Reflections from Our Co-Pastors

Tuesday, February 7, 2023


Mark 7: 1-13

Today’s gospel reading highlights the irony of keeping our hands ritually clean while being up to our elbows in corruption. The action starts following a brief outline of what was involved in Jewish purification rituals— “all Jews do not eat unless they thoroughly wash their hands…or eat anything from the market unless they wash it; and there are also many other traditions that they observe…Why do your disciples not live according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with defiled hands?’


The question put by the scribes and Pharisees is anything but a search for information. It is actually an accusation. It succeeds only in provoking Jesus into an angry outburst directed at his would-be inquisitors: “Isaiah must have had you in mind when he said: ‘This people honors me only with lip-service, while their hearts are far from me…You abandon the commandment of God and hold to human tradition.”


If we are honest with ourselves, we will be able to point to times in our lives when we have been ruled by ritual, custom, legalism and nit-picking. There have been times when “being church” has been replaced by going to church out of obligation or fear. There have been times when “going to communion” has been a substitute for being Eucharist for others, or when “going to Mass” has had little to do with identifying with Jesus.


Today’s gospel is an unambiguous invitation to break free of legalistic religious practice (excessive adherence to law), and embrace the kind of compassion, care and acceptance that Jesus preached and lived. Valuing love over law is one of the core values of Mary of Magdala. May Christ continue to guide us, by his words and the model of his life.



Amen 

This Week at Mary of Magdala

Invitation to Stewardship - 2023


As of today, Tuesday, we have 21 pledges and half way to meet our proposed budget!

THANK YOU



 If you have not yet sent in a form

Please consider doing a formal pledge this week.


You can access the online pledge form here or a down-loadable form here.

Ways to schedule a recurring contribution are listed on this website page.


With humble and deep gratitude - Your Leadership Council

We need Your Input!


The focus of the Joint Eco-Justice Ministry (a 301 Faith Partners effort), is to explore and act on topics related to eco-justice.


We are interested in what the members of Mary of Magdala think

 would be important topics on which to act.


Please complete this short survey this week so we can know more about what is important to our community. Questions? Contact Linda Joyce

301 Faith Partners - Announcements

Together we can do more.

301 Faith Partners Fellowship Get Together


This month's social will be at Mythmaker Brewing located at 1035 S. Taft Hill on Thursday, February 9 at 3:30 pm.


Mythmaker has several varieties of brew and the brews are on site and fresh! They also carry some snacks, but customers are invited to bring their own.

 

And to repeat, these gatherings are all inclusive! It's all informal and fun and we try a different pub every month! No pressure attendance, no RSVP necessary. It's Valentines month! We love 301 Fellowship!

Request for Prayers

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Praying for peace, health and well-being through challenging times


+Kolten Weitzel, grandson of Kerrie Anderson, member

+Peter Marshall, brother of member Margie Karuzas, member

+ Jim Carroll, husband of member Dori Carroll

+Everly, five years old and Kiersten, friends of Lynne Barnes, member


+ Mary Detweiller, member

+ Peter, friend of Sharon Troyer

+ Sarah Reveron and her daughter, Aliana - niece and grandniece of Rev. Jane Reina


+ Uriah - grandson of Mother Rosean

+ Joanne Gallagher member

+ Edward for healing and Marge for hope, relatives of Ruth Conley, member


A special prayer request from Jeff Akkerman - In finding new employment.  "Please contact me if anyone has connections or knows of a business looking to fill an entry level position for Python programming, Data Science, or even web development." 805-216-0702

+ Rosemary - Fr Michael's mother

+ Suzanne King - member-

+ Harry11 year canine companion to Gray La Fond.

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A blessed and peaceful repose of souls for those who've passed and comfort for the friends and families.

 

+ Lee Yeazell, brother of Bruce Yeazell, member

+ Miles, young friend of Ted (nephew of the Devlin's, members)

+ Sherry Shead, wife of Tim Shead, administrator at Light of Christ

+Steve Muzikar, cousin of Co Pastor Jane



+Wendell Schwarz, brother of Sr. Mary Colleen, OSB

+ John Hynes - father of Rev. Jane's children

+ Mother of Bishop Kae Madden


+ Dennis Snyder. brother-in-law of Ruth Alexander, member

+ John Crowfoot, friend of Jean Christen, member

Please send prayer requests to marymagdalafc@gmail.com. Prayers will be listed for one month unless requested for longer. Prayers for the repose of souls will be listed for six months unless requested for a longer time.

Service Recordings and More

Sunday Mass February 2023

Celebrating the 5th Sunday in Ordinary Time

A video recording of the readings and the homily given by Father Teri Harroun is available here.

Social Justice Reflection

Tom Moos, Social Justice Ministry Chair


February is Black History month. Today, we honor a woman with an impressive resume of “firsts”.


Constance Baker Motley was born in 1921, the 9th of 12 children of immigrants from the Caribbean.  She developed a desire to practice law while in high school, couldn’t afford college tuition, and so went to work for the National Youth Administration. A philanthropist heard her speak at an event and paid her education at NYU and later, at Columbia Law School.


She was hired by the NAACP’s Legal Defense Fund as a civil rights lawyer, their first female attorney.  Alongside Thurgood Marshall, she dismantled legalized segregation throughout the US for 20 years.  Some of her accomplishments:



  • She wrote the complaint for the landmark Brown v. Board of Education and was the only woman on the team of lawyers who argued that case.
  • She represented MLK and argued 10 major civil rights cases before the US Supreme Court, winning 9.  The decision she lost was later overturned largely on the merits of her original arguments.
  • She was the first African-American woman elected to the New York State Senate.
  • In 1965, she became the first woman to serve as president for the Borough of Manhattan.
  • In 1966, she was appointed by President Johnson to the US District Court for the southern district of NY, becoming the first African-American woman appointed and confirmed to a Federal judgeship.  In 1982, she was elevated to chief judge.


Unfortunately, in America, historical significance and leadership are often coded “male”. Despite a legacy of “breaking through the glass ceiling”, Constance Motley’s name isn’t as widely recognized as she deserves. 

Mass and Service Schedule

Wednesday February 8 - 11:00 am

  • In the Fireside Room
  • No Zoom available


Sunday February 12 12:30 pm

  • Mass at 12:30 pm (no 5pm Mass)
  • Mother Rosean Amaral presiding


Wednesday February 15 - 11:00 am

  • In the Fireside Room
  • No Zoom available

Sunday February 19 12:30 pm

  • Mass at 12:30 pm (no 5pm Mass)
  • Father Michael Nicosia presiding


Wednesday February 22 - 11:00 am

  • Cancelled. Join us for Ash Wednesday service


Ash Wednesday February 22 - Eucharist and ashes

  • 7:00 am - St. Paul's Episcopal
  • 12 Noon - Trinity Lutheran
  • 7:00 pm -Mary of Magdala, ECC
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Our Vision – ‘Our guiding Light’

Weaving a tapestry of love, hope and justice for the world.


The 301 Faith Partners--Mary of Magdala, Trinity Lutheran, St Paul's Episcopal --have a Vision, Mission and Values statement that guides our relationships, interactions, and shared projects and ministries.


Read about our Mission, Core Values and Covenant here.

The ECC Regional Website is now live - View here.

Newsletters of Trinity Lutheran Church and the St. Paul's Episcopal  

Click here for the Trinity Lutheran Church monthly newsletter, "Tidings". And here is St Paul's weekly bulletin.

Mary of Magdala Member Directory

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