THE PARISH VISITOR Nativity Youth Camp Sign Up Information...p. 3 Peaceful Easy Feeling...p. 10
Flirting with new life There were a few days in February where the temperature nearly reached 70 degrees. I know you remember that. The unusually mild winter was almost flirting with us. The two doves who appear on our deck each Spring arrived in February this year. The bunnies who populate our yards too. Then of course it was late February and just the beginning of March when the buds on the trees appeared and the small daffodil and crocus sprouts appeared. Everything seemed to signaling new life. Then, of course, it snowed. Fifteen inches. It seemed a little cruel. Everything around us, everything inside of us, flirting with us, signaling new life, only to blanket us with snow, a blast of cold and it seems we would/will need to wait a bit longer. I find that life is often rhythmic that way. The seasons and cycles of darkness and light, of death and of life. Sometimes we can flirt with finding a new path or dabble in discovering new life. We may want desperately to say good-bye to old patterns that hold us in darkness. Bad decisions, bad relationships, bad habits. We may think something new we hoped for comes our way and sometimes discover maybe it just isn t quite here yet. It is like we have been flirted with and that we hoped for isn t quite yet here. That can be discouraging but truthfully life can be like that. Yet, I am mindful of things bigger than that, bigger than us. I am mindful of that which goes beyond the flirtation. Easter is the time we celebrate new beginnings, but particularly what we gain from Easter is the certain hope that God is working in us always that which we never imagined for ourselves. This promise goes beyond a flirtation and is a gift we take on faith. The saying goes, Time will tell. In the case of God s promise for new things, new life, time is eternal. That is way more than a flirtation. The Bach at 8 series of the complete organ works of J. S. Bach continues this month with Program #14 on Friday, April 7 and Program #15 on Friday, April 21. We can see the light at the end of the tunnel, and the programs will now include some conclusions of chorale collections. Some of Bach s more well-known preludes and fugues and other works are also sprinkled throughout. This truly is a monumental (and unprecedented in the Lehigh Valley) undertaking and offering, and we all owe it to ourselves and to one of the greatest musicians of all time to attend at least one of these performances. Agreed? Cathedral Arts in cooperation with the Chamber Music Society of Bethlehem presents the Grammy nominated Borealis Wind Quintet on Sunday, April 30 at 3:00 PM. In addition to this wonderful treat, there will also be warm-up prelude starting at 2:45 PM by a wind quintet from our local Young People s Philharmonic made up of competition winners and first chairs. Tickets are available at the door for $27 or pre-ordering online is available at www.cmsob.org. We all know that choral singing is one of the Anglican Church s greatest traditions, right? And rightly so, since it is one of the purest, noblest, and most beautiful ways that we glorify our God and Creator. And, as the saying goes, anything worth doing is worth doing well, and singing qualifies as the poster example. Cathedral Choirs are made up of living people of all ages from all walks of life, always moving, learning, and changing. Here s the point.. it s not too early to be thinking about the fall when Nativity choirs rev up for a new season. How can YOU or YOUR CHILD plug into this ministry? We have five months time before beginning anew just before and after Labor Day. Please talk to Stephen or email him swilliams@nativitycathedral.org if you are interested in singing. It truly could be one of the best decisions of your life!
If you are like me, I found the March snows to be a nuisance. And while the snow is almost gone, I feel as if spring was delayed and should have been here sooner. I was fooled by the unseasonable 60 degree days we experienced in February and early March. And just when I began to be hopeful for consistently warm spring-like weather, Mother Nature reminded me that spring will not occur in my time-frame and that I need to be patient and endure what she offers, even unwelcome March snows. Those unwelcome March snows reminded me of the years my husband and I lived in the mid-west where we saw piles of snow in parking lots and on the sides of roads through May. It seemed to snow almost daily, sometimes just a coating, but a fresh coating would await me every morning when I walked the dogs. I have to admit that I am not a fan of cold weather, and when temperatures drop below zero, the cold actually hurts. You quickly learn to remember gloves and a scarf because the extreme cold burns exposed skin. My poor dogs hated to be outside when it was below zero. The cold burned the pads of their feet and they would alternate putting one of their four feet in the air for a break from the cold. No, none of us were fans of the mid-west winters. But while I did not like the weather, I tried to accept it and enjoy the beauty of snow that glistened like crystals on trees and lawn. I tried to find joy in the fact that while we were there we had record breaking amounts of snow (actually we missed the record by less than an inch but for less than an inch, I am claiming the record!!) I attempted to rejoice when temperatures went above zero which felt like a heat wave. And while I might sound like I am patting myself on the back for finding humor in having to clear snow that accumulated around my gas pedal weekly because it was too cold to melt, I owe it all to grace. Because that was the season of my life and the cup I needed to sip along with my husband by living in a different state, with different people, in different weather, away from family and friends. It was simultaneously a glorious time and a heart-wrenching time for many reasons. But it was one of my seasons that brought me to a deeper reliance on God. What I discovered while living in the mid-west, was that while my life was less than ideal at the time, it was a necessary season. This was a period of time in which I learned more about God. It involved discernment about what I should do as part of the body of Christ. It was a painful time away from my children and my mother who was ill, but I knew it was necessary. When I stopped complaining about the cold and snow and hating it so much, I was able to see how beautiful it was. When I stopped arguing about what God had planned for me, I was able to see the next steps. And when I stopped bemoaning that I was no longer near friends and family, I discovered a community dearer than any I could image. Life is full of seasons, some of discovery, some of growth, some of grief and tears, but in each I have found that when I stop railing against my situation, I see God s hand and find love and beauty surface.somewhere.in people, places, in the most unlikely things. I just need to stop, breathe, look, and listen. And when I do, love appears, and I am able to see God anew. Canon Michelle Please register your children for NYC and return completed forms to the church office. Registration forms are available online or by contacting the church office. Camp is free to Nativity members. Camp allows children and youth to grow in the Christian faith, build community, and make friendships and memories that will last years. Camp is truly one of the most formative programs available for Nativity youth. Speak to camp directors Brian & Marie Mauro (4mauro@gmail.com or (610) 923-0535) or Canon Michelle if you have questions.
Come Worship with Us PALM SUNDAY APRIL 9 8*, 8:45* and 10:30* AM Liturgy of the Palms and Passion Eucharist 9:15 AM Church School for ALL Ages HOLY WEDNESDAY APRIL 12 9 AM Holy Eucharist & Healing Service MAUNDY THURSDAY APRIL 13 7* PM Maundy Thursday Liturgy/Foot Washing, Holy Eucharist, Stripping of the Altar GOOD FRIDAY APRIL 14 7:30 AM Liturgy & Holy Communion from reserved sacrament, Sayre Chapel 12-1 PM Good Friday Liturgy 5:30 PM Family Worship & Stations of the Cross 7 PM Tenebrae Service, Cathedral Note: The Cathedral will be open all day Friday for private prayer. HOLY SATURDAY APRIL 15 8:30 AM Morning Prayer, Good Shepherd Chapel 5* PM Great Vigil of Easter with Lighting of the New Fire EASTER SUNDAY APRIL 16 8* AM Holy Eucharist 10:30* AM Festival Eucharist * Nursery available for infants and toddlers during these services. For additional information, contact us at 610-865-0727 or visit our website at www.nativitycathedral.org
The Vestry met on March 21, 2017. The group had a conversation about Affordable Housing. Made decisions on property upkeep repair. Received an update from Don Appleton on signage. Established procedure for usage of memorial gifts for endowment. Next scheduled meeting April 18, 2017. The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins. We will meet on Thursday, April 20th at 11 AM in Room 23. All are welcome! Bring your lunch. May: A Man Called Ove by Frank Backman June: Heat and Light by Jennifer Haigh Palm Crosses are an old tradition at Nativity. Are you wondering how to make them or where they come from? Palm Crosses are made by a few people, Mary Ann Lynn being the main person, who have been making them for many years. They are not hard to make, so if you would like to learn how to make one of the traditions of Nativity, please join Mary Ann on Saturday, April 8th at 1 PM in the Quilter's Room. will be held at Nativity Cathedral on April 23 at 4:00 PM. All are invited to attend this worship service. This year we have a group of teens who will be confirmed and a group of adults making Nativity their new church home. Please come and support our youth and new adult members as they participate in the sacrament of Confirmation. April 2 Ezekiel 37:1-14 Romans 8:6-11 John 11:1-45 Psalm 130 April 9, Palm Sunday The Liturgy of the Palms Matthew 21:1-11 Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29 The Liturgy of the Word Isaiah 50:4-9a Philippians 2:5-11 Matthew 26:14-27:66 or Matthew 27:11-54 Psalm 31:9-16 April 13, Maundy Thursday Exodus 12:1-4, (5-10), 11-14 1 Corinthians 11:23-26 John 13:1-17, 31b-35 Psalm 116:1, 10-17 April 14, Good Friday Isaiah 52:13-53:12 Hebrews 10:16-25 or Hebrews 4:14-16; 5:7-9 John 18:1-19:42 Psalm 22 April 15, Easter Vigil Job 14:1-14 or Lamentations 3:1-9, 19-24 1 Peter 4:1-8 Matthew 27:57-66 or John 19:38-42 Psalm 31:1-4, 15-16 April 16, Easter Sunday Acts 10:34-43 or Jeremiah 31:1-6 Colossians 3:1-4 or Acts 10:34-43 John 20:1-18 or Matthew 28:1-10 Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24 April 23 Acts 2:14a,22-32 1 Peter 1:3-9 John 20:19-31 Psalm 16 April 30 Acts 2:14a,36-41 1 Peter 1:17-23 Luke 24:13-35 Psalm 116:1-3, 10-17
Ok, I love the music from the Eagles and their hit Peaceful Easy Feeling. That song came from a time when life was at a slower, more relaxed pace. One of my life goals is to be at peace, to have easy feelings. One of the ways I seek to do that is through my faith and regular Sunday worship is big peace oops, piece of that. I don t know about you but getting out of the door for church on Sunday morning can be an epic struggle, particularly when your kids are younger. At the last minute, hopefully, I would remember to grab a check to be filled out in the pews. (Note, this puts a lot of pressure on preachers-that sermon better be engaging.) It added one more thing to a busy to-do list on the one morning a week I wanted to focus on living in a more thoughtful, meditative state. And we know giving is critical to having a right relationship with our Creator. Two years ago, while studying the winsome photos of our beloved dean on the front page of our website, I noticed a small tab under our worship schedule titled, online donations. Being one of the last non-tech dinosaurs marching off to the analog tar pits I reluctantly clicked on the tab. What I encountered was an answer to part of my Sunday morning dilemma. You can make contributions to the Cathedral electronically, online. There was a simple tutorial, all I needed were the numbers from the bottom left of a check. I could select the amount and frequency of the donation; weekly, monthly, annually and you can make an on-line donation for special gifts like altar flowers. I selected weekly donation because that was how the church taught me to give in the days of olde and partially to help the parish with cash flow requirements. At first I had pangs of guilt when the offering plate went by and I had no envelope to place in it. But guilt has no place in giving only love. Jesus tells us consistently that what matters is what is in our heart. And loving God, helping my neighbor and following Jesus are the reasons I give to our parish. Our parish supports all three of these raisons d etre beautifully. 90% of my giving is through our parish. By giving on-line weekly I can miss a Sunday at our church - whether I m on vacation, a work trip or working with another parish I know that Jesus work here at Nativity continues unchecked (bad pun). Regular online giving makes financial administration of the parish that much simpler. It s easier for our counters, our talented book keeper, and allows our vestry and treasurer to better plan the support for our ministries. Bishop Bill Burrell, perhaps the greatest stewardship teacher in the history of the Episcopal church, told a story about your checkbook and your faith. Quoting Matthew, he said, If where your treasure is there your heart will be also, our checkbooks give us an objective measure of where our hearts are. Simply open your bank statement and you ll see where your heart is. Online giving to the parish gives you a real-time summary of your year to date giving, it makes it easier for the parish and financial management, and it allows you to focus on praise and worship on Sunday morning. It s a huge win all the way around. Here s to peaceful, easy feelings! The Rt. Rev. Sean Rowe, Bishop Provisional The Very Rev. Anthony R. Pompa, Dean and Rector tpompa@nativitycathedral.org The Rev. Canon Michelle Moyer, canonmichelle@nativitycathedral.org Richard Sauce, Sr. Warden Karen Boksan, Jr. Warden