From the Interim Rector
We all know that it is looming large in the
distance…..it is soon to be upon us…..the Holidays. Now, it begins with
Halloween and continues through New Year’s Day. We have issues of family,
issues of grief and issues with issues. Now is the time to decide to do
things differently this year and not to repeat the same old hurried race to
the finish line. No, I mean it, we can do things differently if we truly
want to do them differently. We can begin now to gradually do some special
shopping being determined to purchase a few meaningful gifts to show our
appreciation of relationship. We can look at alternative gifts such as the
Heifer Project, The Salvation Army or a special fund at All Saints’ as a way
in which to give a gift to someone who doesn’t need anything in particular
but we want to express our gratitude for their presence in our lives. Family
gathering can not be so tense if we don’t put the kind of unrealistic
expectations on them that leave us disappointed and exhausted. Most of all
we can decide that this year we will take the opportunity that Advent
affords us and focus on the spiritual nature of these days ahead.
We will begin with Baptism. On Sunday, November 23, we will have an
opportunity for Baptism at both the 8AM and the 10:30 AM services. Whether
adult or child this is a special occasion for us in the church and we hold
it as one of the primary sacraments in the church. If you, or your child,
would like to be baptized please contact Mother LaRae before Wednesday,
November 19. We will have an education day on Saturday, November 22 and,
then, baptism on November 23rd for all our candidates.
The Rector’s Class (Sundays at 9:30 AM and Tuesdays at 7 PM) will
begin reading the book Scarred by Struggle, Transformed by Hope
written by Joan Chittister. In her introduction Joan Chittister writes:
This book is not a self-help manual. It is not a series of ‘steps’ to
anything. It is, rather, an anatomy of struggle and an account of the way
hope grows within us, despite our moments of darkness, regardless of our
regular bouts of depression. It is an invitation to look again at the
struggles of life in order that we might remember how to recognize new life
in our souls the next time our hearts turn again to clay, as turn they
surely will. We will be examining the great struggles of life, history
and faith. We have ordered 10 copies of the book. If you would like to buy
one please contact Tommie Moore, program administrator. You don’t have to
attend the class to buy the book.
The real challenge for a spiritual journey of Advent comes from some
of those who want to use the early hours of the morning to begin our day and
continue our Advent journey. We are asking for volunteers to say Morning
Prayer in the chapel Monday through Friday at 7AM. This will be before
breakfast at Saints’ Brew and before we find our way off to work, daily
tasks and stresses. We are asking for people to sign up to either read a
lesson or read the service. I will be glad to help those who are doing this
for the first time. We will have a simple format to follow and lessons
printed out for us to find them easily. A sign up sheet will be found in the
back of the parish hall for those interested in doing this. We hope that
others will join us for this service in this very special space.
In watching a documentary about skydiving the trainer kept emphasizing the
need to check the gear before one put it on and got on the plane. The
time to find out your parachute wasn’t packed properly isn’t when you pull
the ripcord! Perhaps our Advent preparation is something to be decided
upon before the days are already here.
--Mother LaRae+
