Nativity Notes
January 25, 2019
From the Dean
Rainy day reflections: Born in Love and Born to Love

A rainy day and a drive to a morning appointment afforded a dialogue between my soul and my maker. When I pray, it is often a simple interruption in my busy brain when I become that God is hanging out, just on the other side of my pre-occupations. Often my prayer then becomes a dialogue. “Hey, I said, I see you there”. God seemed to reply, “Nice to be seen”. “How are you?” I asked with humility. “Better for having been seen”, God seemed to reply. “I love you”, I said in my prayerful dialogue. God replied, “I love you” and we finished in Italian. “Ti amo”, I said. “Ti amo anch’io”.

I am so overwhelmed with this one pure truth that I have put all of my trust in. We are born in Love and we are born to Love. We were, we are, all of us born for one another. Born to know what it is to be loved and born to let others know too what it is to be loved. It really is as simple as that, and as complex. 

I am convicted (literally) that it is from this loving place we move out into the world. I am convicted that it is how we overcome our misplaced anxieties and fears that we are unworthy, incomplete, or inadequate. God doesn’t see any of that in us, and loves to remind us of the depth of Love when we lay our eyes upon him. I am convicted that it is how we overcome with hopefulness the sad divisions circling around us, because we can put on the eyes of Love and see the other----vulnerable just like us, anxious, just like us, feeling inadequate, just like us, feeling unworthy, just like us. Yet what hovers is the real truth—the one who made all of us, made us in Love. We were born in Love and born to Love. 

I think of this truth on a rainy day and it draws me even closer to my God and to those in my circle. Yet, also in the presence of this truth I know that an easy sleep may be interrupted. Interrupted by the painful knowing of being called to love and the existential reality of others who are sleeping on the street, or have been shut out by family or friends, or of innocent children separated from their mothers or fathers against their will. Still I know in the depth of my being how fortunate we are to be born in love and be born to Love. It is our hope.  
Annual Meeting
Sunday, January 27 - Parish Annual Meeting & Breakfast
8:00 AM Holy Eucharist
8:30 AM Balloting Open & Breakfast
9:00 AM Sunday School & Annual Meeting
10:30 AM Holy Eucharist

(8:30-9:15 AM Balloting Open)
Adult Forums:
 
Jan. 27 Annual Parish Meeting
Feb. 3 - 10 Rev. Dr. Craig Atwood, Mysticism & Julian of Norwich
Sunday Bulletin For those of you worshiping with us via Livestream, below please find the Sunday bulletin.
You're Invited Sunday, January 27th please join the Daughters of the King for punch and cookies on the slipe after the 10:30 AM service. We are celebrating our newest member, Barbara Beal! Stop down and say hello!
Thrift Shop Donations Needed  The Better Buy Thrift Shop is in need of men’s winter coats.
Calling all Girl Scouts! The first and second grades of the Sunday School are ready to order cookies for our Cookie Party. Bring your Cookie order forms to Sunday School Room 6. We will fill out an order.
Nativity Book Club January 31 at 11 AM we will discuss Catherine The Great by Robert Massie. (Note the change of date.) The book for February is Why Religion by Elaine Pagels.
Souper Bowl The J2A class will once again be participating in the Souper Bowl on Sunday, February 3 rd . Students and mentors will be present at all three Sunday services with their soup pots in tow. Please consider supporting our youth as they begin to prepare for their pilgrimage next summer. Cash and check donations are most welcome. Please include “J2A Pilgrimage” on the memo line of any checks. Thank you!
Night Songs  Join us Wednesday, February 6 at 9 p.m. in the Cathedral for Night Songs Compline, a sung choral night prayer. Candlelight, beauty, rest – a peaceful end to our day.
SAVE THE DATE
ANNUAL EVENSONG AND SPAGHETTI SUPPER
Sunday, February 17 th

5:00 p.m. Evensong – Supper to follow
A night of fun and fellowship in support of Nativity Youth Camp
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 ...
Bethlehem Emergency Sheltering Annual Meeting The annual meeting of BES will be held February 5, 2019 at 7:00 pm at Christ UCC. For those interested in hearing more about the program, you are welcome to attend. Reports of various activities as well as plans for the future of this ministry will be presented. If you have any questions, please contact Dn. Rodney .
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.

Inclement Weather Information  Service cancellations and updates can be found on WFMZ Channel 69 or www.wfmz.com , voicemail at Nativity Cathedral Office 610-865-0727, our website: nativitycathedral.org , and our Facebook Page: facebook.com/nativitycathedral 
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.
Cathedral Schedule


Friday, January 25
10:00 AM Nativity Staffs the Thrift Shop

Saturday, January 26
9:00 AM Altar Guild Prep – Cathedral
10:00 AM Thrift Shop Open Until 1 PM
4:30 PM Order of St. Luke Centering Prayer - Good Shepherd Chapel
5:00 PM Celtic Spirituality Night – Cathedral

Sunday, January 27
8:00 AM Holy Eucharist - Cathedral
8:30 AM Balloting Open & Breakfast
9:00 AM Sunday School & Annual Meeting
10:30 AM Holy Eucharist - Cathedral
Daughters of the King Cookie & Punch Reception - Slype (immediately following service)
2:00 PM Private Piano Recital - Cathedral, Sayre Hall

Monday, January 28
9:00 AM Flower Arranging for Hospital Visitations - Sacristy
10:00 AM Food Access Committee - Room 22
3:45 PM Homework Club - Welcome Place

Tuesday, January 29
1:00 PM Al-Anon Meeting - Room 21
3:00 PM New Bethany Ministries Staff Meeting - Room 22
3:45 PM Homework Club - Welcome Place

Wednesday, January 30
9:00 AM Holy Eucharist | Healing Service - Good Shepherd Chapel
9:30 AM EfM - Room 22
10:00 AM Nativity Staffs the Thrift Shop
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, January 31
10:00 AM Nativity Staffs the Thrift Shop
11:00 AM Nativity Book Club - Room 23
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 1
10:00 AM Nativity Staffs the Thrift Shop




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