December 2007 Newsletter This symbol indicates the document is in Portable Document Format (PDF).
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A MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR by Fr. Curtis Metzger
St. Stephen’s Beloved of God, this Advent and Christmas mark the first year anniversary of my ministry with you. Little did we know that when I came to provide pastoral ministry for a short period last year that we would end up in a regular pastoral relationship!
I have learned so much this past year, and we have been through some amazing ups and downs with births, deaths and, of course, the roof. (Oy! The roof!) Our weeks worshipping in the undercroft will fade in memory, but I hope the intimacy and fellowship we have fostered in that cozy space will carry on in our repaired and renovated sanctuary.
Please remember to send in your 2008 pledge if you haven’t already done so. It really helps us to budget for the year. And also think about inviting someone to church — it is an especially wonderful time of year to bring friends and those who may be interested in finding a church home. Our little family benefits from each new member.
I pray you will have a Holy Advent, Merry Christmas, and Blessed Epiphany!
Fr. Curtis
PARISH PROFILES by Elvia Hetu
Now that Jim and Betty Whinn have moved to Vermont, who’s collecting the information and putting it in the right place for the bulletin the usher passes to you as you enter the church each Sunday? Here’s what we know about the two busy ladies who have taken on that responsibility.
Connie Mitchell
Connie sits near the front of the church on the left-hand side.
Connie grew up in New Jersey and began college, majoring in architecture at the University of Michigan. After getting married during her junior year, she and her husband settled in Cambridge, Mass., where she finished her education, receiving a bachelor’s degree in history from Harvard.
Her career during this period was as a draftsman in several city planning and engineering firms. Following her divorce in 1972, she moved first to Vermont and then to New Hampshire, where she ran an experimental program dedicated to keeping developmentally disabled adults in the community rather than in institutions, which was common at the time.
Connie’s dream was to live on a farm, so after buying her home in Barnstead, she began subsistence farming with a small herd of dairy goats and an assortment of other animals. Farming did not fit well with a 9-to-5 job, so she took a series of part-time jobs over the years, including serving as Town Clerk/Tax Collector for the town of Barnstead. For the past 20 years, she has worked as an independent paralegal specializing in real estate and probate law.
When first moving to the area, Connie attended St. Stephen’s, but when her farming duties began to demand more of her time, she found it difficult to attend the early services. Eventually, she joined the North Barnstead Congregational Church UCC, which was nearer her home and held services later on Sunday mornings.
By the time Gene Robinson was elected Bishop, she was winding down her farming operation, so she returned to St. Stephen’s to show her support for the Bishop. Currently, she maintains her membership and loyalties to both churches, although her primary attendance is now at St. Stephen’s.
Connie’s hobby is gardening. Her favorite foods are artichoke, asparagus and avocado.
Now announcements, dates, times, etc. can be given to Connie and/or Grace Holden for our bulletins. They’re in good hands.
Grace Holden
Taking every other month with Connie Mitchell producing the Sunday bulletins is Grace Holden, who sits near the back on the right side of the church.
Grace was born in Boston and had most of her early education in Winthrop, Mass. After high school, she took courses at Touch Shorthand Academy in Boston, studying to be a court stenographer and later courses at New Hampshire Institute for Therapeutic Art for massage therapy.
After living many years in Groton, Mass., Grace moved to Nashua, then Deerfield, and finally Pittsfield. She works as a freelance court stenographer for a court reporting agency which frequently assigns her to lawyers in Lebanon, Portsmouth and Manchester.
When looking for a place to live in Pittsfield, Grace was pleased to find an Episcopal church in the town and is now at home at St. Stephen’s.
Her favorite food is pasta, and her hobbies include golf and stained glass projects.
Grace has two dogs – Bailey, a Rottweiler, and Rocke, a four-month-old Black Lab. They are great company, Grace says, for her and each other.
We’re glad to have these efficient and alert ladies sharing the preparation of our weekly bulletins at St. Stephen’s.
Our newest Vestry member
Now serving as a Vestry member-at-large is Virginia Haffner, filling out the term left open by Betty Whinn’s move to Vermont.
Virginia has been a member of St. Stephen’s ever since she moved to Barnstead, just over a year ago, from North Reading, Mass., where she had lived for over 30 years. She sits near the front of the church on the left-hand side.
Here at St. Stephen’s, she is a member of the Altar Guild, is in charge of running off and collating the Sunday bulletins, and donates and helps with refreshments at church affairs.
Born in Medford, Mass., Virginia Day attended elementary school in Woburn and high school in Reading. While living in North Reading, married and with two children, Virginia Haffner attended night classes and obtained her associate science degree at North Shore College in Beverly, Mass. She worked in an office most of her life.
Since retiring to New Hampshire, her hobby is developing her sewing skills. She has completed a prayer shawl with the St. Stephen’s Prayer Shawl Ministry and is now working on quilts for her grandchildren. Her favorite food is dessert.
She now has two grandchildren, who live in Chester, NH.
We are fortunate to have this cordial, active member helping out in so many ways.
STILL TIME FOR A ROOF PLEDGE
It will be a shelter and shade from the heat of the day, and a refuge and hiding place from the storm and rain. Isaiah 4:6
Dear Friends,
In this our 144th year, St. Stephen’s has recently undertaken one of its most ambitious and necessary building projects in its distinguished history: a complete reconstruction of our church’s distinctive roof.
The decision to completely overhaul the roof is one that was not taken lightly, but after substantial deliberation by the Vestry and the tireless efforts of Denise Roberge-Pelletier, it was determined that the appropriate solution would be a long-term fix, meaning a through-and-through roof reconstruction project rather than a mere re-shingling.
Naturally, with such a substantial project comes a substantial price tag, roughly $58,000, and although the Vestry has liquidated investment assets to pay for the project, we are asking for your financial assistance in hopes of replenishing some of those assets.
St. Stephen’s is known as “the little church with the big heart.” As we strive to live up to that description and share in God’s love through our ministry, we invite you to pray with us, and we welcome whatever assistance you are able to provide.
Thank you for your consideration.
Your Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Fr. Curtis and the Vestry
Please cut out below and respond as soon as possible, and remember, this is different from what you plan to offer to God for our annual operating expenses — your annual stewardship pledge.
I/we wish to support the St. Stephen’s Roof Reconstruction Building Campaign by pledging
$_____________. I prefer to pay (check one):
___ single payment
___ payments of $______over _____months.
Donors will be acknowledged on a plaque in the undercroft.
Name(s) and address:
Checks should be made out to St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church and designated “Roof Reconstruction Campaign.” Mail to: St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, P.O. Box 435, Pittsfield, NH 03263.
Your support is appreciated!
“A SENIOR MOMENT” by Chris Porter, Senior Warden
Greetings ...
For lack of a better idea, I’m sticking with “A Senior Moment” as the name for my Senior Warden newsletter blurb. I feel like I’ve had a lot of senior moments lately, especially as I try to remember all the things that are happening at St. Stephen’s.
What with the roof reconstruction and funding appeal, our current stewardship and pledge season, the “Call-by-Name” ministry survey, the mutual ministry review questionnaire, the Diocesan process involved in calling Fr. Curtis as our full-time, part-time rector, and looking ahead to the parish budget and annual meeting season, juggling church with job with home leads to the occasional senior moment, as in, “What have I forgotten to do this week?”
Both the roof reconstruction and annual stewardship pledge drives are well underway, and the support received to date has been most welcomed and wonderful to behold. If you haven’t had a chance to do so, please take a moment now to complete and return your roof fund and annual stewardship pledge cards.
Along with your pledge of treasure, your commitment of time and talent in the “Call-By-Name” process is invaluable. An extra hour of assistance per week, to one or more of St. Stephen’s ministries, would be an enormous gift to the parish.
As I write this, work is underway to restore the sanctuary to both its former, and new and improved, glory. Thanks to everyone for bearing with the process and the many undercroft services, and an especially heartfelt gracias to the Welches for being our eyes, ears and hands during the roofing and sanctuary restoration turmoil.
My minute’s up. Thanks to all of you for everything you do for St. Stephen’s, and for your support of me.
Cheers and Merry Christmas, Chris Porter
BULLETIN BOARD
St. Nicholas Christmas Fair
A monumental effort went into making this year’s fair a success. Special thanks to the wreath-making crew who worked so diligently, and to Martha Booth for coordinating the important event. This year’s proceeds, which were well over $1,700 at last count, will go toward the roof fund. Pledges
December 2 marked the formal end to this year’s stewardship campaign. For those who have not already filled out a pledge form or “Call-by-Name” card, return them as soon as possible in preparation for the annual meeting in January. Christmas Flowers
It’s time to order Christmas plants to adorn the church altar and sanctuary. Flowers may be given in memory of loved ones or for a special intention. The cost for each plant is $8.95. Order forms are available at the back of the church and on the website, ststephenspittsfield.com. Completed order forms should be returned to the church by this Sunday, Dec. 9. For more information, contact Charlotte Berry.
PARISH REGISTRY
New Members
Susan and Jason Stehle
Baptisms
Rose-Aimee Kate Cummings
Paige Colebank Stehle
Confirmations
Katherine Ortega
Denise Roberge-Pelletier
Nicole Pelletier Reception
Keith Belanger
Deaths
Herb Kelley
Charlotte Tudor
Evlyn St. Laurent
Work of Christmas Begins
When the song of the angels is stilled, when the star in the sky is gone, when the kings and princes are home, when the shepherds are back with the flocks, then the work of Christmas begins:
to find the lost,
to heal those broken in spirit,
to feed the hungry,
to release the oppressed,
to rebuild the nations,
to bring peace among all peoples,
to make a little music with the hearts
And to radiate the Light of Christ, every day, in every way, in all that we do and in all that we say.
Then the work of Christmas begins.
(Howard Thurman, adapted)
December 2007 Edition
Parish News Editor: Dave Cummings 736-9734 email editor
Contributors: Fr. Curtis Metzger, Chris Porter, Elvia Hetu, Lucinda Kerivan
