Join the Regional Bishop Election Team
The Bishop Call Committee (BCC), in conjunction with the Rocky Mountain Regional Council (RMRC), are calling for members from the Rocky Mountain Region ECC communities to join the Regional Bishop Election Team. This team will determine and implement a voting process so as to be inclusive and transparent as possible.
 
The specific duties of the team will be:
* Provide guidelines on conducting the election at each community.
* Create, disseminate, count ballots.
* Communicate
 
The committee is asking for one representative from each community. If you are interested in serving on this committee, reach out to Pastor Jane at 973-610-6104 or committee contact Dennis Giblin at this email or at 720.234.8068 by January 9th.

Reflection from your Co-Pastors
Monday, December 14th, 2020

Reflection....
Monday of the Third Week of Advent 
1 Thessalonians 5:16-24
 
"Rejoice always, pray constantly, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." Really? Could Paul mean us?
 
Suppose he does. Therefore, I let go of my expectations for today. All my plans have to change. Is this what Paul means? He says "Rejoice always. " Ok, I'll try while everything changes.
 
We have had 4 years of downtrodden souls, a year of pandemic, and thousands alone, insufficient funds, food scarcity, and homelessness. I am merely stuck for 24 hours. Can we rejoice and stay at peace as we wait, watch, and prepare for the birth and growth of Christ in us?
 
"Pray constantly. " Can we find a way to let our hearts be free to praise in prayer constantly, without words but at our core, as we wait, watch, and prepare for our celebration?
"Give thanks in all circumstances. " Oh my! We live within Incarnational Beauty! We can find ourselves sometimes so preoccupied or overwhelmed with familial, local or national problems that we forget to take a breath, empty our minds, and allow ourselves to be taken into the Creative Flow.

Christ is coming to us for however long we allow...a moment, a year, a lifetime, no matter what our human condition. It is up to us to wait, watch, and prepare. 
 
Paul ends his message with this blessing: "May the God of peace sanctify you wholly; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of [Christ Jesus] . The [O]ne who calls you is faithful, and will do it." Yes, yes, and yes, to the One who calls us. We are only asked to wait, watch, and prepare.
Advent Calendar - Dec 13-20
Advent booklet discussion groups
Tuesday and Thursday 9:00am
Dec. 15th - Tuesday's Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82709740353
Dec. 17th - Thursday Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/93086048248

Calling all Christmas photographers!

Please send pictures of your creche/nativity set, trees, house decorations or self to Tom Moos at tjmoos@aol.com by December 20th. He will be putting together a slide show for Christmas Eve. 
Taize Service
Our last Wednesday evening - 6:45 p.m. Dec 16th - What is Taize?

Zoom Link is:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89437359149?pwd=a0I1VjEwclhiK2paaEd2QXBtTmVkZz09
St Paul's - Sung Compline Service

Wednesday evenings - 8-8:30 pm.
December 16, and 23

Zoom link is:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83251355738?pwd=eHlxRFc0N1FCUGhYUUlqN3J0ZWhYdz09
Blue Christmas Service - Friday, December 18, 5 pm

This will be a safe space for expressing grief and longing in this holiday season that is advertised so strenuously as a time of warmth, joy and connection.

If you are grieving, hurting, longing, or feeling depressed, come be in that space with others. This is also a time to acknowledge the loss of lives and connection due to the Pandemic.

Zoom Meeting - Come as you are.
Prayer Requests and Service Links
Sunday Service Recordings
View our Dec 13th Sunday service celebrating the 1st Sunday of Advent. Here is a printed version to assist with prayer and a recording of just the homily by Deacon Rosean Amaral
For all bulletins, reflections, Sunday recordings during our hiatus from celebrating together, visit our webpage. Please contact us with questions, concerns and ideas for better connection with and for the community - marymagdalafc@gmail.com

Newsletters of Trinity Lutheran Church and the St. Paul's Episcopal  
What are our partners in ministry here up to? Go here for the Trinity Lutheran Church monthly newsletter, "Tidings". And here is St Paul's weekly bulletin