Calendar for the Upcoming Week

Sunday, January 3
8 &10am Holy Eucharist - The Reverend Ms. Margaret Schwarzer
9:00am Sunday School for grades 4 -5
and middle school
9:45am Childcare
10:00am K-3 Attend Church first; leave
at beginning of 2nd Hymn with
the teachers
11:00am Coffee Hour
Monday, January 4
12:45pm Staff Meeting
8:00pm AA (6:30 newcomers)
Tuesday, January 5
9:30am Holy Eucharist
10:00am WSM Board Meeting
7:30pm Stitch’n Chat
Wednesday, January 6
6:30pm Sharing a New Song
Thursday, January 7
4:30pm Miracle Kitchen
6:30pm Junior Choir
7:30pm Adult Choir

Good News: December 21, 2009

The Good News from December 21 is now available for download:
Good_News_2009_Dec_21.pdf

This issue includes an article adapted from a sermon delivered on the first Sunday of Advent by The Reverend Margaret Schwarzer:

The secular world celebrates Santa Claus and the birth of a baby whom they don’t pay much attention to during the rest of the year. We do something very different. We wait for our Messiah, the Lord of Lords and King of Kings, who always breaks every mold we try to put him into. We wait for the mystery who was loving enough to become one of us, brave enough to die to save us, and so divine that he broke time and death itself when he was resurrected.

A Christmas Message from Bishop Shaw

"How many of us as an uncle, godparent, aunt, grandparent or parent have watched a crying, fussing infant in a crib suddenly become quiet and awestruck when the color and movement of a toy is suspended above the crib? For a few moments, the child has forgotten its discomfort and anxiety as its whole being becomes focused on this wondrous new thing that has mysteriously entered its life.

"It is a Christmas image for us. For what are we but God's children, anxious, uneasy, pained by the personal and global circumstances of our lives? And then God becomes incarnate in Jesus in Bethlehem. Like shepherd and wise men and angels we are awestruck -- our whole beings drawn to this new revelation that God places in our midst. Come worship. Come adore. May the Spirit bring you all the joy of this Christmas season."

The Rt. Rev. M. Thomas Shaw, SSJE
Christmas 2009

Christmas Service Schedule

Christmas Eve, December 24th
We have two Christmas Eve services at St. Mary’s this year:

Our 5 p.m. service will be a special Christmas service with sermon, children’s homily, and Eucharist (Rite II). At the 5 p.m. Christmas Eve service on December 24, guest instrumentalist Andrea Bonsignore will play carol arrangements for oboe, accompanied by the organ, for the prelude and postlude. St Mary’s choir members, tenor Glen Wright, soprano Anayis Mampre Wright, and alto Lynn Edwards, will sing solos at the Offertory and Communion. The congregation will join in singing many familiar Christmas carols.

Our 10 p.m. service will be a formal Christmas Eve service with Sermon and Holy Eucharist (Rite II). The 10 p.m. Christmas Eve service will begin with a festive musical prelude at 9:40 p.m. The Adult Choir will sing Benjamin Britten’s Ceremony of Carols, arranged for mixed choir by Julius Harrison. This well-known work begins and ends with the plainsong chant Hodie Christus natus est (Today Christ is born) and includes settings of 14th and 15th century English poems about the birth of Christ. The choir will be accompanied by Deborah Fabiciewicz, harpist.

Please join us as we celebrate the birth of Christ at these festive services on Christmas Eve!

Blessing in your Advent journey,
The Reverend Ms. Margaret K. Schwarzer

Calendar for the Upcoming Week

Sunday, December 27
8:00 & 10:00am Holy Eucharist
The Reverend Ms. Margaret Schwarzer
9:45am Childcare
No Church School
11:00am Coffee Hour
Monday, December 28
Office Closed for the Week - will reopen on Monday, January 4, 2010
AA (6:30 newcomers)
Thursday, December 31
No Choir Rehearsal
Sunday, January 3
Church School As Usual
8 & 10:00am Holy Eucharist
The Reverend Ms. Margaret Schwarzer
9:45am Childcare
11:00am Coffee Hour

Video: Christmas Pageant

Thank you to everyone - youth, parents, choir members, parish members - who braved the snow this past Sunday morning to come to St. Mary's Christmas Pageant. And our special thanks go to Isabel Philips who did all the heavy lifting to make this happen.

You can view the pageant by clicking on the Play button on the two clips below.

St. Mary's Update for Sunday, December 20

Sunday, December 20
8:00am Holy Eucharist - The Reverend Ms. Margaret Schwarzer
9:45am Childcare
10:00am Christmas Pageant & HE
11:00am Coffee Hour
Monday, December 21
12:45am Staff Meeting
8:00pm AA (6:30pm Newcomers)
7:30pm Adult Choir Rehearsal
Thursday, December 24
12:00pm office closed
5:00pm Christmas Eve Service with Holy Eucharist
9:40pm Christmas Eve Music Prelude
10:00pm Christmas Eve Service with Holy Eucharist
Sunday, December 27
No Church School
8 & 10 am - Holy Eucharist
The Reverend Margaret Schwarzer
11:00am Coffee Hour

Next Stitch’n Chat
Lynn Farnell will host our Stitch and Chat on Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2010, 7:30 p.m.at her home.

Office Hours
The office will be open the week of December 21: Monday - Wednesday from 8:00am - 2:00pm. The office will be closed at 12:00 noon on Thursday, December 24th, and reopen on Monday, January 3.

Reminder: Advent Mitten Tree

The Mitten Tree is up!

Please consider donating mittens, scarves, and gloves for adults and children. This is an especially cruel and difficult time for the homeless population. Our Advent Mitten Tree will remain in the parish hallway until after Christmas. All donations will be taken to the Homeless Clinic supported by the Massachusetts General Hospital. Please remember our friends in need.

Reminder: Rosie's Place Christmas Toy and Coat Drive

ROSIE'S PLACE TOY DRIVE
Rosie's place relies on donations of new toys and gift cards to make it possible for our guests to make their children's holiday dreams come true. Here are a few facts regarding toy distribution at holiday time: All toys should be new and unwrapped. Donated wrapping paper and ribbon is given to mothers to wrap their children's gifts. Please Note: We are most in need of toys and gift items for boys and girls 12-16 years old. Toys We Prefer - puzzles and books for all age groups, multicultural dolls, books, and games, new stuffed animals, unisex toys, Legos and building blocks. Toys We Cannot Use; War toys

Gift Cards can be purchased for holiday gifts ($10 or $20 from Toys R Us, Target, Newbury Comics, Best Buy, Foot Locker, Macy's, Old Navy, Marshall's/TJMAX, Claire's, and H&M), Please drop off toys in the front hall near the bulletin board. Please call Elisabeth Comer at 781-772-2220, if you have any questions or would like to arrange a delivery date. Thank you for your interest in helping provide a happy holiday season for the children of Rosie's Place.

ROSIE'S PLACE COAT DRIVE
If you are cleaning out your closets, or starting to look at your cold weather gear, I can help you find new homes for your "previously owned" cold weather jackets and coats. Rosie's Place, a homeless shelter and multi-service agency for women in Boston, this year is seeking used coats and jackets for their guests. The jackets and coats should be washed or cleaned. Additionally, if you have men's jackets , these can also be donated, as some women prefer this style and also,these jackets may be in the larger sizes. Many of the women are larger in size. This will be ongoing, never too late. But guests have already started asking for these items.

I will pick up any items you wish to donate - call Elisabeth Comer at 781-772-2220. You can email her at ewcomer@verizon.net.... or leave them in the church office. Thanks in anticipation and please tell others about this, including your hair stylist, your dental office, doctors' office, at you favorite store, etc.

Update from El Salvador

Noah Bullock, an Episcopal missionary in El Salvador who visited St. Mary's this past summer, posted the following article on the recent natural disasters here.

Pictures from WSM Christmas Potluck Supper

Hills and Falls Cookies

December 15th was a sweet day at St. Mary's. Margaret and Denise went to visit Hills and Falls and delivered frosted snowmen cookies for the 45 children and 8 staff members of the nursery school. The littlest members of the school had a hard time keeping their hands off the cookies till snack time, and several three year olds bounced up and down with glee when they found out that "the big people upstairs" had cookies for them.



Cate, the Director of Hills and Falls, and Margaret, get ready to deliver cookies

Yesterday, we also found out that Hills and Falls is doing a canned food drive for us and our food pantry box. Their box is beginning to overflow with food that will make the season happier for other members of our Newton-Wellesley community. Advent spirit is alive and well on the St. Mary's campus.

El Salvador Trip Report

The following items - a trip report and a photo sheet from the recent trip to Santa Maria Virgen in El Salvador - are also being mailed to all parish members.

El_Salvador_Photos_2009_December.pdf

El_Salvador_Trip_Report_2009_December.pdf

The Social Responsibility of the Scientist Lecture with The Most Reverend Katherine Jefferts Schori

UPDATE: A video recording of this program is available for viewing. Several St. Mary's members were in attendance.




Thursday, December 3 from 7:00 - 9:00pm. - Place: MIT Building 10, Room 250

Join MIT for a fascinating panel discussion on the social responsibility of the scientist as we celebrate TAC's 45th anniversary. Panelists: The Most Rev. Katherine Jefferts Schori, Presiding Bishop of The Episcopal Church (United States and 15 other nations) and Ph.D. in oceanography; Dr. George Daley, Director of Stem Cell Transplantation Program, Children’s Hospital, any many others.

The program is free and open to the public; no registration is required. If you have any questions, please go to the MIT website (web.mit.edu/tac) or call 617.253.0108.

Photos: El Salvador, December 2009 (3)

Father Julio and my translator Eli Barahona


Given the recent increase in gang violence, the national police have brought in a mobile police station about 200 ft. from the church


The old Santa Maria building


The street running along the new church


Getting ready to acolyte


Acolytes


The site of the future Peter Chase Children's Garden


Relief supplies being collected for other churches more affected by the recent flooding


Sunday Coffee Hour


Saturday night fun

Photos: El Salvador, December 2009 (2)

Another view of Santa Maria Virgen


Another view of Santa Maria Virgen


The view from the church - our neighbors


Saturday evening service


A picture of Alex Canales, who was killed at the church, and Bishop Barahona


Dinner with the Vestry


A few boys got me fresh coconut for desert


My translator (left) and Father Julio's wife (right)

Photos: El Salvador, December 2009 (1)

"I returned from my trip to El Salvador and Santa Maria Virgen in the early morning hours this past Tuesday. Here are a few pictures from the trip. More pictures and a full trip report will be posted within the next week." - Paul



The new Santa Maria Virgen church building


This past Sunday was the one year anniversary of the dedication of the new building


New friends


Participating in the Sunday morning Eucharist


Father Julio and Paul


The plaque was presented to Santa Maria Virgen in May 2008; it is displayed near the altar with the Christmas poinsettas (a native plant)


The parish children make gifts for St. Mary's


Discussing gang violence with the youth group

Christian Education Update

Recycling Wire Advent Wreaths
After Christmas, we invite you to return the wire frame of your wreath to St. Mary’s for use again next November.  This will help us to keep costs and waste down in 2010.  There will be a marked box for recycling the frames in the Parish Hall at Coffee hour each Sunday during Epiphany.

 St. Mary’s Christmas Pageant: Seeking Participants
We already have 23 youth signed up for our pageant!    And we have room for more!   Interested children, teens and young adults please sign up with Isabel Phillips at coffee hour and save the rehearsal dates! We especially need teens and young adults to serve as readers and narrators for the pageant.

Sunday December 13th at Coffee Hour
Continued sign-ups and role assignments/speaking assignments/costume assessment
Saturday, December 19th
8:30 am   Rehearsal for Speakers/Readers
9:00 am - 11:30 am  Pageant Rehearsal (ALL - including Speakers/Readers and Junior Choir)
11:30 - 12 noon  Pageant Pizza Party
Sunday December 20th
8:45 am  Short Rehearsal (ALL - including the Junior Choir)
10:00 am  Christmas Pageant

We are also seeking parent volunteers for Saturday Dec 19th and/or Sunday Dec 20th .  Please contact Isabel Phillips if you can assist on one or both of these rehearsal days. Please call (978) 852-4633.

Prayers for the Environment, Today from Noon to 1PM

World Leaders are gathering in Copenhagen this month to negotiate a successor agreement to Kyoto climate accords. Their task is to set binding targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. You are invited join Margaret in our church sanctuary today for an hour prayer vigil for our planet Earth. We will gather to pray for the earth, our own stewardship of our portion of the earth, and for the success of the gathering in Copenhagen. The vigil will contain readings, reflections, prayers, and silence.

St. Mary's Update for Sunday, December 13

Sunday, December 13
8:00am Holy Eucharist - The Reverend Ms. Margaret Schwarzer
9:00am Sunday School for grades 4 -5 and middle school
9:45am Childcare
10:00am Advent Lessons & Carols
K - 3 Attend Church first
11:00am Coffee Hour
1:00pm West Gallery
Monday, December 14
12:45pm Staff Meeting
8:00pm AA (6:30 newcomers)
Tuesday, December 15
12:00pm MECA
7:30pm Vestry Meeting
Wednesday, December 16
6:30pm Sharing a New Song
Thursday, December 17
6:30pm Junior Choir
7:30pm Adult Choir
Saturday, December 19
9:00am Rehearsal for Pageant

Poinsettias

We plan to carry on the tradition at St. Mary’s of decorating the altar with poinsettias during Christmas.  Parishioners are invited to purchase plants, perhaps in the memory of loved ones, or in thanksgiving, which may be taken home after Christmas services.  Please send a contribution of $15.00 per plant to the Church office before December 20.  Checks should be made payable to “St. Mary’s Altar Guild.”  (Please DO NOT put in offering plate).  Thanks. Any questions, please call 617-527-4769 or email: office@st-marys-episcopal.org.

Good News: December 1, 2009

The Good News from December 1, 2009, is now available for download:
Good_News_2009_December_01.pdf

This issue includes a stewardship sermon delivered by Julia dePeyster on November 22.

In this world I worry about all kinds of things: is my hair died a natural looking color, does my food have MSG in it, what paint color would look nice on my house, how will my children learn to be both kind and successful all at the same time? The passages we have heard today are not about these worldly concerns. “My kingdom is not of this world,” says Jesus. In the book of Daniel, hundreds of thousands attend the Ancient of Days as they await His Judgment, with no mention of their bedazzlement at the light, the jewels, the opulence of their setting.

Awaiting heaven had been a main theme of Christian life all the way into the beginning of the 20th Century. Hence the teaching of the Cardinal sins, the simplicity of monks, nuns and saints and religious rituals like fasting. However, in modern times, striving for material comfort in the here and now is what it is all about. Cash has become king, and the society has moved away from the moral viewpoint that the life in the hereafter is the only one we should be striving for.

Minutes, October 2009 Vestry Meeting

Minutes from the October 2009 Vestry meeting, as approved at our November Vestry meeting, are available for download:
Vestry_Minutes_2009_October_20.pdf


Also available for download are the following documents from our November 2009 Vestry meeting.

Budget vs. actuals for end of October:
2009_Oct_Budget_and_Finances.pdf

Investment committee report:
Investment_Committee_Report_2009_Nov_17.pdf

Outreach disbursements for 2009-2H:
2009_November_Outreach_Disbursements.pdf

Wardens' Letter to the Parish

The following letter concerning the 2010 budget and major property projects was mailed to all parish members on November 25:
Wardens_to_Parish_2009-Nov-25.pdf