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FROM RECTOR:

I like to think of the Feast of Christmas as a 5k you signed up for. The day is going to come, whether you are ready or not, but if you are able to find the time to prepare leading up the race, instead of stress and worry you meet the day with excited expectation. How better to enter into the day on which we remember the birth of our Lord! Just like in preparation for a 5k, your phone can prove to be one of the best tools to get you in shape for Christmas. Allow me to share with you three digital tools to help you maintain a sacred Advent. 1) Pray as you Go – A Prayer Podcast: One of the hardest parts about keeping a regular prayer practice is finding the time in your day to be silent and connect with God. Recently a colleague sent me a recommendation to try the Pray as you Go podcast and I’ve since incorporated it into my own daily prayer routine. Each day’s audio contains a silent reflection, a piece of music, a reading from scripture, and then a guided meditation on that scripture. My inner introvert loves it because it’s silent and reflective, but the extrovert within me greatly appreciates being led through the scripture. The podcast is produced by a Jesuit order in England, so its tone sits quite well with my Anglican sensibilities. You can listen to the podcast while walking the dog, stuck in traffic on your way to work, on the train, or by sitting the children in front of the television and escaping for ten minutes. There is an app you can download onto your smart phone, but you can also subscribe to this podcast through iTunes. You can find more information at: http://pray-as-you-go.org/ 2) #AdventWord – A Global Advent Calendar The Brothers at the Society of St. John the Evangelist in Cambridge, MA provide a wonderful yearlong offering for your email inbox called “Brother Give Us a Word” where they send a very short reflection to you each morning by email. It’s wonderful, and if you do not yet receive these daily emails, I encourage you to do so:

CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE ~

December 2016

St. Peter’s Episcopal Church Vestry Members

Wardens

2015-2017 David Moeri (1st term) 2016-2018 Sally Nelson (1st full term) Vestry

2015-2017 Bruce McKay (elected to fill out unexpired term of Deb Aboud)

Noel Cartwright (1st term) Paula Paciulan (elected to fill out unexpired term of Sally Nelson)

2016-2018 Peter Henry (1st full term) Paul Stuart (1st term) Cindy Litchfield (1st term) Clerk

2016-2018 Fay Morlock (1st of 4 allowable terms) Treasurer (Appointed bi-annually at first Vestry meeting following Annual meeting )

2016-2018 Earle Rosse (3rd of four allowable terms)

+ + + + + + ++ + + + + ++ + + + ++ + ++

Delegates to Convention

2015-2017 Marilyn Bragg (1st term) Peter Henry (1st term) 2016-2018 David Moeri (1st term) Gail Pratt (1st term) Alternates to Convention

20116-2018 Jackie Thesse (1st term) Jane Darnell (1st term)

Youth Delegate OPEN

http://ssje.org/word/ For the season of Advent they go one step further and produce #AdventWord a digital and interactive Advent Calendar full of photos from all over the globe, submitted by users each day through various forms of social media. Once each day, replace that time in which you find yourself mindlessly using your phone to “zone out” and click into the Advent Calendar. Allow yourself to reflect on the day’s theme and draw your heart into the Advent season. www.adventword.com 3) Your Phone’s Power Button: There’s no way around it, our phones and computers have become an important part of our lives, but they’re also incredibly distracting. This Advent, make space for “digital silence” with an effective “If/then” promise: “If it is 8:00 p.m. … then I am going to turn off my phone” or “If I’m eating dinner with the family then I am going to turn off my phone”. Either way, find time during the day when your phone is off. There’s something important about actually turning off the device as there’s a sense of permanence and intentionality that exists over when you simply put your phone out of arm’s reach. If you find a small spike of anxiety, that’s ok, it’s normal and should pass. Take the time of disconnectedness to breathe, read a book, or play with your kids. “Try on” these three tools this Advent and come December 25th, reflect back to see if you have experienced God more deeply this year. I imagine you’ll find yourself surprised at how much more prepared you are to truly experience Christmas this year.

Holy Day (Holiday) Worship for December

Christmas Eve: Family Holy Eucharist at 5:00 PM Festival Holy Eucharist at 10:00 PM

Christmas Day: Holy Eucharist at 10:00 AM

Sunday, January 1, 2017: Holy Eucharist at 10:00 AM

PRAYER SHAWL MINISTRY

As a group we knit prayer shawls for anyone in need, whether it's a debilitating illness (especially cancer), or (more happily) a new baby's arrival, simply ask any of us mentioned here: Sally Nelson, Karen West, Marlene Thompson, Denny Bolis, Elizabeth Flumignan, Betty Gilkinson, Ann Doten, and Justina Trevorrow. Our next meeting will be on Monday, January 16th from 1-3 PM at Betty Gilkinson’s home. We welcome new knitters; please contact any current member if you have any questions. Justina Trevorrow

1 Marsha Gillaspie Olivia Bailey-Gates 9 Makenzie Ridlon 12 Brandon Pepper 16 Sarah Wobrock 22 Tessa Sobolewski 23 Ryan Blow Gail Musco 26 Jackie Matthews 27 Laura Reinhold 30 Graham Smith

December Birthdays

Christmas Flowers

Envelopes for Christmas Flowers will be in the Sunday bulletins up until December 18. Donations made after this date may not make the list of thanksgivings and memorials placed in the Christmas bulletin.

SCRIP PROGRAM Christmas is almost here!! Are you struggling to find just the right gift? Please remember the Scrip Program. There are many companies who participate in this "money raising for St Peters" program. For every gift card you purchase a percentage is returned to the church. Most major retail stores and many restaurants take part plus Amazon and iTunes. Visa cards are also available. Please take the time to check out the extensive list of companies on the order forms which are on the Narthex table. Filling out the form is easy. Just check off which cards you would like ( remember some have different dollar options ), make your check out to St Peters with Scrip in the memo line. Place your order in the offertory plate and the cards will be delivered the following Sunday. If you have questions about the Scrip program please ask me, Penny Sullivan. My phone is 434-1124 or 508-243-8019 Thank you to all who helped make last months Scrip order so profitable.

Warm Clothing

Thank you to everyone who has donated clothes to those in need. I will continue collecting warm clothing thru the winter months to be given out at the luncheon held at Grace Church on the first Saturday of the month. Emery

Many thanks to all who supported St. Peter’s fall outreach efforts. Special thanks to our members who led these programs. Warm clothes collection for the homeless in Manchester- Emery Freethey United Thank Offering Ministry- Gail Pratt Bags of Plenty Thanksgiving (St. Andrew’s Food Pantry) – Barbara Sobol Angel Tags for Christmas Families (NH Social Services) – Marilyn Bragg

ONGOING EFFORTS

Bingo at Pleasant Valley Nursing Home Third Sunday every month, 1:30 PM

Food deliveries to St. Andrew’s Food Pantry 1st and 3rd Saturday of each month

Prayer Shawl Ministry 2nd Monday of the Month

Fourth annual chili cook-off discussions

Preliminary discussions will be starting soon for our fourth annual chili cook-off event at St. Peter’s in March. This event is a fundraiser to sup-port St. Peters and a local community organization. There’s been some discussion of making this year’s event an international dining cook-off or a pasta cook-off as change to our normal chili fare. Anyone have any ideas? Last year, we supported Liberty House in Manchester. Liberty House provides a safe, supportive, substance-free housing community for American veterans transitioning out of homelessness with the goal of rejoining their communities and regaining fulfilling, independent lives. Stay tuned for details on our first planning meeting. If you wish to support this event in any way, please contact Lee O’Connor by phone (781-801-8161) or email (loconnor621@gmail.com).

Special Note:

St. Peter’s Annual Meeting

will be held on Sunday,

January 29, 2016 with one service of

Holy Eucharist at 9:00 AM

ST. ANDREW’S FOOD PANTRY

Thank you for your continued support of St. Andrew’s Food Pantry. Food donations may be left on the table in the back of the fellowship hall and are delivered to St. Andrew’s on the first and third Saturday of the month. December is Canned Tomato Month! They contain lycopene a healthy substance that is more available to your body in canned tomatoes than in fresh. All contributions are appreciated and may include food, toiletries, cleaning supplies, and paper goods as well as the “Food of the Month”. Thank You!

THANK YOU!

THANKSGIVING “BAGS OF PLENTY” Thank you for your generous donation of Thanksgiving “sides”. St. Andrew’s distributed the donated “bags of plenty” and 78 turkeys to families in Manchester on Tuesday, November 15th . Your support of this ministry is appreciated by all.

“GREEN LIVING TIP OF THE MONTH” December can be a challenging month to be eco-friendly. Here are a few tips to help keep boxes and paper out of our land fills. ~Bake, cook or make gifts. Then, wrap these gifts in fabric or pretty towels (paper bags are ok too) to save paper. You can also use sprigs of greens or holly to decorate instead of bows. Depending on the gift, make the container part of the gift, such as cookies on a holiday plate or tray. ~Make a donation to a charity in the gift recipients name ~Babysit or make a dinner for someone as your gift ~Hand make cards and gift tags ~Buy Gift cards to the recipients favorite store (remember Scrip!) Think green this month. It makes God smile :) Have a blessed holiday, Jackie

UNITED THANK OFFERING

I am happy to announce that through your generosity and “THANKFUL" giving our United Thank Offering campaign for this year was a great success. We as a parish were able to contribute a check in the amount of $478.00 to the UTO organization.

With sincere gratitude for all who participated! Thank you, Gail A. Pratt, UTO chairperson

Greening of the Church We will gather on Sunday, Dec 18th after the 10am service for the greening of the church. This is a family event and young and old alike are invited to attend. We will be putting up and decorating the Christmas trees, hanging wreaths and pine roping and setting up the crèche. Please come and help make the sanctuary look beautiful for Christmas. Many hands make light work. Hope to see you there!

St. Peters Episcopal Church Minutes of the Vestry meeting

October 20, 2016

Attendees: Warden David Moeri, Warden Sally Nelson, Vestry members Peter Henry, Bruce MacKay, Paul Stuart, Cindy Litchfield, Paula Paciulan, Fay Morlock, Earle Rosse. Rev. Colin Chapman and Noel Cartwright were excused. The meeting was opened with a prayer by David Moeri A motion to accept the minutes from the September meeting in was made by Sally Nelson, Paula Paciulan 2nd. Passed. Treasurer’s Report Financial Review: Earle stated that the Diocesan financial review of St. Peter’s Church was com-pleted on September 22, 2016. Our internal controls were judged to be good, and we passed all requirements. There are a couple of things recommended for a lit-tle more oversight. Specifically, we have no inventory of assets, and we should have a backup person in training for our Pledge Clerk Elizabeth Flumingnan. It was suggested that the diocesan report should be put into next month’s newslet-ter, or in some other way made available to the congregation at large. Earle asked that people turning in forms to the Treasurer be sure they are reada-ble, and have the requestor’s name on them. Profit & Loss: For September, income has pretty much matched the outflow. Payment of pledg-es seems to be lagging. Pledge Drive for 2017: Earle presented a “rough-out” of a budget for next year. His goal is to finalize the budget numbers by end of the year. According to the Financial Worksheet, it will cost about $200,000 to run St. Peter’s next year. The cost of health insur-ance has increased dramatically, and there really aren’t significant areas in the budget where expenses may be trimmed. 8:05 PM: Dave Moeri received a text message from Colin, reporting that Grace Louise Chapman had been born at & PM. There was rejoicing. Discussion of the budget continued, and other fund-raising ideas were batted about. We don’t really have an expense problem, we have an income problem. It was said that Colin feels his focus should be to build the congregation, and the financial side will follow. Motion to accept the Treasurer’s Report was offered by Sally, seconded by Paula, passed.

Old Business:

Building Security: Bruce reported that Karen and her husband Chris have researched visual inter-com systems, and have recommended a wireless camera that’s accessible on computer and/or phone. It’s motion activated (to be pointed at the entryway door), and can be programmed to make an “alert” sound in the office. Motion to spend up to $250 for the purchase and installation of a wireless visual intercom was made by Bruce and seconded by Fay. Motion passed. Rainbow Flag: The Bishop supports the Vestry’s wish to display a rainbow flag. Colin has pre-pared some input, we will wait to discuss next month. A slogan was discussed, perhaps “A Welcoming Congregation”. New Business:

Stewardship Update. Pledge cards and poster done by Lee look terrific. Stew-ardship letter went out today (October 20th). Though the drive had been planned to start on October 23rd, we will wait until the 30th so that Colin will be back with us from paternity leave. Need to arrange people to speak at Sunday services about “Why I pledge at St. Peter’s” from October 30th through Nov. 13th. Harvest Supper: The date is Nov. 12th. It will be a celebration of the ingathering of the pledges as well as a fellowship event. Colin’s Installation as Rector of St. Peter’s: It will take place the evening of Wednesday, Dec. 7th, and the Bishop will attend. The service and reception were discussed. Sunday School: Lee is working with the older children while Erin teaches the younger ones. Things are going well. It is time to purchase the 3rd year of the church school curriculum. Perhaps a list could be published of materials needed for the church school, so people could donate. Other Business: Basement Floor: Bruce noticed that a parent slipped and fell at the base of the stairs; and was told that this had happened before. The epoxyed-style floor finish is very slick, some paint designed to improve traction should be applied, at least in the spot at the foot of the stairs. Bruce offered to place rubber-backed rug(s) on the problem area as a temporary solution. Rector’s Discretionary Fund: Cindy said people should know that the “loose plate” from the first Sunday of every month goes to the Rector’s Discretionary Fund. Maybe it should be mentioned in the bulletin. At 9:10, the meeting was closed with the Lord’s Prayer. Respectfully Submitted, Fay Morlock, Clerk