Loading...Happy are the people whose strength is in you! *
whose hearts are set on the pilgrims' way. Psalm 84:4
I love this Psalm mostly because I love the Brahms' piece, "How Lovely is Thy Dwelling Place." This week, I was drawn to this verse about hearts set on the pilgrim's way, because it ties into our labyrinth, believe it or not.
In the MIddle Ages, making a pilgrimage to the holy sites of Christianity was expected of Christians and many made the pilgrimage to Jerusalem, Rome, or Santiago de Compostela. However, after 1187, there was too much turmoil in Palestine for Christians to travel there. Within 40 years, the first pavement labyrinth was built in the Cathedral of Chartes, France. The maps of Jerusalem at the time were perceived as a circle divided into four quadrants and the early labyrinths represented these maps.
So walking the labyrinth was a way to accomplish the pilgrimage to Jerusalem. Walking the labyrinth sets your heart on the pilgrim's way and strengthens your soul. Walking the labyrinth can make you happy!
Come this Sunday to walk the labyrinth. Come this Sunday to thank Derek Tietje for organizing the construction of the labyrinth as his Eagle Scout project. Come this Sunday to remember and to give thanks for the ministry of The Rev. Daphne Messersmith in our community. Come this Sunday in happiness and joy!
Blessings as you finish your week!
Love, Rebecca+
Dedication of our Labyrinth in thanksgiving for the ministry of The Rev. Daphne Messersmith. Our labyrinth, built by Boy
Scout Troop 64 of Duncannon, under the leadership of Derek Tietje will be dedicated at Sunday’s service. Daphne and Derek
join us for the service, as well as some of the scouts and adults who assisted with the project.
Parlor People, 11am – noon. All adults are welcome to participate in Parlor People nearly every Sunday. Today we’ll learn more about labyrinths and how to walk them. Next week, Bill Rohm will lead us in a discussion of Public Faith in Action: How to
Think Carefully, Engage Wisely, and Vote with Integrity.
Godly Play is today.
November 6 service will be held at St. Stephen’s, Thompsontown in observance of All Saints Day. We’ll read the names of loved ones and friends who have died in the past year. Please let Michele (chnatss@pa.net)
know the names of those you’d like included by November 1.
Taize’ Tuesdays, 5:00pm. Twenty minutes of Centering Prayer followed by a Taize’ service.
Upcoming Meetings
October 23, Outdoor Space Use Plan, after Parlor People
October 25, 11am – 1pm,Craft and Lunch, Episcopal Commons
November 6, After service – lunch and BINGO at Honaman House
November 15, 7pm – Racism Awareness Group
Diocesan ECW Gathering, November 5, St. Thomas Episcopal Church, Lancaster. Guest speaker will be Beblon Parks, National ECW Board Member-at-Large for Social
Justice. Beblon served as an Episcopal Church delegate to the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women held March 14-24, 2016. She will share her experience of this event. Register by October 29 using this form: http://diocesecentralpa.s3.amazonaws.com/pdf/2016%20Annual%20Mtg%20ECW%20Registration.pdf
Donations for Lunch at Episcopal Commons, Tuesday, October 25, 11am – 1pm. The Program and Mission Committee will be hosting lunch and a fall craft at the Commons. If you can
contribute soup, a side dish or dessert for lunch, please let Lynne Mitchell or Wendy Day know.
Sacred Stitches, Saturday, October 29th, 10am – 2pm, St. Andrew's, Lewisburg. Please join us for a wonderful day of friendship and learning. Our hosts will be explaining their knitting ministry and a tour of St. Andrew's will be provided for anyone
interested. Please bring a bag lunch. Beverages and snacks will be provided. Questions? Email Jeannie Zeller at: jeanniez@comcast.net Wendy Day will be attending.If you would like to go, please let her know.
Unity Rally, November 5, 2-4pm, Harrisburg. In response to the possibility of hate groups rallying in Harrisburg on November 5, there will be a unity rally to show people are against hate. The location will be determined. You can get more information at //speakupforunity.org/ Also, let Rebecca know if you’d like to attend.
Lutheran-Anglican-Roman Catholic Day of Dialogue, Monday, November 7, 9am – 3pm, Cardinal Keeler Center, Harrisburg.
Rooted in Common Ground: our Universal Call to Care for Creation. A flyer is posted in the Undercroft with more info. Please see Rebecca if you would like to attend.
Nominations Slate for 2017 Vestry and Diocesan Convention Delegate and Alternate. Vestry recommends Shannon Burns, Kay Cramer, and Bill Rohm for Vestry and Miguel Gonzales for Delegate to 2017 Convention and Bill Rohm as Alternate. Jill Brownfield and Joanne Pinaire will be leaving Vestry. Voting on these recommendations will be held at the Annual Meeting on November. 20.
Give Online to The Church of the Nativity and St. Stephen! We’ve added a “Give Online” button to our website. You can use your credit card to make a onetime or recurring monthly donation to the church. On the second screen before final confirmation, you can give special instructions if you’d like to split your donation between the program fund, building fund, flowers or another area of the church. Check it out!
Honoring the Veterans in our Parish. We’d like to remember the Veterans in our parish on November 13. Let Michele (chnatss@pa.net) know the name and branch of service.
STEWARDSHIP PRAYER We continue our Stewardship season. You should have received information and return sheets for you to determine how you will support the Christian community of Nativity and St. Stephen during 2017. All materials should be turned in by October 30, when they will be presented during the offering. During this time, please pray:
You have called us to follow your son, Jesus, without counting the cost. Send us your Holy Spirit to give us courage and wisdom to be faithful disciples. We commit ourselves to being good stewards. Help us to be grateful, accountable, generous, and willing to give back with increase. Help us to make stewardship a way of life. Amen
Annual Meeting November 20, with potluck after church. We will vote on 2016 minutes; members of Vestry and 2017 Diocesan Convention Delegate and Alternate; and the 2017 Budget and receive reports from committees.
Bingo and Lunch at Honaman House after church. On Sunday, November 6, after church, we’ll go to Honaman House for coffee hour/lunch and BINGO. If you can provide soup, crackers, a side dish or dessert for lunch, please let Lynne Mitchell or Wendy Day know. Also, we’re accepting household cleaning and paper items for prizes.
A prayer for upcoming elections: Almighty God, to whom we
must account for all our powers and privileges: Guide the people of the United States and especially this community, in the election of officials and representatives; that, by faithful administration and wise laws, the rights of all may be protected and our nation be enabled to fulfill your purposes; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
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. Upcoming breakfast is October 26.
Help people in need around the world! A Thankoffering box is
available by the coffee pots in the kitchen if you'd like to make donations that way. 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. If possible, count the money in your box and write a check to the church in that amount.
Food Bank Donations are needed! For a list of the items needed by the Food Bank, go to their website at //www.perrycountyfoodbank.org/ and click on their wish
list. Canned vegetables, fruit, nut butters and protein are always needed.
Join Hands Items of the Month – Monetary Donations and Washers and Dryers
Honor or Remember a loved one or a special occasion with flowers on the altar! Flowers help make our worship space more beautiful and remind us of the blossoming life we have in Christ. Please consider sponsoring the flowers in memory of a loved one, or to celebrate your thanksgivings. Flowers are $30. 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.
Vestry approved the recommendation of the Program and Mission Committee for our Giving To Others donations for 2016.
$ 200.00 Leukemia/Lymphoma
$ 200.00 Four Diamonds Fund
$ 200.00 Neal S. VanBuskirk Foundation
$ 200.00 Relay for Life - Perry County
$200.00 Sonshine Ministries
$250.00 Borough of Newport
$250.00 Perry County Council of the Arts
$250.00 Perry County Animal Rescue
$300.00 Juniata County Library
$300.00 Gift of Love/Journey Christian Church
$500.00 Christian Churches United
$500.00 Central PA Youth Ministries
$500.00 Christian Education Release Program
$500.00 Citizens Fire Company, Newport
$500.00 Farmland Preservation
$500.00 Newport Senior Center
$500.00 Perry County Literacy Council
$500.00 Perry Housing Authority
$500.00 St. Barnabas-Rainbow Program
$500.00 Thompsontown Fire company
$1,000.00 Perry Human Services
$1,000.00 Bread of Life
$1,000.00 Beacon Clinic
$1,000.00 Join Hands
$750.00 Kyle Weller scholarship Fund
$750.00 Newport Library
$800.00 YWCA of Harrisburg
$1000.00 Stevenson School for Ministry
$2000.00 Perry County Food Bank
$1000.00 Juniata County Food Pantry
$2500.00 Helping kids
The Violence Intervention and Prevention Department of the YWCA of Harrisburg is seeking a part-time evening (25 hours per week) residential representative for its rural transitional housing facility located in Perry County. This position will provide domestic violence/sexual assault supportive services and case management assistance to transitional housing residents. This position will also provide support to the YWCA's crisis staff including assisting with shelter, accompaniments, and other domestic violence/sexual assault services. Applicants must demonstrate the ability to work independently, utilize sound judgment, respond to crisis situations in a professional manner, and balance numerous priorities and tasks at one time. Must have excellent verbal and written communication skills, experience in crisis intervention or other human services field, and be able to accommodate flexible hours as required. Must have driver's license, reliable transportation, proof of insurance, FBI, criminal, and child abuse clearances. Please send resume and cover letter to resume@ywcahbg.org.
