Loading...Stir up your power, O Lord, and with great might come among us; and, because we are sorely hindered by our sins, let your bountiful grace and mercy speedily help and deliver us; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory, now and for ever. Amen. Collect for Third Sunday of Advent, p. 212, Book of Common Prayer.
Yes, I'm still trying to avoid that line about "sorely hindered by our sins." Yet, that's true, isn't it.
The sin that comes immediately to mind is my thinking that I can do everything all by myself. Now independence is a good thing. And I do believe God expects us to take action in caring for ourselves, our faith, and each other.
But there's a line or balance to all of that. I also must learn to ask for help and assistance. I have to be careful of being overly self-reliant.
I took a training once in healthy congregations. Part of the training was on unhealthy behaviors that can occur any time there's a group of people. One of those behaviors was "overfunctioning." We learned that when individuals (I) overfunction, it leads to burnout. It also means that other people tend to underfunction to accommondate the (my) overfunctioning. In other words, overfunctioning leads to an imbalance within a community.
I'm very grateful to read the words in the Collect about God's bountiful grace and mercy. I surely need it when I get out of balance, becoming overly self-reliant and overfunctioning!
Blessings as you finish your week!
Love, Rebecca+
Welcoming the Stranger - Diocesan Advent/epiphany Opportunity
Refugees settling in our Diocese need pots, pans (new or gently used with NO non-stick surfaces), new pillows and small items for children. Bring your donations to church and we'll get them delivered.
There is an Amazon Wish List that could assist you in your purchases if you desire: //www.amazon.com/gp/registry/wishlist/3JIQUQEFODK3U/ref=topnav_lists_4
Godly Play will be this Sunday and December 27.
Parlor People
This Sunday, Dick Price concludes our Parlor People series on spiritual disciplines with a look at the art of medieval, cloistered monks. Parlor People will resume on January 3, with a series on dismantling racism.
Report from December 6 - Marion Fluchere - Retreat
This past Sunday, Marion Fluchere shared her experience with silent retreats as a spiritual discipline. For years she has been going to Holy Cross Abbey in Berryville, VA for weekend retreats. Rather than attend any of the six daily offices, she lays out her own silent retreat time by turning the desk in her room into her own sacred space and letting those objects lead her into the kind of meditation and prayer that God is calling her to that weekend. To help us appreciate the experience she set a table with an icon, which she had written herself, a fabric labyrinth and a statue of St Joan of Arc before she took up arms. Then she offered each of us a fortune cookie and invited us to share their messages in order to demonstrate how random messages could lead us into a deeper reflection. Retreats often involve hard work; they are not always serene, spiritual experiences. One time she realized her real work for the weekend was to give up a resentment she had been holding onto. She found a heavy rock and carried it around everywhere, even into the shower. But Sunday afternoon she realized she had laid down her resentment and she was able to lay down the rock and go home free.
Choir Practice The choir practices every Sunday at 8:30am prior to the service. The choir will also practice some Wednesdays. Upcoming Wednesday practices are December 16 and January 13 and 27 at 10:30am.
Upcoming Meetings
Vestry meets this Sunday, December 13, immediately after the service.
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.
Join us for our celebration of Christ’s birth:
Thursday, December 24, Candlelight Eucharist services
4pm – St. Stephen’s - Family Service
10:30pm – Church of the Nativity; hymn sing at 10:30; service at 11:00pm.
Friday, December 25, Eucharist
9:30am – Church of the Nativity
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.
THANKS!
Thanks to the choir and Interim Rector of St. Luke's, Lebanon, for a wonderful Advent Procession and Lessons service on December 6.
Thanks to the Parish Life Committee who organized the dinner after the December 6 service.
Thanks to everyone who contributed to the dinner. It was delicious and enjoyed by all!
Thanks to the readers at the service....
Thanks to everyone who participated and brought items for the 
activity at Episcopal Commons. Everyone enjoyed making the
soup and cocoa mixes and the lunch was delicious!
Thanks to everyone who wrapped gifts for the children we sponsored through Join Hands!
Thanks to Mary Price for writing a column about our church activities in the Juniata Sentinel!
