Human Beings - Spiritual Doings
Advent is a season of anticipation. The first season of the
Church’s liturgical year, it occurs in “real time” at the very end of the
calendar year. Only four short weeks long, it was once upon a time referred to as
a “little Lent,” a season of penitence and self-denial in preparation for one
of the two great feasts of the Christians yearly walk with God, The Nativity of
Our Lord…Christmas. The origin of Advent as a liturgical season is lost in
history. Some of the oldest usages go back to around year 490 of the Common
Era, when the Bishop of Tours called for a season of penitence and fasting from
the feast of St. Martin (November 11th) to the feast of the Epiphany
(January 6th). We walk a ragged line with Advent between a season of
penitence (those dark purples and the voices of strident preachers to forsake
singing carols and hanging Christmas ornaments “until it is time to do so”) and
a season of anticipation…singing carols, decorating trees and jumping headlong
into holiday prep and celebration.
Now, in our time, Advent is a
season that runs around like a sad and forgotten cousin to bigger and more
important holidays and seasons. Those short, too short, weeks between
Thanksgiving and Christmas just don’t possess enough daylight hours for us to
be able to accomplish or achieve all that needs to be done. Presents must be
bought and wrapped, travel plans made and executed, visits to friends and
colleagues arranged and reciprocated. Into this bedlam comes the lone voice of
your preacher who calls upon you to “STOP” and to “LOOK” and to “WAIT” upon
God.
You see, there is one firm promise God makes to us in
Advent, no matter the cycle of readings we have in our Sunday bulletins.
Whether it is an Old Testament prophet calling out to God “How Long O LORD, HOW
LONG!!!” or John the Baptist crying out like a voice in the wilderness to
prepare the WAY OF THE LORD, Advent is a time when we are exhorted to step away
from our own busy lives to take a moment to dwell in God’s time and space, in
purple/blue shaded expectation that God really is about to do a new thing among
us.
St. Andrew’s hurtles into Advent
this year consumed in an energy it has not felt in decades. We are truly Advent
people. This season of anticipation has little to do with those ancient eight
weeks of “Little Lent” that the Bishop of Tours exhorted his followers to over
1500 years ago. We are very future
minded around here. The search committee is actively engaged in looking at
candidates for the calling of a new rector. The School Board and Vestry are
working hard in planning for the fiscal health of the parish. The staff and
volunteers of the parish are working on lists an arm length long, preparing for
the celebrations of the season, both liturgical and social. We are even now in
the midst of our annual Stewardship Drive and hoping for a response that allows
us to dream even more ambitiously with God about the future of St. Andrew’s
ministries and programs…and all the while…we wait.
We wait on God to guide the spirit
of the search. We wait on God to give us good news on the stewardship front. We
wait on God for good weather for the holidays, for safe travel and warm returns
of loved ones to home and hearth. We wait on God to be born so that we can
release all this preparing and anticipatory energy…so that we can celebrate
with abandon. We wait on God for so many things.
The thing is, can you imagine
waiting passively for any of these
things to come to pass? Absolutely not!
Like the prophets of old,
we DO call out “How Long!” Like John the Baptist we cry out
with wilderness voices for God to be active here
and now. Waiting is not a simple
thing, nor is it easy…and in the face of that daunting task; it is easy to
allow the rest of the holiday noise to sweep us away from being attentive to
God being active in our lives.
Advent, now in this modern age, is a time to see the
future…and to see where God is calling us. Don’t miss a moment of this season
of anticipation!
I wish, however, to leave you with
one of my favorite inspirational quotes to help you put all this “hustle and
bustle” back into perspective and allow your minds to view the Christmas chaos
from a healthier and more centered starting point:
So, take a moment…or two…or three in the
next couple of weeks to wait on God. What do you need to ask of God in this season
of anticipation? What does St. Andrew’s need from you? What do you need from
St. Andrew’s? Waiting is not hesitation…it is an active state and as spiritual
beings it is our sacred call to answer in the season of Advent.
Marshall+
Warden’s
Words
I recently visited my son and new grand-daughter in
Minneapolis. It was a great visit and
the first time in ages that I had been an extended guest. It caused me to reflect on the fact that in
our four score years plus ten, we are all guests, in a sense. While there, I was motivated to wash dishes,
blow leaves, change diapers, cook, and in any way I could, “give back.” Perhaps that’s what makes a visit memorable. As we enter our season of Stewardship
hopefully we will all reflect on giving to sustain our family and to make “a difference.”
My older daughter was able to join us in Minneapolis and she
also richly enjoyed her visit, caring for baby Maggie, cooking, going to the
park with Noah, and picking up toy trains.
Kate made the unsolicited observation that she too experienced a richer
visit because she “gave back.” That’s
what really motivated me to craft this brief note.
Perhaps as we experience the grace and blessings of this
good life here at St. Andrew’s we too could enrich our sense of being a loving,
caring, family, and enhance the general sense of well-being by giving
generously so that we sustain and grow this place where we experience community
and family.
It is important and it is our opportunity to demonstrate to
the world the depth of our commitment to a life in Christ. I urge you to prayerfully and thoughtfully
consider your financial contribution to the well-being of our Parish life.
Back here at home, on the campus of St. Andrew’s, we are
still awaiting a survey of our roof/leak problems with another Contractor to
come on Nov. 23. We continue to work on
balancing our heating problems (particularly in the Parish Hall), and expect to
have some landscaping work done on the lower playground, soon. (See
Buildings & Grounds Article for more details)
Advent is soon upon us and cold weather is coming. Our Vicarage needs repair and life goes
on. But as we reflect on our “visit”
here on this good earth, it is important that we give back to enrich our own lives
and to continue to grow and develop our life in faith.
David Morris, Senior Warden
Stewardship
As we launch this year’s Stewardship Campaign we
have already received the strong support of the Vestry, all of whom made their
individual pledges over a month ago. We
have begun receiving pledge cards and are optimistic that the breadth of
participation in our Parish will extend to all families. It is a relatively common feeling, expressed
by many, that there is more life, energy, caring, and Spirit among us in this
past year. There also has been some
concern expressed that the momentum might not continue with the anticipated
selection of a new Rector.
However, we are and have been richly blessed. There is much to do, and more resources are
needed. Our future outlook is within
our own making. We can and we will continue to grow our spiritual life here at
St. Andrew’s through the prayerful and careful consideration of a pledge: to
help maintain, as well as, expand and grow our community of faith. You can do us and St. Andrew’s a favor and fill out your pledge cards and
send them in to the office, or drop them in my mailbox in the Sacristy Hallway,
as soon as possible.
Hamilton Slye, Stewardship Chair
BROTHERHOOD OF ST. ANDREW
St. Andrew’s Chapter of the Brotherhood accepted two new members last
month and began its first project: the painting of the upstairs hallway and the
Sacristy hallway. We will be meeting on
November 20th and we invite all men to join us in the Parish Hall @
8:30 am. The President of our Priory,
Mr. Bob Dennis has invited us to a Training Day in Woodbridge on January
8. This meeting will give us an
opportunity to meet with other Chapters in the Diocese and to jointly share
ideas about this important men’s ministry. Please join us on the 20th
or speak to any member about your interest in becoming a part of our local
Chapter
.
Joe La Para, Sec. & David Morris, Chapter
Pres
Buildings and Grounds
In the recent past we have had one contractor do a preliminary
assessment of our roofing problems and he indicated a need to come back to
“walk the roof.” At this writing, that
has not happened. But we continue to be optimistic that he will follow through. We also anticipate another contractor review
on Saturday, Nov. 20th.
As regards to our heating issue: we have on order a part
that we are hopeful will solve our current heating problems in the Parish Hall,
once and for all. Keep your fingers
crossed,
and pray!
Finally, we will be completing landscape work on the lower
playground and expect to have a gate installed there shortly.
Each one of us at St. Andrew’s should express our
appreciation to GOSA and the work they have done to prepare our grounds for
Winter.
Coming
Events
November 28: 8:00am Service GREAT LITANY& Holy
Eucharist FIRST ADVENT
10:00am Service GREAT LITANY& Holy
Eucharist
11:30am Advent Wreath Making (after 10 am service)
4 pm EVENSONG Feast of St.
Andrew Celebration
& Potluck
Dinner
December 5: 8:00am Service
Holy Eucharist SECOND ADVENT
10:00am Service Holy Eucharist YOUTH
CHOIR SINGS St. Nicholas’ Visit
Cookies
for the Troops (drop off - Sunday and Monday-mailed Tuesday the 7th)
December 12: 8:00am Service Holy Eucharist THIRD ADVENT
10:00am Service Decorating the Chrismon Tree,
Chrismon Refreshments
Narrative Rehearsal (after 10 am
service)
December 18: 10am -12 noon Narrative Rehearsal, Costumes distributed
December 19: 8:00am Service Holy Eucharist FOURTH ADVENT
10:00am Service Lighting of the Chrismon Tree
December 22: 6:00PM (Wed) Greening of the Church &
Pot Luck Supper
December 24: 3:15pm
Cast MEET in the Parish Hall CHRISTMAS EVE
4:00pm Christmas Narrative (w/ live sheep)
& Holy Eucharist
9:00pm
Christmas Carols
9:30pm Festal
Eucharist
December
25: 9:00am Holy Eucharist CHRISTMAS DAY (Nativity of our Lord)
December 26: 8:00am Service Holy Eucharist FIRST CHRISTMAS
10:00am Service LESSONS & CAROLS (Youth Readers)
Cookies for
the Troops
WHAT BETTER WAY TO SAY
THANK YOU FOR KEEPING US SAFE THIS HOLIDAY SEASON, THAN SENDING COOKIES TO THE TROOPS?
Though it can
not truly make up for the warmth of sharing the holidays with loved ones...it
WILL let them know that we think about them... and care about them... and that
we are grateful for all that they do to make our holidays safe here at home. So bake some cookies and send HOLIDAY CHEER to the men and
women serving in the military. Bring
your cookies to church on Sunday Dec. 5th, & Monday the 6th. Chris Friedlander and her volunteers will
box them and send them on Tue. Dec. 7th.
Want to help box up cookies on the 7th?
To Sign up, please call:
Chris Friedlander (908)
464-0324
Sunday School Spirit
By Joyce Kern
Advent
Wreath Making,
Sunday November 28
Join us for a festive time of making an Advent wreath for your home to
light during the Advent season. We will gather in the Parish Hall at 11:30 on
November 28 after the service. Advent Wreath forms are on pg. 17 of this NET
and in the Weekly Reminder to order a wreath. Return the form to the church
office early so we can have wreath supplies for you. Karen Talbot is advising
and instructing our volunteers this year.
Thanks to everyone!
St.
Nicholas Sunday, December 5
St. Nicholas will make a visit at the 10am service. After the service
he will have St. Nicholas gifts for children in the tradition of long ago. St.
Nicholas was known for doing good deeds for others, particularly children and
seafarers.
Decorating The Chrismon
Tree, December 12
The word “Chrismon” means Christ’s Monogram.
You are invited to come and help
the children decorate the Chrimon Tree! It is a Christian Tree with symbols in
gold and white to honor Christ.
The “Decorating of the Chrismon Tree” will be
held on December
12 during the 10:00AM worship service.
This year we will decorate the tree in a new way!
Ornaments from 1999-2003 will be
given to individuals upon entering the 10am services, they will go up front and
put ornaments on the tree before the service begins. When the Sunday School
children enter the services, they will place the ornaments they decorated this
year on the tree. Come early and join us!
Symbols and Chrismons
A Chrismon is a SYMBOL
that tells or COMMUNICATES something about Christ.. We fill our tree with
Chrismons just as we try to fill our lives with Christ during the holiday
season. When we place our ornaments on the tree it becomes a BANNER
Did you know?
·
Banners are rooted in symbols and can be traced to drawings on cave
walls
·
Banners are more than decorations. They SIGNIFY something, they
COMMUNICATE thoughts and ideas
·
Banners were teaching
tools for the congregations long ago, most of who could not read or write.
From :
The Complete Banner Book by Janet Litherlano, where many of the ornament
designs for our tree were found
Lighting of the Chrismon
Tree, December 19
This is the Fourth Sunday in Advent.
The 2004
Theme is Church Seasons
Joyce Kern designed the ornaments and theme
Margery Ashmun and Elizabeth Jordan volunteered to help prepare the ornaments this year
for the children that represent the seasons of Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Easter and Pentecost. Grades Toddler to Grade 7
decorated the Chrismon ornaments at a workshop held Nov. 7th and
learned about the church seasons that the ornaments symbolize.
Operation Christmas Child
Appreciation
Thanks to everyone who participated in the Operation
Christmas Child Shoebox Gifts for children in need around the world…filled with
educational supplies, toys, clothing and other necessities of life!
The 2004 “Shoebox Gifts” are now on their way,
sending a Christmas message to others about Love and God’s Gift to us…Jesus
Christ. Adults and children experience the joy of giving from the church school
Christmas Shoebox project to help others.
This year there will be 80 smiles on the faces of children when the 80
Shoebox Gifts are opened around the world!
Thanks to Chairpersons Jennifer Carriker, Cynthia
Macdonald and Maggy Taylor for helping to coordinated this Sunday School
Outreach Project that goes around the world at Christmas. Our gratitude to the
people of St. Andrew’s Church, Sunday School and Nursery School who packed an
Operation Christmas Child Shoebox for a child in need at Christmas.
Christmas Blessings to All,
Joyce Kern
Do
You Hear What I Hear?
Can that be the voices of excited
children as they prepare for the annual St. Andrew’s tradition of the Christmas
Narrative?
It’s almost
that time of year!
This heartwarming tradition
provides our younger church members with the important job of retelling the
story of the first Christmas. It is
always a joy to see the little ones shield their eyes and look with awe upon
the angel of the Lord, gently cradle the Baby or present the gifts of kings. It
is also a joy to see the older cast members directing the efforts of the
younger children in roles that they themselves once played.
Plan to join us as a cast member,
adult helper, or as a member of the audience!
Important
Narrative Dates:
Nov. 21st, 28th,
and Dec.5:
Sign
up sheets distributed during Sunday School.
December 7th:
The
final day that sign up sheets can be accepted.
December 12th:
Rehearsal
following the 10:00 a.m. service.
December 18th:
Dress
rehearsal from 10:00 a.m. until noon.
December 24th:
The
Narrative begins at 4:00 p.m. All cast
members are asked to arrive at 3:15.
Eileen
Fairchild, Director of ’04 Narrative
NURSERY SCHOOL NEWS
It seems like we just decorated
our classrooms with brightly colored leaves, jack-o-lanterns, and spooky ghosts
and quickly we move into Thanksgiving and Christmas.
I enjoy the
excitement the children experience while baking cornbread, grinding cranberries
to make relish, and playing in teepees.
The children are also learning; Native American games, sign language,
songs and finger plays and that the Native Americans earned the feathers on their headbands. I invite all to visit our
classrooms and experience what our children are learning each day!
St. Andrew’s
held a Crisis Management drill for “severe weather” on November 9 and 10. The faculty, staff, and the children
performed this drill successfully.
Everyone did a terrific job on proceeding to the scheduled “safe area”
and sitting quietly...in UNDER 7 MINUTES!
I am actively
involved in arranging tours for our nursery school and kindergarten for the
2005-2006 school year. Prospective
parents tour the school facilities while in session and observe the educational
and social experiences that we offer the children.
Kindergarten
Open House was held on Wednesday, November10 and we had a great showing of our
St Andrew’s parents and families from our surrounding communities. We our very proud
of the unique and innovative program that is offered to kindergarten children!
The Christmas
season will be upon us in just a few weeks and we are excited about the many
events that the church and school have supported through the years. Your
support and volunteerism through the many Parent Association events and our
Outreach Giving Tree project is truly a “work of heart”.
St. Andrew’s Nursery School and Kindergarten
wishes you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy and Healthy New Year.
Diane
Kostibos,
Director of the Nursery School
Parent's Night Out
On Friday November 12 the nursery school and kindergarten hosted their second Parents Night Out. From 6:00 - 8:30 P.M. students and their siblings (ages 2 ½ -10) came and enjoyed a fun filled evening at St. Andrew's with the “babysitters” (who are volunteers from within the community of St. Andrew’s teachers and parents) while their parents enjoyed a couple of hours of "adult time". We are looking forward to our spring Friday Night Out in May. Parent’s Night Out is offered three times a year, Oct. Nov. and May. Contact the school office for more information.
Mary Engelbrechtsen, Chair
Cookie Dough Fundraiser
The
cookie dough fundraiser was a big success!!
Almost $4,500 was raised for the school by parents of students and
church members. It was a great
cooperative effort by all and the money raised will be used for teacher
education, scholarships and classroom and playground equipment.
Annette Emanuel, Chair
Christmas Luncheon
On Thursday December 16 the St. Andrew’s Nursery School & Church (teachers and office staff) will enjoy a festive holiday catered luncheon with assistance from the Parents Association. While parent volunteers provide classroom coverage the entire staff will enjoy lunch together in the Parish Hall. It's a way for all of us at St. Andrew's to say not only Happy Holidays but also thank you for another great year!
Amy Evans, Chair
St.
Andrew’s Parent’s Association Events
Deck the Halls Holiday Ornament Sale
Tuesday Dec. 7th & Wednesday Dec. 8th
In the parish hall
(during scheduled school hours)
·
Please look
through your holiday decorations and donate to the school either new or
slightly used ornaments. Please bring
them to the nursery school office before Friday Dec. 3rd.
·
See first hand the
smiles on the children’s faces when they go shopping for their own ornaments!
We need people to donate their time during the school day to help them select
their ornaments.
The ornaments will be on display in the parish hall and the children,
with the help of parent volunteers, will be able to purchase them for $1.00
each during a scheduled time of the school day. The ornaments will be wrapped and the children can bring them
home as a special gift for their families.
All proceeds go
directly to St. Andrew’s Nursery School & Kindergarten
Thank you for
helping make this event a success. We hope to make this holiday season special
for all!
Therese Farid 973-635-0655 or
Christine Pitarresi 908-665-2227
December 14 from 9:15 am- 2 pm.
Helping
Hands Program
Holiday
Giving Tree
Our actions DO make a difference. Read Father Pozo’s letter
and find out how our outreach programs improve the lives of the small
children in the Trenton area.
Keep giving!
Children
First Academy
Academia
Primero Los(as) Ninos(as)
CARE
FOR CHILDREN TODAY, THEY WILL CARE FOR US TOMORROW”
MY DREAM CAME TRUE
Children’s laughter makes us happy and children’s success make us
proud. Therefore, if we want our children to be happy and successful, we have
to take good care of them.
I dreamt about starting an excellent
day care, where our children can grow, play and learn in a safe environment. At
Children First Academy we believe each child is special and is a very important
person; therefore, they deserve a special
treatment. The most important time in the development of a person is the first
years, we want all parents and teachers to understand that the first years of
care and of school are great and the best time to affirm the self-esteem of
children, to make them know that they have a home away from home with caring
responsible adults who will not let them down.
The poor children in the city of
Trenton need to know that somebody cares about them; that someone will stand up
for them and not desert them under pressure. Some children in urban areas have
been tossed about so much they don’t know what stability means. In our day
care, because we love them, we are patient with them. We are not going to
substitute the love of their parents, but we are going to help them to love
each other more.
We started with 5 children, and only
one of them could pay $50 per week, but we did not turn away any child. We are
here to serve them. We were asking for help and God answered our prayer through
Saint Andrew’s Nursery School. Since the first time Diane Kostibos heard about
us, she offered to help us in every way, from toys to furniture to money. Last
September, our center had 45 children
and was approved as an Abbott District. Now we received funds from the
state to hire teachers and assistants.
From the bottom of our hearts, we want
to thank you for your compassion and great support helping our community to see
the dream come true.
May God continue blessing you.
The Reverend Dr. Francisco Pozo
Director
Louise
Larson Anderson Memorial Organ Fund
Thanks to the generosity of parishioners and friends
of St. Andrew’s a new organ will no longer be a dream but a reality! Just under $76,000 has already been pledged
or contributed. In addition, we had
$7,000 in the fund before our campaign started and the show, “To Whom It May
Concern” brought in approximately $3,000.
We are confident that the small sum needed to complete the purchase will
be donated prior to delivery of the instrument.
The
organ will be walnut with a light oak interior and rosewood sharps and
stops. It will have three manuals with
a floating solo division that can be used from any of the three manuals. We will have new, non-functional
brass-colored pipes encased in cabinets that will match the wood on the wall. New storage cabinets will be below the
pipes. Because of the advances in
electronics that have been made since our current organ was installed, the
speakers will be much smaller than our existing ones. Hence, we will have more storage space in the cabinets. Speakers will be placed in the front and
rear of the church.
The
sound from the organ, an Allen Quantum, will be truly remarkable. It will be adjusted for the acoustics of our
sanctuary and promises to produce an amazing sound. Delivery will be next February or March.
Thanks
to all of you for your support, enthusiasm, and encouragement. Special thanks go to Marshall, our Interim
Vicar, and the Vestry who supported the idea of a short campaign for funding at
this time. Another special thank you
goes to the members of the cast of “To
Whom It May Concern” and to Carl Santiago whose vision it was to produce the
show.
Margaret
Miano, Organ Fund Committee Chair
Music
The Great Litany
We will begin our celebration of the Advent
season on Sunday, November 28 with the Great Litany, an ancient prayer of the
church. This chanted litany will be
shared by multiple people singing portions from various locations in the nave
of the church. The other music for the
Advent season is more solemn than that which we have been using in
Pentecost. The sung parts of the
service will be chanted in Plainsong.
The use of Alleluias will be
stopped until the Festival of Christmas.
All of this is to prepare ourselves for the coming of the Christ Child.
Christmas Music
Our choral celebration of Christmas
will begin with the Festival Eucharist of Christmas on December 24. We will start the celebration of the birth
of Christ with singing of Christmas Carols at
9:00 pm in the sanctuary. This will be followed by the Festal
Eucharist at 9:30 pm. This service will
be a glorious celebration including appropriate anthems and Christmas
Carols.
Evensong Service
Our
first Evensong of this program year is scheduled for the first Sunday in
Advent, November 28. 4:00pm, Please
mark your calendars now to reserve the date and join us for an inspiring
musical service. We will be singing
music appropriate to the Advent season – a season which is rich in choral
music. Plan to relax at the end of the
Thanksgiving holiday weekend with this beautiful traditional Anglican service.
The service will be followed by one of our warm and wonderful pot luck suppers – always a fun experience
at St. Andrew’s church. An evening not to miss: Music, food and
fellowship!
A Festival of Lessons and Carols
The
10:00 am service on Sunday, December 26 will be highlighted with a traditional
service of Christmas Lessons and Carols. Included will be selected passages from scripture, seasonal carols and
choral anthems.
I
would again like to invite members of the parish to join us in presentation of
the Christmas season music. If your
schedule does not permit regular choir rehearsal attendance, or if you just
want to try us out, please see me after any service and we can discuss your
participation in the holiday music presentations. We will welcome one and all with open arms!
Junior Choir Update
We will be initiating our Junior Choir with a presentation currently scheduled for the second Sunday in
Advent, December 5. While we need a
minimum of ten young people to make the Junior Choir a regular offering, we are
going to start with the eight we have on file, hoping the numbers will grow in
the immediate future. The first
rehearsal will be on Friday afternoon, November 19 at 3:15 pm in the Choir
Room. There will not be a rehearsal on
November 26 due to the Thanksgiving holiday.
The next rehearsal will be on December 3rd, same time and place.
If there are any young
people who would like to join with us who have not yet turned in the yellow
form to Joyce Kern, please see either Joyce or me to enroll. We would
like to make this a significant part of our offering for young people.
Choir
We
would welcome the participation of members of the congregation who are unable to
join the choir on a regular basis in our choir concert on April 17. The music, by Mendelssohn and Leavitt, is
challenging and quite interesting. Both
numbers this year will be in English.
We started rehearsing after church on Sundays, and will start alternate
Saturdays in January. We would very
much enjoy having some of our excellent singers from the congregation join
us. Please see any choir member or me
if you would like additional information.
As
you could see from the size of the choir in recent weeks, we are still in need
of new members. Many of our members
have business, family and personal matters that require them to be away at
various times. With our small numbers
these absences are quite noticeable, particularly when several people have to
be out at the same time. We
particularly need additional voices in the women’s sections (unusual for a
church choir!), but would welcome additional people in any of the voice parts,
male or female. Please see me or any
choir member, or just come to a rehearsal on Thursday night at 8:00 p.m.
MUSICAL SUCCESS
Many,
many, many thanks to our parishioners for your support during our production of
To Whom It May Concern. Your enthusiasm was very important to the cast
and support people. Special thanks to
Marian Bahler, June deBang, and David Waite for their tireless assistance at
show time. And we could never have done
all we did without the hard work of Laura Shelly, Kathy Murano and Rick
Anderson. The whole experience was very
satisfying to those of us in the cast as well as to the parish as a whole. We were able to provide over $3,000 for the
Organ Fund out of the net proceeds of the show. Thank you again!!
Carl Santiago, Executive Producer
Howard Dreizler
Producer
GOSA REPORT
Gardeners of St. Andrew's
GOSA volunteers have been involved in fall cleanup of the St. Andrew's gardens, getting ready for winter. We will shortly be planting some spring flowering bulbs, in some of the beds. We still have a couple projects on our master list that we would like to try to complete. We plan to have one more meeting, before winter arrives.
If
you have an interest in taking part in our GOSA activities, please contact
Joyce Kern (973) 635-1892 or Rick Anderson (908) 464-8911
Flowers for the Altar
As the Holiday
season approaches I know many parishioners think of donating money to help
purchase the flower arrangements which give the church it’s holiday cheer. Did you know though, that you could have a
turn placing the flowers there in celebration of other special events, perhaps
personal ones in your life: in thanksgiving for a dear friend or meaningful
experience... and/or a remembrance of a loved one who has passed throughout the year (not just at the
holidays.) I am quite sure everyone admires the beauty of the altar adorned
with fresh flowers each Sunday
morning. It is a lovely way to express your feelings of support for our church
while beautifying the Lord’s house!
If you wish to
have flowers at the altar in honor of your loved one or special event ...OR
just to show appreciation for St. Andrew’s in your life:
Procedure for
ordering flowers...anytime of year:
·
Please
choose a date
·
Enclose a
check for $45.00 (bring to office)
·
Give desired
color choice or favorite flower
·
Jot down a short
statement for the bulletin:
Who (or
what Event) the flowers are commemorating
I will do my
best to choose flowers
accordingly. We have 6 members on our
Flower Guild and I thank them for their wonderful help and arranging.
(If a specialty
arrangement or particular flower is higher priced or not “in season” the price
of the arrangements may be higher, I will notify you in that case & discuss
any changes with you)
Our Next Flower Guild Event
GREENING
OF THE CHURCH & Pot Luck Dinner at 6:00pm – December 22nd
“’Tis
the time of year...!”The evening is Wednesday the 22nd and along with sharing a
meal together we will “Green the Church!”
Wreaths, roping, ribbons and bows will be ready and we will be looking
for some helpful hands to hang the greens in our church. There are OUTDOOR locations, as well: some
roping and bows on the fencing leading to the lower door (off the side
driveway), wreaths are hung on the carriage house doors &Kinderhouse too!
So don’t forget your gloves and heavy
jacket! With Flower Guild members and
YOUR HELP together we can achieve all this in 1 ½ hours (hopefully) – what a
beautiful sight it will be! Come and Green the Church for Christmas and share a
Pot Luck Dinner of Soup, Salad, Bread and Dessert. Amy Evans and Margery Ashmun
are the volunteers helping with the dinner for all! I look forward to seeing you and sharing this holiday tradition!
Sara Jane Vignali, Flower Guild
Pastoral Care
For the past year i have been
chair of pastoral care having co-chaired for the previous four years with jane
weltmer. I want to thank the many
wonderful volunteers that help with this multi-faceted ministry. Though i plan to continue as one of the
volunteers,i regret that at this point in time i have decided to step down as
chair (as of the end of december.)
This ministry is a special part of st. Andrews. I have enjoyed being part of it. I feel that a fresh perspective will only
enhance its mission.
Pastoral care duties include:
·
Receptions after
Memorial Services
·
Altar Flower Delivery each Sunday
·
Arranging rides for parishioners in need
·
Sending cards of welcome, congratulations and
condolences
The time i have spent chairing pastoral care has been a
rewarding experience. The people of the parish have given of themselves
generously making the chairperson’s job easier.
Whoever takes on this ministry can look to me for assistance
when needed.
Anyone interested in
joining the pastoral care team please contact Bridgett in the church
office. A Chairperson (or persons) is needed to coordinate this
very active committee. (OR perhaps there are two friends that could
co-chair?) There are already many
committee members to do the work necessary but we are looking for the person who
can organize and make phone calls to activate those willing members.
Nominating Committee
The Nominating Committee for vestry and delegates to
Diocesan Convention for the 2005 Annual Meeting of the parish has been formed.
Consisting of retiring vestry members (Fred Sloat, Morgan Bentley and Hamilton
Slye), the committee is looking for nominations for two diocesan delegates and
two vestry positions.
At its November meeting, the vestry took some time to thank
the retiring members and to charge them in their efforts to find replacements
for their work and ministry in leading the church for the past three years. We
also took some time to discuss the needs of the vestry and the skills and
interests of the people needed to guide the transition of this interim period
into the establishment of the calling of the new rector and his/her new
ministry at St. Andrew’s.
Vestry members serve a three year term and commit to meeting
on average once a month with the wardens and rector to oversee the operations
of the church and to seek ways to expand and grow the ministries of the parish
and school. Currently, we are looking for people who have strong interests in
youth ministry, pastoral care, parish life, finances and accounting and
stewardship / development. If you are looking for a way to become more involved
at St Andrew’s, are an Episcopalian in good standing with the church and would
like to explore a possible call to leadership in the life of the parish, please
speak to the wardens, the Interim Vicar or members of the committee in the next
four weeks.
We will also be calling on people who have had their names
come up in discussions around the particular gifts. Even if you are not
interested, don’t be afraid to approach a friend or neighbor if you feel that
their gifts would be an asset to the leadership of the parish.
Fred
Sloat, Junior Warden
Outreach – Beyond Our Parish
Gifts for the local needy
We
will again participate in the drive to collect Christmas gifts for the local
needy. We do this each Christmas in
cooperation
with
the Community Service Association.
A
poster with a sign up sheet and tags
for the gifts will soon be placed in the vestibule. Select a gift, sign the sheet and return the gift wrapped with
its tag by Dec. 19th.
THANKS!
For your help.
For Further Information Call Sarah White
Turkey Delivery
In a few days,
on Monday Nov. 22nd, we will deliver to Grace Church, Elizabeth and the FISH
Agency in Dunellen. We hope you all had a chance to “buy a feather or two.”
THANK YOU to Mary Engelbrechtsen for
being in charge of collecting the funds. The deadline is almost here so don’t
forget-you still have the opportunity to give to this holiday outreach tradition. THANK YOU to all of you
who have already : feathered or plan on bringing a turkey on Monday the 22nd!,
Due to your caring, someone else can have a holiday meal worth remembering!
From Sarah White
INTERFAITH COUNCIL FOR
HOMELESS
There is still a
great need for volunteers to help with the homeless at Faith Lutheran. The
Mianos and the Bahlers have been faithful hosts. It is a warm and vital one for
those it serves and a rewarding activity
for those who participate.There is a need for cooks – to make a dish and help serve a meal, especially at this
holiday season.
To find out more
- See Sarah White
STUFFED ANIMALS
We continue to
collect stuffed animals to send to the children at Trinitas Hospital in
Elizabeth during the Christmas season. Please bring any NEW stuffed animals you
wish to donate to the church by Nov.
22nd and they will be taken to
Trinitas Hospital.
Help bring a smile to a sick child.
COAT COLLECTION
A note of thanks
to all who contributed coats to the Market Street Mission’s Coat Drive. TWENTY
COATS were sent from St. Andrew’s
OKTOBER FEST
After
sharing wonderful food, fun, door prizes & fellowship with many
parishioners, we are pleased to say that we
were able to give $475 of the evenings
proceeds to CROPWALK. Thanks everyone who came to support this outreach
project. Thank you -Joan & Foster
McCoy for chairing this fun filled event!
We raise our “steins” to all who participated!
Knitting
Group
Once again we made our annual trip to Port
Newark on Monday, November 8th to deliver and pack our hand knitted items to be distributed by the
Seamen's Church Institute "Christmas at Sea Program." A big Thank-you
to all who knitted diligently during the year.
A wonderful assortment of hats, scarves and vests were packed, along
with other holiday items. Our drivers/ volunteer packers were Bob & Martha
Craig, Rick Anderson, Georgia Jervey, Margaret Miano, Barbara Pape, Martha
Swirsky & Clarice Milbrodt. We are now gearing up for even more successful
knitting season and hope that new knitters will decide to join us. The patterns
are very simple and the wool is provided by the Institute. Anyone interested
contact:June deBang 908-464-3308 or Georgia Jervey 908-464-9393.
Special Thanks
Thank
you so much for the flowers, cards, food,
visits and E-Mail during my recent surgery and rehab stay. Your
thoughtfulness, as always, makes me realize what a wonderful extended family
St. Andrew’s truly is for those of us lucky enough to be parishioners here.
Mark
Your Calendars
ANNUAL MEETING – JANUARY
30th We will all meet in the Parish Hall in
between services MARK YOUR CALENDARS
and make sure to come to this important and informative yearly gathering!.
Along with voting for Vestry; other vital church business will be discussed and
decided...we all have a duty and a voice to use for the care of St. Andrew’s -
don’t be absent or silent!
CANTERBURY
FAIR 2005-The vestry discussed
the status of the Canterbury Fair at its October AND November meetings. Until we have a chair, this event cannot be
put into the ’05 calendar. Please
speak with the Vicar if you are interested.
OPEN HOUSE
2005- Keep
your eyes open for the opportunity to share in this exciting outreach
experience. Last years Open House gave
energy to those who helped out and gave St. Andrew’s a chance to reach out and invite the community in. The date is Saturday, February 12th. Come and join the fun!
NURSERY SCHOOL
REGISTRATION ’05-“06: January 10th Mark
your calendars
Search
Committee
The search for a new rector is in full
swing with many phone interviews being conducted and parish visits commencing.
We are very optimistic about the prospect for finding a new rector for St.
Andrew's, however, we are setting a very high standard for the candidate we
seek. All of which means that we expect the search to take some time as we meet
many candidates to find THE one person that is a good fit for us. While we
continue to hope to have someone in place at the end of the first quarter of
2005, we are bound to finding the right candidate, not to meeting a specific
schedule. Rest assured...or I might say...
No rest assured, the search committee is working
very hard every week to advance the process.
Please
continue to keep the search committee and St. Andrew's in your prayers.
Bob Ashmun and Denise Preston
Co-Chairs of the Search Committee