December 2018

A note from the Rector…

Last year as Ethan, Lillian, and Sophia prepared for their confirmation, they started

talking enthusiastically about having a Christmas pageant. Our Family Christmas Eve

service is kind of like a pageant, but our confirmands wanted a pageant where the

children have parts. It was too close to Christmas last year to do this.

As the summer drew to a close, I reached out to Sophia Jezewski. She had a version of

the Christmas story that she thought would be good for a pageant. She had thought about which children could

play which parts. Initially, there weren’t any speaking parts; the story was told by narrators with the children

acting out the parts.

Rehearsals began in November and the pageant is scheduled for the sermon time on Sunday, December 23.

Sophia is the visionary of this effort, aided by her mother, Andrea, as well as Joanne Pinaire, Marion Fluchere,

the parents and me. Sophia and I found costumes previously used and Darlene Amsler is working with Sophia

to update them or tailor them to the children. Kevin Hortens put legs on the manger that we found in the garage.

At our first rehearsal, we decided that there were some parts of the story that would be easy for the children to

say. Parents are working with their children to learn their parts and on where they need to be as the story is read.

On the first day of December, all are invited to come help make props (animals) and the backdrop.

Our children have latched onto an ancient idea of better understanding our faith. The Ignatian Spiritual

Exercises, for instance, encourage us to be in touch with Christ’s experience in his ministry and death. This

entering into the story, helps us gain a deeper understanding of the story. Hearing and seeing our

children enact the story also provides new understandings of this ancient story for us, too.

Love, Rebecca+

NATIVITY NEWS

The newsletter of the Episcopal Church of the Nativity and St. Stephen

Newport and Thompsontown, PA

159 South Second Street, Newport PA 17074

Phone: 717-567-6514 E-mail: chnatss@pa.net

Parish Website: www.nativityandststephen.diocpa.org

Report from November 14 Vestry Meeting

Telling Our Story – Evangelism

At each Vestry meeting, a member tells their story about how following Jesus Christ and living in this

community of Nativity and St. Stephen’s has affected their life. At the November meeting, Gail Shull spoke

about her recent experiences with the power of prayer and support, both from the church and her family and

friends as her grandchildren went through some medical challenges.

Our Life Together – Addressing conflict

This month, Vestry reviewed a document on the characteristics of five levels of conflict.

Level one is basically problem-solving. At this level, even if there is disagreement, there is collaboration and

connection. Everyone is focused on solving the problem. Leadership involves negotiation and collaboration.

Level two is disagreement. While people are hoping to solve conflict, they are also more defensive and

cautious. People at this level are trying to protect themselves. Leadership requires reducing the tension so

people can work together to solve the issues.

Level three is contest. In this level, people want to win, although they don’t really want to hurt others in the

process. Leadership needs to reduce fear and distorted thinking and to provide a sense of order.

Level four is fight/flight. People are invested in hurting others and being right. Leadership will find more

structure helpful in resolving this level of conflict.

Level five is an intractable situation. This level usually requires outside intervention.

Overall, having ground rules and processes and structures in place allow conflict to be addressed at the earlier

levels.

Our Finances

Income through September was $281,945. Expenses through the same period were $236,500. The mortgage

principle is $85,737.

Vestry also passed routine resolutions. One was to approve the Fair Share we donate to the Diocese for 2019 of

$39, 870. The other resolution was to approve the Rector’s housing amount for 2019. This is required by the

Internal Revenue Service.

Stewardship of our Property

Kevin Hortens has begun using the garage for various projects. He is currently building a compost bin used as

part of our Heart and Soil garden project.

Vestry agreed to a 2-year contract with Travis Holley for snow removal. The price of ice melt/salt has tripled,

raising the cost of snow removal. Vestry agreed Mr. Holley’s charges were reasonable and a 2-year contract

made sense.

Bill Day will arrange a Property Committee meeting to discuss projects for 2019.

People Step Forward for Leadership Positions for Episcopal Gardens and Episcopal Commons

Vestry approved the following people for 1-year terms on the Boards for Episcopal Commons and Episcopal

Gardens:

Suzanne Beamer

Mary ‘Tootser’Davis

Wendy Day

Lynne Mitchell

Becky Crup

We also acknowledged the service of Renee Billger and Don Robinson.

One more person is needed to serve on these boards.

Sabbatical time in 2020

Vestry discussed the upcoming sabbatical time in 2020. We will make a grant application to the National Clergy

Renewal Program sponsored by the Lilly Foundation. The grant application must be made by April 2019. Bill

Rohm, Kevin Hortens and Joanne Pinaire are working with Rebecca on this application.

We are focusing on Paul’s Letter to the Romans as the area of learning for Rebecca and for the parish. Supply

priests and lay preachers will be asked to focus on the Epistle reading in Romans during the time of the

sabbatical. Parlor People and Godly Play/children’s learning will focus on Paul’s travels, especially from Malta

to Rome.

Please let the committee know if you have any questions, concerns or ideas for our life together during this

time, which will be for 3 months after Easter in 2020.

Vestments

Vestry approved the purchase of a new set of white

vestments at a cost of $3,000 for chasuble, burse, veil

and two stoles. Rebecca and Bill Rohm saw this set at

Diocesan Convention. See the photo for the bourse

and veil. The embroidery is antique, which was re-

purposed to use on the white satin. The original cost

was $6,000.

Vestry also discussed and approved holiday gifts

totaling $1,045 for our staff. A 10% increase in the

gifts from last year was made.

Vestry thanked Becky Crup and Tootser Davis for

their service on Vestry. A donation for $30 has been made to Perry County Animal Rescue in honor of Tootser

and to Ickesburg Fire Company in honor of Becky.

Next Vestry Meeting

The next Vestry meeting will be January 9.

Commons and Gardens Upcoming Activities

If you are able to help out or contribute to any of the Episcopal Gardens or Commons activities, please see a

member of the Program and Mission Committee.

Episcopal Gardens Activities:

Thursday, December 13, 9am - 4pm - Trip to Susquehanna Mall and Country

Cupboard

Thursday, January 24, 11am - 1pm, - Lunch and Winter Craft

Tuesday, March 5, Invite residents to our Shrove Tuesday pancake supper, bus to

leave Honaman House at 5:30, return approx. 8pm.

Thursday, March 14, 11am - 1pm - BINGO and Lunch

Sunday, June 2, after church at St. Stephen’s - Cookout

Episcopal Commons Activities:

Saturday, December 8, 12:45pm - 8pm, Bus trip to Christian Life Assembly, Camp

Hill for Christmas Wonderland and Dinner at Cracker Barrel.

Tuesday, February 13, 11am - 1pm - Lunch and Valentine’s Craft

Tuesday, March 5, Invite residents to our Shrove Tuesday pancake supper

Wednesday, April 10, 11am - 1pm - Easter/Spring Activity and Lunch

Wednesday, June 5, 11am - 1pm – Cookout

Nativity Happenings

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Parlor People Sessions

December 2 – Is it God we are hearing?

Led by Jane Hoover

December 16 – Christmas Art by Dick Price

Godly Play will be December 9 and 16.

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December Services

Sunday, December 23, 9:30am – Christmas Pageant

followed by decorating of the church and Pot Luck.

Monday, December 24, 4:00pm – Christmas Eve

Family Service with Eucharist, St. Stephen’s

10:30pm – Christmas Eve Service with Eucharist at

Nativity. Hymns and music from 10:30-11:00pm.

Sunday, December 30, 9:30am - Christmas Lessons

and Carols

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Thank you to everyone who signed up to

help with the Join Hands Christmas

program. It is not too late if you would like to contribute.

Please see Darlene Amsler or Susan Rice. Reminder

that gifts are due Sunday, December 2. Thank you

for helping to bring Christmas to Perry County

families in need.

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Flowers for Christmas.

Donations for Christmas flowers will be taken

through December 9. If you have an envelope, you

can use for the donation, including marking if they

are “in honor of” or “in memory of” someone.

There are also envelopes at the back of the church.

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Food Bank Donations are needed! For a list of the items needed by the Food Bank, go to

their website at http://www.perrycountyfoodbank.org/

and click on their wish list. Canned vegetables, fruit, nut

butters and protein are always needed.

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Help People in Need when you

buy your Groceries! See Gail Shull or Pat Szabo to purchase

cards in various amounts to use at Giant, Mutzabaugh's,

or Weis Stores. 5% of the cost of each card stays with

the church and is used for outreach and mission projects.

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Send notes or cards to our

friends who are unable to

attend service on Sundays.

Arlene McGowan Edith Jones

92 Village Drive 232 W. Main Street

Room 108 New Bloomfield PA 17068

Mifflintown PA 17059

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Diocesan Happenings

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Sign up for news from around our Diocese.

Monthly email available. Go to

https://diocesecpa.org/subscribe-for-newsletters/

to sign up.

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We Make the Road by Walking: A Year-

Long Quest for Spiritual Formation,

Reorientation, and Activation

This year the diocese

is focusing on The

Way of Love. As

part of the journey,

they are making their

way through the

diocese on an

Appalachian Camino

Pilgrimage. They

invite you, whether

or not you can walk

the pilgrimage, to

journey with them

through a book

study. They are using Brian McLaren’s book We

Make the Road by Walking: A Year-Long Quest for

Spiritual Formation, Reorientation, and Activation

to prepare for pilgrimage and as a guide for prayers

and reflection. If you would like a copy, please let

Rebecca know by December 6.

Books are $10 each.

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Bishop Out of the Box Live Nativity Scene,

Wednesday, December 19, 4 – 8pm,

St. Andrew's in the Valley, Harrisburg.

Volunteers are needed, both to dress in costume

(costumes provided), as well as to be greeters,

traffic control, set up and clean up. If you would

like to volunteer, please see Rebecca for volunteer

opportunities and shift times.

You’re also invited to drive through and enjoy the

live nativity.

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Happening

February 15-17, Camp Mt. Luther,

Mifflinburg. All youth in grades 9-12 are

invited for an exciting weekend of fun,

friendship, and faith!

Happening is not a traditional church retreat. As a

Happener, whether you are a high school student or

an adult (yes, adults may happen, too!), you will

have the opportunity to talk about God with your

peers, the people who will be experiencing the same

event with you. Please register by February 8 at

https://diocesecpa.org/youth/

Cost: $125.00. Scholarships are available.

Contact: Mary Ellen Kilp or Theda Tallman at

cpayouthcom@gmail.com for questions.

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December Honaman House 3 Edward Crup 10 Sandra McComsey

Michael Klauer 13 Patricia Reichenbach

5 Debbie Paroda 26 James Crawford

Mema Shaub

6 Eric Weller

7 Matthew Dudley Episcopal Commons 11 Alexandra Day 6 Nancy Johnson

17 Grace Klauer 12 Teresa Simoncelli

William Lebo 13 Jean Diller

22 Lucas Klauer

23 Kellen Shepley

25 Edna Baker

27 William T. Warne, II

28 Hayden Shepley

29 Milt Shepley

30 Erica Hile

December Service Participants Schedule

December Counters

December 2 – Becky and Sue B.

December 9 – Bill D. and Sue B.

December 16 – Becky and Bill R.

December 23 – Kay and Darlene

December 30 – Tootser and Shannon

Date Greeters Lector Prayers Acolyte Euch. Min. Coffee Hour

Dec. 2 (A.G. 1) Prices Joanne P. Dick P. Sophia J. Rohm Kay/Wendy

Dec. 9 GP (A.G. 2) Burns/Davis Volunteers Connie Y. Amsler Amsler Edna/Andrea

Advent Lessons and Carols

Dec. 16 GP (A.G. 3) Days Susan R. Shannon B. Davis Davis Darlene/Mary

Dec. 23 (A.G. 4) Mitchell/Shull Bill D. Jane H. Need Volunteer Rohm Pot Luck

Decorate the Church

**Dec. 24 (A.G. 4) Chappelka Volunteers Need Volunteer Day Day

Christmas Eve Service, 4pm

Dec. 24 (A.G. 4) Days Mary P. Wendy D. Rohm Rohm

Christmas Eve Service, Nativity, 10:30pm

Dec. 30 (A.G. 4) Bakers Volunteers Gail S. Ethan J. Davis Pat/Gail

Christmas Lessons and Carols

** = St. Stephen's GP = Godly Play

December 2018

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1 Backdrop and props preparation for the Christmas Pageant, 10am

Christmas tree lighting, Newport Square, 5pm

2 Worship - 9:30am

Special Offering

Michael from Join Hands at Coffee Hour

Parlor People Is it God we are hearing? led by Jane Hoover

3

4 Taize’ Tuesday, 4:45pm

5 Men’s Breakfast

(Espresso Yourself)

Women’s Breakfast

(Newport Family) –

9am

6

7

8 Eliminating Racism Task

Group, 9:30am – 12:30pm Commons Trip to Winter Wonderland and

Dinner at Cracker Barrel

9 Worship - 9:30am

Advent Lessons and Carols

Godly Play

Christmas Pageant Practice

Christmas Cards and Cocoa for Commons and Honaman House residents at Coffee Hour

10

11 Taize’ Tuesday, 4:45pm

12 Men’s Breakfast

(Espresso Yourself)

Women’s Breakfast

(Bitting’s) - 9am

13 Commons Trip to Susquehanna Mall and Country

Cupboard

14

15

16 Worship - 9:30am

Godly Play

Christmas Pageant

Practice

Parlor People Christmas Art led by Dick Price

17

18 Taize’ Tuesday, 4:45pm

19 Men’s Breakfast

(Espresso Yourself)

Women’s Breakfast

(Newport Family) –

9am

20

21

22

23 Worship - 9:30am

Christmas Pageant

Decorate the Church Pot Luck

24 Christmas Eve Service,

4pm, St. Stephen’s

Christmas Eve Service, 10:30pm, Nativity

25

26

27 Stitchers, 10am

28

29

30 Worship - 9:30am Christmas Lessons and Carols

Special Offering

31

Special Offerings:

December 2 – Caring for Nativity’s Neighbors December 30 – Building Fund

Michele will be out of the office Monday, December 24 – Tuesday, January 1.