Saint Mary’s Weekly News
December 20, 2015 – The Fourth Sunday of Advent
Celebrate Honor Serve…
THANK YOU! We are getting more 2016 pledge forms in every day. Our new total is $188,850 from 95 of parishioner households. We are blessed but still have a way to go to hit our goal of $265,000. It’s such a busy time but we hope you’ll take a minute to complete your form and turn it in. Let us know if you need a pledge form. You’ll find them in the Narthex and at coffee hour or by contacting the office! At this time of year, some parishioners use appreciated securities/stock to www.smary.org Also on our web site you’ll find ways to give electronically. If you do use a stock transfer for your pledge, please let Beth know (admin@smary.org or 781-3366) as the transfers come to us without any identification which makes it nearly impossible to credit you. You make it possible for Saint Mary’s to Celebrate Honor and Serve God in all people. Thank you!
"Be Still" : every Monday in Advent, 5:30 – 6:30 PM
Especially for busy parents, a time to “Be Still” is offered each Monday of Advent (December 21). This is time for quiet in the Father James Chapel. Time to breathe, re-center, reflect, to “be” with God. Come for five minutes, or come for the hour!
Wisdom Seekers book study: this Tuesday at 10:30 AM - December 22
Join us for our Advent book study, “Awaiting the Already.” All are welcome and invited. There will be no Wisdom Seekers on December 29th, but we’ll see you on January 5th.
Thursday Eucharist: every Thursday in the Chapel at 12 noon
Please note the next Thursday Eucharist will be held on January 7th. Join us most every Thursday for this beautiful, informal time to gather at the Lord’s Table with a meditation on the scriptures or the lives of the saints, time for group discussion, and prayers for healing.
Noonday Prayer: every other weekday in the Chapel
Pause for 10 minutes of prayer together. Everyone is welcome! You are also invited, wherever you may be, to STOP and PRAY with us in the Spirit at Noon for those in need, for our parish family, for our bishop Steve, and for your own daily life with God.
SPARKLE NEWS:
Please stop in the paper room and shop for Valentine paper supplies and Saint Mary’s cards. In the paper room as well are three or four gift boxes. There are also some bags of SPARKLES Coffee and a few Fr. James Ornaments (more are in the auditorium).
**All of these things will remain available until January 8 or the end of the Twelve Days of Christmas. It would be wonderful to have everything bought and nothing to store away!
Also, if anyone knows the woman who purchased the pottery Nativity Scene that was in the Guild Room, let Beth or Jan know. In packing up, we found one piece of it left here. See the SparklesSaintMarys Falmouth Facebook page to see some great pictures of a fun day.
Enormous THANKS to all who helped with the many Sparkles events!
Christian Formation Notes
Guiding RAY (Religious Adventures for Youth): 9:30 / 9:45 each Sunday
At 9:30 AM, Family Chapel is a special time for families and children with Fr. Nathan in the Chapel. Guiding RAY classes begin immediately afterward at 9:45 AM.
The Nursery always opens at 9:30 AM for our youngest disciples on the lower level.
NOTE: There will be no Family Chapel or GR classes on Dec. 20 due to the Pageant!
Youth Ministry
Young Life Casco Bay: on break now until January
Watch the calendar for upcoming youth events at www.younglifecb.com .
Advent for the Middlers: Christmas Around the World
Throughout Advent, youths from 6th to 12th grades have had the opportunity to gather at 9:30 AM in the Youth Room on the Sundays of Advent to learn how Christmas is celebrated in Ethiopia, Germany and Mexico.
Dec. 20: Meet briefly for hot chocolate with cinnamon and special snacks and learn how the wise men/three kings represent foreign counties and cultures paying homage to Jesus. Then attend Saint Mary's children's Christmas pageant at 10 AM.
Serving The World
Souper Supper: 2nd and 4th Fridays, including December 25!
Our free suppers in our Parish House Auditorium open to anyone and everyone continue as usual in the month of December. Please consider dropping in sometime between 5 – 7 PM on either evening for dinner served in a family-style setting and consisting of a hearty soup, salad, bread, homemade desserts and beverages.
Our monthly Classic Cinema has changed nights in December and will be showing “Christmas in Connecticut” at 7pm on Christmas night following Souper Supper.
Community Care & Nurture
If You Have to Spend Time in a Hospital…
Please make sure that you register yourself as a member of The Episcopal Church of Saint Mary in Falmouth! MMC no longer keeps track of general religious affiliation, but only membership in a specific congregation. And make sure to call S. Mary’s and let us know!
Communicating with Father Nathan
Feel free to contact Nathan+ at any time if you wish to speak with him. You can call or text his cell anytime at 207-310-0268 or e-mail him directly at nathanferrell@smary.org.
IF YOU WANT TO ADD NAMES TO THE PRAYER LIST, write them on the Sunday Prayer List found in the Narthex or contact the Office (781-3366 or smary@smary.org).
Prayer Concerns for this week: Rick Bartlett, Michelle Bilodeau, Gardner Bilodeau, Clair Budnik, Janet Dorman, Gay Freeman, Olive Galen, Sarah Gorman, Margo Harrington, Lynn Hathaway, Cindy Horton, Chandra Lowe, Mary Lygo, Shelly Maher, Roger Murray, and Jim Whittemore.
This Week at Saint Mary’s
Sunday 20 8:00am Holy Eucharist: using Rite II in Advent
9:00am Coffee hour begins
9:30am Middlers: Hot Cocoa and Snacks
10:00am Christmas Pageant and Choral Holy Eucharist
11:00am Coffee hour continues
Monday 21 January AVE deadline
12noon Noonday Prayer in the Chapel
Tuesday 22 Annual Reports are due
9-12:30 Art Group in Auditorium
10:30am Wisdom Seekers Advent Study: “Awaiting the Already”
12noon Noonday Prayer in the Chapel
1:00pm Get Stitching in the White Wool Room
6:30pm Beginner’s Al-Anon
7:00pm AA in auditorium
7:30pm Al-Anon meeting – in Guild Room
Wednesday 23 12noon Noonday Prayer in the Chapel
Thursday 24 THE EVE OF THE NATIVITY
12noon Noonday Prayer in the Chapel
4:00pm Family Christmas Eve Eucharist
6:00pm Family Christmas Eve Eucharist
9:00pm Choral Candlelight Christmas Eve Eucharist
Friday 25 THE FEAST OF THE NATIVITY OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST
10:00am Christmas Day Eucharist
5 – 7 pm Community Souper Supper – All are welcome!
7:00pm Classic Cinema presents Christmas in Connecticut
Sunday 27 THE FIRST SUNDAY OF CHRISTMAS
8:00am Holy Eucharist
9:00am Coffee hour begins
10:00am Choral Holy Eucharist
11:00am Coffee hour continues
FYI: Beth Shaw will be on vacation next week (Dec. 28 to 31)
The Parish Office will be closed for the holidays on December 28 - January 1.
Pastoral or Emergency calls should be made to Fr Nathan’s cell phone at 207-310-0268
Beth Shaw
Parish Administrator
The Episcopal Church of Saint Mary
43 Foreside Road
Falmouth, Maine 04105
207.781.3366
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