Join us on November 21, 2021!
One Service Sunday 10:00 AM (Streamed and In-Person)
Luncheon to Follow
Once again, the vestry has selected the New Consecration Sunday Stewardship Program to teach the biblical and spiritual principles of generous giving as our stewardship education for this year. Over the next few weeks, we will receive an overview of how to approach systematic and proportionate giving. Starting this Sunday with our Senior Warden, Arden McLean, we will hear personal stories from parishioners about how NCS and the ministries of St. George have influenced their giving. We will also begin to collect RSVPs for the NCS Luncheon which occurs immediately after the NCS service. Last year’s luncheon was a wonderful celebration of fellowship and a wonderful acknowledgment of God’s gifts to us. This year we will continue to collect RSVPs both digitally and in person.
Congregations that approach financial stewardship from a biblical perspective do not view their pledges as merely a way for the church to pay its bills. Rather, those congregations see financial giving as a way to help their members grow spiritually in their relationship with God by supporting their church’s mission and ministry with a percentage of their incomes.
New Consecration Sunday is based on the biblical philosophy that spiritual development comes from the need of the giver to give, not the need of the church to receive. Instead of treating parishioners like members of a social club who should pay dues, we will treat people like followers of Jesus Christ who want to give unselfishly as an act of discipleship. New Consecration Sunday encourages people toward proportionate and systematic giving in response to the question, “What percentage of my income is God calling me to give?”
On November 21, NCS, we will all fill out an estimate of giving together. The congregation will be able to fill out this card during our streamed/in-person service electronically or in person if they are participating on campus. A guest leader will conduct a brief period of instruction and inspiration, culminating in members making their financial commitments. These commitments support the benevolent, missionary, and educational ministries in the St. George community and communities around the world.
If you choose to attend the service either in-person or virtually but do not make a financial commitment, you will not be made to feel personally embarrassed. The cards are collected in such a way as to maintain your privacy and to honor all decisions as a confidential act of worship. Even people who are strongly opposed to completing a card are encouraged to attend the service as it is still our time to worship God together.
The Consecration committee, vestry members, and ministry leadership will make every effort to inform, to inspire, and to gain commitment from everyone to attend Consecration Sunday. By choosing to attend worship on Consecration Sunday, every attendee and member who completes an Estimate of Giving Card is doing so voluntarily. We will not solicit people at home to complete their cards. However, we will contact parishioners to confirm their attendance at the virtual/in-person event.
Thanks in advance for your enthusiastic participation in Consecration Sunday events.
In a matter of days, we will be in the “Holiday Season.”
For many, this is a much-anticipated time with family and friends.
But for others, the holidays bring a reopening of deep grief brought about as the result of the death of a loved one.
If you are grieving the loss of a loved one and find yourself in need of a way to move through the holidays, you are encouraged to consider one of the following “grief and the holidays” workshops.
One workshop, entitled Healing Holidays – Making Your Grief Count, is offered in-person at various locations on various dates by Porter Loring Mortuaries and Cremation Services. Click here for the dates and locations of the workshops.
A second workshop is offered by Pathways to Promise, a nationally recognized organization whose mission is to connect “mental health, faith, and culture.” This online workshop will be led by Deacon Ed Shoener, a Roman Catholic Deacon who is a noted author and leader in Catholic mental health ministries. His topic is Grief and the Holidays and the workshop is to be held on Wednesday, November 10th from 10:30 – 11:30 CDT. To read more and to register for this workshop, please click here.
If you or any of your loved ones are struggling with grief, please consider one of these workshops. And, should you find yourself in a seemingly endless cycle of struggle, please reach out to Rev. Susan, Taylor Brown, or me. We have resources available to help you.
Come and join the Halloween fun this Sunday, at the 10:00 AM service! Kids come dressed in your costumes, decorate a treat bag during church and walk through our candy parade afterward!
Join us!
Date: Wednesday, October 27
Arrival: 4:30-5:00 PM
Ending: 6:00 PM
Location: Dooryard
Some of our Saint George staff had a great time attending the annual fundraising dinner of the Texas Water Mission that took place last Tuesday, September 28th at the Whitley Theological Center. One of the projects highlighted was the water project at St. Benoit in Mombin Crochu, Haiti. Over the last couple of years, they have done some amazing work!
A cistern holding 22,000 gallons of water now serves the entire population of Mombin Crochu. The same water system serves both the church and school. Residents are able to come and fill up jugs of water and feel safe knowing the water has been tested and treated (as it says on the building). This project is the result of a continued outstanding partnership between St George, Texas Water Mission, and St Benoit. Thanks so much for your support for our friends in Haiti!
We loved having church outside so much last month, we decided to do it again!! Join us for Worship in the Courtyard followed by a picnic on the grounds on Sunday, September 26th at 10 AM!! We will have a casual Sunday service outside in our beautiful courtyard and we would encourage you to stick around for a Saint George Family Picnic after! You can either pack your own picnic lunch and bring it with you OR you can order a box lunch through the church here and pay for it through Tithely. If you want to order your lunch through the church, please get your orders in by no later than 5 PM on Wednesday, September 22!
There are many who are hurting these days and if you have been wondering about ways to assist, below are links to some helpful information. As always, prayers are one of our greatest tools, so, continue to remember these communities in your daily prayers.
To learn more about the Respite Center for Immigrants click here.
Click here to learn more about Hurricane relief.
To learn more about assisting the Afghan people click here.
Friends in Christ:
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
As we are all aware, the Covid-19 Delta variant is filling up our area hospitals with critically ill patients. This week’s reported test positivity rate sits slightly above 21%. We are once again in the midst of another surge.
In a few Episcopal churches in our Diocese, their leadership has moved to require masks for those attending worship. As I have prayed and thought about this, it seems to me that before I engage the Vestry in this discussion, I wanted to ask for your cooperation rather than issue mandates.
Therefore, I want to remind you of the current Diocesean guidelines relative to face masks.
– Facemasks are optional for those who have been fully vaccinated. Fully vaccinated is defined as having received the full dosage of a vaccine and at least two weeks have ensued.
– Facemasks are REQUIRED for those who have not been fully vaccinated.
My request of all who attend worship is that we all wear our facemasks when we are not seated and indoors regardless of vaccination status. Further, I request that we all wear our masks while we are singing as a congregation.
Note that singers on camera may remove their masks. To provide an extra layer of protection, we will be asking that all non-music team members sit behind the reserve signs we will place behind the pews where the choir sits.
I am asking for your cooperation in hopes that we will keep the Covid virus out of our worship space. I am asking for your cooperation in hopes that we keep each other healthy and uninfected. I am asking for your cooperation in hopes that all our children, especially those who are unable to receive the vaccination, will be able to start school and attend uninterrupted by having to quarantine.
I know that facemasks are uncomfortable. I am also aware that we are not all of one mind about the virus and facemasks. Like you I am frustrated that we are in the midst of another surge.
However, I am asking all of us to do all that we can to keep each other, especially our most vulnerable family members, safe and healthy.
As I said last Sunday, together we will persevere through this pandemic. Together we can do our part to keep each other from suffering the effects of this virus.
The staff and I will continue to wear our masks to keep ourselves and all of you safe. I request that you follow our lead for the good of our St. George Family.
May God bless, preserve and keep you and your loved ones this day and always.
Peace,
Ram+
Rising 10th through graduating 12th grade youth are invited to participate in Happening #148. Happenings are spiritual renewal weekend retreats for youth, led by peers with the support of lay and clergy from the Episcopal Diocese of West Texas.
Happening #148 will take place at St. John’s Episcopal Church in McAllen, August 6 – 8, 2021. The overnight retreat begins Friday evening at 7:00 PM and concludes at 4:00 PM on Sunday.
Scholarships available through Fr. Ram’s office. Click here for more information on Happening #148!
