2 Epiphany: The Weather Forecast? Mitten Tree In-Gathering Continues! New Communications Director

January 19, 2019
 
Dear Hearts,
The folks charged with keeping us anxious about the weather -- and thereby increasing their ratings, have had a good week. As the forecasts changed, the severity of the expected storm also increased, and then turned from snow, to the range from snow to sleet, to freezing rain.  According to one forecast, heavy rain  is now expected to dominate all morning long. 

In any case, you are the expert for how safe it is to travel from your home.  If road conditions are difficult around town, then the Guilford Public Schools will close their buildings to weekend activities.  If school buildings are closed, that will be announced in a scroll on the www.guilfordschools.org website.

As it happens, Sunday School was not planning to meet this week because of Monday's Presidents' Day holiday.  Tbere will be childcare in the  nursery if the staff believe they can travel to the Green safely. 

The Rectory will be open for coffee and tea between the services; and depending on participation, we may begin the Rectory Forum discussion of the second sermon in Presiding Bishop Michael Curry's new book, The Power of Love.  This was the opening sermon for last summer's General Convention; in it, Bishop Michael set out the seven aspects of "The Way of Love" -- dimensions of the "Way" to follow Jesus.

Since YFNR and his dog live across the driveway from the church buildings, Worship will be offered at both 8a.m. and 10a.m. as usual.  

However, the Newcomers' Brunch scheduled for the Rectory has been postponed to Sunday, April 7.  The Coffee Hour following the 10a.m. service will likely be even more swell as a result!.  

Yes, the Mitten Tree is still up, and is receiving a new "crop" of (mostly) men's gloves and mittens.  Our Outreach Group has  challenged us to provide 100-120 pairs of mittens/gloves for the regular worshipers at the Chapel-on-the-Green in New Haven on Sunday, January 27.  The Tree has acquired quite a crop, but we're no where near the goal of 100-120 pairs.. 

In addition to the gloves/mittens, our hosting duties include providing a hearty soup for 100-120 people.  The Outreach folks decided to prepare a hearty and hot vegetable/beef soup in our kitchen on Saturday, January 26, beginning at 10a.m.; we will borrow large thermal containers from Trinity, New Haven, to keep the soup warm and for serving.  We learned this week that we will be joined by a crew from St. John's Church of North Guilford, and they will make the sandwiches.  You are invited to sign-up to help with the Saturday soup prep, and/or Sunday serving/hosting via Sign-Up Genius here.  This sign-up is pitched for middle and high school students, but all ages are welcome.

I am grateful to our new Communications Director Donna LaFata for creating this Sign-Up.  I had tried to create a Sign-Up on this platform last year, and I totally failed at it.  Donna's work is initially focused on communicating Faith Formation activities within the parish and the larger Guilford community.  Her efforts promoting the Nativity Pageant resulted in the new angels and shepherds whom we saw among the children telling the story.  The first edition of Youth News, about activities and events for Christ Church children and youth, is now available.  You can find it here.  It contains more information about the Chapel-on-the-Green, Rhythms of Grace, and a calendar of upcoming events especially for children and youth.  Please join me in welcoming Donna to this new role in the life of the parish, and in thanking the anonymous donor who is funding the position for a year.
In faith, hope, and love,
Harrison+
YFNR
p.s. Thanks to the Outreach Team for hosting last Sunday's Coffee Hour and the talks on local immigration action by Glenn Formica and Gini King.  I've been to several such conversations, but much of what they had to say was totally new to me!  That probably explained why folks hung on every word for so long!