News from St. Andrew s

Transcription

1 St. Andrew s Episcopal Church Burt, NY News from St. Andrew s Your Vicar s View I will not let you go unless you bless me. [Genesis 32.26] October November 2014 In reflecting on the theme of our Stewardship Season, on the blessings we have received and the blessings we ourselves have given, I have found myself returning to the story of Jacob wrestling with the angel. The story is very familiar: On his way to his homeland and anticipating a dangerous encounter with his brother Esau, Jacob spends the night apart from his family. During the night, he wrestles with mysterious stranger; even though he is injured Jacob tells the man we will not stop fighting unless you bless me. In response, the man tells Jacob that his name will now be Israel, ( the one who struggles with God ) and he refuses to give his own name; for Jacob, this means I have seen God face-to-face, and my life has been saved. (Genesis 32.30). This story reminds me that often we mistakenly associate the sense of being blessed with being passive. If we will just wait and do nothing, we tell ourselves, all will be well. We decide that it s God s fault if we feel burdened, or if our lives are hard. But any blessing or the experience of being blessed comes from knowing what it means to struggle, to wrestle with truths that we do not understand or with differences among the people we love. Our deepest sense of blessing doesn t come from comparing ourselves to someone else who is less fortunate, but from seeing how much in our lives comes from a goodness beyond our control. Being faithful to our spiritual disciplines (prayer, weekly worship, reading Scripture, giving of ourselves) does not bring blessings as a reward; rather, being faithful opens our eyes and ears to the good in our lives, and therefore to God s purpose for us and God s presence in and around us. If we are faithful, we are open to being surprised. If we are faithful, we trust that goodness and harmony will prevail, that what may seem like chaos is just the messiness of human life. If we are faithful, we will wrestle through our dark night because we know that in the dawn we will be blessed. Perhaps more importantly, like Jacob we trust that we will be transformed into someone who will be with someone else through their dark night, naming their courage, reassuring them, wrestling with them until dawn: being a blessing. Dates to Remember October Oct 1 BIBLE READING CHALLENGE BEGINS Oct 2, 7pm Pre- Convention meeting at Diocesan Ministry Center Oct 3-4 Rummage Sale at St. John s Oct 4, 3pm Underground Railroad Tour Oct 4, 5pm Dinner and Bonfire at the Gilson s Oct 5 STEWARDSHIP SEASON BEGINS Oct 5 Blessings and Memorials for our pets Oct 5, 9am Building and Grounds Meeting

2 A View from Your Warden Pay It Forward The movie Pay It Forward was released in 2000 and the older I get, the more I appreciate the themes this movie contains. The plot includes a teacher s assignment: think of something to change the world, and put it into action. A student makes up the idea of paying a favor not back, but forward - repaying good deeds not with payback, but with new good deeds done to three new people. As the movie progresses, we see the amazing impact of this concept not only in the main characters, but also in countless others. This year s Stewardship theme is Live Boldly: Be a Blessing and it centers on the idea of kindness. Jesus gives us the same assignment as the teacher did in the movie: to change the world. We can respond with the same enthusiasm as the young boy: simply to go and do good deeds without looking for payback, and thereby change not only the world, but also ourselves. It is all so simple, really. I would encourage you to watch Pay It Forward on your next movie night. It is sometimes heart-breaking and sometimes funny, but it is wholly inspirational. Live boldly, and be a blessing. With Kindness, Lynn Schauer-Bewley Oct 6, 10am Bazaar Meeting Oct 8, 6:30pm Vestry Meeting Oct 9-12 Fall Retreat at Collins Correctional Institution Oct 11 Gathering at the Fence Collins Oct 12 Blessing of our Prayer Garden Portico Oct 19 Applefest at St. John s Oct 19 Deacon Rocky will be Bishop s Chaplain Oct 19-Candy & pumpkins for our families Oct Judith+ will attend Transitional Ministry Training 2 Dates to Remember (October) RTB ( Right to Believe ) Basketball Tournament October 26th St. Andrew s and St. John s will sponsor our 3 rd Annual RTB Basketball Tournament on Sunday, October 26 th beginning at noon. This year NCCC will host the tournament. John Carney and Natalie Beilein are the coordinators for St. John s and St. Andrew s. RTB will be a 3-3 basketball tournament with three grade brackets: 4 th - 6 th, 7 th -9 th, and 10 th -12 th (co-ed optional). The cost will be $ per team with a maximum of four players on a roster. The head coach of the Men s Basketball program at NCCC, Bill Beilein, will organize the brackets with his players acting as referees. The registration forms will be available through the St. Andrew s website starting October 1 st. Remember: all proceeds will benefit a need within our community and our youth programs! Please register and have some FUN! Natalie Beilein

3 Live Boldly Be a Blessing Stewardship Season kicks off In October again this year. The Stewardship Team has decided to expand our Live Boldly theme from last year and consciously consider how people are a blessing in our lives and how we can be a blessing to others. Being a blessing to others can be a bold act that really puts us outside our comfort zones. Each family will receive a calendar with their stewardship material, which will provide ideas on how we can be a blessing to others every day-- whether we offer time, talent or treasure. Each Sunday in October, speakers from the congregation will share a story about how someone has blessed their lives in some way. Also watch the bulletin, the monitor in the narthex, and our Facebook page for other stories that exemplify the ways that people can have a positive effect on each other's lives. Cards will also be available in the pews so that we can share blessings that made a difference in our lives that week. These cards will be added to our offering plate each Sunday and compiled throughout the month. The point is to really focus on the blessings in our lives and boldly take action when we see the opportunity. We may hesitate to offer a helping hand for many reasons (fear, embarrassment, pride), but God gives us the strength and the resources to make a difference in someone's life every day. And speaking of resources, we have just over 100 individuals and families who affiliate themselves with St. Andrew's. In that group, 15 families receive envelopes but do not pledge and 48 families make a yearly pledge. In order to balance our budget for 2014, these 48 pledges need to be an average of over $50/week. However, If we spread these costs over 100+ families, we are looking at a whole new, bright, exciting, and bold story. Your Vestry will make all fiscal decisions and plan the 2015 budget based on what each of us pledges to give St. Andrew s. Please take the time to review and ask questions with any vestry member about the operating expenses, outreach and ministries that we support with this money, and carefully consider what your family can give to support St. Andrew's. Our ingathering for our Giving Cards will be November 2nd. Our coffee hour following the service will be hosted by the Stewardship Committee. Please take this opportunity to Be a Blessing, knowing that God will give you what you need to make it happen. Giving is an expression of gratitude for our blessings. - Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen Stacy Lampman Dates to Remember (October) Oct Diocesan Convention Oct 26 HUNGER SUN- DAY: Canned Goods Oct 26-Halloween at St. Andrew s: Wear a costume Oct 26, noon Sunday School Teachers Meeting Oct 26, noon RTB Basketball Tournament at NCCC Oct 26, 6pm Sunday Cabaret at Community Missions: St. John s- Youngstown Oct 26 Community Store Ingathering Oct 30, 7pm Deanery Council Meeting at St. Andrew s Oct 30, 7pm Choral Festival Rehearsal at Christ Church, Lockport November Nov 2, ALL SAINTS SUN- DAY Service Begins at 10:45am Nov 2, Stewardship Ingathering Nov 2, 9am Building and Grounds Meeting Nov 2, 4pm Ecumenical Choral Festival at Christ Church Lockport Nov 4, 4pm Election Day Chicken and Biscuit Dinner at St. John s Nov 8, 10am-2pm St. Andrew s Bazaar 3

4 News from Sunday School This fall, our classes will explore the themes of Peace, Forgiveness, and Generosity. During Stewardship Season in October, we will investigate how we share the harvest and we will gain a deeper understanding of the two greatest commandments: Love God and love your neighbor. We will practice living boldly and being a blessing. Each week family resource materials will be available: At Home with the Good News. This weekly resource is designed to help parents make the connection between our religious studies here at church and our homes. It is focused on faith formation and how to talk about what was learned or accomplished each Sunday. This resource includes a prayer, family discussion questions, and a meditation to link the gospel to our daily lives. It is designed for the whole family to share. We will have paper copies available and very soon we hope to have this weekly resource available on our website. Your Sunday School Teachers Our Prayer Garden Jacob Roeseler has completed his Eagle Scout Project, and our Prayer Garden is now truly a haven for prayer, meditation, and quiet conversation. Over 100 hundred hours of labor have gone into creating the lattice portico for our benches and weather-proofing all the wood. Take a few minutes to look at the beautiful work that Jacob, his fellow Scouts, and his family have created. We will have a blessing ceremony on October 12 th, depending on weather. Many thanks to Jake, his fellow Scouts, and his family. Altar Flowers November (continued) Nov 12, 6:30pm Vestry Meeting Nov 16 Holiday dinner for our families Nov 17, 7-8:30pm Bible Challenge Gathering at St. Andrew s Nov 27th, 10am Holy Eucharist for Thanksgiving Day at St. John s Nov 30 HUNGER SUN- DAY: Holiday Foods Nov 30 First Sunday of Advent Nov 30, noon Sunday School Teachers Meeting I will deliver you; you will be a blessing. [Zechariah 8:13] Due to an added $10.00 delivery charge, altar flowers are now $ It has been suggested to me to have two (2) families share a Sunday if they wish. Therefore, each family would pay $22.50 and receive one bouquet of flowers. Checks should still be made out to Pallister House. If you are interested in doing this and can find someone to share a Sunday, just enter both names on the Flower Chart in the Narthex. Please call me if you have any questions. Thank You! Prudy Waters

5 Vestry Highlights September 10, 2014 Money Matters Treasurer s Report Financial Status as of August 31, 2014 Resolved We will change our vending account with the pop machine to a new distributor so that we will have fewer leftovers Payment to the Newfane Schools Peer Mediation Group for has been made Authorized up to $1000 for improvements to the sound system in our sanctuary Authorized the Gospel Groove Band to rent a U-haul trailer to transport equipment to performances when necessary Total Expenses Actual Income Income equals 65% 80% $100,336 $87, % of Expenses Percent of Pledges on Time Goal for Pledges on Time Discussion Discussed proposals for who might be invited to serve on the Nominating Team for 2015 elections Sunday Cabaret on September 28 We will partner with United Baptist Christian Church of Lewiston, and we will have opportunities to learn more about our two churches. Discussed guidelines for mentoring new leaders Reviewed the Covenant Agreement for discussion by the Covenant Team on September 29 th. Proposed making clear our intention to invite visitors to the meetings and to share more information about the Covenant throughout both congregations SCRIP account: $ in our account Overview of 2014 Stewardship Campaign: Live Boldly: Be a Blessing Overview: Bible Reading challenge Hospitality Team Report: September 7 th went well; plans to invite more hosts for Coffee Hour Animal pictures to be sent to Lynn Schauer Bewley by September 28 for monitor stream on October 5 th. MARK YOUR CALENDAR- ADULT CHRISTMAS PARTY Date: December 5th 7:00 p.m. at the Waters' RESERVE THE EVENING! 5

6 October Birthdays 2 nd Eowyn Colley 3 rd Cheryl Knapp 3 rd Mike Edmister 4 th Chris Hilbrecht 4 th Rob Flewell 6 th Kevin Mandaville 8 th Kelly Breczka 9 th Debbie Bartenstein 9 th Sharon Benson 9 th Barbara Barnes 9 th Troy Barnes 11 th Emily Harrington 12 th Lanie Kelahan 12 th Wes Wright 13 th Steve Clark 14 th Dan Anger 17 th Bill Buchanan 18 th Pauline Wright 18 th Alexander Gallo 19 th Jean Mayer 20 th James Breczka 21 st Henry Williams 24 th Allison Duhow 25 th Rick FitzRandolph 27 th Noah Finley 28 th Keira Croisdale 29 th Miranda Watts 29 th Judy Dold 30 th Tom Villeneuve October Anniversaries 2nd Butch & Nancy Reinhardt 20th Mike & Liz Depew 24th Bill & Connie Steen Musical Notes The Choir is off and running, ready for a new year and lots of musical fun! What a pleasure it was for us to hold our first choir rehearsal on September 9 th and see ALL of our Choir members returning for another year! I am so thankful for their dedication and support of the music program at St. Andrew s. They are awesome! As we begin our year, we are busy at work preparing our musical contribution to our worship and other planned activities. God has yet again blessed us in our music program and we look for it to flourish in the coming months. Our first major event is the Ecumenical Choral Festival: Our Gifts of Song, being held on Sunday, November 2 nd, at 4 p.m. at Christ Church in Lockport. St. Andrew s created this event eight years ago and it has been hosted by different churches, alternating between All Saints Sunday and the Sunday before Thanksgiving. It has become a beloved tradition because it is an awesome gathering of singers and handbell choirs from congregations throughout Niagara County. This year, Linda Few will be Festival Music Director, and Sue Mandaville returns as Festival Coordinator. You are invited to sing with the choir even if you do not sing with us regularly on Sundays. I encourage you to mark the date! We will be talking more about it in the next few weeks, but it is an awesome musical event. One you won t want to miss! I send an open invitation to everyone to join us, whether it is our adult choir (including teens), our Gospel Groove Band (managed by Doug Wintersteen) or our newly established Children s Choir (directed by Justin Naylor). Even if you think you are not very musically talented there is always room in any one of our groups for YOU! We welcome everyone! I thank our congregation for their continued support and our Pastor Judith for her overwhelming support and guidance. Every year, I look back at where we were and more importantly, where we are going with our Music Program. It excites me to know how far we have come and even more--how far we can go. God continues to bless us. My commitment is, with the help of many, to continue to grow our programs and Praise our God through music! Joe Breczka, Jr. 6

7 St. Andrew s Community Store Thank you to all the volunteers who have made Fall Changeover a success! Stop in and take a look at our lovely fall/ winter clothing on display! Thanks to Gary and Dorothy Cheasty for polishing the silver. (What a lovely gift those pieces will make for someone!). Thanks also to our window dressers for keeping the windows fresh and welcoming. If you are Trick-or-Treating in town on Halloween, stop by the store where we will be handing out treats until 7 p.m. We will have a special Autumn Ingathering at St. Andrew's on October 26th. Thank you for your continued stewardship to this vital community ministry! You are a blessing with your gifts of time, talent, and treasure. Cindy and Jerry November Birthdays 5 th Judith Lee 8 th Keegan Jon Croisdale 9 th Dorothy Vigrass 9 th Mike Depew 11 th Lee Marsland 13 th Michelle Waters 14 th Ron Winkley 19 th Monica Kolb 20 th Paul Munger 22 nd William Steen 22 nd Sandra Starke 25 th Brooke Beilein 25 th Abby Munger 27 th Ethan Gailie 28 th Pam Bochnewetch 28 th Autumn Poole November Anniversaries Finger play prayer for our youngest worshippers 2nd Gary & Dorothy Cheasty God Gives Us Love God gives us love, Cross hands over chest, ASL sign for love. So let s give hugs. Hug self, rocking gently back and forth. Thank you, God Sign thank you by moving hand, fingers together, palm facing you, from jaw outward. Repeat sign for love. 7

8 Tips for Living More Lightly You ve probably heard of the old saying, Use it up, Wear it Out, Make it do or Do without. Although it might sound a bit severe, there is some merit in it, particularly when it comes to reusing things rather than throwing them away, or even recycling them. Reuse is about using items over a longer period of time and is actually quite different from recycling. Recycling is more to do with reprocessing the item into a new raw material so that it can be used in a new product for example grinding up plastic bottles to make fiber. While recycling is a great way to keep our waste from going to landfill, looking for ways to reuse things is even better. 7 ways to reuse: 1. Buy quality that s made to last 2. Buy and sell second-hand at flea markets and garage sales 3. Borrow 4. Rent 5. Donate 6. Maintain 7. Repair Reuse helps us to reduce waste by: 1. Keeping materials out of landfill 2. Helping to preserve the embodied energy that was originally used to manufacture an item 3. Reducing the strain on raw materials, fuel, forests and water 4. Creating less air and water pollution than making a new item or recycling one 5. Creating less hazardous waste 6. Creating an affordable supply of goods that are often of excellent quality The thankful heart opens our eyes to a multitude of blessings that continually surround us. - James E. Faust 8

9 Ecumenical Choral Festival Sunday November 2 nd at 4 p.m. The LORD your God will bless you in all you do and in your This year, the Ecumenical Choral Festival will be held at Christ Episcopal Church, 7145 Fieldcrest Drive, Lockport. Linda Few is the Music Director. We have been reaching out to all the churches in the area to get a reading on their interest in participating. Currently, six churches have committed to attend, including both singer and handbell choirs, in addition to a number of individuals who will join with the Combined Choir. Each choir will sing two songs, and the large Combined Choir will sing 3-4 pieces together. The St. Andrew's Choir will be participating, so please see Joe Breczka if you are interested in singing with the group for this event. Each choir will bring a crock of soup, stew or chili to feed 20. As in the past, we are asking each person to bring a non-perishable food item that will be distributed to St. John the Baptist Food Pantry in Lockport. There will also be a Free Will Offering to benefit Food for the Poor, an ecumenical organization combatting hunger among the poorest of the poor in Central and South America. Please let me know if you are interested in preparing a crock of soup, stew or chili for the event. As the Festival nears, we will also need help distributing flyers. Mark your calendars so we can do our part to fill Christ Church for an evening of song and worship. Sue Mandaville, Festival Coordinator work. You will be overjoyed. [Deuteronomy 16.15] 9 Gift Card Program at St. Andrew s TOPS cards and gift cards for stores and restaurants are available. Deacon Rocky and Diane Dworak have organized and manage the SCRIP program for St. Andrew s. We earn between 2% and 18% on these purchases. What a great way to help St. Andrew s without spending an extra cent. Do you plan to make a basket for a basket auction? Everyone likes gift cards. Plan to do your gift shopping at St. Andrew s this year! Please consider planning your grocery budget by using TOPS cards that you purchase from Rocky each month. Cards are available every Sunday, and Rocky will have cards available for you on a designated Sunday each month. At no cost to you, St. Andrew s will earn 5% on all TOPS purchases. This can be a significant income stream for the church-- but it only works if we use it. Pick up an order form on the table in the narthex, or use the one that is the back page of this newsletter as you prepare for your Christmas shopping. Contact Rocky if you would like to purchase cards directly online through St. Andrew s account number.

10 Bazaar Preparations If you have a craft, please bring it! We can always use new ideas. Please check the church bulletin board for more information. Remember to keep your calendars open on Saturday, November 8 th for the Bazaar! Bazaar runs from 10:00 a.m. 2:00 p.m. Lunch served from 11:00 a.m. 1:30 p.m. Even though it is early, please be thinking about your donations for the Bazaar. Below are some suggested items: Country Store Jams/Jellies/Pickles Chili Sauce, Salsa, etc. Produce (fresh that week) Remember the Bake Sale Breads, pies, cookies, cakes, etc. Candy Booth Sugar Nuts Chocolate Bits/Chips Butter Brown Sugar Donation Box in Kitchen (in Sept.) Basket Auction Think about donating a basket Sign up sheet at Church (in Sept.) Donations If you are unable to participate in the Bazaar preparations, monetary donations to help defray the cost of supplies are greatly appreciated. Chairpersons for the Bazaar Baked Goods Judy Dold Cashier/Tickets Prudy Waters Homemade Candy Cindy Harrington and Kathy Seeloff Country Store Dorothy Cheasty Christmas Booth Kay Mayer and Di Dworak Homemade Goods Pauline Wright Basket Auction Flo Phipps Set-Up Dining Room Sunday, 11/2/14 after Coffee Hour (Group Effort) Publicity Darcy Buchanan and Mike Depew Dining Room Kathleen Massie Coffee Servers Larry Waters Kitchen Kathy Gregg and Stacy Lampman Clean Up Need Chairperson Dishwashing, Etc. Need Chairperson If you wish to work on one of these groups, please let the Chairperson know. We will need help on Thursday evening, November 6th, for setting tables and preparing luncheon food chicken, etc. Bazaar meetings with be on the following Mondays at 10am October 6 & 20, and November 3. Thank you, Darcy Buchanan 10

11 Lay Reader Schedule October Oct 5 Dorothy Cheasty & Stacy Lampman Acolyte Schedule October :00 am arrival time Acolyte Schedule Oct. 5 Chad Gilson, Sarah Leibring, Julia Mazanka Oct 12 Diane Dworak & Lisa Roeseler Oct 19 Lynn Schauer-Bewley & Judi Naylor Oct. 12 Melissa Pestinger, Ethan Knott, James Leibring, Skyler Knott Oct. 19 Jarrett Gilson, James Leibring, Sean Kelahan Oct. 26 Sue Villeneuve, Lauren Kelahan, Michael Edmister, Evan Bowman Oct 26 Lisa Roeseler & Dorothy Cheasty Collection Counters - October Cindy & Jerry Harrington Altar Guild October Cindy Harrington, Kathy Gregg & Nicki Knott The LORD bless you and keep you. [Number 6:24] A Note from your Acolyte Director This is an open invitation to ALL those interested in becoming an acolyte. Anyone from the age of 7 through adult is welcome to join our team. If you are 7, you would be the 4th acolyte on your assigned weekend and you would process, recess and observe and help with some easy tasks. Anyone 8 and older will be in training as an acolyte; you will sit at the altar watching for the first few times; then as you feel more comfortable you will be given a job to do. ANYONE interested in either helping out once in a while or in the case of sickness is welcome. Thank you, Sue Villeneuve 11

12 Acolyte Schedule November 2014 Lay Reader Schedule November 10:00 am arrival time. The Acolyte Schedule for November will be announced later in October. Please let Sue Villeneuve know if you have a regularly scheduled commitment that will keep you from serving as an acolyte on particular Sundays. As we look ahead to Christmas Eve and Sundays in December and January, it would be helpful to know if you will be away and if you would like to serve as an acolyte during the holiday season. November 2nd All Saints Sunday Full Acolyte Procession Service begins at 10:45 a.m. Nov 2 Dorothy Cheasty & Lynn Schauer-Bewley Nov 9 Judi Naylor & Lisa Roeseler Nov 16 Lynn Schauer-Bewley & Stacy Lampman Collection Counters - November Liz & Mike Depew Altar Guild November Darcy Buchanan & Flo Phipps Nov 23 Margaret Moran & Jerry Harrington Nov 30 Judi Naylor & Dorothy Cheasty Bless the LORD, O my soul. [Psalm 103.1] 12

13 Thy Word is a lantern to my feet, and a light upon my path. [Psalm ] Faith Matters Faith does matter. My mornings begin with faith, and it is faith that gets me through difficult moments, hours and days. My faith is ignited each morning during my "meditation ritual", which is a daily practice that I rarely skip. Perhaps you are envisioning me sitting on my living room floor with legs crossed, arms out, and the melodious "ohm" syllable flowing freely from my mouth? I wish I could cross my legs and sit on the living room floor, but I fear that I will not be able to get up without assistance! Truthfully, my meditative time involves 3 things: my favorite living room "prayer chair", a cup of coffee in one hand, and my bible in the other. Every morning, I open my bible and read whichever page is staring back at me. God truly does know what I need each day, and He cleverly allows the perfect page to appear for my reading. I talk with God for a moment, and then read my beloved bible. The Education Team of St. Andrew's and St. John's has designed a bible reading plan that will hopefully ignite or fan the flame of faith in you each day. This Bible Reading Challenge is a perfect opportunity not only for individuals, but also for families! Beginning October 1st, we will all be encouraged to start our Bible Reading Challenge--- a reading plan that was designed with busy people in mind. The reading will take merely 10 minutes or less of your time each day--whether it be your morning ritual, your "after-work stress release", or your cherished family time before bed. The greatest outcome of this Bible Reading Challenge is the fact that two faith communities, joined by a Covenant, will be reading the most wonderful book of all---the Bible together! Here's how it works: Two" reading plan" documents will be available for you to use as a guide throughout the challenge: A calendar document that has the daily readings notated on each square of the calendar; and a booklet that lists the daily readings, with the option to "check off" what you have read, and with room to write notes/questions. You may choose either or both documents to use as a tool for keeping track of your progress. These documents will be available in the Narthex. The calendar and booklet will also be available for viewing on the St. Andrew's and St. John's websites, with a link to an on-line bible (for those who prefer to read their bible on the computer). 13

14 Good health and good sense are two of life's greatest blessings. -Publius Syrus Faith Matters (continued) The reading plan focuses on the New Testament, and is divided into 6 sections. At the end of each section, we will meet together so that we can discuss our thoughts and answer each other's questions about what we have read. We use the term "gathering" because it is, indeed, a gathering----a time when we can share our thoughts and enjoy fellowship! At the end of each month, we will have the opportunity to report our progress (don't panic, there will not be a test!). Everyone will receive a slip of paper during the Sunday service and on this paper you can "check off" your progress: a. I am on schedule with the reading plan b. I am a little behind, but still reading! c. I hold in prayer all who are committed to this Bible Challenge The Bible Reading Challenge begins October 1st, and ends with a final gathering on June 1, At the conclusion of this challenge, you will have read the entire New Testament! Please join me in committing to this Bible Reading Challenge. What a wonderful way to remind ourselves daily that Faith does matter! Lisa Roeseler Of the blessings set before you make your choice, and be content. - Samuel Johnson Have you ever heard of Amazon.com? Of course you have and you probably buy things there all of the time. Did you know that if you go to St. Andrew s website and click on the amazon.com portal, you will go directly to the Amazon site and anything you purchase will make money for St. Andrew s? Yes, real money and it doesn t cost you a penny more than what you were already spending. We are paid an advertising fee for every purchase made through our portal. So far this year we have earned over $265. So next time you use Amazon.com be sure and go to St. Andrew s website first and just click on the portal. Oh yes, please tell all of your friends too! Christmas shopping will benefit St. Andrew s! 14

15 Around the Deanery October November 2014 Dates to Remember... Events to Attend in the Niagara Deanery We wish the Rev. Canon Isaac Ihiasota Godspeed in his departure from St. Stephen s-niagara Falls. Father Isaac has been called to the Diocese of Virginia as the Vicar of St. Peter's Church, Richmond and Diocesan Missioner to Richmond's East End community. October 2 7 p.m. Pre-Season Convention Meeting at the Diocesan Ministry Center October 3 & 4 Rummage Sale at St. John s-wilson October a.m. Celebration of New Ministry at St. John s-youngstown October 16 October 18 October 24 & 25 October 26 October 30 noon-1:30 Clericus meeting at the home of Abuid Sam 9:30 am-1 pm Gathering of Veterans at the Diocesan Ministry Center 7 p.m. Spaghetti Dinner at Grace Church-Lockport Diocesan Convention noon RTB Basketball Tournament at NCCC sponsored by St. Andrew s & St. John s-wilson 5:15 Service for All Hallows Eve at Grace Church-Lockport Followed by a pot-luck supper 7 p.m. Deanery Council meeting at St. Andrew s-burt 7 p.m. Rehearsal: Ecumenical Choral Festival at Christ Church November 2 4 p.m. Ecumenical Choral Festival at Christ Church-Lockport November 4 4 p.m. Election Night Chicken & Biscuit Dinner at St. John s- Wilson November 8 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m. St. Andrew s Bazaar at St. Andrew s-burt November 13 noon-1:30 p.m. Clericus meeting at the Arnold House November 23 5:15 p.m. Harvest Service & Potluck Supper at Brookside Chapel Blessing of the Animals October 5 9 a.m. - St. John s Wilson Noon Christ Church - Lockport 1 p.m. St. Paul s Lewiston October 12 2 p.m. Grace Church - Lockport A true friend is the greatest of all blessings. - Francois de La Rochefoucauld I will make your name respected, and you will be a blessing. [Genesis 12.2] 15

16 Sundays in October October 5 Stewardship Season begins Blessing of our pets 9 a.m. Building & Grounds October 12 Blessing of our Prayer Garden portico October 19 Applefest at St. John s Deacon Rocky will be Bishop s Chaplain Collection of Halloween decorations & candy October 26 HUNGER SUNDAY: Canned Goods Community Store Ingathering noon Sunday School Teachers Meeting noon RTB Basketball Tournament at NCCC 6pm Sunday Cabaret at Community Missions: St. John s-youngstown Sundays in November November 2 All Saints Sunday: service begins at 10:45 a.m. Stewardship Ingathering 9am Building and Grounds 4pm Ecumenical Choral Festival at Christ Church November 9 Celebrating the Bazaar November 16 Collection of Holiday food November 23 2 p.m. Holy Communion at Newfane Rehab. November 30 First Sunday of Advent HUNGER SUNDAY: Holiday Foods News and Notes Jesus challenges us to provide a Banquet of Plenty. St. Andrew s, like many churches in our community, faithfully supports the mission of our local food pantry. For October the theme will be canned goods. For November it will be Holiday foods. Please put your donation in the collection basket as you enter the Sanctuary or send it with a student on Hunger Sunday, October 26 th and November 30, when we will have special prayers for hunger in offering our donations at the altar. Donations of food or special offering items can be brought in any time during the month. - Cindy Harrington All Saints Sunday November 2 nd This year we will again show photos of the saints of St. Andrew s whom we will remember in prayer this day. If you have not already done so, please send Lynn Schauer-Bewley photos by Sunday October 26 th. You may send them to her by (lsbewley@gmail.com) or you may bring them to the office for her. Please include the name of the person and date of death with your photo. Recycling Metal for Our Little Roses St. John s project of recycling metal to support the sponsorship for Our Little Roses is proving very successful. If you have appliances, tools, or other larger items to recycle please contact Jeff Pyskaty at commish910@msn.com or Holiday Celebrations with our Adopted Families We will celebrate Halloween and Thanksgiving with our adopted families this year: October 19 Collection of decorations and candy they can distribute November 16 Thanksgiving Dinner ingredients. Please see Diane Dworak if you would like to make a monetary contribution or provide the turkey for Thanksgiving. Rummage Sale at St. John s: Friday & Saturday, October 3 & 4 They welcome your treasures for sale on Wednesday and Thursday. If you have time to help sort, sell, or clean up, please call Lois Carter ( ) or Marcia Sabey ( ). This is one of the best sales in the area, well worth stopping by to support St. John s operating budget. Halloween at St. Andrew s October 26th It is our tradition to wear our Halloween costumes to church on the last Sunday in October. Children of all ages (infant 90) share the glee and creative joy of dressing up for the day. And don t forget to stop by St. Andrew s Community Store on October 31st for treats.. 16

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