nativity news - amazon s3 · 2018. 12. 20. · gift to a king. frankincense, used as incense, is a...

January 2019

A note from the Rector…

“We three kings of orient are….” This hymn is probably familiar to most of us. Henry Hopkins wrote the words

and lyrics to this hymn in 1857, while serving as the first music instructor at General Theological Seminary and

also as Rector of Christ Church in Williamsport. It was first sung at a pageant at the seminary. It is considered

the first Christmas hymn in English from the United States.

This year Epiphany (January 6) actually occurs on a Sunday and we

will remember the journey of the wise men, who follow the bright star

in the east, seeking the baby Jesus.

They bring gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. Gold is brought as a

gift to a king. Frankincense, used as incense, is a symbol of God.

Myrrh was a spice used on a body at the time of death.

Epiphany is the 12th day of Christmas. In parts of the Christian world, especially Italy, Spain, Latin America

and the Caribbean, it is the day children receive presents. They often put grass in their shoes for the camels to

eat. Three Kings Day also marks the beginning of Mardi Gras, with the kings’ cakes and the baby Jesus baked

into them.

For us, the day is especially important as it represents Jesus being revealed to the Gentiles. Jesus came for all of

creation all over the world. Even people from distant places were drawn to him and knew his birth was special

and would change the course of the world.

This year the season of Epiphany is especially long. Ash Wednesday is on March 6. During this time, let us

reflect upon how Jesus has changed us, changed our lives and changed the world.

Thank you for the year-end gift of $385. I am grateful to be your Rector, and walk together on our Christian

journey.

Love, Rebecca+

NATIVITY NEWS

The newsletter of the Episcopal Church of the Nativity and St. Stephen

Newport and Thompsontown, PA

159 South Second Street, Newport PA 17074

Phone: 717-567-6514 E-mail: [email protected]

Parish Website: www.nativityandststephen.diocpa.org

Commons and Gardens Upcoming Activities

If you are able to help out or contribute to any of the Episcopal Gardens or Commons activities, please see a

member of the Program and Mission Committee.

Episcopal Gardens Activities:

Thursday, January 24, 11am - 1pm, - Lunch and Winter Craft

Tuesday, March 5, Invite residents to our Shrove Tuesday pancake supper, bus to

leave Honaman House at 5:30, return approx. 8pm.

Thursday, March 14, 11am - 1pm - BINGO and Lunch

Sunday, June 2, after church at St. Stephen’s - Cookout

Episcopal Commons Activities:

Tuesday, February 13, 11am - 1pm - Lunch and Valentine’s Craft

Tuesday, March 5, Invite residents to our Shrove Tuesday pancake supper

Wednesday, April 10, 11am - 1pm - Easter/Spring Activity and Lunch

Wednesday, June 5, 11am - 1pm – Cookout

The Good Book Club invites you to join in reading Saint Paul’s Letter to the Romans during Epiphany 2019.

Episcopalians will start reading Romans on January 7, 2019 and read a section every day (except Sundays)

through the Epiphany season. A list of daily readings in below. Please visit www.goodbookclub.org for more

information.

JANUARY

Monday, January 7 - Romans 1:1-7

Tuesday, January 8 -Romans 1:8-17

Wednesday, January 9 - Romans 1:18-32

Thursday, January 10 - Romans 2:1-16

Friday, January 11 - Romans 2:17-29

Saturday, January 12 - Romans 3:1-8

Sunday, January 13 - Hear God’s Word at church


Tuesday, January 15 - Romans 3:21-31

















FEBRUARY

Friday, February 1 - Romans 9:19-33

Saturday, February 2 - Romans 10:1-4

Sunday, February 3 - Hear God’s Word at church

Monday, February 4 - Romans 10:5-13

Tuesday, February 5 - Romans 10:14-21

Wednesday, February 6 - Romans 11:1-10

Thursday, February 7 - Romans 11:11-16






















MARCH

Friday, March 1 - Romans 16:1-7

Saturday, March 2 - Romans 16:8-16

Sunday, March 3 - Hear God’s Word at church

Monday, March 4 - Romans 16:17-23

*NRSV omits v. 24

Tuesday, March 5 - Romans 16:25-27

Wednesday, March 6 - Back to normal reading

http://www.goodbookclub.org/

Nativity Happenings

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Parlor People Sessions January 6 - Bill Rohm -

An Epiphany Bucket List Part I

January 13 - Bill Rohm -

An Epiphany Bucket List Part II

January 20, 27, February 3 -

Issues of aging – Presenters and topics to TBD

Godly Play will be

January 13, 20 and 27.

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Epipha-tea

Saturday, February 16, 1pm.

Meet at the church at noon to

carpool to Mary Price’s.

Snow date is Saturday, February 23.

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During 2019, we will be

celebrating baptism on January

13, April 21, June 9, November

3 and December 8.

Let Rebecca know if you or someone you know

would like to be baptized on any of these days.

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Darlene Amsler is

collecting cancelled

stamps for Eastern Stars.

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Send notes or cards to our

friends who are unable to

attend service on Sundays.

Arlene McGowan Edith Jones

92 Village Drive 232 W. Main Street

Room 108 New Bloomfield PA 17068

Mifflintown PA 17059

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Help People in Need when you

buy your Groceries!

See Gail Shull or Pat Szabo to

purchase cards in various amounts to use at Giant,

Mutzabaugh's, or Weis Stores. 5% of the cost of

each card stays with the church and is used for

outreach and mission projects.

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Honor or Remember a loved one or a special

occasion with flowers on the altar!

Flowers help make our worship space more

beautiful and remind us of the blossoming life we

have in Christ. Please consider sponsoring the

flowers in memory of a loved one, or to celebrate

your thanksgivings. Flowers are $30. Let Michele

know by email – [email protected] or phone,

717-567-6514.

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Baking needs and chocolate items available

through

See the cart in the parish hall. We are now a wholesaler for Equal Exchange, a

company that supports small farmers who use

sustainable practices for chocolate, cocoa, coffee,

tea, nuts, olive oil and other baking items. A price

list and basket are available to pay for the items you

choose to buy. Also, be sure to write down what

you’ve purchased to help us maintain our inventory.

A catalogue is also available. If there’s an item

you’d like us to order, please see Jane Hoover.

-----------------------------------------------

Wendy Day is collecting

Box Tops for Education.

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Diocesan Happenings

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Sign up for news from around our Diocese.

Monthly email available. Go to

https://diocesecpa.org/subscribe-for-newsletters/

to sign up.

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Martin Luther King Service,

Monday, January 21, 6-9pm,

First Christian Church,

442 Hummel Avenue, Lemoyne.

Sponsored by the Diocese with Anthony Alexander,

Lori Clark Robinson, Greg Welin and Rebecca

Myers involved. The event is being coordinated by

Christian Churches United.

The agenda for the evening is as follows:

6 - 7:30 pm: A Conversation on the East

Shore/West Shore divide -Presentation of ‘The

Conversation’ skit by Community Responders

Network (you can view it here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-

Umz9poL2EM&feature=youtube)

Panel Discussion facilitated by Pastor Dave

Shreffler, Trinity Lutheran, Lemoyne

Current confirmed panelists: Rev. Anthony

Alexander, Rev. Lavette Paige (King Community

Center, Harrisburg), Rev. Jason Schwartzman

(Grace United Methodist, Lemoyne), Major Kristal

Turner-Childs (PA State Police).

Invited: Don Paul Shearer - President, West Shore

Historical Society

7:30 - 8 pm: Refreshments/Informal Conversation

8 - 9 pm: MLK Commemoration Worship Service

including faith leaders from multiple

denominations, as well as a Unity Choir.

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A Unity Choir is being formed to perform at

the Martin Luther King Service on

Monday, January 21.

The choir will practice on Monday, January 7 and

Monday, January 14. If you are interested in being

part of the choir, please see Rebecca.

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Diocesan In-residence Day in Harrisburg

Convocation, Wednesday, January 30,

All Saints, 310 Elm Avenue, Hershey.

Plan now to spend part of your day with the

Diocesan staff - 10-10:30, Coffee/Fellowship;

10:45-11:30, Bible Study; 11:45-12:30, Worship

Service and 12:30-1:15, Lunch (Bring your own and

enjoy fellowship with us!). If you’d like an

appointment with one of the staff, please see

Rebecca.

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Circling Around the Light, Friday, February

1 and Saturday, February 2, Hosted by

Christ Memorial Church, Danville and

St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Bloomsburg.

This two day retreat will be available to 24

participants. Workshops will focus on the

Enneagram, the Circle Way, and the Way of Love.

Contact Jim at [email protected] for more info and

to register.

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Bishop's Open. Monday, May 13,

State College

If you are interested or have questions, please

contact Shannon Pedersen,

[email protected]

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https://diocesecpa.org/subscribe-for-newsletters/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Umz9poL2EM&feature=youtube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Umz9poL2EM&feature=youtube

mailto:[email protected]

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Happening, February 15-17,

Camp Mt. Luther, Mifflinburg.

Youth in grades 9-12 are invited for an exciting

weekend of fun, friendship, and faith! You will

have the opportunity to talk about God with your

peers, the people who will be experiencing the same

event with you. Please register by February 8 at

https://diocesecpa.org/youth/ Cost: $125.00. Scholarships are available.

Contact: Mary Ellen Kilp or Theda Tallman at

[email protected] for questions.

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A New Beginning #2,

Retreat for Youth in Grades 6-8,

Friday, April 5, 2019 – Sunday, April 17,

Camp Mount Luther, Mifflinburg, PA.

Cost is $100 per participant and includes housing in

cabins with other youth, all meals, t-shirt, and all

activities. Deadline to register is Friday, March 29.

Register at www.diocesecpa.org. For more info,

contact Mary Ellen Kilp or Theda Tallman at

cpayouthcom.gmail.com or 717-475-2785.

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Community Happenings

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Pennsylvania Interfaith Power and Light 8th

Annual PA to DC Bike Trip, May 10 - 15. There will be two groups, one originating in the

State College area and one in the Philadelphia area

making the trip to raise a faith voice for action

against climate change. This public statement of

concern is also a fundraiser for PA IPL and riders

spend a day on Capitol Hill advocating for policies

that will turn the tide of climate change and protect

Creation and God's most vulnerable people. This

year, they hope to recruit more riders and still have

a diverse group so we are asking potential riders to

fill out an application between now and January 28.

The participants will be selected and make

commitments by mid-February. The application

form is at paipl.us/what-do-we-do/bike-trip and

gives much more information about the trip.

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https://diocesecpa.org/youth/

http://www.diocesecpa.org/

January Honaman House 2 Gregory Fried 15 John Albright

Jacob Rice 22 Sheryl Krebs

Ann Roland 25 Raymond Strunk

4 Emily Davis 27 Deborah Bryner

Jason Ehrhart

Kerry Jezewski

7 Joann Weller Episcopal Commons

14 Nathan Beamer 6 Phyllis Smith

17 Wendy Day 10 Karen Myers

18 Matthew Warne 11 Debbie Ramos

23 Will Davis 14 Mary Ostott

28 Stella Cox

January Service Participants Schedule

A.G. – Altar Guild GP – Godly Play

Service Participants for January 6 - March 31

Date Greeters Lector Prayers Acolyte Euch. Min. Coffee Hour

January 6 (A.G. 1) Cramers Kay C. John C. Alivia Saner Susan R. / Jean

Epiphany

January 13 GP (A.G. 2) Rolands Jane H. Jan Y. Burns Burns Lynne / Jill

Renewal of Baptismal Vows

January 20 GP (A.G. 3) Beamer / Kern Wendy D. Susan R. Amsler Amsler Anne C./Elizabeth P.

January 27 GP (A.G. 4) Yocums Connie Y. Gail S. Davis Davis Edna / Andrea

February 3 (A.G. 1) Mitchell / Shull Mary P. Dick P. Lillian Day Kay / Wendy

January 2019

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1

2 Men’s Breakfast

(Espresso Yourself)

Women’s Breakfast

(Bitting’s) – 9am

3 Friends of Newport Game Night, 7pm

4

5

6 Worship - 9:30am

Special Offering Parlor People Bill Rohm - An Epiphany Bucket List Part I

7

8 Taize’ Tuesday, 4:45pm

9 Men’s Breakfast

(Espresso Yourself)

Women’s Breakfast

(Newport Family) –

9am

Property Committee Meeting, 10:15am

Sabbatical Committee Meeting, 10:30am

Vestry, 6:30pm

10

11

12 Diocesan Eliminating Racism Task Group, 9:30am – 12:30pm

13 Worship - 9:30am

Godly Play

Renewal of Baptismal Vows

Parlor People Bill Rohm - An Epiphany Bucket List Part II

14


16 Men’s Breakfast

(Espresso Yourself)

Women’s Breakfast


PCCA Poetry Out Loud Regional Competition, Nativty 10am – 2pm

17

18

19

20 Worship - 9:30am

Godly Play

Parlor People Issues of Aging - TBD

21 Martin Luther King Service, 6-9pm, First Christian Church, 442 Hummel Avenue, Lemoyne



(Espresso Yourself)

Women’s Breakfast

(Newport Family) –

9am

24 Lunch and winter craft 11am – 1pm, Gardens

Clergy Council, 2 – 4pm

25

26

27 Worship - 9:30am

Godly Play

Special Offering

Parlor People Issues of Aging - TBD

28



(Espresso Yourself)

Women’s Breakfast


Diocesan In-residence Day, All Saints, 310 Elm Avenue, Hershey

31 Stitchers, 10am

Special Offerings: January 6 – Caring for Nativity’s Neighbors and Flower Offering.

January 27 – Building Fund and the Kermit Lloyd Theological Education Fund.

nativity news - amazon s3 · 2018. 12. 20. · gift to a king. frankincense, used as incense, is a...

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