Episcopal Church 
of the Resurrection
1433 NW R.D. Mize Road
Blue Springs, Missouri 64015
(816) 228-4220
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ADVENT
A version of the Latin word meaning "coming"
The beauty of Advent and the meaning of the Advent Wreath
and the five candles: The Advent wreath, four candles on a wreath of evergreen, is shaped in a perfect circle to symbolize the eternity of God. In some churches, four purple candles, one for each week in Advent, are used with one larger white candle in the middle as the Christ candle. Other churches prefer three purple or blue candles with one candle being rose or pink, to represent joy.
While the Advent wreath with its four candles did bring light to churches, it was not to illuminate the interior as much as to symbolize the coming of Christ. The Advent wreath began in the time of the Protestant reformer Martin Luther.
During each Sunday of the Advent season, we focus on one of the four virtues Jesus brings us: Hope, Love, Joy and Peace. Others consider the lighting of the first candle to symbolize expectation, while the second symbolizes hope, the third joy and the fourth purity. The Christ candle is lit on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day reminding Christians that Jesus is the light of the world. The order and exact wording vary among churches, but the wreath continually reminds us of whom we are called to be as followers of Jesus.
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STEWARDSHIP CAMPAIGN ENDS THIS
SUNDAY
Please Pledge NOW On-Line
Our annual Stewardship Campaign, Journey to Generosity, wraps up this Sunday, the first Sunday of Advent, and the beginning of the Church year. Pledging is an important component of our faith and a visible sign of support of our Church. Without your contributions Resurrection would not be able to exist. There would be no Episcopal church in Blue Springs.
Our 2018 Stewardship wish is for all Resurrection families to make an Annual Giving pledge, no matter what the amount. Pledges of all amounts
are received with gratitude.
The average pledge in 2017 was almost $2,800.
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OUTREACH OPPORTUNITIES
Rada knives are in
Please pick-up your order in the undercroft this Sunday. Look for the bag with your name on it!
Deliver BackSnack bags on Fridays
If you have 1) 45 minutes on Friday mornings or over the Friday lunch hour, 2) an SUV or pickup truck, and 3) energy to lift two bins filled with 35 BackSnack bags, we could use you! We seriously need volunteers to deliver BackSnacks approximately once a month from church to our local elementary school, Thomas Ultican. Please volunteer if you are able! Contact Pat Carle.
CSL Christmas Event
Please select a tag with a gift on it from the Christmas tree in the narthex and return the gift on the tag UNWRAPPED to the Church by December 10. Donations will be given to the Community Services League for their annual Christmas shopping event. Gifts for all ages is appreciated. Monetary donations are also accepted.
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VESTRY NOMINATIONS DUE DECEMBER 7
The vestry is the legal representative of the parish with regard to all matters pertaining to its corporate property. The basic responsibilities of the vestry are to help define and articulate the mission of the congregation; to support the church's mission by word and deed, to select the rector, to ensure effective organization and planning, and to manage resources and finances. Nomination deadline for Vestry Members is December 7th. To nominate yourself or another member, please contact Janeece Buckner, JIm Gilligan or Ken Griechen.
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MONASTERY SCENTS AVAILABLE
Soaps and Lip Balms
Help support the
Benedictine Convent of Perpetual Adoration as well as Resurrection by purchasing soaps and lip balms for personal use or gifts this holiday season. Products are perfect for sensitive skin and are made with all natural ingredients with careful attention to detail.
Monastery Scents came from very humble beginnings - a simple gift of a bar of soap. This gift received by Benedictine Sister of Perpetual Adoration, Cathleen Marie Timberlake, inspired her to begin crafting her own handmade soap as a valuable source of income to support their community.
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COMING UP
Important events and dates
Sunday, December 3: Stewardship Campaign pledges due
Monday, December 4: Finding Faith Through Fiction Book Club at 7 pm
Thursday, December 7: Vestry nominations due
Saturday, December 9: Cookie/Candy Exchange at 10 am
Sunday, December 10: CSL Christmas Tree gifts due
Monday, December 11: Uplift Meal Preparation
Wednesday, December 13: Vestry Meeting at 7 pm
Thursday, December 14: Bridge; CSL Christmas Store (sign-up to volunteer)
Sunday, December 17: Healing Services; Adult Forum-Bill Stancil; Necessity Pantry in-gathering
Monday, December 18: DOK meeting
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As a follow up from our Emergency Preparedness Planning, here is a quick guide modified to our parish for what to do if we have intruders with weapons who threaten the church.
In short, "run, hide, or fight." I have participated in several training sessions on how to respond to an "active shooter." This is a difficult topic to deal with in church, but we all know that such things happen in churches and, at the same time, we have some reluctance to talk about what to do. They happen in schools too, so even our young children are familiar with the possibility and with what to do in the event of a "lock-down." Our parish emergency planning team is preparing a plan to deal with this kind of threat as well as other risks. The following points will serve as an initial plan of response that should improve our chances of survival.
First
, when you become aware that someone is shooting, RUN! During any emergency, most people run to the door through which they entered. That door might be blocked by the shooter or it might be blocked by other people trying to run. It is best to always notice all of the exits whenever entering a building or room-make a habit of it. In our worship space, there is an exit to the right of the altar at the bottom of the stairs. It opens to the east and the parking lot. Run and scatter in varying directions. The other exits from the church are the front red doors, the Memorial Garden doors on the southwest side, the office door to the parking lot, the door downstairs by the ramp and the side door up the stairs from the kitchen. Run and scatter. Get in touch with 911. If you are being shot at while running, don't run in a straight line. It is much harder to hit a moving target than a stationary one, so your chances of survival have improved just because you are moving. The key is know your exits and get out!
Second
, if you cannot run away, then HIDE! Find a closet, utility room, or other space. If the shooter has to go looking for people, then his rate of killing has slowed and more people are likely to survive. If you have gone into another room, such as the downstairs class rooms or any other enclosed room space with only one exit, consider barricading the door. If the shooter comes to that door, then jump out any accessible window. You might break some bones, but students at Virginia Tech who did this survived.
Third
, if the first two options are not possible, then FIGHT! How in the world can unarmed people resist a person with a firearm or other weapon? The point is to slow down the shooter's rate of killing until the police arrive. Episcopalians are especially well armed in this regard. Throw prayer books and hymnals at the shooter/intruder. If many people do this then they will not murder as many people in a given amount of time. This might sound like a sure way to die, and some will, but all of the mass shootings have shown that just hiding under a desk or pew will result in getting shot. If you fight and slow down his rate of killing, your chances of survival have improved and you have improved the chances for others too.
"Duck and cover" is precisely the wrong thing to do. "RUN, HIDE, or FIGHT."
[Edited from a newsletter article for St. Peter-All Saints from Father Jonathan Frazier.]
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