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On the Mystery of the Incarnation

by Denise Levertov


It’s when we face for a moment

the worst our kind can do, and shudder to know

the taint in our own selves, that awe

cracks the mind’s shell and enters the heart:

not to a flower, not to a dolphin,

to no innocent form

but to this creature vainly sure

it and no other is god-like, God

(out of compassion for our ugly

failure to evolve) entrusts,

as guest, as brother,

the Word.

Advent and Christmas Worship at St. David's


This Sunday, December 24 - 4 Advent

Holy Eucharist at 8:00 and 9:30 am


This Sunday, December 24 - Christmas Eve

Holy Eucharist at 4:30 pm with reception following


Monday, December 25 - Christmas Day

Holy Eucharist at 10:00 am


We continue to Facebook Livestream the Sunday 9:30 service and upload to YouTube.


Click HERE to view the Advent/Christmas/Epiphany Brochure.

Christmas Donations for the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem


Our loose plate offerings on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day will go to the American Friends of the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem (AFEDJ). Checks should be made payable to St. David's and may be placed in the offering plates or mailed to the church, with the memo line reading "Christmas Offering".


The Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem operates humanitarian institutions in Palestine, Israel, Jordan, and Lebanon. These institutions are powerful examples of Christian witness in these conflict-torn regions.


For more information about AFEDJ, click here.


Thank you for your generosity.



Epiphany - Sunday, January 7

One Service at 9:30


Join us as we celebrate the Epiphany with a special Jazz Eucharist and a visit from the Magi and Holy Family. We invite you to bring a gift for our baby shower, which will be donated to the local nonprofit, Reach and Restore. Reach and Restore Executive Director, Ronda Oliver, will speak at the community forum following worship, 10:45-11:30.



The St. David's baby shower is aimed at families or single mothers who are in need, often experiencing homelessness and transitioning to more stable housing.  


Needed items include: 

Diapers, wipes, onesies, footies, socks. winter snowsuits, crib-sized mattress pads, sheets, baby blankets, baby bibs, feminine hygiene products, car seat covers, blankets, toys, especially learning, board books. 


Have an announcement you would like to share in this weekly email?

Send it to office@stdavidsparish.org before 9:00AM on Tuesday to be featured.

Here We "Went" a Caroling!

What a fun day this past Sunday when St David's traveled about the western metro, singing Christmas Carols at the homes of both our beloved parishioners and friends out at Hope Springs at Minnetonka.  Your generous Christmas cards, gift cards, and homemade (by our youth groups) cookies were all a big hit.  

 

Thanks to all for making many Christmases brighter!

 

Merry Christmas!

Children and Youth Ministry

Christmas and Epiphany!


At the 4:30pm Christmas Eve service, we will have extra nativity character costumes in the Narthex. Any and all children are welcome to participate in God’s story!

 

This Sunday we will be passing out take home craft kits to make your own Epiphany Crown! Decorate your crown and wear it to church on Sunday, January 7th as all of us will play the role of the Magi, bringing gifts to baby Jesus.

 

Nursery

The nursery will be open for young children on Sunday, December 24th during the 9:30am service and the 4:30pm Christmas Eve service.

 

The nursery will be closed on Christmas Day, and Sunday, December 31st.

 

Children’s Time

There will be no Godly Play or Children’s time from now until January 14th. Children are invited to remain in worship, use the nursery, the Narthex Nursery, or the Play Rug.

 

Youth Group

Youth Group will meet again in the New Year on January 10th at Trinity!

See the program calendar here

Educational and Spiritual Formation

The Truth at the Heart of the Lie 

How the Catholic Church Lost its Soul 

 

James Carroll 


On January 30, 2024, Rector Katherine Lewis and Scott Clark, via Zoom, will co-lead an educational and spiritual formation discussion on Carroll’s riveting book about faith and institutions. This is not a replacement for the St. David’s book club but an opportunity to explore faith and the Church institutions that have been designed to support a Christian-based theology. Carroll’s website summation of this book follows: 


“I am a Catholic. I was crushed to learn about priests sexually abusing children, and bishops protecting predators instead of victims. As a former priest and longtime commentator on Catholic issues, I grasped that the problem involved basic systems of church governance, tied to an unapologetic culture of male supremacy. But this crisis of faith prompted my fresh examination of historic turning points, when the church chose power over service, from the ancient world to the Middle Ages, to recent years. But I was forced into a deep personal examination of conscience, confronting ways in which my own life involved me in the structures of male supremacy, personal deceit, and distorted notions of God. 

               

Yet in the writing of this book, I realized that I am still Catholic to the core, resolved to advance church reform, with an anti-clericalism from within. Even in my place of internal exile, the faith remains my permanent connection to the living presence of Jesus Christ.”

 

In many ways, this book is universal in perspective, although the title denotes somewhat of a singular calling out. It is both deep and wide in discussion points, such as whether war can ever be moral, so that the reader will find something to challenge current faith and perspectives on the Church in the broadest definition. Join us for a very challenge-filled session.

  

For more information or questions, please contact Scott Clark at scottakafourcrows@gmail.com. If your local library doesn’t have this book immediately available, a good source to purchase a used book is AbeBooks at abebooks.com.

ICA Update

ICA’s Mission: To create a healthy and stable community for all. This mission guides ICA every day as it helps to support our neighbors with food services, employment and housing assistance. Thank you for caring and supporting ICA this year.

Loaves and Fishes

Loaves and Fishes


In Thanksgiving

A card from Loaves and Fishes arrived at the office with a message to be forwarded to all who volunteer for this important outreach to the community:


"Thank you for your continued dedication to Loaves and fishes. We are so grateful for all of you."


January and February

Four Volunteers are needed for each date. Two for cooking with the Loaves and Fishes coordinator from 3:00-5:00 pm, and two to package and serve from 4:30 to 6:30 pm. 

 

Upcoming dates:

  • January 9
  • January 22
  • January 30
  • February 13
  • February 26

 

Please contact Sue or Basil Owen to sign up. Sue’s cell is 612-716-1945. Basil’s cell is 612-716-0683 or email at bowen3@fastmail.com

Hats & Mittens

Hats & Mittens


For the next few months, St. David’s is participating in a new meaningful outreach activity. Hats & Mittens collects warm hats and mittens for children and young adults in our community who need warm weather gear this winter. Over 200 organizations in the Twin Cities and 7 county metro area will be recipients of warm hats & mittens this winter season. This non-profit organization, which has been operating for 28 years, already has many more requests than ever before.


Do you have gently used hats, mittens and/or scarves your children have outgrown or that you no longer use? I hope you will consider donating them to Hats & Mittens. We are collecting:

  • All sizes of hats & mittens to keep infants to adults warm
  • Biggest need is elementary aged waterproof mittens or gloves (5-10 year old)
  • New or gently used, clean hats & mittens, including knitted or crocheted items
  • Scarves or other neck warmers


Look for posters and marked boxes at both the south church entrances for mittens, hats and/or scarves you wish to donate items to this worthy cause.


If you prefer to make a financial donation, online contributions can be made at www.hatsandmittens.org/donate. Financial donations will go to purchase hats & mittens at wholesale prices.


Thank you ever so much for helping to keep our community warm this winter season. 

Christmas Eve Reception

Christmas Eve Reception


Following the 4:30 intergenerational service of Holy Eucharist, all are invited to a festive reception with beverages and hors d'oeuvres. If able, please bring a special hors d'oeuvre to share, and the church will provide the beverages. There is always more than enough, so if it doesn't fit in your schedule to make or bring something, please come anyway. Your guests are invited, and it is a perfect way to spend an hour before heading out into the rest of your evening. 


There are sign-up sheets in the undercroft and narthex.

Now Hiring!

Facilities Manager Position open at St. David's!



Part-time, flexible working hours, 15-20 hours per week.

Must be available to attend weekly staff meetings on Mondays.

Find a full job description HERE

 

If interested, send resume to: staffing@stdavidsparish.org 

Upcoming Community Forums

December 24: Social Time and setup for Christmas Eve

Saturday Morning Prayer at St. David's 7:45 AM
Monday Morning Meditation at Oratory Room 9:00 AM
Tuesday Bible Study at 11:00 AM
Compline held each night at 8:00 PM
What else is going on at St. David's?

Want to view the full calendar for the week? Click here to view the St. David's website complete with a calendar to keep you updated on events and offerings! Scroll all the way to the bottom to view it.

Pastoral Care Line: 952-767-0891

To add someone to the prayers, please contact the office: office@stdavidsparish.org


We will include all individuals in the prayers list for four consecutive weeks, and then they will be removed from the list. If the prayer need is ongoing, please reach out and we will keep their names on the list. If anyone's prayer need is shorter than four weeks, please also note that. This way we will keep all prayer lists updated and recent.

Prayers and Passages


We pray for healing of body, mind or spirit for those we love, especially Presiding Bishop Michael Curry, Patsy Beck, Charity Bell, Erin Boyd (niece of Bonnie and Rick Boyd), Ron Brown, Mark Enos (friend of Keith Gause), Evan (friend of Peter Handley), Jeff and Julie Faulkner (friends of Di Marshall and Pat Greene), Carelyn Fylling (friend of Susan Taylor), Frank, Jackie Galich, Martha Hatcher, John Huber (friend of the Drake family), Denny Johnson, the Krueger family (friends of Sue Owen), Anthony Leili, June Lezon (friend of Virginia Haggart and Ned Sorley), Josie Meyer and family (friend of the Handley-Jurkovich family), Caroline Mitchell (niece of Della Johnson), David Pearson, Jonathan and Margaret Prescott (friends of Virginia Haggart and Ned Sorley), Jean Scheu, Carl Smith, Ben Stratton (son of Monica and Roger Stratton), and Don Wilhelmi.


We pray for the people of Israel and Gaza and Ukraine and all impacted by war and strife. We pray for all affected by gun violence, tornadoes, earthquakes and other disasters.


We pray for Margo and Peter (friends of Winona Mindolovich), for Ken Molnar (relative of Anne Monteith) and all who have died.


We pray in thanksgiving for the birth of Xavier Hallman (grandson of Brenda Culp and Carl Smilth) and for all the blessings of this life.


For the world and its leaders, our nation and its people. 


We pray for all who have been born.


We pray for an end to racism and all systems of oppression.

 

We pray for those serving in the military, Will Culliton, Aprille Lopac, and Sam Mulvaney (fiance of Aprille Lopac).

COVID-19 Resources Available

ECMN COVID-19 Response Resources Page Click here

Websites


St. David's Episcopal Church: http://www.stdavidsparish.org


St. David's Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdWtyWv6KQL0fA5ewDDy_xQ 


The Episcopal Church in Minnesota: http://www.episcopalmn.org


The Lectionary Page-Lectionary Readings: http://www.lectionarypage.net


The Episcopal Church: http://www.episcopalchurch.org