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Reflection from Your Pastors
Tuesday, August 20, 2024
Consciousness Evolving, Planet Saving, and Christ
“The human community and the natural world must be seen as a unified, single community with an over-arching purpose: the exaltation and joy of existence, praise of the divine, and participation in the great liturgy of the universe.” - Thomas Berry in The Not-Yet God
This call from Thomas Berry is repeated by others each in their own way. It is said often and with different expressions because this unity is a mysterious Truth. We can experience this Truth when we consider the Incarnation, we might say a form of co-habitation. As Catholics, we may focus on the Eucharist as Incarnation. Eucharist is a physical manifestation, the Christ in matter. It ripples beyond the church. Its waves vibrate beyond this world. It is cosmic. It is a wonderous and sacred nurturing for our, at times, difficult journey and, at times, joyful journey. It is an invisible, infinite beyond-our-understanding gift of love and call to come.
Ilia Delia presents it this way: “Christ is probably the most inclusive term we could use to talk
about God’s presence…Christ is the one who draws together, who unifies the new creation.”
(US Catholic.org)
Our sense of global community may begin with an experience of Omega in nature. You may
recall that Maggie Ross writes in Pillars of Flame: “How blessed are those of a gentle spirit, they shall have the earth for their possession.” … “how blessed are we when we can truly listen, truly see, truly smell, truly taste, truly touch and be touched, when we can have our senses impressed by the Eucharist of creation, when we can reverence and contemplate what we no longer need to dominate and put to use; how blest we are when little children and wild things laugh with us and invite us to play, when plants breathe to us their secrets, when we hear the stars sing and reply, when earth breathes the Word of life.” (p.138)
Lastly, Unfolding Light brings it to us this way:
The sun comes up and puts its arms around the world,
which leans in and looks up like a child in its mother's bosom,
and the birds sing about that, all their warbling songs
and their chittering songs and their playground songs.
Clouds in their long white robes
burgeon across the sky, furling and unfurling,
and the white pines nod, and the red oaks nod,
and the beech and the birch leaves flutter,
and the grasses wave and bow and wave.
Dew sings its fuzz of light, and little white moths applaud.
The wild daisies seem to know something, and the goldenrod,
and the white clover knows and the purple vetch knows.
The little brook recites its rosary, clicking the beads.
The morning light rises and rises
as if it is about to ask something,
like the ocean over and over coming to the shore;
and the meadowlarks take up the question the sun is asking,
asking something of the world,
and because you are part of it, breathing,
asking you as well:
if you are willing, here, now,
to go ahead and be part of it,
to be part of the unfolding of this astonishing day,
to be at least this much of the miracle. - Steve Garnaas-Holmes, Unfolding Light
How incredible is the Incarnation!
May you bath in it and breathe it in.
Pastor Jane
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God on High,
the mountains are radiant
with your glory.
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Through your Christ
the dawn from on high
has broken upon us and lights our way.
Bless our preparations for our Holy Synod, that we may be better bearers
of the fire
that gives light to the world.
This we ask and can do,
empowered by your Spirit,
in Jesus’ name.
AMEN
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The final 'Table for 4' in 2024
If you would like a chance to get better acquainted with some people in our community, while enjoying good conversation, then consider signing up for the last Table for 4 this year.
When you sign up, you will have the chance to get together at a time and place of your choosing, and enjoy a shared meal with 2-3 others. This “table reservation “ will be for September/October. Please sign up using the sign-up button below, or contact Joan @ 970 224-0297, email jcs1320@gmail.com before August 31st.
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RSVP NOW -The Mary of Magdala Adult Education program presents…
Authors’ Talk:
Tales of Memory, Environment, and Justice in Two National Parks
Thursday, August 29, 7-8:30 pm
Fellowship Hall, Trinity Lutheran Church
301 East Stuart, Fort Collins, CO 80525
A common way to think about national parks has been to assume that they are obligated to promote recreation and preservation but have often neglected the latter in favor of the former. Authors Dr. Ruth Alexander and Dr. Jared Orsi move beyond this binary, using the histories of specific national park sites to show how civic engagement, social and environmental justice, remembrance, and belonging have become core park obligations.
Ruth will discuss how she expands our understanding of parks in Democracy’s Mountain: Longs Peak and the Unfulfilled Promises of America’s National Parks.
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Drawing from his recently published book, Peoples of a Sonoran Desert Oasis: Reclaiming the History and Culture of Quitobaquito, Jared will explore how officials at Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument once erased evidence of Indigenous presence from the landscape to preserve a peopleless “wilderness” but more recently have worked with tribes to restore traditional access.
Let’s show our support for these two authors in our midst!
Please RSVP to marymagdalafc@gmail.com, or to Mother Rosean at motherrosean@gmail.com
Coffee and light refreshments will be served. Authors’ books will be available for purchase via check, cash and debit/credit cards.
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Celebrating the 20th Sunday of Ordinary Time
A recording of readings from August 18th with Fr. Michael Nicosia delivering the homily is available here.
Other Mass recordings can be accessed via our website here.
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Social Justice Reflection
Presented by Linda Joyce
In 1979, Robert Bullard was asked to explore where landfills were in Houston. Linda Mckeever Bullard, a lawyer, was working on a class-action lawsuit to stop a landfill development in a middle-class Black community and she wanted to know where all the other landfills were located. Dr. Bullard, a sociologist at Texas Southern University, found that all five of the city’s garbage dumps, six of its eight incinerators, and three of the four privately-owned landfills were in Black neighborhoods. More than 80% of Houston’s garbage was being disposed in Black communities which made up 25% of Houston’s population. The lawsuit was filed, the case lasted 8 years, and though the court found that the landfill would cause irreversible damage to the community, the case was lost. Lost because they could not prove intentional discrimination. This ethnographic study was the first study identifying neighborhoods near polluting industries and the first-ever lawsuit against polluters charging environmental racism under the Civil Rights law. This form of discrimination which drew together social and environmental issues for the first time became Bullard life’s work as a professor/researcher and as an activist.
His efforts to study environmental justice, to educate students on environmental justice, and to work on environmental justice issues are legend. Dumping in Dixie, the first of 18 books by Dr. Bullard, described environmental issues and the groups working on them across the South. As a member of the Michigan Group, they sought to bring environmental justice issues to the federal government. A meeting with William Reilly, head of the Environmental Protection Agency led to EPA forming the Work Group on Environmental Equity, which later became the EPA Office of Environmental Justice in 1983.
Presently the Distinguished Professor of Urban Planning and Environmental Policy at Texas Southern University, Dr. Bullard has received several awards, including the 2020 Champions of the Earth Lifetime Achievement award from United Nations Environment Programme. In 2021, Dr. Bullard was named to the White House Environmental Justice Advisory Council. The mission of the Council is to ensure that the voices, perspectives, and lived realities of communities with environmental justice concerns were reflected in Federal policies, investments, and decisions.
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Praying for peace, health and well-being through challenging times.
+Mother Rosean, clergy of Mary of Magdala
+Rev. Kate Luhman, ECC clergy
+Amanda Staut, friend of Lisa Jones, member
+Ted Newbre (Devlin), member of Mary of Magdala
+Jean Powers, daughter of Mary Powers, member
+Ellen Williams, sister of Mary Cobb, "thank you to the community of Mary of Magdala for your healing prayers. I am recovering very, very well."
+Vanity, for comfort at this time of loss
+Ruth Wolfe, member of Light and Christ ECC
+Frederique Pesin, and her family, friends of Mother Rosean
+Patsy Connor, friend of Linda J.
+Natalie Rochester, for prosperity, love, and happiness
+Pastor Rick Reiten, Pastor at Trinity Lutheran
+Tess Peters, friend of Mary Lou Devlin, member
+Cache and Courtney, family of Jean Christen
+David Devlin, member
+Sabrina and her two children, currently homeless
+Linda Browell, member
+Jerry Padilla, father of member Lisa Jones
+Rachel, daughter of Mary Lou Devlin, member
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A blessed and peaceful repose of souls for those who've passed and comfort for the friends and families.
+Pauline Devlin, David Devlin's mother
+James Lyons, brother-in-law of Mary Lyons, member
+Arlene Miller, former secretary at John XXIII
+Carole Lyons, sister-in-law of Mary Lyons, member
+Jessica Melton, family friend of Jane Reina
+Betty Smith, mother of Bill Smith, member
+Grace Robinson, member of Mary of Magdala
+Jack Wolfe, member of Light and Christ ECC
+Promise, age 22, for the peaceful repose of her soul
+Mary Detweiler, member of Mary of Magdala
+Allen Wilberton, brother of Tom Wilberton
+Sharon L. Six, mother of Michael Six, member
+Jim Carroll, husband of member Dori Carroll
+Juanita Newbre, aunt of MaryLou Devlin, member
+Flavian Reising Jr., Father of Steve Reising, member
+Betty Jones, mother-in-law of Lisa Jones, member
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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. | |
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NO Wednesday Mass on August 21!
Sunday Mass - August 25, 12:30 pm
- Pastor Jane Reina is presiding. In-person and with Zoom.
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Wednesday Midweek Mass -
August 28, 11:00 am
- M. Rosean Amaral, Presiding
- In the Fireside Room
- No Zoom available
Sunday Mass - September 1st, 12:30 pm
- Fr. Teri Harroun is presiding. In-person and with Zoom.
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Did you miss an article or announcement?
Past e-bulletins are posted on our website here. Below are links to some key articles:
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To read the July ECC Newsletter, Click here
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To read the May newsletter from the House of Laity, click here.
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To read the latest updates regarding the ECC Holy Synod of 2024, click here.
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To read the ECC Council of Bishops' statement on the War in Gaza and Israel, click here.
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Ongoing Giving Opportunities in Fellowship hall; see list here.
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Dedicating Altar Flowers? Contact Joan Stepleton at JoanStepleton@gmail.com or 864-650-2816. A $25 dollar donation is kindly requested.
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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
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Our Vision – ‘Our guiding Light’
Weaving a tapestry of love, hope and justice for the world.
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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.
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The ECC Regional Website - View here.
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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.
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