Wow! The air was cold and the wind was wicked as we gathered on the sidewalk for our Sunday afternoon service. It didn't change the reality of God's presence as we connected with the reading about Christ the King and invited ourselves to give thanks that Jesus does remember us and clings to us no matter what.
We certainly hope that you're warm and well and smiling as you read this note. There's a lot here for your reading pleasure. Over on the left is an announcement about Advent Vespers which begin this coming Friday, an announcement about our friend, the Rev. Chris Antal, who'll give a talk about the wounds of war on December 8th, and the cancellation of next Saturday's poverty simulation due to lack of enrollment. Below, there's a note about friends who joined us on Saturday for some work, and a quick reflection by Steve on Kenny Rogers, Advent and World AIDS day.
We hope you enjoy!
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A day of painting, cleaning, conversation
 | Abe primes baseboard. He and Angie find joy in engaging family members in community service.
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About 18 months ago, Angie and Abe Guerra of Hopewell Junction gathered about 20 members of their extended family together and descended on the Hope Center and spent several hours helping us get the place in shape.
They came back again on Saturday to catch up on what we've been up to and to lend a hand painting and cleaning and reminding us that we're not alone in this work. This time, Abe and Angie were joined by Liza, Elissa, and David from Brooklyn and Andrew and Christian from Whitestone.
We're thankful to them for their enthusiasm and continued support. They're great role models.
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I just had a text exchange with our friend Pete who said "(I'm) not sure what condition my condition is in," a reference to the 1968 hit record by Kenny Rogers and the First Edition. Pete added a little smiley face just to make sure I got it.
The song, written by Mickey Newbury and reported to be about the dangers of LSD, seems to fit with the lectionary readings for next Sunday, the first Sunday of Advent. Not Mickey or the LSD thing, mind you. I mean about stopping in to see what condition my condition is in this season of being ready and waiting.
All three readings - Isaiah 2:1-5, Romans 13:11-14 and Matthew 24:36-44 - invite us to take stock of our condition, align ourselves with God and experience a new way of being, one in which we live fully awake, in tune with God's love, and doing justice. It is the call we hear each advent - get ready, be ready, and act out of that readiness, that connectedness, so that we're not swept away like Noah's neighbors who lived lives oblivious to everyone and everything.
This year, the first Sunday in Advent is also World A IDS Day.
AIDS doesn't make the headlines like it used to and it seems as though the majority of folks have forgotten about it and how very much those struggling with the disease need our love and support and that there's much to do before the disease is eradicated. The epidemic continues. Around the world, more than 40 million people are infected. Here in the US., the Center for Disease Control estimates that 1.1 million Americans are living with HIV and that 20 percent of them don't even know it. Click here for a concise CDC report on the epidemic. Many more millions continue to suffer and die all around the world. Art Ammann who has been serving people with HIV-AIDS for more than three decades. A year ago, he wrote a powerful essay entitled A Season of Difficult Hope referencing last year's lectionary readings. The last sentence of his essay resonated deeply - "As I continue to labor in this area, and see and hear these people who suffer from a dreadful disease while they wait for God to intervene, I wonder, perhaps God is waiting for us who believe in him to intervene on his behalf?" It's true, isn't it? Without us God won't and without God, we can't. We are both the problem and the solution to the things that plague us, things like AIDS which claims an estimate 8,000 lives every day. What can I do? What can you do? How can we intervene on God's behalf? Well, if you live near Newburgh, you can attend a World AIDS day service at 6 p.m. Sunday, December 1, at Sacred Heart Church, 301 Ann Street. You can also learn more about World AIDS Day and some concrete ways in which you can help by going to the World AIDS Day website. |
