|
|
|
|
| News from St. Mark's Episcopal Church | November 2010 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Letter from John de Beer
Dear Friends,
St. Mark's has a new sign! Back in February, the vestry identified evangelism as one of its three areas of emphasis this year, understanding evangelism as one hungry person telling another hungry person where to find bread. Those who come new to St. Mark's speak of being warmly welcomed, of finding a spiritual home in which to worship God in a community of adults and children together. Our new sign will make it easier for others to find us and share in the bread and the wine with us. So will our updated website. Thank you to those who worked on the sign - Bob Pattison, Megan Jordan, Shirley Estrella and Sally Cassidy. Bruce Jordan and Justin Turner are the website team. The sign and the website show that as a parish we are serious about evangelism, about sharing the Good News with others. We live in a time when many people seem indifferent or even hostile to the Good News we have to share. Yet I believe that there is a great hunger for what feeds us at St. Mark's. The Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, spoke recently about the sense of isolation that affects so many people today. There is a strong resistance in our culture to taking responsibility for others, he said, which leads to a frightening feeling of fragmentation. As humans we need to be connected, to belong, to matter. We are learning to do this as a parish. Let us continue to feast on the riches that God provides as we respond to God's call to share the good new with a hungry world. Below is a prayer which helps me do this. Blessings, John de Beer |
|
|
|
|
|
A Prayer of George MacLeod during the rebuilding of the Abbey on Iona
It is not just the interior of these walls,
It is our own inner beings you have renewed.
We are your temple not made with hands.
We are your body.
If every wall should crumble,
and every church decay, we are your habitation.
Nearer are you than breathing,
closer than hands and feet.
Ours are the eyes with which you, in the mystery,
look out in compassion on the world.
So we bless you for this place,
For your directing of us,
your redeeming of us, and your indwelling.
Take us 'outside the camp', Lord,
outside holiness,
out to where soldiers gamble, and thieves curse,
and nations clash at the cross-roads of the world... |
|
Upcoming Events
Sunday, November 7 All Saints Story Sunday
Sunday, November 21 Collection day for PHP Thanksgiving donations
Monday, November 22, 7:00 pm Burlington Interfaith Thanksgiving Service
Saturday, November 27 St. Mark's Staffs the Wish Tree, Burlington Mall Sunday, November 28 Wreath Decorating with the Women's Group
|
Vestry Positions Open for 2011 The Nominating Committee is looking for people interested in serving on the Vestry. The openings include:
- Treasurer
- 2 Vestry Members for a 3 year term, with terms expiring in 2014
- 2 representatives to the Alewife Deanery - 1 year term
- 2 Convention Representatives - 1 year and 1 meeting
- Youth Representative
|
|
People Helping People Holiday Programs
St. Marks has been asked to sit at the Wish Tree at Burlington Mall on two separate days¸ Saturday, November 27 and Wednesday, December 9. The sign-up sheets will be posted on the bulletin board downstairs. Each person who signs up is asked to sit for two hours except the 8-9 pm slot, which is for 1 hour. Your help is greatly appreciated. If you have any questions, you may ask Judy Walsh. (781-272-8262). Judy also will have underwear and pajama cards for people to purchase for the children whose families come to the food pantry. These cards will be available at the beginning of November. Any item purchased needs to be returned with the card, unwrapped by Sunday December 12. |
From the Associate for Multigenerational Ministries
All good gifts around us are sent from heaven above;
Then thank the Lord, O thank the Lord for all his love.
- Matthias Claudius
Dear Friends,
I have been a gardener for many years. There have been years when November arrived as a very sad season for me, my garden reduced to a tangle of frozen vines. But this year, being with you at St. Mark's has turned my calendar upside down. As the colors outside have faded and disappeared, St. Mark's church has come alive with growth and beauty.
As one of the newest people at St. Mark's, I am standing at the edge of the community, looking in. What I see appears like a garden, full of growth and vitality.
This is what I see:
+ I see a church of many strengths.
+ Church School classes full of children who are ready to grow in faith.
+ An experienced, remarkably stable team of Church School teachers.
+ Elders encouraging younger members and taking joy in sharing the life of our children.
+ Adults committed to their lifelong relationship with God.
+ A strong youth group nurtured by faithful leaders.
+ Youth and young adults who understand that no longer being a child doesn't mean no longer being God's child.
+ Parents taking time to make faith a part of the lives of their children.
+ An adult choir devoted to supporting our worship throughout the year.
+ A musician who welcomes new members and new ideas and leads our music with great skill.
+ A rector gifted in supporting others in their faith journeys.
+ A vestry dedicated to discerning where God is leading us.
+ Altar guild members arriving early and staying late each Sunday, doing essential tasks out of human sight but under God's loving gaze.
+ Long-time members supporting the ongoing work of the church by taking on a variety of ministries.
+ A congregation that supports each other like a family, yet welcomes new members without qualification.
+ I see many, many people making space for God in their lives and in turn being sustained by God's love.
St. Mark's is one of God's beautiful gardens. This is an incredibly beautiful place to be. It is beautiful to see newcomers welcomed like sisters and brothers. It is beautiful to see a congregation filled with people of every age group. And none of this is what I expected when I came to St. Mark's. Small churches are not expected to have strong youth groups. Small churches are not expected to have a choir that leads the music every Sunday.
I believe that the faith that is growing at St. Mark's Church is far too beautiful to be of human creation. These are the gifts of God's creation. Let us rejoice and be glad!
Faithfully,
Philip |
From the Senior Warden
 As I write this, we are in the last week of planning for our Fall Fair. I am sure it will be a success and as always, this is a great time for fellowship with past and present parishioners and friends. Events at St Mark's for October were very sad and very joyful. The sadness came with the passing of Bruce Burrell, a longtime parishioner and friend. The Pastoral Team rose to this occasion with the ongoing care of Bruce in being present with him as he struggled through his treatments and his last days. We have a great team of caring individuals and we thank God for them and for the life of Bruce and all his contributions to St. Mark's, especially for his musical talent. He will be greatly missed. The Blessing of the Animals was a very joyful occasion. These creatures have come to us from various situations and part of our stewardship on this planet is to care for them. They provide us with such unconditional love. Philip and Catherine did a great job of organizing this service and everything went very well. I hope we can make this an annual event. The open plate collection that day was $90 which was sent to the Diocese for our contribution to the Green Grants Program. The Diocese will match this amount and the funds will be used to help churches in our Diocese to become more eco friendly and reduce their carbon footprint on this precious earth. Thanks to all who contributed to this cause. St Mark's is hosting the Burlington Ecumenical Thanksgiving Service on Monday, November 22. I hope you all plan to attend and to support this service. Our altar will be adorned with fresh vegetables that will be purchased with Outreach funds and then donated to the People Helping People Thanksgiving food baskets for distribution. The theme for this month seems to be thanksgiving and we have a great opportunity to give thanks to God through our pledge. Pledge cards have been distributed and we would like to receive them back by Nov. 7th at the latest so we can start planning the 2011 budget. If you did not get a pledge card and would like one, call the office, speak to me or one of the ushers. I wish you all a happy and joyful Thanksgiving. Shirley |
Lion in the Limelight
Our Lioness this month is Doris Floyd. Doris sings in the choir, sends cards and prayers to parishioners on our card list, and greets everyone with an open invitation to join us.
- - -
 I love people. I love to be with people, especially family and friends. And I love my grandchildren and great grandchildren. And I love food, especially Italian food and Chinese food. I love my music. I have sung in the choir all my life. When I tell people I have sung in the choir for 75 years, they think I am whacked! Above all, I love the church. It is the biggest part of my life. When I first came to St. Mark's in Burlington, I could not believe how much love and care was here.
I was born in Newfoundland and lived there until I was five years old. Then my family moved to Somerville, MA where I grew up. My whole family loved to sing and we sang in the Baptist church because it was close to our home, but we were not members there. I feel like I have been an Episcopalian all my life. Then we went to St. James Episcopal Church in Cambridge, where I met Penny Newton's family including her brother whom I later married.
When I was only ten years old, the week of Easter, I had rheumatic fever and diphtheria at the same time and almost died. My godmother came and she brought a chocolate cross with candy flowers on it. It was special. The doctor came and stayed all night. Very late, near midnight, he looked at my mother and father and shook his head. They almost gave up on me. But at around 4:00 in the morning, he smiled and said that I had made it past the critical time and that I was going to make it. He said that I would have a rheumatic heart the rest of my life, and no one knew how long I would live. [chuckle] Boy, I wish I could see him now. I am almost 91. That was a blessing!
I love my friends. For twenty-five years, the three of us Golden Girls, Natalie Bettinson, Marion Walthall, and I, went to York Beach Maine and spent a week together. Those were good memories. Natalie and I walked the whole beach just talking like friends do. She asked about my husband who died long ago. She was so sincere, and such a good listener, I think she got to know my husband as well as I did.
I have been blessed. There's no question about it. I have my health, my family and my friends. These are blessings. And I live for the church, it is fantastic. I think that there is good in everybody and I like to be with people. I reach out to people, to invite them to coffee hour, or to come to church more often, because that is how we get to know each other.
There is one thing that is bothering me. When our [church] children go off to college, they are gone, like we lose them. I would like to reach out to them to let them know that we miss them and are thinking about them, maybe have an article in the ROAR during the year. (Note from the author: Doris and I discussed an idea to send our St. Mark's students who are away at college a preChristmas "care" package (a stocking with stuffers) and again a preEaster basket, as a physical reminder that while they are separated from us by distance, we are all together in spirit, and miss them).
- - -
Thanks to Rick Eaton for this interview. |
Food Pantry 2010 Thanksgiving Food Basket
 The Burlington Pantry will be giving all the food for a traditional Thanksgiving dinner to over 130 families, including elderly shut-ins and veterans, on Sunday, November 21. We hope you will participate in the food collection for this project.
Again this year, the collection and distribution will be at the United Church of Christ, Congregational, on the corner of Bedford and Lexington Streets. Please bring the food you have collected to the UCC church between 12:00 and 1:00 on Sunday, Nov. 21st. If you have questions about the collection or the delivery, please email Janet Fitzgerald or call her at (781) 244-9519.
We are requesting the following specific list of foods for a Thanksgiving dinner. PLEASE ONLY NEW PURCHASES, NO EXPIRED DATES!!!
Stuffing (bags or boxes)
Cranberry Sauce
Gravy
Chicken Broth
Corn
Apple Juice Concentrate (canned, not frozen)
Cornbread Mix
Mayonnaise
This is a relatively short list - but we need many of each item. Fresh vegetables (potatoes, carrots, green beans, squash, etc.) will be purchased, so if any of your members would like to contribute money instead of food items, such donations would be welcome. Checks should be made payable to People Helping People. Rotary will be providing the turkeys again this year. Cub Scout families will be providing pies. |
|
News from Outreach
Recently St. Mark's received a letter from Julio Vasquez, whom we have been sponsoring at the El Hogar Projects in Honduras. This is what he said:
Dear sponsors, hello! How are you?
I would like to thank you for your help. I am in the electricity program. My plans are to continue studying and become an engineer. I would like to thanks first, God for looking after me when I am in the Santa Maria Institute and secondly you for allowing me being there. I am very happy studying there. May God bless you.
Students at El Hogar come from all over Honduras and they live together at the institute as a family. Besides their academic studies, and their time in the workshops, they also learn Christian values. The mission of El Hogar Projects is to provide a loving home and education in a Christian environment for abandoned, orphaned and hopelessly poor children, enabling them to fulfill their ultimate potential as productive human beings in Honduras.
This is Julio's last semester at El Hogar. St. Mark's, through our Outreach Gifts, is looking forward to sponsoring yet another child and hearing how he/she is living and growing in their academic studies and their Christian environment.
- Sue Heidbrink |
Wreath Decorating with the Women's Group
We will be having our "Annual Make Your Own Christmas Wreath Day" on Sunday, November 28, 2010 following the church service in the parish hall. A sign up sheet is in the Narthex for anyone that would like to purchase a wreath. We will provide bows and decorations. The cost is to be determined. St. Mark's entire congregation is welcome. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact: Linda Kelley at 781-883-8972
- Linda Kelley |
Veteran's Day
A Creed
by Edgar Guest
Lord let me not in service lag.
Let me be worthy of our flag.
Let me remember when I am tired,
The sons heroic who have died.
In freedom's name and in my way,
Teach me to be as brave as they.
In all I am, and all I do,
Unto our flag I would be true.
For God and country let me stand,
Unstained of soul, clean of hand.
Teach me to serve and guard and love,
The starry flag that flies above.
This Veteran's Day, we are again proud to be honoring those who stood and served. In memory of our loved ones who served in every branch of the military and celebrating the steadfast commitment of all veterans and those men and women currently serving now. Gift donations will be collected and given in their honor to the Veterans Administration Hospital in Bedford, MA. for the purchase of canteen books for the patients. Donation forms are available in church. Please include branch of service, rank and current duty stations for those in active service. For all veterans include service affiliation and area where they served. We ask this so that that St. Mark's may honor them by including their names and service information in the Sunday bulletin for Veteran's Day. - Betsy Figenbaum |
God and Us -- News from the Vestry
The endowment funds distributions were voted on at our recent Vestry meeting. A $500 scholarship was given to Andy Gilbert and $1,500 was given to the outreach committee. Congratulations to Andy!
St. Mark's has received an unrestricted gift of $46,631.33 from the estate of Barbara McCarthy. What a blessing, may God guide us in its proper use.
By the time you read this our annual fair will have come and gone. Judging by the number of people involved and the enthusiasm shown by all involved, this one should be the best one yet. It's remarkable how through our God's urgings, so many step in when needed the most.
The funeral director at Bruce's funeral thanked all concerned for the removal of the center rail at our entrance.
Well that's all for now
God Bless
Don Howser |
Choir Notes
I would like to thank Judy Gustafson and Deb Smyth for enlarging our choir when we sang for Bruce Burrell's funeral. It was wonderful to have a larger choir to make this a special service in honor of our good friend and fellow musician. My thanks also go to our Adult Choir members and everyone else at St. Mark's who helped make this a fitting tribute to one who had done so much for us.
We'll be celebrating All Saints' Day on Sunday, November 7th, with both choirs and added instrumental music. Our recessional hymn will be "When the Saints Go Marching In" with any Sunday School students who want to play an instrument joining in for the recessional march.
Our Youth Choir will be singing "I Sing a Song of the Saints of God" for our All Saints' service on Story Sunday, and we'll add a verse we have written just for the occasion. We've got a special dedication in store for that song, and the choir is looking forward to sharing it with you.
Scheduling note: Please remember that we will not have Adult Choir Rehearsal on Thursday, November 25th because of the Thanksgiving holiday. Our regular schedule will resume on the following Thursday, December 2nd. The Youth Choir will rehearse as usual after the service on Sunday, November 28th.
And another scheduling note, St. Mark's will be hosting the Burlington Interfaith Thanksgiving Service on Monday, November 22nd at 7 pm. We have invited the choirs from other Burlington churches to join our Adult Choir, along with the band from the Temple. Any of you who would like to be part of our choir for that special service are more than welcome to come to our joint choir rehearsal at 6 pm that night. We hope to see many of you in the congregation as we gather together to give thanks.
Susan Dearborn
Organist and Choir Director |
 Notes from EDS
Technology is a wonderful thing sometimes. The class I am taking is being offered for both our residential seminarians and our distributed learning (DL) students. The latter are from all over the country, and their situation does not allow them to relocate. We use software that lets us all see each other through cameras in the classroom and on the computers of the DL students. A conference bridge allows the DL students to call in and both hear and participate in the class conversations.
As a commuter student, I should be coming to the live class. However, this has been a Fall where things have happened. One Thursday I was so sick I could never have made it to Cambridge, but I could at least listen to the class by phone and see it on camera. The Thursday of David's surgery I began to listen to the class by cell phone after he got settled in his hospital room and finished it on camera at my computer back at the house.
And, the Thursday we all gathered to pray after Bruce died I asked for and received special permission to participate remotely, so I could join you, albeit a bit late, as we remembered Bruce.
I am no less a member of that community for participating electronically - indeed I am more of a member, since without the electronic option I would have missed three classes and quite possibly not have completed the class.
I continue to wonder how we at St. Mark's might leverage technology. Could we do Bible study in an electronic meeting? Could we engage in theological discussion in a blog? Could we keep each other informed about significant events in our lives through our own social network?
To be honest, I don't think it's so much a question of 'could we?' as 'when will we?' When will we evaluate the possibilities to see the technologies that support us in our mission, and then integrate them into our communal life. It would be a great gift to offer more opportunities for those of us with schedule conflicts to continue to partcipate in the many joys our community offers.
Peace,
Catherine Owens |
Schedules
Lectors and Prayers
|
Date |
Hebrew Scripture / Psalm |
New Testament |
Prayers of the People | |
Nov 7 |
Story Sunday | |
Nov 14 |
Ann Sullivan |
Steve Cunha |
Rick Eaton | |
Nov 21 |
Sally Toye |
Catherine Owens |
Norm Dooley | |
Nov 28 |
Justin Turner |
Shirley Estrella |
Jeremy Grace | |
Dec 5 |
Steve Cunha |
Mark Lamourine |
Jack Heidbrink | |
Dec 12 |
Rick Eaton |
Catherine Owens |
Betsy Figenbaum | |
Dec 19 |
Story Sunday | |
Dec 24 (Family) |
Jeremy Grace |
Ann Sullivan |
Nelson Holt | |
Dec 24 (Evening) |
Catherine Owens |
Shirley Estrella |
Sally Toye | |
Dec 26 |
Jack Heidbrink |
Justin Turner |
Betsy Figenbaum |
Chalicers
|
Date |
Crucifer/Chalicer |
Chalicer 2 | |
Nov 7 |
Story Sunday | |
Nov 14 |
Steve Cunha |
Norm Dooley | |
Nov 21 |
Jack Heidbrink |
Pat Doleman | |
Nov 28 |
Catherine Owens |
Howard Bettinson | |
Dec 5 |
Sally Toye |
Shirley Estrella | |
Dec 12 |
Pat Doleman |
Norm Dooley | |
Dec 19 |
Story Sunday | |
Dec 24 (Family) |
Steve Cunha |
Jack Heidbrink | |
Dec 24 (Evening) |
Shirley Estrella |
Howard Bettinson | |
Dec 26 |
Sue Heidbrink |
Catherine Ownes |
|
St. Mark's Schedule
Holy Eucharist and Church School both begin at 9:30 am on Sunday. Church School children join the congregation at the peace. After service we have coffee hour in the parish hall.
On the first Sunday of the month Sunday School combines with our regular service for a special Story service.
The Bible study group meets on Sunday in the parish hall after coffee hour to study the lessons for the next Sunday. No special background or education is required, and you do not have to attend every week. Please join us when you can!
The Youth Choir rehearses after service on Sunday. The Adult Choir rehearses on Thursday at
7:00 pm.
The Youth Group meets on the first and third Sundays after the service.
Vestry meets at 7:00 pm in the Choir Room on the second Monday. Vestry meetings are open to all, unless otherwise announced.
|
|
|
|
|
