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The Grapevine Ware Episcopal Church Gloucester, Virginia November 2003 ALL SAINTS' DAY, UNITED THANK OFFERING INGATHERING, HOLIDAY SALE AND RECITAL ON SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 2nd All Saints' Day, one of the seven principal feasts of the church, is a much beloved celebration of the faithful departed. It is believed that the commemoration of All Saints on November 1st began in Ireland, spread to England and then to Europe. In other parts of the church this feast was observed on May 13th or the Sunday after Pentecost, which we now know as Trinity Sunday. On Sunday, November 2nd, you may remember your loved ones in the service during the Prayers of the People. Also on this Sunday, the Episcopal Church Women will receive the Fall Ingathering of the United Thank Offering. Blue Boxes for your gifts that fold and jingle in your pocket are on the church porch table. UTO envelopes are included in this Grapevine. Come to Ware's African Team Ministries Holiday Sale on this Sunday and do lots of Christmas shopping! There will be African jewelry, books, toys, knickknacks, and copies of Ware's history. The Youth will sell Christmas wreaths. ANNUAL MEETING OF THE CONGREGATION The Annual Meeting of the Congregation of Ware Episcopal Church is at 10:30 a.m. on Sunday, November 16th. The meeting begins with the celebration of the Holy Eucharist. The agenda includes the presentation of the proposed 2004 Budget, election of four Vestry members and various other reports to the congregation. VESTRY NOMINATIONS FOR 2004 Each year Ware members receive a Vestry nominations letter with names of persons eligible to serve on the Vestry. Members return their votes to the Nominations Committee. (This committee consists of the Vestry members who are finishing their 3-year term.) The Nominations Committee presents the following names for election to the 2004 Vestry:
The congregation will make these appointments official when a vote is taken at the Annual Congregational Meeting on Sunday, November 16th. VESTRY MEETING The Ware Vestry will meet on Tuesday, November 4th in the Parish Library. Vestry members may pick up their packets at church on Sunday, November 2nd. VESTRY NEWS The effects of Hurricane Isabel on Ware Church's members and property headed the list of topics discussed at the Vestry meeting on October 7th. Damages to the Parish House, brick wall and south gate are covered by insurance. The cost of removing several fallen trees is also covered under Ware Church's present insurance policy. Junior Warden Marvin Hohenberger reported that work on the church grounds was begun and carried out very quickly. In other matters, the Vestry discussed: - the Every Member Canvass planned for November- Nominations for new Vestry members - the Draft Budget for 2004 FROM THE RECTOR Dear Parishioners, For more than a hundred years there have been United Thank Offering 'blue boxes' in Episcopal Churches. I remember them as a child and hearing of the mission work they supported. Today the 'blue boxes' are still here with a few extra colors but the mission remains the same. A gift given in thanksgiving for God's many blessings allows people around the world to benefit from this wonderful ministry - about $3,000,000 annually changes the lives of a lot of people. The United Thank Offering affirms our theology of giving whether it is to the church, school clothes, Christmas baskets or other emergency needs. We give a portion of what we receive in thanksgiving for what God has given us. This ministry of sharing provides for the mission and ministry of the church. Short sayings have a way of staying with us. I've found these words to be true, "No one ever became poor by giving." The needs of the church and the world are before us. Let us be about the ministry of sharing. Faithfully yours, Peter Worthington MUSIC NOTES Senior Choir The Senior Choir is beginning to work on special music for the Christmas Eve Festive Holy Eucharist. Anyone who would like to join in on a temporary basis to supplement the ranks of the Senior Choir is welcome. PRACTICE SCHEDULES
DECEMBER GRAPEVINE DEADLINE MONDAY, NOVEMBER 10th - please have articles into the office by the date. EPISCOPAL YOUTH The Ware Episcopal Youth Committee is open to all 7th - 12th graders and will meet on Sunday, November 9th at 9:30 a.m. The Youth are selling wreaths for the holidays. Place your order by seeing one of the youth members or by ordering at the Holiday Sale Sunday, November 2nd. The 16-inch Balsam fir is $10 and the 22-inch Balsam fir is $15. For additional information, call Judy Doyel-Fulk, 693-6135. PRAYER GROUP MEETS Each month the Ware Church Prayer Group gathers for fellowship, prayer time and the Holy Eucharist in the Parish House. They pray for parishioners and friends of Ware. The next meeting is Wednesday, November 12th at 10 a.m. After Holy Eucharist (which is open to everyone in the church), the prayer group meets in the library for prayer. If you have a prayer request or need, call Jane Van Leeuwen, 693-3500, Bruce Forsberg, 776-7734 or Anne Clark, 693-4026. If you would like to be a part of this group, please call the office. YOUR CHANCE TO BE A "DING-A-LING"! The Samaritan Group of Gloucester needs volunteer bell-ringers for the 2003 Salvation Army Christmas Kettle Fund-raiser. Ringers are at their kettles Friday, November 29th - Tuesday, December 23rd. All donations support needy families in Gloucester and Mathews through the local Salvation Army. You may volunteer for 2 hours or more. Call one of the site coordinators below.
WalMart, South Door: Christine Wesson, 693-4100 Gloucester Pharmacy: Linda Phillips, 642-4375 Farm Fresh: Michael Harris, 642-9151 Eckerd's Drugs: Regina Adams, 642-5007 Peebles: Sid Dixon, 642-5158 Best Value, Mathews: Lynn Hornsby, 725-2102 Join us for music and refreshments at the 3rd annual "Ring in the Season" at 3 p.m. on Sunday, November 9th at First Presbyterian Church, Main Street. MEMORIAL POINSETTIAS At Christmas, Ware Church is decorated with poinsettias and greens in the windows and around the Altar to celebrate the birth of our Lord. These plants and the garlands are placed in the Church at Christmas and remain into the Epiphany season. Each memorial is $8. To give a memorial for loved ones, please fill out the order blank and return it by December 7th with your check of $8 per memorial name. Please print the names as you wish them to appear in the Christmas bulletins. FIRST SUNDAY FOOD OFFERING On the first Sunday of every month Ware Church receives gifts of food and other personal items to restock the shelves at the Salvation Army Food Closet. Items always in demand include canned meat items, tuna fish, peanut butter and paper products. Gifts for the Pantry can be left in the office or taken directly to the Salvation Army. Thank you for your continued contributions and donations after Isabel. WARE CHRISTMAS ORNAMENT The Christmas ornament commemorating Ware's 350th anniversary last year is on display in the Parish Hall. The ornament, a three-dimensional brass copy of the Church building, includes a stand and sells for $15.00. CHRISTMAS GIVING TREE Twelve Gloucester families will have a bright and bountiful Christmas with help from members of Ware Church. Family names are being suggested by the Gloucester Salvation Army. Sunday, November 23rd, the Christmas gift tree will be ready in the Parish House, decorated with the names and Christmas gift wishes of our twelve families. We hope everyone will take a name or two. Please bring the wrapped gifts to the Parish House by Sunday, December 14th. We are also collecting non-perishable foods and other basic items for these families. Bring items to the Parish House in November and December. Suggested items are as follows: canned meats and vegetables, fruits, rice, pasta, peanut butter, jelly, wholesome cereals, canned juices, spaghetti sauce, packaged cookies, coffee, tea bags, paper goods, laundry powder, toothbrushes, toothpaste, bar soap and dish detergents. The Mission Committee thanks all who help to make this project a huge success. OFFICE CLOSED - The office will be closed Thursday and Friday, November 27th and 28th in observance of Thanksgiving. PARISH CALENDAR
November 4th - Vestry Meeting, 7:30 p.m. November 10th - December Grapevine Deadline November 16th - Congregational Meeting, 10:30 a.m. November 23rd - Christmas Giving Tree in Parish Hall November 27th - Thanksgiving Holy Eucharist,10 a.m. November 30th - Advent Sunday Breakfast, 9 a.m. December 2nd - Vestry Meeting, 7:30 p.m. December 8th - January Grapevine Deadline December 21st - Christmas Giving Tree Deadline Greening of the Church December 24th - Lessons and Carols, 5 p.m. Festive Holy Eucharist, 10 p.m. December 25th - Holy Eucharist, 10 a.m. Merry Christmas to you as you spend time with your families SALVATION ARMY The Salvation Army still needs assistance from the community with the overwhelming task of aiding those who were hardest hit by Hurricane Isabel. New bedding, new clothes, and household cleaning supplies, particularly bleach are badly needed. Bring them to the church or take them to the Salvation Army in the Seventeen Plaza Strip Mall. VESTRY NEWS The effects of Hurricane Isabel on Ware Church's members and property headed the list of topics discussed at the Vestry meeting on October 7th. Damages to the Parish House, brick wall and south gate are covered by insurance. The cost of removing several fallen trees is also covered under Ware Church's present insurance policy. Junior Warden Marvin Hohenberger reported that work on the church grounds was begun and carried out very quickly. In other matters, the Vestry discussed: - the Every Member Canvass planned for November- Nominations for new Vestry members - the Draft Budget for 2004 SUNDAY SCHOOL The 5th - 7th graders have been studying the Noah story in Sunday School. One of the activities was to write a prayer of Thanksgiving. It is included below. Heavenly Father, Great Creator, We thank you for the Earth and the heavens. We thank you for food and water. And we thank you for family and friends. We thank you for all these wonderful things in Jesus' name. Amen. SALVATION ARMY The Salvation Army still needs assistance from the community with the overwhelming task of aiding those who were hardest hit by Hurricane Isabel. New bedding, new clothes, and household cleaning supplies, particularly bleach are badly needed. Bring them to the church or take them to the Salvation Army in the Seventeen Plaza Strip Mall. SUNDAY SCHOOL The 5th - 7th graders have been studying the Noah story in Sunday School. One of the activities was to write a prayer of Thanksgiving. It is included below. Heavenly Father, Great Creator, We thank you for the Earth and the heavens. We thank you for food and water. And we thank you for family and friends. We thank you for all these wonderful things in Jesus' name. Amen. PLEASE WRITE Stuart Blackston, Monica's son, is stationed in Baghdad, Iraq. He has been involved in dangerous missions outside of Baghdad as well as living with danger in Baghdad. He is fine but would like to hear from friends in the states. He says life is rough and mail is a real "pick-me-up". His e-mail address is stuart.blackston@us.army.mil . TOYS FOR KIDS NGA, Inc. is not selling Christmas trees this year. Instead, the NGA Toys for Kids will be taking donations to buy Christmas gifts of clothing, food and toys for needy families in our county. NGA members will be in the Christmas Parade Saturday, December 6th to remind everyone about the donations. For more information, call Anne Dyal, 693-3196. NOVEMBER BIRTHDAYS
15 - Bobby Ray 16 - Jane Nichols 16 - Maurice Guimont 17 - John Kalinich 17 - Muriel Shackelford 18 - Catesby ap Jones 20 - Samantha Leary 21 - Fredrik Forsberg 23 - Maryl Kime 23 - Connie Kittler 24 - Lee Anderson 27 - Peter Hanson 27 - Annette Taylor 29 - Rosalie Switzer 29 - Wes Jones 30 - James Biel |
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