HAPPY NEW YEAR! Message from Rev. Ann New Year resolutions are popular and remind us that there are areas of our lives that could be further transformed in order for us to be the persons’ God calls us to be. Transformation is a process. It begins with stimulus, triggers a series of changes that produces different characteristics. I have studied the transformation of cells for many years, a system that helps us dissect the events that turn a normal cell into a cancer cell. The change in a few cells affects the entire body. The church is the body of Christ: it is made up of many parts, all different, and all sharing in one common purpose, one unifying presence. Living things change. To be a vibrant, living, body we must be willing to allow God’s spirit to trigger changes in us, individually and collectively. St John’s is a growing energetic and exciting congregation with dynamic ministries. Christian service begins with a sincere authentic welcome to one another in the manner Christ welcomed each of us. Being sacramental in worship we share a common table where the Lord is host and all of us are guests. We have many gifts to offer to our neighbors near and far. As we continue to plan and focus our ministries through a process of strategic planning, setting priorities, we will always be mindful of the importance of our plant, our people, and our program. God’s love is transformative. It is the source of our family solidarity, our bereavement when one we love dies, and our source of motivational energy to reach out in mission and ministry. Love changes us and allows us to be agents of change. I pray each of you will be blessed with new energy, renewed commitment, and radiant with the love of Christ that dwells in us. 2012 Offertory Envelopes are now available at the back of the church. Vestry: We are pleased to announce six candidates for the 2012-2015 term of the Vestry. They are Tina Angle, Bill Lucht, Betty Markle, Bob Rauth, Dusty Graham and Perrin Wells. Profiles of each will be on the bulletin board at the Antietam Street entrance so that you may learn more about them, their associations with Saint John's, the gifts that each will bring to the Vestry, and their visions for our church. You will have the opportunity to vote for four (4) at the Annual Meeting on January 22. You can also read their profiles by clicking here. Nomination for Vestry candidates by parishioners: Every voting member of the Parish shall be eligible to serve as a member of the Vestry. Any two voting members may nominate a candidate for membership to the Vestry by submitting such nomination, over their signatures, to the Registrar at least two (2) weeks prior to the annual meeting. The Vestry shall immediately make known to the congregation by publication in the church bulletin, or by such other means as the Vestry may select, the names of any such additional nominee. Nomination forms may be obtained in the church office. JDOKS will meet in the chapel right after the 10:15 service on Sunday, January 8. All girls ages seven and up are welcome! For more information, please call Karla Davis at 301 797-7781. Healthcare Professionals: The meeting to discuss the development of the Parish Nurse Program for Saint John's will be held on Wednesday, January 18, 2012 at 7:00 p.m. in Saint Mary's Chapel. Wendy Zimmerman, Parish Nurse Coordinator, Meritus Medical Center, will be there to answer our questions. If you are unable to attend this meeting and have suggestions, please contact: Melissa Hutton at mmhagnp@verizon.net or Gail Petre at abbygail7@verizon.net. Birthday Party Pennies: Beginning January 2012 at Fellowship Hour, Parish Life will host a birthday party for those celebrating their birthdays that month. All are invited. Our first party will be January 15th. We are inviting the celebrants to bring pennies equal to their age. If you are ten years or sixty years old you will donate ten or sixty pennies to our Penny Party container. These pennies will be collected at each birthday party and at year end the pennies will be donated to a charity chosen by the children? perhaps to Heifer International or to Gifts for Life sponsored by Episcopal Relief and Development. Counseling Available at Saint John’s Church: Saint John’s may be offering counseling to those who request it in 2012. Sandy Bassin, a Licensed Counselor, and Rector Ann Boyd are attempting to assess the need for counseling in our parish. If you would like to talk to Sandy about emotional distress, anxiety, grieving the loss of a loved one, divorce or family issues, sadness or depression, hopelessness or lack of meaning in your life, please call. All information will be kept confidential. Lori New, Saint John’s Administrator (301-733-2560) and Sandy Bassin (301-790-1560, ext. 206) are ready to receive your calls. Centering Prayer Groups are offered: The Centering Prayer Group meets every Thursday at 10:30 a.m. and at 6:00 p.m. Please contact Bob Speelman at 540-247-2482 or bob@jillandbob.us with any questions about evening sessions. Rotary Value Books support our Preschool. As a recipient of funds from the Rotary Foundation, we are entitled to sell the $20 value book and keep $10 for the Preschool. The book includes hundreds of dollars of discounts at local restaurants and business services and all the money Rotary raises goes back into the community. The value book is available at the gift card desk after each service. Gift Cards Raise Money for our Outreach projects, particularly our Preschool which has now celebrated 40 years of service to our community. Martin’s and Weis gift cards are available after each service at the desk near the Antietam St. entrance. It’s a WIN, WIN, WIN as you get full value, the church gets 5% and the store gets your business. Martin’s cards are $20, $50, $100; Weis cards are $50, and $100. All are good for groceries and gas. Pledges: Pledges to date total $284,597 with 133 families making this commitment to Saint John’s. Thank you! Our minimum goal is $300,000, so we kindly ask that you submit your pledge cards. This facilitates the 2012 budget planning and enables Saint John’s to continue its many worthy programs. If you have not yet received a stewardship packet, please call the church and we will be happy to send you one. Announcing Electronic Giving We are pleased to offer electronic giving as an option. Electronic giving allows your contributions to be transferred from your checking or savings account directly to the church account. You may also contribute using a credit or debit card. While away on vacation, you have the peace of mind that your gift has been received and is contributing to the work of the church, especially during the low cash flow months of the year. You may enroll at our website, www.stjohnshagerstown.org by clicking on the DONATE NOW button. 1. You choose the method ? Checking Account, Savings Account, Credit or Debit Card 2. You select the frequency ? One time, weekly, semi-monthly, monthly 3. You indicate the amount 4. You set the start date. That’s it! The rest is automatic. Nursery volunteers needed! Please see Jennifer Sealing if you can help or call the church office. Bester Elementary, Our School Coats and Winter Accessories Needed: As part of our partnership with Bester Elementary School, we are collecting coats for students. Many do not have a winter coat, which we take for granted. They would like new or gently used coats, sizes 5 to adult, for both girls and boys, along with mittens, gloves, snow boots, scarves, and hats. Do not have any children at home to pass on their gently used items? You can go to a retail or thrift store, or give a monetary donation that we will give to the school to purchase what they need. Please place your gently used items in the large box in Trimble Hall. Dusty Graham (301-991-5612) can answer any questions you may have. Readers Needed: We need many caring adults to read to kindergartners for an hour a week. Pick your day, Monday through Friday, any time between 10:30 a.m. and 12 noon. You will read school-furnished books for about 30 minutes per student. Sign-up sheets are at the gift card table at the Antietam Street entrance. If you have any questions, call Bonna Nakopoulos at 301-739-1534 or Bill Alexander at 301-665-9322. Books wanted: Gently used or new children’s books can be donated to Bester Elementary School by placing them in the Books for Bester Elementary box in Trimble Hall. If you have any questions, please call Dusty Graham at 301- 991-5612. Help Needed: Saint John’s is partnering with another church to provide food for the weekends for several children who would otherwise go without. Help is needed to pack five backpacks with these basic necessities. Can you give some time to support this worthy cause? Dates and times will be made available. Meanwhile, if you have any questions, please contact Rob or Kelly Slocum at 240-420-3754. Thistle Farms is a social enterprise that is run by the women of the Magdalene Community in Nashville, Tennessee. Magdalene House is a residential program for women who have survived lives of violence, prostitution and addiction, founded by Episcopal priest, The Rev. Becca Stevens. The women create, by hand, natural bath and body products that are as good for the earth as they are for the body. Purchases of Thistle Farms products directly benefit the women who made them through support of the Magdalene Community. Samples of their lotions, candles and bath products will be available for smelling and testing during the coffee hour as well as information on how to order these products. Books written by the women of Magdalene and The Rev. Becca Stevens will also be available for perusal.