Dearly Beloved,
PAGEANT THANK YOU FROM SHARON HENLEY-GRAMER
Thank you all for such a great 2010 Christmas Pageant. St. Nicholas came to visit again this year and St. Gabriel and Mary sung their duet. All the children did an awesome performance. Thank you to all the parents that made this pageant possible. The children who had speaking parts are listed below. Thank you and Merry Christmas to all!
St. Nicholas– Allison Appelbaum; Gabriel – Kristen Appelbaum; Mary - Ashley Benson; Joseph - Jacob Hamilton; Narrator 1 - Kate Baddeley; Narrator 2 – Hannah Benson; Prophet 1 – Cate Ariano; Prophet 2 – Peter Thompson; Prophet 3 – Cassie Lemrise; Innkeeper #1 – Kristin Hill; Innkeeper #2 – Emily Craig; Shepherd 1 - Joshua Hamilton; Shepherd 2 – Thomas DiNardo; Shepherd 3 – Grace Baddeley; Archangel - Sara Craig; Wiseman 1 – Caroline Bielski; Wiseman 2 - Joe Ariano; Wiseman 3 – Leah Hamilton; Star – Kristin Hill; Brian Hill and Dave and Cassidy Lemrise.
Thanks to Sharon and to Cherie Thompson for the following pictures, three each respectively. If anyone would like to send me additional pictures for possible inclusion in the next Newsletter, please do!
AND A NOTE OF APPRECIATION FROM GRETCHEN BAYER, OUR CHURCH SCHOOL COORDINATOR
A hearty thanks to Sharon Henley-Gramer for organizing the Christmas Pageant for the 5th year! Thank you Sharon!! Thanks also to Michele Appelbaum who volunteered to take the reins of the Pageant Director after Sharon's wonderful five-year run. Michele needs one or two assistants, so please give her a call if you'd like to help. The Pageant involves only 1 rehearsal on the day before, and bringing down the costumes. Everything else can be done by email or phone. This wonderful ministry helps get our children so excited for the coming of Jesus.
CHRISTMAS CELEBRATIONS AND DEDICATION OF OUR NEW RISERS
I am so grateful to all those who made our Christmas services so beautiful, from the flowers on the altar to the music that was sung, from the Acolytes and Altar Guild to the Eucharistic Ministers, Ushers and Vestry Greeters.
I also want to thank Karin Howard, whose gifts for the flowers and music were inadvertently left out of the Christmas Bulletin― "Music: Karin Howard for Jim Collins, the Choir, and all the beautiful music at St. Gregory's; Flowers: Karin Howard for loving family and friends."
At the Christmas Day service we dedicated the new choir risers. Our benefactor, Everett Wilson, joined by his son Bill, presented the risers, a gift in memory of Everett's late wife Mary Alese. You may read the dedication service by clicking here. It was clear from listening to the Special Music which preceded each of our Christmas Eve services that the risers have enhanced our already magnificent choir's voices.
The risers came by truck. Unloading them, and then putting them up, came by volunteers! Stuart Babcock, David, Matthew, and Scott Schaper, and Brian Stephens-Hotopp unloaded the heavy boxes; Art Bielski, Jim Collins, Mike Hill, Michael & Nick Raimondi, David Schaper, and Brian Stephens-Hotopp assembled all the parts; and Mike Miller decorated them with Christmas garlands.
ST. GREGORY'S PRESCHOOL "MYSTERY READERS"
We would like to thank Sue Koy, Kathy Swager, Ida Butler, Genevieve Ten Eyck, Gail Bozzano, Sharon Henley-Gramer, Mary Keller, Mother Meredith, and Grandpa Gascoigne (all the way from England) for taking time out of their days to come share their favorite stories with our preschool children. Mrs. Bolger and I heard stories we had never heard before so it was as enjoyable for us as it was for the children.
We have already had people asking about coming to read after the holidays, so we will post another sign up sheet when school resumes in January. Our story time is every day at 10:15 for the morning group and 2:00 for the afternoon kindergartners, so pick a day that works best for you and just let us know.
Thanks again to all our "mystery readers." The children truly enjoy your stories. from Sara Lemrise, Preschool Teacher (and Parishioner)
Faithfully yours,
TROOP SUPPORT MINISTRY NEWS― 32nd TROOP CARE PACKAGE EVENING
It is hard to believe that we held our 32nd Troop Care Package event at St. Gregory's on November 30, and 144 packages have been delivered to help support the many men and women who are far from home and in harm's way during this holiday season. We just received this email from one of the recipients:
Ms. Singleton, Ms. Knilans, and members of St. Gregory's Episcopal Church, I just received several packages from the Troop Support Ministry at St. Gregory's. I have distributed the goodies throughout my platoon. Thank you so much for thinking of us during this time of year. Though my Marines would never admit it, I know it is tough for them during the holidays. Receiving a care package with kind words attached is a real morale boost. Often we are so busy concentrating on the day-to-day that we lose sight of the big picture, but when we get letters from people we have never met thanking us for what we are doing it means more to the Marines than you will ever know. I cannot express my gratitude in words, but please understand that it is a big deal. Thank you, 1st Lt. Chris Meinhardt, USMC
We have many thank yous to Lyle Ten Eyck and David Schaper for hanging a few of the "thank you" honors that we have received prior to the event; to all who donated funds or items or volunteered to help (This program would not succeed without you!); and a special HUGE thank you to Lin and Ruth Reichenbach who held another knitwear sale to benefit the Troop Support Ministry. Sincere thanks to all. Cissy
A HEART-WARMING AND EAR-WARMING MESSAGE
Many, many thanks for your generous response to the recent, best ever, Knitwear Sale. You purchased $705.50 worth of goods, including 50 ear warmers donated to the Troops. Since it is now cold in Afghanistan, last week a box of ear-warmers was sent to Major Aitchison for distribution. The emails, letters, and thank you notes Cissy Singleton has received validates the dire need for this ministry. A quote from Darrell Andersen, former parishioner: "Well done, thou faithful servants of God." Appreciatively, Lin and Ruth Reichenbach.
On Christmas Eve, Major Aitchison sent me this email with photographs: "Hello St. Gregory, I just wanted to say Ho Ho Ho and send a few pictures from one of your care packages. I think these were made by the knitting club that Lin Reinbach organized. I want you to continue your prayers for our wounded warriors. The fighting has continued and the amputee rate for our young soldiers continues. Their spirits are still high and I let them know how much every American appreciate their sacrifice and bravery. I am hoping to be leaving here soon and I will travel to Manas and then to Ft. Lewis in Washington state. I look forward to coming home and doing nothing. Thanks again for all of your support. MAJ A AKA Pam"
On Christmas Day I received this message from the God Chick: "Hello Bill, I trust you and your parish are having a marvelous Christmas! Pam and I got to share midnight Eucharist with about 40 colleagues. We booted Pam out the door today because 1) the U.S. is suffering without her there; 2) her dedication to her work, patients, and colleagues is making the other Soldiers look bad; and 3) I wanted to move into her room -- it has a window! Someday I'll visit her in Chicago and we'll drag you out to lunch or something. Peace, Sarah SARAH A SHIRLEY, Ch, Maj, USAF, Craig Joint Theater Hospital, Bagram Air Field, Afghanistan."
The next day Pam wrote to say that she had arrived in Manas, China, on her way back to the US.
FROM DORTHEA WHITE, TREASURER
2011 Offertory Envelopes:
Please take home your assigned envelope located on the table just outside of the "double doors" to the sanctuary. If you wish to have an assigned envelope, please email request to treasurer@stgregoryschurch.org. Your envelope assignment will be available Sunday, Jan 5th.
2010 Contributions:
Please recognize your year-end contribution letter may not include those donations received after Dec 30th. This is appropriate to how our deposits are normally handled on Sundays and with closing our books for the year. You should check IRS rules, or your Tax Accountant, as their applicability for 2010 deductions. Additionally, any Prepaid Pledges for 2011 Operations received during this most recent giving campaign will be reflected in your 2010 contribution letter. Whereas, Prepaid Pledges received last year were shown in your 2009 contribution letter.
BOOK CLUB NEWS
The next Book Club meeting is January 19th at 7 p.m. in the Library to discuss Zeitoun by Dave Eggers. When Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans, Abdulrahman Zeitoun, a prosperous Syrian-American and father of four, chose to stay through the storm to protect his house and contracting business. In the days after, he traveled the flooded streets in a secondhand canoe, passing on supplies and helping those he could. But, on September 6, 2005, Zeitoun abruptly disappeared. Eggers's riveting nonfiction book explores Zeitoun's roots in Syria, his marriage to an American who converted to Islam, their children, and the surreal atmosphere in which what happened to Abdulrahman Zeitoun became possible.
February 16th - The Postmistress by Sarah Black March 16th - Your choice! Bring a favorite book to share that we have not discussed.
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In your prayers this week, please remember the sick, particularly Colin, Kyle Besthoff (in thanksgiving for successful surgery), Ann Shields, Sherri Harris, Anna Lively, Bill Harper, Jan Cesar, Carrie McIntosh, Sue Nebel, Michael Brady, Ethan Saunders, Margaret Peat, Richard Nicolas, and Jack Trapani;
our companion parish in Fort Dauphin, Madagascar, and its leaders, Rev. Donné and Evangelist Tomboasy;
pray for peace between North and South Korea, and for peace in Sudan;
the men and women serving in our armed forces and their families, remembering especially Mike Demmon, Ryan Krochmolny, Sarah Shirley, Jason Greenman, Jamie Hayes, Chris Meinhardt, Michael Molloy, Tom Samella, Robert Steere, Eric Cloe, Mark Kraus, Ilan Keldar, Robb Dunlap, Greg Hirsch, Jamie Mitchell, Chad Field, Brian Adamson, and Hunter Levine; and
the faithful departed, especially Patti Harris.
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