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Rector's Message: Saturday, 13 November 2021
Sunday, 14 November
The twenty-fifth Sunday after Pentecost
A Scripture Verse for the Week:
A Message from the Rector
The Gospel for this next-to-the-last Sunday of the Church year closes with a warning against false prophets (Mark 13:21-23), and particularly against false messiahs. The Apocalyptists had expected the appearance of such figures to signal the imminence of the end to time. But even when Jesus was a boy, such false messiahs attempted to exploit nationalistic feelings as they led uprisings in Palestine against the Roman occupiers. Afterward, before the writing of the Gospels, a rudimentary early church record had developed, and it told of other claimants to the role of messiah, including some who actually did perform healings and other ‘miracles’. So, the Gospel warning is: Do not be led astray.
As disciples of the true Christ, we must reject false claimants to God’s authority, waiting for the appearance of God’s final and true Judge. The question then is this, the same as in Jesus’ day: Who are the false prophets of our own age; and how do we recognize them?
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.
rd. Amen.
Val Carr
Charles Macek
Chase Repine
Nicole DiBonaventura
Matt Higgins
Tyler Evangelisto
Abby Rusnak
VISIT THE WEBSITE: Here you can find a video of the Sunday service as well as the bulletin and the sermon. https://www.messiahgwynedd.org/
VIEW THE CALENDAR
OFFICE HOURS
Monday through Friday 9:30 to 2:30
IN CASE OF A PASTORAL EMERGENCY AFTER HOURS
Should you have an urgent need to contact the Rector outside of Church Office hours, please use his cell phone: 215-692-2667.
THANKSGIVING EUCHARIST
will be celebrated on the Tuesday evening preceding the holiday, November 23rd, at 7:00pm.
Don't forget to scroll down and read the "Reaching out to the Community" section to find out all of the great ways you can help to serve others this holiday season!!
2022 PLEDGE CARDS:
All 2022 pledge cards have been mailed. We ask that you please return your card by November 14. If you did not receive your envelope and card, please contact the office. Thank you in advance for your kindness and generosity!
Dine and Donate at Anthony's Coal Fired Pizza
On November 17th you can enjoy a great meal while supporting the church. You can dine in or take out from 11:00am-9:00pm. Simply mention to your server that you are with Church of the Messiah and 20% of your total bill (excluding tax and tip) will be donated back to Messiah. If ordering takeout Call 610-275-2625 and mention that you are with Church of the Messiah before placing your order OR Visit Anthony's Coal Fired Pizza's online order website. In the section for order notes or special instructions, mention Church of the Messiah to receive 20% of your meal’s price donated back to the church.
NOTE: Anthony’s is using GroupRaise.com in order to properly staff the restaurant with the appropriate number of servers and kitchen staff. They ask that everyone who plans to attend (whether in person or ordering take-out) to RSVP by going to the following website:
https://www.groupraise.com/events/208423 (to RSVP for November 10th)
https://www.groupraise.com/events/207886 (To RSVP for November 17th)
Once on the page click the green “Commit to Eat” button. It will ask you to enter your first and last name as well as your email address. Also, click on the number of additional guests in your party. Then enter the first and last name of each guest. Finally, click the green “I’ll be there” button. You will then be on the list of people attending.
Anthony's Coal Fired Pizza is located at 960 Dekalb Pike Unit 600 Blue Bell, PA 19422
Online Rummage Sale
Do you have items in your home that you no longer need or want? If so, please consider donating them to Messiah. We will post them online on Facebook marketplace and will arrange for the sale. All proceeds will go towards achieving our annual fundraising goal. Items that tend to sell online are furniture, clothing lots, shoes, accessories, books, seasonal products, home goods, sports and fitness equipment, electronic appliances, etc. If you have any of these items that you wish to donate, reach out to Jennifer Marsh at jhmarsh21@gmail.com with a detailed description of your item as well as photographs of the item from different angles. Jennifer will post the item on Facebook and will communicate with interested buyers to arrange for a sale at the best price. Once a sale is made we will coordinate with you to bring the item to the parish hall (either Jennifer will pick it up from your location or you may drop it off). If an item is too big (like a large piece of furniture) Jennifer will meet with the buyer at your location at a time that is convenient for you. The buyer is fully responsible for lifting and transporting large items from your location.
Way to go Belfry! If you have not stopped in yet this season, you need to go!
PARENT’S DAY OUT:
On December 5, SMG Clubhouse and the Youth of Messiah are offering an afternoon filled with games, arts & crafts, pizza, prizes and fun. Children ages 8 months to 10 years old are invited to come and stay while parents get a day out! Children can stay from 1 pm to 4 pm. The cost is $30 for the first child and $15 for the second. Volunteers will be needed to help with games and crafts. If you would like to volunteer, please contact Syeida Logan at 215-999-3811 or the church office.
THE ADVENT SEASON BEGINS SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 28th
Advent, the four weeks leading up to Christmas,
Advent, the four weeks leading up to Christmas, is a season of the liturgical year observed as a time of expectant waiting and preparation for both the celebration of the Nativity of Christ at Christmas and the return of Christ at the Second Coming. Advent is the beginning of the liturgical year, and is part of the wider Christmas and holiday season. The name was adopted from Latin adventus "coming; arrival". Thus, the season of Advent in the Christian calendar anticipates the "coming of Christ" from three different perspectives: the physical nativity in Bethlehem, the reception of Christ in the heart of the believer, and the eschatological Second Coming. Practices associated with Advent include keeping an Advent calendar, lighting an Advent wreath, praying an Advent daily devotional, as well as other ways of preparing for Christmas, such as setting up Christmas decorations.
A selection of Advent devotionals and Advent calendars are available in the narthex for your personal use or as gifts.
ADVENT RETREAT MORNING
Saturday, December 4th – 8:30am-12:00noon
ANGLICAN PRAYER BEADS: a form of contemplative prayer
Since the earliest of times, people have used pebbles or a string of knots or beads on a cord to keep track of prayers offered to God. Virtually every major religious tradition in the world uses some form of prayer beads. Anglican prayer beads are a relatively new form of prayer aid, blending the Orthodox Jesus Prayer Rope and the Roman Catholic Rosary. The thirty-three bead design was created by The Rev. Lynn Bauman in the mid-1980’s, through her leadership of a contemplative prayer group in the Episcopal Diocese of Texas. The use of the prayer beads helps bring us into a space of contemplative or meditative prayer – being mindful of the act praying, of being in the presence of God. The touching of the fingers on each successive bead is an aid in keeping our mind focused, and the rhythm of the prayers leads us more readily into stillness.
The morning will include an introduction to contemplative prayer practice, instruction in building your own set of prayer beads, and exploration of various forms of prayer using the beads.
Space is limited to twelve participants. To reserve a space, contact the Rector: rector@messiahgwynedd.org; 215-699-9204.
News from SMG Clubhouse
Thanks to the wonders of modern technology and the hard work of several parishioners, we are able to offer a variety of ways to participate in Sunday services:
IN-PERSON – COVID precautions strictly observed
LIVE-STREAMED - the service will be broadcast on YouTube – follow the link posted on the church website (messiahgwynedd.org)
WEBSITE – at the close of the service, a video will be posted to the parish website (messiahgwynedd.org) for viewing at a time convenient for you
WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE A HANDBELL RINGER?
If you can count, and you want to praise God with music, we would love to have you join the handbell choir. You don't need to know how to read music, we will guide you. We rehearse on Thursday nights from 6:00pm-7:00pm, in the church. Let one of the bell ringers know that you are interested, or come to rehearsal on Thursday and we will get you gloved and ringing! How about even joining us for a season? Give it a try! Thank you.
November 14: Thanksgiving Meal Bags
Help families put a full meal on their table this Thanksgiving! Last year, we filled and delivered 25 bags to the Keystone Opportunity Center in Souderton for distribution to their client families. Each bag was filled with food items and a $25 supermarket gift card to complete the meal according to their preference for a turkey or another meat. This year, we are hoping to fill 30 bags! Please help us achieve our goal to feed our neighbors in need!
Make your donation payable to the “Rector’s Discretionary Fund”. Then join us in the Parish Hall after the 9:30am service on Sunday, November 14th, to pack the bags and load them into cars for delivery to the Center by the youth of the parish that afternoon.
After you fill a meal bag, please join us in decorating gift bags that will be filled for Whosoever Gospel Mission and the Silver Stream and Gwynedd Square care facilities. All supplies will be provided. All you need to bring is a willingness to help!!
GIFTS FOR LAUREL HOUSE AND INTERFAITH HOUSING
Stop by the tree in the Narthex and take a tag to buy a gift for a child or adult! Gifts should be returned by December 5 at the latest, and gifts should be unwrapped with the bottom portion of the tag attached.
Help us to Fill Gift Bags!
On December 5, we will be filling approximately 250 bags for the residents of Whosoever Gospel mission along with Silver Stream and Gwynedd Square care facilities, and we need your help! Please meet in the Parish Hall following the 9:30 service to chip in and fill some bags!
SUPPORT FOR MANNA ON MAIN STREET
We Continue to Collect & Deliver Non-Perishable Items
As you do your weekly shopping, please pick up some non-perishable food items, toiletries and cleaning supplies. These donations can be left on the back pew of the church or left outside the Rector’s office door. These will then be delivered to Manna to stock their shelves for distribution to meet clients’ needs.
IT'S NOT TOO LATE TO JOIN!
The Rector’s Zoom Book Study & Discussion
GENESIS - The Opening Chapters: Origins & Foundations
Wednesday evenings – 7:00pm
First Session: October 6 – November 10, 2021
Second Session: January 12 – February 16, 2022
The first book of the Bible is a book of beginnings. The first eleven chapters of the Book of Genesis bring us back to our origins and the foundation of life itself: the creation stories; the Fall; the first murder; the ark and Great Flood; the first covenant; Tower of Babel; and dispersion of the nations. We learn how we were created and about the origins of sin and its fallout through meeting Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel, Noah and his family. We find ourselves drawn into tales of deceit, jealousy and outright failure. And woven throughout these earliest stories are the golden threads of God’s promises and revelation.
Church School will continue to meet in person and virtually on Sunday mornings at 9:30 in the Parish Hall.
Following the CDC and diocesan guidelines, and for the safety of all:
all children, teachers and nursery volunteers will be strongly encouraged to wear a mask or face covering, regardless of vaccination status
seats will be spread out, when both sitting at a table or on the carpet
snacks and drinks will not be served
hand sanitizer will be available, as well as the restroom sink for hand washing
each child will be supplied with a bag of their own supplies to eliminate the need for sharing supplies
This week the YOMS will be meeting following the 9:30 service to take part in the service project to fill the Thanksgiving Meal bags.
CLICK HERE TO VIEW THIS YEAR'S CALENDAR OF MEETINGS AND EVENTS
NOTE: Barbara Stevenson continues to need recipes and craft ideas to pass along to the parish through the weekly email messages. You can send your submissions to Barbara at bebstevenson@yahoo.com.
This recipe has been one of my family’s favorites for years! An old friend of mine gave it to me after enjoying it at her home. It’s easy and so very delicious!
Enjoy!
Barbara
Barbara’s Brisket
3 pound brisket
3/4 bottle Heinz chili sauce
3 large onions, sliced
1/2 cup water
1 package Lipton onion soup mix
Sliced carrots
Potatoes
Pour water into roasting pan. Add brisket and onions. On top of brisket, sprinkle soup mix and chili sauce. Cover with foil. Bake at 350 degrees. After 1 1/2 hours, add sliced carrots and potatoes. Continue baking another 1 1/2 hours until very tender.
A gentle reminder to send your favorite holiday recipes to me to be featured in Creative Angels!
