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The Red Door
DECEMBER 2012 News of the people and ministries of Saint Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church, Sanibel, FL
MESSAGE FROM THE RECTOR
Dear Friends in Christ,
Tuesday’s “Science Times” never lets me down. Not a week passes
without some fascinating piece of research or discovery or other earthly
(or unearthly) illumination! Last week I read that crickets and
grasshoppers are having a pretty hard time living in urban areas. It seems
that the excessive noise level from highway traffic has forced them to
change their whole way of communicating with one another - especially
their attempts to send love songs to prospective mates. The article was
entitled “Love Songs Adapted for the Rush Hour” and the latest research
explained that road noises “can mask the grasshoppers’ and crickets’
signals.” The study stated further that this increase of human “noise” is
having a steady negative impact not only on crickets and grasshoppers
but also on the songs of birds and frogs. Their unique and beautiful ways
of interacting seem to be getting drowned out by all of our hectic, fast-
paced, got-to-get-there way of living. I guess the good news is that these
little creatures adapt, they still communicate......they just sing their love
songs in a different key, and the cycle of nature goes on.
Our cycle of liturgical life goes on as well as we enter into the season of
Advent on Dec. 2 – another opportunity to reflect, another opportunity to
take stock of our soul, another church season to strengthen our
relationship to God in Christ. But how to do it! How to prepare for
Christmas in the midst of so much noise! The cacophony of television
and radio ads, pop-ups on our e-mails, strident secular Christmas songs
blasting in big-box stores. It’s a wonder that the “noise” of the urgency of
Christmas shopping doesn’t adversely affect the human brain. And what
about our love songs – to God and one another – our communicative
ways of compassion, empathy, and care? How do we prepare for the
renewal of Christ in our lives at Christmas with the noise of the
marketplace? How will we continue to sing our love songs?
Thomas Merton felt very pulled and pushed by the world and its
busyness and accompanying noise – so much so at one point that he had
to retreat into solitude in a monastery. However, his retreat to find
solitude was never an escape from life, never a total retreat from the
world. Merton knew in his deepest heart that his solitude with God was
only a way – the only way for him – to reflect and renew and reenergize
his soul in order to go back out into the world to do Christ’s work. He
wrote, “We need to protect our spirits from the ambushes of busyness
and schedules.”
[Continues on next page]
Holy Eucharist Saturday at 5:00 p.m.
Sunday at 8:00 & 10:30 a.m.
Morning Prayer Tuesday at 9:00 a.m.
Healing Eucharist Wednesday at 9:00 a.m.
Wednesday Evening Worship 5:00 p.m.
Potluck Supper December 5th
5:30 p.m.
Christmas Eve Services Monday, December 24th
5:00 p.m. & 8:00 p.m.
Christmas Day Service Tuesday, December 25th
10:00 a.m.
2
[Rector’s Message continued]
The commandment to love our neighbor is our call
to do Christ's work in the world – our call to sing
love songs to one another. It may be difficult to
warble in the midst of the ambushes of this season
or because someone who's hurt you is so very hard
to love. If you're having trouble "adapting," find
some quiet and solitude each day during Advent -
even ten minutes will do it - and you will find the
grace to love your neighbor in a different key.
Blessings, Ellen
Christmas Eve & Christmas Day
Worship Services We invite you to join us for one or more of our
special Christmas services this year as we celebrate
the birth of Christ together as a Saint Michael’s
family.
The 5:00 p.m. Eucharist on Christmas Eve –
will be filled with Christmas carols, a children’s
procession with animals for the manger, and much
music, candlelight, and joy. Please know that all
children and youths are invited to this service –
whether they live here or are visiting for the
holidays – we invite them to be in our procession!
(We’ll be forming that about 4:45)
The 8:00 p.m. Eucharist on Christmas Eve –
will be our traditional Eucharist also with carols,
music, prayer, and refreshments following.
The 10:00 a.m. Eucharist on Christmas Day –
Join us for inspiring and uplifting music and joyful
prayer and communion together as we gather to
celebrate the birth of Christ.
“A stable lamp is lighted
Whose glow shall wake the sky;
The stars shall bend their voices,
And every stone shall cry.
And straw like gold shall shine;
A barn shall harbor heavens,
A stall becomes a shrine.”
10th Anniversary of Ordination Come join us as we celebrate the 10
th Anniversary
of The Rev. Dr. Ellen M. Sloan’s ordination.
Sunday, December 9th
3:30 p.m.
Front of Church on Periwinkle (Please use the Dunlop entrance to enter/exit)
Christmas Sing-Along
Tuesday, December 11th 1:15 p.m.
Shell Point Pavilion Everyone in the parish is invited to join us in the
lobby of the Pavilion to sing carols and seasonal
songs to the residents. This has become quite the
tradition. Singing ability not necessary (but
appreciated) as our friends and
neighbors at Shell Point enjoy the
entertainment. This annual event
is a wonderful way to share our
joy with so many people who are
alone or ill during the Advent
Season. Come one, come all!
Music News Advent brings new anthems
for our worship. The season of expectation brings A
Shoot Shall Come Forth out of Jesse. Richard Horn is the composer of this song new to
the choir. We will also sing the well-known O Jesus, Grant me Hope and Comfort by
the German composer Johann Franck (no relation to the French organ composer). Bonnie Duckworth of North Carolina
writes Come, Dear Christ, Your World Awaits, last Advent anthem.
During the Christmas season we will sing carols by John Joubert, a South African
composer, Michael Praetorius and Felix Mendelssohn.
3
Save the Date “Rachel Carson
Distinguished Lecture” Join us for a poetic evening
with Pulitzer Prize and
National Book Award
winner Mary Oliver as she
reads from a new collection
of her poetry, A Thousand
Mornings, during the Rachel
Carson Distinguished
Lecture February 8, 2013 at
7:30 p.m. at St. Michael &
All Angels Episcopal Church on Sanibel. The
Lecture is the signature event of Florida Gulf Coast
University’s Center for Environmental and
Sustainability Education. FGCU and church
participants are excited to invite Oliver back after
last’s year’s Lecture was cancelled due to her
serious illness. Her poetry reading will be held in
the sanctuary and followed by a book signing.
The Center will also hold its Ninth Annual
Fundraising Celebration the following evening,
Saturday, February 9, 2013 from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m.
at the Sanibel Island beachfront home of Peter and
Mallory Haffenreffer. The lecture is free and open
to the public, but seats will be reserved for
contributors to the Fundraising Celebration.
For more information on these events, please call
Center Director Peter Blaze Corcoran at (239)
590-7166 or visit the Center at www.fgcu.edu/cese.
Mission Fair 2012
a Huge Success! Special thanks to the St. Michael's Outreach
Ministry for its planning and efforts to host the
Mission Fair this year. Over twenty agencies and
organizations from the Ft. Myers and Sanibel area
were invited to take part as parishioners learned
more about how to volunteer and give of
themselves. Some wonderful connections were
made as well!
Youth Group Helps
to Raise the Roof! Please help our kids as they do their part to
renovate/build our St. Michael's home for Habitat.
During each of the weekend services in Advent,
they will be "selling" hammers, nails, light bulbs,
doorknobs - you name it - all to go toward our Raise
the Roof effort! When you purchase one of these
many things, a Christmas ornament will be put on
the Angel Tree in the Parish Hall. Let's make it
FULL of decorations!
Anna Kjoller and Emma Neill
sell ornaments to Nannette Marciano.
(Michael & Sean O’Brien sold ornaments on Saturday night.)
Ellen Trevor represents CCMI at the Mission Fair
Ellen and Carol Daniels visit the ECHO table at the Mission Fair
Photo by Rob Howard
4
New St. Michael's
Youth Minister The Rector takes great pleasure in appointing
Marvell Bradley as St. Michael's new Youth
Minister! Marvell is a freshman at Edison State
College and will work with Ellen in the planning of
all youth events this year. Our first gathering was
held in November as four teens joined us from the
Sanibel Congregational Church - making our total
about 14. We'll next meet on Dec. 4 (6:30-8:00) for
dinner, scripture discussion, and an exchange of
"crazy" gifts. (Place: Congregational Church on
Periwinkle)
Invitation for All Women of St. Michael’s to:
ECW’s Monthly Lunch of the 2012-2013 Season
Monday, December 10th
at 12:30 p.m.
The program will be “Laces of Love” presented by
Jeanne Nealon, the creator of “Laces of Love.” The
“admission fee” will be one pair of new sneakers
(any size) for school children from Lee and Collier
counties who are identified by their
school as needing new shoes. The
alternative for shoes would be a $10
or $15 donation. Christmas carols
will also be played by Hank Glass for all to sing.
Those who wish to join us for lunch must sign up in
advance in the church gallery or at Noah’s Ark by
December 6th
. Those who wish to attend only the
program may come at 1:15 p.m.
United Thank offering (UTO) ingathering took
place the weekend of November 10th
and 11th
. You
gave gifts of $3,114.00 for ministries in the USA
and around the world. Our UTO is one of the ways
we show our gratitude to God for our many
blessings and are willingness to share our
abundance with others.
Thank you all for your generous support. We
appreciate each and every gift.
Margery Almas, Chairwoman of UTO for ECW
Healing Ministry at
St. Michael's Remember that the healing process in each one of
us is an extraordinary and beautiful mixture of
spiritual, emotional, and physical factors, but that
the power of prayer is one of the most potent. We
invite you to step outside into the garden after
communion each Saturday and Sunday to be with
people who will pray with you and for you.
Whether you need healing for yourself or for
someone you love - or whether you would like to
offer thanksgiving to God for renewed health, we
will be there with you - in silence or in words.
Healing is not a new fad nor a process conceived of
in the 21st century. Healing, by Christ and his
followers, has been an intricate part of our heritage
for centuries. From the Letter of James: "Are any
among you suffering? They should pray. Are any
cheerful? They should sing songs of praise. Are
any among you sick? They should call for the
elders of the church and have them pray over
them...Pray for one another, so that you may be
healed." As a follower of Christ yourself, we invite
you to seek healing - even as you heal others with
your care and love.
Men’s Fellowship
Join together in fellowship, discussion
and prayer at 7:30 a.m. on Tuesday,
December 11th
in the Parish Hall.
Light breakfast provided (7:15).
Walking Together through
the Bible
Join us on Thursdays, at 11:00, in the Parlor,
as we continue our Advent series of music
and scripture.
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Christmas Offering for
Habitat for Humanity
Donor Provides Matching Grant The Christmas offering will be dedicated to Habitat
for Humanity of Lee and Hendry Counties and this
year will be credited toward St. Michael’s
sponsorship of a Habitat house. An anonymous
donor has agreed to provide a matching grant of
$5,000. Thus, any donations you make at the
Christmas offering will be matched up to $5,000
and result in a 2 for 1 contribution. Checks
should be made out to St. Michael’s and write
Habitat in the memo line. Cash contributions will
also go to Habitat. We thank you in advance for
your generosity.
The house sponsored by St. Michael’s is located in
the Harlem Heights area of South Fort Myers, about
12 miles from our church. It is an existing house
that will be extensively rehabbed and will be known
as the “St. Michael’s House”.
Habitat for Humanity is a faith based organization
dedicated to follow God’s lead and partner with the
community to provide decent, affordable homes for
people in need so that they may build better lives
for their families
Parishioners wishing to learn more about the St.
Michael’s house sponsorship should look at the
display in the church gallery (at the parking lot
entrance). Information about how you can
participate as well as pictures of Habitat families
and volunteers are displayed.
The Sunday, December 9th
forum (at 9:30 a.m.) will
feature Katherine “Kitty” Green, President and
CEO of Habitat for Humanity of Lee and Hendry
Counties. Kitty is a very dynamic speaker who
expresses her mission with energy and enthusiasm.
The forum is another step in building awareness for
the church sponsored project which will raise
$50,000 for a Habitat house, culminating in the
“Raise the Roof” celebration and fundraiser on
February 1, 2013 at the Community House. The
fundraiser portion will be a fun-filled live auction of
house parts with all proceeds dedicated to “St.
Michael’s House”.
If you have any questions, please call Bob
Syversen at (239) 945-0530.
Lines Written in the Days of Growing Darkness
(from Mary Oliver's A Thousand Mornings)
Every year we have been witness to it: how the world descends
Into a rich mash, in order that it may resume.
And therefore who would cry out
to the petals on the ground to stay; knowing as we must,
how the vivacity of what was is married
to the vitality of what will be? I don't say it's easy, but what else will do
if the love one claims to have for the world
be true? So let us go on, cheerfully enough,
this and every crisping day,
though the sun be swinging east, and the ponds be cold and black, and the sweets of the year be doomed. Special Note: Mary Oliver will be our guest at St.
Michael's at the Rachel Carson Lecture on February
8, 2012.
“Raise the Roof” Feb. 1, 2013
Join us for this festive evening at the Community
House as St. Michael’s raises money to build a
house for Habitat! As well as working toward this
goal, the evening will also be a time to gather
together to give thanks to God for all the blessings
in our lives. AND we’ll have some fun as well! If
you’d like to be part of planning this evening,
please call Phil Pilibosian (239) 410-3175.
6
Holiday Stress and Depression by Roberta Heller, RN, Parish Nurse
For many of us, the holidays become a time for
increased stress and depression. We find ourselves
on overload with an array of dizzying demands.
Some of us may be facing the holidays without a
loved one, without a job, changes in our family,
dealing with an addiction, or facing a change in our
own health status. All of these situations have the
potential for sadness or loneliness. “The biggest
stress is expectations – those that others have of us
and those we impose on ourselves,” says Mary Jo
Kreitzer, PhD., RN, and Director of the Center for
Spirituality and Healing, University of Minnesota.
There are three main triggers that cause holiday
stress and depression.
Relationships can cause conflict and stress any
time of year, but tension among family members
often increases during the holidays.
Finances at any time of year cause stress and
overspending at the holiday’s increases this stress.
Physical demands. The pressure to cook, shop,
decorate, attend parties and more brings on
exhaustion which in turn increases stress.
Some things that may help to prevent stress and
depression:
Keep Christ at the center of your day and allow
Jesus to be reborn in the stable of your heart.
Planning ahead helps to avoid feeling
overwhelmed with holiday responsibilities.
Acknowledge your feelings of sadness if you have
lost a loved one, a job, a home, a marriage, or your
health. Give yourself permission to grieve.
Seek support if you feel sad or lonely. Talk with
family or friends. Volunteering to help others will
help you to get outside yourself and may lift your
spirits. Ask family members to help with
preparations. You don’t need to do everything
yourself.
Be realistic. We have a mental picture of how
things should be for the holidays. But as families
change, traditions and rituals may have to change
as well. If certain traditions trigger sadness, think
about changing them or starting new ones to
replace old ones.
Set differences aside. Try to accept family
members as they are. Family conflicts of many
years are not likely to go away and may intensify
during Christmas. We cannot expect to change
other personalities but we can change how we
respond to them.
Make a budget and hold fast to it.
Learn to say no. Recognize and acknowledge
that you cannot be all things to all people. Be
aware of your own needs and honor them.
Keep up healthy habits. At the very time when
stress reducers are more important than ever, we
tend to skip them. Schedule daily exercise. Get a
good night’s sleep – 7 hours. Don’t over-indulge
in food or drink. Have private time that nourishes
your soul and revitalizes your energy and self-
worth. Allow quiet time for God to speak with
you. Pray and listen.
Seek professional help. Holiday depression may
be eased by talking with a family member, clergy,
or friend. But when you have persistent sad
feelings for weeks, are unable to sleep or cannot
perform routine chores, you need to seek
professional help.
Remember to nourish your total being – spiritually,
physically and emotionally. Be kind to all you meet
because everyone is fighting some sort of battle.
Blessings and love to you this Advent and Christmas
season, Roberta
Sources: www.EpiscopalHealthMinistries.org; www.healthywomen.org; www.mayoclinic.com/health/stress
The Prayer Shawl Ministry
Prayer Shawl Ministry is canceled for December.
Mark your calendar for our next meeting on January
16 @ 1 PM
Health Forum January 9
th at 1:00 p.m.
Save the date: Dotty St Amand, Executive Director
of Arden Courts and former Executive Director of
The Alvin A. Dubin Center will give us an
overview of Alzheimer’s and how we as a caring
community can help those with Alzheimer’s.
7
Luminary
Night Friday,
December 7th
at dusk
Join us as St. Michael's
takes part in Luminary
Night on Sanibel. Be
there to enjoy and sing
along with the choir....
or to help as we pass
out homemade cookies
and hot mulled cider to
all the passersby on the
walkways.
A Prayer for Church Musicians and Artist
O God, whom saints and angels delight to
worship in heaven: Be ever present with
your servants who seek through art and music to perfect the praises offered by your people on earth; and grant to them
even now glimpses of your beauty, and make them worthy at length to behold it unveiled for evermore; through Jesus
Christ our Lord. Amen.
Welcome Back!! As you start settling back in,
don’t forget to let Susan in
the Church Office know of
your return. Call, e-mail or
just stop in and say “Hi.” We
are always happy to see you.
Did You Know?
Altar rails or communion rails – what a history they
possess! Altar rails were used as early as the 5th
century to prevent people from interfering with the
ministers of the eucharist; although many people in
the early church still received communion from the
ministers who moved around the standing people.
Standing was the normal posture for receiving
communion until the 13th
century! Then kneeling
for communion slowly became the custom. Altar
rails were first used in England during the reign of
Queen Elizabeth I. Puritans disliked altar rails and
often removed them from churches – moving the
altar table into the body of the church to be closer to
the people. In the 15th
century, William Laud,
Archbishop of Canterbury, directed that all altars be
returned to the east wall of churches and that altar
rails be put back – “to protect against desecration"
of the sacrament. Some altar rails were made of
latticework and the Bishop of Norwich once noted
that the lattice was "so thick with pillars that dogs
may not get in." Given all of this, many English
clergy continued to move among the people to
administer the sacraments until the 18th
century
when the altar rail became more the norm and was
often referred to as the "communion rail." On into
the 19th
century the chancel was seen as the room
for the sacrament and the nave was seen as the room
for the liturgy of the word. Altar rails in the
Episcopal Church are usually very low, reflecting
the assumption that all people will kneel to receive
communion. Current 20th
/21st century liturgical
usage emphasizes the shared participation of priest
and people in the eucharist, and many churches
have removed the barrier between the altar and the
congregation. In addition, the original practice of
standing to receive communion is practiced with
growing frequency. We actually stand for
communion at all of our Wednesday morning
Healing Eucharists at St. Michael's, as well as at all
our beach Eucharists. (Some material taken from An
Episcopal Dictionary of the Church, Armentrout & Slocum)
8
Christian Yoga Tuesdays, 3:00-4:00 p.m.
(no class December 25 & January 1)
in St. Michael’s Parish Hall
A Christ-centered approach to physical and spiritual
health is offered, free of charge. This is a gentle,
basis and beginners class. Join us as we…
Increase flexibility, balance and endurance
Strengthen and reshape muscles
Improve coordination and range of movement
Relieve tension and stress
Increase bone strength
Help control weight
Regulate the internal organs
Alleviate muscle and soreness
Relieve tension and stress
Please bring a Yoga mat, a strap or old tie and
abstain from eating 1½ hours before class.
Call Gari Lewis, certified Yoga instructor, with any
questions. (239) 395-2403
“The Lord makes all things new.”
Adult Christian Education
Forums November–March @ 9:30
The Adult Christian Education Ministry is pleased
to announce the 2012-13 Forums: "Passionate
Issues in the Context of our Faith."
December and January Forum Calendar includes:
Mission Fair – December 1st – 2
nd
Kitty Green – December 9th
Hank Glass & Jim Bird – December 16th
No Forums – December 18th
– 30th
John Harries & Michael Wood – January 6th
Jonathan Scalone – January 13th
Tim Padgett – January 20th
Nola Theiss – January 27th
Eucharist on the Beach At 5 p.m. on the evening of Wednesday, November
14th
, 36 people gathered on the first Causeway
Island Park for a service of Evening Prayer and
Eucharist. The service was led by Bettie Modys
and the Rector, Ellen Sloan. The service ended just
before 5:30 but most of those attending stayed to
enjoy the wonderful sunset which followed. (See
photos on page 9.) We look forward to the
possibility of future beach services on the causeway
in the spring when the evenings again become long
enough and warm enough to be reliably
comfortable.
Photo Credit:
By: Jan Pearson-Graham
Grand Affair Photography
www.GrandAffairPhotography.com
Wednesday Evening Worship
and Potluck Supper
December 5th Service at 5 p.m. & Potluck at 5:30
There will be three Wednesday Evening Services in
December before Christmas. Join us in the church
December 5th
before Pot Luck and in the Chapel of
the Angels December 12th
and 19th
. All services
begin at 5 p.m.
On December 5th
we’ll gather for food, fun and
fellowship. Please bring a main dish, side dish or
dessert to share.
Wednesday Evening
Worship Leaders & Hosts
Date Leaders Potluck Hosts
Dec. 5 Liz Farrow
Anne Stewart
Lee Williams
Sally Lund
Peggy Hupfeldt
Dec. 12 Bill & Betty Carr
Dec. 19 David & Gillian Bath
Dec. 26 No service (Christmas)
Jan. 2
Jan. 9 Bill & Betty Carr
Jan. 16
Jan. 23 Alex & Beryl Flesh
Jan. 30 Dory Rooker
Betsy Schuman
9
10
New Prayer List – Nov. 2012 Beginning November 1
st we started a new prayer
list for the year which will be published in this issue
of The Red Door. If you would like your family
member(s), friend(s) or yourself to remain on the
list, please send or call names to Susan in the
Church Office at parishsecretary@saintmichaels-
sanibel.org or 239-472-2173.
Please Remember in Your Prayers
Parishioners:
Bonny Bradley Ina Galloway
Bob Rohde Bob Stewart
Gloria Tucker Ted Charles
Francis Bailey Phyllis Stumpel
Bill “Nick” Nickolds Bill Stumpel
Nancy Santeusanio Milena Eskew
Jean Chapman-Castle Stella Farewell
Penny Chrysler
Family of Parishioners: Cathy Bob Campion
Susan Jahnsen Steven Gentile
Barb & Kenny Klunk Bill Staples
Crawford Peace Karen
Friends of Parishioners:
Suzy Post Linda Smith
Al Hogref Bob Goukler
Cal Don Maurer
Rev. Canon Edward Wisbauer Jr. Sharon Tucker
Admitted to the Hospital? Going to the hospital is a stressful time, at best.
When you are admitted, (and if you’d like us to
visit) please tell the admissions person that you are
a member of St. Michael and All Angels Episcopal
Church. This way, the hospital will let the church
know you are there. Or if you prefer, you or a
family member can let Ellen or the office know you
are there and if you would like a visit (and
communion).
May She Rest in Peace Marilyn B. Bigelow November 6, 2012
December Birthdays and Anniversaries
If you have not already done so, please consider
sharing your birthday and/or anniversary with us.
Birthdays 1
st Ruth Anderson 15
th Ruth Amend
2nd
Janet Davis Anna Kjoller
Linda Deason 16th Rookie Bradley
4th Marilyn Lewis 17
th Nancy Bacon
7th Violet Dhimos 18
th Marilyn Bigelow
Bob Fuchs 20th Diana Miner
8th Judy Moorhouse Roger Heider
Bob Winters 24th Carol Daniels
9th Nancy Johnson Lynn Mallory
Roger Paul Pam Blanton
10th Bill Eagleson 25
th Paulette Robison
Ken Ellenberg 27th Patty Sprankle
Eleanor Hornbrook Doug Lind
13th Robert Kunde 28
th Nick Gonzalez
Yuan Bonhayag 30th Jane Bone
14th June Ingraham
Anniversaries 2
nd Betsy and Jerry McCullough
11th
Polly and Art Pinney
15th
Laurie and Rob Kjoller
19th
Dottie and Handy Moore
Char and Lynn Mallory
20th
Carol Daniels and Dick Jacker
Betsy and Jack Winters
23rd
Mollie and Parke Avery
26th
Ellen and Ralph Sloan
29th
Joan and Ronn Downey
30th
Bonny and Rookie Bradley
11
Christmas Poinsettias: Gifts in:
thanksgiving for…,
honor of …,
in memory of…
…loved ones and friends are welcome as we
prepare for the decoration of the Christmas Season.
Please earmark your gift check “Poinsettia,” attach
to the form below, and place it in the offering plate
or bring or mail it to the Parish Office:
2304 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel, FL 33957
by noon on Wednesday, December 19th
.
-----------------------------------------------------------
In memory of: Given by:
In memory of: Given by:
In memory of: Given by:
In thanksgiving for: Given by:
In thanksgiving for: Given by:
In honor of: Given by:
Suppers for Six Groups are forming for 2013!
Please sign up now!
Believe it or not, this is the 13th year of Suppers for
Six and it still remains one of the best ways for people
to get to know each other. Given we are such a
growing congregation where people who attend the
Saturday service may not know people from the
Sunday services, these suppers are a wonderful way to
meet others in a small group setting and not a large
coffee hour!
How does it work? Very easily and smoothly!
Whether you are single or a couple, simply "sign up"
on the form below that you'd like to take part in a
supper (or lunch). Then Dianne Leonardi and her
committee will take all of the names and form small
groups of six, seven, or eight people. (Each group will
be made up of singles and couples.) These small
groups will then meet 3 or 4 times between January
and May at two of the people's homes - with each
group deciding who will be the hosts. Over the years,
we've found that the easiest way to plan these suppers
is to have them be potlucks or "pitch-ins" - thereby
not putting too much of a burden on the hosts. The
most important thing is that the food preparation
is simple - with the main purpose being "getting to
know someone."
We send a deep note of gratitude to Mardi and
Wayne Ponader as they "retire" from their work in
planning the first 12 years of Suppers for Six! Their
work and commitment made these gatherings a
wonderful tradition at St. Michael's. Thank you,
Dianne, for picking up the baton and moving us
forward!
Please fill out the form below and place in the offering
plate, e-mail, snail mail or sign-up on the clipboard in
the Gallery
Deadline January 7, 2013 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Name(s) __________________________________
Tel. or e-mail _______________________________
Group size: (Circle one) 6 8
Church service you attend:
Sat. Eve __ Sun. 8:00 __ Sun. 10:30 __
Dates you will be in Florida: __________________
Dianne Leonardi, Chair, Suppers for Six
12
Rekindle the Lights that Lead
to Bethlehem At the beginning of each of our three services every
weekend, we will light candles on the Advent
Wreath, listen to a brief prayer, and sing "Oh come,
O come, Emmanuel." As your Rector, I encourage
you to fully participate in this ritual and use its
symbolism as a reminder to rekindle and refresh,
your own inner lights of Christ's love - to better
share this light and love with one another.
The Episcopal Community
Advent Devotional 2012
Download your copy of the Advent Devotional by
going to The Episcopal Community website:
www.theepiscopalcommunity.org
The link to the 2012 Advent Devotional is on the
home page.
A Note of Thanks
I would like to thank everyone at St.
Michael’s for their flowers, calls
and notes of inspiration.
~ Nisla Tolp
Saint Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church, Sanibel
Call for Nominations
for the Vestry In accordance with the by-laws, Ellen Sloan
appointed Hyde Tucker as Chair of the Nominating
Committee, and at the November 29th
Vestry
meeting, the following people were appointed as
members of the Nominating Committee: Jandy
Bird, Charlie Hohns, Dory Rooker, Dick Salerno
and Pat Van Alstyne.
Per by-laws, The Vestry Nominating Committee
shall use its best efforts to see that 3 qualified
candidates are nominated for the 3 vacancies.
Candidates for the Vestry may also be proposed by
petition signed by 3 electors unrelated to the
candidate. No person shall be nominated by
petition nor by the Vestry Nominating Committee
who has not first, in writing:
a. stated his or her qualifications as an elector,
b. furnished a short biography setting forth his/her
church-related experience at St. Michael’s and
elsewhere,
c. furnished a short statement of what he/she will
bring to the Vestry if elected.
If a nomination is brought forward by petition, that
nomination will bypass any deliberations of the
Nominating Committee and will appear on the
ballot. The Nominating Committee will not make
any distinction between candidates nominated by
petition and those nominated by the Nominating
Committee in presentation of names on the ballot.
(The deadline for submission of petitions and
suggestions of names is Friday, January 18, 2012.)
If you would like to suggest names this year, you
may do so by emailing, phoning, or writing a
member of the Vestry Nominating Committee. If
you choose this route, it is helpful if you check with
the candidate first, and ask him/her to prepare the 3
point written statement mentioned above. If you
only want to suggest a name, the Nominating
Committee will follow up with the candidate for his
or her statement.
The by-laws state that at least 30 days before the
Annual Meeting, the names, biographies, and
statements of all candidates shall be published to the
Parish.
The most important factor for the success of this
process is that members of the congregation give
prayerful and thoughtful consideration to whom
they think would make good Vestry members.
13
Stewardship Campaign for
2013 Begins Now! “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now
remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will
remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s
commands and remain in his love. I have told you this
so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be
complete. My command is this: Love each other as I
have loved you.” – John 15: 9-12 (RSV)
Our Stewardship Team, headed by Don Rolley,
(and Hyde Tucker, Annual Giving) have developed
a dynamic program for our 2013 pledge campaign
around the theme, “Sharing Christ’s Love”.
Stewardship, of course, isn’t just about money;
there are many wonderful opportunities, both within
and beyond St. Michael’s, to share Christ’s love by
giving of our time and talent in His work. The
month of January is our time to make our pledges of
time, talent and treasure and the team is striving to
reach everyone, including those new to the Parish.
Here’s what you should expect to happen in the
upcoming weeks:
• You’ll receive a letter from the Rector sometime in
mid-December inviting you to consider your
commitment to stewardship in the Parish of Saint
Michaels. (If you haven’t received it by December
21st please call the office.)
• The Stewardship Team’s letter (including pledge
forms for you to return) will be mailed early January.
• You’ll be invited to attend a neighborhood
conversation at a parishioner’s home. There, you will
have an opportunity to visit with fellow parishioners,
hear a message from the Stewardship Team, and have
informal conversation with the Rector. Please RSVP
promptly. (If the invitation is not received by
December 21st or if the date doesn’t work for you,
please call the office to arrange an alternative.)
• The Rector will concentrate on stewardship in a
sermon sometime during January. Also parishioners
will give testimonies about the importance of
supporting Saint Michael’s. You’ll also hear weekly
campaign progress reports.
• At a weekend worship service in February, we will
celebrate and give thanks for our mutual commitment
to stewardship.
Please become engaged in the stewardship journey
as it unfolds; sharing Christ’s love is deeply
rewarding.
The Stewardship Team
Vestry Highlights Due to Vestry Meeting date of Nov. 29 and
publication of Red Door the very next day, there
will be no "November Vestry Minutes/Highlights"
in this issue. Please look for them in the next Red
Door and thank you for your understanding!
Vestry Members’ Reminder of future meeting date:
December 20th
at 12:30 and
January 17th
at 1:00 p.m. Join us for lunch at 12 noon to allow for a little
catch-up time.
New Address for Dawn Grable 925 Lincoln St.
Apt. 4D
Denver, CO 80203
Trinity Institute – Again this Year at Iona Hope
December 7th
– 9th
RESCHEDULED: Due to the aftermath of
Hurricane Sandy, the Trinity Institute’s 42nd
National Theological Conference has been
rescheduled from November 9-11 to December 7-9.
Joan Chittister will address a local and webcast
conference on the topic, “Radical Christian Life:
Equipping Ourselves for Social Change,” at Trinity
Cathedral in lower Manhattan. Check this website
for updated information.
http://www.trinitywallstreet.org/news/articles/trinity
-institute-updates
Iona Hope Episcopal Church invites us to join them
for the 42nd
Trinity Institute (live from Trinity
Church, NYC.) This Institute will be organized into
six sessions, beginning on Friday evening at 7pm
and culminating at the Sunday Eucharist at 11:15.
For detailed information, please call Iona Hope at
454-4778.
14
LABEL
SAINT MICHAEL AND ALL ANGELS EPISCOPAL CHURCH 2304 Periwinkle Way • Sanibel, Florida 33957
[239] 472-2173 or [239] 472-9289 Fax: [239] 395-1670
www.saintmichaels-sanibel.org
The Rev. Dr. Ellen M. Sloan, Rector [email protected]
ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED
Worship & Fellowship Saturday at 5:00 p.m. – Holy Eucharist Rite II, followed by Reception
Sunday at 8:00 a.m. – Holy Eucharist Rite I, followed by Coffee Hour
Sunday at 10:30 a.m. – Holy Eucharist Rite II, followed by Coffee Hour* (*With Sunday Shuttle pickup at Woodlands and then at SPV Island)
Sunday School – 10:30 a.m. – Grades PreK-3rd
and 4th-5
th
Tuesday 9 a.m. Morning Prayer
Wednesday 9 a.m. Eucharist with Healing Prayer
Wednesday 5 p.m. Lay-led Evening Worship
1st Wednesday of the month 5:30 p.m.
Potluck Supper – Dec. 5
th & Jan. 2
nd
-------------------- Christmas Eve & Day Services --------------------- Monday, December 24
th at 5:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.
Tuesday, December 25th
at 10:00 a.m.
------------------------ Noah’s Ark Thrift Shop ------------------------ Monday-Friday & 1
st Saturday of the month
9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
[239] 472-3356
Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage
PAID Fort Myers, FL
Permit No. 5761