CALENDAR

Monday, October 17, 24, 31 – Zumba Fitness at 7:30 p.m.  $6 per class.

Thursday, October 20, 27 – Zumba Fitness at 7:30 p.m.

Friday, October 21^st  - Party in Pink Fundraiser at 7:00 p.m.

Saturday, October 22^nd – Folk Art Exhibit from 2:30 – 6:30 p.m.

Sunday, October 23^rd – Oktoberfest at St. Mary’s at 5:30 p.m. Real-ish, Genuine-like German cuisine: wurst, potato salad, sauerkraut. Open bar, featuring German beers.

Announcements

All Saints Day Necrology: If you would like to remember a loved one at the All Saints Day service, please let the parish office know.

Donate your used cell phone: The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV) has partnered with Re-Cellular, an industry leader in the refurbishing or recycling of cell phones, to generate funding for the NCDAV. Here's how the program works. Leave your used cell phone in the basket provided on the back table in the sanctuary. Re-Cellular provides free shipping labels. The office staff will package and ship the phones to NCADV. Approximately 60% of all phones can be refurbished and resold. NCADV and Re-Cellular split the profit and your desk drawer has more room. Unusable phones are appropriately recycled. Recycle your phone!

Cara’s  Hours: Cara’s hours are Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Party in Pink: On Friday, October 21, from 7:00-9:00 p.m. St Mary's will host a fundraiser sponsored by our Zumba instructor, Libby McPike and Zumba Fitness Corp. All proceeds will be donated to the Susan G. Komen Foundation for Breast Cancer Awareness. Please make plans to attend. You may also make a donation to this worthy cause without working up a sweat!

St. Mary’s welcomes children of all ages to worship together. There are crayons, coloring pages, and books located on the table at the back of the church.

Sunday School is provided for children ages 3-11 in the Parish Hall and there is a Nursery located downstairs for children under 3 years.

“How to be a good seed”

Be Intentional with your life, your gifts, your time

I.       Prayer – As a part of a daily rhythm of life. In addition to occasional prayers of intercession or petition, add intentional prayers of devotion, adoration, and thanksgiving.

a.      Say the Lord’s Prayer at least once a day

b.     Give thanks for the food at your table

c.      Teach your children a prayer

d.     Try the Daily Office. Ask for help if you don’t know how.

e.      The JESUS Prayer – “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Most High, have mercy upon me, a sinner.” Repeat the prayer and use it as a meditation.

f.       Pray the rosary or the Anglican rosary.

II.   Giving – Give intentionally, thoughtfully and prayerfully.

a.      Give time to one another as a gift

b.     Lend your talent to a church or charity project

c.      Prayerfully, intentionally, and generously give of your money to church or favorite projects

d.     Give to bring the Kingdom of Heaven “Thy kingdom come”

e.      Extend radical hospitality to the stranger

f.       How do you respond to the endless generosity of the Lord God?

III.            Study and Formation – Challenge and stretch what you know

a.      Begin to explore Scripture or find ways to deepen your knowledge

b.     Study the history of our faith

c.      Study the traditions of the church

d.     Study the polity (governance) of the church

IV.            Lifestyle – In what ways are you marked permanently by Christ?

a.      What is your attitude toward money?

b.     What is your attitude toward sex?

c.      What is your understanding of marriage and Holy Matrimony?

d.     What is your understanding of relationships and friendships?

e.      What fruit do you bear for the kingdom of heaven?

V.    Social Justice – Serving with a prophetic voice

a.      What is your Christian responsibility to your neighbor?

b.     Where do you see systems of oppression in our society? Who is favored and who suffers?

c.      How do you answer Christ’s call to care for the poor, the elderly, the neglected, the sick, the lonely, the widow, the orphan, and the alien in your midst?

d.     What is the relationship between your faith and your politics?

VI.            Worship – Giving thanks and praise for the life we have been given

a.      Regular attendance on Sundays

b.     Participate with joy and passion

c.      Participate with sincerity

d.     Share your talents in the worship service

VII.         Vocation – To what specific thing is God calling you?

a.      Given your unique set of skills, talents, and experiences, to what is God calling you?

b.     Identify and own your own gifts and talents

c.      Share your gifts and talents with others

d.     Identify areas where help is needed

e.      Discover how you fit in to the ministry of Jesus Christ in this world.

f.       Evangelize – take the faith that is interior to you and make it exterior. Share your faith publicly. “‘No one after lighting a lamp hides it under a jar, or puts it under a bed, but puts it on a lamp stand, so that those who enter may see the light” Luke 8.16.

The Cloister  

Parish Newsletter of 

St. Mary’s Episcopal Church

January 2011

Rector’s Message:

The Rev. Kevin Fisher

     The joy of Christ is born into the world. May you share in that joy and peace as we look forward to the new year together. This past month has been full and rich. Our Christmas services were the highlight of the month. Eighteen persons attended the 5:30 Family Service and eighty-seven attended the services for the Eve of the Nativity, making the total for the night 105. Our worship together is a community project that requires many hands and minds. My special thanks go to our excellent acolytes: Samantha Ticker, John and Kevin Carlson, and Ashley and Alison Bohnenberger. These young people serve with distinction and bless us all with their service. Thanks also to Dr. Robert Bohnenberger for his work in coaching the acolytes and in assisting me. Our choir and hand-bell choir, led by Craig Campbell, offered us wonderful music appropriate to the joyful occasion. And of course our Altar Society worked tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure the beauty and dignity of our services. Our parish administrator, Ms. Cara Barry, worked diligently to produce the bulletins and inserts for this busy time of year, so I am grateful for her hard work and her calm presence in the office. Many others make their offering of time and talent to the dignified worship of the Lord. Many thanks to everyone for making this season a special one.

                        St. Mary’s Family Service, Christmas Eve

                        Pictured with Fr. Kevin are; Savanna Torres, Daniel and William Oyelaja,

                        Louie and Hope Rizzo, and Michael and Danny Zaniewski.

      On December 18, Emmaus 7^th Day Adventist Church began their Saturday worship services in our undercroft. They offer a gentle and devout spirit to our church environment, so take the opportunity to meet and welcome them. Our church is a more active place of prayer and worship with their presence. If you should see them on Saturdays, the appropriate greeting is “Happy Sabbath.”

     Over the years that I am privileged to serve with you I would like to mark each year by focusing on a special area of ministry. I would like to dedicate this first year as The Year of the Altar Society. This is a marvelous group that serves all of us and makes our worship together a beautiful event. Throughout the year we will hear a little from the Altar Society about their ministry and what makes it meaningful for them. Together we will learn more about this great group. Thanks be to God for them and their service.

     I look forward to our first full year together. May God bless you richly and deeply.

Kevin+

Vestry Notes:

Rental of Undercroft: St. Mary's has entered into a rental agreement with a Haitian congregation, Emmaus 7th Day Adventist, to rent our undercroft from 9:00-6:00 on Saturdays. This will provide Emmaus with worship space from 9:00-1:00, access to the kitchen from 1:00-3:00 for community meals, and the undercroft until 6:00 for classes and prayer groups. The congregation will also meet Tuesdays from 8:00-9:00 pm for prayer. If you are at church on Saturdays, please respect the worship space. If you have the chance, take time to get to know this warm congregation.

 

Ø      The roofing work on the rectory has been completed.  Interior plastering and painting in the front rooms will begin after the new year.

Ø      The Christmas Boutique earned over $2,600.  Additional fundraising ideas are always welcome. Please discuss any fundraising ideas with Fr. Kevin or any member of the vestry.  Written proposals may also be submitted for consideration.  We thank Sandra Delzotti for planning the upcoming ZUMBA®  on January 16. 

Ø      The vestry has approved the following outreach allocations:

-         Staten Island Children’s Campaign $400

-         The School of Theology (Sewanee) $400

-         Carpenter’s Kids $400 (see note below).

Music at St. Mary’s

On Saturday morning, January 8, the choir will meet to rehearse upcoming music for the month at 10 AM in the church. A light luncheon will be provided for those attending.

Many thanks to all of St. Mary's marvelous musicians for the hard work they put in for preparing music for Christmas Eve and music of the season during Advent. Our choir is a very special and talented group of people who perform many tasks in the life of our parish,

Wednesday, January 19 at 11:45 AM. The second in a series of organ recitals by artist in residence Craig Campbell featuring two works of W A Mozart, K 594 and K 616 composed for an organ that was activated by a clock mechanism. Adagio, Allegro und Adagio and Fantasy in F Major.

Stewardship               

Thank you to all who responded to our stewardship appeal.  Our Stewardship campaign will continue through January.  Please return your 2011 contribution form as soon as possible to assist the vestry plan for the upcoming year. 

Note: Your 2011 Offering Envelopes are available in the back of the church.  Please remember to pick up your envelopes and save the church the cost of mailing them to your home.

In memory:

Christmas flowers and decorations are given in loving memory of: Elsie E. Smith, Naomi Ruth Yarns and Werner E. Johnson, Helen Swenson, Eugene S. & Louise H. Byrd, Catlin S. Byrd and Caren Costello, Alan M. & Judith G. Hill, Evelyn M. Donohue, Harold W. Beckman and Donna Esposito, Arlene Carlson, Marjorie and Harold Riebel, Genevieve M. & Harold E. Taylor, Muriel G. & George M. Eckhardt and Mildred A. & Edward M. Gunnell, Stephen & Frances Zagami, William & Evelyn Van Wart, Enrico M. Bruno, Anthony & Libby Regina, Michael & Lil Delzotti and Nicolo & Concetta Scarpinato, Stanley & Cisline Fyfe, Paul & Clarice Hoffman, Esten Seward Clark and May Heimiller, Novalene Crawford Bertini, Olivia Robinson, Elnora David, Mae Prendergast and Rosaria Vacca, and the Hon. Holt Meyer.  Flowers are also given in thanksgiving by the DiGiovanni Family, Sylvia Campbell, Keerthie Perera, and the Oyelaja Family.

The Memorial Doves are given in Memory of: Enrico M. Bruno and Frank Sorensen. 

Doves are also given in memory of Rock L. Bertini, Adolf & Luise Bohnenberger, Janice Burbank, Catlin S. Byrd, Eugene S. Byrd and Louise H. Byrd, Caren Costello, Thomas Calta, Ella & Edwin Campbell, Feliz & Lucille Campbell, Arlene Carlson, the Carr Family, William Carol, Rocco DeNigris, Evelyn Donohue, Muriel G. & George M. Eckhardt, Donna Esposito, The Rev. Daniel Fannon, Donald H. Farrell, Marion & Harry Farrell, Stanley & Cisline Fyfe, Mildred A. & Edward M. Gunnell, Suzanne Gusweller, Lily Hatfield, Lilian Helberg, Judith Hill, Susan Hill, Sarah & Robert Hudson, Penalia Hussett, The Johnson Family, Werner Johnson, George T. Jenkins, Kathleen Lumsden, George Mantani, Edward Meister, Jr., the Nylander Family, Gertrude Ottaway, Jose Perez., Harold &  Marjorie Riebel, Ruth & Henry Richmond, Luis Rios, Sr., Elsie Ryan, Andrew Schauder, Sr., Elsie E. Smith, Ruth E. Smith, Herbert Smith Sr., Eardley Stephens, Holgar Swenson, Helen Swenson, Genevieve M. & Harold E. Taylor, the Turiano Family, Claire & G. Marriot Vaughn, George & Jessie Vaughn, Naomi R. Yarns, and for those loved by Rose Myslicki and the Klein Family.

Our Parish Family   

Celebrate                                          

January Birthdays

January 7 - Pauline Cheesman, Craig Campbell; 10 - Rachel Bohnenberger;

            13 – Tony Ventrone; 16 - Faith Grannis; 17 – Dolores Jennings;

            19 - Marcia Farrell, Esther Olabopo; 20 – Simon Dumas, Jr., Robert Campbell;

            25 – Jomo Terry; Sandra Delzotti; 31 – Rupert Blanchette

CALENDAR

Tuesday, January 4                Vestry meeting, 7:30 p.m.

Thursday, January 6               The Epiphany of Our Lord Jesus Christ

                                                 Holy Eucharist at 7:30 p.m.

Tuesday, January 11              Outreach Committee meeting, 7:30 p.m.

Sunday, January 16                ZUMBA®  Fundraiser, 2:00 p.m.

Wednesday, January 19        Organ Recital, 11:45 a.m.

                                                Prayer Group (third Wednesday of every month) 7:30 p.m.

Sunday, January 23                Annual Meeting, following the 10:00 a.m. service.

Tuesday, February 1              Vestry Meeting, 7:30 p.m.

Happy New Year

LET’S START THE NEW YEAR OFF ON THE RIGHT FOOT – OR THE LEFT!

Join us for an afternoon of

Party with the best instructor on the North Shore of SI

Libby McPike

Sunday, January 16, 2011

The fun begins at 2 pm at

St. Mary’s Church Hall – Corner of Castleton and Davis Avenues

Cost is $10 in advance or $12 at the door

F-R-E-E- G-I-V-E-A-W-A-Y-S

Raffles, 50-50’s and bottled water will be available for sale.

Be sure to wear sneakers and comfortable clothes!

Tickets can be purchased (picked up at the door on 1/16)

by sending a check to:

St. Mary’s Episcopal Church,

347 Davis Ave, Staten Island, NY 10310

Any questions please call or email:

Libby McPike                    Sandra Delzotti

631-921-7402                 917-604-4730

                     lmcpike@gmail.com              sdelzotti@si.rr.com