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The Twenty-Third Sunday After Pentecost - November 16, 2014
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Collect of the Day
Blessed Lord, who caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning: Grant us so to hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life, which you have given us in our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
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Readings [We are using Track 2 of the indicated readings.]
CLICK HERE to listen to sermons from previous weeks
CLICK HERE for Bible study resources.
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PLEASE REMEMBER IN YOUR PRAYERS
Bob & Donna Weber, Mickey Federico, Yasso Herath, Peter Lubeck, Catherine Lubeck, Shirley Federico, Courtney Hoenveld, Janet, Thomas Humeston, Elaine MacPhee, Tankert Mahler, Marie Haynie, Pat Mapstone, Jack Seeman, Evelyn, Miranda Pinckert, Adele, Clinton Taplin, Dominique Rhoklin, Fred Teyan, Marie Stay, Marie Young, Peggy McCann, George Fee III, Robert A., Miriam, Dale Sarventi, Richard, Peggy, Madeline Schnalzer, Sheri Hall Smith, Louis, Maria, Eileen, Billy, Roberta, Bernadette, Marketa, Tess, Peter Zakerpine, Betty Mettler, Marvin Spruck, Lydia, Genevieve, Robert, Jeannie, Ewan, Billie Monaghan Morgan, Lyn Casey, Nancy Leppelmeier, Eleanor & Rebecca Fassett, Kathryn Lehman, Lorraine, Dave Budwhal, Rosemarie Buri, Louise Bohr, Carl, Meredith Gilmore, Sue Weber, Sally Sarvent
Please click here to send us a message if you would like to add or remove a name from the prayer list.
The prayer list is refreshed monthly please call the office to add a name, or to request that a name be carried forward. There is a book in the narthex where -- before the service begins -- you may add names to be read during the Prayers of the People for the day.
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It's about the joy. That's not the message we usually get from the Parable of the Talents, which comes around once again in the lectionary cycle this Sunday. {Click here to read the Gospel} Usually, we get a cautionary tale. The "use it or lose it" warning of doing something productive with what we have or else we'll be cast into a torturous pit of despair. Kind of the Puritan work ethic meets Jack Bauer.That reading misses the point by concentrating on the pain of the servant who buried the talent in the ground. The servant who "was afraid" and played it safe.
But what about the other two? The parable tells us they didn't give into fear. They didn't just hide what they were given. They went out and took risks and did something with it. And in so doing they did more than just avoided the night of the long knives, they made their lives extraordinary. And they got a wonderful response: "Well done, good and faithful servant ... enter into the joy of your master."It's about the joy. If we look at this parable, and indeed our lives, as a big "you'd better ... or else," we entirely miss the point. It's not "you'd better" or even "you should," it's a joyous: "You GET to!" or even "Yes, you can!"
It's about the joy. Each of us reading this has been given gifts of power beyond the conception of at least one-sixth of the world's population who live in extreme poverty. But that's not the best news. The best news is we get to use those gifts to bring joy, bring life to other people. We actually can be God's agents of healing in this world. You can't beat that!
Think of what we GET to do! We GET TO take chances and try risky things for the sake of love. We GET TO silence the voices that would say that in these difficult financial times we should circle the wagons and bury our gifts in the ground ... silence them by doing the opposite -- by giving more, by risking more, by trusting more.
The truth is, we get out of the life God gives us in exponential proportion to how freely we give it away. That's the real economics -- God's economics. The truth of the parable of the talents is that the first two servants didn't need to be invited into the joy of their master and the third didn't need to be cast into the outer darkness because they were all already there by the way they had lived their lives.
Right now, the media and the so-called experts are telling us to be afraid and hold back. But Christ in the world is telling us something different. That fear is not a Christian value. That holding back is not the way to the Kingdom of God. That we GET TO doing great things, take chances and try risky things for love with all we've been given. That it's not about playing it safe.
It's about the joy.
The Rev. Mike Kinman is former Executive Director of Episcopalians for Global Reconciliation, and currently serves as Dean of Christ Church Cathedral in St. Louis. For your reading list: "Jesus and the Modern Man - Retrieving the centrality of Jesus can restore the simplicity of faith" an editorial by James Carroll; New York Times 11/9/14 |
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Are you on the worship ministry schedule this weekend? CLICK HERE
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SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 15 10:00am-1:00pm Choir rehearsal 11:00am Nursery School of the Nyacks benefit: SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 16 8:00/9:30 /11:00am Holy Eucharist 10:10am Church School Classes 4:00pm GraceMusic presents: The Grace Choir 5:30pm Zen Meditation - Bradley Chapel 6:30pm Senior Youth Group (Fenton Room) TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 18 7:00pm Boy Scouts (Memorial Hall) 7:30pm Vestry (Patterson Hall) WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 19 7:00pm Healing & Wellness Service (Bradley Chapel) THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20 12:00pm Brown Bag & A Bible (Patterson Hall) 5:30pm Graceful Yoga (Memorial Hall) 6:30pm Adult Spiritual Formation Commission 7:00pm Everyday Meditation (Bradley Chapel) 7:30pm Choir (Choir Room) SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 22 9:30am-3:00pm Advent Quiet Day (St. John the Divine, Tomkins Cove) SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 23-Stewardship Sunday! 8:00/9:30 /11:00am Holy Eucharist 10:10am Church School Classes 12:30pm Program Council (Patterson Hall) 4:00pm Matthew Baier Concert 4 - 6:00pm Zen Meditation - Bradley Chapel 6:30pm Senior Youth Group (Fenton Room) |
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Announcements & Reminders
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| BEFORE THE HOLIDAY FRENZY TAKES HOLD
COME INTO SILENCE AND REST AWHILE
The Adult Spiritual Formation Commission invites you for a day of prayer, discussion, and silence at the beautiful Chapel of St. John the Divine in Tomkins Cove on November 22.
For more, CLICK HERE. To register:
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MEDITATION IN BRADLEY CHAPEL
Julia Colt is now leading two opportunities for meditation at Grace: Zen meditation on Sunday evenings from 4:00 to 6:00pm, and Everyday meditation on Thursday evenings at 7:00pm. Each session begins with an introduction and instruction. Beginners are welcome, and participants are welcome to come for all or part of each time period. There is no charge.
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ADVENT HOME GATHERINGS
It's hard to believe, but with All Saints Sunday behind us, it's just a few short weeks until Advent begins. Last year we had two very successful Advent Home Gatherings (thank you Frelows and Paskowskis!), and this year we'd like to have one each Wednesday during Advent, culminating with a gathering at the rectory on the last Wednesday before Christmas Eve. We're looking for a few folks who might be willing to open their home for a simple home Eucharist, potluck supper, and seasonal games and frivolity. If you'd like to know more, please contact the office or speak with Fr. Owen.
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NYACK INTERFAITH THANKSGIVING SERVICE This year, the First Reformed Church of Nyack (18 S. Broadway, Nyack) will host the annual Nyack Interfaith Thanksgiving Service on Tuesday, November 25 at 7:30pm. The traditional service of song and thanksgiving is led by clergy and choirs from throughout our community, and everyone is welcome to attend. There is a special service program for students in grades 7-12 that will begin at 6:00pm. They'll be putting together "comfort kits" for residents of the Center for Safety and Change, whose residents have survived sexual abuse & domestic violence. For the kits they can use donations of travel size toiletries, toothbrushes & toothpaste, combs/brushes/tissues/twin & full size sheets (new)/towels (new), and new clothing items such as sweatshirts, socks, t-shirts in a variety of sizes. If you'd like to donate, please bring items to the office or to church by 11/24.
For more on the youth event, click here. |
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ANNUAL ADVENT WREATH SALE
Once again the junior youth group will be making Advent Wreaths for the entire Grace Community to enjoy! The wreaths include biblical herbs, candles, fresh juniper and white pine greens. The cost for a wreath is $20. Payment is due upon ordering. The wreaths will be made on November 29 and the pick up date is November 30. Order forms are available in the church entrance.
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HELPING HANDS - December 5, 6 and 13, 14, 15
Helping Hands of Rockland provides safe haven for men and women during the cold season through a network of rotating congregations and other institutions in the area. Grace Church has taken on several additional days in December and will host about 25 homeless Rocklanders for the first Helping Hands shelter dates of this year. Thanks to the generosity of our parishioners we already have many helpers, but can still use additional help, particularly for overnight supervision. If you're interested in helping on these or future dates, please contact Charlie Cross (358-4599) or
cjcross3ny@yahoo.com
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SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 23 at 4:00pm
A Recital of Original Compositions By Matthew Baier
Featuring: Songs on Poems by William Butler Yeats; The Iris Suite; Three Popular Songs; Pavan & Fantasia for Violin & Guitar; Music for Guitar by Stanley Solow; Alap Raga Poorvi And performances by Marigene Kettler, soprano; Melissa Alexander, piano; Jacquelyn Drechsler, flute; Christopher Cardona, violin, and Matthew Baier, guitar
Admission: $15.00; Tickets available at the door.
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STEWARDSHIP SUNDAY IS NOVEMBER 23.
We ask that you submit your 2015 pledges by the 23rd so that we can give thanks during our worship services that day and move forward in planning our programs for the coming year.
Haven't received your pledge packet? Can't find it under that stack of papers on the desk? It's always available on the pledge page of our website, and at the back of the church. I f you have questions, please be in touch with
Fr. Owen, or pledge secretary Sally Ann Mock.
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EPISCOPAL CAFE For daily Episcopal news/reflection/commentary CLICK HEREON FAITH conversations about faith and current events from all angles CLICK HERE
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Watch Your Feet
If you want to know who you are, watch your feet. Because where your feet take you, that is who you are.
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GRACE EPISCOPAL CHURCH
130 First Avenue.Nyack.New York.10960.845-358-1297
The Reverend Owen C. Thompson, Rector
Brandon N. Beachamp, Organist and Choirmaster
www.gracechurchnyack.org |
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