Advent Hope
By the Rev. Blair Pogue

Derived from the Latin word adventus meaning "coming," the season of Advent takes place on the four Sundays before Christmas. It marks the official beginning of the church year, and is a time of hopeful waiting and longing for Christ's return, and life as God intended.

"Hopeful" may seem an odd word given the violence, racism, conflict, fear, and uncertainty in our city and world today. Throughout the Bible we see the best and the worst of humanity. We see love, faith, and hope, and we see ethnocentrism, prejudice, and violence. But from the very beginning, and continuing into our own time, we see God's faithfulness to God's people, often forgotten people living in forgotten places on the margins of empire. We see God bringing new life where there appeared to be only barrenness and sorrow, and witness God hearing the cries of God's people, and faithfully leading them out of oppression and into a new and hopeful future

As Christians, our hope is most fully realized in the person of Jesus, who came to us in great vulnerability to share our place and bring us into relationship with God and one another. Reconciliation with God and with each other across lines of difference is only possible through him. In Advent we wait and long for his coming, both now, and in the age to come.

God also uses us to bring hope and new life to abandoned people and places. Doing so requires making time and space to pray and pay attention to what God is up to in our Cities and neighborhoods. By doing this we are able to identify and join up with God's movement. In a letter written to the people of the Episcopal Church in Minnesota this week, Bishop Brian Prior encouraged us to "deeply consider engaging with the abandoned places of empire at the margins of society." I strongly encourage you to read and prayerfully consider what he says.(Here is a link to the letter). Further, we are not only called to be bearers of hope to abandoned people and places, but also to expect that we will meet God there.

At St. Matthew's we begin the Advent season with a procession of light. Our children will process around the church carrying Japanese lanterns as we sing "O come, O come Emmanuel," reminding us that the light of Christ continues to shine even during the most challenging times, and of the biblical promise that "a little child shall lead them" (Isaiah 11:6).
Taize candles
Advent Taize Service: November 30  

All are welcome to rest and reflect at a special Taize Candlelight Prayer service on Monday, November 30 at 7:00pm. The service includes sung chants, silence, prayers and the musical gifts of Jeff Kidder and other parish musicians. This is a quiet, contemplative time reflecting the Advent theme of hopeful waiting. 

Please join us at this peaceful service at the beginning of Advent and invite your friends, family and neighbors.   
   - Kloster Seon as it looks today.           
Advent Music Offering by the Parish Choir
By J Michael Compton

One of the most well-known and beloved hymns of Advent is Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland ("Now come, Savior of the nations"). Martin Luther based Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland on a much older Latin hymn, Veni redemptor gentium (attributed to St. Ambrose), translating the text into German and giving the tune his own characteristic rhythm. Originally seven stanzas in length, it found its way into our Episcopal Hymnal in 1982. From its appearance in 1524, Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland became the favored Advent hymn in Germany, and given countless treatments by major composers, including two cantatas by Johann Sebastian Bach.

The arrangement sung by the St. Matthew's choir this Sunday, comes from a Benedictine abbey in Bavaria, Kloster Seeon, where the prior, Johannes Werlin, wrote special arrangements of German hymns. Werlin lived in the seventeenth century and died about the time J.S. Bach was born. His setting of Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland is a superb example of the baroque style, featuring the upper two sections of the choir as a "duet" of equal voices. Notice how the tenor and bass sections sing the tune, each note being held for a very long time (augmentation).
St. Paul Promise Neighborhood Reflection
By Birdie Carter

Last spring a group from St. Matthew's toured schools in the Saint Paul Promise Neighborhood. The borders are: North, Pierce Butler Rte; South, Selby Ave; East, Rice Street; West, Lexington Pkwy. It has about 20,000 residents. Before Interstate 94, it was a stable community.
The schools we visited were Saint Paul City School, Jackson and Maxfield. All of the schools had interesting programs, however, Maxfield was the school whose program attracted me most.  Maxfield is K-5 and is located at the corner of Victoria, Central and I-94. They have a remarkable campus that includes a neighborhood garden, atrium garden and a remarkable library. At first glance, it would appear to be a near perfect school. There are many volunteers, but many more are needed.

I am part of the Elder Program. We are retired teachers, social workers and government employees. We support parents and their children as needed. Many of the parents are very young. We also tutor students who are below grade level.

My favorite program at Maxfield is called Rites of Passage. Fourth and fifth grade students attend classes where they are taught manners, pride, dignity, conflict resolution, responsibility for their behavior and most of all to treat others as they want to be treated. There is also a drumming program that is part of the Rites of Passage program where the students learn the history of drumming as they incorporate listening and focusing skills. The boys and girls are in separate classes and taught by same sex teachers; the drumming classes are taught by males. The program at Maxfield is four years old and new programs are beginning this year at Benjamin E. Mays, City School, and Jackson. 
                 - Back Row: Anna, Christine, Elena & Loice, Front row: Jane                             
Girls Helping Girls... at the Blue House Boutique              
By Cindy Howard

Young shoppers Anna, Elena, and Jane Holmes and Loice and Christine Howard, ranging in age from 5 years to 13 years old, found gifts for teachers, friends and family at the 2014 Boutique.  Interviewed about their experience they had the following points to make.

Above all, what they loved most about the Boutique was the food sampling - in fact, Christine confessed to having a "huge spoonful" of fudge.  All of the girls enjoyed a cup of warm apple cider. Gifts that were "homemade" made the Boutique exciting. Yet having shopped the Boutique the year before they like that "it's different each year." In addition, people working there were nice and conversational. The whole thing was "homey" especially the Christmas tree in the library.

The girls were not shopping for themselves, but as the day went on they found gifts for each other too. Knowing that all the money was going to the Blue House motivated them to spend more money. They wished that they could have bought "even more stuff. " The friends plan to shop together again this year.  As they say, "You should go because it's fun, homey, and the people are nice!"
Catalpa tree
Spirituality of Aging Panel - Faith Forum, November 29 
By John Lawyer

There's a rumor about that we're all getting older, at approximately the same rate of one year at a time.  While your turkey and pumpkin pie are still quietly digesting come to the Faith Forum on November 29 at 9:15 for an informal but informative panel on the spirituality of aging.  

As most of you know, a group of parishioners gathered bi-monthly last fall and spring to discuss the joys and challenges of growing older.  We came up with a four page summary of our findings, which will be handed out at the Faith Forum.  It covers such issues as navigating changes, the changing nature of inner work, and dealing with the inevitable restrictions that come with advancing years. After a brief introduction we will open a conversation on these and other aspects of maturing in our faith.
Growing older is a task that faces all of us, at all ages, so we can all profit from pondering together what lies ahead.  Come join us; we hope to see you there.
Two Amazing Guys - Thank You!

St. Matthew's parishioners, Rick Kush and Keith Ringold have been hard at work over the last month in our parish nursery.  This room was badly water damaged with lots of mold and quite uninhabitable.  As you may have noticed, the nursery has moved to another location as repairs are being made.

Rick and Keith have worked tirelessly to bring it back to life. After the mold was removed, they replaced the insulation with mold resistant foam, added new drywall and removed the old tile flooring.  A huge job well done. Our heartfelt thanks and appreciation!
Faith + Learning Resources
  • Here is a prayer to mark the Advent season - "john" by African American poet Lucille Clifton.  The prayer will be read at the Advent Taize service on Monday. This is Clifton herself with a recording of her reading.
  • Please read this important reflection and prayer by Episcopal Bishop of Minnesota Brian Prior on the recent shootings in Minneapolis this week. Here is the complete Response to Events in North Minneapolis.
  • This Advent we have a special gift for the first one hundred households to worship at St. Matthew's. It's an Advent calendar designed by Susan Elliott and Jay Sidebotham, with quotes and ideas for prayer and service for each day of the Advent season. Come this Sunday, get your calendar, and make the most of this important and often neglected period before Christmas. Remember: "Slow down. Quiet. It's Advent!"
Looking Ahead: Calendar Highlights
  • Nobember 29: Faith Forum on the Spirituality of Aging, 9:15am
  • November 29: Advent begins with a procession of light
  • November 30: Advent Taize Candlelight Service, 7:00pm
  • December 2: St. Paul Promise Neighborhood Pilgrimage, 11:00am
  • December 5-6: Blue House Boutique
  • December 6:  Michelle Chiezah, 4:00pm - Infant Mortality report
  • December 13: All Ages Gathering - Stations of the Nativity, 9:15am
 
Please share your news and photos with us: tidings@stmatthewsmn.org 

Visit our website for the prayer list, calendar and sermons