The Weekly News
for November 15, 2017
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Greetings!
In this issue of The Weekly News:
- Vestry Election
- Reaching Forward
- Thanks and Thoughts on Annual Giving
- Bridging the Political Divide
- Service to Others Christmas Outreach Project
- Looking for Elves
- St. Christopher's 60th Birthday
- All-ages Advent on First Sunday of Advent
- Schedule for Office Closure and The Weekly News
- Important Dates for Your Calendar
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Vestry Election
This Sunday, November 19, we will hold a vestry election at both the 7:45 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. services. We will fill three seats, bringing to ten the number of vestry members authorized by our by-laws. The terms of the Vestry Class of 2020 will begin January 1, 2018 and end on December 31, 2020. The slate of candidates includes Neri Pan, Marty Torrance, and Corey Jacobs.
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"Reaching forward to those things that lie ahead . . ."
Last Sunday Rick Long shared a vision of St. Christopher's a few years from now. He helped us imagine so many good things that could happen in our parish and the community around us when we reach forward to those things that lie ahead...and run straight toward the goal where God is beckoning us onward.
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Thanks and thoughts on our annual giving to St. Christopher's
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The first week of our annual campaign has come to a close. Thanks to each of you for considering how you will join with all our parishioners to support the ministries of St. Christopher’s. For those who enjoy the statistical breakdown, we have 38 commitments. Of those, 11 were submitted online and 27 were traditional cards returned on Sunday or by mail. Only our financial assistant can tie contributors to the amounts given. As a group, we have made commitments of just over $114,000 to date. On average this is an increase in giving of just over 9.5%.
Thank you for the many comments we received about the 1% solution—an idea for each of us to consider increasing our gift by 1% of our annual income. A few found it easy and doable; others were unable to give at that level. Virtually all commented that the 1% solution was interesting and something tangible for conversations at home and prayerful consideration.
That’s the point. We wrestle with discussions of what is right and appropriate within our community. Each of us has other financial considerations: kids, kids in school, moving to a fixed income, and so much more. There is no single answer, but there are any number of personal right answers as we consider sacrificial and proportional support for our community of faith— a community racing toward the goal where God is beckoning us forward.
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Please consider prayerfully what St. Christopher's and our ministries and mission mean to you and
make your 2018 commitment by Sunday, November 19. You can do so using the Commitment Card mailed to your home or online using the link below.
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Just in time for those holiday family dinners
Back by popular demand, St. Christopher's offers “Bridging the Political Divide.” In this class we will learn how to walk through our divisive political climate with grace and peace. In this video and discussion series, author Parker J. Palmer shares inspirational and practical knowledge on how Christians might approach deep political division.
The class will meet on November 19 at 11:30 a.m. in the Education/Administration wing conference room. There is no cost to attend. Registration is not required. Just come!
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Service to Others (S2O) Christmas Outreach Project
Please pick up a holiday tote
In support of the Mary Rigg Neighborhood Center holiday program, S2O is providing 100 totes for parishioners to fill with food for Christmas dinners for families in need on the southwest side of Indianapolis. Please pick up a tote to fill. This is a wonderful outreach project that you can do with family, friends, and neighbors. Inside the totes you will find a list of items suggested by the Center and instructions for returning the filled totes.
Return the filled totes by Sunday, December 3. All of the totes will be delivered to the Center on that day.
Let’s do our part to feed the hungry and to give them hope. Their needs are great and their hunger is real.
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Looking for a few good elves . . .
St. Christopher’s is once again joining with the Mary Rigg Neighborhood Center for their Gift-a-Child distribution. We are looking for 12 volunteers to help parents choose gifts for their families and distribute the holiday food totes at the Center on December 11. We'll need to have our volunteers identified by December 8. This is a wonderful, enjoyable opportunity to be of service. If you have questions or want to sign up, email Martha Weissert at
IRLteam1@aol.com.
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We're having a birthday party!
Please put Saturday, December 2, 4:30 - 6:30 p.m. on your calendar for an all-parish and all-ages event. We'll celebrate our birthday with a potluck dinner, special guests, and stories about our heritage.There’ll be lots of fun (laughter guaranteed!), interesting vintage photos, balloons, and birthday cake. This is the time to prepare your signature dish that family and friends rave about.
We need to know you will be attending so we set up enough tables and chairs to seat everyone. You can let us know the number in your party and what you will bring by signing up in the narthex on Sundays, November 19 and 26. Or, you can use the Signup Genius link below.
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All-ages Advent wreath and creche making
Children's Ministries will have an "all ages" event on Sunday, December 3, during coffee hour after the 10:00 a.m. service. You will have the options of re-doing your wreath from last year, making a new wreath, or making a wooden crèche.
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Thanksgiving Holiday Schedule
The church office will be closed on Thursday and Friday, November 23 and 24. It will re-open on Monday, November 27.
The Weekly News will be distributed on Tuesday, November 21. The deadline for announcements to be included in that issue is 9:00 a.m. on Friday, November 17.
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Important Dates for Your Calendar
The
Save the Date page
of St. Christopher's website is updated weekly. Check this resource for new information. You also may want to review the insert in the Sunday bulletin, as it provides the schedule for the coming week.
December 3 | Angel Tree Christmas Project begins
December 3 | Small Steps to Address Racism
December 9 | Daughters of the King
December 10 | Visit of St. Nicklaus to Children's Formation
December 14 | Indiana Children and Nature Brown Bag Luncheon
Church office hours
Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to noon and 1:00 to 4:30 p.m.
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Continue the conversation
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