St. Mark's Episcopal Church                                December 19, 2010   
New Canaan, CT                                                          Advent IVchristmas collage

garland                          Christmas Schedulegarland 2

            Sunday, December 19            5:00 PM Christmas Lessons &  
                                                                           Carols


                                  Friday, December 24            5:00 PM  Holy Eucharist with Pageant
                                                                                6:00 PM  Carillon Serenade
                                                                                6:30 PM  Caroling at God's Acre
                                                                                9:30 PM  Music of Christmas
                                                                              10:00 PM  Christmas Eve Eucharist

                               Saturday, December 25        10:00 AM   Holy Eucharist
   garland 4           Sunday, December 26           8,10AM & 5PM   Holy Eucharistgarland 3
We welcome you and your family to St. Mark's
If you are seeking a church home, we would be honored to have you as a member of our parish family.  Please speak to one of the clergy, or be in touch with us during the week to find out more about us (contact information below).

This Sunday's schedule:
   8:00 a.m.     Holy Eucharist Rite I - chapel
   9:00 a.m.     Year of the Story & Christmas Pageant Rehearsal
   9:50 a.m.     Church School
 10:00 a.m.     Holy Eucharist Rite II     
 11:30 a.m.     Jr. High Youth Group Dove Delivery; no Confirmation Class
   4:00 p.m.     Sr. High Youth Group
   5:00 p.m.     Christmas Lessons and Carols
      
Nursery care is available for children under 3-years old from 9:00-11:45am in the nursery wing.
 
If you are interested in joining or finding out more about St. Mark's, please contact us or call the church office: 203.966.4515. Visit our website to learn more: www.stmarksnewcanaan.org. Click here to read/hear recent sermons and for the current newsletter, The Lion's Roar   If you have a pastoral concern, please contact Mother Anne Richards or Father Peter Walsh.
Sunday at St. Mark's     

The Year of the Story  continues Sunday in Morrill Hall from 9:00-9:45am as we take a year-long mountain-top tour of the Bible! Each Sunday we discuss a major Bible story, beginning with Genesis and ending with Revelation. Sunday Father Peter leads a discussion about the Christmas portions of Handel's "Messiah" with their accompanying Scriptural texts. Click here for the syllabus. There is no class on December 26.

Festival of Christmas Lessons and Carols Sunday evening 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.

Thank You to all those who have already committed to the 2011 Annual Campaign. To date over $898,179 has been pledged. Our goal is to make this year's campaign short and sweet, so please submit your pledge asap.    Click to Pledge/Click to Pay 

The Lion's Den Book & Gift Store will be open daily through Thursday, December 23 and our volunteers are ready to help with last minute gift ideas.  We will be closed the week following Christmas and re-open on Sunday, January 2 at 9 am.  Blessings, Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and thank you for supporting our church store.

Christmas Flowers & Music dedications must be submitted to the Church Office by Monday, Dec. 20 to be included in the Christmas Eve bulletins.  Contact Thea (203)966.4515x111)

Altar Flowers are donated to the Glory of God and in Loving Memory of Spencer Oliver Friedman, by his family
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Please keep the following people in your daily prayers: Tyler Everett Austin, Capt. Samuel Booth, Loretta Chappell, Tod Cunningham, Jim Dwyer, Kevin Dyer, Leesley Hardy, Bill Laemmel, Lynn, Laura Minchella, Nicole, Lizzie O'Donnell, Ruth Saphier, Natalie Stier, and Bill Winking.

Events & Announcements

We Are Delighted to Announce the May Fair 2011 Chair is Kerry Robinson.  In advance, we thank you and are looking forward to another fabulous fair.  Our thanks also to Peter Daniel, May Fair Chair 2010 for his dedication and hard work.

Hark! Hear Your Go & Grow Dollars at Work.  The Sound Committee has been working hard to improve the sound in the church: next week new speakers will be installed in the balcony along with new pulpit and lectern microphones, and defective loudspeakers are being replaced. 
 
Christmas Doves will be delivered Sunday right after church by the Jr. High Youth Group.  Your caring and generosity are appreciated and will bring much joy to Dove families. Please rsvp to Rachel Ranieri if your child is going on the delivery run. Please meet Rachel Ranieri and Scott Hobbs in the library after church.
 
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).

coffeeDecember 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!

Food Pantry NeedsThe 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
Children and Family Ministries                          Registration

Please note: no children's programs on December 26 or January 2.  We resume on January 9, 2011!


In the Episcopal Church, all baptized children are invited to receive the bread and wine of Holy Communion.   If you have questions about communion education at St. Mark's, please contact Joshua A. Hill, Director of Children's and Youth Ministries.

Church School begins at 9:50am. 
 PK3-2nd drop-off is in the Library.      "Advent IV"
 3rd-5th  in the Education Center.        Pageant Rehearsal Morrill Hall

Please help us minimize classroom distractions by being on-time; we only have 40 minutes.  The children enter church at the Peace.  In the Episcopal Church, all baptized children are invited to receive communion, either the bread alone or the bread and the wine.

Nursery Care is available every Sunday in the education wing from 8:45-11:45am for children up to 36 months.

Christmas Pageant Rehearsal Schedule: 

December 19th 3rd-5th graders only: 9-10am.
December 20th 4-6pm lighting and tech rehearsal (no children)
December 23rd 3rd-5th graders:  4-6pm.   2nd grade and under: 5-6pm  Costumes Distributed
December 24th 5pm:  The Annual St. Mark's Christmas Pageant.  Please arrive at 4pm

Youth Ministries                                                  Registration

Please note: no youth programs on December 26 or January 2.  We resume on January 9, 2011!

6th-7th, aka Total-Chaos-in-the-Name-of-the-Lord-Amen meets today from 11:30am-1pm in the library and works on the Dove program delivery. We will not meet on December 26th  or January 2nd.

8th (and up), The Confirmation Class does not meet Sunday.

9-12th Sr. High EYC: Sunday 4-6pm in the library.

Save the Date: July 9-16th Mission-Immersion 2011: Re-New Orleans.


  Find us on Facebook  St. Mark's Episcopal Youth Community
Week Day Adult Education & Worship
 
Monday Class Continues After Christmas... "Finding Meaning in the Second Half of Life" by James Hollis, PhD, is the focus of the current Monday class. Join Mother Anne and fellow parishioners (from all stages of life!) on Mondays from 9:15-10:30 in the Library as we discuss key life issues such as barriers to transformation, the dynamics of intimate relationship, recovering a mature spirituality in a materialistic age, the family during the second half of life, and career vs. vocation. Childcare provided. The book is available in the Lion's Den. Our next class will be on Monday, January 3. Please read chapter 4.

Wednesday Morning Bible Study will take a short break for Christmas and will resume on Wednesday, January, 5 in the Education Center from 10-11am. Bishop Grein leads a study of the Book of Revelation. All are welcome.

Meditation Group meets Thursday mornings from 9-9:30am in the church house parlor. All welcome.

Foundations for Discipleship Class.  This is a class intended for newcomers and adults preparing for baptism or confirmation but open to everyone. The clergy leads 12 sessions spanning the program year at 11:15 in the Education Center. The class covers the basics of the faith including Jesus, the Bible, prayer, the sacraments, and church music. The fall series has ended. The winter series begins on January 9. (Winter dates: Sundays January - February 13; Spring dates: Sundays March 20 - April 10). It's never too late to join this conversational class.

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We thank those who are serving this weekend

8AM Holy Eucharist Rite I
Celebrant/Preacher   The Rt. Rev. Richard F. Grein  
Lectors  Sue Hudson  (Lessons), Eloise Killeffer (Prayers)
Minister of Communion   Eric Straus

10AM Holy Eucharist Rite II
Celebrant    The Rt. Rev. Richard F. Grein
Preacher     The Rev. Peter F. Walsh  
Acolytes: Julia DeNey, Bobby Forese, Elizabeth Luchs, Peter Meadows, Steve Ressel, and      
        Katherine Sautkulis
Lectors: Stan March (OT), Amanda Sutton (NT), Meredith Luchs (POP)
Ministers of Communion:  Cyra Borsy, Deb Luchs, Amanda Sutton, Carlyn Tiefenthaler,
       Stan Twardy, Gary Ward
Ushers: Richard DePatie (Head Usher), Bill Bowers, JoAnne Bowers, Jim Hedges, Paton Larkin,
       Clif McFeely, Randy Meadows, Richard Megherby,George Wendell
Altar Guild: Sara Smith (Captain), Joy C. Luke, Kirsten Wendell, Deb Zagoreos
Teachers: PK3-4: Elizabeth Ellsworth, Betsey Hedges, teen: Sydney Boston
                K-1st:    Jan Maynes, teen: Emily Brand
                2nd:       Kathy McLallen, Jennifer Hladick,teen: Ally Frattaroli
                3rd-4th: Lori Wyckoff, David Park, Scott Hobbs, Shelley Eccleston   
                5th:        Robert Jones, Chip Ressel, Margaret Roscoe
Flower Guild: Brooke DiCapua (Captain), Carol Bayne, Pat Rice, Margaret Roscoe,
            Francie Thompson
Greeters: Holly and Stan March; Pat and John Rice
Coffee Hour: Susan Cotter (Captain), Gaby Beecher, Sara deMenocal, Lynn Donahue,
Ellen Dunn, Jeanne Gnuse, Cindy Landis, Meghan Martucci, Ellen McMahon, and Lois Sandberg

5PM Lessons and Carols

Link to our
worship schedule and lectionary readings
Link to the Audio Bible online for pronunciations on the Sunday readings.

St. Mark's Episcopal Churchadvent 2
111 Oenoke Ridge
New Canaan, Connecticut 06840
203.966.4515   www.stmarksnewcanaan.org

St. Mark's Nursery School
203.972.7888   www.stmarksnewcanaan.org/nurseryschool.asp

The Lion's Den Book and Gift Store
203.966.3838   www.stmarksnewcanaan.org/lionsden.asp