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Christmas
Service Schedule Christmas Eve Pageant & Eucharist – 4:30 pm Midnight Mass – 11:00 pm |
ECUMENICAL THANKSGIVING SERVICE: This annual celebration of Thanksgiving will be
held at
VESTRY NOMINATIONS: If you
are interested in serving on the Vestry, please contact the parish office
(623-3273). Nominations are due in the
parish office by 1 December.
STEWARDSHIP CAMPAIGN
“Nurturing Our Community”
Our Stewardship
Campaign is fully underway. A number of
mailings have gone out related to the campaign and a few parishioners will be
visited as well this year. These visits
are an opportunity to talk about the life of our parish and to receive feedback
about our community and ministries.
Pledge Consecration Sunday is 9 November. We ask that parishioners do their best to get
there pledges in by this date. A pledge
card was sent to every family. You can
mail it back in the stamped envelope sent with the card, or drop it in the
plate or pledge box on Sunday, or
Celebrate
5 CORNER CUPBOARD & ST. JOHN’S: The Five Corner Cupboard is considering a
move from Scantic Congregational Church. The Vestry of
From the Rector
Dear Friends,
On 24 and 25
October clergy and delegates gathered in
Convention is
always a time to gather with friends and colleagues from around the diocese,
not only to do the work of the Church, but to engage in conversation and
“catching up” at what is the only event in the year that brings almost the
entire diocese together. This makes it a
special time for me and also, I think, for our parish delegates, Denise Adessa
and Ruth Jefferis and alternates, Marge Jageler and Kathi Torrey.
Convention
also passes the annual budget for the diocese, which for 2009 is
$5,820,345. This represents a very
modest increase over the 2008 budget.
The budget is supported mostly by pledges from the parishes of the diocese. Each parish is asked to give 12 ½% of their
income to support the many ministries of the Diocese reflected in the
budget. In 2008
Convention
also votes on many issues which are presented through resolutions. These include recurring resolutions, like
passing the budget and setting clergy salary guidelines, as well as those that
are more controversial. For example,
this year the Convention passed, by a small margin, a resolution “imploring the
Bishop to allow priests in this Diocese to exercise pastoral wisdom and care
and follow the lead of their consciences in whether or not to participate in
marriage ceremonies of same sex couples.”
This resolution, though not requiring the Bishop to act, gives him a
sense of where the clergy and elected delegates stand on a controversial issue
facing the Church. Here are all the
resolutions considered at Convention this year:
RESOLUTION VOTING
RESULTS:
1.) Minimum salary for clergy. Passed after debate.
2.) Diocesan Budget. Passed, no debate.
3.) Financial support for seminarians/resolution for General Convention.
Passed, no debate.
4.) Establish the
5.) On issues to come before state legislature.
Debated, two amendments proposed, both defeated. Original passed.
6.) Moderating diocesan asking to account for "building outreach."
Defeated, after debate.
7.) On providing resources to fund human services. Defeated after debate.
8.) On allowing clergy to exercise pastoral care in officiating at services of
holy matrimony for same sex couples: Passed after extensive debate. Hand vote,
called by president. Challenged. Vote then counted. Passed 174 to 132.
Convention is
rounded out by various speakers and workshops surrounding a theme which this
year was “God’s People on
It is a
privilege to be a part of the work of this diocese and I pray that
Faithfully,
COMMITTEES FOR THE ELECTION OF A NEW BISHOP: With the announcement of Bishop’s Smith’s
retirement next year, our Diocese has begun preparations for the election of a
new Bishop. On 10 November our Deanery will meet to begin the process of
selecting members for the Search Committee and Transition Committee. If
you are interested in the possibility of serving on either of these committees,
please see Fr. Torrey as soon as possible for details.
Andrew
D. Smith
Episcopal
Bishop of
PAULINE’S
STOCK POT KITCHEN: Winter is fast approaching. We are now back to
Standard Time. Darkness earlier in the evening and lighter in the morning. Our
mission to feed the hungry still sees an increasing number of people coming to
Pauline's. In 2008 from January through
October we have served 1393 meals.
Lately our average number of meals served each night is 70. One recent night we
served a total of 80 meals between those dining at Pauline's and those meals we
sent out. Clearly our work needs to
continue.
We are
happy to say that we have seen an increase in the number of people from
Our
next scheduled dates for providing a meal are:
November 7
and 14
December
5 and 12
Our task times are as
follows:
Meal
Preparation--------- 2:00 P.M. --
4:30 P.M.
Dining Room
Set-Up---- 3:00 P.M.-- 4:30 P.M.
Meal
Serving---------------5:00
P.M.----6:30 P.M.
Clean
Up------------------- 5:30
P.M.----7:30 P.M.
Volunteers may help out at any time
during these times. We are looking forward to your continued
excellent support. We are grateful and give thanks to all. Special thanks to you, Lois for all your help.
Please contact Linda or Jack Bond at 860-627-9507 for information or
an offer to help.
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HELPING HANDS: We
currently need twin
mattresses and box springs, towels, sheets, small bedside tables, dressers,
small appliances, silverware and household goods. Also needed at this time
are warm blankets, boots and winter coats.
Please contact Pat MacClintic at 688.3415 or |
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Please remember to make
participation in our outstanding Judges (Gideon, Deborah, Sampson) October 19 October 26 November 2 November 9 Celebration Samuel November 16 November 23 November 30 December 7 Celebration (Visit from St. Nicholas – for transition into Christmastide and New Testament) Workshop 4: Advent and Pageant Rehearsals December 14 Pageant rehearsal December
21 Pageant rehearsal |
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CHRISTMAS
CAROLING
SUNDAY,
DECEMBER 14, 2008, NOON – 3:00 P.M.
BRING THE
WHOLE FAMILY AND JOIN US FOR AN AFTERNOON OF TRADITIONAL SEASONAL CELEBRATION,
SHARING MUSIC AND JOY WITH OTHERS.
WE’LL ENJOY
A WARM SOUP LUNCH BEFORE CAROLING AND RETURN TO THE CHURCH LATER TO HAVE
CHRISTMAS COOKIES AND
MORE INFORMATION TO FOLLOW OR CALL JAN GRACE 627-5500
A
MESSAGE FROM DEACON DONNA
Having just come from Diocesan Convention this
past weekend, I was again reminded of the many needs of God's people
worldwide. In this country, we all know persons who have been recently
laid off or who are having trouble meeting basic expenses.
Every Sunday in the Hartford Courant more and more houses are listed in
foreclosure. I pray that God gives strength and wisdom to our new
President and his advisors, that they may begin to
formulate plans for January 2009 and beyond. And I
pray the leaders of all the nations are humane in dealing with their
citizens. May God give you peace and hope in
this season of thanksgiving. In following Christ's teachings and
extending a helping hand to those in need, we can make a difference and mirror
his love for all. Blessings,
Deacon
Donna
CONFIRMATION: Confirmation
is the rite in which we express a mature commitment to Christ, and receive
strength from the Holy Spirit through prayer and the laying on of hands by a
bishop. It is required of those to be
confirmed that they have been baptized, are sufficiently instructed in the
Christian Faith, are penitent for their sins, and are ready to affirm their
confession of Jesus Christ (Book of Common Prayer, p. 860). It is expected that all adult members of this
Church, after appropriate instructions, will have made a mature public
affirmation of their faith and commitment to the responsibilities of their
Baptism and will have been confirmed or received by a Bishop of this Church or
by a Bishop of a Church in communion with this Church (Canon 1, Section 4 of
the Canons of the Diocese of Connecticut).
Our Deanery Confirmation this year will be held on Saturday, 25 April
2009. All persons 16 years and older are
invited to explore the possibility of Confirmation. If you would like to consider Confirmation,
please contact Fr. Torrey for information about the process and
requirements (623-3273).
CALENDAR: Please make sure you review the
calendar weekly to see if you are scheduled to assist at the Eucharist. The schedule is also posted on our website
for your convenience. If you cannot be
at church on a date that has been assigned to you, it is your responsibility to
find a substitute and notify the church office at 623.3273 by noon on Thursday.
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UPCOMING
MEETINGS
STEWARDSHIP MEETINGS: The next two meetings of the Stewardship Committee
will be: Monday, 10 November at 7:00 pm
and Monday, 22 September at 7:00 pm.
Please mark your calendars.
THE CORINTHIAN PUB (where guys talk about faith): Men in the parish are invited to join the
conversation at “The Corinthian Pub”. Have “a pint” (bring your own: only
one if it is alcohol! - after that there is plenty of coffee and tea
provided) and join in the conversation.
The next meeting of The Corinthian Pub is Tuesday, 18 November from 7:00
– 8:30 pm at the Rectory. Please come to the side door of the Rectory,
across from the Church. Please come
to the side door of the Rectory, across from the Church.
VESTRY MEETING: Wednesdays,
19 November and the 17th of December at 7:00 pm.
NEXT WELL PROJECT MEETING is Tuesday, 11 November at 7:00 pm.
EVENING PRAYER is offered every Tuesday at 5:45 pm in the parish
hall Chapel.