Holy Apostles -November 2020 eNewsletter- LOTS OF IMPORTANT UPDATES

Holy Apostles Messenger

November 2020

~ Advent & Christmas Planning

~ Sunday School

~ Worship (with Tickets Order info)

~ Stewardship

~ Fundraising

~ Parish Announcements

~ Outreach

Advent and Christmas 2020

Planning

Rector’s Letter

A month of Thankfulness

Beloved in Christ,

We come again to the month of November. Sometimes it seems as though November is lost in the celebration of Thanksgiving. We seem to be getting ready for it, celebrating it or recovering from it the entire month. Perhaps it would be better to rethink this time of year. November is more than the national and family festival that absorbs it. It is in fact a month of thanksgiving, preparation and recovery, but not in the ways we might assume.

The entire month is full of celebrations of thanks, rather than just one. We begin by giving thanks for All the Saints who have cherished, lived and passed on the faith. We rejoice in their witness and pray that we may be faithful in passing on what we have received. We then move to celebrating the lives of All Souls, giving thanks for their witness in our lives. The month moves through the observances of great witness like, Martin of Tours, Margaret of Scotland, Hilda and Hugh, Samuel Seabury, Elizabeth of Hungary, St. Andrew and many more. Each gives a reason to be thankful for the unique witnesses who show us what it means to live the life of Christ. Toward the end of the month we observe the Feast of Christ the King and give thanks that Christ rules in our hearts. We have Thanksgiving itself. Finally we are reminded to prepare for the deepening reign of Christ with the dawn of Advent.

While 2020 has been a difficult, unnerving and turbulent year, we still have many reasons to give thanks. We can look at the saints who lived through turbulent times and still proclaimed the faith. We can give thanks for our loved ones who made it through the perils of their own times and now rest in peace. We can give thanks that no matter what it may look like- Christ still reigns! And we can give thanks that we made it to another thanksgiving; always remembering those who have not made it to that day, or whose tables, pockets and tables settings are empty.

This year let us make November a season of Thanksgiving as we pray with the familiar hymn:

Even so, Lord, quickly come to thy final Harvest Home;

Gather thou thy people in, free from sorrow, free from sin;

There, forever purified, in the presence to abide;

Come, with all thine angels come, raise the glorious Harvest home.

Hymn: “Come, Ye Thankful People, Come” verse 4 by Henry Alford

May God give you a month of thankfulness.

Yours in Christ,

Canon Art+

CHRISTIAN FORMATION 2020-2021

Program Year began on

October 3rd & 4th

All Saints Procession

Post your photos NOW!!

Don't forget to post your pictures of you/your children dressed as saints on our Facebook page HolyApostlesYardville

Regular weekly formation of youth will be offered as follows:

Program packets/bags were distributed on Dedication(Oct 3/4) weekend

Parents are taking the lead in formation each week

Resources including: A schedule, parental guides, activity ideas, and printed materials and activity books will be in the packets. For more details

View September 2020 Newsletter-pgs 4-5

Youth Sermon #1 on October 8: View the sermon here

Upcoming Youth Sermon dates:

November 8, December 13, and January 10

In addition to the regular Advent Materials we are working

on a fun family-based Advent home activity.

The theme is:

JESUS COMES IN THE MORNING:

WHAT’S FOR BREAKFAST?

PUBLIC WORSHIP

FALL 2020

Public worship

continues at

Holy Apostles

Remember to check our website, Facebook page or look for an email for updates as needed.

MASS/HOLY EUCHARIST SCHEDULE

Saturdays at 5:00 pm

Sundays at 8:00 am and 9:30 am

Wednesdays at 11:00 am*

*The Wednesday service at 11 am is another option for those looking to participate in worship but nervous about larger services. We normally post this service on Sundays due to its shorter length.

SERVICE REMINDERS

ALL SOULS

All Souls’ falls on Monday and will be observed on the Monday

November 2 11:00 am Requiem

THANKSGIVING

Thanksgiving will be observed on Wednesday, November 25^th

11:00 am Mass for Thanksgiving- no music

7:30 pm Mass for Thanksgiving- cantor

No service on Thanksgiving Day and office is closed on Thursday and Friday

Asian Pears may be available on Wednesday

ADVENT

The First Sunday of Advent is November 28/29

Advent Materials are available in the narthex and extra copies of the parish observance of Advent will be made available for those who do not have formation packets but want to participate.

Advent Theme

Jesus comes in the Morning- What’s for Breakfast?

Youth sermon dates: November 8, December 13, and January 10

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

IMPORTANT NOTICE

CHRISTMAS HEADS UP!

We are praying to be able to have services this Christmas Season. And changes still may happen. The Advent Letter(paper) mailing will have the final plan and process outlined for you. Please look for it and follow the directions. Like voting this year, Christmas service participation will involve planning.

If current guidelines from the State of New Jersey and the Diocese remain in effect we will only be able to have 45 persons per indoor service. This means we will need to take reservations, especially for 4 PM, as well as schedule additional services.

You will need to plan which service you will be attending and commit by making reservations. Once your reservation is processed, paper tickets will be issued to you. You will need to bring these tickets to church on Christmas Eve or Christmas morning.

Indoor attendance will be limited to 45 persons so you should order early!

The schedule (to-date) is below.

Christmas Services:

December 24

2:30 Outdoor Service with music

4:00 Indoor Service - Bell Choir

6:00 Indoor Service - with Cantor

8:00 Indoor Service- Rite I no music for those not comfortable with cantor singing

10:00 Indoor Service - with Canon Art as Cantor

December 25

10:00 Indoor Service- no music

To make reservations and have tickets emailed to you,

please register online starting

November 20 thru December 20 at

http://holyapostles.eventbrite.com/

SO....WHEN THE ADVENT MAILING COMES

Open it

Read it

Finalize your plan

Follow the Directions

So that you can join us for Christmas services

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

RECORDED SERVICES

The vestry is having some improvements made to the parish Wi-Fi service in hopes of improving our ability to send out services before the Advent/Christmas Season. Our thanks for your patience. Please note that we are trying to do our best in sending the services and anthems out to you. We are grateful for the responses and the number of views of these efforts.

Please check Facebook and our web site for each week's recorded service(s) and Offertory Anthem presentations.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR THOSE ATTENDING WORSHIP:

Please click below(in blue) to review/print/download:

For those attending Worship notes

These notes are also posted at the entrance and kitchen doors.

Here are some important points for everyone:

1. If you are not feeling well, please stay home

2. If you are not comfortable either come to another, perhaps smaller, service or stay home

3. One service each weekend will be recorded and the video will be published on

our website and Facebook as we did during the Stay-at-Home period

4. Communion at home will be made available, not only to shut-ins but also to

those who watch the video because they are uncomfortable attending.

Shut-ins will be contacted; others should contact the office so that agreed upon

arrangements can be made.

Ways you can be helpful

1. Additional cleaning supplies, masks, gloves and wipes are always welcome

2. Please vacate the building so that cleaning for the next service can be completed, or stay and help wipe down for the next service

3. Consider ushering at the 9:30 am service

STEWARDSHIP

The 2021 Campaign is crucial to the ongoing vitality and mission of Holy Apostles. We appreciate your support and hope that you will, with prayer and careful consideration, consider your commitment of time, talent and treasure during these unpredictable times.

Thanks go out to all who have returned their 2021 pledges so far.

The finance committee will soon meet to plan our upcoming 2021 budget.

Remember to be like a "sunflower" - Bright, sunny and positive!!

Special THANKS!

The vestry would like to thank all those who are keeping up with their 2020 pledge commitments during this unpredictable year. Expenses continue at about the same rate all year, so keeping your commitment up-to-date allows us to pay our staff and vendors on time.

We would also like to thank all those who used our online eGiving.

We encourage those who fell behind over the past months to bring your commitments up-to-date.

If you need help to set up online giving, please contact Joyce at [email protected].

FUNDRAISING 2020!!

Christmas Wreath Sale

Order by

Sunday, November 15

Pickup times

December 5

9am - noon

December 6

after services til 12 noon

Gayle McCormack has agreed to oversee the wreath sale again this year. We did not offer wreaths at the Mini Boutique. Order forms are available on our website download a printable wreath order form or at the parish center. Orders need to be turned in by Sunday, November 15^th and we plan to have them to you on the first weekend in December.

You may order red bows or from a selection of ribbons located in the parish center with the order forms.

Books, Baubles & SOUPS Sale

January 2021

“READ IT”, “DID IT”, “NEED IT” SALE

Since many of you have a pile of books, puzzles, etc. from being home for months, we are thinking that we might have the Books, Baubles & Soup Sale in January.

We are in need of a coordinator for the event which normally occurs in January. Please speak to a vestry member if you are willing to work on this project.

COORDINATOR NEEDED!!!

PLEASE HELP!

GIFT CARDS FUNDRAISER

GET ORDER FORMS HERE

(and current retailers list)

ORDER Gift Cards for:

~~ Grads, Anniversaries, Baby Showers, Baptisms, Birthdays, Holidays, etc.

~~ DONATE to HELPING HANDS FUND

AVOID THE RUSH! ORDER NOW FOR CHRISTMAS!

***Order Dates****

August 30, September 27, October 25, November 30, December 12/13

Contact: Dr. Curt & Kris Byrnes

View/Download Subdeacons & Lectors Schedule Fall/Early Winter 2020

Parish ANNOUNCEMENTS

SCHEDULES

The Subdeacons/Lectors Schedule for Fall/Early Winter (thru January 3, 2021) has been distributed. All participants should have a copy of the schedule by now. However, if you need to view a schedule, please Click the RED button above to view/download the current Subdeacons/Lectors Schedule.

PLEASE NOTE: The current Subdeacons/Lectors is available in the narthex.

UPCOMING

CHRISTMAS HEADS UP!

>> Please see the Public Worship section above for more details. <<<

To make reservations and have tickets emailed to you, please register online at http://holyapostles.eventbrite.com/

SO....WHEN THE ADVENT MAILING COMES

Open it

Read it

Finalize your plan

Follow the Directions

So that you can join us for Christmas services

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

SPECIAL MAILINGS (paper)

The Advent letter is a special mailing that will be available for distribution on November7/8. It will include 2 envelopes: Advent, Christmas Flower Memorials. The Christmas letter will be available in early December and will include the Christmas envelope.

These mailings will be placed at the information table for you to pick up on the weekend after they are completed. Those not picked up will be mailed.

To save on first class mail costs weekend pick up is preferred for those attending in-church worship.

SACRAMENTS and Rites

BAPTISMS: Guidelines for Holy Baptism have been prepared by the Diocese.

HOME COMMUNIONS are now being offered for those unable or uncomfortable with attending in person worship. Please contact the office to be placed on the visitation schedule and to review the procedures.

FUNERALS: Services may be held at the church using the same guidelines as weekend worship.

NEWSLETTERS

We have changed to use an eNewsletter as our primary communication, supplemented by seasonal one-page letter mailings. The October Kickoff Newsletter was the last traditional paper newsletter.

A form to collect up-to-date parishioner information was included in the October paper newsletter. Please complete and return it, remembering to include an email address, so we can send our new eNewsletter to you.

OUTREACH

AT HOLY APOSTLES

Thanksgiving Food Baskets: we will assist Trinity Cathedral Thanksgiving Food Basket Ministry by providing non-perishable food items. This year we will forgo a sign up sheet.

The requested food items for one basket are:

1 box of: stuffing mix, instant mashed potatoes, and pie mix;

1 can of: corn, peas, cranberry sauce, and pie filling;

2 cans of: fruit, turkey gravy, and yams.

Donations may be placed in the large wicker basket located in the narthex. Please have your food items at the church by the morning of Wednesday November 18th. For those who continue to worship from home and / or are not comfortable shopping you may support this ministry by sending a check to the church made payable to the Deacon’s Discretionary Fund with “Thanksgiving Food” on the memo line.

Adopt-A-Family: as in past years we will partner with the Upper Freehold Regional School District. They have begun to organize and plan for how best to assist many families this year as the pandemic has hit some families very hard. As of this e-Newsletter we are awaiting specific information on a family or two. Gifts cards to Shop-Rite, Target and Walmart are always welcomed and can be ordered through our Gift Card Program.

Womanspace: this year they are strongly suggesting gifts cards to Shop-Rite, Target and Walmart which can be ordered through our Gift Card Program. In Advent in we will gather donations (only new items) for women and children.

Poor Box Ministry Project: is in support of the Allentown Food Pantry. As the need for food remains critical it is important for us to help meet the food insecurity needs of people in our community. Donations as of October 18th total $202. For those who continue to worship from home you may support this ministry by sending a check to the church made payable to Deacon’s Discretionary Fund with “Poor Box.”

Wicker Basket: we will continue to support the Allentown Food Pantry weekly with all donations being delivered on Wednesdays. Donations of non-perishable food items may be placed in the Wicker Basket located by the main altar. Perishable and frozen food for the pantry may be placed in marked bins in either the refrigerator or freezer in the church kitchen.

Gratefully,

Deacon Denise

GLEANINGS COMMUNITY MEAL OUTREACH

GLEANINGS

MEALS TO GO!!

Our meal service with the Trenton Area Soup Kitchen still happens each week on Tuesdays. We distribute meals from the parking lot and continue to serve about 140 meals a week.

Please continue to donate individually packaged store-bought desserts for us to include with the meals.

Thanks for your support!

SOLES for the Harvest

is a virtual race this year!

November 1-7, 2020

This means participants can walk or run the event distance (either 1 mile or 5K) in the location of their choice, any time in the first week of November.

Please choose “Holy Apostles’ Yardville” as the charity when you sign up on runsignup.com

or download a printable registration form.

Funds raised support our Gleanings ministry and allow us to supplement the meals provided by the Trenton Area Soup Kitchen.

If you’d like to donate there are sponsorship forms in church, or you can donate online at https://runsignup.com/holyapostles.