chimes - amazon s3...5 5 sundays, december 13, and 20, 9:00 am, adult education: advent meditations...
TRANSCRIPT
CHIMES
In This Issue
Good News
Christmas Liturgies
Nicaragua Mission
Work Opportunity
Midnight Run
The Voyagers helped feed the hungry—see pages 8 and 9
Advent Tension—Christmas Joy
““The spirit of Christmas is a time machine. Everything else is just plastic” – Anna Quindlen
I have such warm memories of Advent and Christmas. Lighting the Advent wreath before our family dinners, watching the
priest vested in a purple chasuble, hearing “O come, o come Emmanuel” on one Sunday and then “Joy to the World” at mid-
night Mass on Christmas Eve. I recall a Christmas Eve where I was serving as thurifer at the church where I grew up. We’d
bring the incense into the church, cense the altar and the people, then leave the thurible outside so that the church didn’t get
too smoky. Since St. Paul’s was located in downtown Macon, Georgia, in a “not-so-nice” section, there was a fair share of
people wandering the streets with no particular aim. When it came time to bring the thurible back into the church, I went
outside just in time to see a man running away with it. I didn’t go after him, but went back into the church and whispered
what had happened and the Mass went on like normal. Afterwards, we called the police and had a great time trying to ex-
plain to the officer what exactly a thurible was!
Some of my best memories revolve around receiving gifts from Santa on Christmas morning. I was overwhelmed with joy
and excitement when I saw an AT-AT (All Terrain Armored Transport) from The Empire Strikes Back under the tree. I hope
that in the gifts that my boys receive will provide them with that same sense of joy and wonder. That’s why I put effort in
decorating our house and trimming the tree, even during Advent (and also because Ashley loves it, too!). I haven’t always
felt this way. I used to bristle at the commercialization and bustle of Christmas. Why would we go to such lengths to ruin a
perfectly good Advent? Isn’t Advent about quiet and mystery, warmth and light creeping into the dark and cold of winter?
Yes, it is. It’s also a season of tension – Christ comes in the manger at Christmas and Christ will come again during the
Eschaton Event, the Second Coming.
Contin-
The Monthly Parish Newsletter of St. John’s Episcopal Church, Larchmont, NY December 2015
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ued on the next page
My prayers and heart are firmly set in the expec-
tation of the Advent season, and yet I can enjoy the merriment and fun of the holi-
day season. My desire to leave my children and family with good memories out-
weighs my cynicism toward the secularity which seems to ease God out of this
centrally important time of the Christian calendar.
I also know that this time of year is painful for many. It reminds us of what can
and should have been, whether we are missing the ones we’ve lost or thinking of
the ways that our families and life circumstances may have let us down or left us
broken.
That’s why church is so important this time of year. To gather for the 4 Sundays
of Advent and sing those wonderful and rich Advent hymns, to light the Advent
wreath and mark time until we celebrate the feast of the Incarnation, to prepare for
the beauty and warmth of Christmas Eve, including the chaos of the pageant,
makes the day when we do proclaim that “Christ is born” that much more joyful.
Being a part of our church family, of this gathering of the Body of Christ, can take
us away from those painful memories or the suffering that we may hold in our
hearts for whatever reason. We come together to proclaim that in human flesh,
God comes among us to heal and redeem us.
The trappings of Christmas, the plastic toys and wrapping paper, the decorations
and ornaments, at their essence are “just plastic”. But the spirit of Advent and
Christmas are indeed a time machine, taking us back to that silent night where the
redemption of the world lay in that manger, taking us to those childhood memories
of joy and life, and bringing us forward to the time when we will understand the
fullness of the reign of the Prince of Peace. I hope to see you all around this sea-
son, where we can remind each other that it really is all about the one we call Em-
manuel – “God with us” – in the joys and brokenness of our lives.
The 3rd Sunday
of Advent is
known as
“Gaudete” Sun-
day, which
means “Rejoice”,
and it is the Sun-
day that we light
the Rose candle
on the Advent
Wreath.
The ECW gathered to spread seasonal cheer and deliver wreaths!
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From the Nursery School: Morning 3’s singing on circle and playing their drums
Advent is a season observed in many Western Christian churches as a time of expectant waiting and preparation for the celebration of the Nativity of Jesus at Christmas. The term is a version of the Latin word meaning "coming".
Latin adventus is the translation of the Greek word parousia, com-monly used to refer to the Second Coming of Christ. For Christians, the season of Advent anticipates the coming of Christ from two dif-ferent perspectives. The season offers the opportunity to share in the ancient longing for the coming of the Messiah, and to be alert for his Second Coming.
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CHRISTMAS LITURGIES
Christmas Eve, Thursday, December 24
3:00 PM Holy Eucharist with Pageant
This liturgy will be especially appropriate
For younger children.
5:00 PM Holy Eucharist with Carols as the Liturgy
of the Word
10:00 PM Festival Choral Holy Eucharist with the St. John’s
Adult Choir
Christmas Day, Friday, December 25
10:00 AM Holy Eucharist with congregational carols, but
no choir and no babysitting
Toy Donation for Iglesia Gracia
Please note our Christmas Eve Outreach: If you are attending one
of the Christmas Eve or Christmas liturgies and would like to donate
something to the children of Iglesia Santa Gracia, please bring a
wrapped toy (labeled with age and gender). The Children will enjoy
these gifts at their Three Kings Celebration. If you are unable to attend
and would like to donate a gift, please bring it to the parish office.
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Sundays, December 13, and 20, 9:00 AM, Adult Education: Advent Meditations – Preparing For Christmas Join Fr. Joe for a series of Advent Meditations intended to help us prepare spiritually for the coming of Christ at Christmas. Using selected works by spiritual writers and theologians such as Richard Rohr, we’ll spend time in prayer, silence, and discussion on how we can make ready our hearts and minds to receive the gift of Jesus. This Adult Education series will take place in the Thorne Room from 9:00 to around 9:50 on Sunday mornings of November 29, December 6, 13, and 20.
How to make a Gift of Stock to the St. John’s General Fund Determine which of the four situations applies to you and follow the appropriate directions: Situation 1: If the Grantor(s) maintain a brokerage account outside of Charles Schwab: The grantor(s) can instruct their broker(s) to deliver the stock to Charles Schwab using the following instructions: Charles Schwab and Co. DTC # 0164, Code 40 Account of St. John’s Church General Fund Account # 841-09795 Situation 2: If the Grantor(s) maintain(s) a Charles Schwab account. Stock gifts can be made from a Charles Schwab account by instructing the broker to journal stock into the church account (see above). The gift grantor(s) must provide their broker(s) with a letter authorizing the stock transfer to the St. John’s account. Situation 3: If the stock certificate is held in certificate form in the name of the grantor(s): The grantor(s) should sign a stock power or the back of the certificate. The signature(s) should match the owner’s name on the front of the certificate. If a stock power is used, only the signature area should be completed. In addition, a relinquishment form should be completed and signed by the gift grantor(s). Situation 4: If the stock certificate is already in the name of St. John’s Episcopal Church: Officers of St. John’s Church must complete a resolution that designates an individual to sign the stock power or the back of the certificate. The individual signing the resolution cannot be the same person designated to endorse the certificate or stock power. This resolution should be accompanied by a signed certificate or stock power. Please note: In order to ensure that the donor’s gift is credited to the contributions record at St. John’s, the donor should notify the parish office via with the description and number of shares of the securities being transferred as well as the date of the gift.
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GOOD NEWS
Laura Lubben, daughter of Erika and Michael Bucci, has been selected to partici-pate in the Fall 2015 White House Internship Program. Laura is a graduate of Mama-roneck High School and currently is a student at Smith College.
The mission of the Internship Program is “to make the White House accessible to fu-ture leaders around the nation and to prepare those devoted to public service for fu-ture leadership opportunities.” Interns work in one of several White House depart-ments, including the Domestic Policy Council, the National Economic Council, the Of-fice of Cabinet Affairs, the Office of Communications, the Office of Digital Strategy, the Office of the First Lady, the Office of Legislative Affairs, the Office of Management and Administration, the Office of Political Strategy and Outreach, the Office of the Staff Secretary, the Presidential Personnel Office, the Office of Public Engagement and Intergovernmental Affairs, the Office of Scheduling and Advance, the Office of the Vice President, the Office of the White House Counsel, and the President’s Com-mission on White House Fellowships. Congratulations, Laura, on this great honor!
Amy Kirkham is doing scientific research in the Antarctic. As part of her PhD program at the University of Alaska in Anchorage, Amy travels to McMurdo Station, Antarctica, every winter to study the physiology of Weddell seals, the world's most southern-living mammal. Amy is learning about how the seals' hormone levels change across the summer season and relate to their health and condition. She'll be there for a total of three months working on the sea ice collecting data and samples. Best of luck, Amy, in your studies in such a magnificent location – what an amazing experience! Don’t forget to wear your hat and gloves!
Larchmont Living Magazine featured Karen Gray and Debby Campbell, representing St. John’s ECW, as its Village Volunteers, in its November 2015 issue. The maga-zine includes a monthly column focusing on volunteers in town who are making a dif-ference, and this month highlighted the Christmas Bazaar: ECW’s hard work and preparation and the organizations which benefit from the funds raised. Karen is the current ECW President and Debby is this year’s Bazaar chairperson. A huge thanks to them both for their organization and leadership for our largest fundraiser!
If you have good news about a family member or friend at St. John’s you would like to share in the next issue of Chimes, please email the details to Amy Jaswal ([email protected]).
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Calling all Bakers… Start Your Ovens!
Its time for the St. John’s
Christmas Cookie Swap
Anyone who loves baking, please join in this yummy event: kids, middle/high schoolers, moms, dads, grand-
mas, grandpas, local chefs - all are welcome!
Sunday, December 20, 2015
11:30am (after Coffee Hour)
St. John’s Chapter Room
Bring 2-3 dozen of your favorite cookies to share, and then take home a fun assortment on a keepsake tray.
* Allergy Alert - Please label all cookies containing nut ingredients. *
Please RSVP to the church office (914) 834-2981, or to Amy Jaswal ([email protected]) so we know how
many trays are needed.
Hope to see you there!
Just remember, a balanced diet is a Christmas cookie
in each hand!
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Voyagers, middle school Christian Education students, volunteered by packing groceries at a local food pantry. Students packed fresh vegetables, fruit, cereal, eggs and more at the Larch-mont-Mamaroneck Hunger Task Force. They learned that this particular food pantry started at a nearby church until the number of needy families grew so large that a community wide effort expanded to create a task force. Some of the Voyagers were surprised to learn that pur-chasing basic groceries presents a financial challenge for so many living in our neighborhood. Approximately four hundred families regularly receive groceries from the task force. The stu-dents were so impressed by this outreach that they plan to return to help in the spring.
Debra Quintana
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Midnight Run
Midnight Run is a program in which volunteers bring food, clothing, toiletries, blankets and con-versation to homeless persons on the streets of New York City. St Johns’ next run is scheduled for
Friday evening
January 8th, 2016
Clothing Donations Needed – starting now. Please donate the following CLEAN clothing neat-ly packed in bags by the stairway near the church office:
JEANS
COATS & JACKETS
GLOVES & HATS
SWEATSHIRTS & SWEATERS
BLANKETS & SLEEPING BAGS
SNEAKERS & OUTDOOR SHOES
WARM BOOTS
Please do NOT leave children’s clothes, women’s clothes, summer clothes,
or recycled underwear/socks by the stairs. Only men’s winter clothing is needed.
In addition, the following items can be donated:
TOILETRIES - toothbrushes, toothpaste, small soaps, small shampoos, deodorants, razors, combs, Band-Aids, small packs of wipes
Men’s suits – clean/pressed on coat hangers please (for job interviews)
Men’s dress shirts – boxed or on coat hangers (for job interviews)
Help needed shopping for supplies prior to January 8th:
If you would like to help with shopping for food and other supplies in advance of the Midnight Run please contact Christina Battalia Maggard at: [email protected] or (914) 714-3078
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Help needed Friday January 8th:
Pick-up or return (Friday afternoon or Saturday morning) of the Midnight Run van in Dobbs Ferry (a nice outing for a couple)
Preparing and delivering by 7pm complete bagged lunches to St John’s (4 volunteers)
7:00 pm Preparing soup and coffee in the undercroft on the evening of the run. (3 volun-teers)
6:00 pm Sorting and loading clothing: Adults and youth are invited to help sort and size our donated clothing in the undercroft. Pizza will be served! (6-10 volunteers)
6:00 pm Packing toiletries bags – fun for younger kids
8:30 pm to 2 am. Making the run to NYC: this is a meaningful experience, and a good op-portunity for parents and teens/pre-teens to do an activity together.
Clean-up in undercroft: a volunteer or two to help clean up Friday evening or Saturday morning is greatly appreciated.
Stewardship: Wondering Where your Giving Stands for Stewardship 2015?? We are happy to respond to inquiries. If you would like to know where your year-to-date giving stands in relation to your pledge commitment, please contact Laura Rawlings in the parish office.
Year-End Donations Parishioners who wish their donation (cash or securities) to be credit-ed in the year 2015 need to submit the donation to the parish office by 12:00 NOON Thursday, December 31, 2015. Stewardship 2016: We are enormously grateful for the pledges we have received. We are awaiting word from the rest of our households. We need to hear from you all, so that we can plan and budget responsibly. By now you should have received your 2016 pledge packet. If you have not received a pledge card in the mail, please contact the parish office at [email protected] or 834.2981. Alternatively, you can complete your pledge form for Stewardship 2016 online. If you are reading this online, you can Click here to complete our online pledge form.
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2015-2016 Sunday School/Confirmation Class/HS Youth Schedule
December 2 Voyages Meeting (undercroft)
6 Family Liturgy
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16 Voyagers Meeting (undercroft)
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27 NO Sunday School Christmas Holiday
January 3 Family Liturgy Epiphany
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17 Confirmation Class Make-up Day (11:30-12:15)
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February 7 Family Liturgy
14 No Sunday School Winter Break
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March 6 Family Liturgy Confirmation Class, 4-5 (Rectory)/HS Youth, 5-7 (Rectory)
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20 (Palm Sunday Spring Break)
27 No Sunday School EASTER
April 3 Family Liturgy Confirmation Class, 4-5 (Rectory)/HS Youth, 5-7 (Rectory)
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17
24
May 1 Family Liturgy
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15
22
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June 5 Family Liturgy
12 Last Day of Sunday School & Parish Picnic
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JOIN US FOR
St. John’s 11th Annual Trip to Nicaragua
with Bridges to Community
Saturday, June 25 – Saturday, July 2, 2016
“The Bridges to Community volunteer experience is unlike almost anything else you can experience—it will challenge you, surprise you, inspire you, and change you. You will make a real and lasting difference for an individual, a family, even a whole community in an impoverished part of the world. But what comes as the biggest surprise to so many of our volunteers is that when you return, you will find that you have made a real and lasting difference for you as well. And your world will never be the same again.”
What will I be doing? Building houses, with the guidance of Bridges staff and local masons; learning about Nicaragua and the local community; and getting to know the beneficiary families, especially the children!
Where will I be working? This year, we will be returning to Jinotega, in the beautiful, but impoverished coffee-growing region of Nicaragua, a few hours northeast of Managua.
Where will I be staying? We will be staying together in a community leader’s home. Men/boys will be in one room, and women/girls will be in another.
What will I be eating? We have local cooks preparing our meals with fresh, local ingredients. We’ll be eating as the local people do, with rice and beans supplemented by some meat and vegetables. Food is plentiful and delicious!
Continued on next page . . .
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Can I bring a friend? As long as there is space on the trip, you are welcome to bring a friend!
Estimated Costs:
Cost per person for trip: $ 1,395.00 Cost of airfare: $ 850.00 estimate (or $0 if using FF miles) Immigration in Nicaragua $ 10.00 Spending Money: $ 100.00 (as little as $50 if you spend minimally) Total (approx) $ 2,355.00
All costs are tax-deductible except for $10.00 entrance into Nicaragua and spending money. If finances will prevent you from coming, please let us know and we will work to secure and/or raise scholarship funds. In addition, the group might undertake some fundraising activities to raise money for the cost of the building materials, and gifts we bring for the community and children (books, crafts, sports items).
Considerations:
Minimum Age: 15 years by start of trip (or completed 9th grade) Preferred Minimum: 15 participants Maximum: 20 (depends upon site) Preferred Adult to Child Ratio: 1:3 for participants under 18 Passports must be valid for 6 months from date of departure No visa needed for Nicaragua
Commitment:
We need a commitment by early January to determine if we have enough participants to run the trip in 2016. So, please help us out, and let us know ASAP if you are interested in join-ing the trip this year!
$250 non-refundable deposit to Bridges to Community and three part application due Monday, January 12, 2016. You may pay by check or credit card). Three part application may be downloaded at www.bridgestocommunity.org.
Questions: Fr. Joe [email protected] 914.834.2981
Linnet Tse [email protected] 914.833.2871
Carla Berry [email protected] 914.235.5303
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St. John’s Church
4 Fountain Square
Larchmont, NY 10538
Www.stjohnslarchmont.org
(914)834-2981
Rector
The Rev. Joseph D. Greene
Priest Associate
The Rev. Dorothy A. Greene
Director of Music
Dr. Paul-Martin Maki
Director of Christian Education
Debra Quintana
Parish Administator
Laura Rawlings Parent
Parish Secretary
Joan Saunders
Sexton
Carlos Ortiz
Wardens
Matthew Hart
Linnet Tse
Vestry
Liz Bruce
Michael Bucci
Mary Conway
Barbara Gessler
Neil Gray—Treasurer
Sanjiv Jaswal
Jay Klancik
Victoria Maggard
Sally Noone - Clerk
Michael O’Connell
Aaron Simpson
Sue Wahrhaftig
Parish Register
Baptisms
William Reid Barr, son of Ali McLeod and Michael Barr
James Joseph Bez, son of Lindsey and Andrew Bez
Miles Nielsen Sherman, son of Peter and Shani Sherman
Anders Robert Trigg, son of Erin and Adam Trigg
Deaths
Thomas Castiglia, father of Diane Sjostedt
St. John’s Photo Policy To showcase the vibrancy of St. John’s Parish we enjoy sharing and displaying photos and videos of parish activities and events. Photos are posted on the website, church facebook pages, bulletin boards near the parish office, and church publications such as the Chimes newsletter. If you do not wish pho-tographs or videos of you or your children to be used in these materi-als, contact the parish office.
A big thanks to all who supported and worked at the Christmas Bazaar. We raised
around $24,000 to go to local charities. A good time was had by all.
Are you connected to us via Facebook? You can
like us at:
https://www.facebook.com/StJohnsLarchmont/