Mission Tidings Newsletter

August 15, 2013  


In This Issue
Reverend's Reflections
Future of Sunday School
Community Dinner
Friends of the Table
Come to Church
Picnic- Sept. 8th
Church School Form
Backpack Blessings
Church School Calendar
Renovations
Basket Table Plans
B- Peace Resource Day
Save the Date

St. Luke's Links

 

Got News? 

Reverend's Reflections
St. Luke's Mariner's Cross
Dear People of God at St. Luke's,

 

I just read about a new thing you can download to your cell phone: SMTH, or Send Me To Heaven, developed by someone in Norway. It makes your cell phone into an altimeter...can measure how high something goes. So the idea is that you throw your phone into the air, straight up, and it will tell you how high it went. There's a contest-see who can throw the highest.

 

Doesn't that sound like a fun time and good idea? Perhaps the developers were adolescent boys off from school who weren't paying for their own phones yet. Smart, but not very wise. Unless of course they sell cell phones; then it all starts to make sense.

 

Of course heaven isn't literally 'up there.' We've spent the summer hearing about the kingdom of God come to earth-as Jesus, as followers of Jesus who try to do what Jesus did and taught. If we want to 'call heaven' we know to pray.

 

The fall is coming up on us fast, and our program year resumes the Sunday after Labor Day. That first day picnic always seems to me a pointer to the kingdom of God.

 

The fall will bring the start up of much of our life together, but also three other opportunities for growth, doing what Jesus told us to do.

 

1.    We will have a one day work day at Rehoboth Homeless Shelter, as we repaint and otherwise brighten up one of the units. Announcements about the specific day forthcoming.

2.    We will start a year-long process with those who want to commit themselves to a first international mission trip for youth and adults, to Oaxaca Mexico, in June of 2014. To prepare for the trip we will meet regularly to learn a bit of functional Spanish, as well as find out about the area and culture. Oaxaca is the poorest state in Mexico; the city Oaxaca is a dramatic combination of colonial city with a booming tourist industry-great restaurants, area arts and crafts, welcoming people, far from the violent crimes of more northern border states of Mexico with the USA. We will offer help with tutoring at a school for street children and  in at least one other project to be named. Half of our funding for this we hope will come from the Diocese through a grant funded by the joint Capital Campaign Fund between parishes and the Diocese.

3.   Several South Shore Episcopal parishes will join together in a process to survey our spiritual lives-individual and congregational-and then respond with several workshops. All of this will happen under a new national church program, Renewal Works. It could very well be a time of insight and spiritual growth.

 

So don't throw your cell phone in the air, trying to communicate with heaven. Come to St. Luke's and join in our life together.

 

In Christ,

 Grant  

The Future of Sunday School- August 20
Christian education directors, Sunday school teachers and the
clergy are invited to "The Future of Sunday School," a luncheon
discussion about changes in churches around Christian education, to be held on Tuesday, Aug. 20, 12-2:30 p.m., at the diocesan offices at 138 Tremont Street in Boston.

Many churches have been feeling the pinch of reduced numbers of volunteer teachers, lessened family attendance and a general lack of commitment; many other churches have seen growth in young family attendance, but those numbers don't always contribute to a robust Sunday school program or regular attendance. Come join a discussion to wrestle with this issue, share ideas and brainstorm about some new approaches specifically on church school education programs
for children and middle school and high school students.

RSVP to Amy Cook by 10 a.m. on Monday, Aug. 19; e-mail her
about any special food needs. FOR INFORMATION: Amy Cook, Resource Center (617-482-4826,ext. 645 [email protected]).
or Rev Joyce, [email protected]
Community Dinner- August 25, 5 PM
We're keeping it cool with a menu of tuna salad, egg salad, pasta salad and green salad, followed by fruit crisp and ice cream for dessert. Helpers needed... please sign up in the narthex. Thanks for your continued support.
Friends of the Table- Saturday, August 31
We need volunteers for the visit to Brockton this month. Please sign up on the sheet in the narthex. Thank you.
Come to Church

Back to Everything Picnic- September 8th

September 8th we resume Sunday School for children, bless their backpacks, and have a picnic following the 10 a.m. service. Households with last name starting A-M, please bring a dessert; N-Z please bring a salad to share. Not a cook? Help with set up or clean up. Not realistic that you can cook or do the set up/clean up? It's more important that you are there, not what you can do. So plan on joining us!

Church School Registration Form
Please fill out the form and return to Rev. Joyce. Copies are available in the narthex or click here.

Blessing of Backpacks
Once again school-aged children are encouraged to bring their backpacks for a start to school blessing during the service on Sept 8th at 10 a.m.

 

Church School Calendar- Sept. 2013
September:
 1
No Classes- Labor Day Weekend

 8 Church School Registration, Church BBQ,
    Blessing of Backpacks

 15 Regular Classes

 22 Regular Classes, Bring a Friend for Sundae Sunday

 29 Regular Classes        
Renovations of Narthex In Planning Stages
The first project of our Capital Campaign of the last several years will be the renovation of the narthex and bathrooms. Both entrances will get facelifts, with the U drive entrance having the open air 'porch' enclosed for temperature control and furniture for a gathering space. New bathrooms, all with handicapped accessibility, and new area for hanging coats are also part of the plans, as well as new furniture, carpeting and perhaps lighting. The actual work will not begin until the spring. Until then listen for more announcements as well as a display of architectural renderings and opportunities for question and answer sessions.

 

Basket Table Plans
It is that wonderful time of the year! Time to make the BASKETS!

Due to the amazing popularity and convenience of using the first two weeks of October to get this project whipped together, we will attempt this timing again this year! This is only possible due to the generosity of the Christian Ed and Sunday School, letting us use a double classroom and then providing safe storage until the Fair! Many, many thanks!

Empty baskets and idea sheets will be on display in the Narthex the week after Labor Day. Take as many as you want to fill or just bring bags of product and we will allocate according to need. Take the month of September to collect items. We will set up our work space the end of the month and plow through this project as each of us finds time to contribute. Specific dates and times will be forthcoming, but, please look at your schedules and see how YOU can be part of the fun.

Please know this is a very user friendly work environment! All are welcome and encouraged to participate. As those that have helped before know, once shown - its easy! The whole project is divided into steps and you may find one or more parts to your liking. After gathering gift items and food products, the next step is sorting, removing prices, washing items and setting up for assembly. Assembly of themed items into baskets is next. Then we get baskets ready for plastic wrap by arranging the items in each basket with excelsior straw in an eye pleasing form. A special time is set for the mass shrink wrap evening and as many as can make it are needed. Next comes the most fun part, decorating the baskets with ribbons and decorations. While being decorated, we need specialists in handwriting to create the identification tags added to each basket. Finally, comes the pricing and storage day! DOESN'T THIS ALL SOUND EASY? It is, when volunteers commit to helping. If you have never worked on the baskets, please consider helping. If your schedule is too tight to be here, can you be a runner for us? It saves SO much time when a call can be made and the much needed items magically appear!

It is always surprising to see how many beautiful and unique baskets are produced each year. The Basket Table is a visibly important part of the Fair and thanks to all of our St. Luke's Family for making it possible.

Remember, as our summer winds down, please start to gather items, especially food products to donate. Any questions please contact Cheryl O'Grady 508-989-3739 or [email protected].
"B-PEACE " Resource Day- Sept. 28th
Be Peace Together
Equipping one another to be peacemakers

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2013, 9:30 AM- 4 PM
ROXBURY COMMUNITY COLLEGE

Opening plenary by the Rev. Kathleen Adams-Shepherd of Newton, CT

Adults may choose two workshops, one before lunch and one after. The days ends with a wonderfully interactive  session from Urban Improv. This event is FREE, optional boxed lunch is $10 and must be ordered in advance when registering online.

Register and learn more at www.diomass.org/event/fall-resource-day-2013
Save the Date-  Creation Care Family Event
Help celebrate the third annual observance in this diocese of a
Creation Care Season (from St. Francis Day, Oct 4 through the
end of November) with a kick-off reception on Tuesday, Oct. 8,   6 p.m., at the Cathedral Church of St. Paul (138 Tremont Street) in Boston. The event will celebrate the work of the past three years of Creation Care Initiative "green" grants and offer an opportunity to hear from a variety of voices about putting faith into action for the glory of God's creation. Free online registration will open soon.Visitwww.diomass.org/creation-care-season
for information aboutresources and events.