Thursday MEMO
 |
| Don't miss the photo gallery at the end of this post! |
Services for this coming
Sunday, May 15th and the Feast of Pentecost.
We will have services at 8 and 10 AM, each followed by coffee hour. We hope you
will join us for worship and fellowship as we welcome the wild and wonderful
winds of the Holy Spirit into our midst. Please remember to WEAR RED (or orange
or hot pink or magenta or yellow), all reflections of the flames of the Spirit!
The
Burial Office and committal service in celebration of the
life of our brother in Christ Bill Hagerup
will take place at 11 o’clock this coming Saturday, May 14th.
A
few words and reminders about the
Bishop’s visit on Tuesday, May 17th at 6:30 pm and the liturgy for Confirmation and Reception…
* This will a full service of Holy Eucharist – with hymns, a sermon by our
Bishop, the laying on of hands for Confirmation and Reception, and Communion –
so all the elements and more of a regular Sunday liturgy.
* It is a special treat to have our Bishop here with us for a “bonus” visit. (His next time here won’t be until 2017.) He has been doing some exciting thinking about the Episcopal Church in New Hampshire, and he is eager to be well connected with all of you as we begin this transition process. Come and get to know him.
* Perhaps most importantly, five members of this parish, including two of our young people, are taking important steps in their spiritual lives within this worshiping community. I hope you will show your support and love, by welcoming Sarah, Aislinn, Ann, Pat, and Audrey with your presence and prayers (and welcome bishop Rob as well) at 6:30 on Tuesday.
* It is a special treat to have our Bishop here with us for a “bonus” visit. (His next time here won’t be until 2017.) He has been doing some exciting thinking about the Episcopal Church in New Hampshire, and he is eager to be well connected with all of you as we begin this transition process. Come and get to know him.
* Perhaps most importantly, five members of this parish, including two of our young people, are taking important steps in their spiritual lives within this worshiping community. I hope you will show your support and love, by welcoming Sarah, Aislinn, Ann, Pat, and Audrey with your presence and prayers (and welcome bishop Rob as well) at 6:30 on Tuesday.
The
Bishop’s Discretionary Fund: When a bishop makes at
parish visit all loose plate offering and any designated contributions go to the Bishop’s Discretionary
Fund. This fund provides assistance to projects within the diocese that strive
to reach out in the name of Christ. Our own Community Food Pantry has regularly
received significant and generous contributions from this fund. There will be
envelopes available on Tuesday, as well as on the adjacent Sundays. Even a modest
offering is a good faith indication of our appreciation and gratitude and will
be put to good use.
 |
| Pentecost 2014 |
Red Balloons at Pentecost: For
years red helium-filled balloons have added festivity and fun to our Pentecost
liturgies, but many of us have become increasingly aware of two serious issues:
First, if they get
loose, “dead” balloons in the natural world pose a real danger to birds. And
second, the world-wide supply of helium is very low. Shortage if this
non-renewable resource is a challenge for hospitals and the medical community. Therefore,
the Liturgy Committee has decided not to include helium balloons in the
service. But there’s no danger in red balloons that we inflate ourselves! Don’t
be surprised if there are some empty balloons awaiting your breath power
between the services this Sunday!
 |
| Bob, Heidi+, Jen, Aislinn, Pat, Sarah, David, Kaitlyn |
2016 Diocesan Lay
Leadership Institute: Eight of us attended this day-long event in Concord last
Saturday. New Vestry members Kaitlyn and Pat attended the basic course (Vestry
101) and learned a lot! Bob took part in the “Greening our Churches” seminar
and has come back with some ideas about how we might improve our environmental
stewardship through better energy efficiency. Jen, David, and two of our confirmands,
Sarah and Aislinn, spent the day taking part in the Liturgy Seminar with our
Bishop as the teacher. Your rector joined in the session on Using Narrative
(story-telling) as a way to build and strengthen our churches. Thank you to
each of you for taking the time to develop your leadership skills!
The Rev. Canon Hannah Anderson was with us last Sunday to begin guiding the parish in our transition process. Audio of her will be made available shortly. If you missed church last Sunday, do touch base with a Vestry member for details. She expects to be providing Saint Andrew’s with at least two possible choices for an interim after my retirement in mid-July. Keep alert to new updates at the transition unfolds.
New Office Schedule: Just a reminder that
Deb will be in the office Tuesday and Friday mornings from 9 to noon, and
Wednesday and Thursday afternoons
from 1 to 4. She has begun working as the office manager at All Saints’ Church
in Wolfeboro. Between the two churches she is pleased to have full-time work.
The Women’s Lunch
Bunch
met yesterday at the rectory for our May gathering and enjoyed the gift of open
windows and balmy spring weather, along with conversations and shared food! There were several requests for the Portuguese Kale Soup recipe. Here it is:
1 cup dry chick peas (garbanzos), 1 large onion, 1 pound of linquiça (mildly spiced) or choriço (highly spiced) sausage, 1 pound of kale, 2 tsp salt, ½ tsp. pepper, 1 T vinegar, 3 cups cubed potatoes. Soak beans overnight. In morning, drain, add the onion, about 10 oz of the sausage cut into pieces, kale (broken or coarsely chopped) salt, pepper, vinegar and 10 cups water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 2 to 3 hours. Add potatoes and 1 additional cup of water. Cook until potatoes are tender. When ready to serve, dice the remaining sausage, fry it up, and add as garnish. Like many good, simple soups, it often better the second day! Enjoy!
Congratulations to Jennifer Brady (daughter of Jonathan and Lois)! Jennifer will be graduating from Bucknell University this month and has been selected as the Class of 2016 Student Commencement speaker. Bucknell is in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania. (The picture is a screen shot from their website.) Go, Jennifer!
This time of year, we like to include family members who are graduating in our Sunday Prayers of the People. Do drop a note to the office if you have someone whom you'd like included.
Sammie Wakefield has begun her time with Eleanore's Project in Peru. If you'd like to follow along with their amazing work fitting mobility-impaired children with wheel chairs, here's their link: http://www.eleanoresproject.org/blog/ We will continue to keep them all in our prayers.
Food for thought…
Looking for a “secret of life,” especially during times of transition and change:
Dare to believe:
This is the secret Jesus gives us, the secret of our own fulfillment and happiness, and the secret of fruitfulness in life. “Abide in me as I abide in you.” Learn this secret. Practice it every day. -Br. David Vryhof, SSJE
Looking for a “secret of life,” especially during times of transition and change:
Dare to believe:
This is the secret Jesus gives us, the secret of our own fulfillment and happiness, and the secret of fruitfulness in life. “Abide in me as I abide in you.” Learn this secret. Practice it every day. -Br. David Vryhof, SSJE
See you Sunday!
Blessings, Heidi+
Blessings, Heidi+
Picture Gallery from May 8th
 |
| Welcome to Sarah, our newest acolyte. |
 |
| Distribution Mothers' Day pansies |
