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Rector's Message: Saturday, 02 October 2021
Sunday, 03 October
The Nineteenth Sunday After Pentecost
UPDATED MASK ADVISORY
In accordance with the latest CDC guidelines
and for the safety of all,
particularly the children in our parish family,
all worshippers are highly encouraged
to wear a mask or face covering
in indoor settings,
regardless of vaccination status.
Thank you for prayerfully considering this request
for the health of all members of our faith community.
Message From Montgomery County Office Of Public Health Our community is stronger when we’re all protected. The best way to protect yourself and others from COVID-19 is to get vaccinated. The COVID-19 vaccine is safe, effective, and widely available. The COVID-19 vaccine will protect you from severe illness, hospitalization, and death; and protects vulnerable people in your community who can’t get the vaccine. A healthier community starts with you. For more information on the COVID-19 vaccine, call the Montgomery County Office of Public Health at 610-278-5117 or visit https://www.montcopa.org/3660/COVID-19-Vaccine.
A Scripture Verse for the Week:
A Message from the Bishop Daniel Gutierrez
The Episcopal Diocese of Pennsylvania has a profound history and beautiful heritage, but the best is yet to come. Together, we have an extraordinary future. A revolutionary diocese, undertaking the revolutionary ideas the world needs right now.
A beautiful and life-giving mosaic of people from all backgrounds committed to sharing the Good News of Christ. A community of fellow sojourners who are willing to pray with you support you as you ask those questions: What values are important? Why do I matter? What makes my life meaningful? We believe in someone who has those answers: Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
During COVID, we did not shrink nor fade. We touched the pain of the world with confidence in our Lord. We grew stronger and we shared a deeper commitment to God and one another. We demonstrated our resiliency, our perseverance and our faith.
We have a strong foundation, a beautiful Anglican heritage, an extraordinary history. I am here at Christ Church in Philadelphia holding Bishop William White’s Book of Common Prayer. The Book of Common Prayer that he held at the founding of The Episcopal Church. We have this extraordinary history but now is the time to make our own history.
We are the best hope in the world - right now. Our churches will be the center of social, economic, civic, and religious life.
Come be part of this history-making movement. We are writing our own beautiful story and we will tell that story of our faith, hope and love. We have no fear of failure because Jesus Christ is with us. Be part of this revolutionary work with us. Come and see.
O God, our times are in your hands: Look with favor, we pray, on these your servants as they begin another year. Grant that they may grow in wisdom and grace, and strengthen their trust in your goodness all the days of their life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Tyler Boldt
Elliana Hales
Parker Behm
Delaney Budd
Scott Bender
VISIT THE WEBSITE: Here you can find a video of the Sunday service as well as the bulletin and the sermon. https://www.messiahgwynedd.org/
VIEW THE CALENDAR
OFFICE HOURS
Monday through Friday 9:30 to 2:30
IN CASE OF A PASTORAL EMERGENCY AFTER HOURS
Should you have an urgent need to contact the Rector outside of Church Office hours, please use his cell phone: 215-692-2667.
Help for a Family in Need
Dave Reichley’s brother’s family suffered a devastating house fire last week, completely destroying their North Wales home and losing all their possessions. Thankfully, everyone escaped without injury. Mike and Deb George-Reichley and their six children, ages 13 years to 4 months, are now searching for temporary housing while dealing with insurance companies, making arrangements for rebuilding their home, and starting to rebuild their life.
HOW CAN YOU HELP? Here at Church of the Messiah, we are collecting cash donations and VISA gift cards which will be given to the George-Reichley family to use for groceries, clothing and other needs in the months ahead. PLEASE HELP! Monetary donations and/or gift cards should be placed in the collection box located in the narthex or given directly to the Rector (please make checks payable to ‘Rector’s Discretionary Fund’). As your gifts are received, they will be delivered to family for their use in these difficult times. Please be generous with your assistance.
PARISH FUNDRAISER AT TEXAS ROADHOUSE
Tuesday October 5th or Wednesday October 6th
from 4pm to 9pm
Enjoy a night out to eat or a night of take out while supporting the church!
Present your flyer at the Montgomeryville Texas Roadhouse location and Texas Roadhouse will donate 10% of your total food purchases to the fundraiser!
SMG Clubhouse at Church of the Messiah is now open!
If you, or someone you know, is in need of day care (3 months to 5 years) and wants to know more about SMG Clubhouse and enrollment opportunities, contact the Director, Syieda Logan, at 215-999-3811 or www.smgclubhouse.com for information.
Reminder: Pledge Payments
Wondering if your pledge is up to date? Want to see how much you’ve given this calendar year? You’re in luck…we will be sending out updated pledge statements in the coming week. As we are already in the last quarter of 2021, it is most important to keep your pledge up to date and to use these next few months finalize your pledge for 2021.
We encourage you to bring an your pledge payment to the Sunday services, mail a check to the office or use Tithe.ly, our online giving platform. We thank you for your support and dedication to Church of the Messiah. Your pledge directly supports the operations of the church, and we are grateful for your gifts!
If you have any questions, please contract Sarah Patram (sarah@messiahgwynedd.org) or Sam Frenkel (sfrenkel516@gmail.com).
SAVE THE DATE!!
Sign up Here!
Thanks to the wonders of modern technology and the hard work of several parishioners, we are able to offer a variety of ways to participate in Sunday services:
IN-PERSON – COVID precautions strictly observed
LIVE-STREAMED - the service will be broadcast on YouTube – follow the link posted on the church website (messiahgwynedd.org)
BY PHONE – for those without computer access, dial 609-663-5164 to listen to an audio-only option on your phone
WEBSITE – at the close of the service, a video will be posted to the parish website (messiahgwynedd.org) for viewing at a time convenient for you
ALTAR FLOWERS GUILD
Each Sunday, the altar is graced with flowers dedicated to the glory of God, as well as the memory of a loved one or given in thanksgiving by members of the congregation. For the past several years, these weekly arrangements have been lovingly done by Nancy Sisson and Deb Casey, with occasional help from Dale Murphy and Kristin Pickell. Sadly, Deb will soon be relocating to the Delaware beach area - a bit too far to commute for flower arranging! We are now looking for volunteers to assist in this important ministry by taking responsibility of providing floral arrangements for a few weeks each year. If you have experience in this area, or are interested in learning, please contact Nancy Sisson for more information (215-285-0331; nlasisson@gmail.com). Your help will be greatly appreciated.
BELFRY BARGAINS
After being shut for several months due to the pandemic, Belfry Bargains will reopen in September! All proceeds from this important parish ministry, now in its third decade, provides outreach funds to local, national and international social service and justice agencies and organizations. Hours of operation are 10:00am-1:00pm, Monday through Saturday. Volunteers perform a variety of tasks: assisting customers; manning the sales counter; receiving, sorting, pricing and stocking donated clothing, small kitchen items, and other merchandise. Assistance is needed, particularly on Mondays and Thursdays. If you are willing to serve, have questions, or need more information, please contact Diana Mulroy (dimulroy1@gmail.com).
Acolytes - not just for teens anymore!
Volunteers – of any age! – are needed to serve on the altar as acolytes. In addition to leading the choir and clergy in processions, acolytes assist the priest in preparing and clearing the altar for Communion. If you are interested in serving in this important ministry, contact Rich Dunlap: dunlap1824@verizon.net. Thank you!
Sunday Morning Nursery
Nursery volunteers are needed to care for with our youngest parishioners during the 9:30am service. Please contact Tiffany Reichley if you are willing to serve: 215-779-0391; tmreichley@gmail.com
Click Here to Sign Up
BLUE JEANS COLLECTION FOR THE HOMELESS
The deacons of the diocese are leading a blue jeans collection throughout the churches of the diocese. Blue jeans are durable and in need by those who are without shelter. The deacons are asking all churches - and you - to collect what you can so that they can be delivered to those across our community most in need. Collection bins are located in the narthex of the church. Please help us fill them!
Needed:
clean, gently worn jeans
those jeans in the back of you closet that you know you will never wear again
brand new jeans (please buy your own size to ensure a wide variety of sizes are collected)
AID FOR HAITI IN AFTERMATH
OF EARTHQUAKE & TROPICAL STORM
On Saturday, August 14, a 7.2 magnitude earthquake struck the southwest portion of Haiti. This devastating earthquake was followed by Tropical Storm Grace on Monday night and much of Tuesday. More than 1 million people, including more than half a million children, have been impacted by the back-to-back disasters, and the death toll is close to 2,200. Episcopal Relief & Development and its partners are responding immediately with direct assistance to vulnerable households in the region, as partners plan long-term recovery. Your generous gift can provide assistance to help people in the wake of these disasters. To assist in these efforts, visit episcopalrelief.org/haiti-relief.
SUPPORT OUR MANNA ON MAIN STREET
MINISTRY PARTNER
Both last summer and this year, throughout the summer months, twice each week, a local farmstand donates their excess fresh vegetables and fruit to those in need. Two of our parishioners – John Sangston and Ulrich Taglieber – transport the donations to Manna, allowing them to distribute fresh produce to their clients. In appreciation for their generosity, Messiah parishioners may wish to consider visiting and supporting the farmstand as a gesture of our gratitude for assisting us in this important ministry. Skippack Pike Farmstand is located is located at 1040 West Skippack Pike, Blue Bell (between Valley Road and Cathcart Road, next to the former Korean restaurant).
And We Continue to Collect & Deliver Non-Perishable Items
As you do your weekly shopping, please pick up some non-perishable food items, toiletries and cleaning supplies. These donations can be left on the back pew of the church or left outside the Rector’s office door. These will then be delivered to Manna to stock their shelves for distribution to meet clients’ needs.
MEALS On Wheels Appeal
for Volunteers
Delivery Drivers and Kitchen Helpers
are desperately needed!
Delivery drivers are needed in both the North Penn and Indian Valley areas; kitchen prep and packers are needed in the Souderton facility. Deliveries are made Monday-Friday between 10:45-12:30. Volunteers are scheduled to deliver weekly or bi-weekly to fit your schedule. Substitute drivers are also needed. For more information, please contact Kim or Pat: 215-723-8555.
Looking for GOD in Messy Places
A Book About HOPE - How to find it. Practice it. Grow it.
The Rev. MaryJo Melberger invites you: Join our Zoom book discussion!
Thursday afternoons at 2:00 p.m.
From September 30 – November 11,2021
Looking for GOD in Messy Places is written by Jake Owensby, the Episcopal Bishop of Western Louisiana. Life is messy. We can get discouraged by setbacks, overwhelmed by busyness, and shaken by worry. Hope is the power that gets us out of bed in the morning and gives us the courage to face adversity. It is a book about how love gives us an inextinguishable hope. This book is for anyone who has ever been frozen in place by loss or regret, anyone who has endured suffering, cruelty, or rejection. From word to word and page to page, readers will experience themselves as God’s beloved―so that they can be hopeful.
To inquire about or register for the sessions: contact MaryJo Melberger at revmjmelb@verizon.net
To purchase the book: Amazon - $16.99, or Kindle - $9.99;
or at Cokesbury.com - $13.99+postage.
The Rector’s Zoom Book Study & Discussion
GENESIS - The Opening Chapters: Origins & Foundations
Wednesday evenings – 7:00pm
First Session: October 6 – November 10, 2021
Second Session: January 12 – February 16, 2022
The first book of the Bible is a book of beginnings. The first eleven chapters of the Book of Genesis bring us back to our origins and the foundation of life itself: the creation stories; the Fall; the first murder; the ark and Great Flood; the first covenant; Tower of Babel; and dispersion of the nations. We learn how we were created and about the origins of sin and its fallout through meeting Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel, Noah and his family. We find ourselves drawn into tales of deceit, jealousy and outright failure. And woven throughout these earliest stories are the golden threads of God’s promises and revelation.
Church School will continue to meet in person and virtually on Sunday mornings at 9:30 in the Parish Hall.
Following the CDC and diocesan guidelines, and for the safety of all:
all children, teachers and nursery volunteers will be strongly encouraged to wear a mask or face covering, regardless of vaccination status
seats will be spread out, when both sitting at a table or on the carpet
snacks and drinks will not be served
hand sanitizer will be available, as well as the restroom sink for hand washing
each child will be supplied with a bag of their own supplies to eliminate the need for sharing supplies
CLICK HERE TO VIEW THIS YEAR'S CALENDAR OF MEETINGS AND EVENTS
NOTE: Barbara Stevenson continues to need recipes and craft ideas to pass along to the parish through the weekly email messages. You can send your submissions to Barbara at bebstevenson@yahoo.com.
There were so many terrific dishes for our Brunch a few weeks ago. I just received the recipe for another one of them. Margaret Hawkins has shared the recipe for one of her favorites that received many compliments! Please enjoy these wonderful Virginia Ham Biscuits!
Barbara
Virginia Ham Biscuits
3/4 cup salted butter
1 1/2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 Tablespoons poppy seeds
1 Tablespoons dried minced onion
24 Hawaiian rolls
1 lb thinly sliced ham
1 lb thinly sliced Swiss cheese
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix butter, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, poppy seeds and dried onion in a bowl. Slice through all the rolls horizontally, separating the tops from the bottoms. Put the bottoms of the rolls on a piece of aluminum foil that has been cut large enough to fold over the tops of the sandwiches once they are assembled. Layer half of the ham, then all of the cheese, then a second layer of the ham. Pour half of the combined mixture over the second layer of ham. Place the tops of the rolls on the ham, and pour the rest of the mixture over the tops. Tightly cover all with aluminum foil. Bake for about 20 minutes or until the cheese melts. You can take the top foil off for the last 5 minutes or so if you would like the tops browned.
Can be made ahead and baked one or two days later. Recipe can be halved.
