ST. MARY’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH
NEWSLETTER FOR OCTOBER 2009
The Diocese of Southern Ohio
The Rt. Rev. Thomas E. Breidenthal, Diocesan Bishop
The Rt. Rev. Kenneth L. Price, Jr., Bishop Suffragan
The Rev. Judi A. Wiley, Rector
234 North High Street, Hillsboro, OH 45133
Priest’s office hours: Mon, Wed, Thurs 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Tues. 12:00 noon to 7:00 pm – Sat. by appointment
Priest’s office phone: (937) 393-9445
Business office hours: Thursday 9:00 am to 3:00 pm
Church office phone: (937) 393-2043
e-mail: stmary@bright.net
web site: http://www.bright.net/~stmary/
Worship Services: Sunday 10:00 am
Sunday School for all ages at 9:00 am
Wednesday Holy Eucharist with Healing Prayers at 12:00 noon
ST. MARY’S STATEMENT OF PURPOSE
The mission of St. Mary’s Episcopal Church is to share the joy of a loving God through worship in the Anglican tradition, fellowship, and service.
(Adopted by Vestry April 5, 2008)
A WORD FROM OUR RECTOR
It hardly seems that it is fall already, but as I look back over all we have done together this year, I realize we have been blessed with both time and talent. It is fun to look back but also essential to continue to look forward. It is in the tomorrows that we will joyfully serve Jesus Christ.
This month we have the wonderful celebration of the Blessing of our Pets. I don’t know abut your pet, but Al-lea, my beloved miniature schnauzer, needs all the blessings she can get to stay out of trouble! It was such fun to see our pets in our directory, and now it will be an added pleasure to have them blessed. Join us on October 4th from 2:00 to 3:00 pm on St. Mary’s front lawn.
Bishop Ken Price will be with us on October 11th. He will be our speaker for the Adult Forum, celebrate confirmation and meet with the Vestry after a potluck dinner in Lacy Hall. It is always a special time when our bishops join us at St. Mary’s. Holly Culbreath, Kelly Fenner, Stephanie Habig, Linda Hopkins, Jeanne Leydig, Angie and Randy Martin will be confirmed. Our prayers and blessings for each and every one of them as they journey toward confirmation.
The Women’s Walk to Emmaus will take place in Wilmington on October 22-25. This is a wonderful weekend filled with opportunities to experience the love of God and the works of the Holy Spirit. Registration is still open for anyone who would like to go. See Peggy Larkin or me for information.
Just let me say a few words of thanks to the teachers who have committed to teach our children this year. There is a dedication in their souls that produces much energy. What a gift to our children. What better gift to give a child than teaching them about Jesus in a personal way. We are so blessed to have Carol Drummond, Shirley Furbee, Shirley Gilliam, Stephanie Habig, B.J. Hopkins, Nancy Ogden, Debby Schuler, Jennifer Singleton, Jane Stratten, Hollis Stevenson, Mary Brown Turner and Larry Wiley. Also, thanks go to our nursery caregivers. Remember to thank them when you see them.
I’m out of breath! This church family is on the go and eagerly spreading the Word of God in all we do. Look to the future? You bet we are! We are children of God growing in the knowledge that God loves us and has given us a purpose on this earth. We are proud to be members of St. Mary’s Episcopal Church. This is what I heard from a future member last week, “I want to go to the Episcopal Church! They are Rockin’” Amen to that! Rev. Judi+
Please contact a member of your Vestry with all concerns,
joys and ideas concerning St. Mary’s Church!
Tom Conroy, Dorothy Elble, Deanna Flinn, Jim Frodge,
Jim Heathcote, Phyllis Johnson, Jane Stratton and Jan Vosper
SENIOR WARDEN’S REPORT
Our parish has been busy lately . . . from meaningful sacraments to community activities to building fix-up. I understand we had a marvelous wedding for Jennifer Drummond Singleton. Because of the scheduling of three important events that day, not all of us could attend, and we wish we could have.
I believe we had a positive impact in our participation at the Peebles Old Timers Festival. Our booth was prominent on the main street and we made some good contacts. Lots of face painting took place and some good conversation ensued. Unfortunately, the parade was rained out on Sunday, so all the work on the float will have to be set aside for some future event.
On construction please note that we have a new entrance walk in front of the church with a ramp into the church and the elimination of the step. This adds to the handicap accessibility of the church. Also constructed was a new walk from the front of the church leading to the priest’s office.
My thanks to all those who made all these things possible. We all make our Christian commitment visible with the participation we make in God’s mission where we are. God bless you all! (Jim Heathcote, Senior Warden)
VISIT WITH BISHOP AND MRS. PRICE
AND CONFIRMATION
Sunday, October 11th
Potluck Dinner to follow the service.
Please keep those to be confirmed
in your prayers: Holly Culbreath,
Kelly Fenner, Stephanie Habig,
Linda Hopkins, Jeanne Leydig,
Angie Martin and Randy Martin
Don’t miss this special day
in the life of our parish!!
UNITED THANK OFFERING FALL INGATHERING
Sunday, October 18th
The first United Offering was held in 1889. The money
collected then was used to send a woman missionary to
Japan and to build a church in Anvik, Alaska. In the many
years since then the money offered in thanksgiving for
God’s many blessings has been used for projects around
the world. The United Thank Offering remains vital after
so many years because it has always been based on the sound theological premise that it is good to give thanks to God. Changes in the work and structure of the UTO reflect changes in church and society, but the underlying spiritual emphasis on thankful prayers has never changed. The UTO retains the potential to find new ways to carry out the mission and ministry of the church in the future.
We thank you God, for food, when we are surrounded by those who are hungry; for family and friends, when we are surrounded by those who are lonely and in despair; for the awareness of your love and presence, when we are surrounded by those who do not know you and who hunger for your love and peace. We not only give you thanks for our bounty, but pray that we may serve and love you through those in need.
A PRAYER
Oh God,
Take our minds and think through them.
Take our mouths and speak through them.
Take our hearts and set them on fire for you.
Amen.
CHILDREN IN THE CHURCH
A little boy was in a relative’s wedding. As he was coming down the aisle, he would take two steps, stop, and turn to the crowd. While facing the crowd, he would put his hands up like claws and roar. So it went; step, step, ROAR, step, step, ROAR, all the way down the aisle. As you can imagine, the crowd was near tears from laughing so hard by the time he reached the pulpit. When asked what he was doing, the child sniffed and said, “I was being the Ring Bear.”
DATES TO REMEMBER
Soup’s On: September 26th and October 31st
Fall Rummage Sale: Saturday, October 3rd from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm
Set-up will be on Thursday and Friday, October 1st and 2nd at 9:30 am.
Items for sale may be brought in all the preceding week,
but NO LATER than Thursday.
WE NEED LOTS AND LOTS OF VOLUNTEERS . . .
WE NEED BOOKS FOR THE CPC BOOK SALE!!
Blessing of the Pets: Sunday, October 4th from 2:00 to 3:00 pm
Next Vestry Meeting: Sunday, October 11th in the Telfair Room with Bishop Price following potluck dinner
Youth Gathering: Sunday, October 18th from 4:00 to 6:30 pm
Stewardship Sunday: November 8th . . . there will be a potluck dinner and auction and the presentation of our 2009-2010 stewardship appeal. Keep this date open for this important event. If you have any questions or suggestions about stewardship, please see Tom Conroy or Jim Heathcote.
ADULT FORUM SCHEDULE
September 27th: “About Bible Study” (Lee Kaufman)
October 4th: “Five Love Languages” (Jennifer Benson)
October 11th: Presentation by Bishop Price
October 18th: “What Exactly Is Stewardship?” (Tom Conroy & Jim Heathcote)
October 25th: “Telling Our Story” part 2 (Rev. Judi)
November 1st: “Four Famous Saints” (Rev. Judi)
November 8th: “Women of the Bible” part 1 (Betty Heathcote)
November 15th: “Women of the Bible” part 2 (Betty Heathcote)
November 22nd: TBA
November 29th: ADVENTure ONE: “Singing Carols” (Rev. Judi)
December 6th: ADVENTureTWO: “Discovering Christmas” (Rev. Judi)
December 13th: ADVENTure THREE: “Jesus Is More than a Baby” (Rev. Judi)
December 20th: ADVENTure FOUR: “The Greatest Gift” (Rev. Judi)
December 27th: “March to Epiphany 2010” (Rev. Judi)
ST. MARY’S APPALACHIAN MINISTRIES
Fall is here and with it comes the beginning of our Christmas in Bell County program. As you recall this program provides Christmas food boxes and clothing and toys for the children in Bell and Whitley Counties. The families selected are the 40 neediest families with a child enrolled in Head Start.
I need to correct a mistake that I made last month regarding the cost of the food boxes. I told you that the boxes cost $40.00 each when in fact they are only $25.00 each. Your donation of the cost of a food box will go a long way in making the upcoming holidays brighter for a family in southeastern Kentucky.
In the next few weeks the collection boxes for donated toys and clothing will be put out. You need only place your donated item in the box and we will handle the rest. Remember that we are dealing with children primarily ages newborn through 12 years old. Please keep the items small and relatively inexpensive. We have found that stores like Dollar General and Family Dollar make good places to find bargains on great items for this program.
Please remember to use your Kroger Neighborhood Rewards Card when shopping and remember that gift cards are great stocking stuffers as well as being handy to have around for your own use.
Thank you for your support for this program. (Jim Frodge, Chair)
PRAYER CONCERNS
“Almighty God, we entrust all who are dear to us, to your never-failing care and love, for this life and the life to come, knowing that you are doing for them better things than we can desire or pray for; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
We ask your blessing on Judi Austin, Mitch Franklin, Candy Hedge, Lois Higgins, Tom Runck, Esther Russell, Violet Schmidt, Anne W. Stamps; all persons serving in our Armed Forces; for the ministry of St. Mary’s Church; and for peace in our country and in the world.
CAMPBELL FOOD LABELS
St. Mary’s Guild now collects only Campbell’s soup (and other products) labels. We no longer have a source of postage stamp collection and Great Scot has stopped reimbursing us for register receipts from that store. Our final check from them for this program was $186.31, so that project was a beneficial one. The Campbell’s labels are sent to our Episcopal Bethany School in Cincinnati, and can be reimbursed by them for playground equipment and other needed items.
Please consider NOT using Styrofoam in our church anymore.
And, let’s recycle, please! Rev. Judi
Lectors/Chalice Bearers
10/4 Lector: Paul Orth
Intercessor: Larry Addington
Chalice: Peggy Larkin
10/11 Lector: Jennie Harner
Intercessor: Deanna Flinn
Chalice: Watina Frodge
10/18 Lector: Esther Russell
Intercessor: Jim Frodge
Chalice: Jim Heathcote
10/25 Lector: Jan Vosper
Intercessor: Stephen Williams
Chalice: Peggy Larkin
Altar Guild
Barbara Conroy
Watina Frodge
Carol & John Joy
Lee Kaufman
Stephen Williams
Acolytes
10/4 Lee Kaufman & Meghan Stratton
10/11 Stephen Williams & Grant Joy
10/18 Lee Kaufman & Alison Stratton
10/25 Stephen Williams & Grant Joy
Ushers/Greeters
10/4 Watina Frodge & Stephen Williams
10/11 Paul & Nancy Orth
10/18 Paul Orth & Stephen Williams
10/25 Paul & Phyllis Johnson
Sunday School Teachers
Pre-school: Shirley Furbee
Debby Shuler
Jane Stratton
Grades 1-3: Jennifer Drummond
Nancy Ogden
Grades 4-5: Carol Drummond
Mary Brown Turner
Grades 6-8: Stephanie Habig
Larry Wiley
Grades 9-12: BJ Hopkins
Hollis Stevenson
Floater: Shirley Gilliam
Nursery Care Providers
10/4 Peggy Addington
Judy Franklin
10/11 Andrea Harner
Christina George
10/18 B. J. Gee
Jeanne Leydig
10/25 Deanna Flinn
Margaret Lyons
substitutes:
Deanna Flinn
Judy Franklin
Margaret Lyons
Angie Martin
Coffee Hour Host
10/4 Mary Brown Turner
10/11 potluck dinner
10/18 Shirley & Jim Furbee
10/25 Gale & Larry Dukes
Kitchen Cleaners
October: Peggy Larkin & Margaret Lyons
November: Peggy & Larry Addington
December: Watina & Jim Frodge
January: Barbar & Tom Conroy
October Celebrations
Happy Birthday
10th – Kevin Bruce
12th – Ginny Rogers
13th – Alexander Myers
14th – Jeanne Leydig
18th – Stephen Williams
19th – Beth Mulholland
23rd – Dallas Harner
25th – Jordan Elmore
25th – Jennifer Drummond Singleton
Happy Anniversary
23rd – Lois & Jim Higgins