St. Martin's Newsletter

Weekly E-News December 18, 2015

www.stmartinsprov.org

Worship Schedule

Sunday

7:45am Holy Eucharist
8:30am Bible Study

9:15am Holy Eucharist with choir and sermon

10:30am Adult & Children's Christian Formation

12noon Holy Eucharist

Nursery
9am - 11:30am

Tuesday-Friday

9am Morning Prayer in the Chapel
Wednesday

7am service with Holy Eucharist

If you requested them, contribution envelopes are located on a table

at the back of the church.

Pledge cards are available there as well.

A Message from the Director of Christian Formation

"Blue Christmas": A Service of Darkness and Light, 21 December 5:30 p.m.

(Healing Prayers will be offered in the Chapel following the service.)

"I'll have a blue Christmas without you

I'll be so blue just thinking about you

Decorations of red on a green Christmas tree

Won't be the same dear, if you're not here with me

And when those blue snowflakes start falling
That's when those blue memories start calling
You'll be doin' all right, with your Christmas of white
But I'll have a blue, blue blue blue Christmas

You'll be doin' all right, with your Christmas of white
But I'll have a blue, blue Christmas."



                                                                                       --Elvis Presley

When feelings of loss and anxiety are mixed with a season that purports to be all about joy and togetherness, the resulting clash can be particularly painful for those experiencing grief, health challenges, job or relationship loss. You, or someone you know, may be in the midst of such a struggle. So we are offering a special service for those especially in need of healing and comfort during this time when "all is calm, all is bright..." but not for everyone.

The tradition of a "Blue Christmas" service is one that has grown in popularity in the past few years, and it is an interdenominational phenomenon. It may seem silly to name a liturgy after an Elvis Presley song, but the lyrics do, in fact, encapsulate the conflicting emotions of this season. It is also known as a "Longest Night" service because it is usually held on or near the winter solstice, when the daylight is at its shortest of the year, and the night's darkness is at its maximum. The important cosmological lesson of this timing is that the light begins to return just as the darkness reaches its peak. For this reason St. Martin's calls our liturgy a Service of Darkness and Light.

The candle-lighting, readings, healing prayers and reflections in this service are intended to provide people with a place to acknowledge their feelings without the accompanying guilt that often makes the sadness and anxiety even worse. Being able to name our feelings is a hopeful step toward healing.

Advent is a season of Hope-a season of expectation that a Light is coming into the world that the darkness will not be able to overcome. And the Light coming into the world is the One who came to journey with us in our pain-our Companion who knows and bears all; Jesus, God With Us.

So please join us, whether you are struggling this season or in solidarity with someone who is. Bring a friend in need of healing. If you cannot come, but would like us to pray for someone in particular during the service, please contact me.

Peace and Advent Hope to you this season,

Linda

Our Thrifty Goose is open this Sunday, December 20th and also Wednesday, December 23rd, then closed for the holidays. They will reopen Wednesday, January 6th, 2016.

READINGS THIS WEEK

Micah 5:2-5a (OT)

Hebrews 10:5-10 (NT)
Luke 1:39-45 (46-55) (Gospel)
Click here for this Sunday's readings.

THIS SUNDAY

7:45am
Holy Eucharist

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8:30am Bible Study
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9am Nursery

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Thrifty Goose open at 9am

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9:15am Holy Eucharist with choir and sermon

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10:30am

Christian Formation:
Church School &
Episcopal 101

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12noon Holy Eucharist

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Gluten Free Hosts available at the altar rail.

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Healing Prayers are offered every Sunday during communion.

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Coffee Hour this Sunday is hosted by the Izzo 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+

Christmas Services Coming Up...

Monday, December 21
'Blue Christmas' - Service of Darkness and Light at 5:30pm

Contact Linda Griggs for more information.

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Thursday, December 24
Christmas Eve Services 4pm & 9pm
Pageant during the 4pm service
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Friday, December 25
Christmas Day service at 10am
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Sunday, December 27

Lessons & Carols at 9:15am
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Saturday, January 9, 2016
Knitting Ministry
12:30pm - 3:30pm
Contact Natasha Lofgren at nal811@icloud.com for address

SERVICE HOURS

Now, through Epiphany, February 7, our new Sunday service times will be:

7:45am Holy Eucharist

8:30am Bible Study

9:15am Holy Eucharist with choir and sermon

10:30am Adult & Children's Christian Formation

12noon Holy Eucharist

**see box at top of E-news for full service schedule

'Our Hearts are Open' Gift Project

Thanks to everyone's hard work, Melissa, Karen and I were able to deliver the gifts to DCYF yesterday. Jane Ayles (pictured below) of DCYF was so thankful for all of our work and so was the staff. 59 children in DCYF care will have a merrier Christmas due to the incredible generosity of our committee members and St. Martin's congregation.

Jane Ayles, Melissa Hughes, Helen Anthony, and Karen Ng

A special thanks to Pat Whitman for starting and continuing this wonderful project. When I met with Pat to discuss this project, she choked up when talking about it and how much it meant to the children. Yesterday, we were all near tears when we were saying our goodbyes to Jane.

On a personal note, I have loved getting to know all of you.
St. Martin's is truly a special place.

Enjoy your holidays,

Helen Anthony

We continue to be in need of Coffee Hour hosts!
Please consider signing up today!!

Biblebox
(Weekly Bible Study)
Gospel: Luke 1:39-45 (46-55)

To dig a little behind the Gospel text for this Sunday, take a look at this week's Working Preacher in preparation for discussion at our weekly Sunday Bible study at 9am in the Stearns Room.

Healing Prayers...

Healing Prayers are now offered every Sunday. After receiving Holy Communion you may then go to the Chapel where you can request healing prayers for yourself, a loved one, or for a situation in the wider world before returning to your seat.

Schedule of those leading Healing Prayers:

December 20 & 27: Beth Shearer

Vestry Nominations Committee Formed

In accordance to the By-Laws of St. Martin's Parish, the Rector and the Wardens have appointed the following individuals to a Nominating Committee to prepare at least one slate of candidates to the Vestry: David Brookhart, John Lawlor, Edmund Leather, Sean Mulholland, Jill Scott, Elizabeth Welshman. The Vestry has six vacancies (4 vestry members, 3 Vestry officers: Treasurer, Clerk, and Junior Warden) for election at the Annual Meeting on January 24, 2016.

All Members of the Parish are invited to self-nominate for these vacancies. In accordance with Article III, Section 1 of the By-Laws, "The members of the Parish shall be all persons who have received the Sacrament of Holy Baptism and who are registered as members of the Parish." Please contact a member of the Nominating Committee to express your interest in this ministry. The Nominating Committee will offer its slate(s) by Sunday, January 10, 2016.

Respectfully submitted,

Mark Sutherland, Rector

Elizabeth Welshman, Senior Warden

Sean Mulholland, Junior Warden

Ministries

December 20, 2015 Reading link (Track 2)	December 27, 2015 Reading link (Track 2)
9:15am: Readers Rebekah Potter (OT) Gordon Partington (NT) Cynthia Shattuck (Prayers) Altar Guild Pre 9:15am Pat Knowles Post 9:15am Susan Allen Brooke Hammerle Eucharistic Ministers Linda Griggs David Whitman Denny Scott (V) Hal Conner (H) Elke Moonan (C) Acolytes Rebecca Loell Oliver Parker Erin Welshman Ushers Peter Dennehy Peter Lofgren Edythe DeMarco Peter Gray Bill Hollinshead Greeter Kathy Good	9:15am: Readers John Staniunas Beth Shearer Bill Hollinshead Susan Allen Prayers Jennifer Kiddie Altar Guild Pre 9:15am Al Howes Post 9:15am Elizabeth Welshman Louise Ely Eucharistic Ministers David Whitman (V,H) Jim Kelliher Hal Conner Acolyte Erin Welshman Head Ushers David Brookhart Linda Brookhart Usher Shelly Sheldon Greeters The Goffs