St. Martin's Newsletter

Weekly E-News December 12, 2014

Worship Schedule

Sunday

8am and 10am

Holy Eucharist

9:45am Nursery
Tuesday-Friday

9am Morning Prayer in the Chapel
Wednesday

7am service with Holy Eucharist

Feeling the pressure of the season? I know I am, so all I am able to offer for this week is some simple advice on managing the stress.

Amidst the Christmas rush, when the pressure mounts and you think you are not going to be able to cope with all that's coming at you, find a quiet place, sit down and remember to breath, one breath at a time, slowly and with intention. Watch yourself breathing from deep in the belly, not the shallow breathing from the lungs. Watch your diaphragm rise and fall with each breath and begin to quietly sound, in the inner quietness of your thoughts the phrase Ma-ra-na-tha, which means Come Lord, in the everyday Aramaic language that Jesus spoke.

Now you know how to meditate - it's that simple! When you feel calm, offer a feeling of gratitude to God and go back to what you were doing.

In advent we reflect on the coming of the Kingdom. I have been exploring the paradoxical theme of now, and not-yet, because our linear sense of time flowing from the past into the present, and beyond into the future is merely a construction for living in three-dimensional space. The Kingdom is not subject to the limitations of three-dimensional space, and so it is already here, and yet, it is still in the process of unfolding.

Why does this matter? It matters because we are caught in the experience of waiting and hoping. How do we know what we hope for will really come to fruition - that's a big if! If we can risk the fear of disappointment, like the Kingdom, what we long for with all the energy of hopeful expectation will be already present in us through the power of our longing. If you want to know more of what I mean go to relationalrealities.com, or Stmartinsprov.org/worship/sermons and read my sermon entries for Advent 1 and 2.

Nevertheless, see you in Church, this Sunday.

Mark+

Linda Griggs

Director of Christian Formation

Sunday, December 21st

December's Youth and Family Dinner Church is going on the road! Join us on December 21st at 5:00 at ECC for their annual Advent Service in the Barn followed by a simple supper. Speak with Linda Griggs for details.

Peace and Cheers,

Linda

READINGS THIS WEEK

Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11 (OT)

1 Thessalonians 5:16-24 (NT)
John 1:6-8, 19-28(Gospel)
Click here for this Sunday's readings.

THIS SUNDAY

Thrifty Goose open
9am-12noon

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Lector Training in the church at 9am

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St. Cecilia Choir will sing for us at the 10am service

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Pageant rehearsal in the church after the 10am service

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Episcopal Training 101 in the Stearns Room at 11:30am

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Our Youth Group will meet in the Great Hall after the 10am service to asssist with gift sorting for 'Our Hearts are Open' DCYF Project.

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Coffee Hour hosted by
the Calhoun Family

MORNING PRAYER

It is my practice to endeavor to say Morning Prayer in the Chapel of the Church at 9am on Tuesday through Friday each week I look forward to seeing you there!

Mark+

Episcopal Training 101

Episcopal 101 training for Confirmations and Reception for teens and adults

this Sunday at 11:30 am in the Stearns Room

This program covers the essentials of the Christian faith in the Episcopal Church. The four sessions in Advent will cover the topics: Who/what is God, who is Jesus and what is the Church?This is also a good refresher course for those already confirmed. It runs through Advent and will pick up again in the New Year.

Calling for Nominations

In accordance with Article III, Section 4 of the By-Laws of St. Martin's Parish: "The Nominating Committee shall nominate at least one person for each office to be filled", and in accordance with Article IV, Section 3: "Three members of the vestry shall be elected at each annual meeting of the Parish." In addition to offering three members of the Vestry for election, the Nominating Committee will also propose a slate of three Delegates plus one Alternate for General Convention.

The members of this year's Nominating Committee who have been appointed by the Rector and the Wardens in accordance with Article VII, Section 5 are:

Lynne Burke (lynneburke@cox.net)

John Condon (pastorjncondon@gmail.com)

Amy Fuller (amyfuller@cox.net)

Sean Mulholland (doolin98@yahoo.com)

Elizabeth Welshman (elizabeth.welshman@gmail.com)

Further in accordance with Article VII, Section 5: "The Nominating Committee shall prepare at least one slate of candidates for election to the various offices specified in Article III and shall communicate the slate to the Parish at least two weeks prior to the Annual Meeting." Please contact a member of the Nominating Committee with nominations (self-nominations are permitted) by Sunday, December 28.

New Ministry

As we learned in Episcopal Training 101, God is relational and that's what God wants for us. In that context, there is a new ministry developing at St. Martin's-Newcomer Ministry. Our core mission words are: Invite, Welcome and Connect.

Members of the team include, but are not limited to: Lynne Burke, Kate Chute, Sue Condon, Jane Danek, Mary DiSandro, Raya and BG Goff, Natasha Lofgren, Joyce May, Kathy Phillips, Jill Scott, Carol Tucker and Chris Rooks. You will see us at the narthex and atrium doors most Sundays at the 10:00am service, welcoming all parishioners and reaching out to those who have been connected to St. Martin's for less than one year.

This is an every member ministry

and we invite you to take your place alongside those already signed up to welcome visitors. At the end of the service, just reach out to greet someone you don't know or don't know well. Invite them to coffee. If you are called to this ministry on a deeper level or would like to know more about what we plan to do, please contact Kate Chute at mcchute@verizon.net or at 401-723-4824.

We can build this living tapestry here at St. Martin's.
God is the weaver and we are all the threads.

Christmas Services 2014

Christmas Eve, Wednesday, December 24

7:00 AM Service with Holy Eucharist

9:00AM Morning Prayer in the Chapel

4:00PM Family Christmas Worship with Pageant and Holy Eucharist

10:00PM Festival Holy Eucharist

Christmas Day, Thursday, December 25

10:00AM Holy Eucharist with Carols in the Church

Christmas I, Sunday, December 28

8:00AM Holy Eucharist
10:00AM Lessons and Carols and Holy Eucharist

Participants in Worship

December 14, 2014 Reading link	December 21 2014 Reading Link
8am: Reader/EM: David Brookhart Altar Guild: Linda Brookhart	8am: Reader/EM: Joe handly Altar Guild: Arline Walker
10am: Readers: Cynthia Shattuck (OT) Allen Dennison (NT) Jane Dennison (Prayers) Altar Guild: Susan Rodgers Tom McDonnell Eucharistic Ministers: Meg LoPresti (V) Elke Moonan Acolytes: BG Goff Elizabeth Blake Erin Welshman Diana Blake Ushers: Peter Dennehy Peter Lofgren Bill Hollinshead Shelly Sheldon Parker Smith	10am: Readers: Emily Gray (OT) Rosalind Ditson (NT) Bill Hollinshead (Prayers) Altar Guild: Jane Taylor Lisa Ballou Eucharistic Ministers: Robin McGill (V) Penny Seacord Acolytes: Robin McGill Rebecca Loell Gabrielle Ellicott Olivia Gray Ushers: Charles Bodell Sarosh Fenn Carol Tucker Waylan Tucker Jaye Tyler

FYI

Unclaimed dishes!!

Please check the kitchen to see if you've left any dishes behind.

Holiday Thrifty Goose Hours:

The Thrifty Goose will be open on this Sunday, and also on the 21st from 9am to 12noon, and regular hours on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 10am-2pm,
last Saturday on December 20th.
The Thrifty Goose will then be closed and will reopen Wednesday, January 7th, 2015.

Gluten free wafers are now available for communion. Please speak with the Rector.
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Annual Renewal Campaign - If you have not returned your pledge card for 2015, please do so as soon as possible. Questions? Speak with Missy Bennett.

Call to Action!

Consider volunteering for one of our wonderful ministries. Click here for more information.

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