Mary Magdalene Church is an inclusive church in the
Catholic tradition where people from all faiths and backgrounds are welcome to the Lord's Table. We strive to live the values that
Jesus taught, to honor and respect each individual,
and to share the joy of God's unconditional love
in our community and beyond.
Mary Magdalene Church Bulletin   
Sunday, November 22, 2020

"Once you choose hope, anything is possible. " ~Christopher Reeve
Photo by Angiola Harry on Unsplash

FAMILY MASS
Tomorrow morning - Sunday, Nov 22, at 9:00 am.
The Zoom link is here.

SUNDAY MORNING MASS will be virtual only at 10 am.
Please join us on Facebook Live or YouTube!

If you haven't done so already, please consider subscribing to MMC's YouTube Channel. There is no fee involved, and you're notified when we are live. Click this link to get connected: Our Channel on YouTube

Our musicians this morning are Kathy English, Bob Pizzutiello, and Randy Jones. The song sheet is here.

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~ A Message from Mimi ~

Greetings!

Greetings and blessings. I pray that you are all well and enjoying the last breaths of this beautiful fall. The last couple of weeks have been challenging for our family.  I want to share some news with you. It is difficult share, I wish that I could be standing before you, instead of sharing this via the bulletin but this is our Covid life.  So here goes - I was recently diagnosed with breast cancer, invasive ductal carcinoma. 

Please remember me and the rest of my family in prayer as we process this news and make this journey together. We welcome and appreciate prayers especially at this time with so many decisions to make. We know that God is holding us close and we feel God's presence especially as we have met with health care providers, family and friends. We are holding on desperately to the gifts of the Holy Spirit to lead us in the best direction possible and just taking it day by day. 

I trust that all will be well, there is much to be thankful for, it was caught early in a routine mammogram. Remember to get those regular mammograms, it might very well save your life. 

I am wishing you a Thanksgiving filled with abundant blessings and JOY. Thank you for being part of my blessings and my JOY.

Much Love,

Mimi
A Prayer for Mimi and Her Family

Loving God,
We do not know where this road is leading us,
And we know you are the guide.

We do not know what challenges we will face,
And we know that we do not face them alone.

We do not know what strength lies within us,
And we know we have strength beyond measure in you.

Grant us peace that passes understanding,
and may we see in each other your infinite hope.

In Jesus' name we pray,
Amen.

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~ A Brief Note from Bishop Denise ~

Mimi is such a beloved member of our MMC family, and her work with our families has been such a gift to all of us!! We will all hold her in our prayers, and all those prayers and good wishes will touch her soul! When people feel overwhelmed by the love that other people have for them, I often let them know that these are the moments when all the love they have put out through the years comes back to them. We love you Mimi!

I also thank Lori for that beautiful prayer she wrote for Mimi and her family. We all will hold Mimi, Kent, their children and grandchildren in our hearts & prayers. Just as we all wish the best for Mimi, I must add that we wish all the best for all of you as well. We are entering into the holiday season at a time that COVID numbers are out of control. Today we topped 12 million cases in the US. We added a million cases in one week!! Hearing that today absolutely took my breath away. As I reflect on this, I feel a strong need to encourage everyone to make wise choices. I know it's the holidays, and our families, our friends, and our traditions hold a sacred place in our hearts. And it is for that very reason that we need to be extra cautious. Making these decisions are hard. I have cooked Thanksgiving Dinner and hosted 20-25 people in my house for more than a decade. As I thought of cancelling this year I worried that I would disappoint family members. And I definitely didn't want to leave anyone without a traditional Thanksgiving dinner, in fact, leaving them without Turkey and gravy, etc was the part I especially fretted about. So... I decided that I will still COOK Thanksgiving Dinner, and I will provide "take-out" for my family. I love cooking a good meal, and this way I can still do that and share it. While we haven't finalized how we are going to celebrate Christmas, I do know that it will not include any of the traditional large gatherings we usually have. It is my way of doing all that I can to make sure we will be able to celebrate Thanksgiving and Christmas in the future.

Knowing that all of you are having to make similar decisions, Lori and I have decided to offer a time to come together on Zoom on Thanksgiving morning for a Prayer of Gratitude and Fellowship. This will be on Zoom so we will be able to see one another in our "Hollywood Squares!" To chat together a bit and to spend some time with our MMC family!! We will be meeting on Zoom at 9 am. I'm looking forward to seeing many of you then!

In gratitude and love,
Denise

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GETTING INVOLVED!

Mary Magdalene Community Events

Stewardship Campaign
Thank you to all who have completed the survey, and if you need a copy of the Automatic Giving Form to fill out, you can find the form here. Our campaign ends this Wednesday, so please don't hesitate to fill out the survey! We want to make sure we have everyone included in our new database and that all information is correct. And if you find that your heart leads you to support our mission as a church with your time, your talent, and your treasure, we welcome your support. Thank you for all you do to make Mary Magdalene strong and vibrant.

This week, we hear from Amanda and Lucas about what Mary Magdalene Church means to them!
Wednesday Coffee and Prayer
We are re-starting our Wednesday Coffee, Prayer & Community Connections. We will meet on Wednesday mornings at 10:00 am. Each week, we will utilize different reflections & prayers, but we'll also take the time to just be together!! If you're nervous about using Zoom, we'll be online beginning at 9:45 am. If you have trouble getting on, give a call or a text at 585-329-0895 and we'll give you some directions.

Thanksgiving Day Prayer of Gratitude
This Thursday, we invite you to join us in the morning for a prayer service of fellowship and gratitude. We will be meeting on Zoom at 9 am on Thanksgiving Day. We look forward to seeing you!

Open Sanctuary Hours
If you are in need of a place for reflection and prayer, our sanctuary is now open a few times each week. Join us! In observance of Thanksgiving, this week the Sanctuary will be open on Monday from 12:00-4:00 pm and on Wednesday from 12:00-4:00 pm. One of us will be in the building during these open hours, and we are happy to connect with you if you would like to speak with us. If our office doors are open, we are available! You will also find Eucharist available at the front of the church. For the sake of safety and comfort, we ask that you use the hand sanitizer provided, that you receive communion at your seat, and that you wear a mask at all times in the church.

Mary Magdalene Advent Circles
The Ministry Team will be leading a series of four Zoom liturgies for Advent - Save the Dates! We will meet Wednesdays from 7:00 to 8:30 pm beginning December 2. Our first meeting will focus on HOPE! See below for the link and the list of dates.

Cup of Change
Our next meeting will be January 14th at 7 pm, and we will discuss Across That Bridge by John Lewis. Remember that our Moodle platform is updated a couple of times a month with podcasts, documentaries and more. Reach out if you would like to be added to our Moodle user list! lorikvail@gmail.com

Open Door Mission - Cold Weather Gear Drive
Until December 23, Dory Deisenroth is collecting coats, hats, gloves, scarves and earmuffs for the Open Door Mission. Bring gently used or new items to church, and leave them in the marked bin outside the sanctuary. Last year we collected over 100 coats!

East Rochester Resource Center
You can always bring your donation of non-perishable food, paper products, cleaning supplies and toiletries to church at any time. The need is great.

Bulletin Announcements
Do you have an announcement you would like to see included in our bulletin? Just email Lori by Thursday at 5 pm to have your group's message or activity added to our Sunday bulletin. lorikvail@gmail.com

GETTING INFORMED!

DEFUND Deconstructed
Wondering what it means when we say or hear "Defund the police"? This amazing powerpoint put together by Rev. Myra Brown helps explain the issues around defunding and outlines the ways that re-funding is the real work at hand. This blueprint for community policing is worth your time. It is also available in our Moodle site for Cup of Change.

Understanding Black Experiences -
The Rochester Public Library has put together a great online resource page.https://roccitylibrary.org/understanding-black-experiences/

Thank you again for your generosity! If you make a donation today
and would like that donation to go towards our virtual presence,
please send an email to our treasurer: suepagano@gmail.com
Opportunities to
Come into Church for
Prayer or Reflection:

Monday
12:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Wednesday
12:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Communion will be available.

The front door will be unlocked.
Please use sanitizer provided &
wear a mask at all times.
hot_aromatic_coffee.jpg
Opportunities to Connect:


Sunday 11:00 am


Wednesdays 10:00 am


Wednesday, Dec 2 at 7 pm
(We will also meet Dec 9, Dec 16 and Dec 21)



For those of you who would like to understand a bit more
about our Communal Blessing we participate in during our
live streamed liturgy, you'll find a document explaining the blessing
on our website. It's entitled We are a Eucharistic People.
Casa Gubbio

Saturday Rosary at 8:00 am


Sundays at 5:30 beginning 11/29
We will be reflecting on Anselm Grün, OSB’s, ‘A Time of Fulfillment’ and ‘Your Light Gives Us Hope’ which can be purchased on Amazon.


Casa Gubbio is the ministry of Brother Peter Veitch, a Mary Magdalene parishioner and brother in the Benedictines of Holy Wisdom, ECC. The mission of Casa Gubbio is to provide a place of retreat for progressive/independent ‘seekers’ in keeping with the Benedictine charism of hospitality. Casa Gubbio is a safe place to gather outside of traditional organized religious communities. All are welcome. For more information, contact Brother Peter at peterthomasveitch@gmail.com 
Do you have someone you
want us to pray for?

To add someone to the prayer chain, contact:
Or Joann Corso at 585-223-5682

If you'd like to connect with Bishop Denise directly:
Or 585-329-0895

If you'd like to join our team of "prayers"
and be notified where there are prayer needs,
please send an email to Lori Vail:

Bishop Denise Donato
Phone: 585-329-0895

Mimi Youngman
Email: marymagdalenechurcher@gmail.com
Phone: 585-797-4707

Lori Vail
Phone: 585-353-5954