St. Paul's, Montrose announces Under a Harvest Moon Dinner and Jazz Performance October 22

[From Paul Walker]

St. Paul’s Episcopal Church of Montrose has announced “Under the Light of the Harvest Moon,” a program of dinner and live jazz to celebrate the return of autumn to Susquehanna County on Saturday, October 22.  The dinner will benefit The Adventure Club, a free after-school program located at St. Paul’s Church for students in the area .  The doors will open at 6:30 P.M. and dinner begins at 7:00 P.M.  The tickets are $15, and may be purchased by calling the church office at 278-2954.  Joe Welden and his friends will offer jazz music between the main course and dessert.

St. Paul's, Montrose announces Adventure Club after-school program

[From Paul Walker and Randy Webster]

Historic St. Paul’s Church is offering The Adventure Club, a free after-school program.  The program runs from 3:15 to 5:00 P.M. every Wednesday, beginning October 5.  All students in Kindergarten through the 8th grade are welcome to participate.
Each month will have a unique theme for the program. The monthly themes are:

• October— “All things bright and beautiful”
• November— Sharing and Caring
• December— Christmas Crafts
• January— Movement
• February— The Diversity of God’s Family
• March—Making a difference in the world around us
• April— The Fine Arts
• May— Cooking

The year will finish with a big celebration!
Snacks and homework assistance will be provided.

This year the students will have the opportunity to participate in a youth choir which will make public appearances about every six weeks, sometimes singing at the morning service at St. Paul’s, and sometimes singing at various public events.  The choirs will rehearse from 4:00 to 5:00 P.M.

If there is enough interest we will also offer the ability to participate in a handbell choir.
If you wish to register, please call the office at St. Paul’s at 570-278- 2954.

Grace, Kingston to host Christmas Gala December 2

Douglassville seeks part-time organist/choirmaster

[From Sally Heist. Respond directly to her at the address below.]

St. Gabriel's Episcopal Church in Douglassville PA is looking for a part-time Organist/Choirmaster, working on the average of 15 hours per week. This person should be an accomplished organist and choir director, open to various musical styles and settings and committed to enhancing and developing the musical programs at the parish.

Familiarity with the Episcopal liturgy and seasons of the Christian year is a plus. The candidate must be competent in organ playing and choral directing, possess a working knowledge of sacred choral music,ability to work effectively with adults, children/youth (or those who work with them)and ability to be sensitive and responsive to the capabilities, needs and interests of the entire parish family.

In preparation for Services, the Organist/Choirmaster will plan and coordinate service music with the rector,and work with a volunteer choir. Other significant liturgical occasions –– Christmas, Holy Week, Easter, Funerals and Weddings -– will require extra planning and rehearsals. 

The annual salary is commensurate with the abilities and experience of the candidate. The position is available September 10, 2011.

Please send your resume to [email protected].
Office: 610-385-3144

Sally Heist
Parish Administrator

Elegant Tea Party, May 15 at St. George's Hellertown

Calendar of Events Updated November 30, 2010

Here is the latest calendar of events in and around the diocese. If you want your event posted, please email Kat Lehman and she will gladly add your event to the list. This calendar is updated monthly. The format is in Word .doc if you want to cut and paste into your own calendars.

Download 101201calendarofevents

"An Evening with Margie and Dave" Benefit Concert

[From Fr. Scott Allen]

“An Evening with Margie and Dave”
 
Recording artists Margie DeRosso and David Lang will perform their original Christmas songs in addition to
your favorite holiday standards.
 
Saturday December 4th, at 4:00pm.
In the sanctuary of St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church
1900 Pennsylvania Ave., Bethlehem, PA
 
A “Meet and greet” with the artists will follow the concert in the church’s Social Hall.
Refreshments will be served.
 
All proceeds benefit the Pennsylvania Avenue Interfaith Food Pantry
 
Admission is $5.00 with a non-perishable food item donation at the door. Please call Craig @ 484-892-1589 for details.
 
This Concert is being sponsored in part by:
Giant Food Markets
Weis food Markets
Michael Thomas Floral Design Studio

St. Andrew's, Allentown/Bethlehem Dinner Benefit

[From Fr. Scott Allen]

An evening of Pre-Holiday Good Spirits at Weaversville Inn to Benefit St. Andrew's Church December 18.

The Evening Includes, but is not limited to:
Live music in the bar area for you enjoyment. Very special guest bartenders, our own Senior Warden Liza Holzinger, and the Minister of Spirits Scott Allen. Give away surprises. All gratuities generated from the bar, and 10% of the dining proceeds will go to support St. Andrew's mission's andministries. Reservations for dinner are suggested.

Place:     The Weaversville Inn
Address:     6916 Weaversville Rd.
                     Northampton, PA 18067
 
Tel. #:    610-502-9881
Time:     6-9 pm
Date:     Saturday December 18
 
Directions:  From the Airport; Airport Rd. North to left onto Schoenersville Rd. North, go past Gregory's, the roadturns into Weaversville Rd. at this point. Continue up the windy Rd. for about 2 miles, the Inn is on the right. If you get to a light you have gone to far.

Communications Workshop

Diocese of Bethlehem Communication Workshop
Cathedral Church of the Nativity
321 Wyandotte Street
Bethlehem, PA 18015
Saturday, June 26th from 8:30 A.M. to 3:00 P.M.
Communicating the Gospel is what Christians are called to do; we are called to
spread the Good News! Come learn about communication as ministry, electronic
newsletters, blogs, print publications and social networking in this one day
workshop.
Register online at www.diobeth.org
call Kat Lehman at 610-691-5655 x235 for more info.

Download the brochure for the workshop here:

Download 100626Brochure

Choral Evensong and mini-concert

[From Mark Laubach, St. Stephen's Pro-Cathedral, Wilkes-Barre]

posted by Kat Lehman

Choral Evensong and mini-concert
This coming Sunday, May 2nd, St. Stephen's Episcopal Pro-Cathedral in Wilkes-Barre will be pleased to host a service of Choral Evensong for the Fifth Sunday of Easter at 5 p.m., immediately followed by a 30-minute choral concert presented by the Chamber Singers of Marywood University in Scranton.

Evensong will be sung by the Choir of St. Stephen's under the direction of Canon Mark Laubach, Organist and Choirmaster. Officiant for the service will be the Reverend Daniel C. Gunn, Rector of St. Stephen's. Music for the service will include the following ...

Organ Voluntary:   Feierlicher Einzug   -   Richard Strauss, arr. by Max Reger
Hymn, "The day of resurrection"  (tune: Ellacombe)
Hymn, "Christ, mighty Savior"   (tune: Innisfree Farm)
Psalm 84, Anglican chant by C. Hubert H. Parry
Evening Canticles in F, by George Dyson
Anthem, O God, why hast thou cast us out, by Henry Purcell (sung by the Marywood University Chamber Singers)
Anthem, The Lord is my Shepherd, by Howard Goodall (theme music for The Vicar of Dibley, sung by St. Stephen's Choir)
Hymn, "This joyful Eastertide"   (tune: Vruechteni)
Organ Voluntary:   Toccata in C, BWV 564  -  J. S. Bach  (played by Christopher Prestia, Organ Scholar)

St. Stephen's is truly privileged to present a brief program by the Marywood University Chamber Singers, conducted by Dr. Rick Hoffenberg, Associate Professor and Director of Choral Music at Marywood. This exciting and varied program will include the following works selected from repertoire to be sung for the group's forthcoming tour of Northern and Southern California.

Missa Brevis, by Richard Rodney Bennett
Water Night, by Eric Whitacre
I cannot dance, O Lord, by Aaron Jay Kernis
All the things you are, by Jerome Kern, arranged by Ward Swingle
'Round Midnight, by Thelonious Monk, arranged by Rick Hoffenberg

Organist and Choir Director Position Available

[ADVERTISEMENT] GOOD SHEPHERD & ST JOHN'S  MILFORD
 
                   SEEKING ORGANIST and CHOIR DIRECTOR.
 
This is the opportunity to work with an eighteen strong choir, playing a two year old 25 rank SCHANTZ Pipe organ. Milford is the cultural centre of the Tri-State Area, attracting classical musicians from all three states and the five boroughs. Music festivals, concerts and the arts abound. Population expands in the summer. This is a part-time position paying $10,000, ideal as a second job or for retiree. Contact the office at: [email protected]  or 570-296-8123.

The Church and the S*p*r B*wl

The blog Religion Clause reports that the NFL has loosened their guidelines for churches that want to show a certain championship football game in their parish halls this coming Sunday. But if you don't follow their guidelines, you can still get in trouble.

...the NFL adopted new Guidelines last year to ease limitations on churches showing the copyrighted Super Bowl Game. Churches are no longer limited to projecting the game on screens of 55 inches or less. Now they can use bigger screens and sound equipment so long as those are used regularly in their ministry. Churches may not charge admission for the showing, but can take up a collection to defray expenses of the party. Finally churches are encouraged to call their events something other than a "Super Bowl" party. The NFL continues to send cease and desist letters to venues other than churches that plan to show the Super Bowl on large screens.

Just to prove that even Christians watch the S*p*r B*wl mostly for the ads, Religion Clause guesses that more church groups will want to tune in to watch a controversial anti-abortion ad featuring University of Florida quarterback Tim Tebow.

Ironically, Focus on the Family was able to place their ad CBS because the United Church of Christ got CBS to drop their "no advocacy ads during the Super Bowl" policy so that the denomination could run one of their "God is Still Speaking" ads called "Bouncer" during the game. When the earthquake struck Haiti on January 12th, the UCC pulled the ad and redirected the $2 million or so fee for 30 seconds of air-time to earthquake relief. Focus on the Family still plans to run their ad. (The deflated advertising market may have been a motivator for the change in policy.)

Episcopal Cafe says that one "mega-church" in California has created a Dorito's ad through a company-sponsored contest that will run as one of six ads that viewers can then vote on on-line or via text message. Believe it or not, the groups says they found a way to at once hawk Doritos and the resurrection by way of a "light-hearted spoof."

One good way to redirect all that S*p*r B*wl hype is to take part in the Souper Bowl of Caring. This is a nationwide project where youth from local schools and churches collect money on the day of the Big Game in large Soup Bowls, and then direct 100% of those funds to a local food bank, soup kitchen or feeding ministry.

--posted by Andrew Gerns

My Community Guide

My Community Guide, sponsored by St. Luke's Hospital, appears as a full page in The Morning Call every Wednesday, listing nonprofit and community events, including breakfasts, dinners, school performances, speakers, benefit sales, and groups, dance recitals, flea markets, shows and much more. To list your event free, go to http://www.lvupcoming.com.

Imagine yourself in the Episcopal Church

By Bill Lewellis

Three 30-second television spots have been giving northeastern and central Pennsylvania viewers of WNEP, channel 16, visual clues of the Episcopal Church as sacramental and of its members as diverse, involved and caring for neighbors in need.

The spots for this groundbreaking project began to air on April 1 during the Good Morning America show and the 5:30 and 11:00 p.m. newscasts, introduced by WNEP’s Good Things are Happening music.

A tagline on two of the spots asks viewers to “imagine yourself in the Episcopal Church.” That continues with slight variations of “where your questions are respected as much as anyone’s answers,” All three spots – a fourth still to be developed – then conclude on the note that viewers can find an Episcopal church or more information about the Episcopal Church by visiting the WNEP website.

The WNEP website includes a link on a prominent new Episcopal Church in Northeast PA logo that will continuously display there and take interested viewers to a new Episcopal Church in Northeast PA website, www.nepaepiscopalchurch.org, developed specifically for the ad campaign. There, viewers will find information about the Episcopal Church or links to the 42 Episcopal churches in the WNEP coverage area. The spots may also be replayed at the site.

Northern Tier Christmas Ad

[From Father Charles Cesaretti] This Northern Tier Christmas Ad will run on the front page of the local newspaper this Friday.  A less "church building" approach this year.

How Grace Kingston is using its Congregational Development Grant

By Joe Jackloski
[From the December 2008 issue of the Grace Kingston newsletter]

Grace Church had been the recipient of Congregational Development Grants for the last two years. These Grants are intended to help us in our outreach efforts, and to promote the growth of the Grace Church. This money is entirely separate from out operating budget and to be used solely to help Grace Church grow in numbers and spirit. These grants are not automatic. They are awarded to those congregations which make a genuine effort to reach out into the community.

Put your Faith to Work advertising campaign

You may [or may not] be familiar with the Put Your Faith To Work advertising campaign of the Episcopal Church.

News from the Northern Tier

Download the Christmas ad from St. Paul's, Montrose, Christ Church, Susquehanna, and St. Mark's, New Milford. It appeared Friday on the front page of a local free paper.

Download 0712_christmas_07_ad.pdf

Seven Seasonal Welcome Posters ... and a Postcard Program for Christmas, Easter and the beginning of the school year

Jenifer Gamber and Richard Woodyatt have put together a program for printing and distributing a series of seven seasonal welcome poster throughout the liturgical year: Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Easter and Pentecost, There will be two posters for the Pentecost season – one sent out in May at the beginning of the season and one in late August to make the beginning of the school year activities. All posters are printed on a heavy 80# Gloss Cover Stock and have a finished size of 11x17 inches. They will be shipped flat via first class mail in a protective mailer and timed to arrive about a week before they are needed. There will also be a program of coordinating postcards for Christmas, Easter and the beginning of the school year, similar to last year's program. Pdf files describing all of this and how to participate may be downloaded below. All featured works of art are by Episcopal artists. The image on the Christmas poster is by Harvey Bonner, a member of the Church of the Mediator, Allentown.

Download poster.Advent 2007.pdf

Download poster.Christmas 2007.pdf

Download poster.Epiphany 2008.pdf

Download 20072008_poster_program_overview.pdf

Download 20072008_poster_order_form.pdf

Download christmas_2007_postcard_description.pdf

Download 20072008_postcardflyer_quote.pdf

Download christmas_2007_postcard_order_form.pdf

Seven Seasonal Welcome Posters ... and a Postcard Program for Christmas, Easter and the beginning of the school year

Jenifer Gamber and Richard Woodyatt have put together a program for printing and distributing a series of seven seasonal welcome poster throughout the liturgical year: Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Easter and Pentecost, There will be two posters for the Pentecost season – one sent out in May at the beginning of the season and one in late August to make the beginning of the school year activities. All posters are printed on a heavy 80# Gloss Cover Stock and have a finished size of 11x17 inches. They will be shipped flat via first class mail in a protective mailer and timed to arrive about a week before they are needed. There will also be a program of coordinating postcards for Christmas, Easter and the beginning of the school year, similar to last year's program. Pdf files describing all of this and how to participate may be downloaded below.

Download poster.Advent 2007.pdf

Download poster.Christmas 2007.pdf

Download poster.Epiphany 2008.pdf

Download 20072008_poster_program_overview.pdf

Download 20072008_poster_order_form.pdf

Download christmas_2007_postcard_description.pdf

Download 20072008_postcardflyer_quote.pdf

Download christmas_2007_postcard_order_form.pdf