Good Morning from the Church Mouse
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Friday, November 20, 2020 |
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25 Pentecost, Proper 29, Year A
Christ the King Sunday
Sunday, November 22, 2020
please join us by zoom this Sunday
as we welcome our guest
The Rev. Canon Eric Cooter,
Diocesan Canon to the Ordinary.
Rev. Canon Cooter will join us by zoom
and will give the Sermon.
The Service bulletin is available on the website
Our wonderful Worship Crew will be:
Rev. Mary.................................Celebrant
Brecca Farr..............................Lay Reader
.................................................Acolyte
Dalton Parsons .......................Video Technology
..................................................Organist
..................................................Altar Guild Member
..................................................Pastoral Care Greeter
..................................................Vestry Person of the Day
We are fortunate that we have the volunteers, the technology, and the support of the St. Andrew's community to allow us to worship safely.
Be safe and be well.
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Advent Book Pickup
Living well through advent 2020
practicing hope with all your heart,
soul, strength, and mind
We have free copies of this book! Stephen Baker will be at St. Andrew’s from 2-3pm this Sunday to handout the Advent Booklets to anyone who wants to pick one up for their household. Please drive up in front of the church and Stephen will deliver to your car.
You can also download a free copy of the book as a pdf file in English and Spanish by clicking here. You will need to "add" the book to the cart and enter an email address but then you will be given a link to download the pdf file free of charge.
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COVID Update from Bishop Poulson – November 19, 2020
Mayor David Holt of Oklahoma City has asked this afternoon that residents of the city make a renewed and extraordinary effort over the next 10 days to limit higher-risk activities, in an attempt to slow the spread of COVID-19. This comes in response to an alarming rise in COVID cases, and related hospitalizations and deaths. The Mayor’s request especially involves holiday gatherings, but he has also asked religious leaders to join with him by doing what we can to slow the spread of COVID-19 during this 10 day period.
As I shared with our clergy from around the diocese on a Zoom call this Wednesday, I am not at this time closing all of our congregations across the diocese for in-person worship. For now, I continue to believe that this is a decision best left to our clergy and lay leaders in congregations, based on local data and other local circumstances and contexts. With our COVID protocols for in-person gatherings, including mandatory masks, social distancing, sanitizing, and our limitations around at risk activities like singing and food and beverages, I feel confident that our Episcopal gatherings are safer than many other activities.
However, we will continue to be responsive to our governmental leaders in their decisions and requests. Given Mayor Holt’s statement today, I am asking our congregations in the Oklahoma City area to share the Mayor’s request with our members. I am also urging our Oklahoma City congregations to consider moving to exclusively virtual worship for the next 10 days. That would involve this Sunday, Thanksgiving services, and perhaps also November 29th, the first Sunday in Advent. I am not mandating this, but hope that all of us will prayerfully assess how we might do all in our power to limit in-person activities and help slow the pandemic’s dramatic rise in our area at this critical time.
My prayers are with us all as we battle this virus, and do what we can to protect the vulnerable among us.
Blessings,
Bishop Poulson
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Reading Videos
Join Bishop Poulson & the Diocesan Staff on Dec. 1 in a Lenten practice of reading a chapter from the Gospel of Luke each day on the Diocesan FaceBook Page
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Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR) is an annual observance on November 20 that honors the memory of the transgender people whose lives were lost in acts of anti-transgender violence.
You can read more about the Transgender Day of Remembrance below, and find out how you can show support for the community on this day.
Additionally, the week before TDOR, people and organizations around the country participate in Transgender Awareness Week to help raise visibility for transgender people and address issues the community faces.
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Keep your principles as close to you as children. Keep what you believe to be good and true and honest by your side. Hold firmly to the core of your faith. These are all signs of the soul, your soul, the soul of a people, the deep expressions of what we cherish and value. They are like food and water in the desert. They are precious. Without them the people will perish, we will all perish, for the sterile lands of conformity allow little room for life. Mystics and dreamers, seekers and prophets, internalize your visions, keep them safe near your heart, for this winter may test us all, calling us to tell our story on nights when the winds howl the loudest. When Spring comes we will have seeds of Spirit to sow again. Keep your principles as close to you as children.
The Rt. Rev. Steven Charleston,
a Native American elder, author, and retired Episcopal Bishop of Alaska.
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Virtual Advent Retreat
Join Mtr. Susanne Methven and Saint John's Tulsa for a 3 hour virtual Advent Retreat on Dec. 12th. Click here.
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Forward Day by Day, November 20
Edmund
Malachi 3:2
But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap.
Everything I know about metallurgy was taught to me during Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood or some similar children’s show. The image that is clear in my mind is of a black iron cup full of boiling metal that looked like lava being poured from one container into another using a pair of giant tongs. Whenever I hear this metallurgic metaphor of God’s purifying love, it thrills and frightens me in equal measure.
The times we live in are a kind of refiner’s fire for our faith and for our character. The tide of history has a way of clarifying the important bits of ourselves. Taking an unpopular position and sticking to it because it is the right thing to do is perhaps the most purifying fire of all. These fiery moments burn off the dross of our self-interest and worldly ambitions. They refine us into the perfect offering God has created us to be.
MOVING FORWARD: Think of a time in your life when you have felt refined by God’s fire. Share that story with someone today.
PRAY for the Dioceses of San Diego (USA) and Durham (England)
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Church Publishing Incorporated
Mark Bozzuti-Jones offers a unique perspective on the season of Advent. Along with Scripture readings and prayers, he offers four weeks of meditations that focus on the growth of Jesus in the womb of Mary as he approaches the day of his birth.
Free to read until January 6, 2021.
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We understand the hardship and financial stress the COVID pandemic has been for everyone. We recognize and understand, an individual can do and give only what is prudent for their circumstance. Whatever support you can give will be deeply appreciated.
You can make your offerings or contributions through Tithely , make arrangements through your bank to have a check mailed to the church, or just drop a check in the mail (P.O. Box 938, Stillwater, OK 74076).
Stay safe and God be with you.”
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EYC (Episcopal Youth Community)
We welcome all youth in grades 6-12 to join us. We will begin this year meeting virtually over Google Groups.
This year for EYC is going to be a little different. With all the challenges our youth are experiencing at this time due to COVID-19, we want to create a safe space for our youth to be able to share and explore the unique challenges they are experiencing framing them in how can their faith and God’s love can help them through these unique times. We invite our youth and their parents to share with our youth ministry leaders the challenges they are facing. This will allow us as a group to explore some of the direct challenges they are facing during this very unique times.
If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to contact Stephen Baker at 405-990-0028.
Looking forward to seeing all our youth.
St. Andrew’s EYC Team
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A Seed A Day
Seed of Encouragement
God has a plan and a purpose for EVERYTHING He allows to happen in our lives. As we look at the challenges and the difficulties that we encounter, we have to look at them from a spiritual perspective and realize through all of our experiences God desires to develop us and to deepen our dependence upon Him. In all that we go through God keeps us and continues to provide just what we need... so we don't just 'go through' but we 'GROW through'... Continuously Growing in Him and Growing closer to Him!!!
Give yourself to the Lord; trust in him, and he will help you... The Lord guides us in the way we should go and protects those who please him. If they fall, they will not stay down, because the Lord will help them up. Psalms 37:5, 23-24
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Upcoming events around the Diocese
November 26 Diocesan Offices Closed for Thanksgiving
December 4 & 5 Advent Retreat at St. Crispin's - Cancelled
December 12 Virtual Advent Retreat with Mtr. Susanne Methven
December 27 Clergy Day Off, Virtual Sunday Service by Bishop Poulson
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(Each of the titles below are clickable links
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Digital Ministry Resources |
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Book of Occasional Services 2018 - Click here .
An Episcopal Dictionary of the Church - Click here
Co-Vid-19 Worship Updates and Resources - Click here
Technology Hacks
Christian Formation & Discussions on Race
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Birthdays
November 20 - Anne Hacker
November 26 - John Anderson
December 01 - Scott Dean
December 08 - Martha Miller
December 14 - Jennifer Sutherland
Anniversaries
November 23 - Donna & Harvey Yost
November 26 - Carol & Floyd Loftiss
December 04 - Nellie & Herb Rhea
December 18 - Carol & Charles Foreman
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