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St. Philip's Episcopal Church
Easthampton, MA
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Be careful: If you come here, you will grow!
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A Note from the Rev. Michael A. Bullock
Dear Folks:
As you recall, the word “advent” means “coming”, as in the anticipation of the imminent arrival of something or someone. The Christian season of “Advent” conveys the reality of the God-life “coming” to us, on our own flesh-and-blood terms, in the figure and reality of Jesus. With the aid of a puppy, I am re-learning some important aspects of “Advent” as “coming”.
As some of you know, Bev and I have a nine-month-old, German Shepherd puppy, who has been with us for seven months. His name is Robbie; and I (in particular) am training him to be a confident companion and member of our family. It has been nine years since we last had a puppy and trained him. (They have all been male German Shepherds. Robbie is our sixth.). As I say, I am re-learning some things, as a result. For instance, I am re-recognizing that of all the commands that must be inculcated in a puppy, the command to “come” is most crucial. Otherwise, the dog will neither be a companion, nor in all likelihood long for this world.
Both Bev and I work on having Robbie recognize us when we call him to us. In technical dog training language, this is called the “recall”. True to his breed, Robbie is an energetic, strong, and smart dog; and until he has fully learned that his job is to join our pack, it can be a bit of a struggle establishing order. (Very reminiscent of raising kids, only dogs mature and respond much more quickly!). So, among all the other aspects of Robbie’s training, the “recall” command has been a priority, and during his continual schooling, I have learned a telling insight. When Robbie is acting like the puppy he is (albeit a 60-pound puppy), I noticed that my recall command to him required a specific focus because to call “come!” to him could mean two things.
On the one hand, I could call Robbie to “come” just to get his attention and to have him move toward me: a kind of general reminder to pay attention to me. On the other hand, I don’t want this generalized attention. I need him to come to me directly and quickly, for his own well-being as a social critter in this world. So, I learned that when I need his recall to “mean it”, I yell “come!”; and when he moves toward me (usually from a distance), I add a second command: “Touch!” “Touch!” means come to me and touch my hand with your nose. Recall completed: safe and sound.
From this recall experience with Robbie, I’ve been thinking about this command to “come” and to “touch” in terms of our relationship with God-in-Christ, especially in this Advent season. The insight came to me as I was saying the Morning Office and reciting (or singing to myself if I am alone) the Venite (Psalm 95). The psalm’s closing phrases suddenly hit home: For you are our God, and we are the people of your pasture and the sheep of your hand. Oh, that today we would harken to your voice.
Recall. God calls us consistently to “come”: Come to me all who labor and are heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. If we hear at all, sometimes we might lift our heads and determine if this God-call is that serious; or can we just say “hi” and return to our own fascinations. But God’s call to us always includes the added command: “Touch!” We are the sheep of your hand.
For the most part, Robbie is better at recall, the coming and touching – better at this than you and I are in terms of our responding to God’s calling us. I know how frustrated (and at times angry) I feel, when Robbie ignores me and my call to him. Amazingly enough, despite our deaf ears, God calls steadily to us by giving us something, someone to “touch”. That’s what Christmas entails.
Oh, that today we would harken to your voice. Advent. Come. Touch.
Michael+
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Bulletin for December 12
This Sunday we celebrate
The Third Sunday of Advent
Our Holy Eucharist service is in-person AND streamed online at 10:00 am.
The Prelude starts at 9:55 am.
Due to the fast-changing Covid situation, we now wear masks for worship.
We stream live on our website:
https://www.stphilipseasthampton.org/live-stream-channel
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Sunday Lectionary Study is at 8:45 a.m.
USE THIS ZOOM LINK
Meeting ID: 832 0782 9066 | Passcode: 270862
To Join by Telephone
Audio conferencing participant (joining by telephone) will need to call: +1 929 436 2866 US AND follow the verbal instructions. Enter the meeting ID you wish to join followed by the # key. If you are asked for a password, enter the password followed by the # key. You will be asked to enter your participant ID. If you do not know your participant ID, simply press the # key.
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"Advent Quiet Night" at 8 p.m., every Wednesday in Advent on Compline live-steam: quiet seasonal music; short reflection; prayers.
"Advent Storytime" at 7 p.m. on Advent Saturdays.
Invite some friends to join you!
Join us on our website: https://www.stphilipseasthampton.org/live-stream-channel
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Dear St. Philip's Families,
As we prepare to close the calendar and start 2022, our Treasurer is hard at work on a draft 2022 budget. As we've seen, heard, and read from our In-Gathering sessions earlier this fall, our ministries are very much needed, alive, growing, and active! We are slowly being able to gain full use of our facilities to help in our ministries, and look to new opportunities in the paths we are traveling, in 2022. As I mentioned on Sunday, unfortunately while we do good and needed work for our small community, we are a business and must balance our budget each year.
Thank you to all who have submitted their 2022 pledge. I am cautiously optimistic that our budget will reflect our growth, but we cannot know for sure until all pledges have been received. In the past the vestry and others involved in the Canvas have made phone calls to help get final pledges in. Please help us avoid these calls during Advent season by getting your pledge in if you have not already done so. If you have experienced hardship and are not able to submit a pledge this year, please let me or Fr. Michael know. Your information is kept confidential.
Thank you,
Bonnie Katusich
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ST PHILIPS ANNIVERSARY
Since we cannot safely gather to celebrate in our usual styles of food, fellowship, presentations, etc... let us gather virtually. Please write a very brief paragraph containing the theme - "What St. Philips means to me." These writings can take any form which is comfortable to you - a few sentences, a poem, a lyric, a phrase, or a scripture. What connects YOU to St Philips? Family, friends, geography, past moments, future hopes?
I would like to collect these and then publish them on our webpage, facebook, NOW, Sunday bulletin, etc.. Please take some time to consider participating in this exercise. My prayer is that it will be very uplifting to all.
If you may have pictures or brief videos capturing moments of St Philips' Parish life, these will be welcome also. These can involve special events in the sanctuary, parish hall, church grounds, or at other venues connected with the many missions and ministries of the people of St Philips.
You may send your selections to sbailey@hcc.edu or sdbailey316@charter.net. Thank you for your participation!
Steve Bailey
See submissions on our website.
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St. Philip’s Christmas Giving Tree 2021
The Easthampton Community Center provides children in need with pajamas and socks each Christmas. St. Philip’s has played a significant role through our annual Christmas Giving Tree and we would like to continue that partnership this year. Last year we donated 63 sets of pajamas and 154 prs of socks.
The Giving Tree will be set up for Sunday, November 21st. Ornaments will be placed on the tree with the sizes needed. Please take an ornament or two, or any number you wish. A box will be set up next to the tree for your donation of unwrapped pajamas and socks. Please return your donation by Sunday, December 12th. The Community Center will be packing bags for Christmas that week.
For those who cannot make it to church to pick up an ornament, please contact Mary Bianca at jmbianca@charter.net or phone me at 413-527-6731 and I can assign you the sizes that are needed. Also, if you cannot bring the donation to the church, please contact me and I will arrange a pick up. As with last year, a container to drop off donations, will be placed outside the garage of Jan and Paul Davis, 170 Park St. in Easthampton, where your donations can be dropped off at any time.
St. Philip’s is such an important member of our community, and your generosity is unmatched. Thank you so much for your commitment to helping those in need.
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The Pioneer Valley Power Pack program (PVPP)
Thanks to all who have volunteered to help. As of Nov 30, 19 people, most of them parishioners, have offered to help pick up, pack and deliver weekend meals to children attending Pepin&Center, Maple Street and White Brook Middle School in Easthampton and Smith Vocational High School in Northampton. Volunteers will pack the food on Wednesday early evenings and deliver it to the schools on Friday mornings each week.
The program will begin delivering food on January 7, 2022. Shelley March has organized former volunteers to train Mary and I on the packing process in January. In December Bonnie Pelland, our volunteer coordinator, will be contacting those who offered to deliver food, to schedule your help starting in January 2020. She will also contact the volunteer packers to start scheduling for February and March.
Thanks again to all who have volunteered and if you haven’t and wish to do so please contact Joe Bianca at jmbianca@charter.net.
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Office Hours
Tuesday - Thursday, 1 pm - 4:30 pm
Since not all afternoons are in person,
please call or email for an appointment.
Phone: 413-527-0862
Email: office@stphilipseasthampton.org
Submissions for the NOW
This newsletter is published every Thursday at 10:00 am.
The deadline for submissions is 1:00 pm on Wednesdays.
Please email them to the office by that time.
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