Calendar for the Upcoming Week - February 1

Sunday, February 1
8:00am Holy Eucharist - The Reverend Gwen Buehrens
9:00am Sunday School for grades 4-5
and Middle School
9:45am Childcare
10:00am Holy Eucharist - The Reverend Gwen Buehrens
10:00am K-3 Attend Church first;
(leave at 2nd hymn w/ teachers)
11:00am Coffee Hour
Monday, February 2
8:00pm AA (6:30 newcomers)
Tuesday, February 3
9:30am Holy Eucharist
10:00 am WSM Board Meeting
Thursday, February 5
6:30pm Junior Choir
7:30pm Adult Choir

2009 Annual Meeting Reports and Presentations

For those unable to attend the Annual Meeting on January 27, 2008, here are electronic copies of the documents from the meeting. The minutes, 2009 budget, and committee reports were all approved at the meeting.

Agenda for the Annual Meeting:
2009_Agenda.pdf

Minutes from 2008 Annual Meeting (to be approved):
2008_Annual_Meeting_Minutes.pdf

Wardens' Report (distributed prior to the Annual Meeting):
Wardens_Report_2009_Jan_07.pdf

2008 Budget vs. Actual and 2009 Proposed Budget:
2008_and_2009_budget.pdf

Committee Reports:
2009_Investment_Committee.pdf
2009_Membership.pdf
2009_Music.pdf
2009_Property.pdf
2009_Women_of_St_Marys.pdf
2009_Rectors_Report_and_Register.pdf
2008_Outreach_Detail.xls (Excel format)
2009_Christian_Education.pdf
2009_Nominating_Committee.pdf
2009_Stewardship.pdf


UPDATE MARCH 4, 2009: Below are the (unapproved) minutes from the 2009 annual meeting. Minutes will be formally approved at the 2010 annual meeting.

2009_Annual_Meeting_Minutes.pdf

Good News: January 21, 2009

The Good News for January 21 is available for download:

Good_News_2009_Jan_21.pdf

This issue includes the article "We are All Monotheists" adapted from a sermon on the Book of Deuteronomy delivered at St.Mary’s on January 8 by Rabbi Ronald Weiss.

Calendar for Sunday, January 25 & Upcoming Events

Please join us on Sunday Morning at 10:00am when The Reverend Jack Johnson will be our guest preacher.
The Reverend Jack Johnson is the Executive Director of the Mass Council of Churches. Reverend Johnson has been involved in ecumenical and interfaith ministries throughout his career. He was chair/co-founder of the Interfaith Neighbors of Monmouth County, a coalition of one hundred Protestant, Roman Catholic, and Jewish congregations providing rental assistance and housing for homeless and low-income families. Also this Sunday, please join us for the Annual Meeting after the 10:00am service - brunch will be served and babysitters provided.
Sunday, January 25
No 8:00am Service
9:00am Sunday School for grades 4-5
and Middle School
9:45am Childcare
10:00am Holy Eucharist - Celebrant: The Reverend Peter Chase
Preacher: The Reverend Jack Johnson, Executive Director of Mass Council of Churches
10:00am K-3 Attend Church first;
(leave at 2nd hymn with teachers)
11:00am Brunch & Annual Meeting
(Babysitting provided)
Monday, January 26
8:00pm AA (6:30 newcomers)
Thursday, January 29
6:30pm Junior Choir
7:30pm Adult Choir
Sunday, February 1
8 & 10am Holy Eucharist, The Reverend Gwen Buehrens
Church School as Usual
11:00am Coffee Hour

Foods 'n' Fancies Update: Final Total $11,714

UPDATED ON JANUARY 21, 2009: FINAL TOTAL $11,714


UPDATED ON JANUARY 4, 2009:The total raised from Food 'n' Fancies is over $11,000! All this money will go to Outreach. Thank you again to all who helped, purchased, or otherwise participated!

Update: As of Saturday, Foods 'n' Fancies raised over $8200 to be used for Outreach programs. As many Silent Auction items have not been picked up yet, this number could go higher over the next week.


Thank you!: The following is a note from Lucille Rossignol:

I wish to thank each of my table captains and their teams of workers for making our fair a success once again this year. It was an honor to work beside each of you and a great pleasure to see what our combined efforts can produce. We are a little parish, but we are a very mighty one! Everyone helps in some way. Because of the hundreds of donations and contributions from each of you, many, many will benefit from your generosity.

My heartfelt thanks to you all.
Sincerely,
Lucille

Outreach: Esperanza Academy

One recent recipient of St. Mary's outreach funds is the Esperanza Academy, a middle school for girls in Lawrence, Massachusetts.

"Esperanza Academy, School of Hope, provides a quality education in the Episcopal tradition, welcoming girls of diverse faiths, races and cultures... Esperanza Academy, School of Hope, is a tuition-free school that creates an enriched environment fostering individual success and community commitment for fifth through eighth grade girls from Lawrence, Massachusetts."

WARRANT- St. Mary's Annual Parish Meeting

WARRANT
ANNUAL PARISH MEETING
SUNDAY, JANUARY 25, 2009

The members of the EPISCOPAL SOCIETY OF ST. MARY’S CHURCH IN NEWTON are hereby notified to meet in the Parish Hall of said church in Newton Lower Falls on the 25th day of January, 2009 at 11:15 a.m. for the following purposes:

FIRST: If necessary, to choose a moderator;

SECOND: To elect by ballot the following Parish Officers:

Senior Warden
Junior Warden
Clerk
Treasurer
Superintendent of the Churchyard

Also to elect by ballot:
4 members of the Vestry for 3 years
1 member of the Vestry for 2 years
2 delegates to the Diocesan Convention for 1 year
3 delegates to the Deanery for 1 year
1 member of the Investment Committee for 3 years

THIRD: To hear and act upon reports of Parish Officers and
Committees;

FOURTH:To act upon any other business that may properly come before the meeting.

Paul Pyzowski, Senior Warden
Mary Green, Junior Warden


Child Care provided during the meeting.

Wardens' Report for the Annual Meeting

Our Annual Meeting will be held on Sunday, January 25, immediately following the 10:00am service. As in years past, we are providing the Junior Warden’s report in advance, so that you may have time to read, reflect, and pray on its contents prior to the meeting. You can download the report here:

Wardens_Report_2009_Jan_07.pdf

Saint Mary's Update for Sunday, January 18

Sunday, January 18
No Sunday School
8:00am Holy Eucharist - Peter Chase
9:45am Childcare
10:00am Morning Prayer - Rabii Ron Weiss
11:00am Coffee Hour
Monday, January 19
Martin Luther King Day
office closed
8:00pm AA (6:30pm new)
Tuesday, January 20
7:30pm Vestry Meeting
Thursday, January 22
6:30pm Junior Choir
7:30pm Adult Choir
Sunday, January 25
No 8:00am Service
9:00am Sunday School for grades 4-5
and Middle School
9:45am Childcare
10:00am Holy Eucharist
10:00am K- 3 attend church first;
(Leave at 2nd hymn with teachers)
11:00am Annual Meeting

Outreach: Epiphany School in Boston

One recipient of St. Mary's outreach funds is Epiphany School in Boston.

"Epiphany is an independent, tuition-free, middle school for children of economically disadvantaged families from Boston neighborhoods. We admit children of diverse faiths, races, cultures, and cognitive profiles, believing in the Episcopal tradition that we find God in and through each other's presence. "

Update for Sunday, January 11

Sunday, January 11
8:00am Holy Eucharist – Peter Chase
9:00am Sunday School for grades 4-5 and middle school
9:45am Childcare
10:00am Holy Eucharist & Baptism – Peter Chase
K – 3 attend church first; leave at 2nd hymn with teachers
11:00am Coffee Hour
Monday, January 12
8:00pm AA (6:30 newcomers)
Wednesday, January 14
6:30pm Sharing a New Song
Thursday, January 15
6:30pm Junior Choir
7:30pm Adult Choir
Sunday, January 18
No Church School
8:00am Holy Eucharist - Peter Chase
9:45am Childcare
10:00am Holy Eucharist - Peter Chase
11:00am Coffee Hour

Next Stitch’n Chat on Tuesday, January 13 at 7:00pm
Please join us on Tuesday, January 13 at 7:00pm at Jean Dalton’s home,
For more information call the church office at 617-527-4769.

Outreach: Loaves and Fishes in Biloxi, Mississippi

One recipient of St. Mary's outreach funds is Loaves and Fishes, the only soup kitchen in east Biloxi, Mississippi.

The following article is excerpted from the Biloxi Sun Herald:

The Loaves and Fishes' mission is very simple - feed the hungry. For nearly 25 years, the community kitchen has served hot and nutritious meals to Biloxi's homeless. But after Katrina severely damaged the operation center at 260 Main St., the faith-influenced organization had to rely on volunteers and donations from private and government sources to jumpstart the mission once again.

"Since the hurricane, we had people who never utilized our services and who were very self-sufficient," said Rita Baldwin, coordinator for Loaves and Fishes. "We need to have a little empathy because in a flash of an eye, any of us can become homeless by no fault of our own and that doesn't make us bad people."

Baldwin walked the homeless path seven years ago after a series of unusual circumstances. Little did she realize her experience would strengthen her compassion to lead a recovery for the place that used to feed her.

Although the extent of the damage from the storm halted services until January, the months prior were busy with local and out-of-state volunteers hustling to repair the building, which had an 8-foot waterline and a caved-in roof. "Firemen and policemen from New York helped us clean it out and we just have had wonderful people that have come," she said. "... We have been very blessed by people who have given their time, assisted in serving and given monetary support."

As of now, Baldwin estimates around 130 people visit Loaves and Fishes every day, Monday through Friday, for a hot lunch, snacks and coffee. Once financial support is steady, plans are to increase services. "We continue to meet the ever-increasing needs of people coming through our doors," Baldwin said. "Even though our mission is to feed the hungry, it's important to me to try and help people move on and refer them to other programs because people did that for me."

St Mary's - Calendar - January 4th and beyond

Sunday, January 4
8 & 10 am - Peter Chase, Celebrant & Preacher
9:45am Childcare
Church School as Usual - all meet first in Church
11:00am Coffee Hour
Monday, January 5
8:00pm AA (6:30pm Newcomers)
Tuesday, January 6
9:30am Holy Eucharist
10:00am WSM Board Meeting
Wednesday, January 7
6:30pm Sharing a New Song
Thursday, January 8
6:30pm Junior Choir
7:30pm Adult Choir

Dedication of the New Santa Maria Virgen Church Building (4)

On December 6, our sister parish in El Salvador dedicated their new church building. Our rector, Peter Chase, travelled to El Salvador at the invitation of Bishop Martin Barahona, Primate of the Anglican Church for Central America, to give the sermon at the dedication service.

Below are photos from the event, showing the procession from the old to the new church as well as the dedication service.