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 St. Nicholas-on-the-Hudson for the Third Sunday in Lent March 7, 2021 View our weekly enewsletter HERE  Weekly eNewsletter from
St. Nicholas-on-the-Hudson for the Second Sunday in Lent February 28, 2021 "He called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, 'If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.'" Mark 8:34 Worship this Sunday STREAM: One service of Holy Eucharist, Rite II at 9:30am streaming live from St. Nick's to our YouTube Channel and our Facebook page. FOLLOW: Participate in the liturgy by using this bulletin. SERVE: Please sign up here if you would like to help lead worship as one of a small team including AV people, readers, and prayer leaders. For the safety of all, please attend the service only if you have signed up for a role in the liturgy. PRAY: Submit a prayer request. We clear the prayer list at the beginning of each month. Please feel free to resubmit your prayer requests. SOCIALIZE: Join us in for Coffee Hour in Zoom immediately following the service (around 10:30-ish). Use the link to join with your computer, or dial in by phone using this number: +1 646 558 8656 US (New York); Meeting ID: 89674050025 - Watch last week's service or any of our streamed services. Image attribution: Knight, Leonard, 1931-. Salvation Mountain, from Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN. http://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelink.pl?RC=54150 [retrieved February 25, 2021]. Original source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mexicaliblues/2193121903/. Children's Sunday School in Zoom This Sunday at 10:45am Click here to join Sunday School this Sunday Meeting ID: 834 8440 0315 Passcode: Lent We're VERY excited to announce that Dorothy Jackson will serve as volunteer Sunday School Coordinator for this year! Dorothy has decades of experience in Christian Education, much of it in the areas of youth and children's ministries. She brings warmth and compassion to her work and wants to help our children's ministry grow. Dorothy also serves on the Vestry and has been a faithful and effective Clerk for over two years. Thank you, Dorothy, for stepping into the coordinator role! Children's Sunday School continues this Sunday in Zoom with Treasures of the Heart, StoryMakers' Lent curriculum for Year B. The focus this week is on Baptism. The lesson will be 20 to 30 minutes in length; teachers are Joan F. & Michelle O. A 'Zine is available for each child; if you have not received your 'Zine, please email the church office. If you don't have a 'Zine in time for this Sunday, not to worry: our teachers will guide students through the lesson. Your child only needs basic materials: paper, crayons, markers, and the like. Parents: Please Send us Information on Your Child As part of our Sunday School reboot, we are doing some information gathering on all young people at St. Nick's, ages infant to high school senior. We are doing this so that we can get a complete picture of our young people, which will help us to better meet their needs. Please use our Google form to send us information on your child. This information will be kept carefully in the church office and shared only with Sunday School leaders. Thank you for your help in this important effort! Eggs available for pickup at church, any time during the season of Lent. Log your weekly totals anonymously on our shared spreadsheet. Learn more about ER-D Gifts for Life. Thank you for your support! Lent Virtual Morning Prayer Mondays - Thursdays in Lent, 8am In Zoom and streaming on our Facebook page Click here to join in Zoom. Or join by phone - dial by your location: +1 646 558 8656 US (New York); ID 826 6021 8598 Bookgroup Meets Four Wednesdays in March Beginning Wednesday, March 3rd, at 7pm in Zoom Lent is a season for reading and meditating on God's holy Word. Our book for study this year will be Lent in Plain Sight: a Devotion Through Ten Objects by Jill J. Duffield. From the cover: "God is often at work through the ordinary: ordinary people, ordinary objects, ordinary grace. Through the ordinary, God communicates epiphanies, salvation, revelation, and reconciliation. It is through the mundane that we hear God’s quiet voice. In this devotion for the season of Lent, Jill J. Duffield draws readers’ attention to ten ordinary objects that Jesus would have encountered on his way to Jerusalem: dust, bread, the cross, coins, shoes, oil, coats, towels, thorns, and stones. In each object, readers will find meaning in the biblical account of Jesus’ final days. Each week, readers encounter a new object to consider through Scripture, prayer, and reflection. From Ash Wednesday to Easter, Lent in Plain Sight reminds Christians to open ourselves to the kingdom of God." Order your book online now; devotions began on Ash Wednesday. You can purchase through a local bookshop or your preferred online retailer. Book group will meet in Zoom at 7pm for four sessions: March 3, 10, 24 & 31. Please come to the first session having read all the dated material in the book up to that date. Click here to join in Zoom. Or join by phone - dial by your location: +1 646 558 8656 US (New York); ID 813 3542 9394 New Hamburg Fire Department Fish Frys Fridays in Lent Take outs only 4pm to 8pm 15 Channingville Rd., New Hamburg, NY 12590 Thank you 2021 Pledgers: please pick up your ceramic ornament at the church To close out a very difficult year, and as a thank you to those households who promised to support St. Nick's in 2021, we're offering this handmade ceramic ornament to all who filled out a pledge card. The ornaments, along with pledge envelopes for those who have requested them, are available now for pick up in the church. Lovingly crafted by our own Polly Myhrum, each ornament measures approximately 3.5" and features an imprint of our rose window. If you haven't made a pledge for 2021, there's still time. Please use our online pledge form, and once you submit your card, we will respond to confirm your pledge. Thank you so much for your support in this year. We are truly grateful. St. Nick's uses Vanco for online giving. Some of you have been using PayPal to make donations during the pandemic, and we appreciate it! Online donations have been crucial (and safe!) for us so far. We have begun to fully transition over to Vanco (which takes a smaller cut for transaction fees and even allows the giver to cover them) for our online giving. We will soon introduce the Vanco app, but for now, you can follow this link for instructions to set up your online giving (good for one-time donations or regular monthly payments from checking or credit card). If you had formerly been using the diocesan e-pledge system or PayPal, please set up your payments for 2021 using the above instructions. ZOOM Office Hours with Mtr. Leigh are... Tuesdays 3p to 5p Wednesdays 10a to 12p Thursdays 11a to 1p Schedule appointments through Mtr. Leigh's online scheduler: https://calendly.com/leighhall Please note that the Rector observes Sabbath on Fridays and is not available for calls or texts that day. On any other day, texting or calling the Rector's cell - 845.432.HOLY - will always receive a faster reply than an email. Trash & Treasure Tag Sale Saturday, May 15, 2021 We will have our annual Trash and Treasure Sale on Saturday, May 15, 2021 with a rain date of May 22. We hope that holding the event in the spring will encourage more interest as well as help us to handle the Church Fair and the T & T Sale separately with greater success for both events. It will be held outside. Please keep the T & T Sale in mind during your spring cleaning! We will enlist helpers and have more information in the early spring. For questions contact Eileen Doherty at (914) 474-5564 or exparad@aol.com Food Pantry & Personal Care Pantry We have so many families hurting in Dutchess County. Your donations go a long way. The food pantry always needs cereal, peanut butter, mac & cheese, tuna, etc. The linens pantry needs gently used blankets, towels and new pillows. For more information Please call Liz at 297-4907. ZOOM Lectionary Bible Study Mondays @ 2pm Each Monday we'll read and study together the lessons for the upcoming Sunday. To find out what the lessons are, please visit The Lectionary Page. We generally use the first option of the two listed for the first reading. Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85728735074 Odds & Ends END OF LIFE PLANNING The Coronavirus pandemic has likely made us aware of our own mortality in new and profound ways. It is the responsibility of the Church to assist its members in preparing for death "while they are in health," which often entails the preparation of a will, or, at the least, the preparation of a plan in the event of a member's death. We have prepared a funeral planning form that will help you begin to think through and to plan your funeral, and we encourage you to begin this process seriously if you haven't already. Please complete the forms to the best of your ability, then contact Mtr. Leigh for planning. From the Book of Common Prayer: "The Minister of the Congregation is directed to instruct the people, from time to time, about the duty of Christian parents to make prudent provision for the well‑being of their families, and of all persons to make wills, while they are in health, arranging for the disposal of their temporal goods, not neglecting, if they are able, to leave bequests for religious and charitable uses." (p. 445) A CALL TO PRAYER FROM OUR BISHOPS From time to time, Bishop Dietsche writes letters to the Diocese, and we are required by canon to share them with the parish. To read the Bishops' call to prayer following the riots at the Capitol on Epiphany 2021, please click here. 2021 CALENDAR OF VESTRY AND FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETINGS To see a complete list of dates for these meetings, please click here. THE 2020 ANNUAL REPORT Available here. Includes the Treasurer's Report, Rector's Report, and links to a slide presentation. STAY IN TOUCH DURING THE PANDEMIC For Buddy Groups and captain contact information please click HERE. PARISH DIRECTORY If you would like a digital copy of the directory, please email the church office. AA GROUP MEETINGS St. Nick's does have regular AA meetings but due to the Coronavirus restrictions they are currently on hold until further notice. INTRA OFFICE DEADLINES Want to put an announcement in the weekly e-news? The deadline for submission is: Tuesdays at 12pm AGING NEWS: SENIOR RESOURCES Click on this link for the recent enews from Dutchess County Department For The Aging. A HEAD'S UP: CHURCH PO BOX TO CLOSE JUNE 2021. Please go back to using 37 Point St., New Hamburg for all your mailing to St. Nick's. The PO Box in Hughsonville never caught on, and we check the mail frequently at the church. If sending a check, please consider using Vanco, our online giving platform. In Our Prayers This list is cleared at the end of every month. Please feel free to resubmit your requests using our online form. Those for whom prayers have been asked: For the aged and infirm; for the widowed and orphans; for the sick and the suffering, especially those with Covid19; and for nursing home staff and residents. For Kyle; the Miller Family; the Telban Family; Martha; Bernice; Steve; Dean; Ann Marie; Donna; Eleanor; Suzette; Randie; Adrienne; Melonie; the Dougherty Family; Connor; Amelia; John; Helen; Sharon; Sandy; Diane; Judy; Devin; Marlene; Evelyn; Bert; Joe, Sr; Christopher; Jennifer; Teddy; Christina; Alice; James; for teachers, parents, and students; for all healthcare workers, first responders, and essential workers; for a safe and effective vaccine, and for its efficient distribution; for all who are trying to make an appointment for vaccination; and for the people of Texas who are suffering through water and power crises. For the poor and the oppressed, for the unemployed and the destitute; for all who struggle; for the disappointed; for prisoners and captives, and for all who remember and care for them. In thanksgiving for: - our Sunday School teachers - our new Vestry members, Leslie, Bob, and Kristy For the departed: - all who have died of Covid-19 -Donald D., whose anniversary of death was last week -Teddy Parish Leadership The Rt. Rev. Andrew ML Dietsche, Bishop of the Diocese of New York The Rev. Leigh Hall, Rector The Vestry Steph Mortimer, Senior Warden (2023); Joe Haubrich II, Junior Warden (2022) Dorothy Jackson, Clerk & Volunteer Sunday School Coordinator (2022); Ted Obligado (2022); Bert Mazzuto (2023); Jack Parry, Ass't Treasurer (2023); Leslie Batta (2024); Bob Dyson (2024); Kristy Tilley (2024) Carolyn Norman, Treasurer Our Staff Daniel Fannon, Organist Dana Rowinski-Weber, Parish Administrator; Carolyn Mangini, Bookkeeper Kimberly Steuber, Nursery Attendant; Jane Landon, Cleaner Weekly eNewsletter from
St. Nicholas-on-the-Hudson for the 5th Sunday after the Epiphany "Have you not known? Have you not heard? Has it not been told you from the beginning? Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth? It is he who sits above the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers; who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, and spreads them like a tent to live in; who brings princes to naught, and makes the rulers of the earth as nothing." Isaiah 40:21-23 Worship this Sunday - One service of Holy Eucharist, Rite II at 9:30am streaming live from St. Nick's to our YouTube Channel and our Facebook page. - Participate in the liturgy by using this bulletin. You can access the entire prayerbook online at anytime at www.bcponline.org. - Join us in for Coffee Hour in Zoom immediately following the service by clicking here, or by dialing in by phone using this number: +1 646 558 8656 US (New York); ID: 89674050025 - We use a small team of people to help lead worship, including AV people, readers, and prayer leaders. Please sign up here if you would like to help this small team lead worship. For the safety of all, please only attend the service if you have signed up for a role in the liturgy. - To submit a prayer request, please use our prayer request form. We clear this list at the beginning of each month. Please feel free to resubmit your prayer requests. - Should you or your family wish to receive the Eucharist from the Reserved Sacrament at the church, please schedule an appointment with Mtr. Leigh here. - If you weren't able to participate in last week's service or would like to see any of our previously streamed services, you can watch them here. Cookie Walk: Critical Need for Bakers! Date of Event: Saturday, February 13, 9:00am-2:00pm But we need a lot of cookies before then! Image Credit Poughkeepsie UMC will host the 13th Annual (drive thru) Cookie Walk on Saturday, February 13, 9:00am-2:00pm. This is a fundraiser to benefit the ministry work of local churches through Love INC., a local clearinghouse for those who come to us seeking financial assistance. To limit exposure, cookies will be prepackaged into $10 boxes (1.25lbs) by specially designated masked and gloved workers at PUMC. Buyers will drive up and buy boxes, and some specialty boxes will be available. We have an urgent need for bakers. Your cookies do not need to be fancy! Special Valentine cookies are appreciated but all are welcome. Liz Pavelka can pick up on February 10th and 11th, or you can deliver to PUMC. For more information, contact Kathy Betz: (845) 240-1779, CookieWalk2021.gmail.com or Liz Pavelka: (845) 297-4907, Pavelkain@optonline.net Please let either know: your name, email, phone number, church, and approximately how many cookies you plan to bake. This will help them plan ahead. Thank you! Lent begins on Ash Wednedsay, February 17th Our Lenten observance will look different this year. Bishop Dietsche has requested that ashes not be imposed or distributed in any form due to surging Covid 19 positivity rates and the threat of new strains of the virus. But, as the good bishop points out in his letter linked above, the point of Ash Wednesday isn't the ashes but our own repentance. In fact, the rubrics of the prayerbook do not require the imposition of ashes. Ash Wednesday services will be held in Zoom at noon and streaming to our social media at 7pm on February 17th. See links below. Also this Lent, beginning February 18th, Mtr. Leigh will offer Morning Prayer in Zoom, Monday through Thursday at 8am. Please note: we will not meet live on Monday, 2/22, but pre-recorded MP will be available on our social media that day. Bookgroup Meets Four Wednesdays in Lent Lent is a season for reading and meditating on God's holy Word. Our book for study this year, beginning at 7pm on Wednesday, March 3rd, will be Lent in Plain Sight: a Devotion Through Ten Objects by Jill J. Duffield. From the cover: "God is often at work through the ordinary: ordinary people, ordinary objects, ordinary grace. Through the ordinary, God communicates epiphanies, salvation, revelation, and reconciliation. It is through the mundane that we hear God’s quiet voice. In this devotion for the season of Lent, Jill J. Duffield draws readers’ attention to ten ordinary objects that Jesus would have encountered on his way to Jerusalem: dust, bread, the cross, coins, shoes, oil, coats, towels, thorns, and stones. In each object, readers will find meaning in the biblical account of Jesus’ final days. Each week, readers encounter a new object to consider through Scripture, prayer, and reflection. From Ash Wednesday to Easter, Lent in Plain Sight reminds Christians to open ourselves to the kingdom of God." Order your book online now, as the devotions begin on Ash Wednesday. You can purchase through a local bookshop or your preferred online retailer. Book group will meet in Zoom at 7pm for four sessions: March 3, 10, 24 & 31. Please come to the first session having read all the dated material in the book up to that date. Links for Lenten Opportunities 12pm, February 17th, Ash Wednesday Liturgy. Click here to join in Zoom. Or join by phone - dial by your location: +1 646 558 8656 US (New York); ID: 872 3247 5155 7pm, February 17th, Ash Wednesday Liturgy. Aired our YouTube Channel and Facebook page. 8am, Beginning Thursday, February 18th and continuing Monday through Thursday during Lent, Morning Prayer. Click here to join in Zoom. Please note: we will not meet live on Monday, 2/22, but pre-recorded MP will be available on our social media that day. Or join by phone - dial by your location: +1 646 558 8656 US (New York); ID 826 6021 8598 7pm, Wednesday, March 3rd and continuing March 10, 24 & 31, Lent in Plain Sight Bookgroup. Click here to join in Zoom. Or join by phone - dial by your location: +1 646 558 8656 US (New York); ID 813 3542 9394 Ash Wednesday graphic (above) attribution here. A Thank You Gift for Pledgers Please pick up your ornament at the church To close out a very difficult year, and as a thank you to those households who promised to support St. Nick's in 2021, we're offering this handmade ceramic ornament to all who filled out a pledge card. The ornaments, along with pledge envelopes for those who have requested them, are available now for pick up in the church. Lovingly crafted by our own Polly Myhrum, each ornament measures approximately 3.5" and features an imprint of our rose window. If you haven't made a pledge for 2021, there's still time. Please use our online pledge form, and once you submit your card, we will respond to confirm your pledge. Thank you so much for your support in this year. We are truly grateful. St. Nick's uses Vanco for online giving. Some of you have been using PayPal to make donations during the pandemic, and we appreciate it! Online donations have been crucial (and safe!) for us so far. We have begun to fully transition over to Vanco (which takes a smaller cut for transaction fees and even allows the giver to cover them) for our online giving. We will soon introduce the Vanco app, but for now, you can follow this link for instructions to set up your online giving (good for one-time donations or regular monthly payments from checking or credit card). If you had formerly been using the diocesan e-pledge system or PayPal, please set up your payments for 2021 using the above instructions. ZOOM Office Hours with Mtr. Leigh are... Tuesdays 3p to 5p Wednesdays 10a to 12p Thursdays 11a to 1p Schedule appointments through Mtr. Leigh's online scheduler: https://calendly.com/leighhall COMING IN MAY 2021! We will have our annual Trash and Treasure Sale on Saturday, May 15, 2021 with a rain date of May 22. We hope that holding the event in the spring will encourage more interest as well as help us to handle the Church Fair and the T & T Sale separately with greater success for both events. It will be held outside. Please keep the T & T Sale in mind during your spring cleaning! We will enlist helpers and have more information in the early spring. For questions contact Eileen Doherty at (914) 474-5564 or exparad@aol.com Food Pantry & Personal Care Pantry We have so many families hurting in Dutchess County. Your donations go a long way. The food pantry always needs cereal, peanut butter, mac & cheese, tuna, etc. The linens pantry needs gently used blankets, towels and new pillows. For more information Please call Liz at 297-4907. ZOOM Lectionary Bible Study: Mondays @ 2pm Each Monday we'll read and study together the lessons for the upcoming Sunday. To find out what the lessons are, please visit The Lectionary Page. We generally use the first option of the two listed for the first reading. Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85728735074 Odds & Ends END OF LIFE PLANNING The Coronavirus pandemic has likely made us aware of our own mortality in new and profound ways. It is the responsibility of the Church to assist its members in preparing for death "while they are in health," which often entails the preparation of a will, or, at the least, the preparation of a plan in the event of a member's death. We have prepared a funeral planning form that will help you begin to think through and to plan your funeral, and we encourage you to begin this process seriously if you haven't already. Please complete the forms to the best of your ability, then contact Mtr. Leigh for planning. From the Book of Common Prayer: "The Minister of the Congregation is directed to instruct the people, from time to time, about the duty of Christian parents to make prudent provision for the well‑being of their families, and of all persons to make wills, while they are in health, arranging for the disposal of their temporal goods, not neglecting, if they are able, to leave bequests for religious and charitable uses." (p. 445) A CALL TO PRAYER FROM OUR BISHOPS From time to time, Bishop Dietsche writes letters to the Diocese, and we are required by canon to share them with the parish. To read the Bishops' call to prayer following the riots at the Capitol on Epiphany 2021, please click here. 2021 CALENDAR OF VESTRY AND FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETINGS To see a complete list of dates for these meetings, please click here. STAY IN TOUCH DURING THE PANDEMIC For Buddy Groups and captain contact information please click HERE PARISH DIRECTORY If you would like a digital copy of the directory, please email the church office. AA GROUP MEETINGS St. Nick's does have regular AA meetings but due to the Coronavirus restrictions they are currently on hold until further notice. INTRA OFFICE DEADLINES Want to put an announcement in the weekly e-news? The deadline for submission is: Tuesdays at 12pm AGING NEWS: SENIOR RESOURCES Click on this link for the recent enews from Dutchess County Department For The Aging. A HEAD'S UP: CHURCH PO BOX TO CLOSE JUNE 2021. Please go back to using 37 Point St., New Hamburg for all your mailing to St. Nick's. The PO Box in Hughsonville never caught on, and we check the mail frequently at the church. If sending a check, please consider using Vanco, our online giving platform. In Our Prayers This list is cleared at the end of every month. Please feel free to resubmit your requests using our online form. Those for whom prayers have been asked: Martha + Dean + Eleanor + Connor + Adrienne + Roger & the Miller Family: Lou Ann, Marie, Keith, Greg & Meredith - for all healthcare workers and first responders - for those in prison and for prison workers - for nursing home staff and residents, especially Jackie - for the sick, especially those with Covid-19 - for all who struggle - for the unemployed, the disappointed, and the oppressed - for all who work for peace and justice - for teachers and parents - for our nation and its leaders - for those struggling with addiction, and the families who are affected - for a safe and effective vaccine, and for its efficient distribution In thanksgiving for: - for the possibilities - for all who support the ministry of St. Nick’s - for the vaccine - for my family For the departed: all who have died of Covid-19 Errol Bedasie Thank you to all who attended this past Sunday's Annual Meeting of the Parish in Zoom! We realize that some folks don't enjoy virtual meetings, and so we appreciate your being there. Importantly, we elected three new Vestry members whose terms expire in 2024: Leslie Batta, Bob Dyson, and Kristy Tilley. We also elected a new Senior Warden, Steph Mortimer (2023), and a new Junior Warden, Joe Haubrich, II (2022). Many thanks to the retiring Vestry: Greg Freeman, Janine Gauzza, and Edie Palm. Click here to view the Annual Report The report includes links to the Treasurer's report, the Rector's report, and the Google Slide presentation that accompanied the Zoom meeting. In closing... David Whyte reads "Everything is Waiting for You" Weekly eNewsletter from
St. Nicholas-on-the-Hudson for the 4th Sunday after the Epiphany This Sunday! This is a great time to be together to reflect on the past year and to look forward to what's next in our life as a parish. First, stream the service on our YouTube channel and our Facebook page. Then head over to Zoom for the meeting. Click here to join the Annual Meeting in Zoom (immediately following the service). Worship this Sunday THE PARISH ANNUAL MEETING CONTINUES AFTER WORSHIP IN ZOOM AT 10:30am Click here to join immediately following the service Or Dial by your location if using your phone: +1 646 558 8656 US (New York) - We offer one service of Holy Eucharist, Rite II at 9:30am streaming live from St. Nick's to our YouTube Channel and our Facebook page. - Participate in the liturgy by using this bulletin. You can access the entire prayerbook online at anytime at www.bcponline.org. - We use a small team of people to help lead worship, including AV people, readers, and prayer leaders. Please sign up here if you would like to help this small team lead worship. For the safety of all, please only attend the service if you have signed up for a role in the liturgy. - To submit a prayer request, please use our prayer request form. We clear this list at the beginning of each month. Please feel free to resubmit your prayer requests. - Should you or your family wish to receive the Eucharist from the Reserved Sacrament at the church, please schedule an appointment with Mtr. Leigh here. - If you weren't able to participate in last week's service or would like to see any of our previously streamed services, you can watch them here. Save the Date: Cookie Walk Saturday, February 13, 9:00am-2:00pm Poughkeepsie UMC will host the 13th Annual (drive thru) Cookie Walk on Saturday, February 13, 9:00am-2:00pm. This is a fundraiser to benefit the ministry work of local churches through Love INC. To keep everyone safe, cookies will be prepackaged into $10 boxes (1.25lbs) by limited masked and gloved workers at PUMC. Buyers will drive up and buy boxes, and some specialty boxes will be available. You can help by baking cookies. Special Valentine cookies are appreciated but all are welcome. Liz Pavelka can pick up on February 10th and 11th, or you can deliver to PUMC. For more information, contact Kathy Betz: (845) 240-1779, CookieWalk2021.gmail.com or our own Liz Pavelka: (845) 297-4907, Pavelkain@optonline.net Please let either know: your name, email, phone number, church, and approximately how many cookies you plan to bake. This will help them plan ahead. Thank you! Lent begins February 17th Our Lenten observance will look different this year. Bishop Dietsche has requested that ashes not be imposed or distributed in any form due to surging Covid 19 positivity rates and the threat of new strains of the virus. But, as the good bishop points out in his letter linked above, the point of Ash Wednesday isn't the ashes but our own repentance. In fact, the rubrics of the prayerbook do not require the imposition of ashes. Our Ash Wednesday services will be held in Zoom at noon and streaming to our social media at 7pm on February 17th. See links below. Also this Lent, beginning February 18th, Mtr. Leigh will offer Morning Prayer in Zoom, Monday through Thursday at 8am. Lent is a season for reading and meditating on God's holy Word. Our book for study this year, beginning at 7pm on Wednesday, March 3rd, will be Lent in Plain Sight: a Devotion Through Ten Objects by Jill J. Duffield. From the cover: "God is often at work through the ordinary: ordinary people, ordinary objects, ordinary grace. Through the ordinary, God communicates epiphanies, salvation, revelation, and reconciliation. It is through the mundane that we hear God’s quiet voice. In this devotion for the season of Lent, Jill J. Duffield draws readers’ attention to ten ordinary objects that Jesus would have encountered on his way to Jerusalem: dust, bread, the cross, coins, shoes, oil, coats, towels, thorns, and stones. In each object, readers will find meaning in the biblical account of Jesus’ final days. Each week, readers encounter a new object to consider through Scripture, prayer, and reflection. From Ash Wednesday to Easter, Lent in Plain Sight reminds Christians to open ourselves to the kingdom of God." Order your book online now, as the devotions begin on Ash Wednesday. You can purchase through a local bookshop or your preferred online retailer. Book group will meet in Zoom at 7pm for four sessions: March 3, 10, 24 & 31. Please come to the first session having read all the dated material in the book up to that date. Links for Lenten Opportunities 12pm, February 17th, Ash Wednesday Liturgy. Click here to join in Zoom. Or join by phone - dial by your location: +1 646 558 8656 US (New York) 7pm, February 17th, Ash Wednesday Liturgy. Streaming to our YouTube Channel and Facebook page. 8am, Beginning Thursday, February 18th and continuing Monday through Thursday during Lent, Morning Prayer. Click here to join in Zoom. Or join by phone - dial by your location: +1 646 558 8656 US (New York) 7pm, Wednesday, March 3rd and continuing March 10, 24 & 31, Lent in Plain Sight Bookgroup. Click here to join in Zoom. Or join by phone - dial by your location: +1 646 558 8656 US (New York) A Thank You Gift for Pledgers To close out a very difficult year, and as a thank you to those households who promised to support St. Nick's in 2021, we're offering this handmade ceramic ornament to all who filled out a pledge card. The ornaments, along with pledge envelopes for those who have requested them, are available now for pick up in the church. Lovingly crafted by our own Polly Myhrum, each ornament measures approximately 3.5" and features an imprint of our rose window. If you haven't made a pledge for 2021, there's still time. Please use our online pledge form, and once you submit your card, we will respond to confirm your pledge. Thank you so much for your support in the upcoming year. We are truly grateful. After months of careful deliberation, following a diocesan announcement that its e-pledge system was ending, St. Nick's chose Vanco as its new platform for online giving. Some of you have been using PayPal to make donations during the pandemic, and we appreciate it! Online donations have been crucial (and safe!) for us this year. In 2021, we will begin to fully transition over to Vanco (which takes a smaller cut for transaction fees and even allows the giver to cover them) for our online giving. We will soon introduce the Vanco app, but for now, you can follow this link for instructions to set up your online giving (good for one-time donations or regular monthly payments from checking or credit card). If you had formerly been using the diocesan e-pledge system, please set up your payments for 2021 using the above instructions. ZOOM Office Hours with Mtr. Leigh are... Tuesdays 3p to 5p Wednesdays 10a to 12p Thursdays 11a to 1p Schedule appointments through Mtr. Leigh's online scheduler: https://calendly.com/leighhall COMING IN MAY 2021! We will have our annual Trash and Treasure Sale on Saturday, May 15, 2021 with a rain date of May 22. We hope that holding the event in the spring will encourage more interest as well as help us to handle the Church Fair and the T & T Sale separately with greater success for both events. It will be held outside. Please keep the T & T Sale in mind during your spring cleaning! We will enlist helpers and have more information in the early spring. For questions contact Eileen Doherty at (914) 474-5564 or exparad@aol.com Food Pantry & Personal Care Pantry We have so many families hurting in Dutchess County. Your donations go a long way. The food pantry always needs cereal, peanut butter, mac & cheese, tuna, etc. The linens pantry needs gently used blankets, towels and new pillows. For more information Please call Liz at 297-4907. ZOOM Lectionary Bible Study: Mondays @ 2pm Each Monday we'll read and study together the lessons for the upcoming Sunday. To find out what the lessons are, please visit The Lectionary Page. We generally use the first option of the two listed for the first reading. Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85728735074 END OF LIFE PLANNING The Coronavirus pandemic has likely made us aware of our own mortality in new and profound ways. It is the responsibility of the Church to assist its members in preparing for death "while they are in health," which often entails the preparation of a will, or, at the least, the preparation of a plan in the event of a member's death. We have prepared a funeral planning form that will help you begin to think through and to plan your funeral, and we encourage you to begin this process seriously if you haven't already. After you complete the forms contact Mtr. Leigh for planning. From the Book of Common Prayer: "The Minister of the Congregation is directed to instruct the people, from time to time, about the duty of Christian parents to make prudent provision for the well‑being of their families, and of all persons to make wills, while they are in health, arranging for the disposal of their temporal goods, not neglecting, if they are able, to leave bequests for religious and charitable uses." (p. 445) A CALL TO PRAYER FROM OUR BISHOPS From time to time, Bishop Dietsche writes letters to the Diocese, and we are required by canon to share them with the parish. To read the Bishops' call to prayer following the riots at the Capitol on Epiphany 2021, please click here. 2021 CALENDAR OF VESTRY AND FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETINGS To see a complete list of dates for these meetings, please click here. STAY IN TOUCH DURING THE PANDEMIC For Buddy Groups and captain contact information please click HERE PARISH DIRECTORY A Parish Directory with the most updated contact information we have for all of you is available. If you would like a digital copy of the directory, please email the church office. AA GROUP MEETINGS St. Nick's does have regular AA meetings but due to the Coronavirus restrictions they are currently on hold until further notice. INTRA OFFICE DEADLINES Want to put an announcement in the weekly e-news? The deadline for submission is: Wednesdays 12pm AGING NEWS: SENIOR RESOURCES Click on this link for the recent enews from Dutchess County Department For The Aging: In Our Prayers Those for whom prayers have been asked: Martha + Dean + Eleanor + Connor + Adrienne + Christina + Patrick + Jennifer + Bert + Evelyn + Marlene + Ann Marie + Bernice + Judy + Walter + Helen + Sandy + Pat + Kimberly & John + JoEllen + Roger + John + Pete + Henry + Christina + John + Noah + Joy + Josh - for all healthcare workers and first responders - for those in prison and for prison workers - for nursing home staff and residents, especially Jackie - for the sick, especially those with Covid-19 - for all who struggle - for the unemployed, the disappointed, and the oppressed - for all who work for peace and justice - for teachers and parents - for our nation and its leaders - for those struggling with addiction, and the families who are affected - for a safe and effective vaccine, and for its efficient distribution In thanksgiving for: - for the possibilities - for all who support the ministry of St. Nick’s - for the vaccine - for my family For the departed: all who have died of Covid-19 Weekly eNewsletter from
St. Nicholas-on-the-Hudson January 8, 2021 From the Rector - Here I am again, groping for words that might provide comfort during a time of chaos. Of course I refer to the riot in the United States Capitol which ironically fell on the Feast of the Epiphany, a celebration of a guiding light, a commemoration of Christ’s physical manifestation to the three magi. These three wise ones were sent by King Herod to find Jesus, purportedly because Herod wanted to pay the Christchild homage, but really because Herod wanted to “put a hit out on a toddler,” as the Lutheran pastor and writer Nadia Bolz-Weber put it in her Twitter feed on January 6. So changed, so illuminated, so inspired were the magi by their encounter with Jesus, that they decided not to return to Herod, but to leave “for their own country by another road” (Matthew 2:12). As disgusted and just plain sad as I feel about the invasion and profaning of the seat of our democracy, this is not a political rant. But it is just to say that we, like the three wise ones, always have the option to choose a different path — the one that leads away from fear, violence, and death — all because we have experienced Christ’s glory, or at the very least, because we value life and love over death and hate. And not just our own lives and homes and families, but the lives and homes and families of all people. Indeed this is our calling as Christians — and our pathway home: to learn, worship, and pray; to turn away from evil and towards the Lord; to proclaim in word and deed the Good News of Jesus; to love all our neighbors as we love ourselves; and to strive for justice and peace among all people, respecting the dignity of every human being. This is the covenant we make at Baptism, and it’s one we can’t fulfill on our own. We can only do it with God’s help. In light of the events of this week, I call on everyone reading this (regardless of your political affiliation) to be in prayer for our nation, this month especially, as we witness the change of one administration to another. There are some terrific prayers “for National Life” beginning on p. 820ff of the prayerbook, and you can access them online at www.bcponline.org. And then there is this prayer, one offered by Senate Chaplain Barry C. Black upon the conclusion of the joint session of Congress which was halted and then restarted on January 6th: "Lord of our lives and sovereign of our beloved nation, we deplore the desecration of the United States Capitol building, the shedding of innocent blood, the loss of life, and the quagmire of dysfunction that threaten our democracy. These tragedies have reminded us that words matter and that the power of life and death is in the tongue. We have been warned that eternal vigilance continues to be freedom's price. Lord, you have helped us remember that we need to see in each other a common humanity that reflects your image. You have strengthened our resolve to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies domestic as well as foreign. Use us to bring healing and unity to our hurting and divided nation and world. Thank you for what you have blessed our lawmakers to accomplish in spite of threats to liberty. Bless and keep us. Drive far from us all wrong desires, incline our hearts to do your will and guide our feet on the path of peace. And God bless America. We pray in your sovereign name, amen." I’ll be leaning on this one a lot this month, as I lean on my faith in the God of peace, who is our home. Yours, Leigh+ THIS SUNDAY AT ST. NICK'S The Baptism of Our Lord Sunday Worship - We offer one service of Holy Eucharist, Rite II at 9:30am streaming live from St. Nick's to our YouTube Channel. - Participate in the liturgy by using this bulletin. You can access the entire prayerbook online at anytime at www.bcponline.org. - We will use a small team of people to help lead worship this Advent and Christmas, including AV people, readers, and prayer leaders. Please sign up here if you would like to help this small team lead worship. - To submit a prayer request, please use our prayer request form. Our new practice for prayers will be to start fresh with a new prayer list at the start of the new month. Please feel free to resubmit your prayer requests. - Should you or your family wish to receive the Eucharist from the Reserved Sacrament at the church, please schedule an appointment with Mtr. Leigh here. - If you weren't able to watch last week or would like to see any of our previously streamed services, you can watch them HERE SAVE THE DATE 2021 Annual Meeting We must have a quorum present, so please plan to attend on 1/31. Click here to join. STEWARDSHIP CAMPAIGN 2021 Our deep and heartfelt thanks to all who have made a pledge to support St. Nick's and its mission and ministry in 2021. We know it has been an incredible year, with many economic uncertainties, and that there are likely many other small businesses and non-profits that can use your support. To say thank you to all who made a pledge for 2021, we will give each pledging household a ceramic ornament that features the rose window in St. Nick's -- lovingly crafted by our own Polly Myhrum! The ornaments will be available soon. Please be on the lookout for instructions on how to pick yours up. If you have yet to make your pledge for next year, there's still time. You can use this online form to fill out a digital pledge card. Once you do, Dana, our parish administrator, will respond to you to confirm those numbers. Once again, we are so grateful for any support you can provide in the coming year. ONLINE GIVING After months of careful deliberation, following a diocesan announcement that its e-pledge system was ending, St. Nick's chose Vanco as its new platform for online giving. Some of you have been using PayPal to make donations during the pandemic, and we appreciate it! Online donations have been crucial (and safe!) for us this year. In 2021, we will begin to fully transition over to Vanco (which takes a smaller cut for transaction fees and even allows the giver to cover them) for our online giving. We will soon introduce the Vanco app, but for now, you can follow this link for instructions to set up your online giving (good for one-time donations or regular monthly payments from checking or credit card). If you had formerly been using the diocesan e-pledge system, please set up your payments for 2021 using the above instructions. Parish Office is open for 2021! ZOOM Office Hours with Mtr. Leigh are... Tuesdays 3p to 5p Wednesdays 10a to 12p Thursdays 11a to 1p Schedule appointments through Mtr. Leigh's online scheduler: https://calendly.com/leighhall SUNDAY SCHOOL at St. Nick's Stay tuned! More to come in 2021 COMING IN MAY 2021! We will have our annual Trash and Treasure Sale on Saturday, May 15, 2021 with a rain date of May 22. We hope that holding the event in the spring will encourage more interest as well as help us to handle the Church Fair and the T & T Sale separately with greater success for both events. It will be held outside. Please keep the T & T Sale in mind during your spring cleaning! We will enlist helpers and have more information in the early spring. For questions contact Eileen Doherty at (914) 474-5564 or exparad@aol.com FOOD PANTRY & PERSONAL CARE PANTRY We have so many families hurting in Dutchess County. Your donations go a long way. The food pantry always needs cereal, peanut butter, mac & cheese, tuna, etc. The linens pantry needs gently used blankets, towels and new pillows. For more information Please call Liz at 297-4907. BIBLE STUDY: Resumes on January 11th Join Mtr. Leigh in Zoom for a lectionary based bible study Mondays @ 2pm Each Monday we'll read and study together the lessons for the upcoming Sunday. To find out what the lessons are, please visit The Lectionary Page. We generally use the first option of the two listed for the first reading. Topic: Lectionary Bible Study Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85728735074 END OF LIFE PLANNING The Coronavirus pandemic has likely made us aware of our own mortality in new and profound ways. It is the responsibility of the Church to assist its members in preparing for death "while they are in health," which often entails the preparation of a will, or, at the least, the preparation of a plan in the event of a member's death. We have prepared a funeral planning form that will help you begin to think through and to plan your funeral, and we encourage you to begin this process seriously if you haven't already. After you complete the forms contact Mtr. Leigh for planning. From the Book of Common Prayer: "The Minister of the Congregation is directed to instruct the people, from time to time, about the duty of Christian parents to make prudent provision for the well‑being of their families, and of all persons to make wills, while they are in health, arranging for the disposal of their temporal goods, not neglecting, if they are able, to leave bequests for religious and charitable uses." (p. 445) BUDDY GROUPS For Buddy Groups and captain contact information please click: HERE PARISH DIRECTORY A Parish Directory with the most updated contact information we have for all of you is available. If you would like a digital copy of the directory, please email the church office. AA GROUP MEETINGS St. Nick's does have regular AA meetings but due to the Corona Virus restrictions they are currently on hold until further notice. INTRA OFFICE DEADLINES Want to put an announcement in the weekly e-news? The deadline for submission is: Wednesdays 12pm AGING NEWS: SENIOR RESOURCES Click on this link for the recent enews from Dutchess County Department For The Aging: https://www.dutchessny.gov/Departments/Aging/OFA-Golden-Living-News-for-Senior-Citizens.htm In Our Prayers For those for whom prayers have been asked: Martha + Dean + Eleanor + Connor + Adrienne + Christina + Patrick + Jennifer + Bert + Evelyn + Marlene + Ann Marie + Bernice + Judy + Walter - for all healthcare workers and first responders - for those in prison and for prison workers - for nursing home staff and residents, especially Jackie - for the sick, especially those with Covid-19 - for all who struggle - for the unemployed - for the disappointed - for the oppressed - for all who work for peace and justice - for teachers and parents and all who are making hard decisions about schooling this fall - for those affected by the wildfires in the western states - for our nation and it's leaders - for those who are alone this Christmas season - for those struggling with addiction, and the families that are affected - for a safe and effective vaccine, and for the scientists and researchers working even now to prepare and perfect it In thanksgiving for: - for the possibilities - for all who support the ministry of St. Nick’s - for the vaccine - for my family For the departed: Joann Zeoli Weekly eNewsletter from
St. Nicholas-on-the-Hudson December 26, 2020 THIS SUNDAY AT ST. NICK'S The First Sunday after Christmas HELLO PARISHIONERS - I hope you all had a safe and merry Christmas! Tomorrow, Fr. Kevin Bean will be visiting St. Nick's to lead in virtual worship. We still need volunteers to help with AV, as well as the readings and the prayers. Please signup HERE to help with these roles. More on Sunday Worship... - Through 1/3/2021, we will offer one service of Holy Eucharist, Rite II at 9:30am streaming live from St. Nick's to our YouTube Channel. - Participate in the liturgy by using this bulletin. You can access the entire prayerbook online at anytime at www.bcponline.org. - We will use a small team of people to help lead worship this Advent and Christmas, including AV people, readers, and prayer leaders. Please sign up here if you would like to help this small team lead worship. - To submit a prayer request, please use our prayer request form. Our new practice for prayers will be to start fresh with a new prayer list at the start of the new month. Please feel free to resubmit your prayer requests. - Should you or your family wish to receive the Eucharist from the Reserved Sacrament at the church, please schedule an appointment with Mtr. Leigh here. - If you weren't able to watch last week or would like to see any of our previously streamed services, you can watch them HERE Parish Office will be closed December 25th - January 3rd We will see you in 2021! ZOOM Office Hours will resume on January 7th: Tuesdays 3p to 5p Wednesdays 10a to 12p Thursdays 11a to 1p Schedule appointments through Mtr. Leigh's online scheduler: https://calendly.com/leighhall SUNDAY SCHOOL at St. Nick's Stay tuned! More to come in 2021 STEWARDSHIP CAMPAIGN 2021 Thank you to all who have returned their 2021 pledge card. So far, we have 43 pledges totaling $133,175.00 toward our goal of $145,000. If you haven't received a pledge card but would like to pledge, please reach out to Dana in the office at stnicholasnewhamburg@gmail.com Or, NEW this year, fill out your pledge card online with our new virtual pledge card option HERE. We thank you for all the ways you continue to support our little church with a big heart :) What to be an e-pledger? St. Nick's has a new way to give your pledge electronically. For more information CLICK HERE COMING IN MAY 2021! We will have our annual Trash and Treasure Sale on Saturday, May 15, 2021 with a rain date of May 22. We hope that holding the event in the spring will encourage more interest as well as help us to handle the Church Fair and the T & T Sale separately with greater success for both events. It will be held outside. Please keep the T & T Sale in mind during your spring cleaning! We will enlist helpers and have more information in the early spring. For questions contact Eileen Doherty at (914) 474-5564 or exparad@aol.com FOOD PANTRY & PERSONAL CARE PANTRY We have so many families hurting in Dutchess County. Your donations go a long way. The food pantry always needs cereal, peanut butter, mac & cheese, tuna, etc. The linens pantry needs gently used blankets, towels and new pillows. For more information Please call Liz at 297-4907. BIBLE STUDY: Resumes on January 11th Join Mtr. Leigh in Zoom for a lectionary based bible study Mondays @ 2pm Each Monday we'll read and study together the lessons for the upcoming Sunday. To find out what the lessons are, please visit The Lectionary Page. We generally use the first option of the two listed for the first reading. Topic: Lectionary Bible Study Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85728735074 CONTINUE YOUR PLEDGE OR DONATE ONLINE DURING THE CORONA VIRUS CRISIS We are grateful for each and every dollar we receive here at St. Nick's, and each one of those dollars goes to good use. We keep a lean budget, and our finance committee carefully monitors every line. While we are not meeting in person for worship on Sunday mornings, we expect that plate donations will drop. And with so much economic uncertainty, we know that home budgets might change. In order to facilitate continued giving, we have reactivated our church PayPal account. Using the button below, you can make your pledge or donation online. Donate Online Additionally, you can also set up auto-draft from your own bank account using your online banking. This will cause a paper check to be sent to our mailbox at P.O. Box 490, Hughsonville, NY 12537 which we are checking each day. The Vestry are doing the normal count, and our parish administrator, Dana, continues to record pledges in our system. END OF LIFE PLANNING The Coronavirus pandemic has likely made us aware of our own mortality in new and profound ways. It is the responsibility of the Church to assist its members in preparing for death "while they are in health," which often entails the preparation of a will, or, at the least, the preparation of a plan in the event of a member's death. We have prepared a funeral planning form that will help you begin to think through and to plan your funeral, and we encourage you to begin this process seriously if you haven't already. After you complete the forms contact Mtr. Leigh for planning. From the Book of Common Prayer: "The Minister of the Congregation is directed to instruct the people, from time to time, about the duty of Christian parents to make prudent provision for the well‑being of their families, and of all persons to make wills, while they are in health, arranging for the disposal of their temporal goods, not neglecting, if they are able, to leave bequests for religious and charitable uses." (p. 445) BUDDY GROUPS For Buddy Groups and captain contact information please click: HERE PARISH DIRECTORY A Parish Directory with the most updated contact information we have for all of you is available. If you would like a digital copy of the directory, please email the church office. AA GROUP MEETINGS St. Nick's does have regular AA meetings but due to the Corona Virus restrictions they are currently on hold until further notice. INTRA OFFICE DEADLINES Want to put an announcement in the weekly e-news? The deadline for submission is: Wednesdays 12pm AGING NEWS: SENIOR RESOURCES Click on this link for the recent enews from Dutchess County Department For The Aging: https://www.dutchessny.gov/Departments/Aging/OFA-Golden-Living-News-for-Senior-Citizens.htm In Our Prayers For those for whom prayers have been asked:Ed & Pat + Christina + Christopher + Regina + Patty + Martha + Dean + Eleanor + Connor + Rita & Larry + Peggy + Sue & Gary - for all healthcare workers and first responders - for those in prison and for prison workers - for nursing home staff and residents, especially Jackie - for the sick, especially those with Covid-19 - for all who struggle - for the unemployed - for the disappointed - for the oppressed - for all who work for peace and justice - for teachers and parents and all who are making hard decisions about schooling this fall - for those affected by the wildfires in the western states - for our nation and it's leaders - for those who are alone this Christmas season - for those struggling with addiction, and the families that are affected - for a safe and effective vaccine, and for the scientists and researchers working even now to prepare and perfect it In thanksgiving for: - for the possibilities - for all who support the ministry of St. Nick’s - for the vaccine - for my family For the departed: John Golebiowski Norma DeFelice Edwin Alvarado - for all who have died of Covid-19 Weekly eNewsletter from
St. Nicholas-on-the-Hudson December 11, 2020 FROM THE RECTOR - A New Icon for St. Nicholas We are truly fortunate at St. Nick's to have in our midst the Revs. Sharon and Paul Clayton, who have supported my personal ministry as well as our church's ministry for a long while. Truly, they are treasures who have a deep knowledge of the Church and an abiding love for Jesus Christ that I find inspiring. Some time ago, Mtr. Sharon approached me about creating an icon of St. Nicholas of Myra for the nave. At that time, I hadn't realized she was an artist, but the moment I saw a full reproduction of The Elizabeth I Rainbow Portrait in progress in her home studio, I knew we needed to make the Nicholas icon a reality. Sharon+ presented us with the finished icon (which must have been one of her pandemic projects!) on the Feast of St. Nicholas, December 6, 2020, and it is magnificent. I am so grateful for her generosity and time spent on this holy work. Mtr. Sharon has also written for us an insightful article that explains more about iconography and her creative process. I encourage you to read the whole piece, which I have excerpted here: "The icon of St. Nicholas that I had the honor and pleasure of “writing” and presenting as a gift to the parish was blessed by Mother Leigh on the Second Sunday of Advent and now hangs in the nave. Its design was inspired by an icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker (as he is often known) produced in the early 14th century, currently hanging in the Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow, but originally from the Church of St. Nicholas of the Pelts in Pskov. Elements of its design, however, such as the stylized cheeks indicating age, are characteristic of a much older tradition dating to the 12th century. The large eyes and ears, accompanied by the small mouth, are standard features of the iconographic canon. The holy person is meant to see and hear much, but to speak little." I encourage all of you to go by and sit with the icon for a while. It is particularly lovely around 3:30pm, as the sun begins its wintertime setting to the west. And please do join me in expressing gratitude to Mtr. Sharon, who has blessed us with her tremendous gift in the writing and donation of this icon of our patron. Yours, Mtr. Leigh - Sunday Worship - Read Mtr. Leigh's letter from 11/20/2020 regarding this new phase of worship by clicking here. - Through 1/3/2021, we will offer one service of Holy Eucharist, Rite II at 9:30am streaming live from St. Nick's to our YouTube Channel. - Participate in the liturgy by using this bulletin. You can access the entire prayerbook online at anytime at www.bcponline.org. - We will use a small team of people to help lead worship this Advent and Christmas, including AV people, readers, and prayer leaders. Please sign up here if you would like to help this small team lead worship. - To submit a prayer request, please use our prayer request form. Our new practice for prayers will be to start fresh with a new prayer list at the start of the new month. Please feel free to resubmit your prayer requests. - Should you or your family wish to receive the Eucharist from the Reserved Sacrament at the church, please schedule an appointment with Mtr. Leigh here. - If you weren't able to watch last week or would like to see any of our previously streamed services, you can watch them HERE Christmas Eve Services December 24th, 2020 streamed online at 4pm & 10pm CHRISTMAS ANGELS Outreach Project Thank you to all who signed up to support the St Nick’s Christmas Angels program to support Dutchess County needy families at this time of year. As of this moment, we have one unclaimed family with two children (Family #9). A pdf with all of the families can be seen HERE. You can sign up to support that last remaining family HERE. If there is a name already signed up for family #9, we thank you for your consideration. For those who signed up, please bring wrapped presents to St Nick’s anytime by next Sunday December 20. Leave them in an empty pew with the family # clearly labelled. Email Liz Pavelka (pavelkain@optonline.net) and Paul Curran (paul.curran@bqenergy.com) when you are dropping them off so we can secure them. THREE SPOTS OPENING in the Vestry In 2021, we will have three spots opening on the Vestry, including the positions of Junior and Senior Warden. If you are remotely interested being on the Vestry, knowing more about what it does, you can email Mtr. Leigh or speak to any current Vestry member: Janine Gauzza, Greg Freeman, Edie Palm, Dorothy Jackson, Ted Obligado, Joe Haubrich II, Jack Parry, Steph Mortimer, and Bert Mazzuto. Being on the Vestry is one of the best and most effective ways to be helpful to me and to St. Nick’s as a whole. And it isn’t as hard or as onerous as it seems! STEWARDSHIP CAMPAIGN 2021 Hello Parishioners - Thank you to all those who have already returned their 2021 pledge card. So far, we have 39 pledges totaling $117,415.00 toward our goal of $145,000. If you haven't received a pledge card but would like to pledge, please reach out to Dana in the office at stnicholasnewhamburg@gmail.com Or, NEW this year, fill out your pledge card online with our new virtual pledge card option HERE. We thank you for all the ways you continue to support our little church with a big heart :) Sunday School at St. Nick's Join Mtr. Leigh on 12/13 & 12/20 for virtual Sunday School following the 9:30am service. COMING IN MAY 2021! We will have our annual Trash and Treasure Sale on Saturday, May 15, 2021 with a rain date of May 22. We hope that holding the event in the spring will encourage more interest as well as help us to handle the Church Fair and the T & T Sale separately with greater success for both events. It will be held outside. Please keep the T & T Sale in mind during your spring cleaning! We will enlist helpers and have more information in the early spring. For questions contact Eileen Doherty at (914) 474-5564 or exparad@aol.com FOOD PANTRY & PERSONAL CARE PANTRY We have so many families hurting in Dutchess County. Your donations go a long way. The food pantry always needs cereal, peanut butter, mac & cheese, tuna, etc. The linens pantry needs gently used blankets, towels and new pillows. For more information Please call Liz at 297-4907. OFFICE HOURS ARE BACK Zoom Office Hours: Tuesdays 3p to 5p Wednesdays 10a to 12p Thursdays 11a to 1p Schedule appointments through Mtr. Leigh's online scheduler: https://calendly.com/leighhall BIBLE STUDY Join Mtr. Leigh in Zoom for a lectionary based bible study Mondays @ 2pm Each Monday we'll read and study together the lessons for the upcoming Sunday. To find out what the lessons are, please visit The Lectionary Page. We generally use the first option of the two listed for the first reading. Topic: Lectionary Bible Study Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85728735074 CONTINUE YOUR PLEDGE OR DONATE ONLINE DURING THE CORONA VIRUS CRISIS We are grateful for each and every dollar we receive here at St. Nick's, and each one of those dollars goes to good use. We keep a lean budget, and our finance committee carefully monitors every line. While we are not meeting in person for worship on Sunday mornings, we expect that plate donations will drop. And with so much economic uncertainty, we know that home budgets might change. In order to facilitate continued giving, we have reactivated our church PayPal account. Using the button below, you can make your pledge or donation online. Donate Online Additionally, you can also set up auto-draft from your own bank account using your online banking. This will cause a paper check to be sent to our mailbox at P.O. Box 490, Hughsonville, NY 12537 which we are checking each day. The Vestry are doing the normal count, and our parish administrator, Dana, continues to record pledges in our system. END OF LIFE PLANNING The Coronavirus pandemic has likely made us aware of our own mortality in new and profound ways. It is the responsibility of the Church to assist its members in preparing for death "while they are in health," which often entails the preparation of a will, or, at the least, the preparation of a plan in the event of a member's death. We have prepared a funeral planning form that will help you begin to think through and to plan your funeral, and we encourage you to begin this process seriously if you haven't already. After you complete the forms contact Mtr. Leigh for planning. From the Book of Common Prayer: "The Minister of the Congregation is directed to instruct the people, from time to time, about the duty of Christian parents to make prudent provision for the well‑being of their families, and of all persons to make wills, while they are in health, arranging for the disposal of their temporal goods, not neglecting, if they are able, to leave bequests for religious and charitable uses." (p. 445) BUDDY GROUPS For Buddy Groups and captain contact information please click: HERE PARISH DIRECTORY A Parish Directory with the most updated contact information we have for all of you is available. If you would like a digital copy of the directory, please email the church office. AA GROUP MEETINGS St. Nick's does have regular AA meetings but due to the Corona Virus restrictions they are currently on hold until further notice. INTRA OFFICE DEADLINES Want to put an announcement in the weekly e-news? The deadline for submission is: Wednesdays 12pm AGING NEWS: SENIOR RESOURCES Click on this link for the recent enews from Dutchess County Department For The Aging: https://www.dutchessny.gov/Departments/Aging/OFA-Golden-Living-News-for-Senior-Citizens.htm In Our Prayers For those for whom prayers have been asked: Barbara + Devin + Damon + Kristina + Nancy + Joann + Bernice + AnnMarie + Evelyn + Marlene + Martha + Dean + Eleanor + Connor + Sandy + Helen + Joe + Judy + Melonie + Patrice + Gena + Frank + Jean + Brian + Rita + Larry + Erika + Bea + Dorothy - for all healthcare workers and first responders - for those in prison and for prison workers - for nursing home staff and residents, especially Jackie - for the sick, especially those with Covid-19 - for all who struggle - for the unemployed - for the disappointed - for the oppressed - for all who work for peace and justice - for teachers and parents and all who are making hard decisions about schooling this fall - for those affected by the wildfires in the western states - for our nation and it's leaders In Thanksgiving for: - For Steph & Craig Mortimer on their 7 years wedding anniversary. The Departed: All who have died of Covid-19 |
