FROM GRETCHEN’S PEN
This is a hard newsletter article to write, for this will be my last newsletter article as the rector of our parish. Eleven years ago this month I arrived, and now it is time for me to
leave. It won't be a full "goodbye" since Nativity and I will still have a relationship, but it will be different. I won't be here day to day. Instead, after a time of transition, discern-
ment and call, you will have a new rector. That new rector will bring their own gifts and skills and passions and will form a new relationship with you all. That is good, it is proper, it is necessary. I am quite confident that your new rector will be someone who will
be able to work with all of you and provide the leadership for helping move confidently into the future. Over my time here I have buried more people than I wanted to, married a
number, baptized folks, sponsored people for confirmation, and been invited into your lives in ways that have blessed me beyond telling. I have had my own faith strengthened by parishioners here. I have been challenged, stretched, supported. I have had times of
joy and times of sorrow. I have found a home here. I hope that in some way I have been able to bless you as much as you have blessed me. I know that I will always carry Nativity in my heart. Perhaps the hardest thing I will do is to leave, and yet it will be necessary for
me to leave, and to let your new rector truly become your rector. I might be leaving to be-come your bishop, but that is different, it is not the same relationship and it can't be.
One of the first things I saw when I arrived eleven years ago was a couple of signs, one on the water fountain in the east hallway, one on the west door to the parish hall. The signs
said "do not use, broken." At the time I thought that those signs represented in many ways the self-image of Nativity. From my time of discernment I did not think Nativity was
"broken" but I was aware that many here did. Those signs no longer represent this parish. This parish is such a good place, full of people who care for each other, people who serve our community in ways that go beyond our side, people who show up for worship, speak
to learn more about the faith, play well together. This parish is truly a place where God is worshiped, people are fed, lives are changed. I hope that you will claim that truth and know it deep within yourselves.
I am incredibly grateful to have been the rector here. I cannot begin to say thank you
enough to all of you for the gift you have been. You will always be in my prayers. My last Sunday as your rector will be on the 8th. We will celebrate together, we will laugh and perhaps cry together, and we will bless each other, and that
will be good. I hope that you will be able to be there, but if not, please know how much I love you all.
The Episcopal Church of the Nativ i ty Volume 2017, Issue 1
THE MESSENGER
Gretchen
Page 2 Volume 2017, Issue 1
N A T I V I T Y ’S OU T R E A C H
FOOD PANTRY Thank you to everyone who helps with our food pantry, from picking up food at the Food Bank or Winco, stocking shelves, staffing the pantry and bringing food, it is all needed help and
much appreciated, especially by those who need the food.
SATURDAY SUPPER On December 10th Peggy and Neal Flowers and their team served fewer community mem-
bers than usual, probably due to snow conditions and Christmas activities. The team enjoyed the time to be able personally to talk to guests! Rick and Leslie Smith will be new
team leaders; Peggy and Neal will remain part of the team. The team approach is working great, now we are looking for a list of folks who are willing to be identified substitutes that team leaders can call on if they run into a need for helpers. Please see the signup sheet in
the parish hall or speak to Rosemary Daubert if you can do this—thanks!
SNAKE RIVER CLINIC The next delivery of finger-food, for approximately 15 workers at the clinic, will be Tues-day, January 10th. If you would like to assist with this ministry, please find the sign-up
sheet on the table in the parish hall and/or speak with Susan Pearson (743-4158).
SALVATION ARMY SOUP KITCHEN We will be helping to prepare, serve and clean up from the meal at the Salva-
tion Army Soup Kitchen, from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m., on Wednesday, January 27. If you would like to join us in serving others, please call Pat Johnson at 758-
1360.
SPOTLIGHT ON SERVICE—DICK AND SHERRI MCMILLEN
Dick here – through my work I have the privilege of vol-
unteering for a variety of activities including Advisory Board of the Salvation Army and Board of Directors of
Opportunities Unlimited. In past years I have been ac-tive in the Valley Boys and Girls Club, Chamber of Com-merce, and City Council. In her capacity of director of
Page 3 Page 3 Volume 2017, Issue 1
Community Action Agency and director of the YWCA Sherri always maintained the vision
of helping others in countless ways. Currently she is a volunteer at St. Joseph. At Nativ-ity she is a team leader for Saturday supper and we both like to take advantage of the op-
portunities that the church offers both for study and volunteer. I have been on the Ves-try several times and I would be remiss in not mentioning how much of an honor it is to be the Senior Warden especially in this time of change. Thank you.
MEN AND WOMEN’S GROUPS
CHANCEL GUILD Gifts were exchanged and Christmas cookies devoured, at our December meeting. Toni
Pierce played the guitar and we sang Christmas songs. Thank you to Debbie Riedle and Karen Parkman, for hosting. Christmas gifting was discussed and passed. Maxine Hub-
bell and Fran Caradine reported on the transition committee and the January 8th pot-luck. Our next meeting will be on the second Monday in January, the 9th. Marcu John-
son and Caryl Mackey will host.
MEN’S BREAKFAST
Men’s breakfast group returns the 2nd Saturday of January, the 10th. All men are invited
to participate, gathering at 9 am on Saturday.
THE ANNUAL PARISH MEETING
The annual parish meeting of the Episcopal Church of the Nativity will be held on Sunday, January 29 after the 10:30 service following a potluck lunch All are invited and requested to attend. Vestry members and delegates to diocesan convention will be elected at this
meeting. The deadline for reports for the annual meeting journal is Friday, January 13th.
Please email reports into the office if possible.
CALL FOR NOMINATIONS We are seeking and receiving nominations for vestry and diocesan convention delegates. If you would like to nominate someone (including yourself) for either position please call the
office, at 743-9121. Diocesan convention representative obligations include one Saturday meeting in the fall and preparing for, attending and reporting back from Diocesan conven-tion the third weekend of October. Vestry obligations include two Saturday meetings each
year, one overnight retreat, and 11 monthly meetings. Both require that those who serve
are active and participate in the life of the parish.
Page 4 Page 4 Volume 2017, Issue 1
CHOIR CORNER
Happy New Year! The choir will resume on January 1, 2017! Even though January 8th is the second Sunday, it will be Gretchen’s last Sunday, so the choir will sing for the service
that day.
The Inland Northwest Handbell Workshop will be March 24 & 25, 2017 at Lewiston First United Methodist Church. Brian Tervo, founder of the Emerald City Ringers, a community
handbell choir in Seattle, WA, will be the clinician. We need to register before February 6th
in order to get the discounted rate, so please let Sarah know if you would like to attend.
If you are interested in singing the Mozart Requiem with the Palouse Choral Society and
Lewis-Clark State College Choirs in April, please let Sarah know. You could join the LCSC
choir for rehearsals on Tuesday nights from 6.30-8.30pm beginning January 17, 2017.
Gretchen’s ordination will be Saturday, March 18, 2017. Please stay tuned for information
regarding choir participation in the service.
THANKS TO THE CHOIR, ANNAMARIE, AND SARAH FOR OUR GLORIOUS MUSIC THIS CHRISTMAS!
TRANSITION NEWS
Thanks to all those who took the time to complete the CAT survey! The following ques-tions will be posted in the parish hall sometime holiday week, and will remain there until the profile committee members meet with fellow parishioners after services, beginning
January 15th.
1. What about your experience at Nativity inspires and satisfies you? And how?
2. What do you like about Nativity? What are Nativity's successes?
3. What are Nativity's challenges? Where is there room for improvement?
4. What are your hopes for Nativity's future?
5. What do you believe are the most important tasks/ministries of the next Priest?
(Those deemed priority during conversation with Robin include preaching, pastoral
care, leadership, teaching, liturgy, formation for all, and administration.)
Please consider these questions and feel free to give your feedback on the question sheets
in the parish hall, from the last week of December through January 15th, when we begin to discuss them together. If you would like to give feedback directly to a committee mem-ber, please contact Karen Schmidt, Nancy Rosch, Maggie Pierce, Rick Smith, or John Wil-
lows. More information to come, once we receive our CAT results.
Mary Heusinkveld 1st
Caryl Mackey 10th
Roberta Coats 13th
Gladys Huffman 17th
Richard Moore 17th
Charissa Graham 18th
Janet White 21st
Marsha Creason 27th
Debi Fitzgerald 30th
B I RT H DA Y S I N J A N UA RY
Page 5 Volume 2016, Issue 1
THE ALTAR GUILD
Our thanks to those who have donated
sanctuary candles.
Jan. 8 given by Gretchen in thanksgiving for
Nativity
Our thanks to those who have donated
flowers for the altar.
Jan. 8 given by Gretchen in thanksgiving for
Nativity
Currently we have only one week of flowers
and candled signed for. The 2017 signup sheets are out—please sign up not only for flow-
ers and candles but also coffee hour etc. Thanks!
THANK YOU TO ALL WHO DONATED FOR OUR
CRHISTMAS POINSETTIAS Joe and Merrily Lillard, Darrel and Rosemary Daubert, Tom and Karen Parkman in memory
of Jean Parkman, Dick and Mavis Ohms in thanksgiving for Gretchen and her faithful ser-
vice at The Church of the Nativity, Pat Johnson in memory of Lee Johnson, Marcu Johnson,
Phyl Lacy, Diane and Steve Kottkey in memory of Jean & Wally Crandall (Diana’s parents)
Muriel & Henry Kottkey & Bob Kottkey (Steve’s parents and brother), Karen Riddle in mem-
ory of Ray Riddle, Susan Gray in memory of her mother, Gretchen Rehberg in memory of
Wallace Rehberg, Annamarie Pearson in thanksgiving for her family,
Page 6 Volume 2017, Issue 1
JANUARY 2017
WEEKLY SCHEDULE OF EVENTS Sunday: Eucharist - 8:00 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.
Bible Study/choir practice - 9:00 a.m.
Monday - Friday: Noon Day Prayer - 12:15 p.m.
Tuesday: Book Study - 9:00 a.m.
Food pantry open 8:45-noon.
Wednesday: Eucharist/M.P. - 7:00 a.m.
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
1
The Holy Name
2
3 4
Vestry 6 pm
5 6 7
8
Gretchen’s last
Sunday!
9
Chancel Guild 1pm
10
Clinic food de-livery
11 12
13 14 men’s breakfast
Saturday Sup-per/Food Pantry
15
16 17
18
19
20 21
22
23
24 25
Salvation Army soup kitchen
26 27 28
Saturday Sup-per/Food Pantry
29
Annual Parish meeting
30
31
Page 7
SERVICE SCHEDULE FOR JANUARY
Volume 2017, Issue 1
DATE Jan 1
Jan 8
Jan 15 Jan 22 Jan 29
Annual
meeting
8:00 AM 8:00 AM 8:00 AM 8:00 AM
Ushers Jerry Pierce No 8 am Don and Maxine
Hubbell John Willows No 8 am
EM Pete Ruppel go to the
10:30 John Willows Jess Stone Sleep in and
attend the
Lector John Willows Gretchen’s
Margaret Cole Frances Hedrick 10:30 service
and
POP Peggy Flowers Last Sunday Anne Rhoads Pete Ruppel Annual
meeting
10:30 AM 10:30 AM 10:30 AM 10:30 AM
Greet-ers
Phyl Lacy and
Marcu John-
Rosemary
Daubert
Keegan and
Liam Schmidt
Nancy and Ray
Rosch
Don, Maxine
Hubbell
Ushers Noel Abbott
Rosemary
Daubert
Ray Rosch
and Caryl
Mackey
Marsha Creason
and Phyl Lacy
Bill and Debi
Fitzgerald
Cary Mackey
and Ray
Rosch
EM Mary Lou Gru-
ber Phyl Lacy Marcu Johnson Caryl Mackey Jerry Pierce
Lectors Pat Johnson
Ray Rosch
Madison Winn
Liam Schmidt
Harold Crook
Fran Caradine
Alicia Case
Ray Rosch
Toni Pierce
Marcu John-
son
POP Fran Caradine Mary Lou
Gregory Nancy Rosch Rosemary
Daubert
Mary Lou
Gregory
Altar
Guild
Johnette
Moore
Maxine Hub-
bell
Fran Caradine
Pat Johnson
Roberta Coats
Marilyn Harris
Marcu Johnson
Caryl Mackey
Rosemary-Daubert
Merrily Lillard
Karen Parkman
Susan Pearson
Debbie Riedle
Charissa Gra-
ham
Johnette
Moore
Maxine Hub-bell
Fran Carad-ine
Coffee Hour
Rose and Pat Potluck lunch Need help! Need help! Potluck
lunch
EPISCOPAL
CHURCH OF THE NATIVITY
731 8th Street
Lewiston, Idaho 83501
Office: 208-743-9121
Rectory 208-746-0268
Volume 2017, Issue 1 Page 8
Episcopal Church of the Nativity
us on Facebook!
FIND US ON THE WEB! CHURCH OF THE
NATIVITY
Wardens/Vestry
Rector
Rev’d. Gretchen Rehberg
Vestry
Dick McMillen, Sr. Warden
Joe Lillard, Jr. Warden
Pat Johnson, Treasurer
Rosemary Daubert, Clerk
Mary Lou Gruber
Richard Moore
Rose Mortensen
John Willows
Madison-Rose Winn
Gretchen’s last Sunday will be January 8th.
She will be off to new bishop orientation the following weekend, and then moving to Spo-
kane to start working for the Diocese when
she returns.
We will celebrate with one service only at 10:30 and have a potluck lunch to follow. Please
come!
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