Clergy and Staff

The spotlight shines on two more members of our amazing clergy and staff this week. Hopefully, you will learn something new about each of them and will come to appreciate them even more. Please remember to use one of the notes in the Parish Hall to express your thanks to them.

KATHARINE ARMENTROUT, Deacon (retired)
Ordained as a Deacon in 2004, joined Holy Family in 2006, and retired in 2023.

• Before moving to Big Canoe to be near their children and grandchildren, Katharine and Scott had lived in Baltimore for 40 years.
• She grew up wanting to be a pediatrician, but decided to go to law school after her children were grown, and spent 20 years as an attorney (including 18 as an Assistant U.S. Attorney, and 5 at the Department of Justice).
• Her favorite part of the liturgical year is Maundy Thursday which is the most tender of nights and Pentecost which is the most joyous of celebrations.
• Her favorite Bible verse is Psalm 121:8, “The Lord shall watch over your going out and your coming in from this time forth for evermore.”
• The part of her work she most enjoys is “being able to share the love of our Lord, trying to make a difference in our community, and listening to the stories of those I encounter in my work.”

JACQUES LEBLANC, Sexton
Sexton (from the medieval Latin word sacristanus meaning “sacred object caretaker”) for Holy Family since 2018.

• He was born in Sulphur, Louisiana and was named after Jacques Cousteau (his mother wanted him to have a French-sounding first name to go with his surname).
• His father was a “ferrier” (a horse shoer) working in Texas, California, Oregon, Washington, and back to Louisiana. Jacques eventually learned to be a blacksmith and metal worker after moving to Georgia.
• Jacques moved to Georgia in 1993, fell in love with all outdoor activities, and got to ride a mountain bike in the 1996 Olympics closing ceremony.
• He developed a passion for cooking (with his Cajun flair) when he opened a restaurant with his uncle Jack in 2005.
• His role as Sexton brings him great pleasure in getting the church ready for Sunday services every week.

Clergy and Staff

During the month of June, the spotlight shines brightly on our incredible Clergy & Staff. Each week we will be highlighting these devoted and dedicated persons who work tirelessly to make sure that our parish is inspired, cared for, informed, safe, and clean, among many other things. It is possible that the only place you see them is robed at church on Sunday mornings or perhaps you may not even know who they are. Each one has led an amazing journey to come to this place in this time and through sharing of their experiences, we hope that you might come to know and appreciate them better. There are notecards in the Parish Hall for you to express your appreciation and offer prayers of thanksgiving for all they do!

THE REV. DR. TED HACKETT, Priest Associate

Ordained in 1965 (Batavia NY); Professor Emeritus from Candler School of Theology (Emory) in church liturgy, history and ministries; joined Holy Family in 2006.

His love for liturgy has produced several Eucharistic prayers which are used often at Holy Family.

“Big Ted” was one of the East Coast’s premier rock-n-roll disc jockeys in the early 1960’s for WKBW in Buffalo, NY.

As a member of the “Concerned Clergy of Atlanta”, Ted served as a guard at Dr. Martin Luther King’s vigil.

Advent is his favorite liturgical season because “it is pregnant with new life.”

Ted was appointed the first director of Episcopal Studies at Candler for his design of the “Supervised Ministry” seminar which combined existing MDiv curriculum with the canonical requirements of The Episcopal Church.

JOHN KING CARTER, Choirmaster & Organist

Choir Director, Organist & Pianist, and Composer; joined Holy Family in 2008.

• John was born in Greenville, Alabama, where his ancestors have lived for 200 years. 
• His first job was as a church organist – while he was still in high school. He would continue his musical education at Birmingham Southern College (majoring in piano) and earning a Masters Degree in Choral Conducting from Reinhardt College.
• As the choral director of the Canterbury Choristers (Retirement Community), John directed the Gilbert & Sullivan opera, “Trial by Jury”, sung by an ensemble of 80-90 year olds.
• Beside many of the Psalters in the service leaflet, the initials JKC indicate an original arrangement by John.
• During COVID, John creatively utilized various technologies to ensure that music was still integral to the worship experience, thereby initiating Holy Family’s entrance into the virtual world.

CARES

Community Assistance Resources and Emergency Services (CARES) was started in 1997 at Holy Family as a food bank for Pickens County. With leadership from Holy Family parishioners and solid community interest, the organization became a separate, non-profit entity with the current building on Cares Drive in 2006. CARES’ mission is to provide food items, temporary financial assistance, and resource counseling for anyone in need of these services in Pickens County. These necessities serve to improve quality of life and strength of spirit for the recipients and give them hope in God’s world. Basic human needs must be met before people can have the initiative, drive, and hope for a sustainable future.

CARES provides free food boxes Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays and access to emergency assistance funds for living-related expenses on the first and third Friday mornings of every month. Food deliveries occur for those unable to come to the CARES building. Meats, fruits and vegetables, canned foods, bread, and other items are provided by several local stores, donations, and low-cost food from the Atlanta Community Food Bank. CARES services 1000 client visits per month. Emergency funds distributed range between $5000 and $8000 per month. Resource-contacts at Chattahoochee Tech are provided to those interested in pursuing their GED or job skills.

CARES’ small, service-driven staff and a dedicated group of volunteers contribute around 1100 hours of time monthly. Please let CARES Board of Director members Andy Edwards, Elaine DeNiro, or Vicky Harkins know if you are interested in volunteering or donating.
www.caresforpickens.com

The Hospitality Committee

If there is food involved at Holy Family, the Hospitality Committee is involved. From “Coffee Angels” who host the after-service coffee hour, to committee members who plan Wonderful Wednesdays from May to October in locations around the area, our committee is all about fellowship and fun. Starting with Advent and a Very Merry Advent Coffee, the“Hospitality Committee” decorates the Parish Hall and organizes for food and drinks provided at numerous events and activities such as Epiphany dinners, Lenten potlucks, Easter breakfast, a special Easter Festive Coffee, and Wonderful Wednesdays. In addition to those, we assist other committees with receptions and gatherings throughout the year until we come full-circle to Advent again. The Hospitality committee is always busy being “hospitable” all year long.

In true hospitality fashion, we welcome new committee members. To join the fun, please contact any of the following: Lynn Mayes, Katie Hawkins, Ann Pinner, Anne Tindall, Connie Moore, Melinda Edwards, Susan Rowan, Rosie Crowe, Patricia Stimmel, Debbie Freudenthal, Marlin Ferrell, Sandy Baggett or Martha Power.
We can certainly find a perfect place for YOU!

Lectors and Intercessors

The Lectors and Intercessors serve a very important part of each service at Holy Family. The Lectors read one of the two readings for each service. The readings are read from the ambo and provided to the lector in advance of the service. The Intercessors read the Prayers of the People following the Nicene Creed and are read from the ambo. As with the readings, the Prayers of the People (POP’s)are provided in advance and often need to be revised the day of the service due to additions to the illness list. Both roles are easy and all that is required is the ability to read a document in a public setting. We are always looking for more Lectors and Intercessors. If you have interest in serving as either or both, please contact Head Verger Jim Braley at jim@fleetfeetjohnscreek.com.

What do the Flower Guild, Eucharistic Ministers (EMs) and Vergers have in common? All are integral part of the service every Sunday at Holy Family. 

The Flower Guild is less visible than the other two groups. They are like invisible elves that design and install all of our beautiful floral arrangements for all services, whether it be the evergreens for Christmas or the lilies for Easter. If you are interested in joining the Flower Guild, contact Betsy Kiser, bhkiser@gmail.com. 

The Eucharistic Ministers or EMs are very visible. They carry the torches during the processions into and out of the church and during the Gospel process. Their other very important job is to serve during communion to ensure that all of those who wish to take part in communion are able to participate. The EMs, with the priest, deliver the chalice for intincture or a sip of wine as part of the overall communion experience. If you are interested in serving as an EM, contact Jim Braley, jim@fleetfeetjohnscreek.com.

That just leaves the vergers. There are four vergers who act as the Master of Ceremonies for all services held at Holy Family. The verger is in charge of ensuring that all of the personnel needed to conduct the service are present, such as the lectors and intercessors, and to escort all readers to the ambo during the service. The four vergers at Holy Family are Head Verger, Jim Braley; Senior Verger, Amelia Broussard; Connie Moore, and Richard Smith.  

THANKS TO THE GROUNDS TEAM AT HOLY FAMILY: The Grounds Team is responsible for the upkeep of almost 40 acres of Holy Family property. The team currently consists of eight members who regularly work on the property Tuesday and Thursday of each week, weather permitting. While the work varies through the seasons, these individuals are the ones we can thank for all the landscaping, maintenance, and improvements throughout our stunning campus. Tasks include, but are not limited to, fallen tree removal, necessary mowing of grassed areas, detail cutting and maintenance of shrubs, re-seeding, drainage system re-work, and walking trail maintenance. The team is continuously working on plans to beautify and enhance the property; last Spring they kicked off their project to create a more pollinator-friendly environment on church grounds, using plants and flowers native to the North Georgia mountains at various places around campus. It is no wonder we receive compliments that include words like rejuvenating, peaceful, and gorgeous on a regular basis from parishioners and visitors who enjoy the grounds. 

Please join me in thanking our Grounds Team for their outstanding work on our breathtaking campus! Phil Anderson, Senior Warden