St. George's-by-the-River

Wednesday Email

Last Sunday after Pentecost

(please scroll all the way down to see the Christmas Social, Wreaths, Adult Ed and more)

Please join us at Worship this Sunday, November 23rd,
at 8am and 10am for
the Feast of Christ the King.

Memorial Services

1. George H. Flinn, II

Saturday, November 29th,

11am

2. Marilyn G. Goodspeed

Tuesday, December 2nd,

10am

"May their souls and the souls of all the departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace."

Operation Christmas Child Update

A huge thank you to all the junior high students and their families who bought presents and wrapped 26 shoeboxes to send joy and the light of God's promise to impoverished children around the world.

Poinsettia and Wreath Sale EXTENDED

If you have not submitted your pre-sale order form for a decorated wreath ($22), 6 1/2 inch poinsettia ($10) or 7 1/2 inch double-stemmed poinsettia ($15), please do so by this Sunday, November 23rd. Order forms are in the church office. All proceeds to benefit our Senior High Youth Group REACH Workcamp trip to Newfane, NY this summer. Delivery will be Sunday, December 7th.

Holiday Express Volunteering

Today the Senior High Youth Group will be volunteering at Holiday Express, 3:30 to 5pm. The Junior High Youth Group (grades 6-8th) will be volunteering on Friday, December 12th, 3:30 to 5pm. Please RSVP to Brenda if you plan to attend.

Spare Change for Hope

Starting this Sunday, November 23rd,
each Church School classroom will have a wrapped box to collect the students' spare change.
With the monies, we will purchase an animal/s, through Heifer International, to send to an impoverished family abroad. Let's spread God's love this holiday season. www.heifer.org

Advent Wreaths for Kids

On Sunday, November 30th, in lieu of our regularly scheduled Church School classrooms, all students will meet in the Pine Room to learn about Advent and make a child-friendly Advent Wreath.

Outreach for Outerwear

We are still collecting coats and parkas until the end of November. All donations will go to Lunch Break, Project Paul and Family Promise. Please make sure the pockets are cleaned out. Thank you!

Thanksgiving Services

We will worship on Thanksgiving Eve, Wednesday, November 26th at 6pm and Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 27th at 9am. Please join us and bring a non-perishable food item to donate to Lunch Break.

Holiday Baskets: Adopt a Family!

This Sunday will be the day to adopt a family in need for Christmas! Over the past eighteen advent seasons our parish members have brought joy to more than 375 families in the form of presents and food baskets. This year we hope to help at least 25 needy families enjoy a Christmas they might not have without our efforts.

There are 4 ways you can help:

*Adopt a Family for Gifts: use the wish list provided to shop for a family then wrap and tag the gifts to deliver them on December 22nd before the 10am service.

*Adopt a Family for Food: buy the fixings for a holiday dinner for a family, plus some staples such as canned and dried food, soap and paper products.

*Be a Driver: volunteer to deliver the baskets on December 21st (after the 10:00 service)

*Sponsor a Family: If you don't want to shop or drive, sponsor a family by making a donation to the program and someone will shop for you.

All baskets must be delivered to St. George's on Sunday December 21st before the 10AM service. Please see Jennifer Mullins and Suzy Manelski in Ralph Hall during Coffee Hour to sign up. If you aren't able to sign up at church during coffee hour after the 10am service, please contact Jennifer Mullins, 732-747-6342 or jennifer.mullins@comcast.net, to "adopt" a family.

Family Christmas Social

Sunday, December 14th from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

The Navesink Country Club

50 Luffburrow Lane

Middletown, NJ

*A scrumptious all-you-can-eat brunch buffet.

*Holiday crafts for the kids including a gingerbread house placemat

Christmas Carols led by:

**Miss Sherri, the enchanting Christmas Elf, who will have your children singing and dancing to their favorite carols

**Tower Hill Church's extraordinary Calvin bell choir

**St. George's own amazing Jim Hiles in regalia on his Scottish bagpipes

**Tower Hill Church's "Calvin Handbell Ringers"

**Lindsay Lutz and Tom Minson

**Plus more St. George's fabulous entertainment!

Complimentary skating after the event until 3:15 p.m.

Dress: Christmas casual, but no jeans! Gloves must be worn for skating and helmets are recommended for novice skaters.

The cost of this delicious brunch and fun sing-a-long is priced at $25 for adults, $12.50 for children 13 years and under and free for those under the age of 5. Skate rental $8 per person.

Click here for reservation form!

A Thrill of Hope

A New Adult Ed Program for the

Season of Advent:

"A Thrill of Hope"

Join us on Sundays following the 10am Service, beginning November 30th, or on Friday mornings at 9am beginning December 5th. We will be discussing the Advent and Christmas texts from Matthew and Luke, brought to life by the artwork of John August Swanson. Please join us for discussion and fellowship. No Biblical knowledge required. Come and bring a friend!

"I am the Vine; you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them, bear much fruit."

MANY THANKS to all those who have made a pledge to St. George's for 2015.

If you have not yet pledged, please take a moment right now to reaffirm your commitment to your faith, to the community of St. George's, and to its many ministries. Each and every pledge, no matter how large or small, has great significance to our parish life and mission, just as you have great significance to our life together.

CLICK HERE to donate on-line.

Also, if you have not fulfilled your pledge for 2014, please do so by December 31st. You can donate by check, cash or on-line. CLICK HERE.

We need your pledge to maintain a balanced budget!

Thank you. -Kathy Esposito, Treasurer

Can You Help?

Modest Living Accommodations Wanted:

Responsible male preparing for graduate school seeks modest accomodations in Christian home in Red Bank area. Present Sea Bright residence will undergo Hurricane Sandy repairs. Will provide character references. Can afford modest monthly rent. Or could possibly provide handy, helpful assistance in exchange for accomodations.

If you can help, please contact Jeff at (609) 802-5979 or jschutsky@yahoo.com
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Small paid job available for someone to fill an elderly Rumson parishioner's humidifier on a daily basis. If you can help please contact Joan DeVoe at (732) 842-7429.

Skeptics and Suds

Can we question many of the things we've been taught about God and Jesus and still be Christians? Can we challenge traditional interpretations of the Bible and find a spiritually meaningful understanding? If so, what might such a fresh understanding of the Scripture look like?

This discussion group will explore these questions and more. Using short readings from contemporary, "progressive" theologians, atheists, and others who challenge the status quo of Christian interpretation as our starting place, we will consider, contemplate, and debate. No knowledge of scripture or theology needed and All of this will take place in the context of a friendly beer together at Molly McGuire's in Rumson.

The discussion will be facilitated by both clergy and laity from St. George's-by-the-River Episcopal Church in Rumson, but anyone in the community is warmly invited to participate. Whatever spiritual perspective you represent - "traditional" Christian, another faith, no faith, "spiritual but not religious" or whatever - we would love to have you join us.

Please contact Jeff Roy or Joel Rogers for more information.

When: 2nd Monday of each Month, starting on December 8, 2014. 7:00 - 8:30pm.

Where: Molly McGuire's 132 East River Road Rumson, NJ.

Please keep Debbie Duffy our parish secretary in your prayers as she recovers from knee surgery. Debbie will be out of the office until at least Monday, December 8th.