SMTV "The Bell" January 2022

January 2022

WARDEN'S CORNER

Letter to the Parish

from Senior Warden, John Priscantelli

2021 was a challenging year for St. Mary’s. Our clergy retired and left, Covid continued to evolve, we had to limit our services and there are many other effects accumulated.

But there were many shining moments:

We continue to have the unwavering support of many parishioners and their families in many ways that enable us to continue on with our mission.
Our dedicated staff keeps the parish humming along and open for Sunday worship.
Our dedicated Vestry continues to work hard and make worthwhile decisions.
The parish ended the year with a financial surplus. We are planning on funding charities with half the surplus.

Going forward to 2022 admittedly many of the same challenges are still with us and more have surfaced. But like most families, our parish is like a family, we are rising to the challenge.

Ways we have risen to the challenge:

We have formed a search committee for a new Rector.
We are in the process of hiring a part-time interim Rector.
We want to hold the 85th Strawberry Festival and Auction dinner this year again.

I ask all of you to get involved, pledge, show up, come to the table, be part of the solution - not another challenge we have to overcome. We are open to all those who want to help the parish grow, rekindle their friendships, and be part of the solution. We welcome you to join us at the Annual Meeting on Feb 13th.

Vestry Minutes

Meeting Minutes are available on bulletin board outside of Parish Hall office or by contacting Rich at juzumas@verizon.net.

WORSHIP

SUNDAY WORSHIP:

Holy Eucharist Rite II at 9:30 am

CLICK HERE FOR ST MARY'S LIVE STREAM

Services are now IN PERSON, but if you need to access our Live Stream at

any time during these services, please click on link above.

Instructions for live streaming:

When the service is broadcasting live, you will see the service Episode listed below "Services at The Church of St. Mary...."
To listen live, click on the play button (circle with arrow in it) on the left side of the Episode title that has the red LIVE box.
If you do not see the Episode with today's date, click on the link again to refresh the webpage.

Open Doors

We invite you to take note of the following practical arrangements:

Wearing masks at all times
Sanitizing hands before services, during, before receiving communion and when leaving; please bring your hand sanitizer along with you
Always keep safe distancing
The Holy Eucharist will be celebrated; the people receiving in one kind only (the host)
Details of receiving communion will be explained at the time of celebration

All Services will be offered via Live Stream

Coffee Hour

We have resumed Coffee Hour after the Sunday service in the parish hall, observing social distancing and masks.

If you would like to host coffee Hour, please contact Eileen Herbert

914-273-1888 or 914-261-7637

The following Sundays are available:

January 23
January 30
February 6

CALENDAR NOTES

Click here for printable or viewable monthly calendar.

Reflecting on the Christmas Season

2021 Annual

Christmas Pageant

On December 19th the children shared the Christmas story during the service. We appreciate their family's participation in this beautiful tradition!

Below:

The Greening of the Church was cheerfully decorated on December 18th by Chui Dione, Sally Sobolewski, Janet Priscantelli, Durrie Golding, Kathie duQuesnay, Barbara Romeo, and RoseMarie Prestipino with her daughter Maria. The beautiful Memorial Garden was all done when they arrived - they do not know who the "secret elf" was !?

SEARCH COMMITTEE

Search Committee Formed

Parish Survey Coming Soon

Thank you to those who have agreed to serve on this committee to help us find

our new spiritual leader for St. Mary’s. There have been two meetings to date and our immediate project has been compiling the Parish Survey. A completed survey should be available to the parish by the final week of January.

Your participation is appreciated. All responses are important, as they are the key factor we use to produce our Parish Profile. This is a snapshot of St. Mary’s that all potential candidates will be reading and reviewing.

There will be a summary report at the Annual Meeting on Sunday, February 13th. This meeting will be immediately following the service and will be held in person in the Parish Hall.

Thank you, in advance, from the Search Committee. We look forward to collecting your responses.

The Search Committee is:

Durrie Golding and Rick Romeo, Co-Chairs

Cindy Forrest

Christian Hakim

Mark Hanchet

Chris Maxfield

Dina Painter

SAVE THE DATE

Annual Meeting

Sunday, February 13th

After the morning service

All Parishioners are encouraged to attend our annual meeting. It will include reports from our rector and vestry, including updates on stewardship and budget.

During the Annual Meeting we invite you to participate in the Souper Bowl of Caring. See below.

Souper Bowl of Caring

Sunday, February 13th

During the Annual Meeting

We will ask for donations of a pot of soup, chili or baked goods. Stay tuned for the sign up and begin to think of your favorite recipes!

Event in Memory of Penny

We are excited to continue this parish tradition. The Souper Bowl event is in Memory of Penny Vane who cared deeply about local hunger and worked passionately with "Empty Bowls," another grassroots organization with a mission to fight hunger. Our donation to the Interfaith Emergency Food Pantry will be in her honor.

CHRISTIAN EDUCATION

News Updates for Church School

We are updating our distribution list for the church school weekly blast. If you or someone you know would like to receive the newsletter please contact josiebabette@gmail.com. After this week this newsletter will only be distributed to those that request it. Thank you!

OUTREACH

Denise Hanchet is coordinating volunteers for Neighbors Link. For more information on Neighbors Link visit: https://www.neighborslink.org/

Please contact Denise if you have any questions about this mission: hanchet@verizon.net or cell (914) 671-0128

Advent Giving Tree

Our Advent Giving Tree held wish list items for families at the Boys and Girls Club of Northern Westchester (BGCNW) who participate in their Holiday Share Drive. Originally started by now-retired Barbara Cutri, the BGCNW Holiday Share Drive began informally in the late 1980s when holiday gifts for children in need were given anonymously by “Secret Santa’s.” At that time, BGCNW staff helped the children whose families were struggling to put food on the table, and, for those impacted by the AIDS epidemic, did not have the means for extras at Christmas time.

Thanks to SMTV and others in our community, in this time of COVID, each and every BGCNW family who applied for help for the holidays received it. This year, BGCNW Holiday Share Drive served 47 families (parents and children) and an additional 188 individual children.

Please read the attached letter and thank you cards -

ADULT EDUCATION

Here is ANOTHER CHANCE!

PLEASE PARTICIPATE IN OUR SURVEY

ADULT EDUCATION & SPIRITUAL FOUNDATION SURVEY

Please Respond!

What programs and activities would you like to participate in at St. Mary's?

Kindly complete and return the survey (links above or below)

You may do this online or print the survey, fill out and return via snail mail, email or text!

FILL OUT SMTV SURVEY HERE ON LINE

Or CLICK HERE to print survey and return via mail or text.

COMMUNITY NEWS

Communion

by Dana Wu

Click here for a link to a short creative non-fiction piece published this fall in the Carlow University Press anthology, Voices from the Attic, Vol 27. Dana shares a beautiful moment of mercy and hope during a chaotic year.