The St. Francis Chapel at St. Mary’s Church has been gifted two original icons by master iconographer Father Panagiotis Pefkis. Father Pefkis is a Greek Orthodox priest and a world renown iconographer.  He was trained at the Athoniados Ecclesiastical Academy of the Greek Orthodox Church on Mount Athos Greece. Along with his son and sister, he operates the famous Pefkis Workshop of Byzantine Icons in Trikala Greece.

Father Pefkis’s icons are painted in the strict Byzantine/Cretan style using hand mixed mineral pigments combined with real egg yolk and vinegar.  He uses gold leaf in this icons to illuminate the holiness of the saints and Christ.  His icons are prized by museums, churches, monasteries, and private collectors around the world.  

The icons gifted to our new chapel at St. Mary’s Church are of the Theotokos (Mother of God) and the account of the Crucifixion scene based on the Gospel of John.  The icons are not copies, but are actual written (painted) icons by Father Pefkis.  The icons have been mounted on the brick wall in our new Saint Francis Chapel so to be appreciated and honored by those that visit the chapel for prayer and quiet moments.  Please take time to view the icons and pay special attention to the detail of the faces.  The exquisite detail in each icon is amazing to behold in these two icons.

Icons are created (written) using an ancient method of layering colors from darks to lights. The light of God is intended to shine from within the image.  Icons are considered by the Eastern branch of Christianity as windows into heaven.  Icons are not viewed as paintings, but rather sacred images that draw us into the presence of the Holy One.  Icons are given a place of honor in Orthodox, Catholic, and Anglican (Episcopal) worshiping communities. 

Oct. 18, The Twenty First Sunday after Pentecost, bulletin insert

Altar Flowers remind us of the beauty of God's creation.

Mass Servers: (8:00 a.m. & 11:00 a.m.) Celebrant – The Rev. Amy Huacani, Preacher – A. Maynor (11 a.m.) Servers – L. Bullock, A. Maynor; Lectors - H. Teahan, L. Bullock; Ushers – the Hathcocks; Hospitality -; Counters -T. Naomi, K. Osteen-Cochrane; (Vestry persons of the day) 

Click here for our Seasonal Bulletin.

New Adult Forum topic at 9:30a.m. explores Sainthood and our own stories: sharing genealogy and our life stories in connection with the Great Cloud of Witnesses. 

Lectionary readings, Lectionary study resources

Compline - every Sunday at 7p.m.

Farris, Michelle, Linda, Richard, the Reed Family, Ken, Randi, April, Cynthia, Tom, Josh & Jennifer, Jamey, Colin, Matt, Gus and Jean, Hayes, Derek; all those deployed in harm’s way at this time, Stacie, Kevin, Arlene, Paul, Ryan, Taunya, Julie, Bryce and Family; Brian & Devon and the Gurley Family, Margaret, Mary, Brendan, Bill & Debbie, Julia, Hanna, Huston, Sam, Kent, Andrew and the Blankinship Family, Jane, David, Carol, George, Susan, Kevin, Linda, Mike, Kathy, Gideon, Maurice, Edith, Taylor, Karl, Florence, Bob, Melissa, Stephen, Ellen, Trish, Diann, Nellie, Sharon, Susan, Nicki, Sandy

Prayer for Bishop Search:  Almighty God, giver of every good gift: send forth your light and your truth, that they may lead us in discerning who we are as Christ's church now, and who God is calling us to be in our next season of shared ministry; so guide the hearts and minds of those who shall choose a bishop for this diocese, that we may receive a faithful shepherd, who will care for your people and equip us for our ministries; through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Youth Group meets every Sunday evening from 5-7:30 p.m. More info is in the Youth Ministry section. 

Compline is every Sunday at 7:00 p.m. We welcome all interested in participating and in leading this meaningful service to complete the day. If you would like to lead on a Sunday, contact the Parish Administrator or our Youth Minister, Colin. 

New Adult Forum topic at 9:30 a.m. explores Sainthood and our own stories: sharing genealogy and our life stories in connection with the Great Cloud of Witnesses. 

ECW’s next meeting is this Tuesday, Oct. 20, at 6:30 p.m.  ECW meets every 3rd Tuesday.

Middle School Retreat is October 23-25.

Dedication Sunday Celebration, October 25 – After the 11 a.m. service, we will have a potluck lunch.  Bring your favorite dish! Please sign up on the whiteboard to let us know how many to plan for and what you will bring.

All Saints/All Souls remembrances:  Please submit by Monday, Oct. 26, names of loved ones you’d like remembered on All Saints Day, November 1, to the parish office.

Nov. 1 Daylight Savings Time ends – turn clocks back one hour Saturday night. 

Diocesan Convention is November 7 at Lake Logan.

High School Retreat is November 20-22.

Saint Mary’s “Merch”! Show your love for Saint Mary’s with merchandise with our shield on everything from water bottles to t-shirts, and everything in between. Visit: https://articlesofreligion.com/collections/st-marys-asheville 

Updates to our website (saintmarysavl.org) include a printable monthly calendar and a link to the newsletters. 

In God’s house there is always room for more: more ideas, more people, more ways to share, more stories to tell. And in the world that God created, there is more needed: more love, more connection, more peace, more creativity. Plenty Good Room reminds us that there is always room in God’s house; we just need to make ourselves at home and invite others to join us. The ways we steward our relationships, resources, and responses to grow ministry and serve our neighbors are the ways we connect our gratitude to our generosity. There’s Plenty Good Room in God’s House; pull up a chair and sit down.

Ministry of Hope

The MINISTRY OF HOPE serves women at the Western Correctional Center for Women - they are mothers, daughters, sisters, family, & community members. Learn more about what they do and their programs here. Also see the flyer highlighting their ministry of spiritual parenting education. 

Opportunities for Diocesan Ministry

In preparation for our Diocesan Convention, the Nominating Committee of the Diocese of WNC hopes to be able to present a full slate of nominees for open positions on Diocesan Committees. Please see the list of openings and a brief description for each committee HERE.  If you have interest or questions, please contact Jonathan Stepp, Nominating Committee Chair at jonathanstepp7@gmail.com, or any member of the committee: Jim Bowden, St. Peterby-by-the-Lake/Denver; Christine Longoria-All Souls/Asheville; Bill Hasskamp-St. James /Black Mtn; Perry Hildreth - Holy Communion/Ashe Co.; Joslyn Schaefer - Grace/Waynesville

Asheville Buncombe Community Christian Ministry (ABCCM)

ABCCM has many ways you can help to provide individuals an opportunity to grow, mature and express their faith through fellowship and service for the joy set before us in Christ.  You can learn more  HERE.  ABCCM operates seven ministries that provide emergency needs and longer term efforts to help individuals heal and be restored. You can be a part of this. CLICK HERE

Click the button to see what is happening in our community of faith of Western North Carolina.

Subscribe to the Diocesan Newsletter here.

Learn more about The Episcopal Church

The Episcopal Church mission and ministry priorities rise from the work done at General Convention. See the depth and breadth of the work in which our church is involved HERE.

Episcopal News Service shares stories of faith lived and prayers offered.

The EPISCOPAL PUBLIC POLICY NETWORK (EPPN) is a grassroots effort of The Episcopal Church’s Office of Government Relations to educate, equip and engage individual Episcopalians in federal public policy advocacy, guided by the resolutions of the General Convention and the Executive Council.