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Our Advent journey ends this Sunday with a simple yet bold invitation to trust and love:
"And the angel said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you ... for nothing will be impossible for God."' -- trust.
Mary answered, "let it be."-- love.
Elizabeth Kerwin, CSJ, writes, "each of us has a significant role in God's plan for humankind." If we dare to believe this, then all God needs to transform and unite the world is a willing "womb"; our YES.
Mary offered space, trust and love for God to dwell and be born into the world. Like Mary, blessed are all who believe whole-heartedly that what is spoken to them by the angelic messengers of Grace will be fulfilled and made manifest.
As we anticipate once again the birth of Jesus, may we become more aware of the Spirit of God within the depths of our being and welcome the many ways God is being born in us at this time and in all creation.
With great anticipation and excitement, let us celebrate the hope, peace, joy and light of CHRISTmas.
In the spirit of the deepest meaning of CHRISTmas, let us BE the living expression and presence of Love Incarnate!
Advent Blessings,
Rev Rosa
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MASS Sunday 5:00pm - All Are Welcome At The Table
Today we celebrate the FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT. Join us for Mass at 5:00pm in the chapel of the UU church. -- ALL ARE WELCOME.
Rev Ron Ingalls is presider and we ask all who are available to please come early and help set up.
Immediately following Mass at 6:30pm we will gather for our annual HS COMMUNITY CHRISTMAS PARTY held in Parish Hall. Invite your family and friends to share in the festivities!
Once again this year, Holy Spirit Community is happily joining Spirit of Life Community in Weston, MA on December 24 at 4:00pm for CHRISTMAS EVE Mass and our children will participate in their informal reenactment of the Christmas Story. We look forward to celebrating this most joyous holy day with our sisters and brothers at Spirit of Life and we welcome all to join us! NOTE: Spirit of Life meets at the Congregational Church of Weston/UCC: 130 Newton Street, Weston, MA 02493
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"The Communion table especially, reminds us that when we eat together, we celebrate not only with those who are physically present with us. We celebrate too with all those around the world who gather at their own tables, and we celebrate with those no longer upon this earth but who continue to be part of our story and who linger close when we come to the table."-Jan Richardson
Hail Mary, full of grace,
the Lord is with you.
Gentle woman, quiet light,
morning star, so strong and bright,
gentle Mother, peaceful dove,
teach us wisdom; teach us love.
hymn lyrics, Hail Mary: Gentle Woman
Click here for the Lectionary readings along with stimulating reflections and commentaries provided by The Center for Liturgy Sunday Website at Saint Louis University.
The Prayerful Meditation for this week is
STAR OF WONDER by Joyce Rupp.
Scroll to the end of bulletin to find.
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Advent: Perpectual Annunciations of Love
Reflection is from "Living Liturgy: Spirituality, Celebration and Catechesis", a resource book for parish ministers.
Today's gospel from Luke is so very familiar to us. In fact, we just heard it a couple of weeks ago on December 8, the solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. On that day we interpreted the gospel with the context of the feast day, and focused on Mary's holiness as announced by Gabriel's greeting of her: "Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you." Now, on the Fourth Sunday of Advent when we hear this gospel proclaimed again, we are drawn particularly to Gabriel's annunciation that Mary would, by the power of the Holy Spirit, "conceive in her womb and bear a son."
Conception to birth: a time of waiting and anticipation, nurturing life and protecting it, preparing and hoping. Can we not imagine Mary and Joseph quietly sitting together during these wonderful months of pregnancy, wondering about this great mystery, putting their hands on Mary's body and feeling "the child to be born" stirring in her womb? Each kick that a mother (and father) feels in the womb is an annunciation of life. Each movement is an annunciation of life eagerly bursting to come forth. In Mary's womb, the Life stirring is the Author of Life announcing that a new in-breaking of God is happening.
God's message of love is a perpetual annunciation. In this gospel, there are numerous "annunciations" beyond Gabriel's revealing to Mary that she would conceive "the Son of God." Gabriel makes known that Mary is holy; that the Child shall be named Jesus; that the kingdom of this Child will have no end; that the Child is holy; that Elizabeth has conceived; that "nothing will be impossible for God"; and that Mary is God's faithful and obedient handmaid.
Indeed, perpetual annunciation is God's pattern of relating to us. How do we, then, relate to God? We do so by responding with a yes to God's annunciations in our own lives. God chooses to be known to us, names us holy, and desires that we be filled with God's Life. Our response, like Mary's, must be one of openness, willingness and full-throated yes to whatever God asks of us.
God's annunciations of loving Presence can come to us in so many ways. Yes, God speaks to us during times of prayer. But God also speaks to us through the everyday persons and events of our lives, in cries for help and forgiveness or in the jubilation of success and growth. God's annunciations of salvation might be mediated by our struggle to make a just decision or our choices to walk away from a group engaging in negative gossip. Yes is not simply a word. Deepening our relationship with God and others happens when our yes becomes a way of living.
We have only a few days left before we celebrate Christmas, the mystery of God becoming human. Now is the time to rehearse our own yes to God by imitating Mary's trust and obedience to God's annunciations. Perhaps we could consciously think of our holiday greeting to others as a way to make generosity and joy concrete. Perhaps we could take a few minutes out of our busy days to listen for God's word to us, say yes, and then put God's annunciation into action, "enflesh" God's Presence in the goodness of our own lives.
God's annunciations are perpetual and beg from us a yes response. Will this Christmas be a time to renew our own commitment to say yes to God?
Contributors are: Joyce Ann Zimmerman, C.P.P.S., director of the Institute for Liturgical Ministry in Dayton, Ohio and adjunct professor of liturgy; Kathleen Harmon, S.N.D. de N., music director for programs of the Institute for Liturgical Ministry in Dayton, Ohio and educator, musician and workshop facilitator; John W. Tonkin, priest of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati and pastor of Sacred Heart Parish in McCartyville, Ohio.
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Faith In Action
"Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me." Matthew 25:40
As has been our custom from the beginning, Holy Spirit donates 10% of our weekly collection to charity. Our members suggest local agencies or organizations that serve the poor and work for justice and equality. This past year we were delighted to send $100 to the following: WAGLY, Wellesley Food Pantry, Our Space, Inc., The Women's Lunch Place, FAMILY PROMISE Metrowest and Birthday Wishes.
Holy Spirit members also volunteer at various programs throughout the year. FAMILY PROMISE Metrowest is one of the organizations that we have been involved with for several years.
FPM ia a community response initiative for families that are homeless and Holy Spirit is a support congregation to our host church, Unitarian Universalist Society of Wellesley Hills. Through faith communities and countless community resources the organization is able to provide temporary shelter, meals, job networking, skills training, childcare and more throughout the year to help these families get back onto solid ground.
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Intentional Eucharistic Communities Gathering 2015
It's getting around, there will be a gathering of Intentional Eucharistic Communities next year, and we hope you'll join us! We are excited to announce that three great speakers have put the gathering on their calendar! Get ready!
Jamie L. Manson received her Master of Divinity degree from Yale Divinity School, where she studied Catholic theology and sexual ethics. Her columns in NCR have won numerous awards, most recently second prize for Commentary of the Year from Religion Newswriters (RNA).
Robert McClory is professor emeritus of journalism at Northwestern University, and has contributed to NCR since 1974. He is the author of Radical Disciple: Father Pfleger, St. Sabina Church, and the Fight for Social Justice and As It Was in the Beginning: The Coming Democratization of the Catholic Church.
Miriam Therese Winter is Professor of Liturgy, Worship, Spirituality and Feminist Studies and Director of the Women's Leadership Institute. She came to Hartford Seminary to establish a department of liturgy, worship, and spirituality. She introduced ecumenical and cross-cultural emphases in theory and in practice, then developed feminist and multi-faith approaches that have culminated in a quantum perspective.
What to expect?
- 250-500 people
- venue at a local university
- dorm, hotel, and homestay accommodations
- three days (Fri.-Sun.) numerous sessions
- three topic tracks: theology, liturgy, and organization
- special opportunities and incentives for youth
- product fair (religious books, media, advocacy groups, merchandise, etc.)
- preconference on social justice and action opportunities
IEC Gathering 2015 -- June 26-28, hosted by Spirit of St. Stephen's Catholic Community, Minneapolis MN
SAVE THE DATE and stay tuned for more information!
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Ecumenical Catholic Communion
HISTORY OF THE ECC continues, Article 4
written by Rev. Tom Altepeter
In the last newsletters we talked about the considerable diversity within the universal church, provided some background on the historical roots of the Ecumenical Catholic Communion, and briefly reviewed the more recent history of the Communion. This week we will provide a "bird's eye view" of the current size and diversity of the communion.
The Ecumenical Catholic Communion identifies itself as a Communion of communities. The ECC has communities in every region of the United States, and in several countries in Europe. The Presiding Bishop of the ECC is Peter Elder Hickman. Bishop Peter resides in Orange, CA, and is also pastor of St. Matthew ECC community in Orange. Within the ECC, the United States is divided into 9 regions.
The ECC is guided by a communal constitution which was developed by the original organizing communities in 2003. The ECC is governed by the Synod of the communion. The Synod is comprised of the Presiding Bishop in collaboration with the House of Laity (HOL), the House of Pastors (HOP). The communion meets in Synod every two years. The 2014 Synod was held in October in Aurora, CO. The constitution includes provisions for the modification and adaptation of both doctrine and polity; changes require the approval of the HOL, HOP and the Presiding Bishop. Thus, no one person (including the Presiding Bishop) or one group can unilaterally exert control over the communion.
The HOL consists of two or more (depending upon the size of the community) individuals elected from each faith community, according to the election processes determined by that community. Members of the HOL are elected for a term of two years; term limits may be set by each local faith community. Members of the HOL cannot be ordained clergy. The current Chair of the HOL is Ms. Bonnie Pino-Fraser of the Church of the Holy Family in Aurora, CO. The Vice Chair is Therese Gabriel of Sts. Clare and Francis Community in St. Louis, Mo.
The HOP includes up to two members from each community. Typically the delegates include the pastor and one associate pastor or lay pastoral associate from each community. Pastors serve on the HOP for the term of their pastorate; others are elected by the local faith community. Term limits may be set by each local faith community. The current president of the HOP is Rev. Scott Jenkins, who resides in the Denver, CO area and is pastor of the Church of the Holy Family. The Vice Chair is Rev. Kate Lehman, who resides in Phoenix, AZ and is pastor of St. Teresa of Avila Community.
The ECC Presiding Bishop is elected by a combined vote of the House of Laity and the House of Pastors. The Presiding Bishop is elected for a term of 4 years, and if re-elected may serve up to 3 consecutive terms (for a maximum of 12 consecutive years). Currently, our presiding Bishop, Peter Hickman, is serving his 3rd of 3 terms. At the recent Synod in October, the Communion elected Rev. Francis Krebs, pastor of Sts. Clare and Francis Community in St. Louis as our next Presiding Bishop. Frank was consecrated bishop at the Synod, is currently serving as Co-Adjutor, and will be installed as Presiding Bishop in September, 2015. Diocesan bishops are elected by a combined vote of the laity and clergy from the communities within the diocese. Diocesan bishops are elected for a term of 6 years, and if re-elected may serve up to 2 consecutive terms (for a maximum of 12 consecutive years).
The ECC explicitly supports the autonomy of each local faith community. Pastors, associate pastors and lay pastoral associates are called to ministry by the local community. They are not appointed by an authority outside of the community, such as the Presiding Bishop. All local faith communities are independently incorporated as not-for-profit entities in their respective states. Community property and assets are held in sole ownership by the local faith community, in accordance with its own constitution and the laws of the state in which it exists. Neither the ECC nor the Presiding Bishop claims any right to the assets or properties owned by the local faith communities.
OPENING REMARKS AT SYNOD 2014 by Bp. Peter Elder Hickman, ECC Presiding Bishop
Called Together: The Holy Synod of the Ecumenical Catholic Communion of 2014 written by Bp. Peter Elder Hickman, ECC Presiding Bishop
PILGRIMAGE TO THE HOLY LAND MARCH 2015 flyer details itinerary, cost and reservation information.
WOMEN PRIEST GATHER: Catholic Women Priests Exploring Our Common Roots & Call reflection by Rev. Denise Donato, co-organizer of the retreat.
The Ecumenical Catholic Communion at Ten Years: An Ancient Dream Realized written by Bp. Peter Elder Hickman, ECC Presiding Bishop
Chosen by All, A Pastoral Letter to the People of the Ecumenical Catholic Communion Concerning the Active Voice of All in the Selection of the Presiding Bishop
View ECC Documentary, recorded in 2003 (38 min.)
The Local Church, A Pastoral Letter from
Bp. Peter E. Hickman, April 4th, 2012
Directory of parishes in the United States
Directory of European Communities
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Holy Spirit
Catholic Community
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