If you go to Honey Creek, get on a boat and follow the waterway out to sea, you will find yourself on St. Andrews Sound. Several building projects and developments in northeast Camden County bear the name of St. Andrew in some way. Since St. Andrew was a fisherman it is most appropriate that a body of water be named after him. Many people cherish the thoughts of St. Andrew, and he is regarded as the "patron saint" of Scotland, Greece and Russia. Surely there must be lots of good fishing in those countries too.
The Episcopal Church also loves St. Andrew. He was an Apostle of Jesus Christ who according to tradition gave his life for the cause of Christ, so Andrew gets a "red letter day" on our church calendar. If we take a quick glance at Andrew's life as portrayed in the Gospels, we might think that Andrew didn't do very much. He is seldom mentioned except in the lists of the Apostles, but when he is mentioned, he is blessing others with his thoughtfulness.When I picture St. Andrew I think of his faithfulness. He was simply always around when Jesus needed something. Andrew's great claim to fame is that he was the brother of St. Peter, who is regarded as chief of the Apostles of Jesus Christ. The irony here is that Andrew met Jesus first and then brought Peter to Jesus. He was gracious to step into Peter's shadow when Peter became the leader of the Church. Andrew is also known for a very famous incident having to do with fish. When Jesus was going to feed the five thousand people at once, it was Andrew who found the lad with the five loaves and two fishes and asked Jesus, "What is that among so many?" Andrew was the sort of person who would swing open the door so that others could walk right into the Kingdom of God. So today, we remember St. Andrew as we pray this prayer:"Almighty God, who gave such grace to your apostle Andrew that he readily obeyed the call of your Son Jesus Christ, and brought his brother with him: Give us, who are called by your holy Word, grace to follow him without delay, and to bring those near to us into his gracious presence; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen." (from the Book of Common Prayer)Pastor LindaThe Rev. Linda McCloudPastorThe Episcopal Church of Our Savior at Honey Creek www.oursaviorhoneycreek.org
Do you like word association games? 
If you say "critters" to Georgia Episcopalians, chances are they will say "Honey Creek Camp and Conference Center." That is where many of us go to spend time with God, and as a bonus we might spot a family of raccoons, or four baby armadillos, or a painted bunting. We love regrouping and telling what we saw. Once on a bicycle ride at about dusk I saw a small fawn, which at first I took to be a large dog.
If you say "critters" or "animals" to any other Christians, you might hear "St. Francis of Assisi." That is because artistic portrayals of Francis show him with a bird on his shoulder and a large wolf at his side. By the way, that wolf is "Gubio." I'll save his story for another time. Regarding critters, Francis is known for this verse: "All creatures of our God and Kinglift up your voices, let us sing: Alleluia, alleluia!"For all you purists who wonder why I would mention St. Francis on a day other than October 4, here is what triggered my word association: St. Francis was also known for his attempts to make peace in a war-torn world. We live in a war-torn world. Our national and religious leaders are doing a lot of continent-hopping in hopes of making peace. I remind us of this familiar prayer attributed to St. Francis as a starting-place for peace:"Lord, make us instruments of your peace. Where there is hatred, let us sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is discord, union; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy. Grant that we may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen."Pastor LindaThe Rev. Linda McCloudPastorThe Episcopal Church of Our Savior at Honey Creekwww.oursaviorhoneycreek.org
Transition is never easy. There is an emotional component to which we must pay attention. Moving from one location to another means more than just packing up our worldly possessions. For a time we live in both places, which means that we are not really resident in either. This is happening to me right now. St. Margaret of Scotland Episcopal Church in Moultrie, Georgia, which I now serve, is preparing for my transition to be Pastor of The Episcopal Church of Our Savior at Honey Creek in Waverly. I am phasing out here, but I am working hard to make sure I leave everything just right so that the work can carry on smoothly. I have a big "to do" list of projects which I am working on.
At the same time, I am working on urgent and important matters at Waverly, by e-mail or phone if possible and in person if necessary. I have a big "to do" list for that as well. And then there is my "Moving Right Along" list that will assure I have notified the local utility companies when I no longer need their services.
As I take care of business, the most important thing about this move is that I say a proper good-bye to the people in Moultrie who have become my community. This is the "soul work" that will allow me to say hello and make a whole new beginning with a new community in Camden County. This is the toughest part of the transition, but it comes at a perfect time of year. As the year comes to an end, I will close out my stay in Moultrie. As the New Year begins, I will begin a new work in a new place. I will meet new people and life will be a new adventure. I am getting my ducks in a row now so I will be all set to go and totally settle in to my new home.
Pastor Linda
The Rev. Linda McCloud
Pastor
The Episcopal Church of Our Savior at Honey Creek
www.oursaviorhoneycreek.org
A couple of days after the Thanksgiving feast was over, I ran across a statistic that jolted me back to reality: A typical Thanksgiving meal can consist of as many as 5,000 calories! That’s about three days’ worth of nourishment and all our vitamins and minerals with a few antioxidants thrown in for good measure – all at one sitting. It is no wonder that turkey torpor sets in before we get the kitchen cleaned up.
Thanksgiving is only the beginning of the season in which rich foods are so readily available. It could make your arteries gurgle just thinking about it. One sure antidote is physical exercise, so I think it’s worth a couple of more miles of walking or running for a big piece of Grandmother’s pumpkin pie.
Allow me to recommend some food during this holiday season that won’t cost you another belt notch. It’s food for your soul. I’m speaking of such wonderful events as Handel’s Messiah. Is it coming to your neighborhood soon? Is it within walking distance of your home? If you can participate in the singing of Messiah, that is all the better because you have to rehearse. Not only will that burn off calories, but the music becomes a part of your thought processes. But if you couldn’t get signed up to sing, please take in the performance. The sheer exhilaration of the Hallelujah Chorus is worth a trip from anywhere.
Another plus is that if you have not had time to read the Bible very much lately, Handel’s Messiah will catch you up on everything from the Old Testament Prophets to the New Testament Book of Revelation. There’s a performance of Handel’s Messiah in my town tonight. My friends and neighbors are singing in it. I can’t wait to go and get my soul fed.
Pastor Linda
The Rev. Linda McCloud
Pastor
The Episcopal Church of Our Savior at Honey Creek
www.oursaviorhoneycreek.org
Yesterday I went grocery shopping, driven by fear of mutinous behavior on the part of my kitten if I let her food supply run low. I don't know why I had put it off. I actually like to go grocery shopping. Or at least I like to be in the marketplace where I can say hi to some neighbors and friends in a neutral environment.
Did you ever notice how much you can learn about your friends and neighbors if you run into them at the grocery store? This is where you see people in their ratty old college sweatshirts, or in t-shirts emblazoned with the logo of their favorite sports team. Oh, the knowledge we gain about each other in such places! You might even find out if they like brussels sprouts or cilantro. It's really a good place to build relationships a little at a time.
Before I could leave the store I simply had to visit the candy aisle for a bag of my favorite little squares of chocolate -- the kind that contain so much cocoa that one piece is a whole dessert. When I arrived at that aisle it was blocked by two women who were obviously glad to see each other, and had important business to discuss. I did not mean to eavesdrop, but they were blocking my chocolates so I hung around until they moved their shopping carts. It seems that these two ladies attend the same church and were discussing some special event they were working on together. As they parted company, one said to the other those three little words that are music to the ears of every priest and pastor: "See you Sunday."
I can't wait for the day when I will be at a grocery store or post office and hear someone from The Episcopal Church of Our Savior at Honey Creek say to me, "See you Sunday."
Pastor Linda
The Rev. Linda McCloud
Pastor
The Episcopal Church of Our Savior
www.oursaviorhoneycreek.org
Linda McCloud+
It is early morning when I am writing this new blog, and maybe you have already been standing in line for hours at your favorite mega-store to buy those rare toys that are so in demand this year. So, maybe I'm talking to thin air here, and maybe it will be tomorrow before you read this, or maybe it will be January. Today is the annual gold rush day in America, when every store tries to make its sales goals for the year. The advertising in yesterday's newspapers was frantic. Was your paper as thick as a Sunday paper? A lot of trees gave their lives to the cause.
This is only the beginning of the "holiday season" as it is now known, and the whirlwind of activity will spin on for more than a month, leaving us wilted. It might even leave us with a let-down feeling. This is the time of year we hear two major streams of thought competing for our attention. On the one hand, we hear the advertisers wanting to empty their shelves in exchange for our empty wallets. On the other hand, we hear those who would calm us and advise us to pace ourselves.
How can we enjoy all the festivities and keep a balance in our lives? We can do this by taking time to pray. If we begin each new day with intentional time with God, we might be amazed at how much better our days will go. Rather than just rushing off to do the urgent things, we will have taken time for the important thing. Jesus had a lot of urgent pulls and tugs on each of his days, but he always began his days with the important thing - prayer.
"O God, the King eternal, whose light divides the day from the night and turns the shadow of death into the morning: Drive far from us all wrong desires, incline our hearts to keep your law, and guide our feet into the way of peace; that, having done your will with cheerfulness during the day, we may, when night comes, rejoice to give you thanks; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen." (The Book of Common Prayer, p. 99)
Pastor Linda
The Rev. Linda McCloud
Pastor
The Episcopal Church of Our Savior at Honey Creek
Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours. This morning I offer A General Thanksgiving from The Book of Common Prayer, page 836:
Accept, O Lord, our thanks and praise for all that you have done for us. We thank you for the splendor of the whole creation, for the beauty of this world, for the wonder of life, and for the mystery of love.
We thank you for the blessing of family and friends, and for the loving care which surrounds us on every side.
We thank you for setting us at tasks which demand our best efforts, and for leading us to accomplishments which satisfy and delight us.
We thank you also for those disappointments and failures that lead us to acknowledge our dependence on you alone.
Above all, we thank you for your Son Jesus Christ; for the truth of his Word and the example of his life; for his steadfast obedience, by which he overcame temptation; for his dying, through which he overcame death; and for his rising to life again, in which we are raised to the life of your kingdom.
Grant us the gift of your Spirit, that we may know Christ and make him known; and through him, at all times and in all places, may give thanks to you in all things. Amen.
Linda McCloud+
Church Planter
The Episcopal Church of Our Savior at Honey Creek
linda@oursaviorhoneycreek.org
So am I. Perhaps we could begin to get acquainted. Over the years I have lived in four States -- Kentucky, Ohio, Tennessee, and Georgia. At various times I have found myself moving in and out of those four places. I have had two driver's licenses each in the first three States, and I now hold my third driver's license in Georgia. Soon I will be moving to beautiful Camden County for keeps. In the summer of 2003, I spent seven weeks in the area and learned to love it. Now I plan never to live anywhere else. Maybe you are just now moving in and beginning to find your place in your new community, 
or maybe you have lived here all your life so far and find your community changing. Please consider getting in on the ground floor of a really good thing -- a new Episcopal Church.
As an Episcopal Priest, the most exciting part of my move to Camden County is that I get to be the founding pastor of The Episcopal Church of Our Savior at Honey Creek. I will be called a "church planter." I will get to see the sunrise on the marsh on a regular basis. I am coming to Camden County not only to plant a church, but to plant my life with the other newcomers among the long-time residents.
Pastor LindaThe Rev. Linda McCloudPastorThe Episcopal Church of Our Savior at Honey Creekwww.oursaviorhoneycreek.org
