Reflection from our Co-Pastors - Tuesday, Nov 9, 2021

The Widow's Offering

Today I am reflecting back on Sunday's Gospel reading of the widow's offering. Mother Alice's gift to us, in the inspired words of her homily, have moved me to see with new eyes-- breathing the breath of the living God into scripture stories that are read over and over again to us at Mass, week after week, year after year.
I think of the contribution of the widow. Jesus tells his disciples, "She, out of her poverty, gave everything she had to live on."
"Out of her poverty" is the phrase that has stayed with me since Sunday.

When I think of the word poverty I often think of those who are poor. People who do not have enough money to make ends meet. Those who must reach out for food assistance, rental subsidies, clothing handouts, help with utilities. Those folks who do not even have the resources in their town or village that would provide for these needs. I am not poor as defined by the "poor of the world," and so I could find myself defining poverty in such a way that does not offer a new perspective or more expansive view.

After Mother Alice's homily, I began to ponder the question, "What is my place of poverty?" Further discernment led me to believe that could be a different place each day.

For example, preparing the liturgy and homily for the first Mass I am to celebrate as a priest of the Ecumenical Catholic Communion is a time-consuming effort which involves deadlines and the work of several people who lend ideas,
type out the entire service, distribute the document to lectures, co-pastors, musicians and the technology team.
Hymns are chosen, visuals are created, prayers are written. This process continues throughout the entire week prior to the Sunday of celebration. 

So... I look at "time" this week as my "place of poverty." Yet, I received a phone call from a dear friend in great distress. Her 17 year old granddaughter had taken her life. She needed to talk, to cry, to "melt down." She needed a friend. As she planned her trip to the funeral and a week's stay with her son and family, she needed obstacles to be cleared away--adjustments to her work schedule, animal care, (yes, Laurie and I are providing care for an adorable kitten), airline tickets...
And though my place of poverty was "time," out of that place of poverty I gave life to my friend and the love of God between us was made tangible. 

It is amazing and awe-inspiring to witness how many of you continue to give to our community even during these times of distress and pandemic--give of your time, talent and treasure-- to sustain the mission and vision of Mary of Magdala and the 301 Faith Partnership. For this we are forever grateful.

Today, please spend some time pondering, "What is your place of poverty?" and how can you serve God's people from this place?

AMEN
Supporting our Community
Members in Need

When a friend is in need, everyone asks "What can I do to help?" The answer is always to provide support through a meal.

Mary of Magdala's Hospitality Ministry is inviting you to join the 'Meal Train' to support our community member Mary Detweiler.
We only need 4 people right now, although it may run longer. Here is the Meal Train link with all the information you need.

If you have any additional questions, please reach out to Joan Chapman-Smith via this email.
A Time for Contemplative Art
and Silent Reflection
2:30 to 4:00 pm every Friday in the sanctuary
Hosted by Elaine Hild and Laurie Gudim

When Elaine was in Germany she loved being able to go and hang out in the sacred spaces of local churches. They were open!

We are offering the same sort of experience — a weekly time when the sanctuary at 301 E Stuart will be open for anyone who would like to come, sit in silence, journal, draw and reflect. Elaine will have her harp and violin and will often play during this time. This is not a performance but rather a meditation.
Photo by pure julia on Unsplash
Service Recordings
Sunday, Nov 7 - Recording
Due to an operator error, the recording from our Nov 7 Mass with Mother Alice is not available.

But please take a moment to read our #BLM Reflection for Sunday.
A durable myth of recent history is that the Moral Majority of the religious right, the coalition of conservative religious fundamentalists, emerged as a political movement in response to the U.S. Supreme Court’s 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling legalizing abortion. The tale goes something like this: Evangelicals, who had been politically quiet for decades, were so morally outraged by Roe that they resolved to organize in order to overturn it.

But this myth quickly collapses under historical scrutiny. In fact, it wasn’t until 1979—a full six years after Roe—that fundamentalist leaders, at the behest of Catholic conservative activist Paul Weyrich, seized on abortion as a rallying-cry to deny President Jimmy Carter a second term.

The movement can trace its political roots back to a court ruling, but not Roe v. Wade. In May 1969, a group of African-American parents in Holmes County, Mississippi, sued the Treasury Department to prevent three new, whites-only, K-12 private academies from securing full tax-exempt status, arguing that their discriminatory policies should prevent them from being
considered “charitable” institutions. The Supreme Court’s Green v. Connally ruling of 1971 denied tax-exempt status to segregated private schools.
The IRS began sending questionnaires to church-related academies, including Jerry Falwell’s own Lynchburg Christian School, inquiring about their racial policies. Bob Jones University — a fundamentalist college in Greenville, South Carolina responded defiantly to such an IRS letter that it did not admit African Americans. The school’s founder argued that racial segregation was mandated by the Bible.

But at the risk of losing its tax status, Bob Jones admitted one African-American, a worker in its radio station, as a part-time student but he dropped out a month later. In 1975, again in an attempt to forestall IRS action, the school admitted blacks to the student body, but refused to admit unmarried African-Americans out of fear they would interbreed with whites. 

Having tapped into the anger especially of southern evangelical leaders, Moral Majority founders Falwell and Weyrich were savvy enough to recognize that organizing Christians to defend racial discrimination would be a challenge and needed another issue in order to mobilize voters on a large scale. Abortion then became the “public face” of the movement.
Past Recordings, Bulletins, and Announcements

For all bulletins, reflections, Sunday recordings during, visit our webpage. Please contact us with questions, concerns and ideas for better connection with and for the community - marymagdalafc@gmail.com. And feel free to call the office at 970 493-9536.

Newsletters of Trinity Lutheran Church and the St. Paul's Episcopal  
What are our partners in ministry up to? Go here for the Trinity Lutheran Church monthly newsletter, "Tidings". And here is St Paul's weekly bulletin
Who Are the 301 Faith Partners?
The 301 Faith Partners have a Vision,
Mission and Values statement that guides our relationships, interactions, and shared projects and ministries.
Our Vision – ‘Our guiding Light’
Weaving a tapestry of love, hope and justice for the world.
Read the Vision, Mission, Core Values and Covenant here.