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Dearly Beloved,
I adore writing that makes me see time-honored things in a new way, not seeking to erase what’s traditional, but rather adding new ways to imagine and see. That’s what the Canticle of the Turning, a paraphrase of the Magnificat written in 1988 by liturgical musician Rory Cooney, does. Acknowledging that Mary is singing in line with her ancestor Hannah, and in the striking, vibrant imagery of prophetic language, he does the same in more modern language. And he sets these stirring words to the tune of an Irish Folk song, Star of County Down. This musical decision was influenced by Cooney’s notion that the Magnificat is a song of uprising. As he says in his blog Gentle Reign.* I wanted to use music that suggested the revolutionary spirit of the canticle, that cosmic tables are being turned over, as it were. And who has better songs of uprising than the Irish?” I love the vision of a holy uprising, a cosmic revolution, a reversal of the powers that be to the powers of love and justice. And to think that it’s brought about by the coming of God in the birth of a baby, by servants of God participating with joy and receiving comfort, all the while entering the hard and risky work of change. This Advent, may we enter into partnership with God in loving one another and the world, in the same way.
My soul cries out with a joyful shout
That the God of my heart is great
And my spirit sings of the Wondrous things
That you bring to the ones who wait
You fixed your sight on your servant's plight
And my weakness you did not spurn
So from east to west shall my name be blest
Could the world be about to turn?
chorus
My heart shall sing of the day you bring
Let the fires of your justice burn
Wipe away all tears for the dawn draws near
And the world is about to turn!
Though I am small, my God, my all, you
Work great things in me
And your mercy will last from the Depths
Of the past to the end of the age to be
Your very name puts the proud to shame
And to those who would for you yearn
You will show your might
Put the strong to flight
For the world is about to turn
chorus
From the halls of power to the fortress tower
Not a stone will be left on stone
Let the king beware for your
Justice tears ev'ry tyrant from his throne
The hungry poor shall weep no more
For the food they can never ears
There are tables spread, ev'ry
Mouth be fed
For the world is about to turn
chorus
Though the nations rage from age to age
We remember
Who holds us fast
God's mercy must deliver us from the conqueror's crushing grasp
This saving word that out forebears
Heard is the promise which holds us bound
'Til the spear and rod can be
Crushed by God
Who is turning the world around
Chorus x2
By Rory Cooney
*http://rorycooney.blogspot.com/2014/08/songstories-36-canticle-of-turning-gia.html?m=1
Blessings and love,
Mo. Nikki+
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STEWARDSHIP REMINDER. If you have not yet returned your 2023 stewardship pledge form, you can do so by bringing your completed form to worship (additional forms are in the narthex), by mailing your pledge form to church, or on our home page via the QUICK LINKS tab GIVING TO ST. GREGORY’S.
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ADVENT OFFERINGS
This Advent Season your Adult Spiritual Formation Group is offering a program over three Thursday evenings with guest speakers from our wider community to share their work in what we call building Beloved Community. Invoking the Advent themes of Revelation, Journey and Restoration, and inspired by our learning through Sacred Ground, we invite direction along paths our neighbors have taken in pursuit of racial justice.
December 1: Revelation
A selection from Athens Vignettes: A Dialogue with the African American Community by Dr. Roshaunda Breeden and directed by Dr. Freda Scott Giles will be presented by Dr. Giles to illustrate the local history of Linnentown, the Baldwin Hall remains, exploring the relationship between UGA and the Athens African American community, and the impact of urban renewal.
December 8: Journey
Jubilee Partners will come to share their experience of ministry caring for those on the journey of immigration who face challenges unimaginable to most of us.
December 15: Restoration
From the Friends of Brooklyn Cemetery, formed in 2006, we will learn about the work of family and community restoration to honor African American ancestors and the historic community which surrounded their final resting place first established in 1882.
Each evening will begin with a simple meal of soup and bread at 6pm in the Education Building. The presentations will begin at 6:30 following a short meditation and opening prayer, and then be followed by a time for reflection, questions and small group discussions, ending at 7:30. Please join us and invite your friends and family. Also, please notify the church office if you require the Nursery to support your attendance.
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Praying with Pictures:
Contemplative Christian Practices with the Tarot
Class 2 is on Sunday, Dec 11 at 9:15am in the Parish Hall.
All are welcome (even if you missed last week’s class.)
It will help for the next class if you download (and print, if you’re able):
The Ultimate Soul Tarot Card Guide
Looking for a way to deepen your practice and know the cards better, all through a Soul Tarot Framework? Click the link below to receive a one of a kind, totally free resource to help you cultivate fuller trust in your Tarot pulls (and your own wise knowing)!
Instructions for downloading are on the link below:
Free Tarot Resources from Lindsay Mack — Tarot for the Wild Soul
Last week’s class is on the St. Gregory the Great Episcopal Church, Athens, Ga YouTube channel
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u04c17qIeuw
If you have cards, bring them for this week’s class.
Our upcoming classes:
December 11: Where am I in the Tarot? Interpretation, meaning, and basics for prayer with the Tarot
December 18: How is God conversing with me and what do I hear through the Tarot? Finding your Personal Prayer Practices with the Tarot
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Deacon Christina’s Outreach*
Let’s Help Church of the Common Ground
As the cold weather kicks in, our Episcopalian brothers, sisters, and those who identify as neither, who also suffer from homelessness, receive hot coffee at Church of the Common Ground, our church without walls at Piedmont Park in Atlanta. They are in need of these specific items, 5 lb bags of sugars (no bigger than 10 lbs), containers of powdered (only) creamer, and boxes of hot chocolate. This sugar, creamer, and hot chocolate drive will continue until Christmas Day, December 25, 2022. A box for collection of these items will be in the parish hall foyer beginning today.
Blessings,
Rev. Christina Dondero
*for anybody wondering, our Outreach Committee supports local needs,
and our clergy outreach supports diocesan and wider church needs.
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Cathedral Bookstore
The Cathedral Bookstore will be visiting St. Gregory’s on Sunday, December 11. They will be set up in Parish Hall and bringing books, children’s books, gifts, Episcopal -themed items, etc.
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Poinsettia Dedications
If you wish to give a poinsettia in honor or memory of a loved one, the deadline for ordering will be Sunday, Dec. 18. The suggested donation this year is $15 per dedication. Please place your completed form (see red forms in your Sunday bulletin or in the narthex) and your check in the offering plate on Sundays, Kendall’s office door, or mail it to the parish office. You may also contact the office by phone, 706-546-7553 or email, office@stgregoryathens.org.
If ordering through email, please be very clear if dedication is in memory of, thanksgiving for, or in honor of ...
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To Those for Whom Christmas Hurts: You are not alone. You are invited to our Blue Christmas Healing Eucharist. St. Gregory the Great Episcopal Church invites you to a special holiday service of worship designed for those for whom the holidays might be difficult. This Eucharist will include laying on of hands and anointing for those who wish to receive this particular sacrament. And wherever you are in your faith journey, all are welcome to receive communion. If you have undergone a painful loss, transition, life change, or if life has simply been hard for a while, the church cares about you and invites you to a special time for healing and peace, on Wednesday, December 21, 2022, at 6PM. | | |
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We'll have Band of Believers practice on Sunday, 12/4, 12/11, 12/18 at 9:30AM in the Children's Chapel. Let us know if you want to be involved so we can get your music ready!
There will be an extra rehearsal after church on 12/18 with the pageant folks. (We'll have sandwiches after church so we don't starve.)
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This Sunday, December 11, we will be meeting with all children who plan to be in the Christmas Eve Children's Pageant IMMEDIATELY after the 10:30 service. We will be confirming the character parts for Christmas Eve, and will assign the appropriate costume for the children.
Parents will be able to occupy their time themselves by visiting the traveling display of the Cathedral Bookstore, which will be set-up in the Parish Hall. There will be books, gifts, and other Episcopal-specific things for you to peruse for your Christmas preparations.
If all proceeds well, we should finish with the children in just under an hour.
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Volunteer Reconciler Needed
We thank Richard Cooper for his last two years as the Reconciler. Richard is now stepping down. We are required to have someone reconcile all checking and investment account statements to the balance that is on the books. St. Gregory the Great Episcopal Church's Financial Policies require that the Reconciler is not the Treasurer or the bookkeeper. It takes about two or three hours once a month. Please contact Kendall or Les House if you are interested in volunteering to be the Reconciler. The Treasurer will provide training.
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Our own Doug Adkins will be ordained on Dec. 17 at 2PM at the Cathedral.
Click here for the livestream that afternoon.
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PINEYWOODS ARTISANS STUDIO
OPEN HOUSE
265 Athens Road, Winterville, GA
Dec. 10, 10AM - 5PM
and Dec. 11, 11AM - 5PM
Artists
Margaret Agner
hand dyed silk, fiber art
Elizabeth Barton
watercolors, art quilts
Alice Harris & Dale Goodhue
ceramics
Dortha Jacobson
Oil Paintings and Greeting cards
Marianne Parr
Stained Glass
(Marianne designed St. G's rose window)
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2023 EPIPHANY DRIVE FOR FAMILY PROMISE
As most of you know, St. Gregory’s belongs to Family Promise (previously Interfaith Hospitality Network), an organization of churches in Athens that provides homeless families a temporary place to stay while they work their way back to stability. The breadwinners of the families get rides to work if needed. Those who don’t have jobs are provided some of the support they need to find one. Meals are provided. Family Promise also works to prevent homelessness by helping families with a rent or utility payment or with the purchase of a used vehicle. These are truly opportunities to put our faith into action.
While we have the chance to serve as onsite volunteers during three weeks of the year, there are many parishioners who are unable to show up in person but would be interested in helping with Family Promise. We hope our 2023 Epiphany Drive will provide the opportunity to do just that.
Family Pride has an Amazon wishlist which, of course, is readily accessible to anyone shopping on Amazon. This link takes you directly to the Family Promise wishlist. There, you may add items directly to your Cart, pay for them as you do any Amazon order, and Amazon delivers the items straight to the registered Family Promise address. This provides an easy way to help meet the needs of the homeless population served by this program, and we hope that many of you will agree and participate. We will announce this effort several times during our January 6-February 6 Epiphany Drive.
In recognition of the fact that not everyone shops with Amazon, we will also provide paper copies of the Family Promise wishlist as inserts in our church bulletins during January. You may purchase as many items as you choose, bring them to the Fellowship Hall at church any time from January 6 – February 6, and we will deliver them to Family Promise.
However you decide to participate, you may rest assured that your contributions will significantly impact Family Promise and its clients.
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come oh come
a dreary day
rainy weather
keeps some away
from together
but joining with
neighbors and friends
will bring about
a spirit cleanse
to lift our mood
and celebrate
how god in us
will conquer hate
with courage to
more faithful be
love is the way
to make us free
alice mohor
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If you're in your 20s or 30s and would like to stay up to date on events for your age group please reach out to Wade McGlamery, 770-624-4837, to join our group chat. | | |
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Instructions for Live Streaming
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Near the time for service, underneath our channel logo, you will see our video for that day, with the word ‘live’ on it. The page will look like this:
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If you don’t immediately see the video that says ‘live’, (for instance, if you opened YouTube before the service begins) keep refreshing it.
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When you see the video square that says ‘live’, click on it.
Welcome to worship!
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Meeting Opportunities
Parish community offerings via Zoom or in person:
Hebrew Reading is on hiatus while Joel gets settled in his new home!
Stacie Court hosts "Let's Chat!" for women of the parish. The days and time vary, and not everyone can join every time, but everyone is welcome to join whenever they can! Email Stacie!
* St. Gregory's Book Club meets the first Friday of the month in Parish Hall @ 7PM ongoing for the foreseeable future. Email Lois Alworth if you are interested in participating.
*Threads of Prayer meets on the 1st Tuesdays of the month @1PM! We'll meet outside if the weather is good and inside the Christian Ed building if the weather is bad. Email Annette Bates if you are interested in participating. All knitters and crocheters welcome!
*Men's Group: 9AM on Saturdays. 1st & 3rd Saturdays at St. Gregory's library and 2nd & 4th & 5th Saturdays at the Somerville's house ! Email Peter Rice
* group(s) meeting in person
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