Be my Valentine
It may have been third grade, but easily could be any of the others. The memory of excitement when a trip to the 5 and 10 cent store to pick up the box of “little valentine’s” meant the pleasurable task of preparing a positive sentiment for each of my classmates. It was in the giving and the receiving of things that made this pleasurable. I look back now as an adult and am grateful for the practice of my grade-school teachers that EVERYONE received a valentine.
It’s a funny secularized holiday now, Feb 14
th
. A day that claims the name of a Saint we actually know little about, other than he was martyred early on seemingly for his advocacy of couples to be married. The Welsh have a similar saint, Saint Dwynwen. The Welsh celebrate her day in late January and similarly culturally have taken out the rough edges of her legend and sentimentalized the expressions of affection and have called it Love. You can “google” her if you like, and there you will discover the story isn’t so sweet.
Yet, here we are, on Valentine’s Day. Restaurants, candies, cookies, flowers, and yes sentimental exchanges of sweetness. Please don’t get me wrong, I am for sweet and I even feel like a grade schooler sometimes when a friend throws sweet sentiment my way.
But I know Love is so much more challenging than all of that sentimental sweetness. In a good way really. Love, true love forces our hand every time. It takes us to a depth that makes us stretch and opens us to new challenges. It is never easy really, but it sure can be awfully good. Love makes us more awake and aware to our surroundings and to the depth of despair and hope of our fellow beings we call human. Love, true, deep love, brings our lives into focus, is in high definition, and has the power to change everything.
This is the Love I long for. The Love God gives us to discover and to share.
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Adult Forums:
Feb. 17
Marcella Kraybill-Greggo:
Wisdom Way of Knowing as Spiritual Practice
. This gathering will introduce the rhythm and tools of a ‘Wisdom way of knowing’, or an ‘integral way of knowing’ which engages and harmonizes our three intelligence centers: heart, mind and movement. This will be an experiential gathering with a balance of centering, teaching, and gentle body prayer. Together we will explore ways to weave the different components of Wisdom into our daily life and spiritual practice.
Feb. 24
Marcella Kraybill-Greggo:
Lectio Divina on The Gospel of Thomas.
As a community we will engage in the Spiritual Practice of Lectio Divina, contemplating together a text from The Gospel of Thomas. Together we will contemplate this sacred text, utilizing the intelligence of our heads and hearts, while noticing in sensation how the text ‘lands in us’.
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Sunday Bulletin
For those of you worshiping with us via Livestream, below please find the Sunday bulletin.
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ANNUAL EVENSONG AND SPAGHETTI SUPPER
Come one, come all! The annual Spaghetti Supper will take place on Sunday, February 17th. The evening will begin with an Evensong Service at 5 PM with dinner following immediately afterwards. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for children. This beloved evening is the major fund raiser for Nativity Youth Camp, coming up on its 106 year of existence. This spectacular week of fun, fellowship, learning, playing, and growing is beyond measure. Nativity Youth Camp is offered as a powerful ministry of transforming lives of young people.
Students in grades 2-12 are asked to arrive at 4 PM to help set up and prepare the dining room and Sayre Hall. These camp age children will be the servers for the evening. Attire for servers is black pants and a camp T-shirt. Extra shirts will be available for new campers. Even if your child is not sure about camp yet, come be part of this wonderful event and let us help persuade you.
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Past & Present
will be having its next luncheon on Friday, February 22 (Washington's Birthday). With our new Interim Assisting Clergy onboard, we thought it would be a good opportunity for many to meet and welcome him. And, we are grateful that he was happy to make the time for us. So mark the date and join us at 11:00 when The Rev. John Marcantonio will tell us a bit about himself and how he came to join us. As always, lunch at noon will follow. R.S.V.P. Sarah Norwine 610-954-8052 or Pam Bayliss 610-798-7671.
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WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT CHRISTIANITY? YOUR FAITH? COME JOIN
THE CHRISTIAN LITERATURE BOOK CLUB
We meet the Third Wednesday of the month at 1:30 to 3:00 PM in the Goodwin Room. The next meeting will be February 20, 2019. We will be discussing
Explorer’s Guide to Julian of Norwich
by Veronica Rolf.
Didn’t finish the book! Come anyway.
Didn’t read the book! Come anyway.
You never know what you will learn.
Book Choices for the rest of the term:
March:
The Hebrew Bible—Feminist and Intersectional Perspectives
Edited by Gale Yee
April:
Living Into God’s Dream
Edited by Catherine Meeks
May:
Faithful Neighbors
Edited by Robert Heaney ...
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Organ Birthday Recital
with Erik and Anna Meyer, organ and flute, offering some recent compositions by Erik, and other brilliant compositions for the combination. Sunday, March 17, 4 p.m. Suggested donation of $10 or more.
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Thrift Shop Donations Needed
The Better Buy Thrift Shop is in need of men’s winter coats.
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The Way of Love: Life Transformed
- A Workshop Led by The Rev. Dr. Hillary Raining, Saturday, March 2, 9 AM-3 PM, at Episcopal Church of the Mediator, 1620 W. Turner St., Allentown.
Session I
Introduction to
The Way of Love
and Rule of Life
TURN
: Dead to Sin, Alive in Christ (Romans 6:3-11)
Session II
PRAY: Israel’s deliverance at the Red Sea (Exodus 14:10-15:1)
LEARN
: Learn Wisdom and Live (Proverbs 8:1-8, 19-21; 9:4b-6)
Midday Worship and Lunch (free will offering)
Session III
BLESS
: A New Heart and a New Spirit (Ezekiel 36:24-28)
REST
: The Valley of Dry Bones (Ezekiel 37:1-14)
Session IV
WORSHIP
: The Gathering of God’s People (Zephaniah 3:12-20)
GO
: The Empty Tomb (Luke 24:1-12)
Concluding Worship and Commitment Service
The event is free, but registration is required. Register by emailing
mail@episcopalmediator.org
or calling 610-434-0156 by February 22. The Rev. Dr. Hillary Raining is Rector of St. Christopher’s Church, Gladwyne, and founder of the online wellness and spirituality community,
The Hive
. She serves on many diocesan and national church ministries, including the Presiding Bishop’s
Way of Love
Committee.
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Emergency Shelter Season 2018-2019
Bethlehem Emergency Sheltering: at Christ UCC Church, 75 E. Market Street. We will be covering the odd numbered Thursdays as we did last year, and will be using SignUp Genius for online registering of volunteers. The dates are December 1 through March 31 as we've done in the past. You can also contact either Deacon Rodney (
rodneyconn@icloud.com
or 484-232-6122) or James Reader (
jim_reader@hotmail.com
or 610-417-7418) should you need assistance in signing up, or if you have any questions.
We need people to help register guests, get them their bunk assignment, prepare and serve meals, chaperone through the night and coordinate clean up in the morning. The shelter will open its doors to guests at 5:00 pm and all guests will be out of the building by 7:00 am. This year there will be at least two paid staff members on site from 4:00 pm until 8:00 am.
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YOU ARE INVITED TO A SPECIAL ART EXHIBIT!
Hope in Hard Times: Prisoners' Art for Social Justice
March 1-April 7, 2019
ArtsQuest’s Banana Factory Arts Center
23 W. 3rd St., Bethlehem
Mondays – Fridays 8:00am-9:30pm
Saturdays & Sundays 8:30am-7:00pm
The Moravian Church’s Eastern District and the Moravian Seminary in Bethlehem invites you to consider how art might engage us in justice and advocacy questions for our time; how do we see the prisoner, and follow Jesus’s call to see him in the lives of the incarcerated?
In this effort, we have partnered with Art for Justice (
www.artforjustice.org
), a non-profit committed to using thought provoking art from certain prisoners in Pennsylvania to promote public dialogue and find ways to reform the criminal justice system. Our hopes are that this art exhibit will remind us of our shared humanity, incarcerated and free, while asking where our own struggles for reform and justice can be found .
We are proud to also partner with and bring this exhibit to ArtQuest’s Banana Factory for free viewing anytime the Banana Factory is open (
www.bananafactory.org
) March 1 - April 7. You are also invited to attend the following special events:
March 1 and April 5, 6 - 9 p.m., First Fridays at the Banana Factory
. Special speakers, projects, and engagements.
March 19, 7 p.m., Lecture at Moravian College’s Prosser Auditorium
Speaker: Tyrone Werts, Soros Fellow, PA Lifer commuted by Gov. Rendell.
March 24, 2 - 4 p.m., Vigil for Hope in the Criminal Justice System at the Banana Factory
. Our keynote speaker, Chester Hollman, Jr. tells the story of his son Chester Hollman III’s wrongful conviction and sentence of life without parole in PA.
More information? Or if you are interested in
special curriculum
for your small group, youth group or congregation as a way to engage further in the art, please contact the Rev. Janel Rice at
janelrice3616@gmail.com
, 610-435-6881.
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Parishioners in the Hospital
If a family member is hospitalized, please contact either the clergy or leave a message with the parish office (610-865-0727) informing us of who is in the hospital and at which hospital.
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Cathedral Schedule
Friday, February 15
10:00 AM Nativity Staffs the Thrift Shop
Saturday, February 16
8:00 AM Finance Committee Meeting - Room 23
8:30 AM Prep Spaghetti Supper - Kitchen
9:00 AM Altar Guild Prep – Cathedral
10:00 AM Thrift Shop Open Until 1 PM
5:00 PM Holy Eucharist – Cathedral
Sunday, February 17
8:00 AM Holy Eucharist - Cathedral
8:45 AM 321 Contact Worship Service - Sayre Hall
9:20 AM Sunday School & Adult Forum
10:30 AM Holy Eucharist - Cathedral
5:00 PM Evensong & Spaghetti Supper - Cathedral, Sayre Hall, DIning Room, Kitchen
Monday, February 18
Office Closed - President's Day Holiday
Tuesday, February 19
9:00 AM Flower Arranging for Hospital Visitations - Sacristy
1:00 PM Al-Anon Meeting - Room 21
3:45 PM Homework Club - Welcome Place
6:30 PM Vestry Meeting - Dining Room
Wednesday, February 20
9:00 AM Holy Eucharist | Healing Service - Good Shepherd Chapel
9:30 AM EfM - Room 22
10:00 AM Nativity Staffs the Thrift Shop
1:30 PM Exploring Christian Literature Book Club - Goodwin Room
3:15 PM Private Tutoring - Dining Room
3:45 PM Homework Club - Welcome Place
4:30 PM Cathedral Choristers Rehearsal - Choir Room
6:30 PM EfM - Goodwin Room
6:30 PM New Bethany Ministries Parenting Class - Good Shepherd Chapel, Nursery
7:00 PM Choir Rehearsal - Choir Room
Thursday, February 21
9:00 AM Preparation for Past & Present Luncheon - Dining Room, Kitchen
10:00 AM Nativity Staffs the Thrift Shop
11:00 AM Nativity Book Club - Room 23
11:00 AM Bethlehem Steel Vets - Room 21
3:45 PM Homework Club - Welcome Place
7:00 PM Cathedral Handbell Choir Rehearsal - Bishop Gray Room
7:00 PM S-Anon - Room 21
Friday, February 22
10:00 AM Nativity Staffs the Thrift Shop
11:00 AM Past & Present Luncheon - Dining Room, Kitchen
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Cathedral Church of the Nativity
321 Wyandotte Street | Bethlehem PA 18015
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