Loading...Let your continual mercy, O Lord, cleanse and defend your Church; and, because it cannot continue in safety without your help, protect and govern it always by your goodness; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
I find this Sunday's Collect odd in some respects. It asks for mercy and protection for the church. Then it states, what I think is fairly obvious, "because it cannot continue in safety without your help...." Well, isn't that the heart of the church, i.e. that God is at the center and that the church community relies upon God?
Well, we all know that any time a diverse group of us comes together in a community, there is bound to be some friction, disagreement and conflict. The diversity in every aspect is what I find wonderful about the church. We may not agree on everything and we work to be in relationship with each other.
So this Sunday we pray for us as a community. We pray that the spirit that would tear us apart be cleansed from our community...that we be protected from those spirits that would hurt our community. We remind ourselves that our reliance is upon God; that no matter how diverse our opinions are regarding how to live our lives, we can all agree we must rely upon God.
Blessings as you finish your week!
Love, Rebecca+
My Schedule
This week, I'll be available Monday,Tuesday,Thursday, Saturday and Sunday, with Wednesday and Friday as sabbath days. You can reach me at nativityrector@pa.net or call 717-204-7642 or cell 717-433-1556.
Thanks Canon Warne and Fran for the print of The Bechtel Tannery!
Father Warne and Fran gifted the parish with print #13 of 50 by local artist Kathleen Howell. The tannery employed many people in its heyday and was one of the longest-operating tanneries in the county. The tannery was eventually sold and some of the Bechtel family relocated to Cincinnati, Ohio. The family was instrumental in founding The Church of the Nativity and left half of their fortune to the church, beginning in the 1950s. I found this interesting information in Hain's History of Perry County on Google Books, published in 1922. A thank you note will be available Sunday to sign to thank Father Warne and Fran for this gift.
Help a neighbor get to Church!
Recently a neighbor asked if someone could assist her in walking to and from the church each Sunday, beginning September 13. If you can do this, please let Rebecca know.
Blessing of the Backpacks, August 23, at the service
All students are invited to bring their backpacks with them to church on Sunday, August 23. We will bless them and pray for the students as they begin their school year.
Ordination and Consecration of The Rev. Canon Audrey Cady Scanlan, Saturday, Sept. 12, 2015, 11:00am, The Forum, 500 Walnut St., Harrisburg
Plan now to participate in this special occasion in the life of our Diocese. For more information, click here.
Read Bishop-Elect Scanlan's Bishop-Elect Scanlan's Blog to learn more about her journey to Central Pennsylania.
Celebration Banquet Honoring the Ordination and Consecration of The Rev. Audrey Cady Scanlan, Friday, September 11, 5:30-8:30, Hilton Harrisburg, 1 Second St. RSVP by Wednesday, August 12
Come join the celebration honoring our Bishop-Elect on the eve of her consecration. Dinner ranges from $36 - $46 depending upon the entree you choose. You can find more information at: //diocesecpa.org/aboutus/consecration. The RSVP card is at: //diocesecentralpa.s3.amazonaws.com/pdf/banquetreplycard.pdf
Join Us For Breakfast!
Men's breakfast - Every Wednesday, 9am, Espresso Yourself Cafe.
Women's breakfast - 2nd and 4th Wednesdays, 9am, May's Railside Cafe. Breakfast dates in August: 5, 19
Upcoming Meetings:
Worship Planning Group (Worship Committee and others), next Sunday, August 9, after the service.
Welcome Committee, Sunday, August 16, after the service.
Vestry, Wednesday, August 19, 6:30pm
Children, youth and their parents or other adult will meet Sunday, August 23, after the service. We will discuss activities we'd like to plan for the year.
Spiritual Formation for Every Child, Saturday, August 29, 10am - 2pm, St. John's, Marietta
Presenter - Guy Legare, Vice President Behavioral Supports at Supportive Concepts for Families.
“Many Christian parents of children with special needs desire for their children to attend church school where they can receive excellent opportunities to deepen spirituality in an environment that supports the values the parents seek to instill at home. We welcome Guy Legare, as a facilitator for our deeper understanding of the ways to be present to others, in order to best serve all God’s Children.”
Robyn Szoke-Coolidge, Dean, Stevenson School for Ministry
Cost is $10, which includes breakfast items and lunch.
- See more and register at: //www.diocesecpa.org/event/spiritual-formation-every-child
Giving To Others (GTO) deadline September 6
In addition to our usual grantees, the Program and Missions Committee is open to new organizations or individuals who may benefit from a grant through our Giving To Others program. If you would like to suggest an organization or individual, please see Lynne Mitchell, Wendy Day, or Pat Szabo by September 6. You'll need the name, address, and other contact information. If the organization has a brochure, that would also be helpful, as well as a suggested donation amount.
Parlor People to begin September 13, 11:00am – Noon
7-session series on the book, Radical Welcome: Embracing God, the Other and the Spirit of Transformation by The Rev
. Stephanie Spellers
We invite all adults to Parlor People, beginning September 13, after the service. We will be discussing the book, Radical Welcome by Episcopal priest, The Rev. Stephanie Spellers. Different people will lead each of the 7 sessions. If you’d like to read a chapter and lead a session, please see Rebecca, Bill Rohm, Susan Rice, or Jane Hoover. Some copies of the book will also be available if you'd like one. Let Rebecca know.
Heroin/Prescription Drug Addiction: A Perry County Problem, September 15, 8:30am - 3:30pm and Evening Forum 7-8:30pm, Family Life Center, 27W. Shortcut Rd., Newport.
Perry Human Services and The RASE Project are sponsoring this 1-day training for free regarding an important issue in our County. The program will be followed by an evening session of young people in recovery giving a message of hope. See the bulletin board in the undercroft for registration forms or contact Wendy Miller at 717-582-8703 or wmiller@perryhumanservices.org with your name, phone, email, school/agency if applicable and address. You only need to register for the day program.
September 26 auction to benefit the American Cancer Society
"Join Hands for Jeri" is a team that will walk in the American Cancer Society's "Making Strides Against Breast Cancer" walk on October 17 in Harrisburg. The team walks in memory of Michele Neibert's (Parish Administrator) Aunt Jeri who died of breast cancer at the age of 41.
The team works to raise thousands of dollars for the American Cancer Society, not only through the walk, but also through fundraisers and an auction on September 26 at the Shermanata Grange. Plan now to attend the auction!
United Thankoffering Boxes Available. Help people in need around the world!
United Thankoffering is a project of the Episcopal Church Women of The Episcopal Church. Boxes are available to collect your offering, which is brought to church twice a year.
A wonderful spiritual practice is to put something in the box each time you are thankful to God. On June 26, all of those donation boxes added up to $1.5 million dollars in grants!
Pick up your box today and get the benefits that gratitude and thankfulness bring to you, and do great works for others at the same time! The next ingathering is November 1.
For more information, click here.
Pick up a t-shirt Bag to collect your Food Bank Donations!
Members of the ECW made t-shirt bags to use for your food bank donations. A bag is at the back of the church. Take an empty bag and bring it back full of food donations! For a list of the items needed by the Food Bank, click here and then click on the wish list. Copies of the wish list are also available with the t-shirt bags.
And what a great use for t-shirts you're tired of wearing!
Brownies are needed to support Ann and Tony's feeding ministry.
Boxes of brownie mix are available in the Undercroft if you're willing to bake some brownies. Cut them into squares and put them in zip lock bags for Tony and Ann. 
Join Hands Items of the Month - August - School Supplies
Children need their school supplies, which can be quite a drain on a family's resources. Donate the following supplies:
lined notebook paper - college or wide
2-pocket folders with and without prongs
Flashdrives
Other school supplies - glue sticks, pens
Honor or Remember a loved one or a special occasion with flowers on the altar!
Flowers are enjoyed by the worshipping congregation on a Sunday and make a lovely remembrance of a birthday or anniversary or a loved one. Flowers are $35. A sign-up chart is in the Undercroft.
Help People in Need when you buy your Groceries!
See Gail Shull or Pat Szabo to purchase cards in various amounts to use at Giant, Mutzabaugh's, or Weis Stores. 5% of the cost of each card stays with the church and is used for outreach and mission projects. Most recently, the money supported lunch for the 100 children attending the St. Barnabas program at St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Harrisburg.
Taking Action!
Most of us have a difficult time seeing how our faith connects to our government. Lobbying conjures up something bad for many of us. However, our faith can undergird and guide us to work through our governments for justice and peace. It's another way we bring God's reign here and now.
The Pennsylvania Council of Churches works with its diverse members to create an advocacy agenda, predominantly focused upon the Pennsylvania State Legislature. You can connect with them through Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Pennsylvania-Council-of-Churches-Advocacy/133182573363816?sk=info&tab=overview or through their website at //pachurchesadvocacy.org/weblog/
The Episcopal Public Policy Network focuses on issues at the federal level. You can connect with them at //advocacy.episcopalchurch.org/ or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/TheEPPN or on Twitter at https://twitter.com/TheEPPN or on Instagram https://instagram.com/theeppn/?ref=badge
Next Newsletter Deadline: August 19
