Reflections

Reflections

Nativity is blessed to have visitors join us on a regular basis from this local community and beyond. Some return and continue to be nourished by what they find here. From these visitors I often get questions about why we do what we do. I suspect that these questions are similar to what “old timers” have, but they are more hesitant to ask.

Thus, from time to time I like to offer a series that I have begun calling “Episcopal Church 101”. This is a effort to explain a lot of what we do in worship, as well as the culture of our tradition that seems to attract folks, whether they can actually put into words what is the attraction is. Long-time members of the Episcopal Church have also found these classes to be helpful in deepening their understanding of our faith tradition and their worship experience.

I will begin this six week series on Wednesday afternoon January 8 at 5:00pm. This series is open to anyone who would like to learn more about the Episcopal Church. It will also serve as the necessary preparation for anyone wishing to formally affiliate with the Episcopal Church when Bishop Dorothy Wells visits Nativity on Sunday, February 23.

In order to judge interest in this series , I will put a sign up sheet in the rear of the church. Signing the sheet will not commit you to “joining the church”, but will help me in planning and the ordering of materials.

Thanks.

Other Matters of Importance-

Christmas Parade in Water Valley-Friday, December 13@ 6:00pm

This Is Noteworthy(TIN) is hosting a parade watch party with hot dogs and hot chocolate. All are welcome. While you are out on the town, please note the lights on the church, a gift from two Nativity families. In addition, most of the burned out lights on the Salt and Light building have also been replaced (Thanks, Tom Kirkpatrick!). 

Christmas Flowers: Memorial Gifts-

If you are interested in helping with the cost of the Nativity Christmas flowers as a gift of thanksgiving, or as a memorial to a loved one, please use the envelopes in the rear of the church for an offering and to list your memorial or thanksgiving request

After 5:30pm Christmas Eve Worship: “Cup of Cheer & Some Goodies”-

Margaret-Love Denman will once again host the Nativity family at her home (212 Wood Street) for a party following the Christmas Eve worship. RSVP: (662)202-5051.

The Rev. Ann Whitaker will be our celebrant and preacher this Sunday.

Blessings and Peace,

Duncan

(601)260-1937

Dmgrayiii@gmail.com

Reflections

Reflections

A few thoughts in the darkness of these Advent days as we await the coming of our Savior:

Mary and Joseph were living in an country ruled by an occupying army and forced, during the last days of her pregnancy, to make the long and difficult journey to a city so that they could be properly taxed by this military government for its own benefit. After the arduous journey they were kept from living on the streets by the generosity of an unnamed motel manager.

After the birth of Jesus, in a fit of rage,  a jealous political leader ordered the massacre of infant boys, and Joseph barely escaped with his family into Egypt where they lived as immigrant refugees, dependent, again, on the generosity of others.

We watched  as last year’s Christmas celebration was cancelled in Bethlehem and worship at that city’s Church of Nativity was reduced dramatically due to the violent conflict. As the effort “to destroy that country in order to save it” (a poignant phrase from the Vietnam War) continues, it threatens to eliminate the Christmas events again this year. And as the  violent rhetoric around contemporary immigrants and refugees increases,  I am reminded of the universal struggle for human dignity that is forever threatened by powers seeking their own control and dominance. 

Just when I am about to despair over so many contemporary challenges, I am reminded it is precisely into this broken, violent, conflicted and tortured world that God chose to enter in the form of a helpless child born to a very vulnerable young couple. And it is into that same world that he comes again and again.

My job in Advent, and always, is to prepare both my soul for his coming and, as John the Baptist preached, to make straight the pathways of justice for his arrival.

That’s more than enough to keep me busy!

Other Matters of Importance:

Nativity Celebration and Fellowship- Two Events!

     December 7:  Pre-Christmas Party at home of Tommy and Liz Reynolds (1720

    North Main) beginning at 5:30. Dinner will be served at 6:00pm. All ages are 

    welcome.

     December 24: Christmas Eve Party at home of Margaret-Love Denman (212

    Wood Street). Margaret-Love will host the congregation after our 5:30pm

    Christmas Eve worship. Details will follow, but mark your calendars now!

Spring Hill North Missionary Baptist Church GoFundMe Project-

As our neighbor church community is in the final stages of its fund raising campaign, Joe York has made a video that begins to describe the process by which this church hopes to raise the funds to complete the restoration of their sanctuary. I will be in one of the later videos, but this one features Deacon Hosea 

Bradford who has visited Nativity on several occasions. The Mission Committee of Nativity has made a contribution to this GoFundMe project, but individual contributions from Nativity are welcomed as well. 

You can check out the video on a post at Joe’s Facebook page.

Inquirers Class to Begin January 8 at 5:00 pm- Episcopal Church 101

In anticipation of our visit by Bishop Dorothy Wells to Nativity on February 23,  I will be offering a class for those interested in learning more about the Episcopal Church. The class is open to all who would like to dig a little deeper into our heritage and learn more about why we do what we do, and it will also serve as preparation for anyone interested in formally affiliating with the church through confirmation, reception or re-affirmation of baptismal vows. (We’ll discuss in our class what each of these mean.) 

See in church on Sunday!

Blessings and Peace,

Duncan

(601)260-1937

Dmgrayiii@gmail.com

Reflections

Reflection

This coming week will be a time for us as a nation to come together in large gatherings or small, or even in the quietness of our own souls, to give thanks for the richness and blessings of this land. This day of Thanksgiving was first proposed by George Washington for November 26, but subsequent Presidents were less supportive of the idea. For instance, Thomas Jefferson thought that for the government to proclaim what amounts to a religious holiday was a violation of the separation of church and state. This particular national celebration did not really gain traction until President Lincoln, ironically, in the midst of the Civil War (1863) called the nation to a day of thanksgiving to be celebrated on the last Thursday in November. This date was formalized by legislation passed by Congress in 1870 and signed into law by President Grant.

Most contemporary churches are concluding their financial stewardship seasons during this time,  and the dovetailing of the local congregation’s emphasis on gratitude to God ( see previous newsletters) and our national holiday makes for good programmatic synergy. It works well for everyone (Reminder: please return your pledge card!).

But let me offer a brief additional thought on gratitude. This year, the Sunday after Thanksgiving will be the First Sunday in Advent- the beginning of a new liturgical year. Again, noticing the liturgical rhythms and the rhythms of nature is instructive. As we have come to the end of our liturgical year our scripture readings have been full of apocalyptic and end of the world imagery. Light is diminishing in our natural world in the northern hemisphere, and our ancient Northern European ancestors in existential distress produced elaborate rituals to call back the Sun. The Winter Solstice is one example.

In our Church, as the daylight becomes less and the darkness seems to consume, we Christians( at least in this part of our world) do a very simple thing- we light a candle. We dare to hope (the major theme of Advent) and use an ancient symbol of the divine (fire) to say that God is present in all things, even in the darkest of times.

God’s presence, even in the chaos and confusion of my life; even when I cannot feel that presence or fully appreciate the mystery; even when it’s tempting to give up and give in- we light a candle and dare to hope.

Maybe President Lincoln was on to something. Maybe thanksgiving is not something that should arise simply from our bounty, but also in the difficult moments when we behold the source of our ultimate hope.

Other Matters of Importance: 

Jail Ministry Meal -Saturday, November 23:

If you have committed to bring a portion of the Thanksgiving meal to the residents of the Yalobusha County jail, please meet with your dish at the Salt and Light building by 3:45 on Saturday.

Thank You Card to Davidson Elementary Students:

There will be a large “thank you” card at church on Sunday for all of us to sign in gratitude for the efforts by these elementary students to collect items for our Blessing Box. Their project was a great success and we owe them all a word of thanks.

Pre-Christmas Party- Home of Tommy and Liz Reynolds December 7:

In what is becoming a pre-Christmas tradition at Nativity, Tommy and Liz have invited the congregation (all ages) of Nativity to their home (1720 North Main) for an evening of fun and fellowship on December 7. We’ll begin with appetizers and drinks at 5:30, followed by dinner at 6:00. REMINDER: It will be very helpful to our hosts to know how many of us to expect, so let Liz know if you are planning to join us. (emfreynolds@gmail.com/662-473-6044).

See you Sunday!

Blessings and Peace,

Duncan

Dmgrayiii@gmail.com

(601)260-1937