Backpack Program
Please save your coupons for juice boxes, cereal bars, soups,
peanut butter, tuna, etc. to help maximize our dollars when we
purchase food for the backpack program.
Hope saved $25 this past week with her coupons.
Please either give your coupons directly to Hope Gaines or
deposit them in the marked box in the Parish Hall. Hope also
collects for Campbell's Labels for Education. 'Click' here to learn
about that program:
Campbell's Labels for Education
Please save your coupons for juice boxes, cereal bars, soups,
peanut butter, tuna, etc. to help maximize our dollars when we
purchase food for the backpack program.
Hope saved $25 this past week with her coupons.
Please either give your coupons directly to Hope Gaines or
deposit them in the marked box in the Parish Hall. Hope also
collects for Campbell's Labels for Education. 'Click' here to learn
about that program:
Campbell's Labels for Education
Annual Meeting Annual Meeting Minutes October 28, 2007 The meeting was opened with a prayer and followed by a delicious pot luck dinner. At this time The Rev. Stone introduced the new members of the congregation: they are Sharon Barnes, Mikki Johnson, Nathan White, Melissa Smith, and Matt McGarvey, the new organist/choirmaster. After the meal, The Rev. Stone introduced our guest speaker, Christina Wirth, from Community Action Council. She gave a very enlightening presentation of the Migrant Head Start Program here in Harrison County and the services it provides for those who qualify. It is supported by a Federal grant with local non-federal matching dollars from the community. At this time there are 65 children being served here. Their parents must be involved in non-livestock agriculture, have moved within 24 months and meet poverty guidelines. This program also provides comprehensive services for the children such as dental care and health care and proper nutrition (of which 2/3 is provided at the daycare) among other services. The Church of the Advent can take great pride in its outreach programs as this is one of them. Thanks to the efforts of Buck LeBus and Phil Sims the facility was built as an attachment to the church, according to the federal guidelines, and leased for a 5 year term. The staff includes trained personnel, one of which is bi-lingual. This is a much needed program in the community and The Church of the Advent is proud to be a major participant in the program. The Report Packets (included in the agenda handout) were reviewed, including reports from the Rector, Deacon, the Senior and Junior Wardens and the various committees and outreach programs. The Treasurer's budget report for next year was considered ambitious and met with approval. The Rev. Stone reminded everyone of the pledge campaign for 2008. Thanks were given to all who served on the Vestry for 2007; to Kay Withers, Sharon Lowdenback, Sue Sims and Ned Lyons for their effort in getting the finances in good order and working with the bank on this. A special appreciation and recognition was given to BT Darnell for her 45 years of service to the church as its organist and participation on various committees and the Vestry. She was presented with a prayerbook/hymnal and a special plaque will be placed in the church in her honor. The election of new Vestry members for a 3-year term were Darlene Scovell and Mikki Johnson and were approved by a vote of affirmation. The election of delegates for the Diocesan Convention are Ed and Sharon Lowdenback, Melissa Smith, and Ned Lyons and were approved by a vote of affirmation. The alternates will be Darlene Scovell, Hope Gaines, Nathan White, and Joe Frank Ireland. The new Senior Warden will be Joe Frank Ireland; the Junior Warden will be Phil Sims with Mikki Johnson as assistant and Darlene Scovell will continue as Clerk of the Vestry. The new organist/music and choir director, Matt McGarvey, was introduced by The Rev. Stone. Matt gave us an overview of his experience and is very enthusiastic to be here at Advent. He will start on Christ the King Sunday, November 25th. Rev. Stone reminded us of the Pecan Fund Raiser and the profits will be for the new music program. The meeting was adjourned and closed with a prayer and the sharing of the Peace. Respectfully submitted, Darlene Scovell, Clerk of the Vestry |
Happy New Year to All! Many wonderful and exciting events have happened at Advent in 2007. As we showed our appreciation to those who finished their terms on the Vestry, we welcomed the new members. We began 2007 with an exciting 3 day Vestry retreat held at the Cedar Hill Retreat Center. There was snow on the ground and the driveway proved to be a challenge, but, no one's spirit was dampened and all made it up the hill. The retreat proved to be a very exciting and enlightening experience for all and was centered around Asset Mapping: its application to us as individuals; its application to us as a Vestry; and how do we use it to help discern "what is God's will?" for our church; and the church's role in better serving the community in which we live. |
Revenge of the Christmas Play Director Did you attend Church of the Advent at any time from 1988 to 1999? If so, you might want to start thinking about your Christmas list... it's not too early to start shopping. If you, your child, or your grandchild were tortured in an Advent Christmas Play, you may be interested (or dismayed) to learn a videotape is under production These episodes were filmed by reluctant parents or children refusing to participate in the plays (mostly Tom Wornall or Ryan Darnell), and edited by a director with no experience in editing, so they are challenging to watch without the benefit of Dramamine or strong liquor. In spite of these technical difficulties, however, this video accurately (sometimes painfully) chronicles the emerging talent of our Episcopalian youth (and occasionally the foibles of our Episcopalian 'adults' - evidenced by the cameo appearances of Ken Stone, Jessica Barnett, Sue Sims, etc.) e We are currently accepting advance orders for this exciting video and we urge you to order early and order often. For the reasonable price of a $20 tax-deductible donation to the building fund (plus shipping, if you can't make it to church) you can put this video in every applicable Christmas Stocking.... AND we can repair the roof before the impending tornado season. It should be noted that, if we don't raise the required funds, the Vestry has decided to make this video available to all interested local cable channels, (including any, and all, towns where our aspiring actors have relocated to pursue reputable careers). This is not blackmail, of course, but if your name is listed below, you might want to consider making a generous donation to the building fund in exchange for a copy of this delightful video...... Darnell Lowdenback Roser Tarsis Sims Burgess Wornall Prather Stone Carmen Dennis Farmer Barnett Whalen Sanders McCarter Horine |
| Renovation The following items need to be removed from the Parish Hall to make room for the renovation and new tables and chairs. If you know the owner or can help with the move, please contact the Vestry. Aluminum folding table Unstable card tables Boxes of pamphlets, books,etc. Organ Car seat Folding play pen Diapers Children's books Samples of fabric for pew cushions 17 brown folding tables Side table 2 pews 2 prayer desks Green Board Miter saw and extension cords Wooden folding chair Bag of soft toys, etc. Painted wooden trim Roll of artist paper Broken TV stand Main Hall Large serving table (by front door) Glass case (back to Narthex) Sofa (to Vicar's office) Black leather chair (to Vicar's office) Green chair and ottoman (to Vicar's office) Round side table Clothing hanging in hallway |
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| Among the community outreach programs we continue to support are the Food Pantry and the Harrison County Clothes Closet. Five years ago we provided a facility for the Migrant Head Start program which continues today. AA and NA also use our facility for their meetings. All are much needed programs in our community. In the Spring Hope Gaines introduced us to the " Food Backpack Program". This a program in which needy children are provided with food for 3 meals per day for the weekend. We work with the Family Resource Center through the Board of Education. The program is funded through monetary donations from our congregation or by members donating food items. Hope has shared this idea with the other churches in our community and it has grown from 9 "backpacks" in February to 365 in November 2007. In June Advent started the Community Dinner program. We provide a free meal to those who may need one at the end of the month. These are held on the last Thursday of the month and each month there is a different menu. Fliers are distributed to the various community action organizations and the grocery stores. Members of our congregation supply the food (and do the cooking) which includes a main dish, salad, desserts, and beverage (tea, coffee. soda, water). Our menus have included lasagna, spaghetti (and lots of garlic toast), chili, fried chicken and all the fixings, a "cook-out" of hamburgers and hot dogs with all the fixings (with Ryan Darnell as our very capable "grillmaster"), and bean soup and cornbread. We do have some wonderful cooks among our congregation. At our first dinner we served approximately 15. It has grown to approximately 80. And, yes we do have "regulars" who have come to know us by name and we know them by name. It is a wonderful ministry and all those who participate have an enlightening experience. In our adult Christian education program EFM/Via Media is led by Hope Gaines and there is a very active Sunday school group led by our pastor Rev. Sandy Stone. Everyone who participates find these 2 programs to be very rewarding. A delicious breakfast is also served on Sunday morning with snacks served at the EFM classes. Sharon Barnes and JoAnn Waters hope to expand the Christian education program with the start of a community youth group. Our music ministry continued to grow with special organ recitals given by Schuyler Robinson and choral performances given by the Christ Church Girls Choir. Other "ministries" in the church have been started. It seems the unspoken motto of "find a need and fill it" has found its way to the kitchen of our parish hall. It was at the first community dinner, we discovered the kitchen was lacking in several essentials needed for an efficient operation. So, began the A.K.A. (Advent's Kitchen Angels). Through the organizational skills of Hope (yes, she wears many hats), Kay, and Darlene the kitchen was re-organized and a list of needed items was made. Kay had a wonderful idea of having a "church shower" to fill the needs list. The list was posted and in no time the kitchen became well supplied. On a sad note, Advent said "farewell" to 2 of our congregation members, Nina Carbine and Marian Barnett- they have gone to be with the Lord. They will be missed, but we know they are at eternal peace. In October we had our annual meeting and pot luck dinner. Our guest speaker was Christine Wirth from Migrant Headstart. We once again acknowledge the contributions of those Vestry members whose term was completed and welcomed the new members. A special recognition was made to BT Darnell for her 45 year of service to Church of the Advent. She has been our organist for many years (45) and has also served on the Altar Guild, the Vestry and as Senior Warden, and many other areas where there was a need. She was presented with a prayer book/hymnal and a plaque will be placed in her honor in the church. At the same time we also welcomed our new organist/choirmaster- Matt McGarvey. Matt comes to us with a wealth of experience and great enthusiasm. Our music ministry now includes a 14 member choir. In December we celebrated Bishop Saul's annual visitation with baptisms, confirmations and receiving of new members into our church family. A wonderful reception followed with delicious food provided by the talented cooks of Advent Church (who needs the Food Network). We finished the 2007 Advent and Christmas season services with wonderful music provided by our organist, our choir and guest musicians: Terry Durbin- violin, Chris Mashburn- violin, Nathan White- viola, Adam Gaines- piccolo trumpet, and solos performed my our own choir members Amadeus Durbin and Sharon Barnes. The year was not without its challenges, but the Vestry and the congregation rose to meet those challenges. We are looking forward to the continued excitement and growth in 2008. The Church of the Advent is an all-inclusive congregation and we welcome and invite all to come join us in worship and fellowship We are small, but our spirit is big. Respectfully Submitted by Darlene Scovell |
| Adventure Day Camp at Cedar Hill Retreat Tuesdays - June 3, June 10, June 17, June 24 and July 1 Registration forms are available on the table at the rear of the church |
| The Blessing of our Home Who: Dunny & BT Darnell When: Sunday, June 15 at 4:30 p.m. Where: 4245 Old Lair Road Light refreshments will be served after the service (please do not bring gifts) Special Event Invitation The American Revolutionary War Monument Ceremony will be held on our farm at 3:00pm. If you wish to attend, follow the main entrance road all the way to the back of the farm. Following the ceremony, tours will be given of the Lair Vault. |
Church of the Advent
Minutes of the Vestry
May 15, 2008
Present: The Rev. Stone, Hope Gaines, Phil Sims, Darlene Scovell, Joe Frank Ireland, Ned
Lyons
Minutes from the April meeting were read by the clerk and approved by all present. Ned
Lyons gave the Treasurer's Report and it was approved. No Deacon's Report was given at
this time. The Rector's Report: Community Action Council's lease renewal for day care was
received. The Parochial Report was completed the Rev. Stone and approved by the Vestry.
Pat Doty will be the new administrative assistant/bookkeeper. Her duties will include payroll;
programs/bulletins for church activites; internal bookkeeping of records for baptisms,
marriages, confirmations. Rev. Stone has received a grant for Leadership Development for
Small Rual Churches. She asked the Vestry if she may use Church of the Advent as her
example. The Vestry approved. Building and Grounds: Rev. Stone will discuss the cleaning
schedule with Holly. Also it was suggested that if Holly cannot clean for some reason ie:
illness, that there would be no alternate. The church carpet was cleaned professionally. The
parish hall door was installed. It was suggested that the outside lights be left on premanently
as they were CFL bulbs. Research into indoor lighting especially in the choir area is ongoing.
Landscaping/secondary parking lot: need someone to lay the sod in the area where the
hedges were removed. The tree stump in secondary parking lot is in process of being
removed. Christian Formation: EFM Overview on May 18th; church school will resome after
Labor Day; Summer Youth Camp will start on Tues. June 3rd- approximately 10-15 children
have signed up. Music/Worship: an organ recital by Clif Cason has been scheduled for May
18th at 4:30 PM; choir's last Sunday until after Labor Day will be May 18; Matt has agreed to
give organ lessons to anyone who is interested; organist Stephen Leist and the choir from St.
John's Versailles will help lead the worship service on July 6th. Lance McGarvey and Terry
Durbin will be guest musicians on Sunday May 18. Summmer church service hours will be
10AM starting Sunday May 25th. Summer Fun Schedule/Outreach/Communications: A
Summer Fun schedule will be available soon. Activities include: Memorial Day Picnic at
Cedar Hill; choir picnic June 8 at Matt McGarvey's; Movie Night in the parish hall starting in
July; Community Dinner- cookout sponsored by Wes and Mikki Johnson; Fish Fry- date TBA-
sponsored by Phil Sims; Pool Party at MattMcGarvey's on Aug. 17. Sharon Lowdenback
has found a program that will help facilitate the making of the church directory. She has
agreed to pay for it. The wedding of Melissa Smith and Nathan White will take place on May
17, 2008 at Advent. The Bishop has tentatively scheduled his visitation to Advent on
Wednesday May 13, 2009. After a brief discussion, the Vestry decided to decline the date. A
question has risen about CAC getting their own dishwasher. After review of the facility, there
is no room for one. So, they will continue to use ours. It was proposed by a parishioner to
get a locked mailbox for the church. A discussion followed. The post office box has been
paid for for the year. The Vestry will consider the proposal next year.
The meeting was adjourned with the Passing of the Peace.
Respectfully submitted,
Darlene Scovell, Clerk of the Vestry