Growing Together in God’s Love Decmber 2015 Volume 4 Issue 12 Calendar highlights: Wednesday, December 2 7 pm: Advent Taize Service Saturday, December 5 9 –3: Holiday Fair Wednesday, December 9 7 pm: Advent Program Thursday, December 10 6:30 pm: Women’s Book Group Tuesday, December 15 7 pm: Vestry Meeting Wednesday, December 16 7 pm: Advent Program Sunday, December 20 Noon: Caroling From Mother Jenni Advent: Take Time to Reflect and Prepare Dear People of St. Andrew’s, Time has rolled around to another Advent: the first season of a new li- turgical year; a season that begins at the end; a season dressed in blue and penitence; a season adorned with greens and a four-candle wreath marking the weeks of the season of coming into greater light, waiting, antici- pating and preparing for redemption already given in Christ’s nativity and looked forward to in hope for His coming again. Advent, an extended vigil for Christ’s coming, is usually so full of busy-ness we overlook its signifi- cance and meaning. So intent are we on preparation of externals - gifts, decorating, food, drink, festivity - that we overlook the preparation of our own hearts, their care by self-examination and repentance, their encouragement by living thankfully (Continued on Page 6) Inside this issue: Holiday Fair 3 Music in December 4 Youth Matters 5 Church School 5 Reflections 7 Faces of our Faith 7 Church School, Youth Staff Hired 7 Women’s Spirituality 8 Kitchen Nears Completion 9 Online Sermons and Music 9 Treasurer’s Report 10 Summary of Vestry Meeting 10 Seen Around Church 11 ECCT Convention Brings Changes Clergy and lay leaders from most of the 168 parishes in Connecticut gathered in Cromwell the weekend of November 13-14 for the annual conven- tion of the Episcopal Church in Connecticut (“ECCT”). Mary Merkle-Scotland and Lynn Milner represented St. Andrew’s as voting lay delegates, and Mother Jenni attended as our interim rector. Twelve resolutions were adopted including a resolution from the floor urging ECCT parishes to work together in co-sponsoring 30 refugee families, through the refugee resettlement agency IRIS, in 2016. The convention adopted two resolutions paving (Continued on Page 2) Christmas Services Christmas Eve, Thursday 5 pm Eucharist 10 pm Eucharist Christmas Day, Friday 10 am Eucharist
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Growing Together in God’s Love
Decmber 2015
Volume 4 Issue 12
Calendar highlights:
Wednesday, December 2
7 pm: Advent Taize Service
Saturday, December 5
9 –3: Holiday Fair
Wednesday, December 9
7 pm: Advent Program
Thursday, December 10
6:30 pm: Women’s Book Group
Tuesday, December 15
7 pm: Vestry Meeting
Wednesday, December 16
7 pm: Advent Program
Sunday, December 20
Noon: Caroling
From Mother Jenni
Advent: Take Time to Reflect and Prepare Dear People of St. Andrew’s,
Time has rolled around to another Advent: the first season of a new li-
turgical year; a season that begins at the end; a season
dressed in blue and penitence; a season adorned with
greens and a four-candle wreath marking the weeks of
the season of coming into greater light, waiting, antici-
pating and preparing for redemption already given in
Christ’s nativity and looked forward to in hope for His
coming again.
Advent, an extended vigil for Christ’s coming,
is usually so full of busy-ness we overlook its signifi-
cance and meaning. So intent are we on preparation of
externals - gifts, decorating, food, drink, festivity - that
we overlook the preparation of our own hearts, their care by self-examination
and repentance, their encouragement by living thankfully (Continued on Page 6)
Inside this issue:
Holiday Fair 3
Music in December 4
Youth Matters 5
Church School 5
Reflections 7
Faces of our Faith 7
Church School, Youth Staff Hired 7
Women’s Spirituality 8
Kitchen Nears Completion 9
Online Sermons and Music 9
Treasurer’s Report 10
Summary of Vestry Meeting 10
Seen Around Church 11
ECCT Convention Brings Changes
Clergy and lay leaders from most of the 168 parishes in Connecticut
gathered in Cromwell the weekend of November 13-14 for the annual conven-
tion of the Episcopal Church in Connecticut (“ECCT”). Mary Merkle-Scotland
and Lynn Milner represented St. Andrew’s as voting lay delegates, and Mother
Jenni attended as our interim rector.
Twelve resolutions were adopted including a resolution from the floor
urging ECCT parishes to work together in co-sponsoring 30 refugee families,
through the refugee resettlement agency IRIS, in 2016.
The convention adopted two resolutions paving (Continued on Page 2)
Christmas Services
Christmas Eve, Thursday
5 pm Eucharist
10 pm Eucharist
Christmas Day, Friday
10 am Eucharist
Page 2
Convention (continued from Page 1) the way for a new governance system for ECCT.
Six newly defined regions will replace the 14 deaneries currently in place. Each region will hire a half-
time missionary to coordinate region-level projects. The ECCT budget approved at the convention includes
funds to cover the cost of the six missionaries in the coming year. St. Andrew’s will be part of the Southeast
Region, which includes nine parishes along the Shoreline from Madison to Stonington and another nine par-
ishes as far north as Haddam and Yantic.
The new governance structure will officially recognize the work of many parishes and parishioners
committed to a variety of collaborative inter-parish ministries such as Episcopal Church Women (ECW),
Faith Behind Bars and Camp Washington to name a few. Groups like this will be designated members of a
new “Ministry Networks”system.
A new Mission Council will replace the Executive Council. Members of the new council will include
the bishops and officers of ECCT, nine members from the newly constituted Ministry Networks, and twelve
members from the newly defined six regions (one clergy and one lay member from each region). The Council
will serve as ECCT’s governing body between annual conventions.
A complete summary of the convention is available on the ECCT’s website: www.episcopalct.org/
news/annual-convention-2015-report/
St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church
Staff Officers Vestry
Jenni Matheson, Interim Rector Gary Naegel, Senior Warden Mark Auletta
Fun, food, bargains, pictures with Santa, music, holiday decorations, did we say ‘food?
—you will find all that and more at the Holiday Fair on Saturday, December 5. From 9 to 3 that
Saturday the Christmas spirit takes over at St. Andrew’s—Farmer Hall, preschool classrooms,
the choir room, narthex, even the sanctuary. This happily anticipated festive event kicks off the holiday sea-
son every year for many Madison residents.
Fair Chair Maira Rieger and the many volunteers on her fair team hope that every parish family will
find a way to join the fun. Cookies, pies and cakes baked the day before the fair are especially welcome.
Please drop off your baked items on Friday, December 4. Helping hands to decorate and set up the day be-
fore and clean up afterward are also needed. Different rooms need different kinds of gently used items. Con-
tainers are now set up in Farmer Hall. Items may be donated until Wednesday, December 3.
Besides the goodies and bargains there will be plenty of fun activities:
Attic Treasures Check your basement or attic. We can use pieces of china, good glassware, silver, brass, wrought iron, antiques, serving dishes, and home décor items.
Basement Bargains One man’s trash, is another’s treasure, just be sure it’s clean and not broken.
Theme Baskets Groups within the church often choose their own theme and create a unique bas-ket. Or individuals can donate one of their own choice. Contact Donna Johansen at [email protected] if you plan to donate a theme basket. Tickets for the finished bas-kets are sold the day of the fair.
Christmas Shoppe We sell gently used Christmas and holiday decorations — for the tree, the house, and the table.
Bottle Shop Anything that you can put into a bottle or jar: coins, candy, jam, lotion, wine. Kids love buying bot-tles as gifts for their brothers, sis-ters and parents.
Jewelry, etc… Clean out your jewelry boxes and closet shelves to donate necklaces, pins, ear-rings, scarves, belts, hats, gloves, and purses.
Nearly New Books We can use children’s books, cookbooks, best sellers, fiction and non-fiction. Also, CDs, tapes, music-related items, and computer games go in this room. But please, NO
magazines or encyclopedias.
Kids Toys & Games Gently used toys, games and sports equip-ment will be for sale in this room.
Furniture Plus Medium/small furniture items (end tables, tables, etc), tools (new or used that do not require fuel) all in good condition.
Bake Shoppe Kitchen goodies are needed! Pies are the #1 seller, followed closely by cakes, breads and cookies. Also, we welcome sugar-free alternatives. Each family is encouraged to donate at least one baked good. Donations should be dropped off on the day before the fair on Friday, December 4.
Tiny Tree Decorating Contest
Fun for families and individuals of all ages! Pick up a "tiny tree" in late November from Brenda Naegel during coffee hour and bring it back deco-rated the day before the fair. Trees will displayed the day of the fair so fair-goers can vote for their favorite. Prizes will be awarded and decorated trees will be donated after the fair to homebound parishioners.
Crafts Room Children will have fun making various craft projects. Parents can assist their children here.
All-Day Cafe Enjoy coffee and treats all morning — and fabulous homemade lunch specials, too!
Photos with Santa No appointment necessary —11 am to 1pm, digital proofs provided in one week.
Elfie Selfies
Kids and adults will have a great time posing as an elf and posting their selfies online to share with friends and family.
Wreaths
Wreaths—freshest of the fresh—will be on sale all day.
Handmade Gifts
Vendors will display hand-crafted jewelry, decorative wreaths and hand-painted luminarias.
The Middle and High School Youth Groups at St. Andrew’s are alive and well, thanks in large part to the efforts of parent coordinators, Sandy Butler, middle school, and Lynn Milner, high school. These amazing women have teamed up with Mary Merkle-Scotland and other parent volunteers to bring monthly youth activi-ties to the teenagers at St. Andrew’s. Our young people will soon be baking for sick children - and parish shut-ins for the holidays. Our family caroling is scheduled for the 20th of December and youth and families are encouraged to join the fun leaving after a light lunch of soup and sandwiches following church school. Bring out the tambourines! Instruments welcome! This will be our final youth activity for 2015!
Registration for the Youth Services Opportunity Project ( www.YSOP.org ) is open to our confirmation can-didates and high school youth and is happening at this time. It is a powerful way to learn about homelessness and the challenges faced by food insecure families every day. This trip is scheduled for March 25-26, 2016 (Good Friday-Saturday) and will be run in collaboration with the Madison Interfaith Youth Coalition (MIYC). The MIYC recently sponsored a fun and engaging progressive dinner in November for high school youth and the homeless immersion on the Green in October. If you would like more information about youth events, please contact Mary ([email protected]). We use the Shutterfly online community to post pictures, post forms, communicate with group members and maintain our calendar of activities.
In addition to YSOP, plans are underway for the 28th annual diocesan trip to the Dominican Republic, July 16-24th. A $500 deposit made out to St. Andrew’s is due by January 30. Please let Mary ([email protected] know if you are interested in participating this summer. Students work together to plan and execute a week of vacation Bible school - in Spanish - for 100-150 children, aged 4-14 in the barrio next to Santa Margaritas parish in Santo Domingo! Make new friends, practice your Spanish and be amazed by the love and energy of the these amazing young kids - and who knows, you might even stretch your faith muscles a bit!
Got work? iI you are interested in helping plan or chaperone the summer mission trip, please contact me. I am in the process of finalizing dates and location and will need a handful of helpful adults who are able to take a week off from work and who enjoy the wonderful energy of our high school youth. Dates soon!
Mary
Have you heard of a Jesse Tree? The Jesse Tree is named from Isaiah 11:1: "A shoot will spring forth from the stump of Jesse, and a branch out of his roots." It is a kid-friendly way to tell the story of God in the Old Testament, and to connect the Advent Season with the faithfulness of God across 4,000 years of history. Generally "branch" can refer to offspring and "root" to parents - think family tree. Children are often referred to as "fruit." The symbolism of the Branch is woven throughout the bible. A Jesse Tree serves as a sort of advent calendar. However, it is more than just a countdown to Christmas. Beginning November 27 there are daily scriptures to read, starting with creation and ending with Christmas. It’s geared toward kids, so scriptures are short and easy, and the symbols hung on the tree visually connect to the scripture.
Keep an eye out for our Jesse Tree which will be going up for the advent season. On December 6 Church school youth will be making ornaments with symbols such as a dove, a scallop shell, a carpenters hammer, a
shepherd’s crook, a crown, and a lamb to hang on the Jesse Tree.
Also, as we approach Christmas, look for our mitten tree in the Nar-thex. As our outreach project for the holiday season Church School is collecting mittens and hats to put on our mitten tree! During Church School we will be talking to kids about sharing and giving to the less fortunate. While you are hitting those Christmas sales, please remem-ber to buy an extra hat or mittens!