PREPARING FOR SUNDAY WORSHIP Saturday, 24 October 2020 Twenty-First Sunday After Pentecost

Included in today's update: Rector's Message, Birthdays this Week, Stewardship Campaign, NEW Book Group Starting, TWO New Recipes, Yoga Continues, Liturgy For Tomorrow's Worship, and more.

FROM THE RECTOR

Saturday, 24 October 2020

Dear Friends: Have you voted yet? If not, please make sure to return your mail-in ballot, or make plans to visit your assigned polling station on Tuesday, November 3rd. The right to vote is perhaps the most important privilege of living in this great nation and should never be ignored.

     Beginning last week, and continuing until the weekend before Election Day, I will be giving you prayers written for this important season in our country's life. This week's prayer comes from A Manual for Priests, published by The Society of St. John the Evangelist, Cambridge, MA.

O Lord, we beg thee to govern the minds of all who are called at this time to choose faithful persons to serve in the government of this land: that they may exercise their choice as in thy sight, for the welfare of all our people; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Blessings! Peace! Grace! And love!

- Keith

BIRTHDAYS IN THE WEEK AHEAD

O God, our times are in your hands: Look with favor, we pray, on these your servants as they begin another year. Grant that they may grow in wisdom and grace, and strengthen their trust in your goodness all the days of their life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

• Edward Patruno

• Cheryl Sargent

• Stan Rybicki

• Jon Ferullo

2021 STEWARDSHIP CAMPAIGN BEGINS

In the past few days, you should have received a letter explaining the pledge campaign for the coming year. In the envelope, you also found a pledge card and return envelope, along with information explaining Tithe.ly, an on-line giving platform recommended by the diocesan offices and being incorporated by many parishes throughout the area. The vestry asks that you please complete and return your pledge card by Sunday, November 8th in order for the 2021 parish operating budget to be prepared.

NEW BOOK GROUP FORMING

Would you like to join other Messiah readers in a discussion of "Holy Envy: Finding God in the Faith of Others" on Tuesday's at 1:00 p.m. beginning on November 3rd via ZOOM?

Holy Envy: Finding God in the Faith of Others

Barbara Brown Taylor continues her spiritual journey begun in Leaving Church of finding out what the world looks like after taking off her clergy collar. In Holy Envy, she contemplates the myriad ways other people and traditions encounter the Transcendent, both by digging deeper into those traditions herself and by seeing them through her students’ eyes as she sets off with them on field trips to monasteries, temples, and mosques. 

     Troubled and inspired by what she learns, Taylor returns to her own tradition for guidance, finding new meaning in old teachings that have too often been used to exclude religious strangers instead of embracing the divine challenges they present. Re-imagining some central stories from the religion she knows best, she takes heart in how often God chooses outsiders to teach insiders how out-of-bounds God really is.

     Throughout Holy Envy, Taylor weaves together stories from the classroom with reflections on how her own spiritual journey has been complicated and renewed by connecting with people of other traditions—even those whose truths are quite different from hers. The one constant in her odyssey is the sense that God is the one calling her to disown her version of God—a change that ultimately enriches her faith in other human beings and in God.

     Amazon - Paperback - $11.59 ; Kindle - $11.99

Please email MaryJo at revmjmelb@verizon.net if you would like to take part in this book discussion. We'll begin our journey into the book on Tuesday November 3rd........after you place your VOTE!!!! Your Zoom invitation will arrive the Monday before.

HELP NEEDED!!! – SUNDAY USHER CORPS

We are in desperate need for volunteers to serve as Sunday morning ushers! Due to some retirements (after lengthy times of service), some unfortunate deaths, and some reluctance at this time to serve for in-person services, the corps has been severely depleted. This places a great strain on our ability to staff this important Sunday morning ministry. BTW: This ministry is not a “males-only” opportunity! We are an equal opportunity ministry! Perhaps you and your spouse, or you and your teenager, or you and your friends would like to serve together. If you are interested in serving or wish more information, please contact Ed Steinbauer (ed@steinbauers.com; 215-661-9956).

MESSIAH PARTNERS WITH

AREA CHURCHES FOR

COMMUNITY DONATION DAYS

NOVEMBER 7 & 8, 2020

Your help is needed to help others! Most likely, you are fortunate enough to have three healthy meals a day. But everyone is not so fortunate. Right now, there are many individuals and families in our local area who don’t know where their next meal will come from. And now, because of conditions associated with COVID-19, there are many more people facing this reality. The food supply in local food cupboards is dwindling and needs to be replenished so that people in need can have nutritious food during this challenging time.

    Several churches in the North Wales/Gwynedd communities are joining together to help alleviate this situation by hosting Community Donation Days. We are asking you, your neighbors, and your friends to participate by donating non-perishable food, paper products and cleaning/sanitizing products. Bring your donations to Church of the Messiah:

• Saturday, November 7th, 7:00am-7:00pm;

• or Sunday, November 8th, 7:00am-12:00noon.

Collection bins will be located at the doors to the Parish House. After church on Sunday, the Youth of Messiah will organize and package your donations. The food collected will then be delivered to local food cupboards: Manna on Main Street, Inter-Faith Housing Alliance, Mattie N. Dixon Community Cupboard.

Items Needed Most: § Peanut Butter & Jelly § Canned Proteins (Chicken, Salmon, SPAM, Beef Stew, Ham, Sardines, Tuna) § Canned/Dried Fruits & Canned Vegetables § Soups and Broths (canned or boxed) § Whole Grain Pasta & Sauce, Stuffing, Potato Flakes § Rice, Quinoa, Beans (dried/canned) § Coffee, Tea, Juice, Condiments, Crackers § Baking (Flour, Oil, Sugar, Spices, Muffin Mix) § Toilet Paper, Paper Towels/Plates, Tissues § Sanitizing Wipes, Baby Wipes, Diapers § Dish/Laundry Detergent, Cleaning Products

If You Prefer to Make a Monetary Donation: If you wish to make a monetary donation that will be used to purchase items to be given to the food cupboards, please make your check payable to "Rector's Discretionary Fund", with "Community Donation Days" on the memo line. These monetary donations will then be used to purchase items that were not collected, and will be included in the food delivery.

"CREATIVE ANGELS!"

We are collecting recipes and craft ideas to pass along during this unusual times we find ourselves in. Please submit your recipes and craft instructions to Barbara Stevenson (bebstevenson@yahoo.com) and we will publish one with each edition of the parish email. Thank you!

This week, we are publishing two recipes, both submitted by Tiffany Reichley. Bon Appetit!

Blueberry Cream Pie (Tiffany Reichley)

Ingredients

• fresh or frozen blueberries – 3 cup

• unbaked pie shell

• Sugar – 1 cup

• All-purpose flour – 1/3 cup

• Salt – 1/8 tsp

• eggs, beaten - 2

• sour cream – ½ cup

• CRUMB TOPPING

• Sugar – ½ cup

• all-purpose flour – ½ cup

• Butter – ¼ cup

Steps:

1. Place fresh blueberries in pastry shell. IF using frozen blueberries, set out on paper towels until partially thawed. Then add to pie shell; set aside.

2. Combine 1C sugar, 1/3C flour and salt. Add eggs and sour cream, stirring until well blended. 

3. Spoon over berries.

4. Combine remaining sugar and flour. Cut in butter with a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse meal. Or you can combine all ingredients into a Tupperware container with a tight lid. Shake until ingredients reach required consistency.  

5. Sprinkle the crumble evenly over the sour cream mixture.  

6. Bake at 350 for 55-65 minutes or until lightly browned.  

7. Enjoy! Tastes great with vanilla ice cream!

Princess Tiana's Bayou Meatloaf (Tiffany Reichley)

(Tastes best when you listen to the Princess and the Frog Soundtrack while cooking :)  

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. ground beef (80% to 90% lean)

• 1 lb ground pork

• 1 tsp celery salt

• 1 tsp garlic powder

• 1 tsp dried thyme

• 1 tsp paprika

• 1/4 tsp pepper

• 1 cup bread crumbs

• 1/2 cup minced onion

• 1/2 cup ketchup

• 1/2 cup milk

• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten

Topping:

• 1/2 cup ketchup with 1 Tbsp. honey stirred in

Directions:

1. Heat the oven to 350 F. Grease the bottom and sides of a 2 1/2 quart casserole dish.

2. Combine the ground beef and ground pork in a large mixing bowl. 

3. In a small bowl or cup, stir together the celery salt, garlic powder, thyme, paprika, and pepper. Sprinkle the mixture over the meat.

4. Add the bread crumbs, onion, ketchup, milk, and eggs to the meat. Use a wooden spoon to stir all the ingredients together until they are well mixed. Pack the meatloaf mixture into the casserole dish. 

5. Ask an adult to help you with the oven. Place the meatloaf in the oven and bake for 50 minutes. Then carefully remove it from the oven. Spread the ketchup topping on top using a wooden spatula. Return the meatloaf to the oven to bake for 10 more minutes.  

6. Let the meatloaf cool for a few minutes before you slice and serve it.  

WEEKLY YOGA CLASSES CONTINUE TO

BENEFIT LOCAL SOCIAL AGENCIES

Classes, led by Diana Mulroy, are held outdoors when weather permits and in the Parish Hall when necessary. Each session costs $10, and all proceeds benefit local social service agencies usually supported through Belfry Bargains funds. In the month of September, almost $900 was raised and distributed to Laurel House, Interfaith Housing, Manna on Main Street, and Community Cupboard. Classes are appropriate for all levels - beginners, as well as more advanced participants. Use this link to sign up: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0F4CAEA922A4F58-join2

LITURGY FOR TOMORROW'S WORSHIP

TWENTY-FIRST SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST

25 October 2020

The bulletin for the Sunday service posted on the church website (www.messiahgwynedd.org). This is the same bulletin used in church, so all the responses are provided, along with the weekly lessons, announcements and weekly parish schedule. We hope you will find this to be a more complete resource for participating in the service from home.

PLENTY OF WORSHIP OPTIONS

ARE AVAILABLE EACH WEEK

If you are unable to join us here at church for in-person worship on Sunday morning, several options for participation are available:  

• The service will be live-streamed on YouTube at 9:30am.

• For those without computer access, an audio-only option is available by phone. Simply dial 609-663-5164 to listen to the service.

• At the conclusion of worship, a link to the service will be posted on the church website: messiahgwynedd.org.

• In addition to the Messiah online worship postings, Bishop Gutierrez will continue to post weekly services on the diocesan website: diopa.org.

• Weekly mailings of the liturgy, readings and sermon will continue to be sent to homebound parishioners without computer access. Should you wish to be added or removed from this list, please contact the church office: 215-699-9204.

I am so looking forward to welcoming many more of you back to church, but if you choose not to return until more time has passed, please be assured that your decision is understood and respected.

SUNDAY SERMON AVAILABLE EACH WEEK

Each week, the text of the Sunday sermon is posted to the website. Feel free to print it out if you find that helpful. And perhaps you might also print a copy and send to someone who doesn't have computer access. This would be greatly appreciated and provide a way for these parishioners to also stay connected.

BISHOP GUTIERREZ PREACHES EACH SUNDAY

Bishop Gutierrez continues to broadcast Sunday morning Eucharist services. Each week, the Bishop or another cleric from around the diocese will preach the sermon. You can watch at 9 a.m. on YouTube and Facebook (@Episcopal PA) and any time afterward on the Diocesan website.

PLEASE KEEP YOUR PLEDGE UP TO DATE

Thank you to all of you who have dropped off or sent in your pledge over the past several weeks! Your faithfulness has allowed us to stay current with payroll and bill payment. Please remember to submit this month's pledge. Thank you!