Come and join us Sunday, February 10th from 12:00 PM-2:45 PM, for a fun and memorable service event at The Forum Assisted Living where the kids of KFC will volunteer their time running a Bingo game for their residents! Immediately following the 10:45 AM service, we will gather in the Cafeteria for a lunch, which will be provided. Kids will make valentine cards for the residents before carpooling to The Forum at Lincoln Heights. Bingo will begin at 1:45 and end at 2:45 PM. All kids in the 3rd-5th grades are invited to join us!
WHERE: Lunch at St. George Church/ Bingo at The Forum at Lincoln Heights located at 311 West Nottingham Place; 78209
WHEN: Sunday, February 10, from 12:00-2:45 pm
RSVP: by Tuesday, February 6 (it is important for us to have an accurate number so we can plan food/transportation accordingly)
Notes to Parents:
1) We will need some help transporting children from the church to The Forum. If you are available, please let me know via email at hwilson@saintgeorgechurch.org.
2) Each child is asked to bring 2 small gifts that can be used as prizes for the residents playing Bingo. Example of small gifts: boxes of kleenex, full size chocolate candy bars, small bottles of hand lotion, small bottles of hand sanitizers, packages of pens, crossword puzzle books, word search puzzle books, playing cards, warm socks, any small and inexpensive item they can have or use in their rooms. All items will be placed in a basket for the winners to choose their prize, so items should NOT be wrapped.
3) You will be picking your child up from The Forum at 2:45 PM.
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The next Ladies Lunch Bunch will be Saturday, February 2, at noon. We will meet at The Canyon Cafe at the Quarry (255 E Basse Rd, #600, San Antonio, TX 78209). Please call Betty or Lindy Hakes at 210-545-3636 by Thursday, January 31, to RSVP.
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We will be holding First Communion classes beginning January 27 during the 10:45 AM worship service. Any child who is baptized and in the 1st-5th grades is invited to attend this 5-week class series.
- January 27: We Gather, We Hear and We Respond to the Word of God
- February 10: We Offer our Gifts
- February 24: (class will be held after 10:45 service): We Celebrate
- March 3: We are Sent Out
- May 19: First Communion
The St. George community is grateful for the network of support that occurs as our members discuss the mission work done by the parishioners. In sharing our work with her coworkers at David Plemons, CPA, Julabeth Carden planted the seed that caused the company to adopt Larkspur Elementary as one of its Christmas donation recipients, even inspiring one employee to donate $1000 to the school!
We will be electing new Vestry members at our Annual Parish Meeting on Sunday, January 27. If you are interested, please contact our Senior Warden Susan Alwais (seniorwarden@saintgeorgechurch.org) for more information. Please click here to visit the St. George Vestry Nomination Form.
By Alicia Warr
I am a member of the Sunday 10:45 prayer team. What a blessing it has been. When someone comes to you and your partner and lays their concerns on the table, it is humbling. Praying for someone is a blessing, yes, but it also takes you away from your own issues and problems and lets you focus on someone else – lets you care for someone else through prayer.
I feel blessed that I was given the opportunity.
By Alana Woods
When I started going to St. George in 2002, it never occurred to me the changes it would make in me. I morphed from being one of those who made a beeline to the car right after the Sunday service to being called a compulsive volunteer (of which I’m proud). It was a slow, gradual change. Here’s my story.
During my first few months at St. George, there was an Alpha class with dinner on Wednesday evenings. The meal was $3, and it was an opportunity to get to know other parishioners. I thoroughly enjoyed going every Wednesday even though it was across town from where I worked and lived. As I was helping set up one evening, Julabeth Carden innocently asked me what I did at Southwest Research Institute. I told her that I worked on the website. She quickly said, “Ray [Cole]! Alana works on the web.” And, that night, I was recruited to help with the St. George website, which I did for a couple of years.
When the first ministry fair was held shortly after I became a member, I cheerily signed up as a Greeter and a volunteer at the Bargain Boutique one Saturday a month. I enjoyed the Bargain Boutique so much that before I knew it, I was working more and more – practically every Saturday. It was an opportunity to serve St. George and the community, and the social butterfly in me was fed as I got to know the regular customers and the other volunteers. In early 2007, I left the Bargain Boutique, but that wasn’t the end of my volunteering. God had other plans for me.
As my daughter Kaycie and I planned her wedding at St. George later that year, she mentioned that she had to call May Awe, the Wedding Coordinator. I had been at St. George five years, and I didn’t know we had a wedding coordinator. Because being a wedding coordinator had been a secret aspiration, I observed May and asked if I could assist her. Of course, she said yes! Before I knew it, I was being introduced as the one taking over Wedding Coordinator duties. But, to be a Wedding Coordinator, I really should be on Altar Guild so I’d know how to set up for a wedding, and it would be a good idea to be a Lay Eucharist Minister so I could help serve Holy Communion during weddings.
I was asked to be on the Willmann Trust Board, and I gladly accepted. The Board meets 4 times a year; it’s a way to help hurting people without being a big time commitment. I knew the Board existed, but I didn’t know how it worked and what an impact it makes on the community. I am so grateful for my time on the Board even though I’m not continuing next year.
For a couple years, Fr. Ram suggested that we attend all services during Holy Week to get the full impact of the meaning of Christ’s death and resurrection. In 2016, I decided to take that challenge. He was right! By attending all the Holy Week services, I did feel the impact of Christ’s sacrifice for us much more than just attending Sunday services. In 2017, I took it a step further by attending both Sunday services as a sacrifice during Lent. The joke was on me. It wasn’t a sacrifice at all! Not only did I get to hear both versions of the sermon (there’s always a slight difference because of the different demographics in those attending), I also got to see everyone who attended the Sunday services. Again, I attended every Holy Week service with the same results of getting to know Jesus and his sacrifice for our sins a little better. After Lent, I continued attending both services, and I still do today. Heck, if the choir can do it and survive, so can I.
One day, Roy Thompson said something that caused me to make yet another change. He talked about a lady who lived across the street from St. George who was there every time the doors were open. She attended every service and function. Until he said that, it never occurred to me to try that, but I did. I’ve become one of those little old ladies who practically lives at the church, and I love it!
I was hanging around between services one Sunday when Keith Earle asked if I could step in as an usher. Of course, I said, “Yes.” Then, the Connection Center was established, and I agreed to be at the Connection Center table. The Connection Center was a bit of a stretch for me because I’m shy (no lie). I’m not good at meeting new people, but with Marilynne Herbster’s help, I was able to ease into it.
In 2017, Julabeth and Marilynne asked me to help them with posters and brochures for their ministries. In May, all the ministry leaders were gathered to write about our particular ministry to help spread the word about them. I was recruited to help gather the information and put it in a form that could be distributed to the church members. As we were walking out of that meeting, Barbara Simon and I talked about one of her ministries, the Funeral Reception Committee, and I volunteered to help her. This committee has been such a blessing to me and, hopefully, those who mourn the loss of a loved one. The ladies I work with are angels. Not only do they bring food, they volunteer their time to set up, help during the reception, and clean up afterward. This is another opportunity for this shy social butterfly to get to know folks at St. George.
I am now a member of the Vestry. This is my first year of three. Vestry members are “voluntold” to be on committees, which just feeds my wish to be more involved. When I introduced myself to the Vestry last October, I mentioned that I loved St. George, and I couldn’t wait to retire so I could spend more time at St. George. In December, I celebrated 40 years at Southwest Research Institute, and I went up to be blessed during the Sunday service. Fr. Ram had me tell the congregation what I told the Vestry. In June, I was able to make that transition. I retired and spent most of the summer with my grandsons, easing into volunteering at St. George.
I was recently asked to co-lead the Altar Guild, which I happily accepted. It sounds like I have many irons in the fire — that I’m taking on too much. But, honestly, each of the ministries that I’m part of are small time and effort commitments. Each of them gives to me so much more than I give to them.
It took two years for Marti Nodine to convince me to check out St. George Episcopal Church. I joke that she dragged me by my hair, kicking and screaming. I’ll be forever grateful to her for her patience and persistence. I feel like I’m home when I’m at St. George, whether it’s at a social function, a Sunday service, or a meeting. I thank God for putting Marti in my path and for blessing me with my St. George family.
Every year as Christmas approaches, most children become more and more excited about the upcoming festivities and gifts. Sadly, for many children Christmas is just another day looking for a full tummy, a comfortable bed, and a loving family around them. For the fourth year in a row, the Daughters of the King (DOK) at St. George has donated gifts and gift cards to families at Larkspur Elementary School who are struggling with life’s challenges at Christmas.
This year DOK brought Christmas to two families: one in which a mother and father have five children and another in which a single mother has four children.
The mother in the first family had recently been forced to quit her job because of child-care issues, and then her car was robbed of her apartment parking pass among personal belongings. The second family has an eight-year-old daughter fighting a life-threatening illness, and she is staying with family in Mexico during treatment. Both families were doubtful Christmas would happen this year for their children.
The DOK provided some clothing for each family member as well as toys for the children. Each family received a $50 gift card from HEB, and there was enough money to give 2 additional families HEB gift cards.
We will be electing new Vestry members at our Annual Parish Meeting on Sunday, January 27. If you are interested, please contact our Senior Warden Susan Alwais (seniorwarden@saintgeorgechurch.org) for more information.