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From the Vicar
Christmas Eve Pageant
Episcopal Church Women
Thanksgiving Outreach
Holiday Outreach
United Thank Offering
Altar Guild
A Note from Mary Rose
Calendar of Events
Sunday School Needs
Search Committee Update
Stewardship
Prayer for Transition
Parish Register

From the Vicar:

Dear Friends,

Have you read the Baptismal Covenant lately?

Celebrant Will you continue in the apostles' teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in the prayers?

People I will, with God's help.

Celebrant Will you persevere in resisting evil, and, whenever you fall into sin, repent and return to the Lord?

People I will, with God's help.

Celebrant Will you proclaim by word and example the Good News of God in Christ?

People I will, with God's help.

Celebrant Will you seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving your neighbor as yourself?

People I will, with God's help.

Celebrant Will you strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the

dignity of every human being?

People I will, with God's help.

Notice the first question: “Will you continue in the apostle's teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in the prayers?” And the answer: “I will, with God's help?” Keeping that promise—a promise to join the community in regular worship—enables us to keep the promises that follow: to resist evil, to proclaim the Good News, to seek and serve Christ is all persons, and to strive for justice and peace among all people. (The Book of Common Prayer, pp. 304-305)

The first duty of a Christian is the worship of God. The One we worship is known to us as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and in our Trinitarian worship we acknowledge the Creator of all that is good, true, and beautiful. We bow before the mystery of the Word made flesh, Jesus, the Savior and Redeemer of the world. And we offer equal praise to the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity, our comforter and teacher. This is the first thing in our lives. From faithfulness in adoration, prayer, and offering ourselves to God everything else springs. When we become careless about attendance at worship, we pretty quickly become spiritually flabby.

People who exercise regularly will tell you that sometimes the body seems to say “NO, NOT TODAY! To give into that laziness, however, is to start on a downhill slide. One of our bishops once told the confirmation class: “Every time you roll over in bed and decide not to get up and go to church you make it easier to do that next Sunday.”

Our word for worship is liturgy, which means in Greek “the work of the people.” Worship is not about feeling good or “getting something out of it.” Worship is first of all work, something we are called to do—even when we don't feel like it. If we are faithful in that duty, then we will, as it turns out, feel profoundly better and will get out of life the very best.

All those women and men sweating and grunting at the YMCA are on their way to feeling great and having more energy and zest for life. And those who continue-persist-in corporate worship, in singing and praying, in listening attentively and receiving the sacraments reverently-will be more robust in faith and filled with joy.

This is why it is so important for parents to guide their children to faithful attendance at the Eucharist, Sunday by Sunday, and this guidance must be by example as well as by admonition. Is it clear to everyone in your home that the worship of God comes first?

The holy days ahead-Advent and Christmas-might be a good time to bring the whole family together on Sunday morning, to put first things first. That would make for a blessed Christmas and deepening joy in the New Year. That is what I wish for you and yours.

Charles Rice, Interim Vicar

CHRISTMAS EVE CHILDREN'S PAGEANT AND SERVICE

Hi Moms & Dads and Boys and Girls:

Can you imagine it's that time again? I have taken the liberty to shake things up this year and assign roles for this year's pageant.  I wanted to give the older/younger kids a chance to prove themselves.  I refer to them as tweenies.

Practice Dates:

All practices will last about an hour

• December 3rd (Costumes to be handed out)
• December 10th practice with Mary Rose/music (If Mary Rose can help us out that day?)
• December 23rd Saturday @ 1pm
• December 24th arrive @ 3pm to get dressed and line up

The Main Readers & Head Angel: The Confirmation Class

The 4 main non speaking roles and the 3 Kings: The 4th and 5th Graders
Shepherds and Angels:  The Kindergarten through 3rd Graders
Baby Jesus: Jalyn Sandra Day
John the Baptist:  I am looking for a real baby to play this part; if we cannot fill it we will use a doll.

I don't want anyone to feel left out so if you have already made your confirmation and you would like to participate, I would love for you to help with the younger children. There's no reason why you can't be an angel or shepherd and help us out at the altar. My son Michael was a shepherd at the age of 17.

I am looking for a few good moms to help with crowd control at practices and to help hand out props the day of the pageant.

Please practice the song "Silent Night".

If there are any questions/comments/suggestions please do not hesitate to contact me at my home 973-764-0015.  If there is no answer please leave a message with your first and last name and number.

I am looking forward to another successful pageant.

Rita-Ann Schmick
Pageant Director

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EPISCOPAL CHURCH WOMEN

The ECW would like to thank all of the people who helped make our basket bingo a success. A big thank you to Dawn Sommese for wrapping all of our baskets and making them look beautiful! With the profits from the bingo we donated to North Porch, IHN, and the Sweetman family. 

THANKSGIVING OUTREACH

We are working on the Thanksgiving baskets. There are cards in the narthex; please take one and purchase what is on it and return to church no later than Nov 19 th at 12 noon. Turkeys may be placed in the freezer. If you would like to donate money, please take an envelope from the table in the narthex and place it in the offertory basket with your name on it so you may get credit for tax pur poses . Gaye Murphy.

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HOLIDAY OUTREACH

Fellow Parishioners,

The season of holiday outreach is quickly approaching. It is with joyous anticipation that this year's response from the congregation will be as generous as the last. There will be several different ways to contribute to those in need from our community. Choose the manner that best suits your family's idea of compassionate sharing.

There will be a Food Basket Drive for both Thanksgiving and Christmas . Look for the index cards that will provide items needed to fill food baskets. Although we never quite know the extent of the need, baskets are always available and bountiful thanks to the congregation's donations. Also, turkeys and hams are always a staple necessity for food baskets, so save those "freebies" and designate them for the church freezer.

If you would like to buy gifts for local children, then look for the Christmas Gift "Wish List" that will once again be posted on the narthex bulletin board next to the Christmas tree display. Our system will be the same as last year, so take note of both the due dates and the directions on how to use the gift labels and plastic bags provided. We will also need a few volunteers to distribute the gifts and food baskets on the dates designated on our holiday schedule.

Finally, just in case you're one of the many too busy to shop for gifts or food donations we have an alternative just for you. Please look in the pews or on the narthex table for Holiday Outreach envelopes . You can either write a check or stuff some "holiday green" in there. Be assured that your donation will be used towards filling a need, wish, or stomach of one of the many in our own community who will be grateful for your thoughtfulness. If you include your name and/or your pledge number, your donation will be included in your yearly church financial statement.

'Tis the season to be merry and spread merry . Consider the gifts you and your family have received and choose to share the wealth of kindness with those not as fortunate.

You may contact anyone from the holiday outreach committee for any additional information or questions:

Gaye Murphy (973) 764-4157 (Food Baskets)
Jill Dickerson (973) 948-4033 (Gift List)
Elaine Brath (973) 764-1955 (Gift Wrap)

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UNITED THANK OFFERING

I hope you have been using your blue box for your thank offerings. Our contribution in May 2006 was for $349. Twenty-two people gave this sum. This was the best response that has been made since I've been parish custodian. Keep up the good work. We will be collecting coins from the blue boxes in December. I pray your offering will be a generous one. Thanks for your help. Ernestine Andersen

ALTAR GUILD

The 8 o'clock worship services in the Chapel were most successful. Thank you to those who worked to refurbish the old church, especially the restoration of the altar rail. Thank you all for joining in our Thanksgiving and Praise. Thank you to Bill and Ellen Shapiro for filling our earthly needs with refreshments. Thank you to Charles for filling our spiritual needs. It was an honor to serve both St. Thomas ' Chapel and St. Thomas ' Sanctuary.

Prayerfully, Nancy Hansen for the Altar Guild

The Altar Guild is preparing for Advent, the beginning of the Church's new year, which begins December 3. We are also preparing for whoever will be called as our new Vicar. It seems that this is what an altar guild does, it prepares. And we have much preparing to do. 

I used to think that an altar guild was only responsible for preparing the Eucharist. I have learned that this is true, but it is not as simple as putting the bread and wine on the altar. It is setting the Table, setting the mood of the season, caring for all things involved with the worship service from linens and vestments to flowers and brass. It is enhancing the worship without words, but with color, beauty, and tradition. It is inviting all to join in Christ's invitation to "come and eat."

While St Thomas ' Altar Guild has been setting the Table since we reopened our 1849 church building, we are learning so much more. Carol and Elsie have been to St John Baptist Convent to learn about vestment restoration. We are still anticipating a workshop/visit from members of the Diocesan AG. We have begun to prepare and care for new linens hand made in the traditional ways. We reopened the chapel for summer worship, caring for a second sacristy and altar. Gale and Nancy did some beautiful flower arrangements from their gardens, which were then added to the wonderful arrangements done by Tina for the main church. We have polished and brought new life back to many forgotten candlesticks and vases.

We look forward to the preparation and the journey on which is it taking us. It is our privilege to set the Table.

Carol Poplaski

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A Note from Mary Rose

I would like to first say how happy I am to be back at home at St. Thomas '.  Sometimes, in leaving a place, you find that the place you are looking for is the very place you left.  This has been true for me and my coming back to St. Thomas '.  I missed all of you very much; I missed my Music Ministry and the Choir. The distance will just be something I'll gladly deal with. 

I would like to invite all of you to think about joining our choir, especially during the Advent and Christmas season.  I know many of you are very busy with family, jobs, etc. but perhaps for the Christmas season, you might consider joining the choir.  We meet on Thursday nights and rehearse from 7:30 p.m. to about 8:45 p.m.  We need all voices-but especially sopranos.  So, please consider yourselves invited to join by the choir members and me.  If you have questions, please feel free to talk to me after church on Sundays.  

God's blessings,   Mary Rose

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CALENDAR OF EVENTS

LOOKING AHEAD TO 2007

Calendar Notes

Christ the King, November 26: The Sunday School will be present for the entire service and the classes will bring their offerings of arts and crafts to the altar. The sermon will be for the children (Adults are welcome to listen in!)

The Four Sundays of Advent, December 3-24. The altar and vestments change to purple, the color of royalty. Advent-which means "coming"-is a season of expecting the birth of the King, a time of preparation and waiting. The Altar Guild is preparing four special banners. On the first Sunday of Advent we will hang the first banner and light the first Advent candle.

Dec. 24 and 31 No Sunday School.
Dec. 24 11:30 a.m. The Greening of the Church and brunch with hot cider in the Undercroft
January 7, The First Sunday after the Epiphany: The Baptism of Our Lord
 8 a.m. Holy Eucharist, 10 a.m. Holy Eucharist (Sunday School resumes)
January 14, The Second Sunday after the Epiphany
Holy Eucharist, 8 and 10. Annual Meeting, 11:30, with lunch, in the Undercroft

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SUNDAY SCHOOL NEEDS

Would you like to help out our Sunday School program, but don't have the time to teach? We could really use some of the following items next time you go to Walmart, the Rag Shop, or just clean out your closets:

• Fat, washable markers
• Finger paint sets
• Red, yellow, & blue bottles of tempera (poster) paint
• Small child's paintbrushes (width of an adult finger)
• 9 X 12 white drawing paper
• 9 X 12 construction paper
• Red, blue, & black fat permanernt markers
• Fabric, including felt
• Ribbons and trims (cloth, rickrack, satin, etc.)
• Glitter and/or glitter glue (neater)
• Sheets of colored tissue paper
• Multicolored packages of pipe cleaners (chenille stems)
• Yarn of all colors, especially brown, black, & "blond"
• Plastic pony beads in bright colors
• Package of popsicle sticks - fat and/or thin
• Sets of acrylic paints in little connected pots
• Any religious crafts (Old of New Testament)

We had a fair amount of mold damage to paper, cloth, yarn, and paint, so we really need to replace these items. Please keep this list in your car next time you go shopping. Thank you very much. Emilie Dupont & Karen Lynch, Sunday School teachers 

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An update from your Search Committee :

The members of the Search Committee recently met with Canon Carter Echols from the Diocesan Deployment Office. We spent the evening reviewing and fine-tuning the goals that will be set forth when we submit our request to the diocese. Once that is submitted, our information will be available on the diocesan network. The parish profile is currently undergoing its second editing and we anticipate sending it to print shortly.

We have started a website which will also help prospective candidates learn what is special about St. Thomas '.

The address is: http://stthomas-vernon.dioceseofnewark.org/ .

If any parishioners have pictures of church activities, we would love to include them on our site. Please contact Carol Poplaski or Pam Schulien if you have contributions or have website experience you'd like to lend.

Also remember that word-of-mouth can be a powerful tool in this process. It is possible that you have out-of-state friends or family who attend their local Episcopal church. Feel free to tell your friends far and near that St. Thomas ' in Vernon will be calling a new vicar and any interested parties can contact the Diocese of Newark.

If you have concerns or opinions, please feel free to reach out to any member of the committee: Kathy Moore, Carol Poplaski, Terry Taylor, Lois Mayer, Paulette Beer, Michael Wiedbrauk, Michael Clouse, Bill Shapiro, Randy Hammons, Pam Schulien.

We understand how important this step is in the life our church community and so we would ask that you include the work of this committee in your prayers every day.

Kathy Moore, Pam Schulien - Search co-chairs

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STEWARDSHIP

Please take this time, particularly the week ahead, to reflect, ponder, and pray as we prepare for the year ahead committing ourselves with time, talent, and treasure to Our Lord, to St. Thomas ', and to one another. We have much to be thankful for in our lives.

Pledge cards and more information will be forthcoming. If anyone would like to share with the congregation their personal feelings on this subject, please speak to Nancy Wiedbrauk or Tom Brath. Thank you.

A PRAYER FOR TRANSITION

Ever present God,
You call us on a journey to a place we do not know.
We are not where we started.
We have not reached our destination.
We are not sure where we are or who we are.
This is not a comfortable place.
Be among us, we pray.
Calm our fears, save us from discouragement,
And help us to stay on course.
Open our hearts to your guidance so that our journey to this
Unknown place continues as a journey of trust. Amen

The Rev. Canon Kristi Philip

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PARISH REGISTER

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