From the Rectors3.amazonaws.com/dfc_attachments/public/documents/1431/news_… · From the Senior...
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This is a New Year’s greeting to all, which I am writing by the wood-stove as we hun- ker down for a big snowstorm. First, may I appreciate and thank all whose effort went into making a very special Advent and Christmas season at St. Mark’s: the extra work of the choir, acolytes and altar guild, those who greened the church, mitten makers, not to mention the guests and visitors who all helped to make the season bright. It is encouraging to see on a weekly basis, new faces who are inquiring about the parish. Worship at St. Mark’s is our reason for being, especially as it defines our ministry and enriches the spirit of community and our connection to one another. Embedded in our worship and, perhaps, because of it, we are a remarkably vibrant community which calls out to those who might lack a more abundant and meaningful life by the support of intentional community. The lonely and uninvolved, people who live alone and whose families are gone or at a distance, all who seek care and friendship and a circle of hands and eyes that will light up when they enter, those who need voices that will celebrate or mourn or remember or hold them when they falter. St. Mark’s is a circle of friends - a place where we belong to others who know our names and guard our souls and miss us when we are away. In a world of global communication and instant message - of twitter and facebook and cyberspace, nothing quite replaces the old sense of belonging to one another in the small intentional ways which knit together in one communion and fellowship those who otherwise might never meet. When you invite someone new to St. Mark’s that is what they may find, and that is what they may bring. Faithfully yours in 2010 Stephen From the Rector January 2010
Transcript of From the Rectors3.amazonaws.com/dfc_attachments/public/documents/1431/news_… · From the Senior...
This is a New Year’s greeting to all, which I am writing by the wood-stove as we hun-ker down for a big snowstorm. First, may I appreciate and thank all whose effort went into making a very special Advent and Christmas season at St. Mark’s: the extra work of the choir, acolytes and altar guild, those who greened the church, mitten makers, not to mention the guests and visitors who all helped to make the season bright. It is encouraging to see on a weekly basis, new faces who are inquiring about the parish.
Worship at St. Mark’s is our reason for being, especially as it defines our ministry and enriches the spirit of community and our connection to one another. Embedded in our worship and, perhaps, because of it, we are a remarkably vibrant community which calls out to those who might lack a more abundant and meaningful life by the support of intentional community. The lonely and uninvolved, people who live alone and whose families are gone or at a distance, all who seek care and friendship and a circle of hands and eyes that will light up when they enter, those who need voices that will celebrate or mourn or remember or hold them when they falter. St. Mark’s is a circle of friends - a place where we belong to others who know our names and guard our souls and miss us when we are away.
In a world of global communication and instant message - of twitter and facebook and cyberspace, nothing quite replaces the old sense of belonging to one another in the small intentional ways which knit together in one communion and fellowship those who otherwise might never meet. When you invite someone new to St. Mark’s that is what they may find, and that is what they may bring.
Faithfully yours in 2010
Stephen
From the Rector
January 2010
From the Senior Warden
Page 2 St. Mark ’s Episcopal Church Newsletter January 2010
From the Music Desk
As we are about to welcome in 2010 let's take time to think back about the past year at St. Mark's. We are blessed to have The Very Rev-erend Stephen Foote and Deacon Monty Hen-derson with us. Dean Foote has extended his term to guide us as we undertake the calling of a new priest to St. Mark's. His wisdom and challenging nature is helping to direct us to-ward our new calling. Monty Henderson was celebrated into the Diaconate in early 2009 at a wonderful service at St. Luke's in Portland and was assigned by Bishop Lane to his home par-ish of St. Mark's. It is great to have them both with us!
The Vestry and Discernment Committees con-tinue their work toward the calling of a new priest. We have slowed down that process and are working with the Diocese in what is called a Diocesan Development Plan. The idea is to
work to strengthen the church to get us to a place where we could call a full-time priest. Our present budget could not afford that.
We enjoyed a number of church gatherings dur-ing the past year with the Summer and Christmas Fairs as the big events. Those fairs show what we can do when we work together, and the family nature of the work makes the oc-casion fun for all. The annual Mid-Maine Home-less Shelter supper was another activity that ral-lied the greater Waterville community and show-cased our family at St. Mark’s.
As we think ahead to 2010, keep in mind the task ahead for the Discernment Committee and Ves-try. Your thoughts and prayers are welcome! We all need to work together as we progress toward the calling of a new rector for St. Mark’s. With God’s help the road will be made easy!
Don’t forget the Annual Meeting on January 24th!
Bob Johnston, Senior Warden
For those of us who spent a
quiet, anticipatory Advent at
St. Mark's, how the musicians did lead us joy-
fully into Bethlehem on Christmas Eve! Alan's
peaceful prelude set the scene and joyful carols
closed the service. What a full, glorious sound
was made that night: 38 singers in the choir
loft and most for both services. Very old, very
new, and some very familiar choral music cele-
brated the birth of the Christ Child. How stirring
that so many former CYV singers made extra
practices during Thanksgiving break and Christ-
mas week to be able to sing; what a gift they
were and continue to be to our parish!
Did you also notice what a "family" choir it was
that night? Not only is the choir a dedicated
family who cares for and looks after each other
and presents music throughout the year to the
glory of God, but also it is a "family" choir, par-
ticularly thiSarah Wheeler, Nate, Tim and Mary
Rector; Cathie Kimball and Kelsie Stevens; Deb-
bie Howard and s Christmas Eve: Jan, Carin and
Sarah King (dare I say the three Kings were
there?); Frannie Howard-Girard; Sarah and Tay-
lor Ferguson; Dan Eccher and Brigid Mullally;
Betsy and Jerry Tipper; Alex, Stacy and Spencer
Theriault; Amy, Catherine and Mary Ellen Johns-
ton; Sue and Tom Nelson; who am I forgetting?
Our thanks and blessings on the "seasonal sing-
ers," too, who swell the ranks for Advent through
Epiphany.
It is a pleasure to lead all the dedicated choris-
ters of St. Mark's. I thank them often for their
gifts to you - and now I do, again, on your be-
half. We've come to expect much of them and
much they give - happily so. Many thanks, St.
Mark's choristers all, for Christmas Eve and al-
ways.
Mary E. Rector, Director of Choirs
Page 3 St. Mark ’s Episcopal Church Newsletter January 2010
Page 4 St. Mark ’s Episcopal Church Newsletter January 2010
The Blue Box
“Bishop Stephen Lane is starting a Book Club for members of the Diocese. The first book is Brian McLaren's Everything Must Change. It is available on Amazon for $8.80. To learn more about the book and to participate, simply visit the Bishop's Book Group page on his blog." St. Mark’s Seekers will begin meeting after the holidays on Tuesday, January 12, 6:30-8pm. Join us in the Radley Room. If you cannot obtain a copy, now is the time to let Carol Souviney at 873-3636 or cesouv@gwinet know if you want a book or-dered for you. Contact Carol for any other questions.
Quilters
Journey to Adulthood (J2A)
Don’t forget: The bottle drive, January 3 ...the sleep-over Saturday, January 9!
Seekers
The United Thank Offering Fall Ingathering to-
talled $574.05. Thank you all for your "thankful"
contributions.
Here are three ideas or thoughts on contributing
from three of you in our St. Mark's congregation.
1. We matched the amount we donated as a re-sult of our sustainability calculations (the money went to ERD this past November-ed.) with a de-posit in our Blue Box because we were thankful for the fact that we can act sustainably and still be assured of being warm and cozy in our home, have hot showers every day and even have run-ning hot and cold water when so many people in the world don't have running water or central heating at all.
2. I am thankful for kids: my own and others'; and for all their qualities - the frustrating and worrying qualities as well as the loving and proud-making qualities.
3. I am thankful for so many things - one, that my husband has a job; our family spends a little time each night counting our blessings together.
Pat Slater
SEEKERS next reading will be the same book as...
The St. Marks Quilters meet twice a month at 10:00 AM on Tuesday morning in the Radley Room at St. Mark’s. Our focus is socializing and sharing quilting skills. (Notice what is men-tioned first!) We offer quilts for various church activities, including making a quilt for any child baptized at St. Marks.
We would be happy to include in our group any person interested in quilting, regardless of reli-gious affiliation. If you know of anyone who might be interested, please let us know, and we will be happy to extend a warm welcome.
Gini Landry
Page 5 St. Mark ’s Episcopal Church Newsletter January 2010
Sunday School News
Advent 4’s Mini-Pageant
ZACHARIAH WAS A... (as in Jeremiah Was A Bullfrog)
ZACHARIAH WAS A RABBI, VERY GOOD FRIEND OF GOD
ONE DAY HE CAME FROM THE TEMPLE AND HE COULD NOT SPEAK
FOLKS MUST HAVE THOUGHT IT WAS VERY ODD ('CAUSE HE WAS ONLY DOING HIS JOB)
CHORUS: singing JOY TO THE WORLD, ALL THE BOYS AND GIRLS
JOY TO THE FISHES IN THE DEEP BLUE SEA,
JOY TO YOU AND ME! (JOY TO YOU AND ME)
AN ANGEL'S WORDS HAD MADE HIM SILENT, 'cause HE COULD NOT BELIEVE
"YOU AND YOUR WIFE WILL HAVE A BABY THOUGH YOU BOTH ARE OLD
AND Y O U ' L L BE NAMING HIM JOHN, HE WILL PREPARE PEOPLE FOR GOD'S SON!"
CHORUS: and bring JOY....
narrator: "LONG AGO, ONE DARK COLD NIGHT, IN AN ANCIENT LAND... TWO WEARY TRAVELERS EN-
TERED A SHED LOOKING FOR SHELTER AND WARMTH. ONE OF THE TRAVELERS WAS A YOUNG WOMAN,
SLOW AND TIRED WITH THE BABY IN HER, SOON TO BE BORN.
THE TIRED MAN SETTLED HIS PREGNANT WIFE IN THE SHED AND THE COWS IMMEDIATELY SURROUNDED
HER WITH THEIR WARMTH AND KNOWLEDGE OF GIVING BIRTH...
AND SOON THE BABY BOY WAS BORN.
ON THAT SAME NIGHT A BRIGHT STAR SHONE DOWN ON THAT ANCIENT LAND, A STAR NEVER SEEN BEFORE
BY THE STAR GAZERS. THE STAR MAPS WERE STUDIED BUT NOTHING COULD TELL WHY A NEW STAR HAD
SUDDENLY APPEARED. THE STAR WAS NOTICED BY ANYONE AWAKE AND LOOKING UP AT THE SKY... IN-
CLUDING ANIMALS.ANIMALS IN THE SHED, UNDER THE BRIGHT STAR STIRRED IN ANTICIPATION AND WON-
DER: DONKEYS, GOATS, CATTLE, AND OXEN, SHEEP, AND HORSES. ANIMALS NEARBY CAME CLOSER TO THE
SHED: CAMELS, CHICKENS, GEESE, DUCKS, DOVES, MICE AND RABBITS. AND ANIMALS FAR AWAY BEGAN TO
JOURNEY TOWARDS THE STAR AND SHED TRAVELING TOGETHER IN PEACE AND GOODWILL...
LIONS AND LLAMAS, HAWKS AND HAMSTERS, BEARS AND BUNNIES, PANDAS AND PANTHERS, COUGARS AND
KITTENS, KANGAROOS AND CHIPMUNKS, PELICANS AND PERCH TRAVELING TOWARDS THE SHED IN THAT
ANCIENT LAND TO BE IN THE PRESENCE OF THE HOLY FAMILY.
AND SUDDENLY THERE WAS A MULTITUDE OF HEAVENLY HOSTS PRAISING GOD AND SAYING, "GLORY TO
GOD IN THE HIGHEST HEAVEN, AND ON EARTH PEACE AMONG THOSE HE FAVORS." AMEN
sing (double verse:) MARY AND HER HUSBAND... WENT TO BETHLEHEM SHE HAD HER BABY IN A STABLE WITH
THE ANIMALS, BECAUSE THERE WAS NO ROOM IN THE INN.
AND THE ANGELS SANG TO JESUS, they SANG SO JOYFULLY!
(and the) ANIMALS AROUND HIM MUST HAVE ALL JOINED IN WITH SOME SWEET SOUNDING HARMONY
the AN-I-MALS WERE IN HARMONY!
ANIMAL
CHORUS: and there was JOY TO THE COWS, BOARS AND THE SOWS!
JOY TO THE PIGEONS IN THE OLIVE TREES, JOY TO YOU AND ME!
HOR-SES AND GOATS, CA-MELS AND SHEEP!
JOY TO THE ROOSTERS AND THE CHICKS THAT PEEP, JOY TO YOU AND ME!
ANGEL GABRIEL played by BRYCE STEWART, ZACHARIAH: James Stewart, HOLY FAMILY: Janet, MacGregor, and
GABRIEL STOCCO narration: ALYSSA HIGBIE
Animal story by Harriet G., ANIMAL CHORUS lyrics by RITE 13, other lyrics by Jane B.
Page 6 St. Mark ’s Episcopal Church Newsletter January 2010
We will gather for lunch and hear about the
Dawson's camping across country in snowy
June, 2009. ALL women are welcome. Bring
your lunch. Coffee, tea and homemade des-
sert provided. Bring a friend.
For additional information, call Barbara
Knowlton or Tossie Kozen.
Is coming down on Epiphany!
Our Advent and Christmas season gifts to
help warm heads, feet and hands of children
in our community will leave the branches of
our tree on Epiphany: next Wednesday, Janu-
ary 6th. Please remember to bring your knit-
ting, crocheting or after-Christmas sale items
to adorn the tree.
Prayer Shawl Ministry We will gather to knit, crochet, wind yarns,
repair dropped stitches, laugh, drink tea, bless
a competed shawl and enjoy each other's
company on
Tuesday, January 12th and Janyary 19th, 1-
2:30 pm
We have blessed 17 shawls in 2009.
Bring a friend and join us.
.If you have any questions, call Pat Gerrie.
Martha Guild The Mitten Tree...
Appearances
God of unchanging power
and eternal light, loving God, who is Mother and
Father of us all; Grant to your people in the Epis-
copal Diocese of Maine grace and courage to be a
new church for a new day. Give us vision and wis-
dom to discern your will in a changing world and
persistence to go out to our neighbors and live
your Good News in new and creative ways. Help
us to trust the companionship of your Spirit on
this journey even as we experience confusion and
difficulty. Lead us, we pray, to that future, still un-
seen by us, where you are already waiting for our
arrival and where, with your Son and the Holy
Spirit, you live and reign now and forever. Amen.
Collect for a
Changing World
This winter, I urge us to pay closer attention to the order and appearance of parish house and church space. Housekeeping and order at St. Mark’s could become more intentional as we consider repainting, refurbishing and general tidiness and order. Beyond routine maintenance, the building committee will give priority to areas that need repainting and perking up. The building committee needs to expand to include a housekeeping department which will address issues of internal appear-ance. Interims are fine times to spruce things up. If you have interest and ideas about this, there is an opportunity for you to help....please don’t remain silent. Steve
St. Mark ’s Episcopal Church Newsletter January 2010 Page 7
To Remember in Your Prayers:
Sick or Convalescent
Amanda Kluzak Tim Terry Hal Anderson Deborah Dawson Sarah Geoffrey Miller Betty Lee Felix RaeAnn Virginia Horner Kelli Alyssa Maddy Bonnie Anjelica Eric Lewtas (Baby) Jamie Knotts Marty Spann Clarence Shepherd Alan Burgess Mike Beaudoin
Phyllis Rancourt Paul & Lucille Audet Felicia Gary Noeley Bridget & Frank Gehrling
Home-Bound or in Nursing Homes
Barbara Alfred Wheeler Gard and Nona Young Ken & Emilia Goodine Carole Burke Mary Irene Kathy Turner Irene Fenderson Barbara Miller
St. Mark's Schedule of Services
Rite One 8:00 a.m. and Rite Two 10:15 a.m.
Wednesday Holy Eucharist Rite Two – 10:00 a.m.
The mission of St. Mark's Episcopal Church is to celebrate with joy the full extent of worship and
prayer in the Anglican tradition; to foster in young and old spiritual growth through education and fel-
lowship; to recognize and respond to human needs and responsibilities within and beyond our parish;
to direct our Christian love to all people.
Bishop Interim Rector
The Rt. Rev. Steven Lane The Very Rev. Stephen Foote
Deacon
MontyHenderson
Music Director Organist Dir. of Christian Ed. & Formation
Mary E. Rector Alan Wingard Jane Burke
Vestry
Robert Johnston, Senior Warden Rudy Landry Dan Eccher Andrew Higbie
Mike Gosselin, Junior Warden Stew Stokes Tim Rector Sue Nelson
Pat Gerrie, Treasurer Alex Theriault Lee Lyford Jim Horner
Paula Saul, Clerk
St. Mark's Episcopal Church
60 Eustis Parkway, Waterville ME 04901
207-872-7869
e-mail: [email protected]
online: www.stmarkswaterville.org
E-News: [email protected]
Newsletter: [email protected]
p r a y e r l i s t r e q u e s t s :
Steve: [email protected]
Deacon: Monty Henderson [email protected]
Our thanks to Great Works Internet for their generous program supporting
web sites for nonprofits in Maine.
Visit www.gwi.net
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
1 2
3
HE 8 AM
10:15 AM
4 5
6
HE 10 AM
7
Adult Choir 7:15
8 9
10
HE 8 AM
10:15 AM
11 12
Quilters 10-12 AM
PSM 1-2:30 PM
Seekers 6:30 PM
13
HE 10 AM
14
Adult Choir 7:15
15 16
17
HE 8 AM
10:15 AM
18 19
PSM 1-2:30 PM
Seekers 6:30 PM
20
HE 10 AM
21
Adult Choir 7:15
22 23
24
HE 9 AM
ANNUAL MTG
25 26
Quilters 10-12 AM
Seekers 6:30 PM
27
HE 10 AM
Vestry 5:30 PM
28
Adult Choir 7:15
29 30
31
HE 8 AM
10:15 AM
St. Mark’s Episcopal Church Calendar
January 2010
HE - Holy Eucharist MG - Martha Guild PSM - Prayer Shawl Ministry
