December 13, 2018

Advent Season

JOIN US FOR WORSHIP                
THIS SUNDAYDecember 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.



WOMEN'S LUNCH BUNCH       

The Women's Lunch Bunch thanks their 
hostess, Pat Adams for a wonderful time!




OTHER NEWS       



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