The Online Lion from St. Mark's for Sunday December 12

Events & Announcements

Christmas Doves will be delivered next Sunday, December 19. Please have your wrapped gift box to the church house foyer on or before Saturday, December 18. Please contact Rachel Ranieri or the church office (966.4515/) with questions.

Festival of Christmas Lessons and Carols is next Sunday, December 19 at 5pm. All are invited to this glorious musical experience which will include venerable works such as Harold Darke's In the Bleak Mid-winter, and David Wilcox Ding Dong Merrily on High, as well as some newer favorites like John Rutter's Shepherd's Pipe Carol and Jesus Child. The listeners, augmented by the choir and orchestral accompaniment also have a chance to participate in very familiar carols of the season including Once in Royal David's City and O Come, All Ye Faithful.

Holy Baptism will next be offered on Sunday, January 9 at the 10am service. Please contact Mother Anne or the church office if you would like your child baptized, or if you are an adult who would like to be baptized.

If you love to cook, St. Elizabeth's Guild needs your help! Our casserole supply is running low. We can use meat or vegetarian dishes. Serving sizes 4-6 and 6-10. Pick up a label and directions on the freezer door in Morrill Hall. Guild members will deliver to our parish families who are experiencing illness, hospitalization, new home, death, or birth in the family. Contact Lois Sandberg, sandberg.lois@gmail.com or 966-2848, or the church office.

Stock Transactions: If you are planning to contribute stock to the Church before year-end, please do so soon. Many brokerage firms want these transactions initiated before December 15 to ensure completion by the end of the month. Contact first either Dick DePatie or Nadia Cwiach in the Church Office for details. (203) 966-4515

The Nominating Committee is busy assembling the slate of candidates for election to the Vestry and Substitute Delegates to the Diocesan Convention / Mid-Fairfield Deanery with the election taking place at the annual meeting at the end of January. The congregation is invited to submit names of potential candidates to Nominating Committee members: John Layng, Chair, Jonathan Bitting, Jill Ernst, Breeze Hobbs, Kerry Robinson, and Carlyn Tiefenthaler

May Fair Furniture is Abundant This Season! With several households of furniture awaiting our pickup, we are in dire need of storage space - barns, garages, basements, storage units. Please help us store White Elephant donations until May. Contact Dick DePatie (203.966.4515x112/rdepatie@stmarksnewcanaan.org).

December Coffee Hour is a festive celebration of the season. Please bring in one platter of sweets or savories during the month to augment the joyful spirit. So we know how to plan, please indicate your participation on the Coffee Hour Sign-Up Sheets outside Morrill Hall or contact the church office. Special thanks to Susan Cotter who has orchestrated our lavish November and December Coffee Hours.

Search for Director of St. Mark's Nursery School. Helen Palmesi is retiring in spring 2011 after 20 years of dedicated service; a Search Committee has been formed to fill her position. We are currently accepting applications. A job description has been posted on the nursery school website. Please share it with prospective candidates you would recommend for the position, or other contacts who might know of qualified candidates. Recommendations may be directed to: smnsdirectorsearch@stmarksnewcanaan.org.

Sunday Morning Greeters Needed. Sign-up sheets are outside the library or contact Judy Webb: judyatbank@aol.com with your availability, and she will sign you up.   We need 2 sets of 2 greeters each week. It's fun and very easy!

The Food Pantry is running low on supplies while the demands are increasing. Please help us restock our shelves with the supplies listed below. Donations should be brought to the Undercroft, down the ramp by the lower parking lot; food can be put on tables along far left wall of room.

Bottled Juice/Juice Boxes                              Coffee and Tea (regular or decaf)
Mayonnaise/Ketchup/Mustard/Cooking Oil    Canned Pasta/ Pasta Sauce
Salad Dressings                                             Large Snacks (pretzels, etc)
Hash/ Stew / Chili                                            Kids snacks (individually packaged for lunch)
Canned chicken (no tuna)              Toiletries - Hair Care, Dental Products