Weekly Messenger from St. Paul's Church in Poughkeepsie

St. Paul's Episcopal Church Poughkeepsie, NY

MESSENGER

"Making friends while serving God"

The week of December 11-17, 2017

Confirmations on Sunday

The Rt. Rev. Mary D. Glasspool, Assistant Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of New York, will visit St. Paul's Sunday and preach and celebrate the Holy Eucharist at both the 8 am and 10 am services. At the 10 am service the bishop will confirm or receive seven members of our congregation. Please plan to attend one of the services and welcome Bishop Mary to St. Paul's on her first official visit to our church.

Bishop Mary came to the Episcopal Diocese of New York as Assistant Bishop in April, 2016. Previously she had been Suffragan Bishop of Los Angeles. She was born on Staten Island, raised in Goshen, NY, where her father, Douglas Murray Glasspool, served as rector of St. James' Church.

John the Baptizer

Isaiah 6:1-4,8-11; Psalm 126;

Thessalonians 5:16-24; John 1:6-8,19-28


	This week's lessons

We have heard from John the Baptizer already, at least at the Sunday 8 am service. (Not at the Lessons and Carols service, which used a different Gospel.) We read and heard Mark's account of Jesus' cousin John. This week's rendition is from the Gospel of John. Both versions quote Isaiah's famous advance notice: "... the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, 'Make straight the way of the Lord.'"

This week's Gospel contains more conversation between John and the authorities sent to interrogate him. It also contains the characterization of Jesus as the Light, a special usage by and focus of the Gospeller John. By describing John the Baptizer as one "sent by God..." the Gospel clearly portrays the baptizer as one called or commissioned.

During the season of Advent we have to remember that chronology is suspended every year so that we can restart the church year. The coming of the Messiah can be anticipated, and baby Jesus will be born at Christmas, even though he was alive and well in November and despite our knowledge of Good Friday (and Easter) last spring. Through this annual revisiting of the incarnation narrative we realize the wonder of it and thrill again to the story of God among us, Emmanuel!

Sign-up sheets are in the Narthex, and people sign up to attend, some bring soup, some bread and others juice. We meet at 5:30pm for food and fellowship followed by the topic for the evening (see below). We conclude the evening with Compline.

This week's topic is:

Anglican Reason- The thinking behind our Church from its beginnings to today, presented by Warden Mark Debald.

Concludes next Wed, Dec 20th with:

Anglican Scripture- Father Tyler will talk about Anglican handling of scripture and the "via media" or middle road chosen by Anglican theologians and philosophers over our denomination's 500 year history.

PARISH NEWS

CHURCH CALENDAR AND

LECTIONARY GUIDE

There are a number of ways to figure out what is coming up (or for that matter what happened last Sunday) in church. Probably the best and most convenient is the Ordo Kalendar. These handy calendars reveal what the readings are throughout the year, what the liturgical colors are, which famous (or noteworthy) church person is commemorated on various days, what the major feast days are and numerous other details of church life that otherwise might go unnoticed.

Rose Marie Proctor, Altar Guild Matron, has calendars for sale for $5 each. The calendar sales are a fundraising effort by the Altar Guild to generate money for the church and to partially offset the expenses of our Altar Guild.

In addition to being a useful tool, the Ordo Kalendars make interesting and useful gifts for those involved and/or interested in deepening their knowledge of what is going on in church.

News from the Stewardship Committee

Everyone should have received their pledge statement that shows money donated to the church through Nov. 30. The statement also shows a pledge balance if there is one - it is circled in red. Money donated in weekly envelopes is credited to your pledge. All money donated in special envelopes counts as a donation, but not toward your pledge.

If you have not yet completed a pledge form for 2018, please do so as soon as possible in order to have your envelopes for 2018. They will be distributed beginning Dec. 17. Your envelopes won't be there if we haven't received your pledge.

Many thanks to those who already submitted their pledge.

Please " Like" our page to stay up to date with all services and events.

St. Paul's Episcopal Church-Poughkeepsie

Click here to visit our Facebook page

HYMNS

1982 7 Christ, whose glory fills the sky (Ratisbon)

1982 72 Hark! the glad sound! the Savior comes (Richmond)

1982 67 Comfort, comfort ye my people (Psalm 42)

1982 539 O Zion, haste, thy mission high fulfilling (Tidings)

THIS WEEK'S CALENDAR

December 11-17 2017

MON 11 7:30am AA Meeting;

6pm Evening Prayer; Worship/Altar Guild;

TUE 12 10am-2pm Office, Food Pantry, Small Blessings Thrift Shop;

6pm Evening Prayer; Bible Study;

WED 13 7:30am AA Meeting;

10am-2pm Office, Food Pantry, Small Blessings Thrift Shop;

12:15pm Healing Service & Eucharist;

1pm Parish Aid;

5:30pm Advent supper;

THUR 14 10am-2pm Office, Food Pantry, Small Blessings Thrift Shop;

6pm Evening Prayer, Pastoral Care, Rel. as Parents, Finance;

FRI 15 7:30am AA meeting;

SAT 16 11am Christmas Basket Pick-Up

1-4 pm Safe Church training

SUN 17 Bishop Glasspool Visit & Confirmations

8am Rite I;

8:45am Lessons Discussions;

9:30am Choir practice;

10am Rite II

10am Sunday School;

11:15m Coffee Hour;

5pm Private S.H. Event

YOUR NEWS BELONGS IN ST. PAUL'S MESSENGER

Help us get the word out by submitting news of parish activities. Send submittals to stpaulpk@verizon.net or call 845 452 8440

Give us a call today!