Saturday, September 1, 2012

LITURGY OF THE WORD AND WEEKLY READINGS








Sunday, September 30, 2012: Eighteenth Sunday After Pentecost
First Lesson: Esther (7:1-6, 9-10)
Psalm 124, Page 781, BCP
Second Lesson: James' Epistle (5:13-20)
The Holy Gospel Of Our Lord Jesus Christ According To Mark (9:38-50)
Suggested Readings For The Week
Monday Luke 5:1-11; Tuesday Luke 5:12-16; Wednesday Luke 5:27-39; Thursday Luke 6:1-11; Friday  Luke 6:12-26; Saturday Luke 6:27-38.

Sunday, September 23, 2012: Seventeenth Sunday After Pentecost
First Lesson: Proverbs (31:10-31)
Psalm 1, Page 585, BCP
Second Lesson: James' Epistle (3:13-4:3, 7-8a)
The Holy Gospel Of Our Lord Jesus Christ According To Mark (9:30-37)
Suggested Readings For The Week
Monday Luke 3:1-14; Tuesday Luke 3:15-22; Wednesday Luke 4:1-13; Thursday Luke 4:14-30; Friday Luke 4:31-37; Saturday Hebrews 1:1-14.

Sunday, September 16, 2012: Sixteenth Sunday After Pentecost
First Lesson: Proverbs (1:20-33)
Psalm 19, Page 606, BCP
Second Lesson: James' Epistle (3:1-12)
The Holy Gospel Of Our Lord Jesus Christ According To Mark (8:27-38)
Suggested Readings For The Week
Monday John 11:51-12:1-8; Tuesday John 12:9-19; Wednesday John 12:20-26; Thursday John 12:27-36a; Friday Romans 10:1-15; Saturday 12:44-50.

Sunday, September 9, 2012: Fifteenth Sunday After Pentecost
First Lesson: Proverbs (22:1-2, 8-9, 22-23)
Psalm 125, Page 781, BCP
Second Lesson: James' Epistle (2:1-10 [11-13] 14-17)
The Holy Gospel Of Our Lord Jesus Christ According To Mark (7:24-37)
Suggested Readings For The Week
Monday John 10:19-30; Tuesday John 10:31-42; Wednesday John 11:1-16; Thursday John 11:17-29; Friday John 11:30-44; Saturday John 11:45-54.

Sunday, September 2, 2012: Fourteenth Sunday After Pentecost
First Lesson: Song of Solomon (2:8-13)
Psalm 45:1-2, 7-10, Page 647, BCP
Second Lesson: James' Epistle (1:17-27)
The Holy Gospel Of Our Lord Jesus Christ According To Mark (7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23)
Suggested Readings For The Week
Monday John 8:21-32; Tuesday John 8:33-47; Wednesday John 8:47-59; Thursday John 9:1-17; Friday John 9:18-41; Saturday John 10:1-18.
NEWS AND EVENTS









From The Desk Of The Rector
Fund Raising vs. Stewardship
With many churches these days facing tight budgets, many have become "fund raising mills." Though there are great ideas out there and some events generate a large amount of financial support, some of this activity comes at the expense of Good Stewardship. Some annual events take months of planning and and require an enormous amount of time and talent. Having an annual event that generates a large amount of money can be a great way to bring the congregation together and a way to promote the ministries of the church. This can happen if there is a plan.

Other churches have multiple events throughout the year that generate hundreds or a couple thousand dollars and also take a lot of work. In some churches by the time one event has been completed the next one is taking place with a rushed anxiousness.

In one church the leadership determined that all the events throughout the year were generating a profit, but with the cost of each event the members were paying a large ticket price. So they change their whole plan. They held a breakfast at the church each Palm Sunday and determined what the total profit for the year was of all the fund raising events and asked them to make a donation for the breakfast for their share of the profits. If they raised $15,000 profit for the year and they had 100 households they asked each household for $150. The result was that they raised the same money without all the events and the cost to the members of the church was less than buying a ticket for each of the the previous events in total.
Peter C. Saros, M. Div., Parish Development & Stewardship Consultant
P.O. Box 960, Hampton Bays, NY 11946

Directions To St. Monica's
For driving directions to St. Monica's, 3575 Main Street, Hartford CLICK HERE

Upcoming Events
Homecoming:
1. Saturday, September 8, 2012 (9:30 a.m. -6 p.m.). Pancake Breakfast: Board Games Adult/Youth Discussion.

Afternoon Activities: Lunch on Your Own. Music on the Lawn: Matthew Burry Guitarist.
Movie One Night with the King (Ester [Hadassah] saves the Jewish Race)
Youth Basketball/Soccer Tournament

2. Sunday, September 9, 2012 Church Service 9 a.m. Financial Discussion.

108th Anniversary
In celebration of our 108th Anniversary, a Dinner and Recognition Presentation will be held at the Bradley Hotel and Banquet Hall in Windsor Locks. Join us as we salute and recognize our members who have served St. Monica's and its ministries faithfully and selflessly. Tickets are $65 per adult and $35 per child. See Gloria Marsele, Doreen Radway, Cynthia Timoll, Olive James or Terry Brown for tickets.

St. Monica's Sunday School Volunteers
Volunteers are needed for St. Monica's Sunday School. Please call or email Carol Anderson.



Food Pantry
Please continue to donate to the Ruth Small Food Pantry. Suggested items are canned or instant potatoes, canned meats (tuna, salmon, chicken(, canned sweet potatoes, soup, peanut butter,jelly and individual fruit cups. Thank you for your continued support.

Rescheduling Meetings
Fr. Davidson needs our cooperation if we wish to reschedule a meeting on Monday or Wednesday between 5:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. Fr. Davidson schedules interviews and pastoral counseling either before or after Prayer Meetings on Monday. He may also schedule interviews and pastoral counseling on Wednesday. He schedules events when there is no Bible Study. As a courtesy, please call Fr. Davidson to verify if he has anything schedule.

Activity Calendar
Weekly: 1) Mondays-Prayer meeting at 6:30 p.m. 2)Wednesday-Bible Study at 6:30 p.m.

Special Days (Weekly): 1) Wednesdays and Fridays-Food Pantry opens 10:00 a.m. to noon.
2) Every other thursday-Pro's and Con's task Force at 6:30 p.m.

Special Says (Monthly): First Thursday-Stewardship committee at 6:30 p.m. 2) Second Thursday-Vestry Meeting 6:30 p.m. 3) Third Tuesday- Women of Valier 4) Third and fourth Saturday opens at 12:00 noon to 1:00 p.m. 5) First Saturday-Episcopal Church women (ECW) at 12:00 noon.

Birthdays And Anniversaries in September
Happy Birthday to: Ashley Cohen and Elaine Stewart 3rd; Dorothy Archer 5th; Elizabeth Martin and Ceceline Morson 6th; Bjorn Hume 9th; Jordan Rice and Maya Tuning 9th; Cheris Lea Branch and Vina Morgan 10, Wentworth Lawrence and Kerry-Ann Stewart 13th; Marva Brito 14th; Iman Devonish 16th; Varon Webb 17th; Pauline Scott 19th; Peter Marsele 22nd; Leslie Hanlan 23rd; Rochelle Holder 25th; Irene Linton and Felecia Mikell 26th; Earline Bradshaw 28th.

In Memory for September
In Memory of: Clifford Haywood 1st; Jennie Weaver 2nd; Annie Warren 3rd; Philip Goode 4th; Kathryn Blade 8th; Dwight Weeler 11th; Geneva Willis and John Craig, Sr. 12th; Audley Watson 14th; Vanessa Price 15th; Milton Ross 16th; Lois Martin, Dudley Nevers and Cecelia Taylor 17th; Ernest Thornton 18th; Luther Smith 20th; Clement Pearl 21st; Kenneth Walker 21st; Easton Holmes and Leslie Jackson 24th; Jacinta Davis 28th.
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ITEMS OF INTEREST










I Wonder
This is an occasional column that answers interesting questions.

What is Defensor Pacis and why was it important to King Henry VIII?

Marsilius of Padua (Italian Marsilio or Marsiglio de Padova) was an Italian scholar who wrote Defensor Pacis (The Defender of Peace). It is a document that states the limit of power of the Church of Rome. It appeared in 1324 and among other things it states:

1. Christ never designated one of his disciples to be more important than any other. Therefore, the Bishop of Rome (the Pope) has no more authority than any other bishop.

2. Secular laws, to include those of marriage, rest solely in the hands of the legislator. the legislator is given this authority by a general council.

3. The Church should not own vast amounts of property.

Thomas Cromwell, who was chief minister of King Henry VIII, used Defensor Pacis to establish the legal framework that gave Henry the power to:

1. Become head of the Church in England.

2. To annul his marriage to Katherine of Aragon.

3. To marry Anne Boleyn.


To read more on these topics go to these links:

Defensor Pacis (over view) CLICK HERE

Defensor Pacis (more detailed) CLICK HERE

Clergy

The Rev. Charles Davidson



Vestry Members
Carol Anderson, Cyrus Aimey (Junior Warden), Veronica Airey-Wilson, Joyce Asiedu, Walter Benjamin (Senior Warden), Nora Brown, , Marie Brown-Harvey (Secretary), Patricia David, Evelyn Green, David Hickmon, Shannon Holder, Bates Lyons, Joe Noel, Peter Marsele, Terrie Thomas.

Music
Rochelle Holder - Youth Choir
Nathaniel Baker - Music Director/Organist

Rector Emeritus
Canon Cyril Burke

Email
monicahartford@gmail.com

THE BOOK CORNER
The Girl with The Dragon Tattoo
by Stieg Larsson

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson is a thriller that I wanted to keep reading. Once Blomkvist was called upon to solve the Vanger family mystery and the reader is introduced to the villains, it's hard to put the book down. "I want you to find out who in the family murdered Harriet", says Mr. Vanger (an old, sickly, very wealthy businessman) to Blomkvist. This is where the mystery begins, but not where it ends. Blomkvist takes the challenge to solve this murder mystery (while dealing with his own personal complications with work and relationships) but along the way receives help from a troubled, but skilled investigator, in her 20's. Her name is Lisabeth and she has problems of her own. The reader gets a peek into Lisabeth's life outside of just solving the mystery where you meet the state appointed guardian to Lisabeth, a disgusting man named Bjurman. Bjurman's unthinkable actions against Lisabeth Salander really have the reader pulling for Lisabeth to seek revenge. Many of the topics will trigger emotional reactions from the reader, including injustice, murder, sexual assault, romantic relationships and more. These topics leave room for a lot of argument and discussion. The issues are ongoing throughout the entire book so yo have to read to the end. The ending satisfied the reader yet sets the stage for a sequel to the novel.
Review by A. Nardone