Nativity Newsletter

Remember to SPRING FORWARD - Sunday, March 8

Mission Committee Spotlight - Patricia Kruger, Secretary

I came to Oxford on March 1, 1994, from the Northwest where I’d lived all up and down the I-5 corridor from very close to the Canadian border to Eugene, Oregon. I had finished law school and clerked for a judge in Eugene. Seeing all the different lawyers in the courtroom showed me that I wanted to do some kind of public interest law. The South seemed like the best place to “cast my net,” so here I came. I didn’t know a soul (certainly no lawyers!) when I arrived, and I had to take the MS bar exam (MS refused my OR score — bastards!)

Once I cleared that hurdle and got my license, I heard about all the legal services offices in the state. I wrote to them all, and North MS Rural Legal Services hired me. And that’s how I got to Oxford on March 1, 1994, on the heels of the 1994 ice storm, as it happens.

Oxford was love at first sight, but I needed to meet people. Why not church? I knew nothing about any denomination except Episcopalian because my mom took me to St. Mark’s Cathedral in Seattle a few times, so off to St. Peter’s I went. Again, love at first sight. I joined the choir, taught Vacation Bible School, and provided meals for college students on Sundays.

And then the church just grew and grew (I know — that’s what they’re supposed to do), but the congregation weirdly stayed the same age: young families. Meanwhile, I kept getting older. Soon, I knew so few people, I felt like a stranger, an old stranger.

One Sunday last summer, I moseyed down Highway 7 to Nativity, on Duncan’s last Sunday, in fact. Wow! I’d come home. Listening to Duncan took me right back to when he was the rector at St. Peter’s. Then I looked around. What a mix! Young families, single people, young people, older people. Best of all, it was small. I could get to know everyone like I did when I first joined St. Peter’s.

So here I am, and I’m never looking back!

But wait! We have to grow if we want to thrive, right? Sure. But I’d like for us to be sure we attract a wide variety of people like we presently have. What can we do to bring in young families, young singles, couples, middle-aged and older people? And what can we do to be sure the new folks (like me) can get to know the “old timers” (like y’all) and feel welcome from the moment they first step through our door (like I did)?

Those Who Serve - 3rd Sunday of Lent - March 8, 2026

Celebrant: The Rev. Canon Gary Meade, Canon to the Ordinary

Music: Brenda/Katherine

Altar Guild: Kathy/Margaret Love

LEM: Michael

Lectors: Brenda/Suzy

MC POD: Eddie

Collect for Nativity

Father of all wisdom and love,

In whose wisdom we trust and in whose love we dwell.

We come asking you to guide us as we search for a new shepherd for this flock, a new teacher for those who seek, and for a steadfast companion who will walk with us along the way.

All this we ask in the name of our creator, redeemer and sustainer, one God, whose mercy endures forever. Amen

Announcements

March 14th - 10:00 am - Outreach Workshop: The Rev. Sarah Stripp, Deacon at St. Andrews and managing director for Springboard to Opportunities, a non-profit helping families in affordable housing reach their goals, will be conducting a workshop for us. We will meet 10-12 in the sanctuary, break for lunch, and conclude 1:30-3 in the Salt & Light. (Note: those attending the Lenten Study are welcome to join when finished.)

The Rev. Sarah Stripp serves as a vocational deacon at the Cathedral. In addition, Sarah is the Director of Socioeconomic Wellbeing for Springboard To Opportunities, a nonprofit helping families in affordable housing reach their goals in life, work, and school and has been working in community development based non-profits for the last 12 years. While Sarah grew up in Michigan, she has been in Mississippi since 2014 and now considers it home and is passionate about creating communities where all people have an opportunity to flourish. Sarah is a graduate of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation Community Leadership Network Fellowship and the Aspen Institute’s Jackson Workforce Leadership Academy.

Short description of the session:

Giving Life to our Prayers is a workshop designed to support parishes in recognizing the needs of their community around them and creatively consider the assets they already have to help meet those needs and embody the prayers that we pray every Sunday morning. This interactive workshop will include activities, discussion, and personal reflection as we develop an action plan for moving forward together.

If planning to attend the workshop, please sign up in the back of the church or let Mary Beth Pulsifer know. (mpulsifer23@gmail.com)

REGISTRATION for Camp Bratton-Green

Registration for camp is now open on the following website:

https://graycenter.org/camp-bratton-green/. Parents, if you are interested in a scholarship from Nativity for your child to attend camp this summer (or any Diocesan Youth Event throughout the year), please contact Sr. Warden Mary Beth Pulsifer @ mpulsifer23@gmail.com.

Cursillo: Please let Kathy Shoalmire know if you plan to attend Cursillo, May 1-3 at Camp Bratton-Green. The last day to register is April 1. Sponsor assignments and priest recommendations need to be completed for your application.

April 16-17 - Small Church Conference for all Lay and Ordained Leaders at All Saints, Grenada. See flyer for additional information.