Announcements

COAT DRIVE The younger children of the Chapel are collecting coats, jackets, scarves, hats, sweaters, gloves to give to the less fortunate in our area. All sizes are appreciated! There is a collection box in the parish hall. If you have questions, please contact Lynn Ward.

Advent Gatherings for Women offered by Ellen Gabardi. Choose either Tuesday mornings December 2, 9 and 16 OR Wednesday mornings December 3, 10 and 17. 9:00 – 11:00 Youth Room. In the spirit of Advent, we will prepare ourselves physically and spiritually:

• simple body movement to music (this is optional from 9:00-9:25)
• simple art and writing activities
• pondering Advent scriptures– individually and communally

Silence, quiet, and rest will be the container which holds us while together. 8 women maximum. Please e-mail or call Ellen to sign up. cgabardi@aol.com 601-317-6400

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25 Community Thanksgiving Service at St. Francis of Assisi 7:00 pm - Alston will be preaching.

WEDNESDAY November 26 NO SUPPER OR PROGRAMS THURSDAY & FRIDAY Thanksgiving Holiday, church offices closed

COOKBOOK PRE-SALES BEGIN IN TIME FOR CHRISTMAS

The recipes have been tested, the articles written, designs completed, photographs selected and the book proofed and re-proofed. Therefore, it is with great pleasure that the Day in the Country Cookbook Committee announces the
pre-sale of this beautiful publication, expected in early 2009.

Just in time to give this fabulous cookbook to your family and friends this Christmas, purchasers will receive a full color gift card for each book purchased. When the books arrive, they can be picked up or shipped.

Beginning November 30, 2008, sales will be conducted after each service and continue through Advent, or purchase the book by clicking here to print out the form. Simply fill it out and send it with your payment to the address listed on the form. The price of the cookbook is $28.95. A case discount – buy 11 and get the 12th one free - will apply on pre-sales only, so think big and get one for everybody!

This book will not disappoint. Filled with fabulous food not seen before, as well as tons of beautiful photography, it also tells the history of the Chapel with feature articles and story sidebars by Chapel members. It has been a labor of love to which many of our members have contributed and one in which we can all take tremendous pride.

Though we send out immense thanks to all who have contributed, we are not done yet! If you have served on any of the subcommittees for the cookbook, expect to be contacted for assistance in this pre-sale effort through the month of December and going forward into 2009. In addition, if you have not been a part of this project heretofore but would like to join, please know that you are most welcome. Contact either of the Co-Chairs, Selina Boyles (601.942.2317) selinasb@aol.com, or Tracey Carter (601.955.0183) tmc8667@bellsouth.net, to become part of the Day in the Country Cookbook team.

Our annual Christmas ANGEL TREE project will kick off on Advent 1 - Sunday November 30. The notebook with wish lists of Madison County foster children will be in the parish hall for you to select. Sometimes a Sunday School class or other group or a couple of families combine to provide presents for a child. We always have an amazing response from this parish. You always make a happy Christmas for a lot of needy kids!

WE'RE SERVING SUPPER ! Please, please, please call the church office or email Judy Barnes by Tuesday noon to make reservations. $5 adults, $3 (take out available) NOTE: There is a meeting in the parish hall starting about 6pm. Supper is served from 5:30 to 6pm. Click here for the menu

Tuesday morning Bible Study: This group is studying the Gospel of Mark at 10:00 a.m. in the Library. For more info, call Sylvia at the church office.

Guild of the Christ Child PLAY GROUP: Instead of meeting every Thursday at the Chapel, they've decided to meet at different places, such as a Guild member's home, the zoo, the park, etc...and will decide on a weekly basis what day of the week will work best for those activities and communicate that through email to those who are interested in joining their email notification list.  If anyone is 
interested, please contact Andrea Keeling at mrsandreak@comcast.net. 

Guild of the Christ Child The guild wants to know if you are expecting a baby! Please contact the church office so the guild can start praying for you as you prepare for your new baby.

Each year Chapel folks sponsor over 20 Honduran School Children. The cost is $275. This provides their required books, supplies and uniforms. They cannot attend school without these things and many many families are too poor to afford them. You can sponsor a child yourself or as a family or perhaps with a group or class within the Chapel. You'll receive your child's name and information. For information talk to Melissa Cavett at 601.853.2059 or 601.942.6233 or just send your check in and she'll sign you up.

Men's Group - This service and study group will meet every other Monday. Supper at 6:00 p.m. and meeting at 6:30. All Chapel men invited. Contact Mark Guillory at 601.918.8785 if you are interested.

Adult Sunday School

• Class #1 meets in the Covington Room and is studying "Traveling Light" by Max Lucado.
• Class #2 which meets in the library/right side is studying "Creation to Revelations: A Brief Account of the Biblical Story" by James O. Chatham.
• Class #3 is studying "Intentional Choices: Discovering Contentment in Stressful Times," and meets in Alston's office.
• St. Clare's Guild (Knitting Ministry) meets in the library/left side.
• Alston Johnson and Judy Wallace are offering a Discovery Series study for newcomers to the Episcopal Church or those in need of a refresher course. They meet in the Parish Hall.

Online Diocesan News

The DioGram is posted at http://www.dioms.org/publications/diogram.html.

The Mississippi Episcopalian is posted at http://www.dioms.org/publications/mse.html

Many Peaces,
Lauren Wilkes Auttonberry

Prayer List-If you have a family member, friend or co-worker whose name you'd like to add to the prayer list, please contact the church office. We have a lengthy list, so it is divided between the 4 Sunday services and rotates weekly. (You won't hear your loved one's name read every week at the service you attend.) If you've added someone to the prayer list and their status has changed and they can come off the list, please let us know. We really appreciate your updates.

FYI - We have a small meditation garden just off the trail to Reunion that faces toward the little lake behind the Chapel grounds. Some members started the garden with benches and a wind chime and an Eagle Scout recently added an arbor and some plantings.

Submission deadline for the Cross Currents newsletter is the 15th of each month. It's not too early to starting writing something for the Creative Corner section-poems, book or movie reviews, musings, reflections, etc. Are there some writers out there?

HURRICANE KATRINA RELIEF ASSISTANCE AND CAMP COAST CARE: Visit their Web site for information on how you can help:www.campcoastcare.com.

STEWPOT SHELTER NEEDS We are always glad to get your free hotel toiletries (shampoo, conditioner, soap, shower cap, mouthwash, etc.) you collect when traveling. We also accept unopened cosmetic samples. We send them to the shelters housing abuse victims. The drop boxes are on the counters in the office building restrooms.

FLOWER GUILD: Would you like to join a team and help prepare flowers for Sundays, weddings and other church events? No experience is required - training is available. If you would like to learn more about joiing the Flower Guild, call Irene Crowder at 601.856.9812.

A GIFT OF FLOWERS: Please consider flower gifts for any Sunday, Christmas or Easter. The suggested minimum cost of flowers is $60. If you wish to donate for a specific Sunday, please contact the church office 10 days to two weeks ahead.

WE NEED YOUR EMAIL ADDRESSES: Now that the Chapel has entered the electronic age, we are trying to take advantage of some of its benefits.  We are building our database of members’ email addresses.  Please email or call the Chapel office and give us your email addresses where you can be reached at home and work.  While you are at it, give us your telephone, fax, pager and cell numbers if you would like to ensure that the Chapel can reach you at all times.

One note.  We will maintain this information in our database which will be used to build the next directory.  Therefore, if there is any information you would not want to appear in the directory, please note that when you provide it to the office.

HOW MAY WE HELP? Anyone interested in learning more about the Episcopal Church and the Christian faith as we understand it in this tradition is encouraged to speak with a clergy member. If you are not receiving the Chapel of the Cross newsletter, Cross Currents, and want to be on the mailing list, please call the office at 856-2593. If you have moved or have a new phone number, please let the office know. Thanks!