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The Tidings Online
February 15th 2013
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Timeless Worship Progressive Values Inclusive Community Come join us on our journey with God!  |
Greetings!,
You are going to be seeing some changes around Nativity and we pray that you will like them! This week a new refrigerator and new dishwasher (to replace the old one which died!) are being delivered to Nativity. We bless and thank the old ones for their many (thirty or forty years!) of service, and look forward to new, energy efficient ones. We will, sooner than later, have new furnaces as well, since one has died and the other two are on their last legs. Please be patient and make use of the space heaters you see scattered around the kitchen.
One of the charges of a congregation is to be good stewards of the land and the buildings it has received down the generations. Our congregation was founded in 1957, so it truly is a "baby boom" church. Our church home received its first major renovation seven years ago, with new roof, new plumbing, new electrical, new lighting, new outside stain, and many other "hidden" things that are not too terribly interesting, but vital to the health of the place. Your vestry is hard at work prioritizing projects, and we will be coming to you when we have a more detailed list of things we need to do.
The interior of the church is of the greatest interest to me, since it is the place that we meet God and worship together. For many years, the tapestry has been a topic of conversation. Some of you love it, some of you don't love it, most people are not indifferent to it. As I have listened to people's reaction over the past (almost) fourteen years, I have come to understand that it has served its purpose well. As Bishop Andrus said at our 50th anniversary party in 2007, the nineteen sixties, the legendary boom time of this congregation, were years of incredible hope, energy, change, and new ideas. So to the extent that the tapestry reminds of us that time, we do well to remember those wonderful qualities.
On the other hand, what I have consistently heard is that the tapestry, because of this very strong identity to an era now gone by, serves as an impediment to new people coming and staying at Nativity. That is to say, many people come and have to work very hard to remain in a place that feels dated. This I take extremely seriously, since we want our church to be a welcoming and comfortable place for people to come, both existing members and the members who will walk through our doors. To that end, I am working with the vestry to identify a thoughtful and honoring way to bless the tapestry, and to replace it with something as graceful and elegant as the rest of our church. I am also aware that there are "extended members" of our church family, living elsewhere and worshipping elsewhere, who may wish to be part of this honoring, and so this will all happen in a thoughtful and informed way.
My sense is that we at Nativity are re-capturing some of the energy of those turbulent, amazing, liberating 1960s. And I pray that as we find our path to being part of "the new church", we can both remind ourselves of our heritage and not be limited by it.
I welcome your comments and reactions, as always.
With love and prayers,
Stacey
Bible Challenge Week Three...which starts on Monday!
Day 15 - Genesis 37-39; Psalm 13; Matthew 13
Day 16 - Genesis 40-42; Psalm 14; Matthew 14
Day 17 - Genesis 43-45; Psalm 15; Matthew 15
Day 18 - Genesis 46-48; Psalm 16; Matthew 16
Day 19 - Genesis 49-50; Psalm 17; Matthew 17
Day 20 - Exodus 1-3; Psalm 18:1-20; Matthew 18
Day 21 - Enjoy hearing the Scriptures read aloud in church
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Youth Group:
NO MEETING SUNDAY--OUTREACH PROJECT ON TUESDAY EVENING
The Marin Episcopal Youth Group meets on Sundays from 5:00 pm - 6:30 pm except for Movie Night (usually the last Sunday of the month) when we meet from 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm. Anyone in grades 6 - 12 are invited to attend.
Sock Project: During Lent, donations of new socks will be coordinated by Hannah Wellesley-Winter. They will be distributed to Ritter House and other local shelters in our diocese. The campaign runs from Ash Wednesday to Palm Sunday. Please join this effort to share Christ's love.
Crab Feed: The Annual Crab Feed fundraiser will be held on Saturday, February 23 at the Marinwood Community Center at 5 pm with no-host wine bar and dinner at 5:45 pm. We need your help in making this a wonderful event. Although it is at the end of Winter Break, please consider adjusting your plans to be able to attend. This is our largest fund raising event of the year and we need everyone's participation. So, find your family, relatives and friends and come to this event. If unable to attend, you can still support our efforts by making a financial commitment. If you have any items for the Raffle, please see either T'sa Hammond or Ruth Baney.
Tuesday Outreach Night - This Tuesday, February 19th, the MEYG will Make and Serve Salad at the Marin Street Chaplaincy Dinner at First Presbyterian Church in San Rafael at 5:00 pm. If you are interested, please contact Daniel London at 408-823-8232.
Summer Camp Sunday: On March 3rd we will celebrate Camp Sunday. There will be folks from St. Dorothy's Rest available to explain their summer camp program. There will be a BBQ, s'mores, games and camp songs. Anyone age 8 and over is invited to attend. Time is 5:30 pm-7:30 pm here at Nativity.
Stations of the Cross: During Lent on Wednesday evenings we will be walking the Stations of the Cross. Share this walk with other parishioners at 7:00pm.
Coming Events:
Feb 17: Youth Group - 5pm
Feb 19: MEYG Outreach Night - 5 pm - 6:30 pm - First Presbyterian Church
Feb 20: Stations of the Cross - 7 pm
Feb 23: Crab Feed - Marinwood Community Center
Mar 3: Camp Sunday - 5:30 pm - 7:30 pm
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| Volunteering and Outreach |
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Marin Food Bank
We took in 104 pounds of food this week, a good start to our yearly donations.
Please keep your weekly donations coming.
Place food in the baskets and the children will present them at the altar.
Margaret Jackson maggiej613@gmail.com 479-0227
E-scrip
Our contributions from E-scrip are down this year. We received only $1,200.
Our major donors are Paradise Market and Safeway.
If you have the chance, please thank the managers for their support.
Please remember to update new or updated debit and credit cards.
If you need help, see me. I can give you your member number
but not your password. Only your member number is needed to update.
Margaret Jackson 479-0227 or maggiej613@gmail.com
Outreach Meeting
A brief Outreach meeting was held on February 3rd.
We will meet again on February 24th
Anyone is welcome to attend to help plan the Outreach program for the coming year.
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Coffee Hour at 10:00 AM Sundays
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Thank you to the people who brought goodies for the meeting.
The sign-up sheet is now on the table in the church.
Please look for future dates when you may be able to help.
Feb. 17: Doyle Crosby
Feb. 24: Ava Jean Brumbaum
Mar. 3: Kim Bromley
Mar. 10: Susan Pick
Mar. 17: ?
Mar. 24:?
Mar. 31: Easter Day - Ruth Baney
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Instructions for Coffee Hour are posted on the inside of the cupboard in the kitchen. Or ask for help, there are always people that can direct you.
Our neighbor Carlos is providing the coffee at the moment so all that you need are goodies and half & half, and occasionally juice. (We often have that in the fridge.)
Please note:
the coffee pots need to be emptied and rinsed out so that they can be taken back to Carlos.
Margaret maggiej613@gmail.com
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Our church: Pray for Katharine, our Presiding Bishop; Marc, our Bishop: the clergy, staff, and members of this parish.
The Ministries of our Parishioners: Kairos Inside Prison Ministry, Kairos Outside Prison Ministry, Cursillo, Sojourn - the Multifaith Chaplaincy at San Francisco General Hospital, San Quentin Prison, the Marin Interfaith Street Chaplaincy, Ohlhoff Recovery Board: the Elders Ministry of Grace Cathedral, Hospice by the Bay, West Coast Post Trauma Retreat, Alano Club and Buckelew Services.
In our Nativity Parish cycle of prayer, pray for Ruth Baney, Ronald & Diane Bender, James & Leslie Betts.
Our world: pray for our country, for our President Barack and Governor Jerry. Pray peace into being especially in Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Darfur, Zimbabwe, Somalia, Haiti, Pakistan, Chile, Palestine, the Middle East, Japan and Honduras.
Our parish members for special grace and healing:
Carissa Betts, Bob Brandt, Alice Goss, David Wade, Virginia Gerhart, Marion Slusser, Bill Schlegel, and Juliette Anthony.
Prayers are asked for the following family and friends:
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Polly Essinger, friend of Marian Marsh
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David Love, husband of Mary Love
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Mike Antill, friend of the Wades
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Preston Hennie, friend of Pauline Perrins
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Brooks Parker, friend of David Wade
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Jill Hallinan, friend of Honor Bulkley
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Colton James, great grandson of Marge Cole
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Rod Robinson, brother of Ruth Baney
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Janet Meehan, friend of the Chapmans
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Gerry Studier, friend of Gail Sanfilippo and Fusae Miller
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Cora Bousquet, friend of Roz
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Steve Graham, father of Samantha Ehlen
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Jim Bell, son of Fleet and Nancy Bell
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World News This Week in Prayer
God of love, in the spirit of Valentine's Day when we celebrate so many forms of love, help us to move into your heart of love for the whole world. Let us see as you see that the day and night are good, that the earth and sea are good, and that all the stuff, inanimate as well as animate, is good.
Let us welcome announcements that promise a possible future of sustainability. When the United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says, "With the right enabling public policies, close to 80% of the world's energy supply could be met by renewables by mid-century. This is not utopian or science fiction. It is current fact," may we respond with joy. When we hear that a special glass that generates electricity from the sun and can be made most colors is drawing close to commercial practicality, may we know the thrill of human creativity.
Let us admire the ways in which fulfilling work and pressing need complement each other. Let us rejoice for the possibility of better diagnosis and better treatment for malaria in Africa - not so much from high-tech intervention, but from equipping community health care workers who are already where they need to be.
Let us fall in love with the leaders and participants of V-day. In a world where one in three girls and women will be beaten or raped in their lifetimes, may it be pure refreshment to our souls that a billion people have risen to protest violence and abuse. May it be a special prayer in the United States that the Violence against Women Act be passed.
You are, dear God, a God of Lent and sober acknowledgment as well. Conform us to ways of wisdom and peace:
--In Syria, where the need for money in the insurgency is fueling destruction of cultural resources.
--In Mali, where the threat of violence remains high.
--In Tibet, where more than 100 have burned themselves to death to protest Chinese rule.
--In Iran, where nuclear regulators and the government still pursue agreement.
Your path to peace and abundant life seems often hard to find. Lead us, guide us, along your way.
We are so often in a rush that we ignore the role of patient progress in favor of the bombast of intemperate demands. Help us to improve, we pray. Sometimes it seems easier to pursue justice and kindness than it is simply to walk humbly with you, yet that humble walk we dimly see is what we need most of all.
Amen.
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World in Prayer is a ministry of the Episcopal Church of St. John the Baptist
Lodi, California, USA, and is written by a team of writers representing different denominations throughout the U.S., Canada and the United Kingdom.
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TTO Publishing Team
Episcopal Church of the Nativity
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