Reflections from Our Pastors

Tuesday, October 31, 2023

Must We Love God or Are We Invited to Love God?



This past Sunday was the 30th Sunday in ordinary time and the Gospel message used as basis for the homily was, “You must love the Most High God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest commandment.” As we remember that Jesus was filled with the Spirit of his Father, the Creator, a reading of Matthew 22: 34-40 gives us the context for this scripture quote.

After Mass someone asked why was it a command to love God? They understood the historical context but were offended to some degree to be commanded to love God. They expressed a preference of being invited to love God. There might have been others on Sunday who were listening and had the same feeling and question.

So thinking about that, we might approach this by questioning: 1) our individual assumption of who is God, 2) how we as individuals experience the nature of God and 3) examining the assumption that we are Christians, searching or longing.

What strength and confidence this person showed to be comfortable expressing a homily critique right after Mass. Also, what courage that person possesses. It takes courage to tell someone directly, at the moment, what may seem like a negative effect. I say ‘seems’ because the Spirit acts in strange ways and who knows what will come of this.

So I would ask that person, and anyone else who feels the same, to take the courage that they already possess and face the command squarely and tell God what you think with all your heart and all your soul, and all your mind. God’s love has no boundaries this way or that. God wants relationship and this is a walk into a deeper relationship. I will be praying for us this week in a special way.



If we already have a prayer or spiritual practice, that is a good place to ask these questions. If we do not have a prayer or spiritual practice and desire to begin one, please contact one of our pastors.

For your reference, here is the link to Sunday’s readings and homily.

Peace within,

Pastor Jane 

Used with permission by Wallup.

This Week at Mary of Magdala

Fall Clean-up Day November 4, 9 am - 12 pm

Please join together with our Faith Partners for the annual Fall Cleanup Day on Saturday, November 4, from 9 am-12 pm. Please bring your favorite rake, leaf-blower/leaf-vacuum, pruning shears, and/or other tools to clean up the church campus.

If you would prefer to work inside or if the weather is too bad to be outside, please bring cleaning supplies and hand vacuums for interior room cleaning. Come help clean and get ready for Advent! Please contact Mike Werner at (316) 250-6409 or Gray Currier at (970) 962-4057 with any questions.

Honoring the Day of the Dead -

Workshop and Celebration!

Saturday, Nov. 4, 6:30 PM

In this Thin Time of the year, when we remember our loved ones who have passed away, St. Paul’s is offering a Day of the Dead workshop and celebration on Saturday, Nov. 4th, from 7-9 PM for all the 301 Faith Partners. This will be an opportunity for all of us to honor our beloved ancestors for All Saints Day!

Choose your own adventure:  There will be multiple stations, and you are welcome to participate in whatever ways you choose. There will be opportunities to decorate sugar cookies for Days of the Dead, play a game with our Death Deck cards, work on your advance directive documents, engage in conversations about your experiences with death and dying, spend time in contemplation using Visio divina (sacred looking), and remember your ancestors, both of the blood and of the heart.

We invite you to bring images and objects (even favorite foods) of beloved forbears of the soul and/or body to include in the altar we will be creating. Wine, a festive non-alcoholic drink, cheese, cookies, and other goodies will be on offer.

Prayer of Lament

Sunday November 5 - 4:00 pm

Plymouth UCC - 916 W. Prospect Rd

An interfaith service (hosted by Fort Collins Interfaith Community) will be a time for all seeking a space to grieve and be in community in the face of all that is happening in Israel and Palestine. So far we have a number of churches/clergy/clerics sponsoring and attending including Shakir of the Islamic Center and Rabbi Hillel.

The service will have readings and songs in a Taize style service. We will not have any politicized speeches, but rather create a space for lament, and sharing and hope and prayer for all affected near and far. If you have thoughts on content or would like to help with the service itself, please let us know via this email

With much tenderness and hope,

Arpi Miller

MofM final Social Justice Ministry meeting of 2023 



The last Mary of Magdala Social Justice Ministry meeting of 2023 is planned for Nov 6th, beginning at 6:30 pm. All members of the committee are encouraged to attend. The meeting is also open to anyone else who wishes to attend and participate.

Agenda items:

·         Next FFN volunteer week (Jean Christen)

·         Madonna Hospital Update (Cindy Cloyd)

·         Grocery cards planning (Tom Moos)

·         Advent project 2023 (All)

The meeting will be held virtually over zoom. Attendees can connect with the same Zoom link that we use for Sunday Masses:

Mary of Magdala Social Justice Meeting

Monday Nov 6, 2023 starting at 6:30 pm

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/4315028167

Meeting ID: 431 502 8167

No Password required. Attendees will be placed into a waiting room.

Photo by Tim Marshall on Unsplash.

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.

Celebrating with the 30th Sunday of Ordinary Time

Celebrate with Rev. Jane Reina presiding on October 29th. The video of the homily and readings is available here.

Social Justice Reflection

Tom Moos, Social Justice Ministry

Before today’s Social Justice Reflection, please join me in a very brief moment of silent prayer for the 18 individuals killed and 13 injured in the mass shooting in Lewiston, Maine this past Wednesday and also for the 14 people killed or injured in 3 other less publicized mass shootings since Wednesday, and the victims of the other 566 mass shootings of 2023.

Building a financially secure retirement is an uphill climb for many Americans, but it’s especially steep if you are Black. Black workers ages 51 to 64 are the least likely among all racial and ethnic groups to have a retirement account. But the retirement savings gap is just the tip of a very large iceberg of financial inequalities. Why do Black workers often face difficulties in saving money for retirement?

1. Black workers are paid less, 76 cents for every dollar earned by white workers. 43% of Black families have annual income under $25,000, compared to 20 percent of white families.
2. Black unemployment rates are roughly double that of white workers.
3. Black workers are less likely to have access to retirement benefits like 401(k) savings plans, are concentrated in lower-wage jobs without benefits, or can’t participate in retirement plans because their pay barely covers living expenses.
4. Most private-sector jobs offer 401(k) savings accounts instead of pension plans. 401(k)s primarily benefit high-wage earners who can afford to contribute and disproportionately hurt low-wage workers.
5. 75% of white households own their home while only 45% of Black households own a home. This 30 point gap has not budged in 30 years. Black applicants are denied mortgage loans at twice the rate of White applicants
6. Black families are less likely to inherit wealth. Black parents are also less likely to be able to help their children with college tuition, down-payment on a first home, or other big-ticket expenses. Instead, Black college graduates are 3x as likely to have to support a parent than college-educated whites.
7. On average, Black families only have $1500 in emergency savings while White families have over 5x as much, $8100. Short term needs can have long-term consequences such as early withdrawals with hefty tax penalties from retirement savings accounts.

Clearly, persistent economic disparities remain an important contributing factor to systemic racism in our country.

Source: “The Racial Retirement Gap in 7 Facts”

Mass Schedule

Weekly Mass Wednesday, Nov 1 at

11:00 am

• Weekly mass in the Fireside Room
• No Zoom available

Sunday Nov 5 at 12:30 pm

• Father Teri Harroun is presiding. In-person and with Zoom

Weekly Mass Wednesday, Nov 8 at

11:00 am

• Weekly mass in the Fireside Room
• No Zoom available

Sunday Nov 12 at 12:30 pm

• Mother Rosean Amaral is presiding. In-person and with Zoom

Did you miss an article or announcement?

Past e-bulletins posted here



• Ongoing Giving Opportunities in Fellowship hall; see list here

• Dedicating Altar Flowers? Contact Joan Stepleton at JoanStepleton@gmail.com or 864-650-2816. A $25 dollar donation is kindly requested.

• The purpose of the Mary Magdalene Society is to financially support aspiring and current priests and encourage the development of youth in their spiritual journeys. Read more here.

Mary of Magdala Parish Community

Members: Need to view, update information or download a copy of the member directory? Just click here.

If you would like to contribute to Mary of Magdala, here are ways to schedule a single or recurring Sunday offertory.

All are invited and ALL are welcome to join our parish community. Here is the webpage with more information on membership

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.