December 2014 From the Rector The Messenger ST. MARK’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH, BARRINGTON HILLS, IL Fr. David A. Gibbons So we enter the season of Advent in which we watch and wait in order to prepare for the Lord's coming. Although the apparent aim of Advent is to be ready to celebrate Jesus' arrival as the baby of Bethlehem, it has another, larger significance in inviting us to be ready for his second coming. Are we ready, we ask ourselves? Can we be ready? Indeed what does ready even look like? My aim over recent Advents has been to assign time to pray quietly in order to still myself, to give myself a chance to be centered as I start the day. To the degree I was successful, which was not as much as I would have liked or had planned, I enjoyed the calm of letting go of my agenda and "to do list" for a while in order to simply "wait on the Lord" as the psalmist puts it. I will aim for more of that this year, and invite you to consider the same. But it also occurs to me this year - a year in which I find myself much busier than I should like - that the prayer that is sustaining me this year is one that helps me enter the life I am in, helps me prepare as well as I can and be the best I can be in it. This is to say that the focus of my prayer this year is slightly different in that, while it is still about preparing myself, it is in preparation for this day, this moment, namely the here and now rather than the eternal Kingdom. And it seems to me that this is consistent with the idea of preparing for Christmas when God became incarnate in the Christ child, and showed us that His presence, His love is not far away and beyond time, but also in our world, in our time and in our lives. Consistent with the Celtic influence we have been enjoying this past 18 months, God is right here with us and so our work is to be aware of His life in us and around us. So this year as you make your preparation, may you know His presence in you, celebrating you, the beautiful you He made, preparing you for this hour, this day and this life as well as the life to come. Blessed Advent and a very merry Christmas, David Advent booklets are available at the Spiritual Pantry, located in the foyer outside the Church Office. Pick one up today to use during Advent! With Thanksgiving... We have many reasons to give thanks, but one of them is surely for the generosity of the parishioners at St Mark’s...read on! Partners for Just Trade Christmas Baskets – Due Dec.1 Thank you to all of St. Mark's for your support of the artisans working with Partners for Just Trade. As a congregation, $470 in gift items was purchased between Nov 9th and 16th at the sale in the parlor. Purchasing these fair trade items helps the artisans provide food and shelter for their families, hopefully send their children to school, and improve the life of their entire community. Thank you! This year, 36 families will have presents and food at Christmas, thanks to the generosity of St Mark’s families. The Cathedral Charities "Christmas Baskets" are due by Monday, December 1st. Please be sure they are sealed and marked with their household number and are placed in the Parlor. If you have any questions, please contact Keri Svec at 847458-6155 or [email protected]. The following letter came to Holly Dietz, our Market Day coordinator, from Gene Dawson at the Barrington Food Pantry... Dear Holly, WOW! Saying thank you doesn’t really express our gratitude to you and St. Mark’s Church for making us the recipients of your Market Day pie order in November. We are so grateful to you for thinking of us. The seventeen pies was an outstanding donation and will be a wonderful treat for our clients in their Thanksgiving food box. We sincerely appreciate your responsiveness to the economic situation of those in need. Again, thank you and please convey our thanks to the many Market Day buyers who were so kind and generous to buy a pie for the Barrington Township food pantry. Your act of community service is appreciated by our clients and the food pantry. First Sunday Food Drive - Dec. 7 There were twenty-five generous donations of evaporated milk, cranberry sauce, stuffing mix and potatoes that helped fill the November boxes of food given out at the Cuba Township Food Pantry. Often times it is our donations that complete the box that each family receives once a month. December requests range from necessities to extras. For the past three months, no laundry detergent has been given out because there has not been enough for everyone. It would be great if we could fill this need. Paper towels also are needed. If you would like to add a holiday extra, sparkling cider and juices have been suggested. Thank you to all the St. Mark's angels who have given so generously to this outreach program! Advent Activities Prepare our Families... Advent Bags Christmas Pageant Pick yours up by Nov. 30th! Sunday, December 21st Families, counting the days until Christmas can be a challenge, right? Especially when the church says it’s not Christmas -- it’s Advent! We’ll honor the last Sunday in Advent and then, after the Eucharist, we’ll have a brief children’s pageant accompanied by Christmas carols. We want to help you employ this time of “getting ready for Jesus to come” by giving you an Advent Bag. Inside are 25 dated packages: open one each day and the message and the “item” can be a conversation starter about God’s work, our work, and general wondering. A NON-rehearsal Christmas Pageant is sure to bring surprises – how appropriate, since God’s plan for a baby king in a manger was also a surprise! Children and those who are children at heart are invited to be characters in the pageant. Please see Karen Alpeter for more information. Prepare our Church... Christmas Altar Flowers During this season of “getting ready”, our Flower Guild will be designing the Christmas season flower displays. It’s traditional for the congregation to help with donations and many do this along with dedications to loved ones which will be printed in the Christmas bulletins. Please use the form in your pew or contact Gina in the Parish Office at [email protected]. Church Cleaning Saturday, December 13 --9 am Wear your play clothes and comfy shoes and come help the Altar Guild clean the church for Christmas! This year there is NO BRASS to polish but the pews need to be cleaned and shined. Lend a hand and help the work go more quickly. If you have questions, please contact Susan Dilsaver or Chris Barnowski. Prepare Ourselves... Celtic Service Christmas Brunch Saturday, December 6 -- 5 pm Sunday, December 7 -- 11:45 am m Join us at the Cary Country Club (2400 Grove Lane) for the annual Christmas Brunch. Wonderful fellowship and great food! Come after church - from 11:45 on. Cost is $17.00 per person. Make your reservations before Dec. 1 by calling the church office at 847/381-0596. At the heart of Celtic worship is appreciation for God's creation. Worship will reflect a desire to see the life of God in the depth of our heart and all that is around us. Our service will be less formal, roughly 45 minutes. Come and try it! Christmas Services The Greening of St.Mark's Church December 24, Christmas Eve 3:00 pm – The Family Service Welcoming to children of all ages – 6 months to 106 – with appropriate carols and the children help set up the Nativity scene as the story is told. Holy Communion is open to all regardless of age. Hollace Emrich Glover will be our guest vocalist for this special Christmas Eve service. The music and the holiday carols celebrate family and children. Holly will present a special arrangement of the beloved anthem, “Shepherd’s Pipe Carol” by John Rutter. A guest trumpeter will join us as we celebrate the birth of Christ. A special practice session will be offered before the Liturgy to prepare the children to participate in the Christmas service. 5:30 pm - A Classic Festival Christmas Service Familiar worship with all the bells (literally) and whistles. A celebration to delight the eyes, ears, and heart leading us to Holy Communion. In the 30 minutes before the service begins, the musicians and readers will lead us through scripture to this holy remembrance of the arrival of God among us. This liturgy brings together many of the music department’s excellent choral and instrumental musicians. The parish choir will be joined by members of the parish handbell choir and instrumentalists both from the parish and the surrounding community. Festival Brass will accompany the majestic carols of the season and Ted Gysan will accompany the choir from our magnificent pipe organ. A service of the Spoken Word and Music that foretells the coming of Christ will begin 30 minutes before the main liturgy. Please join us as the parish musicians present the Nativity of Jesus. Christmas Service times continued on next page... Christmas Services (cont.) December 24, Christmas Eve 9:00 pm - A Celtic-style Christmas Service With candlelight, quiet and intimate, this service is shaped to inspire silent awe at the miracle of the incarnation. Holy Communion is celebrated and shared. The final liturgy on Christmas Eve will focus on the tranquility of Nativity. Ned Loughridge will open the service by chanting the first verse of Once in Royal David’s City. The remaining verses of the hymn will be sung by the congregation and accompanied by organ, hand bells and English Horn. Other special music includes Lullaby by John Ness Beck and Comfort Ye from Messiah. Kristen Leidy will be featured as guest instrumentalist – oboe and English Horn – throughout the quiet, contemplative Liturgy. A special arrangement of Silent Night was commissioned by the music department to conclude the meditative liturgy. The arrangement features congregation, vocal soloist, bells and Oboe. Christmas Day, December 25 10:15 am - The Feast of the Nativity A celebration, with special music, carols and Holy Communion. The Christmas Day morning liturgy will feature the congregation singing favorite carols of the season. The seasonal hymns and carols will be accompanied by organ. For additional information about the musical offerings at Christmastime, please contact the Director of Music, Thomas Wibbels, at 847/381-0596. Take Note... Want a SHORT Choir Stint? Ever thought of singing with our choir but can’t make a long-term commitment? What about just for the 5:30pm Christmas Eve service? Tom Wibbels is holding a Choir Camp on Saturday, December 13 from 10am to noon focused on the music to be sung at the 5:30pm Christmas Eve service. Tom says you don’t need to be able to sing parts – we’ll be glad to have the melody sung with gusto. Choir members will be sitting with the brass and bells and will get the full benefit of all the music. If you think you’d be interested please speak to Tom Wibbels, our Music Director. Choir Camp!! Saturday, December 13th 10-noon Come One, Come all! Nutcracker HERE! Sunday School Schedule Sunday, December 7 - 11:15 am In December, we will have Sunday School on the 7th and 14th only. On Dec. 21st, children and their families are invited to the Family Service and to participate in the Pageant. The 28th is Christmas Break, so no classes. Classes will resume on January 4. The Midwest Dance Collective, a semiprofessional concert dance ensemble based in Barrington, will be performing several dances from the Nutcracker after church. Our Fellowship Hall will be our stage and those heading to the Parish Christmas Luncheon will have plenty of time to take in the fancy-steps and drive to the Cary Country Club. Special Coffee Hour Sunday, December 21 You won’t want to miss this! The Gibbons family will be hosting an Olde English coffee hour featuring mulled wine and special treats following the 10:15 service. A Message from the Flower Guild... This year for Christmas decorations, we are introducing our new floral designer, John Regan, owner of the Twisted Stem Edgy and Elegant Floral Design. John has more horticulture degrees than most members of the Botanic Gardens across the country. We invite everyone to bring friends and neighbors to see St. Mark's Christmas design on the altar, exclusively designed by John. Please support our enchanting new look by making a donation to the Flower Guild in the envelopes you will find located in the pews. We need to have your name and the name of the persons or group you are honoring. We are so blessed to have quality music in our wonderful church. We are now adding elegance in our flowers. If you would like to join this dynamic group, please contact Bev Sweeney. Flower Guild members work in teams of two, so you will have a partner if you are new to flower arranging. We welcome into the household of God through Baptism... On November 2nd, we celebrated with Alison and Jim Vanderpoel as their son Frederick Hazard was initiated into the Christian church (baptized). Fred was baptized by his step-grandmother, the Rt. Rev. Carolyn Tanner Irish, the retired Bishop of Utah. Engaging the family further, Alison's father, the Rev. Dr. Frederick Quinn read the gospel. Our Condolences... ...to Karen Worsley and her family on the death of her mother, Lillian Smith, on November 20th. Please keep the entire Worsely family in your prayers. New baby? Grandbaby?Accepted into college? If you have a piece of news that you’d like to share, please send it to the church office [email protected] Living Compass – Weekly Words of Wellness The following article is from Living Compass and is a great read. The video they reference is excellent, as well. To subscribe to the "Weekly Words of Wellness" and/or to read past columns, visit the Living Compass website by clicking here. "Let Gratefulness Overflow into Blessing" The title for this week's column comes from one of the most beautiful videos I have ever seen. The video is a TED talk and the focus of the video is nature, beauty, and gratitude. Watching and reflecting on this video seems like a powerful way to prepare for the celebration of Thanksgiving. In fact, you might even want to share the video when you gather with family and friends next week. The video brings the stunning time-lapse photography of Louie Schwartzberg together with words spoken by a Benedictine monk named Brother David Steindl-Rast. Brother David invites us to pay attention, really pay attention to the simple gifts and blessings of life that can be so easily taken for granted. He points out that paying attention to the wonder of nature and the wonder of the people we encounter in our life is the basis for authentic gratitude. I could not agree more. You can view the video by clicking here. You will not regret investing the ten minutes it takes to watch this video. Brother David's words begin four and half minutes into the video. If you want to read along as Brother David speaks, the text for his words is printed below. We at Living Compass wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving. And in the words of Brother David, "May your gratefulness overflow into blessing all around you". You think that this is just another day in your life... It's not just another day. It's the one day that is given to you - today... It's given to you. It's a gift. It's the only gift that you have right now... ...and the only appropriate response is gratefulness. If you do nothing else but to cultivate that response to the great gift that this unique day is... If you learn to respond as if it were the first day in your life and the very last day then you will have spent this day very well. Begin by opening your eyes, and be surprised that you have eyes you can open. That incredible array of colors that is constantly offered to us for our pure enjoyment. Look at the sky. We so rarely look at the sky. We so rarely note how different it is from moment to moment, with clouds coming and going. We just think of the weather, and even with the weather we don't think of all the many nuances of weather... We just think of "good weather" and "bad weather." This day, right now, with its unique weather, maybe a kind that will never exactly in that form come again.. The formation of clouds in the sky will never be the same as it is right now... Open your eyes. Look at that. Look at the faces of people whom you meet. Each one has an incredible story behind their face, a story that you could never fully fathom. Not only their own story, but the story of their ancestors. We all go back so far... And in this present moment on this day, all the people you meet, all that life from generations and from so many places all over the world flows together and meets you here like a life giving water if you only open your heart and drink. Open your heart to the incredible gifts that civilization gives to us. You flip a switch and there is electric light. You turn a faucet and there is warm water, and cold water, and drinkable water... a gift that millions and millions in the world will never experience. So these are just a few of an enormous number of gifts to which you can open your heart. And so I am wishing you will open your heart to all these blessings and let them flow through you. That everyone you will meet on this day will be blessed by you, just by your eyes, by your smile, by your touch, just by your presence. Let the gratefulness overflow into blessing all around you. Then it will REALLY be a good day. Words by Brother David Steindl-Rast Caught in the Act -- We don’t have a picture, but Arlene Kaspik was recently “a-salted” at Coffee Hour for providing the most delicious toffee ever tasted by this editor. She happily shares her recipe here for all to enjoy!! Thanks, Arlene!! Arlene’s Amazing Toffee Recipe From Mary Meade’s Country Cookbook by Ruth Ellen Church (1964: Rand McNally & Co.) Utensils needed: Heavy 2 quart saucepan (straight sided) Candy Thermometer 9x9 pan (I like my toffee thin, so I use a non-stick jelly roll pan) Measuring cups, spoons, wooden spoon Good quality rubber or silicon spatula (that can withstand the heat) Ingredients: 2 sticks butter (I use lightly salted, purists might use unsalted) 1 cup granulated sugar 1 TBSP light corn syrup 3 TBSP water 1 cup chopped nuts (as fine as you like- just not coarsely chopped) Chocolate morsels or Hershey bars Cook the butter, sugar, corn syrup, and water over medium high heat, stirring occasionally, until the mixture reaches the crack stage (290 degrees F) on a candy thermometer. Add ½ the nuts and cook for approximately 3 minutes more.* (This is when I remove the candy thermometer.) Pour the mixture onto the prepared pan. I use a rubber spatula to scoop out as much of the mixture as possible. If you are using a cookie sheet or jellyroll pan use the rubber spatula to quickly spread the mixture as thin as you like over the cookie sheet or jellyroll pan. I use a combination of tilting & shaking the pan combined with spreading the mixture. The recipe says to let the toffee cool completely and invert the pan to remove it. Then it tells you to melt the chocolate, spread it over the toffee and sprinkle the remaining nuts over the top. When chocolate hardens, break the toffee into pieces and serve. HOWEVER … I’m basically lazy so I sprinkle a mixture of bittersweet and milk chocolate chips over the top and, as they melt, use a rubber small rubber spatula to swirl and spread the chocolate. In winter weather I hurry along the cooling process by covering the pan and setting it outside or on the garage floor to cool the mixture and harden the chocolate in no time. In warmer weather I have been known to tuck the toffee pan in the freezer for a bit but it does slightly change the color or the toffee. *Note: Weather, humidity and the powers that be may affect when it is absolutely right to remove the toffee from the heat. After you make a few batches you start to trust your sense of sight and smell as to EXACTLY when to remove the candy mixture from the heat. The Day School is busy, busy this time of year. Our annual Santa Night Fun-raiser will be held on Thursday, December 4th. Santa is on his way to visit all our precious little children. The evening features activities in every classroom including, cookie decorating, making reindeer food, letters to Santa, Christmas crafts, ornament making , and the favorite--our cakewalk! Santa and Mrs. Claus will be here talking to the children and posing for pictures. Moretti's Pizzeria and Restaurant will be donating all the wonderful food for the event (many thanks to our St. Mark's family, Mark and Jessica Hoffmann). The children will be presenting their Christmas musical program on Monday December 15th and Wednesday, December 17th. Due to the popularity of this event, we need two seatings. Our music teacher, Holly Velleuer, has each class presenting their own Christmas song followed by an all-school sing-along. This is always a parent favorite. Christmas parties follow on December 18th and 19th until we say goodbye for two weeks. Registration for fall of 2015 begins on January 6, 2015. Please spread the word to family and friends. Tours can be arranged by calling Jane Smith at 847-381-9172. Do you shop at Heinen’s in Barrington? Here is an opportunity to support our biggest ministry, the St Mark’s Day School Office Hours: Phone: 847-381-0596 Fax: 847-381-3564 Email: [email protected] Heinen's is offering their Teaming Up for Education program, which will allow us to earn money each time you shop at Heinen's. Check it out!! If you would like to help our Day School, designate St. Mark's as your preferred school by visiting Customer Service or their website. The Spiritual Pantry, located just outside the Parlor, has some new Advent readings. Use your Tasteful Rewards Card every time you shop. They track all eligible spending and donate up to 1% to our school. Thank you in advance for your participation! Pick one up for the season! Monday—Friday 9:15 am - 2:15 pm December Birthdays December Anniversaries Dec 6 - David and Pam DeWitt Dec 1 - Lauren Messemer Dec 2 - Moira Fearncombe Dec 3 - John Stieper Dec 6 - Sonja Duray Dec 7 - Lourie Ferrell Dec 9 - Bill Setterstrom Eric Anderson Dec 11 - James Alpeter Dec 12 - Alison Anderson Dec 13 - Eric Barker Dec 14 - Laura Alter Lisa Woolford Dec 15 - Ruth MacCallum Bill Gratzl Dec 16 - Joe Collier Noelle Porter Dec 17 - Richard Jensen Clifford Nelsen II Dec 18 - Nancy Loring Kristen Clarke Dec 19 - Karen Alpeter Edward Jacobs Dec 20 - Jean Tolle Margaret Skoulund Dec 21 - James Demunno Dec 24 - Susan Gibbons Dec 27 - Carole Childers Dec 29 - Lynne O'Malley Michael Stieper Dec 30 - Anne Gross Joy Sweet Mary Etherington Dec 31 - Mackenzie Peltier Dec 18 - James and Karen Alpeter Dec 28 – Michael and Nancy Loring Are your cupboards bare? It’s time to order from Market Day again by Wednesday, December 3 by 11 pm for pick up on Saturday, December 6. The catalogues are available with the monthly specials – find them in the foyer areas at church. This fundraiser for St. Mark’s donates a percentage of dollars from our total orders to specific projects and ministries in the area and around the country. Helps you, helps them! Mark Your Calendars Dec 1 Christmas Baskets Due Dec 13 Choir Camp, 10 am- noon Dec 2 Lectio Divina, 1 pm Dec 14 Advent 3 Dec 3 Finance Committee, 7 pm Market Day orders due by 11 pm Dec 16 Morning Prayer, 9:30 am Women’s Study Group, 10 am Dec 4 Day School Santa Night Dec 18 Faith Knitters, 7 pm Dec 6 Market Day Pick-up, 10:20-11:20 am Celtic Service, 5 pm Dec 21 Advent 4 10:15 Family Service Mulled Wine Coffee Hour Dec 7 Advent 2 1st Sunday Collection Christmas Luncheon, 11:45 am Dec 24 Christmas Eve Services 3 pm, 5:30 pm, 9 pm Dec 25 Christmas Day Service, 10:15 am Dec 28 NO SUNDAY SCHOOL Dec 9 Morning Prayer, 9:30 am Women’s Study Group, 10 am Dec 10 Vestry, 7 pm Dec 11 Morning Prayer, 9:30 am Men’s Study Group, 10 am Church Office Closed December 29th through January 4th. 337 Ridge Road Barrington Hills, IL 60010 Phone: 847-381-0596 FIRST CLASS On the web: www.st-markschurch.org E-mail: [email protected] St. Mark’s Episcopal Church Belonging...Believing...Becoming St. Mark’s Vision: Rector: The Very Rev. David A. Gibbons Deacon: The Rev. F. Newton Carpenter Senior Warden: Junior Warden: Eric Anderson Pete Gray Vestry: David Eitel Mary Etherington Bruce Grabenkort Arlene Kaspik Laura Kierig Justin McCarthy Sherry Philbin David Stieper Calvin Swiger Treasurer: Fred Hille Clerk: Linda Gray We at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church strive to create a dynamic worship community for spiritual growth rooted in our Episcopal traditions, an environment of education and exploration of our faith in God through Jesus Christ, a connectedness to the community and world through good works, and an opportunity for fellowship among the church family. Our Regular Service Times Sunday: 8am- Eucharist (said) Business Manager Mike Loring Day School Director Jane Smith Director of Music/Organist Tom Wibbels Christian Formation Director Jo Gantzer Administrative Director Gina Erdman 9am- Youth Choir & Adult Forum 9:45 am – Youth Formation Parent Spiritual Café 10:15am- Eucharist (sung with choir) Third Sundays – FAMILY SERVICE. 10:15
© Copyright 2024