Dear Parishioners and Friends,

On Wednesday, January 2, I turned 45. My fortieth birthday was just a few days ago, so I’m not sure exactly how that happened—time seems to move so quickly these days. I received many wonderful well-wishes, and of course the call from Mom at exactly “the time.” Good thing it was in the afternoon. As is tradition, she lovingly recounted the details of the 24-hour period leading up to the blessed event. She also shared online one of the the first photos ever taken of me shortly after my birth. Even digitally, one can still see the oval nicotine stain from it being in a frame at Grandma’s house for many years.

In looking at the picture, and reflecting on all of the experiences I have had so far, and all of the wildly varied people I have known, it struck me that we all arrive pretty much the same. Certainly some get a better start than others in terms of care and surroundings. But it is in the vast middle part of our lives that we all make our pilgrimages and find our ways as best we can with what we are given. The one exception, I think, is our Lord Jesus Christ. He came into the world just the way you and I did (and in adverse conditions), but he never sought to find  his  way. He sought only to do the will of the Father who sent him. His destiny was shaped not by personal desire, or social status, or by his individuality, but by his unity with God and God’s plan for us. The paradox here is that this actually made him wholly unique.

From his birth, wise men and women sought him out. They were seekers after God’s love who came from all walks of life. They saw in Jesus another way, a way that ran contrary to evil and its symptoms: the systems of injustice and oppression that defined their world. Since the historical time of Christ, much has changed in the world, and much has remained exactly the same. As the Epiphany star led the magi to the Holy Family, my prayer this season is that you too will be led by light to Christ, to experience his love for yourself, and to make him known to all people.

Father Rick

Thanks to those who have responded to our annual stewardship appeal, pledges currently total 70% of our $150K goal for 2019. It is imperative that all pledges are received in the next week so that the finance committee and vestry may set the budget for this year. Not only is your pledge a valuable tool for planning our yearly budget, but it is also a meaningful way to participate in the life of our church and it's mission. Please consider making a pledge!

On Saturday, January 5 at 5:00 p.m., we will resume our seasonal evening service. Please join us at the St. Mark's altar in the nave of the main church. Come as you are for this vigil service, at which you will hear the scripture readings for the following Sunday morning. You may be interested to learn that the Church reckons time in the manner of Judaism, in that when the sun sets, we consider it to be the next day. Thus vigil masses (such as Christmas Eve midnight Mass) have been a part of our tradition for many centuries.

Our Annual Parish Meeting is coming up on January 13 immediately following the 10am service. At the meeting, we will conduct the yearly business of the parish and elect Vestry members. We will also review progress of our parish over the past year and goals for the future. Brunch will be served! Please plan on joining us for this important meeting.

At St. Mary's we celebrated the birth of Christ with great reverence and beauty -- please click on the links below for photos and videos. A festive Lessons & Carols service on Advent IV Sunday was followed on Christmas Eve by the family service and pageant , where our narrator told the Christmas story and Father Rick's children's sermon focused on the 200th anniversary of the hymn Silent Night. A mass with carols followed at St. John's in Arden and finally, traditional midnight mass was held in the church with strings and choir -- it started with the proclamation of Christmas and ended with a festive champagne reception in Bentley Hall. On Christmas Day, we celebrated with a simple mass in the church. Please visit our website to listen to Father Rick's Christmas sermon . Please visit our Facebook page to listen to Christmas messages from our Presiding Bishop and Queen Elizabeth .