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"Let us go to the house of the Lord. Psalm 122:1
This Psalm is one that is thought to have been written after a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. Jerusalem had become the center of worship for the people. They'd travel to the city for the major feasts. Jerusalem held special significance throughout the community as the center of worshiping God.
And Jerusalem has special significance to Christians. It is the city where Jesus Christ changed the course of our relationship with God and with the world. Jesus was crucified just outside of the walls of the city and Jesus resurrected there.
When I visited Hereford Cathedral in England, I saw the Mappa Mundi from 1300, showing Jerusalem as the center of the earth. The Jerusalem cross shows a large cross in the center with four small crosses in the corners. It was explained to me that our Christianity went from Jerusalem to the four corners of the earth.
Jerusalem is the spiritual center of our faith...our heart. Yes it is a physical place, but more, it is a spiritual place. It represents our grounding in Jesus' death and resurrection. So we pray for peace and prosperity for this center and heart of our faith.
Enjoy this version of the piece by Herbert Howells, Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JvycNXMUcMY&list=RDJvycNXMUcMY#t=39
My prayer is that you will take this season of preparation to ground yourself in peace.
Many Blessings as you finish your week!
Love, Rebecca+
Parlor People, Sunday, 11am – noon. All adults are welcome to participate in Parlor People nearly every Sunday. See our Christian Formation page for more information. Rebecca opens our Advent series on Practicing Simplicity. The discussion will focus on practicing simplicity with all of your heart. Next Sunday, Todd Saner will lead the discussion on practicing simplicity with all of your soul.
Godly Play is this Sunday.
Men’s Breakfast - each Wed., 9am, Espresso Yourself Café.
Women’s Breakfast - Wednesday, December 14, 9am, Espresso Yourself Café.
Upcoming Meetings
December 4, 1:00pm Racism Awareness Group
December 11, noon, Worship Committee Meeting
Taize’ Tuesdays, 5:00pm. Twenty minutes of Centering Prayer followed by a Taize’ service.
Join Hands Christmas Gifts. We’ve agreed to shop for 15 families with 40 children. We will meet on Tuesday, November 29, 9am at the Walmart in Mechanicsburg to do the shopping. Everyone is welcome to join us. If you have any questions, please contact Susan Rice at 834-4001.
Advent Lessons and Carols led by the choir of St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, Lebanon, December 4, 4pm.Once again, St. Luke’s choir under the direction of Bill Claxton, will lead us in this service of lessons and hymns of preparation for the birth of the Christ child. A dinner will follow. If you can help with the dinner, please let Sue Beamer know.
Practicing Simplicity with all of your heart, mind, soul and strength is our Advent devotional booklet. Pick up a copy at the back of the church or go online at https://www.flipsnack.com/ebraeger/advent-2016.html. This book is the focus of our Advent Parlor People series.
Poinsettias for Christmas. Donations due by December 11. If you’d like poinsettias for Christmas Eve and Christmas in memory or honor of a loved one, please let us know. If you use envelopes, there is one for December 11 that allows you to include the memorial or honor.
Toys for Perry County Christmas Cantata, Invitation to a Miracle. Sunday, December 11, 2pm and 7pm, Christ Lutheran Church, 46 W. High Street, New Bloomfield, PA. Bring an unwrapped new toy in its original packaging.
Beat the Rush, Friday, Dec. 16, 7-10pm, The Maples, New Bloomfield. This fun event allows you to taste and vote for your favorite appetizers, desserts and cocktails. Bring your quarters - or folding money – and enjoy a relaxing holiday evening at Carson Long's beautiful 1840 Maples, complete with 50-50, door prizes, silent auction, and live auction. Proceeds benefit local Rotary scholarships and community programs. Tickets are $20.
Baking needs and chocolate items available through Equal Exchange. See the cart in the parish hall. We are now a wholesaler for Equal Exchange, a company that supports small farmers who use sustainable practices for chocolate, cocoa, coffee, tea, nuts, olive oil and other baking items. A price list and basket are available to pay for the items you choose to buy. Also, be sure to write down what you’ve purchased to help us maintain our inventory. A catalogue is also available. If there’s an item you’d like us to order, please see Jane Hoover.
Join Hands Items of the Month –November: Items this month- Paper Products (Toilet Paper, Paper Towels), Diapers (all sizes with an emphasis on 4,5,6) and small Wheel-able Carts/Wagons: So those who walk to the Perry County Food Bank and/or to the monthly distribution sites have a Cart or Wagon to transport more groceries home. You can drop these off at the Perry County Food Bank.
Let Rebecca know if you’d like her to come visit. She can come to your home or another location you suggest. This helps her to know you better and hopefully you will also know her a little better. Let Rebecca know your availability on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday days or evenings and she'll be in touch to arrange a time to get together. You can send an email to her at nativityrector@pa.net or leave a message at the church at 717-567-6514.
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. If possible, count the money in your box and write a check to the church in that amount.
Food Bank Donations are needed! 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.
Canned vegetables, fruit, nut butters and protein are always needed.
Honor or Remember a loved one or a special occasion with flowers on the altar! Flowers help make our worship space more beautiful and remind us of the blossoming life we have in Christ. Please consider sponsoring the flowers in memory of a loved one, or to celebrate your thanksgivings. Flowers are $30. A sign-up chart is in the Undercroft.
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.
