August 2018

A note from the Rector…

I have studied many times The marble which was chiseled for me – A boat with a furled sail at rest in a harbor. In truth it pictures not my destination But my life. For love was offered me and I shrank from its disillusionment; Sorrow knocked at my door, but I was afraid; Ambition called to me, but I dreaded the chances. Yet all the while I hungered for meaning in my life. And now I know that we must lift the sail And catch the winds of destiny Wherever they drive the boat. To put meaning in one’s life may end in madness, But life without meaning is the torture Of restlessness and vague desire— It is a boat longing for the sea and yet afraid. George Gray, Spoon River Anthology

On the retreat I attended in July, I was reminded of this piece from the book, Spoon River Anthology by Edgar Lee Masters. The book is vignettes of people speaking from their graves in the graveyard of this mythical town, Spoon River.

George Gray’s tombstone shows a sailboat with sails furled – closed up – and at anchor in a harbor. George Gray realizes this reflects his life, in that his fear kept him in the harbor…kept him from unfurling the sails and letting the wind fill them, providing movement and new experiences. George Gray lived in fear, which prevented him from living fully.

Taking the risk of new experiences can feel disastrous at times; however, George Gray realizes that even such disaster is better than remaining anchored in the harbor.

Have you lifted your sails and caught the wind? Do you have meaning in your life? Love, Rebecca

NATIVITY NEWS

The newsletter of the Episcopal Church of the Nativity and St. Stephen

Newport and Thompsontown, PA

159 South Second Street, Newport PA 17074

Phone: 717-567-6514 E-mail: chnatss@pa.net

Parish Website: www.nativityandststephen.diocpa.org

Parlor People and Godly

Play will resume

September 9.

Choir Practice TBD.

Notecards of Nativity for sale.

$2 each or 5 for $8.

The photo on the 4X5½“ cards is of

the pews and was taken by Irene

VanBuskirk.

They are in the undercroft.

We will be celebrating

baptism on November 4. Let Rebecca know if you or

someone you know would like to

be baptized on this day.

Baking needs and

chocolate items available

through Equal Exchange.

See the cart in the

parish hall. We are now a wholesaler for

Equal Exchange, a company that

supports small farmers who use

sustainable practices for

chocolate, cocoa, coffee, tea,

nuts, olive oil and other baking

items. A price list and basket are

available to pay for the items you

choose to buy. Also, be sure to

write down what you’ve

purchased to help us maintain our

inventory. A catalogue is also

available. If there’s an item you’d

like us to order, please see

Jane Hoover.

Suggestions for Giving To Others (GTO) Funds. If you have a new recommendation for GTO funding, please contact Lynne

Mitchell by September 1.

We are planning to give away at least $20,000 once again.

2017 GTO Organizations

$200 Leukemia/Lymphoma Society

$200 Four Diamonds Fund

$200 Neal S. VanBuskirk Foundation

$200 Relay for Life - Perry County

$200 Sonshine Ministries

$250 Borough of Newport

$250 Perry County Council of the Arts

$300 Juniata County Library

$300 Gift of Love

$350 Perry County Animal Rescue

$500 Christian Churches United

$500 Central PA Youth Ministries

$500 Christian Education Release Program

$500 Citizens Fire Company, Newport

$500 Farmland Preservation

$500 Newport Senior Center

$500 Perry Housing Authority

$500 St. Barnabas-Rainbow Program

$500 Thompsontown Fire Company

$750 Kyle Weller Scholarship Fund

$800 YWCA of Harrisburg

$1,000 Beacon Clinic

$1,000 Bread of Life

$1,000 Hamilton Health Center

$1,000 Join Hands

$1,000 Juniata County Food Pantry

$1,000 Newport Library

$1000 Perry County Literacy Council

$1000 Perry Human Services

$1,000 Stevenson School for Ministry

$2,000 Perry County Food Bank

$2,500 Helping kids

Total 2017 Giving - $22,000

Blessing of the backpacks,

August 19. Teachers and students are invited

to bring their backpacks to be

blessed.

Honor or Remember a loved

one or a special occasion

with flowers on the altar! Flowers help make our worship

space more beautiful and remind us

of the blossoming life we have in

Christ. Please consider sponsoring

the flowers in memory of a loved

one, or to celebrate your

thanksgivings. Flowers are $30.

Let Michele know by email –

chnatss@pa.net

or phone, 717-567-6514.

Donate your surplus home-grown produce to the

Perry County Food Bank. You can bring items to the church and place in the refrigerator for delivery or

contact Kay, falconrider1@ymail.com

Episcopal Home Sunday, August 5

Please fill out a postcard of thoughts, prayers or messages for residents of The

Episcopal Home and put in collection plate.

Be a part of the PCCA Bucket Brigade or attend their

public performance, Tuesday, August 7, 6pm,

Noye Park, Duncannon. Learn to make great sounds as a group while banging on a regular ol’

bucket. Practices are Thursdays, July 26 and August 2, 7-8pm at the

Landis House and Tuesday, August 7, 5pm at the Duncannon Presbyterian

Church. Public performance during Duncannon National Night Out, Noye

Park. For ages 13 and up. For more details, visit perrycountyarts.org or

call 717-567-7023.

Riverfront Gallery

Call for Artists The Riverfront Gallery at St. Stephen’s

Episcopal Cathedral is calling for two-

dimensional, framed works by regional

artists. Works will be displayed in a three

month show pairing two artists. A 20%

consignment fee benefits local

community programs. Sign up at

www.STSTEP.ORG/RIVERFRONT-

GALLERY

Human Trafficking Hands-on Event,

Saturday, August 25, 10am – 2pm,

St. Andrew's in the Valley, 4620 Linglestown Road, Hbg.

Help place labels on bars of soap which will be delivered to local hotels

and truck stops at the second Human Trafficking Awareness Day on

October 13. Bring a brown bag lunch, beverages and dessert will be

provided. Please RSVP to Cathy Rippeon at cathyww93@aol.com.

Perry County Council of the Arts,

Country Casual, August 25,

4-8pm, Hunters Valley Winery,

Liverpool. Silent and Live Auction items, Road Hawg

Barbecue, live music by Colebrook Road,

Meteorologist Eric Finkenbinder - Emcee

and PA State Rep. Mark Keller will serve

as Guest Auctioneer. Purchase tickets at

http://www.perrycountyarts.org/community

-events/country-casual-fundraiser/

Episcopal Church Women Fall Retreat,

Fri., Sept. 14 – Sun., Sept. 16, Claggett Center,

3035 Buckeystown Pike, Adamstown, Maryland. “Discovering and Manifesting God in Ourselves” presented by The Rev.

Barbara Hutchinson. Registration deadline is Friday, August 17. To

register online visit: http://www.cvent.com/d/dgqcwd/4W

A brochure is posted in the undercroft.

National Alliance on Mental Illness Peer-to-Peer

Recovery Education Course,

Tuesdays, September 11 to November 13,

6:30 – 8:30pm,

Highland United Presbyterian Church,

11 Church Rd., Newport. Ten two-hour sessions, recovery-focused educational program

for adults who wish to establish and maintain wellness in

response to mental health challenges. Free of charge. To

register, call 717-620-9580 or email nami.cp.pa@gmail.com

No Way Out 3rd Annual Day of Hope,

Saturday, September 15, Cooper Field,

Duncannon. Concert / Community Fair with games, raffles, bounce

house, vendors and food to benefit No Way Out’s

Suicide Prevention program. Fair takes place 10am –

5pm. There will also be a Run4Hope 5k, $30 entry fee,

registration at 8:30am, run starts at 9:30am and a

Suicide Prevention Poker Run organized by Dry Bones

Soldiers, registration 8am – 8:45am and ride begins

promptly at 9am, $15 per rider/driver, $5/passenger.

More info is posted in the undercroft.

to The Church of the Nativity and St. Stephen!

We’ve added a “Give Online” button to our website. You can

use your credit card to make a onetime or recurring monthly

donation to the church. On the second screen before final

confirmation, you can give special instructions if you’d like to

split your donation between the program fund, building fund,

flowers or another area of the church. Check it out!

Food Bank Donations are needed! For a list of the items needed by the Food Bank, go to

their website at http://www.perrycountyfoodbank.org/

and click on their wish list. Canned vegetables, fruit, nut

butters and protein are always needed.

Help People in Need when you buy your Groceries!

See Gail Shull or Pat Szabo to purchase cards in various amounts to use at Giant, Mutzabaugh's, or Weis Stores. 5% of the

cost of each card stays with the church and is used for outreach and mission projects.

Send notes or cards to our friends who are unable to attend service on Sundays.

Arlene McGowan

92 Village Drive

Room 108

Mifflintown PA 17059

Nominations needed for Vestry Members, Delegate to Diocesan Convention and Representatives

to Convocation.

Please see a member of the Nominating Committee, Bill Day, Mary “Tootser” Davis or Becky Crup, if you are interested.

August Episcopal Commons

7 Alexander Warne 7 Joan Finton

Dick Price 17 Marcia Peasley

9 Sarah Rice 19 Mark Jones

13 Barbara Holliman

15 Gail Shull Honaman House Brian Shull

Maddie Shepley 8 David Martz

17 Pat Szabo 14 Sandra Reisinger

18 Rachel Amsler 30 Patricia Traxler

Maria Cramer

21 Bill Day

25 Josephine Middlesworth

26 Roger Chappelka

Renee Rohm

27 Kate Chescattie

28 Craig Hoover

30 Allison Davis

Service Participants Schedule **St. Stephen’s

Counters: August 5 – Kay and Sue B.

Date Greeters Lector Prayers Acolyte Euch. Min. Coffee Hour

**August 5 (A.G. 1) Days Susan R. Connie Y. Day Day Shannon / Ann R.

John Sivley preaching

August 12 (A.G. 2) Chappelkas ? Wendy D. Lillian H. Rohm Edna/Andrea

August 19 (A.G. 3) Prices Mary P. Dick P. Sophia Amsler Jane / Wendy

Blessing of the Backpacks

August 26 (A.G. 4) Yocums Jane H. Becky C. Saner Saner Anne C. / Elizabeth

August 2018

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Rebecca will be away Monday, July 30 – Friday, August 10.

1 Men’s Breakfast

(Espresso Yourself)

Women’s Breakfast

(Bitting’s) - 9am

2

3

4 9:30am – 12:30pm, Diocesan Eliminating Racism Committee

5 Worship - 9:30am St. Stephen’s John Sivley preaching

Episcopal Home Sunday

Special Offering

6 Church Office Closed

7 Taize’ Tuesday, 4:45pm

8 Men’s Breakfast

(Espresso Yourself)

Women’s Breakfast

(Bitting’s) - 9am

6:30pm, Vestry

9

10

11

12 Worship - 9:30am

13

14 Taize’ Tuesday,

4:45pm

15 Men’s Breakfast

(Espresso Yourself)

Women’s Breakfast

(Bitting’s) - 9am

16

17

18

19 Worship - 9:30am Blessing of the Backpacks

20

21 Taize’ Tuesday, 4:45pm

Newport Anti-Racism

League. Going to

see the movie

BlacKkKlansman

22 Men’s Breakfast

(Espresso Yourself)

Women’s Breakfast

(Bitting’s) - 9am

23 Parlor People

Planning Meeting, 2pm

24

25

26 Worship - 9:30am

Special Offering

Worship Committee

Meeting, 11am

27

28 Taize’ Tuesday, 4:45pm

29 Men’s Breakfast

(Espresso Yourself)

Women’s Breakfast

(Bitting’s) - 9am

30

31

Special Offerings – August 5 – Caring for Nativity’s

Neighbors

August 26- Building Fund