Dear friends,

“Happy New Year!” is the refrain we've heard a hundred times this week, as though if we say it and hear it enough, it might actually happen. Personally, I don’t put too much stock in such magic.

Besides, I would much prefer someone to say to me, “have a growing new year,” or "a meaningful new year,” or… there are lots of adjectives I like better than happy. Not that I have anything against being happy, it’s just that happiness is as fleeting as a butterfly in a strong wind.

This is why I’ve decided to start the new year with something easy, a series on (wait for it)... the meaning of life. This is as much for me as I approach 70 in March as for you, as long as you're over 14 or have enough wisdom to know it’s the only real quest that’s worth searching for. 

I’m not sure what I’m going to come up with as the answer, but I’ll be searching for it too. If you want to search with me, show up, or tune in. And if you do show up, consider masking up as well. Covid is everywhere these days.

Gratefully,

Rev. Dr. Steve Goyer

Interim Senior Pastor

2023 CHANCEL FLOWERS

We will return to using our flower signup chart this year, which can be located in the back hallway between the social hall and the sanctuary.

It is the tradition of SSPC for church members to purchase flowers for Sunday services. Members who give flowers contact a local florist of their choice prior to the date they have selected on the calendar below. Their florist will deliver the flower arrangement to the church on Saturday and place it in our brass container. Some members like to prepare their own flower arrangements and deliver them to the church.

​•Donors will be asked to include information about their flower dedication for our worship bulletin on the signup chart or by contacting Donna Purdy at donna@sspres.org.

When a New Year begins, we invariably start with the Christmas clean up, unless you are one of the ones who has stuffed the tree and ornaments into the attic by the afternoon of December 25th. Last year was interesting in that I decided to leave the tree up until sometime in March! Harlan said I should just leave it up because Christmas will be coming again in about a week the way time flies.

Judy Stipp is our music librarian, and she cleans out the folders and helps to put away the music into our extensive library of anthems (octavos) for adults, youth, and children, major works, cantatas, musicals, instrumental music, symphonic works, piano, organ, and solo music, and hymnals from all denominations. Thank you, Judy!! Christmas always leaves the folders in a mess with numerous pieces of music and bulletins from all the services. It’s great to have a clean start.

The choir met this evening to begin preparing for the month of January. Almost all the seats were taken, and they were their usual talented, easy-going selves as we easily read through the music. If you ever want to see how well this group works together, stay after a Wednesday night supper and observe our rehearsal. We really do have a good time in all of the hard work that is accomplished. As a director, I am blessed to have such a talented group of people to lead. If you are being called to sing in the choir, come and talk with me and I can give you an idea about how it all works. Many feel they aren’t good enough or they can’t make a weekly commitment. Let’s talk. There are ways to make it work in your schedule. You’ll be glad you did because we have the most fun of any adult group in the church (well, maybe the bell choir would be tied with us for that). 

We will be celebrating the sacrament of Communion this Sunday. The Chancel choir will offer In His Name, a piece by Marti Lunn Lantz (text) and David Lantz III (music). They are a husband and wife team of composers.

If you haven’t joined the Island Concert Association, go online to our website or find a brochure in the hallways of the church (it’s a nice green color). The first concert is on February 7th at 7:00 pm. Save the Date!

Love & Gratitude,

Rhonda

Sunday, January 8

8:30 am Early Worship - Sanctuary

9:30 am Sunday School - Various Locations

10:30 am Traditional Worship - Sanctuary

4:30 pm Marsh's Edge Worship - Marsh's Edge

6:00 pm Youth Gathering - Youth Suite

Monday, January 9

4:00 pm Congregational Life Meeting - Upper Room

6:30 pm Al-Anon Meeting - John Law

Tuesday, January 10

7:00 am Youth Chick-fil-a Breakfast - SSI Chick-fil-A

9:30 am Staff Meeting - Upper Room

10:00 am PW Morning Glories - Upper Room

12:00 pm PW Lunch Bunch - Upper Room

4:00 pm PW Ladies of the Night - Upper Room

Wednesday, January 11

9:00 am Pastoral Care Coordinating Team - John Law

11:30 am Men's Bible Study - Fiddler's

1:30 pm Hands and Heart Quilting Ministry - Music Attic

4:00 pm Chancel Ensemble - Sanctuary

5:15 pm Early Music - Rhonda's Office

6:00 pm Chancel Ringers - Bell Room

7:00 pm Chancel Choir - Sanctuary

Thursday, January 12

11:30 am Ladies Bible Study - Fiddler's

4:30 pm PNC Meeting - Upper Room

5:30 pm ODD Book Study - John Law

Friday, January 13

No Activities Planned for This Day