Reflections from Our Pastors

Thursday, October 26, 2023

God of Comfort,

send your Spirit to encompass all those whose lives

are torn apart by violence and death in Israel and Palestine.

You are the Advocate of the oppressed

and the One whose eye is on the sparrow.

Let arms reach out in healing, rather than aggression.

Let hearts mourn rather than militarize.

God of Justice,

give strength to those whose long work for a just peace

might seem fruitless now. Strengthen their resolve.

Do not let them feel alone. Show us how to support their work

and bolster their courage. Guide religious leaders to model

unity and reconciliation across lines of division.

Guide political leaders to listen with their hearts as they seek peace and pursue it.

Help all people choose the rigorous path of just peace and disavow violence.

God of Love,

we lift up Palestine and Israel — its people, its land, its creatures.

War is a monster that consumes everything in its path.

Peace is a gift shared at meals of memory with Christians, Muslims, and Jews.

Let us burn incense, not children. Let us break bread, not bodies.

Let us plant olive groves, not cemeteries.

We beg for love and compassion to prevail

on all your holy mountains.

God of Hope,

we lift up the cities of the region: Gaza City and Tel Aviv,

Ramallah and Ashkelon, Deir El Balah and Sderot,

so long divided, yet so filled with life and creativity.

Come again to breathe peace on your peoples

that all may recognize you.

God of Mercy,

even now work on the hearts of combatants

to choose life over death, reconciliation over retaliation,

restoration over destruction. Help us resist antisemitism in all its forms,

especially in our own churches. All people, Israelis and Palestinians,

deserve to live in peace and unafraid, with a right to determine

their future together.

God of the Nations,

let not one more child or elder be sacrificed on altars of political expediency.

Keep safe all people from unjust leaders who would exploit

vulnerability for their own distorted ends.

Give wise discernment to those making decisions to pursue peace.

Provide them insight into fostering well-being, freedom, and thriving for all.

Teach all of us to resolve injustices with righteousness, not rockets.

Guard our hearts against retaliation, and give us hearts for love alone.

Strengthen our faith in you, O God of All Flesh,

even when we don’t have clear answers,

so that we may still offer ourselves nonviolently

for the cause of peace.

Amen.

(Sojourner Magazine)

Blessings,

Mother Rosean

Photo courtesy of the Catholic Leader.

Octoberfest Fundraiser a Success!

Our shared service last Sunday, October 22nd was a huge success! As always, we were inspired by our pastors at our shared service which included 2 baptisms, Trinity Bells, and Mary of Magdala's singers! The sanctuary was nearly filled! At 11:30 AM, the 3 communities entered the Fellowship Hall for beer, brats, and tables filled with many scrumptious menu items!

The Oktoberfest team added 12 dining tables to the hall. About 180 of us were seated so closely that we barely had room to walk! We were treated to 4 brewers! Steve Jones brought his homemade award winning "My Uncle Dunkle"! Three breweries also donated - Obstacle Brewing's "Kolsch", Timnath Brewing's "Octoberfest", and Zwei Brewing's "Vienna". Bill Smith entertained us with recorded polka music! Mike Werner brought his bean bag toss game for outside fun on such a gorgeous day!

Besides sharing our faith and fellowship, we also made a super generous donation of about $6,000.00 and counting towards one of our main social justice causes- Habitat for Humanity! This was double our giving goal of $3,000.00 for this event. A huge thank you goes to Sarah Lindsey, Faith Engagement Manager for Habitat for Humanity, who brought us up to date with Habitat home building and introduced future homeowner, Crystal and her son!

Special thanks for making Oktoberfest so successful go to Thrivent Action for its gift card of $250.00 to pay for the brats, and buns and sauerkraut, to Pastor Rick for personally shopping for them, to everyone who organized the 301 Faith Partners shared service, and to everyone who volunteered their service or brought food to the luncheon. God has blessed us!

-Leonard Russ

For additional pictures, click here

Notice for Altar Flowers for Week of October 29

This week’s flowers were donated by Anne Beavan of Mary of Magdala, in memory of all of our deceased members from the 301 Faith Partners as we celebrate All Saint’s Day and commemorate those who have passed on All Souls’ Day during the coming week.

MofM final Social Justice Committee meeting of 2023 



The last Mary of Magdala Social Justice Committee 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 FFH 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 301 Faith Partners on Oct. 22nd

The full video of our 301 Shared Service is stored on the St. Paul's Episcopal YouTube channel, available here. The readings were read by Mary of Magdala lectors, the Communion was consecrated by Rev. Felicia Smith-Graybeal, and the homily given by Rev. Rick Reiten of Trinity Lutheran.

Mass Schedule

Sunday Oct 29 at 12:30 pm

• Rev. Jane Reina is presiding. In-person and with Zoom

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

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.