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December Vestry
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In December, your vestry:
*Reviewed November financial reports
*Approved a tentative budget for 2015
*Approved allocation of rummage sale proceeds
*Received Junior Warden, Senior Warden, and Canterbury reports
*Reviewed input from discernment meetings
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| Your Vestry | |
Senior Warden
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| Rewards Funding | STAPLES: When you shop at Staples, please give the office phone number 427-2187 to give us reward points
KROGER: each April, connect your Kroger Card to Harcourt Parish so that the church receives something every time you use your card. |
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Discernment Meeting Update
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A Note from the Senior Warden
Last month, the parish held discernment meetings, spending time together as a community exploring what we value, what we desire, and what we envision for Harcourt Parish. In many ways, what we were doing was opening ourselves up to the potential of God's plan. We might not know what God has in store for us, but our discussions revealed some important things about who we are and who God might be calling us to become.
I encourage you to read the full text of my sermon from January 18, to learn about all the ways that God is calling us as a Parish. Click here: Sermon, January 18, 2015
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| Call for Nominations | |
Rector Search Committee
In the next few weeks, we will form a Rector search committee. If you would like to nominate either yourself or someone else for the committee, please e-mail Abby Serfass by Sunday, Jan. 25. The vestry will come together after that to consider all those nominated and ultimately choose the members of the search committee.
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| Thoughts on Epiphany | |
A Note from Sister Carin
As I prayed the noon Daily Office using Daily Prayer for All Seasons, I discovered words of a favorite hymn, Songs of Thankfulness and Praise (#135, Hymnal 1982), as part of this short meditative service. I like this hymn for the simplicity of the tune and for the words. The words very nicely describe the Manifestations of our Lord Jesus that we encounter in the Gospels for this season.
Manifestation is first characterized by the Star of Bethlehem, the star that led the Magi to the Christ Child and set into motion the beginning of events we have come to know in connection to the Magi's visit. The Magi recognized that this child was a very special child--the Incarnate Son of God born so that all people may have faith to believe that in Jesus, God is revealed to all people in all places and all times.
Tragic events after Jesus' birth took place, such as the massacre of the Innocents perpetrated by a ruler who feared the loss of his power so did everything he could to eliminate any rivals. As Jesus grew to manhood, we learned from the Gospel of Mark of Jesus' Baptism and his new understanding of himself as the Beloved Son of God who was filled with the Holy Spirit.
Jesus went on to his temptation in the desert and later performed his first sign in the Gospel of John. At the wedding at Cana, he saved a family from social disaster by turning water into wine. This sign, like others in the Gospel of John, form signposts to guide us through the life of Jesus as John sees it. "These are moments when heaven is opened, when the transforming power of God's love bursts into the present world," writes The Rt. Rev. Tom Wright in volume one of John for Everyone. The hymn mentioned above concludes with "God in man made manifest." May we all be open to manifestations in our day.
God's Love to each of you,
Sr. Carin+
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| Worship Committee Meeting | | This Sunday
All are welcome to join the worship committee meeting in the Undercroft following the service this Sunday, Jan. 25. We will discuss the upcoming season of Lent and plans for Holy Week.
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| Feed Teams Fundraiser | |
Volunteer Meeting
If you would like to help with the Feed Team fundraiser, please attend the volunteer meeting on Wednesday, Jan. 28, at 11 a.m. at the Parish House. If you are unable to attend the meeting but would still be willing to help, contact Toma Lord.
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| Interchurch Collection | | |
SOUPer Bowl Donations
Please bring cans of soup to church Super Bowl Sunday, Feb. 1, and vote for your favorite team. Two boxes will be set up: Patriots vs Seahawks. The soup will be donated to the Food Pantry in Mount Vernon. Thank you for your generosity!
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| Special Request for Lay Ministers | | |
A Note from Robert
I expect to be unavailable the three Sundays of spring break --March 1, 8, and 15--and need a "point person" for each of those Sundays. If you are willing to do that for one or more of those Sundays, please let me know.
Although everyone will be scheduled ahead of time, the point person will reference the list of lay ministers and fill in (self or volunteer) if someone is absent at the last minute.
If you are interested in serving as a lay minister at the evening service on Palm Sunday ( April 2) or on Easter Day ( April 5), particularly at the early Vigil service, please sign up now. |
| Youth Group Forming | | Join or Volunteer
Harcourt Parish is restarting the youth group that ran through last fall. Our first meeting is in the basement of the Church of the Holy Spirit on Thursday, January 29, at 3:20 p.m. The primary age group will focus on middle schoolers, but we invite those from 4th through 9th grades. Older high school students, Kenyon students, and adults are welcome to help run the program at single or multiple sessions. Brian Pragacz (K'17) and Robert Bennett will lead the first session. The hope is to hold weekly meetings on Thursdays. If you are interested, either as a participant or as a helper, contact Robert Bennett.
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| Annual Donor Statements | | Thank You
Thank you for your financial support of Harcourt Parish in 2014. Annual donor statements have been mailed by the parish accountant. If you have questions regarding your statement, or failed to receive a statement, please contact the office.
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| Winter Convocation | |
Kalahari Resort, Sandusky
Keynote Speaker Lillian Daniel discusses why religious community matters.
More information is available here.
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| Lay Ministry | |
Jan. 25
| Ushers (2) | | Pat McCulloh
Florence Short | | Crucifer | | Toma Lord | | Acolytes (2) | | Daniel Pastor
Janie Simonton | | Old Testament | | Katherine Deal | | Epistle | | Buffy Hallinan | | Intercessor | | Kachen Kimmel | | Chalice (2) | | Alex McCullough
Brian Pragacz | | Sacristan | | Hays Stone | | Coffee Host | | Pat and Bill McCulloh |
Feb. 1
| Ushers (2) | | Jennifer Johnson
Juan Pastor | | Crucifer | | Brian Pragacz | | Acolytes (2) | | Maggie Williams
Katherine Deal | | Old Testament | | Jane Lentz | | Epistle | | Donna Lewis | | Intercessor | | Amy Williams | | Chalice (2) | | Anna Duke Reach
Jim Hendrickxs | | Sacristan | | Jan Hendrickxs | | Coffee Host | | Anna Duke Reach |
PLEASE SIGN UP HERE TO HELP WITH THESE MINISTRIES!
Direct questions to Robert Bennett.
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| Pennies from Heaven | | |
Jan. 18
Bring your change. Proceeds go to Parish House care.
Women $4.31, Men $19.79, Total $24.10. |
| Alms | | |
January
Belize Service Trip. Please place donations in the alms boxes and note "alms" on your check memo.
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| Prayer List |
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The Prayer List is updated quarterly. Contact the church office to add or remove someone from our prayer list.
For Those in the Military: Vincent (Liberia)
For International Agencies: Cuttington University * Episcopal Relief & Development
For the Sick/in Need: Sean * Bob* Chris * Marlene * Kay & Ben * Nicholas * Ryan * Aaron
For Local Agencies:Winter Sanctuary * A Hand at Home * HopeNow * Freedom Center * New Directions * Head Start * Hospice * Humane Society * Interchurch * Habitat for Humanity * NAMI
For Those Engaged in God's Work: Greg Stark (seminarian)
For Those Who Have Died: Jamie Ireland (Buffy's brother) * Bob Fesq (retired Kenyon professor)
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