The Broken Child
In the eyes of a broken child, In the eyes of a trembling child;
In the feel of a grasping child; tears of insecurity.
In the closeness of two bodies; one holding tightly to be protected, the other to protect.
In the thoughts of a broken child; confusion.
In screams no longer silent, panic, fear, and anxiety burned forever to soul.
In the eyes of a broken child; one searches deeply.
Where is God? God, where are you?
And where are your people?
This is a rewrite of a portion of a poem that I wrote in 1987. I wrote it about an experience I had with a young child in Foster care who I was working with as a social worker, my first job out of college. It was then about the fragile nature of a particular child who had experienced abuse by an adult. That experience was unnerving and the reality of how this child and so many others are treated, irrational, morally abhorrent, unacceptable in any measure. Any one of you good folk who read my ponderings would agree.
I would love to write as I do sometimes with poetry that lifts our souls and takes us to places of imagination. Yet, here I am again today, reading of the intentional actions taken on our behalf in response to immigrants without proper legal status. Again, I say, and know that our country has a legitimate struggle when it comes to immigration, and I pray every day that a comprehensive, measured, thoughtful, justice filled response may emerge. That is in the realm of politicians and seems bigger than the divide that exists among them. When it comes to policies and practices however, it is clear there is nothing thought out, comprehensive, justice filled, measured, or simply dignified of any standard of humanity when once again young children are left suddenly separated from their parents as was the case this week in Mississippi.
I take my cue from Jesus who was pretty clear about the place and treatment of children.
- When the disciples asked how they could understand anything about the Kingdom Jesus was inviting them (us) to, he literally invited a child into their presence and said you have to become like this child or you will never get it. And by the way, whoever welcomes this child and those like this child, are welcoming me. (Matthew 18:1-5)
- Jesus was stern and direct about protecting children. He said, “if anyone causes one of these little ones to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and be drowned in depths of the sea.” (Matthew 18:6)
- Jesus wants life for all of us, and wants it particularly for those most vulnerable. Children were the most vulnerable in Jesus time. They were without voice, they were dependent, they were unable to defend themselves. The same can be said about our time. Jesus’ compassion and love raised three people from the dead in the gospels. Lazarus, his friend. Nain, a young man whose mother’s grief was so overwhelming Jesus raised him when he showed up and ended up in funeral procession, and Jairus’ daughter who when he entered to see her said, “she is not dead, just sleeping”. Love conquers death, even raises it up from the floor.
For Christian folk, I continue to contend and beg all please to see the suffering of children and resist the temptation to fall into the seduction of the sin of partisanship. Instead see your children, our children, and see these children as your children, our children. I will be writing again to anyone I can to beg for a better plan of action; one that does not continuously do harm to children. The millstone feels heavy.
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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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Lemonade in Summer!
We are once again serving lemonade and iced tea after the 10AM service during the summer. We need volunteers to serve and clean up each Sunday. It is an easy task and you get to greet many smiling faces.
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Summer Breakfast Fellowship
Join us Sunday mornings through August 18 from 8:45-9:45 AM in the Dining Room. Spend some time getting to know and catching up with one another. Free will offering (covers expense of breakfast and helps underwrite other fellowship activities). If you would like to help by being part of a team who prepares breakfast, please email
teisenreich@nativitycathedral.org
.
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Cathedral Night at Iron Pigs
Friday, August 23 (gates open at 5:45PM) at Coca-Cola Park as the Iron Pigs take on the Wilkes Barre RailRiders. Tickets are $10/person and include field-level seats and $2 concession. For ticket reservations, please contact the Church office at 610-865-0727 or
teisenreich@nativitycathedral.org
. Please make checks payable to the church and note “Iron Pigs tickets” on the memo line.
TICKET Deadline extended - contact the Parish Office TODAY!
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School Supply Drive
Education changes lives! And it's hard to learn when a student doesn't have the right supplies. That's why, in partnership with St. John A.M.E., we hope to provide school supplies for 100 students in the Five Points Community. Between now and Sunday, August 18th, bring
new/unused
:
- 3-ring binders
- 2-pocket folders
- packs of college-ruled loose leaf paper
- gluesticks
- packs of markers, crayons, colored pencils
- packs of pens, pencils
and place them in the boxes at the back of the Nave. Put one or more items on your shopping list.
Let's collect 100 of each!
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Ushers needed for both 8 AM and 10 AM services.
If you would like to become more involved in Sunday’s services, consider becoming an Usher. Ushers are usually the first friendly face people see when entering the church for worship. This ministry is open to all people of all ages. Kilts are, of course, optional. If interested, please contact either Chip Montgomery or the church office.
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Fountain Hill Elementary School is seeking mentors
and we would love to have you! We already have several Nativity Church members helping with this service, many who have been mentors for several years.
Our students are identified to receive a mentor by their teacher for both academic and emotional support purposes. Mentors can provide academic reinforcement during their time with their student by working on reading or math skills, flashcards, and worksheets using materials provided by the student's teacher. They can also provide students with the chance to connect with a caring adult to talk, play games, do crafts, and read together. The time commitment is forty minutes a week per student.
If you are interested in becoming a Fountain Hill mentor, please feel free to contact Paige Hoffman, Community School Director, for more information at
phoffman@basdschools.org
or 610-865-5881 x29310. Thank you for your consideration!
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Monday Flower Group Volunteers Needed
The Monday flower group is looking for volunteers for a few months of the year. Please call Angelica Baez for more information at 610-509-0659 or email at
angie73@rcn.com
. Each Monday a volunteer from the group produces and delivers a beautiful arrangement from the Sunday altar flowers to our hospitalized parishioners.
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As you may have noticed, our Cathedral Choirs are on hiatus for the summer enjoying some well-deserved rest and relaxation! HOWEVER, if you are interested in singing with the
Cathedral Choir
in the fall, rehearsals resume on Wednesday August 28 at 7 pm and you are invited to come check it out (we’re on the lookout for a few good basses)! Also,
Cathedral Choristers
, singers in grades 2-7, resume their rehearsals on Wednesday September 11 at 4:30 pm, and we gladly welcome all new singers to participate in this great experience. And,
Cathedral Handbell Ringers
resume rehearsals on Thursday September 19 at 7 pm in the Bishop Gray Room – if you are interested in ringing with this talented group (we are looking to add three or four new ringers), please be in touch with Canon Stephen prior to rehearsals since positions are ‘assigned.’ It’s definitely not too early to be thinking about plans for the fall, so if you would like to plug in to our music ministry at Nativity Cathedral, please know that you’re most welcome and we hope you will be in touch with Canon Stephen soon. Thanks for considering it!
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To the Cathedral Family:
Our family thanks you all for the blessings and gifts given in memory of our dear mother Consuelo Strohl. She was given a joyous farewell.
The Strohl Family
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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, August 9
10:00 AM Nativity Staffs the Thrift Shop
Saturday, August 10
9:00 AM Altar Guild Prep – Cathedral
10:00 AM Thrift Shop Open
5:00 PM The Feast | Celtic Eucharist – Cathedral
Sunday, August 11
8:00 AM Holy Eucharist - Cathedral
8:45 AM Summer Breakfast - Dining Room
10:00 AM Holy Eucharist - Cathedral
Monday, August 12
9:00 AM Flower Arranging for Hospital Visitations - Sacristy
3:15 PM Private Tutoring - Dining Room
Tuesday, August 13
1:00 PM Al-Anon Meeting - Room 21
7:00 PM Yarns of Love - Dining Room
7:00 PM Property Committee - Conference Room
Wednesday, August 14
9:00 AM Holy Eucharist & Healing - Good Shepherd Chapel
10:00 AM Nativity Staffs the Thrift Shop
1:15 PM Yarns of Love - Dining Room
6:30 PM New Bethany Ministries Parenting Class - Good Shepherd Chapel & Nursery
Thursday, August 15
10:00 AM Nativity Staffs the Thrift Shop
11:00 AM Bethlehem Steel Vets - Room 21
7:00 PM S-Anon - Room 21
Friday, August 16
10:00 AM Nativity Staffs the Thrift Shop
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Cathedral Church of the Nativity
321 Wyandotte Street | Bethlehem PA 18015
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Copyright © 2018 The Cathedral Church of the Nativity, All rights reserved.
You are receiving this email because of your affiliation with the Cathedral Church of the Nativity.
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