Hospitality Center to be featured in Ch.12 Christmas Special

The Hospitality Center (Racine) will be a highlighted in WISN Channel 12's "Season to Celebrate" program.  This Christmas Special ,now in its 11th year, is one of the nation's Top Ten Christmas Specials.  Channel 12's Sally Severson spent Thursday, December 6th at the Hospitality Center, which is located at St. Luke's, Racine, talking to people and she will present  an interview with three guests on the special.  You can see Season to Celebrate on channel 12 which will air on Dec. 13th at 7 p.m. with an encore presentation on Christmas Eve at 11 p.m. and at 11 a.m. on Christmas Day. Thank you, Channel 12, for helping us share theministry of the Hospitality Center with the wider community! 

St. Matthias, Waukesha fund raiser bake sale for homeless Dec. 15 

St. Matthias Episcopal Church has a long history of relationship and support of The Hebron House, here in Waukesha. A portion of the proceeds from this sale have been pledged to Hebron House, in order to support their homeless ministries in Waukesha County. In recent winters, St. Matthias, located on the corner of East Avenue and Main Street in historic downtown Waukesha, was the host site for the Waukesha County Emergency Men's Homeless Overflow Shelter. While the shelter will not be located in the church this season, the parish welcomes this opportunity for continued support of this and other homeless ministries throughout Waukesha County.

The sale will be held on Saturday, December 15th, from 9:00 am until 1:00 pm.  For more information call 262-547-4838, or visit parish website at www.Stmatthiasonline.org   St. Matthias Episcopal is located at  111 E. Main Street, Waukesha WI 53186.

St Francis of Menomonee Falls is conducting a warm clothing drive for the needy in the area. 

There is an impossible to miss big yellow box on the corner of Menomonee and Lavergne Aves - our front lawn -  for the purpose.  We are especially hoping for donations of warm coats, but all manner of warm clothing is gratefully accepted.

Last year, our first, we only collected coats, and for a much shorter time period.  Even so, we managed to snag 104 coats.  Better yet, the good people at One Hour Martinizing in Menomonee Falls cleaned all 104 of the coats for no charge whatsoever!  The newly spruced up coats were then given to St James in Milwaukee and other organizations in the Western suburbs for distribution to the needy.  Any and all donations can be dropped off 24/7 in our collection box. 

Columbarium at All Saints' Cathedral

The Columbarium at All Saints' Cathedral is available to members in good standing of any Episcopal Church in the Diocese of Milwaukee and their families. The current cost of a niche is $1,000.  Further information may be found at www.ascathedral.org  or by contacting the Dean, The Very Rev. Kevin Carroll, at 414-271-7719; kevin.carroll@ascathedral.org .

 The 2013 Haiti Project

Got Art? Calendar 

The children of St. Marc's School in Jeannette created the art.  Artists in Wisconsin donated their time and talents to turn this art into a beautiful 2013 calendar.  Help us celebrate and support our partnership with St. Marc's through the purchase of a calendar for yourself or as a gift.  The calendars are $18/each or 3/$45 and can be purchased online at www.haitiproject.org.  The funds raised will help support education and trade school programming in the arts. 

The Choir of Trinity Episcopal Church in Janesville, will present its annual service of Lessons and Carols on Saturday, December 15, at 7:00pm.

This lovely candlelight service has become a long-standing tradition at Trinity and always includes the familiar readings and prayers first established at King's College, Cambridge, in 1918. Christmas anthems will be performed by Trinity's twenty-voice choir, and the congregation will join them in singing beloved carols of the season. Strings, organ and keyboard will provide the accompaniment. Please come and join us as we welcome the birth of our Lord.  

Trinity Episcopal Church is located at 409 E Court Street, Janesville, WI 53545

Earn $1,000 for your congregation! 

Want to earn $1,000 for your congregation?  For this year's Challenge Grant, congregations can choose a project you want to work on!  The most important thing is to try something new, evaluate how it goes, and then adjust.  All you need to do is to develop a new project that falls under any one of the four ministry areas listed below . . .  continue

FIT for the Diocese

This new diocesan committee, which shall be referred to as FIT, has been formed. Committee members are: Diocesan staff members; Diane Blank, Financial Officer, Peggy Bean, Assistant to the Bishop, Clergy; Michael Caldwell, Zion Episcopal Church, Oconomowoc and Parish Treasurers; Jim Knaak, St. James, West Bend and Tammy Wyman, St. Thomas of Canterbury, Greendale.

This committee has just begun to explore what our responsibility will be but can tell you that we are here to help treasurers; vestry and clergy understand the financial piece of congregational life. This not only includes making sure everyone understands how to read financial reports but the technology available to produce those reports. We also want to be a resource you can go to when you need assistance in regards to financial operations (job descriptions, procedures, forms, software, etc). We even see ourselves coming out to your parish to provide whatever kind of assistance you may need.

We look forward to being your FIT and will provide more information as it becomes available. Questions can be directed to the convener of the committee, Tammy Wyman. Tammy can be reached at 414-581-2987 or via e-mail at tamwym@aol.com .

 Sign up now!
A new session of the Community of Hope training program for lay pastoral caregivers will begin on February 3rd at St. Bartholomew Church in Pewaukee. The 12-week training session includes an annual retreat and continued support for caregivers. Winter/spring classes will be held on Sunday afternoons (1:30 to 3:30).

For more information about Community of call Barb Lentz at St. Bartholomew Church. 262-691-0836