DEAR FRIENDS, UPCOMING DATES. Concert for Peace Salem Ed White s Service Tree Decorating Party Advents Wreaths, Pageant Rehear.

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1 November 21, 2017 DEAR FRIENDS, A lot is happening around St. Andrew s. My note to you will be mostly informational this time around. As you have already heard, our dear friend Ed White passed away in late October. His memorial service will be held here at St. Andrew s on Saturday, December 2, at 2:00 p.m. Ed was such a dear man. I m going to miss his compassion and his obvious love of music that he brought to our choir. I m hoping that we can fill the place and send him off with great St. Andrew s style! I imagine there will be a bit of singing involved.... I wanted to thank all of the folks from St. Andrew s that came out for the Spiritual Care for those with Alzheimer s and Dementia, presented by the Rev. Colette Wood. I will be contacting you all to see what next steps we can take to strengthen our pastoral care offerings and to implement some of the recommendations so that we can be a designated Dementia Friendly Parish. Advent is soon upon us. So as I pray for your safe travels and enjoyment of family at Thanksgiving, I ask you also to note the many happenings in our parish community. Here are just a few items: St. Nicholas Night. This is a fun and easy way to get our youngest members thinking about Christmas from a Christian perspective first. We do this by means of a whimsical play about St. Nicholas. The older youth of the church play out one of Nicholas many legends and connect St. Nicholas with Santa and the origins of giving gifts. Later, we gather for a meal of lasagna and other items (sign up to bring something). We will begin singing secular Christmas songs in the Parish Hall, then move to the nave for our singalong of our favorite Christmas and Advent songs from the hymnal. This all happens on Sunday, Dec. 3, beginning at 5:30 with the play, 6:00 p.m. for dinner, and then carols following. Advent Lessons and Carols. For those who want to bring the season of Advent to life, we will join for an evening of Scripture and music that forms the ethos of the four weeks of Advent. Come and listen to lessons drawn from both the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament that provide the images and foundations of the Advent season a time of expectant waiting for God to act in our Pentecost midst. We will end with a reception with light finger foods and sherry. Mark your calendars now for Sunday, Dec. 10, beginning at 5:00 p.m. in the nave. Meet the Bishop. On Sunday, Dec. 17, at our 10:00 a.m. service, we will host the Right Reverend Alan Gates. Bishop Gates will preach and assist with the baptism of George, one of our very newest members. The bishop will be here for coffee hour and then a short vestry meeting to check in with our leadership. Come on out, Bishop Alan is a gifted preacher. cont. on page 2 Nov. 25 Nov. 26 Dec. 2 Dec. 2 Dec. 3 Dec. 3 Dec. 5 Dec. 8 Dec. 9 Dec. 10 Dec. 13 Dec. 16 Dec. 17 St. Andrew s Day November 30 UPCOMING DATES Poetry Night Concert for Peace Salem Ed White s Service Tree Decorating Party Advents Wreaths, Pageant Rehear. St. Nicholas Night Serve at MBT Elves Workshop Toy Sale Advent Lessons & Carols Memorial Flower Deadline Saturday Night in Marblehead Bishop Gates Visit Inside this issue: Music Notes 2, 3 Poetry Night 2 Century Comm. 2 Cloister Gallery 3 Children s Ministries 4 Memorial Flowers 5 St. Nicholas Night 4, 5 Toy Sale 5 Sat. Night in M head 5 Vestry Article 6 Book Groups 6, 7 Serve at MBT 7 Pastoral Care 7 Chimes Schedule 7

2 Dear Friends cont. Advent 4 is on December 24 this year. So that means that we will be having services on the 24 th in the morning. Regular 8:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. for Advent 4, and then the Christmas Eve services that afternoon and evening: 3:00 p.m. for the Pageant, 5:30 and 11:00 p.m. for the traditional Christmas Eve services. (Please note that we have changed the times from last year back to what they were). In all of this, we are gearing up our Giving Tree gift program. Please keep an eye out in the next couple of weeks for the Giving Tree in the Parish Hall. Ornaments will be adorning the tree with the name of a child from a local agency and their wish list. Please sign up, take an ornament, and help make Christmas for a young person in our wider community. POETRY NIGHT NOVEMBER 25 The next Poetry Night is Saturday, November 25, the fourth Saturday of the month, at 7:00 p.m. Give thanks for poetry and camaraderie. All are welcome to come and bring a poem or be an appreciative listener. COAT DRIVE FOR LIFEBRIDGE Now through Sunday, December 3 St. Andrew s Tuesday Morning Bible Study will be collecting gently used coats, hats, gloves, scarves, and other winter clothing to deliver to Lifebridge in Salem. Please leave donations on the coat rack near the Parish Hall labeled Coat Drive. Thank you! I pray for our entire community that we might enjoy Thanksgiving and be mindful of the many blessings that we enjoy. I also pray that we will all keep our sanity in the next month ahead! Wow! There is so much going on. See you in church, Clyde+ CONCERT FOR PEACE Sunday, Nov. 26, at 5:00 p.m. Sainte Anne s Church 290 Jefferson Ave., Salem This will be our reply to violence: to make music more intensely, more beautifully, more devotedly than ever before. -Leonard Bernstein Join us for a Concert of Peace at Ste. Anne s Church in Salem on Sunday, November 26, at 5:00 p.m. Brink Bush, director of music at Sainte Anne s Church in Salem, and Mary Jodice, director of music at St. Andrew s, thought that a concert for peace would be an appropriate response to recent tragic events. The proceeds from this concert will support the St. Vincent De Paul charity. Suggested donation at the door is $10. Please stay for the reception following. STEWARDSHIP CAMPAIGN This year's stewardship campaign is underway. Please prayerfully consider your contribution toward the life and ministries of St. Andrew s. OPPORTUNITES FOR GIVING AND PARTICIPATION At this time of year many are looking for ways to help others. To discover multiple ways to volunteer and participate at St. Andrew's, see volunteer.html. On the program will be vocal music by professional singers from the Longy School of Music. They will offer selections by Bach, Purcell, Handel and George Gershwin. There will also be organ music by Bach and Saint-Saëns. 2

3 CENTURY COMMITTEE UPDATE The dedicated members of the Century Committee continue to work hard behind the scenes to gather information and estimates on items to be considered as part of the plan to celebrate our first 100 years... and to joyfully launch our second hundred in The parish will hear much more about the research at the annual meeting in January. Among the areas we re researching: Adding an assistant minister Improving the sanctuary to make it more inclusive for all Redesigning and possibly enlarging the parking lot Beautifying the grounds to make them even more welcoming Addressing important maintenance of our buildings and other structures, including roofs, windows, the organ, and the safety of the bell tower. Creating additional signs and communication vehicles to invite and inform parishioners and guests alike. As any homeowner knows, new issues arise as we bring in experts to give us advice and/or estimates in various areas. For example, we ve discovered that some of the stained-glass windows need attention, especially the framing around them. As faithful stewards of our resources, we ll be learning more in order to make appropriate recommendations as we move forward. The committee is extremely grateful for two generous anonymous donations: one that is supporting the expenses of this exploratory stage and one earmarked for major parking lot improvements. (The recent patching of the parking lot is being paid from the regular church budget.) Members of the Century Committee are Charlie Milner and Peg Howard, co-chairs; Charles Ives, Eleanor Mancusi-Ungaro, Elizabeth Muller, Tina Niles, Mark Rowe, Penny Stratton, Richard Stratton, and Phoebe Wysor. We re grateful to other individuals who have assisted with some of the tasks of the subcommittees. Everyone, stay tuned! Plan to come to the parish annual meeting on January 28, 2018, and look forward to some exciting developments in our future. CLOISTER GALLERY Two Artists En Plein Air Elaine Abrams and Susan Burgess through January 11 Two Artists En Plein Air is an exhibit of bold, sensitive watercolors by Winthrop artist Elaine Abrams and Marblehead artist Susan K Burgess. The show will run through January 11. Prompted by a chance meeting during the Painting the Town event this past July, both artists soon discovered they had much in common: both try to capture the essence of the natural world by painting on-site in the plein air tradition; each has explored diverse landscapes in different parts of the world to challenge and broaden her vision of the natural world; and both pursue and study new techniques that give ever more profound meaning to their art Abrams with brushstrokes in the Japanese Sumi-e tradition, and Burgess with abstract watercolor collages and monotypes. In addition to commonalities, each brings her own stylistic distinctions and personal background into play with choices of subject matter and presentation honed by many years at the easel. One thing that is evident throughout the exhibition is the abundance of love and respect evidenced by both artists for nature and the natural world in which we live. Elaine Abrams WEDNESDAY NOON EUCHARISTS The Wednesday noon Eucharists have resumed. Come to a peaceful place for a brief respite from the hectic holiday pace. Susan Burgess 3

4 Calling all children six and over! CHILDREN S MINISTRIES Shauna Le Blanc, Director of Children s Ministries St. Andrew s Tree-Decorating Party Saturday, December 2, 5:00-7:00 p.m. Come to the annual tree-decorating party on Saturday, December 3. The party will start out with pizza, then decorating, a light dessert, and games if we have the time. Parents, this is a great opportunity for you to take some time for yourself. Feel free to go do some Christmas shopping, run errands or just take some time for yourself. Faith, Fun, and Fellowship Event Sunday, December 3 Annual Advent Wreath-Making with Weekly Meditations Christ is coming, prepare the way! Each year Advent invites us to prepare for God s coming among us in Jesus Christ. What better way to prepare for the coming of a guest, than to make your home even more beautiful. Please join us in making beautiful Advent wreaths on December 3 after the 10:00 a.m. service, during coffee hour. This Advent there are many ways to engage your spirit with the St. Andrew s community. In addition to the weekly services, there will be weekly reflections as well as lighting a candle to help remind us He is coming. I invite you to join in these meditations as a gift to yourself. Jesus came into this world so that we may have life, and live it more abundantly. Abundant life can only exist when the spirit is fed. In this Advent season, give yourself the gift of a pause. Pageant Rehearsals Start on December 3 During Coffee Hour St. Nicholas Night Sunday, December 3, 5:30-8:30 p.m. Come to the St. Nicholas Night with dinner and a carol sing. It begins at 5:30 p.m. with a short play about St. Nicholas, acted by our youth. Children are encouraged to come, take off their shoes in the Cloister Gallery, and fill them with straw for St. Nicholas donkey. The play is short, and then we go to the Parish Hall for dinner followed by a carol sing. The evening ends around 8:00 or 8:30 p.m. Please come and enjoy friends and fellowship. Please article on page 4. From the desk of Shauna Le Blanc Advent invites us to prepare for God's coming among us in Jesus Christ. For me preparing for someone s arrival is often filled with frantic busyness as I try to make sure that things are perfect for my guest s arrival. I doubt that I am alone in putting so much energy into preparations for a guest. When we put so much time and effort into creating a warm and welcoming space for our guests, it makes sense that we would do even more for the arrival of Emmanuel God dwelling within us. Except, the season of Advent is not inviting us into a fit of frenzy as we prepare for the arrival of the Christ Child. In the hustle and bustle of this season, Advent can be the very gift that our souls need. Every time one engages in a spiritual practice there is a bit of peace created that you might not even notice, but God is with you now and always and He wants you to make time to be with Him also. Our faith reminds us that Jesus came to the world not to blot out darkness, but to accompany us and to give us hope deep in our hearts. Blessings to all of you and your families! 4

5 ADVENT MUSIC The season of Advent is almost up on us! I love Advent with the change in hymnody, psalm, and anthems. We will be singing an Advent Lessons and Carols on December 10 at 5:00 p.m. This is a beautiful service of readings, hymns, and anthems sung by the choir and the congregation! Please come and bring a friend who has never been to St Andrew s. Pageant rehearsals will start December 3 at coffee hour. This year we will sing an anthem at the offertory by my friend Carson Cooman. He is a prolific composer and artist in residence at Harvard University. There are many parts to be filled in the pageant, so please come to the first rehearsal on December 3 and we will sort everything out and start learning the anthem Jesus Gift of God. -Mary Jodice CHRISTMAS MEMORIAL FLOWERS When you receive this Chimes, Thanksgiving will be over and Christmas will be fast approaching. It is always hard for me to believe that the days pass by so quickly this time of year. If you would like to celebrate the life of a loved one in the beautiful poinsettias that grace the sanctuary on Christmas Eve, please drop me a note or give me a call. You can mail your names to me at 15 Sparhawk Terrace, Marblehead, leave them in the offering plate with my name on the envelope, or you can call me at The deadline for including names on the list is Wednesday, December 13. Any amount you would like to contribute will be greatly appreciated. Any excess monies that we receive for Christmas and Easter flowers go toward Altar Guild expenses for the rest of the year wine, wafers, candles, etc. Checks should be made payable to St. Andrew s Altar Guild. Please act early before the rush begins! Thank you and I wish you all a most Blessed Holiday Season. -Kathy Loveland ST. NICHOLAS NIGHT SUNDAY, DEC. 3, 5:30-8:30 One of our annual traditions is Saint Nicholas Night with dinner and a carol sing. This will be on Sunday, Dec. 3. We will begin with a short play about Saint Nicholas of Myra. Our youth will act out one of the legends associated with St. Nicholas with a little humor and a bit of help from the ancient bishop to assist in the storytelling. The play starts at 5:30 p.m. in the church. Children are encouraged to come, take off their shoes in the Cloister Gallery, and fill them with straw for St. Nicholas donkey. The play lasts a little less than half an hour. We then move to the Parish Hall for lasagna and other sumptuous fare befitting the evening. Once we have filled our bellies, we will sing a few secular Christmas songs at the table, then we are off into the church again for sacred Christmas Carols. The evening ends about 8:00-8:30, depending upon how folks feel. Please come and enjoy friends and fellowship. A sign-up sheet is on the table at the entrance to the Parish Hall for those who wish to contribute food for the evening. Any drinks other than water or juice will be byob. DEC. 9 TOY SALE NEEDS TOYS Volunteers are needed for the upcoming Toy Sale on Saturday morning, Dec. 9, from 9:00-11:00. There is an elves workshop on Friday, Dec. 8, from 3-approx.7 p.m. Start putting aside gently used or new toys for the sale and bring them to church beginning December 4. Please contact Santa Jim Santoro if you can help either Friday or Saturday call or jsantoro@slexhibits.com. This is a lot of fun and helps many families provide holiday presents that they could not otherwise afford. GIVING TREE NEEDS VOLUNTEERS For decades St Andrew s has generously bought gifts for children helped by local agencies through our Giving Tree. Please contact the office if you area able to help with this very worthwhile project. 5 SATURDAY NIGHT IN MARBLEHEAD Join us at 8:00 p.m. on December 16 for our monthly Saturday Night in Marblehead concert! Arrangements were not final at press time, so please be sure to check the parish website, our SNIM Facebook page ( or the weekly for details. See you there!

6 FELLOWSHIP AT ST. ANDREW S Fellowship (along with worship, Christian formation, and outreach) has always been at the heart of Saint Andrew s. As such, I wanted to take the opportunity of the monthly letter from the vestry to highlight this aspect of our mission together as a community and to express my gratitude to the many members of our congregation whose hard work provides us with so many opportunities for fellowship. Recently as I worked at the rummage sale, I was struck by how some of the connections made at that event have endured for years. I find it natural to think of these twice yearly sales as fund-raising activities that simultaneously serve as a form of outreach, offering many useful items to a wide range of people across the North Shore at affordable prices. But the rummage sales also provide to all of us who participate in them a wonderful opportunity to share in the fellowship of this group of volunteers. For the entire week leading up to the sale, dozens of people show up and spend hundreds of hours helping to sort donations and set up. Thursday night and Saturday, others appear to run the Preview Party, work the floor on Saturday, serve as cashiers, and perform the massive cleanup in just a few hours. To me, this outpouring of help is one of the things that has always made St. Andrew s special. And it s always such an enjoyable way to socialize and get to know people better. Looking ahead to Advent, I m struck by the number of activities that continue to draw us together sometimes in small groups of five or six and sometimes in much larger gatherings and give us the chance to make those personal connections with one another. Whether it s festive events such as wreath-making or St. Nicholas Night, or the special liturgies and services ranging from the children s pageant on Christmas Eve to the Festival of Lessons and Carols, there seems to be something for everyone. As I think ahead to these events, I m reminded of a passage from an essay in Washington Irving s The Sketch Book. In reflecting on Christmas, he notes: 6 It is a beautiful arrangement that this festival, which commemorates the announcement of the religion of peace and love, has been made the season for gathering together of family connections, and drawing closer again those bands of kindred hearts, which the cares and pleasures and sorrow of the world are continually operating to cast loose. I feel fortunate to be a member of a congregation that offers so many ways to connect with another and to share in activities that draw us closer together. Especially at this time of year and in a world that can sometimes seem so divided, please come and share in the fellowship that brings us together at St. Andrew s. I hope that all of us will find a way to participate in some or all of the activities during the Advent season. -Richard Stratton Date: Hosts: Book: BOOK GROUP Sunday, Jan. 21, 2:00 p.m. Jan and Craig McLanahan, 101 Brooksby Village Drive, Thorndike Gardens #311, Peabody Red Notice: A True Story of High Finance, Murder, and One Man s Fight for Justice, by Bill Browder The cover of the book tells it all: A real-life thriller about an American-born financier in the wild east of Russia, the murder of his principled young attorney, and his dangerous mission to expose the people responsible in the Kremlin. Note from a book group reader: A page-turner and a timely tale, an important part of the back story of Trump s persistent adulation of the Russians. NEW DATE FOR AUCTION APRIL 7 Save the date of Saturday, April 7, as the new date for the auction. It was postponed from fall to give the church ample opportunity to devote the time necessary to make it a success. Please notify Chris Stockwell if you would like to be on the planning team there are roles for a wide variety of talents. Past auctions have been notable not only for their success, but, more importantly, for the fun and camaraderie engendered.

7 NEW BOOK GROUP FORMING Looking for some intellectual stimulation? Peter Kirkpatrick is interested in starting a nonfiction book group. This group would have a focus more on science and current affairs than biography and history, but the group could choose the books. It would meet monthly in the early or mid-afternoon. Since the holidays are coming, it might not start until after the first of the year. The meeting place would probably be the Abbot Public Library in Marblehead. There are more details on the table outside the Parish Hall. If you think you might be interested, contact Peter at pakirk@comcast.net. Thank you. FOOD DONATIONS Baskets for food donations for the Marblehead Food Pantry and Lifebridge are near the Parish Hall entrance. The next time you shop, get an extra can of applesauce or jar of peanut butter, and drop it in the basket. Nonperishable food is always appreciated! PASTORAL CARE DRIVERS needed. Please contact the church office if you are able to provide occasional rides to parishioners for medical appointments, etc. For a pastoral visit, please contact the rector, Clyde Elledge, directly at rector@standrewsmhd.org or at his cell phone (see below). In case of pastoral emergency, please call Clyde s cell phone, NEW CHURCH ADDRESSES The church office has new addresses. Please use the following: Clyde s office rector@standrewsmhd.org Office: office@standrewsmhd.org Shauna Le Blanc: churchschool@standrewsmhd.org John Howard: treasurer@standrewsmhd.org LOTIONS AND POTIONS MY BROTHER S TABLE Come be part of a team to help serve dinner the first Tuesday of every month at My Brother s Table, Lynn. December 5 is the next date. If you can help, please contact Tim Parker at DAYTIME BIBLE STUDY Please save your hotel-sized toiletries and drop them in the basket in the Guild Room. Diana Isbrandtsen will be making beautiful holiday gift baskets of these items to deliver to local shelters, such as Inn Between, Inn Transition, HAWC, and Lifebridge. Thank you. CHIMES SCHEDULE The Chimes is published monthly. (Please articles to lakeloreyn@aol.com.) Articles submitted past the deadline may have to be published in the next issue. Deadline: NOTE CHANGE TO WED. December 13 January 17 Tuesday morning Bible study, 9:15 a.m. All are welcome to gather in the Guild Room. 7

8 Church of St. Andrew 135 Lafayette Street, Marblehead, MA Telephone: Fax: Web site: standrewsmhd.org C. Clyde Elledge II, Rector x102 Mary Jodice, Music Director Shauna Le Blanc, Dir. of Christian Form x103 Janet Cook, Director, Altar Guild Kathy Loveland, Altar Guild Treasurer Pat Brown, Parish Administrator x101 Stephen Ruoff, Sexton Gail Power, Nursery School Director Dorothy Foley, Historian Laura Tufts, Cloister Gallery Coordinator Elizabeth Muller Reynolds, Chimes Editor Chris Stockwell, Senior Warden Steve Hahn, Junior Warden Pat Brown, Clerk John Howard, Treasurer Tori Caldwell, Vestry Marsha Cassidy, Vestry Deanna Karwowski, Vestry Eleanor Mancusi-Ungaro, Youth Vestry Billie Phillips, Vestry Richard Stratton, Vestry Kate Swanson, Vestry Claire Wahl, Vestry Nat Wysor, Vestry Mission Statement God calls us at St. Andrew s to grow spiritually and personally and to reach out to others as part of the global family. We will strive to respond to this challenge every day of our lives through: Worship that strengthens and inspires Love, mutual care, nurture, and fellowship Christian formation and teaching Christian discipleship at all stages of life Mission and outreach into the community and the world Faithful stewardship in gratitude for God s creation and gifts 8