A Warm Welcome Extended
(And Other News That's Fit To Print)
I have exciting news to share with the All Saints’ community. Lynn
Phillips-Gaines, a postulant for ordination to the sacred order of deacons,
has been assigned to All Saints’ for field placement. Lynn will begin her
training on Sunday, June 13 and conclude it in mid November.
The ordination vows that deacons take state in part that “in the name of
Jesus Christ, [they are called] to serve all people, particularly the poor,
the weak, the sick, and the lonely,” “to interpret to the Church the needs,
concerns, and hopes of the world,” and “to assist the bishop and priests in
public worship and in the ministration of God’s Word and Sacraments.”
Accordingly, Lynn’s field ed experience at All Saints’ will primarily focus
in three areas: participation in the servant ministry of our parish;
assisting in worship; and providing pastoral care to parishioners and the
broader community. She also will be involved in other aspects of our
ministry at All Saints’.
Lynn resides south of Starkville and has been a communicant of The Episcopal
Church of the Resurrection in that city since 1997. She is a graduate of
EFM, a member of the Daughters of the King and was admitted into the
diaconate program in the fall of 2008. Lynn is married to Russell Gaines, a
retired Commander of the Tri-County Narcotics Task Force. She has a son, Art
who along with his wife Ying and their daughter Acelynn, live in Memphis. A
graduate of Mississippi State University, Lynn received a master’s degree
from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. Lynn is a registered
investment management consultant and owner of Phillips Financial located in
Starkville. Lynn has been recognized by Money magazine as one of the
tope 200 financial planners in the United States and is very involved in
several community organizations and agencies in the Golden Triangle area.
I know you will join me in welcoming Lynn to All Saints’ and supporting her
in her ministry here.
In addition to Lynn joining us in early June, the summer is shaping up as an
exciting and relaxing time for me. Martha and I will leave June 11th to
travel to Kanuga (outside Hendersonville, NC) to attend the Christian
Formation Conference. The first half of the week-long conference will focus
on children and youth ministries; the second half will focus on young adult
and adult ministries. The conference faculty is outstanding and the
curriculum stimulating. I’m very much looking forward to participating in
this continuing education opportunity.
Your vestry has accepted Bishop Gray’s invitation to participate in the
Cooperative College for Congregational Development, a joint conference of
the Dioceses of Arkansas, Alabama, East Carolina, Mississippi and Tennessee
which will be held at Gray Center June 26 through July 3. I along with
Tommie Moore, Stacy Carroll and Albert White will represent the parish at
the conference which will be facilitated by the Reverend Melissa Skelton,
Rector, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Seattle, Washington, and Program
Director, the College for Congregational Development, Diocese of Olympia. I
am convinced that this Conference will be an outstanding learning
opportunity and will assist All Saints' leaders to evaluate mission
opportunities (both within and without our parish) and then develop programs
and initiatives to live into these opportunities.
I also look forward to an extended vacation this summer (my vacation last
year was spent packing our household and moving to Tupelo!). Martha and I
plan to travel to Colorado to visit friends and to camp in the mountains of
the area. I will be away beginning July 14 and will be back in the office on
July 26.
I am grateful to the Rev. Jan Oller, the Episcopal Chaplain at Ole Miss, who
will preach and celebrate June 13th and July 25th and to the Rev. Gene
Asbury who will cover the other Sundays and Wednesday healing services when
I am away. Thank you Jan and Gene!
I hope you and yours find time this summer for rest and relaxation. See you
in church!
Peace, Paul+
