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Sunday, January 31, 2010

2010 Annual Parish Meeting

Candlemas (February 2nd) was coming, so we had a blessing of candles used at church.



The Sunday School planned to decorate candles.



This was the day of our parish Annual Meeting, at which we received reports and elected officers and other members of leadership. Oh, and the Vestry feeds us brunch/lunch!

We had two types of soup--a curry butternut squash soup, plus a chowder of corn and potatoes. And lots of other tasty things!



Fr. Curtis reviews the agenda.



If you want to read the 2010 reports, they can be found here.

Sunday, January 17, 2010

The Second Cross!

Thanks to George Booth and Chris and Fayth Noyes and Joe Knox (the project's biggest cheerleader), the second of two new crosses has been installed. (The originals were damaged when removed for the re-roofing.)



Isn't it beautiful?

Monday, January 11, 2010

The Christmas Pageant Remembered

St. Stephen's Beloved,
Here's my little remebrance of our pageant I read yesterday in church. Hope you enjoy with some laughter!
Fr. Curtis


St Stephen’s Christmas Pageant 2009



The call went out for parishioners to swell,

The ranks of the pageant, the French call “Noel”,

We all had arrived at half past the eight,

Though some after nine, well, they were quite late,

Some came with bags of costumes quite splendid,

Others picked from boxes of pageants long ended.



The story begins with the shepherd called Curtis

(Who’s sisters insist on calling him Mertis!),

He spoke to the crowd of all that were gathered,

Some called him father, though none had he fathered!

He started the story the others would mime,

With words quite familiar, “once upon a time”.



First Gabriel came to the maiden called Mary,

Who comforted her and begged her not worry,

Then Gabe, the archangel, Alexandra to some,

Departed for heaven, whence she had come.

Next she met cousin Liz , who’s baby quite lept

In her womb at the greeting, and nearly quite wept.

Soon Madie, uh, Liz, departed for home,

Inspired by the meeting and soon wrote a poem,

And hailed the fair maiden so full of grace,

That blessed was she in all time and space.



When Elizabeth at last gave up and gave birth,

To a son they named John, who’d be special on earth,

Zechariah, the grand-dad, who mute had long been,

Quite suddenly broke forth in a loud sounding din,

(But of all of the mute who played in our play,

A singer named George, was a fine choice I’d say)

He told of the baby who’s life would prepare,

A way for the Lord, the one who would care.



Poor Mary, (recruited in haste, it was Jackie),

Grabbed Joseph, quite younger, though some thought this tacky,

And a beast that helped on the path that was graveled,

Was a camel that seemed, shall we say, quite well traveled,

But bravely they made it to the town of his people,

Bethlehem, it was called, but no church or a steeple,

With no room in the inn, kind Chris and fair Fayth,

Put them up in the barn, and there they would stay-eth,

Till finally, at last, the baby was born,

On the very first first-est of all Christmas morns.



Processions of strangers came to see the great site,

Of the babe that was born in the barn on that night,

There were shepherd and shepherdess and all were quite bonnie,

One carrying a lamb, and her name was Connie.

There were other good shepherds that came with the gang,

There was Noah, Ben, Mason, and angels who sang,

Glory to God in the highest and peace,

To all, while the baby slept gently on fleece.

One sweet little shepherdess, one they called Rose,

Was really the best of them all, I suppose.



Three wise men came sauntering right down the isle,

Whether wise men or kings, they made us all smile.

The wise man named Michael held myrrh high aloft,

True gift for a king, the fragrance quite soft.

Then came the wise Chris, called king of the Chris-es,

With turban on top, thanks to the misses.

(Who strangely tonight came in from the fog,

And sat in a pew dressed as a dog!)

Chris bore the fine gold that gleamed in the night,

With a shine that bespoke of the real one true light.

Brian the Bold with bright crimson cape,

Was bedecked in great splendor….thanks to some tape;

Frankincense bore he, worth more than a bank ,

The fragrance so grand, not one thought it stank!

They found the wee babe with mom in the manger,

They had bravely marched on, though Herod warned danger.



At last we came to end of our saga,

The audience amazed, they were all quiet a ga-ga!

We stood front and center and crowded around,

The gift that was gifted, with joy that abounds,

Our Lord who was born, the babe meek and mild,

The one we adore, beloved Christ child.



And now if you think we up-ended the drama,

Next year, I hear, no camel, but lama!