Reflections & Blog.

Over the past few months, some people have asked why we don’t just use the 1979 Book of Common Prayer (BCP). There is a fairly short answer to that question: St. Catherine’s does use the 1979 BCP and St. Catherine’s has also liturgically explored and used all the available worship resources of the Episcopal Church. But that answer likely needs some explanation. So, here is the best way I can explain it. First, note that the latest edition of the Book of Common Prayer (BCP) t

New Eyes Jason Snape I'm Jason Snape, and Sue and I will be going on the Atlanta All Gods Children pilgrimage this fall. This will be my first, and yet most of these locations are familiar places that I will be seeing with new eyes and heart. I taught at Georgia State University for 10 years beginning in 2011, and passed through Sweet Auburn most days of the week. It had profound contrasts – John Lewis's powerful six-story mural, towering over a parking lot. Big Bethel AME c

Holy Water & Holy changes In this season of “ordinary time”, the long green season between Pentecost Sunday and Christ the King Sunday, we hear scripture which challenges us to grow in spiritual maturity and to live active lives as disciples of Jesus Christ. This is the season which focuses on our baptismal promises. Holy (blessed water) has been used as a sign of our baptism and a sign of God’s sacramental presence with us for many centuries. It is fairly common for blesse

Troop 433 at St. Catherine's Church Scouts BSA Troop 433 meets at St. Catherine's on most Monday nights, goes camping one weekend a month, and serves the parish well beyond that: making s'mores at the Trunk or Treat, cooking the Shrove Pancake Breakfast, and building the Easter Vigil fire for the clergy to light. Male youth in 5th through 12th grades, and their parents, are welcome to visit any Monday meeting, 7:15 to 8:45 p.m. in the Youth House, and see whether our troop an

My pilgrimage to Montgomery Rachel Bagby I went on the first pilgrimage of All God‘s Children in 2022 to the Legacy Museum in Montgomery, AL. Upon entering the museum, the first exhibit depicts images of the transatlantic journey that the African people endured. The images of the ocean’s water swirling, ships being tossed about, bones and chains at the bottom of the ocean are powerful. It set a somber tone for me on the walk through the museum. The other striking image for me

This newsletter comes a few days after “Labor Day”. A day meant to honor our work as holy and beneficial for the greater community. Strangely, it seems to me, that we honor “Labor Day” by taking a day off rather than working and being thankful for the gifts and talents which provide us meaningful and productive work. Now, I realize most of you won’t think it strange to take a holiday off and I am not against days off from work. I enjoy a good day off. Maybe it would be helpfu

Selma Pilgrimage Reflection Rhonda Robinson Visiting Selma, Alabama, as part of a pilgrimage was one of the most powerful experiences I have ever had. Walking the grounds where so much of the Civil Rights Movement unfolded and standing in the places where Martin Luther King Jr. once stood made history feel real and personal. We walked across the Edmund Pettus Bridge, where the 1965 “Bloody Sunday” attack took place, and listened to people share their stories. They spoke about

We are excited to share that our partnership with MUST ministries has resulted in a grant to help the food pantry. Part of the letter from the Director of Episcopal Community Foundation (ECF), Lindsey Hardegree, is below: "I am pleased to announce that the Board of Directors of the Episcopal Community Foundation for Middle and North Georgia has approved a grant of $8,800 for MUST Ministries as a part of ECF’s participation in the 2026 Hunger Walk Run on March 15, 2026. The

We are in “ordinary time” in the church year. Although, it is not “ordinary” in the sense of routine or unchanging. This part of the Church’s liturgical year is officially called “the season after Pentecost” and it runs from Pentecost Sunday until the start of Advent, this year November 29th. But it is often called “ordinary time” because there is not a single theme or seasonal focus like the “waiting” of Advent or the “confessional tone” of Lent or the joyful “resurrectio

The St. Cat’s Choir provided dinner to 73 residents of the MUST Ministries Hope House homeless shelter on Tuesday, August 11. We thank Eleanor, John, Emily, Mark, Jan, and Chris for preparing and serving the meal, and Fred Massey for generously donating the Williamson Brother barbeque chicken main dish. Thank you so much for helping with this important ministry! St. Cat’s serves dinner at MUST on the second Tuesday of each month. The Choir is handing September also, and DOK a

November 13-15, 2026 All God’s Children has previously taken pilgrimages to Montgomery, Selma and Charleston. This year, we will stay at “home” and explore Atlanta’s rich civil rights history, by concentrating on the “Sweet Auburn” neighborhood. Dates for the Pilgrimage Events: Tuesday, 9/29: 6:30 to 8/8:30 pm: Via Zoom: Pilgrimage Kick-off We will explore our experiences from past pilgrimages, our hopes and expectations for the current pilgrimage, and our commitment to actio

For the Common Good I hope that you received your invitation letter to explore mission and ministry at St. Catherine’s. This past Sunday, we each had the opportunity to explore ministries of the parish in more depth and to begin our discernment about what actions we are to take in the coming year for God’s kingdom. As I was reading this week’s Sunday lectionary readings, I was struck by the words of the author who wrote to the early Christians in Rome (Romans 12:1-8). The wri

When/Where: Sunday, September 20, 2026 / Parish Hall The Episcopal Community Foundation for Middle and North Georgia will lead an informational session on the spiritual and material importance of supporting the poor and oppressed through legacy giving. Join us to learn how Episcopalians in our parish and around the Diocese are caring for the least among us as well as providing ongoing sustainability for St. Catherine's for many years to come. Many in our Diocese are famili

Great Oak Endowment Fund Grant Proposals Due, Tuesday, September 1, 2026. Have an idea that would strengthen the ministries of St. Catherine's? The Great Oak Endowment Fund provides grants for ministry projects, outreach, capital improvements, and other one-time needs beyond the operating budget. Last year's grants totaled nearly $10,000 and supported new worship speakers, Flower Guild supplies, classroom whiteboards, Prayground development, a new library check-out system,

Written by: Tami Stewart Per our conversation earlier about the Remote Trojan email - as a security professional, I strongly recommend informing all our St. Cat’s parishioners about the danger this phishing attack poses. This phishing email provides a access point for a Remote Access Trojan (RAT) to take over an infected computer, phone or tablet. One click sends the same malicious email to every contact in the victim’s device. The email is convincing - I checked it with Malw

What does discernment have to do with ministry? We are each asked to pray about how we will support St. Catherine’s with our time, talent, and treasure. This Sunday. August 23rd, we will offer a ministry fair between the services and after the 11 am service. We do this to help us see all the opportunities that we have to live into our baptismal vows. This season of discernment is not just about our financial pledge or tithe. This season of prayer and discovery is about what w

One of every church’s primary desires is to create a safe, welcoming and worship-focused environment. At St. Catherine’s we believe it is so important that we are formalizing a ministry devoted specifically to the wellbeing of our members, students, staff and guests while attending church and preschool. We believe that safety and sanctuary go hand-in-hand. A congregation can only fully turn its heart to worship when it feels secure in body and spirit. We are guided by faith,

Education for Ministry (EfM) is open to all who are seeking to deepen their faith, dig deeper into the riches of their Christian tradition, and want to join with others in their journey. In the fall of 2025 Education for Ministry launched a revised curriculum that includes a new one-year program, EfM: Wide-Angle. If it has been a while since you took EfM or are new to EfM, now may be the time to join a group at St. Catherine’s. Come and explore with others seeking to deepen t

Stephen Ministry is a ministry at St. Catherine’s in which trained and supervised lay persons provide one-to-one Christian care to individuals in our congregation and the community. Stephen Ministers: The After People People often ask, “What exactly is a Stephen Minister?” Stephen Ministers are: members of the congregation that have received 50 hours of training in providing emotional and spiritual care. their role is to listen, care, pray and encourage. One way to put i

Does it seem like a busy start to Fall? It certainly does to me. Here we are halfway into August and it still feels like it should be early summer. A lot has happened in a few short weeks. We said goodbye to Fr. Trey, Mo. Shannon, Seminarian to be Melody and to Rachel from the office staff. And we said hello to Megan Shannonhouse who took on a new role as Youth ministry coordinator. We are still looking for someone interested in the Children’s ministry position which is a