Words from the Well December 2018

Transcription

1 Words from the Well December 2018 The Rt. Rev. Stephen T. Lane, Bishop of Maine The Rev. John Allison, Rector The Rev. Mary-Carol Griffin, Deacon CHURCH OF OUR FATHER PO Box 186 HULLS COVE, MAINE Dear members and friends of our parish family, The new year is upon us the new Church year, that is and as we hold the newness of the season and its call for us to prepare ourselves for the coming of Christ in tension with the noise and busyness of a secular culture that has all but rushed ahead to Christmas, we find ourselves, fittingly, caught in between the two natures that are reconciled in Jesus: the human and the Divine. Indeed, in many ways this is a season of paradox, best illustrated by the lectionary readings that have been with us over the last several Sundays. Beginning in the last three weeks of the season after Pentecost, through Christ the King Sunday and into these first weeks of Advent, our Sunday readings have pointed us not to the sweet baby Jesus who will be born in a manger, what is The Rev John Allison sometimes referred to as the first Advent of Christ, but to his coming at the end of time to bring completion to God s Kingdom on earth. Earlier this week, a parishioner asked me, why do we have all these apocalyptic readings at this time of the year? It makes sense as the Church year comes to an end at Christ the King Sunday, but why now, as we prepare ourselves for Christ s first Advent in the Incarnation are we continuing to dwell in warnings and admonitions that call on us to prepare for the end times? As I pondered these questions I was reminded of an article Thomas Merton wrote that sought to explore the spirituality of Advent. In it, he outlines the theology of St. Bernard of Clairvaux who identified not just two Advents of Christ, but three. The first of these, which we celebrate at Christmas is the occasion of Christ being born into the world in the person of Jesus. The third, what many of us actually think of as the second Advent of Christ, will bring Him into the world to, as we say in the Nicene Creed, judge the living and the dead and establish His kingdom that will have no end. Merton says, the first Advent is that in which He comes to seek and save that which was lost. The third is that in which he comes to take us to himself. The first is a promise and the third is its fulfillment. So, what of the second Advent? What happens in between? In many ways, this second Advent is the most important to us, or at least the most tangible in that it represents how Christ is present in our souls now. Echoing the theme of our Diocesan Convention from two years ago, many of us joyfully proclaim, Jesus is here, right here, right now! Indeed He is, and it s to this manifestation that the second Advent refers. Christ passes through our world, through our lives, and it s in recognizing His first Advent in the past and His third Advent in the future that we awaken to His presence among us in the present. Merton says, we awaken to the fact that every moment of time is a moment of judgement, that Christ is passing by and we are judged by our awareness of His passing. If we join Him and travel with Him to the Kingdom, the judgement becomes for us salvation. But if we neglect Him and let Him go by, our neglect is our condemnation. This season of Advent, with its emphasis on preparation is our opportunity to ready ourselves by paying attention to how Christ comes to us in the present. We learn to pay attention with our various spiritual practices. For many of us, those practices will comprise the Way of Love study that we have undertaken as a community. For others, it may be long established practices that have guided us throughout our lives. Whatever the case, in this season of Advent, we are called not just to anticipate Christ coming to seek and save what is lost, or coming to establish once and for all His kingdom on earth but to be awake also to his presence in the world among us. Our Eucharistic Prayer calls us to this action of past, present, and future each week in our affirmation that, we remember, we proclaim, we await. These are present actions to which we are called that acknowledge Christ s presence in the past, the present, and the future. As we journey together toward Christmas let us be ever mindful that the good beginning we seek in the baby Jesus is also the promise fulfilled when He returns and that our time in between is continually being made new through His Resurrection. Advent blessings, John+

2 2 Senior Warden Report December 2018 Jesus is here, right here, right now As we are getting closer to Annual Meeting, we are still looking for vestry replacements and delegates to the Diocesan Convention in October On November 13 th, the wardens and treasurers from the three concerned parishes met with Fr. John and M+ Kathleen to present questions and thoughts about our future on MDI. Fr, Michael Ambler was connected by video with us during the discussion period. Some of the items brought up to think about included service times, joint services monthly, Island wide directory, Island wide or Diocesan wide bulletin with inserts for each parish. Using St Saviour s Rectory for the Co-Rectors, and how to share the costs. Church Pension Fund and Terry Reimer will certainly be involved in that arrangement. We did agree the present arrangement with rotation and joint services is a good start into our future as MDI Episcopalians. We adjourned to soup and bread after about and hour and a quarter of the discussion. These meetings will continue monthly to discuss any ideas from congregations and vestries. As we move forward to a new pattern of worship, these meetings will bring together ideas to best accommodate all the parishioners of the Episcopalian Faith on MDI. As we end the year, try to bring your pledges current to improve our balance sheet. Thank you for your fourth Sunday support to Fr. John s discretionary fund. The slate of five clergy seeking to be the 10 Bishop of Maine has been published with their resumes. Please read and direct your thoughts and comments to your lay delegates for the election convention in February, Sue Olson, Larry Johnston, or Mike Bullard. Fr John will also be voting for the new Bishop in the clergy order. Respectfully Submitted Mike Bullard Senior Warden Right: Another wonderful activity the November 29 family event! James, Gail Leland, Lucy and Estella (Gail s grandchildren) enjoying an Advent project! Please get your printed copy of the Updated Church Directory in the office

3 The Blessing of The Kneeler that beautiful Kate Berry completed after my Caroline would no longer able to finish the job. It was a true labor of love. My family and I are everlastingly Grateful to Kate For her dedication to this task and dedicating it to Caroline. Larry Johnston 3 Church of Our Father Men s Christmas Party Town Hill Fire House Friday, December 14 th, 5:30 P.M. In Advent, an Advent Study The Way of Love is continuing at 9 am on Sundays December 9, 16 & 23 Come to the Men s Christmas Party! Sing some Carols. Enjoy dinner with Chef Steve Biggers with a menu of Shrimp Cocktail, Prime Rib Dinner, baked potato, string beans and a surprise dessert. Red wine will be served with dinner. Take part in our annual Yankee Swap. Maybe Santa will be on hand to control the festivities. Bring a gift of about $10 to $15 to exchange. B.Y.O.B. The cost for the evening meal will be $ Please contact Tony Sousa Tel or asousa@myfairpoint.net. See you there! On Dec 23 after the 10 am service, we need as many hands as can to stay and help put up the greens for the Christmas Eve 4 pm service

4 4 Left: Thank you to the Linscotts for coming to St. Dunstan s Christmas Fair. Barbara pictured to the left with Carmen Greene and John Stewart of St. Saviour s and Muffet in the festive elf hat and Ken getting a Christmas smooch from Carmen below. They even one a Silent Auction gift certificate! CHRISTMAS OUTREACH 2018 The Christmas Tree with tags for gifts is up in the Parish Hall. The tags will be for children at the Emmaus Center and adults at the Mountain View Correctional Center. Instructions regarding the gifts will be posted on the tree and the bulletin board. Gifts for both the Emmaus Center and the Correctional Center need to be brought to the Parish Hall tree by no later than Sunday Dec 16. Christmas Outreach includes giving to the Fuel Fund. Let s Provide Hope to others this Christmas. Help Decorate the Church with Poinsettias and Greens Poinsettias and Wreaths (Greens may be given in memory of a loved one or in thanksgiving for some event: anniversary, birth, marriage, etc.) If you would like to purchase a poinsettia for the altar, please fill out the information below and return it to the church office no later than Sunday, December 16. Please make your check out to Church of Our Father and mark the memo line Christmas Greens. Any amount is welcome! Unspent funds will be set aside for Christmas Greens for next year. In Great Thanksgiving for : In Memory of : From: Phone: Amount: Ck# Cash Date:

5 5 Above and Left: a great group came for the movie and dinner night. The food was outstanding and the evening a great success! Right: Owen Craighead with the beautiful advent wreath stand he made in his workshop! There is a men s prayer group the Woodshop Boys that continues to meet there weekly.

6 6 Sunday, November 25th, a group of us got together to decorate the many sugar cookies Sue Olson had made. Thank you so much Sue These cookies will be for sale during our Christmas Fair on.sat. December 1st. What!!! December already?

7 7 Right: Mary McEnroe and Gail Leland s grandson, James, packed the 46 Operation Christmas Child boxes collected by our church family, into the car and delivered them to the Message Church for the first step on their way to some happy boys and girls. Thank you so much to all who packed a box.

8 December 2018 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday November 25 Christ the King 8 am & 10 am 26 Newsletter articles and photos due Fr. John in 28 8 am Holy Eucharist & Breakfast Fr. John in Fr. John in December Christmas Fair! 9-12 Fr. John in 2 Advent 1 8 am & 10 am Fr. John in 5 8 am Holy Eucharist & Breakfast Fr. John in Fr. John in Fr. John in 9 Advent 2 8 am & 10 am Men s Bible Study St. John s SWH Fr. John in 12 8 am Holy Eucharist & Breakfast 9-12 Fr. John in Fr. John in Flower forms due Sunday 12/16! Fr. John in 12 ECW Ladies party 5:30 Men s Group party Advent 3 8 am & 10 am 11:45 am Vestry Mtg Fr. John in 19 8 am Holy 8 am & Breakfast 9-12 Fr. John in Fr. John in Labors of Love Schedule due Fr. John in 22 Flower forms due 23 Advent 4 8 am & 10 am 30 Christmas 1 8am & 10 am 10 All MDI churches here 24 4 pm Christmas Eve Service 25 9 am Christmas Eucharist 26 8 am Morning Prayer Lay Led & Breakfast Fr. John in Newsletter articles and photos due Fr. John in 29

9 Intercessory Prayer for our Friends, Family, Military, Prison Ministry, Diocese & Missionaries: Pray for Gina Farnsworth, Nancy Salisbury, Fr. Bob Raymond, Bill Kirk, Stacey Austin, Donna Cardillo, Cindy, Roger Evans, Carl Hatch, Christina Heiniger, Ursula Heiniger, Helen, Cameron Knable, Kim and Jean Lasater, Gary Lyons, Ronald Olson, Tony & Shawn Smoker, Bob Theriault, Lloyd Woods, Anne Zaslau, the Ministry of Hospice and the Bar Harbor Food Pantry. Our Military: Pray for those who serve in the armed forces, of the USA. Prison Ministry: Pray for peace in our prisons. Anglican Cycle of Prayer 2018 Sunday 09-Dec-2018 Advent 2 PRAY for Falkland Islands (Extra-Provincial to Canterbury) Falkland Islands (Parish of) - (Canterbury, Falkland Islands) The Rt Revd Timothy Thornton Sunday 16-Dec-2018 Advent 3 Pray for Kivu - (Rwanda) The Rt Revd Augustin Ahimana Sunday 23-Dec-2018 Advent 4 Pray for Kubwa - ( Abuja, Nigeria) The Rt Revd Duke Akamisoko Monday 24-Dec-2018 Christmas Eve Pray for Kuching - (South East Asia) The Rt Revd Danald Jute Assistant Bishop of Kuching - (South East Asia) The Rt Revd Solomon Cheong Sung Voon Tuesday 25-Dec-2018 Christmas Day - Nativity of our Lord Pray for Kumi - (Uganda) The Rt Revd Thomas Irigei Sunday 30-Dec-2018 The Holy Family Pray for Kyushu - (Japan) The Rt Revd Luke Ken-ichi Muto Birthdays 12/2 Mike Blythe 12/9 Jen Caeti 12/18 James Kitler 12/20 Brad Thompson 12/22 Anthony Smoker 12/24 Carlene Parsons 12/25 Carol Johnston 12/31 James Hopkins ANNIVERSARIES 12/27 Bill & Chris Krenicki Fr. John s Office Hours are: Tuesday, 11 am-2pm Wednesday, 9 am Noon Thursday, Noon-2 pm Friday, Noon-2 pm and by Appointment: Call or fr.jallison@gmail.com Diocesan Cycle of Prayer 9 December ~ Advent 2 For St. Elizabeth s Jubilee enter in Portland and For all immigrants and refugees and the ministries that serve them 16 December ~ Advent 3 The congregations of St. Barnabas ; Rumford and St. Luke s; Wilton and Christ Church, Gardiner. For those grieving the loss of a loved one this holiday season 23 December ~ Advent 4~ Christmas Eve The congregation of St. Dunstan s, Ellsworth and for all Episcopalians engaged in The Way of Love and Presiding Bishop Michael Curry 25 December ~ Christmas Day Oh God, you make us glad by the yearly festival of the birth of your only son Jesus Christ. For peace on earth 30 December ~ Christmas 1 ~ The Holy Name of Our Lord Jesus Christ For Trinity Jubilee Center, Lewiston. For postulants and candidates for Holy Orders and the Commission on Ministry. For the slate of candidates for Bishop and their families.

10 CHURCH OF OUR FATHER P.O. Box 186 HULLS COVE, MAINE Office (GPS location: 91 State Hwy 3, Bar Harbor) Church of Our Father : Sunday 8 and 10 am Wednesday 8 am (followed by light breakfast) December 2018 Words From The Well IN THIS ISSUE P. 1 Fr John Allison P. 2-3 Sr/Jr. Wardens, photos, events P. 4-7 News/Announcements, flowers, P. 8-9 Calendar/Birthdays/Anniversaries/Prayers