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Views from the Mountain
ST. JOHN ON THE MOUNTAIN December 2014
From the RectorThe Reverend Susan R. Ironside
ADVENT & CHRISTMAS on the Mountain
5Sunday, December 7The Second Sunday of Advent 8 am Holy Eucharist Rite I, Chapel10 am Holy Eucharist Rite II, Church11:15 am Advent Coffee Hour, Parish Hall Advent Arts & Crafts, Parish Hall
Saturday, December 13 7 pm A Choral Christmas with Organ and Brass, Church
Sunday December 14The Third Sunday of Advent 8 am Holy Eucharist Rite I, Chapel10 am Holy Eucharist Rite II, Church11:15 am Advent Arts & Crafts, Parish Hall
Sunday, December 21 The Fourth Sunday of Advent 8 am Holy Eucharist, Chapel10 am Christmas Pageant with Holy Eucharist, Church
Monday, December 22 11:00 am Greening of the Church
Wednesday, December 24 The Eve of the Nativity 5 pm Festive Christmas Eve Family Service with Holy Eucharist and Building of the Crèche, Church10:30 pm Carols by Candlelight, Church11 pm Festival Holy Eucharist, Church
Thursday, December 25 The Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ10am Holy Eucharist, Chapel
Sunday, December 28First Sunday after Christmas8 am Holy Eucharist Rite I, Chapel10am Christmas Lessons and Carols, Church
In Advent I find myself contemplating the icon of Mary that hangs in our worship space. Her right arm is wrapped around Jesus, cradling him, and her left arm looks almost as if she might be extending it to enfold someone else. Me? Us? As she holds Jesus her gaze is fixed on him, but she seems to be glancing, too, over us, we who are the Body of her Son. She holds us in her gaze as we pray and sing, and I find myself watching her closely as we sit in silence together on Sunday mornings, and letting my eyes find her as we sing songs of welcome to her Son. “Come, thou long expected Jesus.”
Brave Mary who agreed to the impossible. Bold Mary who assented to the outrageous.
Would I be so brave and bold? Can I be so brave and bold? Mary’s courage astounds me, and in these days of Advent, I watch her with a renewed focus.
Sister Doris Klein wrote, “We all carry a cave, a hidden place within us, into which God longs to be born.”
It is unfathomable to me that God would want to be born in me, but perhaps this is so. Can we even imagine that God longs to be born in broken, sinful us? Are we so brave and bold as to allow for such an outrageous thing?
Advent hopefulness to you all, my beloveds in Christ Jesus, Brave Mary’s child,
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WORSHIP NEWS
ST. JOHN ON THE MOUNTAIN December 2014
Christmas Service ScheduleWednesday, December 24th ~ Eve of the Nativity
✤ 5 pm Christmas Eve Family Service with Building of the CrècheThe Festive Christmas Eve Holy Eucharist with the Children’s Choir will include the Building of the Crèche and will take place at 5 pm. Families with young children are invited and encouraged to celebrate the Nativity with us. Children who would like to participate in the Procession should arrive by 4:40 pm and gather in the chapel. Childcare is available.
✤ 10:30 pm Christmas Eve Carols by Candlelight, Church
✤ 11 pm Christmas Eve Festival Holy Eucharist Please join us in the church beginning at 10:30 pm with Carols by Candlelight, followed by a Christmas Eve Festival Holy Eucharist.
Thursday, December 25th ~ Christmas Day✤ 10 am Holy Eucharist for Christmas Day
Join us in the chapel for Holy Eucharist.
Please join us every Wednesday in the Parish House Meeting Room from 8:15 am -‐ 9:15 am.
MEN’S BIBLE STUDYWednesdays at 8:15 am
HEALING SERVICEThursday, December 18th at 10:00 am
The Holy Eucharist with Prayers for Healing will take place on Thursday, December 18th at 10 am in the chapel. This simple service of prayer, Holy Communion, and the laying on of hands for those who desire it, is an extension of the ministry of the Pastoral Care Committee. All are welcome.
The Women’s Bible Study group meets every Friday in the Parish House Meeting Room at 9:15 am. We are studying Bible Stories based on the E-‐100 (Essential One-‐Hundred Bible Reading Plan) curriculum. Books can be purchased for $10 from the office.
WOMEN’S BIBLE STUDYFridays at 9:15 am
Join us on Sunday, December 28th at 10 am when we will continue to celebrate the Christmas season with the reading of the nine lessons. The Choir of St. John on the Mountain will lead us in the singing of our favorite Christmas Carols. It is truly a family service as we begin with the journey of Adam and Eve in the garden, hear the promise of the prophets and are once again inspired by the birth of Jesus as told to us in the Gospels. Many familiar carols, sung by all of us, and a few remarkable new ones, sung by The Choir, are interspersed with the readings.
CHRISTMAS LESSONS & CAROLS Sunday, December 28th at10 am
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St. John on the MountainCHRISTMAS FLOWERS & MUSIC
St. John on the Mountain is now accepting contributions for Christmas plants, flowers, & special music. Gifts may be given either as memorials or in thanksgivings. In order that we might publish all names in the Christmas bulletins, we ask that you send in your dedications by Wednesday, December 17th. If you would like to contribute, please complete the form below, or your own version of it and return it to the Parish Office, along with a check made payable to St. John on the Mountain, with a note in the memo section: Christmas Flowers & Music. If you have any questions, please contact the Parish Office (908) 766-2282 ext 10 or [email protected].
Cut along dotted line, fill-out and return to SJOTM at 379 Mount Harmony Road, Bernardsville, NJ 07924
Please print clearly using first and last name without any titles
In Memory of
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Please print clearly using first and last name without any titles
In Thanksgiving for
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Your Name ________________________________ Your daytime phone _______________________________
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Best Wishes as you celebrate your December
birthday! Patrick Mitchell, Henry Giordano, Holly Lippman, Emmy Baird, and
Meredith Hespe
ST. JOHN’S NURSERY SCHOOL NEWS
CHILDREN & YOUTH NEWS
Teachers and chi ldren are busy preparing for Christmas. The children have been working on their holiday songs. Our annual Christmas Sing is on Friday morning, December 19th. Other December events will include making presents, decorating cookies, and our annual Christmas fundraiser -‐ St. Nick's at St. John's!
Our generous SJNS families have contributed to several local programs through our school. Bundles of Grace donations will be accepted until
December 15th. The SJOTM sponsored Kids Helping Kids is accepted through December 7th.
Please note that all SJNS/SJOTM families have the month of January to re-‐register or newly register their child for the 2015-‐16 school year. For families new to SJNS, please contact the nursery school director, Jeanne Williams, at [email protected] or 908-‐766-‐03704 for further registration information and a school tour.
You won’t want to miss Coffee Hour on December 7th and 14th! Please join us in the Parish Hall for some creative seasonal arts and crafts following the 10 am service.
ST. JOHN ON THE MOUNTAIN December 2014
CHRISTMAS PAGEANT ON SUNDAY, DECEMBER 21ST at 10 am
Sunday, December 14th Pageant costume pick-‐up 11:15 am in Parish HallThursday, December 18th Pageant rehearsal 4-‐5 pm Speakers OnlySaturday, December 20th Pageant rehearsal for All at 10 am Sunday, December 21st Pageant at 10 am (meet in Parish Hall at 9:30 am)
CHRISTMAS PAGEANT Important Dates
ADVENT ARTS AND CRAFTS
Calling All Kids!
There Will Be No Sunday School on Sunday, December 28th
Classes will resume on Sunday, January 4th.
Children who would like to participate in the Procession should arrive by 4:40pm and gather in Parish Hall. Childcare is available.
Christmas Eve Family Service With Building of the Crèche
THANK YOUProject Warm Your Heart was a huge success. The Sunday School filled five large bags with coats, hats, mittens, gloves, and scarves for children of families served by the Food Bank Network of Somerset County and other organizations. Thank you to everyone who participated.
Join the Nursery School on Thursday, December 11th 7-‐8 pm in Parish Hall for a free seminar sponsored by
The United Way. Please email
[email protected], to register.
PEACEFUL PARENTING
Seminar
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Help save a struggling family’s Christmas by providing an uncooked meal. It’s easy! Just buy the makings for a meal, and deliver it uncooked to your Adopt-‐a-‐Family. A sign-‐up sheet is posted on the bulletin board near Parish Hall. Please call Sue Kennedy at 908-‐234-‐0267 with any questions. If you have a particular family you have been supporting in the past, please let Sue know so that she can inform the Food Bank.
ADOPT-A-FAMILYfor Christmas
ST. JOHN ON THE MOUNTAIN December 2014
MISSION OUTREACH
The youth of SJOTM sent a letter out to the congregation and the nursery school talking about the many charitable groups that request donations/toys/gifts for kids at holiday time. In the past, our congregation has gone shopping and donated items. We really appreciate your generosity and we are hoping to streamline the process a bit this year and get the kids involved.
We are supporting the Somerset Home for Temporarily Displaced Children and the Morris County Youth Services Shelter -‐ both are group homes where children will awaken on Christmas morning. We plan to make this as special of a Christmas as possible for children who will be without their families this year.
The youth of SJOTM authored the request letter and signed it! They stuffed the envelopes for the mailing!They will be making announcements in church!The youth of SJOTM will help to shop on-‐line for the items requested by the charities! They will wrap and sort the gifts! ... and where possible, they are invited to help deliver the gifts. Since child privacy is a big issue, this is a very limited opportunity.
Please support the youth of SJOTM who are reaching out to help the children in our community. You can donate in church, by mail or even contact Katherine Hermes at [email protected] to discuss further. Keep an eye on the weekly newsletter -‐ we will be posting updates and photos over the next few weeks!
Volunteers at the Food Bank, wearing “Food for Fenn” t-shirts
KIDS HELPING KIDS
Confirmation Class stuffing envelopes for theKids Helping Kids mailing
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ST. JOHN ON THE MOUNTAIN December 2014
GREENING OF THE CHURCH for Christmas
Monday, December 22nd
Please join the Altar Guild on Monday, December 22 at 11 am to prepare the church and chapel for Christmas. Help hang wreaths and fill baskets. Any and all helping hands would be most appreciated. Goodies will be served.
MUSIC NEWS
We are pleased to host and support the mission of Music in the Somerset Hills
CHILDREN’S CHOIRChristmas Music - Rehearsal
All children are welcomed and encouraged to rehearse some old favorites and some great new music every Sunday after the 10 am service in preparation for the Christmas Pageant and for the 5 pm Christmas Eve Service. Look for Mr. Morgan in the Choir Room or at the organ console. Parents, we are in need of your support by bringing your children to rehearsal to allow for adequate preparation time. Little ones are welcome to come too and practice singing Away in a Manger and Angels We Have Heard on High.
Join Music in the Somerset Hills for a holiday celebration on Saturday, December 13th at 7pm, here at St. John on the Mountain, with the Somerset Hills Community Chorus led by Artistic Director Stephen Sands and accompanied by organ and brass. The concert will feature the Rutter Gloria and a Christmas carol sing. Other works being performed are In dulci jubilo being performed by professional a cappella singers and organist Brian Harlow along with the brass ensemble. General admission tickets are $20 for adults, $15 for seniors and $10 for students. Reserved seating is available for $30 and Angel Donor tickets are $50. To reserve your tickets, please visit: MusicSH.org/Concerts or call 973-‐339-‐7719.
St. John’s Intergenerational Choir invites you to join in the music making this Christmas. Once again, all ages are welcome! Parents, children, Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles, and all members of the Parish are invited to sing together for the Offertory Anthem during the Pageant on December 21st at 10 am and again at the 5 pm Christmas Eve Service on December 24th. Please arrive a half hour before each service for a brief warm up in the Choir Room. No vestments needed – street clothes and children in Pageant Costumes will be great. All singers will be invited forward during the Peace to assemble and sing the anthem. There will be 2 rehearsals: Sundays after church (around 11:15 am) on December 7th and 14th. Meet in the Choir Room for about 20 minutes with Mr. Morgan to rehearse the anthem. Copies will be provided at this time. This is a wonderful way to join your family and friends and again welcome the Christ Child in song!
ST. JOHN’SINTERGENERATIONAL CHOIR
MUSIC IN THE SOMERSET HILLSConcert
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STEWARDSHIP
Did You Know You Can Donate Your Stocks to SJOTM?
The tax advantages of giving stock, instead of cash, to church can make doing so very worthwhile. We would be happy to accept stock donations for 2015 as form of pledge payment. To learn more, please contact Lisa Keenan in the office at 908-‐766-‐2282 ext 13 or by email at [email protected].
ST. JOHN ON THE MOUNTAIN December 2014
Pledge payments for the calendar year 2014 will need to be received in the office or post marked by December 31, 2014 in order to receive tax credit for the current year.
2014 PLEDGE TAX CREDITThe 2015 Stewardship Campaign is off to a strong start! As of As of December 1st, we have 58 pledges for $207,494. If you have any questions about Stewardship, please contact Jeff McKeon [email protected] or Bob Courtemanche [email protected]. If you haven't already done so, please return your 2015 Pledge Card ASAP, as the Vestry needs them to make their budget decisions for the upcoming year. Extra pledge cards can be found on the web at www.sjotm.org, in the narthex or call the office 908-‐766-‐2282 to have one sent to you.
The annual wrapping party for the Plaid House Girls’ gifts will be held at 10:30 on Thursday, December 4th, in the Meeting Room. The Plaid House, located in Morristown, is a home that provides residential and related services to adolescent girls as they reenter into society. Our knitted gifts this year are afghans for each girl.
COMMUNITY/FELLOWSHIP NEWS
Please join us on Thursday, December 4th at 12:15 pm at the Morristown Club at 27 Elm Street in Morristown. The luncheons are open to members of the parish and their guests. The favor of a reply is requested in order that a place may be reserved for you at the table, but last minute drop-‐ins are always welcome. Hope to see you there. For more information please contact Alan Enos at 908-‐234-‐1321 or [email protected].
Join us for the Ladies' Holiday Luncheon on Thursday, December 18th at 12:00 noon. This year we will celebrate with the Holiday Lunch Buffet at Fiddler's Elbow Country Club. The cost is $30 per person. We must have reservations, so please rsvp to Kathy Christie (908-‐572-‐7048 or [email protected]) no later than December 10th if you would like to attend.
MEN’S LUNCHEONThursday, December 4th
LADIES’ HOLIDAY LUNCHEONThursday, December 18th
KNITTING NEEDLES & THREADThursdays
Lori [email protected]
NEW CONTACT INFORMATION
December Birthday Wishes to
Tressa Baird, Kip Forbes, Sabina Forbes, Sally Hespe, Burton How, Rich McGlynn,
Robin McKeon, Joan Millspaugh, & Sam Murphy
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ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED
St. John on the Mountain379 Mt. Harmony RoadBernardsville, NJ 07924-1414
THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH OFST. JOHN ON THE MOUNTAIN379 Mount Harmony RoadBernardsville, NJ 07924908-766-2282
PARISH STAFFThe Reverend Susan [email protected] x11
The Reverend Dr. Patrick [email protected]
Richard MorganDirector of Music & [email protected] x14
Lynn MitchellDirector of Children’s [email protected]
Patti LippmanParish [email protected] x10
Lisa KeenanFinance [email protected] x13
Edward JenéSexton
FOR DAILY UPDATES AND INFORMATION, DON’T FORGET TO VISIT OUR WEBSITE
www.sjotm.organd be sure to like us on facebook
ST. JOHN ON THE MOUNTAIN December 2014