Announcements
"Spring Forward: Fall Back" Don’t Forget to Change your Clocks: Let’s not be late for church on Sunday! Daylight Savings Time goes into effect on Sunday, March 14th. Clocks should be set 1 hour ahead before you go to bed on Saturday night!
This year's Lenten Series invites us to "Explore the Interior Castle". Your church staff have prepared a remarkable series of presentations around the thoughts and writings of Teresa of Avila. She pictured the human soul much like a castle within. In those rooms there are beautiful and enchanting places to explore. There are also dark corners and fearsome things we'd rather avoid. Teresa encourages us to be fearless and courageous about the exploration of the interior self. She was convinced that an honest look within will lead us to a marvelous encounter with God. Come and explore with us this Lent, the marvelous castle within.
Our schedule for the next 2 weeks follows:
Friday, March 12: 5:00 p.m. Holy Eucharist – Youth Service
Sunday, March 14: “Mothering Sunday” – Ema Rosero-Nordalm 8:00 a.m. Rite I; 10:00 a.m. Rite II; 12:00 p.m. en español.
Tuesday, March 16: 6:15 p.m. – Holy Eucharist
Wednesday, March 17: 5:00 p.m. in the church (Please note that the start time has changed) - Episcopal Communicator’s Conference – Opening Liturgy, The Right Reverend M. Thomas Shaw, SSJE, Preacher. Everyone is welcome, members, friends and public as well.
Saturday, March 20: 10:30 a.m. in the chapel - Episcopal Communicator’s Conference – Closing Liturgy
Sunday, March 21: “Jesus Loves the Sinners” – Dr. Lisa Fortuna – Seminarian 8:00 a.m., Rite I; 10:00 a.m. Rite II; 12:00 p.m. en español.
Tuesday, March 23: 6:15 p.m. – Holy Eucharist
Wednesday, March 24: 7:00 p.m. – Compline – “Last Things: Remembering and Celebrating Life’s Grand Journey” – Father Paul Bresnahan
Wrapped in Prayers: Join a circle of knitters in Bible Study, prayer, spiritual discussion, and laughter. While we share with one another, we will weave the love of our companionship with one another and with God into simple knitted shawls. The shawls will then be donated to those who are ill or have undergone a hardship and are left in need of this healing energy. The group is open to both the English and Spanish speakers of St. Peter’s/San Pedro Church and the discussion will be bilingual. If you are learning English or Spanish, this could be a great opportunity to practice! Both advanced knitters and complete beginners are welcome, as instruction will be provided throughout our journey. Our first meeting was held on Friday, February 26th and we will continue to meet at this time on Fridays. Please contact Laura Quayle with questions or to sign up: laura.quayle@gmail.com or contact the church office.
Please join us on Wednesday, March 17th at 5:00 p.m., in the church, (please note that the time has changed from what is shown in the Lenten Brochure) for the Episcopal Communicator’s Conference – Opening Liturgy with The Right Reverend M. Thomas Shaw, SSJE, as the Preacher. Also, please join us for The Closing Liturgy which will take place on Saturday, March 20th at 10:30 a.m. in the chapel.
"Lifebridge", The Salem Mission: Our regularly scheduled third Thursday even meal has been cancelled for March 18th as we will be busy with The Episcopal Communicator’s Conference. We will resume with our regular schedule in April.
St. Peter’s Ham and Bean Supper: Please join us on Saturday, March 27, 2010 from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. in our Parish Hall. Tickets are $5 per person, $3 for children 12 years and younger. Sign-up sheets will be at each service for volunteers to help set up, serve, and clean up. Also, donations of any food/drink items are needed. Please help support St. Peter’s by getting involved in this event. Any questions, please speak to Robert McHugh, Wendy Spoto, or Carole MacDonald.
Easter Flower Envelopes have been placed in the pews. If you have an envelope at home that needs to be returned, please have them in the parish office no later than Friday, March 26th, or you may place them in the offertory plate during services on Sunday (no later than Sunday, March 28th). If you have any questions, please speak with Jinny Lavoie.
Lobster Roll Sale: St. Peter’s will be having a Lobster Roll sale on Friday, April 9th. Cost is $10 (this includes chips and a cookie). Please order no later than Wednesday, April 7th by calling the church office at 978-745-2291. Rolls may be picked up on Friday, April 9th at St. Peter’s Parish Hall at 24 St. Peter Street, Salem, starting at 7:30 a.m., but no later than 12:00 Noon. Free delivery of 6 or more!
A Note from the Pledge Secretary: Many thanks to all who have signed Pledge Forms for 2010. Please remember, it is NEVER too late to fill out a Pledge Form. No amount donated to St. Peter’s Church is ever “too little”. ANY and ALL donations are gratefully received, and all information is strictly confidential. Only your pledge secretary has the figures for individual pledges. Written commitments allow the Vestry to plan on the money that will be available for salaries, upkeep of the church, and purchasing necessities among other things. If during the year your financial situation should change and you find your pledged amount is burdensome, all you have to do is contact Jinny Lavoie and she will make any changes necessary to your pledge commitment. If you would like to receive weekly offering envelopes, but are not quite ready to make a financial commitment as yet, please call Jinny at home at she will get envelopes to you. If you are fairly new to St. Peter’s and the whole concept of “pledging” is confusing, please feel free to speak with Fr. Paul, Patti Rocci, or Jinny Lavoie for information. By using an assigned numbered envelope for donations made to St. Peter’s, your pledge secretary will provide quarterly statements for tax purposes, giving you documentation for all donations. Thank you very much.
Parish Retreat-Please note Deadline/Rate Change: Our 2010 Parish Retreat will take place April 23-25, 2010 at the Barbara C. Harris Camp & Conference Center in Greenfield, N.H. With the new year, rates are now $153 each for double rooms and $220 for single rooms including all meals. We are close to full capacity as there is only 1 room left. Deadline for fees is March 21, 2010. Please speak with Spencer Felder, Convention Delegate; Patti Rocci, Senior Warden; Father Paul, or call the church office.
Softball Season is almost upon us. St. Peter’s needs players, 14 years old and up, for all positions. If interested in playing, we play Monday evenings from 6:00 – 8:30 p.m. at Dubiel Field on Story St. in Salem, from the last week in April to the second week in August. “Fans in the stands” are always helpful and welcomed to cheer on the team! For more information, please speak with Richard Hudson, Coach at 978-223-5275 or call the church office.
Altar Flower Memorials: We have Altar Flower Memorial openings on April 25th and July 4th. The cost is $40 per Sunday. If you need further information, please speak with Jinny Lavoie.
Save This Date – Thursday, May 13, 2010: Carole MacDonald and Phyllis Caliri are putting together another night at The Tides Restaurant in Nahant on Thursday, May 13, 2010 from 6:00 – 9:00 p.m. St. Peter’s will receive 10% of all sales from the dining room, pub, bar, and take-out (whether the guests are there for St. Peter’s or not). All you need to do is spread the word, invite as many friends as you can, bring your appetite and Enjoy!
St. Peter’s Winter Closet: Carole MacDonald and Phyllis Caliri would like to thank everyone who participated in any way to the success of the winter closet this past season.
Snow Emergency Procedure: If you have a question as to whether or not services will be held in the event of a major snow storm on Sunday mornings, please call the church office voice mail (978-745-2291). If the services are cancelled, there will be a cancellation message. If there is no cancellation message, services will be held as usual. In addition, closings will be posted on our website. This information will be posted before 7:00 a.m. (I am anxious to drop this notice from our list of announcements, but I don't dare, lest I tempt fate. I can vividly recall St. Patrick's Day blizzards from yesteryear, thus th language remains as it does!)
Annual Meeting Minutes: If you would like a copy of the minutes from the annual meeting which took place on Sunday, February 7th, there are copies on the table at the back of the church or you can call the church office to request one.
It's Here! Our "Contribute" Button is now on the website: You will see a "Donate Now" button on the Home Page and on the "Contribute Now" page of this website. So for all of you fine folks out there who want to support the work of an urban church that takes seriously its mandate to be a "House of Prayer for ALL people", this "contribute/donate" button will be a great convenience. Also there are those members of the church who would rather contribute from the convenience of their own homes when physically coming to the church may prove to be an inconvenience.
Got Books? We now have a container in the parking lot behind the Parish Hall for people to dispose of books, videos, CDs, and DVDs. When it is full, the company will come and empty it. They will pay us $.05 a pound for the contents. We can receive up to $200 every time it is emptied. Anyone in the community can dispose of these items, so please tell your friends and family about it. Hopefully this will help St. Peter's to raise money. Text Books and Encyclopedias are NOT accepted. If you have any questions, please speak with Heidi Milman or call the Parish Office.
Tower Lighting Fund: We continue to accept memorial donations to the Tower Lighting Fund. We list those memorials in the weekly bulletins as well as the monthly Epistle Newsletter. If you wish to have the Tower lit in memory of an individual or family, you may call the office at 978-745-2291, send a note to the office, put a note in the offering plate, or call Jinny Lavoie. There are forms available at the parish office or from Jinny. The cost is now $30 for one month's lighting. Please make checks payable to St. Peter's Church Tower Lighting Fund. Donations will be acknowledged to the donor, and where applicable, to the family of the person memorialized. (Please give the name and address of the family to be notified).