Loading...The LORD has done great things for us, *
and we are glad indeed. Psalm 126:4
On Thursday, I'll be celebrating my 59th birthday. This verse from the Psalm reminded me of my 50th birthday. It was a Sunday and I was living in Washington, DC. I was just beginning to feel the pull to priesthood and spent quite a lot of time in church. I went to Evensong at The National Cathedral that afternoon and heard the Nunc Dimittis or The Song of Simeon from Luke 2:29-32:
Lord, you now have set your servant free *
to go in peace as you have promised;
For these eyes of mine have seen the Savior, *
whom you have prepared for all the world to see:
A Light to enlighten the nations, *
and the glory of your people Israel.
I thought about my life. I was beginning a new decade of life. I had more life behind me than ahead of me. Yet, like Simeon, I felt so much peace. I looked back over my life and was astounded. I experienced things I never imagined. Yes, I had my tough times like everyone; however, as I thought about my life, I felt like I'd had an amazing life.
Yes, I wanted to live longer, but I knew if I died that day, it'd be okay. I'd had so much wonderful life. God had done great things for me and I was glad indeed.
Many blessings as you finish your week!
Love, Rebecca+
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Join the conversation on Radical Welcome
Meets Sunday at 11am until noon through October 25
Jane Hoover reports: Last Sunday's Parlor People examined our perceptions of the other. Recognizing how we see others is even harder than recognizing how they see us. The next step is to identify the common reasons we give for not changing ourselves. The reasons sound justifiable and reasonable, but often they hide hidden fears that we REALLY do not want to see. Coming to recognize our fears and what has caused them is called shadow-work. It may be painful, but it is ultimately freeing.
This Sunday our series on Radical Welcome concludes. Kay Cramer leads a session on next steps.
There will be no Parlor People on Sunday, November 1; we'll be at St. Stephen's. On November 8, we begin a new series on the Celebration of Spiritual Discipline. Jane Hoover will talk about spiritual direction.
Godly Play, a spiritual guidance for children program for children and youth ages 3 to 12 usually meets the 2nd and 4th Sundays of the month at 9:30am. The next session is this Sunday, October 25.
Recent research shows that children who "have positive active relationships to spirituality are 40 percent less likely to use and abuse substances, and have 60 percent less depression than other teenagers. There are also differences in the brain structure." Listen to the full story.
My Schedule Next week. I'll be available Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. My sabbath days will be Monday and Tuesday. You can reach me at nativityrector@pa.net or 717-433-1556 (cell) or 717-204-7642 (home).
Schedule a time for me to come visit you! I'm enjoying visiting. If you haven't scheduled a visit, yet, plan to sign up this week! I'll come to your home or another location you suggest. This helps me to know you better and hopefully you will also know me a little better. Let me know your availability on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday days or evenings and I'll be in touch to arrange a time for us to get together. You can send an email to me at nativityrector@pa.net or leave a message at the church at 717-567-6514.
Prayerfully Consider your giving intentions to The Church of the Nativity and St. Stephen during 2016 and return your pledge card and Time and Talent sheet by October 25. The Finance Committee and Vestry are working on our spending plan for 2016. You should have received information about our mission and activities. As of earlier this week, we’ve received 10 pledges totaling nearly $23,000 of the $62,665 needed from the parish. If you need a packet, please let Rebecca know.
Upcoming Meetings
Wednesday, October 28, 10:00am, Program and Mission Committee
Wednesday, October 28, Noon, Labyrinth and Property Committee
Join Us For Breakfast!
Men's breakfast - Every Wednesday, 9am, Espresso Yourself Cafe.
Women's breakfast - 2nd and 4th Wednesdays in October, 9am, May's Railside Cafe. Upcoming breakfast date is October 28.
In November and December, the women meet the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays for breakfast - November 4 and 18; December 2 and 16.
Vestry Highlights
*Approved opening an interest-bearing checking account with our current bank, Orrstown Bank
*Approved 2016 Budget. Will be presented to parish at Annual Meeting
*Approved nominees for Vestry and 2016 Diocesan Convention
Vestry (3-year term)
Becky Gephart Crup
Mary (Tootser) K. Davis
Bill Day
2016 Diocesan Convention (October 14-15, 2016)
Becky Gephart Crup
Miguel Gonzales
Sue Beamer, Alternate
Installation of Michael Bruce Curry as Presiding Bishop. Events will be live-streamed on October 31, 11am - 1pm, which is a vigil service by the Union of Black Episcopalians (UBE) and on November 1, from noon to 3pm. For more information, click here.
All Saints’ Sunday at St. Stephen, November 1. As part of our remembering all of the saints, during communion, we’ll be reading the names of loved ones who have died. If you’d like to have the name of a loved one read that day, please contact Michele by October 25, 717-567-6514 or chnatss@pa.net. The names will also be printed in the bulletin.
Bingo and Pizza Party, Sunday, November 1, Honaman House, 11am - 2pm.
Plan now for a fun lunch and afternoon of Bingo and pizza at Honaman 
House in Thompsontown. After our service that day (we'll be at St. Stephens), we'll have pizza by Ann and Tony Roland and play Bingo. Prizes of household cleaning items, toiletries or $10 gift cards from Dollar General or Wal-Mart are needed. See Lynne Mitchell if you have items to donate or need more information.
Are you concerned about children in your neighborhood? Attend a "Front Porch Project" session. There will be door prizes and raffles at each event.
Thursday, November 5, 5:30pm - Light supper; 6-8pm - program
Saturday, November 7, 9am - coffee and donuts; 9:30-11:30am - program
Register by calling PA Family Support Alliance, 717-238-0937 or email srehrer@pa-fsa.org or register online at www.pa-fsa.org
Helping Hands Ministry needs brownies AND some assistance on Saturday, November 7. See Ann Roland.
Boxes of brownie mix and zip loc bags are available in the undercroft. Bake the brownies and put them in the bag, without cutting them. Return them to the undercroft where Tony and Ann will pick them up for use during their feeding ministry.
They also need a couple of people to help out with feeding on Saturday, November 7.
Remembering our Veterans, November 8. We’ll be remembering our Veterans in the parish with a special prayer at our service on November 8. We’ll put a list in the bulletin, also. Please let Michele know your name, branch of service, and years of service.
United Thankoffering will be collected Sunday, November 8.
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. Boxes are available to collect your offering, which is brought to church twice a year. The next ingathering is November 8. If possible, count the money in your box and write a check to the church in that amount.
For more information, click here.
Pick up a t-shirt Bag to collect your Food Bank Donations!
A member of the Perry County Food Bank staff will join us for coffee hour November 8!
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!
Perry County Food Bank Day, November 8. A representative of the Perry County Food Bank will join us on Sunday, November 8. Bring your food or financial donations. A table and information will be available at coffee hour that Sunday.
Beat the Rush Holiday fundraiser, Friday, December 18, 7-10pm, The Maples, New Bloomfield, to benefit Rotary Scholarships and community projects. Vote for your favorite holiday dessert or appetizer (a quarter a vote), door prizes, auction. Must be 21 or older. Only 100 tickets at $15 each. Let Rebecca know if you'd like to attend.
Annual Meeting, Sunday November 22. Elect Vestry members and Delegates to Diocesan Convention, as well as receive reports from our committees and review our 2016 spending plan. A pot luck will be held after the service.
The slate for elections to Vestry and Diocesan Convention Delegates are:
Vestry (3 year term): Becky Crup, Mary K. (Tootser) Davis, William Day
Diocesan Convention Delegates: Becky Crup, Miguel Gonzales
Diocesan Convention Alternate: Sue Beamer
Join Hands Items of the Month - October -
Personal Hygiene Items soap, shampoo, razors, shaving cream, washcloths, 
toothpaste, toothbrush, deodorant, etc.
Follow Join Hands on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Join-Hands-Ministry/155578531190411
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, ot to celebrate your thanksgivings. 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.
Pictorial Directory - Marion Fluchere is putting together a pictorial directory for us. She will be asking to take photos of each family for the directory. A draft with contact information is available. Please review the information, make any corrections and initial the entry.
Stitchers meet in Undercroft on October 29, 10am
Stitchers meet the last Thursday of every month at 10am with changes in November and December and no meetings in the summer. They knit and crochet prayer shawls and other items. The prayer shawls go to Perry Village and baby items go to families with Join Hands. See Edna Baker, Sue Beamer or Wendy Day if you'd like more information and don't worry about not knowing how to knit or crochet, because I bet this would be a great place to learn how!
