Loading...Almighty and everlasting God, you are always more ready to hear than we to pray, and to give more than we either desire or deserve: Pour upon us the abundance of your mercy, forgiving us those things of which our conscience is afraid, and giving us those good things for which we are not worthy to ask, except through the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ our Savior; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. Collect for Proper 22, Book of Common Prayer, p. 234
As I read our Collect for this Sunday, the line, "Pour upon us the abundance of your mercy..." jumped out at me.
I don't know about you, but as a little girl, I grew up with a God who often seemed angry, vindictive, mean, and judgmental. As a teenager, I was taught more about the loving God embodied in Jesus. Yet, I need to be reminded about how loving God is. I need to be reminded that God forgives me many more times than I would ever forgive myself or others. God's mercy is more than I can ask or imagine. And once I experience God's abundance of mercy, I can then offer it to myself and to others. It's called compassion.
May you walk in compassion for yourselves and for others as you finish your week!
Love,
Rebecca+
Our longstanding silent witness has come down.
As you arriv
e at church this week, you'll notice a change as our huge elm tree is now cut down (almost). See our photos on our Facebook page. The wood from the tree is being used by a local family to heat their home. What's to happen with the remainder is for us to decide.
Join in the conversation on Radical Welcome
Meets Sunday at 11am until noon
Jane Hoover reports:
Sunday's theme was Moving from Inviting to Inclusion to Radical Welcome. Churches evolve from their current status on the welcoming spectrum. No one jumps directly into Radical Welcome unless they're already on the brink. Our conversation began with a participant's statement that we are probably an inclusive church now. There were nods of agreement. From there, we began to explore various openings and barriers to welcoming knew communities of people from the Newport area.
Ideas included:
- · Becoming more active with residents of Episcopal Gardens and Episcopal Commons, including both making it easier for them to come to Nativity or St Stephen and being more active in holding and participating in events there.
- · Trying to get to know individuals we already serve anonymously. For example, instead of just buying Christmas gifts for children on our list, invite the mothers to go along and participate in the shopping.
- · St Paul's Lutheran Church on Market St has very few members and they are currently without a pastor. Since the two denominations are in full communion, sharing is canonically feasible. We could explore with them what might be practical and in the best interest of both. We could begin small, like inviting the Lutheran children to Godly Play or worshipping together in their church for some Sundays, just as we do now at Thompsontown. Both congregations have historically significant facilities in good repair to which parishioners are attached, so suggestions to abandon either building would kill the possibility of mutual participation.
- · Having multiple services with different styles of music or worship, i.e.: Morning or Evening Prayer, a healing service, a Celtic service, a Latin music service (in Spanish?)
What ideas could you add?
This Sunday, October 4, Joanne Pinaire will lead a session on The Dream of Radical Welcome.
G
odly 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. Assistance is needed for Sunday, October 11.
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 Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. My sabbath days will be Monday and Friday. 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.
Upcoming Meetings
Thursday, October 8, 5:30pm, Finance Committee
Help a neighbor get to Church! Recently a neighbor asked if someone could assist her in walking to and from the church each Sunday. If you can do this, please let Rebecca know.
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.
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 dates are October 14 and 28.
Blessing of the Animals, Saturday, October 3, 11:30am, Newport Square
Rebecca will bless the animals as part of the Canal Day festivities on Saturday, October 3. A short service will be held. Certificates of blessing will be given. Bring your pet OR a photo of your pet. If you're available to assist Rebecca, please let her know.
Canal Day is from 9am - 2pm. Our parking lot will be used for some of the parking for the event. There is no rain date and the blessing will proceed as scheduled.
Volunteer for United Way of the Capital Region's Money in Your Pocket Campaign providing free tax preparation to low- to moderate-income working families. No experience is necessary and many opportunities are available. Training is provided. Find more information on their website here.
Serve on Vestry! Be a Delegate to Diocesan Convention! The Nominating Committee, Sue Beamer, Becky Crup, and Tootser Davis, are seeking nominess to serve on Vestry and as Delegates to General Convention. If you are interested, please see one of them by Sunday, October 11.
College Boxes. Wendy Day is preparing a box of goodies and fun items to send to our college student. If you have something you can donate, give it to Wendy by October 11.
Diocesan Convention to discuss important topics regarding church mission, the environment, prison reform, addressing racism, the death penalty, and education October 16-17, Altoona, PA
Sue Beamer, Jill Brownfield and Rebecca will be representing The Church of the Nativity and St. Stephen at the upcoming Diocesan Convention to be held in Altoona. There will be elections for the Diocesan Council of Trustees, Disciplinary Committee and Standing Committee. The Diocesan Budget for 2016 will also be voted upon. There are eight resolutions that will be considered. Some have come from within our Diocese, while others are as a result of work to implement resolutions passed at the 2015 General Convention. Please take some time to read these resolutions and let us know what you think about them.
Join others from the Parish for the "Making Strides Against Breast Cancer" Walk, Saturday, October 17, City Island, 8:30am. Walk is 5k (3.1 miles)
Annual CROP Walk for Hunger at Little Buffalo Park, Main Entrance, October 18, 12:30pm This annual event raises money for hunger programs throughout the United States. Twenty-five per cent (25%) of the money raised stays int he local community and will support the Perry County Food Bank. Online donations and more information is available here.
Interested in singing in a choir at Nativity and St. Stephen? If you're interested in singing in a choir for the church, please let Sue Beamer or Rebecca know. We'll work to find a practice day and time that works for everyone. At a minimum, you'll lead the parish in the hymns and singing of the service, and hopefully some special music occasionally.
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. See Lynne Mitchell if you have items or need more information.
Helping Hands Ministry needs brownies AND some assistance on 
Saturday, November 7. See Ann Roland.
Boxes of brownie mix and zip lo 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.
United Thankoffering Boxes Available. Help people in need around the world! Ingathering is 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 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 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!
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!
Join Hands Items of the Month - September - Personal Hygiene Items soap, shampoo, razors, shaving cream, washcloths, toothpaste, toothbrush, deodorant, etc.
Their latest newsletter is Here
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.
Stitchers meet in Undercroft on October 22, 10am
Stitchers meet the 4th Thursday of every month at 10am with changes in 
November and December to 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!
Refugee Crisis
Barbara Holliman is exploring ways we can help with the current Refugee Crisis. The coordinating agency in our area is Catholic Charities. Let Rebecca or Barbara know if you're interested in this project.
Read Bishop Scanlan's blog on this issue and look for more developments on the response of the Diocese of Central PA.
You can also find more information at Episcopal Migration Ministries.
The U.S. and its international partners are currently preparing for the December 2015 United Nations climate conference, and a key component of these negotiations is the Green Climate Fund (GCF). The poorest countries are often the most severely affected by our changing climate, and the GCF is a financial mechanism that will help these vulnerable states to reduce their carbon emissions and to adapt to the devastating impacts of climate change.
This Fund is reliant on the leadership, cooperation, and financial backing of participating countries and in order for the U.S. to contribute its fair share, Congress must allocate GCF funding through the appropriations process. For Fiscal Year 2016, President Obama has requested $500 million from U.S. Congress to help establish the GCF.
As an Episcopal advocate, you can support a strong international climate deal through asking your members of Congress to fund the GCF. Episcopal Church policy urges the President and Congress to provide financial support and leadership for developing nations to control their emissions of greenhouse gases in order to reduce their vulnerability to climate change.
Sample Letter:
As an Episcopalian and your constituent, I believe that public policy should protect vulnerable communities and care for God’s creation. The recent impacts of climate change on developing nations demonstrate the critical intersections of these priorities. Not only do poor communities often bear the brunt of climate change-related damage, but they also frequently lack the resources to limit their own carbon emissions.
The Green Climate Fund (GCF) would empower the citizens of impoverished countries to reduce their carbon emissions, and would provide essential funding to help these countries to adapt to the devastating impacts of climate change. The United States has an important role to play in providing leadership and financial support for this effort, and as we approach the 2015 United Nations climate negotiations in Paris, you have the opportunity to be a champion for our neighbors in need.
President Obama has requested $500 million for Fiscal Year 2016 to launch the GCF, and today I ask you to fully fund his request. Please support this crucial fund, and work to ensure that developing countries no longer disproportionately suffer the impacts of our changing climate. I thank you for your attention to this critical issue, and will hold you in my thoughts and prayers moving forward.
