Loading...Hallelujah!
I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart, *
in the assembly of the upright, in the congregation. Psalm 111:1
Most of us were taught to say "thank you." Some of us had to write thank you notes for gifts. Thanking others is a good practice for us. We enjoy remembering the kindness and gift someone showed to us. We feel so blessed when someone cares for us, offering hospitality, care, love and concern. When we thank someone, we acknowledge them... we see them and what they have done. We feel good when we thank others.
Our Psalm this week says we will give thanks to God with out whole hearts. In doing so, we remember the kindness and gifts God has shown to us. When we thank God, we remember the blessing of a God who cares for us, who loves us, and is concerned with us. When we thank God, we acknowledge God and God's activity in our lives. We feel good.
Let us come together this Sunday to give thanks to God with our whole hearts!
Blessings and Peace as you finish your week!
Love, Rebecca+
The Elevator has passed inspection and is now working!
Stewardship Prayer
Lord Jesus Christ, you have given us every spiritual and material blessing. Show us how to share our gifts with others, and inspire us always to follow your example of generous self-giving. Gracious Lord, teach us to give with a joyous and grateful heart that we may provide hope, consolation, and pastoral care to your people and thus give glory and honor to your holy name. Amen
You should receive your letter and pledge return, as well as time and talent request next week. Please return to the church by October 30, when the pledges will be received as offering and blessed.
As of October 6, 100% of Vestry have pledged a total of $19,208 to the 2017 budget.
Parlor People, Sunday, 11am – noon. All adults are welcome to participate in Parlor People nearly every Sunday. This Sunday, Jean Tuzinski talks about her recent trip to The Galapagos Islands. Next Sunday, Marion Fluchere talks about her family’s trip to Vienna, the home of Dickie’s parents before the holocaust.
Also, Jane Hoover, Bill Rohm and I are interested in hearing about what you believe are your spiritual needs and/or the spiritual needs of the congregation. Our Mission statement says we’re “called to grow: in service, in numbers of disciples, and in grace.” How can Parlor People help us fulfill our mission? Let us know, so we can plan some Parlor People sessions around these needs.
Godly Play is this Sunday.
We are starting our prayer list over again. If you have a name you’d like for the list, let Michele know at 567-6514 or chnatss@pa.net.
Men’s Breakfast - each Wed., 9am, Espresso Yourself Café.
Women’s Breakfast - October 12 and 26, 9am, May’s Railside.
Choir Practice Wednesdays after Women’s Breakfast at 10:15am
The upcoming practices will be October 12 and 26.
Upcoming Meetings
This Sunday, Confirmation Class, 11am
October 18, Parlor People Planning Committee, 3:30
October 19, Vestry, 6:30pm
October 23, Outdoor Space Use Plan, after Parlor People
October 25, 11am – 1pm, Craft and Lunch, Episcopal Commons
October 26, 7:00pm – Racism Awareness Group
Taize’ Tuesdays, 5:00pm. Twenty minutes of Centering Prayer followed by a Taize’ service.
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!
Please pray for our confirmands. O God, you prepared your disciples for the coming of the Spirit through the teaching of your Son Jesus Christ: Make the hearts and minds of Ethan, Lily and Sophia ready to receive the blessing of the Holy Spirit, that they may be filled with the strength of his presence; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Book of Common Prayer, p. 819.
Please say yes if Lily, Ethan or Sophia asks to interview you during coffee hour this Sunday. They will ask the following questions: When you were little, what church did you go to? Where and how often? When did you start going to church? Why do you think church is important? Why do you worship God?
CROP Walk, Sunday, October 16, 12:30pm, Little Buffalo State Park, Main Entrance. Participate in this year’s CROP Walk at Little Buffalo or to make a donation, send a check payable to CWS/CROP to Mannsville Lutheran Church, 2944 Mannsville Road, Elliottsburg PA 17024. 25% of the money raised goes to the Perry County Food Bank.
Ingathering for United Thank Offering, October 16. Bring your thankoffering to be received on Sunday, October 16. If you’ve been putting offering in your thankoffering box at home, please count it up and write a check for the amount. Be sure to include ECW Thankoffering in the memo line. If you use envelopes, one is available for the ingathering on October 16.
Dedication of our Labyrinth in thanksgiving for the ministry of The Rev. Daphne Messersmith, October 23 church service.
Our labyrinth, built by Boy Scout Troop 64 of Duncannon, under the leadership of Derek Tietje will be dedicated at this service. Daphne and Derek will join us for the service, as well as some of the scouts and adults who assisted with the project.
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 on October 25. If you can contribute soup, a side dish or dessert for lunch, please let Lynne Mitchell or Wendy Day know.
"An Environment of Justice," Sunday, Oct. 30, from 1 to 5 pm
at the Church of the Good Shepherd in State College, PA.
People of faith are invited to deepen their commitment to climate justice at Pennsylvania Interfaith Power & Light’s annual conference. The conference gathers people from throughout Pennsylvania to learn, network and act on the impacts of climate change. Dr. Jalonne White-Newsome of the Kresge Foundation will offer the keynote address on ‘Climate Change: The Path to Inner Resilience.’ Break-out sessions will explore the intersection of climate change with justice issues such as racism, hunger, and poverty. A Green Fair will introduce participants to Pennsylvania organizations committed to caring for the earth. Kay Cramer will be attending. Please see Kay if you’d like to participate. Pennsylvania Interfaith Power & Light (PA IPL) is a state-wide organization that engages people of faith to respond to climate change as a moral issue. Learn more and register at paipl.org
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.
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.
Join Hands items of the month are Monetary Donations, Washer and Dryers,
Kay Cramer is in need of cardboard egg cartons. She would appreciate any you can provide her.
Water is a Gift: Respect it, Protect it
The planned 1,172 mile Dakota Access Pipeline could transport up to 500,000 barrels of oil per day in dangerous proximity to the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and their precious water supply: the Missouri River. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers approved construction of the pipeline along this route, and the Standing Rock Sioux argue that the Corps failed to complete a full environmental assessment of the project before commencing construction. In April 2016, the Standing Rock Sioux initiated a protest effort to protect their water rights and the sacred burial ground that the pipeline would traverse, and they later sued the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for failing to properly consult their tribe.
As the court case awaits resolution, the protests continue. Last weekend, Presiding Bishop Michael Curry traveled to North Dakota to stand with "protectors" at the Sacred Stone Camp, and he invites us to join him in solidarity with the Sioux through advocating to policymakers for responsible water stewardship and the indigenous rights of the Standing Rock Sioux.
You can stand with Presiding Bishop Curry and the Standing Rock Sioux by contacting your members of Congress and urging a complete environmental assessment of the pipeline that includes potential impacts of the project on the tribal reservation and honors obligations expressed in the treaty with the Standing Rock Tribe.
Take Action and learn more here: //advocacy.episcopalchurch.org/action
