Naglee Carves Communion Set from Fallen Oak as Gift to ERTs

Rev. David Naglee, retired clergy, recently crafted a communion chalice and paten as a gift to the ERT of the North Georgia Conference. ERT (Early Response Teams) are volunteers from across our Conference trained to respond after tornadoes, floods, hurricanes, and other disasters. 

Naglee, a master woodworker, carved the set from a branch of an oak that was downed by the March tornado in Pine Mountain.

It is fitting that ERT from Newnan First UMC, responding to the storm in neighboring Pine Mountain, selected the branch for Naglee.

While the set isn't his usual style, he wanted the chalice to be bold-oak-strong, showing the stress marks, and the paten to have the live edge of the real tree.

"I hope this chalice and paten is useful and helpful," he wrote in a letter to Rev. Scott Parrish, Conference Disaster Response Coordinator. "I appreciate the work you and our ERT folks do. This is a gift to you all."