Annual Fall Clean Up is SATURDAY, Nov 22nd
Our annual clean-up will on Saturday, Nov. 22 from 8am to about 1 pm. Bring your rakes, tarps and work gloves. On Sunday, the 16th, after church, we will finish up what was not completed on Saturday . Thanks for pitching in! We need your participation!

Soup Kitchen - SUNDAY, November 23rd
Just a reminder that today is the fourth Sunday of the month, which means that it is S. Mary's week to provide a hot lunch for clients of the Saint Luke's/Wayside Soup Kitchen at the Preble Street Resource Center. Can you help? We need people on deck at 11:45 to help serve lunch, as well as people to stay after lunch concludes at 1:00 to help clean up. Please notify Marian McCue, our soup kitchen co-ordinator, if you can help. Marian's e-mail is mmccue@maine.rr.com, and her phone number is 761-1936.

Youth Group Sunday!
Today the Youth Group will be helping out at the Saint Luke's Soup Kitchen, and then back to Saint Mary's for some time of fellowship. We meet in the parking lot for car-pooling at 11:30; pick up time at Saint Mary's is 3:00pm. Parents ~ we could use some snacks upon our return!

Contemplative Evening Worship -Sunday - November 23rd
In September, we launched a new, monthly candlelight service of prayer, hymn, anthem, and periods of silence. Based on the Prayer Book's An Order of Worship for the Evening, and drawing heavily from the chant of the Taizé Community, this will offer an opportunity to close our day, and to prepare to begin our work week, with a time of quiet and contemplation in the serene, candlelit beauty of S. Mary's. The service will last for 30 minutes. Why not come and bring your friends who could use a recharging of spiritual batteries?

Thanksgiving Worship
As we prepare to gather with family and friends, what better way to begin Thanksgiving Day than by coming to God's Table to give thanks? The Holy Eucharist with beloved Thanksgiving hymns will be celebrated at 9:00 in the morning this Thursday, November 27th .

Thanksgiving for those in need-two ways to help.
The Falmouth Food Pantry is asking for our help as they prepare Thanksgiving baskets for those who need them. We are asked to supply pies, either home-baked or discreetly purchased! There is a sign-up sheet in the Guild Room, or you may contact Harold Otte (781-2322) if you have questions. Bring pies to church on Tuesday or Wednesday morning.

In addition to our normal contributions to the Falmouth food Pantry, we have the opportunity, for the second year, to work with Woodford's Community Services help 15 local families who are in need of our assistance to prepare a full Thanksgiving dinner. We are looking for turkey vouchers ($10 gift certificates for Shaw's or Hannaford), canned vegetables, potatoes, stuffing mix, canned cranberry sauce, squash, turnips, pie crust & filling, and bread. Your donations should be here today, since distribution will begin shortly. Our contact person is Maureen (Merrick) Hale, at 781-2209. Thank you for sharing.

Your pledge to support S. Mary's in 2009
If you are on our mailing list, by now you should have received a Statement of Christian Intention where you may pledge your support of S. Mary's mission and ministry for the coming year. If you have not received a card, there are additional ones with the ushers and in the Guild Room. Please return them today, when they will be dedicated during both liturgies.
This parish depends on your offerings of your life, labor, and love. S. Mary's is not a frill or a luxury; it is an anchor that holds us fast in a turbulent world. Please make an offering that is both generous and joyful.

Next Sunday, November 30th: The First Sunday of Advent.
Note the time changes from last year!
We kick off the Advent Season on November 30th with an Advent wreath-making workshop at 3pm in the undercroft. At four o'clock, the church will come alive with a Service of Advent Lessons and Carols with the Saint Mary's Choir. Wonderful readings, beautiful anthems, and familiar Advent hymns-this is not to be missed! Our liturgy ends as we go outside for the lighting our Saint Mary's Memorial and Celebration Tree at 5:00pm. (Please be sure to get the names of those whom you wish to be remembered into the parish office by November 24th.) Our day concludes with a family-friendly reception in the Parish House.

Seeking Nominations for Vestry and Parish Leadership Positions
This year's Nominating Committee (comprised of Charlie Hurdman (chair), Lucy Ellis, Jean Gulliver, Lynda Conner and Andrea Myles-Hunkin) is hereby requesting S. Mary's parishioners to submit nominations for the parish leadership and governance positions. All nominees should be confirmed Episcopalians and Communicants in Good Standing at Saint Mary's. Nomination forms will be available in back of the Church and in the Guild Room and Parish Office. All nominations should be submitted by next Sunday, November 30, 2008.
The committee will screen names, propose a slate of candidates, and publish the slate in advance of our next Annual Parish Meeting, scheduled for January 25, 2009. If you have any questions about the nomination process, please contact Charlie Hurdman (crhurdman@maine.rr.com; 318-1418), or any other member of the nominating committee. Thank you!

Morning and Evening Prayer in Advent
Beginning November 30th, Morning and Evening Prayer will be sung (or said) on Tuesday through Sunday in the church. Morning Prayer will be at 8:00 (except for Sundays, when it will be at 7:15), and Evening Prayer at 5:30. Come and hear the Prophet Isaiah, Paul writing to the Church in Thessalonica, and readings from the gospels of Luke and John. Come and join in prayers for you and your family (every parishioner is prayed for by name once each week).
The door to the sacristy will be unlocked; come in and sit in the choir.

Readers needed!
The Advent and Christmas seasons offer a number of opportunities to read from the Scriptures at S. Mary's. If you would like to read at the Service of Advent Lessons & Carols (November 30th at 4:00); at the Christmas Eve Family Liturgy (December 24th at 4:00-perfect for older children or teenagers); please let the rector know, preferably via e-mail. Thank you!

S. Mary's goes to St. Elizabeth's
This Tuesday, November 25 is the next morning that S. Mary's is assigned to volunteer at the St. Elizabeth Essential's Pantry. The pantry is open every Tuesday from 9:30am to 11am in the Lower Parish Hall of the Cathedral Church of Saint Luke, Portland. It is a welcoming, no-barrier program of distribution of non-food essentials to the most needy among us, regardless of religious affiliation. Volunteering there is a great way to get involved and see how the pantry operates. If you have any questions, please call Judith Brooks 781-2097.

Keep our home warm with help from Cool Falmouth
The non-profit organization, Cool Falmouth, will have a presentation Saturday December 6th from 2 - 4pm at the Falmouth Library Conference room. Host Claudia King will have presenter Raymond Mercer discusses weatherization tips and techniques that local neighbors can utilize to keep their homes warm, lower their energy bills and carbon emissions during the winter months. Falmouth locals are encouraged to participate, attend and if they bring a neighbor with them discounts for weatherization materials will be provided. Any contact questions can be directed to organizer, Ms. Jessica Saulnier, (207) 518-1715

SPARKLES Updates:

Sparkles Sign Up Sheets - please stop by the sign up table in the Guild Room and determine where you can share your time most effectively. Thanks to all who have already signed up to help!
Gingerbread house workshop - Bring in all your extra Halloween Candy
before it hits your waistline. Bring it in on Sunday or drop it off in the parish office. No donation is too small. Angels needed to underwrite frosting costs.
Final Drop-Off Date for Sparkles
Bring gently used items to the Auditorium between 9am and noon on Saturday, November 29. We ask that no items be donated after Nov 29 since we need to focus all energy that week on final pricing, cleaning and display.
Sparkles Gift Boxes - New This Year
This year, instead of gift baskets, we will be selling themed "Gift Boxes" for $20 each. You can select a theme and sign up in the Guild Room. Then, have fun finding items to fit the theme. A limited number of boxes are available in the Guild Room for those who may need them. Otherwise, just use a box you may have at home. Cut the top off, wrap the sides and bottom with gift wrap and fill. Completed boxes can be left in the office by the end of November. Otherwise, give it to Shelly or Carla any Sunday before Sparkles. We will be sure it is in clear wrap, bowed and tagged - ready for selling and gift giving. Bring to Parish House by Nov 30th.
Memorials for Tree Lighting - Fill in your memorials or thanksgivings and return to office by Nov 24th to be included in the Nov 30th service booklet.
Appetizers till needed; sign up and deliver to kitchen by 3pm on Sept.30th
Cookie Walk - Make your favorite Christmas cookies for the Sparkles Cookie Walk. Bake now and freeze your cookies before the holiday rush is upon us. Cookie drop-off is before 3pm on Friday, December 5th.
Bake Sale - Would you like to help bake items for the Bake sale? It could be your favorite recipe for breads and pies or ours! Contact Melissa Kane at melissa1959@earthlink.net or 775-3968. Deliver by noon on Friday the 5th.
Saint Mary Schola Concert - sign up at the Sparkles table to reserve your tickets for this beautiful concert on Sunday, Dec. 14. Tickets are $25.00 which includes a gala reception following the concert. (There will be a repeat performance, with tickets at the door only, on Monday, December 15th, at 7:00.)
Sparkles Fliers - if you can hang a flier at your office, or a location in the area you frequent, please sign up and take a flier today!

This Week's Calendar at Saint Mary's - November 23-30 , 2008

Sunday         23 8:00am Last Sunday after Pentecost: Christ the King:
                                Holy Eucharist, Rite 1
                       9:30am Family Chapel
                       10:00am Guiding RAY workshops
                       10:00am Last Sunday after Pentecost: Christ the King:     

                                Holy Eucharist, Rite 2
                       11:30am Youth Group at Soup Kitchen
                       6:00pm Contemplative Taizé Service
Monday         24 Rector's day off
Tuesday        25 9:30am S. Mary's helps at St. Elizabeth's
                       7/8pm AA/Alanon
Wednesday    26 9:00am Kneelers
Thursday       27 Thanksgiving Day: Office closed
                        9:00am Thanksgiving Holy Eucharist
                        7:30pm Men's AA
Friday           28 Office closed
                       5:30pm AlAnon
Saturday      29  9:00am Boy Singers of Maine
                       9a-12n Final Treasure Trove Drop-off
Sunday        30 8:00am First Sunday of Advent: Holy Eucharist, Rite 1
                      10:00am Guiding RAY workshops - Movie Day
                      10:00am First Sunday of Advent: Holy Eucharist, Rite 2
                       3:00pm Advent Wreath Making Workshop - Family friendly!
                       4:00pm Advent Lessons & Carols
                       5:00pm Memorial Tree Lighting and gala reception

Christmas 2008 at Saint Mary's
Sunday, December 21st
8am - Eucharist for the Fourth Sunday of Advent
10am - Saint Mary's Christmas Pageant and Holy Eucharist

Monday, December 24th: Christmas Eve
4pm & 6pm (new) - Christmas Eve Eucharist for children & families
A one-hour service with the Blessing of the Crèche,
the Christmas story told in verse & song,
and The Holy Eucharist. Very family and child friendly!
11pm - The Festal Christmas Eucharist,
The Candlelight Midnight Mass with choir

Tuesday, December 25th: Christmas Day
9am - Christmas Holy Eucharist with Carols