Loading...Merciful God, who sent your messengers the prophets to preach repentance and prepare the way for our salvation: Give us grace to heed their warnings and forsake our sins, that we may greet with joy the coming of Jesus Christ our Redeemer; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. Collect for Advent 2, Book of Common Prayer, p. 211
I really don't like talking about sin. Isn't that an odd confession for a Priest? In thinking about my reluctance, I think it has something to do with my experience as a young child. I was Roman Catholic and needed to go to Confession. I hated confession (I know, my mother told me "hate" was a pretty strong word.)
The problem was that every time I did something that wasn't great behavior, like hitting one of my brothers, I didn't keep track of it. I'd go to confession, knowing I hadn't been a perfect person, but feeling pressure to say how many times I'd hit my brother. So, I'd make things up as far as how often I committed them. Then I'd feel guilty because I lied, which was a sin!
My other issue is how often we have good intentions, but things turn out very badly. We didn't intend to sin, but when we look at the outcome, we realize what we did was sinful.
I do like the words of the confessions we use each Sunday. We ask forgiveness for those things we did, as well as those we failed to do. We ask forgiveness for things we may not even have realized were sinful.
Our Collect for this upcoming Second Sunday of Advent, encourages us to listen to the words of the prophets and to heed them...to change our sinful ways. In doing so, we'll feel joy in anticipating the coming of Christ!
Many blessings as you finish your week!
Love, Rebecca+
Youth event, December 5, 1:00-6:00pm. Start at the drop-in art class at the Landis House and then travel to the home of Bill and Shirley Rohm to see the train display modeled on the town of Patterson, as well as hear their story of faith. We'll stop for pizza afterwards. Please let Rebecca know if you will attend.
2015 Christmas House Tour, December 5, 10am – 4pm. The Newport Revitalization and Preservation Society is sponsoring this House Tour of five private homes and four Newport Landmarks. Tickets are $12 in advance and $15 day of the event. Go towww.nrps.pa.net for more information. Newport Christmas Tree Lighting will be from 5-6pm that evening.
Parlor People, Sunday, 11am
We all like to be of service, but sometimes our motives are mixed. Sue Beamer led last week's Parlor People in a discussion of the differences between self-righteous service and genuine service. We realized that self-righteous service can arise out of a desire to make ourselves look or feel good, to earn credits with God, or to obtain control over the persons we are "helping," to name just a few. Genuine service requires humility and an ability to recognize and be satisfied with giving only what the others need. We then shared ways various churches had created an atmosphere of generosity by offering services, such as free car washes, to anyone who came.
This Sunday Marion Fluchere will lead us an celebrating the discipline of taking retreat time.
Godly Play will be December 13th.
Advent Lessons and Carols followed by dinner, today, 4pm – 6:30pm. The choir of St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, Lebanon led by Bill Claxton will lead us in this evening worship of preparing for Christ’s birth. Readings and hymns of Advent will be heard. A dinner will follow.
Join members of the Program and Mission Committee for a lunch and activity at Episcopal Commons in Newport on December 8, 11am – 1:30pm. We’ll be making soup mixes for people to use and to give as gifts. See Wendy Day if you can attend.
Choir Practice The choir practices every Sunday at 8:30am prior to the service. The choir will also practice Wednesdays, December 9 and 16 at 10:30am.
Join Us For Breakfast!
Men's breakfast - Every Wednesday, 9am, Espresso Yourself Cafe.
Women's breakfast – 1st and 3rd Wednesdays in December, 9am, May's Railside Grill. Upcoming breakfast dates are December 16 and January 13.
Rebecca’s schedule. Rebecca is available Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. Her Sabbath days will be Monday and Friday. You can reach Rebecca at nativityrector@pa.net or 717-433-1556 (cell) or 717-204-7642 (home).
Schedule a time for Rebecca to come visit you! I'm enjoying visiting. If you haven't scheduled a visit, yet, plan to sign up this week! I'll come to your home or another location you suggest. This helps me to know you better and hopefully you will also know me a little better. Let me know your availability on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday days or evenings and I'll be in touch to arrange a time for us to get together. You can send an email to me at nativityrector@pa.net or leave a message at the church at 717-567-6514.
Pictorial Directory Marion Fluchere is putting together a pictorial directory for us. She will be asking to take photos of each family for the directory. A draft with contact information is available. Please review the information, make any corrections and initial the entry.
Stitchers meet in Undercroft on December 17, 10am. Knit and crochet prayer shawls and other items. The prayer shawls go to Perry Village and baby items go to families with Join Hands. See Edna Baker, Sue Beamer or Wendy Day if you'd like more information and don't worry about not knowing how to knit or crochet, because I bet this would be a great place to learn!
Beat the Rush Holiday fundraiser, Friday, December 18, 7-10pm, The Maples, New Bloomfield, to benefit Rotary Scholarships and community projects. Vote for your favorite holiday dessert or appetizer (a quarter a vote), door prizes, auction. Must be 21 or older. Only 100 tickets at $15 each. Let Rebecca know if you'd like to attend.
Greening of the Church, December 20 Join us for the greening of the church, followed by a potluck lunch.
Honor or remember a loved one at Christmas with flowers. Donations are being accepted for flowers to decorate our churches during the Christmas holidays. Put your donation in the envelopes provided.
Join Hands items of the month are gift cards for stores such as Walmart, Target, Old Navy, etc., to be used for older children in the Christmas program. Or grocery store cards (Karns, Giant, Mutzabaugh’s or Weis).
Help People in Need when you buy your Groceries! See Gail Shull or Pat Szabo to purchase cards in various amounts to use at Giant, Mutzabaugh's, or Weis Stores. 5% of the cost of each card stays with the church and is used for outreach and mission projects.
Help people in need around the world! A Thankoffering box is available by the coffee pots in the kitchen if you'd like to make donations that way. United Thankoffering is a project of the Episcopal Church Women of The Episcopal Church. Boxes are available to collect your offering, which is brought to church twice a year. A wonderful spiritual practice is to put something in the box each time you are thankful to God.
Connect with us on social media:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheEpiscopalChurchOfTheNativityStStephen
Twitter: @ChnatssChurch
Instagram: https://instagram.com/chnatss/
You Tube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMdhiksmcXv0kyz9M2uio6Q
Food Bank Donations are needed! Peanut Butter is especially needed now. For a list of the items needed by the Food Bank, go to their website at //www.perrycountyfoodbank.org/ and click on their wish list.
Confronting Climate Change from Episcopal Public Policy Network
This very week, nations around the world are convening in Paris to craft an international climate agreement at the Conference of Parties (COP). This is a historical moment, and one that we don't want you to miss!
The Episcopal Church supports limiting carbon emissions and helping vulnerable communities to adapt to our changing climate. We believe that addressing climate change is one of the greatest moral challenges of our time, and this issue is so important to our Church that the Presiding Bishop is sending a delegation of Episcopalians to the climate negotiations to advocate for a strong and just agreement.
We hope that you will partner with us in Paris! There are many ways that you can join us, including:
Learning more about the United Nations climate negotiations and meeting the Presiding Bishop's delegates on our Confronting Climate Change at the COP Webinar, Thursday, December 3, Noon. Register Here.
Viewing the advocacy talking points of the Presiding Bishop's delegation.
Reading daily updates from delegates on the EPPN blog.
Following our official COP 21 Twitter account @DFMSatCOP
Praying for all those attending and engaging these important negotiations.
Advocating for the Green Climate Fund and the Clean Power Plan,critical policies that will support a strong international climate agreement.
Please join us in engaging the United Nations climate negotiations today!
