News & Notes 10/23/08
Hello to all my friends at St. John’s Church
What a wonderful part of the world to live in!! Even though the colors are getting “tired,” it’s been a wonderful fall. And even though it’s getting cold, it’s a reminder that every day, with its changing weather “pattern,” is a new gift to us - that God continues to make all things new!! Even us!! Praise God.
Jinny Scott reported last Sunday that the Red Cross Blood Drive yielded 45 pints of blood! That’s just wonderful!! Many thanks to everyone who helped to produce that event that will help our neighbors.
I’m sure most of us didn’t notice, but a tree feel toward the back of Hartford Hall - blocking the entrance to the old “Bell Shed” (where our big bells were stored before the tower was installed). It was a mess - with invasive vines, wild roses, trees, weeds, etc. Well Chuck Cheney (Don’s son, and Donna McAdam’s brother) spent about 5 hours, over two days, clearing all of that out! Wow!! What a job he did for us!! Thanks Chuck!
And that’s a great segue to lifting up the Trustees Work Day this Saturday - from 8 AM till noon. There are allot more trees and undergrowth to clear out (bring chainsaws, loppers and clippers, if you have them), some interior doors to paint, and some general clean-up. It would be great to have a veritable army of folks show up to help. Even if you can’t stay for the entire four hours, any time that you can give would be great!!
Then in the evening, we have our Public Pot Roast Supper - from 4:30 till 6 PM. I hope we have lots of folks to prepare, serve, EAT and clean-up!! It makes a big difference when we have a good turn-out to work on these events. So whether you come for the morning work day, the evening supper, or both, we could really use your help.
Barbara Sylvester sent this next thing to me. I called the Seabrook Power Plant, and found out that it won’t directly affect all of us, but I thought some of us might want to know about it just in case: At 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 25, all 120 Seabrook nuclear power plant emergency sirens across the Seacoast will sound for three to five minutes as part of a test. This test will be a dual function test. First, to hear the Siren and secondly, to see the rotation of the horns. All 120 sirens in the nuclear power plant’s 10-mile radius Emergency Plan Zone will be tested simultaneously. FPL Energy Seabrook Station, in conjunction with the state Division of Homeland Security and Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency, will be conducting the test. The general public needs to know not to call 911 when they hear the sirens. In the event of any siren activation you’re supposed to turn on to some form of media channel whether on your radio or television. One such station to turn to is WOKQ-FM 97.5.
During worship on Sunday morning we’ll be blessing some prayer shawls - all for folks outside of our church family. I’m thrilled that we’re living out Wesley’s claim that “The World is Our Parish” by ministering to others. During Coffee Fellowship we’ll have our next Blood Pressure clinic, too. And all morning long there’ll be a white cloth which will be used to cover the Communion Table on November 2nd, All Saints Sunday. All who wish, can write the name of a loved one who has passed away over the last twelve months. This is one of the ways that we’ll worship God and honor the newly departed saints during our November 2nd worship.
If you are seventy years old or older, I hope you’ve called in your reservation to the church office (742-3046) for the “Older Adult Luncheon,” which will take place this next Tuesday, beginning at 11:30 AM. There’ll be a delicious luncheon as well as a terrific program presented by “The Good Time Gospel Quartet.” This is a “freeby” event of St. John’s Church - made possible by the endowment funds generated by the Helen Burnham and Ray & Edith Chase Memorials. See you at the luncheon!
Tuesday evening, our Outreach Committee is sponsoring a time with some community leaders - for us to hear about the unmet needs of the City of Dover - to see if there might be some way for St. John’s Church can respond to those needs. Members of the Outreach Committee and Church Council will be there to listen, and you’re invited, too. It all takes place in Hartford Hall, beginning at 7 PM.
The Fair and Auction is fast approaching! We still need volunteers to help out the day of the Fair & Auction. At the Auction, we need helpers to monitor the tables between 8am and noon. All that’s required is keeping an eye on the auction items so they don’t walk away. Contact Mary Avrett at 343-1426 or meavrett (at) hotmail (dot) com. For the Fair, we need one or two people to oversee the jewelry table (including setup if you’re so inclined) and folks to help out selling in the Craft rooms. Contact Betsey Bolton at 749-5468 or eaobolton (at) yahoo (dot) com. We’ll also need more help cleaning up after 1PM.
Any time folks can give to the Fair and Auction is appreciated, whether it’s an hour or all day. Thank you, thank you. Betsey & Mary
A new feature of the fair this year will be Lenny Colongione sharpening your household knives. He has decided to charge $2 (3 for $5) for knives that are 8″ or longer; and $1 (3 for $2) for knives that are shorter than 8″. So when you come to the fair, bring your knives along, and drop them off with Lenny - and pick them up after you’ve completed your shopping!!
Remember that the Outreach Committee is collecting new socks to be given to children in our schools - so they can have a very basic need met. The collection box is in Hartford Hall - right beside the photocopier.
An alternative Christmas gift that honors family and friends by feeding the hungry: National Advance hunger-relief ministry unveils its 2008 alternative Christmas card
The Society of St. Andrew, a national hunger relief ministry and Advance #801600, offers an alternative way to share the true meaning of Christmas, not just with people you know, but with thousands you will never meet but whom you can help feed. For a minimum donation of $12 per card, you can send their custom-designed alternative Christmas card to those you wish to honor with a donation to feed the hungry, or you can have the Society of St. Andrew (SoSA) send the cards for you. This year’s card is the fourteenth in a series designed exclusively for SoSA by Virginia liturgical artist Annis McCabe. The full-color, 7 inch by 5 inch card features original art outside and inside describing “The Work of Christmas” put forth in Howard Thurman’s poem of the same name. The Society of St. Andrew’s Christmas Gift Donation Cards can be ordered by mail, phone, fax, or online: 800-333-4597; fax at 434-299-5949; email to card@endhunger.org; online at www.endhunger.org/card.
This one falls under the category of “innocence is priceless,” and was shared by Arthur Crouse: One Sunday morning, the pastor noticed little Spencer standing in the foyer of the church staring up at a large plaque. It was covered with names and small American flags mounted on either side of it. The six-year old had been staring at the plaque for some time, so the pastor walked up, stood beside the little boy, and said quietly, ‘Good morning Spence.’ ‘Good morning Pastor,’ he replied, still focused on the plaque. ‘Pastor, what is this?’ The pastor said, ‘Well son, it’s a memorial to all the young men and women who died in the service.’ Soberly, they just stood together, staring at the large plaque. Finally, little Spencer’s voice, barely audible and trembling with fear asked, ‘Which service, the 9:00 or the 10:30?’
That’s it for this week!! Have a great weekend - stay warm - and join your church family for worship!! Peace, Mark