Fr. Harrison's Letter for November 13, 2016

Dear Hearts,

"We don't always do things the way we've always done them."  That saying was never more true than when we combined our All Saints Sunday celebration,with our first-ever Consecration Sunday observance on November 6.  Thanks to your good will, and lots of preparation by our Vestry and Committee members, we seemed to admirably fulfill both agendas.  Led by our guest preacher, the Rev. Ann Broomell, we celebrated our abiding fellowship with All the Saints, said our prayers, and sought to faithfully answer the spiritual question:  "What portion of our 2017 income do we think God is calling us to give for the work of the Church?"  Then we adjourned to the Parish Hall to continue the celebration over a delightful lunch.

Thanks to Diane Link's planning, the Hall looked particularly inviting, and thanks to Lisa Ste. Marie's organizing, we easily moved from the buffet table to fellowship over a tasty lunch prepared by Debbie & Antonio Greco's La Rossticeria.  Special thanks go to Senior Warden Pat Daunic who was has shepherded Consecration Sunday from an idea-for-consideration to fulfillment.  Along the way, they had a lot of help from Vestry and Committee members, and folks who stepped in to assist, with mailings, talks, charts, calls, set-up and clean-up.  Thanks to one and all!

On Monday, Consecration Sunday's invitation to complete an "Estimate of Giving Card," went out in letters to active parish households who were unable to participate on November 6. If somehow you did not receive a card in the mail or in worship, please let the Parish Office know; or you could simply reply to this message.  However you received an Estimate-of-Giving-Card, please say your prayers, ask yourself the God-question about your financial support for the life and witness of Christ Church in 2017, and return the card as soon as you can.  Your Senior Warden and Vestry will be so grateful!

This Sunday, November 13, our Episcopal Church Women will be offering popular Holiday Breads and Cheese Spread for sale after both morning services.  Our daytime ECW has again prepared "Jeanette Koncz's Famous Hungarian Cheese Spread!"  And I heard that "tastes" will be available during Coffee Hour!  Our Evening ECW has baked Pumpkin-chocolate and Zucchini-carrot breads, and also prepared a fabulous, homemade slice-&-bake cookie dough.  I am salivating as I write this paragraph!  

A word of thanks to those of you who joined me in prayer on Monday and Tuesday -- whether here on the Green, at work or at home.  I found this a particularly meaningful discipline; it helped me put the election in the perspective of God's purposes.  I will admit that in my daily prayers I seldom get beyond the prescribed routine for Morning Prayer.  As rich as those prayers and canticles are, I became reacquainted this week with the bounty to be found beginning at page 814 in the Prayer Book.  One prayer that particularly moved me is Prayer 18: For Our Country, (Book of Common Prayer, p. 820):
 
Almighty God, who hast given us this good land for our
heritage: We humbly beseech thee that we may always prove
ourselves a people mindful of thy favor and glad to do thy will.
Bless our land with honorable industry, sound learning, and
pure manners. Save us from violence, discord, and confusion;
from pride and arrogance, and from every evil way. Defend
our liberties, and fashion into one united people the multitudes
brought hither out of many kindreds and tongues. Endue
with the spirit of wisdom those to whom in thy Name we entrust
the authority of government, that there may be justice and
peace at home, and that, through obedience to thy law, we
may show forth thy praise among the nations of the earth.
In the time of prosperity, fill our hearts with thankfulness,
and in the day of trouble, suffer not our trust in thee to fail;
all which we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
 
Some petitions used to strike me as rather quaint, especially the one for "pure manners."  Not any more.  "Manners" here is not about which fork to use, but about how we are called to respect the dignity of our neighbors and actively seek the well-being of one another.  The New Testament word for that behavior is usually translated, "love."  This prayer sets forth a godly vision for community and for national life.  May we."..  always prove ourselves a people mindful of thy favor and glad to do thy will."  Amen.
 
In faith and hope,
Harrison+
YFNR

p.s. The October-November issue of Glad Tidings Online is available on our parish website.  There's news from the Sunday School, ECW, Vestry, about the Tag Sale, and an introduction to Rectory's newest resident.  Check it out here.