Loading...Create in me a clean heart, O God, *
and renew a right spirit within me. Psalm 51:11
When I was growing up, I attended the Lutheran church. We sang this verse every Sunday. Every Ash Wednesday, we say Psalm 51, too. It's a Psalm confessing our sins and asking God to forget (forgive) our sinfulness and give us a new heart and a new spirit.
I once heard the definition of sin as anything that separates us from God. Even things we might believe or label as "good" have the power to distract us and separate us from God. Staying connected to God can be challenging as we go about living our lives.
Luckily, we can gather every Sunday with each other in worship, praise and Eucharist, returning to God, receiving forgiveness and a clean heart and spirit to go into the next week. Beginning this Tuesday, we'll also resume our Tuesday evening centering prayer at 5pm followed by a Taize' service at 5:20, providing another opportunity to re-connect to God.
Godly Play begins this week for our children. Confirmation classes are also starting and Parlor People will begin. These are all ways we explore our faith and deepen our faith, maintaining our connection to God.
During the week, there are many ways we can stay in touch from using our prayerbook family devotions or daily offices, to meditation books with daily readings.
What are the ways you have of returning to God...of keeping your eye on God and being close to God?
May you have a clean heart and a clean spirit!
Love, Rebecca+
This Sunday is Godly Play.
This Sunday is Confirmation Class. Please pray for our confirmands.
O God, you prepared your disciples for the coming of the Spirit through the teaching of your Son Jesus Christ: Make the hearts and minds of Ethan and Sophia ready to receive the blessing of the Holy Spirit, that they may be filled with the strength of his presence; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen. Book of Common Prayer, p. 819.
This Sunday we'll observe Latino/Latina Heritage Month. This is a reminder that we are part of the worldwide Anglican Communion. We will say The Lord's Prayer in Spanish and sing some new hymns from Latino traditions.
This Sunday we will ring the bell in remembrance and observance of the 15-year anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.
Bell will be rung at - 8:46am - first tower NYC;
9:03am 2nd- tower NYC;
9:37am - Pentagon;
9:59 tower collapses;
10:07 plane into PA field;
10:28 2nd tower collapse.
Parlor People, Sunday, 11am – noon. All adults are welcome to participate in Parlor people nearly every Sunday, 11am to noon. This Sunday, Bill Rohm leads a discussion on 9/11: What Would Jesus Do?
Next Sunday, we welcome Alesia Skinner, owner of Paxtang Cemetery to talk about green burials.
See our Christian Formation page for more information.
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.
Choir Practice
The Choir will meet for breakfast on Wednesday, September 21 at 9am with practice following at 10am.
Men’s Breakfast - each Wed., 9am, Espresso Yourself Café.
Women’s Breakfast - September 14 and 28, 9am, May’s Railside.
Taize’ Tuesdays, 5:00pm. Twenty minutes of Centering Prayer
followed by a Taize’ service.
Shoes Needed for School Kids Darlene Amsler and Susan Rice are collecting monetary contributions to purchase school shoes for elementary students in need in Perry County. The guidance counselors will be providing the necessary information on each student and Darlene and Susan will be doing the shopping. Nativity is sponsoring this ministry, not as part of Join Hands. If you would like to make a contribution, please see Darlene or Susan.
Episcopal Migration Ministries will host a live webcast discussion, One United People: A Dialogue on Refugee
Resettlement and Faithful Welcome, on Wednesday, September 14, 2pm. A panel of refugee resettlement
practitioners, congregational leaders, and recently arrived refugees will discuss ways in which Episcopalians and faith
communities around the United States welcome refugees. Access to the webcast is available here www.episcopalchurch.org/OneUnitedPeople . Questions can be emailed during the discussion to TECQ&A@episcopalchurch.org. The webcast will be available for viewing afterward here www.episcopalchurch.org .
Godly Play Training available!
If you are interested in learning more or assisting with this important ministry to children, training is available on
September 24, 8:30-5:30 at St. Andrew’s, Shippensburg. Please see Rebecca or contact Michele at chnatss@pa.net if
you’d like to register. More information is available at //www.diocesecpa.org/formation/godlyplay.
International Day of Peace, Camp Curtin State Park,
2221 N. 6th Street, Harrisburg, PA 4-6:00 pm Sunday, September 25, 2016
Join in an interfaith commemoration of the International Day of Peace. Heeding God's Call To End Gun Violence is a faithbased
grassroots movement to prevent gun violence and promote a violence-free community. For more info: www.heedingharrisburg.org or 717-461-3540.
Put your car to work for local refugees!
Drivers are needed to help transport adult refugees to and from morning English classes in Harrisburg. To learn more about
this opportunity, contact Charity Stowell at Catholic Charities: cstowell@cchbg.org
Upcoming Meetings
September 11, 11:15am – Confirmation Class
September 14, 7:00pm – Racism Awareness Group
September 21, 6:30pm, Vestry
September 22, 5:00pm, Finance and Stewardship Committee meeting with Ken Quigley
September 28, 10:30am, Sewing Hearts on teddy bears, Home of Maud Fluchere
ECW Claggett Center Retreat, 3035 Buckeystown Pike, Adamstown, MD, September 30 – October 2.
“Transitions: Following with Faithfulness Where God Leads” presented by The Rt. Rev. Audrey Scanlan. Register online by
September 16. Go to //www.diocesecpa.org/event/ecwretreat
for more info and to register.
Stephens Ministry Introductory Workshop, September 24, 9am – 1pm, Grace Lutheran Church, Camp Hill.
If you’re interested in assisting Rebecca in providing comfort and support to people in our parish, attend this ½ day workshop to
learn more about becoming a Stephen Minister. Rebecca has registration information.
Diocesan Committee on Refugees Meeting, Monday, October 3, 4:00pm, Diocesan Offices. Assist with the Diocesan support for settling people who are refugees by attending this meeting.
Recommendations for Giving To Others (GTO) funding will be accepted until October 2. Each year our parish, through the
Program and Mission Committee, donates nearly $20,000 to organizations in our counties and our Diocese. If you’d like to
make a recommendation to the committee, please contact Lynne Mitchell, chair, in person or ldmitchell612@aol.com
Town Hall Meeting concerning the Opiate Epidemic in Perry County. Tues., September 27, 7 – 8:30pm. Main courtroom, Perry County Courthouse, New Bloomfield. Take part by learning more about the problem, concerns and what you can do. Sponsored by the Perry County District Attorney and Perry Human Services.
Bye Bye Birdie at Oyster Mill Playhouse on Tuesday, November 15, 6:30pm to benefit Christian Churches United. If you’d like to attend, please let Rebecca know.
Join Hands Items of the Month – Personal Toiletries & Paper Towels (Soap, Shampoo, Conditionor, Toothbrush, Toothpaste, Deodorant, Tweezers, Razor (disposable), Shaving Cream)
Team ‘Joining Hands for Jeri’ 6th Annual Charity Auction,
September 24 at 10:30am, Otterbein UMC, Duncannon
The team will participate in their 11th Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk this October. ‘Joining Hands for Jeri’ has donated nearly $30,000 over the last five years, with most of the funds raised through the auctions. Check out our Facebook page, Team ‘Joining Hands for Jeri’, to see all the great items that will be up for bid! The team is also accepting donated items to be auctioned off at the event. If you have an item you’d like to
donate, please see Michele.
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 me at nativityrector@pa.net or leave a message at the church at 717-567-6514.
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 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.
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.
