Reflections from Our Pastors

Thursday, November 2nd, 2023

All Souls Day

Eternal rest grant unto them, O God,

And let perpetual light shine upon them.

May their souls and all the souls of the faithful departed,

Through the mercy of God,

Rest in peace.

Today, on All Souls’ Day, we have an opportunity to remember our deceased loved ones and honor the One who loved them into life and received them in death. Our prayers radiate beyond this lifetime, bringing greater light to the post-mortem journeys of our loved ones. Conversely, in the interdependence of life, the prayers and energies of deceased beloved friends and family members may support us on our earthly pilgrimages. (Patheos: Patheos is a non-denominational, non-partisan online media company providing information and commentary from various religious and nonreligious perspectives.)

All Souls' Day also provides us with the opportunity to give thanks—as well as forgive—those imperfect but loving persons who have shaped our lives. Death cannot sever our connections with loved ones. Whatever is loved lives on forever not only in our hearts but in God's healing memory and everlasting creativity.

All Souls Day reminds us that the veil between this life and the next is often quite thin. If you browse the internet, you will find dozens of locations around the world that are officially noted to be thin places. Some are buildings, like St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City, or passage tombs like Newgrange in Ireland. Others are places in nature, like the Druid forests, or Stonehenge, of England. All are places where people have reported coming upon a sacred space that brought them closer to a different world.

In Irish Celtic lore, “thin places” are those locales where the veil between this world and the other-world is porous, where there is mystery in the landscape. Timothy George, American theologian, writes that these places are special “not because the air is rarefied or the land is narrow, but because the distance between heaven and earth shrinks, and time and eternity embrace.” The separation between this world and heaven becomes so minimal that we sense the presence of God.

Today, thin places are more commonly considered locations in which there is an undeniable connection to the Sacred. What is a place in your everyday life that is certain to remind you of the presence of the Divine and call you back to your True Self? This might be a quiet corner in your home, a nearby garden, or even a local coffee shop. Don’t forget that thin places can be moments too, no matter the location, such as conversations with a Soul Friend or time spent in spiritual practice. Thin places are all about connection – with God, with the Other world and with all who have lived, are living and will live in generations to come. They are vivid reminders that we are all joined inside and outside of time.

“Anybody who goes through life with an open mind and open heart will encounter these moments of revelation," writes Roger Scruton, philosopher. "Moments that are saturated with meaning, but whose meaning cannot be put into words."

Today, I will sit before my home altar, one of my thin places, with photos and mementos of my loved ones who have passed into the arms of God. I will give thanks for the love of my parents, Chloe and Frank, and countless others whose love has supported my journey. I will speak to them and catch them up on the happenings of my days. With any luck, they will bless me with their ineffable presence.

Blessings,

Mother Rosean

(And… please join us on Saturday for a celebration in the fellowship hall!)

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

POSTPONED

Message from event organizers:

"A small group of planners met to work on the details for the service, and through our conversation, we realized that we need to step back and set a stronger foundation before we proceed....

Our larger community discourse may have us believe that to reach out to one another is to take sides, or to make a statement about what should, or should not happen, but in this moment, our invitation is to focus on compassion for every person's suffering and grief, and shared humanity, and to express solidarity in compassion above all.....

We will check back in with one another in a week or so, with a hope of holding an interfaith service focused on shared lament in 3 weeks or so..."

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.

Recording for the 30th Sunday of Ordinary Time

Hear and view the recording of readings and Rev. Jane Reina's homily from Sunday October 29. 2023

Mass Schedule

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

Weekly Mass Wednesday, Nov 15 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.