Christmas is the time to celebrate the birth of hope and possibility. Epiphany is the time to

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1 We are entering into the wonderful season of what could be; the season of Advent. Christmas follows, the season of what is. And then comes Epiphany, the season of so what? In the secular world we generically call this time the holidays. It begins with Thanksgiving and ends abruptly on January 2 nd, when the decorations are put away and we get back to the business of our everyday lives. I encourage you instead to separate these three seasons. Advent is the time to stay present and wonder what could be. Amidst all the errands and long to do lists, make time to pay attention to what God may be making possible for you. What could be if you pay attention to the yearning in your heart? I don t think we ever stop becoming who we are meant to be. There are long forgotten gifts within each of us. There are unrecognized gifts that are waiting to be discovered. Taking the time to find these gifts will be time well spent. Offering yourself as a gift is the best present you can give. Excavating these gifts leads us to a better and truer understanding of ourselves is wisdom. When Jesus came and walked among us, the most precious gift he shared was wisdom. Instead of spending time shopping and money buying things for others, think about how things might be different if you gave yourself in the unique way God made you? Christmas is the time to celebrate the birth of hope and possibility. Jesus opened the eyes of the blind to see the spirit of the laws that assured the relationship between God and God s people. At that time, laws were being interpreted in such a way that they were holding God s people captive, instead of setting them free. Can you accept the living Spirit in your relationship with God, letting go of worldly musts and shoulds and instead live in the knowing that God loves you. Accept forgiveness for past wrongs and let them go. Let the feeling of joy embrace you when you love yourself and others. Epiphany is the time to celebrate the so what? The birth of Jesus matters because the wise men recognized Jesus as the gift the whole world was waiting to receive, not only the Hebrew people. When we accept the gift of Jesus, then we can become the gift for others too. Epiphany is when we let the light absorb the darkness and learn how to be the light. It is when we acknowledge that Jesus is not only among us, but is also in us. Like the wise men, we can respond to this gift by giving back, to God, to ourselves and to our neighbors, every day, not just during the holidays by simply being our true selves. Faithfully, Rev. Mary VOL. 46 ISSUE 7 Advent 2016

2 Advent Week One Fellowship in Community 2003 Liturgy Training Publications art by Julie Lonneman There is a hopeful welcome in this holy message of our future days. Here at St. Michael s, we have been working on plans for future improvements to our buildings and grounds so that all are welcomed in beauty, comfort and safety. The St. Michael s Campus Space Renovation Program is picking up speed. The Campus Space Committee had purposely slowed down project development in order to listen to the concerns of the community. Some in the Parish were uncertain about the architect s proposal to move the altar to the center of the church. Some people said that they could not determine whether they would be in support of the moving the altar because it was difficult to envision how our worship experience would look and feel. To address those concerns, we asked the architect to prepare visual simulation drawings to show how the church would appear after the renovation. We convened a second meeting of the Advisory Group to review the simulations and to discuss this aspect of the renovation plan. The Advisory Group was well attended and there was a vigorous discussion about the proposal to move the altar. While not everyone expressed support for moving the altar, the overall sentiment was strongly in support of the move. A review of the comments from the workshop tables showed that more than 80 percent of the comments about the altar move were positive. 2 The night is far spent; the day draws near. - Romans 13:12 The Campus Space Committee met November 20 and discussed the altar move in detail, reviewing the pros and cons. The Committee voted unanimously to recommend to the Vestry that moving the altar be part of the design. The Vestry met on November 21 and spent considerable time discussing the altar move proposal. The support among the Vestry for the altar move was also unanimous. The Campus Space Committee has formed a subcommittee to make decisions about design details (finishes, flooring, etc.). We are meeting with the architect and contractor to work on refining the cost estimates. Currently, we expect final Finance Committee approval of the financing plan in early January and final Vestry approval in mid-january. After completing construction drawings and obtaining permits and construction bids this spring, we hope to begin construction in early June, as soon as school is out. In addition, laboratory tests have shown that the floor tile glue, floor tiles, and ceiling surfacing ( popcorn ) all contain asbestos. As asbestos is a material that can cause cancer, it is very important that we remove these materials from our church and it is part of the renovation plan that we do so. The Committee is also working with Rev. Mary and the St. Michael s Staff to develop plans for temporary relocation, during construction, of Sunday services and other activities that take place in the church. It is currently planned that summer services will be held in Johnstone Hall. This will be an opportunity for all of us to get out of our comfort zone over the summer and then return to a beautiful, renovated St. Michael s Church in the fall. Construction is expected to last about four months, so we should be back in the renovated church some time in October or November. The renovation is a very important and exciting opportunity to make St. Michael s new again. The church interior has not seen a major renovation since it was first constructed 53 years ago, in Please join me in lending your whole-hearted support for this landmark program for our Parish. t h e M es s e n g e r

3 Parish Events during the first week of Advent Are you supporting a ministry at St. Michael s? Have you ever considered being an In Johnstone Hall on Friday, Dec. 2 at 7:30 PM will be the annual Celtic Christmas Celebration, a night of highenergy holiday magic featuring Molly's Revenge, a renowned Celtic band joined by a lovely team of stepdancers and the vocals of Christa Burch. The show has been reviewed as "a seriously joyous, masterly musical experience" and again figures to be a sell-out. Tickets may be purchased after church services or online MERCY AND SOCIAL JUSTICE GRANT CYCLE OPEN! Here at St. Michael s Episcopal Church, all proceeds from fundraising efforts go to community outreach. Our 2016 Indoor Yard Sale and Octoberfest were very successful, thanks to the efforts of many dedicated people! Therefore, you are now invited to nominate an outreach program to receive a grant. Priority given to programs that address basic survival needs of food, shelter, clothing and life skills and in which St. Michael s parishioners are involved. All applications must be received in the church office by Dec 15 th, Grants awarded in early January For more information contact: Deacon Cindy deaconcindy@stmichaelscarmichael.org Sue Gaston jgaston@surewest.net Application available on our website under Mercy & Social Justice and in the church office. acolyte? The word acolyte is derived from the Greek word akolouthos, meaning companion, attendant, or helper. Acolytes have a rich history both in the Old Testament of the Bible and in the ancient Church. In the ancient Church, there were four Minor Orders (the highest being acolyte, then exorcist, lector and porter). The acolyte is a service of honor to God and to the worshiping community. In the early times, the purpose of the order was to prepare young men to become priests. Not until the 1980s were girls and women allowed to serve. Although ministries and doctrines have changed over time, the core duties of an acolyte have remained much the same for hundreds of years. Acolyte duties then and now included lighting and extinguishing candles, carrying candles in procession, taking charge of the alms basin (offering bowl), helping the priest prepare for the Eucharist, and generally fetching and carrying. At St. Michael s we are seeking Church members both adults and children alike (grades six through twelve) that are interested in being more involved in their faith and being a part of our overall ministry and service to our congregation. If you are interested in learning more about this ministry please call Pam Busby (evenings) or speak with Reverend Mary, Deacon Cindy and our Seminarian Dave during the Coffee Hour. S T. M I C H A E L S E P I S C O P A L C H U R C H 3

4 Advent Week Two Community Support The n t he wolf sha ll be a gu est o f the lamb, with a little child to guid e the m Liturgy Training Publications art by Julie Lonneman - Isaiah 11:6 This peaceful commonwealth of God in the reading from Isaiah imagines all of humanity living in harmony. It is a world where we care deeply MORE ABOUT GRIEFSHARE: When a loved one dies, we are often shocked by the intensity and number of feelings that grief can bring. Emotional pain, exhaustion, anger, and overwhelming sadness are just some of the feelings we experience when we are grieving. One of the first things we talk about in our GriefShare group is that everyone grieves differently and there is no one right way to grieve or a correct timeline. As a group we come together to share our journeys and learn from the program. Members support one another through the common experience of living with grief. for every human being, especially in those in grief or pain. At St. Michael s, we care for each other through 4 tiers of pastoral care: Tier 1- Caring Hearts To those in our community needing some extra assistance, volunteers provide a meal, rides to an appointment/other errands or rides to church /church events. Tier 2- Pastoral Partners Volunteers offer intentional hospitality and support through regular check-ins with members who may be feeling isolated due to illness or other life circumstances. Tier 3- Pastoral Ministers and Bereavement Ministry Volunteers offer ongoing spiritually-based pastoral care after clergy have attended to initial crisis. We use Community of Hope Curriculum for training. Tier 4- Clergy Pastoral Care & Support Groups Clergy care is available both on an individual basis and through leadership in a group setting. Deacon Cindy leads a bereavement group, GriefShare, that meets two times a month. GriefShare is very beneficial for people no matter where you are in your grief journey. The death I grieve was not recent but I have come to realize that though I thought I could handle it on my own at the time, I did not really work through everything I needed to. Our GriefShare program is very caring, intimate and open to all. (from a St Michael s GriefShare participant) GriefShare is a 13 session faith based grief program that includes time for check in, video and discussion. We meet on the 2nd and 4th Sundays of each month from 3pm-4:45pm in the conference room. The last session of the current cycle was Sunday November 27th. GriefShare will be resuming on Sunday January 22nd. Interested in finding out more about GriefShare, or are you a person who prefers individual meetings or referrals to grief resources? To learn more about the ways in which St. Michael s creates a supportive community in times of need, please visit our website or contact Deacon Cindy, deaconcindy@stmichaelscarmichael.org 4 the Messenger

5 FAITH GROWS IN SMALL GROUPS The many small groups that meet throughout St. Michael s parish build lasting relationships where we can ask questions and find answers about our Christian faith. Hearing about the faith journeys of others can have a profound impact on our daily lives. Studying holy scripture provides a strong foundation in our relationship with God. Meeting each week on Thursday mornings, Rev. Mary s bible study is open to all. This diverse group reads, reflects and learns about the bible, one book at a time. The group is just finishing up Luke during the season of Advent and will starting another book at the beginning of the Christmas and Epiphany seasons in January. Everyone is welcome to participate on a drop-in basis. St. Michael s calendar, always accessible on our website, is full of ways you can be involved. Please contact Rev. Mary, Deacon Cindy or Dave Rickert if you d like to find a group that is just right for you. Parish Events during the second week of Advent Saturday Dec. 10 8AM Rey Azteca 6400 Fair Oaks Blvd. Carmichael, CA WONDERING IF YOU ARE CALLED? No special spiritual attributes are needed to become a Daughter of the King only a sincere desire to draw nearer to God, and to help others do the same. We are F o r H i s Sa k e, I am b u t o n e, b u t I am o n e. women living a Rule of Prayer and Service to our neighbors. Parishioners can look to us for love and help in time of need or loneliness. We seek to walk with God as our guide and try to draw those with whom we come I c a n not do e v ery t h i ng, b u t I c a n do som e t h i ng. in contact into the church. We are women who work to W h at I ca n do, I o ug h t t o do. forget that prayer is the foundation from which our W h at I o ug ht to d o, b y t h e gr a ce o f Go d I wi ll do. Lo rd, w h at w il l yo u h a ve m e do? ST. MICHAEL S EPISCOPAL CHURCH spread Christ s Kingdom here on earth. We can never service grows. - DOK National, For more information, please contact Sue Corbin, esuecorbin@gmail.com Our next meeting: Monday December 10 Luncheon 10AM Friendship Center 5

6 A New Church Year Community Moving Forward HAPPY NEW (CHURCH) YEAR! The first Sunday in Advent, November 27, marks the beginning of the Church year. Besides the change of color on the altar and clothing of those serving, this new Church year marks a different cycle of scripture readings, Year A. These readings are used by a large We a re on e bod y majority of Protestant Churches in Canada and the in Christ. United States. Many Sunday readings match those of - 1 Corinthians 10:17 the Roman Catholic Church, but in a number of instances, the two differ, primarily on specific Roman Catholic feast days. A lectionary is a table of those readings from Scripture 2003 Liturgy Training Publications art by Julie Lonneman appointed to be read at public worship. The Lectionary Coffee Hour during Christmas & Epiphany (1969, revised 1981) developed by the Roman Catholic We are fortunate to have so many generous people at Common Prayer, as well as for lectionaries developed St. Michael s who give of their time and talents by by many other denominations. providing hospitality and food after Sunday morning The Common Lectionary, published in 1983, was an services. Besides an opportunity for our members to ecumenical project of several American and Canadian gather, Coffee Hour provides a critical way we denominations, developed out of a concern for the welcome new people. Christians gathering around unity of the church and a desire for a common food grows our community; Jesus is always settling experience of Scripture. It was intended as a down to a meal in the Gospels! harmonization of the many different denominational This important ministry could use some more Church after Vatican II provided for a three-year cycle of Sunday readings. This Roman lectionary provided the basis for the lectionary in 1979 edition of The Book of approaches to the three-year lectionary. volunteers. Please consider signing up for a Sunday to The Revised Common Lectionary, published in 1992 and bring something to share or help out in the kitchen with officially adopted by The Episcopal Church in 2006, preparation or clean-up. Thank you! takes into account constructive criticism of the Common To find out how you can help, please contact: Susan Johnson susanp@surewest.net Kate Muris katherinemuris@gmail.com Lectionary based on the evaluation of its trial use, and like the current prayer-book lectionary, is a three-year cycle of Sunday Eucharistic readings in which Matthew, Mark, and Luke are read in successive years with some material from John read in each year. - from episcopalchurch.org 6 the Messenger

7 B U I L D F O R U N I T Y Parish Events Seasons of Christmas & Epiphany S AV E T H E DAT E February 25, 2017 Interfaith Building Project SATURDAY January 7 7:30AM - 1:30PM SATURDAY February 11 7:30AM - 1:30PM VOLUNTEER FOR BUILD FOR UNITY! WHAT? Build for Unity is an interfaith building project of Habitat for Humanity of Greater Sacramento. The goals are to bring people together of different backgrounds and faiths, to put aside differences and to build homes and unity in our community. Now that OKTOBERFEST* is done we are busy planning our next event! St. Michael s CRAB FEED will held February 25, 2017 and we are planning a feast, so ask your family and friends. Reserve a table or two. All you can eat: crab, pasta, salad and bread. We ll also be featuring very special desserts. Who? Sacramento s Muslim and various interfaith communities have come together to fund two Habitat homes. The homes are being built next door to each other in North Sacramento as a permanent representation of unity within our community. St Michael s Mercy & Social Justice Committee has donated $1,000 of our outreach funds from the Indoor Yard Sale to support this project. As sponsors, our congregation will have the opportunity to help with the building of the two houses. When? Signup boards coming December 4th. Ten builders and one hospitality person are needed for each day. Volunteers age 16 years and up are welcome. (Under 18years must be with legal guardian). No experience necessary, onsite training provided. Come, have fun and help build a better world! Contact Deacon Cindy We are looking for volunteers to serve on our committee. This is a wonderful way to get to know people in the parish and have a lot of fun working with a fantastic group of people! If you are interested please call Marcie Larkey or Gail McMichael to volunteer. *Oktoberfest was a sellout crowd. We had a wonderful evening filled with love and friendship, great food, music AND we raised over $20,000 that will be given to community organization that focus on basic needs. You can t get better than that! Watch future Messengers to find out where our money goes! S T. M I C H A E L S E P I S C O P A L C H U R C H 7

8 Advent Week Three Community in Outreach Outreach at St. Michael s comes in many forms. Through financial support and hands-on volunteering, our members impact starts in our local neighborhood and extends out in to the world. For our local school, Starr King K-8, we gather backpacks in the fall, provide funds for school supplies throughout the year and also ds e e ho w th e f ar me r sa waits th e pr ecious yi e ld of th e soil. - James 5: Liturgy Training Publications art by Julie Lonneman serve refreshments each week. At St. Matthew s, our next dinner will be on December 5th. This is our special holiday dinner where we distribute dozens of Angel Bags filled with personal hygiene items. St. Michael s volunteers provided the sewing of each bag to each item inside. Besides dinner, the St. Michael s Choir will provide music and there will also be crafts for the kids. Santa, along with his helpers, will also be there. We welcome your help at this special event. St. Michael s is a place where you can make a positive change in your local neighborhood, your city and the world. Thank you for your help! Make a Big Starr King School supplies are needed throughout the year at our neighborhood school. Some of the things you would Why To extend St. Michael s hospitality to our neighborhood kids walking home from school. Our young neighbors are hungry, thirsty and looking for a safe place on the way home. We hear about their day at school and what is going on in their lives. What Mercy & Social Justice provides funds for snacks. Water is distributed out of a large orange cooler using plastic tumblers from kitchen. Used tumblers are placed in a plastic tub and washed in kitchen. Fruit (grapes, strawberries, bananas) and a roll-up on a tortilla are also provided. To prevent littering, only food is distributed, no napkins, utensils, etc. normally throw away have recycling value. Less waste goes to the landfill and our young neighbors benefit! Where In front of the parish hall, by the tile bench on a These donations purchase school supplies: 6 foot plastic table. Old batteries Cell phones When Wednesdays: Arrive about 2PM, set up by 2:15. Ink cartridges Clean-Up by 3:00PM Box Tops/ Labels for Education Please place in cabinet drawers in Narthex. Remember, a little done by a lot of us can make a huge difference to many young lives at Starr King K-8. Thank you so much! 8 Who You - our generous volunteers! Please consider signing up for a date. 2 volunteers needed each week to prepare snacks and visit with the kids. Contact Dave Rickert the Messenger

9 GOD S HELPING HANDS LAUNDRY Saturday December 17 Every Third Saturday of the Month Launderland Fulton Ave We provide washing and drying of 2 loads of laundry per guest. We serve up to 20 guests per Saturday. You can assist Helping Hands Laundry by: Volunteering to assist guests Donations of quarters (Jar located in Narthex) Liquid detergent A coffee chain store donates a traveler of coffee with all the fixings, please join us! Come join us, contact Mary Groesbeck maryg32@sbcglobal.net or N O O N M EA L P R E PA R AT I O N WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 21 7:15AM Every month, a group of our parishioners helps the Loaves and Fishes kitchen staff prepare food for the noon meal for needy, mostly homeless people. The neardowntown facility normally feeds about 650 people. The culinary staff directs us in a variety of tasks such as cutting vegetables, opening cans or stirring large containers of warming ingredients. We arrive at 7:15 a.m. on the third Wednesday of each month and find 90 minutes' work extremely satisfactory. Interested? More volunteers are welcome. Contact John Jervis, Parish Events during the third week of Advent Retired Old Men Eating Out Thursday December 15 12pm lunch Serritella s 6346 Fair Oaks Boulevard ALL SAINTS Blue Christmas Service SUNDAY DECEMBER 18 4PM All Saints Episcopal Church 2076 Sutterville Rd. Sacramento, CA All are welcome This service is a time to bring our whole lives into the presence of God, particularly those parts that make us blue. Whether it is the loss of a loved one, a change in health or any difficult life situation, God longs to be with us and to let us know love and comfort. We will gather, hear and reflect on God s word and share the Eucharist. We have the opportunity to allow God to comfort us and those around us. We will meet at St Michael s at 3:15pm and carpool to All Saints, returning for Lessons and Carols at St Michael s. RSVP Deacon Cindy S T. M I C H A E L S E P I S C O P A L C H U R C H 9

10 Advent Week Four Community in Song d s The vi rgin sh all b e with child. - Matthew 1: Liturgy Training Publications art by Julie Lonneman This scripture for the fourth week of Advent tells of expectant and joyful waiting. At St. Michael s Episcopal Church, we express our joys, sorrows and hopes as a community in fellowship, mutual support, outreach and song. Each member of the St. Michael s Choir works to bring their best voice in praise and thanksgiving to God. The parishioners who give of their talents to this ministry also make a weekly commitment of time to practice each Thursday evening and again on Sunday mornings right before the 10AM service. Each year, we gather on retreat to work on our skills and enjoy the coastal scenery. Here we are at last month s retreat: WORSHIP God by joining the St. Michael s Choir! Psalm 139 tells us that we are each marvelously made - please talk to our Music Director about how your voice can be a part of this ministry. All experience levels are welcome. Contact Connie Weichert 10 the Messenger

11 Parish Events during during the fourth Adventweek & Christmas of Advent Saturday December 24 CHRISTMAS EVE 5PM Family Service 9PM Carols 10PM Festive Eucharist Sunday December 25 10AM Holy Eucharist CHRISTMAS D AY Sunday Dec. 18 5PM LESSONS & CAROLS The nine traditional readings begin with Genesis and end with the Gospel of John, following the story of the fall of humanity, the promise of a new covenant and the coming of a Messiah, and ending with the birth of Jesus Christ. Interspersed with the readings are traditional Christmas carols, hymns and choral anthems. Following the service, please join us for dinner and a Christmas Carol sing-a- long in the Parish Hall. ST. MICHAEL S EPISCOPAL CHURCH 11

12 The St. Michael s Messenger (USPS ) is published by St. Michael s Episcopal Church at the above address. Mission St. Michael s Episcopal Church, centered in Jesus Christ, welcomes all who desire to grow in their relationship with God. Vestry Doug Davy Senior Warden Kate Muris Junior Warden Diane Rehrer Clerk Cary Adams Member Bryan Barry Member Anna Johnson Member Susan Johnson Member Bob McMichael Member Gail McMichael Member Savannah Olivier Member Michael Patrick Member Huey Tidwell Member Sunday Worship Rite II Eucharist 8am Rite II Eucharist 10am Music, Prayers & Eucharist 5pm Parish Clergy The Rt. Rev. Barry L. Beisner Bishop, Episcopal Diocese of Northern California The Very Rev. Mary Hudak Rector The Rev. Rodney Davis Associate The Rev. Cindy Long Deacon Staff & Volunteers Constance Weichert Music Director Dave Rickert Communications & Family Ministries John Cozza Organist Glenn Croy Sexton Mari Reddell Office Manager/Bookkeeper Bob McMichael Treasurer Office Hours Monday - Friday 9am - 4pm