Loading...Then he said, ‘Come no closer! Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.’ Exodus 3:5
Do you realize all of the times you stand on holy ground? This Sunday, we'll worship at St. Stephen in Thompsontown. I believe St. Stephen, like Nativity and most churches, is holy ground.
St. Stephen was built in 1825 and is the oldest Christian church in Juniata County. While Episcopalians didn't always worship there, because there weren't many to worship there, the building was open to any denomination that needed a place to hold services. That's a lot of praying, kneeling, singing, and communing during 192 years! Imagine how many times The Lord's Prayer has been said in that place.
Thanks to Darlene Amsler and Drew Tuzinski for fixing the fence. Thanks to Sue Beamer for painting the light post.
Indeed St. Stephen's is holy ground and we are blessed to continue to worship there and to keep it holy.
Many blessings as you finish your week and head into the Labor Day Holiday weekend!
Love, Rebecca+
Organ Proposals If you haven't already done so, please read the organ proposal information and take the survey. We've updated the Susquehanna Organ proposal to include information about Option 2 with tabs instead of draw knobs and the sub woofer speaker.
Matt Baldwin of Susquehanna Organs will be with us after the service on September 10 to answer any questions about his proposal.
The Vestry will consider the proposals and information, including the survey results at their September 13 meeting.
Here is the link to the discussion: //nativityandststephen.diocpa.org/dfc/newsdetail_2/3187403
Helping people who have been hit by Hurricane/Tropical Storm Harvey. Read this article from Episcopal Relief and Development about how to help those suffering from the effects of this storm. The best way to help is to give money to an organization like Episcopal Relief and Development.
A link to donate online is at //www.episcopalrelief.org/hurricane-harvey-response
You can mail donations to Episcopal Relief & Development.
Mail to P.O. Box 7058
Merrifield VA 22116-7058
A flyer will be included in this week's bulletin with a donation form.
This Sunday we take an additional offering for Caring for Nativity’s Neighbors Heating and Health. Donations are sent to Join Hands, so people in our community have support for their needs.
Altar flowers are given in memory of Dorothy Clarke by her family.
Godly Play and Parlor People will resume September 10.
Next Sunday after our service, we will meet with Matt Baldwin of Susquehanna Organs about the Digital Organ proposal for the church.
Choir Practice will resume September 13.
Taize’ Tuesdays, 4pm. Twenty minutes of Centering Prayer followed by a Taize’ service.
Upcoming Meetings
Thursday, September 7, 10am, Program and Mission Committee
Sunday, September 10, 11am-Noon, Confirmation Class
Wednesday, September 13, 6:30pm, Vestry Meeting
Wednesday, September 27, 6:30pm, Diocesan Eliminating Racism Task Group
Are you being called to serve the parish? The nominating committee of Miguel Gonzales, Lynne Mitchell and Gail Shull are looking for people who would like to serve on Vestry, Delegates to the 2018 Diocesan Convention and Delegates to the Harrisburg Convocation. If you are interested, please see one of them.
Let's read the Gospel According to Mark. As part of living into our baptismal covenant to "continue in the apostles' teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in the prayers," the confirmands are reading the Gospel According to Mark. I invite you to join us. Mark is thought to be the earliest of the Gospels, written around 66CE. It is thought to have relied upon the oral traditions about Jesus and even was told orally. Today, there are a number of people who continue this tradition. The Gospel is thought to have been a source for Matthew and Luke. The Gospel is mostly about Jesus' actions and disputes with Scribes and Pharisees. We hear Mark during Year B of our Revised Common Lectionary. Year B begins this year at Advent I - December 3.
During 2017, we will be celebrating baptism on November 5 and December 3. Let Rebecca know if you or someone you know would like to be baptized on any of these days.
Men’s & Women’s Breakfast, Wednesdays, 9am, Espresso Yourself Café.
From the Diocese
Parish Music and Liturgy Day, Saturday, October 21, 9am – 3pm, St. Luke’s, Lebanon. Keynote: Dr. David Hurd. Choir members, Eucharistic ministers, acolytes, readers, prayers and anyone interested in liturgy is invited to attend this day for all ages. Let Michele know if you will attend by email at chnatss@pa.net or calling 717-567-6514.
Community Events and Opportunities for Service
Joanne Pinaire is collecting donations for $4,200 of legal fees so an elderly couple from Venezuela can be reunited with their daughters and grandchildren here in Perry County. The couple face dire conditions in Venezuela if they return. Their daughters have limited resources. If you want more details and would like to donate, please see Joanne. Call or email her.
Volunteers are needed to clean apartments at Linda House. Apartments would be cleaned when residents leave in preparation for a new resident’s arrival. Currently, this work needs to be done between 8am and 4pm Monday – Friday. Signing a confidentiality statement is required. Please see Rebecca if you are available.
Volunteers are also needed September 5, 5:30pm at Espresso Yourself to put cleaning kits together.
7th Perry County Family Fun Fest and Wellness Day, Saturday, September 23, 10am – 2pm, Newport Life Center Many local Human Service Agencies with free and fun activities for all ages. Free healthy snacks provided. Other foods are available for purchase from The Tin Cup Food Truck. Free car seat inspections. Sponsored by the Perry County Family Center, 582-3656.
Team Joining Hands for Jeri’s 7th Annual Charity Auction, September 23, 10:30am, Otterbein UMC, Duncannon Joining Hands for Jeri will participate in their 12th Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk this October. Joining Hands for Jeri has donated nearly $40,000 over the last six years, with most of the funds raised through the auctions. Check out our Facebook page, Team ‘Joining Hands for Jeri’, to see all the great items that will be up for bid! Hope you can come out and join us! The team is also accepting donated items to be auctioned off at the event. If you have an item you’d like to donate, please contact Michele.
PA Family Support Alliance’s Recognizing and Reporting Child Abuse Training for Mandated Reporters, Monday, September 25, 6-9pm hosted by Join Hands Ministry Training is provided free and is for adults who have contact with children through work, practice of profession or a volunteer position. You must pre-register online at:
//www.pa-fsa.org/Calendar/view_645/detail/cid_645/846 .
A flyer with additional information is posted in the undercroft.
Central PA Youth Ministries Adult Fundraising Dinner, Sunday, October 1, 6pm, Newport Family Life Center. Let Rebecca know by September 13, if you’d like to attend this dinner to support this ministry in our area. Rebecca and Sue Beamer assist with Newport Release Time, which is one of the ministries sponsored. We support this program each year with Giving To Others (GTO) funds. A free will offering to support the program is taken at the end of the meal.
On Thursday, October 19 from 5-7pm, we will host a Perry County Chamber Mixer. This is an opportunity to showcase our church community, as well as welcome business people in our community. Chamber members network with each other and also learn more about us. Adam Britcher and Miguel Gonzales will provide refreshments for the evening. We need others who will talk about the ministry of our church, give tours and greet people.
If you are interested and available, please see Rebecca.
Christian Churches United 40th Anniversary Celebration, Tuesday, November 14, 5:30pm, Best Western Premier Hotel. Join Christian Churches United in their celebration. Keynote speaker is Shane Claiborne, a founding partner of a faith community in Philadelphia that seeks to follow Jesus, rediscover the spirit of the early church, and incarnate the “Kingdom of God.” If you are interested in attending, please let Rebecca know.
