November 26, 2015



Happy Thanksgiving!

Thank you, Chris!!!

(Don’t miss the Quotes about Gratitude and the Pie Auction photo gallery at the end of this MEMO.)

Services for this coming Sunday, the First Sunday of Advent, will be at 8 and 10 am.

The readings for this Sunday: Jeremiah 33:14-16, Psalm 25:1-9, 1 Thessalonians 3:9-13, Luke 21:25-28, 35-36.
Mark your calendars for these St. Andrew’s events:
A liturgy in celebration of the life of Priscilla Browning will be held here on Friday afternoon, December 4th, at 4 pm. Of course, all are invited. Immediately following the service, the family has invited the congregation to a gathering at Priscilla's home overlooking Silver Lake, about a 15-minute drive from the church. Priscilla loved to entertain, and her family generously sees this as one more way to celebrate Priscilla’s spirit. (Driving directions will be provided at the service.)

Cookies, Carols, and Conversation: a Pre-Christmas Tea.  Gather in the Prince Room from 1 to 3 on Thursday, December 10th for: You are encouraged to brings some cookies for the table. Thanks go to Judy Grace for taking the initiative for this gathering.
Slow down. Quiet. It's Advent! An Advent Quiet Day on Saturday, December 12th from 1 to 5pm: What better way to still yourself than to join us for this time of Mindfulness Meditation, Gentle Yoga, and a Silent Tea Ceremony led by Beverly Hammond. See the post on the bulletin board for more details and to sign up. And remember...if you can breathe, you can do yoga!

As we enter the reflective Advent season, the Brothers at the society of Saint John  the Evangelist invite you to subscribe to AdventWord 2015. Click here to sign up: http://adventword.org/ 
Each morning at 5 AM in your email in-bin you will receive a word, a brief mediation, and an accompanying image. You are invited to “hold” that word as you move through your day, and (with your cell phone camera) to capture an image that reflects something of the day’s word. Directions at the #AdventWord web site will tell you how you can share your image with thousands of people around the world.

Here are the words for the first week: #WakeUp, #Proclaim, #Give, #Forgive, #Repent, #Worship, #Believe  … And if you take some pictures that you would like to share here, just email frantzdale@gmail.com.

Pie Auction Gratitude: Many thanks to the extraordinary team of Carol, Chris & Bob, Dale, Bev, Bernice, the Bunkers, Chris Boldt (our enthusiastic auctioneer), Bruce, Patti, Preston, all the pie bakers, and all the guests. We were all well fed, had a great time, took home delicious pies, and brought in about $1200 for the church and our outreach.

Food for thought – Quotes about Gratitude – for this Thanksgiving weekend…
From last Sunday's sermon - and in response to some requests:
"Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life...such that our hearts can sing in praise."

“…gratitude is more than just saying thank you. Gratitude – and being grateful – can, if we let it, permeate our live. Might we learn to breathe gratitude? …It is a call to paying attention. Tempting as it may be to complain about things that challenge us, or try our patience, or that we “just don’t like,” and painful as it may seem to be to contemplate an attitude of gratitude especially in those difficult places, gratitude to God can awaken us to astonishing moments of grace…”
From Dietrich Bonhoeffer, imprisoned by the Nazis during WWII:
We actually receive  great deal more than we give; it is only with gratitude that life becomes truly rich.


From Melody Beattie, contemporary writer of the recovery movement:
Gratitude turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos into order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.
From George Herbert, the great early 17th century Anglican poet:
Thou that has given so much to me,
Give one thing more – a grateful heart:
Not grateful when it pleases me,
As if thy blessings had spare days;
but such a heart, whose pulse may be 
    Thy praise.


On this Thanksgiving Day, I hope you will pause long enough between the baking, the table setting, the conversation, and dishwashing to bask in gratitude for the richness and wonder of this life!
And know that being with all of you is a great blessing to me.
See you in church as we begin a new season together and light the first candle of our Advent Wreath.

Heidi+


A new acolyte-in-training, Becket, Preston's cousin!

Recipe available on request !


Duane on the mend. Photo courtesy of Albert ...or was it Connor?

Pondering a bid???


 

November 19, 2015


Brett School kids food drive.
Services for this coming Sunday, the Sunday of Christ the King: the Last Sunday after Pentecost and the Sunday before Thanksgiving will be at 8 and 10 am. We have so much to celebrate! We hope you will join us for worship and fellowship.

The readings for this Sunday: 2 Samuel 23:1-7, Psalm 132:1-13, (14-19), Revelation 1:4b-8, John 18:33-37.

Any vegetable choppers available? Carol, George, and Patti would love to be joined by some more able hands on Friday morning to prepare the root veggies, green beans, and apples for the Harvest Supper. Many hands make light work.
Pie Bakers are reminded that we’re counting on you to provide your pies to be auctioned following the meal. (Pies that can be frozen for Thanksgiving feasts are especially welcome.) Note: Pies should be delivered on the day of the dinner/auction by 3 p.m. Questions: Call Carol Tubman (651-8230).
Our Harvest Supper and Pie Auction is tomorrow evening – Friday, November 20th: 6 o’clock for the meal, 7 o’clock for the pie auction.  Tickets (adults $10, children $4) will be available at the door. No reservations needed. The menu: pork loin with gravy, roasted root veggies, green beans, rolls and butter, and apple crisp for dessert. We hope to see you there and encourage you to invite your friends! Don't miss the fun!

Our friend and sister-in-Christ Priscilla Browning died peacefully at home last Sunday. A service in celebration of her life will be held here at Saint Andrew’s on Friday, December 4 at 4 PM. Let’s and cards of condolence can be sent to her daughter Marla Browning, PO Box 2325, Conway NH 03818 who will be happy to share them her sister and brother. A copy of here obituary is posted on the parish bulletin board.

Brett School students took advantage of the gorgeous weather Wednesday and hiked over to the church with their food contributions in hand. They were greeted by the Food Pantry team, who sorted the items – all of which will go into the Thanksgiving Food Baskets next week. THANK YOU, Brett Schoolers!

And if you find you may have a Tuesday or Friday morning available once or twice a month, the Food Pantry could use you as a volunteer. They have lost several over the course of the last year and are looking to recruit more.  If you have an interest and have questions, please contact Peg Reinfuss at 367-8498.

From our summer friend Midge Pendergast: My husband and I are heading to Cuba on a Religious Pilgrimage with the Bishop of SE Florida, who is Cuban.  There are 44 people going which includes another bishop, and 4 priests and one deacon.  We will visit certain churches that the diocese sponsors for various activities, and a seminary. Please keep us in your prayers. I look forward to sharing this experience when I’m back with you. Blessings to all of you! 

Parish directory updates: 
Please note that David Manley has a new phone number: 603-651-1744.
Marge & Bill Hagerup send their fond greetings and are very much with us in spirit. They also have a new address and number: 37 Kinsman Dr., Laconia NH 03246, 603-527-8393.
If you would like an updated directory, please email the office (office@standrewsinthevalley.org) or leave a note for Debra and she will put one in your parish hall mailbox.


Food for thought on the Syrian refugee crisis from our new Presiding Bishop, Michael Curry…   “Be not afraid!”  

Often in the gospels, fear grips the people of God, and time and again, either the angels, or Our Lord himself, respond with the same words of comfort: “Be not afraid.”
In times like this fear is real.   And I share that fear with you.  Our instinct tells us to be afraid. The fight-or-flight mentality takes hold.  At the present moment, many across our Church and our world are grasped by fear in response to the terrorist attacks that unfolded in Paris last Friday.  These fears are not unfounded.  We can and should support law enforcement officials who are working hard and at great risk to protect us from crime and keep us safe.   And yet, especially when we feel legitimate fear, our faith reminds us “Be not afraid.”  The larger truth is that our ultimate security comes from God in Christ.

In the Book of Leviticus, God says to the people of Israel that, “the foreigner who resides with you shall be to you as the citizen among you; you shall love the foreigner as yourself, for you were foreigners in the land of Egypt.”  Accordingly, we welcome the stranger.  We love our neighbor.  The Episcopal Church has long been committed… Click here for the full story:
http://episcopaldigitalnetwork.com/ens/2015/11/18/presiding-bishop-michael-b-curry-addresses-syrian-refugee-crisis-be-not-afraid/  


See you in church as we celebrate the Reign of Christ and Thanksgiving.
Blessings, Heidi+

November 12, 2015


Kids with the ChIP's truck.
Services for this coming Sunday, the Twenty-fifth Sunday after Pentecost, will be at 8 and 10 am. We hope you will join us for worship and fellowship.
The readings for this Sunday: 1 Samuel 1:4-20, Psalm 16, Hebrews 10:11-25, Mark 13:1-8.
Special thanks to the Bunker family for being the purchasers for our ChIPs Project Christmas gifts. The youth delegation at convention received our wonderful assortment of games, stacking them into a U-Haul truck along with purchases from dozens of other parishes. As you can see, from the picture at the top, they we happy to pose for us!  If you would like to help wrap the gifts, that will happen on November 23 at 6 pm. Email mmciancio@comcast.net for details.
Our Harvest Supper and Pie Auction is always a lot of fun for everyone! And now it’s just a week and a day away! Friday, November 20th: 6 o’clock for the meal, 7 o’clock for the pie auction.  Tickets (adults $10, children $4) will be available at the door. We hope you will plan to come and invite your friends!
But a Pie auction’s not a Pie Auction without your pies! Once again, we’re counting on you to provide your delicious baked pies to be auctioned following the meal. (Pies that can be frozen for Thanksgiving feasts are especially welcome.) Note: Pies should be delivered on the day of the dinner/auction by 3 p.m.
Please contact Carol Tubman (651-8230) or Christine Mills (452-4049) with questions or to offer your services to help with the dinner or clean-up.
Good news as we close in on our Pledge Season goal!!! As of today, we’re at $138,525.00, That’s just $1,475 short of our goal of $140,000.  Abundant thanks to you who have pledged. And if you haven’t yet pledged, we welcome your support.
213th Annual Diocesan Convention held in Concord at the Graponne Center on November 7: Thanks to all who attended and participated in last Saturday's lively and engaging Convention. In attendance from Saint Andrew’s were Cathie Lewis, Lisa Thompson, Gretchen Behr-Svendsen, Betsy Hess, and Heidi Frantz-Dale. We were at maximum capacity of 300 gathered to hear guest speakers Katie Merrow (from NH Charitable Foundation) and the Rev. Ben Campbell (of All Our Children), both speaking about and encouraging faith-rooted community partnerships with public schools. 
Bishop Rob’s address continued the Convention theme of God's Mission: Our Kids. Click here  www.nhepiscopal.org/convention for copies of the speakers’ PowerPoints, which include some eye-opening graphs and statistics, as well as the full text of the Bishop's Address. The legislative business included only two resolutions – the diocesan budget and a 1% clergy compensation increase.

 Food for thought, reflection, and prayer…
Wednesday of this week was the Saint’s Day of Martin, Bishop of Tours, who died on November 11 in 397. Martin is perhaps best known for the following: He was a soldier in the Roman army, and while still a catechumen (meaning he was a Christian believer but was not yet baptized), he was approached while crossing a bridge by a poor man asking for alms in the name of Christ. In response, Martin drew his sword and cut off half of his military cloak and gave it to the beggar. The following night, Jesus appeared to Martin in a dream, clothed in half a cloak, and said to him, “Martin, a simple catechumen, covered me with this garment.” Martin went on to be baptized, ordained as a priest, inspired a new monastic movement, committed himself to an ascetic life, and – to his own dismay – was elected as bishop of Tours, France, in 372. He was a diligent missionary among the non-Christian country folk and a staunch defender of those who were poor and helpless.
The readings assigned to Martin’s Feast Day contained a number of very specific and interesting questions which led us to some interesting conversation. I offer them to you for your reflection as well:
Isaiah 58:6   Is not this the fast that I have chosen: to loose the bonds of injustice, to undo the thongs of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free?
Psalm 15: 1  Lord, who may dwell in your tabernacle? Who may abide upon your holy hill?
Luke 18:18  A certain ruler asked Jesus, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?
I invite you to ponder your own responses to these questions, then pull out your Bible and go to the source and explore what proceeds and follows each question.
Blessings,
Heidi+

November 5, 2015

Don’t miss the picture Gallery from All Saints’ Day at the end of the MEMO

Services for this coming Sunday, the Twenty-fourth Sunday after Pentecost, will be at 8 and 10 am. We hope you will join us for worship and fellowship.
The readings for this Sunday are Ruth 3:1-5, 4:13-17, Psalm 127, Hebrews 9:24-28, Mark 12:38-44.
“Sold… to the highest bidder!” Remember the fun? Our Harvest Supper and Pie Auction is just two weeks away –   on Friday, November 20th: 6 o’clock for the meal, 7 o’clock for the pie auction.  Tickets (adults $10, children $4) will be available at the door. We hope you will plan to come and invite your friends! We are hoping that many of you will provide your delicious baked pies (pies that can be frozen for Thanksgiving feasts are especially welcome) to be auctioned following the meal, beginning shortly after 7 o’clock.
We also need help delivering flyers. Please pick them up in the Parish Hall.
Note: Pies should be delivered on the day of the dinner/auction by 3 p.m.
Please contact Carol Tubman (651-8230) or Christine Mills (452-4049) with questions or offers of help.
Our summer deacon, Kevin Mort, is now settled back in his winter home in Saint Petersburg, Florida and sends his greetings to all of us. Should you want to be in contact with him directly his email is: redog8091@aol.com .
Good news as we close in on our Pledge Season goal!!! Our in-gathering and the offering of pledges was last Sunday, but it’s not too late. If you haven’t yet pledged, or if you’re feeling generous and would like to offer a bit more, do help us reach our goal of $140,000 to support our 2016 budget. As of today, we’re at $134,745.00 Abundant thanks to you who have pledged already!
Continued healing blessings to Peg Cade, Marilyn Cloran, and Elizabeth Wiesner! They are each recovering from surgery – Peg now at Mineral Springs, Marilyn at Golden View (in Meredith), and Elizabeth at home in South Tamworth. They greatly appreciate being visited.
Food for thought on gratitude…
The important thing is to let your heart be grateful. Respond to the invitation of the Eucharistic Great Thanksgiving: to let up your heart and let love and gratitude inform each moment of the day.        – Br. Eldridge Pendleton, SSJE (1940-2015)

See you in church!

Blessings, Heidi+