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Also Coming up
Dec 1, 8 & 15: Advent Contemplative Prayer Group, Bethany House of Prayer, Arlington, 10 a.m.
Dec 1: Diocesan Council, Cathedral Church of St. Paul, Boston, 6 p.m.
Dec 3: Advent Retreat, Bethany House of Prayer, Arlington, 9:30 a.m.
Dec 4: Service of Advent Lessons and Carols, Society of St. Margaret, Duxbury, 4 p.m.
Dec 4: Service of Lessons and Carols, Parish of the Messiah, Auburndale, 4 p.m.
Dec 5: United Thank Offering grant applications due to the diocesan review committee. Contact Betty Murray at eg.murray@verizon.net.
Dec 6: Refreshment Day, Bethany House of Prayer, Arlington, 9 a.m.
Dec 10: 10th Annual "In A Manger" Exhibition, St. Andrew's Church, Ayer
Dec 14: Annual Messiah Sing, Cathedral Church of St. Paul, Boston, 12:15 p.m.
Dec 17: Advent Service of Lessons and Carols, St. Peter's Church, Cambridge, 6:15 p.m.
Dec 18: Blue Christmas Service, St. Barnabas's Church, Falmouth, 4 p.m.
Dec 21: Contemplative Eucharist, Bethany House of Prayer, Arlington, 7 p.m.
Dec 24: Christmas Eve at the Cathedral Church of St. Paul, Boston, Bishop Gayle E. Harris, presiding, 7:30 p.m.
Dec 25: Christmas Day at the Cathedral Church of St. Paul, Boston, Bishop M. Thomas Shaw, SSJE presiding, 10 a.m. |
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PHOTO: iStock.com |
In the way of gratitude: A Thanksgiving message from Bishop Shaw
"Gratitude, it seems to me, is like grace. Gratitude usually finds me. I cannot, most of the time, will gratitude. All of a sudden it just washes over me. I'll turn a corner, or look up at the sky, or put down the phone or push away from the table-ordinary actions of any day, and then unexpectedly I am overcome by this unfathomable sense of God's blessing everywhere.
"I expect, again, like grace, that gratitude is finding us, washing over us, every minute of every day. We just miss it, let it pass over us, because we are so concerned with what we think we need.
"All, it seems we can do, as with grace, is put our hearts in the way of gratitude, surrender to the possibility that gratitude is everywhere. It happened to me just the other day, turning the corner onto JFK Street in Cambridge on a sunny fall afternoon. I made sure the radio was off. I pushed aside the difficult issues of the day. And it came flooding over me, this profound sense of gratitude for the thousands of people across our diocese and in our parishes who do the work of advancing the kingdom of God in eastern Massachusetts. Thank you, everyone, for all you do.
"My prayer for all of us this Thanksgiving season is that we put ourselves in the way of gratitude. May our hearts be ready to receive God's gift." |
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Bishop Bud and Ruth Ann Cederholm depart Convention to applause. He is holding a photo of their grandchildren, presented to him during the service as a reminder of what he'll have more time for in retirement.
(PHOTO: Katie Ernst) |
Diocesan Convention: All about what we're doing together
Celebration, leave-taking and a sense of both opportunity and challenge were in the air as 600 clergy and delegates took up the annual business of Diocesan Convention this year alongside a big farewell to a beloved retiring Bishop Bud Cederholm and the launch of an ambitious fundraising campaign.
The diocese's Cathedral Church of St. Paul in Boston hosted the Nov. 4-5 event, with dozens of volunteers representing five of the cathedral church's worshiping communities offering hospitality and helping to lead the worship services over the course of the weekend.
Bishop Shaw gave two meditations focused on Jesus' ministry as a healer and how individuals and congregations continue to carry that healing power forth into today's world. He framed the work of convention and the launch of the campaign as healing work.
"Every one of us here has been chosen and empowered by God through the Holy Spirit and Jesus Christ to do the healing of the world," he said. Read the full report here.
The convention was the official public launch of Together Now, the diocese's $20-million fundraising campaign for an array of initiatives intended to build up congregational life and mission through collaboration and by expanding the reach of successful diocesan programs.
Bishop Shaw announced that nearly $8 million had been raised prior to the public launch, including a $1 million gift from Episcopal City Mission. Read about the campaign launch here. Convention actions, including election results and resolutions in final form, are available here.
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GLSS offers resources following resolution on ministry with the elderly
Diocesan Convention passed a shortened version of a resolution on developing ministry with the elderly. The single resolution to come before Convention, it raised a half-hour's worth of discussion as 22 delegates and clergy spoke about the importance of ministry with elderly people but debated whether and how Convention should direct congregations in the diocese to develop and implement such ministry. (Read more in the convention report here.)  | |
Convention takes a vote.
(PHOTO: Katie Ernst) |
As amended, the final resolution encourages congregations "to become aware of the issues facing the elderly community" and to develop ministry with the aged which may include a range of suggested activities. During discussion of the resolution, the work of Greater Lynn Senior Services (GLSS) was recommended to Convention. GLSS welcomes inquiries from congregations seeking assistance with assessing elder needs, developing an inventory of resources and forming supportive community connections. In partnership with North Shore Elder Services and Senior Care, Inc., GLSS offers the Conversations for Caring program as a specific support to the vital network of care offered by faith communities to elders and their caregivers and as a bridge between faith communities and elder care providers. The Conversations program also offers ongoing information about elder care issues through its "10 Caring Points" e-mails which can be used as ministry supports, discussion guides and adult formation tools for ordained and lay ministers. For more information, contact Dan Collier at 781-586-8620 or dcollier@glss.net. |
A thank you from Bishop Bud
Bishop Bud Cederholm shares this letter of thanks to the diocesan community following his retirement celebration Nov. 4-5. Dear Friends, Words cannot express what is in my heart following these last several months of well wishes, love, cards, congregational gifts, notes on the diocesan Web site, blessings and prayers from so many of you. It all culminated in an awesome reception and dinner with young and old and Wally at Fenway Park, and an emotional closing Convention Eucharist when I handed my staff to Bishop Tom and left with Ruth Ann, as always, by my side, Jesus in all our hearts and dreams for God's church and mission our common hope for the future dancing in our imaginations. Ruth Ann remarked in the car that this was more about the love we all share than about being your retiring bishop suffragan. She is right on. Read the full letter here. |
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The Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem |
June Holy Land pilgrimage connects dioceses in spirit, prayer and presence
Bishop Gayle E. Harris invites members of the diocese to join her in a mission pilgrimage to the Holy Land this June, an opportunity, she says, "to connect in spirit, prayer, knowledge and presence" with brother and sister Episcopalians in the Diocese of Jerusalem.
The pilgrimage is part of this diocese's continued efforts to build relationships and support ministry in the Diocese of Jerusalem, which comprises Palestine, Israel, Syria, Lebanon and Jordon.
"We'll have the experience of walking where Jesus walked and learn about how Jesus walks with us today as we witness and learn about some of the ministry taking place in the Diocese of Jerusalem. The Christian community there amidst such strife holds such promise for building peace, and this experience will enrich and broaden and deepen our understanding of the church," Harris said.
There is a Feb. 1, 2012, sign-up deadline to join the June 2-12 trip, and space for 30 travelers.
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ParishCircuit
 South Shore Deanery Bowl-a-thon matches diocesan grants: Lynn Clark, Lynn Smith and Diane Pound (pictured, from left) formed "Team Diomass" at the fourth annual South Shore Deanery Bowl-a-thon in Hanover on Nov. 13. Money raised at the event matches diocesan Sending Serving grant funds, which, in the South Shore Deanery, will go this year to the Helping Hands Essentials Pantry at Christ Church in Quincy, the Long Island Shelter and other local food pantries in South Shore communities.
Eight South Shore churches participated: All Saints' Church, Whitman; Church of Our Saviour, Milton; Christ Church, Quincy; St. Chrysostom's Church, Wollaston; St. Stephen's Church, Cohasset; St. Andrew's Church, Hanover; Trinity Church, Marshfield; and Trinity Church, Rockland. |
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 These kids know how to make pie:
The Charles River Deanery Youth Collaborative gathered 70 kids and their adult mentors for a pie-making party at the Church of Our Saviour in Brookline on Nov. 20, including Alexander Feltner-Harrison (pictured), a sixth grader from All Saints Parish, Brookline, on his first pie-making adventure. "What was truly amazing is that 11 congregations in our deanery were represented," organizer Becky Taylor reported aftewards. "That's impressive, because it means that pies went to food pantries in Newton Centre, Brookline and Wellesley."
Things got kind of busy so she doesn't know exactly how many pies got made--"My guess is that over 100 pies were made in an hour and a half"--but she does know that they will be appreciated.
"When I dropped off pies at the Brookline Food Pantry yesterday, the director told me that they would be providing Thanksgiving packages to 170 households," that day, Taylor said. "This is 30 more than last year's distribution. When I asked about the demographics of the folks using the food pantry, he told me that more and more they are helping families with children. This is a sobering fact, and one not limited to Brookline. I urge you, as you gather at your own Thanksgiving celebration, to hold in prayer those who have less than they need to survive." |
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 Cambridge bell choir rings in 300 in Newburyport: The hand bell choir from Christ Church in Cambridge, under the direction of Melissa Hirschon, rang the Sunday service on Nov. 20 at St. Paul's Church in Newburyport to help that parish celebrate its 300th anniversary.
Cricket Beauregard-Lewis reports: "One year ago we were honored to be invited to ring there to celebrate the beginning of their year-long celebration. We returned to ring the prelude, offertory and the postlude, and close out their special year. During the Communion hymn the community of children rang their collection of very small bells while we accompanied them with ours from White Chapel. It was a very special service. Thank you, St. Paul's, for inviting us back."
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