We will celebrate the most important event in human

history this month. Each year we are invited again to commemorate the towering miralce of the first Christmas, namely, that God visited this planet – that God “moved into the neighborhood,” to quote Eugene Peterson’s translation of John 1:14. It is a story that none of us can truly comprehend, because who can really understand the entrance by the Creator into his creation, and the resulting total transformation of everything we know or ever will know?

Advent is the season that gives us time to reflect on this mind-blowing story. It is the time when we are invited to consider the awe-inspiring humility of God, who left the glory of heaven in order to enter fully and completely into the world. Though we often surround Christmas with a patina of saccharine sweetness (“ba rum ba bum bum” plays the little drummer boy), we must never lose sight of the explosive implication of God becaming man. And he did so in heartbreakingly humble fashion. Carols may soften it for us,

but there really is little romance or beauty in the thought of a homeless young woman delivering her first child in a barn. Such was God’s entrance into the world he made. Such was the birth of Jesus.

At the time, only a handful of people knew what happened, and as far as anyone can tell, no one spoke openly about what they saw for nearly thirty years. Even when the he grew to manhood, only a few recognized Jesus for who he really was. Two or three years of teaching, preaching and healing, and his work was finished. He was betrayed, deserted by his friends and judicially executed. By normal human standards it was a tragic story, the squalid tale of a promising young man put to death for threatening the powers of this world. And it all happened – birth, life and death – in a remote, obscure province of the vast Roman Empire.

And yet, 2,000 years later and 1,500 years after the collapse

of that great empire, the little baby born in such pitiful humility and cut down in his prime commands the devotion and allegiance of

millions all over the world. It is his story that makes sense of the world. It is his story that brings hope to our lives. It is his story that offers the clearest, surest direction for how to really live.

Which is why during Advent, though we may be tempted to hurry into the familiarity and merriment of Christmas, we must not lose our sense of awe at what God has done. We must never allow anything to blind us to the transforming significance of what happened in Bethlehem so long ago. Nothing can alter the fact that we live on a visited planet.

God has been here.

For we who believe, what we celebrate in Advent and Christmas is no beautiful myth, something lovely we use to temporarily numb us to the pain of the world. We celebrate that God has come among us, and will come again. And not only at the end of time, but here and now, into any human heart ready to receive him.

Casey+December 2012

Come, thou long expccted Jesus

December 2012 CalendarDecember 9 RIPCO Concert Taize Service for AdventDecember 12 Advent Worship featuring Music from The Crossing December 19 Blue Christmas Service

December 22 Caroling and MovieDecember 23 Greening of the Church

7 2 C e n t r a l S t r e e t @ N a r r a g a n s e t t , R h o d e I s l a n d 0 2 8 8 2 @ 4 0 1 - 7 8 3 - 4 6 2 3

St. Peter’s NetSt. Peter’s by-the-Sea Newsletter

We celebrate with bthe families of Lily Caruso, Lily

McNiece, Noah Nicksa, Gracie Volpe, Devin Flynn & Hunter Flynn, who were all baptized on All Saints’ Sunday, November 7.

bLauren Cacciola and Jeremy Parmer, who were married on October 13.

bLou and Barbara Torres, who celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on November 24.

Our St. Peter’s Family Opening Our Hearts to the IncarnationDante Tavolaro, Director of Ministry

The season of Advent dates back to the fourth and fifth centuries, and did not resemble what we know of as Advent until as late as the 1570s. While vestments, dates, length of time, and practices have all changed through the centuries one thing is

fairly constant: Advent is a time of preparation and waiting.

For us Advent is a time of anticipation and expectation: a time of watching and waiting. Compared to the outburst of joy and cele-bration at Christmas, Advent is quieter, slower, and more medita-tive. We are not to simply wait around for something to happen,

we are called to a time of active waiting. We are to help prepare the way for the incarnation: making space in our lives to welcome the birth of the Christ child. We are to celebrate what God has already done, and we wait with joyful expectation for what God is yet to do.

There are many ways that we can prepare during this holy season. One of the most important things we can do is pray. Prayer is the best tool we have to make room for God in our lives. Use this season to begin a new daily prayer discipline, or recover a lost one. Visit our welcome tables in the Guild Hall and Church to pick up some helpful resources about the season of Advent: prayer cards, daily scripture readings for medi-tation and reflection, and more. Take the time to visit our Facebook page for daily prayers for the season. Follow the Society of St. John the Evangelist Advent Calendar on Pinterest. Talk to your fellow parishioners about their Advent practices and traditions.

Prayer is not the only way to we can prepare. We can volunteer at the Community Market, participate in the Christmas donation drive, worship in the alternative “music in worship” services (see article on next page), or join us for caroling and our Christmas tree decorating party. Come to St. Peter’s. Worship. Be present with this family as together we journey again to Bethlehem to greet the Savior.

We are living in a world that is pregnant with hope. What a joy and blessing it is to live in this time of expectation of the coming of God’s king-dom on earth. As we wait, we work, pray, and ache for the hope that is about to be ushered into this broken and hurting world.

...Looking for some alternative gift ideas this shopping season?

BooksThe Book of Common Prayer (*Do you own one?)The Message (contemporary translation of The Bible)God at the Ritz by Lorenzo AlbaceteBonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy by Eric MetaxasA Generous Orthodoxy by Brian McLarenJesus wants to Save Christians by Rob BellThe First Christmas by Marcus Borg and J.D. CrossanAnything by Frederick Beuchner, C.S. Lewis or Eugene Peterson

For the Kids:Veggie Tales episodes and moviesPeanut Butter and Jelly Prayers by Julie SevigLittle People Nativity SetJesus Storybook Bible by Sally Lloyd-Jones

Additional gift ideas:v Spiritual retreat to the Guesthouse of the Society of St. John the Evangelist in Cambridge, MA or the Sisters of St. Margaret in Duxbury, MA (www.ssje.org or www.ssmbos.org)v Purchase something from 1,000 Jobs Haiti , a job-creation organization started by a RI Episcopalian (1000jobshaiti.org)v Ask friends and family to help you drill a well for those with-out clean water through Charity Water (www.charitywater.org)v Give someone a goat or cow or bees through Heifer Interna-tional (www.heifer.org)v Buy a family mosquito netting through Episcopal Relief and Development’s ‘Nets for Life’ program (www.er-d.org)v Plant a tree in someone’s honor (www.conservation.org)

Adult Forum in DecemberThe Advent Conspiracy

We all want our Christmas to be a lot of things. Full of joy. Memories. Happiness. Above all, we want it to be about Jesus. What we don’t want is stress. Or debt. Or feeling like we “missed the moment”. For three weeks in Adult Forum, we’ll explore the Advent Conspiracy, a movement (www.adventconspiracy.org) designed to help us all slow down and experience a Christmas worth remembering.

December 9: Spend LessIt’s not that we’re called to stop giving gifts; we’re called to stop spend-ing money on gifts we won’t remember two months from now. Each year Americans spend around $450 billion during the Christmas season, and much of that goes right onto a credit card. By spending wisely on gifts we free ourselves from the anxiety associated with debt so we can take in the season with a full heart.

December 16: Give MoreThe most powerful, memorable gift you can give to someone else is your-

self. And nobody modeled this more than Jesus. What that looks like for you will be personal and unique, but the main point is simple: when it comes to spending time with those you love, it’s all about quality, not quantity.

December 23: Worship Fully & Love AllChristmas marks the moment when God’s radical love took form, tiny fingers and all. It is a moment that deserves our full attention and praise. It all boils down to love: love from a savior, our love offered in return, and our love of one another.

The Sound of Praising GodExploring Music in Worship

During December the Adult Education Council is sponsoring a three-part series on the role and pres-ence of music in worship. Since ancient times, music has enhanced human efforts to pray. Singing psalms, hymns, and Biblical poetry adds rich meaning to the act of worship, as does listening to sacred instrumen-tal music. So on three nights in December we’ll wor-ship with the support of distinct musical expressions:

Choral EvensongSunday, December 2, 5:00 p.m. The practice of sung Evening Prayer is one of Angli-canism’s great gifts to the world. In the sung prayers, canticles, psalms and hymns, we experience the truth of the ancient quip, “He who sings prays twice.” Re-freshments and conversation about traditional hym-nody will follow in the Parish Hall, led by Jim Morgan, who will also lead a “tour” of the organ.

Taize WorshipSunday, December 9, 6:00 p.m. The ecumenical monastery in Taize, France has become a beacon for Christian pilgrims from around the world, especially teenagers and young adults. They flock to worship in the unique style of Taize,

where simple, repetitive phrases are sung to beauti-ful, contemplative melodies. Musicians from St. Paul’s Church in Pawtucket and Church of the Redeemer in Providence will lead this service. Refreshments and conversation about Taize and its style of worship will follow in the Parish Hall.

Emergent WorshipWednesday, December 12, 6:30 p.m.The Crossing in Boston is an Episcopal congregation that focuses on drawing young adults into Christian community. The music at The Crossing reinterprets ancient hymns and music using unusual instru-ments and styles. We will welcome the music team from The Crossing for a special eve-ning of worship in what is known as “emergent style.” Refreshments and conversation about The Crossing and emergent worship will follow in the Parish Hall.

The Crossing worships in a unique style with music that blends ancient and modern.

Other Activities This Advent

Rhode Island Philharmonic Community Orchestra A concert by a gifted regional orchestra, including members of our church. The performance will include pieces by Edvard Grief, Joseph Haydn (Symphony No. 105) and Sir Edward Elgard. Sunday, December 9 at 3:00 p.m.

Pre-School Christmas Service Our Pre-School is in its fourth decade of providing quality Christian early education to area children. Every December the children share their joy and excitment with a fun, music-filled perfrormance and party. Friday, December 14 at 10:00 a.m.

LaPlante Center Concert A beloved tradition at St. Peter’s, as you have never heard Christmas carols and festive holiday music sung with such joy and heart. Walk away from the concert with a fresh spirit, renewed by the beautiful sing-ing of these wonderful performers. Friday, December 14 at 7:00 p.m.

Caroling and MovieThe Children and Youth Ministry Council invites you to join them as they bring music and joy to area nursing homes. Leave behind the shopping, wrapping, baking, the excesses and razzle dazzle of the season to join us as we spread the love of Christ through our holiday songs and hymns. After caroling, we will gather together with blankets, lawn chairs or other comfy sitting devices back at St. Peter’s at 5 o’clock to share some light pizza dinner, and watch one of our favorites, “Elf.” Saturday, December 22 from 3:30-6:30 p.m.

A Complicated HolidayBlue Christmas Service

If Christmas is an emotionally complicated season for you, stirring up grief and sadness as well as joy and gladness, you are invited to a Blue Christmas service on Wednesday, December 19, at Noon. Perhaps this time of year reminds you of a lost loved one, or an estranged relationship, or some other painful issue or memory in your life. In this service we will honor the need felt by many to re-ceive tidings of comfort as much as tidings of joy, to quote the beloved carol. Please invite anyone you know who may be hurting this season, as all are welcome.

All Things Come From You2013 Stewardship Campaign

This fall we have been reflecting on the verse from 1Chronicles 29:14 we stand and say every Sunday: “All things come from you, O Lord, and from your own have we given to you.” The belief in God’s providence and generosity inspires us to offer back sacrificially from what he has given us. We hope you have carefully considered how you will offer to God from what he has given to you through the work of St. Peter’s in 2013. We feel God calling us to grand new adventures in service of his kingdom:

v further expanding our children and youth ministry v growing our Community Market to create more personal connections v expanding our music ministry and worshiping more extravagantly v tending to our beautiful campus v offering more community-building events

If you have not yet read the booklet containing reflections by parishioners on why they give back to God through the work of St. Peter’s, we would love to send you another copy. If you have not yet mailed in your financial pledge, we hope you will do so soon. We are preparing our budget for 2013, and we want to add everyone who worships with us to the list of people who contribute to our mission and life.

Saint Pe-ter’s

by-the-sea

Saint Peter’s by-the-Sea

All things come from you, O Lord,and from your own have we given to you.

-1 Chronicles 29:14

2013 2012 2011 2010# of Pledges 74 126 126 136Pledged $ $148, 662 $243,245 $218,080 $212,538Average Pledge $ 2,009 $1,931 $1,731 $1,563

The Beauty of ChristmasMemorials and Thanksgiving Donations

The church looks its most beautiful at Christmas. Poinsettias, garland and wreaths heighten the joy of the season, and the music fills our hearts to burst-ing. You are invited to make a contribution toward the cost of these decorations, as well as the cost of the choir and musicians, in memory of a loved one or in thanksgiving for a blessing. Simply call the Church Office by Monday, December 10 to learn more about donating and provide information about your gift.

“He is coming who is everywhere present

and pervades all things; he is coming to achieve in you

his work of universal salvation.

He is coming who came to call to repentance not the righteous but sinners,

coming to recalled those who have strayed into sin. Do not be afraid, then:

“God is in the midst of you, and you shall not be shaken.”

Receive him with open, outstretched hands, for it was on his own hands that he sketched you.

Receive him who laid your foundations on the palms of his hands.

Receive him, for he took upon himself all that belongs to us except sin,

to consume what is ours in what is his.

Be glad, city of Zion, our mother, and fear not. Glorify him for his mercy, who has come to us in you.

Rejoice exceedingly, daughter of Jerusalem, sing and leap for joy.

‘Be enlightened, be enlightened,’ we cry to you, as holy Isaiah trumpeted:

“for the light has come to you and the glory of the Lord has risen over you.”

Andrew of Crete, 8th Century Bishop and Hymnographer

On the fourth Sunday of Advent, December 23...you are invited to stick around after the 10:15 service to help us get the church ready for Christmas. We’ll put up the tree in the Parish Hall, and adorn it with all the ornaments created by our Sunday School children. We’ll also begin the work of decorating the church, which is a lengthy but rewarding process. And there will be plenty of food, drink and caroling, too.

Joy to the World!

Join us for worship this Christmas to celebrate the birth of the King, Immanuel, “God with us!”

5:00 p.m. on Christmas Eve: Holy Eucharist for Families

A family-friendly service as children and youth will read and sing, and the sermon will involve children. The Nursery will be open from 4:45 -

7:00. You’ll want to come early, as this service is always packed!

9:40 p.m. Musical Prelude10:00 p.m. on Christmas Eve:

Festal Eucharist The traditional “Midnight Mass,” including in-

cense, choir, candles and sung Eucharist

10:00 a.m. on Christmas Day: Holy Eucharist with Carols

An intimate service with carols and sermon

St. Peter’s Community MarketBuilding Relationships

One of the greatest joys of the St. Peter’s Community Market is the opportu-nity for volunteers and clients to build relationships with one another. One client, Margaret, is in her eighties and has lived in South County for most of her life. Dante Tavolaro recalls, “One week I had the privilege to walk around the Church with her. As we walked around she told us about experiences she had as a small girl singing at St. Peter’s. Her eyes lit up, you could tell how thankful she was for that trip down memory lane. Every week her gratitude continues to amaze me.” This is not something unique to Dante and Margaret; the comments, hugs, and stories that we hear and receive from so many of our clients are indescribable. There are many similar stories to tell about clients being served and volun-teers being transformed by the act of service. But in addition to the stories, it also helps to get a sense of the numbers. In an average month, the Commu-nity Market gives out approximately 3,578 pounds of food and non-food items, not including the couplehundred pounds of free produce we get each week from Belmont Market and the Rhode Island Community Food Bank. In the month of October we served 102 different families, with 171 household visits, and 376 indivi-

duals fed. It is not unusual for us to register five to ten new families every Friday. The feeling of serving so many is bittersweet; our

ministry grows only because so many of our neighbors do not have enough food to eat. On Sunday, November 18, we opened the doors to the Guild Hall for a special Thanksgiving Market. 20 volunteers stayed late after church to set up the Market and help ensure that our neigh-bors had an incredible and blessed Thanksgiving. To 60 families we gave away 59 turkeys, 1,000 pounds of pro-duce, dozens of pounds of butter, piecrusts, canned food, and almost 100 boxes of stuffing. It was a holy and inspiring day. You’re invited to come and experience the joy of ministry through the Community Market. Come and sit with clients like Margaret. Share a cup of

coffee with them, listen to their stories, or help carry groceries to their car. You just may find your own life changed in the process.

The St. Peter’s Community Market is open every Friday from 4:00-7:00 p.m. and provides fresh, frozen and non-perishable food, toiletries and living supplies to neighbors in need. It is an important way we show the love of Christ to the world around us. If you would like more information about the St. Peter’s Community Market, volunteer opportunities, or ways to donate to support operational expenses, please contact Dante Tavolaro at dante@stpetersbythesea.com or 783-4623.

Christmas Clothes

This year for Christmas we are collecting new clothes (especially shoes and winter coats) for the children of our Commnity Market client families. Pick up informa-tion about a child to buy for from a display in the Parish Hall. Do-nations should be brought in by Tuesday, December 18, as they will be collected and prepared for distribution at the Friday Commu-nity Market, December 21. To learn more about this clothing drive, contact Dante in the Church Office: 783-4623.

If you would like to donate toys to area children, contact South County Community Action (789-3016) or the social worker of any school in Narragansett or South Kingstown.

Helena Melchiori sets up some of the 1,000 pounds of produce for the Thanksgiving Community Market.

That’s a lot of frozen turkeys!

Welcoming a Deacon to St. Peter’s!The Rev. Anne Burke

I am so pleased to be joining St. Peter’s begin-ning December 2, and I look forward to getting to know you. My roots are in New York City and the Westerly area, having raised two children as a single, divorced parent. We now live within easy reach of each other and I am a devoted grandparent of three children, ages 2, 4

and 6. I retired early with a disability after serving as Director of Executive Development (recruiting) for a Fifth Avenue department store.I come to you fresh from my first church assignment as a deacon at Church of the Ascension, Cranston, where I was ordained three years ago. I am a resident of Westerly and came to the Episcopal Church in the year 2000 after a long struggle as a Roman Catholic. I sat down in a pew in Christ Church on the first Sunday of Lent that year and realized immediately that I had come home. There would be further struggles as I en-tertained a call to the diaconate and went through the rigorous process of entering into ordained ministry. I have spent the last few years on the board of the George Hunt HELP Center, a drop-in day shelter for the homeless in downtown Providence. Soon, I hope to begin a new ministry as a volunteer chaplain at South County Hospital, fulfilling my diaconal vow to serve “the poor, the weak, the sick and the lonely.” I am honored and privileged to be serving the people of St. Peter’s and eager to join you in seeking truth and growing in the love and knowledge of God.Deacons are non-stipendiary ordained ministers of the church. Anne will support our pastoral care ministries, serve as the deacon at worship services, preach, and serve our efforts to grow the kingdom here in South County.

Mural in Ruffino Building BasementCreating Art and Atmosphere

Over the last few weeks, our ‘Young Adults in Church’ group (YAC is for grades 10-12) has been working with a local artist, Heather Annis, to create a modern day mural of Saint Peter. The mural honors the physi-cal location of St. Peter’s near the water, reflects our continued call to discipleship, and is influenced by the account of the calling of the disciples as described in the fifth chapter of Luke’s gospel. It is a wonderful treat for the Children’s Sunday School to watch this work of art come to life. Once the project is completed we will have a special blessing and dedication of the mural. Visit the Ruffino Hall Basement sometime soon to see this beautiful new addition come to life.

Living Stones CampaignUpdate of Progress

The Living Stones Campaign is fully underway! The natural gas conver-sion, completed in early fall, is al-ready generating significant savings. The churh renovation will begin in earnest the week of January 7. Mar-tone Painting will oversee the bulk of the project, beginning with the restoration of the chancel plaster and stenciling, right down the studs. Electrical and lighting improvements will occur while the scaffolding is up. And finally the entire church will be repainted and touched up. The comprehensive nature of the work requires that we vacate the church beginning January 13. We will worship according to our normal schedule in the Parish Hall, and we hope to be back in the church by March 24 (Palm Sunday).In the meantime, a team of volunteers is beginning the preparations for the kitchen remodel. Current and future needs are being considered, as we recreate this important hub of life and ministry for coming years. Speak with Ann Rheault, Beth DiPanni, or Casey if you’d like to learn more about this project.The oil tank removal involved additional dirt excava-tion in compliance with the Department of Environ-mental Management. This pushed back the timeline and increased the cost of the parking lot resurface. We hope to be able to peform that work in the spring.

Currently we have received 89 pledges toward the Living Stones Campaing for $328,190. We need to hear from everyone in our community to ensure the success of the capital campaign, and our ability to ful-ly and appropriately fund each project. If you would like to make a commitment, or want to learn more about the Living Stones Campaign, call the Church Of-fice: 783-4623.

ninedot a design agency

Proof ok as is

Proof ok with minor changes

Need to see another proof with changes

St. Peter’s by-the-Sea

The Living Stones Logo 1

03/16/2012

________________________Name

________________________Date

Non-Profit Organization

U.S. POSTAGE PAID

Wakefield, RI

PERMIT No. 2

St. Peter’s by-the-Sea72 Central StreetNarragansett, Rhode Island 02882Return Service Requested

Treasurer’s Tweet by Steve Bucci

Like a long distance runner that sprints at the finish, Saint Peter’s will end its 2012 budget race on Decem-ber 31. We have been on or near our plan all year but our plan, as in past years, calls for a burst of giving in December. Historically, every year December is a catch up month for making good on our pledges and catching up on our contributions that were put off earlier in the year. This year is no exception. As of the end of October, our bottom line showed a year-to-date operating deficit of $16,393.17. While this was better than planned, the deficit still needs to be made up by the end of the year. The staff has done its part by turning in expenses lower than planned with year-to-date expenses at $272,313.88 versus a budget of $277,507.46.Your generosity and support is always appreci-ated but it is particularly needed as we wrap up our financial year end. We’ve had a great year so far and with our usual December catch up month, we’ll be in a great starting position for 2013! If you would like to learn more about our church finances, or make a special end-of-year gift, call me at: 783-6809.

Noteworthy

v The “Over the Hill Gang,” a St. Peter’s men’s group, meets every Wednesday morning at 8:00 a.m. for break-fast at local restaurants. Call Gerry Reynolds for details: 789-7526.v If you’re on Facebook, “Like” the St. Peter’s page to stay connected, access resources, and see pictures of past events. You can also “follow” Casey on Twitter (“shobewon”).v Check out the St. Peter’s website for a calendar of coming events, to read the blog, or listen to audio re-cordings of past sermons.v AA meets every Friday morning at 7:00 a.m. in the Parish Hall. v The St. Peter’s Boy Scout Troop meets every Tues-day at 7:30 p.m. Do you know a boy who would benefit from scouting?v The next occasion for baptism at St. Peter’s is Janu-ary 13, the Feast of the Baptism of Jesus. To receive a copy of the Baptism Customary or speak with Casey about baptism at St. Peter’s, contact the Church Office.