Evensong with Music of Taizé: Sunday, January 31, 5PM

On Sunday, January 31 at 5PM the Adult Choir will lead a meditative service of Evening Prayer in the tradition of Taizé. We will gather in the candlelit sanctuary for a quiet service of contemplation and music.

The Taizé tradition began many years ago in the ecumenical monastic community in Taize, France. Brother Roger, Taizé's founder, arrived in the French village in 1940. In the midst of World War II, he dreamed of creating a community where reconciliation was a daily reality. He began by giving shelter to refugees of the war. Brother Roger recognized that the search for reconciliation was within each individual as well as within the community. People from around the world, especially young people, come to Taizé looking for meaning in their lives as they prepare for responsibilities in their own communities.

The liturgy of the Taizé service is meant to "quiet the soul." There is repetition in the words of the music, there is time for silence and prayer. There is no sermon or celebration of the Eucharist. The service provides an opportunity to become more peaceful and centered in the midst of our busy lives.

Please join us for the Evensong service on January 31, followed by a soup and bread supper in the Parish Hall. All are welcome.
Childcare is available during the service. Parents can drop off their children downstairs in Marie Schlegel’s room at 4:45pm and pick them up until 6:15 p.m. After the service, all children are welcome to join their parents upstairs in the Parish Hall for supper.

Calendar for January 3, 2010 and Upcoming Week

Sunday, January 31
9:00am Sunday School for grades 4 -5
and middle school
9:45am Childcare
10:00am K-3 Attend Church first; leave
at beginning of 2nd Hymn with
the teachers
11:00am Coffee Hour
11:15am Adult Forum on Godly Play
led by Isabel Phillips
Childcare provided
5:00pm Taizé Service followed by
Soup & Bread Supper
Childcare provided during the service
Monday, February 1
8:30am Yoga
12:45pm Staff Meeting
8:00pm AA (6:30 newcomers)
Tuesday, February 2
9:30am Holy Eucharist
10:00am WSM Board Meeting
Wednesday, February 3
6:30pm Sharing a New Song
Thursday, February 4
4:30pm Miracle Kitchen
6:30pm Junior Choir
7:30pm Adult Choir
Friday, February 5
8:00am Yoga
10:00am Movement Class - H&F
Saturday, February 6
5:00pm Recital
Sunday, February 7
Church School as Usual
8:00am Holy Eucharist
The Reverend Ms. Margaret Schwarzer
9:45am Childcare
10:00am Holy Eucharist
The Reverend Ms. Margaret Schwarzer
11:00am Coffee
11:15am Adult Forum: Eucharist Instruction for families and children.

Update: St. Lukes in Harare, Zimbabwe

Most of you know about our sister parish in El Salvador. However we also have a sister parish in Africa, St. Lukes, located in the capital city of Zimbabwe. The political situation in Zimbabwe has been dangerous for decades now, and we have not had any direct contact with the parish in many, many years.

However, Denise Flanagan recently came across a news item that was published in several reliable publications including the London Telegraph.

Specifically, St. Lukes has been effectively shut down by police loyal to a renegade Bishop, and the senior warden was arrested on Christmas Eve for trying to unlock the church. You can read a more detailed article here.

I confirmed that this was indeed our sister parish with an old friend of Peter's, Tobias Nyatsambo, who passed on some additional information from the parish and diocese. A fuller report will be provided in an upcoming Good News.

2010 Annual Meeting Reports and Presentations

For those unable to attend the Annual Meeting on January 24, 2010, here are electronic copies of the documents from the meeting.

2010_Annual_Meeting_Agenda.pdf
2010_Annual_Meeting_Warrant.pdf

Nominating-Committee.pdf

Motions Discussed and Passed by the Parish:
Motion_1_Election_of_New_Rector.pdf
Motion_2_Property_Projects.pdf

Finances:
Consolidated_Financials.pdf
Investment_Committee.pdf

Committee Reports:
Stewardship.pdf
Cemetery.pdf
Music.pdf
Outreach.xls
Christian_Education.pdf
Interim_Priest_Report.pdf
Parish_Profile_for_Rector_Search.pdf
Property_Report.pdf
Special_Property_Projects.pdf

Search Committee:
Search_Committee.pdf
Parish_Profile_for_Rector_Search.pdf

Good News: January 19, 2010

The Good News from January 19 is available for download:
Good_News_2010_January_19.pdf

This issue includes an article adapted from a sermon delivered on January 10, the first Sunday after Epiphany, by The Reverend Ms. Margaret Schwarzer.

Luke tells us that after Jesus was baptized, “The heavens opened up.” Is it any wonder? The writer of the Gospel means this literally in his story, the heavens open because the spirit descends like a dove, but it is also true theologically: the divide between God and humanity was broken on the day of Jesus’ baptism. He stands with us and follows us into the water,and a path between heaven and earth becomes possible. The heavens open. The sin that bounds us will be quenched; the distance between God and people will dwindle, and we will discover a new face of God and a new way to be in communion with God. Jesus is the Creator’s beloved, and we are his.

Update on Relief Effort in Haiti

Through the week we have learned more about how the Episcopal church and our own members are contributing to relief efforts in Haiti. First, we were sent a link from the Wall Street Journal with a video interviewing Episcopal Bishop Jean Zache Duracin.

"The Episcopal camp was started the night of the quake with three tents scrounged up by Ogé Beauvoir, the dean of the Episcopal seminary. He and colleagues pitched the tents on the soccer field of a crushed parish school. A seminarian with medical training spent the night treating the injured. A team of young people dug through the school's rubble "with their hands, with iron bars," said Father Beauvoir. That night, they pulled out 12 survivors and four bodies. They got one more person out alive, but he died shortly after.

"One week after the quake, the priests had given food, water, or a little medicine to 3,000 people, said the Episcopal bishop of Haiti, Msgr. Jean Zaché Duracin.

"Looking unecclesiastical in a lavender polo shirt, khaki shorts, a baseball cap and slippers, Msgr. Duracin presided over a table of priests and lay leaders meeting in one of the school's undamaged buildings. They discussed how to rebuild the diocese, and how to serve the thousands living outside."

Second, we learned that our own Tricia Blank is volunteering with Partners in Health:

"I've been volunteering daily at Partners in Health since the earthquake and it's amazing how much this small staff is handling. PIH now is overseeing all medical operations in Haiti, including supervision of the University Hospital in Port au Prince, Doctors without Borders, Red Cross, U.N. and all other NGOs. At the same time, they have their existing 10 clinics and hospitals and staffs. Planes of medical teams and supplies are going several times daily. "

Third, Nick DePeyster's cousin, Reed Lindsay, is a journalist with experience in Haiti who rushed back after the disaster struck:

Reed Lindsay of Honor and Respect Foundation rushed to Haiti on Tuesday as a humanitarian first and secondly as a journalist. He arrived in Port-au-Prince yesterday evening, spent last night in the Venezuelan Embassy. His words above came from the streets of Jacquet, his former neighborhood and the site of the first assembly for Friends of SODA, now known as Honor and Respect Foundation (HRF). Fortunately Reed found a number of friends in Jaquet alive and well but as you can tell from his words above the situation is dire...

At our annual meeting this Sunday, we will have an open basket free will offering which will go toward Episcopal Relief and Development and the Society of St. Margaret's relief efforts.

Update: Peter in Dubai

The Fujairah Observer featured an article on Peter Chase and his work in Dubai:

Says Rev. Chase, “I wasn’t planning on doing any more work but then this opportunity came up and it really is different from any of my other experiences but that’s why I’m here because it is so completely different. I also feel a connection to this part of the world because in my college years, I was in Jeddah and from 1965-71, I travelled fairly extensively through the Middle East. It’s a very strange thing to say but I never feel a foreigner in these parts. It feels like I belong here.”

The complete article can be viewed here.

Christian Education Update

Childcare Provided at Annual Meeting and Godly Play Adult Forum
There will be special activities and snacks provided downstairs for children while the adults attend the Annual Meeting this morning and the Godly Play Adult Forum .
 
Godly Play Adult Forum and "Open House"
Sunday January 31    11:15 a.m. - 12 noon
As many of you know, St. Mary's has re-organized its K-5 Sunday School classrooms and begun a vibrant new Episcopal curriculum called Godly Play.  Godly Play was created by an Episcopal priest and renowned expert in the development of spirituality of children, who co-taught children and youth with his wife for over 20 years.   The program teaches sacred Biblical stories, parables and liturgical actions through story-telling with concrete tactile objects and biblical figures.  These durable story-telling materials draw children more deeply into the stories, creating a sacred space in which children are invited to wonder and grow in spiritual relationship to God.   
 
St. Mary's adapted the language of Godly Play for our Christmas Pageant on December 20th and again in the Children's Homily on Christmas Eve at the 5:00 p.m. service.  Thanks to all our youth who made these events a success!
 
On January 31st, at Coffee Hour, Isabel Phillips is going to facilitate a discussion about Godly Play for the adults at St. Mary's, including with a short video excerpt of a Godly Play lesson/story.  She will also display some of the Godly Play materials donated to St. Mary's thus far and distribute a list of materials that are still on our "wishlist."  We continue to be most grateful for the Godly Play donations we recently received earlier this year to get us started (a handmade wooden crèche from Haiti, an heirloom quality wooden Noah's Ark, and sturdy wooden story materials to draw the children more deeply into Advent, Epiphany, Easter and Pentecost.) After the Adult Forum at coffee hour, we invite all those interested in viewing the range of story materials more closely to come downstairs and visit our classrooms.

Recycling Wire Advent Wreaths
After Christmas, we invite you to return the wire frame of your wreath to St. Mary's for use again next November.  This will help us to keep costs and waste down in 2010.  There will be a marked box for recycling the frames in the Parish Hall at Coffee hour each Sunday during Epiphany.

St. Mary's Calendar for Sunday, January 24

St. Mary's in 1905

Sunday, January 24
No 8:00am Service
9:00am Sunday School for grades 4 -5
and middle school
9:45am Childcare
10:00am Holy Eucharist
Celebrant and Preacher: The Reverend Margaret Schwarzer
K-3 Attend Church first; leave
at beginning of 2nd Hymn with
the teachers
11:00am Coffee Hour
11:15am Annual Meeting & Lunch
Please note that there will be childcare
during the annual meeting with special snacks and activities.
Monday, January 25
12:45pm Staff Meeting
8:00pm AA (6:30 newcomers)
Wednesday, January 27
6:30pm Sharing a New Song
Thursday, January 28
6:30pm Junior Choir
7:30pm Adult Choir
Saturday, January 30
12:00pm Chapter Room
Search Committee

Minutes, November 2009 Vestry Meeting

Minutes from the November 2009 Vestry meeting, as approved at our December Vestry meeting, are available for download:
Vestry_Minutes_2009_Nov_17.pdf

A Message From Bishop Tom Shaw Concerning Haiti

UPDATED JANUARY 17: The Diocese provided this update on relief activities here.


January 13, 2010

My Sisters and Brothers:

Following yesterday’s devastating earthquake in Haiti, I want to share with you what we know of the situation, particularly as people connected to our diocesan community are affected.

Early reports indicate terrible damage, with Holy Trinity Cathedral in Port au Prince and Bishop Jean Zache Duracin’s home there destroyed. The convent of the Sisters of St. Margaret also is gone. We do know that Bishop Duracin and his wife are safe, and the Sisters of St. Margaret here in Boston have heard through a reliable secondhand source that their three sisters, Sister Marie Margaret, Sister Marjorie Raphael and Sister Marie Therese, are alive. We have an unconfirmed report that Jude Harmon, a postulant from our diocese who is serving in-country as a Young Adult Service Corps volunteer, is OK; we are waiting for verification from the Episcopal Church’s mission personnel office.

We also are in the process of contacting parishes in our diocese with known mission relationships in Haiti to extend our concern and gather more information.

The best help we can give right now is to direct our donations to either the Sisters of St. Margaret here in Boston or through Episcopal Relief and Development. Their Web sites and address information appear at the end of this message.

Please know how much our prayers are needed. An unfathomable catastrophe like this in a place that has already known so much hardship really does have us questioning God at the deepest levels of our faith. Yet we must know that God is more present to suffering than any of us could ever possibly be, and that as we are willing to take on the suffering of others, whether through our prayer, our donations or our service, we join God in God’s compassionate presence.

/s/ Tom

Send donations to:

The Society of St. Margaret, 17 Highland Park Street, Boston, MA 02119. For updates and more information about the sisters’ work in Haiti, go to www.ssmbos.com and click on the “Haiti” page link.

Episcopal Relief and Development: Donate online at www.er-d.org or call 800-334-7626, ext. 5129. Donations can be mailed to Episcopal Relief and Development, PO Box 7058, Merrifield, VA 22116-7058. (Please put “Haiti Fund” in the memo line of all checks.) Also, Episcopal Relief and Development is producing a bulletin insert that will be available online.

St. Mary's Update for Sunday, January 17

Sunday, January 17
No Church School
8:00am Holy Eucharist
Celebrant: The Reverend Ms. Margaret Schwarzer
Preacher: Nicholas Gilbert
9:45am Childcare
10:00am Morning Prayer
Preacher: Nicholas Gilbert
11:00am Coffee Hour
2:00pm Search Committee Meeting
Monday, January 18
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
Office Closed
8:00pm AA (6:30pm newcomers)
Tuesday, January 19
12:00pm MECA
7:30pm Vestry
Wednesday, January 20
6:30pm Sharing a New Song
Thursday, January 21
6:30pm Junior Choir
7:30pm Adult Choir
Sunday, January 24
Childcare & Church School as usual
No 8:00am Service
10:00am Holy Eucharist
The Reverend Margaret Schwarzer
11:00am Coffee
11:15am Annual Meeting
Childcare available during Annual Meeting

Wardens' Report for the Annual Meeting

The following two letters were mailed to all parish members in advance of our annual meeting on Sunday, January 24, following the 10AM service:

Junior_Warden_to_Parish_2010_Jan_08.pdf

Senior_Warden_to_Parish_2010_Jan_08.pdf

Please plan on attending the meeting if you can. We have important business to discuss this year, including an update on potential major capital projects.

Margaret Schwarzer's Surgery

On January 3rd, Margaret finished Sunday services and went skating with her son, Ben. They had a great time, but after the hot chocolate was drunk, Margaret took a spill on the ice and broke her wrist. To set it right, she needs surgery and a six-to-eight week recovery period. During most of that time, she will continue to serve as our Interim Priest, but her surgery will take place on Tuesday January 12th at Brigham and Women's Hospital, and she will spend a few days at home recovering.

While Margaret is recovering this week, The Reverend Mr. Todd Miller will be covering pastoral emergencies for her. He is the priest at Trinity Church, Newton Center, and you can reach him at his office - 617-527-2790 or home - 617-527-2908.

Todd is covering pastoral emergencies between Tuesday and Sunday morning, but Margaret is planning to be back in the office on Thursday. She will also be in church this Sunday.

Gift of a Baury Bible

Update: The Baury Bible will be on display at the annual meeting on January 24.

In this season of giving and receiving gifts, St. Mary’s is proud to have received the priceless gift of a Bible belonging to our former rector, Dr. Alfred L. Baury (1829-1851). This Bible is inscribed from Madame Baury to her son in 1808. The family was probably living in Connecticut at that time. Considering that it is 200 years old, it is in excellent condition with leather cover and spine intact.





Anthony Winston, a direct descendant of Dr. Baury, contacted the church in November to see if we were interested in acquiring the Bible. Margaret and the Historians agreed that it would be a great addition to the tangible history of the church. The Bible arrived in December and is stored in the fireproof cabinet in the archives.

Mr. Winston visited the church a few years ago and at that time generously donated other items belonging to Dr. Baury. There will be a display of these items at the Annual Meeting.

—Beverley Hurney

Christian Education Update

Recycling Wire Advent Wreaths
After Christmas, we invite you to return the wire frame of your wreath to St. Mary's for use again next November. This will help us to keep costs and waste down in 2010. There will be a marked box for recycling the frames in the Parish Hall at Coffee hour each Sunday during Epiphany.

Godly Play Adult Forum and "Open House"
Sunday January 31, 11:15AM - 12 noon
As many of you know, St. Mary's has re-organized its K-5 Sunday School classrooms and begun a vibrant new Episcopal curriculum called Godly Play. Godly Play was created by an Episcopal priest and renowned expert in the development of spirituality of children, who co-taught children and youth with his wife for over 20 years. The program teaches sacred Biblical stories, parables and liturgical actions through story-telling with concrete tactile objects and biblical figures. These durable story-telling materials draw children more deeply into the stories, creating a sacred space in which children are invited to wonder and grow in spiritual relationship to God.

St. Mary's adapted the language of Godly Play for our Christmas Pageant on December 20th and again in the Children's Homily on Christmas Eve at the 5 p.m. service. Thanks to all our youth who made these events a success!

On January 31st, at Coffee Hour, Isabel Phillips is going to facilitate a discussion about Godly Play for the adults at St. Mary's, including with a short video excerpt of a Godly Play lesson/story. She will also display some of the Godly Play materials donated to St. Mary's thus far and distribute a list of materials that are still on our "wishlist." We continue to be most grateful for the Godly Play donations we recently received earlier this year to get us started (a handmade wooden crèche from Haiti, an heirloom quality wooden Noah's Ark, and sturdy wooden story materials to draw the children more deeply into Advent, Epiphany, Easter and Pentecost.) After the Adult Forum at coffee hour, we invite all those interested in viewing the range of story materials more closely to come downstairs and visit our classrooms.

Notices in Case of Bad Winter Weather

Given that we have had winter storms two of the past three Sundays - and that we are technically only two weeks into the winter season - we are putting in place a system to notify our members in the event that Sunday services need to be cancelled.

In the event that Sunday services need to be cancelled, a decision will be made by 7AM on Sunday, and
(1) A notice will be posted on St. Mary's website News section
(2) An email will be sent to the parish update list
(3) The message will be changed on the church answering machine

Based on conditions either:
- All services may be cancelled, or
- Only the 8AM service will be cancelled, and the 10AM service will be held. (Childcare and Sunday school would not be available.)

In case you need the contact information...
- St. Mary's Website News Page is http://st-marys-episcopal.org/News/News.html
- You can sign up for our email list here
- The main phone number is 617-527-4769

Calendar for the January 10, 2009 and Upcoming Week

First Sunday after the Epiphany
Sunday, January 10
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 Holy Eucharist - The Reverend Ms. Margaret Schwarzer
K - 3 attend church first; leave at beginning of 2nd hymn
with the teachers
11:00am Coffee Hour
Monday, January 11
12:45pm Staff Meeting
8:00pm AA (6:30 newcomers)
Tuesday, January 12
7:30pm Vestry Meeting
Wednesday, January 13
6:30pm Sharing a New Song
Thursday, January 14
6:30pm Junior Choir
7:30pm Adult Choir
Sunday, January 17
No Church School
8:00am Holy Eucharist - The Reverend Ms. Margaret Schwarzer
9:45am Childcare
10:00am Holy Eucharist - The Reverend Ms. Margaret Schwarzer
11:00am Coffee Hour

Pledge Envelopes
Pledge envelopes are available for those who have pledged.
They can be picked up in the narthex.

Thank You From Rosie's Place

Once again thank you to St. Mary’s for sharing the spirit of Christmas with Rosie's moms through THE special gift of giving AND enabling Rosie’s kids to wake up to a MERRY CHRISTMAS… Rosie’s moms were allowed the dignity to pick out, wrap and enjoy the joy of giving to their children… I had the privilege of working in the toy store this year…. and listening to gratitude expressed by Moms, caretakers and Grandmas on behalf of their charges. They came in by appointment of their advocates and each had 15 minutes to pick out 5 gifts for each child. In community we make a dish turn into a great feast and a toy turn into Santa’s workshop.

Kip Tiernan, recently wrote - “It’s interesting to me, as the founder of Rosie’s Place, that on Christmas we celebrate the birthday of the world’s first-known homeless boy - Jesus. Perhaps one of the most poignant words in our vocabulary is the word “home”. It means so much to all of us.”

If any of you want to learn more about Rosie’s Place or perhaps come in for a tour, please call or email (ewcomer@verizon.net)

In gratitude for being a part of St. Mary’s – a very special community,

- Elisabeth Comer


PS We are still collecting:
New or gently used hats, gloves
Mittens and scarves
Warm socks
Thermal underwear (especially large sizes)
Lip balm
ESPECIALLY warm winter coats, size 16 and up