Reflection from Our Co-Pastors
August 26, 2021
We, the Holy City Jerusalem,
the Kin-dom of God
Imagine each of us and all of us together, as beautiful as the holy city, Jerusalem. Imagine we the precious stones that comprise the very structure of the Holy City. Imagine again ourselves, our core, our grounding, our true inner source, as the Kin-dom that makes up the King-dom.
I bet we can all recall the many times we heard ‘The kingdom of God,” and the “Reign of God” and the “New Jerusalem.” A reading of Rev. 21: 9b-14 talks about the beautiful city:
“The angel spoke to me, saying,
‘Come and let me show you the betrothed of the Lamb.’
He took me in spirit to a great, high mountain
and showed me the holy city Jerusalem
coming down out of heaven from God.
It gleamed with the splendor of God.
Its radiance was like that of a precious stone,
like jasper, clear as crystal.
It had a massive, high wall
(Rev 21: 9b-14)
In the freedom of our loving God, come, let us together be the bride, the wife of the Lamb. Let us be the Holy city, Jerusalem. Let us be a gleaming jewel, a sparkling diamond. Didn’t we come out of heaven, out of God itself when we were created? We were born complete and completely human with the capacity for joy and sorrow, filled and yet hungry. “God looked at all this creation, and proclaimed that this was good --- very good.” (Genesis 1:31 )
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What if it is we who are, in our fullness and wholeness, the City itself?
“The wall was made of jasper, and the city of pure gold, as pure as glass. The foundation stones of the city wall were decorated with every kind of precious stone. The first one was jasper, the second was sapphire, the third was chalcedony, the fourth one was emerald, the fifth was sardonyx, the sixth was carnelian, the seventh was chrysolite, the eighth was beryl, the ninth was topaz, the tenth was chrysoprase, the eleventh was jacinth, and the twelfth foundation was amethyst. (Rev. 21: 18-20)
Look down at yourself and see that you are beautiful; look in the mirror into your own eyes and see God; go out and inhale all that is beautiful. Do you feel like the New Jerusalem, the Holy City, the Kin-dom of God?
God has no bounds. Love is all pervasive. Can we bring the City to those who annoy us, prick us, minimize us? Can we bring it to our partner, neighbor, co-worker, friend, family, client, customer, student, patient, salesperson, grocery clerk, supervisor? Can we see our beloveds who have died as a precious stone comprising the Kin-dom? Can we bring it back to our own consciousness?
“The grace of our savior Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen” (Rev. 22: 21)
Ref: Creighton University’s Online Ministries, August 24.2021, and The Inclusive Bible.
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Announcements - Mary of Magdala, ECC |
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YOU ARE INVITED TO ATTEND
the Consecration of
The Rev. Kae Madden
as the Region’s First Local Bishop
September 19th at 3:00 p.m.
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Bethany Lutheran Church -- 4500 E. Hampden Ave. -- Cherry Hills Village, CO
RSVP if attending live. In-person participants must RSVP via this LINK.
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Call for 'Mums' and Joyful Noise
We are asking all who can, to bring Chrysanthemums to decorate the sanctuary and reception room. Also, bring something that 'makes a joyful noise' like a tambourine, chimes, bells, castinetts, cymbals, zither, accordion, harpsichord, etc.
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Call for Choir at the Consecration
If you would like to participate in the choir at Mother Kae's consecration, please contact Bill Smith at wills6108@gmail.com Musicians will be there early to rehearse.
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Call for greeters at the consecration
Each community has been asked to provide two volunteers as greeters. Carpooling is available. If you would like to volunteer, please call Rev. Jane Reina at 973-610-6104: Yes, 973 area code
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Praying for peace, health and well-being through challenging times
+Abdel Illah - nephew of Mary Vogl, member
+Mickey Bogart - friend of Cathy Engel, member
+Dan Scace, and family -friends of Dick and Sandra Life, members, as he is being prepared for chemo.
+Jim Carroll - husband of Dori Carroll, member
+Carol Lake, friend of Co-Pastor Jane
+Courtney Shook - daughter of Tom and Jean Christen, member
+Dorothea Grimm - Mother of Rosanna Bateman, member
+Sue Harari - friend of Cathy Engel
+Mary Detweiller - member
+Rob Frank - friend of Kerrie Anderson - member
+Jerry Padilla, father and Ryan Cordova nephew of Lisa Jones - member
+Aidan - grandson of Mother Kae.
+Lauren Roob - friend of Rosanna Bateman
+Liz and Ken Zornes and family, whose daughter is struggling with addiction - friends of Sandra and Dick Life
+Michael Keefe, son of member Yvonne Keefe
+Joanne Gallagher - member, and for her sister, Dr. Barbara Immroth
+Dona Bosse - member
+Rosemary - Fr Michael' mother
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+Dani - niece of the Cloyds - members
+Ruth Parker, sister of Dori Carroll
+Jim and Lucille Bowen friends of Suzanne King, member
+Sharon and Leo Six – parents of Michael Six, member
+Mike Gudim
+Suzanne King - member
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For the peaceful repose of souls for those who've passed and comfort for the families.
Michael Binet - member Joanne Gallagher's Godson
Bernice Wagner - sister of member
Fr. Jim DeMuth
Aaron - Son of Morris & Francis Burns,
past members
Adrian - Son of Joe & Ann - friends of
members Cindy and David Cloyd
Mary Crosby - member
Clint Wisdom - brother-in-law of Joan Chapman-Smith
Leon - father of Mother Cynthia
Kristin - daughter of ECC priest Scott Jenkins.
Joan Kneeland - sister-in-law of Bill Kneeland
Rita Ortiz, friend of Deacon Rosean
Margie Weitz - member
Chris Bachman, friend of Lisa Jones
David Heyman -member
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In gratitude for all who pray for and with our community. |
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Recording for Sunday - Aug 22, 2021
The recording of the homily given by Father Michael Nicosia is available here. And here is the service document to view or print to assist in prayer.
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Afghanistan Evacuees and Refugees
Sunday we highlighted the current situation for Afghanistan and its people.
Please hold them in your prayers.
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This week, the fall of Afghanistan’s government to the Taliban has been a major topic of coverage by the national and international news media. The Taliban controls all the main land crossing points with Afghanistan's neighbors and the militants do not want Afghans to leave the country. Even before the Taliban retook control, more than 550,000 people had been forced to flee their homes this year due to fighting, according to the UNHCR, the UN’s Refugee Agency. Furthermore an estimated 3.5 million Afghans are currently internally displaced within the country.
If you watch the news, you’ve undoubtedly seen horrible stories of people beaten while trying to get to the Kabul airport, families passing children over the wall to US soldiers, and desperate people clinging to the outsides of military transport planes leaving the airport. US as well as British and German military aircraft continue to assist with the evacuations from Kabul but the Pentagon has also activated 18 commercial aircraft to help with the onward movement of passengers
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from temporary safe havens and interim staging bases in Uzbekistan, Qatar or Pakistan.
The US has pledged to welcome 10,000 people from Afghanistan. Most European countries have been reluctant to commit to taking in specific numbers of Afghan refugees other than those who have collaborated with their own agencies, amid concerns of a replay of the 2015 refugee crisis. Countries neighboring Afghanistan have received hundreds of thousands of refugees while the country has been a war zone. In addition to issues about receiving for folks leaving the country, many questions remain about the freedoms and rights of the displaced people, especially women and girls within the Afghanistan.
Let us take a moment to hold Afghanistan and its people in our hearts and prayers. And, in the coming weeks and months let us do what we can to welcome immigrants, refugees and asylum seekers to this country.
Photo by Capt. Chris Herbert/US Air Force via AP
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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
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Who Are the 301 Faith Partners? |
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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.
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Read the Vision, Mission, Core Values and Covenant here.
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