August 15, 2006

 Morning Worship Returns this Week!

This Sunday, August 20^th, Beloved's worship schedule returns to its 9:30am time slot.  We will celebrate our annual feast day, when Jesus was transfigured on the mountain and God proclaimed to the disciples that Jesus was his "Beloved" Son and they should listen to him.  Benjamin, son of Marilyn and Craig Doyon, will become our newest brother in Christ during this festive celebration of Baptism.  Derek Elkins, Beloved's summer intern, will spend his final Sunday with us.  Derek has been working hard learning about the joys, sorrows and challenges of church planting, worked with Summer FaithQuest and Episcopal Outreach Camp, learned how to use technology in worship, served as a supply drummer in the Beloved Band and has completed some important web updates and planning work for programming for the upcoming year.  Special prayers will be offered for his continuing ministry as well. 

Whether you have been away on vacation or found that your schedule couldn't ever mesh with the evening worship time, we look forward to seeing you at this wonderful homecoming celebration for our Beloved community.  Don't miss it!

School Supplies Collection for at-risk Kids begins in 8 Days

Jesus is going back to school.  His presence can be found in the many at-risk children whose life situations  are not stable enough to provide the basic supplies needed to begin the school year.  As we prepare for our annual Blessing of the Backpacks celebration on August 27, we will be collecting school supplies for at-risk children of Mecklenburg County who are being served by the ministry of A Child's Place.  We are not simply collecting these supplies from those of us who worship at Beloved; we are also seeking to bless our wider community by providing an easy way for everyone in Charlotte's South Perimeter to make a difference in these young people's lives as well.  Here's how it will work:

*Gif Lockley, Community House Middle School's Principal, will be advertising this partnership and will provide returning students an opportunity to bring in these supplies to Beloved during their Back to School Open House on Wednesday, August 23^rd from 1-2:30pm, 3-4:30pm, 5:30-7pm and during the first several days of school.  To volunteer at the Beloved collection boxes during any of these times on Wednesday, contact Michele Nichols.

*Beloved's Trailer will be present in Community House Middle School's parking lot on Saturday, August 26^th from 11am-8pm for the Ballantyne Times End of Summer Bash where the collection will continue during this day-long celebration.  Promotion of this partnership effort will be through this new newspaper that has been created to provide local South Perimeter news.  Setup will begin at 9am.  The rain date is Sunday, August 27^th.  To volunteer at the Beloved booth/trailer during this time, contact Michele Nichols.

*To help with the logistical support to make all of this happen, including bringing the Beloved Trailer to Community House Middle School and delivering it with filled supplies to A Child's Place, contact Deb Blackwood.

School supplies can be brought to any of these events or to the Blessing of the Backpacks.  Items needed include:  combination locks for lockers, book bags/backpacks, 1" binders, folders, notebook paper, Mead composition books, graph paper, pencils, pens, crayons, markers, erasers, scissors, rulers, protractors, glue sticks, pencil boxes, dictionaries, hand sanitizer, liquid soap and facial tissue.

All this work for others begins in eight days.  Together we can make a difference!    

Post General Convention Meeting tonight...those interested in hearing firsthand about this Summer's General Convention of the Episcopal Church are invited to a meeting tonight, August 15th, at Trinity Episcopal School uptown from 7-9pm.  Our bishops and deputies will be presenting their perspectives on the work of Convention and answering questions.

Serving at God's Altar this Sunday...Angel Army Team 3 (Captain: Mark Leinenkugel; Administrator: Kris Leinenkugel; Pastor: Jim Skrobot; Convener: Scott Sanniota); Acolytes: Cecilia Atwood, Paige Wilson, Mackenzie Wynn, Morgan Wynn; Presenters: Godparents of Benjamin Doyon; Lay Eucharistic Ministers: Kris Leinenkugel & Dick Reif; Reader: Anna Moore; Offertory Basket Passers: Joseph Elyea, Gabi Leinenkugel, Jack Sanniota, Katie Sanniota; PowerPoint: Miles Harbin.

In our Prayers...for Brandon and Tanna, children of Dick Reif‘s employer who were critically injured in an auto accident...for those who have died or have been traumatized by the escalating violence in the Middle East and around the world...for those serving in Iraq, especially Ron, Marilyn Doyon‘s brother-in-law & Scott, Dan Hood's brother...for Marie Charbonneau, and the Atwood family who have traveled to be with her, as she completes her immigration interview in Canada on August 15^th to return permanently to the United States...for Judy Gibbs who is recovering from surgery...in thanksgiving for Ann, Barb Johnson‘s sister-in-law, who is being transformed by God's healing presence...for Greg, Sherrill Lowder's brother, who has colon cancer...for Jacqui, niece of Deb and Dan Blackwood who is fighting breast cancer...for Harriett, Kathy Raynor‘s mother who has cancer...for Richard, Ginger Leppert‘s father...for Jessie Powell and Janie Lownes...for Emily, Nancy and Tony Hodgson's granddaughter...for Dorothy, Mary Reid's sister who is fighting lung cancer...for Ed and Jean, Dick Reif's parents who are in declining health in Oklahoma...for Bucky, Sherrill Lowder's neighbor, who has lung cancer...for Mike, neighbor of John Armstrong, who is in the burn unit after his house burned down in Charlotte...for Jeremy Lamb who is recovering from surgery...for Cyteria Knight as she seeks permanent employment... for those who travel during this time of summer respite from school...for the staff of Community House Middle School as they prepare for the opening of school.

Upcoming Calendar through Labor Day...click here