X St. Andrew’s Net X
November, 2009
PASTORAL LETTER
Dear Friends in Christ,
A year or so ago, the United Church of Christ had a wonderful advertising promotion designed to get folks to come back to church or try it for the first time. Huge banners hung from the churches stating, “God is still speaking.” How very true and yet how sad that so many people see organized religion as a relic of the past. Almost every time I read the scriptures and sit down to think about a sermon I marvel at the way people haven’t changed since those words were written. Certainly our society has changed drastically, but the basic essence of our “humanity” has not changed one bit. We are just as stubborn, prideful, exuberant, foolish, loving and sinful as we have always been. And to go along with that, God is still God. God hasn’t changed; the message of the gospel hasn’t changed. Jesus is still speaking to us through the scriptures, and the Holy Spirit is still acting on our hearts and blowing the winds of positive change through our lives.
How is God speaking to you today? What ministries are you being asked to participate in at St. Andrew’s and out in the community? Many of you have jobs that are in themselves, ministries, and many others of you minister just by your presence in the workplace and in your relationships with others. St. Andrew’s is moving forward in ministry and I invite you to become involved at whatever level you are able. We are now serving a free meal to the community one night at the end of the month when so many folks experience “more month than money.” We hope this will be a success and feed many hungry people as Jesus has asked us to do. A small group is gathering weekly for Christian Meditation under the direction of The Rev. Ken Poppe, Dean of St. Paul’s Cathedral and our teens meet monthly for a movie, supper and conversation. We’ve had a Family Night and another is in the works. There is a healing prayer team meeting and we hope to start this up again during/after Sunday worship soon. I am meeting regularly with a group of social services people and through the discretionary fund helping to meet some basic human needs. There is so much ministry going on here – please find something that fits your schedule and join us!
God is still speaking and says there is much to be done and blessings for all!
Jean
FROM THE DEACON'S BENCH
Wow! There is so much energy flowing through our small congregation these days, with so many of you pitching in to try out new ways to connect with the needs of people within and without our church! It feels sometimes as though the Spirit is dropping miracles upon us all over the place: from our 'garden angel' who has taken on the task of beautifying our grounds, to the various musical and dramatic groups who request to use our space for benefit concerts which raise money for those in need, to the many, many folks who have stepped forward to take upon themselves new ministries for healing, pastoral care, stewardship... the list could go on and on. Even our disastrous heating system/flooding problem has opened new doors for new ministries and opened our eyes to the consideration of new ways of doing things! Truly, it feels as though our community of faith has been set on fire by the workings of the Holy Spirit!
It is a joy to belong to a group which is striving to bring our resources and gifts of faith to teenagers, adults and even us 'oldsters'. What we are able to do with very limited resources is truly amazing, and perhaps even miraculous (although this may step outside of our Anglican stance of constant humility). It just seems to me that every day brings another gift, another possibility... and that our little gray church is bursting at the seams with the kinds of outreach to people Jesus would have blessed. And there is so much out there to do: feed the hungry (we share our offerings every week and are now feeding our community at the end of the month when funds run short); clothing the naked (our participation in the PINS program with the Department of Children and Families is a start down this long road); providing for the children and the widows (our Pastoral Care team and our clerical/ordained folks try to oversee this and provide 'discretionary funds' whenever possible); visiting those imprisoned (where we could do more by joining with other faith communities in working with the residents of our local Correctional Center and Work Camp, especially in the area of assisting in inmates re-integration into our communities).
There is a lot to do, but it is truly amazing what we have already been able to accomplish with our limited resources, and makes me wonder what else will become possible as the Spirit continues Her work in our midst, enlivening us for service, showing us the way...
We are, all of us, called to the ministry God has chosen for us, if we but listen to God's call. What joy to be a part of a community of faith in which God's Hand is clearly at work in God's world...
+Armand
O COME, O COME EMMANUEL
The last Sunday of this month is Advent 1. We will be bringing out piece by piece our lovely crèche figures made by Connie Anderson who was at one time married to George Anderson a priest at St. Andrew’s.
Saint Francis of Assisi is credited with creating the first nativity scene in 1223 (a "living" one) intending thereby to cultivate the worship of Christ. The scene's popularity inspired communities throughout Christendom to stage similar pantomimes and eventually to create elaborate and ever more elaborate static exhibitions with wax and ivory figurines garbed in rich fabrics set against intricate landscapes.
FYI
At the mutual ministry fair this year, there was a workshop called Stories of Transformation in VT.
Judy Barwood talked about quilts being used in the Underground Railroad. People would hang quilts on their porches to “air out” and the quilts would have hidden messages about what routes to take and any unforeseen danger that might occur.
One of the books I purchased talked about the negro spirituals of the day and the connection to the underground railroad. The song “Steal Away” in our WLP hymnal is an example:
Steal away, steal away. A directive to run away to freedom
Steal away to Jesus.
Steal away, steal away,
I ain’t got long to stay here.
My Lord calls me. Leave in a rainstorm so the dogs won’t have a scent
He calls me by the thunder. To pick up, and footprints will wash away.
Green trees are bending, Leave in the summer.
Poor sinner stands a trembling.
Tombstones are bursting, Hide in a graveyard.
Poor sinner stand a trembling.
My Lord calls me. Lighting will illuminate the landscape.
He calls me by the lighting.
The trumpet sounds within my soul, Trumpet and Freedom
I ain’t go long to stay here.
CHRISTIAN EDUCATION
The Christian Education class for the younger students is meeting on the second and fourth Sundays of the month. We have had four sessions this fall with four and five children attending.
The theme for the year is God is love and we have been exploring God's love in stories of the Old Testament. We have learned about God's love in the stories of Ruth, Noah, Samuel, and Joseph when he was young. We have looked at different kinds of families and how we are each different yet loved by God. Our hands on activities are filling the petition walls of our space and we invite all to stop and look. The class will be hearing about Joseph when he was older and be seeing how Thanksgiving was celebrated in the Old Testament in November.
I feel blessed to have the opportunity to work with our youngest members and look forward to the months ahead. Our time together is supported by Kerri Surles, our child care person and we could not succeed without you. - Karen Cheney
ALL CREATURES GREAT AND SMALL
We had a very successful Blessing of the Animals on St. Francis’ Day, Sunday, October 4. On that afternoon, 37 humans and 30 animals – dogs, cats and a gerbil, attended the service. It was most heartening that a number of those in attendance were not St. Andrew’s people. Contrary to expectations, John Ayers did not bring his horse, although he was accompanied by his two dogs, Katie and Lucy. Lucy is his new baby who traveled by plane to her new home. – Betty Maynard
GENERAL CONVENTION 2009
The Diocese of Vermont annual convention will be November 6-7 at St. Paul’s Cathedral in Burlington. Your delegates this year are Nicole Stevens, Karen Cheney and Sarah Maynard.
WE NEED YOUR HELP
Please keep in mind that the pastoral care team continues to seek new members who are interested and available to help with transportation to medical and other appointments, providing food when necessary to our ill or housebound members, cards and notes to remind those in need that St Andrews cares about them, etc. If you can help with this important ministry, please contact Sybil Hazen or Armand Henault.
The Healing Prayer Team meets every 1st and 3rd Friday at noontime (over a shared lunch) to discuss and train for providing healing prayer services as a part of our regular Sunday Eucharist as well as to develop a team of people who's ministry will be to pray for individuals and for families and communities during the week. You would be welcome to join this inter-denominational group, and can contact either Jean or Armand or Diane for further information. A 'bulletin board' for posting prayer requests will soon be available at the back of the church nave, upon which people may provide information about those persons or families they would like to request intercessory prayer for during the upcoming weeks. We also hope to begin to offer a service of healing prayer within a monthly Eucharist service, as well as possibly on a more frequent basis after our Sunday service in a space designed to make this ministry comfortable and welcoming.
Trainings have been conducted for new Eucharistic Ministers and Eucharist Visitors who have now been added to our weekly liturgical schedule. Along with the new acolytes who have been recently recruited and trained, Jean is planning a 'commissioning service' in the near future to raise up and uphold these new ministries so important to the life of our parish. Watch and listen for further details as they become available.
Interested in participating in a 'select choir' which would meet and rehearse for specific holiday events: Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Easter, Pentecost, Holy Days and Saints/Feast Days and the like? Some of us are 're-visioning' how a choir at St Andrews might become organized - not necessarily on a weekly, Sunday basis - but rather to enhance our worship for special occasions. We have some amazing musical talents and voices in our small congregation, which we'd like to develop into a musical ministry, so if you'd be interested, please let Diane or Armand know.
STEWARDSHIP
A small but enthusiastic Stewardship Ministry team is in the process of reaching out to every member of the congregation about the theme of " What IS happening at St Andrew's" to inform everyone of the many activities and ministries functioning well that include our community in its outreach. Betty Maynard, Carl Stoneham, Nancy Norton have agreed to write letters along with the pledge card to fulfill our wish to build on a strong commitment to our neighbors and our Church. We have set the date for the in-gathering of pledges on Sunday November15 so that the finance team can prepare a budget for 2010 based on our pledges.
Much has happened in the past year but we need to look to the future and to utilizing our new and updated Jones Hall facilities. It is such a joy to see so much happening, make sure to read all about it in your letter. We have so much to be grateful for, " let us Rejoice and be glad!"
Nicole Stevens for the Stewardship Team
LIFE AND DEATH OF ST ANDREW
Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee when ‘…he saw two brothers, Simon, who is called Peter, and his brother Andrew casting a net into the sea for they were fishermen. And he said to them, ‘Come follow me and I will make you fishers of men’. At once they left the nets and followed him’ (Matt. 4:18-21).
In John’s Gospel we learn that John the Baptist ‘when he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!”’ (John 1:36). .. ‘Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him “We have found the Messiah” (that is the Christ). And he brought him to Jesus. (John 1 40-42).
This is how we are introduced to Andrew, who was a follower of John the Baptist and who became known as the ‘First called’. As an Apostle, Andrew played a significant role in Christ’s ministry. All twelve Apostles were given authority to drive out evil spirits and to heal every disease and sickness while preaching.
Andrew was present during the Last Supper and in the garden at Gethsemane; he saw the risen Christ after the Resurrection, and received the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.
According to Tradition, Andrew left the Holy Land after Pentecost to spread the Word in Greece and Asia Minor. In 60AD, during the reign of Nero, he was working in Patras, where he baptized the wife and brother of the Governor, Aegeus. The Governor was so incensed by this, he ordered the death of the Apostle. Andrew was crucified on a cross in the shape of an X on November 30th.
This day is recognized around the world as his feast day, and was a Holyday of Obligation in Scotland until 1918. The instrument of his martyrdom – the X shaped cross – has become the symbol of Andrew and appears on the Scottish national flag (the Saltire), as a reminder that he is patron Saint of Scotland.
ANNUAL ECUMENICAL WOMEN’S MEETING
Sarah and Betty Maynard attended the annual Ecumenical Women’s Meeting on Tuesday, October 32, at South Congregational Church. Members from all the St. Johnsbury churches listened to the Rev. Schutter’s twin daughters tell about their experience with Kids for Peace, which was held partly at Rock Point and Covenant Hills Camp. The girls raved about the service they got at Rock Point. (They even got their laundry done.) They were able to attend services at a Mosque and Synagogue in Burlington, as well as having services at Rock Point. It was rewarding to hear such nice things about our Episcopal School from Congregational children. Their group consisted of four Muslims, four Israelis and four Christians who were just doing things as children, without any politics involved.
HUMOR
I could not resist putting this in after receiving it from my brother Stephen.
The following have all appeared in church magazines so let us thank God for church ladies with typewriters and the occasional typos.
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Next weekend's Fasting & Prayer Conference in Whitby includes all meals.
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Sunday morning sermon: 'Jesus Walks on the Water'
Sunday evening sermon: 'Searching for Jesus.'
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Ladies, don't forget the rummage sale
It's a chance to get rid of those things not worth keeping around the house.
Bring your husbands.
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Remember in prayer the many who are sick of our community.
Smile at someone who is hard to love.
Say 'Hell' to someone who doesn't care much about you.
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Don't let worry kill you off - let the Church help.
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Miss Charlene Mason sang 'I will not pass this way again,' giving obvious
pleasure to the congregation.
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For those of you who have children and don't know it, we have a nursery
downstairs.
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Next Thursday there will be tryouts for the choir. They need all the help
they can get.
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Irving Benson and Jessie Carter were married on October 24 in the church.
So ends a friendship that began in their school days.
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At the evening service tonight, the sermon topic will be 'What Is Hell?'
Come early and listen to our choir practice.
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Eight new choir robes are currently needed due to the addition
of several new members and to the deterioration of some older ones.
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Scouts are saving aluminum cans, bottles and other items to be
recycled. Proceeds will be used to cripple children.
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Please place your donation in the envelope along with
the deceased person you want remembered.
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The church will host an evening of fine dining, super entertainment and
gracious hostility.
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Potluck supper Sunday at 5:00 PM - prayer and medication to follow.
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The ladies of the Church have cast off clothing of every kind.
They may be seen in the basement on Friday afternoon.
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This evening at 7 PM there will be a hymn singing in the park across from
the Church. Bring a blanket and come prepared to sin.
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The pastor would appreciate it if the ladies of the Congregation would
lend him their electric girdles for the pancake breakfast next Sunday.
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Low Self Esteem Support Group will meet Thursday at 7 PM.
Please use the back door.
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The school drama group will be presenting Shakespeare's Hamlet in
the Church hall on Friday at 7 PM. The congregation is invited to
attend this tragedy.
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Weight Watchers will meet at 7 PM at the First Presbyterian Church.
Please use large double door at the side entrance.
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The Associate Minister unveiled the church's new campaign slogan last Sunday:
'I Upped My Pledge - Up Yours!
