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| News
from St. Mark's Episcopal Church |
October
2009 | |
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 Letter from John de
Beer
Dear
Friends,
Eleven of us "listened for God" for ninety minutes
in the choir room. This was the first in a five session
course on ways of praying. The second session is on
Tuesday, October 6, from 7:15 - 8:45pm. All are welcome
to try it out. Whether or not you can come
to any of the sessions, you might like to try listening
for God at home. At our first session we used a practice
from the Servant Leadership School of Greensboro (see www.servantleadergreensboro.com).
With three deep breaths, we intentionally come
into the present moment with an understanding that the
more Present we are to our own life and experience,
the more awake and transparent we become to the Divine
Presence always in our midst
A first deep
breath, to consciously let go of the past, the residue
of the day, whatever tension, fatigue or preoccupation
you may be carrying with you.
A second
deep breath, to arrive more fully in this present
moment-to really land in the here and now and to be
more fully present.
A third deep breath,
to open to what comes next-to open body, heart and
mind and Spirit to what God has for you in this
moment.
We invite you to bring your
attention to a kinesthetic awareness of your body,
which is, of course, always conveniently located in
the present moment. If seated, sit comfortably
upright, feet on the floor. Close your eyes, if you
are comfortable doing so. Or perhaps just a soft
downward gaze.
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Take a moment to really feel your body in the chair,
here in the present moment. Let the weight of your body
relax into the chair. Feel your feet on the floor, your legs
and hips resting on the chair, back comfortably straight,
shoulders and neck relaxed. And, for a few moments, pay
attention to your breathing. Simply paying attention to your
breathing usually will naturally tend to deepen it slightly.
And, as you breathe, relax the muscles of your face and
head, where most of us tend to hold a lot of tension. Relax
the muscles of your neck and throat; your jaw muscles and
mouth. Relax your eyes and the muscles around your eyes.
Relax your forehead, your cheeks, all the small muscles of
the face down to and including your chin. Relax your ears
and the entire scalp. And as you continue to breathe, just
be simply and quietly present - present to this place, this
room, the energy of the people around you, present to
yourself, your experience, your life, present to this
moment, the fullness of the here and now, and present to the
Divine Presence in whom we are resting, living, moving and
having
our being.
When you open your eyes,
try to maintain a sense of this
presence. This particular practice was
adapted from Thich Nhat Hanh. (You might look for his book
"Living Buddha, Living Christ.") Praying like this takes
practice. You may already be familiar with this or a similar
way of praying. If not, try it a few times. I'd love to know
what
happens. Peace, John The
Rev. John de Beer |
 From the Senior
Warden
HAPPY AUTUMN. This is not my favorite season of the year
but only because winter is right around the corner and I don't
like cold weather. Since Marilyn and Don decided to move to
Florida, I guess I will just have to visit them each winter!
However, autumn is a beautiful time here in New England. God
paints our trees with beautiful colors for all of us to
enjoy. If we just take the time to view the foliage we
can see God's hand everywhere.
The Vestry
recently held its yearly Mutual Ministry Review at the
Rectory. It was very enjoyable to once again utilize the
Rectory as part of our functioning church. John was a great
host! Some of the items that evolved from that night were
increasing our communications, growth, addressing Jr. High and
High School age people along with attention to our young
adults and helping to develop new leadership and increasing
our pastoral care. Over the past few months we have had quite
a few parishioners who are dealing with unpleasant health
issues. All our prayers and thoughts, phone calls and get well
cards are ways in which we can help each other get through
these tough times. This is a way for all of us to participate
in pastoral care by sincerely caring for each other as God
loves us, so are we to love each other. There is another way
to reach out and help this winter. The Pantry would like
knitted hats and mittens to hand out. So, if you can knit
please consider making a few pair of mittens or hats or
scarves. Also, if anyone wants to learn how to knit, let me
know. I will be happy to teach you!
THE BISHOP IS
COMING....Save October 17th to be present when Bishop Shaw
comes for his yearly visit. We understand that Saturday's are
somewhat difficult for families with children in sports to be
present, however, this is only one day and we will not be
getting a Bishop visit in 2010 due to a schedule change at the
Diocese. We will celebrate Eucharist at 10 am followed
by a brunch downstairs. Bishop Shaw will use this time to
celebrate God at work at St. Mark's and to talk with us about
our mission. We hope you will all make an effort to attend
this event and show your support for St. Mark's. He will also
be meeting with the vestry after brunch and then at 2:30 pm
with the young adults/families of the parish. Child care will
be provided. A sign-up sheet will be posted in the Narthex for
food contributions for the brunch.
Peace,
Shirley Estrella
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 From
the Associate for Multigenerational
Ministries
As I look at my calendar I'm excited to see all the
wonderful things happening at St. Marks. There is
confirmation class, youth group, "Listening to God" sessions,
a visit from our Bishop, and the Fall Fair--not to mention our
regular Sunday worship services. This upcoming month
will definitely be busy, busy, busy.
In general I don't
do well when my life is overly busy. When my "to do"
list gets too long I often don't even know where to
start. Seeing that list can be overwhelming. How
am I supposed to do all this in one day? In my
frustration I usually end up leaving the list on a pile of
papers only to find it the next day.
Being busy with
the world can be exhausting. Being busy with God,
however, is quite different. Being busy with God is like
being busy with a good friend. As the seven dwarves can
attest working with a group of friends always lightens the
load. Suddenly the work becomes easy and fun.
Working this way makes you feel creative and energized, rather
than stressed and fatigued.
When we are busy with
God the work isn't about getting something done. There
are no assignments or deadlines. With God our work is
simply to be who we are with all our gifts and flaws.
Sometimes this work requires sitting in silence or sometimes
volunteering time to help others. It is doing whatever
makes you smile, not just on the outside, but deep down
inside. This "inner smile" then spreads through us and
out into the world showing others that God's love is present
within us.
So, let's get busy with God!
Sarah |
 Elizabeth Centauro
Named to Diocesan Youth Council
Congratulations to Elizabeth Centauro on her selection as
the Alewife Deanery representative to the Diocesan Youth
Council (DYC). Elizabeth will represent the Alewife Deanery at
this year's convention.
The DYC generally has an event and/or meeting once a
month. They plan and run four diocesan youth
events, discuss relevant topics that concern
the youth of the diocese and explore their own
journeys of faith.
Elizabeth says that she met other DYC representatives at
Barbara Harris Camp retreats and camp weeks. They told her
that the DYC was a fun way to become active in their community
and take on more of an adult role. She is particularly looking
forward to planning and running retreats. She has enjoyed
them herself and says it will be cool to have them
be a product of the work of her and her friends.
In their first DYC retreat. Elizabeth says they spent a
lot of time getting to know each other by getting into big
circles, one inside and facing the other, and then sharing
their answers to questions that got more and more challenging.
They had to answer in one minute or less. She says that she
learned how better to communicate with people she doesn't know
very well. John de Beer heard that Elizabeth made an immediate
impression as someone who can share her faith easily and
naturally, and who is enthusiastic about her home parish of
St. Mark's.
In future meetings they will work on ways to build
trust in the community, work on their leadership skills, and
find ways of telling the Good News of Jesus Christ.
In the meantime, Elizabeth began to work to build
relationships with other members of the St. Mark's
congregation by inviting anyone who wanted to, come talk with
her. She extends this invitation to all of you who read the
ROAR as well, saying, "If you want to be one of the first
people to meet with me, just call me at
978-987-5834." |
| The Fall
Fair is Coming!!!
Our Annual FALL FAIR is scheduled for Saturday, October
24th from 10am-2pm.
This is our most important
fundraiser for the church and we welcome everyone to
come. We will have the popular Silent Auction; Baked
Goods; Children's Crafts; 50/50 Raffle and last but not least,
our white elephant sale.
Our church hall,
where the majority of activities are on display, is wheelchair
accessible from the parking lot. The White elephant room
will be located upstairs.
For the children this
year, we will have a Moonwalk ! located between the Food
Pantry and the Ed Building.
Our refreshments
will include hot dogs and sandwiches, chips, soda, coffee -
all at a reasonable price.
We're hoping for a
sunny day, so come on by and enjoy the day at St Mark's!
- Judy Gustafson and Sue
Heidbrink |
Property
Notes
We have done many things to keep OUR
CHURCH Buildings in good shape.
Thanks to all who have helped. A
special thanks goes to the people
who have kept the lawns and bushes
neat.
Now that SUMMER IS OFFICIALLY OVER,
and before the snows begin in
WINTER, more needs to be
done.
I am asking EVERYONE to seriously
consider HELPING with ONE of the
projects listed below.
1. The new garden is ready for next
step, pulling weeds, planting
some bright fall flowers and adding
mulch to make it look great for
the next two or three
months
2. New lights in Rectory kitchen and
the Rectory foundation will be
done professionally.
3. The Rectory deck has been power
washed, but needs to be treated
with a coat of wood preservative. Can
you take this on?
4. The Rectory: bathroom radiator
needs painting. Who will step
forward to do this simple
job?
5. The Rectory: bathroom tub needs to
caulked. Who will step forward
to do this simple job?
6. Rectory: Kitchen needs a
dishwasher. This will be done
professionally. Who will step forward
to coordinate this?
7. The Rectory front railing (steps)
need sanding, priming and
painting. Who will step forward to
coordinate this?
8. The rectory window sills need to
be inspected, repaired or
replaced. A challenging job. Who will
step forward to coordinate this?
10. Church: The sound system in the
church will get further updating.
This long range task is nearing
completion and John Doiron will be
coordinating this. Thanks
John!
Please remember that it is OUR church
and we need a little help here
and there to keep things in
shape.
THANKS IN ADVANCE
Jack
Heidbrink |
Women's
Group Meeting
Our first meeting that took place on Tuesday, September
22, 2009 was very successful. Along with enjoying a lot of
chocolate and great company, we managed to organize our
meetings for the coming year. Our next meeting
will take place on Tuesday, October 13th at 7:00 PM in the
parish hall. We will continue our contributions to the basket
auction for the church fair which will be on Saturday, October
24th. We are asking the ladies of St. Mark's to bring along
with them on the night of the meeting, new items you may have
at home that you have no use for. At that time we will gather
together all the donations and sort them into groups that will
make interesting baskets. Volunteers wishing to create baskets
will take home donated items, create the basket and bring them
to the church on Sunday, October 18th. If you are
unable to attend the meeting on the 13th but have items you
would like to donate, please speak to Linda Kelley and she
will make arrangements to pick up the donations. If you are
unable to attend due to transportation issues, please feel
free to contact one of the ladies below and she will make
arrangements to have someone pick you up and take you home. If
you have any questions, please feel free to
contact: Linda Kelley at 781-883-8972 or email at
ljkelley@rcn.com Rosemarie Tieri at
781-272-1558 or email at rozeetea@yahoo.com |
Outreach
Notes
The Burlington Food Pantry is housed on our grounds, and
on the first Sunday of every month we have a food drive to
support it. Donations have been dropping, even as needs have
been increasing. So please, when you are shopping, buy a
couple of items and bring them with you to church on
Sunday!
"Hamburger Helper" style noodle dishes to which chicken,
tuna, beef or pork can be added
Spaghetti sauce and dry pasta
Tuna fish
Mayonnaise
Catsup
Pancake Mix & syrup
Baked beans
Powdered milk
Soup
Bottled juice
Canned vegetables
Marge Douglass is now home and on the road to recovery
but is finding it far too slow for her taste. Please keep her
in your prayers! |
Choir
Notes
An article in The Sunday Times of London, entitled
"Choirs Are Becoming Cool" caught my attention! According to
the article, there are more than 25,000 choirs registered in
Britain. The choirmaster who started an award-winning BBC
series on choirs says of them, "They make people feel good.
Choirs are the only place where people come together and
express a common emotion. . . That's why football crowds sing
and why choirs are incredibly valuable to society in
general."
Based on the success of this series,
the BBC decided to celebrate the power of choirs in a
series called "Last Choir Standing." They will start with 60
choirs, narrow it down to 15, and then invite the public to
vote on the last 6 to pick the nation's favorite. I'm
not sure who to root for: the Filey Fishermen's Choir, the
Hereford Police Male Choir, the group of disabled singers from
Northern Ireland, or the kilted a cappella student group from
Saint Andrews. I just wish we could import the show to the US
so we could all watch it and share in their joy of singing.
All of the contestants commented on the
camaraderie, and the fact that the choir allowed them to
discover something new about themselves. We invite you
to enjoy the camaraderie of the Saint Mark's choirs, and use
it as an excuse to discover your own hidden
talents!
Youth Choir
We are back in full swing, so our Youth Choir will be
singing on the first and third Sundays of October. On the
first Sunday they will be teaching the congregation a new song
as part of our "Story Sunday", so come add your
voice!
I want to remind any parents of children
who are interested in Youth Choir that our rehearsals are now
on Sundays after the service until 11am. We welcome any
new and returning members, second grade or higher, who would
like to join us. I hope your children will come have
some fun and sing with their Sunday School
friends!
I am also on the lookout for any
children who are playing a musical instrument and who think
they would like to play during a service at St. Mark's. It
would be great to have them be part of a future "Story Sunday"
service. Student musicians could play as part of an
ensemble or as a soloist. There are plenty of possibilities,
so if you are interested, please let me know and we'll get
started on planning and
rehearsing.
Susan Dearborn,
Choir
Director |
 Notes from EDS
I have been blessed with the opportunity to work
with one of my professors as she writes articles and hopefully
a book during her sabbatical. In a recent article she
referenced a theologian named Catherine Mowry LaCugna, saying,
"LaCugna suggests that we imagine the ultimate conclusion of
the Christian story of salvation as the "household of God," a
more inclusive metaphor than the Kingdom of God. In this
household, intimate relationships develop such that 'the life
of God and creature exist together as one.'"
I am captivated by the concept of a household of God.
I've never really gotten the kingdom of God, what it looks
like. Kings just don't come naturally to me. I've heard the
Commonwealth of God used - but maybe because I live in a
Commonwealth that doesn't work for me either. But the
household of God... I feel like I know what that would be
like:
Everybody working together to keep the household
going
Everyone listening to each others' stories, supporting
each other when things go wrong, celebrating successes
Enough food for everyone - maybe not fancy, but no one
goes away hungry
Fresh clean water for everyone
Warm in the winter, cool in the summer, dry in the
rain
Watching our budget, being good stewards of our
resources, and always confident that somehow we would all have
enough
Oh I could go on, but more importantly, what do you think
of when you think of the household of God? And, how can we
make it happen here and now?
Catherine Owens
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Usher
Schedule
Oct
4
DON
HOWSER
BOB
PATTISON
Oct
11
CAROL
HODGKINS
DENNIS
HODGKINS
Oct
18
MARK
LAMOURINE
NELSON
HOLT
Oct
25
GREG
DOOLEY
BOB
JANKOWSKI
Nov
1
BRIAN
CULLINAN
RICK
BLANEY
Nov
8
DON
HOWSER
BOB
PATTISON
Nov
15
CAROL
HODGKINS
DENNIS
HODGKINS
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St. Mark's
Schedule
Holy Eucharist and Church School both begin
at 9:00 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
7:30 pm.
The Youth Group
meets on the first and third Sundays after the service.
Confirmation class meets on the second and fourth Sundays
after service. Any youth from 8th grade and up is invited,
even if you've already been confirmed!
Vestry meets at 7:00 pm in the Choir Room on the second
Monday. Vestry meetings are open to all, unless otherwise
announced.
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