E-Connections November 7, 2014 © 2014 St. Paul's Episcopal Church, 294 Main Street South, Woodbury, CT 06798 • (203) 263-3541 • [email protected] Thanksgiving Dinners In This Issue: Pg 2 - Isobel Moore Pg 3 - Making a Difference Pg 4 - Generous Video Pg 5 - Shoebox Time Pg 6 - Prepared? Pg 7 - Veterans Day Pg 8 - Readings Pg 9 - Participating The Covenant to Care ministry is collecting food to provide a few families with the Thanksgiving dinner. There is a sign up in the Pearson Room along with a box to place the groceries. Donations are due on November 23rd. Please see Kristin or Madeline Daigneault with any questions. Thank you. THIS WEEK AT ST. PAUL’S Saturday Sunday Nov 8 Nov 9 Monday Nov 10 Tuesday Nov 11 Wednesday Nov 12 Thursday, Nov 13 Saturday Nov 15 Sunday Nov 16 5:00 pm Holy Eucharist 22nd Sunday after Pentecost 8:00 am Holy Eucharist 9:45 am Church School 10:00 am Holy Eucharist 6:15 pm Christian Yoga, Pearson Room 6:30 pm Finance Committee 7:30 am Holy Eucharist, Seabury Room 12:00 pm Men’s Lunch, Charcoal Chef 7:30 pm House Church at Fr. Fred’s 10:30 am Bible Study, Louise Smith’s home 5:00 pm Holy Eucharist & Healing 23rd Sunday after Pentecost 8:00 am Holy Eucharist 9:45 am Church School 10:00 am Holy Eucharist 2 Stewardship…..Stewardship…..Stewardship! Consecration Sunday, November 16, is quickly approaching! Please submit your pledge form by that date so that it can be included with all the others to be brought forward to the altar for a blessing. Too, everyone, from all three services, is cordially invited to a special coffee hour at 11 o’clock on the 16th. Making a Difference G enerosity is about giving God our best. Beginning in early November, the Stewardship Committee, with the support of the Vestry, will be sharing the names of those who to date have committed to a pledge for 2015. (Name only, no amount.) The intent is both to extend grateful and gracious thanks to those who are already making a difference to St. Paul’s with their pledge for 2015, and to encourage those who have not yet pledged to do so in the near future. The list will be in E-Connections and posted, and will be updated periodically. If you prefer to be listed as “Anonymous,” that is fine. Please let Nancy Twinem know promptly via e-mail ([email protected]) or telephone (203-729-2763). Men’s Group E ach Wednesday at noon the men’s group, a growing and informal gathering of men, has been meeting for lunch at the Charcoal Chef. Please join us next week! I f you have fallen behind on your pledge offering, please make every effort to bring your contributions up to date. Your financial support is very much needed and appreciated. 3 Only 6 weeks until the Annual Woodbury Christmas Festival and our St. Paul's Fabulous Holiday Bazaar on Saturday, December 6th As generous donations begin to roll in and the excitement grows daily, we'd like to remind you what has been accomplished with the net profits from the last few years Only 4 Weeks to Go! 1. Bazaar 2011 – Proceeds went to Woodbury Community Services Council 2. Bazaar 2012 - Proceeds purchased a much-needed new refrigerator for the kitchen 3. Bazaar 2013 – Proceeds purchased a new microwave and new counter tops for the kitchen. Your awesome support, with exciting and interesting and unique donations, has allowed us to create a beautiful Bazaar which our customers really love. They stop first at St. Paul's and shop, shop, shop, then they go visit the other venues and enjoy them, but it always amazes us how very many of them come back to us and shop and shop again….and to enjoy your delicious, donated cookies!!! Any questions about donations, call Judie Ferris 203 263 3271 Diane Heavens 203 263 2468 or Maureen Well 203 263 4892 Next Meeting of Christmas Bazaar Committee Sunday, Nov. 2…..after 10 o'clock service Please come and join us….we have a wonderful time together planning and executing this happy event…. we need your help and you'll have fun, too. Baskets Are Needed...for the gorgeous Basket Raffle at our Christmas Bazaar. Do you have baskets just taking up space in your home? Bring them in to us for a creative "basketeere" to turn into a fabulous raffle prize...just put them on the hall coat rack. The Christmas Bazaar is Saturday, Dec. 6th. Silent Auction, Christmas White Elephant Shoppe, Basket Raffle, Baked Goods ...jump in Santa's sleigh and help out! Call Renee Mulligan (860-417-3233), Maureen Well (203-263 -4892) or Diane Heavens (203-2632468). Thanks in advance for your faithful support. 4 IT’S TIME FOR OPERATION CHRISTMAS CHILD! Yes, it’s time for St. Paul’s Operation Christmas Child Shoebox Gift Program. OCC is an international Christian ministry. Since 1993, OCC has reached out to more than 100 million boys and girls in over 130 countries with God’s love through the power of simple shoebox gifts. Samaritan’s Purse works with local churches and ministry partners to deliver the gifts and share the life-changing Good News of Jesus Christ. We at St. Paul’s Church have done our small part in this great ministry by contributing over 1,000 shoeboxes over the past years, and we hope this year to do better than ever! Boxes and information brochures are available in the Pearson Room We need your filled boxes returned to the church by noon, Sunday November 23rd! Some general guidelines for filling shoeboxes: Buy gifts for a boy or girl, ages 2-4, 5-9, 10-14 years old. No war-related toys, glass or breakables, or candy that melts. No toys that require electricity to operate; many of these children live in remote areas. Many of the children lack the basics: soap, toothbrushes, toothpaste, socks, mittens, and other staple items are welcomed along with toys and sweets. Label your box with the labels provided indicating gender and age group, and include a check for $7.00 in your box to cover shipping costs. No time to shop? Make out a check to Operation Christmas Child to help cover shipping costs and the purchase of additional gift items. I hope that gets you started! Take a moment to pray for and reflect on those many, many children who are less fortunate than we are, and then, plan your box of small gifts to send – the box you send may be the only Christmas gift a child has ever received. And knowing the difference you will make in one child’s life will be the best Christmas gift you will ever receive! Mindy Miserendino 5 Stewardship Reflection “For we are God’s fellow workers…” - 1 Corinthians 3:9 W e are called to help God build His kingdom on earth. We are His eyes, ears, hands and voice on Earth. By giving of our “first fruits” of our time, talent and treasure we help fulfill God’s call. Are you doing all you can to help? Do you spend time in prayer every day? Do you participate in one of the many parish ministries? Do you give generously in the offertory collection each week? This Weekend’s Readings Awaiting His Coming Joshua 24:1-3a, 14-25 n our Hebrew scripture lesson, Joshua, like Moses before him, acts as a mediator between the people of Israel and God at Shecham. Psalm 78:1-7 The psalm recalls Israel’s trials and the Lord’s sustaining grace in the wilderness after the escape from Egypt. 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 In this reading Paul offers a vision of how the dead in Christ will rise and then, together with those who are alive, be caught up to meet the Lord in the sky. Matthew 25:1-13 Our gospel is the parable of the wise and foolish maidens - those prepared and unprepared for the bridegroom’s coming. In several ways the details of the story may strike us as odd and even a little unfair, but such a concern missies the main point, which has much in common with other of Jesus’ parables. One must at all times be ready with repentance and decision for the kingdom’s coming. In a later period this story was read with allegorical overtones. Jesus is the bridegroom whose return is delayed. Some in the church are falling asleep while others remain expectant. I 6 7 W e are warned about being unprepared when the Lord calls. How can we best assure that we will be ready? Living a life under-girded by the Holy Habits of prayer, study, sacrificial giving, and intentional involvement in a worshipping community, may help us to be ever responsible to God’s call - for whatever - and whenever He asks. Committee for Refugee Concerns Forming T he Rev. Esmail (Shahrokh) Dezhbod of St. Paul's and the Rev. Canon Audrey Scanlan would like to invite all those who are interested in working for refugee concerns to join them for an organizing meeting on Tuesday, November 18 at 6 pm at the Commons (the Episcopal Church in Connecticut offices). The Rev. Dezhbod writes: I am a refugee who came to the United States 14 years ago and when I came here I promised myself to help other refugees to find a safe place, as my family and I did. ... I have had a vision to create a committee for the refugees, in the Episcopal Church in Connecticut, for some time. My vision is that this committee will be a place of advocating for all refugees around the world, encouraging U.S. legislation to continue supporting refugees, and sponsoring refugees in Connecticut by working with local resettlement agencies. If you are interested in attending or being involved, please email Jody Rodiger at [email protected]. SWIM Hunger Walk 8 Participating in the Services Saturday, November 8th 5 pm Usher Lectors Chalicer Dale White Janet Congdon, Karen Nash Norma Leavenworth Saturday, November 15th 5 pm Ushers Marianne Daly, Lectors Chalicer Thayer Daly Lehman Lis Blum, Pam Lehman Karen Nash Sunday, November 9th 8 am Ushers Lector Chalicer Intercessor Kathie Nichols, Brenda Weir Joan Wilson Dory Holmes Dick Leavenworth 10 am Ushers Julie & Tom Calkins Lectors Duke Breon, Tom Calkins Chalicer Lois Zane Acolytes Chris Culkin, Owen Hale Intercessor Ed Hord Counter Dawn Ericson Altar Guild: Marianne Daly, Pam Lehman, Brenda Weir, Lois Zane Lay Eucharistic Minister: Rich Baird Sunday, November 26th 8 am Ushers Lector Chalicer Intercessor Maike Daies, Judie Ferris Brenda Weir Beverly Deickler Mike Davies 10 am Ushers Lectors Chalicers Acolytes Connie Baldwin, Heidi Szobota Betty Lou Bowles, Toni Foster Debbie Rising, Amy Williams Molly Robinson, Alexandra Trompeter, Intercessor Duke Breon Counter Ron Roberts Altar Guild: Connie Baldwin, Judie Ferris, Karen Nash, Peg Robinson Lay Eucharistic Ministers: Mike Davies,, Lori Simmons Cook, Wrey Trompeter Please remember to arrange for your own replacements and to keep the office informed of any changes at [email protected]. COFFEE HOUR HOSTS Nov 9 Nov 16 - Kathie / Joann Maureen Well Hebrews 13:2 - Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. St. Paul’s Church 294 Main Street South Woodbury, Connecticut 06798 Office: 203-263-3541 [email protected] Website: stpaulswoodbury.org 9
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