SPECIAL EVENTS EVERY WEEK IN NOVEMBER
November 6^th
On All Saints Sunday those who have gone ahead of us in faith will be remembered during both services. The Parish Hall will be hosting The Mission Fair with displays about Ware's outreach to the community and the world. Jewelry from African Team Ministries will be available for purchase.

November 20^th
The Annual Congregational Meeting begins at 10:30 am in the Church. In addition to electing four members to the Vestry, the Planning Committee will present reports about Mission, Significant Relational Groups, Meaningful Programs and Communications. Following the meeting everyone is invited to the Parish Hall for a lite lunch and time to discuss the planning goals for 2006.

November 23^rd
The Community Thanksgiving Eve Service begins at 7 pm, Wednesday evening. The Rev'd Dr. Douglas Nagel is preaching and The Rev'd Jim Lawsen is the celebrant.

November 27^th
Advent Sunday begins with worship at 8:30 am followed by Breakfast and Advent Wreath making in the Parish Hall. Bring family and friends along with plenty of greens and make a wreath for your home. Don't forget your shears for trimming the greens.

A FIRST LETTER

Dear Friends,

In these last weeks there has been a hum of excitement at Ware Church! The Chancel Guild leadership is meeting before the end of October to plan a new year. The Christian Formation program has just finished its second teacher workshop, new adult classes are being formulated and a senior high Sunday morning class is being developed. For the first time in anyone's recent memory all of the grave sites have permanent markers or have them on order. The parish library is being transformed into a Christian Formation Resource Center. The Episcopal Church Women have held meetings for Region II and hosted the President of the Diocesan ECW on a Sunday morning. The Family Room is off to another wonderful year with lots of new children. The Mission Committee is getting ready for this year's Christmas gifts basket s and bell ringing for the Salvation Army. The participants in our music programs are enjoying their new music room. The nursery has extended hours on Sundays. Four excellent candidates have been nominated for three year terms on the Vestry. Ware Cottage is being rejuvenated with fresh paint, new carpets and a complete cleaning. The Youth Group has begun the planning process for an in-country mission trip next summer in late July or early August. The list goes on and on!

To celebrate these activities the congregational meeting on November 20th, will spend time listening to the Planning Committee's report on its progress since the planning summit last March. The four groups (mission, significant groups, quality programs, and communications) will be the center of the meeting. While their reports are intended to be brief, they represent the hopes and dreams as articulated by the congregation in March. After the meeting a lite lunch will be served in the Parish Hall to give you time to discuss what you have heard and provide ideas, thoughts and feedback. The congregational comments are a critical piece of the planning process! In the continuing process of receiving honest feedback, the suggestion and/or comment box be set up with the hopes of hearing from all of you.

To help make all of this possible the Vestry has launched a fresh approach to our Every Member Canvas program. Three flyers were sent out to help share more information about our congregation and to invite you to continue as a pledging member or to become one. Two-thirds of the budget increase is funding the Director of Christian Formation. To better share the needs of Ware Church for 2006, a budget narrative has been developed to explain the operating budget and report on all of the funds of Ware Church.

Over the years, Ware Church has been one of Gloucester's best kept secrets. It's a wonderful place to worship, learn and be with friends. So many of you have spoken with joy in voice in what you have discovered here. In 2006 we continue to have the opportunity to continue to share this special part of the Lord's creation with all kinds of new people.

Faithfully yours,
Christian Formation at Ware Church

C.O.A.C.H.ING MAKES A DIFFERENCE
by Jo-Ann Murphy

Success in Christian Education/Christian Formation is dependent upon COACHING.

The first "C" is for consistency. Coming to Christian Formation must be an every week routine. The phrase I like is "best effort." You can teach a child that Christian Formation is important if attendance is stressed. If other activities keep children from being in Children's Christian Formation, the message children get is that church is a not-very- important-activity. But it the message is that we make our "best effort" to attend each week, children learn about consistency.

The "O" in COACH is for offer. Make an offer to our Christian Formation staff. Offer to help out with a craft project one Sunday; offer to be a substitute teacher; offer your thanks for her ministry to our children; offer to make refreshments for a special occasion; offer to teach for a season. Your involvement signals to your children that you value what's going on in Sunday school. If you care enough to get involved, the children will notice.

"A" is for ask. Ask the teachers about the curriculum they're using. We have a new lectionary-based curriculum. Do the children like it? Ask them. Do the teachers like it? Ask them. Talk to the teachers. Ask what the lessons are about. Ask your children to tell you what they've learned. Ask them to tell you the story they learned today. Ask them to explain the craft they've created. Ask. Your input, your interest is vital.

The second "C" in COACH is for commitment. What is your commitment to Christian Formation? Do you attend the Sunday morning adult Bible study group or the Adult Forum? Do you participate in EFM or another mid-week Christian Formation opportunity? Do you let your children know that learning about God's love for the world is so important that it's a lifetime commitment? If you give your children the message that you go to "Sunday School" yourself, they'll learn about making a commitment. And, I hope your commitment will extend to attending worship each week with your children. Christian Formation does not happen solely in a classroom. It is in liturgy that our youngest members learn the faith. They hear the prayers, listen to the hymns, and are formed in Christian community. Make a commitment to attend worship, too.

And the "H" is for home. What you do at home makes all the difference. Do you have family prayers? Do you read the Bible together? Christian Formation is far too important to be left for Sundays only. Undergird, strengthen, emphasize children's Christian Formation "at home" religious education. After all, they're only at Ware for an hour each week. They're with you the other 167.

Those are my hints – C.O.A.C.H.ing. If you remember coaching, our children's religious education will stick. God bless us.

MUSIC NOTES
Bell Polishing Night November 17^th
Ware Ringers will have a "dessert and work" night on November 17th during their rehearsal time. Ringers are asked to bring a special dessert with a bell theme. A prize will be awarded for the most original dessert.

Junior Choir Sings during Confirmation Service
The Junior Choir has the honor of singing a very special anthem for Confirmation on Sunday, November 13th during the 10:30 service. The anthem they are singing is "A Child of the King" by Mark Patterson. It features two-part harmony. This will be the first time the Junior Choir has sung in two parts. This is a real milestone for our choir and they should be proud of their accomplishment! The are also honored to be a special part of the service with the Bishop of the Diocese of Virginia, The Rt. Rev. Peter James Lee.

Handchimes Will Ring
During the month of November, the Junior Choir will be spending some time learning to read music and learning to play handchimes. Playing handchimes takes a lot of practice an skill! It's like being on a team where every player has his special job. The team is only as good as its weakest player. Boy, does that put the pressure on you! But, don't worry. This is just another fun activity in Junior Choir and they will learn more about music and teamwork! They will use this skill in their Advent anthem in December.

Rehearsal Times for Choirs
Times are listed on the parish monthly calendar

WARE'S PRAYER GROUP MEETS NOVEMBER 9^th
There are times when it is a real help to know someone is praying for you, a member of your family or a friend. The Prayer Group seeks to provide a quiet ministry of intercessory prayer on your behalf. If you have a request or need , please call, Anne Clark at 693-4026, Jane Van Leeuwen at 693-3500 or Bruce Forsberg at 776-7734. The Group's next meeting is November 9th at 10 o'clock. The day begins with a celebration of the Holy Eucharist with Healing Service followed by time to pray in the Library.

NOVEMBER BIRTHDAYS
If you wish for your birthday to appear in the monthly list, please call the Church Office.

"EMPOWERED FOR SERVICE: THE TOTAL MINISTRY OF THE PARISH AND ITS PEOPLE"
Sponsored by the Diocese of Virginia and our Bishops, join a team from Ware who are planning to attend Total Ministry Day, November 5, at St. James the Less, Ashland, 9 am - 4 pm. The Rev'd Jo-Ann Murphy will be serving on the Christian Formation panel for this event.

Workshops will be presented on a wide variety of subjects (stewardship, outreach, justice, liturgy and music, leading and teaching, etc.) with a particular emphasis on the baptismal ministry to which each Christian is called. Special sessions for those who will be confirmed will be offered by Bishop Lee.

Please contact Jo-Ann Murphy, 804-334-7821 or joannrmurphy@aol.com for additional information or indicate your interest.

SOMETHING NEW - PEW ART AND CHILDREN'S BULLETIN
Children are invited to pick up a "pew art" sheet and a children's bulletin as they enter church each Sunday. "Pew art" comes with a clipboard and crayons, in order that our youngest worshipers may keep wiggly fingers occupied during the liturgy. The Children's Bulletin is for two age groups–3-6 years and 7-12 years and is based on the liturgy.

Children may take the bulletins home with them but please return the clipboard and crayons after the service and let me know how your children like "pew art" and the bulletins. Soon, we may have a bulletin board to display "pew art."

VESTRY MEETING
The Ware Vestry meets Tuesday, November 1st at 7 p.m. in the Parish Library. Monthly Vestry minutes and the financial statement are posted on the Parish Hall bulletin board for your reading. The Vestry packs are on the church porch table.

EPISCOPAL YOUTH

Senior High Sunday Mornings Start November 6^th!
Beginning November 6th, all senior high youth (grades 9-12) are invited to gather with Malinda Collier in the Chapel at 9:45 a.m. We're not calling it "Sunday School," but a Sunday morning opportunity especially for our older youth. We'll talk about subjects that interest us, what is going on in the world and in our lives, and how the stories of our faith and tradition help us understand ourselves and our world. Coffee and donuts included. The class will meet on the 1st, 3rd, 4th, & 5th Sundays of the month. Youth Group will continue to meet on the 2nd Sunday each month. Questions? Contact the Reverend Jo-Ann Murphy, (joannrmurphy@aol.com or 804-334-7821) or Malinda Collier (chaps8chess@vcu.org or 804-359-6844).

Going Ware? - On a Mission Trip!
Senior High Youth and their advisors have begun discussing the possibility of an intergenerational mission trip in the summer of 2006 in either late July or early August. Please help us discern if Ware Church is called on a mission trip at this time by praying with us. We need a prayer support team, fund raisers, organizers, as well as those called to be on the traveling team. Please contact Malinda Collier 804-359-6844 or chaps8chess@vcu.org or Judy Doyel 804-693-6135 or thebloompetaler@netzero.net if you are interested in getting involved.

MARCH OF DIMES WALK
Thank you to all our walkers and to those to donated to our March of Dimes effort. The Ware Youth raised $497.53. Also many thanks to Fran Musick and Judy Doyel for helping with our youth's involvement.

ECW BOOK CIRCLE
The Episcopal Church Women's Book Circle members are reading Jasmine by Bharati Mukherjee. The novel deals with the problem of enforced identify and the clash of cultures. Jasmine is a widowed Punjabi peasant reinventing herself in America. The Circle will meet Thursday, November 10th at the home of Felicity Rask-Erickson, Glen Roy, Ware Neck at noon for lunch and discussion. Please call Felicity at 693-7140 and let her know you are coming and for directions. All are invited.

BISHOP LEE VISITS WARE CHURCH ON NOVEMBER 13^th
It is an honor to have The Rt. Rev'd Peter James Lee Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia will visit Ware Church on Sunday, November 13th for the 10:30 service. He was consecrated in the Washington National Cathedral in 1984 as Bishop Coadjutor for the Diocese of Virginia and became Bishop upon the untimely death of Robert B. Hall, Bishop of Virginia in May of 1985.

The day begins with Bishop Lee meeting with the congregation in the Parish Hall at 9:30 followed by the service of Confirmation, Reception and Holy Eucharist at 10:30. A reception by the Episcopal Church Women is set for the Parish Hall in honor of those being confirmed and received.

PARISH REGISTER ENTRIES

Transfers to Ware from St. Paul's, Quincy
Ashley Bowden
Barbara Bowden
Sarah Bowden
Laura Bowden

Burial Office
E. Trevilian Kerns
October 10, 2005

FOYER GROUPS DINNER
There is a Foyer Group dinner at the Parish House on Friday, November 11th at 7 o'clock to close out the season. Although individual Foyer Groups may still meet, this dinner is for all the members of Foyer Groups. Members in each group have been assigned a dish to bring. If you do not know what you are to bring, please call Debby Wiggins, 758-1083. If anyone is interested in joining the Foyer Groups for 2006, please come. Call Debby Wiggins to see what you can bring.

COMMUNITY THANKSGIVING DINNER AT ABINGDON CHURCH
Abingdon Episcopal Church is hosting Thanksgiving Dinner for everyone in the community on Thursday, November 22nd, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Transportation is available for those who need it. For more information, please call Abingdon Church office at 693-3035.

NEW QUILT GUILD FOR GLOUCESTER TO MEET IN WARE'S PARISH HALL
River Country Quilters is a new quilt guild in the county and it will be meeting at Ware Church on the 4th Tuesday of each month. The first meeting is November 22nd. Social time is at 6:30 p.m. with the meeting beginning at 7 o'clock. The guild organizers are excited about this opportunity and hope to have at least one service project each year. For more information, please call Louisa Jones, 642-1471.

MISSION FAIR ON ALL SAINT'S DAY SUNDAY
The Parish Hall will be filled on Sunday, November 6th with mission opportunities and programs that the Parish has done over the years. Learn what's been done in the past; remember the bicycles for Uganda or the two shipping containers for Rwanda? The Mission Committee will host an informative program with information about five of the current projects. This is also the Sunday when the African Team Ministries Jewelry will be on sale. Coffee and pastries will be served; so, come and join us!

FALL INGATHERING OF THE UNITED THANK OFFERING
On Sunday, November 6th, the Fall Ingathering of the United Thank Offering will be received during both of the services. Blue Boxes for your gifts that fold and jingle in your pocket may be found on the church porch table. A UTO envelope is included in the Grapevine for your use.

QUILT DAY NOVEMBER 12^th FOR KATRINA RELIEF
Come out to Ware Church on Saturday November 12th anytime between 8am and 5pm in the parish house. On that day volunteers will be making quilts for children displaced by Katrina. If you have a sewing machine, please bring it! It you have cotton fabric, quilt batting or other sewing supplies that you would like to donate, please bring them. The objective is to make as many quilts as we can that day. If you can't sew, come anyway. We can always use help with ironing and cutting. If you'll be around at lunch time, bring a covered dish to share. Last year the EFM group held a quilt day for the Laurel Shelter. We found that many hands make for light work and finished 10 quilts. We don't think it is possible to make too many quilts for these displaced children, but we would sure like to try. If you have any fabric you would like to donate or if you would like to participate or have questions, please telephone either Louisa Jones, 642-1471 or Maryethel Miller, 693-0749.

FOOD INGATHERING FOR CHRISTMAS BASKETS AND GIVING TREE BEGINS NOVEMBER 13^th
Each year Ware Church provides twelve needy families with Christmas baskets and items on their wish list. Christmas "ornaments" with the names of these items are placed on the giving tree in the Parish Hall. The Christmas giving tree will be up on Sunday, November 13th. Take an ornament or two or three. Bring the wrapped gifts to the Parish House by Sunday, December 11th. Please tape the "ornament" to the outside of the package.

Non-perishable foods and other basic items are also being collected for these families. Bring items to the Church or Parish House any Sunday. Suggested items are: dried beans, tea, rice, coffee, canned yams, soft drinks, tissues, toilet paper, paper towels, canned soups, tooth brushes, tooth paste, pasta & sauce, sugar, jello, tuna, pop tarts, canned corn, canned beans, cereal, canned milk, Jiffy muffin mixes, cookies, crackers, large canned hams, macaroni and cheese and anything else!

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED TO RING BELLS FOR THE SALVATION ARMY
It's bell-ringing time! The Salvation Army is in need of anyone willing to help with their "Red Kettle" bell ringing program. The familiar kettles will be manned November 25th - December 24th, 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. If you can give a few hours of your time, it will be greatly appreciated. Please call the Salvation Army at 642-3960 or drop by at 2380 George Washington Memorial Highway in Hayes.

LAUREL SHELTER NEEDS OUR HELP
The Laurel Shelter, Inc. is a program that provides services for families who have been affected by domestic violence and/or assault. Shelter, support groups, a 24-hour hotline, outreach, and court advocacy are some of the free services that are provided. The shelter needs these items:

Paper Products: towels, napkins, tissues, toilet paper
Personal Items: deodorant, feminine hygiene products, first aid items, non-aspirin pain reliever, ethnic hair products
Children's Items: diapers (sizes 1, 2, and 3), baby wipes, baby wash, infant and toddler fever reducer (Motrin, Tylenol)
Kitchen Products: aluminum foil, liquid dish detergent, trash bags, large and small Ziploc bags, Swifter refill pads
Laundry & Cleaning: detergent, bleach, dryer fabric sheets, 409 (or something similar), Lysol spray

If you can donate some of these, call Becky Slattery, Client Services Coordinator at 694-5552.

FIRST COMMUNION CLASSES
When should one begin receiving Communion? What's the best age? The basic requirement to receive Communion is to be a baptized Christian. For children it is a parental decision as at Baptism parents and sponsors promise that the baptismal candidate will be brought up in the Christian faith and life. It is appropriate that all baptized people receive Communion at celebrations of the Holy Eucharist even if they are not Episcopalians. It's important to remember that it is the Lord's Supper or in other words, "The gifts of God for the people of God."

Living into the promise "for seeing that the child you present is brought up in the Christina faith and life" there will be first communion classes for parents and children on Saturday, November 12th at 10 o'clock in the Chapel. Time will be taken to speak about the communion service, provide instruction in receiving communion and the importance of coming to the Lord's table. Those wishing to may make their first communion when Bishop Lee visits on November 13th.

ANNUAL CONGREGATION MEETING
The Annual Meeting of the Congregation begins at 10:30 a.m. on Sunday, November 20th with the celebration of the Holy Eucharist. The agenda includes the presentation of the proposed Budget, election of four Vestry members and other reports to the congregation. The following parishioners have been nominated to serve on the Vestry: Ash Bowden, John Dutton, Robert Johnson, and Robert Teagle. Others can be nominated at the meeting.

Ash Bowden and his wife Rhonda and their children make their home in Glen Roy Estates. His business experience includes work in the telecommunications business. Robert Johnson and his wife Jean make their home on Ware Neck. John Dutton and his wife Rennie live on their boat in Washington D.C. during the week and in Mathews on the weekends. John has spearheaded the planning process for the congregation. Robert recently retired form the Virginia Department of Transportation. One of his major contributions to Virginia was his supervision of the flowers and bulbs along the state's highway medians. Robert Teagle has been a member of Ware Church all of his life. He and his Rebecca and their tow children make their home in Gloucester Courthouse. He is the Director of the Historic Christ Church Foundation in Irvington.

COMMUNITY THANKSGIVING EVE SERVICE AT WARE
The congregations of Ware Church, the First Presbyterian Church and Apostles Lutheran Church are gathering at Ware Church on Wednesday evening, November 23rd at 7:00 p.m. The Rev'd Doug Nagel is the guest preacher and The Rev'd Jim Lawson is the evening's celebrant. Each of the congregations will be requested to ask their senior choirs to send members to form a combined choir.

ADVENT QUIET DAY - PREPARE YE THE WAY OF THE LORD
"Advent enables us to consider again what it is about the spiritual life that is trying to be born in us again: a new desire for God, the hope in God's goodness, the signs of God around us that we so often overlook, the awareness of God in strange places. Without Advent, we run the risk of missing Christmas, too." Joan Chittister O.S.B.

The Advent Quiet Day helps us to remember the importance of this short season by providing a time to reflect and learn. The Rev'd Jo-Ann Murphy is leading the day. To help "get away" from the hustle and bustle of December those wishing to attend are invited to gather at St. John's Episcopal Church in West Point on Saturday, December 3rd beginning at 10 o'clock and concluding at 3 p.m. Please call the Church Office at 804-693-3821 so lunch can be ordered for you. There is a $10 fee per person to assist with expenses.

COFFEE HOUR HOSTS AND HOSTESSES NEEDED
A sign-up sheet is on the church porch for Coffee Hour hosts and hostesses for December - February. Sign up early so that you may choose the Sunday that best fits your schedule. You provide cookies and the lemonade and coffee is in the kitchen. One or two people are needed each week.

GRAPEVINE SUBMISSION DATE
To have news items and articles included in the December issue of the Grapevine, please submit them by Monday, November 14th. It is also very helpful to have articles submitted via e-mail or on a disk to copy. The e-mail address is warechurch@inna.net.

OFFICE HOURS
During Thanksgiving week the office will be closed on Thursday and Friday. That is November 22nd and November 23rd. Regular office hours will be observed the remainder of the month.

PARISH ADVENT BREAKFAST
Come to Ware's Advent Breakfast at 9 o'clock in the Parish Hall on Sunday, November 27th. There's always lots to eat and then make your own Family Advent Wreath. Please bring lots of seasonal greens - holly, box, cedar, etc and from your yard. You will also need a pair of shears and some garden gloves.

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 contact the church office by December 19th.