volume 10 issue 10 st. james episcopal church the...

Volume 10 Issue 10 THE NET

December 2015

The Net

St . James Episcopal Church

St. James Mission Statement

St. James is called to serve God, Christ, and the community of Greater New London.

Adopted by the Vestry May 2001

From the Warden’s Desk

ADVENT IS HERE: WATCH AND PRAY

Contrary to what all the circulars crowding our mailboxes and falling out of our Sunday

papers are telling us, it is not the Christmas Season. At least, not for Christians who follow the

liturgical calendar. It’s actually New Year— beginning of our new church year and a

period of preparation and waiting.

The hymns and Scripture lessons for the four weeks of Advent call for preparing our hearts

and lives for the entrance of the Christ into our world: once in history as a human baby,

now in living out of our baptism into Christ, and again in the end time. Watch, prepare, stay

awake, and pray. Our community worship helps us do all those things. Another special

opportunity to observe Advent is available this weekend, Saturday, December 5, at our

Quiet Morning in Hallam Chapel. Realistically, most of us will be spending more time than

we’d like scurrying around doing all the “stuff” of getting ready for the Christmas

celebration, but let’s remember to set aside time, both as a community and privately, to

watch and pray.

The theme of waiting is rather poignant this year for us at St. James, I

think, as we wait for an Interim Rector to lead us, as we wait to begin

our work on the transition and search. Perhaps this waiting is meant

to lead us to a deeper prayer life. It is doing that for me.

Although we were deeply saddened to hear that Andrew Howell,

our organist/choir master is leaving us at the end of the calendar

year, we wish him God’s blessings in his new ministry as director of

music at Mystic Congregational Church. We are blessed to have

secured the services of Violeta Chan-Scott as interim organist/choir

master. Many of you will remember Violeta from her years here as

organist/choir master. We are happy to welcome her back.

Holiday Office Hours 3

Birthdays 4

Thanks 5

Music 6

Holiday Activities 7-9

Outreach 9-11

Financial information 14-15

Inside this issue:

THE NET Volume 10 Issue 10

The Net …

is the newsletter of St.

James’ Church, New

London, Connecticut.

It is published eleven

times a year

(September through

June, and a Summer

issue) for the

information and

edification of St.

James’ members and

friends.

Submissions are always

welcome, and should

be submitted by the

tenth of the month

before publication.

While your submission is

always welcome, we

would prefer to receive

it by e-mail, or memory

stick in Microsoft Word

format (Word 97-2003

or later).

Please continue to

forward your

submissions to the

Church Office or email

them to: [email protected]

We also welcome your

comments and

suggestions. This is your

newsletter.

76 Federal Street

New London CT 06320-6601

860-443-4989

www.stjamesnl.org

I am also pleased to announce that the long search for a

sexton has ended. Dennis McCarthy has agreed to try on

the role of Sexton for three months. Ellen, our parish

secretary, and others have been bearing the burden of

trying to keep our buildings in some kind of good order.

Thank you, Dennis, for coming on board!

We give thanks to the Rev’d Joan Phelps for coming to our

aid as a long-term supply Priest.

Continue to pray with me that our Advent will be filled with

God’s grace and that our time of waiting will soon be over.

Respectfully submitted,

Dorothy Sieburg,

Senior Warden

Warden’s Desk, cont’d

Presiding Bishop Curry

The Most Rev. Michael

Bruce Curry was installed as

the 27th Presiding Bishop

and Primate of The

Episcopal Church in

America– a province of 109

dioceses in 16 different

nations on November 1 at

the Washington National

Cathedral.

Bishop Curry is the first

African-American Presiding

Bishop. He also serves as

President of the Domestic

and Foreign Missionary

Society.

A vigil celebration and

Eucharist honoring

Presiding Bishop Curry was

held on Saturday, October

31 at the Armory in

Washington, DC . This event

was sponsored by the Union

of Black Episcopalians.

He has already made

waves around the world for

his impassioned plea for

Episcopalians to take

seriously their role as part of

what he calls the Jesus

Movement.

the Most Revd Michael Curry began a new chapter of his Christian ministry when he was

a


As we enter the holiday season, the Parish Office will observe the following holiday

schedule:

Thursday, December 24—Office closes at 12:30 p.m.

Friday , December 25 and Monday, December 28 —Christmas

holiday—Office closed.

Thursday, December 31—New Year’s Eve— Office closes early.

Friday, January 1—New Year’s Day—Office closed.

Regular Parish Office hours resume Tuesday, December 29, after

Christmas, and Monday, January 4, after New Year’s Day.

Regular Parish Office hours are 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. and 1:30 p.m.–3:30 p.m.

Holiday Parish Office Hours

Vestry Highlights

The Vestry met November 10, 2015. Highlights of the meeting included: (1) A second

interview was held with an interim candidate; hopefully by the end the week we will know

his decision. (2) A committee has been formed to seek a new Choirmaster with the

departure of Andrew Howell at the end of December. (3) There will be no church school

November 15 due to the one service celebrating the success of the capital campaign and

on November 29, the Sunday following Thanksgiving. (4) The Christmas Giving Tree will be

placed in the Parish Hall Sunday, November 22. Emphasis will be on clothing as Toys for Tots

is providing the toys. (5) Stewardship Sunday is November 22 and Vestry members were

encouraged to participate in the service he/she normally attends. (6) Jerry Miller reported

we have been approved to apply for a grant for Maintenance and Repair from the

Connecticut Trust for Historic Preservation. This would be a matching grant of up to $15.000

for interior plaster repairs, starting in the bell tower and extending to the church proper

(northwest corner) and Hallam Chapel. (7) Work is continuing with Sprigs and Twigs

regarding courtyard drainage issues.


Jan Dargel,

Parish Clerk


December Birthdays The names on this list reflect the information as recorded in the Church database. Is your

name (or a family member’s name) missing? If so, please contact the Church Office and

provide us with the accurate information!

6 Joan Jones

6 Elizabeth Ahnell

8 Sade Velez

9 Victoria Brennan

13 Nicholas Streeter

15 Carole Shores

16 John Dillon

16 Lucy Patterson

18 Lynda DeVivo

19 Ines Granville

19 Hayden Fraser

22 Joy Hewitt

22 Michael Culbertson

23 Mary Hulme

27 Anaya Collins

28 Martha Delancy

Farewell dear friend …

Mary G. Konakowitz

Advent Advent began Sunday, November 29

The calendar during

Advent is much more than

the place to count down

Christmas shopping days.

“Give us grace to cast

away the works of darkness,

and put on the armor of

light.”

from The Collect for the First

Sunday of Advent,

The Book of Common Prayer,

p. 211


To Those who’ve already made their offering for God’s work in the world, through their 2016

pledge.

To Jerry Miller and the Budget Committee for their hard work on the 2016 budget.

To Stephanie Brandon and the Stewardship Committee for challenging us to new giving

levels for 2016.

To All the volunteers who help us succeed with our Parish outreach ministries.

To Ron Steed, the Capital Improvements Committee members and to All who contributed

making our Capital Campaign such a success. Thank you!

To Br. Robert Dowd for leading our Deanery Quiet day and preaching on Sunday.

To Grace Barnum, Dan Ivey, and Fr. Tony for hosting the Safe Church Training.

To All who have helped fill the gaps in the absence of our Sexton and Rector.

Church School Holiday Schedule

Merry Christmas to all our students! May you enjoy a blessed and healthy Christmas

season! We will be taking a brief vacation from Church in honor of Christ’s birth on

Sundays, December 27 and January 3. We look forward to seeing you back in class on

Sunday, January 10.


Jan Dargel, Deanna Bossdorf, Florence Bath, Carol Dooley, and Nancy Koben,

Church School Teachers


Please plan to join us on December 14 for our traditional Service of Lessons and Carols for

Advent. This year we’ll present our second performance of Unto us a child is born, a

beautiful carol that we commissioned from composer Peter Niedmann in 2012, as well as

the lovely O for a thousand tongues to sing, by Richard Shephard, and Edward Elgar’s

Benedictus in F.

At the post-service reception (featuring good food, wine and conversation!), there will be a

Christmas bazaar, where you can purchase holiday treats, crafts, ornaments, and gifts

created by the Singers. This is a fund-raiser for our 2017 residency at Exeter and Truro

Cathedrals in the United Kingdom, so please support us while taking care of some of your

holiday shopping!

We’re presenting (for the first time) a Christmas concert this year, at St. Paul’s Episcopal

Church in Westbrook. That will be on Sunday, December 20, when we will reprise some of

the works from Lessons and Carols, as well as additional holiday favorites including Harold

Darke’s In the bleak midwinter. Please join us in Westbrook if you can.


Katherine Brighty

Anglican Singers

Advent Lessons & Carols


This year, experience Advent

and Christmas with Mary

starting Wednesday,

December 2, when we kick-

off our Advent Adult Education

program. The program is a 4

session course titled Not a

Silent Night: Mary looks back to

Bethlehem. Imagine Jesus

from Mary’s point of view—

proud of her son, in awe of his

gifts and mission, guided by

love for him as a person and

so much more. In this book

and accompanying DVD,

Adam Hamilton begins at the

end, with Mary at the

crucifixion and resurrection;

travels back in time as she

witnesses his life and ministry;

and ends at the beginning,

Adult Education

with the Christ child born in a

stable, Mary’s beautiful baby. The cost is $15.00 per book.

Each Wednesday evening

begins with Evening Prayer in

Hallam Chapel at 5:30 PM. The

group then moves to the

Seabury Parlor (main floor of the

Parish House) for a potluck

dinner, and we begin our study

at 6:30 p.m. and end by 8:00

p.m. These sessions are a great

way to get to know other

parishioners and to explore a

little more (than usual) about our

Christian faith. Please sign up by

contacting Ellen in the Parish

Office 860.443.4989. We hope

you’ll plan on joining us this

Advent!

“Awaken me!” an Advent Quiet Morning

St. James is hosting a Quiet Day with five other Parishes across The Episcopal Church in

Connecticut and Fresh Springs Retreats http://freshspringsretreats.org on Saturday,

December 5 in the Hallam Chapel from 9:00 a.m.—12:30 p.m. A $20 donation is

suggested.

The theme for the day is Awaken Me, taken from a prayer-poem by Joyce Rupp.

Advent is the “Keep Awake” season, but how do we shake off the inertia that lulls us back

to sleep? What is the state of the gardens of our lives? What needs to be awakened in us

so we are ready to meet Emmanuel and discover God with us? This guided mini-retreat

invites participants to pause in the midst of holiday shopping and decorating, to explore

such questions; to enter into a different kind of Christmas preparation, a time of silence and

prayer, with leaders providing a context for reflection. Light refreshments will be available.

Registration is encouraged, but not required. Please call Ellen in the Parish Office at

860.443.4989.

http://freshspringsretreats.org/


Christmas Poinsettias and Greenery Now that Advent has arrived, we think of many tasks that have to be done in our own lives

and in our Parish life. One of these takes place on Sunday, December 20, with the

Greening of the Church. There are a number of ways that you can participate in this

tradition, but one way is by giving memorial donations for friends and family or thanksgiving

donations for the blessings in your life. These donations are used to purchase the Christmas

decorations. The memorial envelope is attached but if you should mislay it, we will have

more in the Church or the Office—the deadline for inclusion in the Christmas list is

Wednesday, December 16. Thank you.

Wassail Party What good is work, if you can’t use it as an excuse

to party! Immediately following the Greening of

the Church (Sunday, December 20, right after the

10 a.m. service), all the workers are invited to the

Parish Hall for a Wassail Party. There will be tables

overflowing with food, warm and spicy wassail to

drink, and lots of good fun and fellowship. All,

regardless of age, are invited. Please plan to help

with Greening the Church, and join us as we relax

together, and enjoy some casual fellowship

afterwards.

beautiful and bring a splash of color into the

otherwise drab wintertime. The Altar Guild will

acquire everything we need, then they just

need our help hanging and arranging it. Bring

gloves, garden shears, and comfortable

clothes – and join us right after the 10 a.m.

service (about 11:30) in the Church. This year,

we are planning on having Andrew and Travis

at the organ console, and we invite everyone

to join in the Carol Sing—and then join the fun

at the Wassail Party.

Part of the wonderful tradition of the

Anglican Church is the “greening” of the

Church, in preparation for Christmas. It is

traditionally done after services on the

Fourth Sunday in Advent (December 20

this year). Evergreens, representing the

ever-flourishing life found in Christ, are

arranged throughout the Church: in small

clusters, in roping, in wreaths, and

occasionally even in whole trees.

Together, we can make the Church

Greening of the Church & Carol Sing


Volunteer for Flower Delivery to Shut-ins

If you would like to help

brighten Christmas for

members of our Parish Family

who are homebound or in

healthcare facilities, how

about taking one of the

poinsettia plants from our

Christmas decorations to him/

her? Select someone who is

near to your home or office,

and it won’t take much time

at all!

A sign-up sheet can be found in

the Parish Hall. Please put your

name next to the name of the

person to whom you’d like to take

a plant. If directions are needed,

please contact Ellen in the Parish

Office, 860.443.4989.

Plants may be delivered

immediately following the

Christmas Day services or anytime

during the week after Christmas

Christmas Wish List for Adopted Families We are adopting five families this year.

The Christmas Tree in the Parish Hall is chock full of ornaments.

Please select an ornament with a requested item that you will

then purchase, wrap, and label with the ornament attached.

All wrapped gifts should be brought to Church any Sunday, or

dropped off at the Parish Office no later than Wednesday,

December16 at noon. Gifts will be distributed later that week

to our adopted families.

For anyone who may not have the time to shop, monetary

donations will be accepted. Please make checks payable to

St. James with “Christmas Wish List-Family” in the memo line.


Deanna Bossdorf and Pat King,

Giving Tree Committee


Lord’s Pantry

The month of November has been extremely busy with the

weather getting cooler and more individuals showing up

each week for food. We anticipate our needs will continue

to increase with the upcoming holidays and wintery winter.

Our television interviews with WTNH, Tina Detelj, has

enabled us to reach out to sixteen families in need within

the local community, providing them with Thanksgiving

dinners. Four additional turkeys were donated Gemma

Moran—United Way Food Center in New London.

Our parish family has received positive coverage for this

outreach project and our Lord’s pantry.

We wish our clients and parish family a safe and happy

Advent and Christmas season.


Marcia Pierce and volunteers

This holiday season, we are requesting donations of new white socks for the

Homeless Hospitality Center Shelter guests (male and female). Our goal is to

“gift” each guest with three (3) pairs of socks. They may be wrapped (please

note on the outside of the package if they are men’s or women’s—if unisex,

no marking needed) or unwrapped. All donations should be received by

Wednesday, December 16. If you would like to help with sorting and wrapping at the

Greening of the Church on Sunday, December 20, all are welcome.

Socks for HHC

Thank you one and all for your generous donations making the 2015 Hats, Mittens, Gloves,

and Scarves collection a success.

We were able to deliver over 250 sets to the elementary children in New London, the

Covenant Shelter, and to some children whose names were on our Giving Tree. There are

many happy and warmer students thanks to your generosity.

A special thanks to my elves: Barbara Skinner, Lori Sarkett, and

Theresa Bokoff for all their support and hard work in organizing and

delivering the sets. Many thanks and God Bless!


Sue Chojnacki,

Chair

Hats, Mittens, Gloves, and Scarves


Christmas greeting cards and picturesque note cards

featuring our Tiffany windows are for sale. St. James

ornaments and cookbooks are also available for purchase

just in time for the holidays, to have for your own use or to

give as gifts! Items are available at the Parish Office during

normal business hours. Prices start at $2.50 each and the

pricing improves with the quantity of cards you buy.

Pewter ornaments, featuring St. James’ edifice, are for sale

at $15.00 each. With double-sided design , they are great

for hanging—on a tree or in a window. Buy several!

Holiday Cards and Ornaments

St. James Quilters

Several of our members have been missing in action

recently, and we hope they will be back with us

soon. In the meantime, we are busy making more

lovely quilts for the Covenant Shelter. We meet the

second and fourth Thursday each month (except

when pre-empted by holidays—check the calendar),

and we welcome new members, even if you’ve never

made a quilt before. We will be happy to teach you!


Mary Chartier,

Chair

The Jumble Shoppe is decorated for

Christmas. Come see our array of

beautiful Christmas ornaments and

decorations available for purchase.

The shop will be closed December 26 in

observance of the Christmas holiday.

We wish all our volunteers, supporters, and

patrons a blessed and healthy Christmas.

Jumble Shoppe


The Supper Group of St. James Join us for fun, food and fellowship!!!

Come join the fun! Been thinking about it? Now’s the time!

Next Gathering: Friday, December 4 – 6:00 PM

Where: Jasmine Thai Restaurant & Sushi Bar Corner of Bank/Howard Streets, New London

Who: All of us who enjoy spending a fun evening with new and old friends.

Sign-up Deadline: Wednesday, December 2 Rides available AND encouraged!

RSVP (name, # attending, and if you would like a ride) by contacting Lori Sarkett 860.701.0481 or Ellen in the Parish Office 860.443.4989.

Would you like prayers said for the health

of a loved one? Would you or someone

you know like prayer support

during a particularly

challenging time of life? Do

you want to offer special

thanks for a new grandchild

or other joyous event?

St. James Prayer Chain would

be happy to pray with you.

The group prays for the

people included in the

Prayers of the People each

Sunday. We also pray for those who are

listed in our Morning Prayer Journal found

in the front vestibule on Sundays. Please

Prayer Chain Ministry

call Grace Barnum 860.326.5447 to add

name(s). It is up to you how specific you

make the prayer request.

You can simply give us a

name or more information

about what they need

prayers for, as you see fit. The

people in the Prayer Chain

keep the information

confidential.

You can also assist with this

ministry by speaking to

Grace Barnum. We ask you

to remember the people you pray for daily,

but how or when you pray is up to you.


Annual Convention

The 231st Annual Convention convened in Cromwell on Friday, November 13.

Although there were debates and discussions, we surprisingly got through all the resolutions. For me, the most exciting resolution

involved the changing of deaneries to regions. We will welcome twelve new parishes to our “deanery”. It will be a chance to learn

and hear what other parishes are doing and to be able to work together and learn from each other.

I was impressed on Saturday how we worked the Holy Eucharist into the day ending with what Bishop Ian Douglas referred to as

Rite II ( a brief communion service as we had to be out of the room by 4). I left feeling that the Episcopal Church is heading in the

right direction to spread God’s work. A bonus was getting to spend time with Fr. Michel.


Sue Chojnacki,

Alternate Delegate

Parish Health Ministries

Winter Wipeouts

Hand and wrist injuries spike during the winter because ice and snow make walking

treacherous. When we fall, we automatically try to break the fall with our outstretched

hands resulting in strained or torn ligaments, fractures and contusions. Other injuries are

due to snowblower accidents or repetitive strain

injuries after spending hours shoveling.

Do not put your fingers or hands near a

snowblower. Even when it is turned off, the

blades can still spin when snow is cleared.

Instead, use a long wooden instrument to clear

the snow and save your fingers!

Jennifer Wolf, MD


Is your current (2015) pledge up

to date? Please make sure that

your 2015 contributions are

caught up as we approach the

busy holiday season.

Contributions cannot be posted

for 2015 after January 31, 2016.

The Vestry and Stewardship

Committee ask you to prayerfully

consider the ways—Time,

Talent, and Treasure—that

you can support St. James as

it seeks to do God’s work in

our community and the

world in 2016.

Alma Peterson & Greg Rice,

Co-Pledge Secretaries

Pledge Up-to-Date?

Each Sunday we adorn the Altar with flowers (except during Lent), light a Sanctuary

Candle, and consume bread and wine. The Altar Guild pays for these through gifts given

by members, family and friends of St. James. If you would like to assist one week, an Altar

Flower donation is $45; sanctuary candle $5; and, communion wine or communion wafers,

$10 donation. Your donation can be made as a memorial honoring someone deceased, or

as a thank-offering to celebrate a birthday, anniversary or other special event in your life.

As always, more than one person can make their offering in any given week. If you’d like

more information, speak to any member of the Altar Guild, or contact the Parish Office.

Some Giving Opportunities

Follow-up on Br James Dowd's Quiet Day...

Br. James Dowd was grateful to everyone who talked to him about his monastery’s work in

South Africa and for the opportunity to preach to the Parish.

If you would like to donate to the Order of the Holy Cross’s work in South Africa, just make

a check payable to OHC South Africa Fund. If you don’t want to designate how it is

assigned simply write “donation” in the memo line. If you want to designate, then

“donation-school” or “donation-monastery”.

Please mail your donations to: OHC South Africa Fund, c/o Ms. Mary Davey, Fiduciary Trust

International, 600 Fifth Avenue, New York, New York 10020.


ST. JAMES CHURCH

TREASURER'S REPORT

November 10, 2015

Total Income:

Total Expenses:

Net Ordinary Income:

$264,406

$98,100

Summary:

Investment Summary:

$2,982,171

Summary:

Parish Financial Update


Non-Profit Organization

U.S. Postage Paid

New London, CT 06320

Permit No. 236

St. James Episcopal Church

76 Federal Street

New London, CT 06320-6601

Postmaster: Time Sensitive Material, please deliver immediately.

ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED.

Christmas Service Schedule

Christmas Eve, Thursday, December 24

7:00 p.m. Family Service and Holy Eucharist with Children’s Homily

(Planned for those with children, or those who simply want to get home early.)

10:45 p.m. Choral Prelude

11:00 p.m. Festive Choral Eucharist

Christmas Day, Friday, December 25

10:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist

volume 10 issue 10 st. james episcopal church the...

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