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EPISCOPAL CHURCH OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

PROFILE 2008

A Prayer for the Church of the Holy Spirit

Bless us, O God, as we seek to discern your will for our congregation. Help us to speak the truth in love as we

consider our future and the role our new rector is to play along with us in the building of our faith community and the

spreading of the gospel. Enable us with your blessed Holy Spirit to move forward in faith. We ask this in Jesus’ holy name.

Amen

OUR PAST 1974-2008

It all started with “the need” in April of 1974. Jeanie Lipscomb felt the

“need” for an Episcopal church in Forsyth County, and Dr. James F

Hopewell, a theology professor, volunteered to help her start one, and

he would serve as vicar for the next 5 years. The “Forsyth County

Episcopal Fellowship” met in a local bank with the mission of

Christian sharing and community service.

On The Day of Pentecost 1974 “The Fellowship” was officially

established as a mission of the Diocese of Atlanta. Emphasizing God’s

empowerment of ministry through the Spirit, the church was named

The Episcopal Church of the Holy Spirit, popularly known to many as

ECOHS. In 1977, to meet the needs of the new congregation, the

present site was purchased and the first sanctuary was built, and the

first service was held on Christmas Day.

* In 1978 Deacon E. Claiborne Jones became the first full-time paid

staff member, and one year later Bishop Bennett J. Sims appointed

Donald B. Clapp vicar in May of 1980.

* In December of 1981 the Rev. Bruce Birdsey became rector and

remained so until July of 1986. Under his leadership the church grew,

became financially independent, and in 1982 the church began

construction on a new sanctuary and additional facilities. As the

church grew additional staff was added, and Nancy Greene began her

long time service as part-time church secretary in 1986, a position she

would hold until 2004. The Christian Education department was

established, and a choir director was hired.

* In December of 1987 the Rev. Samuel Candler became rector and a

period of significant growth occurred both in the size of the

congregation and in the programs offered at the church. Under his

leadership and that of his enthusiastic wife “Boog”: Christian

Education expanded including Bible Study.

A Mother’s Morning Out Program began and would expand into

“The Cumming Episcopal Preschool”

Successful Outreach programs were established including lunches

for seniors, the Christmas Angel Tree for needy families, and food

preparation for “The Place”

* 1992 brought Deacon Lynda F. Moore to Holy Spirit, where she

would remain to become the first assistant rector. In 1993 the Rev.

Sam Candler accepted the call to become Dean of the Cathedral in the

Diocese of Upper South Carolina and The Rev. Lynda Moore served

as interim rector.

* 1994 Dr. Dwight E. Ogier Jr. was called as rector. He brought to the

church a strong sense of community involvement. He served until

1998.

* At the end of Father Ogier’s tenure, Holy Spirit experienced a period

of conflict within the congregation. The diocese assisted by

recommending Dr. Walter Daves as a conflict consultant.

Episcopal Church of the Holy Spirit 3

* 1999 brought The Rev. Roger H. Ard and his stirring sermons to

Holy Spirit as interim rector. During this time period the church

membership grew, became debt free and purchased surrounding land

for further expansion.

During this time St. Columba’s mission church was established in

South Forsyth and some of our congregation who lived in that area

became their charter members.

* 2002 brought The Rev. Melanie Mudge to Holy Spirit as rector. The

Rev. Don Harrison was hired as a part-time associate rector to direct

Christian Education which grew with the “rotation” model of Sunday

school for children and the J2A program youth. Adult education

participation increased, and Wednesday night adult sessions became

an important part of Holy Spirit. A part time youth minister was hired

to expand our teen youth program.

*After a time issues arose between the leadership of the parish and

Mother Mudge about the vision and direction of our church life.

Mother Mudge agreed to the hiring of a mediating consultant, but the

issues were not resolved. By mutual decision Mother Melanie resigned

in 2006. This was a challenging time for our congregation in terms of

morale, membership, and finances, but with honest reflection on this

matter during the interim period, we are determined to move forward

in faith and understanding to establish a healthy relationship with our

next rector.

* In 2006 The Rev. Wells Newell Graham became the interim rector

of Holy Spirit. He is helping us to look honestly at who we are, what

we need as a church, and how to “Move Forward in Faith.” During this

time the children’s education area was redone, new stained glass

memorial windows were given and installed, and a risen Christ statue

was added above the altar in the sanctuary. Adult education

participation has increased, family Lenten programs have been

established, Vacation Bible School programs have been changed to

evening programs that include families, and the expansion of the

grounds has begun with the grading of land that will house a memorial

garden, soccer field, and outreach building.


WHO WE ARE

We are a friendly congregation united by our spiritual communion and

faith. This is attested to by our recent parish survey. Over seventy

percent of those responding said that the liturgy, the enjoyment of the

people in the church, the sermons and feeling welcome and cared

about were very important reasons for why they attend. We enjoy the

fellowship of others in social gatherings of breakfasts, picnics, dinners,

receptions, and our kite flying day and our fish fry.

Those responding to our survey paint a good picture of the individuals

who call our church home. According to the responses, we have a long

history as Episcopalians with eighty-eight percent of us having more

than fifteen years in the denomination. Thirty-one percent of us have

been at Holy Spirit for over fifteen years. We are diversified in our

occupations with sixty-four percent holding college or postgraduate

degrees. We share our views and opinions openly because we care.

The Diocese of Atlanta encompasses 55,000 Episcopalians in 93

Parishes throughout north and central Georgia. Holy Spirit is a

member of the Marietta convocation and has 306 baptized members.

We hold two Sunday services with a total average attendance of 107.

Kite Flying Day

games

Annual Fish Fry at the lake


WHERE WE LIVE

The Episcopal Church of the Holy Spirit is in Cumming, the only

incorporated city in Forsyth County, Georgia. About thirty-five miles

north of Atlanta, Forsyth County is comprised of two hundred forty-

seven square miles. A portion of Lake Sidney Lanier (twenty-two

square miles), one of the largest and most popular lakes in the nation,

is in the county. To the north and west are the foothills of the

Appalachian Mountains.

For the past couple of decades, the growth in Forsyth County has been

dynamic and explosive. Along with increased wealth and increased

property values have come attendant issues of congestion and traffic.

The county remains largely a commuter community, mostly utilizing

the Georgia 400/19 corridor linking it to Atlanta and other of its

northern suburbs. While changes have occurred in minority presences

in the county, the population is still overwhelmingly white. In 2008,

Forsyth County was named by Forbes.com as the richest county in

Georgia, and the thirteenth wealthiest in the United States, based on

household income. Additionally, Forbes named the county second in

the nation as a place to get ahead, based upon opportunities available.

Perennially listed as one of the fastest-growing counties in the United

States for the past decade, residents are continually adjusting to social

and economic changes, with realistic expectations that these trends

will continue

.

WORSHIP

Our congregation is deeply committed to the traditional Episcopal

liturgy, drawing fellowship, comfort, and inspiration from the rhythm

and beauty of the words of the Book of Common Prayer. We hold two

Holy Eucharist services each Sunday, said at 8:30am without music,

and sung at 10:45am with music and hymns: Rite II is the usual form,

with Rite I being used during Holy Week.

Preschool friends


Our priest is supported in worship by parishioners of all ages who

participate in the roles of verger, Eucharistic minister, lector, acolyte,

altar/flower guild member, chorister/musician, Sunday school teacher,

usher, and intercessor. A said Eucharist is held at noon every

Thursday. Stations of the Cross is said weekly during Lent and daily

during Holy Week, Licensed Eucharistic Visitors take communion to

parishioners who are sick or shut-in after the 10:45am Eucharist.

CHRISTIAN EDUCATION

“To educate is our mission”

Our Christian Education department for children is in good hands. We

offer Sunday school for 3 year olds through fifth graders each Sunday

morning. We have Children’s Church for the youth at the 10:45

service. An evening Lenten series led by Father Graham for families

and aimed at children has been extremely successful. Vacation Bible

School week for families is offered in the summer in the evening.

Risen Christ Statue over the altar


Adult Education is led by lay leaders and is alive and well at Holy

Spirit! For the last two years we have provided the adults with Sunday

classes dealing with the topic “Reconciling Faith in A Culturally

Diverse World”, and “The Historical Perspective of the Gospel.” In

this program, we offered a variety of experiences to learn of other

faiths and an in-depth look at the gospels from a historical perspective.

The classes have been well attended. There is also a

Wednesday Bible Study and Thursday Faith Group, and we hold

Lenten Suppers and Personal Witness sessions.

PRE-SCHOOL The ECOHS pre-school is a growing, thriving institution with more

than 30 students. It meets 4 days per week in the classrooms

downstairs. There are programs for one, two and three year olds which

emphasize learning through socialization and play. The four year old

program follows the GA Pre-K curriculum.

YOUTH We have a small but dedicated group of middle and high school aged

youth. This group has participated in several youth pilgrimages and

missions. They have gone to Washington DC, England, and New

York, which has helped to bond this group together. Currently the

program is focusing on confirmation for the young people. Seven

young people were confirmed at the Cathedral in March of 2008. The

youth meet on Sunday mornings between the 8:30 and 10:45 services

in the “shed”. We are struggling to keep our youth interested due to

nearby churches that have developed programs that are attractive to

our youth and the non-church activities that our youth are so involved

in . The program is being led by a small but involved group of adults.

We have a tradition of a Youth Sunday on Mother’s Day. At the

services, the graduating seniors give the sermon and this is always well

received. Our survey shows an interest in growing our youth program.

Confirmation Day


PASTORAL SUPPORT The Pastoral Support Ministry supplements the priest’s role by sending

notes, making phone calls, hospital and home visits, and prayer. The

In-reach program takes meals to parish families during times of trouble

(death, illness, surgery) or times of celebration (birth of a baby or

adoption of a child). An Intercessory Prayer Chain is available for

those who have immediate prayer needs, and is implemented through

phone calls and e-mail.

Parish Family Weekend

PARISH LIFE Breakfast Hospitality is a way for our parishioners to congregate after

Sunday morning worship, and it creates a welcoming climate for

newcomers and visitors. Gatherings such as Adult Foyers, which

include a Summer Garden Party and a Christmas Party, monthly

Men’s Group, monthly ECW, Ladies’ Lunch, and Reading Club offer

other occasions for fellowship among our church family.

Annual events include: Wednesday Lenten suppers, Hugo “Dutch”

Janhz Memorial Kite Flying Day, Fish Fry and Boat Blessing, our

Parish family weekend at Camp Mikell, Low Country Boil, and an

Outreach Fundraiser Pig Roast. We have numerous committees in our

church to supplement many aspects of Parish life. Some of our

committees include: Worship, Stewardship, Christian Education,

Building and Grounds, and Communication. Our main sources of

communication are the Sunday bulletin, Sunday announcements

provided by our rector, our Parish newsletter, “The Dove”, our web

site at www.episcopalholyspirit.org, and visitor pamphlet and

newcomers booklet.

Dance winners at

retreat

Look for this sign to events off site

http://www.episcopalholyspirit.org/


STEWARDSHIP

The stewardship committee of Holy Spirit seeks to help the

congregation better understand the meaning of stewardship in all areas.

It is our belief that stewardship is not limited to our gifts of money

alone. Each fall, ECOHS holds its annual every member pledge drive

where parishioners are encouraged to renew and often increase their

commitment of treasures, time, and talent.

Our operating budget is developed with input (requests) from each

parish ministry. This information is evaluated by the vestry and the

finance committee with the pledge results being used to develop a

budget that best meets the needs of our parish. Our vestry works very

hard to operate under a balanced budget. There was a slight surplus in

2007 due to the expenses being less than income. The following chart

shows the proposed budget numbers for the 2008 fiscal year. The other

numbers are actual amounts.

STEWARDSHIP AND EXPENSES:

ECW annual fundraising auction


OUTREACH

Since the founding of ECOHS, Outreach has been especially important

to our perception of our role in our community and the larger world.

Almost all of our parishioners participate in this important expression

of our communal life in Christ.

Our offerings to our community include:

A non-food items pantry distributing assistance to the needy on

a monthly basis. Our storage area is currently housed in a lean-

to shed attached to the Youth building. New facilities on site

are currently being planned.

Provision of traditional foodstuffs (turkeys, hams, and all the

usual trimmings) to our Pantry clientele, at Thanksgiving and

Christmas

Preparation and serving of a substantial lunch for senior

citizens at The Place, a nearby social services charitable

organization, at approximately six week intervals.

Supply of “back-to-school” kits consisting of backpacks and

school supplies for disadvantaged children in our community

An Angel Tree each Christmas to fulfill the Yuletide wishes of

needy children in this locale

A very talented and productive Knitting and Crocheting Guild

that meets weekly to create caps, comforters, bibs, and tiny

blankets for premature babies born at local hospitals. They also

make stoma covers for cancer patients and watch

caps/balaclavas for our military personnel on active duty in

Iraq and Afghanistan.

Use of our Parish Hall for regular AA and NA meetings

Additionally, our parishioners provide physical and financial support,

usually via the Diocese of Atlanta, in the event of natural disasters

such as the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

Knitted caps and blankets fr preemie newborns

Knitting and crocheting group


BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS

The Episcopal Church of the Holy Spirit stands on nine acres at the

corner of Pilgrim Mill Road and Oakwood Circle. The current

sanctuary was built in 1987 and connects via a hallway to the kitchen,

restrooms and the parish hall. To enhance the Sanctuary of our

worship space, this past year we have added the Stations of the Cross,

a statue of the Risen Christ over the altar, and several new specially

designed stained glass windows which were funded as memorials with

one time donations.

ECOHS has added an additional 50 paved parking spaces, a

fenced youth soccer field, as well as new access to the interior of the

site. This will open the site to some “sweat equity” projects like the

outdoor worship space, outdoor pavilion and an outreach building.

The memorial garden will be completed with monies from the garden

fund. Downstairs are the parish and rector’s office plus six classrooms

around a central play area and the nursery area. The preschool uses

the Sunday school classrooms during the week. The bell tower in the

front of the church was added as a memorial to Hugo “Dutch” Janhz, a

driving force in the church’s early days. There is also a small detached

building called the “shed”, which houses the outreach nonperishable

supplies, and where the youth meet. The church was painted in 2007

and a new roof was installed in 2008. Overall the facilities are very

well maintained with regular grounds maintenance (grass cutting,

shrubbery trimming etc.) done by parishioners, and the interior of the

youth building was recently refurbished.

Bell tower and parish hall

Memorial window New paved parking area


THE FUTURE WE ENVISION 2008

Through our Parish Survey we discovered that:

Sixty-four percent of the parishioners responding stated they

would like to see our church add additional members

Sixty percent want to see more youth activities

Fifty-five percent stated they like the “small church

atmosphere” and that is why they attend

Sixteen percent responded that they want to see the church

remain the same size

Because we are called to grow and spread the Good News of God’s

Love. Our challenge is to keep the small church atmosphere as we

grow in numbers, and in faith in Christ. Parishioners say they attend

because they are very happy at Holy Spirit, and like the fellowship,

welcoming atmosphere, and the spiritual setting. We would like to

grow in membership, and increase youth involvement and ministries.

The future of the Episcopal Church of the Holy Spirit not only

encompasses the current parishioners but the future parishioners to do

God’s work.

Other comments in our survey suggested that even though we are

good at outreach, there is still more to do.

With past history in mind, we need to listen to God’s voice, to the

parish survey responses, and move forward in faith.

THE RECTOR WE SEEK

We have experienced the challenges that most parishes do. As a

family, at this time in our community, we seek a leader who will

help us grow in faith and membership. We have always shared our

strengths and opinions in the hope of helping and improving as

individuals and as a parish. Therefore, our desire is to find a rector

who will:

Help us create an atmosphere that promotes spiritual

growth.

Listen to all and make common sense decisions.

Have the faith and ability to hold us together when

challenges arise

Help us build consensus on important issues while teaching

us how to understand and live the Christian Faith.

Help us to build and share leadership in our church.

Be outgoing and communicate effectively with us as a

group and as individuals.

Care for us with strong pastoral skills.

Understand the struggles of Christians in everyday life, and

present strong sermons with a clear message to help and

guide us.

We seek a rector with whom we can grow in faith, while enjoying the

wonderful life God has given us. We look for our journey to be one of

serving together, praying together, learning together, and having fun

together.


Vestry Members

Kathy Gibson, Sr. Warden

Russ McClelland, Jr. Warden

Alice Bryan

Chad Cartwright

Shannon David

Steve Howell

Beth Jones

Hal Neal

Carmen Smith

Discernment Committee

Greg Plank, Chair

Joan Anderton

Bruce Cross

Carol Franklin

Bill Kukarola

Brian Lewis

Kathy Mello

Nancy Tarrer

Zack Wilson

The Rev. Rob Wood, Consultant

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