Zion Episcopal Church
Chimes Newsletter
October 2023
Volume 20, Issue 9
Welcome to our Church
Why do some Christians kneel when they pray, while others stand?
What is the correct position for prayer? Kneeling or standing?
What is the Episcopal view of the Eucharist?
Do we believe in transubstantiation, like our Roman Catholic cousins? Or, is the Eucharist merely symbolic, as is taught by more Reformed traditions?
At the Sunday service, why do we stand for the Gospel lesson, but remain seated during the Old Testament, Psalm, and Epistle?
The above are but a few examples of inquiries that parishioners have presented to me during my first year here at Zion. And my response to these inquiries? “Good Question! We’ll have to talk about that some time.” Oh, how Priests love to delay responses to challenging theological questions!
But in all seriousness, asking these theological and liturgical questions is important, for when we ask, “why do we believe this?” or “who do we worship in this way?” It reveals an inner desire to know more about our faith. And when we desire to know more about our faith, it is a further sign that we desire to mature spiritually; to grow in our knowledge and love of God.
Hence, to encourage this desire for spiritual growth, the Adult Education Committee (comprised of our sisters, Anne Kasin and Betsy Tripaldi, and myself) is organizing an Advent education series called “Coffee and ???’s,” which will be dedicated to addressing the many rich moral, theological, and liturgical concerns held by our fellow Zionites. The series will take place during coffee hour from 10:30 am-11:00 am and it will begin on Advent 1 (December 3rd) and end on Advent 3 (December 17th).
How can you support the “Coffee and ???’s” series? By asking questions! Beginning on October 8th, there will be a question box with slips of paper in the Parish Hall which will be used for submitting our questions. When the series begins on Advent 1, I will pull questions from the box and we will discuss them as we enjoy our coffee and sweet delights. If you join us for worship online, you are invited to send your questions to me via email at FrAlexZion@gmail.com.
Do you desire to grow in your knowledge and love of God? Then please support this ministry initiative: brainstorm some questions, send them along to us, and attend the “Coffee and ???’s” series.
I look forward to discussing your theological and liturgical inquiries in the season of Advent.
Peace and Blessings!
Fr. Alex+
STEWARDSHIP CAMPAIGN – REBUILDING OUR FOUNDATIONS
Our Stewardship Campaign will begin on October 15th with a talk from Stewardship Chair,
Joseph Rivera-Ramos.
The campaign will conclude on November 5th, All Saints Sunday, with a catered breakfast to thank everyone for your continued commitment, loyalty to Zion and your Faith.
We invite you to participate in this campaign as we will have weekly speakers.
Stewardship is an ongoing commitment to support Zion with our individual time, talents and treasures. Your financial support is vital in keeping Zion alive and growing. Your Pledge cards are very important and necessary for the Finance team to develop a budget for 2024.
Pledge cards will be mailed to all parishioners and will also be available in the Parish Hall. Pledge cards can be placed on the collection plate, dropped off or mailed to the Church. All information will remain confidential.
Thank you!
Stewardship Committee
Our fantastic Christmas Bazaar will be held on Saturday, November 11th from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM. As always, we will have vendors, a bake sale, the Zion Craft Table and raffle baskets. This year we will have soups and chili for purchase to be consumed at home.
We hope that we can count on the congregation for donating baskets, craft items, baked goodies and soup and/or chili. And, of course, we will need help setting up, assisting at the event and cleaning up. Sign-up sheets will be posted on the bulletin board shortly.
Thank you for your help and assistance. This is one of our biggest events and is always well attended by the community and the parish.
Judy Barba, Wendy McNeil and Sue Shultis
Columbarium Garden Hours
The Columbarium Garden can be accessed on Sundays before and after services through the Chapel. If there is a special request please contact Alison or Marcy.
Food Pantry
October is Cereal Month.
Please bring donations on Sunday mornings so that they can be blessed during the Offertory.
You may also leave your donation in the box on the Rectory front porch. Your support is greatly appreciated!
Coffee Hour
Coffee hour continues to be a vital part of our fellowship. I am still hoping for volunteers to sign up to bring treats; monetary donations are also welcome. Please check out the calendar in the Parish Hall to sign up. Any questions, please don't hesitate to ask!
Thank you!
Wendy McNeil
Samhain
Do you suffer from Samhainophobia (pronounced Sow-in-o-phobia)?? Well, visiting a doctor will not help, but avoiding October 31st will. Samhainophobia is an intense and persistent fear of Halloween.
Halloween has its roots in the festival Samhain, an ancient harvest festival held at the end of each Celtic year. It was believed that the spirits of the dead returned on that night to damage crops and play tricks on the living. The celebrants wore animal skins or dressed as angels and saints to scare them away.
By 800 A.D., Christianity had spread to the Celtic territories and brought with it another holiday, “All Saints Day”. Pope Boniface IV was likely trying to replace Samhain with a similar but holier holiday, meant to honor saints and martyrs. Later, All Saints Day was named “All Hallows” and thus the day of Samhain (October 31st) began to be called “All Hallows Eve” and eventually Halloween.
During the mid-1800’s, Irish and English immigrants brought Halloween to the United States. From them we got the tradition of trick or treating. However, the original trick or treaters were poor people who practiced “souling” when they would beg for sweets in return for praying for families' souls. In the 1930's, Americans really started celebrating with costumes, parades and nighttime visits.
The first jack-o-lanterns were carved in Ireland from hollowed-out turnips. Faces of the dead were carved in the turnips and other gourds (pumpkins) to scare away the evil spirits.
Halloween is the 2nd most commercially successful holiday after Christmas. Over 2 billion dollars’ worth of candy will be sold each year. 90% of parents admit to sneaking goodies from their children's trick or treat bags. Snickers bars are the #1 treat. M&M's (with their 25 colors) are a close second. Forest Marsh and Bruce Murrie invented M &M's.
If one of your children are lucky enough to get a Tootsie Pop, and you can sneak it out of their bag, it will take 252 licks to get to the center.
Happy Samhain Day-------or
Happy Halloween!
Transition
Baptisms:
Sophie Marion Boundy will be baptized on October 8, 2023. She is the daughter of Kristen (Durr) and George Boundy. She is the granddaughter of Nancy and Ken Durr, Sr. and Donna Boundy.
Evan James Secor will be baptized on October 8, 2023. He is the son of Alison (Durr) and Darryn Secor. He is the grandson of Nancy and Ken Durr, Sr. and Darryl and Debra Secor.
10/12 Jim & Judy Barba
10/17 Richard & Ruth Little
10/20 Don & Sue Shultis
10/21 Matthew & Stacey Kara
10/24 William & Kathleen Settembrino
10/04 Sheila Rosewhite-Dolfinger
10/04 Victor Romano
10/05 Carole Di Nonno
10/05 Jody Fredeman
10/06 Byron Martin
10/06 Marianna Martin
10/09 Greg Fredeman
10/09 Poppy Hinkaew
10/10 Sophia Massey
10/11 Jim Barba
10/13 David Kelland
10/13 Jill Sessler
10/14 Christopher Martin
10/15 Arnie Ruf
10/15 Zachary Yovella
10/17 Gloria Cantone
10/19 Darryn Secor
10/19 Eileen Tracy
10/19 Sandra Weishaupt
10/22 Derek Behnken
10/23 George Boundy
10/23 Stephen Chan
10/24 Patricia Chan
10/26 Anne Friedland
10/27 Amy Matts
10/29 Brandon Mueller
10/29 .Marie Norris
10/30 Christopher Propfe
Address Change?
Please notify the office of changes in street address, email or phone number.
845-297-9797 chrisatzion@verizon.net
Thank you!
View the Sunday Service
We broadcast live on Facebook at 9:00 am on Sunday.
https://www.facebook.com/welcometozionchurch/
If you are on the page at 9 am the service will automatically appear -
You need to do nothing but be on the page to view it live.
OR you can also view a recorded version of the service
on Facebook after the service.
REMINDER: You do NOT have to have a Facebook account
to view the services OR the recordings.
Just go to Zion's Facebook page.
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Zion now has a YouTube Channel which also carries
the Sunday service live in addition to Facebook live.
To watch the service, click on the link below and then go to our “live” playlist.
utube.com/channel/UCaq67kuX_d0cL29tUG0t3kQ
You can also watch previous services by going to our “orders” link.
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Zion's website: https://zionwappingersfalls.org.
Note: The link for both the Mission Bells and the Chimes will take you to the latest versions of those documents. If you have any questions/ comments, send a note to zionwfalls@gmail.com.