On October 1, the Rt. Rev. Brian Marsh ordained the Rev. Mr. Arthur Bennett, a resident of Unity, NH, to the Sacred Priesthood at Trinity Anglican Pro Cathedral in Rochester, NH. Fr. Bennett was born in Washington, DC, is a veteran of the United States Air Force and a former policeman in Fairfax, VA. He has a Bachelor's degree from American University and undertook his ministerial education at the Logos House of Theological Studies in Brooksville, ME. He was a missionary schoolteacher in Honduras and assisted in the development of a girl's home in that country. Since 2005, Fr. Bennett has served as a deacon at Good Shepherd, clergy on call for the Charlestown Police Department, and has held regular services at nursing homes in Claremont. Fr. Bennett will serve as Vicar of Christ Church Anglican in St. Johnsbury, VT, where he has been Deacon in Charge for the past year.

In October, we were delighted to join the Charlestown Ecumenical Network Charlestown on the 2011 Harvest Walk around Charlestown for the benefit of the Fall Mountain Food Shelf. Our contingent from Good Shepherd made up 25 percent of the walkers! Deacon David, accompanied by Dee Blanchard and her dog Midnight, were the last to complete the walk, but Pastor Susan Rosen from the Congregational Church made sure we got a bottle of water and an apple for completing the course. It was a glorious day for a walkabout.

During the months of October and early November, our Wednesday morning Bible study group examined the Fasts of the Old Testament, and how they prefigured God's plan of redemption for His people.. With that understanding, we are now reading the Gospel of Matthew in the light of the Jewish messianic tradition.

In early November, Aare Ilves, Jeanne Moody, and Deacon David attended the Northeast Festival of Faith at St. Paul's Parish in Brockton, Massachusetts. It was a wonderful and joyous event to worship and meet with our brothers and sisters from other jurisdictions. The presentations, which are available on the Internet, are well worth reading. Fr. James Hiles and his parishioners did a surberb job hosting the meeting at their church.

World Consultation on The Continuing Anglican Churches Addresses

At a recent coffee hour, we had a powerful presentation by the Pregnancy Center of the Upper Valley. The Center provides counselling and relationship-building training for expectant individuals and couples, that will improve their parenting skills, and provide both emotional and material support during pregnancy. The Center conducts seminars for both middle- and high school-aged students in both public and private schools that help young people develop emotional maturity and prepare for the responsibility of marriage. Their faith-based and pro-life approach is clearly welcome in an increasingly secular society that sees abortion as a harmless option to an unwanted pregnancy. Their program of prevention, intervention (if necessary), and assistance to those who have made regrettable and tragic decisions in the past, was very moving. We hope in the near future to sponsor one young person in their program for a year including both prayer and financial support.

Aare Ilves, Jeanne Moody, and Deacon David attended a meeting of the Charlestown Ecumenical Network on disaster ministry in view of the severe flooding that occurred in Vermont during Hurricane Irene. We will develop plans for combining our resources should a natural disaster or other emergency affect the Charlestown community. We concluded that each church should have a plan that among other things makes sure that all parishioners are safe and accounted for during an emergency.

On Saturday, November 19 a group of us gathered for the Harvest Diner at the Fort at No. 4. Deacon David was asked to say the blessing before the meal. Our last Morning Prayer service at the Fort for the year was on the last Sunday in October. We are very pleased that we have been invited back to hold Sunday services at the Fort in 2012.

Finally, Good Shepherd participated in the Charlestown Ecumenical Thanksgiving Service on Sunday, November 20. Deacon David gave the Invocation, Phil Turner led the Thanksgiving Litany, and Aare Ilves assisted as an usher.

We wish all our friends in the diocese a blessed Holy Nativity.

Submitted by The Rev. Mr. David W. Moody

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