Loading...Almighty God, whose Son our Savior Jesus Christ is the light of the world: Grant that your people, illumined by your Word and Sacraments, may shine with the radiance of Christ's glory, that he may be known, worshipped, and obeyed to the ends of the earth; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, now and for ever. Amen. Collect for Second Sunday in Epiphany from Book of Common Prayer, p. 215
It's interesting to imagine what we must look like when we "shine with the radiance of Christ's glory." Yet, I know it's true that when I'm passionate about a subject or when I'm talking to someone I love, my face changes and my body changes in posture. My eyes light up and I probably use my hands more.
What do you look like when you are radiant and glowing? Who or what does that for you? I know it happens when I speak of my grandchildren, for instance.
How we change our bodies when we're talking about our passion and about the things and people we are passionate about, gets communicated to others. Our prayer for this week asks God that we may feel just that way about Jesus Christ and so communicate Christ to the world! May it be so.
Many blessings as you finish your week!
Love, Rebecca+
My Schedule the week of January 18
I will be attending the conference, Listening for a Change, Sacred conversations for Racial Justice at the Lutheran Seminary remote location on Thursday evening through Saturday. I will be in the office on Wednesday evening and Thursday during the day. Tuesday and Wednesday day will be my sabbath days and Monday is a holiday.
Installation of Vestry Members and Delegates to Diocesan Convention, January 17.
Please pray for our Vestry members – Shannon Burns, Tootser Davis, Becky Crup, Jill Brownfield, Bill Day, Miguel Gonzales, Lynne Mitchell, Joanne Pinaire and Gail Shull.
Becky Crup and Miguel Gonzales are also Delegates to Diocesan Convention. Please pray for Sue Beamer as the Alternate to Diocesan Convention.
Worship with St. Paul's Lutheran on Sunday, January 24, will be at The Church of the Nativity at our usual time - 9:30am.
Parlor People
Parlor People continued the topic "Undoing Racism" by exploring the matter of prejudice in more depth. We began by reviewing the definition:"Any preconceived opinion or feeling either favorable or unfavorable." Last week we each had admitted some of our own prejudices. This week we began to unearth their nature. Turns out it's very personal. There are four basic questions: Who determines the acceptable norms? Who controls the resources? Who is perceived as the problem? And, Who has the power to enforce the norms? In other words, Who will I accept? Who will I associate with, admit to my club, spend time with, share my money with? Who's fault is it that I am unwilling or unable to be generous to this person or group? And, Who can change things? In each case, it is me or my group. Mea culpa. Ouch.
Godspell - Sunday, February 21, 2:00pm, Hershey Playhouse
If you've told me you'd like a ticket to this performance, you can pay by check or cash. Make your check out to Nativity and St. Stephen and put Godspell in the memo line. Please give it to me so I can mark you paid. Tickets are $23 for adults and $20 for children. It's not too late to get a ticket. I'll be ordering more tickets this week.
Godly Play will be January 31.
THANK YOU from Rebecca!
Thank you for the wonderful gift from the parish of $150. Thank you for allowing me to serve you as your priest and Rector.
Upcoming Meetings
January 20, 6:30pm, Vestry
January 27, 11:00am, Program and Mission
January 27, 5:30pm, Finance Committee
February 3, 10:30am, Stewardship Committee
Join Hands items of the month are paper towels, toilet paper, kleenex, etc.
Stitchers meet in Undercroft on January 28, 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 how!
Service for Renewal of Ministry with Welcoming of a New Rector, Saturday, January 30, 10:00am
The Rt. Rev. Dr. Audrey Scanlan presiding and preaching.
A reception will follow.
Choir Practice
The choir practices every Sunday at 8:30am prior to the service.
The choir will also practice on Wed., 10:30am. Next Wednesday practice is January 27.
Join Us For Breakfast!
Men's breakfast - Every Wednesday, 9am, Espresso Yourself.
Women's breakfast – 2nd and 4th Wednesdays in January, 9am, May's Railside Grill.
Upcoming breakfast dates are January 27 and February 10.
Epipha-tea, Saturday, February 6, 2pm. Susan Rice will host this annual ECW event.
2016 Parish Pictorial Directory is ready! Pick up one at church. THANKS to Marion Fluchere for doing this.
Welcoming the Stranger. Through February 7, the Diocese is collecting pots, pans (new or gently used with NO non-stick surfaces), new pillows, and small items for children to donate to people who are refugees and are being resettled in Central Pennsylvania. Bring your donations to the church or order something from the Amazon Wish List at //amzn.to/1RsLwU
Diocesan Committee on Social Justice and Equity Created! If you're involved in or interested in addressing racism, prison ministry, criminal justice system issues, domestic violence, human trafficking, child abuse and other social justice ministries, consider joining this new Diocesan Committee. Let Rebecca know so you can receive information about this Committee.
Environmental Stewardship If you're interested in helping the church, its members and our community be wise stewards of our environment, see Kay Cramer.
News from the Primate's Meeting in England
Throughout Thursday word was coming out that the Primate's meeting had adopted a statement that specifically addressed The Episcopal Church. The Episcopal News Service released this story. More information is expected on Friday morning. //episcopaldigitalnetwork.com/ens/2016/01/14/majority-of-primates-call-for-temporary-episcopal-church-sanctions/
Here is an excerpt from the article with Presiding Bishop Curry's address:
Before the Jan. 14 vote, Episcopal Church Presiding Bishop Michael B. Curry told the primates gathering Jan. 11-15 in Canterbury, England, that the statement calling for the sanctions would be painful for many in the Episcopal Church to receive.
“Many of us have committed ourselves and our church to being ‘a house of prayer for all people,’ as the Bible says, when all are truly welcome,” Curry said in remarks he later made available to Episcopal News Service.
“Our commitment to be an inclusive church is not based on a social theory or capitulation to the ways of the culture, but on our belief that the outstretched arms of Jesus on the cross are a sign of the very love of God reaching out to us all. While I understand that many disagree with us, our decision regarding marriage is based on the belief that the words of the Apostle Paul to the Galatians are true for the church today: All who have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male or female, for all are one in Christ.
“For so many who are committed to following Jesus in the way of love and being a church that lives that love, this decision will bring real pain,” he said. “For fellow disciples of Jesus in our church who are gay or lesbian, this will bring more pain. For many who have felt and been rejected by the church because of who they are, for many who have felt and been rejected by families and communities, our church opening itself in love was a sign of hope. And this will add pain on top of pain.”
Curry told the primates that he was in no sense comparing his own pain to theirs, but “I stand before you as your brother. I stand before you as a descendant of African slaves, stolen from their native land, enslaved in a bitter bondage, and then even after emancipation, segregated and excluded in church and society. And this conjures that up again, and brings pain.
“The pain for many will be real. But God is greater than anything. I love Jesus and I love the church. I am a Christian in the Anglican way. And like you, as we have said in this meeting, I am committed to ‘walking together’ with you as fellow primates in the Anglican family.”
