November 19, 2017 – The twenty-fourth Sunday after Pentecost
Getting Ready for Sunday!
"For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, so that by steadfastness and by the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope" (Romans 15:4).
Stewardship 2018: God's Work, Our Hands
$6,259. That's the amount we have paid to keep the lights on at Saint Mary's in the last 12 months. In recent years, we've made a conscious effort to reduce our electricity costs, by installing more efficient lighting and motion sensing switches. We've seen a 27% savings over 2015! We want our buildings to be welcoming and safe for our parishioners, visitors and staff to allow us to be a safe harbor for those in need and a catalyst for action in the community. Please help us get to our pledge goal of $285,000 for 2018. Help us keep the lights on and our light shining! Please share your pledge intention supporting our mission and infrastructure enabling our hands to do God's work. If you didn't receive a pledge form or have misplaced it, pick one up in the entrance of the church and at various tables in the parish hall. Complete your form and return it confidentially to Beth Shaw, our Parish Center Manager by email (admin@smary.org or by mail: 43 Foreside Road Falmouth 04105 or in the collection plate (in a sealed envelope, please) before December 31st!
Submit your names for the Memorial & Celebration Tree lighting, on Thanksgiving eve, November 22 following the Eucharist at 6pm (see insert)
Bells of Saint Mary's
Thank you to the quickly-formed Bell Ringers of Saint Mary's who are trying out some leased bells while we decide if there's interest or the finances to continue with them. Anyone interested in joining this group and can (at least somewhat) read music, contact Bruce Fithian or Priscilla Rigg
Events and Happenings
Sparkles NEWS: The Sparkles Fair is December 2, 9 AM to 2 PM
The Season is upon us!
This Saturday, November 18, is Garlanding Day, where we decorate the Guild Hall and Auditorium for Christmas. Please lend a hand to help make these rooms festive for the Season.
♦ On Sunday, November 19, following the second service, we will assemble the St. Mary's Friendship Soup. This is a fun and easy way to participate in Sparkles, so please join us in the Guiding RAY area.
♦ On Wednesday, November 22, we will have the Lighting of the Kyros Memorial & Celebration Tree following the Thanksgiving Eucharist. Be sure to send in your honored names by Monday, Nov 20
♦ BE SURE TO:
- Bake cookies and other goodies for the bake sale
- Sign up to help before, during and after the Boutique on December 2
- Hang flyers where you work or shop (they are in the auditorium)
- Sign up to help or bring food to the Schola Concert and Reception
♦ ALL SIGNUP SHEETS are in the auditorium, and we need EVERYONE'S HELP to make Sparkles a success.
♦ Don't forget to pre-order your Lobster Stew, Cinnamon Coffee Cake, and Greens and Poinsettias.
Annual Autumn Clean-Up: Saturday, Nov. 18, 8 AM to 12 noon
All hands-on deck! Get your rakes and gloves for our clean up day. Please join the fun. We will be working outside to spruce up our campus for the winter season as well as putting up garlands for the Sparkles and Advent seasons. Food and drinks will be provided. All ages welcome.
Serving The World
Red Cross Blood Drive: Saturday, November 25, 9 AM – 2 PM
PLEASE come and share the gift of life with others. With SO many disasters and shootings, the need for blood is greater than ever! The Blood Drive is in our Parish House Auditorium. Sign-up now or walk in that Saturday. To sign up, go to www.redcrossblood.org and use sponsor code "SMary" to make your donor appointment. FMI: contact our Coordinator, Jana Burke, at 272-4535 or jana.burke@icloud.com or Beth in the Parish Office at admin@smary.org
Falmouth Volunteer Fair: November 12, 1-3 PM
Make Your Mark! The Town of Falmouth will host a town-wide Volunteer Fair on Sunday at the Mason-Motz Activity Center, 190 Middle Road. Representatives from area non-profit, service, and booster organizations will be available to showcase their organizations and highlight their volunteer needs for those interested in getting involved. The event is free and open to the public Space is still available for organizations wishing to participate. For more information contact Erin Cadigan at ecadigan@falmouthme.org or 207.232.8850.
Saint Mary's Advent Snowman Tree – available this week!
We look forward every year to having an Advent Giving Tree! Here is an opportunity to become engaged in the spirit of giving this Christmas. Saint Mary's, together with the Salvation Army, are hosting a "Snowman Giving Tree. Snowman tags will be on the Christmas tree with a child's gift request. Kindly take a tag, purchase item(s) on the tag, and bring back to Saint Mary's. Unwrapped gifts should be back under the tree no later than December 10 with the tag on them to ensure the families receive them in time for Christmas. For more information contact Betsy Stoddard 829-2026 jbstod@myfairpoint.net
Souper Suppers: A Chance to Serve - every 2nd & 4th Fridays, 5-7pm
As you begin to ponder your autumn schedule, please consider joining the Souper Supper team! One of Saint Mary's most popular ministries, we serve home-made soup, salads, rolls, desserts at table, FREE to the community on the 2nd and 4th Fridays of each month. Do you have a couple of hours every month or two? Help set up, dish up, clean-up or make/provide desserts. Your Choice!! A fun, fulfilling, very family-friendly ministry! FMI: Jennifer Gregg; jenniferanngregg@gmail.com
Youth Ministry
Guiding RAY (Religious Adventures for Youth)
Our Guiding RAY programs for all young people ages 1 to 14 have begun with exciting plans for the program year! We gather all together beginning at 9:45am with classes beginning at 10am. For more information on Guiding RAY, please visit our website www.smary.org . The Nursery opens at 9:45am for our youngest disciples in the Guiding RAY area every Sunday morning for the later Eucharist.
This week in Guiding RAY…
This Sunday in Guiding RAY, we will be practicing saying "Thank you", for all of our rich blessings. We will ask God to help us to share what we have been given with those who are less fortunate than we are. A fun game that we have planned is "The best thing about _____ is _____." Example: "The best thing about my church is the music we sing." We plan on sharing our "best things" with all at coffee hour and hope that the adults will have some to share as well!
It's beginning to look a lot like…
…Pageant time! The Saint Mary's Christmas Pageant will take place during the 10:00 a.m. service on Christmas Eve. Rehearsals will be held on Sundays December 3, 10, and 17 from 9 -10 am with a dress rehearsal on Saturday, Dec 23 from 9 -10:30 am
Sign-up sheets and more pageant information will be available Sunday, November 19th. We are also in need of volunteers to assist with rehearsals, costumes, and the actual performance. If you are interested in helping out with this festive event, please talk with Heather Gale, hpgale@earthlink.net.
It's a Hit! New Youth Choirs: Calling all young singers Sundays at 9:15AM
In support of the RSCM program, we are thrilled to announce a new young folks choir for our children pre-school through high School. For the next two weeks, singers will gather at 9:15 AM in the Father James Chapel for joyous singing (and some instruction too!) through the use of puppets and hands-on percussion instruments. There is lots of wonderful music to learn for December 3rd Lessons and Carols and the December 24th Christmas Pageant!
Falmouth YOUNG LIFE Club: Mondays at 7:31 PM
Where? 41 Stapleford Dr, Falmouth, ME 04105, USA (map)
Who? Falmouth & area High School Peeps come kick it @ the BEST thing happening on a Monday night GUARANTEED!
Why? New friends! FMI, visit www.younglifecb.com
Community Care & Nurture
Wisdom Seekers: studying the Letter to the Romans
This Bible study group meets on Tuesdays at 10:30 AM in the Guild Room. Everyone is welcome! This Autumn, the group will follow our Sunday focus on St. Paul's Letter to the Romans and look at each week's passage in depth.
Chapel Eucharist: every Thursday in the Chapel at 12 noon
This is an informal time (in a beautiful space!) to gather at the Lord's Table with a meditation on the scripture or the saint of the day and prayers for healing.
Noonday Prayer: every other weekday in the Chapel Pause for 10 minutes of prayer together. You are also invited, wherever you may be, to STOP and PRAY with us in the Spirit at 12 noon for those in need, for our parish family, our bishop, and our own daily life with God.
Communicating with Nathan+
Feel free to contact Fr. 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 but know that email is checked rarely on weekends or when he's away on vacation.
Prayer Concerns for this week: Hannah Russell, John Lund, Nolan Farris, Douglas McCormack, , Lee Lamphere, Arthur Markos, Patti Braswell, Richard Harris, Brooke Welch-Frehsee, Ellen Hitchcock, Frank Rheaume, Stewart Stalnecker
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).
THIS WEEK at Saint Mary's
Sunday 19 8:00am Contemplative Eucharist (followed by Coffee Hour)
9:30am RSCM Angel Choir in the Chapel
9:45am Nursery opens
9:45 am Guiding RAY gathering with classes to begin at 10am
10:00am Choral Eucharist (followed by Coffee Hour)
Sparkles Spirit Appetizer Pick-up #1
Monday 20 10:00am Garden Club in the auditorium
12 noon Noonday Prayer - wherever you find yourself
6:00PM Portland Community Chorus rehearsal in the auditorium
7:31PM Falmouth Young Life Club at 41 Stapleford Drive
Tuesday 21 7:30-9a BNI meeting
9:30am Art Group in the auditorium
10:30am Wisdom Seekers – study of Romans
12 noon Noonday Prayer in the Chapel
6:00pm Schola Rehearsal in Sanctuary
7:00pm AA in the auditorium
7:30pm Al-Anon in the Guild Room (6:30pm Beginner's)
Wednesday 22 12noon Noonday Prayer in the Chapel
6:00 pm Thanksgiving Holy Eucharist followed by the lighting
of the Kyros Memorial & Celebration tree
6 - 8pm Magic of Christmas rehearsal in the auditorium
Thursday 23 Happy Thanksgiving Day! Parish Office closed
Friday 24 Parish Office closed
12noon Noonday Prayer - wherever you find yourself
5:00pm Souper Supper
5:30 pm Al-Anon meeting
Saturday 25 9aM-2PM Thanksgiving Blood Drive in the Parish House
Sunday 26 8:00am Contemplative Eucharist (followed by Coffee Hour)
9:30am RSCM Angel Choir in the Chapel
9:45am Nursery opens
9:45 am Guiding RAY gathering with classes to begin at 10am
10:00am Choral Eucharist (followed by Coffee Hour)
Sparkles Spirit Appetizer Pick-up #2
Beth Shaw
Parish Manager
The Episcopal Church of Saint Mary
43 Foreside Road
Falmouth, Maine 04105
207.781.3366
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