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The Chronicle, November 2004
A Call For Social Concerns Involvement
Dear Friends,
If you’re reading this Chronicle, you’re on our mailing
list for some reason or another. Active members, friends
of Christ Church, former members who have moved away, even
just an occasional visitor gets on the list. If you’re on
our
mailing list you received the mailing for our 2005 Stewardship
Campaign for support of our Mission and Ministry. I hope
you will read it, pray about it and then consider your pledge.
Your pledge is very important to us. We are hoping for 100%
participation in our campaign this year, so every pledge counts.
I remember reading a story about
a former New York City mayor, who on occasion would take his seat
as a judge at a court to hear complaints, as a way to keep in touch
with the people of New York. One merchant, on an evening
near Christmas, charged a woman with stealing groceries from his
store. The woman admitted doing so, contending that she did
not have the money to buy food for her family. Mayor LaGuardia
found her guilty and levied a $300 fine. A crime had been committed.
There must be payment. But then the mayor turned and addressed
everyone in the court-room, rousing them from their routines.
He told them that together they would need to come up with the
money for the fine, because they all had been charged with a crime
of living in a city where a woman needed to steal food to feed
her family. His message: we are all in this together. We are
interconnected. We belong to each other.
Sounds a bit like the message of
the church. Sounds a bit like the call of Jesus to love our neighbor
as ourselves. We are all in this together in this Parish
called Christ Church and in this Diocese of Vermont. Please consider
your gift of money carefully and your gifts of time and talent
which are ways, among others, we participate in the ministry
of Jesus and are connected to each other.
Peace,
David +
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Financial Update
As of October 1, 2004, with 75% of the year completed,
we have received $129,805.18 in revenue which is 70%
of our budgeted income for the year to date. This is
$9,290.80 below the budgeted amount for income through
September.
We have spent or owe $153,257.83
in expenses through the first three-quarters of the year.
This is 78% of our budgeted expenses for the year, or
$5,894.62 ahead of budgeted expenses. Remember that our
budget presented at the annual meeting was unbalanced
and contained about $10,500 more in expenses than revenue.
As of October 1, 2004 we owe $23,862.65. Of that, $20,727.53
is owed to the Diocese of Vermont.
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Thanksgiving from Vermont
The Department of Children and Families gives thanks around
the year for churches in Vermont who support their cause
so generously, including Christ Church for our donations
of school supplies and other items for foster children.
This winter the Department
is making a special request to us for knitted or crocheted
non-wool baby blankets, and Pat Carruth has complied by
knitting and donating two beautiful blankets already — a
real inspiration for all of us, whether veteran knitters
or beginners.
A box for incoming blankets
will be available all year in the parish office, and if
you have questions about the project, I would be happy to
help.
Blessings,
Charlotte Gibson,
Coordinator
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Advent Adult Education Series
Advent &The Arts
Advent & the Arts is
a six-week exploration of the major themes of Advent and
the Nativity, as portrayed in the arts, including the visual
arts, music, and literature.
Each week will look at different themes such as the Annunciation,
Nativity, Adoration, and the Madonna and Child, as expressed
in different media. Examples will come from both traditional
Christian art sources and other modes expressed internationally.
The series will start on November 14 and run through December
19, 2004 at 9 am Sundays.
The presenters will be Cynthia
Steed, former professor of Fine Arts, Brian Webb, Organist
and Choir Director at Christ Church, and Elizabeth Wilcox,
Education Director at Christ Church.
The Schedule
November 14
A general overview of the themes and the Annunciation in the Visual
Arts by Cynthia Steed.
November 21
Brian Webb will explain and explore the Messiah and other music.
November 28–Advent 1
Elizabeth Wilcox will present Advent Icons of the Orthodox Church,
an explanation of their content and how they are used in worship.
December 5–Advent 2
Cynthia Steed will present a slide show and discussion of the paintings
of the Nativity and the Adoration in Christian art.
December 12–Advent 3
The Madonna and Child will be explored in art and literature by Cynthia
Steed.
December 19–Advent 4
Hands on exploration of the Nativity in folk art. Participants are
asked to bring any crèches that they may have to share. A discussion
of styles and modes will follow as we ready our own houses for Christmas.
Anyone who wishes may have their crèches blessed in church afterward.
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A Call For Social Concerns Involvement
The Social Concerns/Outreach Committee at Christ Church is charged with a ministry that can be drawn from the language used in the service of the ordination of a deacon.
“In the name of Jesus Christ, you are to serve all people, particularly the poor, the weak, the sick, and the lonely...You are to interpret to the Church the needs, concerns, and hopes of the world.”
At Christ Church, this committee is the umbrella for the Full
Ladle Soup Kitchen, the Food Shelf, the housewares room, the United
Thank Offering and the Episcopal Relief and Development Fund ingatherings,
and some discretionary funds left to the church for this ministry.
Given the needs, concerns and hopes of the world at this time,
the scope of this committee is vast enough to include anyone’s
call to serve.
If you have felt an unfulfilled longing
to serve, or uneasiness about the inequity and injustice that surrounds
us, come add your energy to this group. This is what the church
offers us, a community to nurture and nourish our faith, and a vehicle
to live and act out that faith in the world. Please join us for
an organizational meeting after church on Sunday, November 7. You
will set the agenda, voicing your vision, your concerns and hopes,
and moving forward to love and serve God. If you have questions,
or want to be involved but can’t attend, please call Beth Ann Maier
at 244-7472.
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Social Concerns and Local Services
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