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September 25, 2020
Dear Family in Christ,
Mother Teresa once said, "People are not just hungry for bread; they are hungry for love, They are not just naked for a piece of clothing; they are naked of human dignity. They are not just homeless for a room made of bricks, but because of rejection."
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Contemplating on the words of Mother Teresa and our Baptismal Covenant I wonder, just how responsible are we? - (To feed, nurture, cloth, shelter one another)
If you or I had an employee working for us and the person failed to do the job, what would we do? Fire him or her? What do we think God should do when his servants don’t do the tasks assigned to them? Should they be dismissed? Should God look for someone else to accomplish God's mission?
The Parable of the Wicked Farm which we will read this Saturday evening deals with God’s action when God’s servants fail to do God’s will. Jesus taught in that story that God will not allow lax and irresponsible servants to hinder getting the job done. God chooses someone who will be responsible. The questions are: “What is God's will and How responsible are we?”
May God's Peace be with You+
Blessings,
Mo. Allison+
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Blessing of the Animals, October 4th |
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Holy Eucharist with the Blessing of the Animals will be held on Sunday, October 4th in honor of the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi on the front lawn at 9:00 AM. If your pet walks, slithers, crawls, flies, or swims, it is welcome! You may also bring pictures in lieu of a pet who is unable to join us.
VOLUNTEERS are NEEDED for Set-up and Clean-up.
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Our Sanctuary has re-opened with one service on Saturdays at 5:30 pm and one on Sundays at 9 am. This schedule allows adequate time for cleaning and sanitization. Automatic hand sanitizers are at the entrance and center of the church. We are observing social distancing and contact tracing. Masks are required. Entry is through the 95th Street doors. Because of the size of our church, we are limited to 25% capacity, approximately 25 people. Therefore, we ask that you Reserve a Pew by calling the church office 609-368-5922 or through our website.
You do not need to join Facebook to view the Service. To better participate online, our service bulletin may be downloaded for print or viewing here.
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Things to remember during this time
If you do not feel well, have a cough or fever, we ask that you kindly participate from home and refrain from in-person worship.
Masks must be worn inside the building.
Some things to expect:
o You must check in with the Usher at the 95th Street door.
o Some pews will be closed for seating
o The doors will be left open
o The aisle is marked with tape at 6-foot distances
o Hand Sanitizer will be visible at the doorway and at the center of the church
o Masks are required of everyone who enters the building and must remain on throughout the service.
Some things to note about our liturgy:
o We ask that you refrain from kneeling
o We ask that you refrain from singing
o We ask that you keep six-foot distances and refrain from shaking hands
o Our reader will sit and read from the Altar
o The Eucharist will be the final act during the service, offered with the blessing on p. 399 of the BCP
o Eucharist will be consecrated in both kinds, but only one kind (the body of Christ) will be offered and distributed by the Priest alone
o Eucharist will be distributed from the center of the church (please take your belongings)
o After receiving the Eucharist, you will leave via the 3rd Avenue Doors. (An exception will be made for those in need of the 95th Street Ramp.
Note: Coffee hour is not yet permitted, and the Hall is unavailable at this time. Should you need to use the bathroom facilities, cleaning products will be available, and we kindly ask that you wipe down any surface after use.
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All Saints' Day November 1st |
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We will celebrate All Saints' Day with Prayers of Remembrance. Please send the names of loved ones you would like to be remembered to the church office. The names will be read from the altar at both the Saturday and Sunday services.
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Advent Study: The Incarnation |
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His parents gave him the name Jesus. But the prophets, the shepherds, the wise men, and the angels addressed him by other names. They called him Lord, Messiah, Savior, Emmanuel, Light of the World, and Word Made Flesh.
In "Incarnation: Rediscovering the Significance of Christmas", author Adam Hamilton examines the names of Christ used by the gospel writers, exploring the historical and personal significance of his birth.
Mo. Allison will facilitate our study for Advent based on Adam Hamilton's new book beginning Wednesday, December 2nd, and continuing on the Wednesdays of Advent via Zoom at 6 pm.
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Joan and John Langston on October 9th! |
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Large and small print issues of the Forward Day by Day for November, December and January have arrived. You may pick up a copy in the church narthex or we will be happy to mail one to you. Call or email the church office.
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As predicted things are getting more difficult for a lot of people. We are glad they are turning to Branches for help. That's why we are here! However, it means that we are turning to our faithful supporters more often, asking for donations. We are in need of the following items:
granola bars, jelly, bread, Chef Boyardee, juice, mayo, mac and cheese, spaghetti sauce, pork and beans, hot dogs, bottled water, canned beef stew and fresh fruit.
Tables are in front of The Branches for drop off on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Donations may also be brought to St. Mary's. Thank you!
Many thanks to all who respond so generously.
We are so blessed at Branches! Sandra and Terri
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A Reverse Advent Calendar |
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Here's an idea for a different kind of Advent Calendar which will help our food bank at The Branches. Check it out here. (Please note: Donations would need to be received the week prior to Christmas Eve for delivery to our guests.)
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Dear Friends,
This Sunday we will celebrate the Feast of Saint Francis of Assisi. For our prelude to that service, I will play The Swan from Carnival of the Animals by Charles-Camille Saint-Saëns (1835 - 1921).
Saint-Saëns studied piano as a child, and by age ten he made his concert stage debut. He went on to study organ and composition at the Paris Conservatoire. Saint-Saëns served for many years as organist of La Madeleine, official church of the French Empire.
As a composer, Saint-Saëns was conservative in his approach, but always mindful of its evolution. He wrote Carnival of the Animals in 1886, mostly as a distraction following an unsuccessful concert tour of Germany. Written for his friends, the work was intended for private performance only.
Carnival of the Animals was published after his death, however, and would eventually become one of the composer’s most recognizable works, known today to audiences worldwide.
Enjoy the music - and until we meet again, take care and stay well!
David
Wednesday afternoon concerts
with David continue Live on Facebook at 3 pm. Please join us for some of your favorite hymns. This week's concert may be downloaded here.
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Please Help the Altar Guild |
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If you are feeling called to this important ministry, please contact Janice Haines, jbhaines1@verizon.net
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Stewardship of Time and Talent
The Stewardship idea is to make the contribution of the community members … their time and talent … focused in the community where they are most needed. There are many roles for the members to play, roles of managership, roles of leadership, roles of service and each one must accept thier responsibility according to the gifts that God has given them.
The church community tries to take the personal involvement which we all have as a duty and use it effectively for the good of every member of the congregation.
One of the great strengths of the American churches is the separation of church and state. In this way, the church is not supported by the government, as is the case in many European countries, and so it puts stewardship squarely where it belongs; in the hands of church members.
We should not only accept our own stewardship responsibility, but also encourage and educate others in the community to their responsibilities.
Together we are United in Love.
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Lectionary Text this Week |
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Saturday's Service 5:30 pm
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Sunday's Eucharist and Blessing of the Pets
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Saturday 5:30 PM in the Sanctuary
Sunday 9:00 AM on the front lawn
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