Newsletters
The Creator Connection September 2026
“If you see someone without a smile today, give ’em yours.”— Dolly Parton
From the Pastor’s Desk
Dear Friend,
I want to invite you to a conversation that I believe matters deeply for all of us who care about living in community. “The History of Us” Workshop will present an opportunity for us to remember our history honestly and learn from its pain and its promise. My hope is that, by sharing a fuller story together, we can better understand the community we have inherited and imagine the community we hope to become. I would love to have you join us.
The Episcopal Diocese of Mississippi and the Episcopal Church of the Creator, Clinton, invite you to “The History of Us,” on Saturday, September 12, 2026, from 9:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m., 3rd Floor, Alumni Hall of Mississippi Christian University (Clinton, MS).
On September 4, 1875, violence erupted during a political gathering in Clinton attended by white citizens and newly emancipated Black citizens, who had only recently gained the right to vote.
The deaths that day and the killing of many more Black citizens in the days that followed became part of a larger movement that helped bring Reconstruction in Mississippi to an end and, ultimately, led to laws designed to disenfranchise Black voters.
Clinton’s story, however, did not end there.
In later generations, Clinton became a national model for successful school desegregation, demonstrating what can happen when a community chooses to work together toward a healthier common life.
What can we learn from Clinton—both from the painful parts of our history and from the ways people have found a better path forward?
The Rt. Rev. Dr. Dorothy Sanders Wells, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Mississippi, will lead her workshop, “The History of Us,” with a special focus on Clinton as we remember the lives lost in 1875.
Drawing from her doctoral work, Bishop Wells invites participants to explore our shared history through the Christian call to love our neighbors, recognize the image of God in one another, respect the dignity of every human being, and make room for every voice in the telling of our common story.
We hope you will join us for this important and hopeful day of remembering, learning, and imagining how we might continue building a healthier life together.
There is no cost for the workshop or lunch.
Please register at [email protected] and include any dietary restrictions.
The Rt. Rev. Dorothy Sanders Wells, Bishop
Episcopal Diocese of Mississippi
118 N. Congress Street
Jackson, Mississippi 39201
Rev. Robert M. Blanton, Pastor
Episcopal Church of the Creator
1445 Clinton-Raymond Road
Clinton, Mississippi 39056
601-291-0652
HERE LIES A GOOD WOMAN
Since Dolly Parton died, I have enjoyed reading the many stories people have shared about her. But it was the little, unexpected stories of simple kindness that made me think about the stories that are told about any of us when we are gone.
None of us gets through life perfectly. We have bad days. We lose our patience. We say things we wish we hadn’t said. But over a lifetime, we also leave behind hundreds of small moments in the lives of other people.
Most of those moments probably won’t seem important when they happen. There is no great effort involved in listening to someone, offering a little help, making room at the table, sharing a smile or a wave, or choosing kindness when it would be easier not to. We may forget the encounter entirely while the other person remembers it for years.
If I had an old-fashioned tombstone and all it said was, “Here lies a good woman,” I would be at peace with that. Not a perfect woman. Not a woman who accomplished everything she intended to accomplish. Just a good woman.
Maybe that is something worth thinking about while we are still here to be the story people will someday tell about us. – Beth Braley
CREATOR WORKDAY SATURDAY, OCTOBER 10th Sign Up sheets will be available in the Narthex.
FINANCIAL STATUS August: Revenue – $ 13,069.83/Expenses – $15,192.43
FAITH IN ACTION
Help support the Clinton Christian Community Center (4C’s) and Mississippi College Student Food Bank with non-perishable food items each Sunday. Baskets are marked in the Narthex.
SEPTEMBER BIRTHDAYS/ANNIVERSARIES.
John Martin – September 25
DOLLY TRIVIA, because why not?
- Dolly once entered a Dolly Parton look-alike contest. What happened?
A. She won
B. She came in second
C. She lost
D. The judges recognized her
2. Who introduced 13-year-old Dolly Parton when she made her first appearance at the Grand Ole Opry?
A. Elvis Presley
B. Johnny Cash
C. Patsy Cline
D. Hank Williams
3. Which Led Zeppelin song did Dolly Parton record in her own style?
A. “Whole Lotta Love”
B. “Black Dog”
C. “Stairway to Heaven”
D. “Going to California”
Answers: C,B,C