Loading...The Lord himself watches over you; *
the Lord is your shade at your right hand... Psalm 121:5
The other day I heard someone talking about their favorite Psalm. I wondered what mine is. There are so many I love. Psalm 121 is certainly one of them.
The Psalm says that no matter what, God is with me. That understanding and reminder is comforting. It also gives me courage and confidence as I walk through this world.
Recently I read an article in The New York Times about a man's experience in New York City, where someone told him to "Go Back to China." Michael Luo wrote an open letter and talked about similar experiences he has had in his life, even though he was born in the United States.
I posted the article and my Facebook friend, Lelanda Lee, most recently having served on the Executive Council of The Episcopal Church, posted this in response to the story:
"This is but one strain of the racism in this country of my birth. White allies who will confront and correct other White people who say this kind of garbage are needed. We People of Color have to be brave to stand up for ourselves. Will you White people be brave to stand up as allies?"
I sat with her last sentence addressed to me and those like me who are perceived as "White." What would I have done if I had heard the woman yell out, "Go Back to China"? Would have I gone to her and told her that her words were unacceptable or would I have hurried by?
I'd like to think I would be brave enough to be that ally that Lelanda Lee says is needed and I told her I would be brave enough to stand with her, yet I wonder.
And what I know is that it's only because God is watching over me and with me ALWAYS and is my help, that I can even attempt to be an ally.
Many blessings as you finish your week!
Love, Rebecca+
Please pray for The Diocese of Central Pennsylvania as we meet in convention Friday afternoon and Saturday. Becky Crup and I will be representing Nativity and St. Stephen. Topics include worship, 2017 budget, revisions to the Constitution and Canons, Advocacy for Food Ministry, affirming the Charter for Lifelong Christian Formation, and elections to various Diocesan positions. You can find more on the webpage, as well as watch the convention livestream here: //diocesecpa.org/events/diocesanconvention#livestream
Ingathering for United Thank Offering this Sunday. Bring your thankoffering to be received today. If you’ve been putting offering in your thankoffering box at home, please count it up and write a check for the amount. Be sure to include ECW Thankoffering in the memo line. If you use envelopes, one is available for the ingathering.
We continue our Stewardship/Pledge season. You should have received a letter in the mail with information to return - your pledge of time, talent and treasure. Please return by October 30.
Prayer: Loving God, you alone are the source of every good gift. We praise you for all your gifts to us, and we thank you for your generosity. Everything we have, and all that we are, comes from you. Help us to be grateful and responsible. Amen
Parlor People, Sunday, 11am – noon. All adults are welcome to participate in Parlor People nearly every Sunday. This Sunday, Marion Fluchere talks about her family’s trip to Vienna, the home of Dickie’s parents before the holocaust.
Next week, we’ll learn more about labyrinths as we dedicate our own labyrinth.
Also, Jane Hoover, Bill Rohm and I are interested in hearing about what you believe are your spiritual needs and/or the spiritual needs of the congregation. Our Mission statement says we’re “called to grow: in service, in numbers of disciples, and in grace.” How can Parlor People help us fulfill our mission? Let us know, so we can plan some Parlor People sessions around these needs.
Men’s Breakfast - each Wed., 9am, Espresso Yourself Café.
Women’s Breakfast - October 26, 9am, May’s Railside.
Choir Practice Wednesdays after Women’s Breakfast at 10:15am The upcoming practices will be October 19 and 26. Please note the 19th is in addition to practice on the morning of Women’s Breakfast.
Upcoming Meetings
October 18, Parlor People Planning Committee, 3:30
October 19, Vestry, 6:30pm
October 23, Outdoor Space Use Plan, after Parlor People
October 25, 11am – 1pm, Craft and Lunch, Episcopal Commons
November 6, After service – lunch and BINGO at Honaman House
November 15, 7pm – Racism Awareness Group
Taize’ Tuesdays, 5:00pm. Twenty minutes of Centering Prayer followed by a Taize’ service.
Give Online to The Church of the Nativity and St. Stephen!
We’ve added a “Give Online” button to our website. You can use your credit card to make a onetime or recurring monthly donation to the church. On the second screen before final confirmation, you can give special instructions if you’d like to split your donation between the program fund, building fund, flowers or another area of the church. Check it out!
Congratulations to Miguel Gonzales for his appointment to
the Diocesan Commission on Ministry. Bishop Scanlan has appointed Miguel for a 3-year term on this committee, which oversees the discernment and formation of people called to be Deacons and Priests.
Dedication of our Labyrinth in thanksgiving for the ministry of The Rev. Daphne Messersmith, October 23 church service. Our labyrinth, built by Boy Scout Troop 64 of Duncannon, under the leadership of Derek Tietje will be dedicated at this service. Daphne and Derek will join us for the service, as well as some of the scouts and adults who assisted with the project.
Donations for Lunch at Episcopal Commons, Tuesday, October 25, 11am – 1pm. The Program and Mission Committee will be hosting lunch and a fall craft at the Commons on October 25. If you can contribute soup, a side dish or dessert for lunch, please let Lynne Mitchell or Wendy Day know.
Diocesan ECW Gathering, November 5, St. Thomas Episcopal Church, Lancaster. Guest speaker will be Beblon Parks, National ECW Board Member-at-Large for Social Justice. Beblon served as an Episcopal Church delegate to the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women held March 14-24, 2016. She will share her experience of this event.
Gala-Gala to benefit the Episcopal Home of Shippensburg, Saturday, November 5, 6:30pm at Mt. Calvary Episcopal Church, Camp Hill Tickets are $10 per person. Heavy hors d’oeuvres will be served, entertainment and a Silent Auction. To purchase tickets, contact George Park at grppsu@aol.com.
Reading the names of those who have died in the past year. On November 6, at our service for All Saints, we’ll read the names of loved ones and friends who have died in the past year. Please let Michele (chnatss@pa.net) know the names of those you’d like included by November 1.
Bingo and Lunch at Honaman House after church. On Sunday, November 6, after church, we’ll go to Honaman House for coffee hour/lunch and BINGO. If you can provide soup, crackers, a side dish or dessert for lunch, please let Lynne Mitchell or Wendy Day know. Also, we’re accepting household cleaning and paper items for prizes.
Lutheran-Anglican-Roman Catholic Day of Dialogue, Monday, November 7, 9am – 3pm, Cardinal Keeler Center, Harrisburg. Rooted in Common Ground: our Universal Call to Care for Creation. A flyer is posted in the Undercroft with more info. Please see Rebecca if you would like to attend.
Annual Meeting November 20, with potluck after church. We will vote on 2016 minutes; members of Vestry and 2017 Diocesan Convention Delegate and Alternate; and the 2017 Budget and receive reports from committees.
Nominations Slate for 2017 Vestry and Diocesan Convention Delegate and Alternate. Vestry recommends Shannon Burns, Kay Cramer, and Bill Rohm for Vestry and Miguel Gonzales for Delegate to 2017 Convention and Bill Rohm as Alternate. Jill Brownfield and Joanne Pinaire will be leaving Vestry. Voting on these recommendations will be held at the Annual Meeting on November 20.
Join Hands items of the month are Monetary Donations, Washers and Dryers,
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.
Advocate for the Protection of Voting Rights
We are in the midst of election season with absentee ballot requests and early voting beginning in states across the country. As we are educating ourselves on candidates' positions, and some of us are already casting our votes, The Episcopal Church reminds us that engaging political processes is an act of Christian stewardship and calls on all Episcopalians to advocate for voting rights.
Unfortunately in some parts of the U.S., voting laws make it challenging for all citizens to exercise their right to vote, and when the Supreme Court struck down Section 4 of the Voting Rights Act, President Obama called on Congress to restore the Act. Fortunately, members of Congress took bipartisan action on this important issue, and in 2015, Senator Patrick Leahy and Representative Terri Sewell introduced the Voting Rights dvancement Act of 2015 (HR 2867/S 1659), a forward-thinking bill that addresses voter disenfranchisement and expands access to registration and voting centers.
Urge your members of Congress to support the Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2015! //advocacy.episcopalchurch.org/action
