Dear Hearts,
 
Thanks to all of you who participated in our celebrations on December 24th and 25th!  Together, we completed our Advent journey in the morning, then got things ready to welcome the message of the angels in the evening; we also welcomed lots of folks to our "Inn" on Park Street!  Thanks for beings such hospitable "innkeepers."

Despite some forecasts to the contrary, the snow stayed away until the early morning hours; so our Christmas Eve Pageant and Candlelight Services were both inspiring and anxiety-free, and Sexton Sheward Hagerty cleared the sidewalks and steps in plenty of time for our "White Christmas" Day service.

A special thanks to all who did double-duty on the 24th -- including the Altar Guild, Choir, Ushers and Sunday School Pageant Players (especially their parents, teachers and Directors -- Laurie Varley and Mark Sullivan)!  Have to wonder if back-to-back rehearsals on Saturday and Sunday mornings, contributed to the youngsters' superb performances on Sunday evening!  Won't be able to test that out for six years; December 24th next falls on Sunday in 2023.

Our Christmas celebrations did not conclude on the Christmas Day!  Sunday, December 31st is both the day of New Year's Eve, and the Seventh Day of Christmas -- a.k.a. the First Sunday after Christmas.  So, we will continue our Christmas celebrations with more readings about the birth of the Messiah, the Christ, the Incarnate Word of God. During the 10 a.m. service, we will sing more favorite carols to illuminate the readings.

A festive Christmas Potluck Coffee Hour will follow the 10 a.m. service.  Please bring along those Christmas cookies, fruitcakes, cheeses and other treats that you wish to share.

For some unexplained reason, PBS scheduled the broadcast debut of "The Sultan & the Saint" for December 26th.  I had attended a local premiere of this hour-long documentary-drama in the fall, and had it marked on my calendar; otherwise I'm sure I would have missed it. Glad I didn't.  "The Sultan & the Saint" tells the fascinating story of the historic meeting of the Sultan of Egypt and St. Francis of Assisi in 1220 during the Crusades.  And yes, this is history, not fantasy.

The documentary includes both dramatic enactments and brief comments by scholars of Christianity and Islam, plus interesting insights into how the hatred which motivated the Crusades was incited and took its tragic course.  The efforts of the Sultan and St. Francis disrupted that process however, and the Crusades soon lost any remaining energy.

Both New York and Connecticut PBS stations are re-broadcasting "The Sultan & the Saint."  Most showings are in wee-hours -- set your recorder; however, CPTV stations will air it again on Sunday, the 31st, at noon.  I recommend it highly!
 
As our Christmas celebrations continue, so do our Advent Outreach efforts; and this week's bitter cold underscores the urgent need for both:

There's still room on the Mitten Tree for more mittens, caps, gloves, and scarves, and colorful bags of toiletries and candy around the base, for our neighbors served by New Haven's Chapel-on-the-Green, who live on the margins of plenty. 

And, more "Angels-under-the-Balcony" have appeared, reminding us of Christ Church's historic ministry to help keep our neighbors warm by assisting with their home heating expenses through the Town's Heating Assistance Program. 

I look forward to continuing our Christmas celebrations with you this Sunday, as I wish you and yours, a ...
Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year!,
Harrison+
YFNR
​
p.s. Profound thanks to the households who have shared an "Estimate of Giving" for 2018!!   If your "Estimate," card has disappeared amid holiday paraphernalia, more are available on the Ushers' Table.  Please know that the final "Estimates" are as important to Christ Church's witness, as were the first!

 Dear Hearts,
 
Although hope, expectation, and faithful waiting, are all watchwords for Advent; another one is preparation.  There has been a lot of that this week.

First, our Choir treated us to a beautiful Choral Order for Evening, on December 17.  The music, readings prayers and twinkling votive lights, offered encouragement for our watchful waiting and re-awakened hope. At least they did so for me, and I heard the same from others.  Then the Choir moved on to preparing for the 4th Sunday of Advent and for our Christmas celebrations.

Early in the week, an ad hoc crew of serious cleaners -- Kay Claiborn, Sarah Oshana and Cindy Smith, gathered to prepare by dusting and waxing and polishing.

Mid-week Junior Warden Sue Shackford prevailed upon her carpenters to replace darkness with light, by switching out burned-out lightbulbs above the nave ceiling. Although this involves negotiating a plank above the ceiling's ridge, they enjoyed viewing the roof structure!

All week Parish Administrator Pat Wakefield has worked on seven sets of service bulletins and their inserts for this Sunday, Monday and next Sunday.  As I finish this letter, Kay, Mardee Moore, Diana Stovall and Rhoda Whitman have gathered around the Rectory dining room table to fold and compile the stacks of printed paper now consolidating them for our use.

Most every day this week, Marsha Brown has checked her to-do lists, and taken care of details, putting things in readiness for the quick switch between Advent and Christmas that will happen Sunday afternoon.

At Saturday's Nativity Pageant Rehearsal, our Sunday School players and Youth narrators, will gather with Director Laurie Varley and their teachers, to select costumes and walk-through the pageant script with the carols and anthems they've been learning. Those preparations will continue on Sunday morning during Sunday School time.

Among all the other things Music Director Mark Sullivan has been preparing, he has created scores for our Choir and our Youth String & Alto Sax Ensemble musicians.  Suky Bryan will again lead the Pageant Ensemble in the Chancel, and strings and harp will inspire the Festal Service.

So, all will be in readiness for more Advent watchful waiting and preparation, at 8 and 10 on the morning of December 24th.  And then, as the sun sets and Christmas Eve begins, we will sing together the Good News "of great joy to all nations" starting with the Nativity Pageant Service at 4:30 p.m., and continuing with the Festal Candlelight service at 10 p.m.  Our Christmas celebrations will then continue at 10 a.m. on Christmas Day with organ, carols and an inspiring solo by Beth Stevens.
 
Even as Christmas arrives, you can still participate in our Advent Outreach efforts: 
There's still room on the Mitten Tree for more mittens, caps, gloves, and scarves, and colorful bags of toiletries and candy around the base, for our neighbors served by New Haven's Chapel-on-the-Green, who live on the margins of plenty. 
And, a few "Angels-under-the-Balcony" remain, reminding us of Christ Church's historic ministry to help keep our neighbors warm by assisting with their home heating expenses through the Town's Heating Assistance Program. 

Among the Christmas greetings in my inbox: an encouraging message from our Connecticut Bishops Ian Douglas and Laura Ahrens, which you can find here, and a stirring video message from our Presiding Bishop Michael Curry, which you can find here.  I commend them to you as I send you my own prayers and best wishes, that Jesus, "at his coming, may find in us, a mansion prepared for himself."

With Advent hope and Christmas joy,
Harrison+
YFNR

​p.s. Profound thanks to the 84 households who have shared an "Estimate of Giving" for 2018!!   If your "Estimate," card has disappeared amid holiday paraphernalia, more are available on the Ushers' Table.  Please know that the next 16 "Estimates" are as important as the first, to Christ Church's witness!

Dear Hearts,
 
Our Christ Church Choir will offer music for Advent in a Choral Order for Evening at 4 p.m. on Sunday, December 17.  Hope and expectation, faith and watchful waiting, underscore the Advent season and the anthems our Choir will offer. As daylight wanes, we will also sing a couple Advent hymns, hear brief readings, and light candles against the advancing darkness.  I find that the music and prayers of Advent re-awaken my confidence in God's desire to bring new light and life into this broken world.  So, I am very grateful to our Choir for offering this brief service.

As our Advent journey continues, the Church's readings are focused everywhere but Jerusalem.  John the Baptist is at the River Jordan, and Gabriel will greet Mary in Nazareth before she and Joseph make their way to Bethlehem.  However, the world's attention focuses again on the status of Jerusalem.  What is it about Jerusalem that makes it so important to all the children of Abraham -- the three Peoples of The Book?

National Geographic attempted to answer this question several years ago in a large screen, 3-D documentary simply called, "Jerusalem.".Jerusalem explains the importance of the city through the eyes of three young women from the three branches of Abraham's children -- Jewish, Muslim and Christian.    Because of the format, it could only be shown on IMAX screens, like the one in Boston's Museum of Science and the Smithsonian's Museum of Natural History (where I saw it).  Subsequently, National Geographic has made it available for smaller 2-D screens, and that's the version we will be watching and discussing in the Rectory Forum beginning this Sunday, December 17. 

On Thursday morning, December 14th, I tolled the bell at 9:35 a.m. for the 28 children and adults who died in gun violence in Sandy Hook five years earlier. 

On Friday, I climbed our Tower with a bell specialist and an architect.  It was cold and breezy in the bell chamber, but definitely worth the effort.  The bell specialist, Joe Duffy III, comes from a family who have known and looked after the bell for three generations.  We were put in touch with him by architect, Laura Boyer, who has been helping us consider if and how we might apply for a CT Historic Preservation Grant.  As it happens, Joe's company, "Church Specialties, Inc." located in Vermont, is in Parish Administrator Pat Wakefield's Rolodex, but the connection between their specialty and our bell hadn't been made.  Joe's father, Joe Duffy, Jr., had serviced the bell, and remembers it as a fine instrument.

We currently toll the bell before services, during the Eucharistic prayer, and on solemn occasions, like Thursday's.  But we can't ring the bell.  To toll the bell, the bell stays in place and is struck by a clapper coming up from the chamber floor; the bell sounds just once for each pull on the clapper rope.  To ring the bell, the bell rocks side to side in its cradle, and is struck by a clapper that hangs inside the bell; when rung, the clapper strikes both sides of the bell giving a ding-dong sound.  Joe rang the bell manually for Laura and me; the sound is beautiful and full of overtones.

The bell was cast of bronze, in Troy, New York by Jones & Hitchcock in 1855, and weights 2100 pounds!  Joe said the bell, its harness and cradle are all in excellent condition; he said the wheel used to rock the bell was the work of another company, but is entirely service-able.  Iron and steel parts of the system could use some rust removal and prevention.  On my previous trips to the bell chamber, it appeared that the bell touched one side of the cradle; in yesterday's cold. there was clearance. Joe identified another issue as preventing the bell from rocking easily in its cradle:  The bell-harness rests in notched pivots at the top of the cradle; and the lubrication of previous generations has seized up and created a solid goop.  Joe reported that standard practice today would be to lift the bell out of the cradle, clean out the pivot, and install ball-bearings on both ends of the harness.

The good news is that Joe was sure it could be done over the course of three or four days within the bell chamber; the process would not require removing the bell from the chamber or using a heavy-duty crane from the ground.  Nonetheless, how to manage that lift, from above or below, would involve a structural engineer and professional riggers, and there is still the issue of how to get the Tower shutters repaired and re-painted.   An ad-hoc committee of Junior Warden Sue Shackford, Pat Daunic, Bobbi Stuart and YFNR, will continue the conversation with Laura Boyer's architectural firm, continue reporting to the Vestry, and have something to share at the Annual Parish Meeting.
 
Please remember our Advent Outreach efforts: 

We're decorating the Mitten Tree with mittens, caps, gloves, scarves, and colorful bags of toiletries and candy, for our neighbors served by New Haven's Chapel-on-the-Green -- helping warm our neighbors who live on the margins of plenty in New Haven. 

And, we are taking "Angels-under-the-Balcony" to remind us of Christ Church's historic ministry to help keep our neighbors warm by helping with their home heating  through the Town's Heating Assistance Program. 

In the meantime, I look forward to sharing our Advent journey Sunday morning and afternoon!

lIn faith and hope,
Harrison+
YFNR
​
p.s. If you have shared an "Estimate of Giving" for 2018 in our Consecration Sunday stewardship program, you will find your 2018 envelopes at the back of the church.  If you haven't completed your "Estimate," cards are available on the Ushers' Table, and your envelopes will be ready for you on the following Sunday.

Dear Hearts,
 
As we nervously check the weather forecasts and look up in wonder at the sky, it's time for the annual reminder about our inclement weather policy:

We follow the lead of the Guilford Public Schools:  When the School buildings are closed or have a delayed opening, our daytime activities do not meet.  However, as long as I am living in the Rectory, we will have Sunday worship at the appointed times.  The Schools post their closing/delay announcements in a "crawl" at the top of www.GuilfordSchools.org.

So, the weather cooperating, our Evening ECW plan to offer Holiday Babysitting, on Saturday, December 9 from 1-4p.m., in our Parish Hall.  You can register online here; you may direct your questions to [email protected].  This service is available to parents, grandparents, friends and neighbors looking for a child-friendly place for children while they do some holiday errands, or take a nap!

Thanks to all who organized, cooked, set-up, cleaned-up, served, decorated, donated, baked, sold, dined, and/or purchased, before, during, or after last Friday's Chili Supper, Cookie and Wreath Sales, and sFOURzando concert!  Special thanks go to Supper chief honcho Jennifer Huebner and chefs Peter Johnson and David Jones; to Youth Wreath Sale organizer Susan Shackford and helpers Diane Link, Cindy Smith and Page Pelphrey, and to Vicky Reeve who played in, and arranged for the sFOURzando concert.

Our Tree-Lighting related events, are first and foremost about hospitality, however, proceeds from the Chili Supper of about $735 will help Guilford Interfaith Volunteers’ Meals-on-Wheels program make sure our neighbors have a hot daily meal. The ECW's Bake Sale proceeds support their annual scholarship, and Wreath Sale proceeds support youth activities and programs.

Speaking of the Youth-decorated Wreaths:  Three remain available to delight you and your holiday guests.  They're currently on view in the Rectory garage.
 
We have begun fielding questions about our worship schedule for the Fourth Sunday of Advent and Christmas Eve.  Actually, there's no change from our usual practice: On Advent 4, we'll worship at 8 and 10 a.m.; and on Christmas Eve, we'll celebrate the Pageant Service at 4:30 p.m. and the Festal Service at 10 p.m.  The confusing thing is that the 4th Sunday of Advent includes the morning of December 24, and Christmas Eve begins at dusk on December 24. 

Here's why:  The Church continues to mark time as in the Bible, and as our Jewish neighbors continue to do:  The Jewish Sabbath begins at dusk on Friday and ends at dusk on Saturday.  So, by the Church's reckoning, Sunday actually begins at dusk on Saturday, -- which is why many of our Roman Catholic neighbors fulfil their "Sunday obligation" by worshiping on Saturday evening, and why Christmas Eve begins our Christmas celebrations on the Eve of Christmas Day.  We will also celebrate Christmas Day, in full daylight, at 10 a.m.

Please remember our Advent Outreach efforts: 
We're decorating the Mitten Tree with mittens, caps, gloves, scarves, and colorful bags of toiletries and candy, for our neighbors served by New Haven's Chapel-on-the-Green -- helping warm our neighbors who live on the margins of plenty in New Haven. 

And, we taking "Angels-under-the-Balcony" to remind us of Christ Church's historic ministry to help keep our neighbors warm by helping with their heating expenses through the Town's Heating Assistance Program. 

In faith and hope,
Harrison+
YFNR
​
p.s. If you recently walked by the Christ Church sign nearest the Town Hall, and noticed how good it looks, be sure to thank our ECW.  They took the lead, worked with the sign painter, and paid for her labor.  It looks great!  Thank you, ladies of the Church!

Dear Hearts,
 
The Town of Guilford gathers today on, and around, the Green to celebrate light in the midst of darkness. While the centerpiece may be the Tree-Lighting on the Green, together with our neighbors of other faith traditions, and none, Christ Church will add to the evening's brightness with our hospitality and events: 

Chili-Supper -- Please remember to invite friends and neighbors to warm themselves -- along with you and yours -- against the evening chill with delicious chili prepared to preferred degrees of hotness – con carne and vegetarian.  There are also hotdogs for those who prefer.  And it's such a deal:  $8 asked for adult appetites and $4 for children, with a special deal for families. Please remember your promised cornbread and help with the evening's tasks.  
 
Cookie Sale –  Chili Supper patrons may purchase dessert from the bounty of cookies and other holiday treats at the ECW’s sale table; and you'll also be able to purchase favorites to take home for holiday entertaining.  Please remember to drop off your homemade favorites when you can today..

Wreath Sale –  as of this writing, about ten beautiful wreaths have not been spoken for.  Pre-sold and still-available wreaths have turned the rectory garage into a beautiful "hanger" for wreaths. Check it out!  I understand our Youth will have hot chocolate and cider to keep you warm while you admire their handiwork!

The sFOURzando Piano Team...  returns to delight us with "Joyeaux Noel," French Christmas music arranged for  four-to-eight hands at one piano!  We’ll gather with Vicky Reeve and friends for fun at the piano at 7:30p.m.!  Yes, that's right, 7:30 p.m.

Proceeds from the Chili Supper and Concert will support Guilford Interfaith Volunteers’ Meals-on-Wheels program, making sure our neighbors have a hot daily meal. Reminds me of a line from last Sunday's Gospel, "...I was hungry and you fed me ..." 
 
As it happens, the Church has a whole season dedicated to proclaiming light in the midst of increasing darkness:  It's called Advent.  As the hours of daylight diminish, and as the world may seem increasingly bleak, Advent proclaims the Christian hope that God's love has, and will yet again, overcome this world's darkness.  So, on Sunday, you'll see the Advent hangings of indigo blue -- the color of the night sky just before dawn, and the return of Angels-Under-the-Balcony and the MItten Tree.

We decorate the Mitten Tree with mittens, caps, gloves, and warm coats, plus toiletries and candy, for our neighbors served by New Haven's Chapel-on-the-Green -- to help keep warm folks who live on the margins of plenty in New Haven.  Reminds me of another line from last Sunday's Gospel, "...I was naked [against the cold} and you gave me clothing."

"Angels" will again hang under-the-Balcony this year, as visible reminders of Christ Church's historic ministry to help keep our neighbors warm by helping with their heating expenses through the Town's Heating Assistance Program.  And yes, this program, started by Christ Church folks, reminds me of a line that could've been in last Sunday's Gospel, "...I was cold and you kept me warm."

In the meantime, I look forward to sharing in the Tree-LIghting events later today!
In faith and hope,
Harrison+
YFNR

p.s. As a help to parents, and grandparents, the Evening E.C.W. will offer Holiday Babysitting, on Saturday, December 9 from 1-4 p.m., in our Parish Hall.  You can register online here; you may direct your questions to [email protected].  This is brought to us by the fine EECW folks whose labors have also provided the Parish Hall's handsome new storage closets for tables and chairs; be sure and check them out when you're here for the Chili Supper!  I think you'll agree -- these closets look like they could have always been here!