May God's Peace be with You+
Blessings,
Mo. Allison+
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We honor and remember all those who have served in the
United States Armed Forces.
Thank you for your service.
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Stewardship "United in Love" |
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United in Love:
Can I Be Trusted with Much?
Oswald Chambers wrote, “Not every man can carry a full cup. Sudden elevation frequently leads to pride and a fall. The most exciting test of all to survive is prosperity.” This quote provides a clear warning: Those who become prosperous are also very likely to become filled with pride. Pride can cause inflated egos and self-worthiness. Agur, a writer of proverbs, gave us this warning: “. . . give me neither poverty nor riches but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’ or I may become poor and steal and so dishonor the name of my God” (Proverbs 30:8-9). When our bills are paid and we have money in the bank, we may feel secure and depend only on ourselves. In speaking about the curse of success, someone once said, “Ninety-nine people out of 100 can handle adversity whereas only one out of 100 can handle prosperity.” The wealth that many seek can be more of a curse than a blessing.
God blesses us with work and the ability to earn our incomes. Unfortunately, we may foolishly begin to believe that we are solely responsible for the success we’ve achieved. As Moses wrote, “You may say to yourself, ‘My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.’ But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth . . .” (Deuteronomy 8:18). We should understand that only by God’s grace are we able to have a place to call home, a savings account, and a retirement plan. God’s Word is clear that we are managers, not owners. “The earth is the Lord’s and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it” (Psalm 24:1).
Even though it is difficult to pass the test with money, the Holy Spirit, working through the Word, enables us to understand that all we are and have are gifts from God. Joseph provides us a good example of stewardship. Separated from his home and family, he still trusted God and feared him, refusing to give in to the temptations that came with the position God enabled him to fill. As second in command in Egypt, one of the most powerful kingdoms of his day, he retained his humility, realizing that he was only the manager of Egypt’s resources. But he managed those resources well, working at it “with all [his] heart, as working for the Lord, not for men” (Colossians 3:23). Just as God empowered Joseph in his stewardship, so he does for us today, whether our resources are vast, as were Joseph’s, or small.
God Bless.
2021 Stewardship packets have been mailed.
Please prayerfully consider your pledge to the mission and ministry of
St. Mary's and return your Pledge Certificate to the church office or place it in the offering plate as soon as possible. If you did not receive a packet and would like one, please let the church office know. Thank you!
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Get Their NAME
A Leadership Retreat
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Calling all Leaders...
Want-to-be Leaders...
Curious seekers and more!
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NOV. 21
11:00 am - 2:00pm
Based on the book Get Their Name by Farr, Kotan and Anderson together we will explore in practical terms how to change the habits of leaders and entire congregations, so that invitation is natural, constant, systemic, genuine, and easy.
Get Their Name equips us to share our faith in a way that is effective, biblical, and transformational.
Purchasing the Book is not required but recommended and can be found HERE.
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After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
PS. Don't forget to invite a friend!!!
ALL WELCOME TO PARTICIPATE!!!
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Advent Study: The Incarnation, Dec. 2 |
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His parents gave him the name Jesus. But the prophets, the shepherds, the wise men, and the angels addressed him by other names. They called him Lord, Messiah, Savior, Emmanuel, Light of the World, and Word Made Flesh.
In "Incarnation: Rediscovering the Significance of Christmas", author Adam Hamilton examines the names of Christ used by the gospel writers, exploring the historical and personal significance of his birth.
Mo. Allison will facilitate our study for Advent based on Adam Hamilton's new book beginning Wednesday, December 2nd, and continuing on the Wednesdays of Advent via Zoom at 6 pm.
You may purchase a copy of Incarnation on Amazon HERE.
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The rose on the altar is given in thanksgiving for
the birth of Kayle Albright this week.
Congratulations and Blessings to The Albright Family, especially Great Grandmother, Ann.
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Cole Pettit on November 8th, Zeke Boldt on November 9th,
and Lisa Mericle on November 12th!
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The flowers on the altar this week are given
in loving memory of Mona & Richard Tobias,
and in honor of all veterans, by Janet Proulx.
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When we closed the church building in March, altar flowers were also put on hold until we re-opened the sanctuary in September.
We would like to re-assign the dates chosen to honor loved ones for April, May, June, July, and August 2020 to our flower chart for 2021. Please let us know if you are not in agreement with this plan.
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Large and small print issues of the Forward Day by Day for November, December and January are in the church narthex and chapel. You may pick up a copy or we will be happy to mail one to you. Call or email the church office.
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Good news from The Branches |
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Grateful thanks to -
Last week we had an extraordinary number of very generous donations of much needed supplies. Many thanks to our good friends who always come through. We are so grateful.
Special thanks to Lazarus House who continue to share their abundance with us. Stephen Mendel from Sand Jamms brought boxes and boxes of shirts and sweats - just what we needed. And Mark from Harry's Ocean Bar and Grill for donating their end of the season supplies to Branches.
NEEDS: Chef Boyardee, canned beef stew, juice, diapers of all sizes and wipes are welcome. Items may be left at St. Mary's or brought to Branches Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
We could not do what we do without our contributors. Thank you for helping us serve those without. We are blessed beyond measure. Sandra & Terri
To keep up with news from The Branches, hours for donation drop off, or to make a donation, see their website: www.thebranchesoutreach.org
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Dear Friends,
This weekend I will play two voluntaries by German organist and composer Johann Gottfried Walther (1684 - 1748).
Walther was a cousin to Johann Sebastian Bach (1685 - 1750), and the two shared a collegial relationship throughout their lives. Bach, for example, used Walther’s transcriptions as a model for his own transcriptions, and Walther used Bach’s chorale preludes in the same manner. This weekend, we will hear two of Walther’s chorale preludes, each of contrasting style.
The first, entitled The acts of God are righteous, is rather regal in nature. Its chorale melody (or cantus firmus) can be heard broadly in the pedal line. The second chorale prelude, entitled Christ, thou art my life, is different in both style and composition. Here, the cantus firmus can be found in the soprano part, supported by a slow and gentle counterpoint below.
Enjoy the music this weekend - and until we meet again, take care and stay well!
David
Great music from David and Cheryl comes to you every Wednesday afternoon at 3 pm on Facebook Live. Join us!
The link to this week's concert is here.
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Please Help the Altar Guild |
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If you are feeling called to this important ministry, please contact Janice Haines, jbhaines1@verizon.net
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Lectionary Text this Week |
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Canticle: A Song of the Love of Wisdom
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Saturday 5:30 PM in the Sanctuary
Sunday 9:00 AM in the Sanctuary
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