From the Rector -My Heart Shall Sing
This Sunday we hear the great song of Mary, the Magnificat. This is the song she sings when she is greeted by her cousin Elizabeth. Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.”
Mary’s song carries the echoes of the song of Hannah, and is itself echoed in Jesus’ Beatitudes. It is a song of trusting and rejoicing in God’s liberating love. God scatters the proud, lifts up the lowly, fills the hungry – always merciful.
We read this in Advent not only because it is a story of a pregnant Mother Mary, but because it magnifies for us something essential about the incarnation when God became flesh in Jesus and was born, but also about the promise of Christ’s Second Coming in glory: God’s love has the power to destroy the systems and structures of this world that separate us from each other and God. As the prophet Isaiah wrote, the paths will be made straight and the mountains brought low – until we are all together in God’s kingdom of justice, compassion, and reconciliation.
I invite you to listen to the Canticle of the Turning, a musical setting of the Magnificat which will be our final hymn this week. Any pray with me for God’s liberating love to ever and always continue to be born into our hearts.
Yours in God’s peace,
Kristin+
Outreach
Thank you to all of you for supporting the Carroll County Foster Program with angel tree gifts this year! The children will be delighted by the generosity of this parish. The gifts will be delivered on December 18 in time for the social workers to disperse the wonderful treasures we have provided.
In January, the Outreach Committee will be hosting an open meeting between services with donuts and coffee to welcome anyone interested to join us or just to come and see what we do. More on that later. Please come!
Christmas blessings from the Outreach Committee!
CLICK HERE FOR THE RESULTS OF OUR NOVEMBER 2017 OUTREACH SURVEY
Daughters of the King – St. James’ Chapter
An Order for laywomen of the Episcopal Church who undertake a Rule of Prayer and Rule of Service by reaffirmation of promises made at Confirmation. Monthly meetings: First Tuesdays of each month at 7:00 p.m. Church sitting area.
Contacts: Karen Dulany, Joan Fader, Margaret Neff
Motto of the Order
For His sake I am but one, but I am one,
I cannot do everything, but I can do something.
What I can do, I ought to do.
What I ought to do, by the grace of God I will do.
Lord, what wilt thou have me do?
WEEKLY ANNOUNCEMENTS
SAVE THE DATE for MAD Camp 2018!
“Pinocchio”
July 16-20, 2018
For children entering Grades 3-8.
Assistant positions for Grade 9+
Elevator Update
We are continuing to work to figure out what is going on with our elevator—we think it is being affected by the frequent power surges we get in Mt. Airy. Workers from both the elevator company and our fire protection monitoring service were out this week and it is back in operation.
Christmas Flowers and Music Memorials and Thanksgivings
Don’t forget to complete your form and return it to the parish office or drip it in the offering plate. forms and envelopes are available on the usher’s table in the Narthex. Due by December 18, 2017.
Prayer Rotation
Please join the Daughters of the King in praying for each parishioner in rotation during 2017 by taking this notice home and by posting it where it will remind you to pray on a daily basis for the needs and blessings of:
| Ernie and Sharon Hansen Mike and Chris Henyon (McKenna, Brennan, Kaley) Rebecca Herbert |
A member of the Daughters of the King will be contacting you this week for special prayer requests.
