|
Reflection from Our Pastors
Tuesday, May 8, 2025
Acts 16: 22-34
There is a reading from the Acts of the Apostles (16: 22-34) that tells us of one of the miraculous stories of scripture. In this passage we have Paul and Silas, disciples of Christ, being attacked by the crowd, stripped of their clothing, and beaten with rods. They are then thrown into prison. The magistrates “ordered the jailer to keep them securely.” The jailer followed the instructions of the magistrates by placing Paul and Silas in the “innermost cell.”
I found myself focusing on the actions of this jailer. He places Paul and Silas in the
“innermost cell.” Innermost—a most intimate space, being deepest within the self, the center--a place where we meet God. The Torah teaches that the human soul came directly from God’s Innermost Essence.
From this innermost cell, Paul and Silas begin to pray and sing hymns to God while the prisoners listen. As the hour nears midnight, a new day, there is suddenly such a severe earthquake that all the doors fly open and the chains of all the prisoners are pulled loose. Halleluiah! God’s Holy Spirit has arrived, releasing those who are captive. But the prisoners do not flee from the building. Their freedom is achieved from within. Often the chains that bind us, that other people impose upon us, can be freed in prayer and a deepening relationship with God. The prisoners made this spiritual connection with God, as God worked through Paul and Silas, and were freed. No physical chains could restrain them any longer once this connection was made.
This inner freedom led me to reflect on Nelson Mandela, unjustly imprisoned in South Africa for 27 years, in a cell 8’ by 7’, with only a straw mat to sleep on. Mandela was beaten and tortured by some jailers, causing him to become an advocate for the prisoners. He sent many letters to government authorities that they might intervene or establish more humane rights for inmates. Mandela’s activist roots continued even from his small prison cell. He said in his autobiographical text that his oppressors could kill his body but not his spirit. He believed that the inhumane treatment by some of his jailers spurred on his advocacy for inmates and allowed him to still express his convictions on a new battlefield—formerly an end to Apartheid, now justice for inmates.
Once Mandela was released from prison, he thanked his jailers for keeping him alive during his incarceration and later invited some of them to his presidential inauguration.
Is there something that keeps you imprisoned today? Turn in humility and love to the one who sets the captives free. Our freedom is in the hands of God, not the hands of humans.
Amen
Mother Rosean
| | |
301 Faith Partners Pub Fellowship TODAY
Today, (May 8) we meet at 3:30 at:
Intersect Brewery
2160 West Drake # A1.
Intersect Brewery is near Drake and Taft Hill - but the best way to find them is to go west of Drake and Taft Hill and turn north on Hampshire Rd. The patio is hard to miss!
All gatherings are informal and no RSVP needed. Everyone is WELCOME!
| |
|
301 Faith Partners Sponsoring a Tamale Sale
Order now thru Sunday, May 11
La Fondita Latina is on the verge of opening its immigrant-owned restaurant at 128 W. Laurel in Fort Collins. However, they are still working on some remodeling before they can open.
301 Faith Partners Immigration Task Force and Joint Social & Eco Justice is helping by sponsoring A TAMALE SALE of La Fondita’s delicious tamales. These are the same tamales as those served after our October Joint Worship Service.
Tamale Orders
- Order now thru Sunday, May 11
-
Four types of tamales are available: pork, chicken, poblano-cheese, and vegetable.
-
Price is $15 for an order of 6 tamales.
- The deadline for placing online or in person orders is Sunday, May 11.
- Payment is due at time of order.
You can place online orders at our private and secure link here:
https://forms.gle/KqgcJVT5r4hiiSQa8
OR order in person with payment by check made out to “Maria Gonzalez/La Fondita” on Sunday, May 11 from 10AM-2PM in the Fellowship Hall.
Tamale Pickup
Sunday, May 18 at Trinity Lutheran, 301 E. Stuart Street in the Fellowship Hall. 10:00AM – 2:00PM.
| | | |
Springing Into The Future!
Spring News from the Office of Presiding Bishop
| .......As we have moved from what has felt like a hard winter into this Spring, I would like to share with you some events of the past, what is happening in the present, as well as give you a view of what is springing up for us in the future...... Read more here | |
|
3rd Sunday in Easter
May 4th, 2025
On Sunday, May 4th, Rev. Jane Reina presided and delivered the homily jointly with Cindy and David Cloyd. The service recording is available to view here.
Other Mass recordings can be accessed via our service recordings website here.
| |
Annual Meeting
MoM's annual meeting was also held on May 4th after Mass. Michael Six and David Cloyd facilitated the meeting, which reviewed 4 ministries funded by Sunday collections, approved the proposed budget for 2025-2026 fiscal year, and voted in 4 new members of the Leadership council. The recording of the meeting can be found here.
Celebration of Life
In addition to this, a Celebration of Life for long-time member of Mary of Magdala, Richard Life, was held at American Legion Post 119 in Estes Park on Saturday, April 26. The audio in the recording is poor and most musical pieces were not recorded successfully. However, you can still view the recording here.
| | |
Praying for peace, health and well-being through challenging times.
+Mary Powers and Katie Richards, members healing from long COVID
+Milo Pasquale Cushman -- brother of Liz Urban, member
+Hope Kunze, for healing, granddaughter of Mother Rosean
+ Valerie Dorr, surgery, mother of Deana Andrist, TLC
+Cindy Cloyd, member
+Sandra Life, member
+Julie Lucas, daughter of Bruce and Carol Yeazell
+The Grant and Cloyd families, for healing
+Pedro Engel, for healing
+Carolyn Sue Cecil and family, friends of Mary
of Magdala
+ Mary Lou and David Devlin, members
+Rachel, Ryan, & Chloe Honeybourne, family of Julia Morrow, friend of Mary of Magdala
+ Sharyl Hoepfinger, for prayers of healing
+ Jenny Witzke, for prayers of support
+ Fr. Frank Quintana, for healing
+ Sean Raynes, grandson of Richard and Sandra Life, members
+Pastor Rick Reiten, Pastor at Trinity Lutheran
| | |
~~~~~~~~~~~
A blessed and peaceful repose of souls for those who've passed and comfort for the friends and families.
+Donna Lusby, friend of Ralph, Anne, Debbie, Mark, Dori, and Tom, members
+Lois Hug, mother of MaryAnne Heyman, member
+Richard Life, member of Mary of Magdala
+Donald Sherlock, brother-in-law of Dori Healy
+Joseph Grant, nephew of David and Cindy Cloyd
+Dennis Healy, Tom Healy's brother and Dori's brother-in-law
+Barbara Lange, grandmother of Gray La Fond
+Leonard Urban, friend of members at MoM
+Tess Peters, friend of Mary Lou Devlin, member
+Kelly Cahill, friend of Ruth Alexander
+Pauline Devlin, David Devlin's mother
+James Lyons, brother-in-law of Mary Lyons, member
+Carole Lyons, sister-in-law of Mary Lyons, member
+Jessica Melton, family friend of Jane Reina
+Jim Carroll, husband of member Dori Carroll
| | Please send prayer requests to marymagdalafc@gmail.com. Prayers will be listed for one month unless requested for longer. Prayers for the repose of souls will be listed for six months unless requested for a longer time. | | |
Sunday Mass
May 11, 12:30 PM
- Forth Sunday of Easter
- In person and via Zoom
- Mother Rosean Amaral presiding
Wednesday - Weekday Mass
May 14, 11:00 am
- Weekday Mass in the Fireside room
- No Zoom available
- Mother Rosean presiding
| | |
Sunday Mass
May 18, 12:30 PM
- Fifth Sunday of Easter
- In person and via Zoom
- Father Michael Nicosia presiding
Wednesday - Weekday Mass
May 21, 11:00 am
- Weekday Mass in the Fireside room
- No Zoom available
- Mother Rosean presiding
| |
|
Did you miss an article or announcement?
Past e-bulletins are posted on our website here. Below are links to some key articles:
-
Message from Presiding Bishop Paul and Bishop Kae on the passing of Pope Francis here
-
Easter message from Presiding Bishop Paul - here
-
Read the recent ECC statement on immigration here.
-
Ongoing Giving Opportunities in Fellowship hall; see list here.
-
Dedicating Altar Flowers? Contact Joan Stepleton at JoanStepleton@gmail.com or 864-650-2816. A $25 dollar donation is kindly requested.
| | |
Mary of Magdala Parish Community
Members: Need to view, update information or download a copy of the member directory? Just click here.
-->If you are in need of a picture for the directory, contact David Cloyd via this email. Put 'Need Picture for the Directory' in the subject line and include your name and telephone number in your email <--
If you would like to contribute to Mary of Magdala, here are ways to schedule a single or recurring Sunday offertory.
All are invited and ALL are welcome to join our parish community. Here is the webpage with more information on membership
| | |
Our Vision – ‘Our guiding Light’
Weaving a tapestry of love, hope and justice for the world.
| |  | |
The 301 Faith Partners--Mary of Magdala, Trinity Lutheran, St Paul's Episcopal --have a Vision, Mission and Values statement that guides our relationships, interactions, and shared projects and ministries.
Read about our Mission, Core Values and Covenant here.
| | | |
The ECC Regional Website - View here.
| | |
Newsletters of Trinity Lutheran Church and the St. Paul's Episcopal
Click here for the Trinity Lutheran Church monthly newsletter, "Tidings". And here is St Paul's weekly bulletin.
| | | | |
