Saint Mary Magdalene Episcopal Church

December 2009 Newsletter

Annual Stewardship Brunch SUNDAY CLERGY SCHEDULE
Dec. 5 Advent 2 – Fr. Brown
The Stewardship Brunch, held November Dec. 13 Advent 3 – Fr. Thompson
8, to highlight our stewardship campaign, was a Dec. 20 Advent 4 – Fr. Brown
happy occasion, with 58 parishioners being Dec. 24 Christmas Eve – Fr. Thompson
served. The food was prepared by Goldie’s Dec. 25 Christmas Day – No Service
Gourmet of West End. Lucy Dunn Martin, our Dec. 27 Christmas 1 - Fr. Brown
Hospitality chair, and Martha Ragland attended
to the set-up and the serving of the meal, with
many other faithful hard workers joining in to DECEMBER CALENDAR OF EVENTS
help. Tuesdays – Healing & Intercessory Prayer,
11:00 a.m.
The response of our people has been impressive, Dec. 3, 17 - 1:00 p.m. Choir Rehearsal
as we look toward planning our church budget for MANNA – First Wednesday of each month
the coming year. Church members continue to be (See Mercedes Herdrich for info on how you
committed to the financial needs of St. Mary can help)
Magdalene Church as we move forward, and for
that we are truly thankful. Thanks to everyone
who supported the event.
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Second Theater Outing Being Planned By

Brenda Yarrish
Following through on the success of the first
theater outing in October, Brenda is now
planning a second one for our parishioners. This
event, to be held at The Triad Stage in
Greensboro, is an Appalachian musical,
“Beautiful Star,” which tells the Christmas
story.

“This is family fare that will lighten your heart

and bring a lump to your throat.” GSO N and R
A sign up sheet is in the narthex. See Brenda for
more details on this Dec. _______ outing.

St. Mary Magdalene Episcopal Church Newsletter Page 1 of 3


MUSIC NOTES
ADVENT
Prepare the way, O Zion
Your Christ is drawing near;
Let every hill and valley, a level way
appear
Greet One who comes in glory,
Foretold in sacred story
Oh blest is Christ that came
In God’s most holy name.
On November 29, we began the celebration of
Advent, which includes the four Sundays leading
up to Christmas Day. This beautiful Advent
hymn will be part of our worship time as we
begin this contemplative time of anticipation.
St. Mary Magdalene Episcopal Church Newsletter
RADICAL HOSPITALITY –PART TWO
Fr. Bob Brown
My house shall be called a house of prayer for
ALL people. Mark 11:17, Isaiah 56:7
All are welcome!
We fall short of God’s dream for us; both as a
Church and as a human family. But the first
disciples of Jesus fell short, too. In spite of their
shortcomings, the Day of Pentecost happened,
and people of diverse and varied ethnic groups
and social classes and nations, people of all
stripes and colors, of all sorts and conditions, all
heard the Good News of God in Jesus Christ.
And the Church grew. Our diocese may not be
there yet, but the Master taught us to pray, “Thy
Kingdom come, they will be done, on earth as it
is in heaven.”
Saint Mary Magdalene Church may not be there
yet, but the Good Book says, “The race is not to
the swift, but to those who persevere.”
Ecclesiastes 9:11. Individually we may not be
there yet, but it was Jesus himself who said, “By
your endurance, you will gain your souls.” Luke
21:19
With those words of encouragement, let us then,
persevere and endure, rededicating ourselves to
the spirit of hospitality and growth in the coming
years. The Bible tells us, “We press on toward
the mark of the upward call of God in Christ
Jesus.” Philipians 3:13-14. We live and work
toward the realization of God’s dream, God’s
ultimate will and desire for us, and for all
creation. It will not happen overnight. It will
not happen easily. But it will happen. And
someday, it will be known, far and wide, that
“All are welcome in the Episcopal Church.”
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ANGELS EXPLAINED BY
CHILDREN:

I only know the names of two

angels, Hark and Harold. Gregory,
age 5

It’s not easy to become and angel.

First, you die, then you go to
heaven, and then there is flight
training to go through. And then
you got to agree to wear those
angel clothes. Matthew, age 9

Angels work for God and watch

over kids when God has to go do
something else. Mitchell, age 7

St. Mary Magdalene Episcopal Church Newsletter Page 3 of 3