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St. Thomas & Grace Episcopal Church Brandon, VT
The Rev. Margaret Fletcher, Rector
DECEMBER 2011 NEWSLETTER
Pastoral Ponderings:Beloved in Christ,
Entering Advent, we become aware yet again, of an “and both” aspect of the gospel. We anticipate the birth of the babe and all its joy. And, we await the second coming of Christ at the end of time -- according to scripture, in a cataclysmic event which, as more and more is known about our global climate crisis, exploding stars and black holes in deep space, has taken on a more literal meaning for some. But they both affirm for us that God in Christ is with us in our human lives and will be with us, in anything that may overtake us.
The Media has been directing our attention for past few weeks to the ‘Occupiers’ who have been expressing moral outrage at the appalling stewardship of our nation’s financial resources by our financial institutions. Briefly, the deregulation of banks allowed ordinary commercial banks to combine with venture capitalists who took high financial risks primarily for their own gain, the risks often in conflict with their customers. When these failed they ended up being underwritten by a system that had been introduced to protect ordinary banking customers. The resulting bail out protected and increased wealth for the wealthy but left vast numbers of ‘working’ people unemployed. “Moral outrage” needed to be expressed! Clergy from London to Boston to Los Angles and elsewhere have been part of this and have been with the occupiers offering prayer and support. Thank God.
God’s coming kingdom was never promised as an egalitarian paradise but rather a hierarchy with a ‘first shall be last and the last first’ directive which is not quite the expected seating plan. Christ’s people are known by the love they bear one for another. While forgiveness is fundamental to love, one of its surest signs is a passion for compassion and justice. It is another “both and” moment.
We meet John the Baptist for two weeks during Advent with his cry for repentance and change and we meet Mary’s response to God “let it be unto me according to your word.” Her response was not just beautiful passivity that gave her a child to love and protect but also arduous circumstances, on the road with a newborn to live in a country where she did not speak the language, far from family, knowing the birth of her son had caused the death of many of her country women’s children. Both the crib and the cross are there.
Enjoy the ‘holiday season’, the festivities, your family and friends. All people want these gifts. Remember it is the prince of peace who is born and “if we want peace we must pursue justice.” (Oscar Romero)
Emmanuel
Margo+Until I Dream Again
Somewhere deep in my dreams
there is a hidden place apart
from the bramble of screams,
to fill the emptiness of my heart.
I search through blackness of night
to find gold beams of sheerest light
hidden behind an invisible door
wonders of nature to explore,
Blooms hold their prismatic hues high,
ne'er sing blues, weep or sigh.
Birds dazzling their colorful features
bellowing their blissful tunes together.
Rainbow meets placid pink haze
where peals of laughter polonaise.
Dreams of happiness
empty my mournful ways
with brimming sweetness
to fill my unfolding days.
--Part two –
In total awe
a rude crow
cawing sound
unfurled my fantasy
dream world
to sheer reality.
Now I contemplate,
patiently wait
for another dream
of God’s secret place
to forever embrace,
riches of a quiet stream,
God’s Love and power
forevermore tower
and crown the mightiest hill
with His enigmatic will.
Where misty fountains display
their heavenly playful spray;
beaming sunsets and dawns combine,
the celestial moon and starry skies shine
uniting with the warming sun, awakening my eyes
to God’s mystifying secret mystery
of life on Earth and our Eternity.
~~~poem by Gert Sherwood ~~~
Senior Warden Wanderings:Busy lives continue. A busy Church we have and getting more so. We have a growing number of little ones with us. We are adding young people to our 'youth education' groups on Sunday morning. Hallelujah! And the pews - there too, our empty spaces are slowly starting to be filled.
We welcome each and everyone (new, returning, the faithful) who comes to share our love of God in this place - St. Thomas and Grace.
Now that we are in the midst of Advent, no matter how busy you are, take a little time to read the story of Christ's birth and the days leading up to it.; or reflect on how the birth of the baby Jesus has made your life what it is today.
The four Sundays of Advent are being celebrated in our Grace building with warmth and love and with music played by organist Sharon. A special song or two by the young people will be heard and perhaps one by some of our adults. Christmas Eve will happen with all of its Glory at St. Thomas at 7:00 p m.
Luminaries will be put out, as is our tradition, with help from anyone willing to do the job. This activity will start at 3:00 p.m. Saturday afternoon and be done by 4-4:30. Let me know if you can help.
Now moving past Christmas into the twelve days that follow - on Friday, January 6, 2012 we will have a "Three Kings Festival" at Grace Church - soup and breads, a teaching Eucharist and CAKE!!! More info will be announced later but put the date onto your calendar as a must save date. When you are doing that also mark Sunday January 15th as the day our Bishop will be at St. Thomas & Grace and Sunday January 22 as Annual Meeting. AND mark Tuesday, February 21st as Mardi Gras Celebration
"And she shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Jesus; for he shall save his people from their sins." Matthew 1:21 night - you won't want to miss this - details forthcoming when we are closer to February. (It’s during school vacation).
Blessings of the Season to all, MadineJUNIOR WARDEN REPORT:It's been a busy summer-fall at St Thomas/Grace. The new gardens were a smashing success. The plan to renovate a bed room and full bathroom in the rectory's downstairs was put on hold for the time being. Margo has moved downstairs into half the dining room for the winter and will use the shower upstairs. Hopefully we will see some heat savings by not heating the entire upstairs during the coldest months of the year. A pellet stove was just installed in the rectory living room which will also help to lessen our consumption of oil. Bob Wertz was successful in obtaining a grant from the Diocese and Efficiency Vermont to replace all the fluorescent bulbs and fixtures in both Grace and St Thomas. Weatherization projects will continue on all three buildings so that we can continue being responsible stewards of the world's natural resources. The cleaning crew at St. Thomas & Grace have been wonderful keeping our churches clean and tidy, and because of their voluntary commitment we've garnered a great monetary savings. We could use one more person to help clean. If you're interested please contact me at church or 623-6432. It's a commitment of once per month and it's a good way to give your time to your church.
May this Advent and Christmas season find you and your loved ones in good health and peaceful spirit.
Nancy Rowe Junior WardenCHRISTMAS LITURGY
We will offer a Christmas Eve service at 7:00 pm where we will once again (with as many children as are there) re-enact the birth of Jesus, hopefully with Rhonda and Derek and a real baby. All children and their parents are welcome whether they are regular attendees or not. As last year, at the moment we do not plan a service on Christmas Day. (I am hoping to leave very early to go up to Canada to be with my family for a few days). But if anyone wants there to be a service on the 25th please contact me so it can be arranged. Thank you. Margo+BISHOP’S VISITATION
Our bishop will be with us on the 15th January when we will baptize Kinley Reed Nash. Please come and greet Bishop Tom. Make your opinions and views known to him. This is one of the ways our authority system works. There will be only one service that day. Margo+Vestry members 2011:
Madine Reed, Senior Warden, 247-6877 Derek Reed, 558-2915
Nancy Rowe, Junior Warden, 623-6432 Carol Moyer, 247-3426
Ken Brown, Treasurer, 247-3194 Lois Fjeld-Torrey, 941-756-8984
NOTE: Vestry meetings are open to anyone wanting to attend. Minutes of Vestry meetings can be found in a binder in the undercroft.CHRISTIAN FORMATION FOR YOUNG PEOPLE
aka Sunday Morning Program, Sunday School, Church School
Meets at 9:30 in the UndercroftPreschool and up – older youth serve as acolytes and “teacher helpers”
On each Sunday anywhere from 2 or 3 to 15 children are found at the 9:30 service. Some play on the soft blue carpet placed, last year at the back of the church, just for such activity. Others do their acolyte duties and then head downstairs with the others. It is great! The teachers of our youth, including Ellie, Joe, Rena, Carol, Laura and Madine share duties on various Sundays with the two groups - preschool and grades one and older.
The lessons taught follow the lectionary and activities planned teach of life things connecting to our church and the love of God. If anyone would like to contribute their time or talent some Sunday and share something with our children just let Madine or Margo know. During Advent our youth will participate in numerous ways in the services and the celebration of Christmas. Please join us when you can and invite a young person you might know to come with you.THANK YOU
We would like to thank our fellow parish members for their continued support during my continuing
chemo therapy,that we consider all important to recovery. Also we would like to thank our fellow parishoners for their support at the time our daughter Karen passed away. This meant so much to both of us.
Pete & Mary OrvisCALENDAR HIGHLIGHTS
Sunday worship is at Grace through April (except Christmas Eve)
Sundays: Regular services at 8:00 am and 9:30 am
Weekly prayer group – contact Margo.
Friday, December 16: Last chance to drop off items for Brandon Toy Project (socks or unwrapped toys for children through age 13) – front porch of Rectory and Margo will deliver.
Sunday, December 18: Advent 4 at Grace. Bring 2 dozen cookies that will be given to shut ins.
Saturday, Decemer 24:
7:00 pm – Christmas Eve service at St. Thomas (come early to hear some extra carols) 3 pm – Help set out luminaries at St. Thomas
Sunday, January 1: Holy Name Day, 8:00 and 9:30 at Grace (Christmas season music)
Friday, January 6: 6 pm at Grace – Supper, Epiphany service, Three Kings Cake
Sunday, January 15: BISHOP’S VISITATION ONE SERVICE – 9:30 -- Pork Roast following
Sunday, January 22: ANNUAL MEETING Come to the brunch after the 9:30 service, stay for the Annual Meeting if you can – it’s an important way to stay informed and support the parish.
Tuesday, February 21 – Mardi Gras celebration at the Rectory – for everyone! There will be a surprise honoree. (Schools are on break). Call Margo or Madine if you need a ride.
Wednesday, February 22 – Ash Wednesday – service details to be announced – Lent beginsST. THOMAS & GRACE’S FAITH COMMUNITY GARDEN
It was in the middle of last winter (2010) that planning began for our Faith Community Garden. The Green Team met several times during the winter and early spring to re-confirm a commitment to the project. A real joint effort was launched in late May 2011 to begin to build the four raised-beds (each one 3’x8’), including a gravel border around the u-shaped garden. The beds were filled with a blend of topsoil and compost; seeds were planted and watered. The project was blessed in a special Rogation Sunday liturgy as the entire congregation walked around the garden and Margo offered up special prayers. We knew God was a part of this project from its inception, so our prayers were prayers of thanksgiving, as much as they were prayers for nurture. A great big thank you goes out to all who helped get this going.
From the very first harvest in early July, food from the garden was included on the parish’s coffee hour table, members of the parish were invited to share in the harvest, and, most significantly of all, a weekly donation of vegetables was made to the Brandon Food Shelf. Over a period of four months ending on October 26th, we contributed a total of 118 bags of vegetables to the Food Shelf. Their staff would deliver these vegetables to homes in town where they were particularly wanted and needed. The yield far exceeded our expectations, as well as our hope to make a difference to our community. Many, many thanks go out to Nancy Rowe and Bob Wertz for making this first year such a success; many more would be welcome to contribute their time and talents in this ministry next year and in years to come.
Compost bins were set up at both our church buildings and a Green Cone was set up at St. Thomas. These bins now make it possible for us to keep absolutely all organic “wastes” out of the landfill and return them to the soil. (Several members of our congregation bring their “garbage” to church to put in our compost bins. More are welcome to do so.)
Other benefits derived from this ministry include a real appreciation and practice of recycling in every way (in the homes of our parishioners, as well as at church), a real appreciation of local food (much of which was contributed to the church’s harvest supper in November), and a tangible expression of our outreach ministry in our local area and beyond.ALTAR GUILD NEWS
To conserve heat at Grace Church, there won’t be heat until Sunday morning during the months of December through April. Altar Guild workers who don’t want to set up the altar in the cold will be setting it up after the 9:30 service for the following Sunday.
Contact Gert Sherwood or Barb Brown if you want to join this important ministry of preparing the church for worship and supporting Margo’s liturgical role (for example, changing the colored hangings with the church season).ST&G GREEN TEAM
Initially organized in December of 2010, the Green Team has met now and then to talk about the environmental initiatives that we, as the St. Thomas & Grace faith community, have taken, are working on, and wish to consider for implementation in the future. All kinds of thanks go out to those who have been active on this committee: Nancy Rowe, Nancy Bunting, Missy Thompson, Bob Wertz, and our priest, Margo Fletcher. Others have expressed interest in being a part of this group. A great big welcome is extended to any and all. Much has been done in the areas of energy conservation and reduction of fuel usage and the high costs associated with it. We have celebrated these accomplishments in the past.
We recognize several significant accomplishments, proposed or supported by the Green Team, in 2010:
1] The community garden on the ground of the rectory. (See the article on this ministry elsewhere in this newsletter.) This project was primarily funded by a grant from the diocese.
2] The fluorescent bulb upgrade from old style tubes to the new, more energy efficient and more economical tubes being produced today. This project was fully funded by an incentive grant from Efficiency Vermont and a grant from the diocese.
3] The installation of a pellet wood stove in the rectory to drastically reduce our heating costs and our dependency on fossil fuel.
4] Redesigning the rectory so that all Margo’s living space is on the first floor, so as not to have to heat the second floor at all.
5] Joe Bagley did some final buttoning up of the rectory by adding door sweeps to the outside doors, insulating the stair well and the trap door to the attic.
The Green Team is already hard at work on what priorities might be set for 2012.REMINDER FOR GREETERS
At the end of the service, greeters should collect the bulletins and take them to the recycle drawer. Also, UNFOLD the lesson inserts and leave them on the table in the back of the church to make it easier to collect them. We recycle these lesson inserts to be used 3 years from now.ANNUAL MEETING Sunday, January 22nd at Grace
Parish brunch following the 9:30 am service with the Annual Meeting immediately afterward
(please come to the brunch even if you can’t stay for the meeting)PARISH NOTES
Lots of things going on at ST&G. Currently our Second Sunday discussions at coffee hour center on a book many of us are reading called Jesus Was an Episcopalian. If you want to learn more about the book, check out this website: http://www.jesuswasanepiscopalian.org/. There are UTube clips by the author. Our annual fall turkey supper was a great success. This year the turkey we served was fresh, raised by Darlene and her family for the church. They also raised a turkey that was raffled off to support Leicester School activities and guess who won it? Margo!! Once again Elsie’s daughter and husband were visiting that weekend and joined the work crew. When we removed pews from St. Thomas to open up the worship space more, most of them were sold. But Bud Austin cut one in half and crafted two shorter benches that are used by the priest and acolytes at St. Thomas. Thank you Bud for another wonderful gift of your talents. On a recent Sunday, Gert and Stan’s daughter-in-law Tamara Wallace-Smith played a violin solo during the offertory; we hear she’s willing to come play for us again! Our new organist is Sharon Godrick. She plays for a number of other churches and on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day she will play at a total of 6 services! And on Christmas Eve we will once again have a choir singing during the service.
And ST&G folks are busy elsewhere as well. College kids and recent grads: Both of Cassie Root’s daughters are at Susquehanna University; Kate is a junior and Kirsten (OV ’11) just started her freshman year. John Farnsworth graduated in June from Johnson and moved to Amherst, MA to find work; his first job was on a seasonal landscaping crew so soon he’ll be looking for something else. Sarah Farnsworth returns from Mozambique in December after three years in the Peace Corps and heads to nursing school next summer. Lois Fjeld-Torrey headed to Florida right after serving as one of our convention delegates the first weekend in November. Frannie and Muriel Fielder will be heading to Florida in mid-December. Eve Beglarian who worships with us when she’s at the house she built on Birch Hill Road sent the following update: I'm very excited to tell you about a few things going on regarding my ongoing River Project, which began with my kayak and bike journey down the Mississippi River in 2009, and is developing in multiple directions simultaneously, perhaps like the river itself. There's going to be a festival of River Project concerts in late January …. this project is ripening into something I never could have predicted when I embarked on the journey. Many of us receive email updates or Facebook updates from Eve. She has her own website if you want to learn more: http://evbvd.com/brim/FROM THE PARISH REGISTER:
Average Sunday attendance, both services, September-November: 45
At the 8 am service, attendance ranged from 3 to 7 people.
At the 9:30 service attendance ranged from 22 to 51 people.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Check out the ST&G website. http://standg.org Sign up for the ST&G Facebook group.
DO YOU HAVE A STORY or NEWS FOR THE NEWSLETTER? Please send contributions via email to Franci Farnsworth, ffarnsworth@hotmail.com , or call her at 802-247-6154.St. Thomas & Grace Episcopal Church
November-April at Grace, Route 73, Forestdale
May-November at St. Thomas, Route 7, Brandon
Saturday, December 24 – 7:00 pm
Festive Christmas Service
Candlelight – Carols – Children Welcome
8 a.m., Holy Eucharist, Rite 2 (quiet, contemplative service)
9:30 a.m., Holy Eucharist, Rite 2 (contemporary language, family-friendly with music, Sunday Morning Program for children preschool and older)
Telephone: 247-6759, The Rev. Margaret (Margo) Fletcher, Rector
You are welcome to come share our joy
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