Sunday announcements
December 9, 2007 - The Second Sunday Of AdventNote: Personal phone numbers are removed from the Web version of the Sunday announcements. Please consult your Parish Directory, use e-mail if an address is given, or call the parish office at 919-929-2193 to find out more about the news.
Services This Week
Monday, Dec. 10 (Violet)
5:15 pm Evening Prayer
Phil Rees
Tuesday, Dec. 11 (Violet)
5:15 pm Evening Prayer
Tom Blooms
5:30 pm Episcopal Campus Ministry
Wednesday, Dec. 12 (Violet)
10:00 am Holy Eucharist 1928
Mr. Elkins-Williams
5:15 pm Evening Prayer
Suzanne Sauter
Thursday, Dec. 13
5:15 pm Holy Eucharist Rite II - Eucharistic Prayer B
Mr. Elkins-Williams
Friday, Dec. 14 (Violet)
5:15 pm Evening Prayer
Henry Thomas
Next Sunday, December 16
The Third Sunday of Advent
7:30 am Holy Eucharist Rite I
Mr. Elkins-Williams
9:00 am Lessons and Carols (Church)
Mr. Elkins-Williams
11:15 am Lessons and Carols (Church)
Mr. Elkins-Williams
12:45 pm Holy Eucharist Rite II- Eucharistic Prayer B (Chapel)
Mr. Pfaff
5:15 pm Holy Eucharist Rite II- Eucharistic Prayer B (Chapel)
Ms. Jamieson-Drake
Readings: Isaiah 35:1-10; Psalm 146: 1-9; James 5:7-10; Matthew 11:2-11
Adult Education Today
Poetry (Chapel)
Letters for Amnesty Iternational (Library)
Adult Education Next Week
No Adult Education on December 16 & 23
Regular children and youth classes offered
Today
Church School
Church School is offered most Sundays, September through mid-May for 2 year olds through adults. The classes and their locations are posted around the building and on the bulletin boards in the dining room. Church School is from 10:20 am to 11:05 am. Registration forms are available for parents of children and youth to complete. New students are welcome at any time during the year.
Seasonal Poetry
Join UNC professor, Michael McFee, in the chapel today to hear and share cherished verses from favorite poems, from earlier years or newly discovered verses. Share poetry of Advent, Christmas and Epiphany with others.
Alternative Holiday Gift Table
The Social Ministry Committee will once again be offering options for alternative gift giving. There will be a table set up at all services in the dining room today and Dec. 16. It is a wonderful way to remember a friend, a teacher or a relative over the holidays. Alternatives include monetary donations to the Inter-Faith Council for Social Serices for their "Let's make a Community House 24/7 Fund." This is a matching challenge grant that will provide funds to increase the shelter hours and services. The second alternative is a contribution to Episopal Relief and Development to "Buy a net and save a life!" The purchase of mosquito netting can reduce deaths by malaria, a major killer of children and families in developing nations, by up to 90%. Other opportunities at the gift table include "adopting" one of our Burmese family members or a Thompson Home child for a needed item.
EYC Scholarship Fund
EYC will be taking orders for ChicoBags in the dinging room today. The ChicoBags are re-usable shopping bags that easily fit in your pocket, backpack or purse. Every stocking needs one. Each bag sells for $5 and $2.50 from each sale will benefit the youth mission scholarship fund. Look for order forms in the dining room. Contact Caren Parker at 929-2193.
Writing Letters Makes A Difference!
Photojournalist Jennifer Latheef of the Maldives was sentenced to 10 years in prison for photographing a peaceful protest. While in prison, guards threatened her with torture and drowning. Her captors kicked her with steel-toed boots, resulting in a spinal injury. Amnesty International activists from around the world sent letters to the authorities, calling for Jennifer's release. In Aug. 2006, authorities freed her after she served one year of her 10 year sentence. Jennifer received 1,602 cards from people around the world during her imprisonment and expresses gratitude for the support she received through AI efforts. Letters do make a difference! Join members of the parish Micah Group today in the library to write letters to government officials (or use ready to sign letters) and cards to some of the prisoners of conscience. Contact Gretchen Jordan at 929-2193 for more information.
Two-Year-Olds Receive The Beginner's Bible
The Rev. Tammy Lee and the church school teachers will present members of the Two-year-old class with copies of The Beginner's Bible this morning during the church school hour. Parents are welcome to join the class for the brief festivities. Those not in attendance, contact Gretchen Jordan.
Compline Tonight At 9:30 PM
"Set your minds on the things that are above, where Christ is." The ancient monastic service of Compline, the "completion" of the day, is offered in our church every Sunday evening during the university semester at 9:30 pm. An organ improvisation follows the 25-minute service. Join us and put all of your comings and goings, your beginnings and endings, and everything in-between into the loving hands of God.
Caroling Today
It is not too late to decide to join the caroling to homebound and nursing home parishioners this afternoon. Just come to the dining room at 2:30 to practice with our guitar players, sip some hot chocolate and help assemble scented potpourri gift bags. We will break into groups and depart the church about 3:00.
Thompson Child & Family Winter Clothing Drive
The ninth annual WINTER CLOTHING & GIFTS DRIVE for Thompson Child & Family Focus (CFF) will be held from Dec. 7 through Jan 5. Thompson CFF (formerly Thompson Children's Home) is a residential treatment program in Charlotte for neglected and abused children. Children are provided with 24-hour care that includes teaching, worship and play that is designed to start their healing process. The Thompson display table is located in the dining room. To participate, choose one or more tags, purchase the items and return them (unwrapped) to the dining room display or parish office. If you prefer, you may write a check to the Chapel of the Cross Rector's Discretionary Fund earmarked: "Thompson CFF" and we will shop for you. For more information, please call or email co-chairs, Lorraine Belden McBride at (call office for number) or lbmcbride@aol.com or Marsha Pate at (call office for number) or mpate@thechapelofthecross.org
New Priest Associate
The Rev. John Keith joins this month those serving as Priest Associates (i.e. non-stipendiary clergy). John & Rilla come from the Diocese of Alabama. He will be assisting liturgically and serving on the parish and diocesan Global Mission Committees.
New Staff Member
Beginning today, John Koch joins us as the new Director of Stewardship and Development. While John comes to us most immediately from Boone as the manager of Samaritan's Purse, he earlier spent fifteen years as Executive Director of The Summit, our diocese's former camp and conference center. His primary responsibility at the Chapel of the Cross at first will be to direct the capital campaign, but he will also help us grow in stewardship through Annual Giving and Planned Giving. We are fortunate to have a person of John Koch's talents, experience, and commitment among us.
This Week
Global Missions
All interested parishioners are invited to join the Global Mission Committee at its meeting Monday, Dec.10, at 7:00pm in the Rector's Conference Room. Be a part of our developing partnership with San Patricio in Honduras and our exploration of our diocese's proposed partnership with the Diocese of Botswana. Applications forms for the May 2008 mission trip to San Patricio can be found at the parish website and in the Dec. CrossRoads. Brochures with fuller information about the trip will be available shortly in the Tower Room, at the back of the chapel, on the tract rack in the dining room, and in the parish office. Our mission to Honduras provides a rich opportunity to live into our baptismal covenant to seek and serve Christ in all people.
Episcopal Campus Ministry
Welcome students. Join us for a study break which includes Christmas specials, gingerbread houses & dinner this Tuesday at 5:30 pm in our Campus Center. The campus center and chapel are open all during exams. Please make use of the facility.
Children's Christmas Pageant Dec. 15
The Children's Christmas Pageant will be held Saturday, Dec. 15, at 2:30 pm. This pageant invites all children to participate in a retelling of the story of Christ's birth. We need shepherds, wise people, angels and animals! There is no rehearsal for this pageant. Costumes are available this morning and throughout the week in basement room 4/5. Costumes will also be available before Dec.15 re-enactment in the dining room. Following the pageant, there will be a cookie-decorating reception. Please join us.
Announcements
The Revised Common Lectionary
As mandated by General Convention a year ago, beginning with this Advent, the Revised Common Lectionary has now replaced the Eucharistic lectionary found in the Prayer Book. While most of the three readings and the psalm assigned for each Sunday (on a three year cycle) are the same as the Prayer Book lectionary (beginning on page 889), there are changes, especially in the Old Testament readings. Reasons for these changes will be discussed in an upcoming article in the Feb. Cross Roads, devoted to liturgy. Beginning with the Jan. issue, readings assigned for the month will be listed. The whole RECL can be found at either of these web sites: http://satucket.com/lectionary/ OR http://justus.anglican.org/resources/bcp/RCL_Sunday.pdf.
Attention BellSouth/AT&T Internet Customers
We have been informed that all e-mails originating from the Chapel of the Cross will not be delivered or will be delayed when sent to parishioners whose e-mail addresses end with "bellsouth.net." The Chapel of the Cross has recently been "blacklisted" and the parish staff needs your help to correct this error. Complaints must be filed with AT&T by current AT&T customers in order to lift the blockade on parish emails. Please call your local AT&T internet customer service number if you have not been receiving e-mails that you have expected from the Chapel of the Cross. Please contact the parish office at 929-2193 if you have any questions.
Pottery Orders
Experience states that you will treasure the Advent pottery wreaths for years. However, while our potter cannot deliver orders prior to Christmas, we can take more orders today. Sign up in the dining room at the devotional display, checks payable to COTC for $55 earmarked "Pottery " wreath.
Annual Giving News
To date we have received 442 pledges for a total of $ 1,060,354.00 . Although the majority of the pledges received show an increase over those for 2007, we are now behind last year in terms of number of pledges received at this date. Annual Giving Committee members will staff the phones this week to encourage parishioners who have not pledged yet this year to help the Vestry create a realistic budget. We need your support now as we seek to expand the good works we accomplish next year. Please accept their call in the loving spirit in which they are made!
Stewardship Opportunities
Alternative Gift Table
The Social Ministry Committee is looking for parishioners who could help man the Alternative Gift Table on December 16 after the 7:30 service and after the 5:15pm service. If you can help please contact Mary Kent Hill at (call office for number) or mhill7@nc.rr.com.
Soup Labels to Benefit Thompson's Child & Family Focus
untrimmed whole labels for Campbell's, Pepperidge Farm and Swanson products in the Thompson's box in the office. A sheet with more details is also in the box. If someone wishes to head up this project which benefits Thompson's Child and Family focus, contact Peggy Pratt at (call office for number) or pegpratt@nc.rr.com.
Warm Clothes for Burmese Familys
We urgently need warm winter coats, scarves, hats, and gloves for our Burmese Family. Also still needed are long pants for all the family members. Sizes are posted in the dining room. May thanks to all who attended the potluck to meet and welcome our new family. It was a warm and wonderful gathering of people.
Good Samaritan Guild Needs You!
The Good Samaritan Guild responds to the needs of parishioners in times of short term crisis or illness, with defined tasks such as delivering casseroles and soups, transportation to health care appointments and church services, running errands, and respite care giving to convalescents or care givers. We need parishioners to act as coordinators, willing to take a calendar slot and follow up by phone with parishioners in need, referred by the clergy or the parish office. If further assistance is needed, they can follow through themselves or contact others in Good Sam for help. There are meals in the church freezer ready to deliver. If you might like to make calls but cannot do driving, we will team you up with folks who can carry out that piece of things. This is a great way to minister to our own and the time requirement is minimal. If you and one or two others would like to take a month as a team, that would be great. A call to a parishioner who is going through a difficult time is a wonderful support in this large parish. Often the call is our only intervention but it is nice to know that the network is in place if more help might be needed in the future. If you are willing to lend a hand in making calls, coordinating or helping with needed assistance, please contact Peggy Pratt at (call office for number) or pegpratt@nc.rr.com.
Community Notes
Martin Luther King Memorial Banquet
Tickets are available for the Twenty-Third MLK Memorial Banquet to be held on Sunday, Jan. 20, 2008, at 6:00 pm at the Friday Center on Highway 54 across from Meadowmont. The ticket cost is $25.00. This legendary event is always a sell-out. Please contact Barbara Pipkin at (call office for number) for tickets.
Dorathy Sayer's Broadcast
Dorothy Sayer's 12-part radio play presenting the life of Christ, The Man Born to Be King (1943, is being rebroadcast on the web by the BBC weekly during the next three months. To view: www.bbc.co.uk/bbc7/drama/index.shtml?Thursday .
Trinity Center Retreat
The School of Ministry is pleased to announce that Fr. Martin Smith, noted author of a variety of works on spirituality, will lead a retreat at Trinity Center, Salter Path, beginning Wednesday afternoon, April 30, to midday Friday, May 2, 2008. We will have more details regarding the retreat shortly. Interest is already being expressed, and we are now accepting pre-registration. Please e-mail Shelley Kappauf at shelley.kappauf@episdionc.com if you are interested. The total cost for the retreat, including registration fee, meals and two-nights' lodging, is $250 for a single room, and $210 for a double. We will also be open to having "commuter" participants at $125, but priority will be given to those staying at Trinity Center.
Sunday Announcements
The deadline for announcements is 10:00 am on Wednesday. Announcements should be brief. Parish-related submissions are given priority. Include daytime phone and email address for contact. All submissions are subject to editing; publication of the submission is not guaranteed. Email information to submissions@thechapelofthecross.org or leave paper copies in thePublications Assistant's mailbox in the parish office. Email is preferred.
Last updated: November 21, 2007
