Nativity Newsletter

Spotlight

Jack Barry

by Sally Lott McLellan

November 23, 2025

I first met Jack when I was a newbie at Nativity. He was elbow-deep in soap suds washing dishes after the weekly “after church” fellowship hour at the Salt & Light building. I asked if I could help and he said, “Nah, this is kinda my job.” Even though we all pitch in with clearing away and cleaning up, I now know that Jack is the primo dishwasher. And since we use real plates, real glasses and cups and real silverware there’s always a lot to wash, dry and put away! He is humble and devoted to his contribution to the Nativity family. And I should mention that he’s really a funny guy.

Jack has been in Water Valley for three years and says it was through the grace of the mother of us all that he landed here. He didn’t know anyone here, but his sister Jane, who he says is his godmother and Real Life Fairy Godmother, found lodging for him at The Blu-Buck Mercantile. (He declares that was largely due to Jane being smitten by Kagan Coughlin’s dimples.) It was Alexe van Beuren who invited him to Nativity. “I discovered a joyful weekly

celebration of the Lord at the darling little church and I committed to the loving community,” despite Vedanta (a branch of Hinduism) as his chosen sect. He now regards himself as a religious bigamist.

Soon after moving here, he began meeting “one bright, interesting, kind, funny person after another” and that continues, he said. “I fell for Water Valley through and through, and through (again) grace in abundance, I found a fine job as a bankruptcy paralegal (sticking it to the man on behalf of the destitute on a daily basis).” He rented a home from Joe York and was rescued by Katie, a red heeler mix, who Jack claims is the sweetest dog in town.

A native of Louisville, Kentucky where his background was in journalism, broadcasting, and horse racing, Jack went through a period of unhappiness that contrived to destroy his life. But now we have the great joy to call him ours and he says he is grateful for the opportunity to wash our weekly after-party dishes at the building he calls the SNL. “I ask the Nativity community to please accept my thanks for welcoming me. Onward and upward with the

hearts!”

Editor's note: To know Jack better, feel free to work alongside him in the kitchen. He always needs someone to dry and put away.

Those Who Serve:

Celebrant: Rev. Ann Whitaker

Music: Brenda/Katherine

Altar Guild: Vivian/Anne

LEM: Laura

MPOD: Mary Beth

Coffee Hour: everyone

Lessons: Christ the King

Jeremiah 23:1-6

Psalm 46

Colossians 1:11-20

Luke 23:33-43

Announcements

Advent Book Study begins next Sunday at 9:00. We will start at 9:15 am in the Salt & Light Building. The book is Expecting Emmanuel: Eight Women Who Prepared the Way by Joanna Harader. This is for everyone! All are invited. Please read the Introduction and the stories of Tamar & Rahab. Margaret Love Denman will be leading us in our study of Tamar and Rahab. If you have any questions, feel free to contact Kathy Shoalmire at (662) 801-6695.

Pledge Cards please turn them in by December 1st. You can place them in the offering plate or mail them in. The Finance Committee needs them to set the budget for 2026.

The Reynolds (Tommy & Liz) Christmas Party: is December 11th at Fountain Square. Please Save the Date. Food & Entertainment will be provided.

Volunteers Needed - December 12th - We will be offering the Salt & Light porch and building as a gathering spot for the Water Valley Christmas parade. Volunteers needed for serving the hot chocolate. Details to follow.

Poinsettias for Christmas Eve service. If you would like to donate to the Altar Guild Flower fund, there are envelopes in the back of the pew for you to designate if your donation is in honor of or memory of someone. The recommended contribution is $35. Make checks payable to Nativity and on the memo line designate Flower Guild.

Nativity Newsletter

Sunday at 9am at Salt & LIght- Join Andy Andrew as he leads us as a congregation in the development of a collect (prayer) for Nativity as we match our dreams with what God wants for us. Just like the congregational survey this is an important piece of our quest for a new vicar. 

The Rev. Andy Andrews' current role is Missioner for Beloved Community and Congregational Vitality for the Episcopal Church in Mississippi. He serves the Bishop and Diocese as the loudest cheerleader and advocate for amplifying the ministry of renewal, welcome, and belonging. Ordained in 1996, Andrews has led congregations in Louisiana, Tennessee, and Mississippi. His passion is creating unlikely partnerships which build collective leadership inspiring Gospel transformation. He holds a DMin from Episcopal Divinity School, an MDiv from Seminary of the Southwest, and a BBA from the University of Mississippi. He is married with three children.

Those Who Serve

Celebrant: Rev. Andy Andrews

Music: Dianne 

Altar Guild: Kathy/Jackie

LEM: James

Lectors: Jack/Jo Ella

MC POD: April

Coffee Hour: Everyone (no one signed up)

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

LENTEN BOOK STUDY: Expecting Emmanuel - Eight Women Who Prepared the Way by Johanna Harader. 

We will meet through the Epiphany to discuss the book and talk about how we are impacted by what we learn from the lives of these women. 

Everyone is invited to participate. Please contact Kathy Shoalmire at nativitywatervalley@gmail.com. We will meet on Sunday mornings at 9:15 in the Salt & Light building.

The following is copied from the Amazon website. You can order from Amazon. The cost with tax is approximately $17.

journey through Advent and Christmas with the women of Jesus’ family line.

Christmas is about so much more than twinkle lights, sugar cookies, and perfect family photos. It’s about the world-changing, transforming, and sometimes messy reality of “God with us.” As we dive deep into the biblical accounts of Jesus’ female ancestors and reflect on God’s presence in their complicated lives, we can begin to release our expectations of a “perfect Christmas” and instead seek the experience of a holy season.

Through invitational spiritual practices and reflections, this daily devotional centers the stories of five women in Jesus’ genealogy—Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, Bathsheba, and Mary—plus three additional female figures connected to Jesus’ early life in the days leading up to Epiphany. You will also find resources for exploring the lives of these women in worship, small group, and retreat settings. This Advent and Christmas season, step into the true power of the Incarnation as we journey together to the manger and encounter the omnipotent God who has come to us in the vulnerable Christ-child.

DECEMBER 11 - Liz and Tommy Reynolds invite you to attend their annual Christmas party. This year it will be at Fountain Square. Food will be provided.

DECEMBER 12 - We will be offering the Salt & Light porch and building as a gathering spot for the Water Valley Christmas parade. Volunteers needed for serving the hot chocolate. Details to follow.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR GENEROSITY

As a congregation we generated $487 last Sunday in the undesignated offering for our Blessing Box. 

In addition, the Mission Committee voted to donate $300 to the Water Valley nursing home to purchase Christmas gifts for the residents.

Nativity Newsletter

Fr. Rick Roesller will be celebrating the Holy Eucharist with us this Sunday, November 9.

Father Rick Roessler+ lives in Vicksburg, MS with his wife Deacon Tami Jo. He served as a military officer for 33 years and went to seminary immediately following. He was ordained to the Deaconate in February and to the Priesthood in November of 2019. Fr.

Rick+ has served in Ticonderoga, NY and in Vicksburg, MS since ordination. He currently supplies for Church of the Good Shepherd two Sunday’s a month and wherever else he is called.

Fr. Rick+ enjoys taxes (yes, there are people who like to prepare taxes) and is an enrolled agent, he worked for TurboTax during the last tax period and plans to continue working in the financial management/taxation area in 2026. Fr Rick+ also serves as the

chief of the diocesan disaster prevention and response team. He spent most of his Air Force career working in disaster management and is honored to be able to bring this

ministry to the diocese of Mississippi.

When he is not working, you will soon find Fr. Rick+ enjoying his granddaughter, his first is expected in December or January. His oldest daughter—Allyson—lives in Monroe, LA and his youngest daughter lives in Ridgeland, MS.

Those Who Serve

Celebrant: Fr. Rick Roessler

Music: Brenda/Katherine

LEM: Robbie Fisher

Altar Guild: Liz/Karen

Lectors: Dawn/Eddie

MC POD: James

Coffee Hour: Please bring a dish! We'd like to welcome Fr. Rick with some food.

Prayer Requests

Susan - sister of Les Nichols

Steven

Teresa - friend of Susan Still

Abigail

Beryl - mother of Brenda Prager

Don - brother-in-law of Becky Kelly

Steve - father of Katelynn Dillard

Richard - father of Dawn Denham

Jae - fried of Mary Beth Pulsifer

Barbara - sister of James McCormick

David - father of James McCormick

Betty - aunt of Kathy Shoalmire

Lauren

Kristen - friend of Margaret Love

John and Erin

The Mission Committee

All who serve Nativity

Vicar Exploratory Committee

Announcements

PLATE OFFERING ON NOVEMBER 9 - all undesignated offerings collected on November 9th will go toward our Blessing Box. This is a difficult time for those who have food insecurity. Please consider contributing to this special offering this Sunday.

PLEDGE CARDS - DUE DATE DECEMBER 1: Pledge cards have all been mailed and should be arriving soon for those who did not pick up one in the church. There are still some blank ones in the back of the church. Please consider pledging so that the finance committee can help the Mission Committee with the 2026 Budget.

NEXT SUNDAY - NOVEMBER 16 9am at the Salt & Light Building with the Reverend Andy Andrews. Andy will meet with us prior to the service at 9am at Salt and Light to lead a session titled "First things first: Let's Pray!" Andy is the missioner for the Beloved Community and Congregational Vitality for the Diocese. Andy will lead us in constructing a collect (prayer) to help our dreams match up with God's dream for us! You don't want to miss this opportunity.

LENTEN BOOK STUDY - Expecting Emmanuel - Eight Women Who Prepared the Way by Johanna. Harader. If interested, please contact Kathy Shoalmire or Margaret Love Denman. Meeting time TBA.

SURVEYS -  Please complete ASAP. The Congregational Survey will be used by the Vicar Exploratory Committee in their work toward us securing a vicar. The Vicar Exploratory Committee is not a search committee, but will work with the Diocesan Office of the Bishop.

Congregational survey - Copies are in the Salt & Light building and you will turn them in there, too.

Fellowship Survey: Fellowship Survey - link for survey. This is to gauge interest in ways that we can strengthen our connectivity one to the other. It is not a firm commitment survey.