St. Mark's Episcopal Church, Mystic, Connecticut
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December 2008 Calendar
St. Mark's Episcopal Church, Mystic, Connecticut |
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Most events are held at St. Mark's Episcopal Church, 15 Pearl Street, Mystic, CT 06355. Events held at other locations are emphasized by this font. Holy days and most secular holidays are noted this way. 2 Advent, for example, means the 2nd Sunday of Advent.
Daily or weekly events, such as Morning Prayer, the Holy Eucharist at StoneRidge, are described in detail on the Description & Schedule Page, along with some monthly events such as the Healing Service.
In December we celebrate the feast days of several saints. The Church School gathered to celebrate the Feast of St. Nicholas on December 6th (there are photos below). An Advent Quiet Morning on the 13th enabled us to take a break from the busy-ness of the holiday season. We rehearsed our favorite carols and enjoyed the potluck supper on the 14th.
See photos of the Church School Pageant which took place on the 21st.
Because everyone was busy with Christmas preparation, on the 23rd the book discussion group Theology Sandwiched In watched the documentary Traces of the Trade: A Story from the Deep North. Please see the Theology Sandwiched In listing for details.
On Christmas Eve there were be two Eucharists, one at 5:30 (especially suitable for children) and the other at 11:00. Merry Christmas!
| Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday |
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| November 30 Holy Eucharist 8:00 AM Adult Forum 9:00 AM Church School 9:45 AM Holy Eucharist 10:00 AM Children's Choir 11:20 AM |
1 Morning Prayer 9:00 AM |
2 Morning Prayer 9:00 AM Toddler Board 7:00 PM |
3 Morning Prayer 9:00 AM Holy Eucharist at StoneRidge 10:30 AM |
4 Holy Eucharist 7:00 AM Bible Study 8:00 AM Morning Prayer 9:00 AM Handbells 6:30 PM Choir 7:30 PM |
5 Morning Prayer 9:00 AM |
6 4:30 PM |
| 7 8:00 AM Adult Forum 9:00 AM Church School 9:45 AM Holy Eucharist 10:00 AM Children's Choir 11:20 AM |
8 Morning Prayer 9:00 AM |
9 Morning Prayer 9:00 AM Healing Service 7:00 PM |
10 Morning Prayer 9:00 AM Holy Eucharist at StoneRidge 10:30 AM |
11 Holy Eucharist 7:00 AM Bible Study 8:00 AM Morning Prayer 9:00 AM Handbells 6:30 PM Choir 7:30 PM Bus Trip: Christmas in New York City |
12 Morning Prayer 9:00 AM |
13 Advent Quiet Morning 9:30 AM to 12:30 PM |
| 14 8:00 AM Adult Forum 9:00 AM Church School 9:45 AM Holy Eucharist 10:00 AM Carol Sing & Potluck Supper 4:30 PM |
15 Morning Prayer 9:00 AM |
16 Morning Prayer 9:00 AM Vestry 7:00 PM |
17 Morning Prayer 9:00 AM Holy Eucharist at StoneRidge 10:30 AM |
18 Holy Eucharist 7:00 AM Bible Study 8:00 AM Morning Prayer 9:00 AM Handbells 6:30 PM Choir 7:30 PM |
19 Morning Prayer 9:00 AM |
20 |
| 21 8:00 AM Holy Eucharist 10:00 AM Christmas Pageant  Greening of the Church 4:30 PM |
22 Morning Prayer 9:00 AM |
23 Morning Prayer 9:00 AM Holy Eucharist at StoneRidge 10:30 AM Theology Sandwiched In 12:30 PM There is no Seabury Deanery meeting in December. |
24 5:30 PM Festal Midnight Eucharist 11:00 PM  |
25 10:00 AM  |
26 9:00 AM Holy Eucharist 12:00 Noon |
27 12:00 Noon |
| 28 8:00 AM Adult Forum 9:00 AM Church School 9:45 AM Holy Eucharist 10:00 AM Children's Choir 11:20 AM Santucci Open House 2:00 PM until 5:00 PM |
29 9:00 AM |
30 Morning Prayer 9:00 AM Holy Eucharist at StoneRidge 10:30 AM |
31 Morning Prayer 9:00 AM |
January 1, 2009 |
January 2, 2009 | January 3, 2009 |
St. Mark's Church School students and their parents gathered on the Feast of St. Nicholas on Saturday the 6th of December at 4:30 for a time of story, activities and food. We heard a St. Nicholas story and worked together on a project in the spirit of the Saint. Pizza was served.
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An ecumenical group of people joined us on Thursday, December 11th for the annual motorcoach excursion to see the Radio City Christmas Spectacular with the world-famous Rockettes and enjoy the City decked out for the holidays. The total cost of $95 per person included a ticket to the 2 PM show, round trip transportation, and the bus driver's gratuity. Thanks to Carl A. for arranging another wonderful trip! We're already looking forward to the December 2009 trip.
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Quiet time on Saturday morning, December 13, from 9:30 until 12:30 was a simple, but meaningful time of Advent prayer and reflection. Fr. Mark Santucci, our rector, lead us with a series of short meditations. There was ample time to just sit and pray, or ponder, or read, or just plain sit.
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Officially, we can't sing Christmas carols until Christmas, so we just rehearsed our favorites. Thanks to David Tubbs, Director of Music, for his accompaniment and sense of humor. Thanks to Carl A. for leading us, especially in "The 12 Days of Christmas". The Junior Choir taught us motions for "Go Tell it on the Mountain" and additional words to "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer".
Following the (ahem) rehearsal, we gathered in the Undercroft for a potluck supper. The food and fellowship were great, and recipes for dishes from meatballs to fruit compote were exchanged.
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Each year the Christmas Pageant is different. It is a joy to see the young people grow and take on different roles, from lambs to shepherds to angels. Special thanks to Bob Welt for these photographs!
Back to December 21 Back to top of December 2008 calendar
There were plenty of easy tasks for everyone as we prepared the church for Christmas. Fr. Mark likes to stay on terra firma ("The more firma the less terra!"), so ladder climbers and people who don't mind heights were especially encouraged to help.
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In December we watched the documentary film Traces of the Trade: A Story from the Deep North. The film is a documentary which retraces the steps of Thomas Norman DeWolf's slave-trading ancestors through the notorious Triangle Trade from New England to Ghana and Cuba and back. Thomas Norman DeWolf, the author of November's Theology Sandwiched In book Inheriting the Trade, was inspired to write his book during the making of the film.
More about the film can be found at the Site WWW.TracesOfTheTrade.Org (external Site). More about the book can be read at the "About" section of WWW.InheritingTheTrade.Com (external Site).
Each month a different book is chosen for reading and discussion. People usually bring a bag lunch; beverages are provided.
The Shack has been getting phenomenal word of mouth and is now a best seller. Another author said "The path to God is paved with questions - sometimes frightening and deeply painful ones. While reading The Shack I realized the questions unfolding in this captivating novel were questions I was carrying deep within me. True freedom is born from facing those things we feel we don't have the courage or strength to face. The beauty of this book is not that it supplies the reader with easy answers to grueling questions, but that it invites you to come in close to a God of mercy and love, in whom we find hope and healing." Much about The Shack is available at WWW.TheShackBook.Com (external Site).
Remember to ask for your reading group discount at Bank Square Books (external Site). Our discussion will be on Tuesday, January 27th beginning at 12:30 PM.
Back to December 23 Back to top of December 2008 calendar
Seabury Deanery is an affiliation of Episcopal Churches in Southeastern Connecticut. Member churches include St. Mark's Church in Mystic, St. David's Church in Gales Ferry (external Site), Grace Church in Yantic (external Site), Christ Episcopal Church in Norwich (external Site), Calvary Church in Stonington (external Site), St. James Church in New London (external Site), St. John's Church in Niantic (external Site), and St. James Church in Poquetanuck (external Site).
"The Diocese [of Connecticut] is divided into 14 geographic units called deaneries, each with an elected dean, sub-dean, secretary and treasurer. These were established decades ago as a way to improve communication and encourage collaborative ministry, and replaced an older model of archdeaconries."
"The diocesan bishop views the deanery system as a helpful way to gather clergy and parishes regionally. Confirmations are held on a deanery basis, and bishops meet with each deanery's clergy on a regular basis. Elected lay delegates to convention serve as delegates to their deanery as well."
(The two quoted paragraphs are from the Episcopal Diocese of Connecticut Web Site (external Site).
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Directions to St. Mark's Description & Schedule Welcome Page November 2008 Calendar January 2009 Calendar
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St. Mark's Episcopal Church 15 Pearl Street Mystic, CT 06355 (860) 572-9549 |
Version 1.4 F 31 December 2008 |