church office hours: The Church office is open on Sunday from 7:30 AM to 3:30 PM and Monday through Thursday 9:00 AM to 5 PM. Phone messages are picked up several times a day on Friday and Saturday. If you have a real emergency, contact the Priest or the Administrative Assistant. Announcements and names for the prayer list should be in the office before noon on Wednesdays. The bulletin is printed on Wednesday afternoon.

Lipstick concerns: Please help us to preserve our beautiful Eucharistic linens by removing or blotting your lipstick before you take communion. Lipsticks tend to be a damaging agent to these fragile fabrics. The Altar Guild greatly appreciates your continued cooperation.

St. Mary's Newsletter: We would like to encourage those of you who have a computer to sign up to receive the newsletter by email. This will save us time and money when producing the newsletter. The cost of paper and postage will be saved as well as the time it takes to fold, staple and stamp them. We would greatly appreciate those of you who would be willing to do this. A big thank you to Iris and Buddy Caldwell for folding, stapling and stamping 220 newsletters!

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