church newsTrick or Trunk October 28!
Do you like spooky music and stories, Halloween decorations, jumping castles, candy, and barbecues? Who doesn’t! On Sunday, October 28, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. we will be hosting our annual Trick or Trunk spooky extravaganza! Steve Keyl will perform spooky organ music, and storyteller Ray Hyde will spin scary tales. All are welcome to join us in the church at 5:00 and the courtyard afterward for a wonderfully haunted time. If you would like to host and decorate a table to hand out candy, please contact the church office. Hurricane Michael relief
Last Sunday, a parishioner spoke with feeling about the impact of Hurricane Michael on the community and parish she grew up in on Florida’s gulf coast. As news broadcasts have shown, the devastation in many places has been nearly total, and there has been significant loss of life. We invite those who wish to contribute to hurricane relief to make checks payable to St. Alban’s, with “Hurricane Michael” in the memo line. Because of personal connections through our parishioner and through Fr. Bruce, St. Alban’s will work primarily with the Diocese of the Central Gulf Coast. Another very effective relief organization is Episcopal Relief & Development; those who wish to donate to ERD may do so here. Reading With the Rector
Two “Reading with the Rector” groups are currently meeting. TheTuesday group meets at 1:00 p.m. and the Thursday group meets at 6:00 p.m. Both groups meet in the church library. Participants need to purchase their own books. The current book is The Meaning of Jesus by Marcus Borg and N.T. Wright. Fellowship Dinners
The popular St. Alban’s Fellowship Dinner Groups will resume again this fall. This is a program in which parishioners who may not know each other very well meet for evenings of good food, good conversation, and fellowship. The concept is for groups of about eight people, roughly half from the 8:00 service and half from the 10:00 service, to meet in a pre-arranged member’s home for a potluck supper. The dinners continue each month through next spring or for as long as the group wants to meet. Each participant or couple brings a food item to the dinners. The group decides its own schedule, where the dinners will be held, and who will bring specific food items. All arrangements should be flexible to fit everyone’s hours and living arrangements. The dinners will start in November or December and continue through the spring. Please consider this opportunity to meet new people from “your” or the “other” service and have a friendly and spirited evening as well. A signup sheet is now on the bulletin board, and we request you sign up by Sunday, November 5. We’ll arrange the groups to maximize diversity and then will notify each member of the participants in their assigned group. We’ll ask one person or couple to coordinate at least the first dinner. 
NAMI Family & Friends Support Group
Family members and friends of those affected by mental illness are cordially invited to attend this National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Support Group. It is held in the Library on the first Wednesday of every month between 2:00 and 3:30 p.m. Experienced group leaders guide discussions about challenges facing those whose loved one has a mental disorder, and all are welcome. For more information, contact Sharon Nielsen Caldwell at snielsenn@aol.com. |
Children, Youth & Family news
Sunday School at 9:00 a.m.
'Sparks' Youth Group
'Sparks' happens every Sunday (except holiday weekends) from 5pm to 7pm. Join us for games, dinner, fellowship and fun! Service hour opportunities
If you are a teenager in need of service hours for school, the NHS, or other extra-curricular activities, we are happy to say there are several opportunities. Contact the office if you are interested for more information. |