Back in September, Rev. Caroline appointed five members of the congregation to a Transition Team to shepherd the parish through the months until Caroline’s retirement at the end of February. Serving on the Team are Pat Adams, Christi Humphrey, Tina Quinn, Patti Rau, and Sammie Wakefield. Along with Rev. Caroline, we meet weekly to deal with the multiple tasks associated with transitioning to Caroline’s part-time status (as of December 1st). We have also been responsible for compiling the information needed for a “mini” parish profile, including drafting responses to in-depth questions about St. Andrew’s, from our mission, to our strengths, to our challenges, and our liturgical style. This profile has now been published on a nation-wide website: The Office of Transition Ministry (OTM) and another site for the eastern US –
Transition
Ministry Conference (TMC). These are resources for clergy looking for position
openings. Looking ahead, the Vestry has appointed the Transition Team to
oversee the search and the transition of a new Rector or Priest-in-Charge.
Tina Pickering, Canon to the Ordinary and the Diocesan Transition Officer, continues to be a wonderful resource for the Team, guiding us through the steps of the transition process and providing the Diocesan input that we will need as move into the actual search process. She will be with us on Sunday, January 15, 2023 to give us details about what to expect as we go forward.
Please plan to come to the meeting scheduled for this Sunday at 9:00 am between the two services. Bob Seston will provide details of the proposed budget for 2023 and how if will affect our rector search.
PLEASE JOIN US THIS SUNDAY AT 9:00 for a important meeting on church finances for 2023 and how our search for the next Rector or Priest-in-Charge will be impacted. Bob Seston, our Treasurer will make a presentation on clergy costs and our budget, and there will be time for questions after his presentation.
Please let me know by Friday evening if you plan to attend on Zoom.
BLUE CHRISTMAS SERVICE: This year's Blue Christmas service will be held on Wednesday, December 21 at 5:30 pm. Please join us for this quiet, contemplative time to honor the losses in our lives.
FRAGRANCE REMINDER: As many of you know, we have several parishioners who are sensitive to fragrances, and exposure to them can make the worship experience difficult. For the comfort of all worshipers please refrain from the use of products with fragrances when attending worship and other church activities. Thank you!
MY SCHEDULE HAS CHANHED NOW THAT I AM HALF-TIME: I am now in the office one day a week, on Wednesday. I will work remotely on Thursday, and will be here on Sunday mornings for services.
CHANGE IN ANNOUNCEMENTS: As I've prepared for working half-time I've looked at which administrative duties I can pass on to others to free up some of my time. The Thursday Memo and the Sunday bulletin are two areas I've identified. Pat Adams will help with the Thursday Memo, and Tina Quinn will help with the bulletin. As I pass on these responsibilities committee chairs will need to take responsibility for emailing announcements to Marti by noon Tuesday for the bulletin and the Thursday Memo, and making announcements during church services.
THE THURSDAY MEMO HAS BECOME AN EVERY OTHER WEEK PUBLICATION. Marti will draft it when she is in, and on her off weeks we will not publish. The next publication will be on Thursday, December 29. Please send in your announcements by noon on Tuesday December 27.
The CDC places Carroll County in the LOW range for Covid community spread. Masks are not required (but are welcomed!) and the section across from the choir is reserved for those who wish to sit with others who are masked. We will have coffee hour.
We continue to ask that you attend church online instead of in person if you have traveled commercially or been in a large crowd during the prior week.
PARISH CALENDAR
Sun Dec 18
9:00
Clergy Cost and Impact on Budget and Search Process
8:00 and 10:00
Holy Eucharist
Mon Dec 19
6:30 pm
Vestry
Wed Dec 21
10:15
Prayer Shawl Ministry
1:00 pm
Transition Team
5:30 pm
Blue Christmas Service
Sat Dec 24
5:30 pm
Christmas Eve Service
Sun Dec 25
10:00
Christmas Day Service
Dec 27 - Jan 1
Caroline Off
Every Week
Tuesday
8:00 pm
AA Meeting
Wednesday
9:00 am
Morning Prayer
Saturday
8:00 pm
AA and Al Anon Meetings
SUNDAY MORNING WORSHIP
PLEASE JOIN US THIS SUNDAY AT 9:00 for a important meeting on church finances for 2023 and how our search for the next Rector or Priest-in-Charge will be impacted. Bob Seston, our Treasurer will make a presentation on clergy costs and our budget, and there will be time for questions after his presentation.
Please let me know by Friday evening if you plan to attend on Zoom.
BLUE CHRISTMAS SERVICE: This year's Blue Christmas service will be held on Wednesday, December 21 at 5:30 pm. Please join us for this quiet, contemplative time to honor the losses in our lives.
FRAGRANCE REMINDER: As many of you know, we have several parishioners who are sensitive to fragrances, and exposure to them can make the worship experience difficult. For the comfort of all worshipers please refrain from the use of products with fragrances when attending worship and other church activities. Thank you!
MY SCHEDULE HAS CHANHED NOW THAT I AM HALF-TIME: I am now in the office one day a week, on Wednesday. I will work remotely on Thursday, and will be here on Sunday mornings for services.
CHANGE IN ANNOUNCEMENTS: As I've prepared for working half-time I've looked at which administrative duties I can pass on to others to free up some of my time. The Thursday Memo and the Sunday bulletin are two areas I've identified. Pat Adams will help with the Thursday Memo, and Tina Quinn will help with the bulletin. As I pass on these responsibilities committee chairs will need to take responsibility for emailing announcements to Marti by noon Tuesday for the bulletin and the Thursday Memo, and making announcements during church services.
THE THURSDAY MEMO HAS BECOME AN EVERY OTHER WEEK PUBLICATION. Marti will draft it when she is in, and on her off weeks we will not publish. The next publication will be on Thursday, December 29. Please send in your announcements by noon on Tuesday December 27.
The CDC places Carroll County in the LOW range for Covid community spread. Masks are not required (but are welcomed!) and the section across from the choir is reserved for those who wish to sit with others who are masked. We will have coffee hour.
We continue to ask that you attend church online instead of in person if you have traveled commercially or been in a large crowd during the prior week.
PARISH CALENDAR
|
Sun Dec 18 |
9:00 |
Clergy Cost and Impact on Budget and Search Process |
|
|
8:00 and 10:00 |
Holy Eucharist |
|
Mon Dec 19
|
6:30 pm |
Vestry |
|
Wed Dec 21 |
10:15 |
Prayer Shawl Ministry |
|
|
1:00 pm |
Transition Team |
|
5:30 pm |
Blue Christmas Service |
|
|
Sat Dec 24 |
5:30 pm |
Christmas Eve Service |
|
|
|
|
|
Sun Dec 25 |
10:00 |
Christmas Day Service |
|
Dec 27 - Jan 1 |
|
Caroline Off |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Every Week |
|
|
Tuesday |
8:00 pm |
AA Meeting |
|
Wednesday |
9:00 am |
Morning Prayer |
|
Saturday |
8:00 pm |
AA and Al Anon Meetings |
Both services will be in person and the 10:00 AM service will be livestreamed via Zoom and Facebook Live.
Email RectorSAITV@gmail.com for Zoom meeting information or
visit Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/standrewsinthevalleytamworth/
AND...
JOIN US FOLLOWING THE SERVICE FOR
The First Reading Isaiah 7:10-16
In the first lesson we hear that the prophet Isaiah insists that King Ahaz of Judah will receive a sign from God, whether he wants it or not, the sign of a young woman bearing a son to be called Emmanuel. Ahaz was more inclined to depend on political alliances than on the Lord. Isaiah prophesied that, by the time the infant began to make his own choices, the Lord would destroy Judah's immediate enemies. Christians have seen the ultimate fulfillment of these prophetic words in the birth of Jesus.
Psalm Psalm 80:1-7, 16-18
A lament and a plea to the Lord, the shepherd of Israel, that God will turn away divine anger and restore the people.
The Second Reading Romans 1:1-7
Paul greets the new disciples in Rome and summarizes the gospel message. The prophecies concerning one to be descended from King David in human terms, and declared Son of God through the power of the Holy Spirit by resurrection from the dead, have been fulfilled. The Lord Jesus Christ has given grace and the commission of apostleship to bring peoples of all nations to faith and obedience.
| The Holy Gospel Matthew 1:18-25 |
| December 18 | December 25 |
Acolyte | Kaitlyn | To Be Announced |
LEM | Sammie | |
1st Reader | Gretchen | |
2nd Reader | Dale | |
Prayers | Chris | |
Camera | Christi | |
8:00 | Jen Huckman |
Health and Wholeness:
Parish: Carolyn, Judy, Grace, Tim, Sue, Barbara, Joan, Elizabeth, Grete, Steve, Gabriele and Bob
Family and Friends: Megan, Alec, John, Angela, Gary, Grace, Dick, Tracy, Jan & George, Carolyn, Jack, Laurie, Alexa, Chris, Lyse, Margaret, Melody, Peg, Curt, Sharon, George Randall, and Mary.
Birthdays: Suzanne Morgan (12/13), Jim & Sarah Huckman (12/26), Cece Crasper (12/28), & Gretchen Behr-Svendsen (12/30).
Anniversaries: Chris & Carolyn Boldt
Please let the Parish Office know if you would like to add or remove someone
on the prayer list. Thank you.
A thin skin of ice on the pond
comes and goes, an eye opening and closing.
Soon it will tire and stay closed.
The cattails rattle along the shore,
the red twig dogwood has nothing to say.
Sedges have bowed their heads
for the long prayer service.
There is no fear here.
Little creatures, and some great ones, have gone in.
The oaks hold their secrets tightly.
The last geese row, patient, across the pond of sky.
They know where they're going.
The squirrels trust their hoards,
the nuthatches, the finches know
where to find things,
the chickadees know their songs.
I believe we can learn to trust
what is to come,
and what will come after that.
Steve Garnaas-Holmes
Unfolding Light
www.unfoldinglight.net
