Silent Auction Items Needed for Foods'n Fancies Bazaar

The Foods 'n Fancies Bazaar will be held on Saturday, November 21st. Please bring in your items for the Silent Auction as soon as possible. If you have fine jewelry, of other small precious items please give them to Denise for safe keeping. Other items can be placed in the attic. We are also looking for classy items for the White Reindeer Table and costume jewelry for the Jewelry Table. Thanks for your help!

St. Mary's Update - Sunday, October 4

Sunday, October 4
8:00am & 10:00am Holy Eucharist - The Reverend Ms. Margaret Schwarzer
9:00am Sunday School for grades 4-5 and middle school
9:45am Childcare
10:00am K-3 Attend Church first; leave at second hymn with the teachers.
11:00am Coffee Hour
11:30am Blessing of the Animals

Women of St. Mary's Welcoming Dinner - Tuesday, October 13

Join the Women of St. Mary’s to celebrate the beginning of another year of fellowship and outreach. Beverages and appetizers will be served at 6:30 p.m., followed by a potluck supper in the parish hall. All women are welcomed and encouraged to attend. Please contact Kitty Smith ktts1@comcast.net Or Mav Tornesello mavtorn@aol.com for more information. Sign-up sheets are on the bulletin board.

Good News: September 23, 2009

The Good News from September 23 is now available for download:
Good_News_2009_September_23.pdf

This issue includes an article adapted from Margaret Schwarzer's recent sermon, “For What Will It Profit Them to Gain the Whole World and Forfeit Their Life?”, and updates from both El Salvador and Zimbabwe.

Minutes, August 2009 Vestry Meeting

Minutes from the August 2009 Vestry meeting, as approved at our September Vestry meeting, are available for download:
Vestry_Minutes_2009_August_18.pdf

Also available for download is the budget vs. actuals for August:
St_Marys_Budget_2009_August.jpg

Update for September 27

Junior Choir at their pizza party


Sunday, September 27
8:00am Holy Eucharist
9:00am Sunday School for grades 4-5
and middle school
9:45am Childcare
10:00am Morning Prayer - Special Music by Peter Lea-Cox and Choir
Homily - The Reverend Ms. Margaret Schwarzer
10:00am K-3 Attend Church first; leave
at second hymn with the teachers.
11:00am Coffee Hour
11:15am Adult Forum with Peter Lea-Cox

Monday, September 28
1:00pm Staff Meeting
8:00pm AA (6:30 newcomers)
Wednesday, September 30
7:30pm Sharing a New Song
Thursday, October 1
6:30pm Junior Choir
7:30pm Adult Choir
Saturday, October 3
6:30pm Sharing A New Song
Sunday, October 4
8:00am Holy Eucharist
The Reverend Ms.Margaret Schwarzer
Childcare & Church School same as usual
10:00am Holy Eucharist
The Reverend Ms.Margaret Schwarzer
11:00am Coffee Hour
11:30am Blessing of the Animals

Photos: Welcome Back BBQ 2009 (6)

Photos: Welcome Back BBQ 2009 (5)

Blessing of the Animals (All Pets Welcome)

Photo from Blessing of the Animals, October 2007

Sunday, October 4th at 11:30 AM on St. Mary’s Front Lawn

Sunday, October 4th at 11:30 AM on St. Mary’s Front Lawn
Come celebrate the gift that animals are to our lives and bring your favorite pet for a very special blessing at this celebration of the Feast of St. Francis. All sizes, shapes and types of God’s creatures are welcome and may even make a joyful noise unto the Lord! Feel free to invite a friend and their pet to join us.

In the spirit of stewardship and the parable of the Loaves and Fishes, on October 4, we will also collect contributions of pet food (dog and cat food only, please) for distribution to needy families through the Wellesley Food Bank (and perhaps others). Please put your donations in the baskets by the baptismal font.

Photos: Welcome Back BBQ 2009 (4)

Photos: Welcome Back BBQ 2009 (3)

Photos: Welcome Back BBQ 2009 (2)

Phones are Now Working

Our phone system is up and working now.

Rosie's Place Coat Drive

If you are cleaning out your closets, or starting to look at your cold weather gear, I can help you find new homes for your "previously owned" cold weather jackets and coats.

Rosie's Place, a homeless shelter and multi-service agency for women in Boston, this year is seeking used coats and jackets for their guests. The jackets and coats should be washed or cleaned. Additionally, if you have men's jackets , these can also be donated, as some women prefer this style and also,these jackets may be in the larger sizes. Many of the women are larger in size.

This will be ongoing, never too late. But guests have already started asking for these items.

I will pick up any items you wish to donate - call Elisabeth Comer at 781-772-2220 or email at ewcomer@verizon.net.... OR LEAVE THEM IN church office.

Thanks in anticipation and please tell others about this, including your hair stylist, your dental office, doctors' office, at you favorite store, etc.

Photos: Welcome Back BBQ 2009 (1)

Sunday School Calendar for Fall 2009

The Sunday School Calendar for Fall 2009 is available for download:

Sunday_School_Calendar_Fall_2009.pdf (PDF)
Sunday_School_Calendar_Fall_2009.doc (Word)

Saint Mary's Update for September 20

Sunday, September 20
8:00am Holy Eucharist - The Reverend Ms. Margaret Schwarzer
9:00am Sunday School for grades 4-5
and middle school
9:45am Childcare
10:00am K-3 Attend Church first; leave
at 2nd Hymn with teachers
Women of Saint Mary's Installation
11:00am Church School Registration
Barbecue
Monday, September 21
8:00pm AA (6:30 newcomers)
Wednesday, September 23
6:30pm Sharing a New Song Rehearsal
Thursday, September 24
6:30pm Junior Choir
7:30pm Adult Choir
Saturday, September 26
Deanery Middle School field Trip toThe Barbara Harris Camp, NH meets at St. Mary's
9:30am Music Rehearsal in Sanctuary with Peter Lea Cox
Sunday, September 27
8:00am Holy Eucharist
The Reverend Ms.Margaret Schwarzer
Childcare & Church School same as usual
10:00am Morning Prayer
The Reverend Ms.Margaret Schwarzer and Special Music with Peter Lea -Cox and choir
11:00am Adult Forum with Peter Lea-Cox

Larry Walton Memorial Offering

On Sunday, September 27, we will taking a special collection for a memorial offering in honor of Larry Walton, a former rector of St. Mary's who passed away this past summer. We will be making a donation in Larry's name to the Wareham Area Committee for the Homeless. Donations can be made by either cash or check made out to WACH and placed in the collection plate that Sunday, or delivered to the church office.

After retiring from St. Mary's, Larry and Joan Walton moved to their home on Glen Charlie Pond in Wareham, MA. They joined the Church of the Good Shepherd in Wareham. As members of the Outreach Committee they saw the need to help those in Wareham and surrounding communities who were falling through the cracks and becoming homeless. In 2002, joined by other clergy and business people in the area, they established the Wareham Area Committee for the Homeless (WACH). From the very beginning Larry and Joan insisted that all donations must go directly to help the needy.

In 2003 Larry and Joan opened an office for WACH at the Church of the Nazarene in Wareham. They helped financially and worked hard to establish the program until they moved to Florida.

Today the Wareham Area Committee for the Homeless sponsors three programs:
1. Turning Point assists tenants to obtain and remain in decent housing and provides assistance to the needy, whether a check to pay the rent or a gas card to ease the pressure at the pump.
2. Baby Point assists individuals and families with infants and young children struggling with the high cost of basic child care
3. Health Point provides basic health services, helps people sign up for government health programs and helps with transportation to medical appointments.

In 2007 Wareham Area Committee for the Homeless served 333 clients; and in 2008 the number grew to 1471.

A donation to the Wareham Area Committee for the Homeless would support Larry and Joan’s vision of helping the homeless and near homeless help themselves.

A Brief Letter from The Most Rev. Martin Barahona, Bishop of the Anglican Church of El Salvador

As Bishop of the Anglican Church of El Salvador I am very grateful for the visit of the group of 12 persons from Trinity Church, Houston, Texas in early September. They were accompanied by the Rev. Hannah Atkins with the plan to offer a medical campaign in those parts of the country most vulnerable, including the parish of St. Mary the Virgin, San Bartolo. This visit was a very generous offering and with a strong spirit of solidarity. The group came very committed.

We had an isolated incident in front of the medical campaign that was inside the church of St Mary the Virgin. The person who was killed was an active worker in the church. I want to share with you that this incident is the result of the delinquency we have in our country, and not a threat to the church. This event should not intimidate neither us nor our friends who come to visit us.

I want to assure you that we maintain all of the security that we have been able to offer over the years. I decided to suspend this medical campaign only as a precaution.

This coming Saturday, 19 September, we will have at St. Mary the Virgin an act of making amends, of “cleansing the temple”, an act provided for in our canons when there has been a criminal event in our churches. At this event I will be joined by all of the Diocesan Clergy and also invited members of the other historic churches in El Salvador.

We ask for your prayers that the congregation will recover its spiritual strength. The Rev. Julio Rivera has recovered his hope and energy, having been a witness to this killing. As Bishop I am full of spirit and confident in God and in God’s protection.

I repeat my gratitude for The Rev. Hannah Atkins, Rector of Trinity Church, Houston, Texas for her visit. Among the group that visited us I would like to give special thanks to those doctors who came to offer their services freely, and especially Mark Goza who was a volunteer from Trinity Church, Houston.

As always everyone is welcome to El Salvador, and you will always have the help of the Church for your security.

Blessings in Christ,
The Most Rev. Martin Barahona
Bishop of the Episcopal/Anglican Church of El Salvador and Primate of the Anglican Province of the Central Region of America

News from Peter Chase

After three weeks of gorgeous weather in Vermont, Peter will be departing this Sunday for the Middle East again. In his own words:

" I am not looking forward to arriving in the heat of Ramadan in Dubai, but I am excited and daunted by the opportunity to be with the Mission to Seafarers at the port of Fujairah. Plans are to get safety training in the merchant marine this October in Rotterdam and then be the welfare officer on the Flying Angel starting the end of that month. This entails going out to visit anyone of the 200 freighters and tankers bunkering in the harbor and providing crew members with pastoral care 5 days a week. I will also conduct religious services for the expat community once a week in our apartment through the Church of England.

"Abbie and family will join me for most of December, and then she will be with me around 8 days a month.... Miss you and all our Saint Mary's family."

Update: Peter sent a message today that he arrived in Dubai safely. He will be in Rotterdam from September 27 to October 6 for maritime training.

Youth Christian Education Schedule for 2009-2010

Welcome back from summer vacation! We look forward to seeing your children in Sunday School starting Sunday September 20th! This year, Isabel Phillips is excited to be joining Susan Walko and Jeffrey Hughes in teaching.

Meeting times remain the same as last year:
9:00AM: 6th grade and up, w/Jeffrey Hughes
9:00AM: 4th and 5th graders, w/ Isabel Phillips
10:00AM: K-4th grades, w/Isabel Phillips and Susan Walko

K-3 start in church and will be led downstairs by their teachers after the second hymn.

Calendar of Deanery Events for Middle School Youth, 2009-2010

Saturday September 26, 2009 Trust Your Neighbor
Low Ropes Course Field trip
St. Mary’s Church
Newton Lower Falls

Sunday November 15, 2009 Feed Your Neighbor
Thanksgiving Pie-making
All Saints Church in Brookline

Friday/Saturday March 5-6, 2010 Serve Your Neighbor
Community Service Sleepover
St. Paul’s Church in Newton Highlands

Good Friday April 2, 2010 Honor Your Neighbor
Good Friday Seder
Grace Church in Newton Corner

Sunday Morning May 2, 2010 Walk with Your Neighbor
Boston Walk for Hunger

Event for Middle School Youth on September 26

A note from Isabel Philips:

We at St. Mary’s know that your middle school aged children are busy, but want to make you aware that the Charles River Deanery Youth Collaborative is planning another great year of events for kids in 6th/7th/8th grades. St. Mary’s has been invited to participate in as many or few of these events as you would like.

The first of the five events is on Saturday, September 26th, and St. Mary’s is our starting point! A chartered bus will leave from St. Mary’s parking lot at 8:30 am and return by 5:30 pm. We will be taking a field trip to the Barbara Harris Camp to share a Eucharist and experience the excitement and team building of doing a Low Ropes Course. Please let your middle schooler know that we would love his/her company on this trip. I will be travelling with them for the day (although with a bum shoulder I don’t know how much rope-climbing I will personally accomplish!) I have never been to the Barbara Harris Camp but hear that it is absolutely beautiful in the fall.

Any parents/adults who wish to accompany us are welcome, but not required to come along.

There is a sign-up sheet on the bulletin board in the Parish Hall or you can contact me directly at reading_doctor@comcast.net or (781) 899-2530. All your child needs to bring is the attached and signed permission slip (download below), $15.00, and a bag lunch. Snacks will be provided by St. Mary’s.

Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns! - Isabel Philips

Dowloads:
CRDYC%202009-10%20Poster.pdf
Ropes%20Course%20Release%20Form.doc

Welcome Back BBQ on Sunday, September 20

On Sunday, September 20 following the 10AM service is our third annual “Welcome Back BBQ” for all St. Mary’s members and especially our new members. Like last year, this will feature a catered lunch from Blue Ribbon BBQ Restaurant, and special entertainment for youth and their families.

September 20 is also the start of the youth Christian Education Program and Acolyte Program. Like this past year, classes for older youth (Grades 4-6) will start at 9AM, while younger youth (K-3) will begin in church for the 10AM service and then be escorted to their class during the second hymn.

St. Mary's Update for Sunday, September 13

Sunday, September 13
9:45am Childcare
11:00am Church School Registration
Coffee Hour
1:00pm West Gallery
Monday, September 14
8:00pm AA (6:30 newcomers)
Tuesday, September 15
9:30am Holy Eucharist
10:00am WSM Board Meeting
Wednesday, September 16
6:30pm SANS (in Parish Hall)
Thursday, September 17
6:00pm Junior Choir Pizza Party
6:30pm Junior Choir
7:30pm Adult Choir
Sunday, September 20
8 & 10am Holy Eucharist
The Reverend Ms.Margaret Schwarzer
9:00am Sunday School for grades 4-5
and middle school
9:45am Childcare
10:00am K-3 Attend Church first; leave
at 2nd Hymn with teachers
WSM Installation
11:00am Church School Registration
Barbecue

Music Notes

On Sunday morning September 13 the St. Mary's Adult Choir begins its new season. Regular rehearsals will be held on Thursday evenings from 7:30-9:00 p.m. starting Sept. 17. New singers are welcome in all sections. The Junior Choir will kick-off the year with a pizza party on Thursday, Sept. 17 at 6:00 p.m. followed by rehearsal from 6:30-7:15 p.m. All young people in grades 2 and up are invited to come and join the choir. The Junior Choir sings at worship once a month and on special Sundays. Please consider joining us! Both choirs are a great opportunity to serve our church community and "make a joyful noise to the Lord!"

Special Music on Sunday, September 27

Peter Lea-Cox, English organist and conductor, will return to St. Mary's on Sunday, September 27 to lead a service of Morning Prayer at 10AM As we begin a new program year, the service will celebrate the seasons of the Church Year with the music of J.S. Bach. The choir and congregation will sing chorales from the various seasons (Epiphany, Lent, Easter, Pentecost, Trinity), introduced by Bach organ preludes.

In Peter Lea-Cox's words, "Johann Sebastian Bach's mind probably combined the deepest understanding of the theological, spiritual and musical that has ever served the Lord Jesus. He would not have countenanced the idea of a service including music from all seasons of the Church Year, however; since he produced liturgical music Sunday by Sunday as the year progressed. In this service, his Chorale Preludes will serve to focus our minds upon the substance of the hymns that we are about to sing."

Following the service, Peter will lead an Adult Forum on "Bach and Spirituality," a lecture that he gave recently at the "Bach Discovery Day," at Symphony Hall in Birmingham, UK, sponsored by the BBC.

Please plan to join us on September 27 as we welcome Peter Lea-Cox for these special musical events!

Tragic News from El Salvador

[Last night we received the following tragic news from our sister parish in El Salvador - Editor]

"Today we received the sad news that at 12:30pm [Wednesday September 2], during a medical team work in Santa Maria Virgen, San Bartolo, unidentified persons entered the church and assassinated a young man, Alexander Canales, an active member of the church. We do not know the motives of this action but the members of Santa Maria Virgen have been deeply touched by this tragedy. In addition a woman who was receiving medical help was injured.

"We ask all of you to pray for the Church, and for the people of Santa Maria Virgen, and pray that there might be no more violence in El Salvador like this event, and that we might recover the value of every human life.

"All of your prayers and solidarity are welcome, not only for this sad event, but for our people, poor and humble who suffer the effects of this epidemic of violence.

"The Bishop of El Salvador, Martin Barahona, asks for your prayers and support."

Richard +
The Very Rev. Richard A. Bower
Executive Director
Fundación Cristosal

Letters to Parish on Search Committee Update and September Schedule

The following two letters were mailed to all parish members this past week.

The first letter is from the Vestry, and contains information on:
- Changes to the youth Christian Education program this year, and
- Special events on Sundays in September

You can download the letter here:
Vestry_to_Parish_2009-Sept-01.pdf


The second letter is from the Search Committee, and contains information on their activities over the summer and into the autumn. It can be downloaded here:
Search_Committee_to_Parish_2009-Aug-28.pdf

You can view a copy of our rector search parish profile here.

Update for Sunday, September 6

Calendar for the Upcoming Week
Sunday, September 6
9:45am Childcare
11:00am Punch-on-the-Lawn
Monday, September 7
office closed
8:00pm AA (6:30 newcomers)
Tuesday, September 8
7:00pm Stitch’n Chat at Kitty Smith’s
Wednesday, September 9
6:30pm SANS (in Parish Hall)
7:30pm Adult Choir
Sunday, September 13
8 & 10am Holy Eucharist
The Reverend Ms.Margaret Schwarzer
9:45am Childcare
11:00am Church School Registration
Coffee Hour

Minutes, June 2009 Vestry Meeting

Minutes from the June 2009 Vestry meeting, as approved at our August Vestry meeting, are available for download:
Vestry_Minutes_2009_June.pdf

Also available for download is the budget vs. actuals from the August Vestry meeting:
St-Marys_Budget_Actuals_2009_July.pdf