Torch December 2015 - St. Aidan Episcopal Church

December 2015
THE TORCH
St. Aidan's Episcopal Church, Camano Island, WA
www.StAidanCamanoIsland.org
NOVEMBER 29th
Sunday, November 29th
9:10—9:50 a.m.
Make your own advent wreath with live greens, ribbons
and adornments, candles and everything you need to tie
it all together. All are welcome.
CELTIC CHRISTMAS CONCERT
Featuring Jeff Johnson, Irish flutist Brian Dunning
and violinist Wendy Goodwin
Sunday, November 29
7:00 p.m. at St. Aidan's
Freewill offering will benefit Safe Harbor Free Clinic
Opportunities for
special worship
and events in our
community this
Advent and
Christmas—see
page 4
Join us for the work
and fun day
Thursday,December 10th
Safeguarding God’s Children
Tuesday, December 1st at 6:30-9 pm
St. Aidan's will host and run a Safeguarding
God’s Children class in Dietel Hall. All clergy,
Bishop's Committee members and those
who work with children are required by the
diocese to attend this training. To get
signed up call the office, email Karen Tendering or sign up sheet on bulletin board.
FILL THE JEEP
FOOD BANK
Sunday. December 6th
MESSIAH SING
Tuesday, December
29th at 7 p.m.
9 a.m. No host breakfast at
Stanwood Café
10 a.m. The fun begins. Bring tools
and a smile
ANNUAL BAKE SALE
The Annual Bake Sale and Mini Bazaar
will be held on Saturday, December
12th 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Set up and donations will be received
on Friday, December 11th between 9
a.m. and 3 p.m.
Baked goods needed
are Cookies—Cakes—
Pies—Candy—Breads
(but no cream pies)
If you have questions, please ask Pat
Van Almkerk
From the Vicar...
Happy New
Year! For the
church, that is.
Another
church year
come and gone
hardly seems
possible, not to
mention
kissing another calendar year goodbye at the
end of this month. Whew! For all the things
we have control over in our lives, time is
something that can never hold that claim.
because mother natures has given us has given
us a gift. Without consulting us she says,
“Stop… and wait.”
To actually choose waiting and quiet in the
midst of the flurry of a busy world is countercultural. But so incredibly valuable! Because
in our waiting we are changed. We begin to
see things afresh. We begin to be open to God
in new ways.
So I encourage us in this Season of Advent to
spend a bit of time waiting… To simply claim
the gift of time and wait in expectant hope for
the coming of Christ. And to expect new life
As you receive this newsletter we will have
coming from unexpected places. Bethlehem
just begun the new year – the Season of
was on no one’s radar, but look what came
Advent. We will have moved from a time of
from there. To do this you my start by lighting
“proclamation” (Pentecost) to a time of
a candle on the Advent wreath each week as
“preparation” (Advent). In every season of
preparation there is also an accompanying, all- you say your prayers, and watch as the light
pervasive sense of expectation. In Advent wait grows brighter and brighter as Christmas
moves closer and closer. And to give thanks
in expectant hope for the Messiah who is to
for the God who created you, sustains you, and
come. At the darkest time of year we wait in
faith for God to come and dispel the darkness calls YOU beloved.
with his promised light and love. By hope we I hope to see you in church – it won’t be the
grab hold of this assurance, and by faith we
same without YOU!
step out into the uncertainty that tells us such
Yours in Christ,
hope is unreasonable. Will God do for me
Drew+
what God has promised? Does God see my
darkness? And will God really bring to me the
Sunday School news
light and new life he promises? The prayerful
season of Advent says, despite all that seems
Sunday School at 9:30 a.m.
dark, YES!
Waiting, however, can be the hardest thing we
ever do, especially for us highly connected,
wired-up, plugged-in, 21st century people. The
instantaneous connections we have through
our smart phones, through texting and
Facebook, and through GPS satellites means
that we are almost never out of touch in any
meaningful way. That’s why when there is a
snow storm, or a severe wind storm like the
one we had just a few weeks ago that knocked
out the power, a part of me sings for joy
Family Christmas Eve Service at
5:00 p.m. with “instant” pageant.
All kids welcome to participate.
Call or email Crystal Colombo
[email protected] or
360-675-4478
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From the Senior Warden:
Advent Season is upon us as we mark the beginning of the Christian Year; preparing to reflect on
the celebration of the birth of Jesus. “Make me to
know your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths.
Psalm 25:4.
Stanley and I spent Friday afternoon at the annual
Diocesan Episcopal Convention. It was a great
opportunity to greet old friends, do some shopping
at the Episcopal Book Store and Cathedral Shop,
but mainly to listen to Bishop Rickel’s address. He
left us with five questions to ponder so I pass them
on to you:
1. What do you think the church is addicted to —
how can we enter into recovery?
2. When you hear the words Jesus Movement —
what does that conjure up in you?
3. What will you personally commit to in the area
of racial reconciliation this next year?
4. If Evangelism and Episcopalian can truly coexist — what would it look like in our church?
5. What are the “nightmares” that we should
pray for and look to change to realize the
dreams God has for us?
Stewardship update: To date 60 pledge commitments have been returned (140 pledge request
letters sent). The total amount pledged thus far is
approximately $125,000. This is a considerable
shortfall to what St. Aidan's needs to effectively
operate, not only for the basics (i.e. keeping the
lights on and office running) but to keep a commitment to support a full time priest as well as support a desire to remain a relevant and vibrant
church. We cannot continue to operate within a
deficit budget. If you have not yet returned your
pledge, I urge you to prayerfully consider doing
so. Extra pledge cards can be found in the front
foyer. Thank you to all. May you all have a
Blessed and Peace-filled Advent Season.
Jackie Humes-Fear
Greetings from your Junior Warden:
Well, the Night of 100 Pumpkins is in the past and
by all reports it was a huge success and loads of fun
getting it set up and then watching the kids get to
carve their Jack o Lanterns. Not bad food either!
Thanks to all who worked so hard. However, we did
learn that trying to plug multiple electrical items and
all of the assorted extension cords into two outlets
was a rather large pain. Thanks to Rob and Karole
Gorman we now have two new outlets on the outside
of the shed. One by each door. Thank you to you
both! Next we’ll look at the lighting issue.
Jan and I were out of town for cleanup day, but the
word is that it was a large success and a great deal
was accomplished. Even talking Greg Meyers into
going up on the shed roof and cleaning off the debris.
The TV system is up and running in Dietel Hall.
Now, we’ll take it and the bulletin boards down and
repair and repaint the wall. Then the TV will go back
up and two of the boards will go up on the wall just
outside of the office door.
Lastly, the flags have gradually deteriorated to an
unacceptable state of appearance. We have been
aware of it but we were waiting until the fall winds
die down before we replace them. Louise Close has
graciously donated the funds for a new church flag
and that has been purchased along with a new US
flag. We still will wait for calmer days though.
Have a very happy and grateful Thanksgiving.
Walt
Thank you to those brave souls
who confronted the wind and
rain to help out at our work day:
Fran Brown, JoAnn Moffett,
Bob and Betty Stevens, Don
Stewart, Roger and Ann Boid,
Frank Hunt and the “new guy”
Greg Myers who received his
initiation by cleaning the leaves
off the shed roof.
LINUS PROJECT
We’ve been invited to join with our church
neighbors next door for a carol hymn sing
and get-together this year!
Date: December 5th
Time: 7:00 - 8:30 p.m.
Place: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
(795 Ell Road)
This includes a service project: Starting now, we are
invited to make no-sew fleece blankets for needy children, then bring the blankets for display to the Christmas event, after which they will be donated to Project
Linus (http:www.projectlinus.org/about/). Contact Jan
Donovan at 360.629.2961 for further information and
blanket instructions.
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Opportunities for special worship and events in our community this Advent and Christmas
November 29
Advent Wreath making for families and friends from 9:10-9:50 a.m.
A Celtic Christmas Concert 7:00 p.m.
December 1
Safeguarding God’s Children at St. Aidan's 6:30 p.m.-9:00 p.m.
December 5
Christmas Carol Sing Along with our Mormon neighbors 7:00 p.m. family event
December 11
Set up for Bake Sale (bring your goodies) 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.
December 12
Holiday Bake Sale and Christmas Bazaar 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.
December 13
Advent Lessons and Carols (with Holy Communion) at 10:00 a.m.. Morning Worship at 8:00 a.m. as well
December 16
Helping Hands/Care Ministry Annual Advent Potluck 11:15 a.m.
December 20
Decorate cookies at 9:15 a.m. for the homebound
December 21
Deliver Cookies and sing Carols bringing joy to those who are homebound 1:00-4:00 p.m.
December 24
Family Christmas Eve with “instant” pageant—walk-ons welcome! 5:00 p.m.
Christmas Eve “Midnight” Mass with choir 9:00 p.m.
December 25
Christmas Day service with Holy Communion at 10:00 a.m.
December 27
1st Sunday of Christmas: Holy Communion at both 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. services
December 29
8th Annual MessiahSing, a community singalong to Handel’s Messiah 7:00 p.m.
December 31
The Gathering Place 5:30 p.m.
January 3rd
Feast of the Epiphany observed at 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. services
MessiahSing
How long has it been since you’ve heard a harpsichord? Orchestra? 150 voice chorus with skilled soloists???
You can not only hear all of the above, you can be a part of it all —The 8th Annual MessiahSing is happening Tuesday, December 29 at 7:00 p.m. right here at St. Aidan's.
Many of us have come to love this wonderful event at the very end of the year. If by any chance you have yet to experience
it, please join in the fun this year. Bring friends and neighbors who enjoy music. And children too—what a terrific introduction to real concert music!
Of course, it’s a singalong, but you are welcome simply to listen if you prefer. A fabulous dessert buffet follows (stay tuned
for details and how you can help). This is our end-of-year gift to the community—our holiday musical mission. Please join
us!
NEXT TORCH DEADLINE
FOR JANUARY 2016:
Starr Harrison
Sarai Bevington
Joy Strain
Dale Johnson
Jan Mills
Chrissa Donovan
Nancy Leuschel
Doris Ager
Judy Bingay
Karen Tendering
Bill Lee
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07
11
15
15
16
16
17
23
24
30
Thursday, December 17th
Email submissions to:
Check the bulletin board in the Parish Hall for when you
will host coffee hour. Contact Pat Van Almkerk
(360.387.9630) with questions or to be added to the Host
list! Please find a substitute if you will be gone on your assigned date.
[email protected]
10:00 a.m. Service Coffee Hour
Hosts for December 2015
Richard & Joy Strain
15
Karen & Randy Tendering 23
06: Choir
13: Susie Johnson & Nancy Leuschel
20: Linda Bonnell, Jackie Humes-Fear &
Karole Gorman
27: Arra Morrison & Arlyne Whitescarver
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NIGHT OF 100 PUMPKINS
Stewardship
The annual ingathering has been completed with the
placing of our Commitment Cards on the altar. It was a
visible sign of our spiritual ideal of sharing the blessings
that we have received from God. It also states we have
acknowledged Jesus’ teaching of loving our neighbor by
sharing through the realization of his second commandment. We do this in faith knowing our Heavenly
Father’s bounty is working within and about us.
Outstanding pledges may still be returned to the
Church office.
May God continue to bless us. Amen
Stanley Fear
Helping Hands and Care Ministry
Wednesday, Dec. 16th 11:15 AM
Annual Advent Potluck will be held to
celebrate a busy and successful year of
service within our St. Aidan’s family. All past and present members of Helping Hands, Caring Connection,
and our new Care Ministry are welcome. YOU are part
of this ministry if you serve the community with calls,
visits, Eucharistic visits, meals, and other offerings,
rides, shopping, etc. Bring a potluck dish and join us in
a joyous celebration of service.
COME AND JOIN US IN TAKING CHRISTMAS
CAROLS AND COOKIES TO SHUT-INS
Members of the Care Ministry and
Helping Hands are happy to invite each
of you to join with us on Monday, December 21st from 1:00-4:00 p.m. as we
go Christmas caroling and visit our dear
St. Aidan's friends that are ill or may be
homebound for various reasons. We believe it will be
pleasurable and rewarding to us as we hope it will be
to our friends we call upon.
We are also planning on bringing Christmas sugar
cookies to church on Sunday, December 20th and will
decorate them at 9:15 a.m. in Dietel Hall. We will provide the cookies, frosting and sprinkles so anyone may
join in, if you don’t mind the stickiness. We then will
deliver a dozen of these custom decorated cookies to
each person we carol and visit on Monday afternoon.
In a small way, these cookies are presentations of the
love of St. Aidan's for members who can’t always be
with us.
Please contact Dorothy Armstrong if you are interested in joining with our “informal choir” - no singing
skills necessary! If you love to sing the simple, classic
Christmas carols, it should be lots of fun and good fellowship.
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December 2015—Activities Calendar
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
29
30
1
2
3
4
5
Noon AA
6 pm OA
10:30 am
Alanon
10 am Holy Eucharist I
First Sunday of Advent
8 am Holy Eucharist I
9:10 am Family Advent
Wreath Making
9:30 am Sunday School
10 am Holy Eucharist II
7 pm AA
Second Sunday of
Advent
5 pm AA
7 pm AA (W)
7 pm Christmas
Carol Sing Along
with Mormon
neighbors
6:00 pm EfM
6:30 pm AA (W)
7 pm Bible
Study and
Compline
7 pm Celtic Christmas
Concert
6
6:30 pm
Safeguarding
God’s
Children
7 pm AA
7
8
9
10
10 am Holy Eucharist I
St. Aidan's Work
Party 10 am
11
9 am—3 pm
9 am—3 pm
Set-up for Bake Holiday Bake
Sale—bring
Sale and Bazaar
your goodies
10:30 am
Alanon
7 pm AA
6 pm OA
1:30 pm
Worship
Committee
11 am Women of
St. Aidan's
Noon AA
7 pm AA
5 pm AA
7 pm AA (W)
6:00 pm. EfM
6:30 p.m. AA (W)
16
17
Third Sunday of
Advent
10 am Holy Eucharist I
Noon AA
8 am Morning Prayer
9:20 am Adult Education
9:30 am Sunday School
10 am Advent Lessons and
Carols with Holy
Communion
11:15 am Helping
Hands Annual
Advent Potluck
TORCH DEADLINE
5 pm AA
7 pm AA (W)
6:30 pm AA (W)
23
24
25
Noon AA
Christmas Day
FILL THE JEEP
8 am Holy Eucharist I
9:20 am Adult Education
9:30 am Sunday School
10 am Holy Eucharist II
13
14
15
7 pm AA
20
21
Fourth Sunday of
Advent
Deliver
Cookies
1 pm-4 pm
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10 am Holy Eucharist I
5 pm AA
7 pm AA (W)
First Sunday of
Christmastide
8 am Holy Eucharist I
(Morning Prayer returning
on January 10)
9:20 am Adult Education
9:30 am Sunday School
10 am Holy Eucharist II
7 pm AA
19
10:30 am
Alanon
6 pm OA
6:00 pm EfM
7 pm AA
26
29
7 pm
MessiahSing
5 pm Family
Christmas Eve
Service
10:30 am
Alanon
10 am Holy
Communion
9 pm Christmas Eve
“Midnight” Mass
6 pm OA
30
31
1
10 a..Holy Eucharist I
Noon AA
OFFICE CLOSED
7 pm AA
28
18
6:30 pm AA (W)
8 am Holy Eucharist I
9:15 a.m. Cookie Decorating
7 pm
Bishop’s
9:30 am Sunday School
Committee
10 am Holy Eucharist II
27
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5 pm AA
7 pm AA (W)
5:30 pm Gathering
Place
6:30 pm AA (W)
6 pm OA
7 pm AA
2
10:30 am
Alanon
7 pm AA
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December 2015—Service Assistants
If you cannot serve on your assigned day, please find a substitute and let the office know!
8:00 a.m.
November 29
December 6
December 13
December 20
December 27
Lector
JoAnn Moffett
Don Talbott
Louise Close
Jim Miller
Jeanne Jacobs
Chalice
Ann Morgan
Ann Morgan
Morning Prayer
Ann Morgan
Ann Morgan
Acolyte
Don Talbott
Jim Miller
Don Talbott
Kathy Hosley
Don Talbott
Usher
Bob Jacobs
Don Talbott
Bob Jacobs
Don Talbott
Bob Jacobs
10:00 a.m.
November 29
December 6
December 13
December 20
December 27
Lector
Jackie Humes-Fear
Ann Boid
Ann Boid
Carole Schaefer
Nancy Pates-Riches
Rhoda Venditto
Jeff Johnson
Jeff Maxwell
Stanley Fear
Chalice
Kara Hunt
Nancy Uhlmansiek
Theresa Strain
Kara Hunt
Stanley Fear
Jackie Humes-Fear
Bob Perry
Adele Lee
Stanley Fear
Jackie Humes-Fear
Acolyte
Jan Donovan
Bob Perry
Jan Donovan
Jan Donovan
Jan Donovan
Ushers
Susie White
Bill White
Susie White
Bill White
Pat VanAlmkerk
Dale LeMaster
Roger Boid
Ann Boid
Ethel Maxwell
Judy Pieper
Counters
Karole Gorman
Janice Minear
Connie Jones
Sally Goodson
Karole Gorman
Nancy Minear
Jan Mills
Susan Yerkes
Jackie Humes-Fear
Julie Vaux
Child Care
Need Volunteer
Crystal Colombo
Dorothy Armstrong
Crystal Colombo
Kara Hunt
Crystal Colombo
Jackie Humes-Fear
Crystal Colombo
Susie White
Crystal Colombo
Special Christmas Services
December 24th
5 pm Family Service
December 24th
9 p.m. Midnight Mass
December 25th
10 a.m. Holy Communion
Lector
Ann Boid
Jeff Maxwell
Theresa Bennett
Chalice
Adele Lee
Kathy Hosley
Stanley Fear
Jackie Humes Fear
Ann Morgan
Acolyte
Kathy Hosley
Don Talbott
Jim Miller and Zadin Miller
Usher
Ann Boid
Roger Boid
Ethel Maxwell
Judy Pieper
DECEMBER CARE MINISTRY SCHEDULE
Need comfort? Care? Transportation? Prayer?
Call the office and let us know! 360-629-3969
Nov 29-Dec 5
December 6-12
December 13-19
December 20-26
Dec 27—Jan 2
Stanley/Jackie Fear
Paul/Jean DeGroot
Karole Gorman
Phil Jacobs
Ann Morgan
DECEMBER GREETER SCHEDULE
Date
Sunday Morning
Weekday Gift Greeter
December 6
Ethel Maxwell
Judy Mieger
December 13
Jean DeGroot
Bill Vaux
December 20
Judy Bingay
Ethel Maxwell
December 27
Cheryl Wood
Frank Hunt
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St. Aidan’s Episcopal Church
1318 East SR 532; Camano Island, WA 98282
(P.O. Box 145; Stanwood, WA 98292)
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