Celebrating the 2nd Sunday of Advent - December 10th, 12:30 pm

The Surprising One continues to come,

entering the world in endless disguise,

concealed in those we have never forgiven,

secreted in the hearts of the people we despise,

found in the rejected and unacceptable,

hidden in the ones we ignore and criticize.

-Macrina Wiederkehr

Join us at 12:30 pm in the Sanctuary or on Zoom for Sunday Mass with Mother Rosean Amaral.

Our lectors are Linda Joyce and Gray La Fond, and our Eucharistic ministers are Katie Lauren and Joan Chapman Smith.

Gratitude to our marvelous Music Ministry for always providing spirit-filled song.

Here is the worship aid (view or print) to assist with prayer.



• Zoom Link: Here
• For Zoom App:  431 502 8167
• Call-in Audio Only:  +1 669 900 6833
• Meeting ID: 431 502 8167

Celebration of Life Luncheon for Joanne Gallagher 

Mary of Magdala's Hospitality Ministry is coordinating the Celebration of Life luncheon immediately following her mass on December 16th.  

Meat and cheese trays, buns, and chips will be provided.  We need the help of our Mary of Magdala Community to provide side dishes for the luncheon.  

We would appreciate volunteers to bring one of the following: fruit salad, vegetable salad (that can be served with a spoon. No lettuce salad, please), or cut-up veggies.

If you are attending the funeral, please bring your side dish to the Fellowship Hall, or you can drop it off at Trinity between 9:30 and 10:30 AM on Saturday, the 16th.

We also need some extra hands to help with setting up more tables and chairs in the Fellowship Hall. If you can volunteer, please come to Trinity at 10:00 (30 minutes before mass) on the 16th.

There will be a sign-up after mass on Sunday or you can call Joan at 970 224-0297 or email jcs1320@gmail.com

Thank you in advance for being the giving, caring, and loving community of Mary of Magdala.

Mary of Magdala celebrates Christmas 2023!

Each year, we like to salute our Mary of Magdala family’s Christmas celebrations at home. To do this, we need photos of household members as well as scenes of your crèche, Christmas tree, or any decorations that capture the season for you.

As an example, here is the video for Christmas 2022.

We especially invite new members of our Mary of Magdala community to participate by e-mailing high resolution images (phone pictures and “selfies” are OK if they are sent in original size) to Tom Moos (tjmoos@aol.com) by Dec 17, 2023. If you were in the 2022 slide show and are OK with reusing your slide as it was, you don’t need to do anything; otherwise, please send updated images and suggested changes/corrections to Tom.

Blue Christmas Worship Service

Maybe it's seasonal sadness, maybe it's the suffering going on in the world, maybe it's the loss of a loved one or the failures of love within a relationship or a family, but for whatever reason, many people find Christmas difficult. Not being able to be happy-clappy during this time can be further isolating. 

It is for this reason that St. Paul's is offering a Blue Christmas worship service for people for whom the holidays are hard. Enjoy prayers and Taize chant in an intimate setting.

Join us at 7 pm on Thursday, December 14, Room 2 (East Wing)

for a celebration that will speak to all our hearts.

December 301 pub fellowship

Otto Pint Restaurant will be our next gathering

1100 Oakridge Dr.-

December 14th.

3:30 pm

We were there last year in November with our first huge gathering! Otto Pint is a couple of blocks south of Harmony Rd off Lemay Ave. They have a great selection of brews and wonderful pizzas!

Let's celebrate the holiday season together as 3 churches- our Trinity! This month we welcome the 301 Joint Social Justice Committee! As always- we start at 3:30 pm - arrive when you can, leave when you must. We are ALL INCLUSIVE! Bring your significant other and friends! No RSVP.

Welcoming in new life!

Announcing members Dana and Abbie Blach are celebrating the birth of their twin boys Dean and Russell born on November 29th. 

Both mamas and twins are healthy and Abbie says they are "well in the trenches of parenting two newborns."

Congratulations Dana and Abbie!

The Season of Advent and Christmas – 2023

Our theme: ‘God's Gift of Hope--and Ours’

Advent Sunday Masses -

12:30 pm

Second Sunday               Dec 10

           Third Sunday                     Dec 17

          Fourth Sunday                  Dec 24

Christmas Services -

On Christmas Eve

3:00 pm and 5:00 pm  

Trinity’s worship services

7:00 pm  

St. Paul’s worship service

Christmas Day Mass

10:30 am - Mary of Magdala

No 12:30 Mass

Simple Supper and Prayer

All three churches are participating in this ‘Taize’ like prayer and song.

Wednesday - December 13, 20

Soup suppers                               5:45 pm

Holden Evening Prayer              6:30 pm

Share and Inspire

Reflecting on the week’s readings in our Advent Booklet – Waiting in Joyful Hope. Join Mother Rosean and Reverend Jane via Zoom

Tuesdays – Dec 12, 19 at 7:30 pm

   With Reverend Jane

   Zoom Link HERE

   Meeting ID: 848 5409 9634

   Passcode: Advent

Thursdays – Dec 14, 21 at 10:00 am

   With Mother Rosean

   Zoom Link; HERE

   Meeting ID: 870 8960 1942

   Passcode: Advent

Giving opportunities during the Season of Advent

Mary of Magdala Social Justice Project

• The Social Justice committee will be collecting grocery gift cards to King Soopers in $25 denominations for our pastors to respond to emergency and individual requests for help with gas or groceries. Just drop them in the offertory basket!

301 Faith Partners

• Alternate Giving Fair. Sun Dec 3, 8:30 – 12:30 in the Fellowship Hall. Various charities supported by the 301 Partner communities will be represented to take donations.  Please consider stopping by before our Dec 3 Mass and give a gift on behalf or in memory of someone dear to you.

• Reverse Advent calendar: Food donations go to our Lil Pantry on Stuart street. Non-perishables, low or non-liquid canned or packaged food items are preferred. Click here for information and food suggestions. Donation box in Fellowship Hall

Remember your loved ones with a poinsettia donation

You are invited to remember family and friends this Christmas with a suggested donation of $25 for poinsettias that we will display right before Christmas. Your name and intentions (“In memory of …” “In celebration of …”, etc.) will be listed in St Paul’s, Trinity, and Mary of Magdala's Christmas bulletins.

If you would like a poinsettia to take home or to a shut-in, they will be available on a first-come, first-served basis after the Christmas services of all three congregations are over. If you would like to remember or celebrate someone with poinsettias, please let the St. Paul's office know (office@stpauls-fc.org) or sign up on the sheet near St. Paul's bulletin board. Thank you!

Remember our Mary Magdalene Society in your end-of-year giving 

Mary Magdalene Society is part of our Ecumenical Catholic Communion and provides grants to develop new ECC clergy and increase our youth programs.  Since ­­­­2018, MMS has been able to fund many worthwhile grants and support our aspiring clergy. We appreciate any donations, large or small. 

See full letter from Presiding Bishop here.

Please send donations to:  Mary Madgalene Society, ECC, 10 W. Lockwood, Webster Groves, MO 63119 and designate the gift for 'MMS'.

Weekly Monday Morning Peace Prayer

Join us in a prayer for peace in the world and within ourselves. 20 minutes every Monday morning via Zoom

Monday mornings at 9am

on this Zoom link

Meeting ID: 844 1669 8343

Passcode: 557026

(No group prayer on Christmas Morning, Dec 25)

May Mary, Mother of the World, who abhors all violence, bless us. Rev. Jane

Ongoing Faith Partners Groups

Eco Conscious Stocking Stuffers

December Eco Tip from the 301 Faith Partners Joint Ecological Team (JET)

How can we be mindful of the health of our planet when choosing gifts at Christmas time?

Think of choosing - because perhaps you don’t need to buy much. Are Christmas stockings a tradition in your family? These can be fun for adults as well as children!

“Stockings are a fun way to create new eco-conscious holiday traditions and begin the shift toward more mindful and low waste gift giving. Rather than plastic dollar store trinkets, fewer (but better quality) items that can be used throughout the year can be much more fun. Leaving them unwrapped also avoids waste while saving yourself time and money. An easy way to decide if an item is worthy is to consider this simple question – can I picture this in the trash can?” (From Sustainable in the Suburbs blog)

30 Eco Friendly Stocking Stuffers for Kids ideas include:

• Fair-trade chocolate bars (Visit the cabinet on the north side of the Fellowship hall to purchase!)
• Wooden toys and puzzles (these will become heirlooms one day)
• Fruit (especially seasonal, organic, and/or locally grown)
• Homemade play dough made with plant dyes
• Plastic-free personal care products (bar soap, tin of lip balm)
• Secondhand books with homemade bookmarks

Additional suggestions for eco-friendly stocking stuffers and other small gifts:

• Put together a small “Activity Kit” from items around your home – themes could relate to crafting, gardening, baking, or puppet-making, use your imagination.
• Hand-sew bean bags or hair scrunchies from fabric scraps. Fabric can be repurposed from unwanted or damaged clothing.
• Assemble a book from repurposed papers – fill with a favorite poem or a story or even simple line drawings to make it a coloring book.
• Home-made baked goods packaged in reusable containers-especially tins or glass jars.

2023 Plastic Free Gift Guide includes a wide range of gifts from Plastic Pollution Coalition Business Members, some are:

• Clever Noodle designs plastic-free games
• Numi Organic Tea is an award-winning social enterprise, founding B Corp, and leading purchaser of organic, Fair Trade teas
• Klean Kanteen is a leader in reusable stainless steel drinkware and food containers. 

The JET meets as needed to plan: educational events, bike to work day, volunteer opportunities and advocacy. Our next meeting is Tuesday, January 30, 2024 at 5:30PM. Be sure to check out the JET bulletin board in the NW corner of the Fellowship Hall. Please email any suggestions for future Eco-Tips to the Trinity church office.

Here is the activity schedule for all that is happening with the 301 FP. Thanks to our Joint Eco and Social Justice Ministry for compiling.

November/December Calendar - here

Praying for peace, health and well-being through challenging times.

+Cache and Courtney, family of Jean

+Joanne Gallagher, member

+David Devlin, member

+Joanne Kresl, friend of Suzanne King, member

+Lisa Moos, member

+Jim Carroll, husband of member Dori Carroll

+Kolten Weitzel, grandson of Kerrie Anderson, member

+Sabrina and her two children, currently homeless

+Grandneice of Father Michael Nicosia

+Linda Browell, member

+Sandra Carter, friend of Mary Vogel

+Kris Jenkins, wife of Father Scott Jenkins

+Jen Banks, friend of Mary of Magdala

+Francisco Cruz Antonio, friend of Rev. Jane

+Yvonne Keefe, member

+Jo Anne, friend of Sandra Life, member

+Grace Robinson, member

+Jerry Padilla, father of member Lisa Jones

+Janessa and Hayden, sister and niece of Jen Banks

+Rachel, daughter of Mary Lou Devlin, member.

~~~~~~~~~~~

A blessed and peaceful repose of souls for those who've passed and comfort for the friends and families.

+Joanne Gallagher, member

+Daniel, cousin of Pedro Engel

+Juanita Newbre, aunt of MaryLou Devlin, member

+Jeanette Marian Banks (Brown) mother of Jen Banks

+Flavian Reising Jr., Father of Steve Reising, member

+Marge Gruber, friend of Michael Six, member

+Betty Jones, mother-in-law of Lisa Jones, member

+Jean Preslan, friend of Mother Rosean and Yvonne Wootten

+Josy Moos, Godmother of Tom Moos

+Fr. Fred Ball, OFR, ECC priest

+Bob Colhour, father of member Mark Colhour.

+Candy Palmer, friend of Mary Lou Devlin, member

+Johnny Berlyn Thomas, friend and benefactor out of his own poverty, of Pastor Jane

+Fr Don Willet, from John XXIII

+Linn Zink, friend of MoM, Social Justice advocate

+Bishop McGrath - RC diocese of San Jose, Friend of Suzanne King

+James Ryan cousin of Mary Lyons, member

+ Rosemary - Fr Michael's mother

+ Mother Sheila Dierks, ECC priest in Boulder

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 1st Sunday of Advent

Celebrate with F. Teri Harroun presiding on December 3rd. The video of the homily and readings is available here.

Mass Schedule

Weekly Mass Wednesday, Dec 13 at

11:00 am

• Weekly mass in the Fireside Room
• No Zoom available



Sunday Dec 17 at 12:30 pm

• F. Michael Nicosia is presiding. In-person and with Zoom.

Weekly Mass Wednesday, Dec 20 at

11:00 am

• Weekly mass in the Fireside Room
• No Zoom available

Sunday Dec 24 at 12:30 pm

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

Did you miss an article or announcement?

Past e-bulletins posted here

• To read the ECC Council of Bishops' statement on the War in Gaza and Israel, click 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 - 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.