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| Advent Season |
JOIN US FOR WORSHIP
THIS SUNDAY, December 16th, The Third Sunday of Advent there will be two services at 8:00 & 10:00 a.m.
Following the 10 am service we will continue our Advent Study, Journeying the Way of Love.
* Morning Prayer service on Wednesday mornings at 9:00 a.m.
* Centering Prayer on Tuesday at 5:30 p.m.
* A Blue Christmas service will be held on Wednesday, December 19, at 5:30 p.m. This service is open to everyone, but is particularly for those who struggle with the holiday season due to some sort of loss: death of a spouse, a child, a sibling, a close friend; loss of a job or a house; a loved one who suffers from addiction; or any loss that is difficult, and makes it hard to be merry. It is a service of remembrance and at the same time, a time to lift up our blessings even as we grieve a loss.
WE HOPE YOU WILL JOIN US FOR WORSHIP
and FELLOWSHIP
READINGS FOR SUNDAY
Sunday, December 16th
Third Sunday of Advent
Year C
Zephaniah 3:14-20
Canticle 9 The First Song of Isaiah (Isaiah 12:2-16)
Philippians 4:4-7
Luke 3:7-18
FROM THE RECTOR
AND THE WINNER IS….. me! Was that really supposed to
happen?! My first thought was, no, I shouldn’t be the one to win this gorgeous
quilt. But the response of the people present when my name was drawn assured me
that it was okay. Thank you for that! I was so excited, and still am. And as
you can see, it is beautiful on my bed (and my cats like it too).
Once
again, I want to thank everyone who worked on the quilt. What a great project
it was! Barbara Lord had the vision, as well as the knowledge and experience to
organize it and make it happen. The project began early in the summer as people
began donating material to be used. A large group gathered in late July to cut
the material into squares, and the assembly of the pieces and sewing commenced
with another gathering in late August. A few weeks later it was ready to put on
the quilting frame and was on display on the frame as the quilting began.
So
many people were involved I can’t begin to name them all! But over the course
of the project they gathered at the church and put in somewhere in the
neighborhood of 400 total hours! In the process, a wonderful camaraderie formed
among parishioners and members of our communities, and two of them found a new
church home in St. Andrew’s.
Raffle
tickets went on sale in October, and $1155.00 was raised in total. Through your
generosity in the Raise the Roof campaign, the grant awarded by the Tamworth
Foundation and fundraising efforts like the quilt and the afghan that was
raffled earlier this fall, the cost of the roof was more than covered! This,
along with our existing building fund will allows us to move forward with
repairs in damaged areas of the ceiling and walls caused by old roof leaks,
fresh paint and eventually new flooring in the parish hall and Prince room.
Thank you, one and all!
Parish
Retreat
There
are still a few spaces available for our parish retreat at the monastery of Saint
John the Evangelist in Cambridge, MA. The retreat is from Thursday - Sunday,
January 17-20, 2019. See Caroline for more information.
Food
for Thought: Wait
Everything
in creation requires a time of gestation: canyons took millions of years to be
formed by rivers of water; the oldest known Sequoia tree is said to have taken
3,266 years to grow; babies are not ready to be delivered at conception. I
would say that it is a part of God’s order to wait.
Caroline
RAISE THE ROOF
The drawing for the Quilt Raffle was Sunday the 9th.
The winner was Rev. Caroline!
The total amount taken in for the raffle was $1,155.00.
Thank you Barbara Lord and her Quilters and ticket sellers.
The Women's Lunch Bunch thanks their
hostess, Pat Adams for a wonderful time!
Please help inform the process!
The NH Department of Health & Human Services, Bureau of Elderly and Adult
Services (BEAS) and the NH State Plan on Aging Planning Committee are
developing the State’s Plan on Aging for 2019-2023. As part of the process,
they are asking for your input through the State Plan on Aging Survey.
This survey is part of a statewide outreach effort to improve
their understanding of the needs of people who are aging in NH. By completing
the survey, you will help guide the development of NH’s State Plan on Aging. It
should take you about 10-15 minutes to complete the 29 question survey. We
invite you to get the word out to your neighbors and friends about the
importance of this survey and ask other older adults to complete it. The survey
will close on January 15, 2019.
For more information, call 1-800-852-3345 x9215
CLICK here to view CURRENT 2015-2019 New
Hampshire State Plan on Aging
Please take the survey and share it with others! CLICK here to complete the survey:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/NHSPOASurvey
From the Tamworth Nurses
FROM THE BOLDTS
CELEBRATE THE SEASON
DINNER BELL
Dinner Bell cook teams for the month of December are:
2nd Rau
9th Adams
16th Slader
23rd Tubman
Tuesday the 25th is a Christmas Dinner – All are welcome!
30th UUFES
Thank you for your volunteer
work in this special Outreach program!
St. Andrew's CHRISTMAS DINNER-December 25th
Open Invitation to all
Hors d’ oeuvres at 12:30pm ~~ Dinner at 1pm.
RSVP requested to 323-8515 or office@standrewsinthevalley.org
Can you help with food?
Hors Douevres:
Seeking finger foods / Or other ideas/donations welcome
Drinks:
Seeking donation of a case /bottles of sparkling cider (need a total of 15)
Any other juices or seltzers welcome
Desserts:
Looking for candies, cookies, small dessert pieces
If you are able to donate items, please let us know about your generosity,
We would also welcome volunteers to help!
Thank you!
Jen & Tom
COMMUNITY FOOD CENTER
The Food Pantry thanks you for your contributions throughout the year.
The monthly item for December is dish detergent.
FORWARD DAY BY DAY
Thursday, December 13
Isaiah 7:9b If
you do not stand firm in faith, you shall not stand at all.
Every
reading in the Daily Office lectionary today says basically the same thing: Set
your heart on what God has shown you to be true over and over, and don’t quit.
God is doing something amazing.
Living
into that truth is complicated. We live out a faith that is counter to the
power structures and wants of this world, and we are confronted by this
constantly. But what Isaiah, the psalmist, Paul, and Luke are all saying is
that they are struggling, just like we are...just like we all do.
God
will do just what God says God will do. Our job is to stay out of the way, to
set our hearts on reconciliation and love and to know that despite the damage
the world is bent on doing, God will make a way. This has always been true. How
else do we explain that we are still here, reading these words, hoping in these
hopes, and praying to be firm in our faith?
MOVING FORWARD: Read all the lessons for
today and see if you think they all point in the same direction.
BIRTHDAYS & ANNIVERSARIES
If you do not see your birthday or anniversary listed, please make sure Deb in the office has an information sheet on file for you.
Birthdays
6 Carolyn Seston
12 Hettie Buck
13 Suzanne Morgan
27 Debra Hoyt
30 Gretchen Behr-Svendsen
Anniversaries
8 Bob & Carolyn Seston
THIS MONTH AT ST. ANDREW’S
SUNDAY
Every Sunday Dinner Bell 5 p.m.
16……. 3rd Sunday of Advent 8 & 10 a.m.
23……..4th Sunday of Advent
& Greening of the Church 8 & 10 a.m.
30……..1st Sunday after Christmas 10 a.m.
MONDAY
Every Monday Boy Scout Meeting 7 p.m.
24……..Christmas Eve Services (see seasonal schedule)
TUESDAY
Every Tuesday Food Pantry 10 a.m-Noon
Centering Prayer 5:30 p.m.
AA Step Meeting 8 p.m.
18……..Scout Committee Meeting 7 p.m.
25……..Christmas Day Service and Dinner (see seasonal schedule)
OFFICE CLOSED
WEDNESDAY
Every Wednesday Morning Prayer Service 9 a.m.
12……..Women’s Lunch Bunch Noon
19..... Blue Christmas Service 5:30 p.m.
THURSDAY
13……..Sandwich Singers concert
20……..CFC Board Meeting 8:30 a.m.
Basket Distribution
FRIDAY
Every Friday Food Pantry 10 a.m.-Noon
SATURDAY
Every Saturday AA & Alanon Meetings 8 p.m.
FROM THE OFFICE
Christmas Flower dedication slips may be found on the bulletin table and the parish hall table. Please complete your dedication slip and return along with your $20.00 donation in the offering plate or leave in the office for Debra by December 16th.
PHOTO GALLERY
Photos provided by Lisa Thompson
Blessing of the Boxes
Eleanore's Project
