July 2018 NATIVITY NEWS. A note from the Rector

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1 NATIVITY NEWS The newsletter of the Episcopal Church of the Nativity and St. Stephen Newport and Thompsontown, PA 159 South Second Street, Newport PA Phone: Parish Website: A note from the Rector July 2018 In my recent trip to New York City, my grandson Logan, his friend Luke, and I walked the High Line. It is a park above the street from 14 th Street to 34 th street where trains used to travel. In places you can still see the tracks. On our walk, we saw this piece of art: I explained to the boys that the words were from a sonnet called The New Colossus by Emma Lazarus. They are the last lines and appear on a bronze tablet at the Statue of Liberty. The sonnet was used to raise money for a pedestal for the statue. I have relatives who immigrated from the Italian islands through Ellis Island, and relatives from Sicily who came here illegally and relatives who came here nearly 300 years ago from Germany. What was it that compelled them to leave their families and the place they knew to come here? Something spoke to them of wider possibilities for this one life God gives us. As I thought about the 4 th of July, I pondered what it means to be a patriot, to love one s country and to be a Christian, loving God first. I remembered that the pastor of my youth, whom I knew as Uncle Ray, preached a series of sermons in the fall of 1971 on Speaking Truth to Power. I read these sermons at least once each year. I still remember hearing them as a 14-year old. I believe they have shaped my life. The sermons speak to what it means to be a patriot and a Christian. They speak to the importance of the prophetic voice in service of the nation. The true patriot loves their country, deeply, and it is out of that love that the patriot is a critical observer of the country. The patriot also stays with the people, experiencing the punishment exacted when the nation fails to live according to God s commands. And the patriot holds out God s dream for the nation. The patriot holds out God s vision for us to live together and to love God, love our neighbor and love ourselves. It s that vision and dream of freedom and the ability to be the best that God has created us to be, that drew, and may still draw, people to this nation. May we more fully live into and exemplify God s vision for our nation. Love, Rebecca+

2 Vestry Meeting June 13, 2018 Our Life Together Addressing conflict In our recent mutual ministry review, we agreed to explore how we handle conflict as a Vestry and as a parish. At our meeting, vestry reviewed the Virginia Theological Seminary graduation address by The Rev. Barbara Brown Taylor. The theme was about how to think about and live with conflict. Taylor emphasizes that conflict is inevitable and we need to start seeing it as normal. She notes that Jesus stirred up plenty of conflict in his ministry. Rather than trying to resolve all conflict, we need to engage in productive conflict the kind that allows us to continue to engage with each other and to be in community with each other. In working for reconciliation, she says one of the major ideas is to not leave the room. The video is available here at minute Rebecca will reach out to Canon Morrow for some resources he suggested we use. Our Finances Income through April was $91, Expenses through the same period were $86, The mortgage principle is $96, We paid an extra $500 on the mortgage from the bonus we receive from using our church credit cards. We also donated $180 to the Diocese s Operation Understanding and $ to the Episcopal Church Women United Thank Offering. The 2017 audit was approved and will be submitted to the Diocese. The Audit Committee of Suzanne Beamer, John Cramer and Glenn Holliman inspected the financial statements for 2017 in accordance with the guidelines of the Episcopal Manual of Business Methods in Church Affairs. The Committee said the financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Congregation at the end of The Committee recommended reviewing the flood insurance and property insurance policies. The Property Committee will look into this. They also wanted to be sure that all passwords were kept in a safe place. Vital papers will be scanned and copies stored off-site. Wendy, Rebecca and Michele are working on this. Stewardship of our Property Vestry agreed to spend up to $600 on new statues of the nativity that are in the flower bed in the front of the church. Bill Day also reported that an air conditioner repair was done on one of the units in the nave of Nativity. It is covered under warranty. In repairing that unit, there was some plaster damage done, which Tuckey will repair for us. The air conditioning unit for the second floor of the parish house has a leak. A variety of options are being explored regarding how best to handle this issue. For now, the unit is charged. Options include repair of the unit, which should last another five years or looking at total replacement with a unit that can provide heating and cooling. The stucco on the church front is in bad repair. Mr. Peters recommended using a process whereby the stucco is covered up by boards and then painted. Some Vestry members said they d dealt with a similar process and it hadn t worked well. The property committee and Russ Hoover will keep working on this project.

3 The Property Committee will also look into the maintenance of the stamped concrete sidewalks and the masonry of the church building. Kyle Weller Scholarships Awarded Vestry approved the recommendation of the Program and Mission Committee to award $500 scholarships to Grace Klauer, Luke Klauer and Madison Murphy. Are you Called to be a Leader? Nominations Committee seeking church leadership for 2019 Bill Day, Tootser Davis and Becky Gephart-Crup are the nominating committee for 2019 leadership positions. Three people are needed for Vestry; a delegate and alternate for Diocesan Convention, and at least one representative to the Harrisburg Convocation. No Vestry Meeting in July. The next Vestry meeting will be August 8.

4 Parlor People, Godly Play and Choir Practice will all resume in the fall. We are starting our prayer list over again. If you have a name you d like for the list, let Michele know at or chnatss@pa.net. Volunteers and Donations needed for St. Barnabas Program. *Note date change. Nativity will once again be providing breakfast and lunch for 100 children and staff at the St. Barnabas program, St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Hbg., on Tuesday, July 3. We will also provide snacks for the entire week. Donations of food and snacks are needed, either items or money to purchase the food. Please see Wendy Day if you can help out. Notecards of Nativity for sale. $2 each or 5 for $8. The photo on the 4X5½ cards is of the pews and was taken by Irene VanBuskirk. They are in the undercroft. Baking needs and chocolate items available through Equal Exchange. See the cart in the parish hall. We are now a wholesaler for Equal Exchange, a company that supports small farmers who use sustainable practices for chocolate, cocoa, coffee, tea, nuts, olive oil and other baking items. A price list and basket are available to pay for the items you choose to buy. Also, be sure to write down what you ve purchased to help us maintain our inventory. A catalogue is also available. If there s an item you d like us to order, please see Jane Hoover. We will be celebrating baptism on November 4. Let Rebecca know if you or someone you know would like to be baptized on this day. Saturday, August 11, 11am - 4pm, Acolyte Festival, St. Andrew's In the Valley, 4620 Linglestown Rd., Harrisburg. Shepherd: The Rev. Susan Claytor, rev.claytor@gmail.com All Acolytes - youth and adult - are invited to this day of worship and fun. Service with acolyte procession at 11am. Bring banners and all acolytes should vest. Lunch after the service, followed by lots of games, including bouncy house/blow-up fun and some acolyte olympics. End with worship by 4pm. Honor or Remember a loved one or a special occasion with flowers on the altar! Flowers help make our worship space more beautiful and remind us of the blossoming life we have in Christ. Please consider sponsoring the flowers in memory of a loved one, or to celebrate your thanksgivings. Flowers are $30. Let Michele know by chnatss@pa.net or phone, Human Trafficking Hands-on Event, Saturday, August 25, 10am 2pm, St. Andrew's in the Valley, 4620 Linglestown Road, Harrisburg. Help place labels on bars of soap which will be delivered to local hotels and truck stops at the second Human Trafficking Awareness Day on October 13. Bring a brown bag lunch, beverages and dessert will be provided. Please RSVP to Cathy Rippeon at cathyww93@aol.com.

5 July Episcopal Commons 1 Carley McGrady 21 Barabara Hary 14 Doris Hadley Ben Michelson Kevin Hortens 6 Jane Benner 23 Sean Day 7 Emily Gainor Andrea Jezewski Kimberly Nye 25 Pat Keilhofer 9 Miles Jezewski 27 Jill Brownfield Honaman House 11 Gail Frohnert Amanda Dungan Mary Miller Larkin Todd Saner 5 Stephanie Matt 13 Dale Lesperance 28 Madison Murphy 20 Tracy Knouse 15 MaryJeanne Emerson 29 Jake Roman 17 Jodi Hoover 30 William Rohm Elizabeth Place Kenny Weaver 20 Julia Rohm 31 Karen Kern Service Participants Schedule **Thompsontown Date Greeters Lector Prayers Acolyte Euch. Min. Coffee Hour **July 1 (A.G. 1) Burns/ Davis Joanne P. Susan R. Lillian H. Saner Pat/Gail July 8 (A.G. 2) Bakers Connie Y. Jane H. Sophia J. Rohm Joanne/Tootser Morning Prayer - Bill Rohm July 15 (A.G. 3) Mitchell/? Wendy D. Shannon B. Elizabeth H. Rohm Becky/Julie John Sivley preaching July 22 (A.G. 4) Cramers Kay C. John C. Ethan J. Davis Susan R./Jean July 29 (A.G. 2) Rolands Ann R. Jan Y. Alivia H. Amsler Lynne/Jill Counters: July 1 Tootser and John July 8 Bill R. and Shannon July 15 Bill D. and Jill July 22 Becky and Darlene July 29 Gail and John

6 1 St. Stephen s Special Offering July 2018 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Independence Day Church Office Closed 8 Morning Prayer Bill Rohm Men s Breakfast (Espresso Yourself) Women s Breakfast (Bitting s) - 9am John Sivley preaching Men s Breakfast (Espresso Yourself) Women s Breakfast (Bitting s) - 9am Men s Breakfast (Espresso Yourself) Women s Breakfast (Bitting s) - 9am Special Offering Notes: Rebecca will be away Monday, July 2 Monday, July 16 and Monday, July 30 Friday, August 10. Special Offerings July 1- Caring for Nativity s Neighbors and Flower Offering July 29 Building Fund