Seeing the Christmas lights already in place before Thanksgiving, I wonder where Advent went? "Wait a minute!" I want to shout. Where'd the waiting go? Where's the time of anticipation and hope and preparation?
I consider what we might do for decoration at our home. My husband doesn't want anything to do with it unless it is embarrassingly tacky. He suggests a light-up santa, sleigh, and reindeer on the ridge of the roof. But that's not embarrassing around here; that's normal. Besides that's still Christmas decorations in Advent.
I imagine a plastic, light-up, very pregnant, Virgin Mary in a blue tutu and toe-shoes pirouetting joyously on the peak of our roof during Advent. There might also be a glowing, white-robed, white-bearded old man hovering about looking terribly embarrassed by what he'd got Godself into with this Word-became-flesh deal. That should be tacky and embarrassing enough.
My ever-helpful spouse reminds me that someone will have to climb up on the roof on Christmas Eve to bring the Virgin down for delivery. My Christmas Eve has no time in the worship schedule for unexpected deliveries, so I guess our Advent decorations will be the same old plastic, light-up lion and lamb. (The one from Menard's rather than from Isaiah.)
We all rush forward with our pre-Christmas busyness, and when the Virgin shows up at our door we haven't scheduled any time for her at all. Doesn't matter though: This Baby is going to be born in our lives anyway.
Pregnancy is like that. When all of a sudden it's time, there's no stopping it. "Ready or not," Jesus cries, "Here I come."
A few have set apart a place in their lives for God; they have waited or danced their way through an advent pregnancy and their manger is ready. Most of us are taken by surprise, and caught with the manger filled already with a plastic light-up baby, or holiday anxiety and depression, or a jumble of gifts and grinches and santas.
But it's Advent: Jesus IS coming. God's entry into our lives is (thank God) out of our control. The Christmas gift of the Christ Child is given to every one of us, ready or not. The question we all will have to face is "What will we do with the gift we have been given?"
MEET OUR MINISTRY TEAM
Jan Zeman
Our Saviour's, Little Falls
Called to be Christian Education Minister
was born and raised in Minnesota and received my religious upbringing in the Moravian Church. When I graduated from High School at Mound, MN, I enlisted in the U.S. Air Force and served five years as an administrative specialist in California. After leaving the service I settled in San Francisco, CA for the next 15 years and received my education in Business & Accounting at the Golden Gate College. I later spent 5 years in northern CA and worked as a Real Estate Salesperson. I returned to Minnesota in 1982, spending my first year in the St. Cloud area and later making my home in Little Falls where I remain today.Over the years I attended a variety of churches and became a member of a local congregation for 10 years until I was asked to leave when my involvement in GLBT activism became known. Even there I never felt like a useful member and I remained on the fringes most of that time. I started attending Our Saviours Episcopal Church in Little Falls during a period of accelerated spiritual reflection two years ago and was received into the church in July 1999. I am in my second year of EFM and serve as an Acolyte, Lay Eucharistic Minister, Lay Reader, Lector, on the Altar Guild and trained as a Lay Eucharistic Visitor. I am Treasurer for Our Saviour's and a member of the Vestry. Last year I experienced the wonderful fellowship of the Cursillo, and this fall attended the 143rd Diocesan Convention in Rochester as a Delegate.
In August I was honored by the call to the Ministry as a Christian Education Minister and look forward to working and growing spiritually in this call in the Spirit of the Heartland area. Every day I give thanks to God for leading me to this place in my life and ask for His guidance to do His will. I have had the opportunity to meet and join in community with other Team members as well as many other loving children of God in the Episcopal Church. I feel that Total Ministry is a blessing for out smaller churches and I pray that I am able, by visibility and example in the community, welcome others to the spiritual warmth I have found.
WHERE'S OUR TEAM
We're sick. Pretty much all of us have come down with something over the past month. We canceled our November meeting in Paynesville because of various illnesses, some life threatening, others merely nasty.
We did, however, have an informal make-up meeting the Sunday after Thanksgiving at Pat's+ to discuss the upcoming postulancy meeting with the Bishop.
The Postulancy meeting is with the entire team, and is set for December 9th. We will be talking with the Bishop about Total Ministry, and how we as a team will be working together to minister with the Spirit of the Heartland Churches. This is the first Postulancy meeting that the Bishop has done with an entire team present (other Total Ministry teams have sent only their Canon 9 candidates). This being the first of its kind there is no precedent for what to expect and so we are very excited and a little nervous, but we will let you know how it went in the next newsletter, so stay posted, and pray for us on the 9th.
Join us at the next Team Meeting open forum on January 13th, at 2pm, at Good Samaritan in Sauk Centre, and for Worship at 4pm.
OLD PRAYER BOOK SERVICE
Advent begins with a look at our past at ST. STEPHEN'S in Paynesville and GOOD SAMARITAN in Sauk Centre. On Sunday, December 3, we will have Holy Communion according to the 1928 Book of Common Prayer. Bring a friend to worship the good old-fashioned way. (Our Saviour's will have their chance for ‘old time religion' next summer.)
BOOK STUDY
ST. STEPHEN'S in Paynesville begins a new book study on Voices from Within, a book on women's spirituality with a rather familiar author (Patricia Gillespie). Thursdays, December 7 and January 4, at 11:00 am. Books may be ordered online or from Pat for $12.00.
PASTOR AWAY
Pat will be away December 8-12 in the Diocese of Florida. She will be presenting her friend, the Rev. Lynne Dukes, for ordination to the priesthood on December 10. Your prayers are requested.
REBECCA RIOTS CONCERT
The Living Waters hosts Rebecca Riots, an acoustic folk trio from
Berkeley, CA, on December 6 at 7:00 pm St. John's, St. Cloud. Worship
service at 6:00pm.
Rebecca Riots is an acoustic folk trio, whose music reflects the
intensity and compassion that exist in the meeting of the personal and
political and has been called "fresh radical folk" by those familiar
with the excellent harmonies, articulate guitar work, intelligent lyrics
and clear social/political content of the group's songs.
Find out more about the singers and the music at http://www.RebeccaRiots.com
LESSONS AND CAROLS
Be part of a thirty-six year tradition in Central Minnesota. Welcome the holiday season with The Festival of Lessons and Carols. At GOOD SAMARITAN in Sauk Centre on Saturday, December 16, at 7:00 & 8:30 pm and Sunday, December 17, at 2:30 & 4:00 pm.
PREPARE YE THE WAY! – PRAY & DECORATE
A brief advent worship service at 10 am on Sunday, December 24, at OUR SAVIOUR'S in Little Falls will include decorating the church for Christmas as the congregation's response to the readings.
DIOCESAN NEWS
If you're not on the diocesan e-mail list, while the diocesan website is not functioning, up-to-date diocesan news is available for all at http://www.MotherFlash.com/diocese
TOTAL MINISTRY SUMMIT
Still wondering about just what this Total Ministry idea is? Come to ST. JOHN'S, St. Cloud, Saturday, January 27, for a gathering of people from all over the diocese who are interested in or involved in Total Ministry. All are welcome. Contact Pat for details and to let us know you plan to attend.
HOLIDAY WORSHIP SCHEDULE
December 24: Advent 4 & Christmas Eve
10:00 am Our Saviour's "Pray and Decorate"
10:00 am Molitor's Barn near Cold Spring Eucharist
11:00 am Good Samaritan Holy Eucharist
2:00 pm St. Stephen's Christmas Eve Eucharist
4:00 pm Good Samaritan Christmas Eve Eucharist
6:30 pm Our Saviour's Christmas Eve Eucharist
8:00 pm St. John's Christmas Eve Hymn Singing
8:30 pm St. John's Solemn Festive Choral Eucharist
December 25: Christmas Day
10:30 am St. John's Christmas Day Eucharist
11:00 am Good Samaritan Christmas Day Eucharist
VISITING SINGING GROUP
The Long Lake Consort will be singing during the Morning Prayer service, Sunday December 17 at 10:00am, at OUR SAVIOUR'S, Little Falls. This is a small a cappella ensemble from central Minnesota, and has sung seasonal sacred music in many churches throughout the area. Many of the members are Episcopalian! Come hear them!
EVENSONG AT ST. JOHN'S
Evensong will be held Sunday, December 3rd at 4:00 p.m. at ST.JOHN'S, St. Cloud.
THEATRE & THEOLOGY
St. Stephen's in Paynesville will be showing The Last Temptation of Christ on Friday, January 19th, at 7pm.
A post-show discussion will take place with Rev. Pat Gillespie.
All are welcome.
MINISTRY SCHEDULES
Good Samaritan
Our Saviour's
St. Stephen's
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