December 12, 2013


Services for this coming Sunday, December 15th, the Third Sunday of Advent and will be at 8 and 10, followed by coffee hour. We hope you will join us for worship and fellowship (and a last chance to purchase “stocking-stuffers” from the Boughs & Bonbons table).
"2nd Sunday dialogue homily"

Xena tends the dog biscuit table!
Boughs and Bonbons chairwomen Lynne and Patti would like to thank everyone who helped make the Christmas fair a success: Carol Tubman, Chris Mills, Elaine South, Carolyn Boldt, Barbara Lord, Claudia Kennedy, Dale Appleton, Val May, Sally DeGroot, Judy Ward, Carolyn Seston, Barbara Lloyd, George Rau, Bruce Kennedy, Gretchen Behr-Svendsen, Peg Cade, and the bakers of all cookies and other baked goods.  If we haven't named you, a thousand pardons – we appreciate everyone's contributions, both large and small!  We will sell our stock once again this coming Sunday, and then everything will be put away.  If you want to buy any of the Fair Trade food products - the candy bars, chai, and hot spicy cocoa are especially great Christmas gifts - see Gretchen.  Those can be purchased on any Sunday, but do get them before they are sold out.
A message from the Food Pantry: The Food Pantry is always grateful for your contributions of food, but at this time of year, as preparations are being made for the Christmas baskets, please know that cash contributions are especially helpful, since Food Pantry purchasers are able to buy items at much reduced prices, so your contribution dollars go almost four times further than if you purchase yourself at the supermarket! Thank you.
Our Advent Quiet Day is this Saturday, December 14th, 9-1, led by the Rev. Susan Ackley. 
The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad, the desert shall rejoice and blossom; like the crocus it shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice with joy and singing.” [Isa 35:1-2] Step away from the business of the season and join us for this short retreat time of prayer, and quiet activity. No previous experience is necessary! It will conclude with an informal Eucharist and a simple soup lunch. Please register by calling the church office or emailing Rev. Heidi by Friday (frantzdale@gmail.com) Also, we are looking for an additional volunteer to make a pot of soup.

Reminder for Sunday, December 22nd, Advent IV: We will have only ONE service – at 10 o’clock – an opportunity for all of us to celebrate together. This will be our Greening of the Church, at which the participatory decorating of the church for Christmas will be accomplished liturgically by all of us together over the course of the liturgy, such that we begin amidst the deep blue of Advent, and depart leaving our sanctuary rich with laurel roping, poinsettias, and the white and gold of Christmas. 
Food for thought at we engage in this season of generosity and giving (relayed by my colleague Gill Healey, pastor of the congregational church in North Conway...

The teller of this story was a man participating in a workshop called. “How to Track Woodland Animals.” 
He was paired with a woods-wise woman with whom he spent silent hours tracking deer. On a deer path, each simultaneously spotted an odd black stone that looked like the petrified hoof-print of a deer. Being younger, he was quicker and snatched the odd stone first. As he eyed it in his hand, he could tell that she wanted it, so he gave it to her as a gift. Three times she graciously refused. Three times he gave it back.

In the time that has passed, the man has come to understand that the odd black stone meant more to him because he gave it away than it ever would have meant to him had he kept it for himself… and – while we will never know for sure – that odd black stone probably mean more to the woods-wise woman because it was a gift.
See you in church!
Blessings,
Heidi+

Celebrate Christmas at
Saint Andrew’s-in-the-valley
THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH OF TAMWORTH AND THE OSSIPEE VALLEY
All are Welcome!

December 22    Fourth Sunday of Advent
10 am Service of Holy Eucharist and the Greening of the
Church for Christmas
(No 8 am service)

December 24, Christmas Eve Candlelight Services:

Family Service with Organ and Choir
4:45 pm   Carol Sing
5:00 pm   Blessing of the Créche & Holy Eucharist

Midnight” Service with Organ and Choir
10:45 pm   Carol Sing
11:00 pm   Festival Eucharist

 December 25, Christmas Day 
11:30 am  Holy Eucharist

 Free Traditional Christmas Dinner
Christmas Day, Wednesday, Dec 25,
Gather at 12:30 - Dinner served at 1:00 pm
For reservations:  call the church at 323-8515

December 29, The First Sunday after Christmas
8:00 am   Service of Morning Prayer
10:00 am   A Service of Lessons & Carols