And now for the window, please:  St. James's Church in Amesbury is using its $10,000 diocesan Green Improvement Grant to insulate and repair the interior back wall of its 1899 sanctuary.   This insulated clear glass window arrived on Oct. 12, replacing the old, leaky one and improving energy efficiency by an estimated 300 percent.

Additional projects include insulating the ceilings of the office and classrooms, installing water vapor barriers and weather stripping, routing drainage away from exterior walls and adding surge protectors.  The church's ongoing green initiatives include the use of programmable thermostats, turning off a little-used boiler and monitoring the efficiency of its new furnaces.  St. James's Church encourages the use of recycled products, and recycles paper, glass and plastic.  Flowerbeds are watered using rain barrels.

The Rev. Susan Esco Chandler, Rector, notes:  "We are stewards of this fine place, a parish in the Diocese of Massachusetts since 1833, and we have a responsibility to steward God's creation.  The diocese's Green Grant helps us to be good caretakers of the gifts we have received." 

SHOW's go on:  Sustainable Houses of Worship (SHOW) workshops, part of the Green Improvement Grant application process, offer a wealth of information toward better church building stewardship.  The next SHOW takes place Nov. 12 in Ayer, with additional workshops planned in 2012 on Jan. 14 and Feb. 11.

A turkey and trimmings for $20:  The food pantry at St. Mary's Church in Dorchester continues its outreach ministry of

The outdoor food pantry, this past summer, at St. Mary's Church in Dorchester

feeding approximately 500 families each month.  The economic crisis that continues for many in the neighborhood has spurred an increase in demand for food at a time when St. Mary's anticipates an even greater need--the upcoming holiday season, according to food pantry director Sarah Borgeson.  St. Mary's invites donations of non-perishable food to help restock the shelves, as well as $20 donations, each of which will purchase a turkey and trimmings for a family in need.  The collection continues through Nov. 20.  Contact Sarah Borgeson for more information (sarah161@comcast.net or 617-282-3181).

High five:  Though thunderstorms moved the party indoors, by all accounts, it was great worship, great people, great music and a great time as The Crossing, the emergent church worshiping community at the Cathedral Church of St. Paul in Boston, celebrated its fifth anniversary on Sept. 29. 

High five times 50:  Christ Church in Cambridge marked its 250th year with a celebratory Eucharist and reception on Oct. 16, with Bishop M. Thomas Shaw, SSJE in attendance.  As photographer Amey Callahan noted in an e-mail to the parish, Christ Church, situated as it is on the Cambridge Common, over the past 250 years "has witnessed celebrations, memorials, funerals, grazing cows, marching bands, parades, presidents, professors, politicians, protesters, people picnicking, Christ Church parishioners, rectors, clergy, ministers, bishops, ringing church bells, skipping children, strolling families, stressed students, sleeping homeless, soccer teams, musicians, children playing, church services, white wigged gentlemen, women in long dresses, college coeds in mini skirts, birds, chickens, hawks, horses, wagons, bicycles, cars, trucks, buses, firetrucks, mud, cobblestones, asphalt, parking meters, red coats, armies, muskets, musket ball holes, barracks, monuments, statues, grass, trees, flowers, hot summers, Nor'easters and last Sunday morning, Oct. 16, 2011, almost 400 members of the parish and community gathered in front of the church for a celebration 250th photographic portrait of Christ Church."

Speaking of musket ball holes, read Jay Lindsay's AP story on how Christ Church got shot during the Revolution here.

Cohasset parish joins preaching project:  St. Stephen's Church in Cohasset has been selected as one of 11 churches, out of an initial pool of 120, to participate in a special 18-month "Transforming Biblical Preaching" program sponsored by Luther Seminary and funded by the Lilly Endowment.  Its objective is to form a learning community which will listen deeply to the ways the biblical story has (and has not) taken hold of people's imaginations, experiment together with different forms of preaching that might make this outcome more common and share the resulting discoveries with the broader church. 

Counting to 200:  St. Andrew's Church  in Hanover celebrates 200 years with a goal to collect at least 200 items for its local food pantry.  The celebration takes place on Sunday, Nov. 6 at 2 p.m., when St. Andrew's will host a free organ and piano concert and historical talk.  Highlights of Hanover-area history will be shared through music and stories, with the music featuring all generations of the parish community.  The concert will be combined with a collection of food items for the local pantry.  All are welcome. For information contact the church at office@standrewshanover.org or 781-826-2062.

Oh, to be in England (once May gets here):  The Church of the Holy Nativity in Weymouth is sponsoring a trip to Norfolk, England, May 21-30, 2012, to explore local churches, famous gardens and royal estates.  The trip is designed to appeal to all ages and includes fellowship with local parishioners and choral evensong in Norwich Cathedral. Others are welcome to join.  More information is available from Judy Leamy at 781-331-5659 or usleamys@comcast.net.