OCTOBER 2017
NEWSLETTER
EMMANUEL, ST. ANDREWS, & ST. MATTHEWS EPISCOPAL CHURCHES
So, Im a little over two
months into my move up here,
and I have to say I have been
amazed at all the hospitality Ive
been shown by yall. It has
made being a stranger in a
strange land such an easier feat
that I thought possible.
Ive been driving
around a bunch, exploring all
the side roads and nooks and
crannies (I figure I need to do
that before it snows and I cant
get down them). Yesterday, I
was somewhere or other and I
noticed something a tree
changing colors. Already! Now
this may not be a big deal to
you, but to me wow! Where
Im from, trees begin to change
colors at the very end of
October and last about a week
before the rainy season knocks
all the leaves down.
These seasons you
have here are very special. I
wonder if you know that?
Sometimes it takes an outsider
to point out whats there in
front of us.
A while back, I was
talking with a new minister
friend who is a Baptist, and he
mentioned something to me.
He said that the hardest part of
his job was thinking about what
scripture passages to preach on
each week. You see, he didnt
use the lectionary. Instead he
Rhythms by Fr. Steve
had to almost randomly pick some-
thing each week. He told me that I
was lucky to have it all laid out in
yearly cycles like we Episcopalians
do.
Hes right. And hes wrong.
Hes right in that I dont have to
wonder what Im going to preach
about. I can tell you what lessons
Ill be preaching on the 40th
Sunday twenty years from now.
But hes wrong in that sometimes
the readings Im given make me
have to wrestle with them: maybe
they dont speak to me that
Sunday, or maybe they speak to me
all too clearly. Either way, thats
hard in its own way.
But we liturgical folk have
it lucky more often than not with
our liturgical calendar. We have a
spiritual rhythm in our lives that
adds beauty and depth. As the days
grow short and dark, we will begin
to focus on a growing pin-point of
blessed light that is our Advent
season. Then as we struggle with
the depths of winter we will
struggle with the winter of our
souls in Lent as things begin to
grow dark and dangerous in our
yearly walk through Jesus life. But
then salvation bursts forth like new
growth in the Easter Spring. And
we spend our summers growing in
our relationship with God and each
other as we settle down for the
green growing season of Ordinary
Time.
These seasonal rhythms,
they allow us to experience a full
range of emotions of our walk
with Christ, just like the disciples
must certainly have experienced
during those three years with
Jesus. Joy, sadness, fear, pain,
redemption, forgiveness. They
each have their season, and our
liturgies and lessons mirror that.
Thats why some prayers we
dont say during the ordinary
summer but will say during
Advent and Lent because the
prayers are more contemplative
just as the season is more
inward looking. And we save our
Alleluias at the dismissal for
Easter because its an especially
joyous occasion, and saying them
all the time takes away from that
seasonal specialness.
So, we are lucky, we
liturgical folk, with our old faith-
ful church seasons, just like we
New Yorkers (can I call myself
that, yet?) are lucky even when
its dumping snow in frosty, fro-
zen
February. Whenever we get
used to one season, another one
comes around the
corner. And thats the kind of
God I like always keeping us
on our toes!!
Peace, Steve+
 Lessons for October
1 1st Lesson Exodus 17:1-7 22 1st Lesson Exodus 33:12-23
Psalm Psalm 78:1-4, 12-16 Psalm 99
2nd Lesson Philippians 2:1-13
2nd Lesson 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10
Gospel Matthew 21:23-32
Gospel Matthew 22:15-22
8 1st Lesson Exodus 20:1-4, 7-9, 12-20
Psalm 19 29 1st Lesson Deuteronomy 34:1-12
2nd Lesson Philippians 3:4b-14 Psalm 90:1-6, 13-17
Gospel Matthew 21:33-46 2nd Lesson 1 Thessalonians 2:1-8
15 1st Lesson Exodus 32:1-14 Gospel Matthew 22:34-46
Psalm Psalm 106: 1-6, 19-23
2nd Lesson Philippians 4:1-9
Gospel Matthew 22:1-14

Emmanuel Episcopal Church St. Andrews & St. Matthews Episcopal Churches
October Birthdays October Birthdays

1 Nathan Murphy 15 Jenna Eiholzer

1 Brian Howard
2 Stephanie Murray Jill Bennett
3 Ann Payne
3 Michael Gray 16 Kathy Gualtieri
4 Derek Schoonover
5 Deborah Carnachan 17 Michael Tedesco
5 Tierney Johnson Charlton
6 Aiden Rogers 18 Scott Taylor, Matthew Pond,
7 Richard Ackerman, Jennifer
7 James Haynes, Jr.; Fynlee Ballin Benjamin Pond
Giresi
8 Cynthia Tefft 21 Amy Ryan
8 Evan Grainger
9 Bryce Stone 23 Dylan Harrington
10 Megan Friedel
14 Christopher Kappel 24 Sherrol Lewis
12 Donna Taylor
16 Charles Andy Stone; Connor Hall 25 Susan Ackerman, Bill Born
John Walton
19 Abigail Snow 26 Jeremy Wainright
13 Bryant Maynard
21 Grady Thompson 27 Erica Purdy Shearer
14 Joanne Slentz
23 Corry Woodard
25 Jonathan Rogers
26 Nicholas Fink
Stations of the Cross
27 Liam Ballin
Wednesday, October 11, 2017 at
28 Peggy Schiro
7:00 PM at
29 Emma Wilkes
30 Emily Loomis McGrain St. Andrews Episcopal Church,
31 Amber Gebo New Berlin, NY
 KIDS CHRISTIAN FORMATION
Emmanuel Episcopal Church Christian Formation

Starting in October, there will be Sunday School classes held in the Parish Hall starting at 9:30 AM, the same time as
services in the church. The class will go until about 10:10 AM and then the class will be led into church to be with their fami-
lies for the Great Thanksgiving.
The format for the classes will be to use a floor cloth labyrinth with The Lords Prayer printed along the path, so chil-
dren will start off by walking the maze and saying the prayer. Then there will be a processional where the students will carry a
cross, candle and Bible to the table so we can light the candle and open class with a prayer of thanks
The class will involve paper crafts, and a story related to the lessons for that Sunday, with cookies and juice for re-
freshments. Minimal glue, glitter or paints will be involved to keep the Parish Hall area clean and neat. Students will be en-
couraged in role playing the stories and to witness their own stories about their spiritual experience
The Sunday dates for the 2017-2018 season are:
October 1, 8, 15 & 29, 2017, November 5, 12 & 19, 2017, December 3, 10, 17, 31, 2017, January 7, 14, 21, 2018,
February 4, 11 & 18, 2018, March 4, 11, & 18, 2018, April 1, 2018Easter Egg Hunt after services, no class
Lynne A. Walton, Christian Education Director, is the Sunday School leader. She was retained especially to expedite
faith development at Emmanuel. Lynne is a Cradle Episcopalian from our sister parish, St. Andrews in New Berlin,
NY. She attended New Berlin High School and Cornell University, Ithaca, NY. After 32 years working as an industrial
hygienist and safety engineer for Proctor & Gamble, she retired in August, 2010. Lynne taught a fourth grade class for 9 years
at St. Annes Episcopal Church, West Chester, OH. She has attended Christian Leadership School , Colgate Rochester Crozer

Our Daily Bread Food Pantry continues to be
blessed with generous donations and donators.
Sometimes, it is difficult to believe the need in our
communities. As always, donations of food or money
are appreciated. In particular, we are in need of a
variety of soups. The only soups we currently have in
large supply are chicken noodle, and cream of
chicken. Any other soups would be greatly
appreciated.
Thanks for your continued support and
caring.
Barb and Gary TompkinsVolunteer Coordinators
St. Matthew's 44th Annual Tasting Tea
It will be on Sunday, November 5, from 1 P.M. until 4 P.M.
There will be a raffle featuring a Thanksgiving Basket, a Wine
Basket, and an original framed painting by Ann Faulkner. We will
not be selling cookbooks this year, but recipe cards will be
available for all the treats to be tasted. Many lovely crafts will be
on display for purchase.
Route 8, South New Berlin, NY (across
from the Fire House)
Soul Kitchen Hot Dog Lunch Summer 2017
Gary Brookins, Bernie Dye & Lynne Walton served over 1000
hot dogs over the 14 weeks that the Soul kitchen lunch
was provided to our Norwich community.

Sunday, November 5, 2017 is All Saints Day. If you have names of loved ones who have died and you would like them
remembered in the Necrology List reading on Sunday, November 5 at EMMANUEL EPISCOPAL CHURCH, please contact the church
office at 334-8801 or complete the form below and return it to Emmanuel Episcopal Church,
P O Box 203, Norwich, NY 13815 by October 20, 2017.
Name: _________________________________ Name:______________________________________
Please Print Please Print
Name: _____________________________________ Name: ______________________________________
Please Print Please Print
Name: _____________________________________ Name: ______________________________________
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Your Name:___________________________________ Phone # (in case we have a question) __________________
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U.S. POSTAGE PAID
NEW BERLIN, NY
PERMIT # 10

MAY GOD RICHLY BLESS:

We Worship Together

Remember the Church in Your Will!

Don't forget crafting night at St. Andrew's Parish Hall. We EMMANUEL SOUL
bring whatever we are working on - spinning, knitting, KITCHEN
crocheting, quilting, hand sewing. We meet the first Thursday Thursday, October 12
of the month at 7 PM.
Good Free Meal for
Body & Mind
The Church Office & All are welcome to come
During Advent, beginning
the Food Pantry will Eat, Talk, Make Friends!
December 6, 2017, Fr. Steve will
be CLOSED Only one seating
be holding a Wednesday night
on Monday, STARTS AT 5:30 P.M.
October 10 for
class at 7:00 p.m. at St. Parish Hall,
Columbus Day Andrews entitled: Emmanuel Episcopal Church
Prayer Book 101. 37 West Main St.
Later it will be offered at Norwich, NY
Emmanuel during Lent. 334-8801 for more
Information.

If you no longer wish to receive this Newsletter, please let the church know. You can email us at
emmanuelchurch@frontiernet.net or call 334-8801 and leave a message.