HOLY TRINITY EPISCOPAL CHURCH GRAPEVINE NEWSLETTER DECEMBER, 2017

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Russell Boone
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I am not allowed to play with the giant legos, or make things fit into the puzzle with the square, the triangle.

1 HOLY TRINITY EPISCOPAL CHURCH GRAPEVINE NEWSLETTER DECEMBER, 2017 Dear Holy Trinity, Monday I was in the waiting room at the doctor s office checking up on my thyroid hormone levels, blood sugars and lipids (men of a certain age I guess). I watched a toddler who was waiting also.... we waited in very different ways. I am not allowed to play with the giant legos, or make things fit into the puzzle with the square, the triangle... Is there anything better than Psalm 90, with its image of human beings springing up like flowers and blooming, reaching their peak for ever so short a time? Youth with its freshness, vitality, and beauty deserves appreciation! Where else among humans do we find such agility, such energy, such wholeheartedness, such readiness for something new! There's a lot to be said for youth, especially the kind found in two-year-olds, and what its presence does for any of us, no matter how old. But we so often over think! And it starts early! Oh, youth Take Ester Ledecká, for example. She is a Czech snowboarder and alpine skier, just twenty-two years old. She is the first Czech to win the parallel giant slalom in snowboarding at the FIS Snowboard World Cup. Go Ester!! Asked how she is preparing for her competition in the 2018 Olympics she said, It is complicated, and I think every year is more and more complicated. It s always like in the start of the season we have Plan A and in the middle we have Plan Z, and then we go around the alphabet like three times. We make decisions as a group or as individuals and almost immediately begin to overthink our decisions, rethink what the Spirit has called us to do. The voice of dissension, sometimes might be the voice of God, yes. It might also be the voice of Dissension and a bad thing. So we go around the alphabet like three times. Afraid to do the wrong thing or make the round peg GO into that Triangle hole. As we start into Advent, we are asked to take a spiritual breath! To breathe slowly, to wait, to not get excited. The time will come to push. During Advent we really need to breathe, lest we suffer from both emotional, physical and spiritual burnout. The oxygen mask analogy comes to mind, when in airplanes you are advised to put on your own oxygen mask before attending to your children s. Self care in that context isn t selfish, it is survival. If we do not look after ourselves and fill our own tanks, we have nothing left to give. So, I went and played with the Legos and had a great time with Trevor! Your servant in Christ, Thomas W. Fiske

2 SENIOR WARDEN S REPORT Dear Holy Trinity, Many thanks to all for so generously responding to my call to fund the folding walls to complete our classroom area construction. The walls have been ordered and should arrive and be installed after January 1. At the December meeting, the Vestry will be drafting Holy Trinity s 2018 budget which will then be sent to a Budget Committee for fine tuning before being presented to the congregation prior to the January Annual Meeting. Please keep the budgeting process in your prayers as the Vestry determines which operating expenses we are and are not able to fund for next year. The Sermon on the Amount below reflects income to the General Fund to date and the monthly tithing and income needed. Please keep the General Fund in your prayers. Respectfully, David T. Hill Senior Warden Please note below is a re-printed portion of the Senior Warden s Report that was inadvertently omitted from last month s Grapevine: In addition to seeking talented volunteers to update and maintain Holy Trinity s webpage and brochure as reported last month, the Vestry is also seeking administrative help for Father Tom. Such tasks may include answering the phone, taking messages, helping maintain the stewards calendar, and other such tasks Father Tom is able to delegate. Please see the ad below, and contact any Vestry member if you are able to volunteer your time and talent. VOLUNTEERS NEEDED Webmaster to update and maintain Holy Trinity s webpage Graphic Artist to update Holy Trinity s brochure Administrative Helper to assist Father Tom in the office Please see any Vestry member if you are able to volunteer your time and talent.

YES HOUSE GIVING This Christmas season Holy Trinity will again remember the children at the YES House by purchasing food for their Christmas dinners.

Father Tom has been able to purchase the food out of his discretionary fund (so if you can t shop for the kids, a donation to his discretionary fund will be most appreciated).

Holy Trinity has again volunteered to prepare the Christmas Day feast at the Soup Kitchen.

4 YES HOUSE GIVING This Christmas season Holy Trinity will again remember the children at the YES House by purchasing food for their Christmas dinners. Each cottage prepares their own meal, so we will again need several teams of shoppers to shop for groceries for each of the cottages. Father Tom has been able to purchase the food out of his discretionary fund (so if you can t shop for the kids, a donation to his discretionary fund will be most appreciated).there is a sign-up list in the Guild Hall for shopping teams. It s great fun and the teams get a little competitive about getting the best, and the most, with the least amount of money. Holy Trinity has again volunteered to prepare the Christmas Day feast at the Soup Kitchen. As has become our tradition, we also give gifts of warm hats, gloves, mittens, and socks to those who enjoy eating with us on this most special day. Most of our guests are men, but warm things for women and children are appreciated as well, as there are often families with young children. Anyone who wants to cook, play Christmas carols, or help in some other way during our time at the Soup Kitchen on Christmas Day is welcome. Cooking starts at 10AM, we serve at noon, and are usually finished with clean-up and dishes before 2PM. It is always a wonderful time of fellowship. Santa s bag is located at the back of the sanctuary for donations to help keep our Soup Kitchen friends warm. The items you bring can be new or gently used and clean. Any leftover clothing items are donated to the Council of Community Services.

5 PHOTOS FROM SATURDAY S ADVENT WREATH-MAKING BASH

6 DECEMBER STEWARDS OF THE SERVICE Date Chalice Acolyte Lectors Ushers Counters Visitors Vestry Reps Altar Guild Dec 3 Advent 1 Toby Fiske /Judith Semple Bonnie & Bernie Damori Sheryl &TBD Karin Ebertz Dec 10 2 Advent Karolyn TBD Cathy Raney/ MC Fiske Bobbie Rognmoe & TBD Sonja Brue/Bobbie Rognmoe Rollie & Sonja Brue Dec 17 3 Advent Vivian Watson Pierce Rod Schaffer/Jim Osborne and Carol Pierce David Hill/Rebecca Morrison Lane Keeney Rollie Dec 24 4 Advent Norma Appel Liz Keeney Bennet/Judith Semple Rollie and Maggi McCreery/Sheryl Mathews Jay Mahylis Pierce Christmas Day Jay Mahylis Vivian Watson Jim Osborne/Maggi McCreery Sheryl Matthews Rollie and Sheryl Matthews Dec 31 1Christmas Sam Shantel Sonja Brue/Rod Schaffer Sam and Karin & TBD Rollie and David Hill 7 Jan 1 Epiph Bishop s Visit Karolyn David Hill Cathy Raney/Karolyn Bonnie and Bernie Damori Pierce/Judith Semple Lane Keeney Karin Ebertz TBD

7 DECEMBER EVENTS CALENDAR Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1 Eucharist Legacy 10am 2 3 Advent 4 5 Bible Study 1:15 HTEC/ 5:30 POP 6 Prayer for 7 SOSL 6: Vestry Budget Mtg 8:30am, Soup Kitchen 10am 10 2 Advent Fr. Tom Vacation Bible Study 1:15 HTEC/ 5:30 POP 13 Fr. Tom Vacation Prayer for 14 Fr. Tom Vacation 15 Fr. Tom Vacation Eucharist Legacy 10am 16 Fr. Tom Vacation DOK (Christmas Cards) 17 3 Advent Fr. Joel here Fr. Tom back Bible Study 1:15 HTEC/ 5:30 POP 20 Prayer for Healing 5:30/Soup Supper Final Christmas Greening 24 4 Advent 25 Christmas Day Service 9am/ Soup Kitchen 10am 26 Bible Study 1:15 HTEC/ 5:30 POP 27 Prayer for Christmas 1 2 Bible Study 1:15 HTEC/ 5:30 POP W&L 4:30pm 3 Prayer for 4 SOSL 6:30 5 Eucharist Legacy 10am 6 Vestry mtg. with Bishop Smylie 7 Bishop s visit Holy Trinity Episcopal Church 5101 Tanner Drive Gillette, WY Following the example of our Lord, Jesus Christ, Holy Trinity Episcopal Church serves, leads, and follows where God calls.

THE GRAPEVINE NEWSLETTER. HOLY TRINITY EPISCOPAL CHURCH GILLETTE, WY. October 2017

THE GRAPEVINE NEWSLETTER. HOLY TRINITY EPISCOPAL CHURCH GILLETTE, WY. October 2017 THE GRAPEVINE NEWSLETTER HOLY TRINITY EPISCOPAL CHURCH GILLETTE, WY. October 2017 Dear Holy Trinity, It was a joy to see Caitlan in church last Sunday! WELCOME HOME, Caitlan. Now more work must be done.